Hebrews 2:9-18; Big-Brother Jesus, the Prince-Founder of our Faith

Hebrews 2:9-18

Jesus > Angels, Part 4:N

Big-Brother Jesus, the Prince-Founder of our Faith

This section of scripture has two themes woven around each other throughout, so it will be dealt with in two sessions.  In the first portion, we deal with Jesus as the Prince-Founder of our Faith, who conquered death by going through it in all of its horrors for us. By his work, we are now freed of the terror of death, which has enslaved those who are not being saved. 

Part 2 of this

 message was delivered 4/15.  This focused on our relationship with Jesus as our Big Brother.   The video is below.   The same outline,  below,  was followed.

1. Two emphasis here:
1. Jesus walked through the dark valley of death before us and took its horror upon himself. He has defeated the enemy that lies in wait there.  He routed out the thieves and robbers.  He crushed their head.  That valley no longer holds terror for the believer.  Death is not a passageway to communion with God. There is still a valley, and a shadow, but there is no hardship which will befall us therein.
2. Jesus has endured all things as a true man.  He made himself of one nature with us here so that we might be made of one nature with him in heaven. He has shared all of our humanity, and we are promised that we shall share in his glory.
2. Prince Founder:
1. Context: Read Ps 23: Valley of the shadow of death.  
2. Vs 9: By the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.
1. Taste-Partake in, experience.
2. Not just a sample.  He drank the full measure of the wrath of God. Mat 25:42; John 18:11.
3. Vs 10: It was fitting.
1. Conceivably, there could have been other ways to engineer salvation.  Nothing is impossible with God.
2. This was “seemly”
3. Isa 53: 10 is was the Lord’s will to crush him
4. Mat 26:24 Jesus went as had been declared of him
5. Rev 13:8  slain from before the foundation of the world. Always the plan.
6. Why choose this plan? God is not constrained.
1. To declare the glory of his love and justice Rom 3:25-26
2. To display to those watching that he is loving Rom 5:8
3. To demonstrate what love is 1Jhn 4:10
4. To bring himself more glory (Heb 2:9); John 21:19
4. Jesus is the “Founder” of our salvation
1. G: ἀρχηγός archēgos Founder and Ruler.  “Prince-founder”
2. He goes before us into death and defeats the enemy as a pioneer.
3. Then, he walks through suffering with us as our shepherd (Ps 23)
5. God, in saving us, made Jesus “perfect” through suffering.
1. Not that Jesus was imperfect before.
2. Jesus does not improve.
3. His job is completed.
1. G: τελειόω teleioō to make complete, to fulfill.
2. Jesus uses it of himself in Luke 13:32 “finish my course.”
3. Phil 3:12 in negative “not made perfect” so you need to keep pressing on.  Course not done.
4. Used several times in Hebrews, always in reference to the sacrifice of Christ.  It is finished! (John 19:30).
6. Vs 14: Since the children “share” in flesh and blood
1. G: κοινωνέω koinōneō to have in common or make common, to make sinful, unclean.
2. Since we have unclean flesh, he put that on for us and conquered the enemy in sinful flesh. Romans 8:3
7. “Partook” looks back to vs 9.
8. “Through death”  He did not conquer death from above/outside it.  He walked through the valley and conquered Satan by dying.  
1. Not an air war, a ground assault door-to-door in the valley of death.
2. The enemy has no power to terrify the Christian anymore.
9. Vs 15: Fear of death, lifelong slavery.
1. For the unsaved, it is not only the moment of death itself that brings terror.  
2. Live life afraid that it will end.
3. Ultra paranoid of danger. Ultra-healthy.  Live forever. Cryogenics. Eiffel Tower promise
10. The Devil:
1. Not absolute power over death (Deut 32:39; Ps 90:3),
2. but allowed to operate in that realm because it is a consequence of the curse of sin (Gen 3; Rom 6:16, 23)
3. Power of death removed (Col 2:13-15)
11. Vs 16: “helps”
1. G: ἐπιλαμβάνομαι epilambanomai  “to lay hold of”
2. He does not “take hold of” the nature of an angel to deliver them from the consequence of sin.  Only mankind.
3. Jude 1:6
4. 1 Pet 1:10-13
5. Literal: “For surely he has not laid hold of angels, but he lays hold of the seed of Abraham.”
12. Seed of Abraham: Lit: sperm.  
1. Singular, as in Gen 12:1-3
2. This is to the Hebrews, but Jesus also helps gentiles. (Isa 25:6; 41:8-9)
3. Elder Brother:
1. The church is here referenced as “Sons” (vs 10), “Brothers” (vs 11, 12, 17), and “Children” (vs13, 14), emphasizing that we are now a part of the family of God
1. Mal 2:10; Hos 11:1; Matt 25:40; John 1:12-13; Gal 4:7;
2. Rom 8:15-17, co-heirs
3. NOT the Mormon sense of spirit children of the Father. We are adopted, not begotten.
2. Vs 11: He who sanctifies and those who are sanctified “all have one source.”
1. Lit: all are of one.
2. We have taken on the nature of Christ, and he has taken ours.
1. 1 Cor 15:20-23; 42-57
2. 2 Cor 5:21
3. We share in the family traits:
1. Holiness: Lev 11:44-45; 1Jn 2:3-6; 3:6
2. The Fruit of the spirit: Gal 5:22
3. Gifts of the Spirit: Eph 4; 1 Cor 12-14; Romans 12; etc.
4. Above all, Love! John 13:35
3. Not ashamed to call us brothers.  
1. He could have looked down on us and said, “no,” leaving us in our sin, and still been a good God.
2. He joyfully took on our nature and solved our problem Heb 12:2
4. Psalm 22 quote
1. Messianic prophetic psalm, including his death (vs 1-18); his resurrection (vs 19-21); the church age (vs 22-26); and the Messianic kingdom (vs 27-31).
2. Quote is from the church age section, vs 22.
3. In context, Jesus is exalting in the triumph of the cross over Satan and inciting praise in the church.
4. “Congregation” H: קָהֵל qahal and G: ἐκκλησία ekklēsia are very similar in meaning.  It’s a called out group of people.  In this case, possibly the angels who are watching the working out of salvation.
5. Isa 8:17-18 quote
1. This whole section is heavily Messianic  (7:14 Immanuel; 8:14-15 stone of offense; 9:1-3, Galilee).
2. The prophet cites the names of children as portents against Israel
1. Shear-Jashub (7:3) “A remnant shall return”
2. Maher-shalal-hash-baz (8:3) “The spoil speeds, the prey hastens”
3. Immanuel is also prophesied here, but not one of Isaiah's children.
3. In the face of the coming stumble of Israel, which is coming soon (Maher…), God will be with his people (Immanuel), and a remnant shall return to the land (Shear…).
4. Isaiah’s hope is anchored in the declared word of God as evidenced by these children.
5. Back in Hebrews 2, the speaker is understood to be the Christ and the church make up his children. (John 17:2)
6. Similar meaning.  There is evidence here, in our close fraternal relationship with Jesus, that God’s plan is at work and will be realized, in the midst of a confusing and uncomfortable present.
6. Vs 17: Jesus’ identity as a man is necessary
1. For his role as high priest (more on that later)
2. For our propitiation
1. Psalm 65:3; 78:38; 79:9
2. He cannot save angels because he did not take on their nature.  He saves men.
7. Vs 18.  He can identify with us in our suffering, although his is not from his own sin.