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Our Compassionate High Priest

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The following is adapted from a sermon delivered by Charles H. Spurgeon and is available at Blue Letter Bible for free. You can visit BLB for more sermons and commentaries or to find out how you can partner with our ministry to keep providing free Christian resources.

“Who can have compassion on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the way; for that he himself also is compassed with infirmity.”
Hebrews 5:2

The high priest looked Godward, and therefore he had need to be holy; for he had to deal with things pertaining to God. But at the same time he looked manward; it was for men that he was ordained, that, through him, they might deal with God; and therefore he had need to be tender. It was necessary that he should be one who could have sympathy with men; else, even if he could succeed Godward, he would fail to be a link between God and man, from want of tenderness and sympathy with those whom he sought to bring nigh to Jehovah.

Hence, the high priest was taken from among men that he might be their fellow, and have a fellow-feeling with them. No angel entered into the holy place; no angel wore the white garments; no angel put on the ephod and the breastplate with the precious stones. It was a man ordained of God, who for his brothers pleaded in the presence of the Skekinah. Many of us, I trust, have a desire within out hearts to come to God; but we need a High Priest. Inasmuch as it is his right, he counts it not robbery to be equal with God; but he communes with the Father as one that was by him, as one brought up with him, who was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him. But we ought also to be very grateful that we can come into touch with our High Priest on his human side, and rejoice that he is truly man. For thus saith the Lord, “I have laid help upon One that is mighty: I have exalted One chosen out of the people;” he is anointed, it is true, with the oil of gladness above his fellows, but still he and they are one, “for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren.”

Those who came to the high priest of old, were not often of the rough sort. Those who wished to have fellowship with God through the high priest in the tabernacle, or in the temple, were generally the timid ones of the people. Remember how she who came when Eli was high priest was “a woman of sorrowful spirit”; and the high priest had to deal with many such. The sons and daughters of affliction were those who mostly sought the divine oracle, and desired to have communion with God; hence the high priest needed not only to be a man, but a man of tender and gentle spirit. It was necessary that he should be one with whom those with broken hearts, and those who were groaning under a sense of sin, would like to speak. They would dread an austere man, and would, probably, in many cases, have kept away from him altogether. Now, the mercy for us is, that our great High Priest is willing to receive the sinful and the suffering, the tried and the tempted; he delights in those that are as bruised reeds and smoking flax; for thus he is able to display the sacred qualifications. He “can have compassion.” It is his nature to sympathize with the aching heart; but he cannot be compassionate to those who have no suffering, and no need. The heart of compassion seeks misery, looks for sorrow, and is drawn towards despondency; for there it can exercise its gracious mission to the full.

Often, when we are trying to do good to others, we get more good ourselves. When I was here one day this week, seeing friends who came to join the church there came among the rest a very diffident tender-hearted woman, who said many sweet things to me about her Lord, though she did not think that they were any good, I know. She was afraid that I should not have patience with her and her poor talk; but she said one thing which I specially remember: “I have to-day put four things together, from which I had derived a great deal of comfort,” she told me. “And what are they, my sister?” I asked. “Well,” she said, ” they are those four classes—’the unthankful and the evil, the ignorant, and on them that are out of the way,’ Jesus ‘is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil’, and he ‘can have compassion on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the way,’ and I think that I can get in through those four descriptions. Though I am great sinner, I believe that he will be kind to me, and have compassion upon me.” I stored that up; for I thought that one of these days I might want it myself; I tell it to you, for if you do not want it now, you may need it one of these days; you may yet have to think that you have been unthankful and evil, ignorant and out of the way, and it will give you comfort to remember that our Lord Jesus is kind to the unthankful and to the evil, and that he “can have compassion on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the way.”

Comments

  1. The Holy Spirit would even speak to us through Facebook. Saw the headline in my news feed, and it is the aspect of Yeshua that I need most today… his compassion as well as his intercession.

  2. It IS good to remember that Jesus is kind to the unthankful and the evil. I fit in that category all the time. And I forget that He loves me even then, which gives me cause to ponder even deeper His incredible love, His incredible sacrifice.

    I am unworthy, and that’s the whole point. I always “try to be worthy” and that is what gets me off the track.

    So, thank you, Jesus, for loving me in my unthankfulness and my evil ways. I trust and believe in you. Amen.

  3. A great preacher; a simple woman. God uses all His children for His glory. We remember that we can do all things because He strenghtens us. Grace.

  4. I often find myself behaving oppositely towards people in pride. Jesus could say, “I dealt with everything you’re dealing with, and I lived a sinless life; if I’m in you, you should be able to do it, too”; He could condemn us and look down on us for not being as strong as He is. I find that I do this often. Christ, however, does not. Instead, He understands and chooses to love us and not condemn us. So simple and basic, this element of the gospel, but still so poignant with daily relevance to our walk.

    I burst into tears writing this as His presence just hit me so strongly. He loves to love, and I’m so thankful that He chooses compassion.

  6. Not only does he forgive us, but also he assists us in our daily living and its trials. Just when we are at our most needy-there he is! If we could all be like him what a world it would be. Come soon Lord Jesus.

  7. Jer.10:11
    “Thus shall ye say unto them, The gods that have not made the
    heavens and the earth, even they shall perish from the earth,
    and from under these heavens.”

    So, it is a waste of time to beleive that we can be co-creators
    with god (as the popular new age idea), for all of man’s handiwork of cunning man will be distroyed. God is not interested of what you can make, but only wants to know what he
    can make of you. All misery, all pain, all depression, all fear
    is the result of separation from god. Though he is not pleased,
    you are separate from you, but he is pleased, that you are miserable when you are separate from Him. For if you weren’t unhappy in this state of separation, it would mean you found an
    alternate source of happiness, something to replace him as a source, something instead of him…..that would be the anti-christ (means:instead of or in replacement of Christ).
    That would be being truely lost forever. Therefore he treasures
    your suffering for in earthly life we always will experience a
    certain level of separation from him, consequently a continuous
    sense of suffering is essential to longing for god, more closeness to god, more intimacy with god. This delights him.
    In the suffering soul God, Jesus Christ can accomplish a lot…
    his delight is in witnessing the metamorphosis of your and mine
    soul.
    The water he offers is the water of everlasting life, you will never thirst again. I wanna drink that water, not man-made water, or some other god’s, or angels’ water. I wanna drink from the hands of my Lord, and be bound eternaly with him,
    in sacred peace. I can have no peace, untill I have achieved that. Therefor I will suffer. But when that is accomplished,
    I shall live in his Kingdom forever.
    He is there when I most need him, because he knows the ultimate trueth. That in everything, and in every need I need HIM, and only him. Apartfrom him there is nothing.

    Amen

  9. When you are scared, you become sacred to him.
    You are scared to be cut off from the vine, separate from the
    source of your only nourishment in existence, the only source
    of life there is. Take just one deep breath, and breath it from
    his mouth, breath it out and spread it into this world he desires to give life to. Imagine Christ penetrating every cell
    in your body and Christ leaving you. He is with you to the extent you are able to use him. It is Christ breathing in you,
    you are not apart from him, and it is Christ whom you breath in, for in every gasp the breath creates the breather.
    Acts 17:25
    Neihter is worshipped with men’s hands, as though he needed anyting, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things.

    Jesus doesn’t need your worship, he doesn’t need a fuel to
    keep him going. But in every word of gratitude and worship
    you prepare yourself for his coming. You prepare yourself for
    every next breath, and every breath preapares the next after.
    With Jesus every breath becomes real, breathing Jesus is a breath taken for everlasting life. Take every breath, as if it
    was water from his hands that does not let you thirst ever again, breath as if every breath could be the last. Not because
    you ended, but because you finally filled with his breath, living on that one breath forever.

    If he finally takes the last breath in you, as he does in each
    of us eventually, know that it is only because he has an etarnal
    breeze prepared to come your way, and you will never thirst an
    other breath again.

    Amen

  10. In the darkest of valleys the Good Shepherd Jesus Christ is there.
    Psalms 23:4 Even if I go through the deepest darkness, I will not be afraid, Lord, for you are with me. Your Shepherd’s rod and staff portect me.
    The Lord Jesus is the one who has gone before. He is the pioneer of our faith. [in Hebrews, Jesus Christ the pioneer and perfecter of our faith].
    Like an explorer of old making the path to the new land, Jesus Christ opened the way for us to know God intimately in relation. [The New Promise]. He did this in His body torn on the cross [Hebrews 10:20], that we who have died with Him on His cross are grafted into God’s house.

    May we who choose to do God’s will rejoice in our sufferings and find Jesus Christ right there with us. In Isaiah somewhere it says of our Saviour Jesus Christ….

    Until your grey hairs I will carry you. I Am He mighty to bear, mighty to carry and mighty to save. Praise God for the mercy that He has given us in Jesus Christ.

  11. Hebrews 5:1-3 For every high priest taken from among men is ordained for men in things pertaining to GOD that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sin (2) Who can have compassion on the ignorant and on them that are out of the way for that he himself also is compassed with infirmity (3) And by reason hereof he ought as for the people so also for himself to offer for sins

    2nd Timothy 2:19 Never the less the foundation of GOD standeth sure having this seal the LORD knoweth them that are his and let every one that nameth the name of CHRIST depart from iniquity

    Matthew 11:20 Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein most of HIS mighty works were done because they repented not

    Luke 8:21 And HE answered and said unto them my mother and my brethren are these which here the word of GOD and do it

    1st John 3:10 In this the children of GOD are manifest and the children of the devil whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of GOD neither he that loveth not his brother

    Ephesians 4:1 I therefore the prisoner of the LORD beseech you that you walk worthy of the vocation wherewith you are called

    Colossians 1:10 That you might walk worthy of the LORD unto all pleasing being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of GOD

    Hebrews 5:7-9 Who in the days of his flesh when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death and was heard in that he feared (8) Though he were a son yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered (9) And being made perfect he became the AUTHOR of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him

    Loving the LORD

    • Hi Steve,
      I wasn’t sure if your would go back to the old post (18th) so I’ll bring post my response here. This is concerning the multiple aspects of death.

      The word death has many aspects that must be considered in scripture. To “die” does not always refer to a physical death, but may instead be referring to a change in mentality, in how we think and live. I’ll use some of your references for examples.

      Romans 6:11 “So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.” Death here is not speaking of a physical death or a physical change that has taken place, rather it is a death of the sinful lifestyle/mentality. It a renewing of the mind, Rom 12:2, as can be seen in the context of chapter six, and by noting the phrase “consider yourself”. Rom 6:12 tells us that we are still in our “mortal body” and still tempted, but we should not give into it. This is elaborated on in chapter eight of Romans, Rom 8:1, Rom 8:5-7, Rom 8:13 “put to death the deeds of the body” One death that must take place is we must kill our sinful thinking, and fill it with the spirit/word of God. Col 3:1-10 also does an excellent job describing this change and its relation to our baptism. Col 3:3, Col 3:5, Col 3:10

      One must also go through a physical death/change (1cor15:51) to enter into the kingdom of God. This is the death mentioned in 1cor 15:46. It is the death/change from physical earthly body to the physical spiritual body Luke 24:39, Rom 8:11. This change is described in depth, 1cor 15:42-44, 1cor 15:46, 1cor 15:52-53, Luke 20:35-36

      John 3 brings these two aspects together. John 3:3 Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” So what does it mean to be born again?

      John 3:5 We must be born of water (baptism, which as we saw above in Romans 6 and 8,Rom 6:4, Col 3:2, Col 3:5 represents our dying with Christ, although no physical change occurs, we must strive to live according to the spirit of Christ. This is the renewing of our minds, and a beginning of the process to write Yahweh’s laws on out heart Jer 31:33) and we must be born of the spirit (the physical change 1cor 15:44, Luke 20:35-36

      I hope this makes clear what scripture presents concerning death (as far as I understand it concerning the subject), if you have some specific verses that you would like to present feel free.

      -With love in our Lord Jesus

  12. I wasn’t sure if you would go back to the old post (18th) so I’ll post my response here** I need to proof read!!

  13. Born again in its more proper rendering in ancient Greek is born from above.

    God does not need our love however we wants our love. God is perfect he needs nothing,

    Remember David in Psalm 51 the sinner’s prayer is God grant me a clean heart. Only God can clean our hearts.

    Our minister says almost every Sunday. Our congregation in God’s church is not a museum for saints but rather a hospital for sinners.

    A sermon I heard was God answers every prayer.
    Yes
    No
    Later

    What we want does not match God’s will (our need).

    Use Y’shuah’s (Jesus’s) perfect example of the prayer our Father.

    Address God the Father in the name of God the Son.

    His will be done. Not our will but HIS will.

    • I am doing a rather crummy job of typing today because of my eye surgery. Please forgive my typos all. Fill in what I meant to type please.

      Jason, I think you are on your way to understanding the death and life references.

      Remember however when we improperly interpret Scripture by our “knowledge” rather than “wisdom” we get in a pickle.

      Wisdom IS the Holy Spirit. The best revelation of Wisdom is in the Book of Proverbs also known as the Book of Wisdom.

      Ritualism of step one, two, three, four, five, etc. can get us in trouble. Ritualism is pagan. Not of God.

      The most important baptism is that of the baptism of fire the Holy Spirit.

  15. DD2J,
    Thank you for your response. Could you provide any specifics of what may be incorrect with my explanation. I don’t believe to put things in steps is ritualistic, it is just a simple way to explain the things concerning death. Just to raise a point to consider, ritualism is very much of Yahweh, (as long as the rituals are used to declare the righteousness of God, not the righteousness of man as it became to be used among some of the Jews) the Mosaic law is full of rituals, of which Paul says, “So the law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good.” Rom 7:12. Even now, although not under the law, we still have certain rituals commanded by Christ, such as the breaking of bread, and baptism.

    -With Love in The Christ

    • Jason,

      Ritualism is when we go through the steps without our clean heart Jesus gave us fully realized?

      For instance:

      It is chanting rather than speaking with the true meaning that touches our heart.

      Chanting the Lord’s Prayer rather than thinking of the import of each and every word. It becomes rote and not comprehensive in its message.

      Saying a person must do step 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. is a man’s way of misperception.

      Step judging by another man is unkind and counterproductive. Not fruitful.

      Did so and so do step 1 and skip 2 etc. Who are we to say someone we don’t know is a not as Christian? Only Jesus knows our true hearts.

      Just going through steps without heart a lost way. Head logic only. Man’s logic.

      Our minister gave us a wonderful sermon a few weeks ago that evokes a heart picture.

      The Holy Spirit is our compass. The Spiritual GPS as it were. When we lose our ways or toddle the Holy Spirit says “recalculating” He leads us back to the path whose ultimate someday destination is to see Jesus on the Mercy Seat.

      Ritualism is lip service. Not heart service.

      Are we producing Fruit of the Spirit?

      Gal 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
      Gal 5:24 And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
      Gal 5:25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
      Gal 5:26 Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.

      Eph 5:9 For the fruit of the Spirit [is] in all goodness and righteousness and truth

      Does this picture help you?

      Beware of chanting. It is ritualistic.

      A group Paul rightly so cursed were those who came to the Galatians after Paul we call them the Judizers. Using the law step by step in a provocational manner.

      For instance in order to become a Christian they claimed one must be physically circumsized.

      The Holy Spirit is our inner circulsizer. We need not show for outward appearance a physical mark.

      Living in the spirit produces noticable to all a change of heart.

  16. Paul exemplies the transformation of extreme religious rituality to the grace given to us by Christ Jesus alone.

    Source:

    Day By Day By Grace
    Bob Hoekstra
    November 23, 2011
    http://www.blueletterbible.org/devotionals/subscribe.cfm

    In part…

    “…

    Paul confesses to being an arrogant man before he was saved. “I was formerly…an insolent man.” His religious success clearly led him to a prideful estimation of his own spirituality. “If anyone else thinks he may have confidence in the flesh, I more so: circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee; concerning zeal, persecuting the church; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless” (Philippians 3:4-6).

    Nevertheless, all of this misguided religiosity could be transformed by God’s bountiful grace. “And the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant.”

    Lord Jesus, what marvelous grace this is! What encouraging words these are! Yes, I see that my own disqualifying failures can be turned around by Your exceedingly abundant grace! Transform me Lord, I humbly pray!

    …”

  17. I am a very big admirerer of Spurgeon.
    If you would like to learn more go here.

    http://www.spurgeon.org/~phil/stalwrts.htm

    I love HIStory.
    My favorite Early Church Fathers and Martyrs.

    At first blush the site shows much humor.

    Hall of Church History
    aka Theology from a Bunch of Dead Guys

    Don’t let the Title of this Site offput you.
    It is a very well done and studied site.

    5 stars!