Sermon: Learn Obedience--The Road to Humility, Hebrews 5:1-10

I have the privilege of preaching occasionally at a church here in Forest, VA. A couple of years ago I did a series on Hebrews entitled "Look to Jesus." This particular sermon is called "Learn Obedience--the Road to Humility" and covers Hebrews 5:1-10. You can find the notes/outline below (NOTE: the video posted may not follow the notes exactly!). Here is the video link: Hebrews 5:1-10. There are announcements prior to the sermon which begins around 3:00 on the timer. 

Learn Obedience: The Road to Humility, Hebrews 5:1-10

Intro: The first 10 verses of chapter 5 seem to go best with the last 3 verses of chapter 4. At the end of chapter 4, our author introduces us to the idea of Jesus as our “great” high priest who has passed through the heavens. The idea here is that Jesus didn’t simply pause at the “Holiest place,” but rather that he went all the way through to the immediate and unfiltered presence of his Father. Since he is in that position, we then have an amazing opportunity to come to God’s throne of grace with boldness. (Don’t harden your heart; strive to enter God’s rest; nothing is hidden from God). In other words, we have a seat at God’s table due to Jesus’ service as our great high priest. Because of Jesus’ role as high priest, we have mercy and find grace to help in our times of need; we can come boldly to God’s presence (like a child to a parent—frankness of speech). Jesus is the means by which we receive mercy and help when we are helpless or attacked. He is our access to God (Romans 5:1). Our author now begins to examine Jesus as our high priest and how that should influence our response of faithfulness to God’s faithful word. This introduction of Jesus as a “great” high priest causes the author to consider some issues related to the high priestly office. Verses 1-10 discuss these issues. These verses are evenly divided between a focus on the role of the Levitical priesthood and the role of Jesus as our high priest appointed by God. The focus is, of course, on humility. In this respect, Christ is thoroughly qualified to be our high priest.

The key thought is simple: if we want to learn humility, we must first learn to obey. Learning obedience is the road to humility. Our author spells that out in these 10 verses by showing how one’s appointment should lead to obedience, and obedience leads to humility. Let’s take a look at Hebrews 5:1-10.

Point 1: Levitical Priests—Appointed by God to be Obedient (vv. 1-5). High priests were appointed by God to learn obedience and to serve humbly. The appointment of the OT priests was pretty straightforward. Verses 1-5 explore the basic qualifications for the high priest. The high priest originates from among the people. He represents the people before God. He ought to be humble because he is sinful. This weakness enables him to have compassion, and he offers sacrifice for himself as well as others. God calls or appoints the high priest. No human “calls” himself to this position. It is God-appointed and God-ordained. Why? God wants the priest to realize that the power of this ministry comes from God and not from human ability.

The first three verses reveal some interesting (and maybe novel) understandings of the high priesthood. The high priest is chosen from among the people, and that appointment shows to some degree the high priest’s solidarity with his tribe and people. In other words, it is no “stranger” who represents the people before God. It is one of them--someone from their own people. This is particularly clear in verse 3 where it seems that the Day of Atonement sacrifice is considered. He is one of them ethnically, but he is also one of them in sin. He too needs purification from sin. 

Verse 2 is a bit odd in describing the high priest as “humble” or even aware of his own shortcomings. This statement has no clear parallel in other Jewish writings in the first century. Typically the high priest’s exalted status is praised but not his humility. The reference to the high priest’s gentleness or weakness may stem from the author’s reflections on Jesus in 4:14-16. He may be indicating, then, what the high priesthood “ought” to be. The high priest’s own weaknesses should cause him to moderate his justified anger or displeasure at the sins of the people. In fact, he must offer sacrifices for his own sins as well as for those of his people. He was not “without sin.” As a result, he should have compassion on others. The high priest should be humble also because he does not “choose” his position; he is chosen to it.

The high priest is appointed to do what God has asked him to do. It is a role of obedience. The ritual, the sacrifices, almost every aspect of the high priestly ministry requires the individual human to respond with obedience to the instruction of God. This obedience is a road to humility as it reminds the high priest that God is the focus. It is not about what the high priest desires. It is not about the high priest’s position, prestige, or power. It is about doing what God has required. It is subsuming human pride to God’s will. It is submission. Philippians 2:5-8 exemplifies this idea of obedience as humility. The present age worships prestige, position, and power, but the kingdom of heaven esteems humility, service, and selfless living.  Can people tell to which we belong? Let’s look to Jesus as the model we should seek to emulate.

The priests of the OT were appointed by God to obedience and to humility, but they didn’t always learn obedience as they should. On the other hand, God sent a Son who would never fail to obey as God intended. God appointed his Son as a high priest to set the standard for human maturity and for human life. We are appointed by God to learn obedience, but the standard is Jesus the Messiah, God’s only Son, the only one of his kind. Learning obedience is the road to humility, and Jesus shows us what that looks like.

Point 2: Jesus as Priest—Appointed by God to Learn Obedience (vv. 6-10). These five verses remind us that Jesus (although a Son of God) is appointed as a high priest, and that this appointment led to his learning obedience. Jesus’ humility is the key to his obedience. Let’s look at vv. 6-10.

The depiction of the high priest’s “humility” is the transition to our author’s discussion of a comparison between Aaron and Jesus. This comparison is not as explicit as the comparison to Moses earlier, but it is a comparison nonetheless. Like the comparison to Moses, Jesus stands in continuity and likeness to Aaron, but he also is superior to Aaron. Like Aaron, Jesus is appointed as a high priest. Unlike Aaron, Jesus is appointed to an eternal high priesthood after the order of Melchizedek (Psalm 110:4—this idea is dealt with in detail in Hebrews 7).

The primary proof that Jesus’ humility is a requirement for the office of high priest is exemplified in Scripture. Psalm 2:7 and 110:4 emphasize God’s declarative action. Jesus didn’t “put in” for a promotion, he was “appointed” by God himself. It was a declaration of appointment by God.

In this way our author now associates the words “Son” and “priest.” In 1:1-4:14, Jesus is depicted as the Son of God. In our current chapter the author begins to define Jesus’ role as high priest. There is a shift in emphasis here. The reference to Psalm 110:4 in Christian writing is unique to Hebrews. This Psalm armed our author with a biblical basis for his distinctively priestly portrayal of Jesus.

Verses 7-10 are confessional in nature and link Messiah’s humiliation (in death) and exaltation (in resurrection) to the theme of an appointment to priesthood. The idea here is that Jesus participated fully in the human experience. He was genuinely tested just as we are—he is in solidarity with us. (Remember, he was tempted in all ways as are we). These verses lay out in a summary an overview of Jesus’ earthly ministry in a striking formulation.

Dr. Lane offers three comments on the formulation of v. 7: First, when the author says that Jesus “offered” prayers and supplications, he uses a technical term that is often used to refer to the offering of sacrifices. That is, he sees Jesus’ prayer ministry as sacrificial. This may not be a reference to Gethsemane or Golgotha, but to the totality of Jesus’ high priestly office. Second, the phrase “he was heard” may be equal to saying that Jesus’ offering was accepted by God. Third, Jesus’ passion is described in its entirety as a priestly prayer. The reference to “cries and tears” describes prayer in a time of crisis. Verse 8 then describes the new dimension of Sonship Jesus entered by virtue of his incarnation and sacrificial death. Jesus “learned” obedience by what he suffered.

In verse 8, the word “to suffer” is used to refer to the Passion of Jesus (i.e., “to die”) as in the rest of the book of Hebrews. He “suffered death” (Hebrews 2:9—“tasted” death), and this has reference to Jesus’ unique redemptive sufferings endured in his high priestly office. In the statement that Jesus “learned obedience from what he suffered,” the term “obedience” has a specific meaning. It signifies obedience to the call to suffer death in accordance with the revealed will of God. He was appointed to die.

The eternal Son of God was appointed to suffer death. In vv. 9-10, the idea of “made perfect” refers to God’s validation of Jesus’ perfect obedience as the priestly representative of his people. Jesus showed “maturity” in submitting to God even to the point of death. He was “mature” or “perfect” or “made valid” as our sacrifice by his obedience even to the point of death. His high priestly status is settled and established on the foundation of his willingness to die and on the promise of his resurrection and return. He is the “perfect” example of the submitted disciple, the willing participant, the obedient child. He sets the standard for his followers. He learned obedience so that we may follow his example. Jesus clarifies the title “high priest” that is first introduced way back in 2:17.

Jesus’ obedience requires our obedience in response. Jesus’ obedience confirms his appointment as a priest eternally “after the order of Melchizedek.” Jesus’ faithfulness is still seen as the basis for our fidelity to God. His death on a cross and his continued faithfulness to God lays the foundation for us to respond to God faithfully even in hard times. 

When the bottom falls out, we can be faithful to our faithful God because Jesus has gone ahead of us and paved a path of faithful obedience. Nonetheless, we must humble ourselves to obey, we must learn obedience in our own suffering so that we may be God’s eternal people. The cruciform life means being willing to die, to die for God but even to die for those who will betray and deny us. Humble service for God means imitating his humble service in Jesus. How are we doing?

We speak of truth and lovely things, but transparency and honesty can sometimes be messy. That is fine, though, God doesn't mind messy. If Jesus is truth, then why are we so quick to lie to each other as Christians? Are we really that concerned with how we "look" to others? Too often I compare myself to others whose situation is no better--without Christ, they are also nothing. Jesus is the Model to imitate. Church should be community, and community is sometimes messy. Unity only comes when we humble ourselves and serve others. My brother/sister may look quite different, but our unity is based on what Jesus has done and the example he set. Come to grips then with this truth--you are not God, but you need God. The only way God fills your need is by Jesus, his Incarnate Word. If you find a substitute to fill your void, you will always have "less-than-God." This idol will always fail. It cannot do anything less. God became one of us to reach us. He served humbly, what more can he ask of us? To love one another calls for humble service. It is enough.

Let us learn obedience and by learning obedience let us learn humility.

Conclusion: How do we respond to these things?

Some things we should note in this passage—First, the orientation of this section is intensely practical. The emphasis is on the need for earnest prayer. Prayer creates a sanctuary of sorts when no actual place is available. This week let us make a plan to spend time in a prayer sanctuary with the God who gives us free access to his grace in Jesus. This week, set aside at least 5 minutes a day to pray. Pray for family, for those who do not know Jesus, for your church family, for your city, for your nation. Most importantly, come boldly into God’s presence because of what Jesus has done. Spend time in God’s presence for your own sake. Soak in his presence!

Second, the new redemptive relationship between God and the human family inaugurated by Jesus establishes a firm basis for Christian decision/faithfulness. In other words, through what Jesus has done he now enables us to do—show faithful obedience to God. This week, as you read Scripture, as you pray, set your mind to obey what God says—then do it. Do ONE thing you know God called you to do. Don’t discuss it, do it. See what humility God will teach you when you simply obey. Trust and obey.

Finally, spend time in God’s Word asking his Spirit for direction. As you read, ask God what lesson you need to learn and how you can obey this word from Scripture. Read Jeremiah 18; Psalm 139; Deuteronomy 30; Psalm 1; Philemon 1; Philippians 2.

Remember, Jesus is God in the flesh. He is God among us. He is Immanuel. If we hear God’s voice today, we should NOT harden our hearts. We should strive to enter his rest. Nothing is hidden from God. We should learn obedience to him.

We claim to serve the great King, then spend decades building little fiefdoms to our own glory. We are often petty children who wish to be noticed as important or accepted, and we misunderstand the glory of the One who, though he was equal with God, humbled himself to serve others, even to the point of his own death. A glorious kingdom must be built on a solid foundation. In God's economy, that kingdom begins with humility and death. Lord, help us to die to our own petty kingdoms and prestige and teach us to live like Jesus. Philippians 2:5-8 is still the standard. Let us ever more search after that Truth!

Hear God, don’t harden your heart. Strive to enter his rest. Nothing is hidden from him. Learn obedience. Look to Jesus.

Thanks for reading!