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.
New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
Walking In The Word
Hebrews 4:15 says, “For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses but, One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.” Nobody understands all the temptations we go through every single day like Jesus does. He, without sinning, overcame all the temptations thrown at Him by the evil one; this shows us that we also can overcome every single one of them like He did. He has given us grace to overcome every sin that so easily entangles us.
Jesus is not like the earthly priests that had to offer sacrifices for the people’s sin and also for themselves. He became the perfect sacrifice once and for all. All sins were forgiven in Him. He did not glorify Himself to become a high priest but God did. Hebrews 5:7 says, “In the days of His flesh, He offered both prayers and supplications with loud crying and tears to the one able to save Him from death and He was heard because of His piety.” Jesus knew exactly what to do every time he was tempted; He knew who to turn to, who to call to His rescue and that was His Father in heaven. If, as believers, we could do the same and call upon the Father in prayers and supplications, He will come to rescue us from death.
When you go through hardships in your life, who do you call first, who do you trust the most? Christ should be on our speed dial. He is waiting for us to call.