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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.comRobertson Word Pictures - Hebrews 5:2 - 5:2
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This Chapter Verse Commentaries:
Who can bear gently (metriopathein dunamenos). Present active infinitive of the late verb metriopatheō (metrios, moderate, pateō, 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 agnoeō, old verb not to know (Mar 9:32).
And erring (kai planōmenois). Present middle participle (dative case) of planaō. 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” (hekousiōs, Heb 10:26) had no provision in the Levitical system. For deliberate apostasy (Heb 3:12; Heb 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 Act 28:20 (halusin, chain). The priest himself has weakness lying around him like a chain. Not so Jesus.