Consider Our Sympathetic High Priest - Jesus - JESUS SHOWS FELLOW FEELING FOR PEOPLE

 Throughout his ministry, Jesus showed great empathy toward the weak and disadvantaged. In doing so, he fulfilled prophecy. In the Hebrew Scriptures, prosperous and strong people are sometimes likened to a fertile garden or to large, stately trees. (Psalm 92:12; Isaiah 61:3; Jeremiah 31:12) But the poor and downtrodden are compared to a crushed reed and to the smoldering wick of a lamp, both of which are of little use to anyone. (Read Isaiah 42:3; Matthew 12:20) Under inspiration, the prophet Isaiah used these word pictures to foretell he love and compassion that Jesus would show to the common people who were viewed as worthless by others.

The Gospel writer Matthew applied to Jesus these words of Isaiah: "No crushed reed will break, and no smoldering wick will he extinguish."  Some of Jesus' miracles benefited downtrodden ones who must have felt like a crushed reed or hopeless ones who felt like a smoldering wick, soon to be extinguished. Among others, there was a man who was full of leprosy. What hope did he have of being cured and enjoying the company of his family and friends? (Luke 5:12, 13) Then there was the man who was deaf and had a speech impediment. Think how he felt as he saw others engaging i animated conversations that he could not follow. (Mark 7:32, 33) But that is not all.

Next time: Consider Our Sympathetic High Priest - Jesus - JESUS SHOWS FELLOW FEELING FOR PEOPLE - Conclusion

From the jw.org publications