Hebrews 4:15
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].
You will notice in your Bible
that the word yet
is in italics, meaning that it has been added by the
translators. Christ was tempted without sin—tested
without sin. In the testing of Jesus in the
wilderness, He could not have fallen because He is
the God-man. However, the pressure of testing was
actually greater upon Him than it would be upon us.
He could say, “… the prince of this world cometh,
and hath nothing in me” (John 14:30). Satan finds
something in me and in you also, but he could find
nothing in the Lord Jesus. Let me illustrate this
for you: A boat standing in water can only tolerate
so much pressure. If the pressure becomes too great,
there will be a rip in the hull of the boat and
water will come in, and thus the pressure is
removed. That is the way you and I are—we give in to
the pressure, we yield, and then the pressure is
gone. Jesus never did yield, and therefore there was
a building up of pressure that you and I never
experience. In the same way, the cars of a freight
train all have a weight limit which they can carry.
If that limit is exceeded, you will have a
swaybacked car, one that is bowed down in the
middle. It gives in—it can only carry so heavy a
load. That is true of all of us. We can carry just
so much and not any more. May I say to you, the
weight of temptation Jesus Christ could carry was
infinite—He was tested without sin. But He
was
tested, and for that reason He knows how we feel. We
have a High Priest who understands us.
I have always felt that for the
nation Israel the death of Aaron was in one sense of
greater significance than the death of Moses. Aaron
was their great high priest. Many Israelites had
been brought up with Aaron, had played with him as a
boy, and had gone through the wilderness with him.
They could go to Aaron and say, “Look, Aaron, I did
this, and I should not have done it. I have brought
my sacrifice.” And Aaron could sympathize with them.
He knew exactly how they felt. But when Aaron died I
imagine they wondered whether that new priest, the
son of Aaron, would understand. Would he be able to
sympathize and to help? We have a Great High Priest
who is always available, and He does understand. He
does not understand us theoretically, but down here
He was tested, and He was “touched with the feeling
of our infirmities.” He knew what it was to hunger.
He knew what it was to be touched with sorrow—Jesus
wept! He was “touched with the feeling of our
infirmities … yet without sin.”
McGee, J.
Vernon: Thru the Bible Commentary.
electronic ed. Nashville : Thomas Nelson,
1997, c1981, S. 5:536-537
4:15 all points
tempted.
See notes on 2:17,18.
The writer here adds to his statements in 2:18 that
Jesus was sinless. He was able to be tempted (Matt.
4:1–11), but not able to sin (see
notes on 7:26).
MacArthur,
John Jr: The MacArthur Study Bible.
electronic ed. Nashville : Word Pub., 1997,
c1997, S. Heb 4:15
2:17 propitiation.
The word means “to conciliate” or “satisfy.”
See note on Rom. 3:25.
Christ’s work of propitiation is related to His
high-priestly ministry. By His partaking of a human
nature, Christ demonstrated His mercy to mankind and His
faithfulness to God by satisfying God’s requirement for
sin and thus obtaining for His people full forgiveness.
Cf. 1 John 2:2; 4:10.
7:26–28
Christ’s divine
and holy character is yet another proof
of the superiority of His priesthood.
MacArthur, John Jr: The
MacArthur Study Bible.
electronic ed. Nashville : Word
Pub., 1997, c1997, S. Heb 7:26