5:1 {In things pertaining to God} (ta pros ton theon). Accusative of general reference as in 2:17 (Ro 15:17). The two essential points about any high priest are human sympathy (5:1-3) and divine appointment (5:4). He is taken from men and appointed in behalf of men.
{That he may offer} (hina prospherˆi). Purpose clause with hina and present active subjunctive of prospher“, "that he keep on offering (from time to time)."
{Both gifts} (d“ra) {and sacrifices} (kai thusias). General term (d“ra) and bloody offerings, but the two together are inclusive of all as in 8:3; 9:9 (1Ki 8:64). {For sins} (huper hamarti“n). His own included (7:27) except in the case of Jesus.

5:2 {Who can bear gently} (metriopathein dunamenos). Present active infinitive of the late verb metriopathe“ (metrios, moderate, pate“, to feel or suffer). It is a philosophical term used by Aristotle to oppose the apatheia (lack of feeling) of the Stoics. Philo ranks it below apatheia. Josephus ("Ant". XII. 32) uses it of the moderation of Vespasian and Titus towards the Jews. It occurs here only in the N.T. "If the priest is cordially to plead with God for the sinner, he must bridle his natural disgust at the loathsomeness of sensuality, his impatience at the frequently recurring fall, his hopeless alienation from the hypocrite and the superficial, his indignation at any confession he hears from the penitent" (Dods). {With the ignorant} (tois agnoousin). Dative case of the articular present active participle of agnoe“, old verb not to know (Mr 9:32).
{And erring} (kai plan“menois). Present middle participle (dative case) of plana“. The one article with both participles probably makes it a hendiadys, sins of ignorance (both accidence and sudden passion) as opposed to high-handed sins of presumption and deliberate purpose. People who sinned "willingly" (hekousi“s, 10:26) had no provision in the Levitical system. For deliberate apostasy (3:12; 10:26) no pardon is offered.
{Is compassed with infirmity} (perikeitai astheneian). Present passive indicative of the old verb perikeimai here used transitively as in Ac 28:20 (halusin, chain). The priest himself has weakness lying around him like a chain. Not so Jesus.

5:3 {For himself} (peri heautou). Note peri three times here (peri tou laou, peri heautou, peri hamarti“n), but in verse 1 huper anthr“p“n, huper hamarti“n. In the "Koin‚" this interchange of peri (around) and huper (over) is common (Mt 26:28).

5:4 {Taketh the honour unto himself} (heaut“i lambanei tˆn timˆn). Dative case of personal interest (heaut“i). The priest was called of God. This is the ideal and was true of Aaron. The modern minister is not a priest, but he also should be a God-called man and not one who pushes himself into the ministry or into ecclesiastical office.

5:5 {So Christ also} (hout“s kai ho Christos). Just as with Aaron. Jesus had divine appointment as high priest also.
{To be made} (genˆthˆnai). First aorist passive infinitive of ginomai.
{High priest} (archierea). Predicate accusative agreeing with heauton (himself) object of edoxasen.
{But he that spake unto him} (all' ho lalˆsas pros auton). Ellipsis of edoxasen to be supplied from preceding clause. God did glorify Jesus in appointing him priest as we see in Ps 2:7 quoted already as Messianic (Heb 1:5). Jesus himself repeatedly claimed that the Father sent him on his mission to the world (Joh 5:30,43; 8:54; 17:5, etc.). Bruce holds that Christ's priesthood is co-eval with his Sonship. Davidson thinks it is merely suitable because he is Son. Clearly the Father nominated (Dods) the Son to the Messianic priesthood (Joh 3:16).

5:6 {In another place} (en heter“i). That is Ps 110:4. It is this crucial passage by which the author will prove the superiority of Jesus to Aaron as high priest. Only the word priest (hiereus) occurs here which the author uses as synonymous with high priest (archiereus). The point lies in the meaning of the phrase "After the order of Melchizedek" (kata tˆn taxin Melchisedek). But at this point the only thing pressed is the fact of the divine appointment of Jesus as priest. He returns to this point (5:10-7:28).

5:7 {In the days of his flesh} (en tais hˆmerais tˆs sarkos autou). Here (verses 7-9) the author turns to the other requirement of a high priest (human sympathy). Since Jesus was "without sin" (4:15) he did not have to offer sacrifices "for himself," yet in all other points he felt the sympathy of the human high priest, even more so by reason of his victory over sin.
{Having offered up} (prosenegkas). Second aorist active (-a form) participle of prospher“ (cf. verse 3). An allusion to the Agony of Christ in Gethsemane.
{Supplications} (hiketˆrias). Socrates, Polybius, Job (Job 40:22) combine this word with deˆseis (prayers) as here. The older form was hikesia. The word hiketˆrios is an adjective from hiketˆs (a suppliant from hik“, to come to one) and suggests one coming with an olive-branch (elaia). Here only in the N.T.
{With strong crying and tears} (meta kraugˆs ischuras kai dakru“n). See Lu 22:44f. for a picture of the scene in Gethsemane (anguish and pathos). No doubt the writer has in mind other times when Jesus shed tears (Joh 11:35; Lu 19:41), but Gethsemane chiefly.
{To save him from death} (s“zein ek thanatou). A reference to the cry of Jesus in Gethsemane (Mt 26:39).
{Having been heard for his godly fear} (eisakoustheis apo tˆs eulabeias). Old word from eulabˆs (taking hold well, Lu 2:25 from eu, lamban“, the verb eulabeomai in N.T. only in Heb 11:7), in N.T. only here and 12:28. Fine picture of Christ's attitude toward the Father in the prayer in Gethsemane and in all his prayers. Jesus in Gethsemane at once surrendered his will to that of the Father who heard his plea and enabled him to acquiesce in the Father's will.

5:8 {Though he was a Son} (kaiper “n huios). Concessive participle with kaiper, regular Greek idiom as in 7:5; 12:17. {Yet learned obedience} (emathen hupakoˆn). Second aorist active indicative of manthan“. Succinct and crisp statement of the humanity of Jesus in full harmony with Lu 2:40,52 and with Heb 2:10.
{By the things which he suffered} (aph' h“n epathen). There is a play on the two verbs (emathen--epathen), paronomasia. Second aorist active indicative of pasch“. He always did his Father's will (Joh 8:29), but he grew in experience as in wisdom and stature and in the power of sympathy with us.

5:9 {Having been made perfect} (telei“theis). First aorist passive participle of teleio“, the completion of the process of training mentioned by this same verb in 2:10 "by means of sufferings" (dia pathˆmat“n) as stated again here in verse 8. {The author of eternal salvation} (aitios s“tˆrias ai“niou). Common adjective from aitia (cause), causing, often in Greek with s“tˆrias (Aeschines, Philo), in N.T. only here, Lu 23:4,14,22; Ac 19:40. See same idea in Heb 2:10 (archˆgon). See Isa 45:17.

5:10 {Named of God} (prosagoreutheis). First aorist passive participle of prosagoreu“, old verb to salute, to address, only here in N.T. Common in Plutarch.

5:11 {Of whom} (peri hou). Or "concerning which," for hou can be either masculine or neuter (genitive). It is the likeness of Jesus as high priest to Melchizedek that the author has in mind. He is ready to discuss that but for the fear that the reader may fail to grasp his meaning, for he will run counter to the usual Jewish ideas. Hence he pauses to stir up the interest of the readers (5:11-6:20) before going on with the argument (7:1-28).
{Hard of interpretation} (dusermˆneutos). Late and rare verbal compound (dus, hermˆneu“), in Diodorus and Philo, here only in N.T. Hard to explain because of the strange (to Jews) line taken, but still more because of their dulness.
{Dull of hearing} (n“throi tais akoais). Old adjective (papyri also), from negative nˆ and “the“, to push, no push in the hearing, slow and sluggish in mind as well as in the ears. In N.T. only here and 6:12 (slack, sluggish). Plato calls some students n“throi (stupid).

5:12 {Teachers} (didaskaloi). Predicate nominative after einai.
{By reason of the time} (dia ton chronon). Alas, what a commentary on modern Christians.
{That some one teach you the rudiments} (tou didaskein humas tina ta stoicheia). Neat Greek idiom, genitive case of the articular infinitive (need of the teaching) with two accusatives of the person (humas, you) and the thing (ta stoicheia, the rudiments) and the accusative of general reference (tina, as to some one). For stoicheia see Ga 4:3,9; Col 2:8.
{Of the first principles of the oracles of God} (tˆs archˆs t“n logi“n tou theou). Three genitives linked to each other. Archˆs (beginning) illustrates ta stoicheia, just before, the A B C of Christian teaching like Heb 6:1f. Logion is a diminutive of logos, divine oracles being usually brief, common in the O.T. and Philo for God's words, in N.T. used for the O.T. (Ac 7:38; Rom 3:2), of God's word through Christians (1Pe 4:11), of the substance of Christian teaching (Heb 5:12).
{Of milk} (galaktos). Because still babes (1Co 3:2) and not able to chew "solid food" (stereƒs trophˆs), without intellectual and spiritual teeth.

5:13 {Without experience} (apeiros). Old adjective (alpha privative and peira, trial). Inexperienced. The babe (nˆpios, old word, negative nˆ and epos, word like Latin "infans", infant, not able to talk), not able to chew if one uses only milk and is without teeth. Perhaps moral truth is meant by "word of righteousness" (cf. 1:2; 2:3 for the word spoken by Christ).

5:14 {For full-grown men} (telei“n). Predicate genitive. The word is for adults, relative perfection (teleioi) in contrast with babes as in 1Co 2:6; 3:1; 13:11; Php 3:15; Eph 4:4, not absolute perfection (Mt 5:48).
{Their senses} (ta aisthˆtˆria). The organs of perception (Stoic term for sense organs) from aisthanomai (Lu 9:45), in Plato, Galen, Hippocrates, here only in N.T.
{Exercised} (gegumnasmena). Perfect passive participle of gumnaz“, to exercise (naked, gumnos). Galen uses aisthˆtˆria gegumnasmena together after ech“ as we have here. For this predicate use of the participle with ech“ see Lu 13:6; 14:19f. "By reason of use" one gains such skill.
{To discern} (pros diakrisin). "For deciding between" (from diakrin“), old word with ablative kalou te kai kakou (between good and evil). See 1Co 12:1; Rom 14:1.