Hebrews Chapter Five, Called By God

 

Hebrews 5:4 And no man takes this honor to himself, but he who is called by God, just as Aaron was.

 

We are informed that no man may take the honor of high priest to himself, but must be called by God. The Greek word for “honor” is, “tee-may” and means “a value.” Rendered more plainly, it would mean what an object is valued at.

It can also mean “the dignity itself,” again inferring the idea of esteem for the position or office held, rather than focusing on the individual occupying it. This is why we as Christians are commanded in Scripture to “honor the king” for the position he occupies, the position God created for government, and further, to “honor all,” or to recognize that no matter what we have done, each person is made in God’s image and ought to be accorded the honor of that recognition, 1 Peter 2:17, James 3:9.

 

Aaron himself was not accorded this position because of his inherent righteousness, anymore than Mary was given the blessing of being the Savior’s mother. God does not elect based on merit. The only thing humanity merits is the Lake of Fire for being sinful rebels from birth and by choice. If this was not so, then Jesus Christ did not need to incarnate as a Man to die for our sins on the cross. Since our Lord prayed fervently that it not be so unless the Father will it, we have complete assurance that Christ’s death was the demonstration, not only of God’s redemptive grace, but human helplessness to in any way save ourselves, Matthew 26: 39, 42.

 

The office of high priest was held in the utmost esteem in Israel’s history. We find in Eli’s day, when the high priest chose his sons over God’s glory that he was rebuked for it. “I said indeed that your house and the house of your father would walk before Me forever.’ But now the Lord says, ‘Far be it from Me; for those who honor Me I will honor, and those who despise Me shall be lightly esteemed,” 1 Samuel 2:30. Why did this happen to Eli? As high priest, he was honored according to the position God gave him. But the position, not the man, was esteemed, 2:35. Eli’s failure to act according to the title’s responsibility cost him dearly. God raises up and casts down, and to those of us that are given much, much will be demanded by God.

 

We see in John’s Gospel that Caiaphas, who was antagonistic to God’s redemption plan, was honored by God and permitted to utter prophecy because of the station he held as high priest that year, John 11:49-52. Paul, following his Master’s teachings, amended his actions, citing Exodus 22:28, when he had cursed God’s high priest for striking him without cause, Acts 23:5. Exodus 22:28, “You shall not speak evil of a ruler of your people,” is a close parallel to 1 Peter 2:17 which commands us to honor the king, or the ruler, of our country’s recognized form of government. While it may be argued that Exodus bore in mind ecclesiastical rule since the state was essentially a theocracy, this injunction clearly extended to civil rule as well. For Christians we turn to Romans 13:1: “Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God.” Civil or ecclesiastical, all authority derives from God, who dispenses it when and where He deems. Our lot is to give honor to those who occupy the lawful position of ruler in the civil realm, and to glorify our great High Priest Jesus Christ, and honor the elders, or bishops, He deems to give to His churches for their edification and growth, 1 Timothy 5:17.

 

The high priest from Aaron onward was called by God, or replaced by God, just as the kings of Israel and Judah were, beginning with Saul, who was replaced by David. In Hebrews 5:5, 6 we will see how Jesus was called to be our great and final High Priest, like Aaron was initially called, though his labors never ceased. Each saint, each born again child of God, is likewise called. For a believer in Christ we do not take this honor upon ourselves, to be priests to God (Revelation 1:6, 5:10, 20:6), but He calls us, and we answer Him in faith, John 1:12, 13, Romans 8:29, 30, Galatians 1:6, etc. There are no more high priests upon this earth like Aaron’s calling. Popes, Ecumenical Patriarchs of Constantinople, or men like Kenneth Copeland or any other claiming the Lord’s anointing for their ministry or succession to any priestly or apostolic line stand in error and in judgment, because they reject and refute Scripture.