Hebrews 2:18 For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted
Recently, the Secretary of Transportation went to a disaster-stricken community and was widely criticized for wearing very shiny boots. They were some kind of fancy, fashion boots. The idea was that he was trying to relate to the blue-collar people of the area to which he was visiting, and it was not a success. He tried to pull off being one of the “common man,” but it just wasn’t happening. He had these fancy, shiny boots.
I remember as a child hearing a story of the President going to a grocery store at the time when the checkout with the barcode readers were fairly new. The President expressed wonder at these fancy machines at the grocery store, and he was criticized for not being one of the people, not even knowing how a grocery store worked. The idea being that he had been in his enclave, the White House, for so long that he did not even know how most people got their groceries.
There is some truth to that. On the one hand, we emulate success. You don’t want a man who is just as feckless as the average guy to have power over everybody. On the other hand, you don’t want someone to have power over everyone who has no idea of how anyone actually lives. That is what makes the incarnation, the coming of God the Son in human form, so amazing.
In Hebrews 2 we are reminded that you do not value God’s grace if you do not understand God’s Son. We often talk in America about rags-to-riches stories, someone who grew up a common person, but through intelligence, hard work, and so on becomes a very successful person. We admire someone who knows how we live but has found a way to transcend the grind of daily life. Jesus’ story is the exact opposite. Jesus’ story is a riches-to-rags story. He came from the glories of Heaven to a humble stable on earth.
Now, Jesus is nothing like you and me. He is the God man. In Hebrews 1:1-2 it says, “God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son…” For centuries, God had spoken through prophets and given the Scriptures, but now He has spoken to us by His own Son “by whom also He made the worlds…by the word of his power” and who purged our sins. Jesus is much better than the angels who announced His coming and the prophets who foretold His coming. He is nothing like us.
Hebrews 2:10 calls Him “the captain of their salvation,” and verse 17 calls Him our high priest. There are so many ways in the first couple chapters of Hebrews that it is obvious that Jesus Christ is nothing like you. If you don’t understand that, then you don’t value the grace of God.
Now it is true that He is nothing like you, but Hebrews explains to us that Jesus became like you. Hebrews 2:9 says, “But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death.” The eternal being came in a human body and suffered death for us. Jesus, who was so much higher than the angels, became lower than the angels to be like us. Hebrews 2:11 says, “For which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren.” Verse 14 says, “He also himself likewise took part of the same.” The immortal Son of God took on flesh and blood.
Verse 16 says, “For verily he took not on him the nature of angels.” That would be low enough compared to the Godhead, but “he took on him the seed of Abraham.” He was born of a Jewish virgin. Verse 17 continues, “Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren [in human form], that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.”
Jesus is God, yet Jesus came as a person. That means He understands you. Wouldn’t it be nice if you understood everything, the mysteries of the world, your neighbors, and yourself? What would be even greater is if there was one person in this universe who just got you. Haven’t you often felt that people don’t understand you? Well, Jesus is so much higher than any friend you have, yet so much more in tune with you than any friend could be.
Verse 18 says, “For in that he himself had suffered being tempted, he is able to succour [help] them that are tempted.” Jesus was tempted, yet He never sinned. He relieves, comforts, and helps. Some people who grow up from humble means and become rich and successful get uppity because they forget from where they came. Jesus was the exact opposite. Jesus came lowly. He is God incarnate. He is God and He is man, our Captain and High Priest, and He is able to help those like us who have needs in everyday life.
At the end of the day, you do not value God’s grace if you do not understand God’s Son. You can understand God’s Son by reading God’s Words about Him.