Jesus - Perfected by Suffering
Eternity Online: John Edmiston (Editor)
(Heb 2:10 NKJV) For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things
and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make
the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.
(Heb 5:6-10 NKJV) {8} though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience
by the things which He suffered. {9} And having been perfected, He
became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him,
(Heb 4:15 NKJV) 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.
It is an astonishing thing for most Christians to think of Jesus
"being perfected" and "learning obedience". It seems contrary to our
popular idea of Jesus as arriving fully formed and spotless like a
stainless steel robot that saves the world. That was not the case -
He came as a human being and human beings LEARN. Jesus learned to
obey. This seems like a contradiction when Scripture declares Him at
the same time to be "without sin" (Hebrews 5:14 above). Jesus learned
- but never made a mistake ! He was the perfect pupil without a blot
on the copybook - but He nonetheless did learn! Throughout His 33
years He "learned obedience".
At first He learned obedience to His parents Joseph and Mary whom he
"continued in submission" to. And of course He learned obedience to
God. The Jesus we see at age 30 to 33 is thus a more perfect and
mature Jesus than the child of 12 we briefly see in the early
chapters of Luke's gospel. He has matured not only intellectually and
physically but spiritually and in His ability to endure sustained
temptation and stay on course with His Heavenly Father. Jesus the man
has learned a level of obedience that Jesus the child could never
have attained to. By the time He reached the cross and had endured
the intensity of Gethsemane He was perfected in obedience and was the
Perfect Lamb that could be slain for the sins of the world.
Let me immediately say that suffering at no time removed any supposed
moral imperfections in Jesus. Jesus had no moral imperfections to
remove. Rather suffering strengthened the virtues of His free will so
that it was more and more obedient, more and more able to follow God
through more and more difficult and confusing circumstances. Thus
suffering simply strengthened that which was good in Jesus. It was
not the penal suffering of a prisoner but the strengthening suffering
of a great spiritual athlete in training. Jesus had the greatest
liberty of anyone yet He used that liberty in only one way - to serve
God.
Prayer:
Lord You suffered four our sanctification. Praise Your Holy Name! Arm
us with strong resolve that we may endure the sufferings you allow to
come to us to perfect us. We ask for holy endurance and strong hearts
that do not waver from You. Give us a holy heart like Jesus had.
Amen.
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John Edmiston ([email protected])
Editor - Eternity Online Magazine http://www.eternity-magazine.org/
Cults, exegesis, bible teaching, Christian life and leadership.
For the thinking Christian!