We begin this week looking at Hebrews 5:6-11

v6: In another place: Quoted from another Scripture i.e. Ps 110:4

• A priest forever: There is something eternal about the ministry of Melchizedek, so too is the ministry of Messiah Yeshua eternal. 
• Melchizedek: Melchizedek means: “My King of Righteousness.” Melchizedek came to meet Abraham during a significant time – in the context of a time of victory (Gen 14:17-20). What the Scripture reveals to us about this meeting, both Melchizedek’ s blessing and Abraham’s response, gives us a better understanding of Yeshua. Melchizedek blessed Abraham with bread and wine. This lays the foundation for what Messiah did for Passover. Bread parallels the body of Messiah, and wine His blood (Luke 22:19-20). This speaks of redemption. 

Part of Messiah’s work was that we would find redemption for our sins. As an outcome of this we become a new creation (through the ministry of Yeshua) and as such we are ambassadors of righteousness. This righteousness can be mediated through our lives to others. There is a strong connection between righteousness and our call in this world, in this flesh, as believers. 

v7: His flesh: Talking about Messiah.

• Prayers…supplications…cries…tears: Many commentators say this praying, supplicating, proclaiming, and bringing forth tears is a reference to Messiah in the Garden of Gethsemane. It was hard for Yeshua to go to the cross, so He prayed, and He received power to go through with it. 
• (He) was heard: G-d the Father heard Yeshua.  He could have saved Him from death. But He did not. Yeshua’ s righteousness was never in question – but our righteousness was. 

It was only through Yeshua’s act of obedience that we could become righteous individuals in G-d’s sight – not by our deeds but by the sufficiency of Messiah’s work. 

v8: Although He was a Son: ‘Son’ has an idea of preference attached to it. 

v9: Having been perfected: There was never a time when Yeshua was not perfect. However, He demonstrated perfection, perfect humanity, when He submitted to and obeyed His Father by dying on the cross. 

• Eternal salvation: Through Yeshua’ s work, we have eternal salvation/eternal life! If this eternal life could cease to be eternal (lost or taken away) then it never was eternal.
• To all who hear/obey Him: This kind of hearing always produces an obedient response. We are saved by grace through faith (Eph 2:8). We are not saved by our obedient works (Eph 2:9). However, a fruit of salvation is obedience. When we hear and respond to Him, He becomes the cause for our eternal salvation. 

v10: Melchizedek: see explanation in Heb 5:6

v11: Hard to explain: It is difficult to speak. These individuals have not obeyed, they have not listened to G-d or put truth into action in their lives.  The writer, therefore, says that he cannot go on and disciple them any further, into greater revelation of the truth, because of their unwillingness to respond to what they hear. 

• Dull (Slow) of hearing: This term for hearing is also related to obedience. The original order of Exodus 24:7 is: “We will do, and we will hear.” It is when we put our obedience into action (by faith) that G-d teaches us (we “hear”). As we grow in obedience we grow in the understanding and knowledge of the truth of G-d.