He [Jesus] had to be made like his brothers in every respect so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest. Hebrews 2:17
Notice the word become. God is merciful, and Christ is God, so already He is merciful by nature. “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end” (Lam. 3:22).
But through the incarnation, through the humanity of Christ, Jesus knows what life in this world is like from the inside. He can say to you “I’ve been there, and I will walk with you there.” This makes Him the merciful high priest that He is.
You might say, “Is that really true? Christ was without sin. How can He know what it is to live with guilt or the shame of your own failure?” Christ knows what it is to bear the guilt and shame of sin, not because of his own sins, because He had none, but because the guilt and shame of all His people’s sins were laid on Him.
Jesus bore our griefs. He carried our sorrows. Our iniquity was laid on Him. Christ felt the weight of its guilt and its shame. He tasted this bitter cup because the guilt and shame of our sins was laid on Him.
If you have been going to everyone else—a friend, a parent, a counselor, a pastor—except Jesus with a sin or weakness, why not come to Him now? He will receive you with more compassion and mercy than anyone else ever could.
