The Other Benefit of Christmas
_We all know that because of Christmas, we have a Savior.
The shepherds heard, “For there is born to you this day in the city of David, a Savior” (Lk. 2:11). Joseph was told to name the
Babe “Jesus,” a name that means “Jehovah is Savior,” “For He will save His
people from their sins” (Mt. 1:21).
In order for Jesus to be our Savior, He had to die for the sin of the world and
be raised from the dead. When we trust Him to be our Savior, He saves us from
our sins. That is one of the great spiritual benefits of Christmas.
There is another. Jesus is not only a Savior, He is a sympathetic High Priest (Heb. 4:15). As a Savior, He was born to die. As a sympathetic High Priest, He was born to live and experience human life first hand. Hebrews declares Jesus was tempted in all points as we are (Heb. 4:15). Jesus knows what it is like to be tempted by the Devil (Mt. 4:1-11). Isaiah says, “He is despised and rejected by men, a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief” (Isa. 53:3). Jesus knows what it is like to grieve at a funeral (Jn. 11:34-35).
When Lazarus died and Jesus saw Mary and the others weeping, He groaned in spirit and was troubled (Jn. 11:33). Commenting on this passage, Barclay says, “Jesus shows us a God whose very heart is wrung with anguish, a God who in the most literal way is afflicted by our afflictions.”
When Lazarus died, Jesus wept (Jn. 11:35). Warren Wiersbe calls the shortest verse in the Bible (“Jesus wept.”) the deepest verse in the Bible. Why did Jesus weep? He knew that He would raise Lazarus from the dead (Jn. 11:11). Wiersbe suggests that His weeping reveals His humanity. As a human, He entered into our experiences. He knows how we feel. His tears assure us of His sympathy.
Jesus can “sympathize with our weaknesses” (Heb. 4:15). The Greek word translated “sympathize” is a compound word made up of the two Greek words: “with” and “suffer.” “It expresses not simply the compassion of one who regards suffering from without, but the feeling of one who enters into the suffering and makes it his own” (Westcott). The Greek word translated “weakness” means “without strength.” It was used of physical illness (Phil. 2:26) and financial need (Acts 20:35). Yet it is “sufficiently comprehensive to include any form of felt need” (Guthrie). Except for sin, Jesus experienced it all from birth as a babe to the painful death of crucifixion. He knows what it is like to be betrayed by someone close, to be denied by someone dear, and to be deserted by virtually all of His followers. Because He was born in Bethlehem two thousand years ago, Jesus understands whatever you are going through today.
Contemplating Jesus as a sympathetic High Priest, the author of Hebrews urges us to come boldly to the throne of grace to obtain mercy (for past failure?) and grace to help in our present need (Heb. 4:16). What a “Christmas” gift!
© G. Michael Cocoris, 12/25/2008
There is another. Jesus is not only a Savior, He is a sympathetic High Priest (Heb. 4:15). As a Savior, He was born to die. As a sympathetic High Priest, He was born to live and experience human life first hand. Hebrews declares Jesus was tempted in all points as we are (Heb. 4:15). Jesus knows what it is like to be tempted by the Devil (Mt. 4:1-11). Isaiah says, “He is despised and rejected by men, a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief” (Isa. 53:3). Jesus knows what it is like to grieve at a funeral (Jn. 11:34-35).
When Lazarus died and Jesus saw Mary and the others weeping, He groaned in spirit and was troubled (Jn. 11:33). Commenting on this passage, Barclay says, “Jesus shows us a God whose very heart is wrung with anguish, a God who in the most literal way is afflicted by our afflictions.”
When Lazarus died, Jesus wept (Jn. 11:35). Warren Wiersbe calls the shortest verse in the Bible (“Jesus wept.”) the deepest verse in the Bible. Why did Jesus weep? He knew that He would raise Lazarus from the dead (Jn. 11:11). Wiersbe suggests that His weeping reveals His humanity. As a human, He entered into our experiences. He knows how we feel. His tears assure us of His sympathy.
Jesus can “sympathize with our weaknesses” (Heb. 4:15). The Greek word translated “sympathize” is a compound word made up of the two Greek words: “with” and “suffer.” “It expresses not simply the compassion of one who regards suffering from without, but the feeling of one who enters into the suffering and makes it his own” (Westcott). The Greek word translated “weakness” means “without strength.” It was used of physical illness (Phil. 2:26) and financial need (Acts 20:35). Yet it is “sufficiently comprehensive to include any form of felt need” (Guthrie). Except for sin, Jesus experienced it all from birth as a babe to the painful death of crucifixion. He knows what it is like to be betrayed by someone close, to be denied by someone dear, and to be deserted by virtually all of His followers. Because He was born in Bethlehem two thousand years ago, Jesus understands whatever you are going through today.
Contemplating Jesus as a sympathetic High Priest, the author of Hebrews urges us to come boldly to the throne of grace to obtain mercy (for past failure?) and grace to help in our present need (Heb. 4:16). What a “Christmas” gift!
© G. Michael Cocoris, 12/25/2008
