Session 4 · Hebrews 4:14-16
Able to Sympathize
A high priest who knows temptation from the inside
Book reading: Chapter 4: Able to Sympathize
Chapter 4 is a meditation on Hebrews 4:15, shaped by Thomas Goodwin's thoughts about the heart of the risen Christ. The question is simple. Jesus is now in heaven. Has he drifted far from our struggles?
Hebrews says no. The passage opens with "a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God." A priest stands between people and God. This one has gone all the way into heaven, and verse 15 says he is not a priest "who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses." The word for sympathize carries the idea of feeling with someone. The one seated in glory still feels with us.
What grounds it? He is "one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin." That last phrase might seem to weaken the case. If he never sinned, how can he understand us?
Ortlund argues the opposite, and it is worth thinking through. Consider an illustration of our own. Imagine two people standing in a strong wind. One gives way and is blown over right away. The other stays on his feet for hours. Who knows the full force of the wind? The one who held. The person who falls at the first push never feels how hard the push could get. In the same way, Jesus, who never gave way, felt temptation at its fullest strength. The book contrasts him with someone who falls without a fight and so never knows the full weight of resisting. His sinlessness does not put distance between him and our struggle. It means he knows the pressure better than we do.
Then comes the invitation: "Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need." Notice the word then. Confidence is based on who the priest is. A throne might sound cold, but this one is called a throne of grace, and the person on it understands.
The takeaway: when you are tempted, you are not telling Jesus something he cannot grasp. You are talking to someone who knows exactly how strong it feels.
A word of care: some temptations are tied to addiction, self-harm or despair, and carrying them alone is dangerous. Bring in a pastor, counselor or trusted friend. If you are thinking about harming yourself, in the US call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. If you or someone near you is in immediate danger, call your local emergency services right away. Reaching out to a person is not a lack of faith. Jesus' sympathy and the help of the people around you can go together.
Key idea
The risen Christ is a high priest who feels with us in temptation, and because he never gave way, he knows its full weight better than we do.
Questions to consider
- Hebrews 4:16 says to draw near "with confidence." What makes it hard for you to approach the throne of grace with confidence about your temptations?
- How does it change things to think that Jesus' sinlessness makes him more able to sympathize, not less?
Journal prompt
Name a temptation that keeps coming back. Write a short, plain description of it as you would tell a friend who truly understood.
Practice
1. Pick one recurring temptation. 2. In one or two plain sentences, name it to Jesus, with no code words and no softening. 3. Pray Hebrews 4:16 back to him and ask for mercy and grace for the next time it shows up. 4. If this temptation feels bigger than you can handle, tell one trusted person this week.