How does Jesus sympathize with our weaknesses (Hebrews 4:15)?

The book of Hebrews was written to encourage Hebrew Christians undergoing severe suffering and persecution because of their faith in Jesus. As a result, many were tempted to abandon the faith and return to their old Jewish rites, rituals, and customs. In Hebrews 4:15, the writer expands one of the themes of this book, portraying Jesus as the great High Priest of His people, able to identify with their struggles: “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in every way as we are, yet without sin” (Hebrews 4:15, CSB).

During the days of the tabernacle and the temple, the Hebrew people had a high priest who was a human, like everyone else. He understood firsthand the temptations and challenges of daily life. Because of this, he could empathize with his people. On the Day of Atonement, the high priest interceded for them, offering sacrifices to God for his own sins and for the sins of all the Hebrew people. Now, Christians have “a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God” (Hebrews 4:14, NLT). Jesus had no sin of His own, but He gave Himself as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of everyone in the world.

Earlier, the writer of Hebrews stated, “Since [Jesus] himself has gone through suffering and testing, he is able to help us when we are being tested” (Hebrews 2:18, NLT). This verse and Hebrews 4:15 capture an extraordinary and comforting truth about the relationship between us (humans) and our Savior. Because Jesus Christ experienced life as a flesh-and-blood person (John 1:14; Galatians 4:4; Philippians 2:7), He understands the struggles we endure. He took on human nature completely. He felt the same cravings, ambitions, anxieties, exhaustion, grief, rejection, and anguish that tug against our wills. He experienced the very temptations and weaknesses we face, yet without ever sinning (1 Peter 2:22; 1 John 3:5).

The temptation Jesus endured was even more intense than ours, as He resisted beyond the point where most humans give in (see Matthew 4:1–11; Luke 22:39–46). He alone can comprehend the full weight and breadth of human weakness. Christ’s ability to sympathize with our weaknesses is crucial for His role as our High Priest, enabling Him to deal gently and compassionately with us when we are ignorant, fall short, or go astray.

Christ’s compassion for our situation is not distant or theoretical. It is grounded in His lived experience. He knows what it means to be vulnerable, to feel the heaviness of sorrow, and to wrestle with challenges. His empathy is both divine and intimate, ensuring that He is not only our advocate but also our comforter in times of need. With this assurance, we can “come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most” (Hebrews 4:16, NLT). Knowing Jesus sympathizes with our weaknesses allows us to turn to Him without fear or hesitation. His empathy opens the door to grace and mercy, providing us with solace and strength in our struggles.

Christ’s ability to sympathize with our weaknesses, coupled with His sinlessness, offers us hope and guidance as His followers. His triumph over temptation demonstrates that victory is possible and provides a model for resisting sin (see Matthew 26:41; 1 Corinthians 10:13; James 4:7; Romans 6:12–14; Ephesians 6:10–18; Galatians 5:16–26).

As followers of Jesus, we are called to imitate His compassion and understanding in our dealings with others. Just as Jesus sympathizes with our weaknesses, we are encouraged to extend grace, mercy, kindness, and support to others who are struggling with the temptations of this life (Romans 15:1–2; Galatians 6:1–2; Ephesians 4:32; James 5:16; 1 Peter 4:8–10; Jude 1:22–23).

When we go through intense suffering and persecution, as the Hebrew Christians did, it’s easy to lose sight of Jesus, our “sure and steadfast anchor of the soul” (Hebrews 6:19–20). Some of us have had our faith shaken under much less trying times than these early believers encountered. Like them, may we cling to our High Priest who sympathizes with our weaknesses. May we receive comfort, hope, and inspiration, knowing we are never alone in our struggles. In Christ, we can find the strength to endure (Isaiah 40:31; Philippians 4:13), the grace to move forward (2 Corinthians 12:9–10), and the assurance of His love that transcends all understanding (Ephesians 3:17–19).