Answer
Hebrews 4:15 states, “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” (ESV). The significance of Jesus being tempted, yet without sin, touches on His sympathy, His sinlessness, and His qualification to be the Great High Priest.
The book of Hebrews is addressed to Jewish Christians who would have been familiar with the Old Testament sacrificial system and the role of the high priest. The high priest was the mediator between God and the people, offering sacrifices for sins and interceding on their behalf. However, these high priests were themselves sinful and had to offer sacrifices for their own sins before they could do so for others (Hebrews 5:1–3).
In contrast, Jesus is presented as the perfect high priest. He is sinless, having “been tempted as we are, yet without sin” (Hebrews 4:15, ESV). The sinlessness of Jesus is significant for several reasons. First, it qualifies Him to be the perfect sacrifice for our sins. The Old Testament sacrificial system required offerings to be without blemish (see Leviticus 1:3). Jesus, being without sin, was the spotless Lamb of God who took away the sin of the world (John 1:29). His sinlessness made His sacrifice on the cross acceptable to God, satisfying God’s wrath against sin and providing a way for us to be reconciled to God.
Jesus’ sinlessness also reveals His divine nature. While fully human, Jesus was also fully God (John 1:1–14 and Colossians 2:9). Despite being tempted “in every respect,” Jesus lived a life of perfect obedience to the Father. Perfect obedience is what Adam failed to achieve. In his failure, Adam plunged humanity into sin and death (Romans 5:12–19). But Jesus, the second Adam, succeeded where Adam failed, bringing life and righteousness to all who believe in Him.
Another significant aspect of Jesus being tempted, yet without sin, is His ability to “sympathize with our weaknesses” (Hebrews 4:15, ESV). He was tempted in every way, and He understands our experience of temptation. This is an experiential reality rather than theoretical. Jesus faced real temptations, as evidenced by His forty-day battle with Satan in the wilderness (Matthew 4:1–11 and Luke 4:1–13). The temptations Jesus faced included appeals to the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, mirroring the kinds of temptations we face (see 1 John 2:16).
Jesus’ victory over Satan was grounded in Scripture, demonstrating the power of God’s Word to combat the lies and deceptions of the enemy. Jesus’ use of Scripture models for us the importance of knowing and applying Scripture in our own lives. When resisting temptation, we must use the sword of the Spirit (Ephesians 6:17).
Jesus’ sympathy with our weaknesses is comforting. When we are tempted, Jesus is near to help us. The “grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16, ESV) is extended to us because Jesus was tempted, yet without sin.
The sinlessness of Christ also assures us of His righteousness, which was imputed to us when we placed our faith in Him. Second Corinthians 5:21 states, “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (ESV). The exchange of our sin for Jesus’ righteousness is at the heart of the gospel. On the cross, Jesus received the punishment for our sins, and His righteousness was credited to us by faith. This means that, when God looks at us, He sees the righteousness of His Son rather than our sinfulness.
The significance of Jesus being tempted without sin qualifies Him to be the perfect high priest and sacrifice for our sins. It also reveals His divine nature, His sympathy with our weaknesses, and His victory over temptation. When we are tempted, we know that we have a high priest who was tempted as we are, yet without sin.
