Study in Hebrews

1. Study in Hebrews Presentation 04

2. The Importance of Jesus’ Humanity Chap 2v5-18 Presentation 04

3. Introduction The writer returns to his main argument which is introduced in Chap.1 - the superiority of Jesus. He does so to develop the ministry, mission and role of Jesus Christ more fully in order that his readers would be persuaded to strengthen their commitment to continue following him. Some of the original Jewish readers of Hebrews felt inclined to abandon the Christian faith because of Jesus' humanity. To this end the writer stressed Jesus’ deity and superiority to angels in ch. 1 because some Jews failed to truly grasp and appreciate that. Presentation 04

4. Introduction In this chapter the writer shows why Jesus was not inferior because he was a man. Indeed, it was Jesus' humanity that enabled him to regain man's lost dominion v5-9 and to bring many sons to glory v10-13. And it was his humanity that equipped him to disarm Satan and deliver us from death v14-16 and to be a sympathetic high priest to his people v17-18. Presentation 04

5. The Humiliation And Glory Of God's Son Verses 5-18 present eight reasons for the incarnation of the Son: 1. to fulfil God's purpose for man v5-9a. 2. to taste death for all v9b 3. to bring many sons to glory v10-13. 4.to destroy the devil v 14 5. to deliver those in bondage v15 6. to become a priest for men v16-17a 7. to make propitiation for sins v17b 8. To provide help for those tested v18 Presentation 04

6. The Humiliation And Glory Of God's Son The writer clearly interprets [Ps. 8v4-6] as Messianic. As a man, Jesus was temporarily lower than the angels during his earthly ministry. His crowning took place at his ascension as did his receiving authority from the Father over all creation. The time, when all things now under his authority will bow to that authority, awaits Jesus' return to earth at his second advent and the judgments that will follow his coming. Presentation 04

7. The Humiliation And Glory Of God's Son We do not yet see man as God planned but we see God’ s Man, who is our Man, opening up possibilities for us to become true men in life and destiny. Even though God’s Man, Jesus, is invested with all rule, authority and power, we do not yet see every knee bowing to Him, There is this “not yet” element in the whole situation, but this does not cancel or, even limit the Christian message. We are saved in hope, as Paul says in Rom. 8v19ff. and it is sure and certain hope. There is no doubt at all about the issue, because we see Jesus crowned with glory and honour in consequence of his death. Now, this is something he did for us, opening up the way for us to follow him. Presentation 04

8. The Humiliation And Glory Of God's Son Even though believers do not yet see Jesus glorified on earth, we do see him with the eye of faith glorified in heaven. God has crowned Jesus with glory and honour because he suffered death for every person. Suffering, introduced here, becomes a dominant theme in this epistle. This was God's purpose in the Incarnation. “His coronation investiture with priestly glory and splendour provide assurance that the power of sin and death has been nullified and that humanity will yet be led to the full realization of their intended glory. In Jesus the hearers are to find the pledge of their own entrance into the imperial destiny intended by God for them.” William Lane Presentation 04

9. The Humiliation And Glory Of God's Son He did not have to die in order to claim glory. From all eternity glory was his by right and he left that glory when he was born in Bethlehem. On the Mount of Transfiguration [Matt. 17v1-5] we see him again crowned with glory [2 Pet. 1v16-18]. He could, as a perfect man without sin, have claimed entrance to heaven as his right, but by the grace of God he turned his back on glory and tasted death for every man. He stood in for us and experienced death in a way that no man has ever yet tasted it in all the full and terrible significance of separation from God, exclusion from His presence and the terrible darkness and desolation testified to in the cry from the Cross, “My God, why hast thou forsaken me?” Presentation 04

10. The Humiliation And Glory Of God's Son But death could not hold him [Acts 2v24], it had neither claim nor power, and for us the gates of death were burst asunder in the resurrection [not mentioned here in Hebrews]. This triumphant Jesus is now at the right hand of the Father and this is our guarantee of victory [Acts 2v32-36; Rom. 8v33ff]. Presentation 04

11. The Humiliation And Glory Of God's Son The three thoughts quickly made in Heb.2v9 are filled in by further theological reflection in 2v10-18. They are not taken up in distinct sections but are interwoven in the argument of the paragraph. The first theme is that Jesus as God's Son came to earth to share fully in our humanity and thus to establish His solidarity [unity, identity] with all people. The second theme is that in God's plan Jesus had to undergo suffering and death in order to provide salvation for humankind. The third theme is that because of His obedience in carrying out God's redemptive plan despite severe temptation, Jesus has been exalted to the honoured position in God's very presence as the believers' perfected High Priest. Presentation 04

12. The Son's Solidarity With Humanity In v10-18 we have a magnificent passage that tells us in dramatic language the things Jesus accomplished when he tasted death for man. It was not a tragic death but a triumphant one and in it we must see in it the deliberate activity of God the Father Almighty [Acts 2v23; 2 Cor. 5v19]. The writer says in v10that it was a right and fitting thing for God to do, in his plan to fill heaven with “sons”, to make the pioneer or trailblazer of salvation perfect through sufferings. The unusual title "author" [archegos] describes Jesus as a file leader, pioneer, pathfinder, and captain of a company of followers [cf. 12v2; Acts 3v15; 5:v31]. Presentation 04

13. The Son's Solidarity With Humanity There is much in this whole epistle about the attainment of perfection or, maturity in spiritual life. God perfected Jesus by charting his path to glory through suffering, and he does the same for Jesus' followers. We must go through suffering before we get to glory. By having experienced suffering, Jesus can more perfectly help us as we suffer [v18]. He was "perfected" in this sense. The verb “to perfect" [teleioo] is another favourite word of this writer, who uses it nine times, more frequently than it occurs in any other N.T. book. "Since His sinlessness is an accepted fact, it is clear that the perfection is viewed as a fitness for the fulfilling of the office assigned to Him." Everett F. Harrison Presentation 04

14. The Son's Solidarity With Humanity Note too, that while this ‘perfection’ is accomplished in the “many sons” by means of suffering, trial and conflict, we are not left to “go it alone”. The Pioneerof our salvation took “upon him man’s nature, with all of its essential and common infirmities, yet without sin,” [The Westminster Confession] and as a man walked the way of holiness and victory for us. The Lord Jesus by having now entered God’s presence has secured our entry [by faith in His name]. Presentation 04

15. The Son's Solidarity With Humanity In v11-13 we are introduced to the idea of “brotherhood”, fellowship or one-ness between Christ and his ransomed people. Jesus is not ashamed of us, why should he be, for he has taken away all our sins and made us new creatures, perfect in the sight of God [2 Cor. 5v17]. The closer we draw to this wonderful Jesus the more we sense and feel our own unworthiness. This in turn makes us wonder at his “amazing love” and this is the beginning of worship. Daily trust in God marked Jesus, and marks Christians who continue to follow God faithfully. Such daily trust results in intimate fellowship with God. [The references in v12-13 are from Ps. 22v22; Isa. 8v17b; Isa. 8v18]. Presentation 04

16. The Son's Solidarity With Humanity The children God has given to Christ are men and women of flesh and blood, and if he was going to be one with them then he had to partake of a “flesh and blood” experience just like them. It would not have been a real salvation if God as God had dealt with the human predicament of sin and its consequences. We could then have said, “It is easy for God” and so we would have excused our sins and sinning. That “escape” or excuse was closed when God became man. Presentation 04

17. The Son's Solidarity With Humanity In v11 there is reference [to he expounded more fully later in the epistle] to the consecrating priest in Israel who by his ministrations, sets apart the people for God, dealing with God on their behalf. The priest had to be “one of themselves”. An outsider could not fulfil the role. So Jesus became one of us with a flesh and blood birth, life and death. Not one aspect of human experience was by-passed. By his life and death something tremendous was accomplished [14-15]. Presentation 04

18. The Son's Solidarity With Humanity Satan was robbed of his power and dominion by a man, he lost his initiative in the world, and had his victims wrenched from his grasp. Think of Jesus’ victory in the temptation, when all circumstances were against him [Lk.4v1-13]. Think of how from then on Jesus spoke with power and authority to the demons that afflicted men. Think of the significance of his death and resurrection as expressed in Col. 1v13-14; 2v13-15. Think of it this way: with normal current a light bulb “holds” the power but massive voltage blows the bulb to bits. This is what Jesus did. He blasted open the prison house and set men free to live. “O death where is thy sting; O grave where is thy victory?” [1 Cor. 15v54-58]. It is gone for ever. Presentation 04

19. The Son's Solidarity With Humanity The particular aspect of our Lord’ s identification with men which this epistle seeks to expound is his high-priestly ministry on their behalf. As we have already seen the priest must be one with those he represents before God, and therefore Jesus was made like men in every respect. Having suffered himself he is able to sympathise and be merciful, and having himself endured to the end he can be counted on to be faithful and to see his people right through to victory. His work as high priest was in respect of “things pertaining to God,” not simply in “the service of God”. Presentation 04

20. The Son's Solidarity With Humanity The most vital issue is that of sin. Men can come to God only if their sin has been dealt with, and that is exactly what Jesus did. He made expiation for sins, covering them completely and wiping them away. That solves the problem from man’s side. But sins are committed against God, breaking the relationship with him and creating in him a disposition of anger or wrath. This also must be dealt with in any work of atonement that is to be effective. This is why the word “propitiation” needs to be used here and elsewhere to signify the turning away, the exhausting of, or the satisfaction of Divine anger. Thus explaining the cry of dereliction, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me”. Presentation 04

21. The Son's Solidarity With Humanity No mere man can deal with such a mighty and eternal transaction and yet it must be done from man’s side. The God-man, who stood in our place, lived for us and died for us, sealed our pardon with his blood and made a full atonement. God as man grappled with the full mystery and power of iniquity and dealt with it once for all. This is the theme we will study again and again throughout the epistle. With a Saviour like this do we need to fear? Cf. Rom. 8v31-39. Presentation 04