Hebrews 2:14-18

Recap Flow of Argument

Remember that the theme of the book is “Christ is better”

Angels

Majestic creatures who are made superior to us in nature

vs 5 Relationship to the son is greater than relationship to angels

vs 6 Submission of Angels to the Son

Vs 7-8 Angels work through a power given to them, the Son through His own power

So then if He is greater than angels, then logically His message is greater than that of the angels

And what is that message? The message of Salvation

That message is that for a little while he was made lower than the angels

That He was fully human, tasting suffering and death

And through that suffering and death he founded our salvation

Chapter 1 is clear that the Son is greater than the angels. And there is only one being greater than the angels in all of creation, and that is God himself

Chapter 2 is clear that the Son was lower than the angels while here on earth

Meaning Human.

Fully and completely human.

Here in the first two chapters of Hebrews, we have a basis for everything else that follows, so we have to understand the argument.

The fancy term for what we are looking at is the hypostatic union, the two natures of Christ.

Wellum

The theological proposition “Jesus is God” is a necessary and true inference from the New Testament evidence. But if we make this inference and state this proposition without qualification, we risk telling less than the whole truth about Jesus: He is now the Son INCARNATE. And in His permanent incarnate existence, God the Son retains both his deity and his humanity. Jesus is neither only God nor merely human.

Wellum describes this as the difference between being merely human and being fully human

Being merely human means to have all the attributes necessary and sufficient to humanity and to possess nothing but those attributes

Jesus has all of the attributes that one needs to be fully human and, different from us, has all the attributes essential to deity.

So what does that mean functionally?

Gerald Bray

Although he was a divine person, he was functioning within the parameters of his human nature and could not exceed them without compromising the integrity of his humanity

J.I. Packer

Just as Jesus did not do all that he could have done, because certain things were not his father’s will, so he did not consciously know all that he might have known, but only what the Father willed him to know.

Fully God and Fully Human, without compromising the integrity of either nature

Hebrews 2:14–18 ESV

Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. For surely it is not angels that he helps, but he helps the offspring of Abraham. Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.

Vs 14

Partook of the same things “Humanity”

He might destroy the one who has the power of death “Divinity”

Vs 15

Deliver those who were subject to slavery

The picture here is of Jesus leading us out

Vs 10 “bringing many sons to glory”

vs 16

Who is it he is leading out? the offspring of Abraham

Fallen angels have no opportunity for redemption

V17

This is why he must be fully human

1) To make atonement for our sin

Chapter 4 and 5 we delve into Christ’s position as high priest

In writing to Jewish Christians, they understand the need for a Priest

Jesus’ humanity allows for Him to be the intercessor between us and the Father, just as the High priest was the intercessor between God and Israel

vs 18

2) To help those who are tempted

Star Trek

Travelled through time

Miraculous saving of the ship and crew

Captain and the doctor talking

Doctor: All crew are physically well

Captain: What’s wrong

Doctor: They had left their families behind, if the ship was destroyed no one would ever notice

Captain: They need to feel connected

Jesus was sinless, we are sinful

Jesus is holy, we are not

Jesus is on the throne, we are here on earth

Sometimes Jesus can be such an abstract concept for us

We don’t live within this truth that it is Christ’s Humanity that connects us to him

When you think nobody has ever gone through what you are going through

Jesus has.

When you think nobody has ever been tempted like you are

Jesus has.

When you think that nobody has ever suffered the way you suffer

Jesus did.

He is our elder brother, who through his death and resurrection led us out of slavery

He understands your pain, your weariness, your exhaustion

As we sang this morning

He will hold you fast