Our text continues the discussion of Jesus Christ as our legitimate and superior High Priest. In these verses, the writer establishes the qualifications for High Priest. He notes that the position is one who serves as a spiritual leader in man’s relationship as it pertains to God. His qualifications allow him to be compassionate towards men, and to appease God. It is important to note that it is God who appointed these men to serve; it was not a self-proclaimed position.
In this way, Jesus qualifies as our High Priest. He too is our spiritual leader. One important part of His office is that he too can be compassionate because of His humanity, (4:15). However, His sacrifice for the sins of man are greater because He Himself was guiltless “who committed no sin… who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we having died to sins, might live for righteousness – by whose stripes you were healed” (1 Peter 2:22,24).
Jesus too was ordained as priest by the Father. It was not by His own authority. He was called by God. “Called by God as High Priest ‘according to the order of Melchizedek’” (5:10).
