1 For euery high Priest taken from among men, is ordeined for men in things pertaining to God, that hee may offer both giftes & sacrifices for sins.
2 Who can haue compassion on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the way, for that he himselfe also is compassed with infirmitie.
3 And by reason heereof hee ought as for the people, so also for himselfe, to offer for sinnes.
4 And no man taketh this honour vnto himselfe, but hee that is called of God, as was Aaron.
5 So also, Christ glorified not himselfe, to bee made an High Priest: but hee that saide vnto him, Thou art my Sonne, to day haue I begotten thee.
6 As he saith also in another place, Thou art a Priest for euer after the order of Melchisedec.
7 Who in the dayes of his flesh, when hee had offered vp prayers and supplications, with strong crying and teares, vnto him that was able to saue him from death, and was heard, in that he feared.
8 Though hee were a Sonne, yet learned hee obedience, by the things which he suffered:
9 And being made perfect, he became the authour of eternall saluation vnto all them that obey him,
10 Called of God an high Priest after the order of Melchisedec:
11 Of whom we haue many things to say, and hard to be vttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing.
12 For when for the time yee ought to bee teachers, yee haue neede that one teach you againe which be the first principles of the Oracles of God, and are become such as haue need of milke, and not of strong meat.
13 For euery one that vseth milke, is vnskilful in the word of righteousnes: for he is a babe.
14 But strong meate belongeth to them that are of full age, euen those who by reason of vse haue their senses exercised to discerne both good and euil.
The office and duty of a high priest abundantly answered in Christ. (1-10) The Christian Hebrews reproved for their little progress in the knowledge of the gospel. (11-14)1-10 The High Priest must be a man, a partaker of our nature. This shows that man had sinned. For God would not suffer sinful man to come to him alone. But every one is welcome to God, that comes to him by this High Priest; and as we value acceptance with God, and pardon, we must apply by faith to this our great High Priest Christ Jesus, who can intercede for those that are out of the way of truth, duty, and happiness; one who has tenderness to lead them back from the by-paths of error, sin, and misery. Those only can expect assistance from God, and acceptance with him, and his presence and blessing on them and their services, that are called of God. This is applied to Christ. In the days of his flesh, Christ made himself subject to death: he hungered: he was a tempted, suffering, dying Jesus. Christ set an example, not only to pray, but to be fervent in prayer. How many dry prayers, how few wetted with tears, do we offer up to God! He was strengthened to support the immense weight of suffering laid upon him. There is no real deliverance from death but to be carried through it. He was raised and exalted, and to him was given the power of saving all sinners to the uttermost, who come unto God through him. Christ has left us an example that we should learn humble obedience to the will of God, by all our afflictions. We need affliction, to teach us submission. His obedience in our nature encourages our attempts to obey, and for us to expect support and comfort under all the temptations and sufferings to which we are exposed. Being made perfect for this great work, he is become the Author of eternal salvation to all that obey him. But are we of that number?
11-14 Dull hearers make the preaching of the gospel difficult, and even those who have some faith may be dull hearers, and slow to believe. Much is looked for from those to whom much is given. To be unskilful, denotes want of experience in the things of the gospel. Christian experience is a spiritual sense, taste, or relish of the goodness, sweetness, and excellence of the truths of the gospel. And no tongue can express the satisfaction which the soul receives, from a sense of Divine goodness, grace, and love to it in Christ.
Commentary by Matthew Henry, 1710.