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Hebrews 2:9-18
Hebrews 2:9-18
9 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. 10 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. 11 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, 12 Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee. 13 And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold I and the children which God hath given me. 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; 15 And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. 16 For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham. 17 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. 18 For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.
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1. Jim McClarty
But we see Jesus... (2:9a)
Well, we certainly didn't get far before the first comment. This is an essential statement on which the rest of this treatise is based. The writer of Hebrews has just presented us with a contrast between the phrase "the world to come" in verse 5 and the words "but, now..." in verse 8. And, the essence of the contrast is this:
- In the "world to come" all things are put in subjection to Christ. In verse 8 this fact is repeated
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.
That guarantee, pulled from the prophetic Psalms, stands unquestionable and indisputable. All things are declared to be put under Christ's feet in absolute subjection. That's one of the primary characteristics of what the writer calls "the world to come."
- But, in the "now" he describes a sharp contrast: "But now we see not yet all things put under him." Regardless of our particular eschatological bent we are forced to recognize the writer's juxtaposition between these two "times" and the evidence of the times:
"The world to come" = all things in subjection.
"Now" = all things are not yet put under him.So, what are we to do? How do we handle this intrusion of pragmatic reality into our knowledge of what is declared to be? And, what is the evidence, the proof positive, that one day all things will, indeed, bow to Christ's absolute authority?
Allow me to belabor the question - - - We have the clear word of God. We, as Christians, are certain that our God reigns and that His Christ is lifted up on high, seated in Heavenly authority and holds the promise of universal dominion.
For it is written,
As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me,
and every tongue shall confess to God. (Rom.14:11)and,
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. (Phil. 2:9-11)
Yet, any honest observer of the affairs of this world would have to admit that stiff-necked rebels continue to slander the name of Christ, and our mortal enemies-- sin, sickness, death--continue to plunder the sons of men.
So, what are we to say to this conflict? How do we resolve this apparent contradiction? Where should we turn our attention to find comfort, peace, and assurance from any doubt of the complete resolution?
Answer: "BUT, WE SEE JESUS!!!" The Christian views the world through the eyes of faith. "For we walk by faith, not by sight" (2 Cor. 5:7). And, just as importantly, HOW do we see Him? Frustrated? Confounded? Wringing His eternal hands at how the whole plan has gone awry? Nope...
... who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; (2:9b)
Though He took on flesh and blood and suffered death, which no angelic being ever experienced, we see Him now crowned in Heavenly splendor, glorified, and honored.
A perfect example of this idea is found in the death of Stephen. He died at the hands of unbelievers who would not bow to Christ. Stephen saw that not everything was in utter subjection. But, as he died, "being full of the Holy Ghost," he looked up steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, and said, "Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God" (Acts 7:55-56). Stephen saw, and suffered under, the conflict....but, He saw Jesus. And, that was all he needed to see.
As believers, it would be easy for us to become discouraged as we look at the mess the world is in. I sympathize with those who are frightened or confused. But, we must not look at the world and adjust our faith to accommodate what we see. We must keep our eyes on Christ only, and adjust our knowledge of reality to fit what we know by faith.
So, that being said, what do we see when we look at Him?
...that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. (2:9c)
That's why He was made flesh, lower than the angels. It was for a purpose. His arrival on the stage of history was not a random thing. He came with an agenda and a destiny. He came to die. And, in that death, He conquered death. In tasting death, He made it possible for us to step from life into life. Having accomplished His death, He accomplished our death. In raising from the grave, He purchased our eternal life.
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. (2:10)
In the great, eternal purpose of God - the owner and author of all things - He purposed to save some of His creatures. And, He chose to call them "sons." That's amazing. There was only one true Son. But, by the declaration of God, Christ is our "elder brother," and we are the adopted sons of the Almighty Father. Still more amazingly, the methodology through which God determined to bring those children home was through the suffering of their Lord.
I love the phrase "captain of their salvation." The captain leads the way. The captain guides the vessel. The captain takes charge and gives the commands. But, our Captain humbled Himself and suffered under a torment we could never bear and which we will - thank God - never know. He was separated, forsaken of the Father, on our account. But, He promised us: "I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee" (Heb.13:5).
And, He rose victorious from the onslaught of God's wrath! He was perfected, completed in all that He was destined to be. And, by that singular, sacrificial act, we sons and daughters are welcomed into our eternal home - following our faithful Captain's lead.
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, (2:11)
Oh, well, this is just too wonderful for me! The word here rendered "sanctifieth" is the Greek "hagiazo," from the root "hagios," which is usually translated "holy." It has to do with being separated or set apart for God's exclusive purpose and use. That's what Christ did for us. He set us apart, separating us from the world, from sin, and from our own destructive desires, and made us the exclusive property of God, specifically for His use. He changed the direction of our will, redirected the desire of our hearts, and paid the debt our sin had incurred. He "sanctifieth." We are "sanctified." And, in Him, we are all one, gathered to our Father, ready and willing to follow His purpose. And, that being the case, Christ is not ashamed to stand before the magisterial throne of the everlasting, almighty Ruler of the universe...
and call me...
brother.
Wow...
Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee. (2:12)
That's an exact quote of Psalm 22:22. The writer intends us to see that the idea of brotherhood between the Lord and his people existed, even back in Psalms. Christ came to save those whose names were written "in the book of life of the lamb slain from the foundation of the world" (Rev.13:8).. He always saw us as brethren, and He came to tell us about our Father. He came to declare God's name, His authority, His character, His nature, His plan, His salvation. And, who did He tell? His brethren! In the midst of the assembly of "out-called" saints, Christ came to teach us how to praise and worship "in spirit and in truth" (John 4:24).
And again, I will put my trust in him. (2:13)
That's most likely a reference to Psalm 18:2,
The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.
In this context I suppose the writer is pointing out Christ's common faith with ours. We all look to the Father for deliverance and place our trust in Him. It is a continuation of the "brethren" proofs. As is...
And again, Behold I and the children which God hath given me. (2:13b)
Through these several verses the writer has emphasized the family unity between the Father, the Son, and the brethren. Based on this sound Old Testament proof, he continues to develop the purpose of Christ's appearance on earth and what we are to see when we look at Him:
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; (2:14)
Flesh dies. Plain and simple fact. Flesh gets old, gets sick, becomes feeble, and dies. Young flesh dies. Old flesh dies. Flesh is weak. And, the life of the flesh is in the blood (Gen.9:4). So, to perfect His kinship with His brethren, the Son took on flesh and blood. Theologians call that the "hypostatic union." It means that He became something beneath what He was by nature. He did it so that He could die. That's why He came.
That death accomplished many things. Not the least of the accomplishments was the overpowering and plundering of Satan's domain. The "power of death" had been relinquished to Satan back in the Garden of Eden. But, along with that power came this prophecy:
And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. (Gen.3:15)
At Calvary, Christ vanquished Satan and took that authority from him
I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death. (Rev 1:18)
And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. (2:15)
We are the recipients of this glorious victory! The fleshly man's greatest fear is that one day he will die. Death is the great equalizer. Rich or poor, free or bond, we all die. And, Satan utilizes that fear to keep a stranglehold on men. They live their whole lives fearing the day of their demise. And, that bondage of fear is enough to keep men chasing fleshly immortality through fame, wealth, notoriety...anything to prove they were here. The fear of death drives men into all sorts of egocentric activity.
But, if we are Christ's, He has destroyed that fear. He has loosed us from that bondage. Our lives are not geared toward our glorification, but toward His. We don't fear dying because we know that it is simply a transition from this phase of life to the next phase of life. So, the devil has no threat to dangle over our heads. Satan is powerless to bind us up with worry and fear over our death. Our death, just as our life, is in the hands of our Captain, our elder brother.
For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham. (2:16)
It's interesting that the writer, directing his comments to a Hebrew audience, would point out that Jesus was a descendant of Abraham, the first Biblical Hebrew. But, the larger point is that, though some angels fell and left their first estate, Christ did not stoop to help them. He did not take on an angelic body, nor die on their behalf. Their sin remains on their heads. But, He DID stoop to help fallen men. He took on the flesh and blood, and it was the particular fleshly line which first received the promise - "and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed" (Gen.12:3).
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. (2:17)
In all things it "behoved" Him [that's an Old English way of saying "it was necessary"] to be made like His brethren. In all things. In purchasing their redemption. In buying them off the slave market of sin. In overthrowing Satan and releasing them from the threat of deathly bondage. In absorbing the wrath of God on their behalf. In sanctifying and separating them to God. In securing their heavenly destiny. All these things made it necessary that He take on flesh and blood.
The primary function of the Old Testament high priest was to make the yearly atonement offering for the people. But, those priests could never reconcile man to God once and for all. In becoming like His brethren, Christ accomplished that. This subject of Christ's priestly station will be explored in depth in the upcoming chapters.
For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted. (2:18)
What a beautiful verse to close on. It's popular today for people to feel segregated, singular, distinct. And, they suffer alone. The popular cry of pain is, "You don't know what it's like!" And, that's true. As humans it's utterly impossible for us to fully enter into someone else's agony. The temptations of this life can be overwhelming. The trials can be inundating. And, it can make us feel very solitary...and scared.
But, we're not alone. He knows what it's like. I'll say that again. He knows what it's like. He's suffered more than any of us...or, all of us put together. He has been tempted of Satan, face-to-face. He's withstood the trials of this life and suffered hunger, fatigue, loneliness, and terror. He knows what it's like. Yet, He remained faithful.
And, because He knows firsthand the difficulties of life in the flesh, He is able to comfort us. He's able to reassure us. He's the one we can, and should, run to for help in time of need. And He will help. Because he knows what it's like.
I like Kenneth Wuest's rendering of this verse. It reads,
For in that He suffered, having Himself been tempted and put to the test, He is able to run to the cry of those who are being tempted and put to the test, and bring them aid.
He runs to the cry of His brethren!
And, what is the outcome, the upshot, of this relationship? I think it's 1Cor. 10:13,
There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
And, if every temptation and trial we encounter is common to man, then it's a trial which Christ endured and triumphed over. He knows what it's like.
Take comfort in that.
CONCLUSION
Well, for the sake of wrapping this up, I'll conclude with this line - "But, we see Christ." Everything else that's written here reverts back to that common thread. Regardless of our life problems, the world situation, or the trials of the flesh, our gaze must be fixed on Him and our faith must be rooted and grounded in His word. Everything that's written of Him will come to pass. He's coming back. He's going to reign to the culmination, judging His enemies and rewarding His faithful. We will
live eternally in His presence and find ourselves standing before the God of Ages, accepted in the Beloved. Our Beloved. Our Captain. Our Elder Brother."But, we see Jesus."
Jim McClarty
McClartyfam@juno.com
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2. Maurice Bergeron
But we see Jesus, (2:9a)
This small statement is loaded. Yes, there were angels and other messengers who preceded God’s Annointed One, but from henceforth we see Jesus and Him alone. I do believe it is not through accident or neglect that we have no knowledge of the author of this letter. Perhaps it is the purpose of God to keep our prying eyes on Christ alone? That is the thrust of the letter, is it not?
“We see Jesus.” This is the sort of statement that a preacher like Elder Ward could go to town on for a good week or more. In this life we see Jesus through the eye of faith. Such was not always our lot. There was a time when we were blind; we were devoid of faith and devoid of life, but...there’s that word again... but the Savior did the bidding of His Father and He made us alive unto Himself.
As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him. (John 17:2)
...that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. (2:9b)
When Adam sinned he lost all. Through His death, the Son of God gained all things.
...For whom [are] all things, (2:10)
Our Lord, in my humble opinion, is the center of all things.
But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him. (1 Cor. 8:6)
The captain of their salvation (2:10b)
He is our Joshua.
Perfect through sufferings. (2:10c)
It doesn’t say He was perfect in holiness. That would be obvious since He was sinless. The thought here is of identity. As a result of His human suffering Christ was made perfect to be our Savior.
He is not ashamed to call them--all the saved, though they are mortals--by the name of brethren. (2:11,12)
This is obviously a reference to Psalm 22:22, where it reads, “I will declare thy name unto my brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee."
And again, (2:13)
Here once again is the thought of identity and what I also believe to be a most remarkable statement. Think on this: Those for whom Christ died are given as a gift to God.
And I will wait upon the LORD, that hideth his face from the house of Jacob, and I will look for him. 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: 17, 18--
He also himself likewise took part of the same. (2:14)
It was necessary that Christ put on mortality in order to die, and it was necessary that He suffer death in order to deliver His children from the power of sin.
Deliver them. (2:15)
He not only delivered us from the sting of death, which is sin, but also from the fear of death, by giving us the blessed hope of eternal life.
...he took on him the seed of Abraham... it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren. (2:16b & 17a)
Why take on the form of a man and not the form of angels? Why for man and not for the angels that rebelled?
Verse 2:18
In that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to sympathize with all who suffer and to succor them that are tempted, all who have trials and need help.
From the Peoples’s New Testament Commentary, we have this summary of chapters one and two:
These two chapters show that Christ is higher than the angels, and hence that the gospel is superior in its demands to the Law. They show that to Christ as the Son of Man, subjected to death, and glorified, all things have been subjected; that he becomes a brother to the saints, and that he took our nature, suffered, and tasted death, in order that he might become a faithful and merciful high priest, touched with a feeling of our infirmities, able to make atonement for us, and to come to us with an Elder Brother's help in every time of need.
Maurice Bergeron
ic@mdc.net
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3. Michael Cruz
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. (2:9)
Verse nine is a reprise of verse seven. This is an important concept the author affirms again and again. God left the glory of heaven to be clothed in the form of sinful man and, due to obedience in his atoning death, he has now ascended to glory at the right hand of the father. The last part of verse nine verifies that God's grace brought about this atonement that paid the penalty for every one of us
.
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. (2:10)
In verse ten, the universal quantifier "every" (from verse nine) is modified by the term "many sons" and so discounts the concept of universal atonement. So, the atoning sacrifice is not for all of mankind but only for believers; otherwise, God's work is non-effectual. The author is very specific that God, himself, perfected the author of the salvation of those "many sons" through Christ's suffering. This is assurance to us that our redemption is definite, complete, and particular. Those who are in Christ now have a perfect relationship with the Lord Jehovah, whose wrath has been averted by Christ's perfect sacrifice. A comparison of John 17:2 with this verse is further assurance that we now have the eternal life that Christ prayed for in Gethsemane.
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, (2:11)
Again, the perfection of our salvation is assured in verse eleven though, this time, the author carries it even further. Where in verse ten we see the quantity of our salvation (eternal life), here we see the quality of our salvation in that we are made one with Christ and the father. This is another prayer from John 17:9 that has been answered. We are now part of the family of God; we are now co-heirs with Christ (Romans 8:17) and we know that he accepts us into the family as brothers
Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee. (2:12)
Verse twelve expands this idea, and we also see that it is the fulfillment of prophecy given in Psalms 22:22. This should give confidence to the believer that Christ is among his other brothers, telling them of our entry into the family. It is of particular comfort to know that Christ is boasting of our heirship. Another concept of this vane is presented at the end of this verse as we see that Christ "sings the praises" of his new brothers and sisters to the assembly
.
And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold I and the children which God hath given me. (2:13)
In verse thirteen, we see the finality of God's purchase of us. He has so much confidence in the cleansing of his people from their sin that he now puts his trust in us. Certainly, this is not in the same way that we trust him for salvation but he trusts his work in us to the point that He has confidence we will be preserved in our ministry and never, finally, fall away. The last part of this verse conjures an image of Christ with his arms around his brothers as full members of the brotherhood. When we were adopted, we were adopted for good and have become full sons.
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; (2:14)
Verse fourteen once again emphasizes Christ's humility by lowering himself from his place in heaven to the form of a man. Here the author goes farther in giving an explanation to why that was necessary. He became like man and, after his death, he rose from the dead to defeat Satan who holds the reigns of death.
And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. (2:15)
Verse fifteen continues this idea in stating that he destroyed death by his resurrection so it would no longer hold any power over his brothers. This is so they could boldly proclaim the truth without fear of the sword which God's enemies would use against them.
For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham. (2:16)
Again in verse sixteen the writer brings into discussion the angels. Christ did not die to free the angels, but to free Abraham's seed, from death.
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. (2:17)
Verse seventeen brings to mind a controversial subject: the nature of Christ. Was Christ fully human, was he fully man, or was he both? The writer uses the universal quantifier in stating that as man, he was like his brothers in the flesh in every way. If we follow the hermeneutic that the Arminian uses in interpreting references to the atonement then we lead ourselves into error with the word "every." This statement must be tempered by other passages which reflect on the nature of Christ. We find, in chapter four of this book of Hebrews, that Christ was tempted as we are yet without sin. This indicates that God is not fully human, in that he was a replica, since he was without the depraved nature that necessitates man's need for a savior. In Philippians 2:6, Paul states that Christ was in his very nature God which would contradict any notion of his nature being that of sinful man. The most appropriate explanation is that Christ was God clothed in human flesh.
Verse seventeen continues in stating that he took on this veil of human flesh in order to accomplish the work of a high priest in making us presentable to God. He can be a merciful high priest because he knows our suffering in temptation because he was tempted and suffered also. He is faithful because he fulfilled all prophecy in carrying out his earthly ministry. In addition to all this, he was able to act as both high priest and offering in the atonement for his people. Lastly, we are again reminded that he was without sin so that he could be a perfect sin offering.
For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted. (2:18)
In verse eighteen the author gives us a glimpse of the love God manifests toward his people. Because he knows what it is like to be tempted, he is able to help us in our trials and temptations. What a blessing to know that the God of the universe shares in sorrows!
Michael Cruz
a_la_cruz@technologist.com
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4. Murray McLellan
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. (2:9)
To think that God became a man! And to have become a man "for the suffering of death." O, to the Jews a stumbling block and foolishness to the Gentiles, but to us who are being saved, it is the power of God!
If Jesus is greater than the angels, and as the writer of Hebrews has declared, He most certainly is, how could He die? How could He be the Savior if He died? It was His death that accomplished salvation! That little one wrapped in swaddling cloths was born to taste death for mankind. Those little hands and feet were destined to be driven through with nails; that sacred head destined for a crown of thorns. He became cursed for men that the curse would be removed. He had to be a man - no angel could have accomplished this. Angels do not die.
What humility! The One worshipped by angels, was for a time made lower than the angels that He "might taste death for everyone" - for everyone who believes (see v. 10,13,16). This magnifies the grace of God. God through the death of Christ, displayed His glory by revealing Himself to be a gracious God - not just of a little but of infinite grace. There is a people accepted in the Beloved according to the good pleasure of His will who will forever be to the praise of the glory of His grace. Every time the angels look at us whom He has redeemed, they probably proclaim, "Is God ever gracious!"
Praise to Jesus Christ, our substitute in death. He alone is worthy to be "crowned with glory and honor." Let us glory in the cross of Jesus Christ. "In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins" (1 John 4:10).
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. (2:10)
Yes, how this becomes Him! How this fits with God's character! Who else could have conceived of such a plan, that He might be both just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus? Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, will bring His "sons to glory." He will lose none of them.
Whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called,
these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also
glorified. (Rom. 8:30)
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. And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold I and the children which God hath given me. (2:11-13)
Jesus not only saves us from the penalty of sin but also the power of sin in our lives. He is the one "who sanctifies" - the one who makes us holy. He unites us with Himself and becomes "for us wisdom [from God], and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption" (1 Cor. 1:30). What a complete and perfect salvation - found in a complete and perfect Savior!
His righteousness is so perfect that we have become children of God and brothers of Jesus Christ. We most certainly were not born into God's family, but, by His grace, we have been born again; this time spiritually into His family. He is not ashamed to call us brethren. How my heart aches to think of the times when I remained silent, instead of unashamedly proclaiming the gospel of the Lord of glory. How can we be ashamed to call this glorious Savior, brother? How can we be ashamed to identify with Him? I most certainly could understand His being ashamed of me, but never, no never, should we be ashamed of this one who loved us and gave Himself for us; this hallowed and exalted Lord of heaven and earth. Let us offer Him praise for His glory (Ps. 50:23); our words providing the extension of what is in our hearts. Let us put our full trust in Him, to show the world that our God is worthy of complete trust (Ps. 36:7-9).
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. (2:14,15)
We, by nature, are flesh and blood. Jesus, who by nature is not, willingly took upon Himself flesh and blood to break the powerful chains that held us in captivity to the devil, sin, and death. Jesus is the Seed of the woman that crushed the serpent's head! To live is Christ, to die is gain! Death has lost its sting! It is no longer to be feared by those who trust Him, for death means being with Christ, which is far better. Being with Christ is gain! In His presence is fullness of joy; at His right hand are pleasures forevermore.
For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham. 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. (2:16-18)
There is no redemption for fallen angels. However, this merciful God takes for Himself, from fallen man, a remnant according to grace. He redeems them and builds them into a holy nation according to the promise given to Abraham.
What a High Priest we have, who Himself became the sacrifice and the mercy seat. He dealt with suffering and temptation in a victorious and God-glorifying way. Where should we go in times of suffering and temptation? Look no further than our perfect Savior and Sanctifier - our merciful, faithful, and understanding High Priest! Who is like our Lord Jesus Christ? To whom will you liken Him? To whom will you compare Him? He stands alone! He alone makes propitiation for the sins of the people. Blessed be the name of the Lord!
Murray McLellan
m.mclellan@sk.sympatico.ca
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5. Donald Blind
Commentary On Hebrews 2: 9-18:
Now we know who this "what is man that thou art mindful of him" is;
It is Jesus.Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: (Col 1:15)
He is the very purpose of creation, to manifest the true and living God, Immanuel; God with us, in created form, to be obedient unto death, even the death of the cross; the substitute for sinners.
{Col 1:21} And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled
{Col 1:22} In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:..
{Col 1:18} And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.
He is perfected, in the sense that He has fulfilled through sufferings, even to the death of the cross;
Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared; Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him; (Heb. 5:7-9)
He brought Himself, through temptations, to the perfect "second Adam."
Before the foundation of the world, we were chosen in Him (Eph. 1:4). Therefore, He calls us brethren (v.11), as we must be from the same womb. Set apart by Him. "But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all" (Gal 4:26). "The LORD shall count, when he writeth up the people, that this man was born there. Selah" (Psalms 87:6). "I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one" (John 17:23).
This, "but we see Jesus" (v.9) reveals the Father unto us, in the midst of the church, in the hymn of praise unto the Father (v.12). Philip! if you have seen me, you have seen the Father; (Jn 14:9).
I AND the children which God hath given me (v.13) from Isa. 7&8; The Remnant Shall Return, Immanuel and Make Speed to the Spoil, were for signs and wonders:
Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors. (Isa 53:12)
Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear; break forth into singing, and cry aloud, thou that didst not travail with child: for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife, saith the LORD. (Isa 54:1)
He partook of the flesh and blood of His brethren (v.14).
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. (Phil.2:4-11)
The Devil's works destroyed, (v.14).
"For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil" (1Jn.3:8b). "Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:"(Col 1:13). The promise was not made to angels, but to the seed of Abraham (v. 16), The seed of the woman of Gen 3:15, because God chose to redeem men and not angels.Oh, the mystery of the sovereign choice of God! And some to honor and some to dishonor. There were elect angels: "I charge thee before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect angels..." (1 Tim 5:21).
The change of the priesthood (v.17)But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's: for this he did once, when he offered up himself. For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated for evermore. (Heb. 7:24-28)
He is the true fulfillment of 2 Cor 1:3,4
Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. (2 Cor. 1:3,4)
I think, in all of this, there is no better commentary than scripture itself.
Donald E. Blind
dblind@erols.com
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6. Kevin Hartley
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. (2:9,10)
The explanatory conjunction that opens the tenth verse lends explanation to the startling statement of verse 9, that Christ should taste death for all. If Christ was far superior to the angels, why then do we see Him debased unto death? We might thus ask, 'for what cause has the Majestic One, who sits higher than the heaven and the angels, become a partaker of death?' The explanation for the seeming devaluing of Christ is given in the remainder of this chapter. The reason we see Christ humbled--to the point of incarnation and death-- was to the end that it 'became Him.'
This is a most peculiar statement made by our author at the beginning of this pericope. What does it mean that 'it became Him'? The Greek word "eprepenan" ("eprepenan"), imperfect, declares that it was fit or becoming that Christ should be made perfect through suffering. Divine providence, the decree of sovereign election, the covenant of redemption, did so design that Christ should enter into this world, that He might lead forth captivity captive and give gifts to men. The import of this passage then bears forth the significance of this word throughout its design. For what cause was Christ made to suffer? It was fitting that the Captain of our salvation should taste death for all, that is, the many sons brought, by the efficacy of His death, to glory.
It is fitting; how beneficial to our souls it has become that it was fitting for Him to be made such a man. What manner of God do we serve that would determine it to be fitting to take the One, to whom are all things and for whom are all things, that He should accomplish the divine goal and end in suffering? He is rightly called the 'Captain of our salvation,' as he did first humble Himself in death that He might both secure our release from death and ensure our passage unto glory. As Captain, Jesus is both the emancipator and leader of our souls. The Greek preposition eis ("eis") conveys spatial extension, as Christ is declared to be our deliverer or savior, to the end that we should be glorified with Him.
Moses: a type of ChristPerhaps Moses would be brought to mind in the thoughts of the early readers of this epistle. Setting aside the glories of Egypt, Moses took on the form of a bondservant, as Christ did lay aside the royal splendor of heaven for the plainness of the flesh. Then Moses was one who was sent from Mt. Sinai to Egypt, that he might be unified with Israel and taste slavery with them, to the end, that by suffering he might lead them forth in emancipation. Like Moses, Christ Jesus did descend into the borders of death, taking on the form of a bondservant. Like Moses, Christ then did precede forth into Egypt to deliver those whom were held in slavery's grasp. Yet while Moses by the rod of God did lead Israel out of bondage, Christ, by tasting death, did lead forth Israel, His elect children, His own church, from the bondage of death. Ah, but sovereign mercy did not leave hapless Israel to dwell in a wilderness, eternal grace did lead her to Sinai, did covenant with her, did mediate for her, did save her and lead her to the end of her glory. Did Christ accomplish any lesser of a salvation for our souls? Is He not the emancipator and savior, in that we can declare that He who has begun a good work in us will complete it? Surely God has so decreed our sufficient and full salvation. Moses then in type exemplifies what we have seen in Christ, but only superficially. For how could Moses ever accomplish the eternal glory that through Christ's death and resurrection lend forth to Him such a title, 'the Captain of our Salvation' ?
"The Captain of Salvation"
Consider then what a 'Captain of Salvation' does; he does not simply open the gates of freedom that 'all may go in'; rather, He does emancipate, He does deliver, and He does truly save, leading His own into glory. Christ did not free all men by His death that they might potentially obtain freedom; rather, He in dying did obtain their release, secure their freedom, and did lead them forth unto the end of their freedom: glory. He is Savior, He is Captain, He is emancipator, He is our leader. How foolish the doctrine that exalts the freedom of man, making them the captains of their own salvation. What slave could find his way to Canaan unless the LORD leads? What sinner could find His way to glory, unless sovereign, effectual, persevering grace did and still does truly and fully save the lost soul.
Conclusion
Consider the abundant evidence of this passage that does support and demonstrate this conclusion of Christ's definite atonement.
First, in verse 9, the phrase 'for every man' in the King James is not found in the original. The Nestle Aland and every Greek text examined reads 'uper pantoV' ('uper pantos'), 'for all.' The adjective is singular in number and will not support a conclusion of universal application, as such a conclusion would anticipate the plural. Contextually, the phrase 'many sons' limits the phrase 'for all' Gill writes,
the word 'man' is not in the original text, it is only 'uper panton' ('uper panton'), which may be taken either collectively, and be rendered 'or the whole' that is, the whole body, the church for whom Christ gave himself, and is the Saviour of; or distributively, and be translated, "for everyone"; for everyone of the sons God brings to glory, Heb. 2:10 for everyone of the "brethren", whom Christ sanctifies.1
Just as definite as the LORD did redeem, deliver, and save Israel, so definite has Christ secured and saved His own. The entire passage is demonstrating the unity of Christ with His own. Those not in Him, who perish apart from Him, He has neither tasted death for nor secured their freedom. Christ is Savior, Captain, Lord, He does fully save.
Christian, sinner, lost soul, consider then how blessed and comforting Christ's efficient salvation is for the lost soul. Whoever you are, consider that the Captain of Salvation is no mere aid to grace; He is the sufficient and effectual means of grace. Those whom He saves, He saves.
Application:
The incomprehensible mercy of God in the saving work of Jesus Christ beats from the heart of this passage. As blood racing through the veins of the saint of God, to hear the willingness, the delight, and the desire of the Lord to make Himself one with us, is as red and smooth as the heart's blood can race. Who could not love a Savior like this? For who would go to such measures to secure the salvation and glorification of those lost ones, that it would be becoming to set His love upon us. Again Moses is but a shadow in the twilight when we consider the greater Exodus in Christ. What is this but mysterious love, sovereign love, effectual love, saving love, redeeming love, God glorifying love, that is found in the definite, limited, blessed atonement of Christ, to become as us, that He might be the Captain of our Salvation. Might all naysayers stand silent before Him. He is the Savior of His own. To God alone be the glory.
1
Gill, J. (No Date), Gills Commentaries Online Bible: on compact disc (CD-ROM). (1977). Available: Larry Pierce Publisher.Kevin Hartley
kartleyk@erols.com
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7. Mark McCulley
...and free those
who
all their lives
were held in slavery
by the fear of death.
(2:15)I want to consider only this verse and think about death and life. Is the fear of death described here only the experience of those under the Mosaic Covenant, or has it been our fear as well? When we arrive one day at Hebrews 9:26, we shall read: "he has appeared once for all at the end of the age to remove sin." How does removing the fear of death remove sin, or is it removing sin that removes the fear of death?
I want to get the larger context (Genesis 3) and talk about Adam, but perhaps I should start with the virgin birth. Roman Catholics, worried about Jesus having a “sinful nature,” postulate that Mary did not have a sinful nature. Menno Simons who had similar docetist worries said that Jesus did not get his flesh from Mary but direct
from heaven. But we do not need to deny either that Jesus got his human nature from Mary or that Mary was a sinner.Like us, Jesus once upon a time was an embryo in a woman’s womb. He became flesh (John 1:14). He was born in human likeness (Philippians 2:7). He was born of a woman (Galatians 4:4). The son was sent “in the likeness of sinful flesh...and condemned sin in the flesh,” (Romans 8:3). My question is, how does dying on the cross do that? How does dying remove the fear of dying? And what does “condemning sin in the flesh” have to do with removing sin?
Jesus was not an imitation human, not somebody who only looked human, but a real human. This means that Jesus became mortal when He became human. Jesus became flesh and all flesh dies. So even Jesus died. Rom 6:10 says he "died to sin." II Cor. 5:21 says he was "made to be sin." So even Jesus was not justified by His works or by his obedience to law: Jesus was vindicated by His death and by resurrection from death. If Jesus is not the crucified Savior, He is no Savior at all. That is why Hebrews 2 makes so much of the suffering and death of our older Brother. Without the death, there is no gospel. And the death (with resurrection) is gospel enough!
If it is ”human nature” to sin, then we who are humans will need to be changed into something not human to have sin removed! But Jesus was and is human, and so sin and death are the problem, and not "human nature." The mother of Jesus was a sinner and a human. Jesus was NOT born a sinner, nor was he a slave to the fear of death, because death could NOT hold Him. Jesus WAS born human, and is still not ashamed to be human. Jesus had the life and power of God, and thus was holy, harmless, and undefiled.
Though we, brothers and sisters, are to crucify the flesh, we have no need to stop being human. The flesh is what keeps us from being the human Jesus is. Sin is not “natural” for humans. Jesus defines what humans are to be like. Death does not define what is human. Yet Jesus became not only human but came into connection with the flesh and death. Jesus did not become like us in sinning. But Jesus DID become like us in dying!
Now for the context: Adam. Romans 5:12 teaches us that the sin of Adam resulted in death for all humans. Without getting into any questions about covenantal imputation of sin (traducianism, realism,etc) , we can say death passed upon all the human race. We all inherit from Adam DEATH. Genesis 2:17--"dying, ye shall die." Now we die, and are born afraid of death. And so we sin. At this point I would like to quote great chunks of Ernest Becker’s The Denial of Death in which he shows how sinful our civilized culture is and why: the fear and denial of our death. But let me just say: as death came from Adam’s sin, so also sin comes from death. Even little babies who die in childbirth who never sin inherit death from Adam (Romans 5:14).
Thus I think we can say that the second Adam,when he became human, inherited death from the first Adam. And yet Jesus did not sin, and was not afraid of death. Death did not cause HIM to sin. But Adam’s sin caused Him to die. And God is sovereign over all of it: the sin of Adam, and the death of Jesus. Certainly Jesus is not afraid of death now that Jesus has been raised from the dead. Nor should we be afraid of death now that Jesus has been raised from the dead! Because we died with Jesus. Until the new age, we also still die with Jesus. And faith is not being afraid to die with Jesus.
Luther exhorted us to “comprehend the visible and manifest things of God through suffering and the cross” (Thesis 20, Heidelberg Disputation). It was people zealous to keep covenantal conditions who put Jesus on the cross: good religious people, much like ourselves! But we need to learn to hide in the cleft of the Rock, to see God in his "back parts” (Exodus 33). We need to learn to see God in Jesus, to see God in the cross, and not in our violent imaginations of who God is. I Cor 1:9, "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise." The world did not recognize God in the cross of Jesus: if God had been there, it thinks, such things would not have happened. If Jesus were the Messiah, they thought, he would not die. And they KNEW for sure that God could not become human, that God could not die. Isaiah 45: 7, “Truly you are a God who hidest....” Where was God hiding? The fullness of God was located FULLY in Jesus, even as Jesus died on the cross!
Why did Jesus die when He could have lived and “ministered to” so many other people? Why talk about the cross when the more important thing is “keeping covenant” and raising your children as a godly seed? Didn’t Jesus know that suffering is that which comes on third world countries who fail to obey God’s law? Has not Jesus heard the friends of Job explain how suffering is a punishment for those who do not do enough works to justify living? So what do we make of a God who is raised by God? Can we see God in the one who is forsaken by God? Can we see God in the One who had to be OPERATED ON FROM THE OUTSIDE, in the one who HAD TO BE RAISED?
I do not attempt to explain the Trinity. I merely rehearse the story. God is the one who raised Jesus from the dead. But in Jesus, God hides and lives and reconciles the world. (II Cor 5:19) So God suffered, not only because Jesus is God and Jesus suffered, but also God the Father suffered the death of the Son. Think of Abraham on the way back down the mountain with Isaac; think of the Father the day He raised His Son from the dead!
We are going to die, all of us. Many of us on this list in the next 30 years or so. Going to run out of life. So we get afraid: I haven’t done enough of what I wanted to do not to “get to heaven.” I know but to be happy with life and so there is this “dissatisfied contentment” which rushes to do more before death comes since we don’t want to be presumptuous of what will happen if we don’t....
Think about it.
I Cor 15:56, “The sting of death is sin, and the power of death is the law.” Law always accuses; law which does not accuse is no more law. The law of sin and death--it’s too late--you have already sinned so much, and now you are going to die, so knowing that, why not just sin some more? See how sin and death are connected? But Jesus's dying took care of that!
Am I saying that we don’t die? Well, one place in John 11 says “never die,” but then Jesus also says “yet though he die, he will live again.” I don’t want to get into the intermediate state question again, but let me quote Luther again on “sleep”: To feel the
terror and fear of death--this indeed is real death. Without fear, death is not death; it is a sleep.
So Luther says that our faith, our identifying with the death of Jesus (Rom 6: baptism) is our “real death,”and that this faith “is a death that we are still obliged to suffer daily.” Faith is the real death to works, and the “other death, physical expiration, is only a childish death.” By faith, the old sinner is dead, and dead forever. How do we know that? Romans 6: 9,
We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will NEVER DIE AGAIN: death no longer has dominion over Him.
The more I write the less I think I have said what it was that I wanted to say! To find life in death; this is the strangest thing, the scandal Nietzsche complained about. It is not a scandal to us, maybe because we don’t think about it. The cross: we find life in the death of somebody executed in the equivalent of our “electric chair.” And all around religion tries "to keep positive." Forget Good Friday: do not pass the cross, go directly to Resurrection. Do not wait for the other saints: go directly to heaven, on your own, by yourself now, or even without a body when you die! But I think “to discern the body” is to wait not only for other Christians but to wait for the coming Resurrection Day. I Cor 11: 26, ”we proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.”
Do we do that?DO WE PROCLAIM THE LORD’S DEATH?
Or do we proclaim only the triumph of the resurrection, and not even much of that since there is less need for resurrection once you’ve “gone to heaven”?DOES IT MATTER IF THE LORD COMES AGAIN?
Or were we always immortal and bound to go somewhere?
Heb 9:26, "... once to remove sin...."
Heb 9:28, "a second time," not to deal with sin, but to save those who are eagerly WAITING FOR HIMAnybody out there read Schopenhauer? He reminds me of some Christians I know. He wanted to die, at least he said, but really the truth is he wanted never to have been born. He was afraid of both life and death. But because we Christians are no longer afraid to die, we also are no longer afraid to live. We are not eager to die: “to die is gain” anytime it happens for us.
The wish for death is a wish to be done, a wish for closure: nothing we do is perfect enough,and so we want to be done with it all. But since we are saved from outside of ourselves, by grace and resurrection, we Christians do not need this kind of “closure.” We joke about the only time we will get finished and organized is when we “get organized into our caskets!” (or do you: what would Freud say about such jokes?) But listen, Christians, we died with Jesus and the life we live now in the flesh is a life that parasites off Jesus: what are we going to do now that we DON’T HAVE TO BE ANXIOUS ABOUT DOING ANYTHING or even about death?
Yes, Satan still exists. Already in life we have been born again, and that means we died. And having died, in this life now, we again experience death in our relation to the world and to Satan. And we will die. But we are not afraid of any of it! Some people make a religion of work and postpone all the joy of life to the future. Some people make a religion of money and make those who don’t have money pay interest to them to show their gratitude for the use of that money. But Jesus saves us by grace, not because of our work and not even because of our gratitude. Result: no fear of death, or no fear that we will arrive at death without enough works and gratitude! We don’t need more time to expiate guilt; we don’t need more life to “use’ to earn more life.
Amazing that Moe would give us the entire rest of the chapter. And here I have only a few exuberant words about one verse. Words overflow and yet they are limited. We are not only family; we are not afraid of death! So we can forget this docetic hesitation about us being human and Jesus being human. We can put off our Gnostic Platonic hostility to the material body. We have life! And that life is in the body, and WILL BE in the resurrected body. It will not be incorporeal. One day I will have more energy and more senses (sense too!) than anything I know now.
So why are we so often bitter, hunched-up, repressed “little” people? (I love you, all of you.) We “were held in slavery by the fear of death."
Now we are FREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!Romans 5:21,
“sin exercised dominion in death”I Cor 3:21ff,
“for all thing are yours...
the world, life, death,
the present, the future,
all belong to you
and you belong
to Christ.”II Timothy 1:9,10:
"This grace was given
to us in Christ Jesus
before the ages began,
but it has now been revealed
through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus,
who abolished death
and brought life and immortality to light
through the gospel.”Revelation 1:18,
"I was dead and I am alive.
And I have the keys
of Death and of Hades.”Mark McCulley
mcculley@redrose.net
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8. Tim Clifton
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. (2:9)
should taste death for every man. (2:9b)
Many authors I read seem a little defensive of this phrase. But there is no need to be; the sense and context considered, it is a wonderful phrase. Again, I feel we must focus on the Jewish/Christian audience of the book, as here, the author will gently guide them into the mystery of Christ in the Gentiles, as well as begin to point a person with a Jewish background toward a better priesthood than that of Levi.
- The term 'taste death' is simply a Jewish way of saying, 'die.'
Observe Gill who points out this phrase is frequently used by the
Jewish doctors: they say, "All the children of the world 'taste the
taste of death.' That is, die."
- The term 'for every man,' I believe is an excellent translation of
this form of the Greek word 'pas.' The phrase, 'every man' is translated
about 271 times in the Bible, excluding special phrases; and of these, 208
or them are in the Old Testament, where the emphasis is on the MAN and
not on the ALL or EVERY. A little less than half the times, one word for
man ['iysh] is used in the OT; it is the sense of "every man" (181times).
Thus the term is very familiar to the Hebrew audience of this book and
also a very proper translation of the sense of the phrase.
- Again, of the form of the word 'pas' in this place, Gill states,
...which may be taken either collectively, and be rendered "for the whole"; that is, the whole body, the church for whom Christ gave himself, and is the Saviour of; or distributively, and be translated, "for everyone"; for everyone of the sons God brings to glory,....
"Collectively or Distributively," I think is even easier to understand it's definition in my cd: Strongs, which states:
1) individually; 1a) each, every, any, all, the whole, everyone, all things, everything;
2) collectively; 2a) some of all types
Let me consider them in reverse order:
- First, Collective Sense,
The phrase 'taste death for every man' makes Scriptural
sense considering the following verses:Luke 16:16, The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it.
John 1:9, That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.
Rom. 12:3, For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man <3956-our phrase> that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man <1538> the measure of faith. [Note the change to 'hekastos' for the second 'every man' here, as the sense changes from collective to individual.]
Summary of the collective sense:
Levi had 'dealt treacherously 'every man' against his brother,' (Mal. 2:10), but this God/Man `tastes death for every man' instead - a far better priesthood. Also, Hebrew people may grow up despising Gentiles, but this collective term well might signify to them the middle wall broken down, as it is not for the Jews only, but for 'every man'. Rom. 2:10, "But glory, honour, and peace, to every man <3956> that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile." Spurgeon observes: "... The words (which includes our 'every man') are generally used to signify that Christ has redeemed some of all sorts -- some Jews, some Gentiles, some rich, some poor, and has not restricted His redemption to either Jew or Gentile ..." (C.H. Spurgeon from a sermon on Particular Redemption).
- Second, Individual Sense:
The phrase 'taste death for every man' can well be seen in the individual sense. Observe: John 6:45,(I personally believe this is the key phrase to unlock the New Testament. It refers to "It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all <3956> taught of God. Every man <3956> therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto Me." the New Covenant, where every man is taught of God by being given a new heart. It does NOT speak of every single human, but of God's elect).And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all <3956> shall know me, from the least to the greatest. (Heb. 8:11)
(The 'all' here is not every man on earth, but those chosen through the New Covenant of which this verse speaks. Also note that this verse connects the contexts of the OT 'every man' with the New.)
Also note the verses following Heb.2:9 explain the individual sense of the phrase:
- "in bringing many sons unto glory,"
- "and they who are sanctified,"
- "unto my brethren,"
- "to make reconciliation for the sins of the people."
Certainly the 'every man' of verse 9, in context of these, most certainly refers to the 'sheep' for whom Christ died!
Summary of Individual Sense:
I feel that this sense is the better commentary of the two, but to a Jewish mindset, and hopefully ours as well, you may have both, as they are not exclusive, and both magnify Christ as our great High Priest of the New Covenant.
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. (2:10)
It should be noted here, that Christ is again shown to be creator God of the Old Testament. Line upon line.... it is good teaching to repeat a truth worth remembering!
... He is not ashamed to call them brethren, Saying, I will declare Thy Name unto my brethren, ... And again, Behold I and the children which God hath given Me. (2:11-13)
This to me is one of the most loving passages in the New Testament. It is humbling to the extreme, and yet full of joy unspeakable. One cannot but wonder if the author here is softening up their defenses, as he prepares to dismantle the old covenant for the new?
And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. (2:15)
I grew up being told by my mother that when I died, I would just rot in the ground. I used to lay awake at night fearing death. (My eyes tear as I write this.) Oh precious is the mercy of God, who has delivered me from this fear. "Oh precious is the flow, that makes me white as snow." I love this Bible verse (Heb. 2:15), and I love the Christ who has taken from me this greatest of all bondages. I am not worthy of this deliverance, but am delivered none the less! May I, and we all, walk more and more worthy of His Name!
In Christ!, Tim Clifton
tclifton@hotmail.com
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9. Jack Jeffrey
Commentary on Hebrews 2:9-11:
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. (2:9)
This conclusion about the Son of Man, Jesus, is directly connected to vs. 7. Verse 9 adds the purpose statements "for the suffering of death," and "that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man", inserting them between two of the three clauses of verse 7.
Verse 8 ends with the "Not Yet", concerning what we do not yet see, that which yet awaits fulfillment. Here in verse 9 we have the "Now", i.e. that which we already see.While verse 8 seems to expand on the last clause of verse 7, verse 9 expands on the first two clauses of that verse.
In verse 9 it is no longer "we would see (catch sight of) Jesus", the desire expressed to Philip in Jn. 12:21, but rather "we see (perceive) Jesus", the established fact.
"We see Jesus!" The question might well be asked, "Do you see Jesus?"
Where is it that we see Him? Erasmus, in the preface to his Greek New Testament, wrote,
These holy pages will summon up the living image of His mind. They will give you Christ Himself, talking, healing, dying, rising, the whole Christ in a word; they will give Him to you in an intimacy so close that He would be less visible to you if He stood before your eyes.
So we may see Him in the written Word of God.
We also may see Him in the Church, for its members are said to be
the epistle of Christ...written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart. (II Cor. 3:3)
We see Him in our gatherings, in our brothers and sisters in the Lord, and in our own heart! We have His promise that where the saints gather, there He is in their midst (Mt.18:20).
"We see Jesus!" Do not let anything obscure your perception of Christ!
How can this happen?
1. Neglect of the Word
2. Forsaking the assembling of the saints
3. Unfaithfulness in service
4. Unconfessed sin
5. Neglect of prayer"We see Jesus!" Keep seeing Him! Keep looking to Him! Keep Him in view!
How can we do this?
1. Read His Word.
2. Gather with His people where He promises to be in their midst.
3. Serve Him.
4. Obey Him, and confess to Him when you disobey.
5. Communicate with Him in prayer."We see Jesus!" How will others also come to see Him? The same way that we did! Through the ministry of the written Word of God, and through the faithfulness of the saints of God in worshipping and serving Him.
The phrase "crowned with glory and honour" may be compared to:
Jn. 1:14; 12:23, 28; 13:31-32; Heb. 3:3; Phil. 2:7-9; Ac. 2:33; 3:13; I Pet.
1:21; and also Mt. 23:12; Lk.14:11; 18:14.
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. {11} 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, (2:10,11)
The "him" in verse 10 identified as "for whom are all things, and by whom are all things" may, at first glance appear to be the Father. This is because of the further reference indicating that the antecedent of this pronoun is also the one who makes "the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings". This "captain of their salvation" is undoubtedly Christ. It may appear initially slightly strained to understand verse 10 to be saying that it became Him to make Himself perfect. However, verse 11 and the Old Testament quotations cited in support in verses 12 and 13, leave little doubt that Christ is the antecedent indicated by this pronoun, hearkening back to the "he" of the last clause of verse 9, and then to its antecedent in the first clause of that verse, "Jesus". Then verses 10-11 would be understood as follows:
For it became Jesus, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make Himself, as the captain of their salvation, perfect through sufferings. For both he that sanctifieth, i.e. Jesus, and they who are sanctified, i.e. many sons, are all of one: for which cause he, Jesus, is not ashamed to call them brethren.
The point of all this is to see Jesus in these two verses as
1. Creator of the universe;
2. Heir of the universe;
3. Spiritual parent of the redeemed;
4. Captain of the salvation of the redeemed;
5. Suffering Savior;
6. Sanctifier of the redeemed;
7. United to the redeemed;
8. Brother of the redeemed.The answer to the question, "For which cause?" is answered in
1. bringing many sons to glory (vs.10);
2. their salvation - being made perfect through sufferings (vs. 10);
3. their sanctification (vs. 11).John T. "Jack" Jeffery
jackjeff@aol.com
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Go to Chapter Three Verses 1 through 4
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