For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted. – Hebrews 2:18
Jesus was tempted in many ways. We know of His temptation by the devil in the wilderness, but since ‘He was tempted in all points as we are (Heb 4:15),’ we can safely assume that Jesus continued to be tempted throughout his ministry. Yet despite being the devil’s prime target, He was able to resist temptation.
The greatest temptation Jesus faced must have been the same temptation that these Hebrews were facing, that is, the temptation to draw back in times of great struggle. Jesus was facing the cross, and the full weight of the wrath of God that belonged to us. His agony over this was great, as we can see in the garden of Gethsemane. Yet, through his prayers He was able to receive strength to continue in great times of testing.
Since Jesus endured these sufferings, He is able to uphold those who are being tempted in a way that He would not have been able to before. His servants can now find strength in their sufferings, knowing that their Lord has suffered just the same. This boost of morale is like the morale boost that a captain gives to his men when he charges ahead of them into battle. No one can say that The Lord does not understand their suffering, for no one has suffered as Jesus has, bearing the weight of the sins of the world.
Hal Chaffee 