A Priest Like No Other

Hebrews 5:1-10

As we continue our series preaching verse by verse through the book of Hebrews, we come to chapter 5.

Here in chapter 5, the Bible continues to talk about Jesus our High Priest, but now begins to talk about the qualifications of being a priest.

In the Old Testament, the role of the high priest was sacred and exclusive.

The priest was the mediator between God and man, offering sacrifices for sin and representing the people before God.

But these priests were flawed and limited.

Christ fulfills and surpasses all these qualifications as the ultimate High Priest.

Imagine a vast canyon separating two sides: one side represents sinful humanity, and the other represents the holiness of God. The only way to cross this canyon is by a bridge.

In the Old Testament, the priests acted as temporary bridges.

They performed sacrifices and rituals to mediate between God and the people, but their efforts were incomplete.

The sacrifices they offered were repeated year after year because they could not fully take away sin (Hebrews 10:1-4).

They only offered a temporary connection through the obedient faith of those who brought the sacrifices.

These priests, flawed by their own sins and limitations, were like bridges that could not bear the full weight of humanity’s need for reconciliation with God.

Now, imagine a bridge under repair—a structure patched together, unstable, and incapable of carrying you safely to the other side.

If you were to step onto it, the cracks and weaknesses would give way under the weight, leaving you stranded or worse.

This is the inadequacy of human efforts to bridge the gap to God.

Whether it was through the imperfect priesthood of the Old Testament or our own attempts at righteousness, no human solution could endure the load of sin’s consequences.

Then Christ came.

He is not just another bridge; He is the perfect and eternal one.

As the God-man, fully divine and fully human, Christ is uniquely qualified to span the divide.

His sinless life and sacrificial death provide a foundation so secure that it can bear the weight of every sin, every failure, and every burden we bring to Him.

Unlike the priests of old, who had to repeatedly offer sacrifices, Christ’s one sacrifice on the cross was sufficient for all time (Hebrews 9:12).

Through Him, we can confidently cross the divide into God’s presence, knowing that His bridge will never fail.

So let’s examine the qualifications of a true priest and see how Christ not only meets but exceeds them, becoming our eternal mediator.

Jesus is a True High Priest…

I. Appointed by God

1 For every high priest taken from among men is ordained for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins:

4 Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.

The role of a high priest was not something a man could simply claim for himself.

It was an office established and ordained by God, ensuring that the priest stood as God’s chosen representative to mediate between Him and His people.

Without this divine appointment, no one could stand in such a sacred position.

A. Aaron’s Divine Calling

From the very beginning, God set apart certain individuals for the priesthood.

This was not a matter of personal ambition or public vote, but of God’s sovereign choice.

It could only be Aaron and His Descendants

Aaron, the brother of Moses, was specifically chosen by God to serve as the first high priest (Exodus 28:1).

His sons and their descendants carried on this sacred responsibility, but only because of God’s command.

These priests were ordained to minister in the tabernacle, representing the people before God and offering sacrifices on their behalf.

No One Could Assume the Role

The seriousness of this calling is highlighted in events like the rebellion of Korah (Numbers 16).

Korah and his followers challenged Aaron’s priesthood, claiming they had just as much right to approach God as Aaron did.

God swiftly judged their presumption, making it clear that the priesthood was His to appoint.

While the Old Testament priests were divinely chosen, their appointment ultimately pointed forward to an even greater calling.

Christ, as our eternal High Priest, was also appointed by God—but in a way that surpasses the Levitical priesthood.

B. Christ’s Divine Calling

Just as no man could assume the role of high priest on his own, Christ did not take this honor upon Himself.

Instead, He was appointed directly by God in fulfillment of prophecy.

This was made so by Declaration of the Father

In Hebrews 5:5, we see that God the Father declared Christ’s appointment:

5 So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest; but he that said unto him, Thou art my Son, to day have I begotten thee.

This verse, quoting Psalm 2:7, affirms that Christ’s priesthood is tied to His identity as the eternal Son of God.

He is not merely a priest in the line of Aaron but something far greater.

Jesus’ calling was by declaration of the Father…but it was also

Confirmed as a Priest After the Order of Melchizedek

6 As he saith also in another place, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.

Unlike Aaron and his descendants, Christ’s priesthood is not based on ancestry or lineage.

He is a priest “after the order of Melchizedek”

Melchizedek is a mysterious figure from Genesis 14 who prefigures Christ as both priest and king.

Some believe Melchizedek was a Christophany, or a pre-incarnation appearance of Christ.

This unique designation shows that Christ’s priesthood is eternal and superior, not bound by the limitations of the Levitical system.

Having been divinely appointed, Christ fulfilled the first qualification of a true priest.

Yet His role as High Priest does not rest on appointment alone.

He also perfectly embodies the compassion and understanding needed to minister to humanity in our weakness.

Jesus is the True High Priest Appointed by God…and …

II. Sympathetic to Human Weakness

While divine appointment establishes the authority of the priest, compassion and understanding is what makes the priest relatable and approachable.

A true priest must not only represent God to humanity but also empathize with humanity’s struggles and weaknesses.

This is a perfect description of who Christ is as our Great High Priest.

But how is Jesus different than other human priests?

A. The Weakness of Earthly Priests

2 Who can have compassion on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the way; for that he himself also is compassed with infirmity.

3 And by reason hereof he ought, as for the people, so also for himself, to offer for sins.

The priests of the Old Testament could sympathize with the people because they shared in the same human condition.

However, their own sinfulness also limited their ability to provide lasting help.

There were shared human weaknesses.

Earthly priests were “compassed with infirmity” (Hebrews 5:2).

They experienced the same temptations, struggles, and limitations as those they served.

This made them capable of understanding and having compassion for the “ignorant and those out of the way” (Hebrews 5:2), referring to people who sinned out of weakness or ignorance.

However, their ability to sympathize also revealed their own flaws.

They needed to offer sacrifices not only for the sins of the people but also for their own sins (Hebrews 5:3).

This constant cycle of sacrifice highlighted their imperfection.

So there were Limitations of these Earthly Priests

While their shared weaknesses created empathy, it also prevented them from offering a perfect solution for sin.

Their sacrifices could only provide temporary atonement, leaving the deeper problem of sin unresolved (Hebrews 10:1-4).

Hebrews 10:1–4 KJV

1 For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect. 2 For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins. 3 But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year. 4 For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.

Earthly priests were sympathetic yet flawed, but Christ’s sympathy is greater because it is rooted in His sinlessness and His full experience of human frailty.

B. Christ’s Compassionate Sympathy

Unlike earthly priests, Christ’s sympathy is not marred by sin.

He understands our struggles perfectly because He lived as one of us, yet without sin (Hebrews 4:15).

Hebrews 4:15 KJV

15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

1. Touched by Our Infirmities

Jesus’ earthly life was marked by suffering and temptation.

He experienced hunger, thirst, weariness, grief, rejection, and even betrayal.

He faced every kind of temptation we face, yet He remained sinless.

This sinlessness doesn’t make Him less relatable but more so.

Because He never gave in to sin, He understands the full weight of temptation in a way that no one else can.

As C.S. Lewis observed, “Only those who try to resist temptation know how strong it is. A man who gives in to temptation after five minutes simply does not know what it would have been like an hour later.”

2. Experienced Suffering for Our Sake

7 Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared;

8 Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;

These verses emphasizes that Christ offered up prayers and supplications “with strong crying and tears” during His earthly life.

His agony in the Garden of Gethsemane is a vivid example of His heartfelt identification with human suffering.

• Through this suffering, Christ “learned obedience” (Hebrews 5:8).

This doesn’t mean He was ever disobedient but that He fully experienced the cost of obedience, even to the point of death on the cross.

Philippians 2:8 KJV

8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

A young man named James, had once battled a crippling addiction. For years, he struggled in silence, ashamed and feeling hopeless. But through persistence, faith, and the support of others, James finally found freedom and healing. He went on to become a counselor, dedicating his life to helping others who faced the same battles he once fought.

One day, a young man named Ryan walked into James’s office. Ryan was desperate, overwhelmed by his addiction, and convinced no one could truly understand the depth of his pain. As Ryan began to share his story, James listened intently, nodding at each word. When Ryan finished, James leaned forward and said, “I know exactly how you feel. I’ve been where you are—feeling broken, ashamed, and trapped. But I want you to know there’s a way out. I’ve walked that path, and I’m here to help you through it.”

In that moment, Ryan felt a glimmer of hope. For the first time, he realized he wasn’t alone. The counselor’s shared experience made his words of encouragement more powerful than anyone else’s could have been. He wasn’t speaking from theory or sympathy alone—he was speaking from a place of understanding and victory.

Now consider this: if James, a flawed human, could offer such comfort and guidance because of his personal experience, how much more can Christ, our perfect Savior, guide and comfort us? He has walked through every trial, faced every temptation, and borne every burden we will ever know. Yet He triumphed over them all. When Christ says, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28), we can trust Him completely. He knows our pain because He’s felt it, and He offers a path to victory because He’s walked it.

Christ’s perfect sympathy draws us to Him, but His priesthood does not stop there.

A true priest must also offer a sacrifice for sin, and Christ’s sacrifice is unparalleled in its power and effect.

A true High priest is appointed by God.

A true High priest is Sympathetic to Human Weaknesses

Lastly tonight, A true High Priest…

III. Offers Effective Sacrifices for Sin

Sympathy and understanding are essential qualities for a high priest, but they would be incomplete without the ability to provide an effective solution for sin.

A true priest must not only empathize with our struggles but also offer a sacrifice that truly reconciles us to God.

Earthly priests could only provide temporary relief through repeated sacrifices, but Christ, our Great High Priest, offered a perfect and final sacrifice.

A. The Imperfect Sacrifices of Earthly Priests

Under the Old Covenant, the priests were responsible for offering sacrifices for the sins of the people.

However, these sacrifices were never intended to fully remove sin.

We see this in…

1. The Repeated Nature of Sacrifices

Every day, priests stood ministering and offering sacrifices that could never fully cleanse the conscience of the worshipper (Hebrews 10:11).

Hebrews 10:11 KJV

11 And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins:

These offerings served as a constant reminder of sin, not a permanent solution.

The Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16) was the pinnacle of the sacrificial system, yet even this annual event only covered sin temporarily, pointing to the need for something greater.

That is because of…

2. The Insufficiency of Animal Sacrifices

Hebrews 10:4 plainly states,

Hebrews 10:4 KJV

4 For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.

The sacrifices dealt with outward ceremonial purity but could not address the deeper problem of sin in the human heart.

I am a mess when it comes to eating. My ties and shirts get stains on them all the time. Imagine trying to clean a stained shirt with water alone—it might rinse the surface but will never remove the deep stain.

In the same way, the sacrifices of the Old Testament could only address the surface issue of sin, leaving the deeper stain untouched.

While earthly priests could only offer temporary solutions, Christ’s sacrifice was altogether different—perfect, complete, and eternal.

B. The Perfect Sacrifice of Christ

Jesus’ sacrifice fulfilled what the Old Testament sacrifices could only foreshadow.

As both the High Priest and the spotless Lamb of God, Christ offered Himself once for all.

It was a Single, Sufficient Offering

Hebrews 9:12 KJV

12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.

Unlike the repetitive sacrifices of the old priests, Christ’s sacrifice was final and fully effective.

His death on the cross paid the penalty for sin, satisfying God’s justice and opening the way for sinners to be reconciled to Him.

So, what was the Results of His Sacrifice?

9 And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;

He became the author of eternal salvation.

His sacrifice not only removes sin but also grants eternal life to those who trust in Him.

Through His sacrifice, believers are sanctified, justified, and made acceptable before God.

Romans 5:1–2 KJV

1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: 2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

Do you remember the story Jesus told of a servant who owed his king a massive debt—so large it could never be repaid, not in a lifetime or even several lifetimes (Matthew 18:23-27).

The servant was brought before the king, and knowing he had no means to repay, he begged for mercy.

Out of compassion, the king did something extraordinary: he forgave the debt entirely. The servant, who had been burdened by an impossible load, was suddenly free, not because of anything he had done, but because of the king’s grace.

This is a picture of Christ’s sacrifice for us. Our sin creates a debt so immense that we could never repay it, no matter how hard we try. But through His death on the cross, Jesus didn’t just make partial payments—He erased the debt completely. In Him, we are not just relieved of a burden; we are fully forgiven and set free.

Christ’s sacrifice accomplishes more than forgiveness; it also secures eternal salvation and ongoing access to God’s throne of grace.

C. The Eternal Results of Christ’s Sacrifice

The effects of Christ’s priestly work extend far beyond His sacrifice on the cross.

As our risen Savior, He continues to intercede for us as our High Priest.

He is busy right now... Interceding for Believers

Romans 8:34 KJV

34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.

Christ’s intercession ensures that believers are continually upheld before the Father, securing our standing as His children.

And not only interceding, but He is Providing Grace and Mercy

Hebrews 4:16 KJV

16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

Because of Christ’s priesthood, we have direct access to God’s presence, where we can find forgiveness, strength, and comfort.

My sister had to get some help from a lawyer in dealing with some insurance issues.

He helped her get the help she needed, but also has been continually available to answer questions she has, even after the case was closed.

Christ’s work as our High Priest goes beyond the cross—He continually advocates for us, ensuring that we are forever reconciled to God.

We need to trust fully in Christ’s finished work on the cross.

If you’ve been trying to earn favor with God through your own efforts, lay those burdens down.

His sacrifice is sufficient, and His intercession is eternal.

Conclusion

Christ is the perfect High Priest, uniquely qualified to bridge the gap between a holy God and sinful humanity.

He was divinely appointed by the Father, fulfilling every prophecy and requirement of the priesthood.

He sympathizes with our weaknesses, understanding our struggles and temptations because He lived them Himself—yet without sin.

Most importantly, He offered the ultimate, once-for-all sacrifice for sin, accomplishing what no earthly priest or repeated sacrifice ever could.

But His priestly work didn’t end at the cross.

Today, He continues to intercede for us at the right hand of God, advocating on our behalf and ensuring that we have access to the Father.

He invites us to come boldly to His throne of grace, where we find mercy for our failures and grace for our daily lives.

This is the High Priest we have in Christ—one who understands us, stands for us, and has secured eternal redemption for us.

What a Savior! Let us trust Him fully, rest in His finished work, and draw near to Him daily with confidence and joy.

In Christ, we have everything we need—forever.

A famous story tells of a man caught in a rising flood. He climbed onto his roof, praying for rescue. A boat came, but he waved it away, saying, “God will save me.” A helicopter came, but again, he refused. When he drowned and stood before God, he asked, “Why didn’t You save me?” God replied, “I sent a boat and a helicopter; what more did you want?” Christ’s sacrifice is God’s ultimate rescue—don’t wait for another.

For those of us who are believers:

Rest in the finished work of Christ.

Let His sacrifice and intercession be your confidence as you approach God.

For those who are still seeking the answer:

Come to the High Priest who not only understands your struggles but has paid the price for your sin.

Trust in Him today for eternal salvation.

He is ready for you as your Great High Priest.