Dual Panel1NOTE that when a man is chosen as High Priest he is appointed on men's behalf as their representative in the things of Godhe offers gifts to God and makes the necessary sacrifices for sins on behalf of his fellowmen.
2He must be able to deal sympathetically with the ignorant and foolish because he realizes that he is himself prone to human weakness.
3This means that the offering which he makes for sin is made on his own behalf as well as on behalf of those whom he represents.
4Note also that nobody chooses for himself the honour of being a High Priest, but he is called by God to the work, as was Aaron, the first High Priest in ancient times.
5Thus we see that the Christ did not choose for himself the glory of being High Priest, but he was honoured by the one who said: Thou art my Son, This day have I begotten thee.
6And he says in another passage: Thou art a priest for ever After the order of Melchizedek.
7Christ, in the days when he was a man on earth, appealed to the One who could save him from death in desperate prayer and the agony of tears. His prayers were heard because of his willingness to obey.
8But, Son though he was, he had to prove the meaning of obedience through all that he suffered.
9Then, when he had been proved the perfect Son, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who should obey him, being
10designated by God himself as High Priest "after the order of Melchizedek".
11There is a great deal that we should like to say about this high priesthood, but it is not easy to explain to you since you seem so slow to grasp spiritual truth.
12At a time when you should be teaching others, you need teachers yourselves to repeat to you the ABC of God's revelation to men. You have become people who need a milk diet and cannot face solid food!
13For anyone who continues to live on "milk" is unable to digest what is righthe simply has not grown up.
14"Solid food" is only for the adult, that is, for the man who has developed by experience his power to discriminate between what is good and what is evil.