◄ What Does Hebrews 2:12 Mean? ►

Hebrews is a book that clearly lays out the deity and supremacy of Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God Who is greater than all angels, principalities, and heavenly powers. It tells the wonderful message of the superior status of Christ-Jesus, the God-Man Who came from heaven to earth to save us from our sin. Hebrews goes on to warn us not to neglect the great and wonderful salvation which is freely offered to all, by faith in Him.

It is after being introduced to the Lord Jesus Christ as the eternal God Who created all things by the might of His hand and having been warned not to neglect God's great offer of salvation, that we are introduced to a further facet of Christ's unequalled superiority and His eternal destiny as the Captain of our salvation. His death on the Cross and resurrection from the grave brought many sons to glory, which makes the Lord Jesus the Source of our salvation and the Perfector of our salvation. He is the Author of our faith and the Finisher of our faith.

The only way the eternal Son of God could achieve this tremendous victory over sin, Satan, death, and hell, on behalf of the fallen race of man, was to become a Man Himself. The Son of God had to take on the lowly role of Kinsman-Redeemer. He had to become a man - a perfect sinless man. Only God is perfect for only He is sinless... so only God could fulfil the righteous requirements of the Law on behalf of fallen man. Only God could pay the price for the sin of the world. But God is Spirit and man is mortal and so God had to lay aside His glory and become a Man so that He could pay the price for the sin of the world.

While the gift of salvation is freely given to all who believe in His name, it came at enormous cost to God the Father and His only begotten Son... for in order to become the Captain of our salvation, God the Son had to come to earth in human flesh and live like us... in a body of flesh and blood. He had to be born into a fallen world, live as we live, and be made perfect through suffering. Jesus, the Son of God, had to become Son of Man so that He could learn obedience through the things that He suffered - and He did it all so that we might be made children of God and become His brethren.

And so, God sent His Son into the world to be the Sacrificial Offering for the sin of mankind. The Son of God, Who is exalted above all, had to be made a little lower than the angels in order to be the sacrifice for the sin of the world and bring believers into the family of God - so that all who believe on Him would have the right to become children of God and joint-heirs with Christ.

Jesus is the One who sanctifies us through His precious blood. Jesus had to shed His life-blood for the sin of the world so that we who believe on Him would be sanctified, identified with Him, and clothed in His perfect righteousness. The shed blood of Christ sanctifies all who believe that His shed, human blood, is the payment for their sin - so that with Christ we have one Father. And this is the reason we read in Hebrews 2:12, "I will proclaim YOUR name to My brothers; I will sing hymns to YOU in the congregation."  Jesus would proclaim God the Father to all who believe - to ALL his 'brethren'.

In His grace, Jesus, Who died for you and me, was able to finally proclaim to His Father in heaven that we are His brothers, in fulfilment of Psalm 22:22 where we read, "I will tell of Your name to my brethren. In the midst of the assembly, I will praise You."  This Messianic prophecy, penned by David, was beautifully fulfilled by Christ through His death, burial, resurrection, ascension, and identification with all who believe on His name.

The Lord Jesus is God in the flesh. The Lord Jesus is the incarnate God, sent by the Father to save us from our sins... and throughout the book of Hebrews, there are passages that present Christ's indisputable credentials as God's appointed King, clearly and thoroughly. He is the Prophet who is greater than Moses. He is the anointed High Priest Whose authority surpasses Aaron, and He is great David's greater Son, for He is King of kings and Lord of lords.

It is the Lord Jesus Himself, the Creator of heaven and earth. He is the Son of God and God the Son Who holds all things together by the might of His power. He is the One about Whom God the Father has testified, regarding the truth and authenticity of His Messianic claims and His divine nature.

Our heavenly Father testified to the authenticity of Jesus Christ through the multiplied signs, wonders, miracles, and spiritual gifts, which He displayed throughout His earthly ministry and which were carried out in the power of the Holy Spirit.

We are reminded that angels are subordinate to this superior Being and all things are placed in subjection under His feet. And yet for a time, He was made a little lower than the angels, in order to obey His Father, carry out the will of God, and complete His perfect plan of redemption, which necessitated His suffering and death as our Kinsman-Redeemer.

The eternal Son of God became one of us and was identified with us. He was made sin for us and paid the full price of sin... so that by His life, death, and resurrection, He was able to reveal the Father to us and to proclaim His name to all who believe... even calling us His brothers and leading the congregation of the elect in singing hymns of praise and thanksgiving to our great Creator God and heavenly Father. Hallelujah! Amen!

Heavenly Father, thank You for Your faithfulness in sending Christ to be the propitiation for our sins and becoming one of us so that by faith in His sacrifice, we might become sons of God and joint-heirs with Christ. Thank You that by faith in the atoning work of His blood, all who believe are covered in His righteousness and have become His earthly brothers. I praise You because Christ's kingdom is an everlasting kingdom and His throne will last forever and ever, and thank You, Father, that He is not ashamed to call all who trust in Him, His brothers. Thank You in Jesus' name, AMEN.