Hebrews 4:15

But this precedent description of our high priest may be thought to include a discouragement in it in reference unto us, which may take off from all the encouragements which might be apprehended to lie in his office. For if he be in himself so great and glorious, if so exalted above the heavens, how can we apprehend that he hath any concernment in us, in our weak, frail, tempted, sinning condition? and how shall we use either boldness or confidence in our approach unto him for help or assistance? If the apostle Peter, upon a discovery of his divine power in working of one miracle, thought himself altogether unmeet to be in his presence, whilst he was on the earth, in the days of his flesh, and therefore cried out unto him, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord,” Luke 5:8, how much more may we be terrified by his present glory from attempting an access unto him! And how shall we conceive that, in all this glory, he will entertain compassionate thoughts concerning such poor, sinful worms as we are?

‘Yea,'saith the apostle, ‘we may, on the consideration of him and his office, “come boldly to the throne of grace;” ‘the especial reason whereof, removing this objection, and adding a new sort of encouragement, he gives us, Hebrews 4:15.

Hebrews 4:15. Οὐ γὰρ ἔχομεν ἀρχιερέα μή δυνάμενον συμπαθῆσαι ταῖς ἀσθενείαις ἡμῶν, πεπειρασμένον δὲ κατὰ πάντα καθ᾿ ὁμοιότητα, χωρὶς ἁμαρτίας.

Οὐ γὰρ ἔχομεν. Syr., לָא גֵּיר אִית לַן, “for there is not to us;” an Hebraism, “we have not.”

Μὴ δυνάμενον συμπαθῆσαι. Syr., דְּלָא מְצָא דְּנֵחַשׁ, “qui non possit compati,” “qui non possit, ut patiatur;” “who cannot suffer.” Vulg. Lat., “qui non possit compati;” “that cannot have compassion,” “that cannot suffer with.” Beza, “qui non possit affici sensu;” “who cannot be affected with a sense.” Arab., “qui non possit deflere,” “that cannot mourn.”

Ταῖς ἀσθενείαις ἡμῶν. Syr., “with our infirmity,” in the singular number. We follow Beza, “touched with the feeling of our infirmities;” which well expresseth the sense of the words, as we shall see. Πεπειραμένον [13] δέ, “sed tentatum.” Syr., דּמְנַסַּי, “who was tempted;” one copy reads πεπειρασμένον; of which word we have spoken before.

[13] Πεπειραμένον is the reading of Knapp and Tischendorf, on the authority of and most other.

Κατὰ πάντα. Vulg. Lat., “per omnia.” Rhem., “in all things.” So Erasm. and Beza, “in omnibus,” “in all things.” Syr., בְּכֻּל מֵדֵם, “in omni re,” “in every thing.”

Καθ᾿ ὁμοιότητα. Bez., “similiter.” Vulg. Lat., Erasm., “pro similitudine.” Rhem., “by similitude.” Syr., אכְּוָתַן, “even as we.” Ours, “like as we are,” supplying the verb substantive; “secundum similitudinem.”

Χωρὶς ἁμαρτίας. Bez., “absque tamen peccato;”.whom we follow in the supply of” tamen,” “ yet without sin.” Vulg. Lat., “absque peccato,” “without sin.” Syr., סְטַר מְן חֲטְיתָא, “excepto peccato,” “sin being excepted.” Some use we shall find in these varieties.

Hebrews 4:15. For we have not an high priest who cannot be touched with the feeling [affected with a sense] of our infirmities; but was every way tempted in like manner [with us], without sin.

The words contain a further description of our high priest, by such a qualification as may encourage us to make use of him and improve his office unto our advantage. For whereas those things which may induce us to put our trust and confidence in any, or to expect benefit or advantage thereby, may be reduced unto two heads,

1. Greatness and power;

2. Goodness and love, he manifests both sorts of them to be eminently in our high priest.

The former he declares, Hebrews 4:14; for he is “Jesus the Son of God, who is passed through” and exalted above “the heavens.” The latter sort are ascribed unto him in these words.

The causal connection, γάρ, “for,” doth not so much regard the connection of the words, or express an inference of one thing from another, as it is introductive of a new reason, enforcing the purpose and design of the apostle in the whole. He had exhorted them to “hold fast their profession” upon the account of their high priest, verse 14; and directs them to make addresses unto him for grace and strength enabling them so to do, verse 16. With regard unto both these duties, to show the reasonableness of them, to give encouragement unto them, he declares the qualifications of this high priest, expressed in this verse. These things we may, these things we ought to do,

“For we have not an high priest that cannot.” The manner of the expression is known and usual. A double negation doth strongly and vehemently affirm. It is so with our high priest, even the contrary to what is thus denied. He is such a one as can be affected.

“We have an high priest.” The apostle introduceth this for another purpose. Yet withal he lets the Hebrews know that in the gospel state there is no loss of privilege in any thing as to what the church enjoyed under the law of Mosea They had then a high priest who, and his office, were the life and glory of their profession and worship. ‘We also,'saith he, ‘have a high priest;'who how much, in his person, and office, and usefulness unto the church, he excelleth the high priest under the law he hath partly showed already, and doth more fully declare in the ensuing Chapter s. The mention of it is introduced for another end, but this also is included in it. The people of God under the gospel are not left without a high priest; who is in like manner the life and glory of their profession, worship, and obedience. For our apostle takes a diverse course in dealing with the Gentiles and the Jews in this matter. Treating with the Gentiles, he minds them of their miserable condition before they were called to the knowledge of Christ by the gospel, as Ephesians 2:11-13; but treating with the Jews, he satisfies them that they lost no advantage thereby, but had all their former privileges unspeakably heightened and increased. And our relation to him and interest in him are expressed in this word ἔχομεν, “we have him;” or, as the Syriac, “there is to us.” God hath appointed him, and given him unto us; and he is ours, as to all the ends of his office, and by us to be made use of for all spiritual advantages relating unto God. The church never lost any privilege once granted unto it, by any change or alteration that God made in his ordinances of worship, or dispensations towards it; but, still keeping what it had before, it was carried on towards that completeness and perfection which it is capable of in this world, and which it hath received by Jesus Christ. Presently upon the giving of the first promise, God instituted some kind of worship, as sacrifices, to be a means of intercourse between him and sinners, in and by the grace and truth of that promise. This was the privilege of them that did believe. After this he made sundry additional ordinances of worship, all of them instructive in the nature of that promise, and directive towards the accomplishment of it. And still there was an increase of grace and privilege in them all They were “the mountains of myrrh and hills of frankincense” on which the church “waited until the day brake, and the shadows fled away,” Song of Solomon 4:6. All along the church was still a gainer. But when the time came of the actual accomplishment of the promise, then were all former privileges realized unto believers, new ones added, and nothing lost. We have lost neither sacrifice nor high priest, but have them all in a more eminent and excellent manner. And this is enough to secure the application of the initial seal of the covenant unto the infant seed of believers. For whereas it was granted to the church under the old testament as a signal favor and spiritual privilege, it is derogatory to the glory of Christ and honor of the gospel to suppose that the church is now deprived of it; for in the whole system and frame of worship God had ordained “the better things for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.” And he says not, ‘There is an high priest,'but, “We have an high priest;” because all our concernment in spiritual things depends absolutely on our personal interest in them. They may do well to consider this, who,

1. Either know not the nature of this priesthood, or do not at all endeavor to improve this office of Christ as that which they have an interest in. Some call themselves Christians, and exercise themselves in the outward worship of God, who are ready to despise, yea, and deride, all spiritual improvement and use of this great privilege, that we have a high priest, and scarce take it any more into any real consideration in the worship of God than if there were no such thing at all.

2. Those who, not contented with it, have invented and appointed unto themselves a priesthood and sacrifice, to the contempt of this of Christ. Had our apostle dealt with these Hebrews on the principles of the present church of Rome, he would have told them, ‘You had under the law an high priest, but we have now a pope, a pontifex maximus, a great high priest; far richer, braver, and more potent, than yours was. You had many bloody sacrifices, but we have one in the host, of more use and profit than were all yours whatever.'But dealing with the principles of the gospel, he declares and proposeth to them “Jesus the Son of God,” as our only priest, sacrifice, and altar, expressly intimating that others we have none.

“That cannot be touched with a feeling,” “who cannot be affected with a sense,” “who cannot suffer with.” The negative expression, μὴ δυνάμενον, “who cannot,” as it includes and asserts a power and ability for the work or acts mentioned, so it doth it in opposition unto and to the exclusion of some other considerations, that infer a disability to this purpose. Now, the ability here intended is either moral only, or moral and natural also. If it be moral only, and intend a constant goodness, kindness, tenderness, and benignity, attended with care and watchfulness, unto the end proposed, it may be asserted in opposition to the high priests among the Jews. For as they were the best of them but men, and sinful men, who did ofttimes indulge to their private and carnal affections, to the disadvantage of the people of God, as did Eli, to the ruin of the church's worship, 1 Samuel 2:17; 1 Samuel 2:22-25; 1 Samuel 2:28-30, etc., and were none of them able at any time to have a due comprehension of all the temptations and infirmities of the people; so many of them were evil men, proud, haughty, wrathful, and such as despised their brethren and relieved them not at all. In opposition hereunto, it is affirmed of our high priest that he is able to do quite otherwise, that is, with a moral ability of heart, will, and affections. He can and doth, always and constantly, concern himself in all the sins, sufferings, sorrows, temptations, and infirmities of his people.

Again; there may not only be a moral but also a natural ability included in the word. And in this sense there is respect had unto the human nature of Christ, and something moreover ascribed unto him [morel than could have been in him if he had been God only, which is a great encouragement unto us to make our addresses to him for help and assistance. And this seems to be designed from the following words, wherein mention is made of his being “tempted like unto us.” To understand this ability, we must inquire into the meaning of the next word, expressing that which it is applied unto or exercised about.

Συμπαθῆσαι. I have showed how variously this word is translated, “to suffer,” “to suffer with,” “to have compassion,” “to be touched with a feeling,” “to be affected with a sense,” “to condole” or “bewail.” The word is once more used by our apostle in this epistle, and nowhere else in the New Testament, Hebrews 10:34, Τοῖς δεσμοῖς μου συνεπαθήσατε, where we render it by “having compassion:” “Ye had compassion of me in my bonds;” though I should rather say, “Ye suffered with me in my bonds.” 1 Peter 3:8, the noun συμπαθής occurs, where we render it again “having compassion.” And, indeed, the origination of that word “compassion” is comprehensive of its whole sense; but its common use for “pity” is not. Συμπζεῖς is more fully rendered in that place by Beza, “mutuo molestiarum sensu affecti,” “affected with a mutual sense of the troubles of each other.”

First, Συμπαθέω includes a concern in the troubles, or sufferings, or evils of others, upon the account of concernment in any common interest wherein persons are united, as it is in the natural body. Sometimes some part is affected with a disease, which hath seized on it. Another part of the body is affected with it, although nothing of the disease hath really seized on it. That part thereof cannot be said to be absolutely sick or ill-affected, for no part of the disease is in it; but it may be said συμπάσχειν, that is, not to be free from being affected, though not upon its own account, Galen, de Locis Affectis, lib. 1. This suffering is by the consent or harmony that is in the same nature branched into its individuals. So we have a sense of the suffering of humanity or of human nature, wherein we are interested, in other men, in any man whatever.

Secondly, It includes a propensity to relieve them in whose troubles or sufferings we are concerned, and that whether we have power to effect that relief or no. So David, in the deep sense that he had of the death of Absalom, wished that he had died for him, or relieved him from suffering by dying in his stead. And where this is not in some measure, there is no sympathy. We may not be able, in some cases where we are concerned, to relieve; it may not be lawful for us, in some cases, to give that help and succor which our compassion would incline us unto; but if there be no such inclination there is no sympathy.

Thirdly, Properly it contains in it a commotion of affections, which we express by “condolentia;” whence the Arabic renders the word “who can mourn with us” So is the Hebrew נוּד used, Psalms 69:21: אֲקַוֶּה לָנוּד; LXX., ῾Υπέμεινα συλλυπούμεονον· “I looked for any to be grieved with me;” “to be affected with sorrow on my behalf;” “to take pity,” say we; “to lament with me,” by a motion or agitation of their affections, as the word signifies. And those intended are joined with מְנַחֲמִים, “comforters.” This belongs to this sympathy, to have a moving of affection in ourselves upon the sufferings of others.

And these things are here ascribed unto our high priest on the account of his union with us, both in the participation of our nature and the communication of a new nature unto us, whereby we become “members of his body,” one with him. He is deeply concerned in all our infirmities, sorrows, and sufferings. This is attended with an inclination and propensity to relieve us, according to the rule, measure, and tenor of the covenant; and herewithal, during the time of our trials, he hath a real motion of affections in his holy nature, which he received or took on him for that very end and purpose, Hebrews 2:16-18.

In this sense of the word, σομπαθῆσαι, “to be affected with a sense,” ascribes this ability in a moral and natural sense unto the Lord Christ, our high priest, as he is man, in contradistinction unto God absolutely, whose nature is incapable of the compassion intended. There are, indeed, in the Scripture assignations of such kind of affections unto God; as Isaiah 63:9, בְּכָל צָרָתָם לֹא צָר. For לֹא, “not,” the reading is לוֹ, “to him;” and accordingly we translate it, “In all their afflictions he was affected;” or, “there was straitening, affliction unto him,” he was afflicted with their straits and afflictions But there is an anthropopathy allowed in these expressions. These things are assigned unto God after the manner of men. And the true reason of such ascriptions, is not merely to assist our weakness and help our understandings in the things themselves, but to show really what God doth and will do in the human nature which he hath assumed, and intended to do so from of old; on which purpose the superstructure of his dealing with us in the Scripture is founded and built. And thus it is said of our high priest that “he is able to be affected with a sense of our infirmities,” because in his human nature he is capable of such affections, and, as he is our high priest, is graciously inclined to act according to them.

Ταῖς ἀσθενείαις ἡμῶν, “our infirmities.” ᾿Ασθενεία, “imbecillitas,” “debilitas,” “infirmitas,” is used, both in the Scripture and all Greek authors, for any debility, weakness, or infirmity, of body or mind. Frequently bodily diseases are expressed by it, as by the adjective ἀσθενής, and the verb ἀσθενέω, “to be sick,” “to be diseased,” with respect unto the weakness or infirmity that is introduced thereby, Matthew 10:8; Matthew 25:43; Luke 4:40; John 5:3; John 5:5. And sometimes it expresseth the weakness of the mind or spirit, not able, or scarcely able, to bear the difficulties and troubles that it is pressed withal, 1 Corinthians 2:3; weakness of judgment, Romans 14:2; spiritual weakness, as to life, grace, and power, Romans 5:6; Romans 8:26. So that this word is used to express every kind of imbecility or weakness that doth or may befall our natures with respect unto any difficulties, troubles, or perplexities that we have to conflict withal. And whereas it is here mentioned generally, without a restriction to any special kind of infirmities, it may justly be extended to all weaknesses of all sorts that we are, or upon any pressures may be, sensible of; but whereas, in the following words, the reason of the ability of Christ, our high priest, to be affected with a sense of our infirmities, is placed in his being tempted, it is manifest that the weaknesses here chiefly intended are such as respect afflictions and temptations, with persecution for the gospel. Our infirmities and weaknesses under these things, to wrestle with them or remove them, and consequently our trouble, sorrow, suffering, and danger, by them and from them, our high priest is intimately affected withal. He takes himself to be concerned in our troubles, as we are members of his mystical body, one with him; he is inclined from his own heart and affections to give in unto us help and relief, as our condition doth require; and he is inwardly moved during our sufferings and trials with a sense and fellow-feeling of them.

Obs. The church of God hath a standing, perpetual advantage, in the union of our nature to the person of the Son of God, as he is our high priest.

We all acknowledge that so it is with us, upon the account of the sacrifice that he was to offer for us. He had thereby somewhat of his own to offer. Thence it was that “God redeemed his church with his own blood,”

Acts 20:28; and that “he laid down his life for us,” 1 John 3:16. But we are apt to think that this work being well over, we have now no more concernment in that nature nor advantage by it, but that what yet remains to be done for us may be as well discharged by him who is only God, and absolutely so in every respect. For since he “dieth no more,” what profit is there in his flesh? It is true, the flesh of Christ, carnally and sensually considered, “profiteth nothing,” as he told the Capernaites of old, John 6. And they will find his words true, who, in their own imagination, turn bread into his flesh every day. Yea, and our apostle tells us,

“though he had known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth he knew him so no more,” 2 Corinthians 5:16;

that is, though he had known Christ in the days of his flesh here in the world, whilst as a mortal man he conversed with mortal men, yet all the privilege thereof and advantage thereby, which some in those days boasted of, were past, and of use no longer; he was now to be known after another manner, and under another consideration, as exalted at the right hand of God. Yet doth not all this in the least impeach our assertion of the greatness of our concernment in the continuation of his human nature in the union of his person. If, when he had finished his sacrifice, and the atonement which he made for sin, by the offering up of himself, he had then left off his human nature, which he had for that end taken on him, notwithstanding that offering we could not have been delivered nor saved. For besides that he himself had not been sufficiently manifested to be the Son of God for us to have believed on him, seeing he was “declared to be the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead,” Romans 1:6; so our apostle declares that without his resurrection from the dead we could neither be delivered from our sins nor have been ever raised again unto glory, 1 Corinthians 15:12-21.

It is therefore confessed that many and great are the advantages of the resurrection of the body of Christ, and therein of his human nature; for this was the way and means of his entrance into glory: He “revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living,” Romans 14:9. And this was the testimony that he was acquitted and discharged from the penalty of the law, and the whole debt he had undertaken to make satisfaction of unto God for sinners, Acts 2:24; Romans 8:33-34; without which we could have said of him only as the disciples did when they knew not of his resurrection, “We trusted that it had been he who should have redeemed Israel,” Luke 24:21. And hereby had he an illustrious and uncontrollable testimony given to his being the Son of God, Romans 1:4; as also, he laid the foundation and gave an infallible pledge of the future blessed resurrection, which all that believe in him shall by him obtain. But this being also past and over, what further concernment hath the church in the continuation of the union of his natures? I might mention many, and those of the greatest importance. For there yet remained some parts of his mediatory work to be discharged, which could not be accomplished without this nature; for he had not yet appeared in the holy place with his own blood, whereby he had made atonement, that the whole sacrifice might be completed. And the exaltation of our nature in glory was needful for the supportment and consolation of the church. But I shall mention that alone which is here proposed by our apostle, namely, his ability from thence to be affected with a sense of our infirmities and sufferings. This, as I have showed, is appropriate unto him on the account of his human nature. And on this account we may consider his compassion four ways:

1. As it is an eminent virtue in human nature as absolutely innocent. So was the nature of Christ from the beginning; for therein was he “holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from sinners.” Now, though in that blessed estate wherein we were created there was no actual object for us to exercise compassion upon or towards, seeing every thing was at rest in its proper place and order, yet was there no virtue more inlaid in our rational constitution, as being absolutely inseparable from goodness and benignity, upon a supposition of a suitable object. Hence they are justly esteemed to be fallen into the utmost of degeneracy from our first make, frame, and state, and to be most estranged from our common original, who have cast off this virtue where it may and ought to have its actual exercise. Nor are any more severely in the Scripture reflected on than those who are unmerciful and without compassion, fierce, cruel, and implacable. No men more evidently deface the image of God than such persons. Now, our nature in Christ was and is absolutely pure and holy, free from the least influence by that depravedness which befell the whole mass in Adam. And herein are the natural virtues of goodness, benignity, mercy, and compassion, pure, perfect, and untainted. And he hath objects to exercise these virtues on which Adam could not have, and those such as are one with himself, by their participation in the same common principles of nature and grace.

2. This compassion is in him as a grace of the Spirit. For besides the spotless innocency and purity of our nature in him, there was a superaddition of all grace unto it, by virtue of its union with the person of the Son of God and the unction it had from the Spirit of God. Hence there was an all-fullness of created grace communicated unto him; for he received not the Spirit and his graces by measure, John 3:34. Of this fullness compassion is a part, and that no mean part neither; for of this rank and kind are all the principal fruits of the Spirit, Galatians 5:22-23. And in and by these did he make a representation of God's nature unto us, which he hath described as full of pity, compassion, and tender affections; whence he compares himself unto those creatures and in those relations which have the most intense and merciful affections, And hereby doth the compassion of Christ, our high priest in our human nature, receive an eminent exaltation.

3. He had a peculiar furnishment with graces, virtues, habits of mind, and inclinations, suited to the good and useful discharge of his office in our behalf. The Spirit of the Lord was upon him, and peculiarly anointed him to that end, Isaiah 11:2-4; Isaiah 61:1-3. Now unto the office of a high priest it is in especial required that he should be able to have compassion, Hebrews 5:2; the reasons whereof we shall see afterwards. He had, therefore, in his human nature, an especial provision of compassion inlaid by the Holy Ghost, by whom he was anointed, for the due discharge of this office. Thus was he every way framed in his nature unto mercy and compassion. And whereas there seems nothing now wanting but an outward object of weakness, infirmities, and temptations, to excite and occasion the exercise of this virtue and grace, that this might be the more effectual to that purpose,

4. He took an experiencs of such sufferings in himself as are the proper objects of compassion when they are in others. This the next words declare, which we shall afterwards consider.

By these means is the nature of our high priest filled with tenderness, compassion, or sympathy, the foundation of whose exercise towards us lies in the oneness of his nature and ours. And these things belonging to the pure constitution of his nature, and receiving their improvement by the unction of the Spirit, are not lessened or impaired by his present glorification; for they all belonging unto him on the account of his office, continuing still in the exercise of the same office, their continuation also is necessary. And hence it is, namely, because of our concernment therein, that he gave so many particular instances of his retaining the same human nature wherein he suffered. For he did not only

“shew himself alive to his disciples after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God,” Acts 1:3,

providing particularly that they should not think or take him now to be a mere spirit, and so to have lost his natural human constitution, saying unto them,

“Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have,” Luke 24:39;

but when he left the world with that body of flesh and bones, the angels witnessed that he should “come again in like manner” as he then went away, Acts 1:11. For “the heaven must” in that nature “receive him until the times of the restitution of all things,” Acts 3:21. And to confirm our faith in this matter, he appeared afterwards in the same nature to Stephen, Acts 7:56; and to our apostle, telling him that he was “Jesus whom he persecuted,” Acts 9:5. All this to assure us that he is such a high priest as is able to be “affected with a sense of our infirmities.” And those who by the monstrous figment of transubstantiation, and those others who feign the Lord Christ to have an ubiquitarian body, both of them by just consequence destroying the verity of his human nature, do evert what lies in them a main pillar of the church's consolation. Much more do they do so who deny him to retain the same individual body wherein he suffered, in any sense. Herein lies a great advantage of the church, a great encouragement and supportment unto believers under their infirmities, in their trials and temptations. For,

1. It is some relief to be pitied in distress. The want hereof Job complained of, and cried out pathetically about it: Job 19:21,

“Have pity upon me, have pity upon me, O ye my friends; for the hand of God hath touched me.”

It went unto his heart, to find that his friends were not affected with a sense of his sufferings; and it added exceedingly to the weight of them. And such was the complaint of David, as a type of Christ: Psalms 69:20,

“Reproach hath broken my heart, and I am full of heaviness; and I looked for some to take pity, but there was none; and for comforters, but I found none.”

It is a representation of the state of our Savior when all his disciples fled and left him, and he was encompassed with fierce and reproaching enemies. This is a high aggravation of the sorrows and sufferings of any that are in distress. And there is relief in compassion. Some going to the stake have been much refreshed with a compassionate word whispered unto them.

And it cannot but be a cause of great refreshment unto believers, in all the hardships that befall them, and their weakness under them, that they have the compassion of their high priest accompanying of them. He is in himself exceedingly great and glorious, nearly allied unto us, able to relieve us, being far above all those persons and things that occasion our troubles, for they are all under his feet; all which considerations render his compassion, as before described, refreshing and relieving.

2. Herein lies a great encouragement to make our addresses unto him in all our straits and weaknesses. For if he be so concerned in us and our troubles, if he be so affected in himself with a sense of them, and have in his holy nature, and upon the account of his office, such a propensity to relieve us, which also he is so able for, as hath been declared, what should hinder us from making our addresses unto him continually for help and supplies of his assisting grace, according as our necessities do require?

But this being the peculiar use that the apostle makes of this doctrine in the next verse, it must be there considered.

3. There lies no small warning herein, how heedfully we should take care that we miscarry not, that we faint not in our trials. He looks on us with a great concernment, and his glory and honor are engaged in our acquitting of ourselves. If we have a due regard to him and his love, it will excite us unto all care and diligence in the discharge of every duty we are called unto, notwithstanding the difficulties that it may be attended withal.

In the next words an especial reason is assigned of this merciful ability of our high priest to be “affected with a sense of our infirmities:” “But was in all things tempted as we are, yet without sin.” The assertion which is the ground of the reason assigned, is that he was “tempted;” expressed with the extent of it; it was κατὰ πάντα, “in all things;” and an appropriation unto our concernment, “like as we are;” with a limitation of the extent and appropriation, “yet without sin.”

The whole substance of what is here intended hath been largely treated on, Hebrews 2:17, whither I refer the reader, that we may not repeat the same things again. Some very few words may be added, in the explication of what is peculiar to this place.

Πεπειραμένον δέ. The particle δέ, “but,” is contradictory to what was before denied: ‘He is not such a one as cannot be affected, but one who was himself tempted.'And this plainly shows that what is now introduced is the principal proof of the former assertion: ‘It is evident that he can be “affected with a sense of our infirmities,” because he was “tempted.” '

Πεπειραμένον, “tempted;” that is, “tried,” “exercised,” for no more doth the word originally import. Whatever is the moral evil in temptation, it is from the depraved intention of the tempter, or from the weakness and sin of the tempted. In itself, and materially considered, it is but a trial, which may have a good or a bad effect. How, whereby, or wherein our high priest was thus tried and tempted, see the place before mentioned.

Κατὰ πάντα, “every way,” “in all things;” that is, from all means and instruments of temptation, by all ways of it, and in all things, wherein as a man, or as our high priest, he was concerned.

Καθ᾿ ὁμοιότητα, “secundum similitudinem,” “in like manner.” There is a plain allusion or relation unto the temptation of others. For whatever is “like,” is of necessity like to somewhat else; and what is done in “like manner,” or “according to similitude,” hath something that answers unto it. Now this is the trials and temptations of them that do believe, the things that press on them by reason of their weakness. See as above.

Χωρὶς ἁμαρτίας, “without sin.” Sin with respect unto temptation may be considered two ways;

1. As the principle of it;

2. As its effect.

1. Sin sometimes is the principle of temptation. Men are tempted to sin by sin, to actual sin by habitual sin, to outward sin by indwelling sin, James 1:14-15. And this is the greatest spring and source of temptations in us who are sinners.

2. It respects temptation as the effect of it, that which it tends and leads unto, which it designs, which it bringeth forth or produceth. And it may be inquired with respect unto which of these considerations it is that the exception is here put in on the behalf of our high priest, that he was “tempted without sin.” If the former, then the meaning is, that he was tried and tempted by all ways and means, from all principles and causes, in like manner even as we are, excepting only that he was not tempted by sin, which had no place in him, no part, no interest, so that it had no ground to make suggestions unto him upon. And hereby the apostle preserves in us due apprehensions of the purity and holiness of Christ, that we may not imagine that he was liable unto any such temptations unto sin from within as we find ourselves liable unto, and which are never free from guilt and defilement. If the latter be intended, then all success of temptation upon our high priest is denied. We are tried and tempted by Satan, and the world, and by our own lusts. The aim of all these temptations is sin, to bring us more or less, in one degree or other, to contract the guilt of it. Of times in this condition sin actually ensues, temptation hath its effect in us and upon us; yea, when any temptation is vigorous and pressing, it is seldom but that more or less we are sinfully affected with it. It was quite otherwise with our high priest. Whatever temptation he was exposed unto or exercised withal, as he was with all of all sorts that can come from without, they had none of them in the least degree any effect in him or upon him; he was still in all things absolutely “without sin.” Now, the exception being absolute, I see no reason why it should not be applied unto sin with both the respects unto temptation mentioned. He neither was tempted by sin, such was the holiness of his nature; nor did his temptation produce any sin, such was the perfection of his obedience. And concerning all these things the reader may consult the place before mentioned.