Hebrews 2:18

DISCOURSE: 2277
CHRIST’S POWER TO SUCCOUR THE TEMPTED

Hebrews 2:18. In that he himself hath suffered, being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.

THERE was in various respects a necessity for Christ’s humiliation: on our part, that, an atonement being offered for us, we might find favour with God: on God’s part, that his justice might be satisfied, and his law be magnified: and on the part of Christ himself, that he might be qualified for the discharge of his mediatorial office. This, having been expressly asserted in the preceding verse, is further intimated in the words we have just read; which lead us to consider,

I. The temptations of our Lord—

Great and manifold were the trials which our blessed Lord sustained,

1. From men—

[Though in his infancy he grew up in favour with men as well as with God, yet from his first entrance on his public ministry, he was an object of universal contempt and abhorrence [Note: Isaiah 49:7.]. He endured all manner of contradiction from all ranks and orders of men: they cavilled at his words, misrepresented his actions, reviled him as an impostor, and a confederate with the devil, and, at last, apprehended, condemned, and crucified him.]

2. From devils—

[These assaulted him with fiery temptations in the wilderness, urging him to distrust, presumption, and idolatry. They attacked him with fresh vigour in the garden, when the powers of darkness combined all their force against him: and they made their last efforts against him on the cross; when, though “triumphed over and spoiled by him,” they succeeded in “bruising his heel,” and in bringing him down to the chambers of death.]

3. From God—

[When he stood as the surety of sinners, God exacted of him the utmost farthing of our debt. It was the Father who put the bitter cup into his hands, who laid the tremendous load of our iniquities upon him, and “bruised him,” that the fragrance of his offering might ascend up as incense with acceptance before him [Note: Compare Isaiah 53:10. with Exodus 30:36.]

But, notwithstanding these sufferings of his, our text assures us of,

II.

His ability to succour his tempted people—

All his people, like him, are persecuted by men, assailed by devils, and chastised by God. But Jesus is able to succour them: he has a sufficiency,

1. Of power and strength—

[He has all power committed to him, yea, all fulness of the Godhead dwelling in him. He can bind the strong man armed, and rescue from him his wretched captives. There is nothing impossible with him; and the weaker his people are, the more shall “his strength be perfected in their weakness.”]

2. Of wisdom—

[As he has “power to deliver the godly out of temptations,” so can he defeat all the plots of their adversaries, and take even Satan himself in his own devices. He sees every weapon that is formed against them, and knows the day and hour that their enemies set themselves against them [Note: Jeremiah 49:30.]. He discerns also the best time and manner in which to afford his aid, and so to proportion it to our necessities, as both to secure us the victory, and himself the glory.]

3. Of pity and compassion—

[He wept on account of the afflictions of his friends when he was on earth: nor will he forget to pity us, now that he is in heaven. “The very apple of his eye is wounded, whenever any of his dear people are touched.” “In all their afflictions, he is afflicted; and as, in his love and in his pity he redeemed them, and bare them, and carried them all the days of old,” so does he now, being “touched with the feeling of our infirmities,” and sympathizing with us in all our troubles [Note: Isaiah 63:9.]

Having noticed his temptations, and his ability to succour us under ours, it will be proper to shew,

III.

The connexion between the two, or the dependence of the one upon the other—

As God, he of necessity possessed every perfection: but, as man and mediator, he learned much from his own experience. By his own temptations,

1. He learned our need of succour—

[He himself, under his own grievous sufferings, “prayed to God with strong crying and tears, and was heard,” and strengthened from above [Note: Hebrews 5:7. with Luke 22:42.]. Hence then he knows how much we must need assistance under our trials, and how certainly we must faint, if we be not supported by his almighty power.]

2. He acquired a right to succour us—

[We are bought by him with the inestimable price of his own blood. And it was agreed with him in the covenant of redemption, that, “if he would make his soul an offering for sin, he should see a seed; and the pleasure of the Lord should prosper in his hands [Note: Isaiah 53:10.].” Having then paid the price, he has a right to us as “his purchased possession;” and has therefore a right to convey to us whatever maybe needful for the salvation of our souls.]

3. He attained a disposition to succour us—

[We are assured that “he learned obedience by the things that he suffered [Note: Hebrews 5:8.].” Now, as obedience consists entirely in love to God and man, sympathy, which is the highest office of love, must of necessity have been learned by him, together with every other part of his duty. And how perfectly he had learned it, his address to the persecuting Saul declares; “Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?” And it is worthy of observation, that the Apostle ascribes his sympathy to this very cause; “his having been tempted in all things like unto us, qualifying and disposing him to feel for us under our infirmities [Note: Hebrews 4:15.].” Nay, further, he observes, that there was a necessity for him to be made like unto us in all things, in order that he might be a merciful and faithful High-priest in things pertaining to God; which office he could not have executed if he had not, by his own sufferings, been enabled to sympathize with us [Note: Hebrews 2:17.]

Address—
1.

Those who are conflicting with temptations—

[The Lord’s people still are assaulted with manifold temptations. Satan is not idle: he still “desires to sift us as wheat,” and still “as a roaring lion goeth about, seeking whom he may devour.” There is not a saint whom he does not labour to “corrupt from the simplicity that is in Christ:” and for this end he still on many occasions “transforms himself into an angel of light.” But however severe your outward or inward trials may be, you have the comfort to reflect, that Christ endured the same before you, and is able to afford you effectual succour. Think not then your difficulties peculiar, or insurmountable; but assure yourselves of his sympathy and care; and be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.”]

2. Those who are yielding to their temptations—

[Excuse not your compliances by pleading the frailty of your nature; for “Christ is able to make all grace abound towards you, that you having always all sufficiency in all things, may abound unto every good work [Note: 2 Corinthians 9:8.].” Continue not then under unmortified tempers, or criminal neglects; but call on the Lord, who “will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will, with the temptation, make also a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it [Note: 1 Corinthians 10:13.].” I say again, plead not in excuse the corruption of your nature, or the difficulties of your situation: for grace which is not effectual, is no grace. The very weakest amongst you may say, “I can do all things through Christ who strengtheneth me,” and, though assaulted by all the powers of darkness, shall be “more than conqueror through him that loved me.”]