Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil— and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham’s descendants. For this reason he had to be made like his brothers in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted. Hebrews 2:14-18
I think often we make the mistake of thinking that it was easy for Jesus to be a human because He was also God. But I think that is faulty thinking. Jesus set aside His God-ness (so to speak) when He became human. He suffered trials and temptation as a human, not as God. He endured them as a human, not as God. He resisted temptation as a human, not as God. He does truly understand what it is like for us when we are tempted or when we suffer, because He Himself went through the same thing.
2 comments:
Amen to that!
Which also means - when He says "Be like me", He means it and expects it because it is possible, as humans filled with the power of the Holy Spirit, to be like our Rabbi. Tall order! But possible.
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