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For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. 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.  Hebrews 4:15-16

Jesus is unlike any other prophet, teacher, deity, or force man can imagine.  Jesus came as our great high priest.  He is the only one who would leave His position to live as one of us for our sake.  Every other ruler and religion demands that we live up to a standard to become acceptable.  However, Jesus lowered Himself to our level and lived up to God’s standard for us. 

The Bible says in the book of Hebrews, “But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone” (2:9). 

Jesus came into our broken world so we would know His presence.  He was born in the likeness of man and experienced hunger, thirst, poverty, rejection, loneliness, sorrow, grief, and pain.  He endured suffering and shame because of our corruption.  Jesus even died on a cross to pay a debt not his own.  He paid our price owed for our rebellion against God.  He did all of this willingly for everyone.  No other prophet or religious leader did anything like this. 

As a priest, Jesus came to intercede and mediate on our behalf before God.  The writer of Hebrews says, “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin” (4:15).  There is no pain, sorrow, grief, loneliness, rejection, poverty, thirst, hunger or any weakness that Jesus cannot understand.  He faced all of these and more but never fell short of God’s holy standard. 

He did all this because He knows we need Him.  When we face the stresses of this life, we need Jesus.  Knowing that Jesus endured all these and conquered them by His resurrection we have the confidence to draw near to God.  We have no need to fear loss, pain, or death because Jesus has graciously given us hope.  He did everything for us that we might have everything in Him. 

Praise Jesus, our Great High Priest!