The Obedience of Jesus Christ
Jesus Christ was perfect in His obedience to the Father's will. From His childhood to the cross, He resisted every temptation to rebel, to use His divine power outside the Father's plan, or to step down from the path of suffering. He was obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
Perfect Obedience from Childhood
Luke 2:51 — "And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them: but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart."
Philippians 2:8 — "And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross."
The Wilderness Temptation — Resisting Divine Power
Matthew 4:1-11 — "Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil... Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve."
The Lord resisted the temptation in His humanity to use His divine power outside the Father's will. Satan tempted Him to turn stones to bread, to cast Himself down from the temple, and to worship Satan for the kingdoms of the world. In every case, Christ refused — not because He lacked the power, but because it was not the Father's will.
Hebrews 10:7 — "Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God."
Gethsemane — The Agony of Submission
Matthew 26:38-39, 42 — "Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me. And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt... He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done."
Luke 22:44 — "And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground."
In the Garden of Gethsemane, the Lord resisted all temptation to the contrary but set His face firmly to go through with the horror of the cross. The agony was so intense that His sweat became as drops of blood. Yet He prayed: "Not as I will, but as thou wilt."
The Trials — Provocation Without Rebellion
During the provocations of the trials, the Lord stood firm and resolute. Although He had the power to resist arrest, as shown briefly when the soldiers fell backward at His word (John 18:6), He voluntarily went with the troops, even chiding Peter for his sword play.
Luke 22:49-51 — "When they which were about him saw what would follow, they said unto him, Lord, shall we smite with the sword? And one of them smote the servant of the high priest, and cut off his right ear. And Jesus answered and said, Suffer ye thus far. And he touched his ear, and healed him."
Although abused (Matthew 26:67-68), struck (John 18:22), scourged (Matthew 27:26), mocked and beaten (Matthew 27:27-31), and finally crucified, the Lord calmly accepted this all as part of the Father's plan, resisting any temptation to rebel at the injustice, cruelty, and callousness of those who perpetrated this evil.
Luke 23:34 — "Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do."
John 18:37 — "Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth."
Before Herod — Silence and Submission
Luke 23:8-11 — "And when Herod saw Jesus, he was exceeding glad: for he was desirous to see him of a long season, because he had heard many things of him; and he hoped to have seen some miracle done by him. Then he questioned with him in many words; but he answered him nothing... And Herod with his men of war set him at nought, and mocked him, and arrayed him in a gorgeous robe, and sent him again to Pilate."
When miracles were demanded by Herod Antipas, the Lord resisted any temptation to instantly judge that evil man and his court. Saying nothing, He set His face to the cross on which He would bear even the sins of Herod Antipas.
1 John 2:2 — "And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world."
The Road to the Cross — Humanity Without Divine Strength
Matthew 27:32 — "And as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name: him they compelled to bear his cross."
Luke 23:26 — "And as they led him away, they laid hold upon one Simon, a Cyrenian, coming out of the country, and on him they laid the cross, that he might bear it after Jesus."
When He stumbled on the road to the cross, He did not call on divine strength. Simon of Cyrene had to be pressed into service to carry the cross. Christ lived and died as a man, dependent on the Father and the Holy Spirit — not using His own divine power independently.
On the Cross — Taunted Yet Obedient
Matthew 27:39-44 — "And they that passed by reviled him, wagging their heads, And saying, Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself. If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross... He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him."
When reviled by the crowds as He hung on the cross, taunted to do things which He could have done, He resisted all temptation to step down from the cross. He stayed there to bear the sins of all — obedient unto death.
Conclusion
The obedience of Jesus Christ was perfect — from His childhood submission to His parents, through the wilderness temptation, Gethsemane, the trials, the road to the cross, and the crucifixion itself. He never once rebelled, never once used His divine power outside the Father's will, never once stepped away from the path of suffering. He was obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
Hebrews 5:8-9 — "Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him."