Captain Jesus

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Hebrews 2:1-18

TO CHEW ON: "For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through suffering." Hebrews 2:10

Jesus, the Son, Creator ("for whom…and by whom are all thing") became part of His own creation (see also John 1:1-3,14) . It bends the mind to contemplate such a thing.

Our passage names three things He was subject to as a human creature:

1. Sufferings (Hebrews 2:10): He felt hunger (Mark 11:12), weariness (John 4:6), social rejection (Luke 4:28-30), sadness (Luke 19:41-44), and grief (John 11:35) like we do, not to mention the suffering—physical, psychological and spiritual—He went through during His passion.

2. Temptations (Hebrews 2:18): The temptation incident that leaps to mind is of Jesus wilderness temptation during His 40-day fast (Matthew 4:1-11). Who knows what other incidents tempted Him during His life? Was He, for example, wrestling with the temptation of not going through with the Plan when He prayed in agony: "O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me…"? (though if it was a temptation, He quickly quelled it with "… nevertheless not as I will, but as You will" - Matthew 26:39).

3. Death (Hebrews 2:14): His death was genuine and seemingly final. Until the resurrection "… that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil" - Hebrews 2:14.

In all these things Jesus identifies with us. He is, as verse 10 puts it, the "Captain" of our salvation.

"Only by suffering temptation and death did He qualify as our captain or leader who has gone ahead of us to open the way of salvation" - Guy P. Duffield, commentary on Hebrews, New Spirit-Filled Life Bible, p. 1732.

How does this help us today?

• When we suffer, we are comforted by the fact that He knows what we're going through, understands our limitations firsthand - Hebrews 4:15.

• When tempted, we can follow His example, that is throw the book—the word of God, the "thus says the Lord" at Satan and find the way out - 1 Corinthians 10:13.

• We can view death without fear. Yesterday we read about Stephen, a young man whose life was, in our estimation, cut short. We think in terms of a full lifespan as our due, expect to live our three-score years and ten. But that's not God's view. He can take any one of us at any time. We have no guarantees except one: if we have accepted Him, we have an eternal life to look forward to - John 3:16.   

PRAYER: Dear Jesus, thank You for stooping to inhabit human flesh. Help me to follow You as the Captain of my life and salvation. Amen.

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New King James Version (NKJV) Used with permission. The Holy Bible, New King James Version Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.