Hebrews 5
Bible Passage: Hebrews 5
Obedience through Suffering
…he learned obedience through what he suffered. (Hebrews 5:8)
There is a saying that goes something like, “If you are not beaten, you don’t know the pain.”
Jesus learning obedience through His sufferings reminds me of this. Indeed, it is often after the chastisement of God that we know how much we have strayed and how to really submit to Him. And we know that when God chastise, it is because He still treats us as sons (Hebrews 12:5-7); for who will care about someone else’s son?
And so, though we suffer chastisement, it is for our good, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin (1 Peter 4:1). I wonder if you have had experiences like this? I personally felt this chastisement from God and experienced how sufferings has made me ceased from sin. Perhaps it is because I have behold the power and might of God, and know that He is indeed true and living right here with me, how would I dare then to sin any more?
Therefore, suffering can be good…. for it helps us to learn obedience. For we will not dare to do anything against His will anymore.
However, Jesus did no wrong.
Yet, He suffered.
For this is commendable, if because of conscience toward God one endures grief, suffering wrongfully. For what credit is it if, when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently? But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God. (1 Peter 2:19-20)
Isn’t this a higher level of faith now? Are we able to Level Up?
It is probably not easy. A recent Home Bible Study also raised up a similar question about life in the workplace. If our bosses show favouritism or prejudice, how do we deal with it? Being the Bible Study leader, yet with so little years of experience working in the real world, I found it difficult to simply show verses like 1 Peter 2:19-20 and ask believers to do it, because the Bible says so.
I know it is not easy, but if Jesus has showed us the example, in the flesh, we can probably do it too, by the power of the Holy Spirit living in us.
And through this kind of suffering, we will be able to learn a deeper level of obedience towards God; not just one that is of fear because I-have-suffered-chastisement-before,I-am-not-gonna-go-through-it-again, but one that allows us to truly obey God from the depths of our soul because we stand in awe of Jesus, us having tried suffering for doing good and have failed (and so we know it is not easy), yet Jesus did it, all for our sake.
What have you suffered for doing good? Keep it between yourself and God 🙂
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Today’s passage talks quite a bit about Jesus being the High Priest who understand us and offers up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears for us. It is wonderful we have such a marvellous Saviour, who is not just God high up in the heavens, but one who is sympathetic to our humanness and we can come to the throne of grace for help in our times of need.
However, I an not going to focus on that.
Instead I would like to just look at one verse … Heb 5:11
As you can see from the different versions of the Bible… there was a big problem for the audience that the writer of Hebrews was trying to address.
After telling us about Jesus being our High Priest according to the order of Melchizedek, you can almost hear him take a deep breath and sigh…. and say that he has a lot of things he wanted to say and that that it is hard to explain since they have become dull of hearing, slow to learn, no longer trying to understand and 听 不 进 去.
When I read to this part, I was wondering…. am I like that as well? Despite all these years in church and thousands of hours of sermons, have I become dull of hearing etc?
If we recall the past few chapters of Hebrews, the author has implied that there was something wrong with the Christians he was writing to… and as you read the following verses.. maybe it is also a time for reflection?
When l look at the different translations, it is indeed a problem for a lot of me. Dull of hearing…. Slow to Learn…. No longer trying to understand….
It seems almost as if the author is writing directly for me now by exhorting me to ….Pay close attention! Consider! Don’t harden your heart! Fear! Be diligent! Hold fast!
So instead of writing more today… I would like you to also consider this question…. do we have this hearing disease and mental problems?
How do we get well? How do we get out of our rut?
The answer is actually found in Heb 5:12-14 and I will leave it to you to discover this and share with all of us…
I can share my thoughts on this as well… but please read first and share 🙂
And thanks treasureinearthenvessel for the edifying post. Indeed, we often falter in the world in our faith, but keeping our eyes on Jesus and learning from His example… can certainly help us to grow in our life of faith and obedience.
PS
Jesus was the Word become flesh (John 1:14), yet He did not become the High Priest forever by birth. Lord Jesus became the Christ, the Anointed, when God said, “You are My Son, Today I have begotten You.” (Matthew 3:16-17) (Hebrews 5:5)
Hebrews 5:7 who in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications, with vehement cries and tears to Him, who was able to save Him from death, and was heard because of His godly fear.
Lord Jesus was heard bec of His godly fear!
“Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me;
nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.” (Luke 22:42)
God heard Jesus, His Son.
Then an angel appeared to Him from heaven, strengthening Him. (Luke 22:43)
Just before Jesus breathed His last, He said, “It is finished!”(John 19:30)
“Your will is done!”
When Lord Jesus offered up prayers and supplications with vehement cries and tears, He didn’t just pray for Himself, “Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You.”(John 17:1)
He prayed for you and me.
“I did not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word;”(John 17:20)
“Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are.” (John 17:11)
“But now I come to You, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have My joy fulfilled in themselves.”(John 17:13)
“I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one.”(John 17:15)
“Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.”(John 17:17)
“that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they may also be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.”(John 17:21)
“Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world.”(John 17:24)
Lord Jesus prayed that we may be with Him where He is.
God heard His Son’s prayers. The Holy Spirit is the guarantee of our inheritance in the kingdom of God.
Lord Jesus prayed so much for us.
Till now He is sitting at the right hand of God interceding for His saints.
Till now the Holy Spirit makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
How can it be!
Can, if we are at the foot of the cross.
Can, if we receive the prayers of Lord Jesus for us.
Can, when He lives us.