The Obedience 

So also Christ did not exalt himself to be made a high priest, but was appointed by him who said to him, “You are my Son, today I have begotten you”; as he says also in another place, “You are a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek.” 

In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence. Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered. And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him, being designated by God a high priest after the order of Melchizedek. (Hebrews 5: 5 to 10) 

When Jesus died for our sins, he died an agony death. Not only that he was falsely accused but also was denied and deserted by his own disciples. He was mocked, slapped, spit on the face, and cruelly wiped during the trial. In the end, he was stripped with no cloth on and crucified on the cross in front of those mocking people. In addition to the physical agony, even God turned His face away from him which means that Jesus, the Son of God, was deserted by God the father. So, it was not only a physical death but also a spiritual death for Jesus. No wonder that Jesus pleaded three times for God to remove the cup because it's too bitter for him to bear. So, oftentimes, we turned our attention to how Christ was punished by God because of our sins. 

Yet, the Bible prophesied the sacrifices of Christ more than just that as described below. 

All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—everyone—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth. (Isaiah 53: 6 7) 

It emphasizes that Christ was obedient like a lamb and a sheep when he was sacrificed. We know that Jesus was obedient to God as the Bible described multiple times, such as below. 

So, Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise.” (John 5: 19) 

Yet, the writer of Hebrews emphasized that Christ learned obedience through what he suffered. So, why did Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who was made perfect still need to learn obedience through his suffering? This was like Job. Job was described by the Bible as below. 

There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job, and that man was blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil. (Job 1: 1) 

Job was perfect even God says so in the Bible as below. 

And the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil?” (Job 1: 8) 

However, since Satan's challenge, God allowed Satan to test Job. Job then went through a severe trial by Satan. Just like Jesus, Job was perfected through the suffering as described below. 

“I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you; therefore I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes.” (Job 42: 5 6) 

The only difference was that Job questioned God during his trial. Jesus, on the other hand, was obedient like a sheep. 

Why is obedience so important? We know that Adam, Eve and Satan were all created by God. At first, they were all perfect. However, Eve wanted to be as wise as God. So, she and Adam ate the fruit of the Knowledge of Good and Evil against God's command. Satan wanted to be as glorious as God. So, he led one third of angels against God. Because of them, we were all sinned in nature. Therefore, the sin does not merely mean the atrocious behavior against morality but the rebellion and disobedience of God. Jesus, on the other hand, was made perfect too. Yet, he didn't exalt himself as God's high priest. Instead, he humbled himself to become the lowly sacrifice to fulfill God's righteousness. Through his humility and obedience, he was able to redeem us from our sin. Not only that he defeated the pride of Satan and all of his lies, excuses, temptations, and accusations but also freed us from the bondage of self-indulgences and iniquity caused by the sin committed by Adam and Eve. 

Jesus has already done the hard part for us.  All we need to do is to believe in him and let the Holy Spirit lead the way to work on our part.  Even though we need to go through hardship, it would help us to avoid the sinful disobedience as the Bible described. 

Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves with the same way of thinking, for whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, so as to live for the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human passions but for the will of God. (First Peter 4: 1 2) 

Eventually, we will become more and more obedient just like Jesus. Emmanuel. 

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