hebrews 5.8-9 a consideration of meaning

8/3/2019 Hebrews 5.8-9 a Consideration of Meaning

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Hebrews 5:8-9A Consideration of Meaning

According To

OrthodoxChristianExpositors &

Commentators

Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedienceby the things which he suffered;And being made perfect,

he became the author of eternal salvationunto all them that obey him


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Hebrews 5:8 A Consideration ofMeaning

By Ronnie Bray

The of Book of Hebrews contains this interesting passage:

8: Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things

which he suffered;

9:And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal

salvation unto all them that obey him[Hebrews 5 - AV]

Bible Commentaries offer explanations

8: Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things

which he suffered;

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Though he were a Son - Though the Son of God. Though hesustained this exalted rank, and was conscious of it, yet he waswilling to learn experimentally what is meant by obedience in themidst of sufferings.

Yet learned he obedience - That is, he learned experimentally andpractically. It cannot be supposed that he did not "know" whatobedience was; or that he was "indisposed" to obey God before hesuffered; or that he had, as we have, perversities of nature leadingto rebellion which required to be subdued by suffering, but that hewas willing to "test" the power of obedience in sufferings; to

become personally and practically acquainted with the nature of


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such obedience in the midst of protracted woes.1 The "object" hereis, to show how well suited the Lord Jesus was to be a Saviour formankind; and the argument is, that he has set us an example, andhas shown that the most perfect obedience may be manifested in

the deepest sorrows of the body and the soul. Hence, learn that oneof the objects of affliction is to lead us "to obey God." In

prosperity we forget it. We become self-confident and rebellious."Then" God lays his hand upon us; breaks up our plans; crushesour hopes; takes away our health, and teaches us that we "must" besubmissive to his will. Some of the most valuable lessons ofobedience are learned in the furnace of affliction; and many of themost submissive children of the Almighty have been made so as

the result of protracted woes.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

Though he were a Son ... The Son of God, as the Vulgate Latinversion reads; not by creation, nor by adoption, nor by office, but

by nature, being the only begotten of the Father, having the same

nature and perfections with him:yet learned he obedience; not to his parents, or civil magistrates,though that is true; nor merely to the precepts of the law, which hedid; but unto death: through sufferings he became obedient todeath, even the death of the cross: and this he learnt; not that hewas ignorant of the nature of it; nor was he destitute of an obedientdisposition to it; but the meaning is, he had an experience of it, andeffected it; and which was voluntary, and done in our room and

stead; and is the rule and the measure of our righteousness beforeGod: and this he learned,

by the things which he suffered; from men, from devils, and fromthe justice of God. Christ's sonship did not exempt him from1 Compare Philippians 2:8


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obedience and sufferings; this shows the dignity of Christ's person,that he is the Son of God, not as Mediator, for as such he is aservant; and it would be no wonder that he should learn obedienceas a servant; and this shows also the great humility and

condescension of Christ in obeying and suffering for us; though sogreat a person; and likewise the vile nature of sin, and thestrictness of divine justice: and we may learn from hence, not toexpect to be exempted from sufferings on account of sonship; norto conclude we are not sons, because we suffer; and that afflictionsare instructive, and by them experience is learned.

Vincent's Word Studies

Though he were a Son ( )

For were render was. His training for the priesthood involvedsuffering, even though he was a son. Connect with learned, not with the preceding clause, which would mean that his positionas a son did not exempt him from the obligation to godly fear,

which is true as a fact,

2

but is not the point of emphasis here.Learned he obedience ( )

Omit he,since the subject of learned is who, Hebrews5:7. Jesus did not have to learn to obey,3 but he required the specialdiscipline of a severe human experience as a training for his officeas a high priest who could be touched with the feeling of humaninfirmities. He did not need to be disciplined out of any inclination

to disobedience; but, as Alford puts it, "the special course ofsubmission by which he became perfected as our high priest wasgone through in time, and was a matter of acquirement and

2 See Hebrews 5:73 See John 8:29


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practice." This is no more strange than his growth in wisdom.4

Growth in experience was an essential part of his humanity.

By the things which he suffered(' )

Or from the things, etc. Note the word-play, . So Croesus, addressing Cyrus, says, , , , "my sufferings, though painful, haveproved to be lessons"5 ' "mayst thou notlearn by suffering."

Geneva Study Bible

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

which he suffered;

That is, He learned indeed what it is to have a Father, whom a manmust obey.

People's New Testament

5:8 Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience. He claimedno special exemptions because he was the Son, but learned andtaught obedience in the supremest test that the world ever saw.

By the things which he suffered. He learned obedienceexperimentally.

Wesley's Notes

4 See Luke 2:52, &c5 Hdt. i.:207: Soph. Trach. 142


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5:8 Though he were a Son - This is interposed,3 lest any should beoffended at all these instances of human weakness. In the garden,how frequently did he call God his Father!6 And hence it mostevidently appears that his being the Son of God did not arise

merely from his resurrection. Yet learned he - The word learned,premised to the word suffered, elegantly shows how willingly helearned. He learned obedience, when be began to suffer; when heapplied himself to drink that cup: obedience in suffering and dying.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

8. Though He WAS(so it ought to be translated: a positive admittedfact: not a mere supposition as were would imply) God's divineSon (whence, even in His agony, He so lovingly and often cried,Father),7 yet He learned His (so the Greek) obedience, not fromHis Sonship, but from His sufferings. As the Son, He was alwaysobedient to the Father's will; but the special obedience needed toqualify Him as our High Priest, He learned experimentally in

practical suffering.8 He was obedient already before His passion,

but He stooped to a still more humiliating and trying form ofobedience then. The Greek adage is, "Pathemata mathemata,""sufferings, disciplinings." Praying and obeying, as in Christ'scase, ought to go hand in hand.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

5:1-10 The High Priest must be a man, a partaker of our nature.

This shows that man had sinned. For God would not suffer sinfulman to come to him alone. But every one is welcome to God, thatcomes to him by this High Priest; and as we value acceptance with6 Mt 26:39 &c7 Mt 26:398 Philippians 2:6-8, "equal with God, but . took upon Him the form of a servant, and became obedient untodeath," &c.


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God, and pardon, we must apply by faith to this our great HighPriest Christ Jesus, who can intercede for those that are out of theway of truth, duty, and happiness; one who has tenderness to leadthem back from the by-paths of error, sin, and misery. Those only

can expect assistance from God, and acceptance with him, and hispresence and blessing on them and their services, that are called ofGod. This is applied to Christ. In the days of his flesh, Christ madehimself subject to death: he hungered: he was a tempted, suffering,dying Jesus. Christ set an example, not only to pray, but to befervent in prayer. How many dry prayers, how few wetted withtears, do we offer up to God! He was strengthened to support theimmense weight of suffering laid upon him. There is no real

deliverance from death but to be carried through it. He was raisedand exalted, and to him was given the power of saving all sinnersto the uttermost, who come unto God through him. Christ has leftus an example that we should learn humble obedience to the will ofGod, by all our afflictions. We need affliction, to teach ussubmission. His obedience in our nature encourages our attemptsto obey, and for us to expect support and comfort under all thetemptations and sufferings to which we are exposed. Being made

perfect for this great work, he is become the Author of eternalsalvation to all that obey him. But are we of that number?

Matthew Henry's Whole Bible Commentary

Hebrews Chapter 5

In this chapter the apostle continues his discourse upon the

priesthood of Christ, a sweet subject, which he would not too soondismiss. And here,

I. He explains the nature of the priestly office in general (v. 1-3).


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II. The proper and regular call there must be to this office (v. 4-6).

III. The requisite qualifications for the work (v. 7-9).IV. The peculiar order of the priesthood of Christ; it was not after

the order of Aaron, but of Melchisedec (v. 6, 7, 10).V. He reproves the Hebrews, that they had not made those

improvements in knowledge which might have made themcapable of looking into the more abstruse and mysterious

parts of scripture (v. 11-14).

Verses 1-9

We have here an account of the nature of the priestly office ingeneral, though with an accommodation to the Lord Jesus Christ.We are told,

1. Of what kind of beings the high priest must be. He mustbe taken from among men; he must be a man, one ofourselves, bone of our bones, flesh of our flesh, and spiritof our spirits, a partaker of our nature, and a standard-

bearer among ten thousand. This implies,

a. That man had sinned.b. That God would not admit sinful man to come to him immediately

and alone, without a high priest, who must be taken from amongmen.

c. That God was pleased to take one from among men, by whom theymight approach God in hope, and he might receive them withhonour.

d. That every one shall now be welcome to God that comes to him bythis his priest.

2. For whom every high priest is ordained: For men in thingspertaining to God, for the glory of God and the good of men, thathe might come between God and man. So Christ did; and thereforelet us never attempt to go to God but through Christ, nor expectany favour from God but through Christ.


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3. For what purpose every high priest was ordained: That hemight offer both gifts and sacrifices for sin.

a. That he might offer gifts or free-will offerings, broughtto the high priest, so offered for the glory of God, andas an acknowledgment that our all is of him and fromhim; we have nothing but what he is pleased to give us,and of his own we offer to him an oblation ofacknowledgment. This intimates,

b. That all we bring to God must be free and not forced; itmust be a gift; it must be given and not taken away

again.c. That all we bring to God must go through the highpriest's hands, as the great agent between God and man.

3. That he might offer sacrifices for sin; that is, the offeringsthat were appointed to make atonement, that sin might be pardonedand sinners accepted. Thus Christ is constituted a high priest for

both these ends. Our good deeds must be presented by Christ, to

render ourselves and them acceptable; and our evil deeds must beexpiated by the sacrifice of himself, that they may not condemnand destroy us. And now, as we value acceptance with God and

pardon, we must apply ourselves by faith to this our great highpriest.

4. How this high priest must be qualified, v. 2.

a. He must be one that can have compassion on two

sorts of persons: -b. On the ignorant, or those that are guilty of sins of

ignorance. He must be one who can find in hisheart to pity them, and intercede with God forthem, one that is willing to instruct those that aredull of understanding.


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c. On those that are out of the way, out of the way oftruth, duty, and happiness; and he must be onewho has tenderness enough to lead them backfrom the by-paths of error, sin, and misery, into

the right way: this will require great patience andcompassion, even the compassion of a God.

5. He must also be compassed with infirmity; and so be ablefrom himself feelingly to consider our frame, and to sympathizewith us. Thus Christ was qualified. He took upon him our sinlessinfirmities; and this gives us great encouragement to applyourselves to him under every affliction; for in all the afflictions of

his people he is afflicted.

6. How the high priest was to be called of God. He must haveboth an internal and external call to his office: For no mantaketh this honour to himself,9 that is, no man ought to do it,no man can do it legally; if any does it, he must be reckoneda usurper, and treated accordingly. Here observe,

1. The office of the priesthood was a very great

honour. To be employed to stand between Godand man, one while representing God and his willto men, at another time representing man and hiscase to God, and dealing between them aboutmatters of the highest importance-entrusted on

both sides with the honour of God and thehappiness of man-must render the office veryhonourable.

2. The priesthood is an office and honour that no

man ought to take to himself; if he does, he canexpect no success in it, nor any reward for it, onlyfrom himself. He is an intruder who is not calledof God, as was Aaron. Observe,

9 verse 4


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a. God is the fountain of all honour,especially true spiritual honour. He isthe fountain of true authority, whetherhe calls any to the priesthood in an

extraordinary way, as he did Aaron, orin an ordinary way, as he called hissuccessors.

b. Those only can expect assistance fromGod, and acceptance with him, and his

presence and blessing on them andtheir administrations, that are called ofGod; others may expect a blast instead

of a blessing.

7. How this is brought home and applied to Christ: So Christglorified not himself.10 Observe here, Though Christ reckoned ithis glory to be made a high priest, yet he would not assume thatglory to himself. He could truly say, I seek not my own glory. 11

Considered as God, he was not capable of any additional glory, butas man and Mediator he did not run without being sent; and, if he

did not, surely others should be afraid to do it.7. The apostle prefers Christ before Aaron, both in the manner

of his call and in the holiness of his person.

a. In the manner of his call, in which God said untohim, Thou art my Son, this day have I begottenthee,12 referring to his eternal generation as God,his wonderful conception as man, and his perfect

qualification as Mediator. Thus God solemnlydeclared his dear affection to Christ, hisauthoritative appointment of him to the office of a

10 verse 511 John 8:5012 Psalm 2:7


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Mediator, his installment and approbation of himin that office, his acceptance of him, and of all hehad done or should do in the discharge of it. NowGod never said thus to Aaron. Another expression

that God used in the call of Christ we have inPsalm 110:4, Thou art a priest for ever, after theorder of Melchisedec.13 God the Father appointedhim a priest of a higher order than that of Aaron.The priesthood of Aaron was to be but temporary;the priesthood of Christ was to be perpetual: the

priesthood of Aaron was to be successive,descending from the fathers to the children; the

priesthood of Christ, after the order ofMelchisedec, was to be personal, and the highpriest immortal as to his office, without descent,having neither beginning of days nor end of life,as it is more largely described in the seventhchapter, and will be opened there.

b. Christ is here preferred to Aaron in the holiness ofhis person. Other priests were to offer up

sacrifices, as for the sins of others, so forthemselves.14 But Christ needed not to offer forsins for himself, for he had done no violence,neither was there any deceit in his mouth.15 Andsuch a high priest became us.

9. We have an account of Christ's discharge of this his office,and of the consequences of that discharge.16

13 verse 614 verse 315 Isaiah 53:916 Verses 7-9


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i. The discharge of his office of the priesthood:17 Who in thedays of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers andsupplications, etc. Here observe,

a. He took to him flesh, and for some daystabernacled therein; he became a mortal man, andreckoned his life by days, herein setting us anexample how we should reckon ours. Were we toreckon our lives by days, it would be a means toquicken us to do the work of every day in its day.

b. Christ, in the days of his flesh, subjected himselfto death; he hungered, he was a tempted, bleeding,

dying Jesus! He body is now in heaven, but it is aspiritual glorious body.c. God the Father was able to save him from death.

He could have prevented his dying, but he wouldnot; for then the great design of his wisdom andgrace must have been defeated. What would have

become of us if God had saved Christ from dying?The Jews reproachfully said, Let him deliver himnow, if he will have him

.

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But it was in kindnessto us that the Father would not suffer that bittercup to pass away from him; for then we must havedrunk the dregs of it, and been miserable for ever.

d. Christ, in the days of his flesh, offered up prayersand supplications to his Father, as an earnest ofhis intercession in heaven. A great many instanceswe have of Christ's praying. This refers to his

prayer in his agony,19 and to that before his

agony20 which he put up for his disciples, and allwho should believe on his name.

17 verse 718 Mt. 27:4319 Matthew. 26:39 & 27:4620 John 17


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e. The prayers and supplications that Christ offeredup were joined with strong cries and tears, hereinsetting us an example not only to pray, but to befervent and importunate in prayer. How many dry

prayers, how few wet ones, do we offer up toGod!

f. Christ was heard in that he feared. How? Why hewas answered by present supports in and underhis agonies, and in being carried well throughdeath, and delivered from it by a gloriousresurrection: He was heard in that he feared. Hehad an awful sense of the wrath of God, of the

weight of sin. His human nature was ready to sinkunder the heavy load, and would have sunk, hadhe been quite forsaken in point of help andcomfort from God; but he was heard in this, hewas supported under the agonies of death. He wascarried through death; and there is no realdeliverance from death but to be carried wellthrough it. We may have many recoveries from

sickness, but we are never saved from death tillwe are carried well through it. And those that arethus saved from death will be fully delivered atlast by a glorious resurrection, of which theresurrection of Christ was the earnest and first-fruits.

ii. The consequences of this discharge of his office, v. 8, 9, etc.

a. By these his sufferings he learned obedience, though hewas a Son.21 Here observe,1. The privilege of Christ: He was a Son; the only-

begotten of the Father. One would have thoughtthis might have exempted him from suffering, but

21 v. 8


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it did not. Let none then who are the children ofGod by adoption expect an absolute freedom fromsuffering. What Son is he whom the Fatherchasteneth not?

2. Christ made improvement by his sufferings. Byhis passive obedience, he learned activeobedience; that is, he practiced that great lesson,and made it appear that he was well and perfectlylearned in it; though he never was disobedient, yethe never performed such an act of obedience aswhen he became obedient to death, even to thedeath of the cross. Here he has left us an example,

that we should learn by all our afflictions ahumble obedience to the will of God. We needaffliction, to teach us submission.

ii. By these his sufferings he was made perfect, and became theauthor of eternal salvation to all who obey him22.

a. Christ by his sufferings was consecrated to his office,

consecrated by his own blood.b. By his sufferings he consummated that part of his officewhich was to be performed on earth, makingreconciliation for iniquity; and in this sense he is said to

be made perfect, a perfect propitiation.c. Hereby he has become the author of eternal salvation to

men; he has by his sufferings purchased a fulldeliverance from sin and misery, and a full fruition ofholiness and happiness for his people. Of this salvation

he has given notice in the gospel; he has made a tenderof it in the new covenant, and has sent the Spirit toenable men to accept this salvation.

d. This salvation is actually bestowed on none but thosewho obey Christ. It is not sufficient that we have some

22 verse 9


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doctrinal knowledge of Christ, or that we make aprofession of faith in him, but we must hearken to hisword, and obey him.

e. He is exalted to be a prince to rule us, as well as a

Saviour to deliver us; and he will be a Saviour to nonebut to those whom he is a prince, and who are willingthat he should reign over them; the rest he will accounthis enemies, and treat them accordingly. But to thosewho obey him, devoting themselves to him, denyingthemselves, and taking up their cross, and followinghim, he will be the author, aitios the grand cause oftheir salvation, and they shall own him as such for ever.

Now we will consider verse 9

And being made perfect,

he became the author of eternal salvation

unto all them that obey him

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

And being made perfect- That is, being made a "complete"Saviour- a Saviour suited in all respects to redeem people. Sufferings werenecessary to the "completeness" or the "finish" of his character as aSaviour, not to his moral perfection, for he was always without sin;

He became the author- That is, he was the procuring cause (

aitios) of salvation. It is to be traced wholly to his sufferings anddeath,


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"Unto all them that obey him."It is not to save those who live insin. Only those who "obey"him have any evidence that they will

be saved.23

Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

And being made perfect- And having finished all -having died and risen again. signifies to haveobtained the goal; to have ended one's labor, and enjoyed the fruitsof it.

[Hebrews 12:23 : The spirits of just men made perfect, ,means the souls of those who have gained the goal, and obtained the prize.]

So, when Christ had finished his course of tremendous sufferings,and consummated the whole by his death and resurrection, he

became , the cause of eternal salvationunto all them who obey him. He was consecrated both highs priestand sacrifice by his offering upon the cross.

"In this verse," says Dr. Macknight, "three things are clearly stated:

1. That obedience to Christ is equally necessary to salvationwith believing on him.

2. That he was made perfect as a high priest by offering himselfa sacrifice for sin.24

3. That, by the merit of that sacrifice, he hath obtained pardonand eternal life for them who obey him."

He tasted death for every man; but he is the author and cause ofeternal salvation only to them who obey him.

23 See John 14:1524 Hebrews 8:3


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It is not merely believers, but obedient believers, that shall befinally saved.

Therefore this text is an absolute, unimpeachable evidence, that it

is not the imputed obedience of Christ that saves any man. Christhas bought men by his blood; and by the infinite merit of his deathhe has purchased for them an endless glory; but, in order to be

prepared for it, the sinner must, through that grace which Godwithholds from no man, repent, turn from sin, believe on Jesus as

being a sufficient ransom and sacrifice for his soul, receive the giftof the Holy Ghost, be a worker together with him, walk inconformity to the Divine will through this Divine aid, and continue

faithful unto death, through him, out of whose fullness he mayreceive grace upon grace.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And being made perfect.... 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 wasresolved upon from eternity, and contrived in it; it was secured inthe everlasting covenant, in which not only a Saviour was

provided, but blessings both of grace and glory: and it is toeternity; and stands distinguished from a temporal salvation, and isopposed to eternal damnation; it is the salvation of the soul, which

is immortal; and it takes in both grace and glory, which are of adurable nature; and the continuance of it is owing to the abidingand lasting virtue of Christ's person, blood, and righteousness: andChrist is the cause or author of this salvation, by his obedience andsufferings; by obeying the precept, and bearing the penalty of thelaw; by the price of his blood, and by the power of his arm; by his


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death and by his life; by his sacrifice on the cross, and by hisintercession in heaven; by bestowing grace here, and gloryhereafter: this shows that salvation is done, and that Christ is thesole 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 ashearken 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 obeyhim; all those whom Christ saves, he brings them to an obedienceto himself; for his obedience for them does not exempt them fromobedience to him, though their obedience is no cause of theirsalvation; Christ himself is the alone author of that.

Vincent's Word Studies

And being made perfect( )

Compare with Hebrews 2:10. The fundamental idea in is the bringing of a person or thing to the goal fixed by God.25 Here

of Christ's having reached the end which was contemplated in hisdivinely-appointed discipline for the priesthood. Theconsummation was attained in his death, Philippians 2:8; hisobedience extended even unto death.

The author of eternal salvation ( ) 26

Unto all them that obey him ( )

25 Compare Hebrews 7:11, Hebrews 7:19; Hebrews 9:9; Hebrews 10:1, Hebrews 10:14; Hebrews 11:40;Hebrews 12:2326 , N.T., an adjective, causing. Comp. captain of salvation, Hebrews 2:10. The phrase eternal salvation N.T.o , but see lxx, Isaiah 15:17. Not everlasting salvation, but a salvation of which all the conditions, attainments, privileges, and rewards transcend the conditions and limitations oftime


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Obey points to obedience,27 and salvation to save.28 If the captainof salvation must learn obedience, so must his followers.29

Geneva Study Bible

And being made30 perfect, he became the author of eternalsalvation unto all them that obey him;

The other part of the first comparison: Christ was consecrated byGod the Father as the author of our salvation, and an High Priestfor ever, and therefore he is a man, though nonetheless he is far

above all men.

People's New Testament

5:9 And being made perfect - Fitted in all points to be our highpriest by his suffering; made, not a perfect man, for he was thatalready, but a perfect high priest.

He became the author of eternal salvation. Was able to offer thegospel to all nations, and thus to save

all them that obey him. He does not save men in disobedience.

Wesley's Notes

5:9 And being perfected- By sufferings,31 brought through all toglory. He became the author - The procuring and efficient cause.

27 Hebrews 5:828 Hebrews 5:729 Compare with 2 Thessalonians 1:830 See Hebrews 2:1031 Hebrews 2:10


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Of eternal salvation to all that obey him - By [their] doing andsuffering his whole will.

Scofield Reference Notes

Marginsalvation32

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

9. made perfect-completed, brought to His goal of learning and

suffering through death,33

namely, at His glorious resurrection andascension.

Author Greek, "cause."

eternal salvation obtained for us in the short "days of Jesus'flesh,"34 "for ever." 35

unto all . that obey him Even as Christ obeyed the Father, somust we obey Him by faith.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

The High Priest must be a man, a partaker of our nature. Thisshows that man had sinned. For God would not suffer sinful manto come to him alone.

But every one is welcome to God, that comes to him by this HighPriest; and as we value acceptance with God, and pardon, we must32 See Romans 1:1633 This spake Alford34 Hebrews 5:7; compare Hebrews 5:635 Isaiah 45:17


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apply by faith to this our great High Priest Christ Jesus, who canintercede for those that are out of the way of truth, duty, andhappiness; one who has tenderness to lead them back from the by-

paths of error, sin, and misery. Those only can expect assistance

from God, and acceptance with him, and his presence and blessingon them and their services, that are called of God. This is appliedto Christ. In the days of his flesh, Christ made himself subject todeath: he hungered: he was a tempted, suffering, dying Jesus.Christ set an example, not only to pray, but to be fervent in prayer.How many dry prayers, how few wetted with tears, do we offer upto God! He was strengthened to support the immense weight ofsuffering laid upon him. There is no real deliverance from death

but to be carried through it. He was raised and exalted, and to himwas given the power of saving all sinners to the uttermost, whocome unto God through him. Christ has left us an example that weshould learn humble obedience to the will of God, by all ourafflictions. We need affliction, to teach us submission. Hisobedience in our nature encourages our attempts to obey, and forus to expect support and comfort under all the temptations andsufferings to which we are exposed. Being made perfect for this

great work, he is become the Author of eternal salvation to all thatobey him. But are we of that number?

This salvation is actually bestowed on none but those who obeyChrist.

It is not sufficient that we have some doctrinal knowledge ofChrist, or that we make a profession of faith in him, but we musthearken to his word, and obey him.

He is exalted to be a prince to rule us, as well as a Saviour todeliver us; and he will be a Saviour to none but to those whom heis a prince, and who are willing that he should reign over them; therest he will account his enemies, and treat them accordingly.


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But to those who obey him, devoting themselves to him, denyingthemselves, and taking up their cross, and following him, he will

be the author, aitios the grand cause of their salvation, and theyshall own [recognise] him as such for ever.


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3 compare Philippians 2:8

hebrews 5.8-9 a consideration of meaning

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