The Supremacy of Christ: He Became Like Us to Save Us
Hebrews 2 moves from the supremacy of Christ to the solidarity of Christ.
Having established that Jesus is God, the writer now explains that Jesus also became fully human.
And this is not a problem to be explained away. It is central to the gospel.
"Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil."
Do Not Drift Away
The chapter begins with an urgent warning: pay careful attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away.
The danger is not violent apostasy. It is slow drift.
Like a boat loosing its mooring, believers can gradually slip away from the gospel through neglect, distraction, and spiritual apathy.
If the message spoken through angels was binding and every violation was punished, how much more serious to neglect the salvation spoken by the Lord Himself?
Greater revelation demands greater attention.
Humanity's Original Design
Hebrews quotes Psalm 8:
"What is mankind that you are mindful of them, a son of man that you care for him? You made them a little lower than the angels; you crowned them with glory and honor and put everything under their feet."
This was God's original design for humanity: made in His image, crowned with glory, given dominion over creation.
But we do not yet see all things subjected to humanity. Creation is broken. Humanity is fallen.
Yet we do see Jesus.
Jesus: The True Human
Jesus is the true human who fulfilled humanity's calling.
He was made lower than the angels for a little while—He entered our human condition fully. And then He was crowned with glory and honor because He suffered death.
He tasted death for everyone. Not just for Israel. Not just for the elect. But for everyone—His death is sufficient for all.
This is the heart of the gospel: Jesus became what we are to give us what we could never attain.
Made Perfect Through Suffering
"In bringing many sons and daughters to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through what he suffered."
This does not mean Jesus was morally imperfect and needed improvement.
It means He was perfectly qualified for His role through His obedience and suffering.
He is the pioneer (archēgos)—the trailblazer who goes before us, opens the way, and brings us to glory.
Christ Calls Us Brothers
"Both the one who makes people holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters."
This is astonishing.
The sinless Son of God, who created the universe and sustains all things, is not ashamed to call sinful, saved believers His brothers and sisters.
He chose solidarity with us. Not distance. Not mere pity. But true family relationship.
Destroying Death and the Devil
Why did Jesus become human?
"Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil—and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death."
The Incarnation was strategic warfare.
Jesus entered the realm of flesh and blood to destroy death and defeat the devil. He did not fight from heaven. He entered the battlefield.
And He won.
Through His death, He broke the power of death. Through His resurrection, He liberated those enslaved by fear.
A Merciful and Faithful High Priest
"For this reason he had to be made like them, fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people."
Jesus had to become like us to represent us.
He is merciful because He knows what it is to suffer, be tempted, and feel pain.
He is faithful because He perfectly obeyed the Father and completed the work of atonement.
He is the perfect mediator because He is fully God and fully human.
Final Exhortation
Do not drift from the gospel.
Do not take salvation lightly.
Jesus, the eternal Son of God, became flesh and blood to save you. He suffered, died, and rose again to destroy death and the devil.
He is not ashamed to call you His brother or sister.
Hold fast to Him. Trust Him. Do not neglect so great a salvation.
Closing Prayer
Father, we marvel that Jesus became one of us to save us. Thank You for His solidarity with sinners, His victory over death, and His faithful service as our great High Priest. Help us not to drift, but to fix our eyes on Him. In Jesus' name, amen.