Hebrews 5:7

Commentary on Hebrews 5:7

Hebrews 5:7 New King James Version

⁷ who, in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications, with vehement cries and tears to Him who was able to save Him from death, and was heard because of His godly fear,

Christ’s Humble Humanity in Prayer

Hebrews 5:7 begins by stating, “Who in the days of His flesh…” This phrase draws our attention to the incarnate life of Christ. Although fully divine, He embraced humanity completely, experiencing its vulnerabilities and limitations. This is a powerful reminder that Christ’s human experience—complete with sorrow, anguish, and the need for divine support—models for us the genuine relational nature of our communication with God. For believers today, the fact that our Saviour did not shy away from raw, emotional prayer demonstrates that expressions of vulnerability are both acceptable and desirable before a loving and sovereign God.

The Intensity of Prayer and the Role of Suffering

The verse continues with the depiction of Christ’s prayers as being offered “with loud cries and tears.” This is not an indication of theatricality but a testament to the intensity and authenticity of His communion with the Father. Such fervour underscores that prayer is not meant to be a perfunctory ritual; rather, it is a deep, heartfelt dialogue. Christ, in His suffering, demonstrated that our cries—even when steeped in pain and despair—are heard by God when they spring from a place of true submission and honest reliance on His grace. For modern Christians, this calls us to mirror that same openness in our prayer lives, especially when life’s challenges mount.

The Saving Power of God

The phrase “unto Him who was able to save Him from death” shifts the focus to the source of salvation: God Himself. Here, the text affirms that it is not by our own efforts but by God’s saving power that deliverance from death—and, by extension, from the eternal penalty of sin—is secured. Salvation is always understood as an act of divine grace. Christ’s submission and His constant reaching out to the Father highlight an unwavering trust in God’s omnipotence. This is a call to believers to depend wholeheartedly on God’s grace, especially during moments when our human condition seems most exposed and helpless.

Godly Fear: Reverence as the Ground of Communion

The concluding part of the verse, “and was heard because of His godly fear,” serves as a crucial teaching moment. The term translated as “godly fear” (or, in some translations, “reverent submission”) does not connote a trembling terror but rather a profound respect and awe towards God. This reverence is the bedrock of true prayer. It is the recognition that God is both majestic and merciful, and that approaching Him requires humility and a willingness to submit to His will. This respectful awe is what made Christ’s fervent pleas effective, and it should characterise every believer’s approach to the Almighty.

Teaching from Hebrews 5:7 for Modern Christian Living

The teaching distilled from Hebrews 5:7 is twofold. First, it shows that a vibrant prayer life is marked by honesty, deep emotion, and an unwavering spirit of dependence on God. Second, it challenges believers to cultivate a heart of reverence—a “godly fear”—that recognises both the holiness of God and our need for His intervention. In the busy, sometimes detached rhythm of modern life, this verse invites Christians to make room for passionate prayer that is as genuine as it is reverent. By emulating Christ’s example, believers are encouraged to approach God with both the full honesty of human sorrow and the assurance of divine grace and saving power.

Broader Context within Hebrews 5

Within the broader context of Hebrews 5, this passage sets the stage for understanding Christ’s unique role as the High Priest. The chapter contrasts the imperfect human priesthood with the perfect, obedient, and suffering priesthood of Christ. His life, full of prayer and submission, underscores that true mediatorship involves not only authority but also profound empathy with human suffering. This insight fortifies the assurance that our access to the Father is secured through a High Priest who fully understands our struggles and intercedes on our behalf even in our weakest moments.

Implications for Today’s Believers

In practical terms, Hebrews 5:7 challenges modern Christians to re-examine their approach to prayer. It is a call to reject superficial or mechanical prayer in favour of deep, heartfelt supplication, mirroring the example of Christ. By embracing the raw honesty of our emotional states in prayer and by fostering a spirit of reverent submission, we secure our place in a loving, personal relationship with God. This practice speaks profoundly to the modern quest for authenticity in one’s spiritual walk—it reassures us that even in our moments of greatest despair, God honours our sincere cries for help.

By reflecting on Hebrews 5:7, believers are invited to deepen their prayer lives with both passion and reverence—qualities that not only enrich individual spirituality but also strengthen the collective faith community. This verse remains ever relevant, urging us to trust in God’s saving power as we earnestly seek His face in every tear and every cry.