CALLED BY GOD. Hebrews 5:4-6 Not only must a high priest be chosen from among men to offer sacrifices and gifts on their behalf, but he also had to be called by God. Aaron was called by God from the tribe of Levi to serve as the high priest for the children of Israel. The Lord Jesus Christ was appointed and called by God from the tribe of Judah to a far greater priesthood.
The Hebrew believers in Christ as their Savior would likely have faced challenges from Jews who were not Christians regarding the Lord Jesus Christ's right to be a priest. After Israel's defeat by the Babylonians, Israel had no king. The role of high priest became both a political and a religious office. When Jesus was on earth, the office of the high priest was controlled by a family that had purchased it. Annas, the father-in-law of Caiaphas, and Caiaphas himself, were both high priests.
The writer of Hebrews emphasizes that in Israel, a legitimate high priest was called by God, just like Aaron was. However, the appointment of the Lord Jesus Christ as the Great High Priest was of a higher order. God’s Son [Ps. 2:7] was called to be a “priest forever” in the order of Melchizedek [Ps. 110:4]. According to Old Testament law, the high priest came from the line of Aaron. But that line was no longer applicable because the priesthood had expanded to include both Jews and Gentiles. The old line is now obsolete, and a new priesthood has been established.
There is now a new kingdom of priests, comprising those who have trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior. The Great High Priest of this new order of people, composed of Jews and Gentiles, is the One who represents them to keep them from remaining ignorant of the things of God and also keeps them from wandering. He saves them completely and will present them faultless before God with “exceeding joy.”
“This day have I begotten Thee" refers to the time of Jesus here on earth, not His existence. As the Son, our Great High Priest is the heir of everything God has. The life of the Father is in Him, teaching us that God's eternal life has been given to those who believe in the Son. He had glory before coming to earth, but now has even more glory as the Great High Priest of His people. He deserves all glory, honor, and worship as our hearts are filled with faith in Him.
His priesthood is also superior because it has no beginning or end, like Melchisedec's, who was "without beginning of days or end of life." Melchisedec was simply a man whose beginning and end were unknown, but the Lord Jesus Christ is eternally without beginning or end. He experienced what it was like to fully identify with us in His humiliation, His suffering, and His death on the cross for our sake.
There was never any question from Him about God's will, so He did not need to consult with the Urim and the Thummim as the Old Testament high priest did to receive guidance from God. There are, and will continue to be, times when we pass through "deep waters" and "dark valleys" in our commitment to obey God. The knowledge of our Lord's high priestly ministry allows us to rest in faith and move forward with courage and obedience, confident of His presence and intercession.