Part 8

Next, Paul tells us of yet another sweet fruit grown by our Lord’s deep engagement with the human condition. Jesus allowed such painful resignation so that He could well-relate to our human infirmities. Oh reader, what great love He must have for us! How dare any man handle it lightly! How dare any man use such humility as an arrow to pierce and deflate our Lord’s worthiness! Jesus desires a perfected bride so much more than He requires His reputation to be fed. This does not negate His divine side, but rather displays what divinity truly looks like! How lovingly admirable of Him to be born with the purpose of suffering death – all so that He’d relate to us in our temptations, be touched by our earthen infirmities, and well-know our proclivity toward weakness.

In allowing such lowliness to occur, Jesus became the most-perfect High Priest, for high priests must be acquainted with mercy. The high priest’s office is to help the wretched and raise the fallen: such a ministry will only be found within one of identical feeling and affliction, even as Jesus well-knew while on earth:

“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” (Heb. 4:15).

Almighty God, in order to save us, needed to take upon Himself our manhood, even with all its sorrows. This qualified Him, by experience, to become our sympathizing High Priest. Such merciful relation is our certainty that He is able to relieve and “succor” us when tempted (2 Cor. 6:2; Mk. 9:22). Jesus knows how to offer compassion toward the contaminated, benevolence toward the bothered, and sincerity toward the suffering because He has walked through such trials Himself. The earth taught Him many troubling things! He experienced weariness (Jn. 4:6), anxiety (Matt. 26:39), hunger (Matt. 4:2), and loneliness (Jn. 16:32). He knows betrayal (Matt. 17:22), and has been made-accustomed to outward pain and torture (Matt. 26:67). He knows what it feels like to be scourged, mocked, and humiliated (Matt. 27:29)! He knows the frustration of being misunderstood (Mk. 2:16), and the tension of unmet desire (Matt. 26:40). Yes, Jesus very-well-tasted the bitter fruit of life’s harsh storms, and yet, He overcame each one, even death (Matt. 8:24; 27:34; 28:6; Lk. 4:1-13). In each and every necessary respect, our Lord has been made “like unto His [earthen] brethren” (Heb. 2:17, emphasis mine). He verily “hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows” (Isa. 53:4). He is now perfectly sympathetic to our human woes, and all-the-more in love with the sacrifices we daily-make to be more like Him (Exod. 23:9; Matt. 9:36; Jn. 1:12; Gal. 4:19; 2 Cor. 3:18; Prov. 4:18; 1 Jn. 3:2). We can now find boldness to call upon Him, and grace to help the troubles we’ve shared:

“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” (Heb. 4:14-16).

“A bruised reed shall he not break, and a smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory” (Matt. 12:20).

“When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick: That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses” (Matt. 8:16-17).

To be continued…