Hebrews 4:15 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.
Jesus as our high priest has been through the same types of struggles that we have had. He was “tempted as we are.” This qualifies him to be our high priest. Hebrews challenges us to take the humanity of Jesus seriously. He had to be made like us to be this high priest. This verse helps us understand the Incarnation, the “enfleshment” of Jesus. If Jesus cannot identify with out, then he cannot make atonement for our sins. One might argue that God knows all things and so why would God need to come as a man to experience human struggles? Jesus’ humanity is not for God’s benefit but for our benefit. We now have someone who came to show us the way to the Father through obedience and faith. He is the author and perfecter of this faith. The logic of the author of Hebrews is clear once we understand the conditions for salvation. These conditions are laid out in the Old Testament, especially the Torah (Pentateuch). First, salvation requires a sacrifice to take care of the penalty of sin. This sacrifice has to be perfect and sinless in order to resolve the problem of sin once and for all people. Jesus qualifies for this because he did not sin and gave his life as the final resolution for sin. Also, salvation requires faith shown through dependence upon God in obedience. Jesus had perfect faith, though this faith did not come without struggle and temptation. Because Jesus trusted in the Father, his faith gave him the victory through temptation. Each temptation proved more and more Jesus’ total dependence and trust in his Father. The use of “high priest” to describe Jesus offers an image of one who links two parties: humanity and God. Jesus is the bridge builder, the way to God. Humans could never build a bridge over the problem of sin, but Jesus has. This image of opening the way will be developed later in this epistle.
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