The Humanity and Suffering of Jesus (1)

The Humanity and Suffering of Jesus: Our Perfect Savior (Hebrews 2:5-18)

Hebrews 2:5-18 is one of the most profound passages in Scripture that highlights the humanity, suffering, and saving work of Jesus Christ. It reveals why Jesus had to become fully human to be our perfect Savior and how His suffering and death brought victory over sin and death. In this article, we’ll explore this text in depth, unpacking its key themes and their significance for our lives today.

Jesus, the Fully Human Savior (Hebrews 2:5-9)

The passage begins by emphasizing that the world to come was not subjected to angels but to humanity (v. 5). Quoting Psalm 8, the author of Hebrews marvels at the dignity God has given humans:
"What is mankind that you are mindful of them, a son of man that you care for him? You made them a little lower than the angels; you crowned them with glory and honor and put everything under their feet." (Hebrews 2:6-8a, NIV)

While this psalm originally refers to humanity's role as God’s stewards over creation, the writer points us to Jesus as the ultimate fulfillment of this vision. Jesus, the Son of God, willingly became “lower than the angels” by taking on human form and experiencing death. This humility was necessary for Him to accomplish salvation for humanity.

Verse 9 states:
"But we do see Jesus, who was made lower than the angels for a little while, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone."

This verse emphasizes the sacrificial nature of Christ’s death. By becoming human, Jesus fully entered into the reality of human mortality, tasting death not for Himself but for all people. His death was an act of grace, and through it, He was exalted to a position of glory and honor.

Suffering as the Path to Glory (Hebrews 2:10-13)

The passage goes on to explain why Jesus had to suffer. Verse 10 declares:
"In bringing many sons and daughters to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through what he suffered."

This verse underscores the necessity of Jesus’ suffering. The term “pioneer” (or “author” in some translations) refers to someone who blazes the trail for others to follow. Jesus, as the pioneer of salvation, had to experience the fullness of human suffering and death to lead us into glory.

It’s important to note that Jesus’ suffering didn’t make Him morally perfect—He was already sinless. Instead, His suffering made Him complete or “perfect” in the sense that it qualified Him to fully identify with humanity and to become our sympathetic High Priest (a theme further developed in Hebrews 4:15).

Verses 11-13 further highlight Jesus’ solidarity with humanity:
"Both the one who makes people holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters." (v. 11)

By becoming human, Jesus shared in our experiences, making us part of His family. He is not distant or ashamed of our weaknesses but stands with us as our elder brother, fully identifying with our struggles.

Jesus’ Victory Over Death and the Devil (Hebrews 2:14-15)

One of the most powerful truths in this passage is found in verses 14-15:
"Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil—and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death."

Here, we see the central reason why Jesus had to become human: to defeat the power of death. Death is humanity’s greatest enemy, and it is ultimately linked to sin and the devil. By dying on the cross and rising again, Jesus destroyed the devil’s power over death.

Through His victory, Jesus sets believers free from the fear of death. For those who are in Christ, death is no longer the end but the doorway to eternal life. This truth gives Christians profound hope and courage in the face of life’s trials.

Jesus, Our Sympathetic High Priest (Hebrews 2:16-18)

The passage concludes by emphasizing Jesus’ role as a merciful and faithful High Priest:
"For this reason he had to be made like them, fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people." (v. 17)

To be an effective High Priest, Jesus needed to fully understand the human condition. He had to experience hunger, fatigue, grief, and temptation. Only then could He truly sympathize with us and represent us before God.

Finally, verse 18 provides a deeply comforting truth:
"Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted."

Jesus doesn’t just sympathize with our struggles; He actively helps us in the midst of them. When we face temptation, we can turn to Him for strength, knowing that He has walked the same road and emerged victorious.

Application: What Does This Mean for Us Today?

a. Jesus Understands Our Struggles

Because Jesus became fully human, He understands our pain, grief, and temptations. When we pray, we can come to Him with confidence, knowing that He empathizes with us. Hebrews 4:15 echoes this truth:
"For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin."

b. Jesus’ Death Conquered Our Greatest Fears

Jesus’ victory over death gives us freedom from the fear of death and assurance of eternal life. As Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 15:55:
"Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?"

c. Jesus Leads Us Into Glory

Through His suffering, Jesus brings us into glory as children of God. This reminds us that suffering is not meaningless. Just as Jesus’ suffering led to His exaltation, God can use our trials to refine us and draw us closer to Him.

Hebrews 2:5-18 beautifully portrays the humanity and suffering of Jesus, showing how He became the perfect Savior through His humility, suffering, and death. By becoming fully human, He identified with our struggles and overcame sin and death on our behalf.

This passage invites us to trust in Jesus as our merciful High Priest who understands our weaknesses and offers help in times of need. It also calls us to live with courage and hope, knowing that Jesus has conquered death and brought us into the family of God.

Let us draw near to Him with confidence, resting in His finished work and finding strength in His presence.