CLAIM: The author of Hebrews states that Jesus “learned obedience from the things which He suffered. 9 And having been made perfect” (Heb. 5:8-9). Does this mean that Jesus was disobedient or imperfect?
RESPONSE: Jesus was perfect in his moral nature. He said, “I always do the things that are pleasing to Him” (Jn. 8:29).
Learned obedience. This does not imply that Jesus learned obedience by once being disobedient. You cannot learn obedience propositionally or intellectually. You can only learn it experientially. For instance, you could read about riding a bike in books. But you cannot say that you’ve truly learned how to ride a bike until you actually ride one. Similarly, you cannot learn obedience without acting on it. Leon Morris writes, “This, startling though it is, does not mean that Jesus passed from disobedience to obedience. Rather, he learned obedience by actually obeying. There is a certain quality involved when one has performed a required action—a quality that is lacking when there is only a readiness to act. Innocence differs from virtue.”[1]
Having been made perfect. This does not imply that Jesus was morally imperfect. The Greek term teleioo means “to complete an activity, complete, bring to an end, finish, accomplish.” Luke uses it to refer to the “full number of days” (Lk. 2:43) or reaching a “goal” (Lk. 13:32). John uses it as how Jesus would “fulfill” Scripture (Jn. 19:28). Morris writes, “This does not mean that he was imperfect and that out of his imperfection he became perfect. There is a perfection that results from having actually suffered; it is different from the perfection that is ready to suffer. ‘He became’ indicates a change of relationship that follows the perfecting. The suffering that led to the perfecting did something. It meant that Jesus became ‘the source of eternal salvation.’”[2]
[1] Morris, Leon. Hebrews. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, Volume 12: Hebrews through Revelation (F. E. Gaebelein, Ed.). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House. 1981. 50.
[2] Morris, Leon. Hebrews. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, Volume 12: Hebrews through Revelation (F. E. Gaebelein, Ed.). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House. 1981. 50.