Lesson 4: Jesus Our Redeemer (Heb
2:5-18)
Observation
Outline
Jesus, Man’s Hope (2:5-9)
Fellowship of the Savior with the
Saved (-13)
Jesus’ Atoning Death and Redemption
(-18)
Key Words/Phrases
Subjection, angels, “But we see
Jesus,” suffering, death, glory, salvation, brethren, destroy, release, aid,
merciful and faithful High Priest, propitiation, tempted.
General Analysis
1. Future
dominion and glory (6-8,10); the atoning death of
Jesus by the grace of God (9); sanctification (11); release from fear of death
and from bondage (14-15); Jesus’ propitiation for our sins (17); help from the
merciful and faithful High Priest (16,18).
Segment Analysis
1a. Man
is lower than the angels in the sense that, being flesh and blood, man has many
physical limitations that the angels do not have.
1b. He
has been crowned with glory and honor, and God has set him over the work of His
hands and put all things in subjection under his feet. This is an honor that
the angels do not share.
2. Although
we have not yet received God’s glorious inheritance, we will be crowned with
glory and honor. Christ, having subdued all things, will transform our lowly
bodies to conform to His glorious body at His coming (Php
-21).
3. This
statement strikes a triumphant note in the section. Although man has not yet
achieved dominion and has been prevented from doing so because of sin, Jesus
has come to bring hope to man. We now have confidence and assurance because we
see that Jesus has already accomplished the very things that God has intended
for man, and He will help us along on our way to that glorious future.
4a. Jesus
was made a little lower than the angels so that by God’s grace He may suffer
death for everyone and be crowned with glory and honor (9). He came to fulfill
the plan of God for man which man was unable to achieve.
4b. What our Lord did was the greatest act of humility. He left
His throne in heaven and emptied Himself to become even lower than the
ministering spirits. Furthermore, what He did was the greatest act of love. He
humbled Himself and suffered death so that we may share His glory. Thus, we
ought to imitate our Lord’s humility and sacrificial love.
5. The
suffering of death (9).
6a. God.
6b. Jesus.
7. “Captain”
is also translated “author” or “pioneer.” Our Lord Jesus makes salvation
possible. He has opened the way ()
and is bringing us to glory ().
8a. The perfection here does not imply that our Lord Jesus was
morally imperfect. Rather, Jesus was made perfect in the sense that, because of
His sufferings, He became qualified to be our perfect High Priest. See
questions and answers on verses 14-18 for further elaborations.
8b. The word “fitting” suggests that, to be consistent with His
divine nature, it was a necessity for God to put the Lord Jesus through sufferings.
The suffering and death of our Lord Jesus manifested God’s love while it also
fulfilled God’s justice.
9. In
order to sanctify us, Jesus had to become one of us. That was what He did, as
the Scriptures had prophesied. He was not ashamed to identify Himself with us
and call us His brethren.
10. This
passage explains what it means for Jesus to be made perfect through sufferings.
Jesus shared in flesh and blood and was made like us in order to destroy the
devil through His death and to help us when we are tempted. His sufferings
enabled Him to become a merciful and faithful High Priest. Because He took our
sins upon Himself and died in our place, we are released from bondage. Because
He has been in our place, He can also relate to our present weakness. In this
sense, Jesus was made perfect through sufferings. Without sharing our humanity,
He would not have been qualified to be our Redeemer and High Priest.
11. Jesus
was like us because He shared in flesh and blood in the same way that we have
flesh and blood. He was also bound by many of the physical limitations that we
have. He also suffered temptation just as we are tempted. However, Jesus was
different from us in the sense that He was without sin and was therefore able
to be the perfect sacrifice of atonement ().
12. Those
who through faith in Jesus Christ have been baptized into Christ.
13. He
overcame temptations and paid for the penalty of our sins. Having been clothed
with the righteousness of Jesus Christ, we are no longer under the control of
the devil (cf. Rom -34). Death no
longer casts a shadow of fear on us because we know that we have received
eternal life.
14. Just
as the priest had to offer sacrifices for sin, Jesus has made propitiation for
our sins through His blood. Just as the high priest was able to identify
himself with the people, Jesus is able to relate to our sufferings in
temptation and help us in times of our need. His deity and humanity enables Him
to be the perfect mediator between God and man.
15. He
sympathizes with us (). He gives
us grace (), with which we can
overcome the devil and stand (Jas 4:6-7; cf. Eph 6:13). He intercedes for us
(Heb ). He is our encouragement
in times of weakness (12:2-3).
