Hebrews 2:10 teaches that God, the one for whom and through whom everything exists, chose to lead many people into glory by means of Jesus’s suffering, and that this suffering was the fitting way to complete Jesus as the source of their salvation. The verse is written by the unnamed author of the letter to the Hebrews, traditionally thought to be a Christian teacher writing to Jewish believers who were tempted to lose heart under pressure.
For it became him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many children to glory, to make the author of their salvation perfect through sufferings.
Hebrews 2:10 (WEB)
What Hebrews 2:10 Means
The opening phrase, “for whom are all things, and through whom are all things,” describes God as the origin and goal of all creation. Everything comes from him and returns to him, so when the author says it “became him” to act in a certain way, he means that this path fits God’s wise and loving character. The verse does not say God enjoyed suffering or needed it. It says the route through suffering was the one that suited his purposes.
The goal named in the verse is “bringing many children to glory.” Glory here points to the full sharing in God’s presence and honor that believers are promised. The phrase “to make the author of their salvation perfect through sufferings” is the hardest part. “Perfect” means complete or fully equipped for the task, not morally flawless, since Jesus was already sinless. Hebrews is saying that Jesus was brought to full readiness as a leader and savior through what he endured. The verse promises that suffering has meaning within God’s plan, but it does not promise that every hardship will be easy or that believers will avoid pain.
The Context of Hebrews 2:10
Hebrews is a sermon-like letter, probably written before the destruction of the Jerusalem temple in AD 70, to Christians who were drifting back toward old religious habits or giving up under persecution. The author works hard to show that Jesus is superior to angels, to Moses, and to the old priesthood. The section just before verse 10 quotes Psalm 8 to say that humanity was made a little lower than angels and crowned with honor, yet that honor is not yet fully visible in the world.
Verse 9 then points to Jesus as the one who was made lower for a time, through death, and is now crowned with glory and honor. Read this way, verse 10 explains how that crowning came about. Jesus’s suffering is not a sign of defeat but the means by which he leads his people to the glory that Psalm 8 described. Verses 11 through 13 go on to say he is not ashamed to call believers his brothers and sisters, which shows the relationship that suffering helped to create.
Key Phrases in Hebrews 2:10
Romans 8:17
And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ; if indeed we suffer with him, that we may also be glorified with him.
(WEB)
Paul links the glory believers will share with Christ to sharing his sufferings, the same pairing of hardship and glory that Hebrews 2:10 holds together. It shows the pattern is part of the Christian life as a whole.
Hebrews 4:15
For we don’t have a high priest who can’t be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but one who has been in all points tempted like we are, yet without sin.
(WEB)
This verse says Jesus is able to sympathize with human weakness because he was tested in every way. It explains how his suffering in Hebrews 2:10 gives believers a compassionate high priest who understands what they are going through.
A Short Prayer From Hebrews 2:10
Father, you are the one for whom all things exist and through whom all things hold together. When the road feels too hard, remind me that your wisdom reaches even into suffering and that you are bringing your children toward glory. Thank you that your Son walked the same road before me and was made fully able to lead me home. Help me to trust your purpose when I cannot see the end of the path, and to keep walking with him. Amen.
