Hebrews 2:18

Being tempted. Gr. peirazo, “to test,” “to prove,” “to tempt” (see on Matt. 4:1). The human nature of Christ felt the full force of temptation. Otherwise, Christ would not have understood the terrific struggle of a poor sinner who is mightily tempted to yield. Christ was tempted in all points “like as we are” (Heb. 4:15). He actually suffered under temptation.

How much Christ suffered in resisting temptation, the wilderness, Gethsemane, and Golgotha reveal. In the first two cases the temptation was so overwhelming that it seems He would have died under the impact had not an angel been sent to strengthen Him (Matt. 4:11; Luke 22:43). The cup was not removed, despite His prayer. He must drink it. To these experiences the author evidently refers when he says, “Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin” (Heb. 12:4). Christ did resist unto blood.

Able to succour. Or, “able to help.” By successfully resisting temptation and patiently enduring suffering Christ overcame the tempter. We are now contending with a defeated foe. Christ’s victory is our assurance of victory. See on Matt. 4:1.

It is an ever-present source of comfort to the Christian to know that Christ understands our sorrows and perplexities, and sympathizes with us. If Christ had not become man, the question might easily have arisen, How can we know that God loves and cares for us when He has never experienced the trials we encounter, has never been poor or forsaken, and has never known what it is to be alone and face an unknown future? He asks us to be faithful to death, but has He ever faced the issues we face? If He were one of us and one with us, He would know how hard it is to meet certain trials. But if He has never been man, does He really know all our sorrows, and can He sympathize with us when we stray?

To this the answer is that God does know, and that it was not for His sake, but for ours, that He became poor; it was not for His sake but for ours that He suffered and died. We needed the demonstration that Christ came to give, or we would never have known the deep love of God for suffering humanity. Besides, we would never have known the suffering that sin has brought to the heart of God.