HEBREWS 5:7-10 JESUS WAS ONCE IMPERFECT
PART 1
Since Jesus was God’s perfect Son sent down from heaven, “loyal, guileless, undefiled, separated from the sinners,” how can it be said that he “learned obedience from the things he suffered,” and how was he thereby “made perfect”? (
Heb. 7:26) Why was it necessary in his case? Was he not always obedient and always perfect? To aid in getting the right viewpoint and appreciation on these leading questions, we want to look at the whole matter through Paul’s eyes, as it were, remembering that he was particularly blessed with Jehovah’s spirit.
It is most interesting to see how Paul develops his argument in writing to the Hebrew Christians, also to note his frequent mention of angels in the earlier part. His main theme, to begin with, is the unique exaltation of God’s Son to the highest position, made to be the “reflection of his [God’s] glory and the exact representation of his very being . . . and after he had made a purification for our sins he sat down on the right hand of the Majesty in lofty places. So he has become better than the angels.” (
Heb. 1:3, 4) In the long list of quotations that follows from the Hebrew Scriptures, showing Christ’s superior position over the angels, the basic reason for this is clearly stated when Paul quotes from
Psalm 45:7: “You [the Son] loved righteousness, and you hated lawlessness. That is why God, your God, anointed you with the oil of exultation more than your partners [the kings of Israel].” (
Heb. 1:9) We should take to heart that fundamental principle. If we follow it under whatever test we become involved in, we too can be sure of a successful outcome because of having Jehovah’s approval and blessing.
With Jesus’ lofty exaltation in mind, we can better appreciate the force of Paul’s words when he says:
“That is why it is necessary for us to pay more than the usual attention” to a message of a “salvation of such greatness in that it began to be spoken through our Lord,” and not through angels. If we neglect the opportunity for salvation held out by Jesus Christ, whether to a heavenly or an earthly hope in his kingdom, then “how shall we escape” the dire “retribution in harmony with justice,” because of spurning a unique provision of such undeserved kindness? (
Heb. 2:1-4) Then Paul enlarges on this, quoting from
Psalm 8, showing that in God’s kingdom it is his purpose to ‘subject all things’ without exception, “not to angels,” but under the feet of the “son of man,” who is Jesus. Interestingly, however, in the outworking of this purpose, Jesus was for a time made “a little lower than angels” when he came to earth. To what end and with what result? Note the grand answer, that Jesus is now “crowned with glory and honor for having suffered death, that he by God’s undeserved kindness might taste death for every man.” (
Heb. 2:5-9) This argues that the provision made for salvation is so comprehensive that no member of the human family is left out. True, it is not automatic or forced on anyone, but anyone failing to get the benefit thereof has only himself to blame. The provision covers “every man.” Do you not appreciate this provision? Do you not feel involved? How careful we should be to “never drift away,” or develop a “wicked heart lacking faith by drawing away from the living God.”—
Heb. 2:1; 3:12.
So far so good. We have no difficulty in acknowledging that God’s beloved Son was worthy to be raised to such an exalted position. However, what about Paul’s next statement, an important one, that “it was fitting . . . in bringing
many sons to glory, to make the Chief Agent of their salvation perfect through sufferings”? (
Heb. 2:10) Who are these “many sons”? Might they be some of the holy angels deserving of special honor? To the contrary, the clue to the answer is seen in
Heb 2 verse 16, where we read: “For he [Jesus] is really not assisting angels at all, but he is assisting Abraham’s seed.” Ah! there we have it,
“Abraham’s seed.” To identify this class, we only have to refer to the apostle’s explanation at
Galatians 3:16, 26, 29, where, after stating that the promise was not to many seeds, but only one, “‘and to your seed,’ who is Christ,” he then later says: “You are all, in fact, sons of God through your faith in Christ Jesus. . . . Moreover, if you belong to Christ, you are really Abraham’s seed, heirs with reference to a promise.” Thus we learn that, while Abraham’s seed is primarily Jesus Christ, in the enlarged fulfillment it includes the Christian congregation, the “little flock” with the heavenly hope. (
Luke 12:32) These share with their Head to a large extent in the promised special blessings of obedience learned through suffering. Even though you may not be of this limited number, you are still involved if you are a sheeplike person, for, as we shall see, all of Jehovah’s sheep in this “time of the end” take a similar course with a similar motive, and all alike are required to learn obedience through suffering, especially in these “critical times hard to deal with.”—
2 Tim. 3:1.
In order to appreciate why it was fitting to make the “Chief Agent . . . perfect through sufferings,” and how this was done, we propose to link together the various expressions found in the context of this passage that bear directly on this question. First, we will consider
Hebrews 2:17, 18. Here it is explained that Jesus “was obliged to become like his ‘brothers’ in all respects, that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, in order to offer propitiatory sacrifice for the sins of the people.” This had to be done first in order to provide a satisfactory basis on which these “many sons” of God, these “brothers” of Jesus, could be acceptable and given a righteous standing in God’s sight. But this is not all. These, like all Jehovah’s “sheep,” are taken from the human family, beset by many imperfections and infirmities, and need further help from their merciful high priest, as we next read: “For in that he himself has suffered when being put to the test, he is able to come to the aid of those who are [also] being put to the test.” Now we can begin to see one of the main reasons for all the suffering that Jesus endured right here on earth. Because of this, not only can he provide aid from a distant point, as it were, but he is ‘able to
come to our aid’ when we are in need. Though highly exalted to God’s right hand, he is not remote, impersonal. What a close relationship is thus implied, and how comforting!
Next, consider
Hebrews 4:15, 16, where we find further comfort and encouragement. Paul tells us that “we have as high priest, not one who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tested in all respects like ourselves, but without sin.” How close this brings our high priest to us! He can sympathize not only with our limitations, but even with our weaknesses. He knows what it is to feel the many pressures that cause one either to stumble or to swerve from the course of perfect obedience, the pressure coming either due to opposition causing fear, or due to enticement causing wrong desire. He was “tested in
all respects like ourselves,” though for his part he never stumbled or swerved in the slightest degree. What a comfort to know that “he is able to deal moderately with the ignorant and erring ones,” like the high priests of Israel, though not because he ever needed to make an offering for his own sins, as they did. (
Heb. 5:2, 3) This makes us feel as Paul next wrote: “Let us, therefore, approach with freeness of speech to the throne of undeserved kindness, that we may obtain mercy and find undeserved kindness for help at the right time.” Both the statements at
Hebrews 2:18 and Heb 4:16 are true, each from its own viewpoint. On the one hand, our high priest is ready to come to our rescue and provide aid when we are being put to the test. On the other hand, we can always feel free to approach God’s throne of undeserved kindness with absolute confidence, assured of receiving kindly help just at the right time.
