11/12 Hebrews 5:8

⁸ Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered.

Throughout eternity Jesus had never had to obey anyone. His desires and the Father's were one. The universe obeys Him. Only rebellious man and fallen angels dare disobey. But in the incarnation Jesus had to grow as a man. He grew in wisdom and stature (Luke 2:52). With each temptation His obedience taught Him the value and importance of obeying the Father.

As He grew, the temptations increased. While suffering hunger and thirst in the wilderness He faced Satan's best shots and remained obedient to the Father. In the Garden of Gethsemane He faced the suffering of His soul as He looked at the torture He was about to face. He remained obedient.

Then came the torture of that last day. The suffering was more than we can comprehend. But worst of all was the separation from the Father in those three hours of darkness. Hell did its best to break Him, but He remained obedient. The God-man suffered but remained surrendered to the Father's will. That greatest of all victories, the victory over death and hell, taught Him and us all that the blessing of obedience far outweighs the suffering that we may endure.

Consider: We, too, learn obedience through our suffering, though in our case we often learn it through the suffering that results from disobedience. But let us learn from Jesus as well and follow His example of trusting, faithfulness, and surrendering our will to the Father.