In The Word
Read: Hebrews 4:14-5:10
14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let’s hold firmly to our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things just as we are, yet without sin. 16 Therefore let’s approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace for help at the time of our need.
The Perfect High Priest
5 For every high priest taken from among men is appointed on behalf of people in things pertaining to God, in order to offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins; 2 he can deal gently with the ignorant and misguided, since he himself also is clothed in weakness; 3 and because of it he is obligated to offer sacrifices for sins for himself, as well as for the people. 4 And no one takes the honor for himself, but receives it when he is called by God, just as Aaron also was.
5 So too Christ did not glorify Himself in becoming a high priest, but it was He who said to Him,
“You are My Son,
Today I have fathered You”;
6 just as He also says in another passage,
“You are a priest forever
According to the order of Melchizedek.”
7 In the days of His humanity, He offered up both prayers and pleas with loud crying and tears to the One able to save Him from death, and He was heard because of His devout behavior. 8 Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered. 9 And having been perfected, He became the source of eternal salvation for all those who obey Him, 10 being designated by God as High Priest according to the order of Melchizedek.
Walking In The Word
In Hebrews 4:14–5:10, Scripture presents Jesus Christ as our great High Priest, bridging the chasm sin created between frail humanity and a holy God. Humans have become broken and weak through sin’s pervasive grip, unable on our own to approach the Father or overcome our struggles. Yet God, in His infinite love, chose and appointed His Son to address this desperate need.
The passage declares that we have a High Priest who has passed through the heavens—Jesus, the Son of God (Heb. 4:14). Unlike earthly priests who were beset by their own weaknesses and required sacrifices for themselves (Heb. 5:1–3), Jesus was called by God, not self-exalted (Heb. 5:4–6). He became our merciful intercessor, one who can “sympathize with our weaknesses” because He was tempted in every way as we are, yet remained without sin (Heb. 4:15). In His days on earth, Jesus offered prayers and supplications with loud cries and tears to the One able to save Him from death, and He was heard because of His reverence (Heb. 5:7). Though He was God’s Son, He learned obedience through suffering, and being made perfect, He became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey Him (Heb. 5:8–9).
This was no easy path. The Father appointed Jesus to lay down His life, trusting fully in the Father’s power to raise Him again. In humble submission, Jesus died to Himself and to the world, modeling devout behavior under God’s mighty hand. His sacrifice opened the way for us: because of His love, we can now approach the throne of grace with confidence to receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need (Heb. 4:16).
Jesus never ceases interceding for us, and the Holy Spirit aids us as our Helper. Both pray without ceasing on our behalf. God’s grace and mercy provide what we do not deserve—forgiveness, strength, and victory—solely because of His boundless love. This love motivates us to humble ourselves as Jesus did, dying daily to self and worldly desires. Though the process is challenging, it teaches us to find triumph in every battle through reliance on Him.
By embracing this path of humility and obedience, we receive new life in Christ. He who suffered and was perfected now empowers us to live devoutly, secure in the eternal salvation He secured. In Jesus, our sympathetic High Priest, we discover not only restoration from frailty but ongoing help to persevere in faith.