TEXT

Hebrews 4:14-16; New King James Version

¹⁴ Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.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.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.

WHAT IS A PRIEST?

A priest is a person who represents God before the people and who represents the people before God.  See Hebrews 5:1.  Additionally, see Leviticus 17:11 and Hebrews 9:22.

 THE HIGH PRIESTLY MINISTRY OF JESUS CHRIST: THREE POINTS

1. Jesus Christ is divine and gives us unhindered access to God the Father. – vs. 14
2. As a man, Jesus understands our weaknesses and limitations. – vs.15
3. Because of Christ, we can obtain mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. – vs. 16

EXTENSIVE COMMENTS

Point 1—See John 14:9 and Isaiah 53:5

The high priesthood of Jesus Christ is superior to all other priesthoods, for Jesus Christ is the very Son of God.  If a priest represents God before the people, then what better representative could we have than the Son of God himself?  In Christ, we have full access to the Father’s presence, power, and provision.  Christ has removed everything that prevents us from enjoying what the Father supplies.  We do not have to be timid in drawing near to God in prayer or in proclaiming his goodness to others during difficult times because our Great High Priest has removed all barriers that once stood between God and us.

Point 2—See Psalm 86:15; Psalm 145:8-9; Lamentations 3:22-23; and Colossians 2:9

Jesus Christ is a compassionate high priest.  Compassion is “love in action.”  It is the ability to feel what someone else feels and involves an inward desire to relieve his/her pain.  Although he was the second Person of the Trinity, the Lord humbled himself and became a real human being.  Since he is both God and man, Jesus Christ is a perfect High Priest.  As God, he has all of the available resources for our salvation.  As a man, he understands our human weaknesses and limitations and can sympathize and empathize with us.  As the Son of God, he can perfectly represent the ways of God to us.  As the Son of Man, Jesus knows quite well how much we truly need God’s mercy and grace.

Point 3—Hebrews 4:16; see also Hebrews 10:19-23

We can come before God with boldness because Jesus Christ has already made every necessary provision to meet our needs.  When God withholds negative consequences from us that’s called mercy.  When he extends favor to us that we did not earn, that’s called grace.  Both mercy and grace are freely available to us as a consequence of the Lord’s compassionate understanding of our human weaknesses and limitations.  Hebrews 4:16 makes it clear that we are welcome at God’s throne!  When we come before his throne of grace, we can do so with full confidence and assurance that he will meet our needs when the time is right!

Have a blessed  day!

In Christ,
Wilfred Graves Jr.
www.wilfredgraves.org