Hebrews 2 10

Hebrews 2:10 kjv

For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.

Hebrews 2:10 nkjv

For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.

Hebrews 2:10 niv

In bringing many sons and daughters to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through what he suffered.

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.

Hebrews 2:10 nlt

God, for whom and through whom everything was made, chose to bring many children into glory. And it was only right that he should make Jesus, through his suffering, a perfect leader, fit to bring them into their salvation.

Hebrews 2 verses

Hebrews 2 10 Meaning

Hebrews 2:10 teaches that it was perfectly suitable and necessary for God, the sovereign Creator and Sustainer of the universe, in His overarching purpose of leading many human beings to a state of ultimate glory and full participation in His divine life, to ensure that the pioneer of their salvation, Jesus Christ, was brought to full qualification and completion for His role through the experience of suffering. This process ensured Christ’s empathetic high priesthood and validated His leadership for all who would follow Him into salvation.

Hebrews 2 10 Context

Hebrews chapter 2 expands on the profound superiority of Jesus Christ introduced in chapter 1, specifically addressing His humanity in relation to angels. The early verses establish Christ's temporary lowering below angels to identify with humanity, culminating in verse 9 with Christ "crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death." Verse 10 provides the divine rationale for this sequence: the suffering and perfecting of Jesus was not an unfortunate detour, but a perfectly fitting and necessary part of God’s plan to bring His human children to glory. It clarifies that Christ’s shared humanity and suffering were indispensable for His role as Savior and High Priest, making Him truly capable of sympathizing with and leading those He saves. This passage counters any notion among the original Jewish Christian audience that Jesus' suffering discredited Him as the Messiah, emphasizing instead that it qualified Him uniquely for His salvific role, a concept previously unimaginable through purely human or angelic perspectives.

Hebrews 2 10 Word analysis

• For (γὰρ - gar): An explanatory particle, indicating that what follows is the reason or explanation for the preceding statement, specifically Christ's crowning with glory and honor through suffering.
• it was fitting (ἔπρεπεν - eprepen): Imperfect active of prepo, meaning "it was appropriate," "it was proper," "it was suitable," or "it was incumbent upon." This is a theological "must"—not out of lack but out of congruity with God's character and purposes. It denotes moral or intrinsic suitability for a divine action. It speaks to divine wisdom and propriety.
• for Him (αὐτῷ - autō): Refers to God the Father, clearly distinct from Jesus, as indicated by the subsequent descriptive phrases.
• for whom are all things (δι' οὗ τὰ πάντα - di' hou ta panta): Literally "through whom are all things." This phrase highlights God as the ultimate source, the One for whom all creation exists and to whom it ultimately returns. It underscores His absolute sovereignty and purpose in creation.
• and by whom are all things (δι' οὗ τὰ πάντα - di' hou ta panta): This part clarifies God as the ultimate efficient cause and sustainer of all existence. Together with the preceding phrase, it emphasizes God's comprehensive control and direction over all reality, framing the suffering of Christ as an intentional part of His grand, universal plan.

Words-group analysis

• in bringing many sons to glory (πολλοὺς υἱοὺς εἰς δόξαν ἀγαγόντα - pollous huios eis doxan agagonta):
  • many sons (πολλοὺς υἱοὺς - pollous huios): Refers to redeemed humanity, believers in Christ, whom God adopts as His children (Rom 8:14-17). The goal is a vast company, not just a few.
  • to glory (εἰς δόξαν - eis doxan): Implies participation in Christ's own resurrected and exalted glory, transformation into His likeness (Rom 8:29-30), and entry into God's eternal presence. This is the ultimate end of salvation, transcending mere forgiveness.
• to make the captain of their salvation perfect through suffering (τὸν ἀρχηγὸν τῆς σωτηρίας αὐτῶν διὰ παθημάτων τελειῶσαι - ton archēgon tēs sōtērias autōn dia pathēmatōn teleiōsai):
  • the captain (τὸν ἀρχηγὸν - ton archēgon): Meaning "author," "pioneer," "leader," or "originator." Christ is not just someone who shows the way, but one who initiates and blazes the trail through an experience no one else has endured. He is the first, setting the precedent and leading the way.
  • of their salvation (τῆς σωτηρίας αὐτῶν - tēs sōtērias autōn): This explicitly connects Christ's role as the "captain" to the salvation of the "many sons." It's not just "salvation" generally, but their salvation.
  • perfect (τελειῶσαι - teleiōsai): Means "to complete," "to bring to an end," "to accomplish," "to consummate," or "to qualify fully for a task." It does not imply that Jesus was morally imperfect, but rather that He was brought to functional completion, to the ultimate suitability and qualification for His role as High Priest and Savior through experience, particularly through obedience learned through suffering (Heb 5:8-9).
  • through suffering (διὰ παθημάτων - dia pathēmatōn): This specifies the means by which Christ was perfected. It refers to His entire experience of pain, anguish, and crucifixion. This suffering was essential, enabling Him to perfectly fulfill His High Priestly ministry by truly identifying with human weakness and temptation (Heb 4:15, 2:18), thereby validating His redemptive work and making Him a compassionate and faithful high priest.

Hebrews 2 10 Bonus section

The concept of "fittingness" (ἔπρεπεν) in Hebrews 2:10 is foundational to understanding divine wisdom. It means God's actions are never arbitrary but always align with His intrinsic nature and grand design. This challenges the human tendency to question divine methods, showing that what appears paradoxical (God's Son suffering) is, in fact, perfectly congruent with God's ultimate redemptive love and justice. Christ, as the "archēgon," implies not just a beginning, but a comprehensive initiation where He is the source, leader, and embodiment of the very salvation He brings. He is the first to achieve resurrection-glory in human form, thereby making it accessible for "many sons." His "perfection through suffering" illustrates that true authority in God's kingdom often flows from profound obedience and identification, even to the point of pain. This principle resonates for believers who are called to follow their Captain, enduring their own sufferings for growth and future glory (1 Pet 5:10, Rom 8:17).

Hebrews 2 10 Commentary

Hebrews 2:10 presents a profound theological assertion regarding the nature of God's redemptive plan and the role of Jesus Christ within it. The "fittingness" (ἔπρεπεν) emphasizes that Christ's suffering was not a last resort or an unfortunate necessity, but a perfectly harmonious and suitable part of God's wisdom, justice, and love. As the One "for whom and by whom are all things," God's design encompasses all reality, making Christ's journey entirely consistent with His sovereign will and purposes. The ultimate goal is to bring "many sons to glory," signaling God's desire to reconcile and elevate humanity into a relationship of deep communion and shared honor with Himself. For this to occur, the "Captain of their salvation" (ἀρχηγόν) had to be "perfected through suffering." This perfecting (τελειῶσαι) is crucial: it signifies Christ's complete qualification and full equipment for His redemptive mission as the empathetic High Priest, rather than implying any moral defect. Through His vicarious endurance of human suffering and temptation (though sinless), He gained firsthand experience of humanity's trials, making Him a compassionate and faithful Mediator. Thus, His suffering was not a sign of weakness but the necessary means to fully accomplish His work, secure salvation, and pave the way for humanity to attain their glorious inheritance. It's a divine paradox where weakness becomes strength, and suffering leads to ultimate triumph and perfecting.