#DailyDevotion Christ Is Complete In His Suffering

Heb. 2:8 . . .As it is, we do not yet see everything put under Him. ⁹But we do see Jesus, Who for a little while was made lower than the angels, now crowned with glory and honor because He suffered death in order by God’s grace to taste death for everyone. ¹⁰It fitted Him well, for Whom and by Whom everything exists, that in bringing many sons to glory He should make the One Who gives them salvation perfect through suffering.

We confess the belief Jesus is seated at the right hand of Majesty. It is an article of faith. Hence the author says, “we do not yet see everything put under Him.” The author will later bring up the theme of what faith is. We may look at the world and think God and His Christ are not in control. If They exist, They don’t seem to be doing anything about the current ills in the world. There are things we do not see nor understand the outcome. But we also know by faith, “We know that God works all things out for good for those who love God, who are called according to His plan.” (Rom. 8:28)

But we do see Jesus now crowned with glory and honor. The apostles saw Jesus ascend to the right hand of God. He recalls the Psalms claim, “was made lower than the angels,” but “now crowned with glory and honor.” He is crowned with honor and glory because He suffered death. He suffered our death. He tasted death for everyone, that means you. It was God’s grace that He suffered death for you. If Jesus has suffered death then He has also given us the life of God. This too is God’s grace. He willingly gave up Himself and everything He had or was there on the cross so we may become heirs of God and coheirs with Christ. You no longer have to fear death or dying for Christ has removed from us the sting and taste of death. The grave is now our portal to be in the presence of our heavenly Father.

While the Father made everything by and through Jesus Christ in eternity, everything that exists exists for Him and by Him. We are not our own. We were bought with the blood of Christ. It is He who brought many sons to glory. It is as John says in his Gospel ch. 1, “¹²But to all who welcomed Him, who believe in His name, He gave the right to become God’s children. ¹³They have been born, not of the blood of parents, nor of a sexual desire, nor of a man’s desire, but of God.” We are “born from above” through the “water and the Spirit.” We are brought to glory through hearing the Good News of Jesus’ death and resurrection for us. Jesus gives us His salvation. It is a gift but it is not free. It is free to us. Jesus paid the price for us. He is the author and leader of salvation. God made Him perfect or rather complete through suffering. Of course, Jesus is perfect and complete according to His divine nature. Jesus is complete according to His human nature only when He had been tested in the wilderness by the devil, suffered under him through the hands of Jews and Romans, and tasted death for us. As Jesus proclaims from the cross, “It is finished,” He is made complete, perfect. Jesus tells us there in John 19:30, “tetelestai” and here in Hebrews He is, “teleowsai.” It is through suffering, through participating in Christ’s sufferings (2 Cor. 1) the Father perfects and completes our faith. He purifies it and makes it worth more than gold which perishes.

Gracious God and Father, You make such a great salvation for us through Jesus Christ and His suffering. Grant us faith to recognize our suffering as a participation in His passion so we may rejoice in His glory when it is revealed to us on the Last Day. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.