Jesus: Our Merciful High Priest

November 5th, 2025
by Lance Waldie

Hebrews 4:14-16 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. 16 Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Having established Jesus Christ as superior to the angels (Heb. 1-2), superior to Moses (Heb. 3), and superior to Joshua (Heb. 4), the author draws a pertinent conclusion. The angels were mere servants of God; Jesus is the Son of God. Moses was also a servant in God’s house; Jesus is the builder of the house. And Joshua failed to give the children of Israel rest in the Promised Land, while Jesus Himself is the believer’s rest. So the conclusion is obvious: submitting to Jesus as Lord is the logical choice for anyone considering an apostate turn back into Judaism or any other religious sect. For all religions and non-religions are inferior to faith in Jesus Christ.

In v. 14, it is said that “we have a great high priest” in Jesus Christ. While some in the audience were considering apostatizing back into Judaism with their Aaronic high priest, the author and all the true believers who read his letter were submitting to the High Priest—Jesus Christ. While the Jewish high priest, privileged as he was, made sacrifices daily on behalf of the people of Israel and also made the annual Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) sacrifice in Leviticus 16, Jesus made the one perfect sacrifice. Afterward, He “passed through the heavens” and sat down at God’s right hand (1:3). He went through the first heaven (earthly atmosphere), the second heaven (deep space), then to the third heaven where God sits on His throne (2 Cor. 12:2-4). When Jesus sat down at God’s right hand, it signified that His redemptive work was finished. While the Jewish high priest made continual sacrifices, Jesus sacrificed Himself as the Lamb of God and sat down, having finished His work—once for all. Jesus is thus the superior high priest.

In light of this, the author exhorts his audience to “hold fast” their “confession.” To hold fast is to maintain one’s grip. “Confession” is literally “one word.” The “one word” is the “word of God that is sharper than any two-edged sword…” (4:12-13). So in light of the power of God’s word and the superiority of that word over all others, professed Christians have no business falling back into inferior beliefs and practices. They are to maintain a firm grip on their faith.

Verse 15 explains that Jesus as the great High Priest is able to sympathize with the weaknesses of those who place their faith in Him. Christ is able because He was tempted in every way so as to understand the difficulties of human life. Since the Jewish high priest was not tempted in all matters and was not able to sympathize with all of Israel’s weaknesses, he was inferior. Now of course Jesus, not being married, did not experience marital difficulties nor did He experience the problems of having children. He knew not what a woman experiences in being a woman, and He knew nothing of computer viruses that wipe entire hard-drives clean! But at the root of all of these trials, Jesus experienced all the basic tests of humanity, and He came forth unscathed by sin. He endured all as the faithful Mediator between God and man (1 Tim. 2:5).

The author, therefore, in light of who Jesus is, invites the “all” to come boldly to the throne of grace to receive mercy and find grace to help in times of need (v. 16). Jesus is the One who can mediate between God and man while also sympathizing with man. No dead saints, no priest, no Mary—no one but Jesus can mediate for us to help us in our time of need.

The Christian faith is about Jesus Christ. Believers are never called to consult a priest or a medium to bring them to God or to intercede on their behalf to get God to hear them and answer their requests. On the contrary, Christians are a kingdom of priests in that we can come boldly before the very throne of God. And a merciful God at that who always hears us and loves us.