Jesus’ Full Humanity – Part II
HEBREWS 2:11-18
THIS WEEK’S STUDY WILL BE THE LAST TWO VERSES OF THIS AMAZING PASSAGE. Here is the entire passage…
NAS Hebrews 2:11-18 For both He who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all from one Father; for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren, 12 saying, “I will proclaim Thy name to My brethren, In the midst of the congregation I will sing Thy praise.” 13 And again, “I will put My trust in Him.” And again, “Behold, I and the children whom God has given Me.” 14 Since then the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil; 15 and might deliver those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives. 16 For assuredly He does not give help to angels, but He gives help to the descendant of Abraham. 17 Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren in all things, that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. 18 For since He Himself was tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted.
THE WORD “THEREFORE” IN V. 17 MAKES THESE FINAL TWO VERSES A CONCLUSION TO THE PASSAGE.
VERSE 16, WHERE WE ENDED LAST WEEK IS A KIND OF CONCLUSION IN ITS OWN RIGHT. Lane correctly notes that the explanatory “for” shows the writer is engaging his readers in the argument he has been developing…
NAS Hebrews 2:16 For assuredly He does not give help to angels, but He gives help to the descendant of Abraham.
“THE POINT MADE IS THAT ANGELS EXPERIENCE NEITHER DEATH NOR THE FEAR OF DEATH. BUT THE DESCENDANTS OF ABRAHAM DO, AND SO THE INCARNATE SON OF GOD DIED TO DELIVER THEM FROM BONDAGE TO THE FEAR OF DEATH.” – Lane
“SKILFULLY, THE WRITER NOW INTRODUCES ANOTHER OF HIS MAJOR THEMES – CHRIST IS OUR GREAT HIGH PRIEST. There are no fewer than sixteen references in Hebrews to the high priest, so we deal with the subject here and develop it at greater length later.
“THIS IS ALSO THE POINT IN THE EPISTLE AT WHICH THE MOSAIC LAW IS FIRST INVOKED, AND IT SETS THE TONE FOR ALL THAT FOLLOWS. Jesus Christ is God; He is King; He is man, and He is Redeemer. All this we have seen in the first two chapters of Hebrews. But now He is declared to be the intercessor and mediator between God and man. As such, our verse implies, He has both fulfilled and replaced the high-priesthood of the old covenant.” – Andrews
VERSE 17 SUMMARIZES THE ENTIRE PASSAGE, VV. 11-18; IT EXPLAINS HIS “FULL HUMANITY” AND HIS INTIMATE RELATIONSHIP WITH HIS BRETHREN – YOU AND ME…
NAS Hebrews 2:17 Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren in all things, that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.
THESE TWO FINAL VERSES DESCRIBE THE SEED OF ABRAHAM AND THE HIGH PRIEST. The seed of Abraham is a term that is not applied to men in general and not Jews only, but to those who are of faith…
ESV Galatians 3:7 Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham.
ESV Galatians 3:16 Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring. It does not say, “And to offsprings,” referring to many, but referring to one, “And to your offspring,” who is Christ.
ESV Genesis 12:7 Then the LORD appeared to Abram and said, “To your offspring I will give this land.” So he built there an altar to the LORD, who had appeared to him.
THESE ARE CHRIST’S “BRETHREN”: PEOPLE OF FAITH, JEWS AND GENTILES ALIKE, AND HE WAS “MADE LIKE” THEM IN ORDER TO PERFORM THE FUNCTIONS OF HIGH PRIEST SOLELY ON THEIR BEHALF.
WHAT ARE THESE FUNCTIONS? The Scripture tells us succinctly…
“FIRSTLY, as a merciful High Priest, He exercises mercy towards them.,
SECONDLY, our High Priest is faithful to His calling.
THIRDLY, and fundamentally, He makes propitiation for the sins of the people. Under the Mosaic covenant, it was the high priest’s special responsibility to enter the inner sanctuary once each year on the Day of Atonement. He carries with him the blood of the sacrifices, a bull and a goat, to atone for his own sins and the sins of the people respectively (9:7; Lev 16). So Christ makes ‘propitiation’ (reconciliation, appeasement, atonement) for the sins of His people. The difference is that Christ offers, not the blood of bulls or goats, but His own blood – a sacrifice of infinite value, as we shall see.
FOURTHLY and finally, the high priest offers succor to those who look to him in their trouble. ‘In that he himself has suffered, being tempted, he is able to aid those who are tempted’ (2:18). ‘Temptation’ here is to be understood as ‘testing’ and includes not only temptation to sin but also any kind of trial experienced by mankind. Because He was truly man, Jesus is able to empathize with us in our trials, whatever their nature. Divine comfort is always available to those who come to Him in faith, bringing their needs and burdens (Matt. 11:28).” – Andrews
NAS Matthew 11:28 “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.
BEAUTIFUL. Hebrews 2:11-18 undoubtedly is one of my new favorite passages in this great book. I just think it is under-acknowledged, all-encompassing, and exquisite.
“THIS TEXT, LIKE OTHERS THAT REPRESENT GOD AS THE CHAMPION OF ISRAEL, PRESERVES AN APOCALYPTIC POINT OF VIEW. It offers a Hellenistic-Jewish paradigm for the Christological perspectives developed in Heb 2:10-18. The element of representation that is common to the offices of champion and of high priest may account for the fact that in Hebrews champion perspectives flow smoothly into the presentation of a high priestly Christology. With vv. I7-18 the writer prepares to lead his hearers directly into the body of the discourse devoted to the exposition of Jesus as priest and sacrifice. Common to the concepts both of champion and of high priest are the elements of representation and solidarity with a particular people. The presentation of Jesus in 2:10-18 provided assurance that the exalted Son continues to identify Himself with the oppressed people od God exposed to humiliation and testing in a hostile world.” – Lane
EXQUISITE!
– Professor Thomas A. Rohm
