Hebrews 5:7-10
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What's truly striking here is that Jesus' prayer wasn't just a plea to avoid death, but a deep, human struggle from death. He was heard not because the threat vanished, but because his profound reverence for God empowered him to face and overcome that immense fear, ultimately through resurrection.
In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence. Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered. And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him, being designated by God a high priest after the order of Melchizedek.
English Standard Version (ESV)
In this passage, the author of Hebrews is explaining how Jesus, as High Priest, was uniquely qualified to sympathize with human struggles. The preceding verses established that Jesus' priesthood wasn't inherited through human lineage but was divinely appointed, echoing Melchizedek. This verse, therefore, dives into Jesus' human experience of suffering and prayer, highlighting the intense, heartfelt nature of his pleas to God during his earthly life, specifically in the face of death, demonstrating his complete humanity and his reliance on God.
We often picture Jesus as serene and unaffected, but Scripture reveals a profound struggle in his humanity. What does this tell us about his journey to becoming our High Priest?
Hebrews 5:7 emphasizes Jesus' humanity by describing his experience "in the days of his flesh." This wasn't a mere disguise; he truly entered into human suffering.
A Human Heart Under Pressure
The verse highlights his "prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears." This isn't the stoic ideal, but a raw, emotional outpouring in a moment of intense agony. It shows Jesus as fully human, experiencing the weight of his mission.
Preparation for Priesthood
This experience wasn't just a personal struggle; it was integral to his preparation for his priestly role. By fully experiencing human distress and fear, he became qualified to sympathize with and help us in our own struggles.
Jesus prayed for deliverance, yet he still faced the cross. How can we understand his prayer being "heard"? The answer lies in a profound concept of godly respect.
The verse states Jesus "was heard because of his reverence." This doesn't mean his prayer was answered by avoiding suffering, but that his deep respect for God's will was the key.
Reverence Over Avoidance
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What Jesus feared was not just death itself, but the full weight of God's judgment and wrath that he was taking upon himself. His prayer wasn't primarily a plea to escape death, but a profound wrestling with the mission he was undertaking, seeking God's strength to fulfill it.
The Heart of Obedience
His "reverence" (or "godly fear") was a profound submission to the Father's will, even when it led to unimaginable suffering. Because his heart was oriented towards honoring God, his prayer was heard. God heard him by providing the strength and resolve needed to endure, not by removing the cup of suffering.
Understand the original words
sarx · Greek Noun
A period of time or state of human existence characterized by mortality, weakness, and vulnerability to temptation and suffering, which the Son of God voluntarily assumed at the incarnation.
deēsis · Greek Noun
Petitions or requests made to God, often involving the confession of need and total dependence on His mercy and power. In the Bible, these are characterized by humility, persistence, and trust in God's character.
thanatos · Greek Noun
The finality of human life resulting from sin, but also the physical event through which all must pass unless Christ returns. In the context of Christ, it refers to the separation of body and soul that He experienced for humanity.
eulabeia · Greek Noun
A state of pious devotion, godly fear, or reverence toward God that involves proper respect, awe, and submission to His will. It signifies a disposition that is pleasing to God.
eisakouō · Greek Verb
The act of hearing and responding to a request; in a biblical context, it implies that God not only hears the voice of the petitioner but actively intervenes or answers according to His sovereign will.
hypakoē · Greek Noun
Submission to the will and commands of God. Biblically, it is not merely outward compliance but an inward posture of trust and yieldedness to the Father's authority, even at great personal cost.
paschō · Greek Verb
To experience pain, distress, or hardship. In a theological sense, suffering is often the context through which faith is tested, sanctification is realized, and Christ-like empathy is developed.
teleioō · Greek Verb
To be brought to a state of completion, maturity, or fitness for a specific purpose. Christ was 'made perfect' not because He was sinful, but because He was equipped through His human experience to be the effective High Priest.
sōtēria · Greek Noun
The ultimate rescue from the consequences of sin, including the penalty, power, and eventually the presence of sin. It is 'eternal' because it is rooted in the unchanging work of Christ and brings believers into a relationship with God that lasts forever.
archiereus · Greek Noun
A title for one who serves as the primary representative of the people before God, particularly concerning the offering of sacrifices for atonement. Jesus is the definitive High Priest who offered Himself as the final sacrifice.
The verse highlights Jesus' genuine humanity and the intense struggle he faced before his crucifixion, emphasizing that his prayers and suffering were integral to his priestly role and ultimate victory over death.
c. 30 AD— this verse
Jesus' Agony in Gethsemane
Jesus prayed intensely in the Garden of Gethsemane, experiencing profound sorrow and fear as he contemplated the coming crucifixion and the weight of humanity's sins.
c. 30 AD
Jesus' Crucifixion
Jesus was crucified, enduring immense physical suffering and spiritual desolation, famously crying out, 'My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?'
c. 30 AD
Jesus' Resurrection
After his death, Jesus was resurrected on the third day, demonstrating his victory over death and sin.
c. 50-60 AD
Composition of the Book of Hebrews
The author of Hebrews wrote this letter to Jewish Christians who were facing persecution and tempted to revert to Judaism, urging them to remain steadfast in their faith in Christ.
This psalm, often seen as a prophetic cry of Jesus, echoes the sentiment of desperate prayer and a feeling of abandonment. It illuminates the depth of Jesus' distress and his reliance on God even in the darkest moments.
Matthew 26:38-39This passage describes Jesus' prayer in Gethsemane, 'My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here and watch with me.' It directly parallels the 'prayers and supplications with loud cries and tears' mentioned in Hebrews, showing his human struggle and submission.
Luke 22:44Luke’s Gospel adds the detail that Jesus' 'sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.' This vivid imagery amplifies the 'strong crying and tears' described in Hebrews, highlighting the immense physical and emotional agony Jesus endured.
Philippians 2:8This verse states that Jesus 'humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.' It connects Jesus' suffering and prayer to his ultimate obedience, a key aspect of his priestly qualification and his learning through what he endured.
John 11:41-42Here, Jesus says, 'Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I know that you always hear me.' This affirmation, spoken before raising Lazarus, provides context for Jesus' confidence that his prayers, even in distress, would be heard by the Father, as stated in Hebrews 5:7.
ellicottHebrews 5:7: "Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared;"
(7, 8) Who in the days of his flesh . . . —It will be observed that, of the two essential conditions mentioned in Hebrews 5:2 and Hebrews 5:4 , the latter is first taken up in its application to Christ ( Hebrews 5:5-6 ). This verse and the next correspond to the general thought of Hebrews 5:1-2…
barnesHebrews 5:7: "Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared;"
Who - That is, the Lord Jesus - for so the connection demands. The object of this verse and the two following is, to show that the Lord Jesus had that qualification for the office of priest to which he had referred in Hebrews 5:2 . It was one important qualification for that office that he who s…
What's truly striking here is that Jesus' prayer wasn't just a plea to avoid death, but a deep, human struggle from death. He was heard not because the threat vanished, but because his profound reverence for God empowered him to face and overcome that immense fear, ultimately through resurrection.
In this passage, the author of Hebrews is explaining how Jesus, as High Priest, was uniquely qualified to sympathize with human struggles. The preceding verses established that Jesus' priesthood wasn't inherited through human lineage but was divinely appointed, echoing Melchizedek. This verse, therefore, dives into Jesus' human experience of suffering and prayer, highlighting the intense, heartfelt nature of his pleas to God during his earthly life, specifically in the face of death, demonstrating his complete humanity and his reliance on God.
In this passage, the author of Hebrews is explaining how Jesus, as High Priest, was uniquely qualified to sympathize with human struggles. The preceding verses established that Jesus' priesthood wasn't inherited through human lineage but was divinely appointed, echoing Melchizedek. This verse, therefore, dives into Jesus' human experience of suffering and prayer, highlighting the intense, heartfelt nature of his pleas to God during his earthly life, specifically in the face of death, demonstrating his complete humanity and his reliance on God.
"In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence. Although he was a son, he learned obedience through wha…" — What's truly striking here is that Jesus' prayer wasn't just a plea to avoid death, but a deep, human struggle from death. He was heard not because the threat vanished, but because his profound rev…
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Last reviewed October 2026
