Hebrews 2:10

If Jesus was already perfect, how could He be made perfect through suffering?

PROBLEM: The Bible declares that Jesus was absolutely perfect and without sin, even in His human nature (2 Corinthians 5:21; Hebrews 4:15; 1 Peter 2:22; 1 Peter 3:18; 1 John 3:3). But according to this verse, Jesus was made “perfect through sufferings.” But to be made perfect implies that He was not perfect to begin with, which is a contradiction.

SOLUTION: Jesus was absolutely and unchangeably perfect in His divine nature. God is perfect (Matthew 5:48), and He cannot change (Malachi 3:6; Hebrews 6:18). But Jesus was also human, and as such was subject to change, though without sin. For example, “Jesus increased in wisdom and stature” (Luke 2:52). If his knowledge as a man increased, then his experience also did. Thus, He “learned obedience by the things which He suffered” (Hebrews 5:8). In this sense He was “made perfect” in that He experienced the perfecting work of suffering in His own sinless life (cf. Job 23:10; Hebrews 12:11; James 1:2-4). That is, He gained all the experiential benefits of suffering without sinning (Hebrews 4:15). In this way He can be of real comfort and encouragement to those who suffer.