“He can deal gently with the ignorant and wayward, since he himself is beset with weakness.” (Hebrews 5:2)
The word translated “deal gently” has the idea of being balanced on the spectrum between anger and grief. It was the healthy mid point that allowed the person to not be so indifferent that they were unmoved by grief but not so emotional that they could not be firm on sin. What was to result was a spiritual rock, one who could compassionately identify with weak people to bring them help.
If the high priests were always angry with the people who went astray then they could not help them. If they were not able to confront sin in a loving way then they could not help them. As leaders, priests had to be able to help their people.
What is the basis for their sympathetic tone? Verse 2 tells us: since he himself is beset with weakness. This is the key. The priest was also a sinner. On the Day of Atonement, prior to offering the sacrifice for the sins of the people the High Priest was required to go through a number of specific requirements for himself (Lev. 16). He had to actually offer sacrifice for his own sins. Far from being spiritually aloof and separate from the people the priest was one of the people. He knew that he was weak. And he had solidarity with weak people.
Stretching this application out a bit towards contemporary leadership- I have never understood pastors who are mean and impatient with weak, sinful people in their congregation. After all, pastors are sinners too. The priest would have bloodstains on his clothes for his own sin; his own sacrifice. He knew, at least he was supposed to know that he was a sinner. Angry, impatient pastors more than likely forget that they are sinners. They also forget the gospel. Let’s put it another way, pastors and church leaders who are impatiently frustrated with their people’s immaturity actually demonstrate their own immaturity.
Of all people in the church, the pastors are to be those who model love, humility, compassion, and biblical sympathy with weak people. Why? Because we know God and as a result, we know ourselves.