"he learned obedience through what he suffered"

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 (Heb 5.8-9)

In the article on spiritual disciplines that I mentioned a couple days ago, it was said that Jesus also had to learn obedience. And yes, we are told that Jesus did learn obedience, "through what he suffered." But is this suffering the same as the self-imposed discomfort of spiritual disciplines?

Yesterday I pointed out the difference between self-mastery—teaching our bodies to submit to our will through the disciplines we choose to practice—and learning to obey God's will. Self-mastery is not the obedience Jesus learned through his suffering. (Or the obedience he asks of us.) He learned to obey God through accepting and walking the hard path, not he, but God set before him. This was perhaps most obvious as he prepared to go to the cross:

Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, "Sit here, while I go and pray." And taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be sorrowful and troubled.

Then he said to them, "My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me." And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, "My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will." (Mt 26.36-39)

But Jesus also suffered much throughout his ministry, the mission God had given him, suffering because of those he was trying to help. Mostly when people were so unwilling to accept what he offered them. And most intensely when his closest friends tried to prevent him from doing what God told him to do, and then abandoned him. Some examples:

Jesus said to them, "Is it lawful on the sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to kill?" But they were silent. And he looked around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart... (Mk 3.4-5)

Jesus answered, "O faithless and perverse generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you?" (Mt 17.17)

"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, killing the prophets and stoning those who are sent to you! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not! Behold, your house is forsaken." (Lk 13.34-35)

Jesus began to teach them that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. And he said this plainly. And Peter took him, and began to rebuke him. But turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter, and said, "Get behind me, Satan! For you are not on the side of God, but of men." (Mk 8.31-33)

"See, my betrayer is at hand." And immediately, while he was still speaking, Judas came, one of the twelve, and with him a crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders. ...And [his followers] all forsook him, and fled. (Mk 14.42-43,50)

None of this is what Jesus chose for himself (and he certainly didn't take it on for his own spiritual improvement). He accepted this path in obedience to God, and all the suffering along the way tested and strengthened that obedience, challenging him to say again and again to God, "Not as I will, but as You will."