Setting

The author has established the supremacy of Christ and the greatness of His salvation. Now He moves on to Christ’s relationship with us, the heirs of salvation. Hence, this section focuses on Jesus’ role as the Son of Man and emphasizes His humanity, suffering, and atoning death.

Key Verse

(2:14-15)

Did You Know...?

1. Propitiation (2:17) means the putting away of God’s wrath.

Outline

• Jesus, Man’s Hope
  (2:5-9)
• Fellowship of the Savior with the Saved
  (2:10-13)
• Jesus’ Atoning Death and Redemption
  (2:14-18)

Keywords/Phrases

"But we see Jesus", aid, angels, brethren, Death, destroy, glory, merciful and faithful High Priest, propitiation, release, salvation, subjection, suffering, tempted

General Analysis

• 1.

  This section continues the theme of “so great a salvation” found in 2:1-4. What does this salvation encompass, according to this lesson’s passage?         Show Answer Future dominion and glory (6-8,10); the atoning death of Jesus by the grace of God (9); sanctification (11); release from fear of death and from bondage (14-15); Jesus’ propitiation for our sins (17); help from the merciful and faithful High Priest (16,18). Hide Answer

Segment Analysis

• 2:5-9

  1a.	In what sense is man a little lower than the angels (7)?         Show Answer Man is lower than the angels in the sense that, being flesh and blood, man has many physical limitations that the angels do not have. Hide Answer

• 1b.	In what sense is man greater than angels?         Show Answer He has been crowned with glory and honor, and God has set him over the work of His hands and put all things in subjection under his feet. This is an honor that the angels do not share. Hide Answer

• 2.

  What does the phrase “not yet” in verse 8 imply?         Show Answer Although we have not yet received God’s glorious inheritance, we will be crowned with glory and honor. Christ, having subdued all things, will transform our lowly bodies to conform to His glorious body at His coming (Php 3:20-21). Hide Answer

• 3.

  “But we see Jesus…” is a key statement in this section. Explain why this is so.         Show Answer This statement strikes a triumphant note in the section. Although man has not yet achieved dominion and has been prevented from doing so because of sin, Jesus has come to bring hope to man. We now have confidence and assurance because we see that Jesus has already accomplished the very things that God has intended for man, and He will help us along on our way to that glorious future. Hide Answer

• 4a.

  Why was Jesus “made a little lower than the angels”?         Show Answer Jesus was made a little lower than the angels so that by God’s grace He may suffer death for everyone and be crowned with glory and honor (9). He came to fulfill the plan of God for man which man was unable to achieve. Hide Answer

• 4b.

  What lesson can you learn from the Lord Jesus?         Show Answer What our Lord did was the greatest act of humility. He left His throne in heaven and emptied Himself to become even lower than the ministering spirits. Furthermore, what He did was the greatest act of love. He humbled Himself and suffered death so that we may share His glory. Thus, we ought to imitate our Lord’s humility and sacrificial love. Hide Answer

• 5.	What was needed for Jesus to be crowned with glory and honor?         Show Answer The suffering of death (9). Hide Answer

• 2:10-13

  6a.	Who is “Him” in verse 10?         Show Answer God. Hide Answer

• 6b.	Who is “He” in verse 11?         Show Answer Jesus. Hide Answer

• 7.	Why is Jesus called “the captain of [our] salvation”?         Show Answer “Captain” is also translated “author” or “pioneer.” Our Lord Jesus makes salvation possible. He has opened the way (10:20) and is bringing us to glory (2:10). Hide Answer

• 8a.

  What does it mean that the captain of our salvation was made perfect through sufferings?         Show Answer The perfection here does not imply that our Lord Jesus was morally imperfect. Rather, Jesus was made perfect in the sense that, because of His sufferings, He became qualified to be our perfect High Priest. See questions and answers on verses 14-18 for further elaborations. Hide Answer

• 8b.

  How was this “fitting” for God to do?         Show Answer The word “fitting” suggests that, to be consistent with His divine nature, it was a necessity for God to put the Lord Jesus through sufferings. The suffering and death of our Lord Jesus manifested God’s love while it also fulfilled God’s justice. Hide Answer

• 9.	What is the main point of 11-13?         Show Answer In order to sanctify us, Jesus had to become one of us. That was what He did, as the Scriptures had prophesied. He was not ashamed to identify Himself with us and call us His brethren. Hide Answer

• 2:14-18

  10.

  How is this paragraph an elaboration of 2:9?         Show Answer This passage explains what it means for Jesus to be made perfect through sufferings. Jesus shared in flesh and blood and was made like us in order to destroy the devil through His death and to help us when we are tempted. His sufferings enabled Him to become a merciful and faithful High Priest. Because He took our sins upon Himself and died in our place, we are released from bondage. Because He has been in our place, He can also relate to our present weakness. In this sense, Jesus was made perfect through sufferings. Without sharing our humanity, He would not have been qualified to be our Redeemer and High Priest. Hide Answer

• 11.

  How was Jesus like us? How was He different from us?         Show Answer Jesus was like us because He shared in flesh and blood in the same way that we have flesh and blood. He was also bound by many of the physical limitations that we have. He also suffered temptation just as we are tempted. However, Jesus was different from us in the sense that He was without sin and was therefore able to be the perfect sacrifice of atonement (4:15). Hide Answer

• 12.	Who are the descendants of Abraham? (Gal 3:7, 9, 26-29)         Show Answer Those who through faith in Jesus Christ have been baptized into Christ. Hide Answer

• 13.

  How has the Lord Jesus overcome the devil and released us from bondage?         Show Answer He overcame temptations and paid for the penalty of our sins. Having been clothed with the righteousness of Jesus Christ, we are no longer under the control of the devil (cf. Rom 8:33-34). Death no longer casts a shadow of fear on us because we know that we have received eternal life. Hide Answer

• 14.

  How is our Lord Jesus the perfect High Priest?         Show Answer Just as the priest had to offer sacrifices for sin, Jesus has made propitiation for our sins through His blood. Just as the high priest was able to identify himself with the people, Jesus is able to relate to our sufferings in temptation and help us in times of our need. His deity and humanity enables Him to be the perfect mediator between God and man. Hide Answer

• 15.

  How does our High Priest aid us when we are tempted?         Show Answer He sympathizes with us (4:15). He gives us grace (4:16), with which we can overcome the devil and stand (Jas 4:6-7; cf. Eph 6:13). He intercedes for us (Heb 7:25). He is our encouragement in times of weakness (12:2-3). Hide Answer

• 16.	In this lesson, we learned that Jesus became like us and calls us His brethren. He is also our merciful and faithful High Priest. How can this knowledge help you in your daily walk?         Show Answer (The answer is empty) Hide Answer