(14) Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.  (15) For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.  (16) Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

The letter to the Hebrews was written to Jewish believers converted to Christianity who wanted to reverse their course.  The writer of Hebrews makes extensive use of the Old Testament and knowledge of Jewish liturgy and covenantal history to argue that Jesus is the Messiah. He is our great High Priest and has replaced the Levitical priesthood.  The author of Hebrews is giving the general characteristics of the priesthood of Jesus.  He has laid the foundations of the divinity and the humanity of Jesus in earlier chapters of this letter.  Now he is speaking of Jesus as passing through the heavens to the presence of God where he sits continually as our High Priest.

The office of High Priest was established by God through Moses.  The High Priest was appointed by God and functioned as the mediator between Jehovah and Israel, sacrificing and performing rituals like other priests but in addition, only the High Priest was allowed to act to offer sacrifice to expiate the sins of Israel on the annual Day of Atonement.  Now Jesus as our High Priest forever has passed through the heavenly veil once for all time to represent us.

The author of Hebrews writes that Jesus as High Priest is at one with His people:  He too was human and knows temptation and our weakness.   He has been tempted in the way we are tempted as he was fully human and has called us brethren.  The main point is that Jesus remained sinless and did not yield to temptation.  He earned his sinlessness.

Our High Priest forever entered into our human weakness and has sympathy with us.  He represents us – as High Priest – to God and represents God to us.  Jesus is our great High Priest and mediator  and because of this we are exhorted to approach God directly on his throne of grace.