"Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly
calling; consider the Apostle and the High Priest of our
profession, Christ Jesus." Heb. 3:1.
Nothing is more inspiring than to
consider Jesus. You doubtless have considered Him as the
Saviour of mankind, as the only Son of the Father, as the
Lord from heaven, as the blessed and only potentate, as
King of kings, and Lord of lords. That is inspiring to
contemplate and encouraging to meditate upon, but have you
ever considered Him as a man? In this there is a tender
sweetness and a balm of encouragement found in no other
consideration of Jesus. "For we have not an high
priest which can not be touched with the feeling of our
infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are,
yet without sin." Heb. 4 :15. "Touched with the
feeling of our infirmities." "Tempted in all
points like as we are." How encouraging to realize
when passing through the darkest trials and
discouragements that Jesus has been tempted in the same
way and then to think that His great loving heart is
touched with the feeling of our infirmities.
"For verily he took not on him
the nature of angels but he took on him the seed of
Abraham. Wherefore in all things it behooved him to be
made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful
and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God to
make reconciliation for the sins of the people. For in
that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to
succor them that are tempted." Heb. 2:16-18. O
merciful and faithful high priest, how great thy love for
thy brethren! Note here these three points: First, Jesus
is merciful, he is touched with your suffering. Second, He
is faithful; He will not forsake you.
Third, He is able to help you;
"for in that he himself hath suffered being tempted,
he is able to succor them that are tempted." Heb. 2
:18.
Let us now fully consider Jesus in
His earthly walk. He might have taken on Him the nature of
an angel, but then man might have said, "He being an
angel, could overcome the trials and the temptations of
this world, but I am only a mortal man." That no man
might have an excuse for failures and that all might have
an example of success, Jesus took upon Himself the nature
of His brethren was tempted in all points just as we are,
underwent the severest of earthly trials, fought the
hardest battles with sin and Satan, drank the bitter cup
of human suffering to its dregs, and tasted death for
every man and consigned Himself to the cold and narrow
limits of the tomb.
Jesus felt in His natural body the
pangs of hunger the same as you do. "And when he had
fasted forty days and forty nights, he afterward
hungered." Matt. 4:2. R.V. He also suffered from
thirst; for when He was on the cross, He said, "I
thirst." John 19:28. Physical exertion and the toils
of life made Him weary the same as they do you. John 4:6.
When you are hungry, thirsty, or wearied with the toils
and the responsibilities of life, consider Jesus, that He
also was hungry and thirsty and weary, that He is a
faithful high priest, that He is touched with the feeling
of your infirmities, that He is able to succor them that
are tempted. "Seeing then that we have a great high
priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of
God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an
high priest which can not be touched with the feeling of
our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we
are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto
the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find
grace to help in time of need." Heb. 4:14-16.
