Hebrews Chapter Two
Hebrews 2:1 - While considering the authority of Jesus (Hebrews 1:1-14), the people to whom this letter was written were told this: “Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip” (Hebrews 2:1). Later in this epistle we will read these statements: “Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God… But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel. See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven: Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven. And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: For our God is a consuming fire” (Hebrews 10:23-31 and Hebrews 12:22-29).
As saints, they knew as well as we do that the words of Christ are the standard we live by and will be judged by (John 12:48). Those who had been followers of God under the Law of Moses knew the importance of carefully following the things they were commanded (Deuteronomy 4:1-14 and Deuteronomy 12:1-32). They needed to shift their thinking now. They needed to realize that they were no longer accountable to the Law of Moses. They were now under the Law of Christ.
The phrase “we ought to give the more earnest heed” is key in this context going forward. The Greek “περισσοτέρως” that appears here as “more earnest” means: “more superabundantly: — more abundant(-ly), x the more earnest, (more) exceedingly, more frequent, much more, the rather…” (Strong’s #4056). In this epistle that same word will be translated as “rather” (Hebrews 13:19). So, rather than obeying the things aforetime you need to obey the things of Christ. The word heed “προσέχω” means: “(figuratively) to hold the mind (h3563 implied) towards, i.e. pay attention to, be cautious about, apply oneself to, adhere to: — (give) attend(-ance, -ance at, -ance to, unto), beware, be given to, give (take) heed (to unto); have regard…” (Strong’s #4337). These statements together are a warning. This is a caution, be aware statement. If you don’t obey Jesus there will literally be Hell to pay for it (Matthew 25:31-46, John 5:24-29, Romans 2:1-11, and II Thessalonians 1:7-9).
The Hebrew writer then draws their attention to not letting the things they had been taught to slip away. James speaks of not being forgetful hearers (James 1:19-27). When studying through the history of the children of Israel, they had multiple times “forgat” God and His works (Psalms 78:1-72 and Psalms 106:1-48). When God spoke of Israel as His bride, He spoke of how they went after their lovers [idols] and forgat Him (Hosea 2:1-13).
God forewarned Israel about forgetting Him and how that could occur. He had Moses teach them this: “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates. And it shall be, when the LORD thy God shall have brought thee into the land which he sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give thee great and goodly cities, which thou buildedst not, And houses full of all good things, which thou filledst not, and wells digged, which thou diggedst not, vineyards and olive trees, which thou plantedst not; when thou shalt have eaten and be full; Then beware lest thou forget the LORD, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage” (Deuteronomy 6:4-12).
Like times of old, the Lord is telling His people not to let the things they’ve learned be forgotten. We need to learn from that. It is easy to learn, obey, and then become spiritually complacent. Israel of old did that (Amos 6:1 and Zephaniah 1:12). We have to be diligent in our work to be faithfully ready to meet our Lord (I Corinthians 15:50-58). Therefore, let’s be people of remembrance who hold fast (Revelation 3:1-6) rather than forgetfully lost.
Hebrews 2:2-3 - We discussed Hebrews 2:1 in our last study. I am going to include it in the following quote to keep our minds on what is being contextually discussed, though we will move on to studying the next two verses. Here is the text we are looking at: “Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip. For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward; How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him…” (Hebrews 2:1-3).
As we continue to read the Hebrew writer’s inspired efforts to establish the authority of Christ, we are seeing a look backwards. The Old Law was considered the disposition of angels (Acts 7:51-53 and Galatians 3:15-19). Before Moses began to lead Israel out of Egypt, the wrath of God was felt in the cities Sodom and Gomorrah because of sin that obviously included homosexuality (Genesis 18:16-19:29). In fact, these cities are reminders of God’s judgment even as we study through the New Testament (II Peter 2:6-9 and Jude 1:7). Once Moses began His work, God’s destructive judgment continued to be on display. When the children of Israel made their molten calf, three thousand men lost their lives (Exodus 32:1-35).
As Moses led the people, there were various times wherein God issued severe judgment because of transgressions. One of those examples is a time wherein Korah, the son of Izhar, caused an uprising against Moses and Aaron. As a result, the earth opened up swallowing those that rose up with Korah, their houses, and their goods. Then, a fire arose from the earth and consumed two hundred and fifty men. Then, there was a plague. In this event, they that died in the plague were fourteen thousand and seven hundred, beside them that died about the matter of Korah (Numbers 16:1-50).
Lest one would think that Moses was above the Law because He was a chosen messenger of God, the Lord punished him too when he erred. In one of the multiple times that the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron for food or water, Moses was told by God to speak to a rock that would become a water source. Moses erred. He hit the rock. As a result, Moses was not permitted to enter into the land promised to the children of Israel (Numbers 20:1-13 and Deuteronomy 32:48-52). When you read through what is often called the Old Testament you find many times wherein God brought about severe punishment on those whom disobeyed His will (Genesis 3:1-24, Genesis 4:1-16, Genesis 6:1-9:17, Genesis 11:1-9, Leviticus 10:1-2, Numbers 15:32-36, Numbers 21:1-9, Numbers 25:1-9, Deuteronomy 28:15-68, I Samuel 15:1-35, II Samuel 6:1-7, II Samuel 11:1-12:23, II Samuel 24:1-25, II Kings 17:7-18:12, II Chronicles 36:1-23, Jeremiah 29:1-23, etc.).
Whether it is those to whom the Hebrew epistle was penned or us, when we look back at God’s judgment we see that He can be very severe (Romans 1:18-32). These things are a lesson for everyone to consider (Romans 15:4 and I Corinthians 10:1-13). Think about the question though, that the Hebrew writer asked, which was “how shall we escape?” God then, in issuing those severe consequences was a just judge (Deuteronomy 32:4). Now, it is Jesus who is our just judge (John 5:22-30).
When Paul preached a sermon in Athens he made this statement: “And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead” (Acts 17:30-31). When we look backwards at the severity of God’s judgment and then consider that He was winking at ignorance then, what does that show you?
People have been told to think on things various times through different statements throughout the Scriptures (Deuteronomy 4:39, Psalms 1:1-2, Psalms 119:59-60, Proverbs 4:25-26, Proverbs 6:6-9, Haggai 1:5, John 5:39, Ephesians 5:15-17, Philippians 4:8, James 4:5, etc.). “How shall we escape” is a great question to think upon. Where can one run to escape the judgment of our Lord? Everyone will answer to Him (Romans 14:7-12 and II Corinthians 5:10).
Then, when we consider neglecting so great salvation in connection to answering for our deeds, our minds should be greatly exercised. Under the Old Law, salvation was physical (Isaiah 1:18-20). Now, salvation is about eternity (Romans 6:17-23, Titus 1:1-3, Hebrews 4:14-5:9, and I John 2:25). Why would any supposed follower of God, who has any ability to reason, be negligent when it comes to the salvation of their soul? We cannot just consider our salvation as a given. It is not! The righteous are barely saved (I Peter 4:17-19). Both they then and us now need to be diligent in making our calling and election sure (II Peter 1:3-12).
As you come to the conclusion of Hebrews 2:3, there is a point being made about evidence. I am going to wait until our next study to fully address that point as we look at the end of verse three and what is written in verse four. To begin your thinking towards that study, consider how that our Lord does not expect anyone to blindly follow Him. Faith includes evidence (Hebrews 11:1). God says that we are to: “Prove all things; hold fast that which is good” (I Thessalonians 5:21). So, don’t take your salvation lightly. The evidence of what was and what is to come is abundant. Be prepared!
Hebrews 2:3-4 - In our previous two studies we have been talking about Hebrews 2:1-3. In our last article, we only partially covered the third verse. In this article, I am going to quote all four verses that begin the second chapter of Hebrews. However, we are only going to study through the end of verse three and what is written in verse four. Here is the text: “Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip. For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward; How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him; God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will” (Hebrews 2:1-4)?
We know that John came and prepared the way for Christ to do His work (Mark 1:1-11). This is not what the writer of this letter is focussed on. He is focused on what our Lord began. This ties back to the overall contextual point of the change from the words of the prophets to the words of Christ (Hebrews 1:1-2). When the inspired writer of this letter said that the great salvation was first spoken by the Lord, we can look and see those events happening (Matthew 4:12-25 and Luke 4:1-44).
As you study through the life of Christ on earth, you find that He never set forth to preach the Gospel to the whole world. Rather, He came to focus on bringing Israel to repentance (Matthew 10:1-15, Matthew 15:21-28, and Acts 3:1-26). He left the work of preaching the Gospel to every nation, beginning first in Jerusalem, to the Apostles with help from the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:16-20, Luke 24:36-53, and John 16:1-13).
Did you catch, in our text of study, that the penman of this book made a statement that indicates he was not with Jesus while Jesus was alive? Go back and read verses three through four. You should have caught this statement: “…was confirmed unto us by them that heard him; God also bearing them witness…” The penman of this book was taught about what happened. The penman of this book received confirmation by those whom had seen what the Lord did with signs, wonders, etc. Think about how all of that works together. This is similar to Luke. With Luke we read: “Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us, Even as they delivered them unto us, which from the beginning were eyewitnesses, and ministers of the word; It seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write unto thee in order, most excellent Theophilus, That thou mightest know the certainty of those things, wherein thou hast been instructed” (Luke 1:1-4).
When Jesus sent the Apostles into the world with His message, He sent them with the abilities given by the Spirit to confirm the message. Notice: “Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen. And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God. And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen” (Mark 16:14-20).
The signs and wonders worked by Jesus and the Apostles were key, as you just read, in the confirmation of the message of the Gospel. Paul, whom was an Apostle born out of due time (I Corinthians 15:8), wrote: “For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ hath not wrought by me, to make the Gentiles obedient, by word and deed, Through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God; so that from Jerusalem, and round about unto Illyricum, I have fully preached the gospel of Christ” (Romans 15:18-19). With the signs, wonders, and work of the Spirit being so important; of even greater importance was the testimony of the eye witnesses. In fact, such served then and even until now as the evidence of our faith.
The Apostles were the first of the witnesses (John 15:18-27, Acts 1:1-8, Acts 2:32-33, Acts 4:33, Acts 5:29-32, Acts 10:34-43, Acts 13:26-33, and Acts 22:1-21). To be an Apostle, a man had to be an eye witness of the resurrection of Christ (Acts 1:12-26). However, they were not the only witnesses (I Corinthians 15:1-8). So, the Hebrew writer is relying upon the witnesses that had seen what he and those he addressed had not seen. This plays great importance going forward in this letter. Later we shall read how that faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen (Hebrews 11:1).
Verse four concludes with “according to his own will”. The wonders that were worked and the gifts of the Holy Ghost were how the Lord chose to confirm His word. We see this reasoning with the erring saints in Galatia (Galatians 3:1-5). I love that point. None of this was done haphazardly. God had a plan and He executed it the way He wanted to. The life, death, and works of Christ came about and were witnessed as God had planned long ago (Acts 2:22-23). Therefore, we can walk by faith (II Corinthians 5:7) based on evidence!
Hebrews 2:5-8 - Our current study will come from this text: “For unto the angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come, whereof we speak. But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man, that thou visitest him? Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands: Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him” (Hebrews 2:5-8).
In this epistle we have seen the supremacy of Christ over the angels (Hebrews 1:1-14). We have read about how one cannot escape the consequences of disobedience to the confirmed words of our Lord (Hebrews 2:1-4). Soon, we will be entering into a context that is going to be discussing Christ being in the flesh. For some, even today, they think that Christ being in the flesh lessened His authority. What we are about to learn in this study is that even man, being in the flesh, still can have authority in this life and in the world to come.
When we are talking about the “world to come” we are talking about eternity (Mark 10:30 and Luke 18:30). Remember this because we will read this phrase again in this epistle (Hebrews 6:5). What we are reading in our current study is that the angels will not have the world to come under their authority. The fact is, faithful saints will stand in authority above the angels in Heaven (I Corinthians 6:1-3).
The Hebrew writer then references a Psalm. Let’s consider the whole Psalm this comes from: “O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens. Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger. When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour. Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet: All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field; The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas. O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth” (Psalms 8:1-9)! One of the points in the Psalm above and our text is that man was made lower than the angels, but given authority.
Then, what does it mean that man was made lower than the angels? The angels don’t have authority in the world to come. The angels don’t have authority over the things of the earth. Why is this point made? It is being made because the context is going to draw from this to talk about Jesus being made in the flesh and thus being lower than the angels (Hebrews 2:9). The point is, being in the flesh has some limits (i.e. sickness, physical death, etc.). However, those limits are not concerning things of authority.
Man, even while being in the flesh, is in authority over this earth. In the beginning we read: “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth” (Genesis 1:26-28).
Why did God make man above all other living creatures on earth? Consider what Paul wrote: “For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring. Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device” (Acts 17:28-29). As the offspring of God, made in the image of God, man has been given authority over all other creatures on earth (Genesis 9:1-3). This logic carries forward in talking about Jesus in the text we will begin to study in verse nine.
Before we get into the authority of Christ, even though He was in the flesh, we have a statement in our current study to consider. Regarding man, the writer of this letter said: “But now we see not yet all things put under him.” What, in this world, does man not have authority over? What is it, in the flesh, that we are limited in our control of? Think about it. What is the last enemy of mankind that is yet to be destroyed? Paul wrote, speaking of the resurrection contextually, this: “The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death” (I Corinthians 15:26).
Mankind can subdue animals. Mankind can subdue his fellow man. Mankind can subdue the plants, seeds, etc. We cannot stop death. Death is an appointment that we shall all keep unless Christ comes first (II Samuel 14:14, Psalms 89:48, Ecclesiastes 3:19-20, Romans 5:12, and Hebrews 9:27). This point goes forward even in talking about Jesus coming in the flesh. As a man, even aside from Him being the sacrifice for our sins, He had to die. By coming in the flesh He had to submit to that limitation that all men have unless God made an exception (i.e. II Kings 2:1-14 and Hebrews 11:5). Jesus was provided with a fleshly body for the very purpose of going through physical death (Hebrews 10:1-22). Death is that one thing that will prevail over humanity until our Lord comes again. Thus, we look forward to the abolishing of death and the granting of everlasting life (II Timothy 1:9-10).
Hebrews 2:9-10 - In our previous study we looked at how man, being in the flesh, was not limited by the flesh in the realm of authority. This was important, because those in opposition to Christ had used aspects of His fleshly existence to bring His authority into question (ex. Mark 6:1-6, Luke 4:16-30, and John 6:41-42). In this study we are going to talk about Jesus being in the flesh. We will be talking about Him being in the flesh several times throughout our study of this context and later again through the book of Hebrews. Here is our text for study now: “But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings” (Hebrews 2:9-10).
We know, from our previous studies in this letter, that Jesus is/was never beneath the angels when it comes to authority (Hebrews 1:1-14). It is Jesus that our Heavenly Father said man is to listen to (Matthew 17:1-5). His being made lower than the angels is a statement about His fleshly existence being in the form of a servant. Consider this as inspired commentary: “Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:3-11).
Did that mean that Jesus ceased to be deity? No! Consider these Scriptures: “Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us… I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost, That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart. For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh: Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises; Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen… And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory” (Matthew 1:23, Romans 9:1-5, and I Timothy 3:16).
When Jesus came into this world, as deity, He put on the flesh of man so that He could die (Hebrews 10:1-18). This was necessary (Hebrews 9:11-28). In dying in the flesh, for every man, Jesus became the author [source] of salvation to all that obey Him (Hebrews 5:1-9). Paul wrote: “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh” (Romans 8:1-3).
After the death of our Lord, He was crowned with glory and honor (Acts 2:33 and Revelation 5:13). However, that does not mean He was without glory and honor while He was in the flesh. In fact, Peter stated that Jesus was glorified and honored by the Father during the transfiguration that Peter witnessed (II Peter 1:16-19; cf. Luke 9:28-36).
It became [was suitable] for Jesus to suffer (Isaiah 53:1-12, I Peter 2:21-25, and I Peter 3:18). His suffering was not without purpose (Galatians 1:4 and Titus 2:11-14). Through His death, Jesus became the captain (Acts 3:15) of salvation (Acts 5:30-31, I Thessalonians 5:9, and Hebrews 12:1-2). He made those that obey Him perfect through His death (Colossians 1:21-28).
Even in being subjected to death, Jesus’ identity did not change. While man has long desired to limit the authority of our Lord by the fact that He came in the flesh and died; He still was/is and will continue to be the Lord of all (Acts 10:36 and Revelation 1:5-18). He still was/is the one by whom all things exist (John 1:1-14 and Colossians 1:12-18). He was/is He in whom all things are in subjection to (Ephesians 1:19-23).
It is really sad that the deity of Christ has been and continues to be attacked by those whom do not want to acknowledge our Lord. Sadly, those people are lost. Jesus said: “And he said unto them, Ye are from beneath; I am from above: ye are of this world; I am not of this world. I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins” (John 8:23-24). Lest we end up being eternally condemned, we need to be sure we always keep the authority of our Savior at the forefront of our minds. We need to always be mindful that He is our Judge (II Corinthians 5:10). Even though we shall be joint-heirs with Him (Romans 8:17), don’t lose sight of who He was, now is, and will be (Isaiah 9:6-7, I Timothy 6:13-16, and I John 5:20). As the Hebrew writer will declare later in this letter: “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever” (Hebrews 13:8).
Hebrews 2:11-12 - By the grace of God Jesus tasted death for every man (Hebrews 2:9). He gave Himself a ransom for all (I Timothy 2:5-6). He is the propitiation for the sins of all (I John 2:1-2). As we discussed in our last study, He brings many sons unto glory (Hebrews 2:10). For those of us whom choose to benefit from His death, we surrender our lives to Him (II Corinthians 5:15). Those facts bring us to our study in this article which is this text: “For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren, Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee” (Hebrews 2:11-12).
In this context, He that sanctifieth is Jesus. Later in this letter we will read this: “By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all… Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate” (Hebrews 10:10 and Hebrews 13:12). They who are sanctified are those whom are in Christ. Notice: “Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours” (I Corinthians 1:2).
When we are looking at the word translated “sanctifieth” in Hebrews 2:11, we are looking at a word that means this: “To make holy, i.e. (ceremonially) purify or consecrate; (mentally) to venerate: — hallow, be holy, sanctify. To render or acknowledge, or to be venerable or hallow; to separate from profane things and dedicate to God; consecrate things to God; dedicate people to God; to purify; to cleanse; externally. To purify by expiation: free from the guilt of sin. To purify internally by renewing of the soul” (Strong’s # 37). While we have a part in being sanctified (Acts 26:18-20), that is not what we are talking about here. We are talking about the part that Jesus played in our sanctification through the sacrifice of His physical body. His part was to give sinners the opportunity to be made clean. For those who choose to obey Him (Hebrews 5:8-9), we can be cleansed from our past sins (I Corinthians 6:9-11).
Now, take some time to think about this point that is made in the context of our study. We have our perfect, undefiled Lord Jesus Christ that did not need a sacrifice to be offered for Himself (Hebrews 7:14-28). He did not need to become a child of God, for He is the only begotten of the Father (John 1:1-14). Yet, to bring the opportunity for His Father to have other children, He willingly offered Himself (John 10:14-18) to give the whole world the opportunity to be the children of God. The language, “For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one” is about being God’s children.
Notice part of Jesus’ prayer, concerning His disciples, before His crucifixion: “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth. Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me” (John 17:17-21). The desire of Christ, His prayer to the Father, was for His followers then and going forward might share in the relationship Jesus has with our Heavenly Father. Can you appreciate that it is Jesus whom was sacrificed so that we can be adopted into His family (Galatians 4:1-7)?
By Jesus doing what He did by His choice, He has no reluctance in calling those of us whom are saved His brethren. That is more than words. Jesus is going to be sharing with us His inheritance. Notice: “And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together” (Romans 8:17). When there was a strife among the disciples about who was the greatest among them (Luke 22:24-28), Jesus said this: “And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me; That ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel” (Luke 22:29-30). Think on that!
We know that, through faithful obedience to our Father, we are called the sons and daughters of God (I John 3:1-10). Jesus did His part in the process of sanctification. It is up to us to do our part in continued faithfulness (John 8:31-32, Romans 6:1-23, II Corinthians 6:14-7:1, Ephesians 4:17-5:11, II Timothy 2:19-22, and Titus 2:11-14). In that state of faithfulness, Jesus is not ashamed to call us His brethren (Mark 3:31-35).
The writer of this book then uses statements from the Psalms (Psalms 22:22 and Psalms 22:25). Jesus did not hide the Father from anyone (John 18:20). Jesus came as a light to this world (John 12:46) and revealed the truth His Father sent Him to teach (John 8:25-30). His mindset was to do the will of our Father (John 4:34, John 5:30, and John 6:38).
Sometimes people see the word “church” and they get kind of stuck in thought. Remember, the word translated church [ἐκκλησία; Strong’s # 1577] is simply an assembly. Jesus sang when He was assembled with the disciples (Matthew 26:17-30). Therefore, as we wrap up, we see that Jesus is neither ashamed of His brethren or His Father. His actions showed such to be true. These are not just empty words. We ought to be especially thankful for the unselfishness of our Savior in allowing us to become His brethren!
Hebrews 2:13 - As we study through the second chapter of this letter we come to this statement: “And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold I and the children which God hath given me” (Hebrews 2:13). “And again” appears in this text because what has been said has been taken from quotes of Scriptures of old. The previous passage, Hebrews 2:12, was taken from the Psalms (Psalms 22:22 and Psalms 22:25). Now, here are two statements that come from the Scriptures.
The statement, “I will put my trust in Him” could be accredited to several passages from the Old Testament. Notice some passages with like wording: “O LORD my God, in thee do I put my trust: save me from all them that persecute me, and deliver me… O keep my soul, and deliver me: let me not be ashamed; for I put my trust in thee… In thee, O LORD, do I put my trust; let me never be ashamed: deliver me in thy righteousness… In God I will praise his word, in God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do unto me… In thee, O LORD, do I put my trust: let me never be put to confusion… But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord GOD, that I may declare all thy works” (Psalms 7:1, Psalms 25:20, Psalms 31:1, Psalms 56:4, Psalms 71:1, and Psalms 73:28).
The statement,“Behold I and the children which God hath given me” is a little more difficult to put a passage with. Similar wording appears in the book of Isaiah. That passage says: “Behold, I and the children whom the LORD hath given me are for signs and for wonders in Israel from the LORD of hosts, which dwelleth in mount Zion” (Isaiah 8:18). Regarding Isaiah, he was speaking of his children Shearjashub and Mahershalalhashbaz (Isaiah 7:3 and Isaiah 8:1-4). Now, if you spend some time digging into Isaiah chapters seven and eight there are some fascinating things to consider. Immediately, the prophet was telling the children of Israel of their coming judgment in being carried away into Assyrian captivity (II Kings 17:1-6). Yet, there are some things that tie to Jesus in that context too.
Isaiah wrote: “Moreover the LORD spake again unto Ahaz, saying, Ask thee a sign of the LORD thy God; ask it either in the depth, or in the height above. But Ahaz said, I will not ask, neither will I tempt the LORD. And he said, Hear ye now, O house of David; Is it a small thing for you to weary men, but will ye weary my God also? Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:10-14). Then, in the next chapter, he addresses Immanuel in writing: “Now therefore, behold, the Lord bringeth up upon them the waters of the river, strong and many, even the king of Assyria, and all his glory: and he shall come up over all his channels, and go over all his banks: And he shall pass through Judah; he shall overflow and go over, he shall reach even to the neck; and the stretching out of his wings shall fill the breadth of thy land, O Immanuel” (Isaiah 8:7-8). Contextually, these statements are very confusing. However, when you put them together with what we know now, there is greater clarity. Who was/is Immanuel?
In the New Testament we have a clear answer to the question of who Immanuel was/is. Notice: “Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily. But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us. Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife: And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS” (Matthew 1:18-25). There we have it, Isaiah was writing about Jesus. It wasn’t contextually clear for it was to be a mystery unto them. Thanks be to God that we have that mystery revealed now (Romans 16:25-27, I Corinthians 2:6-16, Ephesians 1:3-9, Ephesians 3:1-11, and Colossians 1:25-2:2).
Now that we have where those statements come from, let’s consider a few quick points. The fact that Jesus trusted in His Father was so clear and evident that even His enemies would make that statement (Matthew 27:41-43). Jesus simply did whatever it was that His Father gave Him to do (John 14:31). This is important for us to see and recall about Jesus. We too must have complete trust in our Father to put our souls in His hands (I Peter 4:19).
When, contextually speaking of Jesus, we read of Him having children there is some significance to that statement we should not overlook. In His prayer to the Father (John 17:1-26), Jesus said: “And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them” (John 17:10). For those whom sought to separate themselves from Jesus and join to the Father, they needed to understand that was not possible (John 16:14-15). Therefore, seeing Jesus in the flesh should not have caused anyone to weaken their view of His being deity. In the flesh, He and the Father were one (John 10:30). What we will see in our coming study is that Jesus put on the flesh for a purpose, not a diminishing of who He was/is. They/we need to be able trust in Jesus as our deliverer. We will pick up with that point next week.
Hebrews 2:14 - “Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil” (Hebrews 2:14). The children we are talking about in this study are those followers given to Christ by the Father (Hebrews 2:13). The point behind this is something we will address again in this chapter and talk about more at length then. Notice: “Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people” (Hebrews 2:17).
One, among many things about Jesus that is great, is that He lived in the flesh. He knows what it is to live in this world as a man. Thus, when we read in our context today that “He also Himself likewise took part of the same”, there are many points to that. In the lesson we are looking at here, it was so that He could die physically. Later in this letter, we will see another reason for Jesus coming in the flesh. Here is what we find in chapter four: “Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:14-16).
These points are outstanding things to consider. Jesus didn’t just sit on His throne in Heaven. He came down to this world to walk the walk. To the point of this study, He had to be in the flesh to die. One of the reasons He came to die in the flesh was to destroy the devil who had the power of death. This was not something that could be done under the Law of Moses (Romans 8:1-4). Let’s take some time to work through some of the things stated in Hebrews 2:14. Let’s start with the power of death that was in the hands of the devil.
First, I think it is necessary to state that the death of Christ did not end physical death itself. Physical death is the last enemy that will be destroyed (I Corinthians 15:26). Until Jesus returns and this world ends, death is a reality that we all must face (Hebrews 9:27-28). When Christ returns, death will be swallowed up in victory through the resurrection (I Corinthians 15:50-58). With that being unmistakably clear, what did Satan have that was ended by the death of Christ?
Satan, that old serpent the devil (Revelation 20:2), introduced sin into the world and by such He brought death upon mankind (Genesis 3:1-24). Now consider this: “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: (For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come. But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification. For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.). Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 5:12-21).
When Jesus came into this world in human form, to carry out the Father’s will (Philippians 2:3-11), Satan’s grip was coming to an end. There was nothing, prior to Christ, that made sinners pure. Animal sacrifices didn’t accomplish the remission of sins (Hebrews 10:1-18). Satan was winning. Then Jesus came. Think about these Scriptures: “Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God; Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel… He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother” (II Timothy 1:8-10 and I John 3:8-10).
As we read through the New Testament, we read that Jesus has the power over death now (Revelation 1:9-18). Jesus came to live and ultimately die to cast out the prince of this world (John 12:27-35). Jesus made it possible for anyone who was under the grip of sin, the power of Satan, to turn from such and be saved (Acts 26:18-20 and Ephesians 2:1-10). The power that Satan had, since the garden, is now over. Be thankful that, through the death of Christ, our sins can be removed (I Corinthians 6:9-11, I Peter 1:13-20, and Revelation 1:5).
Hebrews 2:15 - Though we are looking at verse fifteen in this study, the following is the whole sentence which includes verse fourteen. Here is the text: “Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage” (Hebrews 2:14-15). As we consider those who lived their lives in fear of death, let’s remember who we are talking about and why death was fearful. Also, we need to consider what bondage those people were under.
Those who lived prior to and under the Law of Moses had no hope in death. One Psalm speaks of the terrors of death (Psalms 55:4). In a context of a discussion with king David and a wise woman from Tekoah, we read this: “For we must needs die, and are as water spilt on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again; neither doth God respect any person: yet doth he devise means, that his banished be not expelled from him” (II Samuel 14:14). Regarding death, Solomon wrote: “For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast: for all is vanity. All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again… For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten” (Ecclesiastes 3:19-20 and Ecclesiastes 9:5). Job said: “But man dieth, and wasteth away: yea, man giveth up the ghost, and where is he? As the waters fail from the sea, and the flood decayeth and drieth up: So man lieth down, and riseth not: till the heavens be no more, they shall not awake, nor be raised out of their sleep. O that thou wouldest hide me in the grave, that thou wouldest keep me secret, until thy wrath be past, that thou wouldest appoint me a set time, and remember me! If a man die, shall he live again? all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come” (Job 14:10-14).
There is not much hope in the words above nor is there in many more quotes that we could examine from the Old Testament. There was some understanding of a judgment from God (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14). There was some thought of life after death (Psalms 49:12-15). However, there are statements that show this thinking could have been figures of speech at times (Psalms 86:13). When we studied the book of Daniel here locally in El Paso we saw how language that appeared on the surface to reveal the resurrection didn’t really mean such (Daniel 12:1-3; see notes here: https://www.wordsoftruth.net/daniel12_01_13.html).
What we do know about times of old is that they did not have the lively hope of the resurrection that we have in Christ. Notice: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls. Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow. Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into” (I Peter 1:3-12).
Living under the Law of Moses was a life of bondage. The saints in Rome, whom had the Spirit of God working through them, were told this: “For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father” (Romans 8:15). Those Christians in Galatia that wanted to return to certain aspects of the Law of Moses, were told not to be entangled again in the yoke of bondage (Galatians 5:1-18). The law itself was a law of bondage (Galatians 4:1-31).
The saints of old were afraid to die. They didn’t have the hope that we have in death. We can be like Paul and know that in death there are things that are far better (Philippians 1:21-23). We know about Paradise (Luke 16:19-31 and Luke 23:39-43). Therefore, when facing death, we can be ready and willing to leave this world (Acts 21:13). That is a comfort we have because we are in Christ.
Our comfort and our confidence comes because we can see what happened with Christ. He died, went to Paradise in Hades, was risen on the third day, and then was taken into Heaven (Acts 2:22-33). He is the firstborn from the dead (I Corinthians 15:20 and Colossians 1:12-18). He is the evidence that being dead in the flesh is not the end of everything (I Thessalonians 4:13-18). That comfort did not exist for those under the Law of Moses. Remember, Jesus is the firstborn from the dead. Our hope was not their hope. Therefore, those reading this Hebrew letter could have a sigh of relief. Their fear of death was no longer warranted. Being in Christ means that death is swallowed up in victory (I Corinthians 15:54-57).
Hebrews 2:16 - We have been reading about and studying about Jesus coming into this world in the flesh (Hebrews 2:14-15). Now, we are going to consider another detail in addition to the things we’ve already discussed. The passage of our study in this article is this: “For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham” (Hebrews 2:16). In staying true to the context, this is in continuation of the fact that Jesus came in the flesh to die in the flesh. First century Christian Jews needed to grasp that as we have discussed in our studies thus far. Then, they needed to further consider why Jesus, like all who have been born in the flesh, had put on the flesh and as such was made a little lower than the angels (Hebrews 2:5-9).
If you will recall, we have studied how that angels are spiritual beings (Psalms 104:4 and Hebrews 1:7). Angels have identities. We know some of their names. For example, we know of Gabriel (Daniel 8:16, Daniel 9:21, Luke 1:19, and Luke 1:26). We know of Michael (Jude 1:9). We know of angels that sinned (Revelation 12:7-9). We know that angels could appear in different forms that included appearing as men (Genesis 19:1-13). Yet, they were not born of a woman. They did not come from the seed of human beings. That is where Jesus is different. He did not come to this world in the form of a spirit in the first century. That is not to say He did not appear in another form in times past (I Corinthians 10:1-4). However, when He came in the first century it was from the seed of a human being. That seed ties all the way back to Abraham.
Here is the promise made to Abraham regarding his seed that was fulfilled in Christ: “Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed… And the angel of the LORD called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time, And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the LORD, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son: That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice” (Genesis 12:1-3 and Genesis 22:15-18).
This statement in Hebrews 2:16 should have been very thought productive for a first century Jewish Christian that read it. The Jews knew the significance of being the children of Abraham (Luke 16:22-24, John 8:33, and John 8:53). Mary magnified God recognizing her pregnancy with Jesus was a step in God keeping His promise to Abraham and his seed (Luke 1:46-56). The Holy Spirit moved Peter to use the promise to Abraham in teaching an audience of Jews (Acts 3:11-25). The Holy Spirit had Stephen use this point to a Jewish audience as well (Acts 7:1-8). The preaching of the Gospel to a Jewish audience in Antioch included a reminder of the promise made to Abraham and how that tied to Jesus (Acts 13:14-43). Paul, aided by the Holy Spirit, used this point in the defense of Himself before king Agrippa (Acts 26:6-7). The Jews were aware of what God said to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
You can see the failure of the Jews to understand this point in the letter Paul wrote to the churches of Galatia. The congregations in Galatia had fallen prey to a perversion of the Gospel of Christ (Galatians 1:6-9). Part of the problem was that they had been taught to be circumcised (Galatians 5:1-9 and Galatians 6:11-15). Circumcision of the flesh had been done since the days of Abraham because of the covenant made between God and Abraham (Genesis 17:1-14). The Jews kept missing that this promise, in regard to the aspect of salvation, was fulfilled.
Whosoever had or has been converted into Christ are beneficiaries of the promise made to Abraham and his seed. As we conclude this brief study, consider what Paul said to the erring saints in Galatia as commentary on Hebrews 2:16: “Brethren, I speak after the manner of men; Though it be but a man's covenant, yet if it be confirmed, no man disannulleth, or addeth thereto. Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ. And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect. For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise. Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator. Now a mediator is not a mediator of one, but God is one. Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law. But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe. But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise” (Galatians 3:15-29).
Hebrews 2:17-18 - As we have been studying about Jesus being born in the flesh (Hebrews 2:14-16), we continue with these statements: “Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted” (Hebrews 2:17-18). These two statements are leading us into things we will discuss from this point through the seventh chapter of this letter.
We know that the faithful are brethren to Christ (Mark 3:31-35). He is not ashamed of that fact either (Hebrews 2:11-12). The point being made in this text is that for Jesus to be a merciful and faithful High Priest, He had to be made like His brethren. Jesus took on the form of man (Philippians 2:7-8). The fact that Jesus was/is faithful is undoubtably true. We will be talking about that as we get into the next chapter (Hebrews 3:1-6). Later in this letter we will even discuss the aspects of obedience that Jesus learned (Hebrews 5:7-10). The fact that Jesus was/is our High Priest is something we will also spend considerable time studying throughout this letter (Hebrews 4:14-5:6 and Hebrews 6:20-7:28).
With those things coming in the future of our studies in more detail, let’s take some time in considering the role of Christ as the High Priest that came to make reconciliation of the sins of the people. Under the Law of Moses, the priests brought offerings to God for the sins of the people (Leviticus 4:1-5:13). Therefore, the Jews reading this letter had some understanding of the role a priest filled in this regard. The fact that Jesus is called a high priest should not be read into too much. For example, to be the high priest in Israel a man would be of the seed of Abraham, married, and expected to avoid the blind, lame, etc. (Leviticus 21:1-24). We know that Jesus did not fit those things. For one, His priesthood is not tied to Aaron (again; something we will study later in chapter seven). Secondly, He would have been defiled because He did not keep Himself from the blind, lame, etc. (Matthew 9:27-31, Matthew 15:29-31, Matthew 20:29-34, Matthew 21:14, and Mark 1:40-45). Thirdly, we have no record of Jesus marrying. So, I say again, His being called the High Priest does not tie back to the things taught under the Law of Moses and is not significant in that regard.
What Jesus did in making reconciliation for the sins of the people was also different than the priests of old. Instead of Jesus offering an animal unto God as a sacrifice, He offered Himself. Consider this text as explanation: “For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again. Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more. Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him“ (II Corinthians 5:14-21). Later, in the Hebrew letter we will read similar points in different wording (Hebrews 10:1-18). Jesus was not just a priest offering the Sacrifice, He was the sin offering Himself. That had never happened before and will never occur again.
Jesus putting on the flesh of man to be a sin offering is amazing. It is wonderful. We who have sinned are able to be reconciled to God because of Jesus (Colossians 1:12-22). Yet, that was not the only reason He came in the flesh. As the text we are looking at teaches, Jesus came in the flesh to suffer temptation so that He could bring aid to those tempted. He was tempted like as mankind is and remained sinless throughout (Hebrews 4:14-16). He knows the sorrows, pains, etc. of life in this world. Do you remember the picture of anguish we can read about prior to His death (Matthew 26:36-46)? By living in the flesh and suffering through all that He did, Jesus serves as the greatest example for us to follow (I Peter 2:21-25).
Now, take a moment and think about something here. As God in the flesh (Romans 9:1-5), Jesus was able to experience what it is to walk in human shoes (so to speak). Having the understanding, the experience of physical life; He then gave man a covenant to keep. We live under the Law of Christ (Galatians 6:2). It is not a grievous [burdensome] law (I John 5:2-3). His yoke is not hard to bear (Matthew 11:28-30). Why? The answer to that is that He understands life in this world through experience. That is something God, our Father, cannot say. Jesus is also our Judge (John 12:48, Romans 14:11-12, and II Corinthians 5:10). Think about that.
As you look at the perfect law of liberty we live under and are expected to be doers of (James 1:18-27); think about our law-giver. He has not given us instructions that bind us. He has not given us impossible hurdles to jump. He has given us instructions to aid us. He knows life in this world. He also knows life in the world we seek to come. Look at His words as spirit and life (John 6:63). Understand His law is one of aid, not one of bondage. That was the lesson struggling first century Jews needed to learn about their new law, their new High Priest, and what was expected of them. Let’s not miss those lessons in Christ!