Jesus' Reverent Submission

Hebrews 5:7-9 is an interesting passage to me. The author of Hebrews writes that Jesus offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to God the Father who was able to save Him from death. Blakaby in Experiencing the Cross says that he believes this is speaking of more than just the night before his death in the garden but Jesus' entire life on earth. In several translations it says in verse 7 that Jesus was heard because he feared God. (Sometimes its translated piety or reverent submission.)

How amazing! Jesus, the son and ‘radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being’ (Heb 1:3), feared God! The author writes that the reason Jesus was heard was because of this fear or holy reverence not even necessarily because He was the Son. The author goes on to say that although Jesus was the Son he learned obedience through the things He suffered. And then through this suffering He was made perfect or complete and having been made perfect He became the source of eternal salvation.

The great paradox of Jesus being fully God and fully man is how can God ‘learn obedience’? (Philippians 2:6-8 says the same thing.) How can One who never knew sin (Heb. 4:15 and 2 Corinthians 5:21) become perfected? I don't know that I fully understand it but I believe it and know that this enables me to draw near to the throne of grace to receive mercy and grace on my time of need knowing full well that I have a High Priest who can symphathize with my weaknessses. (Heb. 4:14-16).

Obedience for Jesus was learned through suffering and this brought about completion. Even though Jesus suffered incredibly both physically and spiritually, God heard his prayers because He feared Him. The answer came in the form of an indestructible life which conquered death and ushered in a better hope (Heb 7:15-19) for those of us who obey Him.

May I fear the Lord and it be reflected in my obedience to Him. May I be willing to take up my cross and follow Him learning obedience through suffering. May my life be categorized by someone who has reverent submission.