II.
(continued) The Excellence of the Christ (1:5–3:6)
C.
(continued) True Man ()
4.
(continued) () The writer clarifies the point of spiritual brotherhood …
a.
He will “proclaim [God’s] name to [His] brethren.” In , “[His] brethren is [his brethren — David’s brethren). Our divine author makes it Jesus’ brethren, because is a messianic psalm. In antiquity, "name" generally stood for the whole character. So, in this psalm, the writer sees Jesus as saying that He will proclaim God's character as He has revealed Himself, not simply that He will declare the name of God. The important thing in this quotation is that Jesus will do this "to [His] brethren." Jesus recognizes them as kin. The parallel statement in the next line reinforces the idea.
b.
The word "congregation" (ekklesîa) can mean a properly summoned political group ([optional reading] ) or an assembly of almost any kind, including the rioting Ephesians ([optional reading] ). But it is also used of the congregation of ancient Israel ([optional reading] ).
5.
() Two further citations from Scripture underscore the point — the first is from , the second from . The reason for the first passage is not obvious. The context in Isaiah, however, speaks of difficulties, and the thought may be that just as Isaiah had to trust God to see Him through, so was it with Jesus. In this, He was brother to all God's troubled saints. The second quotation continues the first, but it is introduced here with "and again," because it makes a new point. The divine author now sees believers as "the children whom God has given" Christ. This word is normally used of literal children, but this is the one place where it is used of "children" of Christ. These children are "given" by God as the disciples were given to Jesus ().
a.
All three quotations from the Old Testament, then, place the speaker in the same group as God's children. () The actual word "brothers" (Hebrew for “brethren”) occurs only in the first, but they all locate Christ among people. He had a real community of nature with those He came to save.
6.
() The divine author now develops the thought of community of nature. Jesus shared "flesh and blood" with the children. He really came where they are, in order to nullify the power of the devil — who is described as the one "who had the power of death." (; ) God controls the issues of life and death, and Jesus now is fully divine, so He holds the power of death. (; ) But it was through Adam's sin, brought about by the temptation of the devil, that death entered the world. The devil exercises his power in the realm of death. But through His own death, Christ destroyed the power of the devil in this realm.
a.
The divine author does not explain how Christ's death does this but contents himself with the fact that it does. (; ; ) In doing so, he stresses the note of victory that we find throughout the New Testament. The defeat of the devil means the setting free of those he had held sway over, i.e., those who had been gripped by the fear of death. Fear is an inhibiting and enslaving thing; and when people are gripped by the ultimate fear — the fear of death — they are in cruel bondage. In the first century, this was very real. The philosophers urged people to be calm in the face of death, and some of them managed to do so. But to most people this brought no relief. () One of the many wonderful things about the Christian Gospel is that it delivers men and women from the fear of death. They are saved with a sure hope of life eternal, a life whose best lies beyond the grave
7.
() The writer now makes a strong affirmation and appeals to information shared by the reader. Notice the verb rendered "help" for the saved that he renders. It means "to take hold of for a purpose," "to take by the hand." The divine author does have in mind that Jesus came to rescue people (cf. vs. ). That is the purpose of the Incarnation, which the verb, “help” fits. "Descendant of Abraham" indicates who was helped in the Incarnation," but Jesus helps more than the Jews; He also helps those from the seed of Abraham who become Gentile Christians. However, Jesus did become incarnate as a Jew. He did not descend to the level of the angels and become one of them. He descended to the level of humanity and became a God-Jew.
8.
() The purpose of salvation involved a genuine incarnation. "He had to" means "He owed it" (the verb can be used of financial debts). There is the sense of moral obligation here. The nature of the work Jesus came to accomplish demanded the Incarnation. () This Incarnation was not aimless; it was for the specific purpose of Jesus' becoming a high priest, another way of saying that it was to save people. Our great High Priest is one who is first and foremost "merciful", and He is also "faithful". This latter adjective can refer to the faith that relies on someone or something or that on which one can rely, i.e., "relying" or "reliable." Jesus is, of course, both. (; ; ) But here the emphasis is on His relationship to God the Father, and so the first meaning (faith that relies on someone) is more probable.
a.
Only in Hebrews is the term "high priest" applied to Jesus in the New Testament. This is the first example of its use, but the divine author does not explain it. A high priest is superior to all other priests. () However, Jesus' saving work as fulfilling all that is signified by the ceremonies of the Day of Atonement, for which the high priest's ministry was indespensible. Thus, the use of “high priest” is not to compare Jesus to regular priests as superior but to set Him apart for the Day of Atonement — the purpose for the Lamb of God being on earth.
b.
"Pertaining to God" (lit., "with respect to the things of God") shows where Christ's high priestly work is carried out. Some of the service of the high priest was directed toward the people, but this is not in view here. The service Christ was to render was in order "to make propitiation for the sins of the people." It relates to putting away the divine wrath of God. (; ) When people sin, they arouse the wrath of God and become His enemies. One aspect of salvation deals with this wrath, and it is to this that the divine author is directing attention at this point. Christ saves us in a way that takes account of and appeases the divine wrath against every evil thing. "The people" means the family of God — those for whom Christ died.
9.
() The sufferings Jesus endured enable Him to help others. Contrary to what might have been expected, He suffered — not only on the cross, but throughout His earthly life. Being what He is, temptation must have been far more distasteful for Him than it is for us. Jesus can help those who are tempted because He has perfect sympathy with them. He too was tempted and knows what temptation is. Only one who suffers can help in this way. Jesus went all the way for us. He was not only ready to suffer, but He actually did suffer.
D.
Superior to Moses ()
1.
The divine author steadily develops his argument that Jesus is supremely great. (; ; ) He is greater than the angels, the Author of a great salvation, and great enough to become human to accomplish it. Now he turns his attention to Moses, regarded by the Jews as the greatest person of all. They could even think of him as greater than angels. Perhaps Moses was considered superior to Jesus? The writer does nothing to belittle Moses. Nor does he criticize him. He accepts Moses' greatness but shows that as great as he was, Jesus was greater by far.
2.
(; ) The address "holy brethren" combines affection and consecration. These people are members of the Christian family and are dear to the writer. Peter identifies them as the “brotherhood.” They are also people who have been set apart for the service of God. The reference to "a heavenly calling" shows that the initiative of this service comes from God. "Therefore" links this section to the preceding. Because Christ has taken our nature and can help us, therefore we are invited to consider Him in his capacities as Apostle and High Priest.
a.
"Apostle" is applied to Jesus only here in the New Testament, but the idea that God "sent" him with a mission is more frequent, especially in John. "High priest" emphasizes the sacrificial nature of that mission. Though "Jesus" is the most glorious of beings, His name draws attention to His humanity. It is as a human being (the God-Man) that His work as apostle and high priest is accomplished.
3.
() The point could have been made that there were times when Moses was not as faithful as he might have been. But the writer makes no criticism of the man held in such honor by the Jews. He prefers to accept Moses as "faithful" (). Yet he sees Jesus' faithfulness as much more comprehensive. Moses was no more than part of the "house," but Jesus made the house. Again, Jesus as Son was over the house, whereas Moses was a servant in it. () The "house," of course, is the household of God, the people of God. Moses was a member of that house and proved faithful there. The adjective "all" may point to a concern both Moses and Jesus had for the whole house. Others, such as prophets, kings, or priests, dealt with restricted areas.
4.
() The first point of comparison pronounces Jesus as "worthy of more glory than Moses" because He was builder of the house rather than part of it. "Glory" belonged to Moses, but his glory did not measure up to that of Christ. The one who makes a house is worthy of more honor than the house itself, glorious though it may be. Moses was at all times a member of the people of God — that and no more. He had great honor among the people, but there was no way for him to be any other than one of them. Not so Jesus! He was more than just a member. The divine author of Hebrews has just made the point that Jesus became true human and could truly call people "brothers." But that does not alter his conviction that Christ is also more than a man. He is the Founder of the church (members of people called out by God to assemble to worship Him) and the God-Man, when on earth.
5.
() Parenthetically, this verse makes the point that God is over all — a fact that the divine author does not want us to lose sight of. So, he uses the analogy that the very existence of a house is an argument for a builder. Thus, everything that exists argues for God. At the same time, God cannot be put on a level with any builder of a house
6.
() Having made his point that God transcends everyone, the writer returns to Moses. He repeats his statement that Moses was faithful in God's house (cf. vs. 2). Now he makes a further point: Whereas Moses was no more than a servant, Jesus was greater, for He was God's son over the house. The thought is still that of Moses' faithfulness. There is no criticism of him, but his faithfulness consisted in his discharge of his role as servant.
a.
The word for "servant" used here (therapón) is found only here in the New Testament. Normally, “servant” is doúlos in the Greek New Testament. Therapón denotes an honored servant, one who is far above a slave but is still a servant. The emphasis is on the subordinate, if honorable, capacity. The writer goes on to say that Moses' faithfulness did not relate to his own day only. He was "a testimony of those things which were to be spoken later" — implying that there would be revelations to others. (; ) This letter began with a reference to such revelations and to the importance of what God said.
7.
() The name "Christ" is used here for the first time in this letter, without the article (as in ). Here, where a name of dignity is called for, it is a proper name. Christ is contrasted with Moses "as a Son over His [God's] house." () Moses was no more than a member — though a very distinguished member — of the house of God. He was essentially one with all the others. But Christ has an innate superiority. He is the Son and as such is "over" the household.