“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses” (HEB. 4:15).
1, 2. a) Why did Jehovah send his Son to Earth?
Jehovah sent his Son to Earth to, among other things, free mankind from the curse of sin and death and undo all the damage caused by Satan. Furthermore, Jesus’ experiences as a human prepared him to fulfill his role as a compassionate High Priest, treating us with compassion and empathy.
1, 2. b) What will we analyze in this article? (Hebrews 5:7-9).
In this article, we will analyze how Jesus’ experiences on earth helped him to be “perfected” to fulfill his role as a compassionate High Priest. This will make it easier for us to approach Jehovah in prayer without being discouraged by our weaknesses or sins.
GOD'S MOST BELOVED SON COMES TO EARTH
3, 4. What changes did Jesus face when he came to Earth?
Among all of God's spiritual children, Jesus held the most prominent place. In heaven, he lived happily serving at his Father's right hand and was surrounded by his love, but as Philippians 2:7 shows, he gladly gave up everything he had to live on earth surrounded by imperfect beings.
Furthermore, Jesus was born into a poor family, as shown by the humble sacrifice his parents offered at his birth. The wicked King Herod, upon learning of his birth, sought to end his life. To protect him, they had to flee to Egypt, where they lived as refugees for a time. This illustrates the drastic change Jesus had to endure upon coming to Earth.
5. What did Jesus see when he was on Earth, and how did that prepare him to be High Priest? (See also the picture.)
During his ministry, Jesus witnessed firsthand the suffering of many people and even experienced the pain of losing loved ones, such as, apparently, his adoptive father, Joseph. He interacted with people who had leprosy, who were blind, who were paralyzed, or who were grieving the loss of loved ones, and he felt compassion for them all.
What Jesus saw while on Earth prepared him to be a compassionate High Priest, because it allowed him to fully understand the feelings, frustrations, weariness, and sorrows of humanity. In this way, he felt firsthand the same anguish, suffering, and sadness that we all do.
ILLUSTRATION
Jesus is surrounded by people begging him to heal them. With great compassion, he approaches a very old sick man and takes him by the arms.
Jesus was attentive to people's feelings and it pained him deeply to see them suffer. (See paragraph 5).
JESUS TREATS PEOPLE WITH EMPATHY
6. What do the comparisons used by the prophet Isaiah teach us? (Isaiah 42:3).
The comparisons used by the prophet Isaiah teach us that Jesus would treat with special love and compassion those whom others considered worthless. By comparing the poor and oppressed to bruised reeds and smoldering wicks, Isaiah foretold that Jesus would treat the weak and disadvantaged with extraordinary empathy.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
These comparisons teach us that Jesus, in fulfillment of the prophecy that Isaiah wrote under inspiration, would treat with great love and compassion those people whom the rest of the people considered of little value.
7, 8. How did Jesus fulfill Isaiah's prophecy?
Jesus fulfilled Isaiah’s prophecy by treating the weak, the abused, and the marginalized with love, compassion, and respect. Just as Isaiah had foretold, he did not “break the bruised reed or quench the smoldering wick,” but rather helped those who had little hope of improvement.
Many of Jesus' miracles benefited people suffering from illnesses or disabilities who were often marginalized, such as the leper or the deaf man with speech difficulties. Although many people mistakenly believed that illnesses and disabilities were punishment for the sins of the person or their parents, Jesus healed them and revived their hope, thus fulfilling the prophecy of Isaiah.
9. How does Hebrews 4:15, 16 emphasize that Jesus is a compassionate High Priest?
Hebrews 4:15-16 emphasizes that Jesus is a compassionate High Priest by assuring us that he can sympathize with our weaknesses, since he has endured trials similar to ours. The Greek word translated “sympathize” conveys the idea of feeling the pain and sorrow of others as one feels them, confirming that Jesus deeply understands our suffering.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
The accounts of Jesus' miracles clearly demonstrate this compassion, for he did not help out of obligation, but because he genuinely cared for people. By touching the leper, privately healing the deaf man, and firmly defending the repentant woman, he showed that he never avoided those who were sick or had sinned gravely. On the contrary, he welcomed them with open arms and treated them with compassion.
WE IMITATE OUR HIGH PRIEST
10. What resources do we have to provide spiritual support to deaf and blind people? (See also the images.)
We have a variety of tools to help deaf and blind people spiritually. These include publications available in over 100 sign languages, braille publications in over 60 languages, and videos with audio descriptions in over 100 languages. Through these resources, deaf and blind people can draw closer to Jehovah and his Son.
ILLUSTRATION
Series of images: 1. Brothers singing a Kingdom song at a sign language congregation meeting. 2. A blind sister reading the Bible in braille.
Our publications are available in more than 1,100 languages. Left: In more than 100 sign languages. Right: In more than 60 languages in braille. (See paragraph 10).
11. How does Jehovah’s organization follow Jesus’ example? (Acts 2:5-7, 33; see also the pictures.)
Jehovah’s organization follows Jesus’ example by striving to bring the good news to people of all cultures and languages. Acts 2:5-7 shows that Jesus poured out holy spirit on his disciples so that they could preach “in their own language” to those who had come to celebrate the Festival of Pentecost.
Following Jesus’ example, Jehovah’s organization produces Bible-based publications in over 1,100 languages, including some with very few speakers, such as certain indigenous languages. Thanks to this effort to prepare spiritual food in many languages and variants, thousands of people have been able to learn the good news and accept the truth.
ILLUSTRATION
Image series: 1. An Indigenous woman from the Americas poses smiling with a Bible in her language in her arms. 2. A Romani woman and her daughter attend a meeting.
Left: In more than 160 indigenous languages of the Americas. Right: In more than 20 variants of the Romani (or Gypsy) language.
12. What else does Jehovah's organization do?
In addition to helping people learn the good news, Jehovah’s organization coordinates relief efforts for victims of natural disasters through thousands of volunteers who offer assistance to those in need. It also provides simple places of worship where people can meet together and learn more about God’s love for them.
OUR HIGH PRIEST HELPS EACH ONE OF US
13. What are some of the ways in which Jesus helps us?
Jesus helps us in many ways. As our excellent Shepherd, he makes sure we have what we need to stay spiritually strong. When life's trials make us feel weak or discouraged, he fully understands how we feel and has compassion for us. To help us, he may use the holy spirit to give us strength and also use the elders and other members of the congregation to provide the encouragement and support we need.
14. What can we do to fight discouragement?
To combat discouragement, we can meditate on Jesus’ role as High Priest, remembering that Jehovah sent him to earth not only to give his life as a ransom but also to help us better understand the problems we imperfect humans face. When we feel overwhelmed because of our weaknesses or sins, Jesus is ready to lend a hand just when we need him most.
15. What helped a brother return to the congregation?
The brother was helped by the fact that the elders who met with him made him feel welcome and that, when he sometimes felt so disappointed in himself for having left Jehovah that he wanted to give up, the brothers reminded him that Jehovah and Jesus wanted him to persevere. When he was readmitted, the entire congregation welcomed him and his family with open arms. In time, his wife began to study the Bible and now serves Jehovah along with her family.
16. Why are we so grateful to have such a compassionate High Priest?
We feel very grateful to have such a compassionate High Priest, because we can be fully convinced that, just as he helped countless people at just the right time, he will also be with us whenever we need him.
Furthermore, in the new world he will help obedient humans to become completely free from the effects of sin and imperfection. For this reason, we are deeply grateful to our God, Jehovah, who out of pure love and mercy appointed his Son as a compassionate High Priest.
WHAT WOULD YOU ANSWER?
How did everything Jesus experienced on Earth prepare him to be High Priest?
Everything Jesus experienced on Earth prepared him to be High Priest, because it allowed him to experience human suffering firsthand. He saw many people suffer, dealt with the sick and those who were grieving, and felt compassion for them.
He also experienced the pain of losing loved ones, and although in heaven he had already seen people suffer, being on Earth and being human allowed him to understand it from a different perspective.
These experiences allowed him to fully understand people's feelings, frustrations, and sorrows, as well as to feel firsthand the same anguish, tiredness, and sadness that we all experience.
How did Jesus fulfill the words of Isaiah 42:3?
Jesus fulfilled the words of Isaiah 42:3 by showing compassion and care for the weak, the sick, and the marginalized. Just as the prophecy says, “He did not break a bruised reed, nor quench a smoldering wick.” His miracles benefited those with little hope of recovery, such as the man with leprosy or the deaf man with speech difficulties, rekindling their hope. Although many believed their illnesses or disabilities were punishment for their sins, Jesus treated them with love and compassion, thus fulfilling Isaiah’s prophecy.
How does our High Priest help us today?
Our High Priest helps us today through Jehovah's organization, which, following his example, strives to provide spiritual assistance to people of all cultures and languages, producing Bible-based publications in over 1,100 languages, including some with very few speakers.
In addition, it coordinates relief efforts for victims of natural disasters and provides simple places of worship where people can gather to learn more about God's love for them. Through these efforts, many people receive spiritual nourishment, learn the good news, and accept the truth.
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