Who, in the days of his flesh, when He has 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, (8) though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered. (9) And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him.
The author of the letter to the Hebrew is unknown but the letter is clearly addressed to a community of Jews – a warning to Christian Jews or wavering Jews in the face of persecution.
After the fall, God was unapproachable by man except through the priest and that avenue was strictly regulated. Throughout the Old Testament the entire Jewish sacrificial system showed the problem of human sinfulness in the presence of God. Without appropriate sacrifice there was no reconciliation with God and the priest only could act on behalf of the people who were alienated from God. The priestly line of Aaron were appointed by God but this line was limited and indeed ended. But the cross changed that and Jesus Christ was designated by God as the eternal unchanging High priest for man. The necessity by God of the death of His perfect Son was the only solution for sin. In light of this WHY would we imagine our works could earn salvation? Our efforts are futile and add nothing to the efficacy of the sacrifice of Jesus. It is pride to even think this would be so. Man is saved by faith alone.
Our verses today tell us that Christ sought a remedy that He might be delivered from the evil to come – showing the human side of Jesus. Jesus endured such mental and physical agony in the garden during His passion that man must see that Christ didn’t suffer and die because He disregarded what was ahead. His anguish and intensity of grief was so extreme Christ even sweated drops of blood. All this was because He knew that as sin itself He would be separated from God.
The ultimate end was Jesus Christ was consecrated as the perfect and acceptable sin sacrifice. It is beyond our comprehension the mercy and love of God. Christ is not just an example but the cause of our salvation. In obedience we must imitate Christ or we will not benefit. No one is denied salvation who is teachable.