Hebrews 2:11-13 For both he that sanctifies and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brothers,… I. There are three particulars which require to be stated; the first of which is, THAT THEY WHO ARE BRETHREN PARTAKE OF ONE NATURE. Thus. then, it is said of Christ. "Forasmuch, then, as the children" — that is, God's children, the family in heaven and earth — "are partakers of flesh and blood, He also Himself likewise took part of the same; that through death" — or through dying — "He might destroy him that had the power of death," &c. It is also said of Christ, that " He was made in the likeness of men; and being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the Cross." And further: "What the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh," &c. Thus, then, we have the fact clearly revealed to us, that Christ laid the foundation of brotherhood by actually assuming the nature of those whom He now condescends to call brethren. The next particular to be mentioned is, that they who are brethren are so by natural birth, or they become so by adoption into a family. Now, no sinful descendant of Adam can, by virtue of his birth in the flesh, become a member of God's family; it is utterly impossible. Nor can he be adopted into God's family unless born again — born of water and of the Spirit. He partakes of the spirituality of Christ, as Christ possesses his human flesh. The next particular is, that between those who are brethren in heart, as well as in fact, there is a family likeness and sympathy. Hence believers are enjoined to "let this mind be in them which was also in Christ Jesus"; and are said also to have put on the "new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of Him who created him." Thus, also, Christ is revealed to us as One who "can have compassion on us," and as One " touched with the feeling of our infirmities." II. From these three particulars we may infer that Christ, becoming our Brother, by taking on Him our nature, and linking that nature on to His deity, HAD POWER OVER TREAT NATURE, first, to redeem, and then, by His Spirit, to infuse life — His own spiritual life — into it. Next, that, as the Elder Brother, He had the disposition, as well as the power, to put aside every obstacle in the way of our full and tree adoption into His Father's family; so that, knowing Him as their Brother, they might exercise the spirit of adoption when received, and at once look up and call God Father. And lastly that, as a sympathising Brother, communicating His likeness to all the members of the household of faith, He must be the great object of our faith and the foundation of all our hopes as members of the family of God. Thus, then, is Christ set before us, under this symbol, in that very aspect which is most attractive; but when we see all His offices proceeding out of this central fact of brotherhood — when we spiritually know that the great Prophet of the Church is our Brother, that the great "High Priest of our profession " is our Brother, that the King of an unspeakably glorious kingdom is our Brother — when we are assured that the teaching of the Prophet is the teaching of our Brother, that the sacrifice offered by the Priest was the Brother Himself, that the blood which is shed for us was the blood of our Brother, that the grave wherein death became powerless, and from which emerged life and immorality, was the grave of our Brother; oh I what a ground do we then stand on for the realisation and enjoyment of the blessings of salvation, and for looking forward to the coming of the glorious King, who, with all the tenderness of a brother's faithful love, shall gather together the whole family of heaven in manifested union with Himself. (G. Fisk, LL. B.) Parallel Verses KJV: 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, |
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