Hebrews 5 2

Hebrews 5:2 kjv

Who can have compassion on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the way; for that he himself also is compassed with infirmity.

Hebrews 5:2 nkjv

He can have compassion on those who are ignorant and going astray, since he himself is also subject to weakness.

Hebrews 5:2 niv

He is able to deal gently with those who are ignorant and are going astray, since he himself is subject to weakness.

Hebrews 5:2 esv

He can deal gently with the ignorant and wayward, since he himself is beset with weakness.

Hebrews 5:2 nlt

And he is able to deal gently with ignorant and wayward people because he himself is subject to the same weaknesses.

Hebrews 5 verses

Hebrews 5 2 Meaning

Hebrews 5:2 describes a characteristic of the Old Covenant high priest: his ability to deal gently with those who sin due to ignorance or err by straying from God's path. This capacity for patience and understanding stems from his own experience of human frailty and susceptibility to weakness. It highlights the priest's empathetic qualification to intercede on behalf of a sinful humanity because he, too, shares in the condition of weakness that necessitates divine mercy.

Hebrews 5 2 Context

Hebrews chapter 5 shifts the focus to the High Priesthood of Jesus Christ. Verse 2 specifically describes the necessary qualifications and empathetic nature of the human (Levitical) high priest under the Old Covenant. This serves as a foundational understanding for the audience, many of whom were familiar with the Jewish temple system, helping them grasp the concept of an empathetic intercessor. The author then, in subsequent verses, establishes how Jesus uniquely fulfills and surpasses these requirements.

The broader context of the book of Hebrews emphasizes the supremacy of Christ over all previous revelations and institutions. The Levitical priesthood, though divinely ordained, was inherently flawed and temporary because its priests were themselves sinful. The high priest's role was crucial for mediating atonement, especially for unintentional sins of the community and his own. His shared humanity allowed him to identify with those he served, a prerequisite for compassionate ministry.

Hebrews 5 2 Word analysis

• He can deal gently (μετριοπαθεῖν - metriopathein): This term suggests a balanced, moderate feeling; an ability to sympathize or empathize without being carried away by the emotion itself. It implies patience, forbearance, and compassionate understanding rather than harsh judgment or apathetic detachment. The priest's own susceptibility to weakness enables this tempered response.
• with those who are ignorant (ἀγνοοῦσιν - agnoousin): Refers to individuals who sin out of a lack of knowledge, inadvertently, or without full intent. This category of sin (often referred to in the Old Testament) emphasizes error or misunderstanding rather than deliberate rebellion against God's known commands. The law provided specific sacrifices for these unwitting transgressions.
• and going astray (πλανωμένοις - planōmenois): Describes those who have wandered, erred, or been led away from the right path, often due to carelessness, faulty reasoning, or temptation. It implies a deviation or a spiritual wandering that results in wrongdoing, but not necessarily outright defiant rebellion. The phrase highlights a need for guidance and restoration rather than immediate condemnation.
• since he himself: This phrase strongly connects the priest's capacity for gentle dealing with his personal experience. It underlines the qualification for ministry arising from shared human experience.
• is beset with weakness (περίκειται ἀσθένειαν - perikeitai astheneian): Literally means "is clothed with weakness" or "surrounded by weakness." It vividly portrays the priest's inherent human frailty, limitations, and susceptibility to sin. Unlike Christ, the Levitical high priest was not only weak in human nature but also subject to sin itself. This shared vulnerability was both his qualification for empathy and his disqualification from being a perfect, once-for-all sacrifice.

Words-group analysis:

• "He can deal gently with those who are ignorant and going astray": This phrase describes the required compassionate posture of the high priest. His role was not to condemn, but to intercede, offering mercy and guidance. It highlights that certain sins arise from human failing rather than defiant malice, and such errors require a priest capable of compassion rather than immediate punitive judgment. The types of sins mentioned emphasize human frailty and misdirection over malicious intent.
• "since he himself is beset with weakness": This provides the theological justification for the high priest's empathetic approach. Because he understands temptation, human limitation, and even the tendency to sin himself, he is uniquely positioned to identify with the struggling and erring congregation. This common humanity forms the basis for his intercessory work, showing that even those in positions of spiritual authority share the common human condition.

Hebrews 5 2 Bonus section

The distinction between "ignorance and going astray" (sins of inadvertence or error) and presumptuous, defiant sin was crucial in Old Testament law. While atonement rituals were available for the former (e.g., Num 15:27-29; Lev 4), presumptuous sin, committed "with a high hand," often carried severe penalties, including being cut off from the community, for it represented a willful rejection of God's authority (Num 15:30-31). The high priest's capacity for gentleness specifically applied to those who stumbled unintentionally. This qualification also hints at the heavy spiritual burden carried by the high priest, as he had to perpetually make atonement for the nation and for himself, a burden fully and perfectly satisfied by Christ's once-for-all sacrifice (Heb 9:28).

Hebrews 5 2 Commentary

Hebrews 5:2 elucidates a crucial qualification for the Old Covenant high priest: the ability to relate empathetically to a sinful populace. His "gentleness" was rooted in a personal understanding of human "ignorance" and the propensity to "go astray," for he himself was "beset with weakness." This shared frailty allowed him to serve as an authentic mediator, understanding the plight of those for whom he offered sacrifices. This insight is essential for understanding the ultimate High Priest, Jesus Christ. While the Levitical priest's weakness extended to personal sin (necessitating his own purification), Jesus, though "beset with weakness" in terms of shared human experience and temptation, remained "without sin" (Heb 4:15). Thus, He perfects the role by offering perfect sympathy and a spotless sacrifice. This verse underscores God's provision for human failings that arise from frailty and lack of understanding, rather than outright rebellion, and sets the stage for portraying Christ as the ultimate and sinless High Priest who perfectly sympathizes with and atones for His people.