Hebrews 5:8

Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;

Though {G2539} he were {G5607} a Son {G5207}, yet learned he {G3129} obedience {G5218} by {G575} the things which {G3739} he suffered {G3958};

Even though he was the Son, he learned obedience through his sufferings.

Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from what He suffered.

though he was a Son, yet learned obedience by the things which he suffered;

Commentary

Hebrews 5:8 offers a profound insight into the unique nature and mission of Jesus Christ, emphasizing His perfect obedience forged through personal suffering. This verse is central to understanding His qualification as our compassionate and effective High Priest.

Context

This verse is part of a larger argument in the book of Hebrews about the superiority of Jesus Christ's high priesthood over the Levitical system. The author establishes that a high priest must be able to sympathize with human weaknesses (Hebrews 5:2). Verses Hebrews 5:7 specifically mentions Christ's earnest prayers and tears during His earthly ministry, particularly in the face of death, likely referring to His agony in the Garden of Gethsemane. Hebrews 5:8 then clarifies that even as the divine Son, His human experience of suffering was integral to His priestly preparation, demonstrating His perfect obedience.

Key Themes

  • The Paradox of Christ's Nature: The verse highlights the incredible truth that though Jesus was the eternal Son of God, fully divine, He fully embraced His human experience, including suffering. This union of divinity and humanity is crucial for His atoning work.
  • Obedience Perfected Through Suffering: "Learned he obedience" does not imply Christ was ever disobedient or lacked knowledge. Rather, it signifies that His perfect obedience was actively demonstrated, tested, and brought to completion in the crucible of human suffering. It was through His trials, culminating in the cross, that His submission to the Father's will was fully revealed and perfected in His human nature. This active, lived obedience is what qualifies Him as a truly sympathetic and capable High Priest.
  • Empathy and Sympathy of Christ: Because Jesus Himself experienced the depths of human pain and temptation, He can truly understand and empathize with our struggles. This makes Him a High Priest who is not detached but profoundly connected to our human condition (Hebrews 4:15).

Linguistic Insights

The phrase "learned he obedience" comes from the Greek emathen hypakoēn (ἔμαθεν ὑπακοήν). The verb emathen (from manthanō) means "to learn" or "to gain knowledge through experience." In this context, it doesn't suggest a deficiency in Jesus' understanding or will, but rather the experiential aspect of His obedience. He didn't just know obedience; He *experienced* and *demonstrated* it perfectly through the trials He endured. His human will, though always aligned with the Father's, was submitted and refined through the very real agony of His mission, as seen in His prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane: "Nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done."

Practical Application

This verse offers profound encouragement and a model for believers today:

  • Comfort in Suffering: Knowing that Jesus, our High Priest, personally experienced suffering and learned obedience through it, provides immense comfort. He understands our trials, and we can approach Him with confidence in our weakness.
  • Purpose in Trials: While our suffering is not redemptive in the same way Christ's was, it can serve a purpose in our spiritual growth. Just as Jesus' obedience was perfected through suffering, our own faith and obedience can be refined and deepened through the challenges we face, drawing us closer to God's will.
  • Trust in Christ's Priesthood: We can fully trust in Jesus' ability to intercede for us and advocate on our behalf, knowing He was perfectly qualified for this role through His unique experience of suffering and perfect obedience. This obedience led directly to Him becoming the author of eternal salvation for all who obey Him.
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Cross-References

  • Philippians 2:8 (29 votes)

    And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

  • Hebrews 10:5 (14 votes)

    Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me:

  • Hebrews 10:9 (14 votes)

    Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second.

  • John 4:34 (13 votes)

    Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.

  • Isaiah 50:5 (9 votes)

    The Lord GOD hath opened mine ear, and I was not rebellious, neither turned away back.

  • Isaiah 50:6 (9 votes)

    I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting.

  • John 15:10 (7 votes)

    If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.