Puritanhead
Puritan Board Professor
"Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered."
-Hebrews 5:8
"For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering."
-Hebrews 2:10
This may seem like a childish question, but exactly how did Christ learn obedience through suffering when he was already perfect?
I approach it with all of these premises. 1) Christ was human and "tempted in all points as we are and yet perfect and without sin," and thus Christ was sinless.
The Bible makes very clear Christ's humanity: he was susceptible to hunger (Matthew 21:18), anger and grief (Mark 3:5); and pain (Matthew 17:12). "He committed no sin, neither was their deceit found in his mouth" (1 Peter 2:22).
In every believers' life, God uses the twists and turns, and hardships to mold and make us, and train us in the way or righteousness... it can often be a painful experience. So learning obedience through suffering is neccessary for us as well.
What are some articulate means of expounding upon how Christ was made perfect through suffering, while not neglecting affirmation of his deity, sinlessness, and humanity?