2 Qualifications for Our Eternal High Priest – Hebrews 5:5–10
Sep 20, 2025 4
[5] So also Christ did not exalt himself to be made a high priest, but was appointed by him who said to him, “You are my Son, today I have begotten you”;
[6] as he says also in another place, “You are a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek.” [7]
In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence. [8] Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered. [9] And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him, [10] being designated by God a high priest after the order of Melchizedek. (ESV)
Kent Hughes, in his commentary on Hebrews, identifies two main qualities in these verses – selection and solidarity – and together they show why Jesus is uniquely our eternal High Priest.
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Selection: Appointed by the Father
Unlike earthly priests who inherited their role, Jesus “did not exalt himself” (verse 5). He was directly appointed by the Father: “You are my Son… You are a priest forever.” This priesthood is not temporary or fragile, but eternal – “after the order of Melchizedek.”
You might wonder who Melchizedek is. He’s a mysterious figure who only briefly appears in Genesis 14, where he meets Abraham as both king of Salem and priest of God Most High. That combination was unique; usually, kings ruled and priests sacrificed, but Melchizedek embodied both roles. Psalm 110 later picked up his name to describe God’s promised priest-king. And now Hebrews shows us that Jesus is the true fulfilment of that picture. He is the eternal King who rules with authority, and the eternal Priest who brings us to God. His priesthood has no genealogy, no expiry date, no replacement.
Jesus is both the eternal King and the eternal High Priest.
Solidarity: Tested in Suffering
Jesus was not distant from the human condition. “In the days of his flesh,” He prayed “, with loud cries and tears” (verse 7). Remember tears in Gethsemane. Remember His cries at the cross. He faced the full weight of obedience under suffering and “learned obedience” in the furnace of affliction. Kent Hughes writes, “His authentic solidarity with humanity was the soil for his terrible agony.” (p. 141, 1993). Unlike Israel’s priests, who sacrificed for their own sins, Jesus was sinless – and through suffering, He was “made perfect,” fully qualified to save fully.
The Source of Eternal Salvation
Here is the big truth: Jesus is not just another high priest but “the source of eternal salvation” (verse 9). Selection and solidarity come together here. Because the Father chose Him and because He entered into our weakness, His priesthood is both unbreakable and compassionate. He is eternally appointed and eternally sufficient. And unlike every earthly priest, His saving work never expires.
Reflection:
Praise God today that in Jesus, you have a High Priest who the Father chose and tested in suffering. He is the source of eternal salvation, so trust Him fully.
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