"1For every high priest chosen from among men is appointed to act on behalf of men in relation to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. 2 He can deal gently with the ignorant and wayward, since he himself is beset with weakness.3 Because of this he is obligated to offer sacrifice for his own sins just as he does for those of the people. 4 And no one takes this honour for himself, but only when called by God, just as Aaron was.
5 So also Christ did not exalt himself to be made a high priest, but was appointed by him who said to him,
“You are my Son,
today I have begotten you”;
6 as he says also in another place,
“You are a priest forever,
after the order of Melchizedek.”
Hebrews 5:1-6
The word translated 'compassion' is not the usual word used in the New Testament for Christlike compassion and sympathy. The NEB translates it, 'He is able to bear patiently with the ignorant and erring', but the word is fuller even than that, and almost suggests 'standing in the middle of the human situation'. This could mean two things: not only that a true High Priest must get right alongside men in their needs and be one with them in all the cares and anxieties that beset their lives, but also that he should be able to strike a 'happy mean' in relation to his dealing with their sins, that is to say, he must avoid the two extremes to which we are all too prone to deviate in our attitudes to the sins of others - on the one hand being too hard and harsh in our treatment of offenders and on the other being far too soft and lenient, not to say sympathetic with them in their sins. It is right neither to excuse and condone sin, nor to be unfeelingly condemnatory of it. We have known those who are hard, critical and censorious in relation to the sins of others - and no one would ever dream of going to them if he had fallen into sin. But there are also those who are far too soft and sentimental with sin and sinners - and strangely enough in our best moments we know also that it does little good to go to such people when in trouble, for they heal our hurt too slightly. But there are those to whom we can go unhesitatingly with our failures: we know it will be a painful business, for they will not spare us, and may whip us soundly, but we know also at the same time that their hearts are full of tenderness and gentleness towards us. They love us too much to let us off. That is the mark of Christ. He has compassion on the sinner, but shows no mercy on his sin. He supremely and perfectly fulfils this word about the 'happy mean' and those who are most Christlike in His service approximate most closely to His example.