“Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are – yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” Hebrews 4:14-16
The Law of Moses required sacrifices for the forgiveness of sins. As a mediator between man and God, a High Priest entered the Holy of Holies in the Temple each year to offer a sacrifice for the forgiveness of sins on behalf of the Jewish people. This sin sacrifice was an integral part of the Jewish religion. Hebrews 4:14-16 was an appeal to those Jews who left Judaism and confessed their belief in Christ but were struggling with the idea of a Gospel which did not require a High Priest and a yearly sacrifice.
To help those believers relate the Gospel to their Jewish culture, the writer of Hebrews refers to Jesus as the “great high priest.” This title is appropriate for Jesus because:
Jesus Ascended into Heaven
Unlike earthly priests who were only able to enter God’s earthly temple to offer a sacrifice, Jesus ascended into Heaven and entered God’s heavenly temple to offer Himself as the sacrifice. No other priest has been able to do that.
Jesus was the Once and For All Sacrifice
Earthly priests had to offer new sacrifices each year; however, Jesus offered Himself as the sacrifice, and it was a once and for all sacrifice.
Jesus is Perfect
As a man, Jesus understands our struggle with temptation, but as God, He is free from sin. Jesus had to be a man to experience temptation, but as God, He was able to overcome the temptation of sin. Jesus was tempted but did not sin.
Jesus Empathizes With Us
Lastly, Jesus is truly able to empathize with us and our struggles. This was evident in Gethsemane when he said to His disciples, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death, and he called out to His Father, “if possible, may this cup be taken from me.” (Matthew 26:38-39) The cup He was referring to was the weight of all of our sin that He would take upon Himself. He understood us.
Because Jesus is the Great High Priest, and it was His blood that turned the throne of judgment into the throne of grace, we can approach God without fear; we can approach Him with confidence that we will receive mercy and grace in our time of need.
For those of us who profess Jesus but sometimes struggle with temptation, don’t give up. Jesus experienced the same types of temptations, so He understands, and He intercedes for us with the Father. We should never be afraid to go to God amid our trials because there, we will receive the mercy that Jesus earned for us on the cross. There we will also find God’s grace to carry us through those trials.
Prayer Focus: Lord, thank you that you are my great high priest. Thank you for interceding for me with God, the Father. I know that you can empathize with me because you experienced all the same things I experience: temptation, anger, sadness, frustration, and impatience are just some of those things… Above all, I thank you for paying the price for my sin on the cross so that I can go to God amid my trials because I know that I will receive God’s mercy and grace to carry me through. Jesus, thank you for what you did. Amen.
