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THE WAY OF BLOOD. Hebrews 2:14-18. 6/25/2023. #8.
14 Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. 16 For indeed He does not give aid to angels, but He does give aid to the seed of Abraham. 17 Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. 18 For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted.
1. The only way
a. Man sinned in his flesh
a1. Even though Eve decided first to disobey God and then Adam did so, they sinned by actively eating the forbidden fruit
a2. Gen. 2:16-17 God’s prohibition was in the actual eating of the fruit, not in thinking of it
b. Since man sinned in the flesh, only an acceptable sacrifice of the flesh could pay for sin
c. At the fall, Satan gained the power of death
a1. Power = not dynamis (great strength) or exousia (authority), but kratos (might or strength to take by force; to overpower)
a2. Christ had to overcome death to overcome Satan (Rev. 20)
d. Christ had to defeat death to defeat Satan and free His people
e. Through His sacrifice and resurrection, Christ freed believers from the slavery of sin and death
2. Uniquely applied grace
a. Christ did not seek to redeem angels
a1. Fallen angels knew God and stood before the Lord directly
a2. Rebellion against God was willful
b. Christ became a man to rescue the “seed of Abraham”, God’s covenant people
c. Christ had to become like man to save man
a1. He calls the Jews “His brethren” even though He created them and they rebelled against him
a2. Christ chose to identify with the Jews as “His people” and “His brethren”
3. From redeemer to priest
a. Christ’s role as redeemer was by mercy and love
a1. Christ chose to love the rebellious Jews
a2. Hebrews is directed to the Jewish believers, so he does not use “the world” (Jn. 3:16)
a3. To the Jew first, then the Gentile
b. He then became High Priest to make intercession for the sins of the people
a1. He made propitiation before God the Father for sins
a2. Propitiation = to completely satisfy a debt
a3. Nothing but the blood of Christ could pay in full the debt owed by sin (RM. 6:15-23)
c. He had to be made (ophelo –placed himself under obligation; translated “wages” in Rm. 6:23) like His brethren
a1. He did not owe a debt to pay
a2. He chose to take the debt owed by others on himself in order to pay for man’s sins
d. Jesus removed the fear of death, which could not be removed any other way
e. In order to pay for sin, Christ had to become a man and suffer and be tempted
a1. Christ had to go through all that man goes through, but without sin, to pay for sin
a2. Christ endured the suffering and conquered all temptation for those who fall into sin
f. The only way that Christ could aid His brethren was to become like them, to suffer for them, to resist all temptation, and then to sacrifice Himself in their place
g. Christ’s sacrifice was beyond heroism; it is divine!
Key verse: Romans 6:15-23
15 What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not! 16 Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness? 17 But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. 18 And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. 19 I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves of uncleanness, and of lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves of righteousness for holiness. 20 For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. 21 What fruit did you have then in the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. 22 But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life. 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.