Hebrews 2:10 (ESV)
“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.”
DEVOTIONAL
When we speak of Jesus as “the founder of our salvation,” the Greek word used—archēgos—carries rich meaning. It can be rendered as “pioneer,” “author,” or even “captain.” He is the One who goes before us, charting the way to glory through the dark valley of suffering.
But how could the spotless Son of God be “made perfect” through suffering? This does not mean that Jesus lacked anything morally or spiritually. Rather, it means that in order to be our faithful High Priest and Redeemer, He had to enter fully into our human experience—including sorrow, pain, and death—so that He could fully represent us and sympathize with our weaknesses (cf. Hebrews 4:15). His obedience was not merely declared; it was proven, demonstrated, and completed in the crucible of suffering.
The cross was not a tragic misstep; it was the divine pathway to glory—for Him and for us. Our Captain did not command from a distance; He led from the front. He bore the weight of our sin and endured the wrath of God in our place. By doing so, He secured our forgiveness and opened the way to eternal life.
And consider this: the God who ordained all things saw it as fitting—right, appropriate, even beautiful—that our salvation would be accomplished in this way. Not through displays of earthly power, but through suffering love. In a world that flees pain and exalts strength, the gospel declares that victory comes through a bloody cross.
Let this comfort you today: whatever suffering you face, your Savior has walked the road before you. And more than that—He sanctifies your suffering, using it to conform you to His image and to prepare you for the glory to come. He is not only the Captain of our salvation but also the Companion in our trials.
🛐 Prayer
Gracious Father,
We bless You for sending Your Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to be the Captain of our salvation. We marvel that it was in Your perfect wisdom that He would be made perfect through suffering—that the path to glory would pass through Gethsemane and Golgotha.
Lord Jesus, we praise You for going before us, for bearing the cross, and for leading the way to life eternal. Thank You for suffering in our place, for identifying with us in our weakness, and for securing our redemption through Your blood.
Holy Spirit, grant us grace to follow our Captain with courage, to trust Him in our suffering, and to rejoice in the hope of glory. Keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith.
And until that day when we are brought fully into the presence of Christ, sustain us by Your Word, strengthen us in Your grace, and sanctify us in truth. For we ask all this in the name of our crucified and risen Savior—Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.