Commentaries:
Robertson's Word Pictures (NT)
Who can bear gently (metriopaqein dunamenov). Present active infinitive of the late verb metriopaqew (metriov, moderate, patew, to feel or suffer). It is a philosophical term used by Aristotle to oppose the apaqeia (lack of feeling) of the Stoics. Philo ranks it below apaqeia. 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 (toiv agnoousin). Dative case of the articular present active participle of agnoew, old verb not to know (Mark 9:32).
And erring (kai planwmenoiv). Present middle participle (dative case) of planaw. 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" (ekousiwv, Hebrews 10:26) had no provision in the Levitical system. For deliberate apostasy (Hebrews 3:12; Hebrews 10:26) no pardon is offered.
Is compassed with infirmity (perikeitai asqeneian). Present passive indicative of the old verb perikeimai here used transitively as in Acts 28:20 (alusin, chain). The priest himself has weakness lying around him like a chain. Not so Jesus.
Other Robertson's Word Pictures (NT) entries containing Hebrews 5:2:
Hebrews 2:17
Hebrews 5:1
Hebrews 7:28
Hebrews 9:7
James 5:19
1 John 5:16
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