Read Hebrews 2:14-18
The third reason for the full humanity of Jesus, the Son of God, has to do with His solidarity with the human race and His empathy for us who are ″flesh and blood″ (Hebrews 2:14). He has shared in our humanity and walks with us though life with all its fears, trials, and darkness.
One of our deepest fears is that of death. Man has devised all kinds of religious practices to cope with this fear because he has no control over what lies beyond this life. The writer points out that it is the devil that has held people in bondage with their fear of death (Hebrews 2:14-15). He has either spread fake news about death and the unknown and locked people up in their superstitions, or deceived them into denying death (see Genesis 3:4). Jesus not only taught the truth about death, but also died for us and rose to life, thus conquering death for us. Through Him we discover the ″death of death″ and no longer need to be paralysed by the fear of death. By walking with us, through death and beyond, Jesus allays all our fears.
The humanity of Jesus is emphasised in the phrase ″he had to be made like them, fully human in every way″ (Hebrews 2:17). In this way, He becomes a ″merciful and faithful high priest″ who makes ″atonement for the sins of the people″ (v.17; see Romans 3:25). Besides dying for us, He also walks with us today so that we have the comfort of His presence and understanding. He is not a distant God unfamiliar with temptation or suffering, for ″he himself suffered when he was tempted″ (Hebrews 2:18). Like us, He was sorely tempted (see Matthew 4:1-11; Luke 4:1-13). But unlike us, He never sinned and overcame every temptation (Hebrews 4:15, 7:26-28).
He suffered various trials in His earthly life; He knew what it meant to be lonely (Matthew 26:40), weary (John 4:6), disappointed (Matthew 17:17), hungry (Matthew 21:18), grieving (John 11:35), falsely accused (Matthew 26:60-61), and face death without mercy and dignity (Luke 23:32-37). Thus, whenever we suffer, He looks at us with understanding eyes that say, ″In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world″ (John 16:33). ″Jesus went all the way for us.″10 There is simply no one like Jesus to ″help those who are being tempted″ (Hebrews 2:18).
10Morris, ″Hebrews″, 30.
Think through:
How does knowing that Jesus went through all human trials and temptations provide comfort and strength for us?
Why is it important that Jesus is our merciful and faithful High Priest (Hebrews 2:17)? Tell Him how much you appreciate His humanity even as you worship Him as fully divine.
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