Hebrews 2:14, commentary and pictures

He truly became one with humanity by taking the same flesh and blood as the children, being born as a helpless babe who grew to manhood with a human body and mind while remaining one with the Father. He took that nature in its fallen, weakened and deteriorated condition after four thousand years of decline, yet without taint of sin, laying aside his royal glory and riches to become poor and veil his divinity because fallen mortals could not behold his unmediated glory and live. Through dying as substitute and sin-bearer he paid the ransom and bore the curse on which Satan's power rests, and in that very death he broke, annulled and destroyed him who had the power of death, bruising the serpent's head while his own heel was bruised. By that victory he delivers those held in lifelong bondage through fear of death, removing its sting and terror, opening the prison house and securing eternal life and resurrection for all who believe. He overcame temptation in that same human nature by relying wholly on God and His word with no power unavailable to men, leaving a pattern and vantage ground by which believers through his merits can keep the law, overcome every defect and become partakers of the divine nature.

Taking Human Flesh and Blood

He truly shared the same flesh and blood as the children, not merely appearing human or pretending to take humanity. He became bone of bone and flesh of flesh, the son of Mary, of the seed of David according to human descent, even the Man Christ Jesus. He came as a helpless babe in Bethlehem and grew from infancy through childhood to manhood with a human body and mind, without a special appearance, taking humanity just as it was. His real humanity stands together with His pre-existence as the eternal Son of God in union and oneness with the Father from all eternity, possessing the fullness of the Godhead bodily.

He took fallen, deteriorated, degenerate humanity weakened after four thousand years of decreasing physical, mental and moral power. In that nature His strength was less than the angels and without the vigor Adam had in Eden, taking man's nature in its deteriorated condition. He took it yet without taint of sin, born in like manner as the human family, and under the law's demand for perfect obedience.

Though heaven's Commander, the Majesty of heaven and King of glory, next to God and one with the Father, He laid aside His royal robe, kingly crown, riches, honor and visible glory. He humbled Himself to poverty as a poor man and a poor man's son, veiling His divinity in humanity. No one could have looked on His unmediated glory and lived, and earth was the hiding of His glory. By coming He honored humanity and showed how much God loves men before the heavenly universe and unfallen worlds.

In that humanity He united divinity with humanity to become substitute and surety, nearest of kin to ransom the forfeited inheritance, elder brother and redeemer. With His human arm He encircles the race while with His divine arm He grasps Omnipotence and the throne of God, thus linking finite man to the infinite God. He joined humanity to divinity so humanity might touch humanity and lay hold on divinity, becoming the link that unites God with humanity.

As God He could not die, but as man He could die and suffer, so He took flesh and blood to know for Himself sufferings, afflictions, infirmities, poverty, disease, hunger and temptation. He took it to sympathize, to reveal God's feelings and teachings to fathers, mothers and children, and to stand at the head of the race on humanity's level. He would not use miracle or divine power to escape pain, humiliation or proof-demands that a man must endure, but endured with Godlike fortitude wholly within His Father's will and remained on humanity's level rather than compelling acknowledgment as Lord.

He did this in love and pity after Satan perverted principles, corrupted minds, turned thoughts into a wrong channel to make the world wholly corrupt, and brought the race under the prince of darkness. God's unalterable law could not yield to meet man, and rescue required one mightier than Satan before his fall. Fallen man could not win alone and an angel could not understand or do the work, for an angel's life could not pay the debt, so divine power was added to finite nature. While Satan hoped the fallen nature would let him overpower Jesus, save his own life and kingdom, and prevent the plan of salvation, Christ placed His feet in Adam's steps to cope with the strong foe who triumphed over Adam.

From earliest childhood angels guarded Him from Satan's power until He understood His position and mission, permitting Satan no power over Him in babyhood or childhood. His temptations were stronger because higher and purer, yet as Son of God He was higher than Moses and the highest angel. In humanity He felt need of strength from the highest authority, spent very many nights in prayer with strong crying and tears, and His taking flesh is connected simply with undergoing what human beings must pass through.

Dying to Destroy the Devil

Through death he breaks, makes of none effect, destroys and annihilates him that had the power of death, that is the devil, the first rebel and chieftain in glory. He shared the same flesh and blood of the children and became the pattern for the race, though heaven's Commander humbling himself to suffering and deprivation, in order to die and by dying to break that power and free those in bondage through fear of death. Satan bruised his heel in suffering and death, but Christ bruised Satan's head, bore the pillars of Satan's kingdom to earth, and in the very act of grasping his prey death was vanquished and Satan demolished his own throne.

He did this as substitute, surety and sin-bearer, the guiltless suffering for the guilty and taking the sinner's place. He paid the ransom humanity could not obtain, bore the penalty, curse and judicial punishment of transgression on which Satan's power rests, satisfied heaven's justice, gained the keys of hell and death, and thereby gained right to free captives and bridge the gulf sin made between earth and heaven. His death was the ransom required by the plan of salvation, which angels could not pay and from which angels were not to rescue him, and it did not make sin righteous or abolish the law but exposed sin as exceedingly evil, exalted the law, atoned for transgression, made restored obedience possible for every believer, and let mercy and truth meet and righteousness and peace kiss.

His expiring cry It is finished rang Satan's death-knell, passed through the tomb to destroy the devil, decided the long great controversy, declared the law immutable and that sin earns death, sealed the devil's doom and made certain the final eradication of evil. Satan knew he must finally die, his kingdom would end and be given to Jesus, and his sins-exposed rule as liar, thief and murderer was revealed before the universe when men under his control mocked and abused Christ while angels were not permitted to intervene. By paying the full ransom and rising, Christ proved Satan must die, enabled men to overcome in his name, and laid the redeemed's sins back on sin's originator to bear their punishment while those rejecting salvation bear their own.

He entered death on Satan's own territory and battlefield, met the enemy there and conquered him, refusing Satan's offer of the kingdoms without the cross and choosing suffering and dreadful death in the Father's appointed way. By that death he became the lawful heir to the kingdoms, redeeming Satan's claimed possessions as an everlasting possession, recovering what humanity lost through sin, and securing the heathen for his inheritance and the uttermost parts of the earth for his possession under an irrevocable covenant sealed by the blood of the cross amid darkness veiling the sun and hiding his expiring agonies. His death was a death struggle for victory over a rebellious world witnessed by the angelic host, cheered by prospect of universal triumph and extension of his kingdom to all parts of the world.

By dying and rising after paying the full ransom he broke death's dominion, spoiled its domain, opened the prison house, set captives free, shook the prison-house to its foundations and brought up a company of sleeping dead as a fresh trophy of the victory of the second Adam, carrying his bruises and scars as trophies and his human nature to heaven to sit at the Father's right hand with all power in heaven and earth. His resurrection removed stinging despair and robbed death of terror for the Christian, declared him the resurrection and the life who brings believers back to the land of the living, displayed future power, proved Satan must die, and stands as sample and assurance of the final resurrection of the righteous dead at the second coming. His death and burial broke death's hold and opened the way to Paradise, immortal life and salvation as a self-giving act of love bearing human guilt for eternal life with him.

The devil is shown holding power over death, claiming the dead as prey, claiming Christ's body and Moses' body as his own, setting evil angels as guards about the tomb who fled in terror before God's mighty angel, yet God can send an angel to resist him and preserve from death. He works through disease that has made each generation weaker, more vulnerable and shorter-lived, promotes destructive fashions, and boldly tempts through men's submission to enslave humanity and gain dominion. Yet God did not destroy him at once so his character would be exposed as deserving condemnation, but sent his Son chosen in heaven to meet him, dispute his sovereignty, remove false impressions of God, reveal unselfish love, expose deception by contrast of obedience and disloyalty, and end unchallenged dominion, fulfilling the Eden pledge to bruise the serpent's head and the promise of a Deliverer restoring Paradise.

The victory was foreseen before the incarnation and covenanted from Adam's fall and before the foundation of the world, carrying out the plan to reinstate fallen man on condition of obedience and answer that a man who dies shall live again to overcome sin and rise to immortality purchased by blood. What looked like defeat on Calvary, the temple destroyed and the head bruised by jealousy, hate and false religious zeal uniting evil angels and evil men, was victory in dying agony over earth and hell. Contested from manger to cross through trial, rejection and crucifixion made as terrible as possible in hope he would fail, he clung to the Father, refused worship for world dominion, endured the curse's stigma and the Father's withdrawn countenance more than bodily pain, and by steadfast loyalty and perfect obedience wrested Satan's last weapon for the kingdoms, opening free salvation and the way to Paradise and immortal life celebrated in heaven to the worthy slain Lamb.

Freeing Humanity From Death

Through his death he delivers those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage, breaking the devil's power over death and freeing people who live in that lifelong bondage. He removes death's despair and sting and terror for Christians, brightens the tomb for those who die in faith, and his power to call the dead to life remains effective so he comforts those mourning the dead with living hope and is still a living Savior. His presence drives away terror, and his victory frees people from fear of death while giving a pattern for believers whose lives show the power of God's grace.

As possessor and giver of eternal life and source of all vitality, who alone could conquer death, he gave his agonizing, humiliating life to vanquish death and gave up his precious life that others might have life. He bore sin's penalty and went down into the grave, then rose from the tomb in triumphant joy and proclaimed himself the resurrection and the life. By bearing the penalty and going into the grave he brightened the tomb for all who die in the triumph of faith, secured eternal life for all who believe in him, opened the grave for all who receive him, and answered that a man who dies shall live again. In dying he condemned the originator of sin and disloyalty to suffer the penalty of sin, eternal death, and God in human form has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. Because he alone accomplishes what human physicians can only attempt, physicians should direct the minds of their patients to him as the great Physician of soul and body.

Bearing the penalty of disobedience and becoming sin for the guilty, the guiltless for the guilty, he justifies repentant sinners so the guilty stand before the Father as innocent because the Innocent One bore their guilt. The undeserving are made deserving while the deserving became undeserving for them, and they become the righteousness of God in him, clothed with the robe of righteousness. He imputes his righteousness, washes and cleanses and pardons sinners who return to loyalty and obedience and receive him as personal Saviour, perfects forever the sanctified by the value and merits of his sinless purity, and joins humanity to the throne of God while holding to man and grasping the throne of the Infinite. His victory depended on resisting every temptation, for had he sinned Satan would have triumphed, but he overcame and secured deliverance and justification for humanity.

Because he took human nature men and women can become partakers of the divine nature, children of God by faith to whom he gives power to become the sons of God, members of the heavenly family and of one human family. United with the Father from all eternity yet remaining one with God, he is the link that unites God with humanity and joins God to humanity, so that the heart becomes the temple of the living God and in him all hopes of eternal life are centered. They are restored to God's image, elevated in moral value by his righteousness received and by beholding his image changed from character to character, loved by the Father as his Son and made equal to angels whom neither cherub nor seraph is ashamed to call brethren, with the gospel bringing life and immortality to light. As Son of man he is brother to every son and daughter of Adam, stood among humanity as a human being so humanity could be joined to him, bore human afflictions and temptation to understand suffering, endured crucifixion, shame and mockery, died to make partaking possible, lived without sin and made atonement to open Paradise, and judgment is entrusted to him.

His death gives another trial, a second probation and vantage ground with God, paying sin's debt and price for every soul who desires freedom and ransoming from Satan's claims, bondage and utter ruin. He laid aside kingly glory, bore the burden of sin, suffered the full penalty of the broken law for the whole world to secure the right to destroy the devil, looked with infinite pity on fallen Adam and Eve in wretched helplessness under the prince of darkness, and offered the only means acceptable with God to give them another trial and place them again on probation. Valued by the price paid at infinite cost in which all heaven was given, the ransomed are given opportunity to know God and the laws of his government, to choose his banner or the prince of darkness, to return to loyalty and keep the commandments as the apple of the eye rather than continue in transgression or make sin an immortal attribute. Through his humiliation and poverty he identified with the weaknesses of the fallen race and by firm humble obedience showed Adam's failure could be made up and lost Eden regained, while his death means life to all who believe as personal Saviour and are obedient and death to all who will not obey.

He restores believers not in sin but from continual transgression to obedience, exalting not abolishing the law but making it honorable and demonstrating its unchanging authority, making conversion, cleansing and perfect obedience possible. His humiliation, suffering and sacrifice make him the means by which people may rise through his merits and receive God's acceptance of their efforts to keep his law, be freed from sin and not perish but regain godlike manhood, be elevated and restored to original purity, be converted and serve God, and be transformed into his likeness by the Spirit so none is tempted above ability, giving a high idea of the soul's worth. In Lazarus he allowed death to take him so he could drive the enemy back as a conquered foe, showing death cannot claim prey in the Life-giver's presence, with the trial and sorrow serving to strengthen the faith of his sisters and disciples.

His sacrifice at infinite cost, in which all heaven was given, bridges the gulf sin made between earth and heaven, destroys separation, brings humanity into restored union with God and heaven, and opens the way to the tree of life. The guiltless suffered for the guilty as complete ransom and offering for sin to save from deserved punishment, providing the ransom humanity could not obtain, making life and immortality available, and joining finite man to the infinite God by encircling man with his human arm while grasping the throne with his divine arm. Through his sacrifice he revealed God's character and restores God's image in those who receive him so the restored race may honor God, suffered agony greater than any person can suffer, and took humanity so humanity might grasp divinity and lay hold upon the divinity he brought. His death must not be in vain but received and improved with thankfulness always for his sake, making forgiveness possible for every repentant backslider who cuts away wrong habits, appetites, selfishness and hardness, and remembering it melts the heart to gratitude and love.

Death came because Adam and Eve sinned, bringing a deplorable state under Satan's unlimited control, and Christ shared human death to break that power. He stood where Adam stood as head, surety and life-giver, pledged from the fall and covenanted from Adam's fall to atone with his own life, reinstated fallen man on condition of obedience to the commandments in the position lost through disobedience, opened Paradise, united mercy and justice, and by rising declared himself the resurrection and life with promise to bring believers who die back to the land of the living. His death ransoms many and makes it possible for fallen people to be restored to favor, exalted and given eternal life with him to inherit the kingdom forever, gathering the whole world into his embrace to take away the sin of every believing soul so all who cleave to him are safe. When he broke the fetters of the tomb and rose triumphant he answered that a man who dies shall live again, making it possible for every child of Adam through obedience to overcome sin and rise to the heritage of immortality purchased by his blood, while Satan's destruction means life for believers and death for the disobedient who remain slaves fastened to Satan's chariot until too late, with devil and sinners ultimately destroyed never again to disturb heaven or the purified new earth where sin and sinners are blotted out and peace never disturbed.

Overcoming as Our Example

He faced temptation as a man in the same flesh, meeting Satan on his own ground and battlefield to bear the very test of appetite which Adam failed to endure. He entered the wilderness in weakened, suffering condition after a terrible fast of nearly six weeks, whose length shows the great sinfulness of debased appetite and the power it holds over the human family. There Satan exploited His reduced strength, approaching even in the form of a beautiful young man and using Scripture in trying to tempt Him, and Christ answered him with Scripture. Enduring hunger, He was taunted to prove divinity by commanding bread and later, when carried to the temple pinnacle, by casting Himself down. He met temptation at a disadvantage, with strength reduced by long fasting, because while temptation was removed as far as possible from Adam when tested, nothing was done to remove it from Christ.

Where the first Adam stood in perfect Eden strength with full vigor of body and mind and daily communion with heavenly beings, yet was charmed by sophistry and believed Satan's words without reaching for divine power, the second Adam took humanity weakened after four thousand years of decreasing physical strength, mental power, and moral worth. He met Satan in combat in the weakness of humanity, apparently with not a friend to aid Him, on the very ground where Adam fell and on every point on which man would be tried. Satan sought by falsehood and all his power to lead Him to swerve a hair's breadth from allegiance to God, to become the enemy's bondslave, to presume on mercy, or to deviate from God's purposes. Where the first Adam failed, the second Adam refused, answering that man lives by every word of God and shall not tempt the Lord, holding obedience dearer than food or life through obedience, purity, and steadfastness.

He overcame in human nature by relying wholly on God for power and strength from above and the Holy Spirit, with the power of His godhead hidden. He faced temptation as a man, using no power unavailable to humanity and only God's word, that He might know how to succor those who are tempted. Fallen man could not overcome Satan with human strength, and man out of Eden cannot resist in his own strength, so Christ combined divine power with humanity to reach man where he is and overcame on the sinner's behalf. Had He sinned Satan would have triumphed, but He did not yield to sin, and His sinless loyalty disproved Satan's claim that men cannot keep God's law and showed Adam's failure could be made up.

His victory puts believers on vantage ground where through His power, merits, and name they can obtain victory over evil and overcome Satan. Through His power they can obtain victory over sin, overcome every defect, keep the law, live pure, sinless lives, be lifted from degradation, gain moral power to obey, and regain godlike manhood rather than perish. All who accept Jesus share that privilege and conquer in proportion to their faith, for His righteousness is imputed to all who believe in Him. By rising after paying the full ransom for humanity, He demonstrated His power to defeat Satan and enabled people to overcome in His name, becoming transformed into His likeness and workers with God.

Because He Himself suffered being tempted and bore far more than any will bear with the world's sins laid on Him, He understands weakness with tender compassion and sympathizes with human suffering, affliction, and temptation. His suffering made Him a perfect Saviour, fully fitted through experience to save humanity, meet human infirmities, and help it develop a perfect character. Made like His brethren in all things, bone of bone and flesh of flesh, taken from among men and standing among humanity as a human being, He serves as merciful and faithful high priest, representative, advocate, and refuge to make reconciliation for sins. He succors the tempted, giving peace and assurance so none bears sin's burden alone, strengthening and comforting those who bring their troubles to Him.

He took humanity to be a complete and perfect pattern for humanity, to show that divine power is available in the same way to them and to teach people how to thwart the enemy's plans, meet the battle against sin, and lay hold on God. Coming as a helpless babe and bearing the humanity we bear, living with humanity and bearing human trials and temptations yet without sin, He understood every temptation that comes to people. His purpose is to make people like Himself in every purpose, feeling, thought, and part of life, so that fallen nature may be purified, ennobled, and consecrated through obedience to truth. Through the power He offers, they become complete in Him and sons of God, brought to right standing, sanctification, and righteousness as His sinless headship as surety takes away sins. His image is reproduced in His true disciples, and others who see Christ's likeness in them are changed to reflect His character before angels and people, showing the power of God's grace.

Living Out His Victory

His self-sacrificing work in taking flesh and blood is the example and model for all missionary endeavor, teaching the importance of missionary effort that gathers the world into embrace and calling for unreserved surrender and consecration of time and talents to advance the work He came to do. He left glory to partake of temptations and hardships in human nature in order to lift men and women up and make them sons and daughters of God, humbling Himself and suffering and giving all He had so that people could become like Him — pure, upright, and free from sin. He hates sin but loves the sinner, and He humbled Himself to seek sinful, erring people and lead them to heaven, rescuing a fallen race at the cost of His own life and battling the powers of darkness so that everyone who receives Him may also be an overcomer. That self-sacrificing humility is the pattern for the humility to be manifest among God's children as little children, for pitying and helping the fallen rather than hurting, discouraging, or harming by authority. Because He worked for men when they were unbelievers and came to seek and save the lost where they were, those He lifts are called to take up their appointed work wherever they are, to watch for souls, to become acquainted with the spiritual needs of unbelieving friends and neighbors and minister to those needs in meekness and lowliness of heart, to care for and associate with those perishing in sin rather than standing aloof from them.

Nothing is accomplished in salvation without the cooperation of the human agent, while man alone can accomplish nothing, for humanity alone has nothing saving or restoring and the frail instrument alone is nothing. The part the human agent sustains is immeasurably inferior, but when meek and lowly in heart, taking Christ's yoke and carrying His burdens and linked with His divinity, laying hold of divine power, he can do all things through the strength Christ imparts. His taking our nature gives unmistakable evidence that fallen people brought into close fellowship and union with God can cooperate with God in reclaiming humanity, with humanity uplifting humanity by laying hold of divine power. No man is to take the place as god over the people, but all are to be guided by the Holy Spirit in individual duty as Christ taught, striving for unity with God, with the youth diligently guarded.

By taking humanity He bound Himself to God and to the whole human family, investing every person with an influence that makes it impossible to live to self and connecting each individual to fellow men as part of God's great whole under mutual obligations to promote their happiness. The Prince of heaven identified His interests with humanity so that human beings could be reached through human agents, and those lifted are to minister in meekness as a strong counterinfluence when Satan boasts he will take possession of the world. He came to teach and preach the saving gospel through childhood example, words, and actions, and though Satan sought to cut short His life and stop this teaching ministry from childhood, believers in Christ were to carry on His words and works. His teaching met people through familiar associations, preserving their accustomed way of thinking as much as possible and introducing old truths in fresh and precious light, with tender treatment of honest seekers winning sympathy and confidence. Through the power He offers, followers become complete in Him and sons of God, His image reproduced in true disciples so that others who see His likeness in them are changed to reflect His character before angels and people.

Because He alone accomplishes what human physicians can only attempt, physicians should direct the minds of patients to Him as the great Physician of soul and body, who is life itself and the source of all vitality, who pities sufferers and gives skill and wisdom to those who ask Him. Parents must stay in right relation to every effort to perfect the character of their children, keeping responsibility when children are away at school, examining spiritual progress, praying with them, and working in harmony with every elevating and refining influence for their good. He came to stand at the head of the race and set a perfect example with lessons all must learn who are received into the heavenly city, including the economy He enjoined to be practiced. Because He made the great sacrifice of leaving heaven's royal courts in human flesh to show men may cooperate with Him to save their souls, no sacrifice is too great in keeping passions and inherited and cultivated tendencies to wrong under control, taking heed lest by a wrong course others be turned aside, since such wrongdoing is recorded in heaven while salvation of the soul remains the one great object. His sacrifice to break the devil's power and redeem from hopeless misery is the reason believers should resist selfishness and covetousness rather than grow weary in doing good.

He took humanity to reach and elevate fallen people in misery, corruption, vice, and sin, coming to seek and save the lost, to draw humanity to divinity, to reclaim and bind to His love all who allow Him, and to lift them toward fellowship with God with hope of a place on His throne. His purpose was to free people from Satan's bondage, and controlling them through human authority could place them under bondage in another form. The ransom breaks the enemy's hold that traps men of education and ability as slaves, so captives can be at liberty and become sons of God, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ to an immortal inheritance. Remaining bound to corruption and crime and living for earth, money, position, houses, and lands is refusing the liberty already bought, and after a few steps in rebellion light becomes powerless until it is everlastingly too late.

His taking human nature is an act of great condescension within redemption revealing God's great love and the wisdom behind the mystery of grace, calling for gratitude, humility, adoration, and thankfulness. The gift of the Son included all heaven, paying a ransom from penalty and eternal ruin that cannot be surpassed so believers receive pardon, grace, and eternal life, with the heavenly universe united in leading to a high and holy standard and calling all to be laborers together with God putting all capabilities into representing Christ. He came to show what those who serve Him may become. He came as an infant to live, suffer, and die to win those Satan deceived and to confront deception throughout human life, facing the tempter and understanding his plans so He can teach people to recognize and escape corrupting deceptions and turn to obey God. He stands as Captain of salvation so people need not be overcome, and when the enemy seems gaining signal victory God works in mercy and power to counteract his designs, for Satan seeks to efface God's image and hide God by working secretly, mingling human and divine and spurious and genuine to bring confusion, but divine mercy is revealed in proportionate power to counteract this wicked working and bring hidden purposes to light.