Drawing near to God was only possible in a limited, cultic fashion under the Old Covenant, but those who draw near to God through Jesus Christ and his saving work experience the fullness of what was promised in connection with the New Covenant (Heb. 10:14–18; 12:22–24). The “better hope” by which Christians draw near to God is not simply the hope of future resurrection: it is the present hope that Jesus gives of approaching God “with confidence” to “receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need” (Heb. 4:16, meta parrēsias; cf. Heb. 10:19–25). By this means we are sustained in our relationship with God until we are finally glorified with all who have benefited from his saving work (Heb. 9:15; 11:39–40).

The theme of perfection pervades the epistle to the Hebrews. The perfecting of Jesus is mentioned three times in passages critical for the development of the author’s Christology and soteriology (Heb. 2:10; 5:9; 7:28). Additionally, four times the inability of the law to perfect believers is argued (Heb. 7:11, 19; 9:9; 10:1), and, in contrast, the perfection found in Christ is affirmed three times (Heb. 10:14; 11:40; 12:23). Using related terminology, the writer also urges his readers to be “taken forward to maturity” (Heb. 5:11–6:1, NIV 2011) and points them to Jesus as “the pioneer and perfecter of faith” (Heb. 12:2).[1] Clearly, the idea of perfection is critical to our understanding of this letter.

Yet, what does it mean that Jesus was perfected? Conducting a simple word study is not much help. Formally, the Greek verb means “to make teleios,” and so “to make complete” or “to perfect.” The verb itself carries no material associations of a moral or technical kind, and distinct content can only be given by the context or subject on each occasion. Therefore, we must pay careful attention to the argument in Hebrews to understand how the author is using this word in his particular context.

Some scholars have viewed the author’s use of the verb in relation to Jesus as simply applying to his heavenly exaltation, while others have argued for an even more specific application to his “ordination” as “high priest in the order of Melchizedek.” I will argue, however, that the perfecting of the Son of God relates to the whole process by which he was personally equipped or qualified by his earthly suffering and death, his priestly appointment, and his heavenly exaltation to be the promised Messianic deliverer of his people. I will make my argument by examining the three uses of “to perfect” (teleioun) referring to Jesus (2:10; 5:9; 7:28). Finally, I will conclude by considering how Jesus, as the perfected Savior, is equipped to completely perfect his people.

The Perfecting of Jesus

Perfected Through Earthly Suffering (Hebrews 2:10)

An Adamic Christology is foundational to this presentation of the person and work of Jesus in 2:5–18. Sin, death, and the devil prevent human beings from fulfilling their calling and destiny as described in Psalm 8:4–6. But Jesus is the heavenly man who ultimately achieves this for us by being “crowned with glory and honour because he suffered death” (Heb. 2:5–9; cf. 1 Cor. 15:20–28, 45–49). What follows is an exposition on this. The benefits of his “perfecting” are experienced by those whom he sanctifies by his blood, calling them his brothers and sisters, and bringing them to glory with him (Heb. 2:10–13; 10:10, 29; 13:12). Given God’s great purpose for his people and his gracious character, it was fitting that he should “perfect the leader who saves them through sufferings” (Heb. 2:10, my translation).[2]

God qualified Jesus or fully equipped him for his role “through sufferings” (dia pathēmatōn). This differs from the expression in Hebrews 2:9 (dia to pathēma tou thanatou), where “because he suffered death” (CSB) indicates the ground of his exaltation. In Hebrews 2:10, however, the plural noun has in view the whole experience associated with and leading up to his death (cf. Heb. 2:17–18; 5:7–9). The preposition (dia, “through”) with the genitive (pathēmatōn, “sufferings”) indicates that he was perfected through this process; his sufferings were not simply a prelude to his perfecting or the reason for it.

For reasons soon to be clarified, the author of Hebrews introduces the notion that Jesus was qualified by these experiences to become “a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God” (Heb. 2:14–18). Most importantly, he made atonement “for the sins of the people” by his death and entrance into the heavenly sanctuary (cf. Heb. 9:11–15), but his prior experience of suffering “when he was tempted” enables him to “help those who are being tempted.” The pastoral implications of this are drawn out in Hebrews 4:14–16, where the author urges, “Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need” (see also Heb. 10:19–22).

Read More