Hebrews 2:18

KJV

For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.

KJV (with Strong's)

For {G1063} in {G1722} that {G3739} he {G3958} himself {G846} hath suffered {G3958} being tempted {G3985}, he is able {G1410} to succour {G997} them that are tempted {G3985}.

Complete Jewish Bible

For since he himself suffered death when he was put to the test, he is able to help those who are being tested now.

Berean Standard Bible

Because He Himself suffered when He was tempted, He is able to help those who are being tempted.

American Standard Version

For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succor them that are tempted.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Hebrews 2:18 profoundly articulates the compassionate and practical benefit of Jesus Christ's full humanity. Because Christ personally experienced suffering and temptation during His earthly life, He is uniquely qualified and perfectly able to provide timely and effective aid to all who are currently undergoing similar trials. This verse underscores His empathetic identification with humanity and His active role as a sympathetic High Priest.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Hebrews 2:18 concludes a pivotal argument in the epistle, which began in [Hebrews 2:5](/hebrews/2-5 "Christ's Superiority Over Angels and His Humiliation"). The author has just established Christ's superiority over angels, emphasizing that the "world to come" was not subjected to angels but to humanity, specifically to the "Son of Man" (Jesus). To accomplish His redemptive work, Jesus had to be made "a little lower than the angels" ([Hebrews 2:9](/hebrews/2-9 "Jesus Lower Than Angels for Suffering")), fully partaking in human flesh and blood. This shared humanity was essential for Him to "taste death for everyone" ([Hebrews 2:9](/hebrews/2-9 "Jesus Tastes Death for Everyone")) and to "destroy him who has the power of death, that is, the devil" ([Hebrews 2:14](/hebrews/2-14 "Christ's Victory Over Death")). The verse immediately preceding, [Hebrews 2:17](/hebrews/2-17 "Jesus as Merciful High Priest"), explains that Jesus "had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people." Thus, [Hebrews 2:18](/hebrews/2-18 "Jesus' Ability to Succor the Tempted") serves as the logical culmination and practical implication of Christ's incarnation and suffering, demonstrating *why* His shared humanity enables His priestly function of providing assistance.

* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The audience of the book of Hebrews was primarily Jewish Christians who were facing intense persecution and the temptation to revert to Judaism, with its familiar rituals and perceived security. They were struggling with suffering, social ostracization, and the allure of their former religious practices. In this context, the author's emphasis on Jesus' humanity and His ability to empathize was profoundly comforting. Unlike the Levitical high priests, who could only offer sacrifices and mediate based on prescribed laws, Jesus' priesthood was rooted in personal experience of human frailty and suffering. This understanding would have resonated deeply with a community enduring trials, offering them a High Priest who not only understood their plight but had personally navigated similar challenges. The concept of a high priest who could truly sympathize was crucial for a people who felt isolated and tested.

* **Key Themes:** This verse powerfully contributes to several overarching themes in Hebrews. Firstly, it reinforces the **full humanity of Christ**, a necessary theological truth for His redemptive work and priestly role. Without truly becoming human, Jesus could not have suffered or been tempted, nor could He have offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice. Secondly, it highlights **Christ's role as a sympathetic High Priest**, a central theme developed further in [Hebrews 4:14-16](/hebrews/4-14-16 "Approach the Throne of Grace with Confidence"). His personal experience of suffering and temptation makes Him uniquely qualified to intercede for believers, not with detached authority, but with profound understanding and compassion. Thirdly, it underscores the **practical efficacy of Christ's work**, assuring believers that His past suffering translates into present aid and deliverance for them. This provides immense comfort and encouragement to those facing their own struggles, knowing that their Savior is not aloof but intimately acquainted with their pain, as demonstrated by His own trials, such as His [temptation in the wilderness](/matthew/4-1-11 "Jesus' Temptation in the Wilderness").

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

#### Key Word Analysis
* **suffered (Greek, _páschō_):** This primary verb means "to experience a sensation or impression, usually painful." It denotes undergoing something, enduring, or being affected. In this context, it refers to Jesus' actual experience of physical pain, emotional distress, and the hardships inherent in human existence, including the ultimate suffering of the cross.
* **tempted (Greek, _peirázō_):** Derived from _peira_ (a test, trial), this verb means "to test (objectively), i.e., endeavor, scrutinize, entice, discipline." It encompasses the idea of trials, examinations, and solicitations to evil. For Jesus, it implies He faced genuine external and internal pressures and allurements, though He never yielded to sin, making His victory over temptation a perfect model and source of strength.
* **succour (Greek, _boēthéō_):** This word, from _boēthós_ (an aid), means "to aid or relieve," specifically "to run to the cry of one in distress." It conveys the idea of active, timely, and powerful assistance given to someone in urgent need. It's not merely passive understanding but an active intervention born out of deep empathy and divine power.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted":** This clause establishes the foundational reason for Christ's ability to help. The phrase "in that" (Greek: _en hós_) points to the specific condition or circumstance: His own personal experience of suffering and undergoing temptation. The emphasis on "he himself" (Greek: _autos_) highlights the direct, first-hand nature of His experience, not merely an intellectual understanding. This suffering and temptation were real and personal, making His empathy genuine.
* **"he is able to succour them that are tempted":** This clause presents the profound consequence and practical benefit of Christ's suffering. Because He has personally endured similar trials, He possesses the unique capacity ("is able," Greek: _dýnamai_) to provide active, powerful, and timely aid ("succour") to those who are currently facing temptation. His past experience directly qualifies Him to intervene effectively in the present struggles of believers.

#### Literary Devices
The verse effectively employs **Cause and Effect** to convey its central message. Jesus' suffering and temptation (the cause) directly lead to His ability to provide aid (the effect). This logical progression underscores the practical benefit of the Incarnation. There is also a powerful use of **Empathy**, as the verse highlights Jesus' ability to identify with human struggle due to His shared experience. This empathy is not merely a feeling but a qualification for active intervention. Furthermore, the verse contains an implicit **Paradox**: it is precisely through His weakness (suffering and temptation) that Christ demonstrates His greatest strength and ability to help. This turns a seemingly negative experience into the very foundation of His compassionate power.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Hebrews 2:18 is a cornerstone verse for understanding the practical outworking of Christ's high priestly ministry. It asserts that Jesus' humanity was not merely a theological necessity for atonement, but also a crucial qualification for His ongoing role as our compassionate advocate. His personal encounter with human frailty, pain, and the allure of sin (though without succumbing) means that when we approach Him in our own struggles, we do so not to a distant, unfeeling deity, but to one who intimately understands our plight. This truth empowers believers to draw near with confidence to the "throne of grace" ([Hebrews 4:16](/hebrews/4-16 "Approach the Throne of Grace")) for help in times of need, knowing that their High Priest is both fully divine and fully human, perfectly equipped to intercede.

* [Hebrews 4:15](/hebrews/4-15 "Jesus, Our Sympathetic High Priest")
* [1 Corinthians 10:13](/1_corinthians/10-13 "God's Faithfulness in Temptation")
* [Philippians 4:13](/philippians/4-13 "I Can Do All Things Through Christ")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Hebrews 2:18 offers profound comfort and practical assurance for every believer navigating the complexities of life. In moments of intense temptation, overwhelming suffering, or deep personal struggle, this verse reminds us that we are not alone, nor are we misunderstood by our Savior. Jesus, our High Priest, is not an aloof, ethereal being, but one who has walked our path, felt our pains, and faced our temptations. His own experience of suffering and being tested means He truly "gets it." This understanding should empower us to approach Him with complete openness and confidence, knowing that He has perfect empathy and the divine power to provide exactly the help we need. It encourages us to lean into His strength when our own fails, trusting that His past victory over temptation enables our present deliverance.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **How does the knowledge of Jesus' personal experience with suffering and temptation change your perspective on His ability to help you in your own struggles?**
* **In what specific areas of your life are you currently experiencing temptation or suffering, and how can you apply the truth of Hebrews 2:18 to those situations?**
* **What does it mean for you personally to have a High Priest who is not only powerful but also deeply empathetic?**

### FAQ
**Why was it necessary for Jesus to suffer and be tempted if He was God?**

Answer: It was necessary for several crucial reasons. Firstly, to be a perfect and complete sacrifice for sin, Jesus had to fully partake in humanity, including its vulnerability to suffering and death, as explained in [Hebrews 2:9](/hebrews/2-9 "Jesus Tastes Death for Everyone") and [Hebrews 2:14](/hebrews/2-14 "Christ's Victory Over Death"). Secondly, His suffering and temptation qualified Him to be a "merciful and faithful high priest" ([Hebrews 2:17](/hebrews/2-17 "Jesus as Merciful High Priest")). By experiencing these things Himself, He gained perfect empathy and understanding, enabling Him to truly "succour" (aid) those who are tempted. His humanity ensured His identification with us, while His divinity ensured His sinlessness and power to overcome, making Him the perfect mediator.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Hebrews 2:18 finds its ultimate fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ, who perfectly embodies the sympathetic High Priest foreshadowed throughout the Old Testament. Unlike the Levitical priests, who were themselves sinful and limited, Jesus, though "tempted in every respect, yet without sin" ([Hebrews 4:15](/hebrews/4-15 "Jesus, Our Sympathetic High Priest")), entered into the full human experience of suffering and trial. His suffering was not for His own sin, but for ours, as the "Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world" ([John 1:29](/john/1-29 "John 1:29 - Jesus, the Lamb of God")). This voluntary humiliation and experience of human frailty, culminating in His death and resurrection, uniquely qualified Him to be our advocate before God. Because He endured the cross, despising its shame ([Hebrews 12:2](/hebrews/12-2 "Looking to Jesus, the Founder and Perfecter of Our Faith")), He now sits at the right hand of God, interceding for us with perfect understanding and boundless compassion. His past suffering is the very foundation of His present ability to provide grace and help in our time of need ([Hebrews 4:16](/hebrews/4-16 "Approach the Throne of Grace with Confidence")), making Him the perfect fulfillment of God's redemptive plan for humanity.

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

1 Corinthians 10:13

There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God [is] faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear [it].

Hebrews 4:15

For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as [we are, yet] without sin.

Hebrews 4:16

Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

Jude 1:24

Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present [you] faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,

Hebrews 7:25

Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.

Hebrews 7:26

For such an high priest became us, [who is] holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;

Hebrews 5:2

Who can have compassion on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the way; for that he himself also is compassed with infirmity.