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The Duality of God’s help

Hebrews 4:15 

“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathise with our weakness, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are- yet he did not sin” 

Sometimes when we sin and fall short, it’s very easy to feel like we can’t go back to God. For me, the reluctancy lies in the belief that God wouldn’t accept me with open arms: that somehow God’s righteousness separates me from my sinful nature. If you have ever had this thought, remember that Jesus’s death broke that separation. Because of him we can go back to God boldly. Today I want to go in more detail as to how Jesus’s death brings life to our relationship with God every time we fall short, because we will.  

The Bible is very meticulous with its word choice, being very intentional with it’s vocabulary. Looking closely at the word “empathise”, I find it quite interesting why no other word was used. Words like “understand” or “sympathise” could have been used but it wouldn’t have had the same meaning. Even if we look at the difference between “Empathise” and “Sympathise” it becomes much clearer for the purpose of this word. According to Google, “sympathy” is expressing care and concern for someone’s feelings without necessarily sharing those emotions yourself, whereas “empathy” is the ability to understand and share feelings of others, involving a deep emotional connection.  

The assumption of a “high priest” assumes some form of division: that somehow our ‘worldliness’ can’t go near God’s righteousness. But Jesus isn’t your typical “high priest”, although there is a power dynamic, it doesn’t prevent us from having intimacy with God. This level of intimacy is rooted in Jesus’s humility. He became obedient to humanity, temptation and even death, all things we experience.  

But how can someone with so much authority subject himself to so much suffering? 

 The simple answer is Love. His love and desire for a relationship with us, transcends our understanding. Whenever we are suffering and feel like we can’t go to God, remember he experienced the same things we did. His humanity not only allows him to empathise with our suffering, but his nature of God enables him to be the solution.  

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