Hebrews 4:14–16

Christ: Our Sinless High Priest, Tested Like Us, Able to Sympathize with Our Weaknesses
Jinu Ninan

As we considered in previous studies, the author of Hebrews begins this verse by moving into the main topic of the letter: the high priesthood of Jesus Christ.

As noted in the introduction to this study, the author employs a style where he first gives a hint or reference to the main subject or key persons, and later provides a detailed explanation.

After providing an initial reference to Christ’s priestly service in Chapter 1, Chapter 2 clearly identifies Christ as the High Priest for the first time. Then, through the concluding verses of Chapter 4, He is established as a High Priest according to the order of Melchizedek in Chapter 5, and Chapter 7 elaborates on the superiority of this Melchizedekian priesthood.

Hebrews 4:14 – “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.”

Here, the author refers to the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

The phrase “has passed through the heavens” indicates His ascension—He entered heaven, the holy sanctuary. Terms like “heavens” and “sky” are often used to signify the realm of God. The author emphasizes that Jesus was resurrected from the dead and ascended into heaven, entering the holy temple. Hebrews 9:12, 24 reiterates this truth.

Now, Jesus sits at the right hand of God, acting as our intercessor. He is our personal advocate and High Priest. Therefore, the author exhorts us to firmly hold onto our faith in Christ.

Hebrews 4:15 – “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.”

This verse emphasizes that our High Priest is not one who is incapable of understanding or sympathizing with human weakness. Rather, He is fully tested like us in every way, yet remained sinless.

Though Hebrews 4:15 has been subject to various interpretations and debates, understanding the context and intent of the author shows that the controversies are largely unnecessary.

As mentioned at the beginning of this study, in Chapter 1 the author describes Christ’s divinity and His exaltation above the angels due to His resurrection. In subsequent chapters, however, the focus shifts to His humanity, which He willingly humbled Himself to assume.

In these verses, the author presents Jesus as a human High Priest who intercedes for us at God’s right hand. He explains both how Christ was while on earth and how He now functions in heaven:

1. On earth, Jesus was sinless.

2. He was tested in every way like us.

3. Therefore, today, as the heavenly High Priest, He can sympathize with us in our weaknesses.

Although Christ is sinless, He can empathize with our weaknesses because He was fully tested in every way while on earth. During His earthly life, He endured temptations, trials, and hardships, qualifying Him perfectly to serve as our sympathetic High Priest in heaven (Hebrews 5:8–10).

The Sinless High Priest

The sinless nature of Jesus is central here because God’s redemptive plan required a spotless sacrifice to save humanity (1 Peter 1:19). While it is true that Jesus never sinned (1 Peter 2:22), Hebrews 4:15 does not merely state that He “did not sin” (some translations mistakenly render it that way). The emphasis is on His sinless nature.

The Greek term used is “chori hamartias”, also repeated in Hebrews 9:28, highlighting that Christ is without sin in His very nature.

The High Priest Tested Like Us

Hebrews further emphasizes that, though sinless, Christ was fully tested in every respect like us. This makes Him capable of empathizing with us as He represents us in heaven.

Some may wonder: “If Jesus is God, can He be tempted by sin?”

No. Jesus was not tempted as God; He was tempted as a man. God cannot be tempted by sin (James 1:13). Divine attributes include immortality, incomprehensibility, and the unapproachable light (1 Timothy 6:16).

Yet, when Christ came to earth as a man, He “emptied Himself” (Philippians 2:5–7) and humbled Himself (Philippians 2:8–11).

What did He empty? Not His divinity—God cannot cease to be God—but He voluntarily set aside the independent exercise of His divine privileges and powers. He humbled Himself in His humanity, living within human limitations and obeying God completely, even to the death of the cross.

Thus, though fully divine, Jesus assumed a full human nature with free will. He was not a mechanical human; He was fully tested, yet remained sinless, overcoming temptation by submitting His will to the Father (Luke 4:1–13, John 6:38).

Because He was tested in every way like us, He can sympathize with our weaknesses.

Grace and Mercy

Hebrews 4:16 exhorts us: “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

Christ, as our heavenly High Priest, shares in our human experiences and temptations. Therefore, we can approach God boldly to receive grace and mercy:

• Grace helps us resist sin before we fall.

• Mercy helps us if we do fall.

Often, when believers fall into sin, the devil uses self-condemnation to keep them from approaching God for mercy. Hebrews teaches that we should come boldly, acknowledging our sins and seeking help.

Approaching the throne of grace in faith provides both the strength to remain sinless (grace) and the assurance of pardon when we fail (mercy).

In Chapter 5, the author transitions to a detailed discussion of Christ as a High Priest according to the order of Melchizedek.