Hebrews 2:18 Commentary and Bible Study

He must also be capable of being tempted for he must come within the devil’s range in order that his victory over sin and temptation should be real. He was therefore made in the likeness of sinful flesh, susceptible to weakness, tiredness, sickness, and in particular to temptation, yet without any actual sin. He could not fall because he was God as well as man and it was impossible that his divine nature could do evil, yet he came into close contact with the devil, so that he felt the awful power of temptation and was tempted in all points as we are, yet without sin. He was also made able to die, because he was born for this reason – to give his life a ransom for many. The Greek word translated succour means run to the aid; there is an emergency ring about the word. Did Christ gain new abilities as a result of his life on earth? The verse affirms that he did. Does he not, as God, already know of all conceivable human experiences so that it is not possible for him to learn anything new? Yes he knows without having to feel it himself what it is to be tempted personally and every other human experience, but his experience on earth convinces us that he is sympathetic to us in our suffering. John Owen says, ‘His ability to succour is not an executive power – a power of working, a power of the hand, but is a power of the heart and will, an ability in readiness of mind, that is here assigned to him.’ We are to have full confidence in his ability to sympathise with us, for if we do not have this confidence, how can we lean on him to the extent that God requires? How much easier it is to confide in someone who we know cares about us. Christ’s sympathy and kindness draws lost sinners to him as they see the lengths to which he was willing to go in order to rescue them from sin.He has felt what it is to be tempted. Although he did not once yield to temptation, he does not despise those who fail to reach his standard of perfect obedience. Instead, his compassionate heart prompts him to help those who are weak and fallible. But he still hates sin and this sympathy does not extend to those who use grace as an excuse to continue in sin. Those who do that are the most objectionable of all. But for the ones who long for holiness, who hunger and thirst after righteousness, there is every encouragement, no matter what depths they have fallen to, or how often they have needed to come for forgiveness. If their repentance is genuine they can be assured that they will be received.