Hebrews 5:3 - Because of this, he must offer sacrifices for sins for the people, as well as for himself.
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What does "Hebrews 5:3" mean?
Hebrews 5:3 states, "Because of this, he must offer sacrifices for sins for the people, as well as for himself." Let's break down what this means within the context of the book of Hebrews:
"Because of this..." This refers back to the previous verses (Hebrews 5:1-2) which describe the qualifications of a high priest. A high priest is chosen from among men, appointed to represent them before God, and is able to deal gently with the ignorant and wayward. Why is he able to deal gently? Because he is also subject to weakness and sin.
"He must offer sacrifices for sins..." This highlights the primary role of the high priest in the Old Testament system. The high priest's job was to offer sacrifices to God as atonement for the sins of the people.
"...for the people, as well as for himself." This is the key point of this particular verse. Because the high priest himself is also a sinner (subject to weakness), he is obligated to offer sacrifices not only for the sins of the people he represents but also for his own sins.
In summary, Hebrews 5:3 is emphasizing that the high priests under the Old Covenant were themselves imperfect and sinful. Consequently, their sacrifices were a continuous, repetitive process because they had to atone for their own sins before they could atone for the sins of others.
Why is this important in Hebrews?
The author of Hebrews is building a case for the superiority of Jesus Christ as the ultimate high priest. The verses that follow contrast the Old Testament high priests with Jesus, who is sinless and therefore offered a once-for-all sacrifice that fully atones for sins. Unlike the Levitical priests, Jesus did not need to offer sacrifices for himself.
Therefore, this verse serves to highlight the imperfection and temporary nature of the Old Covenant system in contrast with the perfect and permanent sacrifice of Christ.
Hebrews 5:3 - Because of this, he must offer sacrifices for sins for the people, as well as for himself.
What does "Hebrews 5:3" mean?
Hebrews 5:3 states, "Because of this, he must offer sacrifices for sins for the people, as well as for himself." Let's break down what this means within the context of the book of Hebrews:
"Because of this..." This refers back to the previous verses (Hebrews 5:1-2) which describe the qualifications of a high priest. A high priest is chosen from among men, appointed to represent them before God, and is able to deal gently with the ignorant and wayward. Why is he able to deal gently? Because he is also subject to weakness and sin.
"He must offer sacrifices for sins..." This highlights the primary role of the high priest in the Old Testament system. The high priest's job was to offer sacrifices to God as atonement for the sins of the people.
"...for the people, as well as for himself." This is the key point of this particular verse. Because the high priest himself is also a sinner (subject to weakness), he is obligated to offer sacrifices not only for the sins of the people he represents but also for his own sins.
In summary, Hebrews 5:3 is emphasizing that the high priests under the Old Covenant were themselves imperfect and sinful. Consequently, their sacrifices were a continuous, repetitive process because they had to atone for their own sins before they could atone for the sins of others.
Why is this important in Hebrews?
The author of Hebrews is building a case for the superiority of Jesus Christ as the ultimate high priest. The verses that follow contrast the Old Testament high priests with Jesus, who is sinless and therefore offered a once-for-all sacrifice that fully atones for sins. Unlike the Levitical priests, Jesus did not need to offer sacrifices for himself.
Therefore, this verse serves to highlight the imperfection and temporary nature of the Old Covenant system in contrast with the perfect and permanent sacrifice of Christ.