Fathers

Hebrews 5

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For 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. The high priest can deal gently with those who are ignorant and going astray, because he himself is also surrounded with weakness. Because of this, he must offer sacrifices for sins for the people, as well as for himself. Nobody takes this honor on himself, but he is called by God, just like Aaron was. So 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.” As he says also in another place, “You are a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek.” He, 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, though he was a Son, yet learned obedience by the things which he suffered. Having been made perfect, he became to all of those who obey him the author of eternal salvation, named by God a high priest after the order of Melchizedek. About him we have many words to say, and hard to interpret, seeing you have become dull of hearing. For 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. For everyone who lives on milk is not experienced in the word of righteousness, for he is a baby. But solid food is for those who are full grown, who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern good and evil.

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What the Fathers say

Hebrews 5:4

Eastern Fathers

John Chrysostom

Then also there are other points: He is made Priest (he says) by Another and does not of Himself intrude into the office. This too is common, "And no man taketh this honor to himself, but he that is called of God as was Aaron." Here again he conciliates them in another point, because He was sent from God: which Christ was wont to say throughout to the Jews. …

Homily on Hebrews 8 ↗

Theophylact of Ohrid

He points out another distinguishing mark of the high priest, which is also revealed in Christ — that He did not assume the priesthood by Himself, but that He was called by God and thus received it. Here he also hints at the Jewish high priests of that time, who sought the office by purchasing it and violating the law. For Aaron too, having first been called by God through Moses, served as priest in this way, not having seized this dignity for himself. …

Commentary on Hebrews ↗

Oecumenius

"To offer for sins."The sacrifice concerning sins, he says, "And no one takes this honor upon himself." He speaks of another characteristic of a priest, that he does not take it upon himself to approach the honor of the priesthood. This he also hinted at when he spoke of the priests of the Jews at that time, who were not priests by power, because they approached and had made the priesthood a service. "just as Aaron." For Aaron was often appointed high priest by God. …

The Pseudo-Oecumenian Catena on Hebrews ↗

Western Saints

Thomas Aquinas

249. – Then he describes how one goes about attaining to the priesthood when he says, And one does not take the honor upon himself. For it is contrary to nature for anything to raise itself to a higher state than its nature, as air does not make itself fire, but is made so by something higher. …

Commentary on Hebrews ↗