August 4

He himself hath suffered, being tempted. - Hebrews 2:18.

HERE we view the Lord Jesus as the Sufferer. Now, here are two things, the one requiring explanation, the other remark. He was “tempted,” and “He suffered, being tempted.” He was tempted. “Man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.” In this sense the Lord Jesus Christ was not tempted, neither indeed could he be, being the Holy One of God, and having no sin in him. But he is tempted also who is solicited by the enemy of souls to the commission of sin; therefore he is called “The tempter,” and thus the Lord Jesus was tempted. He was tempted to presumption, to self-murder, and to idolatry. But in these words this is not the exclusive or principal meaning; for in the Scriptures, God is said to tempt as well as Satan. He is said to tempt Abraham; and we read, “Blessed is the man that endureth temptation, for when he is tried he shall receive a crown of life.” In all which places the word temptation means affliction, or suffering; and afflictions are called temptations because they are designed to try us, to prove our principles and dispositions, and to prove the reality and degree of our graces.

Secondly, “We remark that the Saviour “suffered, being tempted;” and from the manger to the cross we find him “a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.” He suffered in his outward condition; for “Foxes had holes and the birds of the air had nests, but the Son of man had not where to lay his head.” He suffered in his reputation; for every evil was laid to his charge, and, in the language of prophecy, he could say, “Reproach hath broken my heart, and I am full of heaviness. And I looked for some to take pity, but there were none, and for comforters, but I found none.” He suffered in his connections. His countrymen would not receive him, “neither did his. brethren believe on him.” One of his disciples denied him, another betrayed him, and in the hour of trial “they all forsook him and fled!” He suffered in his body. “The ploughers ploughed, they made long their furrows” by the scourge. “His face was marred more than any man’s, and his form more than the sons of men.” His hands and his feet were nailed to the cross. He suffered in his soul. “The Lord was pleased to bruise him, and put him to grief. He made his soul an offering for sin.” How well could he say, “Behold, and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow, wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger”!

Here we may remark, in illustration, that the divine nature did not render the human incapable of pain; and, also, that his patience was not hardened into philosophical apathy or stoical indifference. There is no merit in bearing what we do not feel: this would be like patience in a stone when we strike it. There is no grace in giving up what we do not value,-no virtue in fasting when we have no appetite for food. But “Jesus groaned in spirit and was troubled.” “Jesus wept.” He “was sore amazed and very heavy.” He said, “My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death;” and, in his agony for us, “He sweat as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.” With strong cryings and tears he made supplication, and said, “Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me.”

Instead, therefore, of his being less sensible of suffering than others, he was more so. He was perfectly fitted to feel all that immensity of suffering he had voluntarily engaged to bear.