Jesus’ Suffering

Isaiah 53:3 describes the Messiah as “A man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.” Many Bibles will have this chapter entitled, “The Suffering Servant.” Repeatedly in the Gospels Jesus told His disciples that He would suffer, be rejected and be killed (Matthew 16:21, Mark 8:31, Luke 9:22). He showed His disciples that the scriptures taught the Messiah “would suffer and rise again from the dead on the third day” (Luke 24:46).

Jesus did not fulfill the expectations the people had for their Messiah. The Jews were looking for a Messiah that would be a conquering King, like David, who would restore the nation of Israel. Even the disciples asked Jesus, after His resurrection, “Lord is it at this time You are restoring the Kingdom of Israel” (Acts 1:6). His response was to explain how they would be empowered to build the Kingdom of God and not the nation of Israel (Acts 1:7-8). God would restore the nation at a later time.

The Book of Hebrews describes ten things that Jesus suffering accomplished. By suffering He conquered death and the devil (Hebrews 2:14) and freed men from the fear of death (Hebrews 2:15). Through suffering He put away our sins (Hebrews 9:28) and paid the penalty for them (Hebrews 2:17). By suffering He became the source of our salvation (Hebrews 5:9) as well as our sanctification through His blood (Hebrews 13:12).

Hebrews 5:8 states that Messiah learned obedience through suffering. Jesus never disobeyed any of God’s law during His life. So how is it said that He “learned obedience?” The desire to avoid the extreme pain of crucifixion was a temptation unlike the “lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye and the pride of life” that Jesus had already conquered (1 John 2:16). “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will” (Matthew 26:39)

His obedience in accepting suffering allowed Him to become “a merciful and faithful high priest” (Hebrews 2:17) who can help us when we are tempted (Hebrews 2:18). “For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.” (Hebrews 4:15).

Finally, Hebrews 2: 10 tells us that God perfected the author of our salvation through suffering. He demonstrated that He was the perfect, obedient sacrifice for our sins which provided our salvation. His perfection works in us and through us to accomplish our sanctification. He perfectly understands our sinful nature and help deliver us at the hour or our temptation. His perfection takes away our fear of death because He destroyed the power of death and the devil.

If God used suffering to perfect the Messiah, then why are surprised that He would use suffering in our live to help perfect us? Be encouraged as you learn through suffering, “In the world you have tribulation but take courage; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).