comparison in verse eight says that Jesus “learned obedience through what he suffered.” Here is the verb patheo in verse eight which we saw within the compound word in verse two. The high priest of Israel is metriopathetic with people’s weaknesses, while Jesus also functioned as a high priest by being empathetic. Here again Jesus is described as “learning obedience.” Hebrews pictures Jesus as someone who grows and matures. Through his actions he attains a particular stature in the eyes of God and as a consequence becomes the high priest in the heavens.
Back to our illustration. Antonio tells Marco one day how good their priest is at Saint Dominic’s. His priest has compassion on people. He loves them, he doesn’t get angry with them when they miss church or confession. Antonio challenges Marco about his priest, Father Jesás.
“You want to talk about passion for his people,” Marco asks, “let me tell you about passion.” He goes on to describe the pain and suffering Father Jesús has experienced with the people at Saint Sophia’s. “Your priest may be compassionate,” Marco says, “but our priest knows the passion of Christ, who feels the pain of his people and experiences the suffering for himself.”
That’s our great high priest. That’s the one to whom we owe our allegiance. His priesthood is based on his own sufferings for us. What else should we do than to claim Christ as our great high priest and remain loyal to him?
Making an Offering for the People (5:3 and 5:7)
In the third comparison, the high priest is said in verse three to “offer” sacrifices. Notice in verse seven that Jesus “offered up” prayers and supplications. The same verb is used in both cases. The high priest offers a sacrifice; that’s what a high priest does. Jesus is also a high priest because he also made an offering to God. That offering was his prayers and supplications along with his loud cries and tears. His offering was to the one able to save him from death. That much we understand, but Hebrews says Jesus was heard on account of his reverent submission. In other words, Jesus earned the right to be heard as a high priest.
Once again Antonio is boasting of his priest at Saint Dominic’s. He describes how the priest makes a point of acknowledging his own sinfulness, his own need for divine forgiveness. Antonio likes that humbleness of his priest. Marco is surprised by that attitude. What they have noticed at Saint Sophia’s is how Father Jesús prays to God for strength both for him and for the people. He nearly cries out to God for Saint Sophia’s to be a place where people are committed to God in all aspects of their lives. For Marco, that makes Father Jesús a better priest than any other, and someone he will continue to support.
Jesus wasn’t a priest in the temple in Jerusalem and didn’t carry out the daily, weekly, or yearly function of the high priest in making offerings to God. He did, however, fulfill the priestly role by offering up prayers to God, and God heard his prayers. No stronger claim can be made for priests than to see evidence of God hearing their prayers. We can be sure that Jesus fulfills that aspect of being a high priest, and he does it in a way that challenges us to stay faithful to God.
Not Seeking Honor For Oneself (5:4 and 5:5–6)
Finally, in the fourth comparison, the high priest in verse four does not “take the honor on himself.” One would not be so presumptuous as to run for the office of high priest. Rather, one is called to it. Christ, by comparison in verse five, “did not glorify himself.” Instead, God appointed him by choosing him to be the Son. Remember that the anointed king in Israel is called the son of God. The royal installation psalm, Psalm 2, says of the newly anointed king through the voice of Yahweh, “You are my son, today I have begotten you,” meaning, “on this day of your coronation as king, it is like I have given birth to my divine designate.” Because of Jesus’ endurance, faithfulness and obedience, God exalted him after death which signified that Jesus Christ was the appointed king-priest, God’s right-hand man in heaven.
The same psalm that begins with Psalm 110:1, “The LORD says to my lord, ‘Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies your footstool’” is the one that goes on to say, “The LORD has sworn and will not change his mind, ‘You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek’” (Ps 110:4).
The most damaging claim that Antonio makes is that Father Jesús was an opportunist who pulled strings in order to get what he wanted from the church. Antonio claims that Father Jesús was practically moved in before the bishop recognized his appointment to that parish. Marco defends his priest. He tells how Father Jesús grew up in a Catholic home, attending a Catholic school. He decided at an early age to take his vows. Not only was he a good student in seminary, he also was active in mission work in the city and in developing countries. Father Jesús had sensed a calling to come to Saint Sophia’s. He was obedient to that calling, even to the point of staying in the rectory while he waited to hear from the bishop. If being called by God to the priesthood is what makes a good priest, then Father Jesús is an excellent priest.
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