ADVANTAGES OF JESUS' HUMANITY

INTRODUCTION

Following his warning against drifting (He 2:1-4), the writer of Hebrews continues to illustrate Jesus’ superiority to angels...

In the first chapter the emphasis was on Jesus’ deity

Now the focus is on Jesus’ humanity

One can imagine the sort of objections that could be raised about Jesus’ humanity...

When Jesus became flesh, didn’t that make Him lower than the angels?

How then can it be said that He is superior to angels?

The response is that Jesus’ humanity provided several advantages...

In regaining man’s lost dominion

In bringing many sons to glory

In disarming Satan, and delivering us from the fear of death

In becoming a sympathetic high priest

Yes, becoming flesh did not prove to be a handicap or a mark of inferiority; rather, it served to make Him “perfect”!

To see how, let’s note how Jesus’ humanity first...

DISCUSSION

ENABLED JESUS TO REGAIN MAN’S LOST DOMINION

Hebrews 2:5–9 ASV 1901

5 For not unto angels did he subject the world to come, whereof we speak. 6 But one hath somewhere testified, saying, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? Or the son of man, that thou visitest him? 7 Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; Thou crownedst him with glory and honor, And didst set him over the works of thy hands: 8 Thou didst put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he subjected all things unto him, he left nothing that is not subject to him. But now we see not yet all things subjected to him. 9 But we behold him who hath been made a little lower than the angels, even Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that by the grace of God he should taste of death for every man.

Man once had dominion over the earth

At the beginning , man was given dominion over God’s creation

Genesis 1:26–28 ASV 1901

26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the heavens, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. 27 And God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. 28 And God blessed them: and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the heavens, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.

David marveled that God set man over His works

Psalm 8:4–6 ASV 1901

4 What is man, that thou art mindful of him? And the son of man, that thou visitest him? 5 For thou hast made him but little lower than God, And crownest him with glory and honor. 6 Thou makest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; Thou hast put all things under his feet:

This is true even though man was made “a little lower than the angels”

Yet God “crowned him with glory and honor”!

Man has lost that dominion

As is rather evident: “...But now we see not yet all things subjected to him.” (Heb. 2:8)

As a result of The Fall, man lost his dominion

Jesus, as a man, regained that dominion

Jesus was “made a little lower than the angels”; i.e., He became a man!

Because of His suffering of death, He was “crowned with glory and honor”

What man once had and lost - Jesus has regained!

Those who are in Him share in that rule, both now and in the future!

Seated at the right hand of God, Christ rules over all

Ephesians 1:20–22 ASV 1901

20 which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and made him to sit at his right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all rule, and authority, and power, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: 22 and he put all things in subjection under his feet, and gave him to be head over all things to the church,

Those in Christ sit together with Him

Ephesians 2:4–6 ASV 1901

4 but God, being rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, 5 even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace have ye been saved), 6 and raised us up with him, and made us to sit with him in the heavenly places, in Christ Jesus:

Especially so, when we pass from this life to the next

Revelation 2:26–27 ASV 1901

26 And he that overcometh, and he that keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give authority over the nations: 27 and he shall rule them with a rod of iron, as the vessels of the potter are broken to shivers; as I also have received of my Father:

Revelation 3:21 ASV 1901

21 He that overcometh, I will give to him to sit down with me in my throne, as I also overcame, and sat down with my Father in his throne.

Such dominion, both now and in “the world to come”, was never given to angels (Heb. 2:5)

Man had it and lost it.

Becoming a man and suffering death enabled Jesus to regain that dominion for man!

By the same suffering and death, Jesus was able to “taste death for every man” (Heb. 2:9).

By the grace of God, then, His humanity also...

ENABLED JESUS TO BRING MANY SONS TO GLORY

Hebrews 2:10–13 ASV 1901

10 For it became him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the author of their salvation perfect through sufferings. 11 For both he that sanctifieth and they that 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 congregation will I sing thy praise. 13 And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold, I and the children whom God hath given me.

His sufferings in the flesh “became him” or were “fitting” (v. 10)

God gave Jesus the task...

To bring many sons to glory (to restore man to his position of glory and honor)

To be the “author” (captain, pioneer, leader) of man’s salvation

His sufferings in the flesh made Jesus “perfect” for the task!

This is not to imply that Jesus was imperfect when He was on the earth

The word “perfect” means to be “complete, effective, adequate”

To be complete and effective as our Savior and High Priest, Jesus’ sufferings were necessary

Hebrews 2:18 ASV 1901

18 For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succor them that are tempted.

His humanity makes Him “one” with those being saved (v. 11)

Even though He is the One who “sanctifieth”, and they are “sanctified” (present tense; an action in process)

His humanity (and suffering) makes them “all of one”

Such identity with man makes Jesus proud to call us “brethren” (Heb. 2:12-13)

The idea of Jesus as the One whose suffering in the flesh makes Him the perfect author of our salvation, and not ashamed to call us brethren, is expanded even further in the remaining verses of the chapter. Here we see that the humanity of Jesus...

ENABLED JESUS TO DISARM SATAN AND DELIVER US FROM THE FEAR OF DEATH

Hebrews 2:14–16 ASV 1901

14 Since then the children are sharers in flesh and blood, he also himself in like manner partook of the same; that through death he might bring to nought him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; 15 and might deliver all them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. 16 For verily not to angels doth he give help, but he giveth help to the seed of Abraham.

Jesus’ death gave Him victory over the devil

Through His own death and resurrection, Jesus brought “to nought” (destroyed - ESV, KJV; rendered powerless - NAS) the devil! (v. 14)

The devil is still very active

1 Peter 5:8–9 ASV 1901

8 Be sober, be watchful: your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour, 9 whom withstand stedfast in your faith, knowing that the same sufferings are accomplished in your brethren who are in the world.

But though the devil once “had” (past tense) the power of death - he has it no more

Revelation 1:18 ASV 1901

18 and the Living one; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive for evermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades.

His power greatly weakened by Jesus’ victory over death, Satan will be destroyed for all time at the time of our own resurrection

Revelation 20:10–12 ASV 1901

10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where are also the beast and the false prophet; and they shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. 11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat upon it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. 12 And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne; and books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of the things which were written in the books, according to their works.

Jesus’ death gave us freedom from the fear of death

A fear that keeps many in bondage throughout their lifetime

But the faithful Christian need not fear death!- cf. Ro 8:37-39; 1 Co 3:21-23; Ph 2:21

Thus it is to the “seed of Abraham” (faithful Christians, cf. Ga 3:29), and not to “angels” that Jesus has given such aid! - He 2:16

Finally, partaking of flesh and blood, suffering and dying on the cross...

ENABLED JESUS TO BE A SYMPATHETIC HIGH PRIEST

Hebrews 2:17–18 ASV 1901

17 Wherefore it behooved him in all things to be made like unto his brethren, 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 in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succor them that are tempted.

Jesus is a merciful and faithful High Priest

In coming to this world, Jesus was “made like unto his brethren” (v. 17)

He became like man “in all things”

This equipped Him for the role of a merciful and faithful high priest

“In things pertaining to God”

“To make propitiation for the sins of the people”

We read later that the role of high priest involved offering gifts and sacrifices for sin

Hebrews 5:1 ASV 1901

1 For every high priest, being taken from among men, is appointed for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins:

He is able to aid those who are tempted

He too has suffered, and been tempted, though we learn later He remained without sin

Hebrews 4:15 ASV 1901

15 For we have not a high priest that cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but one that hath been in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

Such suffering makes Him compassionate

Hebrews 5:2 ASV 1901

2 who can bear gently with the ignorant and erring, for that he himself also is compassed with infirmity;

Therefore those who come to Him can expect to receive mercy and grace in time of need

Hebrews 4:16 ASV 1901

16 Let us therefore draw near with boldness unto the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy, and may find grace to help us in time of need.

CONCLUSION

What angel has accomplished such things as...

Regain man’s lost dominion?

Bring many sons to glory?

Disarm Satan, and deliver us from the fear of death?

Become a sympathetic high priest?

All these things (and certainly much more) Jesus has done by virtue of becoming man...

Yes, He became “a little lower than the angels”

But in so doing, even His humanity makes Him far superior to angels!

With the first two chapters, then, we see the superiority of Jesus...

Over the prophets, as God’s perfect spokesman

Over the angels, by virtue of His deity and His humanity

Why should we ever want to turn our back on such a Savior?

We have also seen that Jesus, who was tempted, who has suffered and tasted death for everyone, is not ashamed to call us “brethren”.

Are we ashamed to call Him “Lord”?

Are we willing to serve Him as “Lord”?