Hebrews 2:10-18: Jesus has Delivered His Brothers
Jesus, who made propitiation for sins and defeated the devil, now serves as our merciful and faithful high priest
Introduction
Quote
Quotations from Psalm 22:22 and Isaiah 8:17–18 confirm the unity between the Lord Jesus and his people. The quote from the Psalter clearly indicates that Jesus sings with his people when they sing praises to God at worship: “In the midst of the congregation I will sing your praise” (Heb. 2:12).
In this chapter, and those that follow, the author of Hebrews stresses the humanity of Jesus more than any other New Testament writer does. Jesus came to save those who are lost, became like them in every respect (sin excepted), was tempted, suffered, and died. The author compares him to angels (chap. 1) and points out that Jesus suffered death for all his people (chap. 2). He describes him as a merciful and faithful High Priest who made atonement for the sins of his people. Jesus suffered, was tempted for the purpose of helping his people facing temptations, and made propitiation for their sins. The writer implies the sinlessness of Jesus, who was triumphant over death and who offers sustaining care to his people.
Scripture
Outline
Hebrews 1:1-4 - God has Spoken
Hebrews 1:5-14 - The Son is Superior to the Angels
Hebrews 2:1-4 - A Warning
Hebrews 2:5-9 - Lowliness to Crowning Glory
Hebrews 2:10-18
Purpose of Book
Christ, who has accomplished salvation through His atoning sacrifice, is greater than all things; therefore, persevere in true faith and encourage others to do likewise
Main Point
Jesus, who made propitiation for sins and defeated the devil, now serves as our merciful and faithful high priest
Hebrews 2:10 - Jesus the Founder of Salvation
For it was fitting that he,
For whom and by whom all things exist,
In bringing many sons to glory,
③ to lead/guide morally or spiritually, lead, encourage
ⓒ The state of being in the next life is thus described as participation in the radiance or glory
Should make the founder of their salvation
③ one who begins or originates, hence the recipient of special esteem in the Gr-Rom. world, originator, founder
15 sn The Greek word translated pioneer is used of a “prince” or leader, the representative head of a family. It also carries nuances of “trailblazer,” one who breaks through to new ground for those who follow him. It is used some thirty-five times in the Greek OT and four times in the NT, always of Christ (Acts 3:15; 5:31; Heb 2:10; 12:2).
It was commonly used of a pioneer who blazed a trail for others to follow. The archēgos never stood at the rear giving orders. He was always out front, leading and setting the example. As the supreme Archegos, Christ does not stand at the rear giving orders. He is always before us, as perfect Leader and perfect Example.
Perfect through suffering
② to overcome or supplant an imperfect state of things by one that is free fr. objection, bring to an end, bring to its goal/accomplishment
Rather, when Hebrews speaks of Jesus’ being “made perfect,” it is employing the LXX sense of consecration and ordination to priestly office (Ex. 29:9, 29, 33, 35; Lev. 4:5; 8:33; 16:32; 21:10; Num. 3:3; etc.). As Hebrews 2:17–18 and 5:8–10 show, Jesus underwent this induction to his priesthood not through external rituals of washing and anointing but through his lifelong obedience to the will of God amid trial and suffering, climaxing in his death.
① that which is suffered or endured, suffering, misfortune, in our lit. almost always in pl.
Hebrews 2:11 - Jesus Calls Saints Brothers
For he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one source.
The concept of holiness in our epistle is both positional (10:10, 29) and progressive (2:10; 10:14).
② include a pers. in the inner circle of what is holy, in both cultic and moral associations of the word, consecrate, dedicate, sanctify
That is why he is not ashamed to call them brothers,
to experience a painful feeling or sense of loss of status because of some particular event or activity, be ashame
② a pers. viewed as a brother in terms of a close affinity, brother, fellow member, member, associate fig.
11 But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb. 12 And she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. 13 They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” 14 Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. 15 Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” 16 Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher). 17 Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’ ” 18 Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”—and that he had said these things to her.
Hebrews 2:12 - Jesus Proclaims God to the Brothers
Saying,
“I will tell of your name to my brothers;
② to make someth. known publicly, proclaim
In the midst of the congregation I will sing your praise.”
Hebrews 2:13 - Children Given to Jesus by God
And again,
“I will put my trust in him.”
The quotations come from a section in Isaiah (chapters 7–12) where Judah is threatened by Israel and Syria, who are attempting to put a rival on the throne of Ahaz. The Lord promises Ahaz that the plot will not succeed. God’s covenant is with the Davidic dynasty, not with these upstart kings who are trying to overthrow the Davidic ruler.
And again,
“Behold, I and the children God has given me.”
B. The Original OT Context. Isaiah 8 is part of a larger section of the book that concerns whether the people of God will trust God or earthly political powers (7:1–12:6). The immediate context of our quotation involves 8:11–9:7 ET (8:11–9:6 MT/LXX) and addresses a stark contrast between walking in the way of a rebellious people and walking in the way of the Lord.
E. How Isa. 8:17–18 is Understood and Used at Heb. 2:13. Grounded in a context that contained explicit prophecies about Christ’s life, death, and significance, the author of Hebrews understood Isa. 8:17b–18 to be messianic, and he appropriated the passage to reinforce scripturally the integral relationship between the Son’s posture of trust in the Father and the impact of that posture on others (i.e., “the sons”). In fact, taken together with Ps. 22:22, the quotations are arranged in a chiastic structure meant to highlight both of these dynamics:
A I will proclaim your name to my brothers
B I will sing your praise in the midst of the assembly
B′ I will place my trust in him
A′ Behold, I and the children God has given to me
③ one who is treasured in the way a parent treasures a child
⑤ to put someth. in care of another, entrust
Hebrews 2:14-15 - Jesus Destroys the Devil
Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood,
③ one who is treasured in the way a parent treasures a child, child, fig.
He himself likewise partook of the same things,
But partook is from a very different word, metechō, which has to do with taking hold of something that is not naturally one’s own kind. We by nature are flesh and blood; Christ was not. Yet He willingly took hold of something which did not naturally belong to Him.
That through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death,
③ to cause someth. to come to an end or to be no longer in existence, abolish, wipe out, set aside
③ exercise of ruling ability, power, rule, sovereignty
Ultimately, God as the sovereign Creator is Lord of all, but recognizing this does not exclude the notion that death is also under the domain of Satan.
That is, the devil,
The purpose of the incarnation is then stated in one long sentence with two main verbs. First, the Son of God became a human being ‘so that by death’ he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil. Second, he came to free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. The notion that death is the divine penalty for sin (Gen. 2:16–17; 3:22–24; Rom. 5:12) is implicit in this context, because Jesus’ death is said to make atonement ‘for the sins of the people’ (v. 17). But Hebrews also picks up the Jewish tradition about the devil’s role in humanity’s rebellion against God and its consequences (e.g. Wis. 2:23–24 [NRSV]: ‘God created us for incorruption, / and made us in the image of his own eternity, / but through the devil’s envy death entered the world, / and those who belong to his company experience it’).
The doctrine of the extent of the atonement asks for whom Christ died and in what sense—and who will finally be saved.
The Ransom Theory. In this view, the atonement was payment made by God to Satan, because Satan held mankind in bondage to sin and death. Origen in particular argued that the cross was a ransom payment equal in value to man’s sin debt, a debt accrued since Adam’s original sin. At the cross, the death payment of Christ, the devil was obliged to release man from bondage.
Christus Victor. This view of the atonement argues—in the words of its best-known promoter, Gustav Aulén—that “the work of Christ is first and foremost a victory over the powers which hold mankind in bondage: sin, death, and the devil” (Christus Victor, p. 20). This view is a reaction to both the ransom and the satisfaction theories. Instead of payment to Satan or to God, the death of Christ is seen as a conquest in a cosmic conflict.
And deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.
① to set free from a controlling state or entity, free, release
① pert. to being held in or constrained, subject to
Hebrews 2:16-18 - Jesus Helps His Brothers as the High Priest
For surely it is not angels that he helps,
like μέν, γέ, δή a marker of emphasis, but the suffix που is rhetorically significant, for it softens the process of inference, while yet strongly asserting the conclusion, by graciously taking the auditor into the logical process, somewhat in the sense ‘one would agree, I’m sure’ of course, surely Hb 2:16
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,
pert. to being concerned about people in their need, merciful, sympathetic, compassionate of God
① pertaining to being worthy of belief or trust, trustworthy, faithful, dependable, inspiring trust/faith
β. by fig.
• extension, of Christ, who serves as high priest by atoning for the sins of humans Hb 2:17
To make propitiation for the sins of the people.
② to eliminate impediments that alienate the deity, expiate, wipe out,
The word designates both forgiveness of sins and appeasement and satisfaction of God’s wrath.
For because he himself has suffered when tempted,
② to endeavor to discover the nature or character of someth. by testing
He is able to help those who are being tempted.
② to endeavor to discover the nature or character of someth. by testing
As in the earlier portions of the passage, Hebrews is not interested in developing a doctrine of the incarnation or the atonement. Its aim is pastoral, not theoretical. Hence, it refers to 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.
Closing Quote
Jesus felt everything we will ever feel—and more. For example, He felt temptation to a degree that we could not possibly experience. Most of us never know the full degree of resistible temptation, simply because we usually succumb long before that degree is reached. But since Jesus never sinned, He took the full measure of every temptation that came to Him. And He was victorious in every trial.
Why did He go through that? He did it so that He could become a merciful and faithful high priest who could sympathize with our weaknesses and who could come to the aid of those who are tempted. Ours is not a cosmic God, powerful and holy, but indifferent. He knows where we hurt, where we are weak, and where we are tempted. He is the God we can go to not only for salvation but for sympathy.
This is our Savior. The perfect Savior. Our Substitute, our salvation Author, our Sanctifier, our Satan-Conqueror, and our Sympathizer. What a Savior He is. There is no other.