Learn By Doing

Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;

Hebrews 5:8

In context the author of Hebrews is writing about Christ’s suffering of the cross. Verse 7 appears to be referring to the Garden of Gethsemane in which Jesus prayed for deliverance, yet yielded to the Father’s will.

Though he was the Son of God, his humanity yearned to avoid what was before him. We experience a shadow of the same thing. This time of testing has the opportunity to mature us and increase our faith, but there is part of us that wants nothing to do with the “suffering.” The Bible says we must let patience have its perfect work, that we must endure to mature.

Learning obedience requires submitting to suffering, and we had better settle it in our hearts now that the the Bible is true when we read “all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution,” (2 Tim 3:12).

Once we have settled and believed that truth we then do what Jesus did in that Garden… we pray. And the same Jesus who prayed, endured and was victorious having learned obedience now lives to make intercession for us. Our compassionate High Priest and brother unashamedly invites us to come to him with everything. “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” (Heb 4:16)

-C.R.