An Empathetic High Priest

Hebrews 4:14-16

Sympathy and empathy both have the meaning of understanding and sharing feelings and emotions. The difference is that sympathy agrees with those feelings without question while empathy considers whether they are legitimate responses. The difference in the results is tremendous.

A common scenario is for a man and wife to have a disagreement over something one of them bought. He feels she should just give in to him without question because she is his wife. After all, he is the head of the house. He goes to his mother, or to meet with some of his buddies. If they sympathize, agreeing that she was wrong to disagree, he will be encouraged to maintain his attitude and over time, bitterness will begin to creep in. There is a natural tendency to seek sympathy, because it feeds our pride. That is the main reason people go to bars.

An empathetic person, on the other hand, will understand the feelings, but point out that the wife may have had a reason for her feelings as well. Perhaps she has seen a selfish trend in his behavior, or a financial problem he has overlooked, or perhaps her family has always done it differently. She may or not be right, but her feelings are just as real as his. To review what happened and find out what the truth is may enable resolution of the problem.

One experienced counselor said, “There is his side, her side, and the truth. Sometimes the truth is not even between the two sides.” The empathetic person recognizes that while the feelings are valid, they may be based on false premises, leading to false conclusions and wrong actions.

Because Jesus Christ is fully human, even to the point of experiencing death, he is able to empathize with us. He understands our feelings and temptations. Because he is also God, he understands God’s perspective as well. He is uniquely equipped to present our case before God when we sin.

“Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:14-16)

The person best equipped to help an alcoholic stop drinking is one who has been tempted in the same manner, but only when he has escaped that temptation. All to often the attempt results in a counselor being pulled back in if his victory is not complete. Jesus was tempted like us, but he never succumbed. He can help us get the victory as a result.

One of the biggest problems in counseling is that people do not give all the facts. Sometimes it is deliberate to conceal guilt. Other times, they don’t realize it matters, or don’t even know about them. Jesus approaches the problem with all the facts according to Hebrews 4:13. “Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.” His advice and help is not based on guesses.

He is able to present our case before God to obtain mercy (leniency), while helping us to correct the problem. He has that super sharp word of God to accomplish the purpose. I John 2:1-2 advises us, “My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.”

He has also met the full penalty of the law for our sin, expunging our record so that there is no increased penalty for future offenses. He has even done this for those who do not permit him to represent them, although with no advocate, it has not been applied to them.

Knowing that we have willing and empathetic ear, that we will receive mercy, and that we can be confident about the advice and help, there ought be no hesitancy about coming to God and Christ with our problems. He loves us, and wants to help. We don’t need to bribe him, or to get someone else to establish contact. In fact there is only one who can take care of the problem, and he demands personal contact. “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time,” (I Timothy 2:5-6). No other person, preacher, priest or saint can serve as an intermediary.