'Heb 4:15-16

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A high priest for the faithful (Heb 4:14-5:10)

Because people were in danger of denying their Christian faith and going back to Judaism, they are reminded that Christ’s priesthood is incomparably superior to Aaron’s. Christ needs no tabernacle or temple, for he has passed through the heavens and into the presence of God.

Through him, believers also may enter this presence, and ask God’s help during their temptations. They can depend upon Christ, because being man he can sympathize with them, and being God he can give them super-human aid (Heb 4:14-16).

The Israelite high priest, since he acted on behalf of the people, needed to have a sympathetic nature and an awareness at all times that he too was a sinner who needed God’s forgiveness. His high priesthood was an office to which he was appointed, not one he chose for himself (Heb 5:1-4).

All this was true of Christ, except that he, having no sin, did not offer sacrifices for his own cleansing (see Heb 7:26-28).

He was God’s Son, appointed by God to an eternal priesthood (Heb 5:5-6; for the priesthood of Melchizedek see Heb 7:1-28).

Jesus Christ participated in the normal experiences of earthly life. In so doing he learnt the full meaning of obedience to his Father’s will, even though it led to suffering and death (Heb 5:7-8; cf. Matt 26:36-46).

Having fulfilled in practice God’s ideal of human perfection, he is completely qualified to carry out his God-given work of saving and helping those who submit to him (Heb 5:9-10).