Hebrews 2:18

“For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.” (Hebrews 2:18 ESV). This is one of many verses I have memorized without thinking about the context from which it was taken. It is a verse of encouragement during times of temptation. If the Lord was tempted and endured suffering, then we can also.

The verse by itself is like sitting down to a Chinese meal of just rice. How much nicer the meal is when the lazy susan in front of us is covered with many dishes of wonderful food to eat with our rice while we enjoy rich fellowship with those sitting around the table with us. The same idea applies when you look at verses that form the context of our verse. Why was Jesus tempted and what was his suffering and how might that apply to our temptation? Let's back up to verse 5 and read down to our verse and see.

For a time, Jesus was made a little lower than the angles and nailed to a cross to die for our salvation. It was through his suffering of death that he would bring many sons and daughters to glory. Along his route to the cross there were temptations to not continue. His temptations in the wilderness and in the garden. Even on the cross, religious leaders cried out, “Come down off the cross and save yourself”, but Jesus endured to the end. Because of this God raised him up and crowned him with glory and honor and as a result we are not ashamed to put our trust in him.

This brings us to our verse in which he is able to help us when we are tempted because he himself has suffered when tempted and endured. Thinking about an application in context I remind you of our brothers and sisters who face persecution and suffer for their faith. They may be tempted to deny Jesus to save themselves, but they endure with love and forgiveness and through their sacrifice the church grows. Context provides the main application while the verse by itself ends up with lesser but yet important applications.

Prayer

Lord, thank you for the suffering you endured to purchase our salvation. Thank you for the help you provide us when we are tempted in some way. Some may stand in the face of death for their faith and be tempted to back down while others are tempted to be unfaithful toward their spouse for a moment of regretful pleasure. In any case you are there to encourage us to endure, to do what is right and thus maintain an effective witness for those around us to see.