Read Hebrews 4:14-5:10. While this is a longer passage today, the writer goes to great lengths to show us not only the superior priesthood of Christ over Aaron, but the perfect priesthood of Christ.
As stated in 5:1, a high priest would offer gifts and sacrifices for sins on behalf of the people of Israel. Verse 2 goes on to say that because the priest shares similar weaknesses of the people he represents, he must also offer sacrifices for himself. And for this reason, also, he is able to “deal gently with those who are ignorant and are going astray.” The high priest is able to offer sacrifices because he can relate to those he represents.
Is that not true of Christ?
As our perfect representative, he can relate to us personally. Take a look:
4:15 He was tempted in every way. And yet He was without sin. (Some have felt that because He didn’t fall to temptation that somehow He can’t relate to our temptations. But in reality, one can experience temptation and not give in, and still feel the heavy weight and enticement that the temptation offers.)
5:7 He prayed with loud cries and tears. He felt the desperation of forthcoming death.
5:8 He learned obedience through suffering. As noted in the NIV Study Bible: “Though He was the eternal Son of God, it was necessary for him as the incarnate Son to learn obedience – not that he was ever disobedient, but that he was called on to obey to an extent he had never before experienced… but where Adam failed and fell, Jesus resisted and prevailed.” How many of us have become stronger and more obedient as a result of suffering?
Christ can relate to our own suffering whatever form it may take. Jesus is our perfect high priest. Why? First, because He was without sin. He did not have to offer sacrifices for His own sin because He had none. Consequently, He could and did offer Himself, the perfect sacrifice, on our behalf (more on this tomorrow!). Second, He can relate to our weaknesses and struggles, more than we could ever know. He conquered the sin of the world – the greatest weakness of man – and not just our own, but the world’s. That means He carried and experienced much more than we will ever carry in our lifetime. That is our perfect High Priest. Not an impersonal “go-between” from us to God, but One who can relate to our struggles so that we can “approach the throne of grace with confidence” (4:16). We can go to Him because He knows what we’re going through with firsthand experience, not with just some hypothetical knowledge. As one person can touch another’s life through similar experiences, so also can Christ touch us.
To consider: Because Jesus is our great high priest, we no longer have to bear the burden of our sin. Jesus comes gently alongside us and gives us strength to persevere. His wisdom and comfort come from a place of empathy. He completely relates to us having lived with us in this sinful world, having bore the weight of our sin, having been tempted in every way. What situations have made you wonder about turning away from Christ? At those times, what advantage is it to you to remember Him as your high priest?