City Life Starter

Written by Efe Abbe

The Word

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. For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.

Hebrews‬ ‭2‬:‭17‬-‭18‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.”
‭‭Genesis‬ ‭3‬:‭15‬ ‭ESV‬‬

For surely it is not angels that he helps, but he helps the offspring of Abraham.
‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭2‬:‭16‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Reflection

In the second chapter of Hebrews, after warning against drifting from or disregarding God’s message through His Son, the author continues to use the scriptures to explain that Jesus becoming human was always God’s plan to save humanity and to provide atonement for our sins.

Quoting from the Psalms and Isaiah, the author wants us to know that our understanding of Jesus is lacking if we don’t align with God’s word that Jesus is God in the flesh. Jesus’ humanity isn’t an afterthought or secondary to His divinity – He is fully God and fully human (See Genesis 3:15).

In the final verses of chapter 2, we get to God’s heart of why: the God of the universe “for whom and by whom all things exist” (v. 10) chose to “be made like his brothers in every respect” (v. 17) so that He would become our merciful High Priest to sacrificially offer Himself as propitiation (appeasement) for our sins and to help us when we are tempted.

By God’s just and holy standard, we humans must “[receive] the just retribution for our sins” (v. 2, Genesis 2:16-17). When humans sin, humans must pay. But God, in Jesus, mercifully steps in to meet His just demands as a human (this truth is mind blowing)! As a result, He intimately knows our struggle with sin and is most able and willing to help us when we are tempted.

Application

No other religion or person offers the hope of the good news announced by Jesus. The just requirement to atone for our sins and our ongoing struggle with temptation matter so much to God that He became human to personally and intimately be our sacrifice and High Priest. Rest in this deep love today.

Prayer

Dear Lord Jesus, thank You so much for loving me that You set aside the splendor of Heaven and took on a body to be the perfect sacrifice for my sins and my most merciful High Priest, amen.