Jesus' Suffered and Died as Intended
It was right that Jesus suffered and died, it brought about the salvation of his brethren, breaking Satan's grip and providing support in temptation
Saving His Own
According to Plan
THE AUTHOR OF SALVATION
HEBREWS 2:10–11 (R.V.)
1. The Purpose of God. “To bring many into glory.”
2. The Character of those He brings. “Sons.”
3. The Method. “Through One made perfect as a Saviour.”
4. How Christ was Perfected as a Saviour. “Through suffering.”
5. The God-becoming Act. “It became HIM.” It was just like Him.
6. The Blessed Result. “He that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified all of ONE.” Oneness in nature and purpose.
As Our Captain
The term in Greek sources has various senses, referring to such things as the “founder” of a city, family, school, colony, or nation; the “leader” or “scout” of an army;96 an “instigator” of trouble; the source or “author” of good things.98 It is used in the LXX with a similarly wide semantic range.99 In the New Testament it appears only in Hebrews and Acts.
Jesus Christ is called the archēgós of life (Acts 3:15) because He is hē archḗ, the beginning or the originator of God’s creation (Rev. 3:14). This excludes Him from Himself being a product of that beginning. Jesus Christ is called archēgós, the originator of faith in Heb. 12:2. This may mean that Jesus is the one who initiates (and completes) faith in the souls of men.
JESUS’ SUFFERING WAS GOD ENGAGING SIN’S CURSE
There is an ancient legend that the cross on which Christ was crucified came from the fatal tree whose fruit was forbidden to our first parents in the Garden of Eden. After Adam’s death, Seth asked and obtained from the guardian angels of paradise a branch of the tree whose forbidden fruit Eve and Adam had eaten. Seth planted this branch on Golgotha, called the place of skull, because Adam was buried there. From this tree, at various times through the ages, were made the Ark of the Covenant and the pole that held up the brazen serpent. And finally, when it was gnarled and old and hard, this tree supplied the wood for the cross of Christ.
—Tonne
There is an ancient legend that the cross on which Christ was crucified came from the fatal tree whose fruit was forbidden to our first parents in the Garden of Eden. After Adam’s death, Seth asked and obtained from the guardian angels of paradise a branch of the tree whose forbidden fruit Eve and Adam had eaten. Seth planted this branch on Golgotha, called the place of skull, because Adam was buried there. From this tree, at various times through the ages, were made the Ark of the Covenant and the pole that held up the brazen serpent. And finally, when it was gnarled and old and hard, this tree supplied the wood for the cross of Christ.
—Tonne
• Only one act of pure love, unsullied by any taint of ulterior motive, has ever been performed in the history of the world, namely the self-giving of God in Christ on the cross for undeserving sinners.—John Stott
• Christianity is a cross, and a cross is “I” crossed out.—John Bisagno
When Napoleon’s horse ran away and a lowly soldier caught him, Napoleon said, “Thank you, Captain.” The man at once packed his belongings, moved to the officers’ quarters, and went to mess with them. The emperor had called him captain, and he was therefore an officer.
We are all miserable sinners, but when we receive Jesus Christ, He calls us sons of God (John 1:12). Let us then promptly pack our belongings and move into the higher life to which He has appointed us!
—Gospel Herald
When Napoleon’s horse ran away and a lowly soldier caught him, Napoleon said, “Thank you, Captain.” The man at once packed his belongings, moved to the officers’ quarters, and went to mess with them. The emperor had called him captain, and he was therefore an officer.
We are all miserable sinners, but when we receive Jesus Christ, He calls us sons of God (John 1:12). Let us then promptly pack our belongings and move into the higher life to which He has appointed us!
—Gospel Herald
Breaking Death’s Grip
As A Real Man
As A Real Man
He Broke Death’s Grip
For Men, not Angels
JESUS SUFFERED AND DIED TO FREE YOU.
JESUS SUFFERED AND DIED TO FREE YOU.
Overcoming Temptation
This verse is a nerve centre of the epistle, summing up in its first clause (v. 17a, to ὁμοιωθῆναι) the discussion since v. 10, and announcing in the following subordinate clauses (ἵνα …, 17b, and εἰς τό …, 17c) the author’s two major doctrinal concerns, namely the high-priestly status of Christ and his work in dealing with sins.
He’s Merciful and Faithful
priests and high priests are not elsewhere in the Greek Bible described as merciful, and Philo (Spec. Leg. 1.115f.) emphasizes the need for them to separate themselves from natural human affections.
in the light of v. 18 (cf. 4:14f.), of Jesus remaining faithful to God despite temptation or testing. In 3:2, 5, however, the word clearly implies “faithful in discharging an office entrusted to one by God” (so Vanhoye 1967; cf. Ne. 9:8; 13:13; Nu. 12:7), and this suggests in the present verse the meaning “faithful to God in the office of high priest.”
The description of Christ as “faithful” (πιστός) like the priests of old is more complex, mirroring the intricacy of the term “fidelity.” As the heavenly intercessor, Christ is reliable and to be trusted.189 Equally important is the notion that Christ in his life and death was faithful to God. He therefore will serve as the ultimate example of that fidelity to which all his followers are called.
Hebrews does not at this point indicate how this expiation takes place. The central expository chapters will indicate that it is not through Christ’s continual intercession for his followers, but through his singular sacrificial death.
His high priesthood is exercised “in matters for which they are responsible to God.” And most crucial among these matters is the matter of sin. How can sinners approach the holiness of God, either personally or through a representative? They can come to him with confidence only if their sin has been removed. And this above all else makes Jesus so incomparable a high priest and representative of his people; not only is he sinless himself, and therefore entitled to enter the presence of God on his own account, but he has dealt effectively with his people’s sins, and can therefore enter the presence of God on their account too.
Our High Priest
Christ is called a “high priest,” and not merely a “priest” (as in Ps. 110:4), because our author views his redemptive work as the antitypical fulfilment of the sacrificial ritual of the Day of Atonement, where the high priest in person was required to officiate (Heb. 9:7, 11f.).
The high priest served several purposes that were crucial to Israelite worship. It was the high priest’s responsibility to see that the covenant was enforced, and to direct people to complete the duties of the temple and the law of Moses. As the representative for the nation of Israel, the high priest had a tremendous responsibility to direct the hearts of the people toward God and the fulfillment of the covenant. Some of the primary responsibilities of the high priest were the regular handling of sacrifices and offerings, the blessing of people, and the annual entrance into the most holy place within the tabernacle/temple during the Day of Atonement.
The high priest served several purposes that were crucial to Israelite worship. It was the high priest’s responsibility to see that the covenant was enforced, and to direct people to complete the duties of the temple and the law of Moses. As the representative for the nation of Israel, the high priest had a tremendous responsibility to direct the hearts of the people toward God and the fulfillment of the covenant. Some of the primary responsibilities of the high priest were the regular handling of sacrifices and offerings, the blessing of people, and the annual entrance into the most holy place within the tabernacle/temple during the Day of Atonement.
The introduction of the title High Priest is abrupt, although the exordium (1:3*) had alluded to Christ’s priestly act. This abruptness may indicate that the title was familiar to the addressees.183 The title, in any case, announces explicitly for the first time the theme that will dominate the rest of Hebrews’ christological exposition
Help In Temptation
His high priesthood is exercised “in matters for which they are responsible to God.” And most crucial among these matters is the matter of sin. How can sinners approach the holiness of God, either personally or through a representative? They can come to him with confidence only if their sin has been removed. And this above all else makes Jesus so incomparable a high priest and representative of his people; not only is he sinless himself, and therefore entitled to enter the presence of God on his own account, but he has dealt effectively with his people’s sins, and can therefore enter the presence of God on their account too.
He endured keen trials and temptations himself, not only the trials incidental to our human lot, but those subtle temptations which attended his messianic calling.
the fact that Christ in his suffering was “tested” (πειρασθείς), because his brothers too are “being tested” (πειραζομένους), and the one who has led the way can now lend a hand
The content of the “test” will be graphically portrayed at 12:2–3*, in a way that clearly suggests its paradigmatic relevance to Christ’s followers.
JESUS SUFFERING ESTABLISHES THE LIMITS OF OURS
A Christian is like a tea bag—not much good until it has gone through hot water.
Suffering can do several things in the life of a believer. First, it can “burn out the dross,” or purify us and lead us to greater holiness of life. But it can also “burn in the promises,” or lead us to a closer dependence on God and his faithful promises to us. Burn it will—but look also at what the burning is for.
In the New Testament, the word translated “temptation” (peirazo) has two shades of meaning. When used of God’s tempting of man, it carries a positive intention. However, when it refers to the temptation of man by Satan or another person, the word implies a desire to bring out one’s bad points.
The second idea might be likened to Ralph Nader’s taking a G.M. car and running a group of tests on it. The emphasis and aim of this testing would be to bring out the bad traits of the car. However, if G.M. were to run tests on its own car, the motivation would be to point out the good traits.
Keywords: Temptation, testing and; Testing; Trials
When the Union-Pacific railroad was under construction, an elaborate trestle bridge was built over a certain large canyon in the West as part of the plan to connect St. Louis and California. Before it was open for commercial use, the construction engineer wanted to test its strength. He loaded a train with extra cars and equipment to double its normal payload. The train was driven out to the middle of the bridge, where it was to remain for an entire day. One worker complained, “Are you trying to break this bridge?” “No,” said the engineer. “I’m trying to prove that the bridge is unbreakable.”
So, too, does temptation prove our strength under pressure.