Hebrews 5:2

That is, to bring into proportion, to sympathize, to condescend, and to grant forgiveness to those who sin out of ignorance. But observe that ignorance and error produce every sin. For although it may seem that someone knows evil, yet, being darkened at the moment …

Who can have compassion - In proportion to the offense: so the Greek word signifies. On the ignorant - Them that are in error. And the wandering - Them that are in sin.

Who can have compassion on the ignorant,....

Thus Christ was qualified. He took upon him our sinless infirmities; and this gives us great encouragement to apply ourselves to him under every affliction; for in all the afflictions of his people he is afflicted. How the high priest was to be called of God.

Who can--Greek, "being able"; not pleasing himself (Ro 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 (1Ti 1:13).

THIS is a part of the necessary qualification of a priest. Under the old Law there were priests who were taken from among men in order that they might speak to God for men and might speak to men for God. They were taken from among men, not from among angels, and they were taken from men compassed with infirmity—not from absolutely perfect men like those in Heaven—in order that they might be familiar with sinful and suffering men and on a level with them.

THIS is a part of the necessary qualification of a priest. Under the old Law there were priests who were taken from among men in order that they might speak to God for men and might speak to men for God. They were taken from among men, not from among angels, and they were taken from men compassed with infirmity—not from absolutely perfect men like those in Heaven—in order that they might be familiar with sinful and suffering men and on a level with them. When the people of Israel came to them they saw that they were speaking to persons who knew and understood their weaknesses and sorrows—not to exalted beings who would look down upon them with serene indifference. They felt that they could approach their priest without the awe which creates a freezing distance, as though a deep crevasse opened between them. And when they spoke to their friend, the minister of God, they felt that they could tell him their trials and troubles, for he had felt the same and, therefore, was able to console and comfort them. Many a kindly word the good man spoke, before he sent them back to their houses, which he never could have spoken unless he had been a man, himself, "compassed with infirmity." Loving them and being such as they were, he was able to have patience with the many strange cases which came before him. He was not soon vexed by their stupidity, but listened carefully to what they had to say, trying to solve their difficulties and to meet their cases. He knew that he, too, was weakness and folly, itself, before his God. And his own afflictions and trembling made him feel that he must be gentle to others since the Lord had been tender to him. It was, in the all-wise Providence of God, ordained that the sons of Aaron should be men compassed with infirmity that they might compass others with sympathy.

THE High Priest looked Godward and, therefore, he had need to be holy, for he had to deal with things pertaining to God. But at the same time he looked manward—it was for men that he was ordained—that, through him, they might deal with God and, therefore, he had need to be tender. It was necessary that he should be one who could have sympathy with men, otherwise, even if he could succeed Godward, he would fail to be a link between God and man from lack of tenderness and sympathy with those whom he sought to bring near to Jehovah. Hence, the High Priest was taken from among men that he might be their fellow and have a fellow-feeling with them. No angel entered into the holy place. No angel wore the white garments. No angel put on the ephod and the breastplate with the precious stones. It was a man, ordained of God, who for his brothers, pleaded in the Presence of the Shekinah. Many of us, I trust, have a desire within out hearts to come to God, but we need a High Priest. But we need a High Priest, in order that we may draw near, who shall be a Man as well as God! We may reflect with joy upon the Godhead of our great High Priest. Inasmuch as it is His right, He counts it not robbery to be equal with God, but He communes with the Father as One that was by Him, as One brought up with Him, who was daily His delight, rejoicing always before Him. But we ought, also, to be very grateful that we can come into touch with our High Priest on His human side and rejoice that He is truly Man. For thus says the Lord, "I have laid help upon One that is mighty: I have exalted One chosen out of the people." He is anointed, it is true, with the oil of gladness above His fellows, but still, He and they are one, "for which cause He is not ashamed to call them brethren." Those who came to the High Priest of old were not often of the rough sort.

THE High Priest looked Godward and, therefore, he had need to be holy, for he had to deal with things pertaining to God. But at the same time he looked manward—it was for men that he was ordained—that, through him, they might deal with God and, therefore, he had need to be tender.

THE ignorant have need of compassion. "That the soul is without knowledge, it is not good." Every kind of ignorance, like darkness, is evil, and knowledge, which is light, is, according to its kind, good, or better, or best. For a man to be ignorant of Divine things is a very sorrowful piece of business.

THE ignorant have need of compassion. "That the soul is without knowledge, it is not good." Every kind of ignorance, like darkness, is evil, and knowledge, which is light, is, according to its kind, good, or better, or best. For a man to be ignorant of Divine things is a very sorrowful piece of business. To be going into eternity and not to know anything about it—yes, and even to be passing through this life and yet to not know the way everlasting which leads to Glory, but to be stumbling upon the dark mountains of mere thought and vain imagination—this is a very dreadful thing! Ignorance of God, ignorance of the right, ignorance of Christ, ignorance of mercy, ignorance of Heaven—these are things for which men are to be blamed, but for which they are also to be pitied. Wherever we see ignorance about the things of God, let our hearts go forth in tenderness, but let our prayers arise to God in love—and let our efforts be made in true benevolence that the ignorance may be removed, for, if we are men of God like our Great High Priest, it will be true, also, of us that we "have compassion on the ignorant." Now, dear Brothers and Sisters, it becomes every man to have compassion on the ignorant because the ignorant man is still a man! However little he knows, he is still a man, and you and I need not be excessively modest if we put ourselves, also, down among the ignorant, for what if we are better instructed than others? How little do we know, after all! The most intelligent, the most experienced—the man who has dwelt nearest to his Lord—yet how much there remains even for him to know! He knows the love of Christ, but it passes his knowledge. He knows many things, yet he is obliged to confess that here he only knows in part—and it is not till the hereafter that he shall know even as he is not.

Who can have compassion - Margin, “Reasonably bear with.” The idea is that of “sympathizing with.” The high priest is taken from among men, in order that he may have a fellow-feeling for those on whose behalf he officiates. Sensible of his own ignorance, he is able to sympathize with those who are ignorant; and compassed about with infirmity, he is able to succour those who have like infirmities. And on them that are out of the way - The erring, and the guilty. If he were taken from an order of beings superior to people, be would be less qualified to sympathize with those who felt that they were sinners, and who needed pardon. For that he himself also is compassed with infirmity - see chap. Heb 7:28. He is liable to err; He is subject to temptation; he must die, and appear before God - and encompassed with these infirmities, he is better qualified to minister in behalf of guilty and dying people. For the same reason it is, that the ministers of the gospel are chosen from among people. They are of like passions with others. They are sinners; they are dying men. They can enter into the feelings of those who are conscious of guilt; they can sympathize with those who tremble in dread of death; they can partake of the emotions of those who expect soon to appear before God.

It was mostly the fruit of our first and most natural sin — the habit of \ regarding ourselves as conjurers rather than priests, for the definition is \ that a conjurer is apart from his audience, while a priest is a part of his. …