Hebrews 5:4

Hebrews 5:4 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron.
• New International Version (NIV)And no one takes this honor on himself, but he receives it when called by God, just as Aaron was.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And no one takes this honor for himself, but only when called by God, just as Aaron was.
• New King James Version (NKJV)And no man takes this honor to himself, but he who is called by God, just as Aaron was.

Context of Hebrews 5:4

2The chief priest can be gentle with people who are ignorant and easily deceived, because he also has weaknesses. 3Because he has weaknesses, he has to offer sacrifices for his own sins in the same way that he does for the sins of his people. No one takes this honor for himself. Instead, God calls him as he called Aaron. 5So Christ did not take the glory of being a chief priest for himself. Instead, the glory was given to him by God, who said, “You are my Son. Today I have become your Father.” 6In another place in Scripture, God said, “You are a priest forever, in the way Melchizedek was a priest.”

Hebrews 5:4 word by word

καὶ οὐχ ἑαυτῷ τις λαμβάνει τὴν τιμὴν ἀλλὰ καλούμενος ὑπὸ τοῦ θεοῦ καθώσπερ καὶ Ἀαρών.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Andκαίkai · andG2532
• noοὐou · noG3756
• manτιςtis · oneG5100
• takethλαμβάνωlambanō · to takeG2983
• this honourὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• this honourτιμήtimē · honorG5092
• unto himselfἑαυτοῦheautou · themselfG1438
• butἀλλάalla · butG235
• he that is calledκαλέωkaleō · to call: callG2564
• ofὑπόhupo · by/under: byG5259
• Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
• asκαθάπερkathaper · just asG2509
• AaronἈαρώνAarōn · AaronG2

Cross-references for Hebrews 5:4

• Exodus 28:1⌞The Lord continued,⌟ “Out of all the Israelites, bring your brother Aaron and his sons Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar to you. They will serve me as priests.
• Leviticus 8:2“Take Aaron and his sons, the priests’ clothes, the anointing oil, the bull that will be the offering for sin, the two rams, and the basket of unleavened bread.
• Numbers 3:3These are the names of Aaron’s sons, the anointed priests, who were ordained to serve as priests.
• Numbers 16:5Then he said to Korah and all his followers, “In the morning the Lord will show who belongs to him, who is holy, and who it is that he will allow to come near him. Only the person the Lord chooses will be allowed to come near him.
• Numbers 17:3Write Aaron’s name on the staff for Levi because there must be one staff for the head of each tribe.
• Numbers 18:1The Lord said to Aaron, “You, your sons, and your family will be responsible for any sins against the holy place. You and your sons will also be responsible for any sins you commit when you work as priests.
• 1 Chronicles 23:13Amram’s sons were Aaron and Moses. Aaron and his sons were forever designated to dedicate the most holy things ⌞to God⌟, to offer sacrifices to the Lord, to serve him, and always give the blessing in his name.
• 2 Chronicles 26:18They opposed King Uzziah. They said to him, “Uzziah, you have no right to burn incense as an offering to the Lord. That right belongs to the priests, Aaron’s descendants, who have been given the holy task of burning incense. Get out of the holy place because you have been unfaithful. The Lord God will not honor you for this.”
• John 3:27John answered, “People can’t receive anything unless it has been given to them from heaven.

Commentaries on Hebrews 5:4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4This honor - undoubtedly signifies here the office, which is one meaning of the word in the best Greek writers. It is here an honorable office, because the man is the high priest of God, and is appointed by God himself to that office. But he that is called of God, as was Aaron - God himself appointed the tribe and family out of which the high priest was to be taken, and Aaron and his sons were expressly chosen by God to fill the office of the high…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4And no man taketh this honor to himself - No one has a right to enter on this office unless he has the qualifications which God has prescribed. There were fixed and definite laws in regard to the succession in the office of the high priest, and to the qualifications of him who should hold the office. But he that is called of God as was Aaron - Aaron was designated by name. It was necessary that his successors should have as clear evidence that they were…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4God appoints the high priest, not humans (see Exodus 28:1; Leviticus 8:1–12; Numbers 16:1–26).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. no man--of any other family but Aaron's, according to the Mosaic law, can take to himself the office of high priest. This verse is quoted by some to prove the need of an apostolic succession of ordination in the Christian ministry; but the reference here is to the priesthood, not the Christian ministry. The analogy in our Christian dispensation would warn ministers, seeing that God has separated them from the congregation of His people to bring them…Read the comment

Topics related to Hebrews 5:4

• Aaron
• Call
• Jesus Continued
• Minister, Christian

In the dictionaries

• Aaron
• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Belong
• Christ
• Chronicles, Books of
• Meat
• Priest
• Strong
• Christ, Offices of

Commentaries on Hebrews 5

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings