Why did God listen to the prayers of Jesus?
Hebrews 5:7–10 “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” (v. 7). John Calvin notes that “the days of his flesh” refers to the earthly ministry of Jesus before His death, resurrection, and ascension. The author is not telling us that Jesus divested Himself of His humanity after the cross. After all, we know that the Son of God retains His human nature after being raised from the dead (Luke 24:36–43; John 20:27). The stress on Jesus’ humanity is important because Christ could not have saved us unless He became like us, albeit without sin. A high priest, we have seen, can represent us only if he shares our humanity (Heb. 5:1). Moreover, without taking on human nature, the Son of God could not have offered up “prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears” (v. 7). In the course of Jesus’ life, our Savior regularly devoted