Hebrews 4:14-16 (AMP)
14 Inasmuch then as we have a great High Priest Who has [already] ascended and passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession [of faith in Him].
15 For we do not have a High Priest Who is unable to understand and sympathize and have a shared feeling with our weaknesses and infirmities and liability to the assaults of temptation, but One Who has been tempted in every respect as we are, yet without sinning.
16 Let us then fearlessly and confidently and boldly draw near to the throne of grace (the throne of God’s unmerited favor to us sinners), that we may receive mercy [for our failures] and find grace to help in good time for every need [appropriate help and well-timed help, coming just when we need it].
Empathy is to understand and share the feelings of another. To be in tune with their suffering and have a feeling of togetherness in that suffering. Being able to relate to their situation because one had walked in those shoes.
Jesus Christ is our empathizer because he expresses compassion for believers as one who is fully involved in whatever we are experiencing, as our High Priest, he feels exactly how we feel.
When we relate to people, depending on what their issues are, some will tell us-“you don’t understand, you will never know how I feel, you can’t imagine what I am going through, you won’t believe my experience if I tell you and so forth but there is one who not only knows how you feel, he understands, imagine and appreciates what you’re feeling, going through, and experiencing. Why? He walked it before you ever did according to Hebrews 7:26, Isaiah 53:3-5, and 2 Corinthians 5:21.
Jesus felt, experienced, saw and understands every limitation of humanity-he experienced human weariness, disappointments, and intense pain: After all, he encountered and dealt with humans like Judas, Peter, the religious Sadducees, Pharisees, and their counterparts daily.
He experienced to a greater degree whatever you will experience in life, so He can empathise and sympathise with you in all things.
Jesus was tempted in every way like you, and I are daily. He was tempted and tested in his humanity, except he didn’t fall into temptation, just to prove that his divine nature could not be altered or allow him to sin, otherwise, the journey to the cross would have been aborted. His temptation and test proved him to be God the Son so that even in his humanity, he did not cease to be God, though born of a woman, he did not have the corruptible seed of man with innate sin in his DNA as stated in 1 John 3:5. For all his humanity, Christ’s divinity did not allow him to fall into temptation.
When we fall into temptation, we turn from God, the Lord wants us to come boldly into His presence where grace is to help us get back on our feet. Instead of turning away from God when we are under suffering, persecution, and afflictions, it is vital, that we approach the Lord in humble confidence, with full assurance in God’s gracious mercy to help us through something He not only understands, and feels but waiting, willing and eager to save and deliver us.
As our High Priest who made reconciliation for the sins of the people, Christ does not attempt to prove why he did not sin but to help us out of our situation.
When you feel like no one understands your situation, remember that Jesus experienced every emotion and suffered every feeling you do.
There is a throne of grace waiting for us and we must come up to it and must call aloud on God for His mercy if we expect God to help us.
But we must approach this throne in boldness, freedom of speech to plead with our Maker without fear because we will never be able to say no to our feelings without help if we do not have within us a strong knowledge of God’s Word and mercy.
Shalom