14. He who has thus been shown to be the "Captain (Greek,
'Leader') of salvation" to the "many sons," by trusting and
suffering like them, must therefore become man like them,
in order that His death may be efficacious for them [ALFORD].
the children--before mentioned
(Heb 2:13);
those existing in His eternal purpose, though not in actual being.
are partakers of--literally, "have (in His purpose) been
partakers" all in common.
flesh and blood--Greek oldest manuscripts have "blood and
flesh." The inner and more important element, the blood, as the
more immediate vehicle of the soul, stands before the more palpable
element, the flesh; also, with reference to Christ's
blood-shedding with a view to which He entered into community with
our corporeal life. "The life of the flesh is in the
blood; it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul"
(Le 17:11, 14).
also--Greek, "in a somewhat similar manner"; not
altogether in a like manner. For He, unlike them, was conceived
and born not in sin
(Heb 4:15).
But mainly "in like manner"; not in mere semblance of a body, as
the Docetæ heretics taught.
took part of--participated in. The forfeited inheritance
(according to Jewish law) was ransomed by the nearest of kin; so Jesus
became our nearest of kin by His assumed humanity, in order to be our
Redeemer.
that through death--which He could not have undergone as God but
only by becoming man. Not by Almighty power but by His death (so
the Greek) He overcame death. "Jesus suffering death overcame;
Satan wielding death succumbed" [BENGEL]. As David
cut off the head of Goliath with the giant's own sword wherewith the
latter was wont to win his victories. Coming to redeem mankind, Christ
made Himself a sort of hook to destroy the devil; for in Him there was
His humanity to attract the devourer to Him, His divinity to pierce
him, apparent weakness to provoke, hidden power to transfix the hungry
ravisher. The Latin epigram says, Mors mortis morti mortem
nisi morte tu lisset, Æternæ vitæ janua clausa
foret. "Had not death by death borne to death the death of Death,
the gate of eternal life would have been closed".
destroy--literally, "render powerless"; deprive of all power to
hurt His people. "That thou mightest still the enemy and avenger"
(Ps 8:2).
The same Greek verb is used in
2Ti 1:10,
"abolished death." There is no more death for believers. Christ plants
in them an undying seed, the germ of heavenly immortality, though
believers have to pass through natural death.
power--Satan is "strong"
(Mt 12:29).
of death--implying that death itself is a power
which, though originally foreign to human nature, now reigns over it
(Ro 5:12; 6:9).
The power which death has Satan wields. The author of sin is the author
of its consequences. Compare "power of the enemy"
(Lu 10:19).
Satan has acquired over man (by God's law,
Ge 2:17;
Ro 6:23)
the power of death by man's sin, death being the executioner of sin,
and man being Satan's "lawful captive." Jesus, by dying, has
made the dying His own
(Ro 14:9),
and has taken the prey from the mighty. Death's power was manifest; he
who wielded that power, lurking beneath it, is here expressed, namely,
Satan. Wisdom 2:24, "By the envy of the devil, death entered into the
world."
JFB.
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