The writer next emphasized the future glory that the Son will experience to heighten his readers' appreciation for Him and for their own future with Him. He did this by reflecting on Psalm 8. He wanted his readers to appreciate these things so they would continue to live by faith rather than departing from God's will (cf. James 1; 1 Pet. 1). This section concludes the first major part of the writer's address and prepares his audience for the next one (3:1-5:10).
"The three thoughts quickly made in Hebrews 2:9 are . . . filled in by further theological reflection in 2:10-18. 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 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 honored position in God's very presence as the believers' perfected High Priest."88
2:10 The writer proceeded to give a commentary on the last clause of verse 9, particulary on the phrase "by the grace of God."89
The Son of Man is not the only One God intends to glorify (v. 6). All of His sons, believers, will experience glorification. "Him"is God the Father. "Author"is Jesus Christ, the Son of Man. The unusual title "author"(Gr. archegos) describes Jesus as a file leader, pioneer, pathfinder, and captain of a company of followers (cf. 12:2; Acts 3:15; 5:31).90God 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 those of us who are suffering (v. 18). He was "perfected"in this sense.91
"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."92
"This representation of the achievement of Jesus was calculated to recall one of the more famous labors of Hercules, his wrestling with Death, the dark-robed lord of the dead' (Euripides, Alcestis, II. 843, 844 . . .). The designation of Jesus as archegosin a context depicting him as protagonist suggests that the writer intended to present Jesus to his hearers in language that drew freely upon the Hercules tradition in popular Hellenism . . ."93
2:11 "He"is probably Jesus Christ. There is great unity between Jesus Christ and believers. The Old Testament taught this unity in Psalm 22:22 (v. 12), Isaiah 8:17 (v. 13a), and Isaiah 8:18 (v. 13b). Jesus will not feel ashamed to call sanctified believers His brethren when He returns and leads us to glory (vv. 5, 10).
2:12-13 These quotations illustrate that Jesus will not blush to identify Himself with the people of God. The emphasis in the first quotation is on the character that Jesus Christ and believers share. His death has made us holy (set us apart; cf. 10:10, 14). Consequently we can have intimate fellowship with Jesus who dwells among us (by His Spirit; cf. Exod 25:8; 29:46).
The point of the second quotation is that Jesus, as well as His followers, trusted God. This is the basis for intimate fellowship. The point of the third quotation is that believers are Jesus Christ's spiritual children. As such He will provide for us and prepare us for the future as a loving parent who has had greater experience travelling the same path (cf. John 14:1-3).
"The description of Christians as the children' or sons' of Christ is peculiar to this epistle among the New testament writings . . ."94
2:14 We children share in flesh and blood with one another; we share the limitations of humanity. To free us from these limitations the Son had to assume the same limitations, which He did at the Incarnation. Jesus Christ broke Satan's power over believers by His death. Obviously Satan still exercises great power, but Jesus Christ broke his power to enslave believers (cf. Rom. 6:1-14). Furthermore Jesus Christ defeated Satan in the area of his greatest strength, his power to inflict death.
2:15 The fear of death enslaves unbelievers in that our fear of death leads us to behave in ways that please Satan (e.g., selfishly, living for the present, etc.). A believer need not have the same fear of death as an unbeliever (cf. Luke 11:21-22). Consequently we need not feel compelled to live for the present (e.g., put self first, do anything to save our lives, etc.) as unbelievers do. The fear of death tyrannizes many people both consciously and subconsciously.
"It is ironical that human beings, destined to rule over the creation (Ps 8:5-7 LXX, cited in vv 6-8), should find themselves in the posture of a slave, paralyzed through the fear of death (Kögel, Sohn, 80). Hopeless subjection to death characterizes earthly existence apart from the intervention of God . . ."95
2:16 Here "the seed of Abraham"probably refers primarily to believers, the spiritual descendants of Abraham (Gal. 3:29), rather than to Jews, the physical descendants of Abraham (cf. Isa. 41:8-10). The original readers were both the physical and spiritual descendants of Abraham. The contrast is between angelic and human believers in the context. Jesus Christ does not give help to angels in the same way He does to Christians. He helps us uniquely as an elder brother and parent (vv. 11-15).
2:17 "All things"means in every way, specifically by experiencing human life and by suffering. Jesus Christ's identification with us made possible His ministry as high priest in which He would be merciful to us and faithful to God.96The basis for this ministry was His making satisfaction (propitiation, by atonement) for sin by His self-sacrifice.
". . . the concept of high priesthood, as applied to Christ, expresses both Christ's unity with mankind in a particular historical tradition (5:1) and his leadership of God's pilgrim people into the heavenly sanctuary."97
"O laos["The people"] is Hebrews' preferred term for the people of God."98
2:18 As our priest Jesus Christ can help us because He has undergone the same trials we experience (in body, mind, and emotions) and has emerged victorious. The testing in view is temptation to depart from God's will, specifically apostasy. The picture is of an older brother helping his younger brothers navigate the pitfalls of growing up successfully. That is the role a priest plays.
"Think of it this way--which bridge has undergone the greatest stress, the one that collapses under its first load of traffic, or the one that bears the same traffic morning and evening, year after year?"99
The writer developed these ideas more fully later. He only introduced them here.
"It is a characteristic of this Epistle just to touch upon a truth, and then to dismiss it for a time, taking it up later for full treatment."100
". . . the writer composes like a musician intertwining one theme with another."101
The emphasis in 2:5-18 has been on Jesus Christ's present ministry whereas that of 1:5-14 was on His future reign. In both sections, however, there is a looking forward to the time when all things will be subject to Him. The writer focused on the future to encourage his readers to persevere faithfully rather than apostatizing.
"With vv 17-18 the writer prepares to lead his hearers directly into the body of the discourse devoted to the exposition of Jesus as priest and sacrifice. Common to the concepts both of champion and of high priest are the elements of representation and solidarity with a particular people. The presentation of Jesus in 2:10-18 provided assurance that the exalted Son continues to identify himself with the oppressed people of God exposed to humiliation and testing in a hostile world."102
