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.
Why couldn’t someone else save us? Why can’t someone else find a way to take humanity from it’s broken and decaying state and bring it to perfection? It seems that so many cry out for perfection. We study and research to extend lifespan. We have surgeries to appear young for as along as possible. We grasp for fame to become immortalized in media. We look for the perfect combinations of vitamins and lifestyle to eradicate disease. Why don’t these things work? For one reason: only God can bring humanity to perfection. Why?
Romans 2:10 tells us that it was fitting for God to bring salvation because it was by Him and through Him that all things exist. Only God can bring humanity back to the original state of perfection that He made them to be before the fall.* Only the One who created humanity can return humanity to it’s created state. A broken human cannot achieve this feat, nor can any other created thing, for we cannot reach outside of ourselves to grasp and hold that which we cannot be on our own: perfect. Perfection, namely Christ, must take hold of us.
With this in mind, we also see that the intent of God in saving was to bring many people to glory. He did not come for a few, but for many. God desires that the grounds of His Kingdom be filled with sons and daughters. Many could reach out to Him, but their efforts would not close the distance between humanity and God. God had to reach out to the many.
Finally, we see that the founder of our salvation (Christ) was made perfect through suffering. Does this mean that at some point Christ was imperfect? No. It means that the work of Christ was made complete in His suffering.*
Why do I share all of this?
There is only one way to find the wholeness that you seek in your life. It cannot be found with your effort, tricks, gimmicks, or religious devoutness. It cannot be achieved through any human workings or thoughts. It cannot be achieved through success or finding your way to the top of the mountain of business, arts/entertainment, media, government, family, education, or religion.
The salvation that we need comes only through Jesus Christ. He descended from His holy mountain to meet with humanity so that many might be returned to the original design of perfection that the Father God intended. Christ completed this work through unthinkable suffering.
The writer of Hebrews uses the Greek word archēgo where we read “founder” in the verse above.* This word implies that He went first so as to lead the way for others into a place that they could not go on their own.*
Today, take a step.
Maybe today the one step God wants you to take is to follow Christ into the places that He went that you cannot go on your own. Perhaps today God wants you to remember that you cannot fix your life; only He can. Maybe today God wants you to think about the “many” in your life that He wants you to share Him with. Perhaps God wants you to rethink suffering.
Whatever the step, ask God to direct it. Take a moment to take that step. Invite Him to speak. He will.
Life is a long road. Walk it with Jesus.
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*Stedman, R. C. (1992). Hebrews (Heb 2:10–13). IVP Academic.
Grindheim, S. (2023). The Letter to the Hebrews (D. A. Carson, Ed.; pp. 168–174). William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.
France, R. T. (2006). Hebrews. In T. Longman III & D. E. Garland (Eds.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Hebrews–Revelation (Revised Edition) (Vol. 13, p. 53–54). Zondervan.
Guthrie, G. (1998). Hebrews (p. 107–108). Zondervan Publishing House.