All right, this is a good passage,
and as I said, has some relationship to what we were on this morning
about the particularity of the death of Christ. Here's our text,
verse 14. For as much then as the children
are partakers of flesh and blood, He also himself likewise took
part of the same, that through death he might destroy him that
had the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver them
who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to
bondage. Verse 16, For verily He took
not on, and we notice the italicized words, the nature of angels,
but he took on the seed of Abraham. Wherefore, in all things it behooved
him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a
merciful and a faithful high priest. And thanks to God to
make reconciliation for the people, for in that he himself has suffered
being tempted, he is able to succor them that are tempted. And the sixteenth verse again,
Verily he took not on him the nature of angel, but took on
the seed of Abraham. Now, the purpose of God in sending
our Lord into the world is described in verse 10 of this chapter,
bringing many sons unto glory. And two things were necessary
unto that end. Number one, the son must become
incarnate. He must be made like unto them. He became a partaker of flesh
and blood as we read. And then secondly, it was necessary
that he die in order that he might make reconciliation for
the sin of the people and destroy him that had the power of death. That is the devil. But I think
we ought to draw back our focus a little bit here in this chapter,
get a better view of the larger or of the overall context here
in the second chapter of Hebrew. John Brown, I read him in Hebrews
a lot, he considered verses 5 through verse 18 one of the most difficult
of interpretations in the whole inspired volume, unquote. what then chance have I to deal
with this very text here. But it is a difficult one when
we look at it and when we try to make it verse by verse. But we will for a bit dwell on
this because our text makes a distinction between the angel and the seed
of Abraham. Perhaps the apostle here, for
a purpose, dwells at length on the angels, making or showing
them to be inferior unto Christ because of the preeminent of
angels in connection with the Mosaic economy. They had a very
important part. had an impact on the Mosaic economy
and were, without a doubt, beside, with the exception of God Himself,
the most glorious beings that were associated with the Old
or the First Covenant. And this way they were instrumental
in the giving of the Law, as Stephen said, chapter 7 of Acts
and verse 53. And the Jews ascribed great glory
and great prominence unto the angels of God the celestial being. Thus it is incumbent upon the
author of Hebrews here to show that Christ is greater than they
and Christ had a preeminence over them. This he does in the
first part of the epistle by showing that God never honored
the angel in the way that he honored His Son, such as chapter
1 and verse 5, He never said to any angel, Thou art my Son. We look again at chapter 1, verse
6. The angels actually are commanded
and did worship the Son. So that's the preeminent. chapter
1 and verse 13. Never at any time did God ever
say unto an angel, Sit thou on my right hand until I make thy
enemies thy footstool. But He called the Son God in
chapter 1 and verse 8, whose throne is forever and forever. Now, for what it is worth, I
consider chapter 2 verses 1 through 4 as being, quote, a peripheral
exhortation, unquote, that since God has spoken unto us in his
Son, we ought to give heed, therefore, to that so great salvation. In chapter 2 and verse 5, he
returns to the comparison again between Christ and the angel,
and here a new argument is used and is brought forth. And we
are moving, mowing rather, into high grass and deep, high cotton
when we get to this place. That the world to come is not
made subject unto angels as Owens notes, it is never written or
recorded in Scripture. There is no Scripture testimony
to that effect. God is nowhere to have said to
have done it. That is, put the coming age or
world in subjection unto angels. However, in chapter 2, verse
6 through verse 8, the author shows that it is written that
man, whether in unfallen Adam or even in fallen man or in the
glorious person of the Lord Jesus Christ is too hard for me to
decipher and to tell. But the margin of the King James
had a little while inferior to. And the little does not seem
to refer to degree, but to duration or a period or a season of time. And then see that part in verse
8. that now, not yet, at this present
time, we now, not yet, see all things being made or put in subjection
unto Him. It had been centuries since the
creation of man, and it had been more centuries since the promise
was made particularly in the eighth Psalm, and still, as one
put it, all things are not yet brought into complete subjection
unto the feet of man. But verse 9, look at it, but
what do we see in Jesus for a time being a true man taking a kinship
with man, and apply the passage then from Psalm chapter 8 to
the Lord Jesus Christ. Originally, in order to dignify,
man stood only a little down from the angel, and as Spurgeon
wrote on the 8th Psalm, his name has credibility, in the Lord
Jesus this was accomplished. He was made a little lower than
the angel, and that for the reason or the purpose of the suffering
of death. Now He is crowned with glory
and with honor, highly exalted. He is made both Lord and Christ. He is rewarded by God with a
high exaltation for His great suffering and death. And He,
for a time, made a little lower than the angel, that is, he took
on flesh and blood, that by the grace of God he should taste
death for everyone, as it is here in this chapter. Since this
is a favorite proof text for universalism, Hebrews 2 and verse
9, As Gil said, the word man is not in the original text and
might be rendered by everything, or the whole, or all, and must
be understood in the light of the context that we're dealing
with. For example, verse 10, many sons. Verse 11, the children. Verse 12, my brethren. Verse 13, the children which
God has given me. Verse 14 again, the children. Verse 16, the seed of Abraham. Verse 17, his brethren. And so in that context, the everyman
or the everyone or the everything, refers to the children, the brethren,
and such like. Now coming to verse 14 and following,
let's recall the two premises stated in the beginning, which
are, the Son of Man must become incarnate. He must be a partaker
of flesh and blood to take a proper kinship with His brethren that
He might be our Goel Redeemer. Secondly, it was necessary that
He die the death upon the cross, for only by this means are many
sons eventually brought unto glory. Now before we consider
these two things any further, But let's give some attention
here to verse 11 and see how it trails or flows down to verse
12. Verse 13, which shows why and
how his death and his sacrifice could be such a profit to the
children that God has given unto him. In the 11th verse, for both
he that sanctifyeth and they who are sanctified are all of
one, for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren. Now, the one who is sanctified,
this is Christ or a divine person, and the ones who are sanctified,
this would be the sons, the children, and the brethren, are one. Now,
the word sanctify usually means set apart holy, and that for
some special purpose. Never could an unsanctified person
be brought to glory through the Lord Jesus Christ. Christ is
the great sacrifice, as in Hebrews 10.10, we're sanctified through
the offering of the body of Christ once for all. Again, in verse
14 of that chapter, by one offering He hath perfected forever them
that are sanctified." So, there is a union, there is a relationship,
and He assumed human nature, and He assumed it without depravity. He assumed it without any part
of depravity. So that He participated in their
nature, which made it possible for Him to be their Redeemer
and Kinsman and save them by his death, by partaking of flesh
and of blood. And because of that oneness that
we read about in verse 11, he is not ashamed to call them his
brethren. and that God might bring the
church to glory, His brethren." This from Psalm 22 and verse
22, Isaiah 8 and verse 17, I will put my trust in Him and so forth. Then in verse 16, there is a
for, F-O-R, which makes it part of the overall context and makes
a proper conclusion what has been said in the previous verses. Number one, that it is not angels
but men that he has taken hold of. Number one, not angels but
men has the Lord taken hold of. Number two, not angels but men,
and that a particular persons, the seed of Abraham, as they
are said, are called here. Now why does the apostle mention
angels to make that comparison? Why is he careful to distinctly
exclude them? Who besides a few heretics ever
contended that there were any saving benefit to the angels
by and through the death of Christ, whoever posited or assumed it
to be the case. Where did we ever hear of such
a thing? Now again, he thinks that it
has to do with a dual contrast that the apostle has been carrying
on. A, between the Lord Jesus and
the angels, the holy angels of God, and B, between the angel
and men, as to which shall have dominion over in the world to
come. Now again, the idea is not in
any place is it ever taught in Scripture that Christ ever takes
hold of the angels for the purpose of helping them or saving them. For His incarnation and death
gave no help, no relief, no advancement, no recovery to the angels at
all. And should the question be raised,
does the apostle have in mind the fallen apostate angels or
the holy angels of God? Or is it simply a useless question
not worth our time? Why does he refer to angelic
nature? We're going to have to admit
that in the whole discussion concerning the angels here early
in Hebrew, beginning in chapter 1 and verse 4, the apostle has
in mind the unfallen angel. As for the fallen angels, to
save them Christ must have assumed their nature and taken their
sin upon Him. And the apostles' meaning is
Christ assumed human nature, not angelic nature. He is to
bring the sons, the brethren, the children to glory. He is
the Savior of men. He is not the Savior of the apostate
angel. Notice the expression used that
teaches us for the sinning nature to be delivered from sin by Christ. It was necessary that the Lord
assume that nature. For sin must be punished in the
same nature in which it was committed. By the nature in which sin was
committed, must sin be punished. And that arrangement with Christ
satisfied that. And that's why the death and
the atonement of Christ has neither effect nor benefit, since Christ
did nothing in the angelic nature to advance the angels, whether
fallen or unfallen, for Christ was made flesh and blood, not
spirit. He assumed human nature, and
he assumed it not in its original form as in Adam, nor did he assume
it in glorification as it should be, but rather in Romans 8 and
verse 3, God sent his Son in the likeness of sinful flesh."
Now notice, not in sinful flesh, but in the likeness of sinful
flesh. In him was no sin. He knew no
sin. 2 Corinthians chapter 5 and verse
21. So, let's look more closely now
at the expression, took. He took not the angel, but he
took on the seed of Abraham. Now, it's not the same word as
you have back in verse 14, he took part of the same. For there
the meaning is to partake or that he partook or to share. While the took in verse 16, twice,
once negative, he took not. And again, the positive, he took,
has the meaning to lay hold on, has the meaning to seize for
a specific purpose. It means to catch or to take. We see how the word is used in
other places, and it will help us here. Matthew 14, verse 31,
where Jesus caught Peter and brought him out of the angry
sea. He lay hold upon him. In Luke 23, 26. They laid hold
upon Simon and compelled Him to bear the cross of our Lord.
They laid a physical, actual host upon Him. In Acts 16 and
verse 19, they caught Paul and Silas and they drew them into
the marketplace. And we have it positively and
negatively in Luke chapter 20. In verse 20, that He might take
hold of His words, that is, for the purpose that they might catch
Him, in something that he said where they might accuse him.
But in verse 26, they could not take hold of his word. They could not catch them. They
could not hold on to them. Again in Acts 21. And verse 30,
they took Paul, same word is here in Hebrews 2.16, drew him
out of the temple and planned to kill him, to put him to death.
In all these places just mentioned, it is that word that we have
here in Hebrews 2.16. Now Paul uses an interesting
word in Philippians 3.12. He expresses his desire, quote,
that I may apprehend that for which I also am apprehended of
Jesus Christ. That I might apprehend that for
which I have been apprehended. Now the word apprehend here means
to eagerly seize upon something. It means to take. It means to
possess. Now, the King James has it, I
press on to take hold of that for which Jesus Christ took hold
of me. This is a bit of an off-the-subject
observation, I suppose, but think of Paul's conversion and what
a seizure Christ made of him in that occasion on the Damascus
Road. By the way, the word apprehended
in Philippians 3, verse 12, is the same word used in John 8,
verse 3 and 4. Taken of the woman. Taken. They took the woman. And the
Pharisees seized her and caught her and brought her unto the
Lord. Thus, when our text said, Jesus
took hold of the seed of Abraham, it is the same word that is in
Hebrews chapter 8 and verse 9 when God quote, took them by the hand
to lead them out of Egypt. He laid hold upon them for the
dual purpose to deliver them out of their bondage, to bring
them into the happy land of Canaan. And so it was with the seed of
Abraham, to deliver them from bondage and to bring many sons
unto glory. Now we have to ask ourselves
the question, who are the seed of Abraham that are considered
here in this context of the Scripture? Clearly, the seed of Abraham
or the descendants of Abraham, those who can trace their lineage
back to Abraham, as the Jew boasted again and again. John 8, 39. is our Father. John 8 and 53,
our Father Abraham. Matthew 3 and 9, we have Abraham
to our Father. And in this sense, the seed of
Abraham refers to the Jew or to the physical seed of Abraham. But Scripture teaches us in both
the Old Testament and the New Testament, that Abraham has both
a natural, a physical seed, and also a spiritual seed that shall
spring up or have a connection unto him. Now, if the seed of
Abraham, in Hebrews 2 and verse 16, refer only to the natural
or the physical seed of Abraham, that is, to the Jew or to Israel,
then is the Lord's salvation only for them and for none other. Paul settles the question for
us as to who are the true and the spiritual seed of Abraham. He's the father of all of them
that believe, Romans chapter 4 verse 11. They that are Christ
are Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise. Galatians
3.29. There's also Paul, a Jew after
the flesh, that tells us in Romans 2.28.29 that a true Jew is one
who is a Jew inwardly and that true circumcision is not that
of the flesh but is that of the heart. So that in the context
here, the seed of Abraham are the elect. And they are the ones
that Christ has taken hold of to help them, to deliver them,
to bring them to glory and to wonderful experience and everlasting
life. Now, we see the words here in
verse 17. Wherefore, in all things it behooved
him to be made like unto his brethren." The word behooved
is an interesting one, picturesque one. It means ought. It behooved
him. He ought. It had to be under
obligation, bound to come to pass. It need be done. To show
the strength of this Word, we can show also how this same Word
is translated and used in other places in the Scripture as many
as perhaps some three dozen times in the New Testament. And it's
rendered by such words as owed, Matthew 18.24, debt, Matthew
18 and verse 30. Detar, Matthew 26 and verse 13. Indebted, in Luke 11 and verse
4. Ought, in John 19 and verse 7. Duty, in Romans 15 and 27. Due,
D-U-E, in 1 Corinthians 7 and verse 3. Should, in 1 Corinthians
9 and 10. And bound, in II Corinthians chapter 1 and
verse 3. It behooved him to be made like
unto his brethren. It had become a divine necessity
because and through the decree and the purpose and the will
of God. So we ask, do the words, it behooved
him to be made like unto his brethren, do they look behind
or do they look ahead? in this context, is it? Since he took hold of Abraham's
seed, wherefore it behooves him to be made like unto his brethren. To be fair, he already has said,
the author has, in verse 14, though it is true, having taken
hold of them in election, he must become incarnate and die
because he took hold of them. Or does it look ahead? It behooves
him to be made like unto his brethren, so that in order that
he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining
to or in regard to God. For the foremost duty of a priest
is to make reconciliation for the sins of the people and to
make intercession before God in their behalf. So Christ took
hold of the elect. They are in His hand None can
pry them out. He will never cast them out or
cast them away. They never can nor will perish,
never fall into condemnation. None can ever bring a charge
against God's elect. He took their sins in His very
own body on the tree of the cross. He ever lives at the right hand
of God to make intercession for them. He will lose none that
the Father hath given Him in the decree of election. He will
bring them and prevent them spotless before God, He will save them
to the uttermost, as it is said in Hebrews chapter 7. He took
hold, therefore, of the elect in sovereign election and in
due time takes hold of us by His irresistible grace. He apprehended us And he did
so according to the fixed purpose of God from eternity and according
to the atonement of our Lord. And he has taken hold of the
spiritual seed of Abraham and he will never lose his grip. Never will they be snatched out
of the hand of him who has taken hold. who has laid hold upon
us so that we might be brought unto glory. The children, the
sons, the church, the brethren that he has taken hold of. When
we look at the overall context, I think that it fits.