Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin.

When I think of the religions of the world, with their gods made out of created things or earthly people, they are all weak, even in what they purport to do. The sun god provides light and grows things, the god of war gives military might, the goddess of love gives sexual pleasure. They are mostly one-dimensional gods.

Satan was a mirror of some of these attributes when he tempted Jesus, though he had broader power limited to this earth. He tempted Jesus with food, thrill-seeking to demonstrate God’s power, and worldly wealth and power. Jesus knew the power of Satan is temporary, and his promises are fleeting at best.

A high priest is God’s representative to his people. He is to minister to them, provide for them, and guide them to God. And yes, they confess their sins to the priest, and God gives them forgiveness through the priest. This was the model of the Old Testament. But now, Jesus is both God and our high priest. And he advocates for us before God the Father. He is an advocate that has been in our place. He knows our challenges.

So how do we respond to such a sacrifice Jesus made for us? A good response is to hold firmly to faith in him. Holding firmly means to not hold onto other things. You can’t hold firmly to one thing and have two or three other things that you’re holding onto as well. To hold firmly means you grip it with both hands, sometimes with your legs as well, like climbing up a rope or locking your legs around the pole on a ship.

Will I hold firmly to Jesus Christ — so firmly that nothing can tear me away from my faith in him?

Thank you for this passage, Lord. It gives me confidence that you are my advocate to the Father. I can trust you because you have been in my shoes and were perfect, so your guidance is perfect for me. And you advocate to God perfectly for me.