Lesson Three
Jesus
Understands Us
Hebrews 2:17-18
Theme: Jesus Christ is not inferior to angels because of his humanity. Christ,
through His humanity, secured our great salvation which involves the exaltation
of believers, freed us from the fear of death, and affords us the help of a
compassionate High Priest in Heaven during temptations. Christ’s humanity enables Him to understand
our needs and challenges fully.
Introduction:
Jesus was “made like unto His brethren” (vs. 2:17) in that He experienced the sinless infirmities of human nature. But, why?
Lesson:
Why
is Jesus the perfect high priest for us? (Heb. 2:17-18)
A.
His Experience for the Office. Jesus’ humanity enables Him to be a perfect
and sympathetic High Priest to His people (2: 17–18).
a.
Being pure spirits who have never
suffered, the angels cannot identify with us in our weaknesses and needs.
b.
But Jesus can! While He was here on
earth, Jesus was “made like unto His brethren” (vs.
2:17) in that He experienced the sinless infirmities of human nature. He knew
what it was to be a helpless baby, a growing child, a maturing adolescent. He
knew the experiences of weariness, hunger, and thirst (John 4:6–8). He knew
what it was to be despised and rejected, to be lied about and falsely accused.
He experienced physical suffering and death. All of this was a part of His
“training” for His heavenly ministry as High Priest.
B.
His Execution of the Office. Jesus
Christ is both merciful
and faithful: He is merciful toward people and faithful toward God.
He can never fail in His priestly ministries. He made the necessary sacrifice
for our sins so that we might be reconciled to God. He did not need to make a
sacrifice for Himself, because He is sinless.
Question 7. It might also help the discussion
if you ask how Jesus' pain and temptation are different from our own.
8. In
what ways is Jesus able to help us?
A.
Christ Can Run To Our Aid. But what
happens when we who have been saved are tempted to sin?
a.
There will still be temptations to
fall back into the way of death. But now Christ lives as our faithful High
Priest to help us when we are tempted.
We who have been dead are now alive—and now we can hear and respond to
the voice of God calling us back to a life of righteousness.
b.
Christ stands ready to help us!
i. He
was tempted when He was on earth, but no temptation ever conquered Him. Because
He has defeated every enemy, He is able to give us the grace that we need to
overcome temptation.
ii. The
word “succour” (Heb. 2:18) literally means “to
run to the cry of a child.” It means “to bring help when it is needed.” The
Lord promises to help us (Isa. 41:10; Ps. 37:40)!
iii. Angels
are able to serve us (Heb. 1:14), but they are not able to succour us in our times of temptation. Only Jesus
Christ can do that, and He can do it because He became a man and suffered and
died.
B.
Christ Can Intercede For Us. It
might be good at this point to explain the difference between our Lord’s
ministry as High
Priest and His ministry as Advocate (1 John 2:1).
a.
As our High Priest, our Lord is able to
give us grace to keep us from sinning when we are tempted.
b.
If we do sin, then He as our
Advocate represents us before the throne of God and forgives us when we
sincerely confess our sins to Him (1 John 1:5–2:2).
c.
Both of these ministries are
involved in His present work of intercession; and it is this intercessory
ministry that is the guarantee of our eternal salvation (note that in Heb. 7:25
it is “to the uttermost”—i.e., eternally—and not “from the
uttermost”).
C.
Christ Can Understand Us. Because he was fully human, Jesus
himself was tested by what he suffered (Heb 2:18).
a.
“Tempted” refers to Jesus’ exposure to conflicts,
tensions, and suffering. The testing was not to show that he might fail, but to
show his real power and strength under fire.
b.
This
suffering refers not only to the
Cross, but also to the testing Jesus experienced throughout his life—from
Satan’s temptations in the wilderness to the drops of blood he shed in prayer
before his crucifixion. Having undergone all the tests and temptations of human
life, Jesus is able to help us when we are being tested.
c.
Knowing
that Christ suffered
pain and faced temptation helps us face our trials. Jesus understands our
struggles because he faced them as a human being. We can trust Christ to help
us survive suffering and overcome temptation.
d.
What
are you facing that you need Christ to face with you? When you face trials, go
to the Lord for strength and patience. Jesus understands your needs and is able
to help (see 4:14-16). –The Life
Application Commentary Series
D.
Christ Has Exalted Us. As you review
this section, you cannot help but be amazed at the grace and wisdom of God.
From a human point of view, it would seem foolish for God to become Man; yet it
was this very act of grace that made possible our salvation and all that goes
with it. When Jesus Christ became Man, He did not become inferior to the
angels, for in His human body He accomplished something that angels could never
accomplish. At the same time, He made it possible for us to share in His glory!
He
is not ashamed to call us His brothers and sisters. Are we
ashamed to call Him “Lord”?
Inspiration
Here
is an uplifting thought.
It
is an undeniable fact that usually it is those who have suffered most who are
best able to comfort others who are passing through suffering. I know of
pastors whose ministries have been enriched by suffering. Through their trials
they have learned to “live through” the difficulties of the people in their
parish. They are able to empathize as well as sympathize with the afflictions
of others because of what they have experienced in their own lives.
Our
sufferings may be rough and hard to bear, but they teach us lessons which in
turn equip and enable us to help others. Our attitude toward suffering should
not be, “Grit your teeth and bear it,” hoping it will pass as quickly as
possible. Rather, our goal should be to learn all we can from what we are
called upon to endure, so that we can fulfill a ministry of comfort—as Jesus
did. “For in that he himself suffered being tempted, he is able to succor
[help] them that are tempted” (Hebrews 2:18). The sufferer becomes the
comforter or helper in the service of the Lord.
By
the way, by “enduring” suffering, God led me to my wonderful wife, Ruth, who
was His intended one for me. (From Unto the Hills by
Billy Graham)
Response
Use
these questions to share more deeply with each other.
9. How is Jesus' pain and temptation relevant
to us?
10. In times of trouble, why do we turn to
other people rather than to Jesus?
11. In what way does God equip us to reach out
to others with compassion?
Prayer
Lord,
we stand in awe of you for what you have done—you left your throne to live
among us, you faced temptation, ridicule, and shame so that you could
understand us, and then you died on a cross to save us from our sins. You gave
up everything so that we could spend eternity with you. Help us to grasp the
depth of your love. And as we experience your great love for us, help us to
share it with others.
Journaling
Take
a few moments to record your personal insights from this lesson.
How
has Jesus shown his love for me? How can I thank him?
Additional
Questions
12. How should Christians respond to the pain
that comes their way?
13. How has knowing God increased your
sensitivity and compassion for others?
14. What can you do to show God's love to
someone who is hurting?
For
more Bible passages about Jesus' ability to help hurting people, see Job 36:15;
Psalm 46:1; 121:1, 2; 147:1–5; Isaiah 41:10; 53:3–5; Romans 8:26, 27.
To
complete the book of Hebrews during this twelve-part study, read Hebrews
1:1–2:18.
Recommended reading material:
Wiersbe,
Warren W.: The Bible Exposition Commentary.
