Our Sympathetic High Priest
We know from Hebrews 2:9-11; 2:14-18; and 4:14-16, that Jesus is our sympathetic High Priest who empathizes with our weaknesses, infirmities, and sufferings.
“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin” (Hebrews 4:15).
Our Weaknesses and Infirmities
What are these “weaknesses” and “infirmities”?
Benson, in his commentary, includes “our temptations, trials, and troubles, of whatever kind they may be ghostly or bodily. The Son of God, having been made flesh, experienced all the temptations and miseries incident to mankind, sin excepted; consequently he must always have a lively feeling of our infirmities; of our wants, weaknesses, miseries, dangers.”
Calvin includes among these weaknesses and infirmities the “external” or bodily “evils” of cold and heat; hunger and other wants of the body; and also contempt, poverty, and other things of this mind.” Calvin also includes internal sufferings such as “the feelings of the soul such as fear, sorrow, the dread of death, and similar things.”
Jesus Empathizes with Our Temptations, Trials, and Troubles Jesus Empathizes with Our Wants,
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