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THE PURPOSES OF JESUS’ HUMANITY (2)

Hebrews 2:11-14a

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.  The Bible plainly teaches that Jesus was made a little lower than the angels. 

 

B.   This, however, did not make Him to be less than the angels.

 

C.  His becoming a man served astonishing purposes.  The writer of Hebrews reveals the many purposes of Jesus humanity in this section of Hebrews. 

 

I.         REVIEW OF CLASS ACTIVITY

 

II.       PURPOSES OF JESUS’ HUMANITY (Heb. 2:9b-18)

 

A.  REQUIREMENT (Heb. 2:9a):  for the suffering of death

 

B.   REPLACEMENT (Heb. 2:9b):  should taste death for all men

 

C.  REWARD (Heb. 2:10):  in bringing many sons unto glory

 

D.  REALIZATION (Heb. 2:10):  to make captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings

 

E.   RELATIONSHIP (Heb. 2:11-13):  he is not ashamed to call them brethren

 

For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one:  for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren, saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee.  And again, I will put my trust in him.   And again, Behold I and the children which God hath given me.

 

1.    Jesus came to earth and took the form of a man in order to become a brother to us.

2.    The writer makes three points in these three verses.

a.    Origin:  “…are all of one…” (Heb. 2:11a)

1)     He that sanctifieth

a)    This refers to Jesus Christ

b)    Sanctifieth (37)

-       To make holy, purify, consecrate

-       To separate from profane things and dedicate to God, to purify by expiation:  free from the guilt of sin to purify internally by renewing of the soul.

c)    Christ by means of the cross enables man to be set apart for a holy purpose unto God.

2)    Those who are sanctified

a)    This refers to Christians.

b)    When we obeyed the Word of God, we were separated for a holy purpose to God (John 17:17).

 

Sanctify them through thy truth:  thy word is truth.

 

3)     Are all of one

a)    Jesus’ Father is the God of heaven.

b)    We have the same Father as Jesus does.

b.    Ownership:  “…for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren” (Heb. 2:11b)

1)     Jesus acknowledges the relationship that He sustains with us.

2)    He feels no sense of shame in being associated with us as brethren.

3)     Wacaster:  “It is comforting to know that Jesus is not ashamed to be associated with those who have put their trust in God” (80).

c.    Old Testament confirmation (Heb. 2:12-13)

1)     Psalm 22:22 (Heb. 2:12)

 

Hebrews 2:12 – I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee.

 

Psalm 22:22 – I will declare thy name unto my brethren:  in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee.

 

a)    Psalm 22 is a Messianic psalm.

b)    One of the purposes of Jesus’ coming was to communicate God to man.  He would declare the Lord’s name to His brethren.

c)    This verse contains a couplet or parallelism.

-       The writer repeats the first expression using different words in the second line.

-       There are differences of opinions about the meaning of the word “church” in this text.

+   Does it mean specifically “the called out ones,” thus baptized believers?

+   Does it mean “assembly” or “gathering,” indicating the mass of humanity?  This one seems to be correct in the context.  The writer is speaking of Jesus’ humanity in general.  As a human being, He is a brother to all men.

2)    II Samuel 22:3; Isaiah 12:2 (Heb. 2:13a)

 

Hebrews 2:13a – I will put my trust in him.

 

II Samuel 22:3 – The God of my rock; in him will I trust…

 

Isaiah 12:2 – Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid.

 

a)    Man has to trust in God.

b)    The Messiah, as a man, endowed with all the attributes of man, would also have to trust in God.

3)     Isaiah 8:18 (Heb. 2:13b)

 

Hebrews 2:13b – Behold I and the children which God hath given me…

 

Isaiah 8:18 – Behold, I and the children whom the Lord hath given me…

 

a)    Isaiah was typical of the Christ.  He had been given children by God.  Their names are of great interest.

-       Shearjashub:  a remnant shall return

-       Mahershalalhashbaz:  God with us

b)    Jesus, too, has us as His “children.”  He is our elder brother.  He looks upon us as His children (a childling, infant, half-grown boy or girl).

 

F.    RELATE (Heb. 2:14):  he also himself likewise took part of the same

 

Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same…

 

1.    Human form

a.    Humans possess flesh and blood.

b.    The Hebrew writer says we are “partakers” of flesh and blood.

1)     Partakers:

a)    Strong (2841):  to share with others

b)    Thayer:  to come into communion or fellowship with

2)    NOTE:  The writer does not say that we “are” flesh and blood, but that we are “partakers” of flesh and blood.  “The author make a distinction between what constitutes the essential and eternal part of man’s nature, and what is temporal and in which we now live, as in a clay tabernacle (cf. 2 Cor. 5:1)” (Wacaster, 84-85).

 

For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day…For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens (II Cor. 4:16; 5:1).

 

2.    Heavenly fellowship

a.    The second being of the Godhead left heaven and “took part” in the same nature as man.

b.    Took part

1)     Strong (3348):  to share, participate, by implication to belong to

2)    Thayer:  to become a partaker

c.    To be our brother, Jesus had to embrace flesh and blood.

d.   Lesson:  It is difficult for us to understand the wonder of this action.

1)     Paul said that He thought it not robbery to be equal with God (Phil. 2:6).

2)    Some interesting thoughts:

a)    Spirit now has flesh

b)    Invisible now visible

c)    Infinite becomes finite

d)    Eternal now has a beginning (birth) and an end (death)

e)    Can’t be tempted to being tempted by Satan

f)     All powerful experiences the weaknesses of the flesh