Coming Boldly Before God's Throne
Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Heb. 4:14-16, NKJV.
One of the most significant truths in the New Testament is that "we have a great High Priest" who passed through the atmospheric and starry heavens after His ascension to meet God.
He is the Son of God, and thus has access to the Father. But Jesus is much more than a divine Being "out there." At His incarnation He became "God with us" (Matt. 1:23). As a result, He can "sympathize with our weaknesses" because He "was in all points tempted as we are." Jesus understands us in ways that would not have possible had He not partaken of our sufferings. Here is a unique Person--one who has access to both God and individual humans. In that position He serves as the link between two incompatible worlds.
We should not pass over lightly the humanness of Jesus highlighted in today's verses. In the Greek world into which Jesus was born, the idea of God was that of detachment from humanity. Philo (a Jewish theologian/philosopher contemporary with Jesus and the apostles) promoted that detachment in the person of the high priest when he wrote that such an individual needs "to show himself superior to pity, and pass the whole of his life exempt from all sorrow" (The Special Laws 1:115).
Jesus was plainly the opposite of the Greek ideal. He became flesh and blood and suffered from the same types of temptations that we do. As a result, He understands us. He is one of us--we are His brothers and sisters (Heb. 2:10). It is because of that experience that He can sympathize with us as we face trials, temptations, and even death--He has passed through all of those things.
Therefore, the book of Hebrews tells us, we can come "boldly to the throne of grace" to find both mercy and grace in our times of distress. Because we have such a High Priest the doors of the heavenly Temple are wide open to us. No matter how dark our sin, no matter how deep our hurt, no matter how profound our disillusionment, we are welcomed at the throne of God by a High Priest who truly understands us.
Today as we bow before the throne of the Almighty let us praise Him again that we can come "boldly" rather than with fear or doubt. Our High Priest is there, ever willing to help us.
Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Heb. 4:14-16, NKJV.
One of the most significant truths in the New Testament is that "we have a great High Priest" who passed through the atmospheric and starry heavens after His ascension to meet God.
He is the Son of God, and thus has access to the Father. But Jesus is much more than a divine Being "out there." At His incarnation He became "God with us" (Matt. 1:23). As a result, He can "sympathize with our weaknesses" because He "was in all points tempted as we are." Jesus understands us in ways that would not have possible had He not partaken of our sufferings. Here is a unique Person--one who has access to both God and individual humans. In that position He serves as the link between two incompatible worlds.
We should not pass over lightly the humanness of Jesus highlighted in today's verses. In the Greek world into which Jesus was born, the idea of God was that of detachment from humanity. Philo (a Jewish theologian/philosopher contemporary with Jesus and the apostles) promoted that detachment in the person of the high priest when he wrote that such an individual needs "to show himself superior to pity, and pass the whole of his life exempt from all sorrow" (The Special Laws 1:115).
Jesus was plainly the opposite of the Greek ideal. He became flesh and blood and suffered from the same types of temptations that we do. As a result, He understands us. He is one of us--we are His brothers and sisters (Heb. 2:10). It is because of that experience that He can sympathize with us as we face trials, temptations, and even death--He has passed through all of those things.
Therefore, the book of Hebrews tells us, we can come "boldly to the throne of grace" to find both mercy and grace in our times of distress. Because we have such a High Priest the doors of the heavenly Temple are wide open to us. No matter how dark our sin, no matter how deep our hurt, no matter how profound our disillusionment, we are welcomed at the throne of God by a High Priest who truly understands us.
Today as we bow before the throne of the Almighty let us praise Him again that we can come "boldly" rather than with fear or doubt. Our High Priest is there, ever willing to help us.
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