I find I have a frequent response as I read through the news: anger. Not like a violent anger or one that wants to hurl insults as people. But anger that things are not right; that truth is trampled, and sin is celebrated. It’s not a surprising response, especially as much news coverage is intended to provoke an emotional response. But I wouldn’t say it’s a healthy response.
So, what would be a healthy response? How should we respond to people who are ignorant of the truth? Or deceived in celebrating a lie? I was caught off guard by what I read in Hebrews 5:2, “he can deal gently with the ignorant and misguided, since he himself also is beset with weakness.”
Before I get into the application of the verse, let’s make sure we understand what’s going on in the passage. The purpose of Hebrews is to show the excellencies of Jesus Christ so that believers will draw near to God, hold fast to Jesus, and encourage one another to love and good deeds (Hebrews 10:19-25). In our passage, the author is showing how Jesus is our great high priest (4:14). As evidence, the author explains the role and characteristics of a human high priest, like Aaron (5:1-4), before showing how Jesus surpasses each of the characteristics (5:5-10).
With a background like that, we might assume that verse 2 is talking about Jesus – that He, in His sinless perfection and mercy, is able to deal gently with anyone who is ignorant or misguided. But actually, this describes a human high priest. The rest of verse 2 points out that this human high priest is surrounded by his own weaknesses; that is, he can deal gently because he has various kinds of weakness himself.
The idea of ‘deal gently’ is to moderate your feelings towards what is appropriate and helpful. So, if my initial feelings of response is anger, to deal gently means I moderate or adjust those feelings so that I come to a place where my response is appropriate and helpful.
If this is what the human high priest is to be like, how much more Jesus! And I can’t run away from an application to myself because I am neither high priest or Jesus. Because as a Christian, Jesus lives in me (Galatians 2:20). I am called to follow Jesus, to imitate Jesus, and to be transformed into the likeness of Jesus. In other words, how I respond to the news – or to any other situation – should be more like Jesus, and less like me!
Sometimes we think that an angry response is warranted, given how great is the sin. And yes, there is some truth to this, but the rest of verse 2 moves us in a different direction. The high priest responds with gracious moderation to the ignorant and deceived because he recognizes how God is responding to the high priest in his weaknesses. So for me, I also have weaknesses. And there are times when I am ignorant, deceived, mistaken. How does God respond to me? Does He lash out against me? No, He provides grace through the death and resurrection of His Son. If God has been so gracious and patient to me, should I not also be gracious and patient to others?
Sin is very real, and sinful people make sinful choices. They reject God and His truth. They reject Jesus and His salvation. They do whatever is right in their own eyes, and expect support from others in their actions. Yes, these are not right. But rather than being quick to anger, I want to be slow to think about how God has responded to me and my sinful choices. He has saved me in His Son, Jesus Christ. Why? Who am I that He should do this? I did not deserve His grace and love, and yet, He has freely and fully given these and more to me. So as God has dealt gently with you, remember to deal gently with others – even if they are ignorant and deceived.