Hebrews 2:17, commentary and pictures

He was made in all things fully like his human brothers and sisters, sharing flesh and blood and ordinary human life, taking the seed of Abraham and the nature of Abraham's descendants and not the nature of angels. He took fallen humanity with its infirmities, weaknesses and suffering, as the race stood about four thousand years after Adam turned from Eden, with decreased strength and moral worth, living poor, laboring, hungering, wearying and grieving. He was so made to become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation and atonement for the sins of the people and remove the barrier between sinner and God. Because he himself suffered being tempted, yet without sin or taint, he is touched with the feeling of human infirmities and able to succor, pity and deliver those who are tempted. As the second Adam he met where the first Adam failed a stronger temptation as a man by strength given from God, and his perfect obedience and victory prove that people may overcome and obey through divine aid claimed in his name, while as substitute he bore guilt and death to destroy the devil's power and bridge the gulf sin made.

Human Likeness Described

In all things and in every respect he was made fully like his human brothers and sisters, sharing their flesh and blood and ordinary human life and experience. This likeness qualified him to serve as a merciful and faithful high priest before God to make reconciliation for sins, and because he himself suffered when tempted he is able to help those who are tempted. His own painful experience of temptation, sorrow and suffering enables him to sympathize with people in trials, to know burdens and griefs others may fail to understand, and to comfort the afflicted rather than condemn or drive them away. Those seeking guidance are therefore to take their case directly to him who understands human suffering instead of relying on human agents.

He took the seed of Abraham and the nature of Abraham's descendants, becoming bone of bone and flesh of flesh, and he did not take the nature of angels. He shared flesh and blood and took that seed so that through suffering and death he could save people, bring many to glory, and fit himself to help the tempted. In love for the fallen race he determined to save by the sacrifice of himself, and through death to destroy him that had the power of death, that is the devil, and to deliver those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. Though innocent and obedient he bore the world's sin and endured its penalty as the only one able to be the propitiation for sin, ever touched with human woe and ever seeking by word and deed to relieve human suffering, yet in Gethsemane bowing in agony of grief as a bruised reed.

He took fallen humanity with its infirmities, weaknesses, liabilities, degeneracy and suffering, entering the place where fallen humanity stood in order to reach people and raise them from sin's degradation. He took human nature as it existed when he came, about four thousand years after Adam turned from Eden, with decreased physical strength, mental power and moral worth. He stood where Adam had failed and where Adam fell, meeting Satan's temptations in the wilderness on every point where man can be assailed and on humanity's behalf. He who knew no sin became sin and humiliated himself to the lowest depths of human woe to lift fallen man where he was, and Satan hoped the fallen nature he had taken would allow him to be overpowered and the plan of salvation prevented. Though his strength was not equal to that of angels, he bore human iniquity and suffering and stood between the Father's wrath and guilty people, his death serving as ransom before his rising to intercede as high priest.

He came as a babe in Bethlehem and grew from infancy through childhood and youth, once a child with a child's experience, trials and temptation. He lived poor with poor parentage, worked as a carpenter and toiler, humbled himself in complete self-emptying, and had no place to lay his head. He knew hunger, thirst, weariness, need for food and sleep, bodily weakness and susceptibility to weariness, mental strain, harassment and perplexity, hardships, conflicts, need of encouragement, grief and joy, feeling joy and grief as men feel. His body could be tortured and crucified, Satan could tempt him, enemies could annoy him, ruling powers could afflict him, and his feelings were hurt by neglect and indifference as easily as others, his path thorny in a tenfold sense. His condition was as ours with no difficulty that did not press upon him with equal weight and no sorrow his heart has not experienced, yet without complaint, impatience, unbelief or repining, and with the single exception that he was sinless and had no dread of the consequences of sin; he gained knowledge as people do, his close knowledge of Scripture in ministry testifying to diligent study of the sacred word in early years. His outward appearance was ordinary and did not compel belief by sight or grandeur, and he met temptation as a human being relying on strength given by God rather than using power unavailable to them.

The Majesty of heaven, the Commander in the heavenly courts and of the heavenly hosts, laid aside his royal robe and kingly crown, glory, riches, honor and high command. He clothed his divinity with humanity so that humanity might touch humanity and divinity might lay hold upon the throne of the eternal. He veiled his glory, left heavenly riches and honor, and though he could have come attended by ten thousand times ten thousand angels he did not, but came in lowliness and poverty without honor or rank. For human sake he became poor that through his poverty humans might be made rich, collecting all the riches of heaven and laying all the resources of his infinite nature upon all who return to loyalty, giving all heaven to the world as a gift proving that no love measures with the love of God. He placed himself on their level and came to stand at the head of the fallen race, sharing flesh and blood, inconveniences, trials and afflictions to know for himself human suffering and temptation, to give people a place of advantage and rich experience in eternal things, to help the needy and distressed, heal the sick, speak peace to the suffering, deliver those afflicted by Satan, and bring redemption to all who would accept the Heaven-sent blessing.

By taking human nature upon himself to redeem the human race he honored humanity before all created intelligences. His work of salvation was for the human race, and angels came to earth at his bidding.

Merciful Faithful High Priest

He had to be made in all things like his brethren, taking man's nature and being made perfect through sufferings in bringing many sons to glory, in order to become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. That likeness qualifies him for the office, for having himself suffered being tempted he is touched with the feeling of human infirmities, was in all points tempted like men are yet without sin, and is therefore able to help those who are tempted, becoming the author of eternal salvation to all who obey him. Though he shared human nature enough to feel human woes and suffer for human sins, he was sinless, and his temptations and victories were not for his own sake but to help people weakened by the flesh and beset by temptation. He clothed divinity with humanity and experienced Satan's temptations and wiles, so his suffering under temptation enables him to help the tempted and his compassion for suffering people models mercy rather than condemnation. Believers are therefore not left to work alone but have Christ as helper and should exert every power in God's service. As high priest he stands before the Father pleading for the people he purchased with his life, and his sacrifice makes forgiveness, acceptance, peace, hope, and heaven possible.

As high priest he makes atonement and reconciliation for the sins of the people, offers a full and ample sacrifice, and does not reject a repentant seeker who comes to God through him. His shared human nature enables him to reach humanity while his divinity lays hold of divinity, so salvation is available to all. He took humanity's place as its representative and surety, accepted its guilt and death penalty, and offered a complete sacrifice to make reconciliation for sin. The repenting sinner receives this reconciliation by believing in Christ as a personal Saviour and presenting his crucified and risen life as worthiness, for Christ innocent in the place of the guilty removes the obstruction caused by sin, so God pardons the believer and the law is honored. The believer then receives pardon and stands before God as though he had never sinned, with Christ's righteousness meeting the law's demands. Through him sin is pardoned and access to God is secured, for his reconciliation removes every obstruction and barrier between God and the sinner who receives him. By passing over the ground where Adam fell and facing the temptations human beings face without abandoning allegiance to God, he offered himself as substitute and surety, made reconciliation for sin, opened a way for the guilty to return to loyalty to God, and demonstrated that humanity can overcome through his example and the power of his grace.

He now pleads before God's throne for people as a compassionate, sympathetic, faithful high priest, advocate and intercessor. To be Redeemer he had to become fully like his human brethren and know by experience what they suffer, including a wounded, bleeding heart, and by suffering he learned obedience and was made complete. He is both divine and human, met and conquered temptation on humanity's behalf though sinless, bore sin's shame, guilt and burden, and paid for redemption with his blood. Because he suffered when tempted he can help those who are tempted and suffering, understands human anguish, and treats tempted and tried cases as his own. The verse therefore gives the troubled, remorseful and afflicted person reason to trust God, for God is merciful and compassionate unlike people who misjudge and harshly condemn, and those in trouble can bring their sorrows to one who is too wise to err and too good to do them harm. This assures tempted and struggling people, and the witnessing universe, of his help, and gives assurance to those who struggle that he understands their infirmities and will help them.

Having been over the ground humans must pass and knowing the circumstances of every case, he is fitted for the work of judgment laid upon him because he is the Son of man. He became acquainted with the weakness of every human being and was touched with the feeling of human infirmities, having given himself to a life of lowliness, privation and poverty to know how to reach every suffering, afflicted sinner. In all human afflictions he was afflicted, as a man of sorrows acquainted with grief, wounded for transgressions and bruised for iniquities to bring healing and peace. He sees not as man sees and judges not as man judges, but judges righteously, so that at the judgment of the great day none can question the justice of his decisions. His giving his own life to ransom transgressors from the penalty of God's law shows his love for men and women and his knowledge of the value of souls, and because he understands their trials and gave his blood to save them he will judge justly and compassionately and will shut none out of heaven unless heaven's safety requires it. As the great high priest passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, in all points tempted like people are yet without sin, he invites sinners to come boldly to the throne of grace to obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need, and by laying aside his glory and clothing his divinity with humanity he made it possible for people to partake of the divine nature and reach the high standard God calls them to.

Tempted to Succor Tempted

Because he himself suffered being tempted, he is able to succor, help and deliver those who are tempted, and his suffering made him complete and fitted for that work. He did not take the nature of angels but the seed of Abraham and was made like his brethren in all things so he could be a merciful and faithful high priest to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. He was ever touched with human woe and ever sought by word and deed to relieve human suffering, yet in Gethsemane he bowed in an agony of grief as a bruised reed. Though his human nature was like ours, he was free from every taint of sin, and therefore he felt suffering especially keenly, with a desire to escape suffering as strong as that of human beings, yet he endured God's wrath against sinners as the innocent, obedient Sin-bearer and the only one able to be the propitiation for sin. His taking humanity and dying were necessary to represent God's infinite love for guilty people, and through faith in his redeeming power they may live, while his victory provides power beyond themselves to overcome corruption and share in the divine nature, and his coming as a child also represents a lived example of perfect character which people are called to represent in their own lives.

He is touched with the feeling of human infirmities, acquainted with woe, sorrow, pain and grief, tender, pitiful and sympathetic toward the weak, afflicted, discouraged and erring, and his compassion reconciles justice with mercy. His sympathy is not only for those who appear faultless but for poor, suffering, struggling souls who are overtaken in fault, sinning and repenting, tempted and discouraged. As the human race's substitute and surety, he daily sought his Father for needed blessings and strength, and strengthened through communion with God he went on to strengthen others, so that he knows the sin and infirmities people face, helps them, and gives them divine support so they do not strive alone. He endured the heaviest temptations and conquered the enemy, enabling people to learn how to overcome, and his suffering was greater than any person's because the sins of the whole world were laid upon him, so that through his humiliation, suffering, and death people may inherit all things by following his example. He became human and shared the condition of his fellow humans so he could understand their needs and help them rise from the degradation of the fall, and his humility and tender sympathy for sinners show the love his representatives should imitate by drawing near to others and helping them form a Christian character, for though he could have been surrounded by angels of glory he condescended to come from humble parentage and stand at humanity's head, so people may safely trust him. Those who follow him are to go to their fellow men with that same Christlike sympathy, touched with the feeling of their infirmities, approaching people who are suffering, struggling, tempted, discouraged, or caught in sin with sympathy and compassion.

He knows human weakness, trials and Satan's deceptions from experience, understands every temptation, bore the heaviest temptations and the sins of the whole world, and makes a way of escape so people need not feel forsaken. He took the form and nature of fallen humanity and suffered so he could endure Satan's fierce temptations and know how to help those who are tempted, coming right down to man in the temptations wherewith man is beset. Therefore he is a pitiful Redeemer with sympathy for the weak who knows just how to help in every striving against sin, standing right by the side of those loaded down with burdens while they struggle to overcome sin, and would send every angel out of glory to keep Satan from having the victory over them. Whether a person is living righteously or in sin makes every difference, for to those living in sin he may say he is ashamed to call them brethren, while those who feel the wound and sting of sin are to accept him as Saviour and cry to him for help, keeping his Spirit from morning until night. He stood in humanity's place and passed over the ground where Adam fell, enduring even stronger temptation, and as a human he faced the enemy's fiercest attacks and sharpest temptations and endured deep sorrow, showing that through grace humanity can overcome, with assurance that those who stand in him and draw near to God will have the Saviour with them as they struggle against sin. His prayerful, self-denying life and daily struggle with temptation show his closeness to human need, and through his grace people may share in the divine nature and escape the world's corruption, for God's Word received into life gives spiritual life and enables believers to live changed, joyful lives, so that appetite can be overcome in his name.

His experience of human life and temptation equips him to help those who are tempted and gives troubled, remorseful and helpless people strong reason to pray to God in heartfelt need, to trust, to come boldly to the throne of grace, and to overcome appetite and other temptations in his name. His incarnation was meant to give repentant believers peace and assurance: those who accept him by faith as their personal Savior are not orphans and need not bear the curse of their sins, because he suffered and was tempted as they are he can help those who are tempted, and in heaven he shares in their afflictions and intercedes for them. His temptation in the wilderness, especially the temptation involving appetite, demonstrates his help in that struggle, showing them how to meet the battle with sin, and victory comes by laying hold of God through Jesus Christ.

Sinless Victory and Example

Though tempted in all points as people are and tried as they are, he remained without sin, without taint, blot or stain, and free from moral imperfection. He shared human nature enough to feel human woes and to suffer for sins, facing every trial and temptation people face, yet his temptations and victories were not for his own sake but to help those weakened by the flesh and beset by temptation. His likeness to his brethren that qualified him to be a merciful and faithful high priest to make reconciliation for sins included hunger, thirst, weariness, need for food and sleep, and the ordinary conditions of human life. As Elder Brother he feels the sinfulness and shame of sin and has a deep interest in people, meets their needs with compassion and bears their burdens. His sinless nature made suffering keenly felt, and by becoming one with humanity while remaining the blameless Son of God he revealed God's character and worked out a perfect character, proving that human beings can live sinless lives through God's power.

As the second Adam he stood where the first Adam stood and failed, passed over the ground where Adam fell, and redeemed Adam's failure. He took human nature with the infirmities, weaknesses, liabilities, degeneracy and suffering of the fallen race as it stood about four thousand years after Adam turned from Eden, in order to reach fallen people where they were and lift them from sin's degradation. He stood in Adam's place in the wilderness of temptation to bear the test Adam failed, meeting Satan's temptations on every point where man can be assailed, and enduring even stronger temptation. He who knew no sin became sin and humiliated himself to the lowest depths of human woe, placing his feet in Adam's steps and engaging in conflict with the strong foe who had triumphed over Adam. He refused to swerve or become Satan's bondslave, but remained victorious and overcame Satan, and by that victory opened the way for redemption from the disgrace of Adam's failure and fall for all who believe, providing redemption and placing humanity on vantage ground with God.

After baptism he was led by the Spirit into the wilderness alone to contemplate his mission and to brace himself by fasting and prayer for the bloodstained path he must travel before beginning his public ministry. He consented to meet Satan in personal conflict in the wilderness on whatever terms the foe required, submitting to fierce assaults of the tempter, knowing that without conflict there could be no victory. He came as a man and took human nature with all its possibilities and weakness, enduring everything men must endure so that there is nothing to bear that he has not borne. Weakened by a forty-day fast, his human nature enduring the pangs of hunger while emaciated and suffering, he was left alone for a time to cope in fearful trial, and in that condition Satan came with a covering of light as one of the bright angels from glory, hoping to deceive and ensnare him as a rival. Fallen man out of Eden could not overcome Satan with human strength alone, so he combined divine power with humanity to reach man where he is, to bring hope and save him from complete ruin, and to obtain for fallen sons and daughters of Adam strength they could never gain for themselves to overcome Satan's temptations in his name, identifying himself as the sinner's substitute with the sufferings and afflictions of men and overcoming on the sinner's behalf.

He met temptation as a man, relying on strength given by God and the Holy Spirit and on power asked for and received, rather than using power unavailable to people. He was subject to temptations as they are subject to temptations, going over the same ground human beings go over and being tempted in all points like as they are, living on earth the life believers must live and meeting the foe single-handed as they must meet him while suffering being tempted. He met temptation without yielding and refused to use divine power to deliver himself from danger, to spare himself, or to prove himself. He overcame in his humanity through his divine nature and worked out perfection in behalf of humanity, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest to make reconciliation for sins and to succor those who are tempted. His life and death reveal God's love and justice and the unchanging nature of his law, and his perfect obedience is an example showing that with the divine aid available to Christ people can obey God's law.

His perfect obedience and victory prove that people may overcome, obey God's law, become partakers of the divine nature, escape corruption, develop a character fit for heaven, and reach the perfection God commands through divine aid, merits, grace and power claimed in his name. He subjected himself to humanity and became in all things like his brethren so he could be a perfect example and leave humanity a complete and perfect pattern, proposing to make people like himself, true in every purpose, feeling and thought, true in heart, soul and life. He identified his interest with suffering humanity, took upon him the infirmities and bore the sorrows of the sons of Adam, and became acquainted with all the temptations wherewith man is beset. He was once a child with a child's experience, trials and temptation, and met and resisted the temptations of Satan as really as any human child; he felt joy and grief as men feel, his body was susceptible to weariness, his mind could be harassed and perplexed, he had hardships, conflicts and need of encouragement, Satan could tempt him, enemies could annoy him, and ruling powers could torture and crucify his body. He became the Captain of salvation through suffering and bore his burden without complaint, without impatience, without unbelief and without repining, yet felt it no less than any suffering son of Adam; being sinless he had no dread of the consequences of sin, and with that exception his condition was as ours, with no difficulty that did not press upon him with equal weight and no sorrow his heart has not experienced, his feelings hurt by neglect and indifference as easily, his path thorny in a tenfold sense, and himself distressed, though thus made like men he is man's judge. His suffering made him a perfect Saviour — not one who had been morally imperfect, but one fully fitted through suffering to save humanity — for he believed God, learned obedience, bore sin, redeemed people from the curse of the law, and overcame without abandoning allegiance to God, setting an example to follow, so that those who walk in God's way may have the same power he had with the same ministering angels helping those who shall be heirs of salvation, and as he overcame they may overcome, resist evil, be transformed in character and reveal the treasures of his grace. His coming as a child also represents a lived example of perfect character which people are called to represent in their own lives, for fallen human nature must be purified, ennobled and consecrated by obedience to the truth, so that Christian faith can never harmonize with worldly principles and Christian integrity stands opposed to all deception and pretense, and the person who cherishes most of Christ's love in the soul and reflects the Saviour's image most perfectly is in God's sight the truest, most noble, most honorable person on earth.

Substitute Sacrifice and Salvation

He pledged himself beforehand as humanity's substitute and surety in case of disobedience, took its place as its representative, accepted its guilt and its death penalty, bore the shame and burden and curse of sin, paid the debt of the law by his suffering, and offered a complete sacrifice to make reconciliation and open the way for the guilty to return to loyalty. As humanity joined to divinity he bore the penalty of disobedience and the sins of the whole world, died so that people might live through faith in his redeeming power, and now intercedes for them before the Father while his suffering under temptation enables him to help those who are tempted. His imputed righteousness makes obedience acceptable, and his victory over the powers of darkness was gained on humanity's behalf.

Through death he destroyed him that had the power of death, that is the devil, and delivered them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. To accomplish this he became bone of bone and flesh of flesh, taking human nature, the seed of Abraham and not the nature of angels, made in all things like his brethren, laying aside royal robe and kingly crown and clothing divinity with humanity to stand at the head of the race on their level. Only by bearing the penalty of disobedience and becoming sin for them could he deliver from eternal death, and because the Innocent One bore their guilt repentant sinners stand before God justified and accepted, the undeserving made deserving and through his humiliation accepted as members of the royal family.

Only his life could be accepted as ransom and atonement for human sin; an angel's life could not pay humanity's debt, and the Son of God who created humanity alone could make that atonement. God's law could not be changed to accommodate humanity's fallen condition, so Adam's transgression brought misery and death while Christ's sacrifice brings life and immortality. Because humanity cannot save itself he came and suffered death to fight its battles, taking fallen human nature with strength below that of angels, which made him vulnerable to Satan's effort to overpower him and prevent the plan of salvation accepted by the Father from being accomplished. His death and resurrection belong to that plan, and hope is found through him alone as the one with strength to overcome the prince of darkness.

By joining humanity to divinity he united the human and the divine in himself to reconcile God to man and man to God and to unite the finite with the Infinite, encircling people with his human arm while grasping the throne of the Infinite and bridging the gulf sin made. This was the only way fallen men could be exalted through the merits of his blood to be partakers of the divine nature, placed on vantage ground with God. Clothed in humanity yet remaining divine, one equal with God standing at humanity's head, he bore all human affections and temptations to connect with humanity, gave his sacred life bound up with God, took upon himself the guilt of sin and died as a propitiation to make reconciliation, so that through receiving and believing men may receive grace, return to loyalty and obedience to law and commandments, receive pardon, have his righteousness imputed, be washed and cleansed and perfected by his sinless purity, and attain true elevation as sons and daughters of God. By taking human nature he was fitted to understand trials and all temptations with a sympathy angels unacquainted with sin could not give, to face sin's challenge, meet the law's demands, and provide the moral power people lacked to overcome transgression, so that those who trust him can be changed to reflect his character.

He remained steadfast under cruelty in doing his Father's will, and before Herod he would not use divine power to prove who he was, to gratify curiosity, to compel recognition of his authority, to satisfy expectation of spectacular display, or to spare himself pain and humiliation, but endured suffering exactly as a man would under the same circumstances. Though familiar with divine honor and power he had to remain on the level of humanity and resist using power to deliver himself from danger, for yielding would have broken his agreement with the Father to undergo probation for the race. His agony was greater than any person can suffer, and his self-sacrifice reveals God's love, justice, unselfishness and the unchanging law while exposing Satan's work.

He took human nature and became like his brothers to redeem and elevate humanity. In his divine nature he took human nature and thereby showed himself sufficient for all, and all that he said and suffered in that humanity reveals God's infinite love without exaggeration.

Trust and Follow Christ

Because he was made like his brothers to be a merciful and faithful high priest to make reconciliation for sins, and because he suffered being tempted and so can help those who are tempted, troubled, tempted and disappointed people are to take their case, sorrows, burdens and perplexities directly to him in prayer for comfort, mercy and grace to help in time of need rather than relying on human agents and counsel or depending on fallible human leaders. His sharing of human experience means he knows human weakness, needs and temptations, and his priestly mercy and sufficiency are the ground for trusting his forgiveness and grace. His strength is available especially to those who know their own helplessness, and he understands weakness with gracious, tender compassion and pitying love and answers sincere prayer. His taking human nature is humility, and all filled with his Spirit walk in that humility, learning from him to be meek and lowly in heart and uplifting him before church members and unbelievers in pure living faith.

Beholding his compassionate, forgiving character as the merciful and faithful high priest who made reconciliation for sins fosters faith and dispels fear and doubt. Beholding him as he is — full of compassion, amiable, courteous, merciful and forgiving — changes beholders into the same image and causes confidence, faith, hope and love to spring up in their hearts. He took humanity to demonstrate the power he offers followers, giving them power to become God's children and to become complete in him. His image is reproduced in true disciples, and those who see his likeness in them are changed to reflect his character before angels and people.

His suffering under temptation, in which he clothed divinity with humanity and experienced Satan's temptations and wiles, enables him to help those who are tempted and makes him compassionate toward afflicted and suffering people. That compassion is the model for his followers, who are to treat tempted, weak and afflicted people with mercy rather than condemnation, severity, retaliation, or driving them away. Because he was made like the people he came to help, he sympathizes with those Satan seeks to destroy, including the ignorant and those who have gone astray, knowing human weakness and standing ready to help in difficulties. His sympathy is not only for those who appear faultless but for poor, suffering, struggling souls who are overtaken in fault, sinning and repenting, tempted and discouraged, and those who follow him are to go to their fellow men with that same Christlike sympathy, touched with the feeling of their infirmities, seeking the lost where they are and laboring for suffering humanity.

Those preparing for service, especially young men and young women qualifying for work, are to read and study that he was in all things made like his brethren to be a merciful and faithful high priest to make reconciliation for sins and that he is able to succor those who are tempted because he himself suffered being tempted. They are to learn from him what it means to labor for those for whom he gave his life, and to seek from him grace and clearness of comprehension for successful work. They are to go forth in his humility and meekness obtaining strength from the source of all strength, to have him formed within as the hope and strength of the life, and to carry the missionary spirit with self-denial and consecration. His service as faithful high priest who works for his people and intercedes through his sacrifice calls them to draw near to God in faith and to become advocates for those who err, working to restore others and promote unity. Because he left heavenly honor and humbled himself to become one with human beings and came to those who needed him rather than to unfallen beings, those entrusted with his work are to reach people who need the truth most, cooperating with God in reclaiming the lost as the Shepherd gathers those who return and binds them to himself in love and close fellowship and union with God.

In testing and discouragement faith must therefore stay strong in God and must not look upon appearances. Having been over the ground humans must pass and knowing the circumstances of every case, he as Son of man is fitted for the judgment laid upon him, seeing not as man sees and judging not as man judges but judging righteously, so that at the great day none can question the justice of his decisions, and giving his own life to ransom transgressors shows his love and his knowledge of the value of souls, shutting none out of heaven unless heaven's safety requires it. He lived the life believers must live, meeting the foe single-handed as they must meet him and suffering being tempted, and because he asked for and received power to overcome he became a merciful and faithful high priest to make reconciliation and to succor the tempted, so that those who walk in God's way may have the same power he had with the same ministering angels helping heirs of salvation, and as he overcame they may overcome, reach commanded perfection, resist evil, be transformed in character, and reveal the treasures of his grace. He humbled himself to reach sinful, erring people to lead them to heed his words and through obedience become pure and upright, free from sin's defilement like him, and his suffering and gift of all he had show the cost of this work, in which human beings cooperate with God. Since he made reconciliation for sin as the basis of salvation, refusing that salvation now can lead to seeking it later when it can no longer be found.