We have not a high priest not able to sympathize with our infirmities,...

The LORD is near - Sunday, December 22, 2013
by Jacob Redekop, Brian Reynolds, John van Dijk, Eugene P. Vedder Jr

We have not a high priest not able to sympathize with our infirmities, but tempted in all things in like manner, sin apart.
(Hebrews 4:15)

There are those who would use the truth of the real manhood of the Lord Jesus and His gracious, sympathetic identification with our humanity as an occasion to teach the false doctrine that He could have sinned. It is important for us when looking at this topic to adhere very closely to the words of Scripture and not to lean on our own reasoning.
The apostles: Peter, Paul and John, all have the same testimony on this subject, yet each apostle presents it with a different emphasis in keeping with his unique ministry and personality.
Th apostle Peter was a “doer”, a man of action, and his teaching is that Christ “did no sin.” Peter presents Christ as the model for the believer’s walk, describing Him as One “who did no sin” (1 Pet. 2:22). The Lord Jesus never, at any time, committed sin. This is a fact which no true Christian can possibly deny. Even the enemies of Christ bore witness to this. The Lord Jesus asked His inquisitors, “Which of you convinces Me of sin?” Pilate thrice declared Him to be guiltless (Lk. 23:4,15,22).
The apostle Paul, was a thinker, a theologian, and his testimony concerning Christ is, “He knew not sin” (2 Cor. 5:21). This statement goes further than Peter’s and shows that all of Christ’s thoughts and motives were absolutely without sin.
Lastly, we have apostle John, who of all of the disciples, was the most intimate with Christ. It was he who leaned on the bosom of the Lord (Jn. 13:23) and thus, John could write, “in Him sin is not” (1 Jn. 3:5). This means more than “He did no sin” or He “knew no sin.” Christ’s very nature was sinless! Indeed, he was a pure meal offering of “fine flour” in which there was absolutely “no leaven” (Lev. 2:1,11).
B. Reynolds

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