Hebrews 5:2

Who can--Greek, "being able"; not pleasing himself (Rom 15:3). have compassion--Greek, "estimate mildly," "feel leniently," or "moderately towards"; "to make allowance for"; not showing stern rigor save to the obstinate (Heb 10:28). ignorant--sins not committed in resistance of light and knowledge, but as Paul's past sin (Ti1 1:13). No sacrifice was appointed for wilful sin committed with a high hand; for such were to be punished with death; all other sins, namely, ignorances and errors, were confessed and expiated with sacrifices by the high priest. out of the way--not deliberately and altogether wilfully erring, but deluded through the fraud of Satan and their own carnal frailty and thoughtlessness. infirmity--moral weakness which is sinful, and makes men capable of sin, and so requires to be expiated by sacrifices. This kind of "infirmity" Christ had not; He had the "infirmity" of body whereby He was capable of suffering and death.

In this chapter the apostle continues his discourse upon the priesthood of Christ, a sweet subject, which he would not too soon dismiss. And here, I. He explains the nature of the priestly office in general (Heb 5:1-3). II. The proper and regular call there must be to this office (Heb 5:4-6). III. The requisite qualifications for the work (Heb 5:7-9). IV. The peculiar order of the priesthood of Christ; it was not after the order of Aaron, but of Melchisedec (Heb 5:6, Heb 5:7, Heb 5:10). V. He reproves the Hebrews, that they had not made those improvements in knowledge which might have made them capable of looking into the more abstruse and mysterious parts of scripture (Heb 5:11-14).

5:2 A high priest was able to deal gently with those who sin because he himself was subject to the same weaknesses, i.e., he was sinful (5:3; cp. 4:15).