DECEMBER 11 THE HUMANITY OF JESUS By Wayne Slusser Dean, Baptist Bible Seminary Adjunct Faculty, Word of Life Bible Institute
Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. (Hebrews 2:17)
Let’s explore how the author of Hebrews identifies Jesus’s humanity and the implications as gracious gifts from God.
Jesus’s Identification (2:14–15) – Since man has flesh and blood (cf. 2:9–13), the one who identifies with man must also have flesh and blood. Jesus became man to serve humanity, to make the devil’s power over death ineffective, and to free believers from the fear of death. Jesus’s Intention (2:16) – Jesus helps Abraham’s descendants, and He does so because death enslaved them. Jesus "takes hold of,” or “helps” the children of God to safety, bringing them into fellowship. Jesus’s Incarnation (2:17) – Jesus identified with humanity in every respect. Through an obedient earthly life, He qualified for the office of priest. Christ’s incarnation brought man and God together, and those who place their faith in Jesus will not experience God’s wrath. Jesus’s Intervention (2:18) – Jesus’s birth exposed Him to the sufferings and tensions of human life, the climax of which was His death. He was faithful to death and did not divorce Himself from the sufferings of life. Therefore, He is able to help those who suffer (cf. 4:14–16). Jesus became man to free the believer from the fear of death and to provide comfort to the suffering believer. He helps believers even through the most difficult testing of this hostile world. How are you going to respond to the birth of Jesus this Christmas season?
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