His Greatness...For Our Good
The greatness of Jesus is not measured in his distance from us but in his nearness to us by grace.
“Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:14-16).
You’ve probably heard stories of people who were once down-to-earth but, after becoming famous athletes, actors, or wealthy elites, seemed to leave their old friends behind. Instead of lifting others up, their rise to greatness built a wall between them and those they once knew. But Jesus is different.
When Jesus ascended to heaven, his exaltation—his place at the Father’s right hand—didn’t create distance between him and his people. It did the opposite. His ascension brought us closer than ever before.
The writer of Hebrews tells us that Jesus is our great high priest who has passed through the heavens. At first glance, that might sound like he is now distant, removed from the struggles of this world. But that’s not the case. The writer wants us to see that Jesus' glory doesn’t imply indifference—it implies the magnitude of his compassion. His glory is that he, above all, leverages his power for our good. What a stunning reality to gaze into!
The one who conquered death and ascended to heaven opens his heart to the groaning of his people. He is not unable to sympathize with our weaknesses. And from heaven, our great high priest invites us to his throne of grace, where we receive mercy and help in our time of need.
The greatness of Jesus is not measured in his distance from us but in his nearness to us by grace.