1For 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. 2The high priest can deal gently with those who are ignorant and going astray, because he himself is also surrounded with weakness. 3Because of this, he must offer sacrifices for sins for the people, as well as for himself. 4Nobody takes this honor on himself, but he is called by God, just like Aaron was. 5So 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.”
6As he says also in another place,
“You are a priest forever,
after the order of Melchizedek.”
7He, 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, 8though he was a Son, yet learned obedience by the things which he suffered. 9Having been made perfect, he became to all of those who obey him the author of eternal salvation, 10named by God a high priest after the order of Melchizedek.
11About him we have many words to say, and hard to interpret, seeing you have become dull of hearing. 12For 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. 13For everyone who lives on milk is not experienced in the word of righteousness, for he is a baby. 14But solid food is for those who are full grown, who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern good and evil.
The writer of the Book of Hebrews has been explaining the important truths about the relationship of the priest-king Melchizedek, who was not a priest from the line of Levi. Jesus was also not a Levite, so his priesthood was from Melchizedek. Rather than the sacrifices of the temple, Jesus had become the sacrifice for the world's sins. The Jews that the writer has been teaching had fallen into the error of embracing former practices that had no value for salvation, so the author says they have become dull of hearing. Consequently, though they should have been knowledgeable, they should be able to teach this truth, instead, they had fallen back into ineffectual ideas of Judaism. In light of this he challenges them in chapter six to abandon the Jewish works and get up from having fallen to the side. He says that while they embrace the religious practices of Judaism, this has caused them to believe pre-crucifixion beliefs and were unable to change their minds (repent) while they held and practiced such deeds. Further in the paragraph, the author tells these Jews that he has confidence that they will do better and moves back to explaining the importance of Jesus being a priest king as was Melechizez.