Heb 5:7-9 “Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ” – Part 3

[Study Aired September 3, 2020]

Heb 5:7  Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared; 
Heb 5:8  Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; 
Heb 5:9  And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him; 

If ever there was a section of scripture that admonished us to “put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ” explaining how that process is accomplished in a very condensed way, this is that section (Heb 5:7-14) at which we will examine verses seven to nine.

What Christ experienced in His life has a spiritual application to our own lives (1Jn 4:17) and is part of the confirming knowledge that God’s elect have been called unto in this age so that we can be conformed to his image as we die daily to self by living by the faith of the Son of God (Act 14:22, Rom 12:2-3,  Gal 2:20).

Rom 12:2  And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
Rom 12:3  For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.

Gal 2:20  I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

If we are as Christ is in this world, then we will be going through a maturing process as He did that will cause us to grow in wisdom and in spiritual stature, which is what it takes to “think soberly” (2Pe 3:18, 1Co 3:6).

2Pe 3:18  But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.

1Co 3:6  I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.

Partaking of the strong meat of the bullock offering, found in Leviticus 4:21 and Hebrews 13:13, represents our receiving of Christ’s strength through whom we can endure all things (Php 4:13) as we are matured through fiery trials (1Pe 4:12) which strengthen our new man so we can in turn bear each other’s burdens as a result of the comfort we will receive through our trials that will be used for others (2Co 1:4, Col 1:24).

Lev 4:21  And he shall carry forth the bullock without the camp, and burn him as he burned the first bullock: it is a sin offering for the congregation.

Heb 13:13  Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach.

Php 4:13  I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

1Pe 4:12  Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:

2Co 1:4  Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.

Col 1:24  Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church:

Whatever suffering God has deemed necessary for us in this life will be accompanied with the measure of faith we will need to operate (1Co 10:13, Rom 12:3) as we go outside the camp and continue stedfastly in God’s service (2Pe 3:17) waiting patiently for His return (Tit 2:13, Heb 10:36).

1Co 10:13  There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

Rom 12:3  For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.

2Pe 3:17  Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness.

Tit 2:13  Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;

Heb 10:36  For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.

As God’s elect we are called to separate ourselves from the world by being partakers of the communion of Christ’s suffering (1Co 10:16), the food and drink offering that are found at the altar which is the cross where we partake of God’s fiery words (Heb 13:10, Isa 3:1, Isa 4:1) that sanctify us (Joh 17:17, Rev 15:8) so that our old man, our carnal nature, can be destroyed (2Co 6:17, Isa 33:14).

1Co 10:16  The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?

Heb 13:10  We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle.

Isa 3:1  For, behold, the Lord, the LORD of hosts, doth take away from Jerusalem and from Judah the stay and the staff, the whole stay of bread, and the whole stay of water,

Isa 4:1  And in that day seven women shall take hold of one man, saying, We will eat our own bread, and wear our own apparel: only let us be called by thy name, to take away our reproach.

Joh 17:17  Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

Rev 15:8  And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power; and no man was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled.

2Co 6:17  Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,

Isa 33:14  The sinners in Zion are afraid; fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites. Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings?

Being able to receive the strong meat spoken of in Hebrews 5:14 is putting on Christ, and when we were young spiritually our senses had not yet been exercised to discern good and evil still being under the delusion that we had free moral agency as we dressed ourselves with the words of God according to the idol of our own hearts.

Joh 21:18  Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not.

Eze 14:4  Therefore speak unto them, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Every man of the house of Israel that setteth up his idols in his heart, and putteth the stumblingblock of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to the prophet; I the LORD will answer him that cometh according to the multitude of his idols;

Mat 25:24  Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed:

Psa 18:26  With the pure thou wilt shew thyself pure; and with the froward thou wilt shew thyself froward.

Those times of being deceived were our former conversation of times past (Eph 2:2) and represent the way we thought we were dressing ourselves spiritually that God allowed for contrast so that when the blessed day came that Christ referred to as “At that day” in John 14:20 we began to see His sovereignty in all things – in light and in darkness, in good and in evil – and how God was working all things according to the counsel of His own will (Eph 1:11, Act 17:28). In particular we began to see this in the lives of God’s elect and how “all things work together for good to them that love God [Joh 14:15], to them who are the called according to his purpose [Rom 11:5]” (Rom 8:28), who were blessed to be girded by “another shall gird thee”, that ‘another’ being Jesus Christ and His body who, through the trials of this life, mature into a kind of first fruits who are now clothed with the righteousness of Christ (Rev 19:8) being the first to trust in God unto salvation (Col 1:24, Eph 1:12).

Eph 2:2  Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
Eph 2:3  Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

Col 1:24  Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church:

Eph 1:12  That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.

Rev 19:8  And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.

Heb 5:7  Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared;

It is in “the days of his flesh” that we learned of the meekness of our Lord as a lamb of God who was brought to the slaughter “and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth” (Isa 53:7) for our sakes to take away the sins of the world within us (Joh 1:29, 1Jn 2:16).

Isa 53:7  He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.

Joh 1:29  The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

1Jn 2:16  For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

Christ’s experience of being tempted in all diverse manner yet without sin was necessary for us to have a high priest who could be “touched with the feeling of our infirmities” (Heb 4:14-15, 1Jn 4:17), and it was when Christ was in His flesh that “he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears” as He came “boldly unto the throne of grace, that [He] we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need” (Heb 4:16). Our Lord had to endure such tremendous physical and spiritual battles for our sakes, and we are told to “consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds” for that very reason; to remind us that if Christ could endure all of that, then the same can be said of His body, the church who fills up what is behind of His afflictions and can endure all things through Christ who strengthens us.

2Co 4:15  For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God.

Col 1:24  Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church:

“Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin” (1Pe 4:1). We ought to not think it strange, in other words, concerning the fiery trials we must endure, knowing that it is through those trials we can be made ready to rule under Christ (1Pe 4:12, Php 1:29). “Let us therefore fear” as Christ did “lest a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it” (Heb 4:1), and let us understand that to deny we can endure all things through Christ (Php 4:13) is simply a matter of not being given the faith to say otherwise, and so we see two spirits, one being the spirit of anti-Christ that denies what God can do through us (1Jn 4:3-4, Col 1:27), and another spirit of faith which God gives to His elect to witness of His faithfulness that will finish what He has started within us. Boasting is excluded therefore by that law of faith, and boasting is just another way of saying we are being highminded in our thinking, believing that we are standing by our own power.

Php 1:29  For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake;

1Jn 4:3  And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.
1Jn 4:4  Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

1Jn 5:4  For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.

Php 1:6  Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:

Rom 3:27  Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.

Rom 11:18  Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee.
Rom 11:19  Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be graffed in.
Rom 11:20  Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith [1Jn 5:4]. Be not highminded, but fear:

Our hope of obedience lies in believing (Joh 6:28) that we have this hope of glory within us (1Co 3:16, Col 1:27, 1Jn 3:2-3), and in knowing that we have a great high priest who can save us to the uttermost. Christ is this treasure in earthen vessels right now (2Co 4:7, Eph 2:6) who has “passed into the heavens” (Eph 6:12, Eph 1:21) meaning into our hearts and minds so we can be more than conquerors through Him who loved us, and it will be through our “prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears” just as it was with Christ that God will save us “from death” (Rom 8:36-37, Rom 5:10). Christ was not spared from physical death, and so the “from death” that Christ was spared from along with the body of Christ was/is the wages of sin that lead to spiritual death (Luk 22:42, Rom 6:23, Joh 8:36). Thanks be to God, Christ can and will preserve His body through judgment (1Pe 4:17, 1Jn 4:17), a judgment that was predestinated from the foundation of the world for God’s elect.

Rom 5:10  For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.

1Th 1:4  Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God.
1Th 1:5  For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake.

God has commanded “light to shine out of darkness” within the body of Christ, and that light will break forth as we go from glory to glory (2Co 3:18) experiencing the power He gives His two witnesses of Revelation 11:3 who represent the church, the body of Christ, who identify with these verses in Corinthians (2Co 4:8-10) as we are “delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.” That life of Christ within us causes us to fear and tremble at the commandments of God, as we realize we are dead to sin and alive in Christ so that we can be “heard in that he feared“. Fearing God, therefore, and keeping his commandments is the conclusion of the matter, and that obedience to the keeping of God’s commandments is something we learn through the things that we suffer in this life (Ecc 12:13, Heb 5:8).

2Co 4:8  We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;
2Co 4:9  Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;
2Co 4:10  Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.

Ecc 12:13  Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.

Heb 5:8  Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;

Heb 5:8  Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;
Heb 5:9  And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him; 

Christ was never tried beyond the measure He could endure (1Co 10:13), and could say along with the rest of his body that “the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed” (Rom 8:18). God’s precious Son “the only begotten of the Father) full of grace and truth” Son (Joh 1:14), and every son of God who is being shown this manner of love to be called a son in this age (1Jn 3:1) are being saved by grace through faith in this dispensation of grace in advance of the rest of the world as we are received through the chastening and scourging that every son must experience (Eph 2:8-9, Eph 3:2, Heb 12:6).

Joh 1:14  And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

1Jn 3:1  Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.

Eph 2:8  For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Eph 2:9  Not of works, lest any man should boast.

Eph 3:2  If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward:

Heb 12:6  For whom the Lord loveth [1Jn 3:1] he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.

Christ is the one who is doing the saving through the body of Christ and “Though he were a Son” he was not exempt from having to learn obedience “by the things which he suffered“. It was through a lifetime of much tribulation (Act 14:22) that He and we are “being made perfect” so we in turn can be those saviours that will come up on mount Zion who will in like manner be caused by God to be instrumental, with Christ as our head, in helping in this authorship of  “eternal salvation unto all them that obey him” (1Ti 4:16, 2Ti 2:12, Oba 1:21).

Act 14:22  Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.

1Ti 4:16  Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.

2Ti 2:12  If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us:
2Ti 2:13  If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.

Oba 1:21  And saviours shall come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau; and the kingdom shall be the LORD’S.

Next week, Lord willing, we will look at these last few verses in chapter five that are an admonition for us to continue to labor for the meat which does not perish, with which God will reward us (Joh 6:27, Heb 11:6) and to not forsake the assembling of ourselves where iron can sharpen iron (Pro 27:17) and as such we can be helpers of each other’s joy and work toward not being “dull of hearing“.

Joh 6:27  Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.

Heb 11:6  But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

Pro 27:17  Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.

Heb 5:10  Called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec.
Heb 5:11  Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing.
Heb 5:12  For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.
Heb 5:13  For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.
Heb 5:14  But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.