Hebrews 5:1 - Exposition

For every high priest, from among men being taken, for men is constituted in the things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins. Here ἐξ ἀνθρώπων λαμβανόμενος is not (as the rendering of the A.V. might suggest) a limitation of the subject of the sentence, confining it to merely human high priests; it belongs to the predicate, expressing what is true of every high priest. The phrase expresses both the necessary humanity of the high priest, and also his being set apart for his peculiar office — λαμβανόμενος ἐξ . The order, and consequent force, of the words in the Greek is retained in the translation given above. (For the expression, τὰ πρὸς τὸν θεὸν , cf . Hebrews 2:17 ; Romans 15:17 ) The purpose for which the high priest is constituted in this relation is "that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins " — a comprehensive designation of sacerdotal functions, the essential idea, expressed by ὑπὲρ ἁμαρτιῶν , being atonement (cf. Hebrews 2:17 , εἰς τὸ ἰλάσκεσθαι τὰς ἁμαρτίας τοῦ λαοῦ ) . The difference between the words δῶρον and θυσία is that the former, denoting properly any offering regarded as a gift, is especially applied in the LXX . to the minchah ("meat offering"); the latter (from θύω ) denotes properly "a bloody sacrifice," and is generally so applied. The distinction, however, is not invariably observed, δῶρον being used in this Epistle ( Hebrews 11:4 ) for Abel's sacrifice and ( Hebrews 8:4 ) for all kinds of offerings, while θυσία in the LXX . denotes ( Genesis 4:3 ) Cain's unbloody offering and (Le Hebrews 2:1 ) the minchah. But here, as also in Hebrews 8:3 and Hebrews 9:9 , where both are named ( δῶρα τε καὶ θυσίας ) , we may conclude a distinctive reference to be intended to the unbloody and bloody offerings of the Law (cf. Psalms 40:6 , "Sacrifice and offering ( θυσοίαν καὶ προσφορὰν , LXX ) thou didst not desire;" Daniel 9:27 , θυσία καὶ σπονδὴ : and also Jeremiah 17:26 . To both ὑπὲρ ἁμαρτιῶν (depending, not on θυσίας , but on προσφέρῃ ) applies, For, though blood-shedding ( Hebrews 9:22 ) was essential for atonement, the unbloody minchah formed part of the ceremony of expiation, and this notably on the Day of Atonement, so specially referred to afterwards in the Epistle (see Numbers 29:7-11 ).