Hebrews 5 5

Hebrews 5:5 kjv

So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest; but he that said unto him, Thou art my Son, to day have I begotten thee.

Hebrews 5:5 nkjv

So also Christ did not glorify Himself to become High Priest, but it was He who said to Him: "You are My Son, Today I have begotten You."

Hebrews 5:5 niv

In the same way, Christ did not take on himself the glory of becoming a high priest. But God said to him, "You are my Son; today I have become your Father."

Hebrews 5:5 esv

So also Christ did not exalt himself to be made a high priest, but was appointed by him who said to him, "You are my Son, today I have begotten you";

Hebrews 5:5 nlt

That is why Christ did not honor himself by assuming he could become High Priest. No, he was chosen by God, who said to him, "You are my Son.
Today I have become your Father. "

Hebrews 5 verses

Hebrews 5 5 Meaning

Hebrews 5:5 reveals that Jesus Christ did not assume the role of High Priest on His own authority, but rather was divinely appointed and glorified to that office by God the Father. It emphasizes that His high priesthood is not self-initiated but directly flows from His eternal Sonship, as declared by the Father Himself through the prophetic words of Psalm 2:7. This divine declaration signifies His official installation and inauguration into His priestly ministry.

Hebrews 5 5 Context

Hebrews chapter 5 opens a crucial section discussing Jesus' qualification as a high priest, building upon the argument of His superiority to angels and Moses from earlier chapters. Verses 1-4 establish the requirements for any high priest: he must be appointed by God, chosen from among men, able to sympathize with human weaknesses, and appointed to offer sacrifices for sins. These verses also underscore that no one takes this honor upon himself unless called by God, just as Aaron was. Hebrews 5:5 then directly applies these qualifications to Jesus, demonstrating that He met them, not by self-proclamation, but by divine commissioning. This sets the stage for the revelation in Hebrews 5:6 that Jesus' priesthood is unique, "according to the order of Melchizedek," surpassing the Levitical order. The overarching goal of Hebrews is to present Jesus Christ as the ultimate, superior revelation of God, whose new covenant and priesthood fulfill and supersede the Old Covenant.

Hebrews 5 5 Word analysis

• So also Christ: Points to a parallelism or direct application of the preceding argument. "Christ" (Greek: Christos) refers to Jesus as the Messiah, the Anointed One, designated by God for a specific role.
• did not glorify himself: (Greek: egloriasen heauton) This phrase emphasizes Jesus' profound humility and submission to the Father's will. It signifies that He did not seek or claim this exalted priestly office for Himself. Glory, in this context, refers to honor, high standing, and authority. The statement directly contrasts with human tendencies to seek positions of honor.
• to be made a high priest: (Greek: genomenon archierea) Implies appointment, designation, or being formally installed into the office of archiereus, the chief priest. It highlights the divine initiative in His appointment. The high priest in Israel served as the primary mediator between God and man.
• but He who said to Him: Introduces the divine agent responsible for Jesus' glorification and appointment – God the Father. This shows a direct, verbal, and authoritative declaration from God.
• You are My Son, today I have begotten You: This is a direct quote from Psalm 2:7, a key messianic prophecy.
  • You are My Son: Declares Jesus' unique, divine Sonship. This is foundational to His identity and qualification for priestly ministry, differentiating Him from earthly priests who were sons of Aaron.
  • today I have begotten You: In the context of Psalm 2, this "begetting" is not about eternal generation in the Trinity but refers to a divine inauguration or declaration of the Son's royal and messianic status. In Acts 13:33, Paul applies it to Jesus' resurrection, indicating that His resurrection was the decisive event affirming His Sonship and inaugurating Him into His full messianic office, including that of High Priest. It marks His enthronement as both King and Priest. It also connects to His baptism and transfiguration where the Father audibly affirmed His Sonship.
  • "So also Christ did not glorify himself... but He who said to Him...": This group of words emphasizes divine initiative versus human ambition. It presents a clear cause-and-effect relationship: Jesus is High Priest because the Father appointed Him, not because He took the honor. It contrasts human aspiration for religious office with Christ's humble submission to divine calling. This divine validation authenticates Christ's ministry far beyond any human-appointed priesthood.
  • "You are My Son, today I have begotten You": This quote underscores that Jesus' Priesthood is inherently tied to His divine Sonship and His anointing as the Messiah-King. The "begetting" highlights the definitive moment of His public declaration, whether at baptism, transfiguration, or supremely, at His resurrection, where He was declared Son of God with power (Rom 1:4), thereby being fully installed in His eternal priestly and royal offices.

Hebrews 5 5 Bonus section

The emphasis on Jesus not glorifying Himself but being glorified by the Father aligns with the pervasive theme in the Gospels and Paul's writings regarding Christ's humility, servant leadership, and eventual exaltation. It reinforces that genuine spiritual authority originates from divine appointment and humble submission, not self-proclamation or grasping for power. This concept distinguishes Jesus' ministry from any self-proclaimed religious leader, highlighting His perfect obedience as a core aspect of His qualification. This pattern of humiliation leading to exaltation (as seen in Php 2:5-11) is central to Christ's work.

Hebrews 5 5 Commentary

Hebrews 5:5 serves as a cornerstone for understanding the unique and superior priesthood of Jesus Christ. It unequivocally states that Jesus' anointing as High Priest was not a self-initiated act of ambition, but rather a direct divine appointment by God the Father. This principle is paramount, as the book of Hebrews emphasizes that a priest must be divinely called (as demonstrated with Aaron in the preceding verses). Jesus perfectly fulfilled this requirement through His absolute submission to the Father's will, highlighted by the fact that He "did not glorify Himself."

The divine validation for Jesus' high priesthood is rooted in His very identity as God's Son, emphatically declared in Psalm 2:7. The phrase "You are My Son, today I have begotten You" signifies a profound act of installation and declaration, confirming Jesus' Messianic Kingship and subsequently, His priestly office. This declaration points not to the moment of His eternal existence, but to specific historical junctures—like His baptism, transfiguration, and supremely, His resurrection—where the Father publicly affirmed His Sonship and designated Him for His mediatorial role. It establishes a priesthood grounded in divine identity rather than tribal lineage or human ordinance, demonstrating its eternal, unchangechangeable, and perfect nature. This verse lays the groundwork for understanding how Jesus’ Sonship provides the foundation for His unique Melchizedekian priesthood discussed later in Hebrews.