Letter to the Hebrews Volume 42

 Jesus Christ our High Priest Forever Part 3

Hebrews 5:8-10 Though He were a Son, yet learned He obedience by the things which He suffered; And being made perfect, He became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey Him; Called of God an High Priest after the order of Melchizedek. KJV

Our Lord Jesus Christ, up until He was born in a manger in Bethlehem, had no physical form justs as God the Father and God the Holy Spirit. However, immediately after His earthly birth by Mary His form as God was forever altered because of His very own willingness to identify Himself or to be like His brethren whom He would save eternally from sin and death. With that in mind, we find the writer of Hebrews saying something that appears at a first superficial glance to be irreverent or even blasphemous to say of the Son of God, as it is written here in verse 8, "Though He were a Son, yet learned He obedience by the things which He suffered;" (Hebrews 5:8) (KJV). The area of apparent blasphemy in this verse is obviously to speak of the Son of God having 'yet learned' and this little English phrase is translated by the Greek word manthanō meaning to learn in any way; to understand. The English word 'obedience' is translated by the Greek word hupakoē meaning attentive hearkening, that is, (by implication) compliance or submission. Already we are alarmed by the words of learning and obedience attached to our Lord, Master, and Savior Jesus Christ, for being Omniscient, that is, infinitely wise or all-knowing would immediately cast doubt or suspicion on the idea that He learned anything. However, we know that there is no error in the Word of God and that our Lord Jesus Christ (being God in human flesh) did not have to learn obedience, as it is written of Him with His own words documented by the Apostle John, "And He that sent Me is with Me: the Father hath not left Me alone; for I do always those things that please Him." (John 8:29) (KJV). Here is what Vincent's Word Studies had to say about our Lord Jesus 'learning obedience', "Jesus did not have to learn to obey; but He required the special discipline of a severe human experience as a training for His office as a High Priest who could be touched with the feeling of human infirmities. He did not need to be disciplined out of any inclination to disobedience; but, as Alford puts it, 'the special course of submission by which He became perfected as our High Priest was gone through in time, and was a matter of acquirement and practice.' This is no more strange than His growth in wisdom, Luke 2:52. Growth in experience was an essential part of His humanity."

Next the writer of Hebrews expresses, expounds, and explains the most important reason why every human being needs a Savior from sin, death, and hell with these next words in verses 9 & 10, "And being made perfect, He became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey Him; Called of God an High Priest after the order of Melchizedek." (Hebrews 5:9-10) (KJV). The first man Adam was created by God to love, serve, and worship Him (God), but Adam was created with free will, meaning he could choose to believe God and obey God always or in the way things actually happened, he could at some point choose to rebel and disobey God, as he did with his wife Eve (Genesis 3:1-24). The Bible does not give us a timetable as to how long Adam and Eve lived peacefully, perfectly, and prosperously in the Garden of Eden before their rebellion, but I submit to you that it was perhaps centuries or even millenniums. Nevertheless, they finally yielded and in so doing cursed themselves and all their future human seed with being born with a sinful nature in the inner man or inner woman. This is why our Lord Jesus Christ who never had a physical form as God, as it is written, "God is a Spirit: and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth." (John 4:24) (KJV), came into the world being born into the world through a virgin Mary (as His Mother) and God the Holy Spirit impregnating her with the seed of God, as it is written, "Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as His mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily. But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call His name JESUS: for He shall save His people from their sins. Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call His name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us." (Matthew 1:18-23) (KJV). Note: "If asked how old He were when He walked on the earth, the Lord Jesus could say to the people that on my Mother's side I'm 33 years old, but on my Father's side I'm older than my Mother." Jesus was fully man and fully God at the same time. The way He was made perfect was being a man He did the whole or complete will of God during His time on the earth never having ever sinned (not even once) in word, thought, or deed and this made Him alone the acceptable sacrifice for humanities sin (that is an offence to God). Therefore, all who come to Him are made perfect in the site of God the Father, for we are seen not for the sinners we are but for the sacrifice for our sin we have accpeted and that being Jesus Christ. We are perfect in the site of God the Father because He (Christ) is perfect and He covers our sins continually with His Blood.

Here is what Dr. John Gill had to say of Christ being the author of our eternal salvation after the order of Melchizedek , "In His obedience, through sufferings; having completed His obedience, gone through His sufferings, and finished His sacrifice, and being perfectly glorified in heaven: He became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey Him; the salvation Christ is the author of is 'eternal'; it was resolved upon from eternity, and contrived in it; it was secured in the everlasting covenant, in which not only a Saviour was provided, but blessings both of grace and glory: and it is to eternity; and stands distinguished from a temporal salvation, and is opposed to eternal damnation; it is the salvation of the soul, which is immortal; and it takes in both grace and glory, which are of a durable nature; and the continuance of it is owing to the abiding and lasting virtue of Christ's person, blood, and righteousness: and Christ is the cause or author of this salvation, by His obedience and sufferings; by obeying the precept, and bearing the penalty of the law; by the price of His blood, and by the power of His arm; by His death and by His life; by His sacrifice on the Cross, and by His intercession in heaven; by bestowing grace here, and glory hereafter: this shows that salvation is done, and that Christ is the sole author of it, and that all the glory of it should be given to Him; and those to whom He is the author of salvation, are such as hearken to the voice of His Gospel, and obey Him in His ordinances. Christ is not the author of salvation to all men; all men do not obey Him; all those whom Christ saves, He brings them to an obedience to Himself; for His obedience for them does not exempt them from obedience to Him, though their obedience is no cause of their salvation; Christ Himself is the alone author of that. There is a resemblance between Melchizedek and Christ; many things that are said of the one, agree with the other: there is a likeness in Melchizedek to Christ; in his person, and what is said of him, that he was without father and mother; and in his office as a priest, and in the manner of his installment into it; and in the antiquity, dignity, and perpetuity of it: and this is repeated for the further confirmation of Christ's priesthood, and is a conclusion of the truth of it from sufficient evidence: this does not so much design the constitution of Christ as priest, nor the call of Him to that office, as the denomination or surnaming of Him a priest of Melchizedek's order, because of the agreement between them; and contains a reason of Christ's being the author of eternal salvation, because He is a priest for ever; and prevents any objections against Christ's priesthood, and opens a way to discourse more largely concerning it."

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...


Sincerely in Christ,


Clifford D. Tate, Sr.


Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…