In Chapter 1, the writer declared that God the Father has spoken unto us through His Son. He also declared that the Son of God is better than the angels. In the opening verses of Chapter 2, the writer appealed to his readers to give an "earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest we drift
away from them."
The fact, that angels are "ministering spirits" (Hebrews 1:7) without human bodies, would seem to give them an advantage over Jesus Christ who had a human body while He ministered on earth.
Today, He has a glorified body that knows no limitations.
In verse 5, the words, "put in subjection," are from the Greek word "hupotasso", which means "to arrange or put under, to subordinate, to make subject. It was a military term used of arranging soldiers in order under the commanding general. The word speaks of a system of administration.
The word, "world" comes from the Greek word "oikomene" which means "the inhabited earth."
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The expression "world to come" speaks of the millennial kingdom and the future. This kingdom will not be administered by angels. An angel, Lucifer, once was the ruler for God on the pre-Adamic earth. He was the anointed cherub, the guardian of the holiness of God. But he rebelled (Isaiah 14:12-14; Ezekiel 28:1-19). The earth over which he had ruled was made desolate and waste. Lucifer, now known as Satan, and his cohorts were banished. After the restoration of the earth, God made man, placed him upon it, and gave everything into subjection to him, but man sinned and handed the scepter over to Satan, who is now the god this world system and whose throne is again on earth (Revelation 2:13).
Isaiah 14:12-14: 12How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the
morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!
13For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my
throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation,
in the sides of the north: 14I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will
be like the most High.
Ezekiel 28:1-19: 1The word of the LORD came again unto me, saying, 2Son of
man, say unto the prince of Tyrus, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thine heart
is lifted up, and thou hast said, I am a God, I sit in the seat of God, in the midst
of the seas; yet thou art a man, and not God, though thou set thine heart as the
heart of God: 3Behold, thou art wiser than Daniel; there is no secret that they
can hide from thee: 4With thy wisdom and with thine understanding thou hast
gotten thee riches, and hast gotten gold and silver into thy treasures: 5By thy
great wisdom and by thy traffick hast thou increased thy riches, and thine heart
is lifted up because of thy riches: 6Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Because
thou hast set thine heart as the heart of God; 7Behold, therefore I will bring
strangers upon thee, the terrible of the nations: and they shall draw their swords
against the beauty of thy wisdom, and they shall defile thy brightness. 8They shall
bring thee down to the pit, and thou shalt die the deaths of them that are slain in
the midst of the seas. 9Wilt thou yet say before him that slayeth thee, I am God?
but thou shalt be a man, and no God, in the hand of him that slayeth thee. 10Thou
shalt die the deaths of the uncircumcised by the hand of strangers: for I have
spoken it, saith the Lord GOD. 11Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me,
saying, 12Son of man, take up a lamentation upon the king of Tyrus, and say
unto him, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom,
and perfect in beauty. 13Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every
precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl,
the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold:
the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day
that thou wast created. 14Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have
set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and
down in the midst of the stones of fire. 15Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the
day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee. 16By the multitude of
thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast
sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I
will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire. 17Thine
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heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by
reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings,
that they may behold thee. 18Thou hast defiled thy sanctuaries by the multitude
of thine iniquities, by the iniquity of thy traffick; therefore will I bring forth a fire
from the midst of thee, it shall devour thee, and I will bring thee to ashes upon
the earth in the sight of all them that behold thee. 19All they that know thee
among the people shall be astonished at thee: thou shalt be a terror, and never
shalt thou be any more.
Revelation 2:13 : I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan's
seat is: and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in
those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you,
where Satan dwelleth.
But the Lord Jesus Christ became flesh and dwelt upon the earth. Through His blood on the cross, He has regained for man the dominion over the earth and will in the millennial kingdom be enthroned, ruling as King of kings and Lord of lords. The saved of the human race will be associated with Him in that reign. Therefore, the angels will not rule over the millennial earth, but man in the person of the Son of man and those who are saved by His precious blood will rule over the earth. THEREFORE:
HIS HUMANITY ENABLED HIM TO REGAIN MAN'S LOST DOMINION Verses 5-9
Adam was placed over the earth, and he lost his dominion through sin. In verses 6-8a, the writer quotes from Psalm 8:4-6.
Psalm 8:4-6: 4What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man,
that thou visitest him? 5For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels,
and hast crowned him with glory and honour. 6Thou madest him to have
dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet:
NOTE the sadness of Verse 8b: "But now we see not yet all things put under him." Although lower than the angels, Adam was crowned with glory and honor. The position of Adam as the federal head of the human race and his control of the animal kingdom through love spoke of his exalted position. But sin changed things. Verse 8b , "...But now we see not yet all things put under
him." These words point to the fact that Adam, through his fall into sin, lost the dominion he had before enjoyed. He was no longer the master of himself. He had become a fallen creature with a totally depraved nature. He was a slave to sin. The animal kingdom was subservient to him now not through affection but fear.
Jesus, the Son of man, was God's answer to man's dilemma. Vs 9, "But we see Jesus, Who was
made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor;
that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man." Jesus Christ became a man that He might suffer and die for man's sin and restore the dominion that was lost because of sin.
When Jesus was here on earth, He exercised that lost dominion over the fish (Luke 5:1-11; 33
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Matthew 17:24-27; John 21;1-11); over the fowl (Luke 22:34, 60); over wild beasts (Mark 1:12-13); and the domesticated beasts (Mark 11:1-7). Today, everything is under His feet (Ephesians 1:20-23).
Luke 5:1-11: 1And it came to pass, that, as the people pressed upon him to hear
the word of God, he stood by the lake of Gennesaret, 2And saw two ships standing
by the lake: but the fishermen were gone out of them, and were washing their
nets. 3And he entered into one of the ships, which was Simon's, and prayed him
that he would thrust out a little from the land. And he sat down, and taught the
people out of the ship. 4Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon,
Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught. 5And Simon
answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken
nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net. 6And when they had
this done, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake. 7And
they beckoned unto their partners, which were in the other ship, that they should
come and help them. And they came, and filled both the ships, so that they began
to sink. 8When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, Depart
from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord. 9For he was astonished, and all that
were with him, at the draught of the fishes which they had taken: 10And so was
also James, and John, the sons of Zebedee, which were partners with Simon. And
Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men. 11And
when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all, and followed him.
Matthew 17:24-27: 24And when they were come to Capernaum, they that received
tribute money came to Peter, and said, Doth not your master pay tribute? 25He
saith, Yes. And when he was come into the house, Jesus prevented him, saying,
What thinkest thou, Simon? of whom do the kings of the earth take custom or
tribute? of their own children, or of strangers? 26Peter saith unto him, Of
strangers. Jesus saith unto him, Then are the children free. 27Notwithstanding,
lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea, and cast an hook, and take up the
fish that first cometh up; and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find
a piece of money: that take, and give unto them for me and thee.
John 21:1-11: 1After these things Jesus shewed himself again to the disciples at
the sea of Tiberias; and on this wise shewed he himself. 2There were together
Simon Peter, and Thomas called Didymus, and Nathanael of Cana in Galilee,
and the sons of Zebedee, and two other of his disciples. 3Simon Peter saith unto
them, I go a fishing. They say unto him, We also go with thee. They went forth,
and entered into a ship immediately; and that night they caught nothing. 4But
when the morning was now come, Jesus stood on the shore: but the disciples
knew not that it was Jesus. 5Then Jesus saith unto them, Children, have ye any
meat? They answered him, No. 6And he said unto them, Cast the net on the right
side of the ship, and ye shall find. They cast therefore, and now they were not
able to draw it for the multitude of fishes. 7Therefore that disciple whom Jesus
loved saith unto Peter, It is the Lord. Now when Simon Peter heard that it was
the Lord, he girt his fisher's coat unto him, (for he was naked,) and did cast
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himself into the sea. 8And the other disciples came in a little ship; (for they were
not far from land, but as it were two hundred cubits,) dragging the net with fishes.
9As soon then as they were come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish
laid thereon, and bread. 10Jesus saith unto them, Bring of the fish which ye have
now caught. 11Simon Peter went up, and drew the net to land full of great fishes,
an hundred and fifty and three: and for all there were so many, yet was not the
net broken.
Luke 22:34, 60: 34And he said, I tell thee, Peter, the cock shall not crow this day,
before that thou shalt thrice deny that thou knowest me…. 60And Peter said,
Man, I know not what thou sayest. And immediately, while he yet spake, the cock
crew.
Mark 1:12-13: 12And immediately the Spirit driveth him into the wilderness.
13And he was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted of Satan; and was with
the wild beasts; and the angels ministered unto him.
Mark 11:1-7: 1And when they came nigh to Jerusalem, unto Bethphage and
Bethany, at the mount of Olives, he sendeth forth two of his disciples, 2And saith
unto them, Go your way into the village over against you: and as soon as ye be
entered into it, ye shall find a colt tied, whereon never man sat; loose him, and
bring him. 3And if any man say unto you, Why do ye this? say ye that the Lord
hath need of him; and straightway he will send him hither. 4And they went their
way, and found the colt tied by the door without in a place where two ways met;
and they loose him. 5And certain of them that stood there said unto them, What
do ye, loosing the colt? 6And they said unto them even as Jesus had commanded:
and they let them go. 7And they brought the colt to Jesus, and cast their garments
on him; and he sat upon him.
Ephesians 1:20-23: 20Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the
dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, 21Far above all
principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named,
not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: 22And hath put all things
under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, 23Which
is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.
Jesus did all of this for us, for lost sinners, because of the "grace of God." (Verse 9) If He had not become man, He could not have died and "tasted death for every man." It is true that angels cannot die; but it is also true that angels cannot save lost sinners and restore man's lost dominion (Luke 19:10).
Luke 19:10: For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.
HIS HUMANITY ENABLED HIM TO BRING MANY SONS TO GLORY Verses l0-13
Christ was crucified and was a stumbling Mock to the Jews. (1 Corinthians 1:23) 35
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1 Corinthians 1:23: But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a
stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;
This may have been one of the factors which was influencing these Jewish believers in their drift away from their new profession of Jesus Christ as Messiah and back to the Levitical sacrifices.
The writer sought to justify his bold assertion of Verse 9. He sensed the recoil which his readers would have from the thought of a suffering Messiah. Now, he showed that Jesus' suffering and death were according to the prophecies of the Old Testament.
The fact that God the Father decreed that the sin debt had to be paid is dear in the Scriptures. God declared that it must be through the blood of Jesus Christ on the cross that the Captain of our salvation would become the Savior of sinners. This declaration found its origin in the nature of God. A holy God cannot look upon sin with any degree of allowance. A righteous God demands that the violated law be satisfied. The loving God provided the very payment of the penalty which His law demanded.
The writer showed the reasonableness of the cross. Because only God could satisfy the demands of His law, only the Son of man could provide the sacrifice that was needed. God the Father provided the salvation, God the Son procures or obtains it, and God the Holy Spirit applies it.
Jesus, the Son of man, brings many sons into glory and perfection. In verse l0, the words "to make perfect" (Greek teieioo) means "to carry to the goal or consummation." This does not imply any moral imperfection in Jesus Christ. It speaks of the consummation of the human experience of suffering and the death of the cross, through which Jesus must pass if He is to become the Captain of our salvation.
The word "Captain" is from the Greek word "archegos", a compound word of "ago" which means
"to lead or go" and "arche" which means "first." Therefore, it means "the one who goes first, a leader." The Son precedes the saved on the road to heaven (John 14:6; Hebrews 10:19-20). Our Lord Jesus Christ is not only the leader on the road or way to God, but He is the road or way itself.
John 14:6: Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man
cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Hebrews 10:19-20: 19Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the
holiest by the blood of Jesus, 20By a new and living way, which he hath
consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;
"He that sanctifieth" is the Son, (Verse 11). "They who are sanctified" are the saved or saints. They both are of one or out of one. That is, the Lord Jesus and the saved, saints, are out of the one same source. Therefore, "He is not ashamed to call them (the saints) brethren." The Greek word for brother (adeiphos) means "from the same womb or from the same origin." That one Source is God the Father. In His humanity, Jesus finds His Source in God the Father. Believers find their source of sonship in God the Father. Therefore, Jesus calls those who believe His brethren. Even though the Son is superior and has exalted dignity, he is not ashamed to call us brethren.
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In Verse 12, the writer quotes from Psalm 22:22. While the Psalm has its background in David's own experience, yet the final and full application of its truth is to the Son of God. The writer to the Hebrews quotes this statement, not for its contextual value, but to give scriptural verification to his statement in Vs 11.
Psalm 22:22: I will declare thy name unto my brethren: in the midst of the
congregation will I praise thee.
In Verse 13, the writer quotes from Isaiah 8:18. This quotation is used to show the close unity which exists between the Lord Jesus and those whom He calls brethren. The context of the quotation from Isaiah concerns the prophet's denunciation against trusting in any help but God's during the Syro-Israelitish war under Ahaz. Isaiah declared his own trust in God, and that his children have been appointed as living symbols of the divine will. Both the prophets and the children were omens of the future of the nation. The children were babes at the time. Therefore, the unity which existed between Isaiah and the children was that which existed between every father and his children. The writer uses this unity as an illustration of the close unity between the Lord Jesus and the believers, whom He calls brethren.
Isaiah 8:18: Behold, I and the children whom the LORD hath given me are for
signs and for wonders in Israel from the LORD of hosts, which dwelleth in mount
Zion.
HIS HUMANITY ENABLED HIM TO DISARM SATAN AND DELIVER US FROM
DEATH Verses l4-16
The children of Verse l4 refer to human beings, the subjects of redemption that is in Jesus Christ.
The word "partakers" is from the Greek word "koinoneo" which means "to have a share in common with someone else." The individuals of the human race have something in common with one another, flesh, and blood.
The words "took part of are the translation of a different word from the word translated "partakers."
It is "metecho” and is made up of "echo" meaning to hold and "meta" meaning with, thus, "to hold with." Our Lord took hold of human nature without its sin in the incarnation and held it to himself as an additional nature, thus associating Himself with the human race in its possession of flesh and blood. He took to Himself something with which by nature He had nothing in common. Human beings possess a human nature in common with one another. The Son of God united with Himself something that was not nature to Him. Westcott says that "Koinonia" (partakers) marks the characteristic sharing of the common fleshly nature as it pertains to the human race at large, where as "metecho" (took part of) speaks of the unique fact of the incarnation as a voluntary acceptance of humanity.
The reason the Lord Jesus became incarnate was that He might die. The reason He needed to die was that through dying and raising Himself out from under death, He might break the power of death and break the power of the one who has the power of death. The term "destroy" comes from a Greek word which means "to bring to naught, to render inoperative, to make of none effect."
Satan was not annihilated at the cross. His power was broken. Spiritual death cannot hold the 37
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person who puts his faith in the Savior. Physical death cannot keep his body in the grave. The resurrection of the Lord Jesus provides the believer with eternal life and his body with glorification at the rapture. Jesus conquered death and brought the devil to naught. Satan had the power of death, not in the sense that he had power over death, but that he had the sovereignty or dominion of death.
He had a sovereignty of which death is the realm. (John 8:44). The Greek word used here for
"power" is "kratos" and means "power in the sense of dominion." His dominion over the human race was in the form of death. That dominion is now broken.
John 8:44: Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do.
He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there
is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a
liar, and the father of it.
In verse 15, the word "deliver" (Greek apallasso) means "to release." Our Lord, through His death, made possible for the believing sinner to be released from the grip that death had on him. The word
"subject" (Greek enchoi) means "to hold in." The idea is that death held sinners in bondage.
In verse 16, the words "he took" (Greek epilambanetai—PMI verb) means "to take, lay hold of, take possession of." By a metaphor drawn from laying hold of another to rescue him from peril, the word came to mean "to lay hold of for the purpose of helping."
The idea here is that the Lord Jesus, in His work at Calvary, did not provide the salvation for fallen angels. But He did provide salvation for fallen human beings. In perfect righteousness, He passed by fallen angels, and in His infinite mercy and condescension, stooped to provide salvation for man. Jesus did not take on Himself the nature of angels to save fallen angels. When He became a man, it was not just "man" in general, but He became a Jew, a part of the "seed of Abraham."
HIS HUMANITY ENABLED HIM TO BE A HELPFUL AND SYMPATHETIC HIGH
PRTEST TO HIS PEOPLE Verse l7-18
Jesus, the Son of man, can identify with mankind. Being pure spirits who have never suffered, the angels cannot identify with us in our weaknesses and needs. But Jesus can! While here on earth, Jesus was "made like unto His brethren" in that He experienced the sinless infirmities of human nature. He knew what it was to be a helpless baby, a growing child, a maturing adolescent. He knew the experiences of weariness, hunger, and thirst. (John4:6-8). He knew what it was to be despised and rejected and to be lied about and falsely accused. He experienced physical suffering and death. All of this was a part of His "training" for His heavenly ministry as High Priest.
John 4:6-8: 6Now Jacob's well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his
journey, sat thus on the well: and it was about the sixth hour. 7There cometh a
woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink. 8(For
his disciples were gone away unto the city to buy meat.)
Jesus Christ is both merciful and faithful. The Greek word for "merciful" speaks of that "feeling of sympathy with the misery of another that leads one to act in his behalf to relieve the misery."
The idea is that of a compassionate heart leading one to acts of mercy, the purpose of which is to 38
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relieve the suffering and misery of the object of that compassion. The idea of a compassionate Priest would be welcomed by the Jewish readers of this letter, who knew the lack of sympathy shown by the Aaronic priesthood.
Jesus Christ is both merciful toward the people and faithful toward God. He can never fail in his priestly ministry. He made the necessary sacrifice for our sins so that we might be reconciled to God. He did not need to make a sacrifice for Himself because He is sinless.
The words "in things pertaining to God" are a technical phrase in the Jewish language speaking of the function of worship. The particular service our Lord as High Priest rendered is given us in the words "to make reconciliation for the sins of the people." The verb is "hiliskomai." Its noun form
"hilasterion" is found in Romans 3:25, where it is translated "propitiation." In its Biblical usage, the verb refers to the act of our Lord offering Himself on the cross to satisfy the righteous demands of God's justice so that His government might be maintained, and that mercy might be shown on the basis of justice satisfied.
Romans 3:25: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his
blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through
the forbearance of God;
Wuest's Expanded translation of Verse l7: “For this reason it was an obligation in the nature of the case for Him in all things to be made like to His brethrens, in order that He might become a compassionate and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, with view to offering that sacrifice for the sins of the people that would perfectly meet the demands of God's justice.”
But what happens when we who have been saved are tempted to sin (Verse 18)? He stands ready to help us! He was tempted when He was here on earth, but no temptation ever conquered Him.
The word "tempted "(Greek peirazomai) refers first to the action of putting someone to the test to see what good or evil is in the one being tested, and second, because so many broke down under the test and committed sin, the word came to mean "a solicitation to do evil." (Matthew 4:8-9; Matthew 16:21-23; Matthew 26:36-46). The writer had in view the testing and solicitations to do evil that were associated with His suffering on the cross.
Matthew 4:8-9: 8Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain,
and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; 9And saith
unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.
Matthew 16:21-23: 21From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples,
how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and
chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day. 22Then
Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this
shall not be unto thee. 23But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me,
Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of
God, but those that be of men.
Matthew 26:36-46: 36Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called
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Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder.
37And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be
sorrowful and very heavy. 38Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding
sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me. 39And he went a
little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be
possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.
40And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto
Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour? 41Watch and pray, that ye
enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. 42He
went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup
may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done. 43And he came
and found them asleep again: for their eyes were heavy. 44And he left them, and
went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words. 45Then
cometh he to his disciples, and saith unto them, Sleep on now, and take your rest:
behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of
sinners. 46Rise, let us be going: behold, he is at hand that doth betray me.
When Peter tempted Him to put away the cross, Jesus recognized Satan's hand in it all and withstood the temptation, choosing the way that pleased God, not man. In the Garden of Gethsemane, our Lord was a victor when He said, "nevertheless, not My will but thine be done."
He chose death to self rather than disobedience to His Father’s will. That is what Paul was speaking of in Philippians 2:5-8,10. In all temptations, the Lord Jesus stands ready to give aid to the sorely tried child of God. He understands all about it, not only in His omniscience, but also experientially, because He has experienced all this Himself. The word "succour" (Greek boetheo) means "to run to the cry of those in danger and bring help when it is needed."" Angels are able to serve us (Heb.
1:14), but they are not able to succour us in our times of temptations. Only Jesus Christ can do that, and He can do it because He became a man and suffered and died.
Philippians 2:5-8,10: 5Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
6Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
7But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant,
and was made in the likeness of men: 8And being found in fashion as a man, he
humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross….
10That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and
things in earth, and things under the earth;
Wuest's Expanded translation of Verse 18: "for in that which He suffered, having Himself been
tempted, he is able to run to the cry of those who are being tempted and bring them aid."
As our High Priest, the Lord Jesus is able to give us grace to keep us from sinning when we are tempted. If we do sin, then He is our Advocate Who represents us before the Throne of God and forgives us when we sincerely confess our sins to Him. (1 John 1:5-2:2).
1 John 1:5-2:2: 5This then is the message which we have heard of him, and
declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 6If we say
that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the
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truth: 7But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one
with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. 8If
we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9If
we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse
us from all unrighteousness. 10If we say that we have not sinned, we make him
a liar, and his word is not in us.
2:1, 2: 1My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if
any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
2And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the
sins of the whole world.
Conclusion
Jesus, the Son of Man is better than the angels. His humanity enabled Him to regain man's lost dominion. His humanity enabled Him to bring many sons to glory. His humanity enabled Him to disarm Satan and deliver us from death. His humanity enabled Him to be a helpful and sympathetic High Priest to His people.
Do you know Jesus as your Savior and Lord? Are you walking in fellowship with Him?
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HEBREWS GOD’S PLAN FOR SPIRITUAL MATURITY