Hebrews 4:16, Hebrews 4:15, Matthew 27:51
An Invitation That Should Astonish Us
Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. — Hebrews 4:16
Read this slowly. We — sinful, finite, failing human beings — are invited to draw near to the throne of the Creator of the universe. Not with fear and trembling at a safe distance. Not through an elaborate system of intermediaries. With confidence.
This is one of the most breathtaking invitations in all of Scripture, and it is grounded entirely in grace.
What the Throne of Grace Is
In the Old Testament, the presence of God was not casually accessible. The tabernacle and temple were structured to communicate the holiness of God and the distance created by sin. Only the high priest could enter the Most Holy Place — the innermost sanctuary where God's presence dwelt — and only once a year, with blood, with great care, and with real risk. The veil that separated the Most Holy Place was thick, heavy, and impassable.
When Jesus died on the cross, that veil was torn in two from top to bottom (Matthew 27:51). The barrier was removed. The way into God's presence was opened — not through human priestly effort but through the blood of Christ.
The throne that once represented God's unapproachable holiness has become, through Christ, a throne of grace — a place where mercy and help are freely dispensed to those who come.
Our High Priest Makes the Difference
The author of Hebrews grounds our confidence in the nature of our High Priest — Jesus Christ:
For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathise with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. — Hebrews 4:15
Jesus is not a distant, untouchable deity who has no experience of human struggle. He was tempted in every way we are. He knows hunger, grief, rejection, exhaustion, and the weight of temptation. He sympathises — not as a distant observer but as one who has walked through it.
This means we bring our needs to a High Priest who understands them from the inside.
Drawing Near With Confidence
The word translated "confidence" (parresia) means boldness, openness, freedom of speech — the kind of frank speech a child has with a loving parent. It is the opposite of cringing, fearful, uncertain approach.
We come boldly not because of our own worthiness — we have none. We come boldly because of Christ's worthiness. His blood has opened the way. His intercession sustains our access. His righteousness is our standing.