We Can Find Comfort In Knowing That As Jesus Faced
Temptation,
He Knows How Difficult It Is To Resist.
We Can Be Encouraged In Knowing That Jesus Faced
Temptation
Without Giving In To Sin
And That He Gives Us The Power To Do So As Well.
14But Jesus, the Son of God, is our great High Priest Who has gone to heaven itself to help us; therefore, let us never stop trusting Him. 15This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses since He had the same temptations we do, though He never once gave way to them and sinned. 16So, let us come boldly to the very throne of God and stay there to receive His mercy and to find grace to help us in our times of need.[1] (Hebrews 4:14-16 TLB)
4:14 Therefore, since we have a great high
priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold
firmly to the faith we profess. NIV
These verses logically follow from 2:17–3:1, “For this reason, He had to be made like His brothers in every way, in order that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that He might make atonement for the sins of the people…. Therefore … fix your thoughts on Jesus, the Apostle and High Priest whom we confess” (NIV). The intervening section explains how Jesus is greater than Moses and Joshua, two of Israel’s greatest leaders. Jesus is greater than the law Moses gave; He gives a rest greater than Joshua gave in conquering the Promised Land. The writer moved on to show how Jesus is also greater than anyone in the Jewish priesthood, another important part of the Jewish heritage.
The word “therefore” ties in with the description of Jesus in 2:17–3:1 quoted in the previous paragraph. Our merciful and faithful High Priest, Jesus, became like us in order to die for us, offering the once-and-for-all sacrifice for sin. “Since we have a great high priest” would have portrayed a vivid picture to the Jewish Christian readers. The High Priest had been their highest religious authority. The priesthood began with Aaron, Moses’ brother (Exodus 28:41). Only the High Priest could enter the Holy of Holies in the temple, and then only once a year to make atonement for the sins of the whole nation (Leviticus 16).
Jesus is
the “great” High Priest, better than all the high priests of Israel. Here is why:
•
The high priests were humans who could offer
sacrifices but could do nothing to take away sin. Jesus gave His life and
died as the final sacrifice for sin.
•
The high priests could enter the Holy of
Holies only once a year to atone for the sins of the nation. Jesus has gone through the heavens and has
unrestricted access to God the Father. “Gone through the heavens” is a critical
concept in Hebrews. In 7:26, Christ is referred to as exalted
above the heavens, and 9:24 states that Christ entered heaven itself.
“Gone through the heavens” refers to Christ’s transcending nature as our High Priest
and to His work for us in the highest of all sanctuaries, heaven itself.
•
The high priests interceded between God and
the people, but they were human and sinful themselves. Jesus intercedes
between God and people as the sinless Son
of God, human yet divine. He had been tempted in every way humans are, so He
can mercifully intercede for us and assure us of God’s forgiveness.
•
The high priests were the highest religious
authorities for the Jews. Jesus has more authority than the Jewish high
priests because He is both God and man.
• People could not approach God except through a high priest. When Jesus died, the veil that separated the Most Holy Place in the temple was torn in two, indicating that Jesus’ death had opened the way for sinful people to reach a holy God.
Because of all that Christ has done and is doing for us, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. Do not drift away (2:1), but cling to this faith. “The faith we profess” most likely refers to a formulation or confession of faith they had once publicly accepted (3:1). The writer explains to the Jewish audience that they should not go back to an inferior system because they can have all that the system promised and longed after—access to and acceptability by God.
“Jesus fulfilled those desires,” says the writer, “hold on to that faith!” Allow Jesus to be your High Priest; only He can protect you from inevitable judgment (described in 4:12–13).
This is good news to people who wonder, “How can I approach God?” or “Will God listen to me?” Because Jesus is the High Priest, Christians can approach God, and God will hear them when they pray. No sin is too great to keep God from hearing you; no background is too severe to cause your great High Priest to refuse to represent you. No matter your family background, job history, ethnic roots, or past behavior, Christ is a faithful High Priest who represents all who trust Him.
“Jesus Christ
is not only the Son of God mighty to save but the Son of Man able to feel.”
J. C. Ryle
4:15 For we do not have a High Priest who
cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are,
yet without sin. NKJV
Because Jesus, our High Priest (4:14), was made like us, He experienced life completely. He grew tired, became hungry, and faced normal human limitations. Thus Jesus can sympathize with our weaknesses. Not only that, but He also was, in all points, tempted as we are. Jesus, in His humanity, felt the struggle and reality of temptation. Matthew 4:1–11 describes a specific series of temptations from the devil, but Jesus probably faced temptation throughout His entire earthly life, just as we do (see 1 John 2:16). He experienced the full pressure of temptation—all its power, tricks, and enticements. Temptation often ends for people when they give in to it, but Jesus was different. Being God, Jesus could never have given into sin. Although He was a human being, He was unlike us in that He was without sin. From our limited perspective, it is difficult to understand this great mystery. What we can say is that Jesus could have sinned (which makes temptation real), but we know that He didn’t sin (which means He never yielded to temptation).
We can find comfort in knowing that as Jesus faced temptation, He knows how difficult it is to resist. We can be encouraged in knowing that Jesus faced temptation without giving in to sin and that He gives us the power to do so as well. For more on Jesus’ sinlessness, see 2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Peter 2:22; 1 John 3:5.
4:16 Let us, therefore, come boldly to the
throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of
need. NKJV
Through His death on the cross, our great High Priest, Jesus, opened access to God. Now people can approach God directly because of Jesus’ sacrifice for sins. Because Jesus gave His life to do this for us, let us, therefore, come boldly to the throne of grace. This verse is an open invitation to regard God as a great ally and true friend. Yes, God occupies a throne, a seat of power and authority, but it is a throne of grace, not a throne of greed or domination. The term “throne of grace” describes the constant care and love offered to God’s undeserving children.
God’s grace is a characteristic of his reign. “Grace” means undeserved favor. Our ability to approach God does not come from any merit of our own but depends entirely on Him.
Believers can “come boldly” and confidently to this throne, for the King is our Father, who loves us as His children. At God’s throne, we will not receive anger or be ignored; instead, we will obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. God is not only concerned with converting people and collecting disciples; He also cares for and nurtures those children who are His own. He listens to our needs. No request is insignificant, and no problem is too small for the one who sits on the throne of grace. God will never reject a Christian’s plea or ignore the one who brings requests before God. When we come to God, we are promised “mercy,” God’s loving-kindness, and forgiveness. When we come to God, we will receive “grace,” God’s undeserved favor that will help in time of need. No matter what the problem, no matter what sin caused the need, God promises to help us at just the right time—his time. This doesn’t mean that God promises to solve every need the moment we come to Him. Nor does it mean that God will erase the natural consequences of any sin that was committed. It does mean, however, that God listens, cares, and will answer in His perfect way, in His perfect timing.
“Faith enables us so to rejoice in the Lord that our infirmities become platforms for the display of his grace.” C. H. Spurgeon
LIFE
APPLICATION ~ BOLDLY
Prayer is our
approach to God, and we are to come “boldly.” Some Christians approach God
meekly with heads hung low, afraid to ask Him to meet their needs. Others pray
flippantly, giving little thought to what they say. Come with reverence because
He is your King. But also come with bold assurance because He is your Father,
Friend, and Counselor.[2]
[1] Taylor, Kenneth Nathaniel. 1997. The Living Bible,
Paraphrased. Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House.
NIV
Scripture quotations marked NIV are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®. NIV®.
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission
of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved.
NKJV
Scripture quotations marked NKJV are taken from the New King James Version.
Copyright © 1979, 1980, 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All
rights reserved.
NKJV
Scripture quotations marked NKJV are taken from the New King James Version.
Copyright © 1979, 1980, 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All
rights reserved.
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