1) Every high priest was a man chosen to represent other people in their dealings with God. He presented their gifts to God and offers sacrifices for their sins.
2) The high priest was able to deal gently with ignorant and wayward people because he himself was subjected to the same weaknesses.
3) The high priest had to offer sacrifices for his own sins and the sins of the people he represented.
4) No one could become a high priest simply because he wanted to. He had to be called by God for this work, just as Aaron was, in the Old Testament.
5) Jesus Christ did not honor himself by assuming he could become a High Priest. No, he was chosen by God, who said to him, “You are my Son; today I have become your Father.”
6) Jesus Christ was made a priest forever in the “order of Melchizedek.” No other priest had this distinction.
7) While Jesus was here on earth, he prayed and pleaded, with a loud cry and tears, to God asking to be rescued from death. When Jesus prayed, God heard his prayers because of his obedience and deep reverence for God.
8) Even though Jesus was God’s Son, he learned obedience from the things he suffered.
9) Because of his suffering and obedience, God qualified him as a perfect High Priest. Jesus is the source of eternal salvation for all those who believe and obey him.
10) God designated him to be a High Priest in the order of Melchizedek. There is much more that could be said about this, but it is difficult to explain, especially since most of us are spiritually dull and don’t seem to listen.
11) We have been believers so long now that we ought to be teaching others. Instead, we need someone to teach us again the basic things about God’s word. We are like babies who need milk and cannot eat solid food.
12) For someone who lives on milk is still an infant and doesn’t know how to do what is right. Solid food is for those who are mature, who through training have the skill to recognize the difference between good and evil.
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