[:en]SCRIPTURE: HEBREWS 5
“Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil” (Hebrews 5:13-14)
During the time of Moses, Aaron was their high priest. Aaron belonged to the tribe of Levi, so this task was set aside to be the priestly task for the nation of Israel.
God had ordained Jesus as the Great High Priest when he said: “You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek” ( v. 6). The name “Melchizedek” means “King of Righteousness”. He was also Priest of Salem which means “Peace”. There was no listing of his beginning or ending.
Comparison between Aaron and Christ as a High Priest:
- Christ is not merely man. He is God in the flesh, the Son of God and the Son of man while Aaron is merely a man.
- Christ came from the tribe of Judah while Aaron came from the tribe of Levi.
- Christ’s sonship is eternal. He is without beginning or ending while Aaron died and had to be replaced.
- Christ himself is the Savior. His sacrifice is once and for all while Aaron was a mere man who had to offer sacrifces for himself and his family.
- Christ had experienced all the trials and sufferings. He was perfect and without sin while Aaron was capable of sinning.
- Christ’s sacrifices washed away all our sins while Aaron’s sacrifice only cover sins.
In closing, Paul warned the believers to grow by taking solid food instead of milk only. Milk is for babies while solid food is for adults. The believers there had lapsed into a spiritual “second childhood” because they had forgotten God’s teachings. They defiled from the Word, doubted the Word, and forsaken the Word. Instead of going forward, they were going backward. Paul was telling them the vital role of the Word of God.
LESSON:
Christ is our High Priest and King now seated on a throne. He is the only mediator between God and men. He is sympathetic to our weakness because He had experienced all trials and temptations. He is the Lamb of God, who sacrificed His life for sinners. He is the author of eternal salvation and the way to eternal life.
Are you growing in the knowledge of God? Are you a baby, still living on milk? Let us become mature by feeding on the Word and practising the Word. For our relationship to the Word of God determines our spiritual maturity.[:]