Single lesson
Hebrews 5: The Perfect High Priest
Hebrews 5:1–10; Hebrews 5:11–14
Hebrews 5 presents two linked teachings. It explains what a high priest does and why Christ is the perfect high priest, then warns the hearers not to stay immature but to grow in understanding and discernment.
Before you teach
This passage first describes the work of a high priest, including offering gifts and sacrifices for sins and dealing gently with those who are ignorant and going astray, while also being surrounded with weakness. It then says Christ did not take this honour for himself, but was named by God. After that, the writer challenges the hearers for needing basic teaching again instead of being ready for deeper learning.
Students will be able to explain one way Christ is described as high priest in Hebrews 5 and one way the hearers are urged to grow in understanding and discernment.
Welcome: What does a high priest do?
5 minBegin by asking children what a helper does when people are in trouble. Then explain that Hebrews 5 talks about a high priest, someone appointed in things pertaining to God for people. Read verses 1 to 2 aloud and listen for two jobs: offering for sins and dealing gently with those who are ignorant and going astray. Also notice that the high priest is surrounded with weakness.
Hebrews 5:1, Hebrews 5:2
Read and explain: Why Christ is the perfect high priest
8 minRead Hebrews 5:3 to 10 in short parts. Point out that ordinary high priests had weakness and had to offer sacrifices for themselves too. Christ did not give himself this honour. God named him priest, and the passage says he offered prayers, learned obedience through suffering, and became the author of eternal salvation.
Hebrews 5:3, Hebrews 5:4, Hebrews 5:5, Hebrews 5:6, Hebrews 5:7, Hebrews 5:8, Hebrews 5:9, Hebrews 5:10
Discuss: Milk and solid food
6 minRead Hebrews 5:11 to 14. Explain that the writer changes from describing Christ to warning the hearers. They should have been ready to teach, yet they still needed the first principles again. Milk pictures beginning teaching. Solid food pictures growth, practice and learning to discern good and evil.
Hebrews 5:11, Hebrews 5:12, Hebrews 5:13, Hebrews 5:14
Make and respond: Reminder growth card
7 minChildren choose one short phrase from the passage to remember, such as ‘deal gently’, ‘learned obedience’, or ‘solid food’. They make a small card with the phrase on one side and a simple drawing on the other. Invite each child to say how that phrase could help them listen, learn or obey this week.
Hebrews 5:2, Hebrews 5:8, Hebrews 5:12, Hebrews 5:14
Closing: Say the main teaching clearly
4 minFinish by reviewing both halves of the passage. Ask children to complete two sentences aloud: ‘Christ is a high priest because...’ and ‘The hearers are urged to grow by...’ Reinforce that Hebrews 5 presents Christ as appointed by God and urges the hearers to move beyond first principles towards practised discernment.
Hebrews 5:5, Hebrews 5:9, Hebrews 5:10, Hebrews 5:12, Hebrews 5:14
Questions to explore
According to Hebrews 5:1 to 3, what did a high priest do, and why could he deal gently with people?
Look for the jobs named in the passage and the reason given that the high priest also had weakness.
Hebrews 5:1, Hebrews 5:2, Hebrews 5:3
What does this passage say about how Christ became high priest?
Notice that Christ did not take the honour for himself, and pay attention to the verses that say God named or spoke to him.
Hebrews 5:5, Hebrews 5:6, Hebrews 5:10
In Hebrews 5:12 to 14, what is the difference between milk and solid food?
Use the writer’s own explanation about first principles, being a baby, being full grown and having senses exercised to discern good and evil.
Hebrews 5:12, Hebrews 5:13, Hebrews 5:14
Make, think or respond
Reminder Growth Card
What you’ll need
- card or paper
- pencils or textas
- scissors
- Bible
Try it together
- Read Hebrews 5:2, 5:8, 5:12 and 5:14, and let each child choose one phrase to remember.
- Cut or fold paper into a small card.
- Write the chosen phrase on the front and draw a picture that matches it on the back.
- Invite each child to explain how the phrase connects to Christ as high priest or to the call to grow in understanding.
The card helps children remember that Hebrews 5 both teaches about Christ as high priest and urges the hearers to grow beyond first principles into practised discernment.
Adapt for your group
- For younger children, offer two pre-selected phrases from the passage and let them copy one with a simple picture.
- For older or more confident children, ask them to include one sentence explaining how Hebrews 5:11 to 14 responds to Hebrews 5:1 to 10.
An optional closing prayer
You might pray: ‘Father, thank you for appointing Christ as high priest. Please help us not be dull of hearing. Help us grow in understanding, and exercise our senses to discern good and evil.’
Read the Bible passage World English Bible Classic
Hebrews 5
1 For every high priest, being taken from among men, is appointed for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins.
2 The high priest can deal gently with those who are ignorant and going astray, because he himself is also surrounded with weakness.
3 Because of this, he must offer sacrifices for sins for the people, as well as for himself.
4 Nobody takes this honor on himself, but he is called by God, just like Aaron was.
5 So also Christ didn’t glorify himself to be made a high priest, but it was he who said to him, “You are my Son. Today I have become your father.”
6 As he says also in another place, “You are a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek.”
7 He, in the days of his flesh, having offered up prayers and petitions with strong crying and tears to him who was able to save him from death, and having been heard for his godly fear,
8 though he was a Son, yet learned obedience by the things which he suffered.
9 Having been made perfect, he became to all of those who obey him the author of eternal salvation,
10 named by God a high priest after the order of Melchizedek.
11 About him we have many words to say, and hard to interpret, seeing you have become dull of hearing.
12 For although by this time you should be teachers, you again need to have someone teach you the rudiments of the first principles of the revelations of God. You have come to need milk, and not solid food.
13 For everyone who lives on milk is not experienced in the word of righteousness, for he is a baby.
14 But solid food is for those who are full grown, who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern good and evil.
World English Bible Classic. Public domain.