The writer of Hebrews continues to show how Jesus is better than angels and especially since Jesus became a man. Mankind suffers and dies and angels don't suffer or die, so how can Jesus be better than angels? The primary answer to this question, Jesus' death and resurrection, not only shows His superiority to angels but reveals to us the perfections and wonder of our Savior.
Jesus is the perfect substitute – "But we do see Him who was made for a little while lower than the angels, namely, Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone." Jesus became a man to become man's perfect substitute. "The soul that sinneth, it shall die." (Ezek. 18:4; also see Rom. 6:23) Somebody had to die and our Lord died in our place. The only remedy for sin against a holy God is death – and that includes spiritual death as well. He did not die as a martyr for a cause but as our substitute because our death would not satisfy the justice of God; the sacrifice had to be a perfect sacrifice. An angel could not die in the place of man because he is not human. God's righteousness required both a man and a perfectly sinless man to satisfy His justice. So Jesus humbled Himself and for a little while became lower than angels and suffered death (real physical and spiritual suffering) as a man and afterwards was crowned with glory and honor. (Also see Phil. 2:5-11) {"He bore in His body on the cross all God's judgment against sin so that those who believe on Him will never have to bear it. ‘[1]MacDonald, William ; Farstad, Arthur: Believer's Bible Commentary : Old and New Testaments. Nashville : Thomas Nelson, 1997, c1995}
Jesus is the perfect author (captain, pioneer, originator, founder, champion) of our salvation – "For it was fitting for Him (or it became Him – God the Father), for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to perfect the author of their salvation through sufferings." Why did God save us through the incarnation, death, resurrection of His Son? Because it was fitting for God, it became Him; it revealed His nature and character: 1) It revealed His glory – "That we should be to the praise of his glory." (Eph. 1:12); 2) It revealed His loving- kindness, mercy and grace – "Because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions-it is by grace you have been saved." (Eph 2:4-5); 3) It revealed His justice – "He did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus." (Rom 3:26); 4) It revealed His power and His wisdom: "For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. But to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God." (1 Cor. 1 18, 24); 5) It revealed His humility. (Phil. 2:5-11) God is humble and demonstrates His humility through becoming a man, a servant of God for man, and our sin-bearer to take the wrath of God for us. {"Bringing many sons to glory" is not a reference to taking believers to heaven. It is bringing fellow sufferers to future glory. Jesus has already experienced the sufferings we must go through on this earth. He not only endured them but triumphed over sin, death, and Satan through them. His sinless life has blazed a path to God, a path we must follow. Jesus is our model, our leader, and our Captain. Salvation refers to our future salvation, our glorification in Christ's coming kingdom. 1]Radmacher, Earl D. ; Allen, Ronald Barclay ; House, H. Wayne: Nelson's New Illustrated Bible Commentary. Nashville : T. Nelson Publishers, 1999, S. Heb 1:1}
Jesus is the perfect sanctifier (means to set apart for God's possession and purposes or to make holy) – "For both He who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all from one Father; for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren, saying, "I WILL PROCLAIM YOUR NAME TO MY BRETHREN. IN THE MIDST OF THE CONGREGATION. I WILL SING YOUR PRAISE." And again," I WILL PUT MY TRUST IN HIM." {He speaks of putting His trust in God. Implicit confidence in Jehovah is one of the greatest marks of true humanity. 1]Radmacher, Earl D. ; Allen, Ronald Barclay ; House, H. Wayne: Nelson's New Illustrated Bible Commentary. Nashville : T. Nelson Publishers, 1999, S. Heb 1:1} Jesus as a man lived by faith. "And again," BEHOLD, I AND THE CHILDREN WHOM GOD HAS GIVEN ME." All believers are "positionally" holy and righteous through God's imputed righteousness (2 Cor. 5:21; Col. 2:10) and are called to ongoing sanctification in practice and actions through God's grace and our obedience (Phil. 2:12-13;1 Peter 1:15-16). Jesus makes this possible both by His substitutionary death and by His example and prayers for us (John 17:17-19) and will complete the work He began is us so that in heaven we will be holy and sinless (Phil. 1:6; 1 John 3:1-3). "All are one," that is, Jesus and man are all possessors of humanity and we all have one God and Father. Thus we are "family" and Jesus is not ashamed of us and calls us "brothers" and "children" (though we will never be deity). "Jesus said to her, "Stop clinging to Me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, 'I ascend to My Father and your Father, and My God and your God.'" (John 20:17). If God's perfect Son is not ashamed to call us His brothers, how can we possibly be ashamed to witness to Him as our Savior and God? In Psalm 22 which speaks prophetically of Jesus' agony on the cross, Jesus encourages Himself as he envisions the day when all His family will all gather and sing praises to His Father and our Father both here on earth and for all eternity.
Jesus is the perfect conqueror of Satan – "Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless (or "destroy") him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and might free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives." {The word translated destroy (Gr katargeÃ…Â) does not convey the thought of annihilation, nor has Satan been destroyed in that sense. The word means "to make inoperative" or "ineffective." Through His resurrection from death, Christ broke the hold which Satan possessed over man. [1] KJV Bible Commentary. Nashville : Thomas Nelson, 1997, c1994, S. 2537} God's holiness demands the death of all who sin and in leading man into sin Satan knew he could legally demand death for all sinners (all mankind). Yet Satan cannot inflict death on anyone without God's permission (Job 1-2) and can never inflict eternal death (hell) on anyone. Jesus warned His disciples not to fear those who could destroy the body, but rather to fear God who can destroy both soul and body in hell (Matt. 10:28). Scripture says that all who trust in Jesus' substitutionary death will never die but sleep. Jesus said, "everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die." (John 11:26; also see Rom. 6:4; 1 Cor. 15:54-56; 2 Cor. 5:8; 1 Thess. 4:13)
Jesus is the perfect sympathizer and helper in dealing with sin – "For assuredly He does not give help to angels, but He gives help to the descendants of Abraham. Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For since He Himself was tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted." Jesus became a physical descendant of Abraham (a Jew) a man and not an angel. Jesus was made like us in "all things" both our humanity and our earthly suffering, thus He can be a sympathetic high priest (see Heb. 4:14-16) because He has "been there" and understands. Yet since He always resisted temptation (in the wilderness and especially at Gethsemane – Heb. 12:4) and never sinned, He can help us resist temptation as we cry out to Him and stand on His Word that promises a way of escape for every temptation (1 Cor. 10:13; James 4:7; 2 Peter 2:9). . {"The Lord Jesus was tempted from without, but never from within. The temptation in the wilderness shows Him being tempted from without. Satan appeared to Him and sought to appeal to Him by external stimuli. But the Savior could never be tempted to sin by lusts and passions within, for there was no sin in Him and nothing to respond to sin. He suffered, being tempted. Whereas it pains us to resist temptation, it pained Him to be tempted." [1]MacDonald, William ; Farstad, Arthur: Believer's Bible Commentary : Old and New Testaments. Nashville : Thomas Nelson, 1997, c1995} His role as high priest is seen both in the offering of His spotless blood for our eternal forgiveness and His never-ending intercession for us.
QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION AND APPLICATION
1) How can knowing these roles of Jesus keep you from drifting away from Him so you can finish well? What are some things we can do to make Jesus "more real" in our lives each day?
2) Which way do you feel you need Jesus the most right now and why? Give an example of how Jesus' life of resisting all temptations can help us in our daily struggle with sin?
3) How can we help each other stay securely anchored to Jesus? What are ways we can encourage and spur each other on to maturity in Jesus Christ?
4) What is your main take away form the message and your table discussion and how can you apply to it your life today?
5) Jesus' main focus was obedience to his Father in Heaven, how does being obedient to God and His calling affect our everyday lives? (Mt. 25:14-30)