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Freedom in Jesus, Who Helps in Our Times of Need
9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.
10 ¶ For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.
11 For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren,
12 Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee.
13 And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold I and the children which God hath given me.
14 ¶ Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;
15 And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
16 For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham.
10 ¶ For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.
11 For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren,
12 Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee.
13 And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold I and the children which God hath given me.
14 ¶ Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;
15 And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
16 For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham.
17 Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.
18 For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.Our study begins with a reminder from our last lesson:
9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.
We can see Jesus through the Bible stories that we read. They are the witness, or the testimony, of the men who wrote them for us so that we may have access to this knowledge, just as the ones they spoke to in person -- so they and we could come to see, to know and to trust Jesus Christ.
This is what they told us about him: He was made a little lower than the angels -- just as we have been made a little lower than the angels. In other words, Jesus became a man, in exactly the same way we were born as men and women, from our mother's womb. Jesus' mother was Mary, but the Father of Jesus was not like our earthly fathers who have dominion over us. The Father of Jesus Christ was the Holy Spirit, God, Himself who has dominion over all creation. Jesus came here for the express purpose of "the suffering of death." A sacrifice was needed and we were unable to make that sacrifice because we did not have the right spirit within us. We did not have the spirit of obedience and truth within us, but Jesus did.
Because he came and suffered death for us, he was (and is still) crowned with glory and honor. All of this occurred by the grace of God -- from start to finish -- it was God's grace that had planned before the Earth was even created to provide the way of salvation for us. Jesus tasted death for every man by the power of the Holy Spirit and the Grace of God the Father!
10 ¶ For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.
The word "became" means: beauty, befitting, suitable. It was both fitting and suitable and part of the beauty of the Father and His goodness. Clearly "for whom are all things" and "by whom are all things" is a reference to God being the Creator who created all things for his own good pleasure and purpose -- and it was his pleasure and purpose to bring "many sons" unto glory. He is talking about us! God wanted to bring us back into his fold, that we might live with him in "glory," or heaven.
The thing that pleased the Father most was to make Jesus the "captain of their salvation." He gave His own Son -- a part of Himself -- to rescue us and to lead us to God. The word "captain" implies that there is an army behind him. God the Father is the Most High and Holy General and Founder, and Jesus is the "Captain" who brings us to the Father. Every captain is someone who has "been through it all." We won't usually follow someone who is imposed on us from a foreign source because we do not know them or trust them. Men will follow a captain whom they know has suffered with them, and worked shoulder to shoulder with them. Someone who has already proved through experience that he loves his men. They trust that he would die for them. That was the suffering that Jesus endured. His life had the same temptations that ours does -- but without sin -- which is also why Jesus is the captain of our salvation.
11 For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren,
He that performed the sanctification and those who were thereby sanctified are all "of one." Sanctification means to separate from the dirt and clean it up. In it's highest form it means to make holy, to dedicate to God. Jesus sanctified us and made us "one" with him. We became a part of him. Notice that he came to be a part of us, and then, through his suffering and death on the cross, we became part of him. He died for every single man, woman, and child that has ever been born on this earth. We all became part of the family of God, because Jesus, being God, claimed us as his own. He never was, and never will be ashamed to be associated with us -- to call us his brothers and sisters.
12 Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee.
This is a quote from Psalm 22:22. Jesus did the same thing. Jesus declared the name of God, the love of God, the salvation of God unto his "brethren" -- his siblings, which is us. He did this in the middle of the church -- just as we do. We recognize the acknowledgment of God as "praise unto thee," oh God! That was the reason that Jesus came: that we might be made aware of God, that we might be re-united with him, that we might come to know Him and what He has done for us, and that we might give him praise and honor because he is so very very GOOD to us -- but the choice is ours.
The gift of salvation is freely available to anyone who will call on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. It sits in waiting for anyone who is willing to ask for it. That is why it only takes a simple prayer of repentance and profession of faith to become one with Jesus. By Jesus, we have entrance into heaven and an everlasting relationship with the Father. Without Jesus, we are dead in our sins. Whether we live or die depends on our own acceptance or rejection of the gift
13 And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold I and the. children which God hath given me.
Jesus not only declared God to us, he put his trust in the Father. He is an example to us. Jesus also wanted us to "behold" to look at, to recognize the children that God gave him. Jesus became our captain, or father, and was pleased to announce that we belong to him. He is not ashamed of us.
14 ¶ Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;
Here we again see the confirmation of what we have been seeing. It is repeated so we would know for sure that Jesus became like us so that through death (which is our lot) that he might "destroy." Let's look at that word "destroy." It is the opposite of "create." To create means to bring into existence and to destroy means to take out of existence. What got taken out of existence? The power of death. The power of death was the opposite of "sanctification." It is what separates us from God. Sanctification re-unites us with God. God is life and if we are to be with him, we must have life. We are given this life, in Jesus Christ.
Notice it said that "the devil" "had the power of death." When Jesus died on the cross he died a different kind of death than what we will suffer. He changed death! He stole the power from the devil, took it back, and became it's rightful owner. He shares this with anyone who will put their faith in Jesus and in God, His Father! Praise the Lord! God had originally given man life in Adam, and Jesus returned that life which had been stolen from us by his victory over death and hell. We are make conquerors, in Jesus! We are freed from the devil's power -- from death and it's horrific consequences of eternal separation from our Creator! Our physical bodies will still suffer death because they are flesh, but our souls are saved because we have been forgiven, sanctified, and glorified. We will live in a new resurrected body, just like the one that Jesus has! He became like us, so we could become like Him! Praise the Lord!
15 And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage
We no longer need to fear death. Jesus changed all that for us. We no longer have to live a life of bondage to sin and to separation from God. We have been re-united with God and given a new life. We have become a new creation in Christ! Everything is different!
16 For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham.
Look at this: Jesus did not become like the angels in order to save them. Jesus took on the seed of Abraham. Jesus became like us. He was not here to save the angels. He came here to this earth to save us -- the inhabitants of earth!
17 Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren,
"Behoved" means "necessary, and proper." It "behoved him" or it was "necessary" that he be made like us -- the ones he calls "his brethren." Our salvation could not come in any -- any -- other way! Notice the words "in all things." In every way he became like us. He was one hundred percent like man. He was also one hundred percent the Son of God. He had an earthly mother and a heavenly father and was entirely like each one of them. This is the concept that is so hard for our finite minds to comprehend. We exist on this finite plane and in this place called earth. Our minds can only grasp so much on our own. If you are separate from God -- if you are not "born again" you cannot even "see" the Kingdom of God. It takes a work of the Holy Spirit for us to even begin to recognize who Jesus Christ is and was. The most amazing thing is that when we recognize Him -- we begin to recognize ourselves!! We recognize the sameness and the difference. The difference is sin. We sin. Jesus did not sin. He was "The Sinless Sacrifice." He was "The Lamb of God." The lamb that God provided for us.
Genesis 22:8 And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.
that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God,
Jesus has been through what we are going through. He knows us -- and he has mercy on us because he knows us. He is faithful because he knows God. He represents us to God. He represents God to us. He is the High Priest who has mediated and continues to mediate for us in the things pertaining to God.
to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.
"Reconciliation" means to bring peace, to re-unite. The process of re-uniting us with God includes the forgiveness of our sins.
18 For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted,
Jesus has lived through the process of being tempted -- without sinning. Recall the forty days in the wilderness when he fasted and the devil came to tempt him at the end -- but Jesus rebuffed him with the use of the word of God.
he is able to succour them that are tempted.
The word "able" means: having sufficient power, or skill, or resources to accomplish his objective. It also means that he is likely to take action to treat the problem. His solutions are marked by his intelligence, his knowledge of God, and his own competence. Jesus is able.
The word "succour" is the British variant of the word "succor" which means: to go to the aid of, or relieve. "Succor" is something that Jesus does to give help to someone who is suffering or in a difficult situation.
Temptation is a difficult situation but if you go to Jesus for help, you will receive the help you need because he is the power of God. He is the way to God. He is the life we seek. He is the truth of God. It is the truth of Jesus Christ that sets us free from death, temptation and sin by the power of the Holy Spirit!!
Romans 15:13 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.
HERE ARE OUR VERSES AGAIN: Re-read them and see if your understanding has deepened through your study and the power of the Holy Spirit who opens all thing to our own eyes:
9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.
10 ¶ For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.
11 For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren,
12 Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee.
13 And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold I and the children which God hath given me.
14 ¶ Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;
15 And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
16 For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham.
10 ¶ For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.
11 For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren,
12 Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee.
13 And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold I and the children which God hath given me.
14 ¶ Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;
15 And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
16 For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham.
17 Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.
18 For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.
