Hebrews 2:14–18

Explore the Bible 
Assistant Professor of Christian Ministries, University of Mobile

WHY ONE OF US?

Hebrews 2:14–18

To Destroy the Devil (14–16)

This first verse presents two facts about Christ and His death. First it declares that Jesus shared the same humanity with human beings. Second it presents the reasons for His death. Hebrews 1 declared Jesus’ superiority to angels. This verse states His equality with human beings in that He shared their humanity. In the incarnation at Bethlehem, Jesus became what He had not been before. He had always been God. He now also became a human being. We call Jesus the God-man.

Jesus entered His incarnate life on earth by birth and He departed this life by death. He did not merely appear to be human; He actually shared our humanity. No one who merely seemed to be human or who resembled human beings could meet our needs. Jesus was a real person; therefore He can meet all our needs.

Jesus died to destroy the devil. Jesus’ death was not a defeat. It was a victory over sin and death. Sin always results in death (Rom. 5:12). Our sin caused Jesus to die. His death paid for our sin and guilt.

Many people wonder: “How can Satan be destroyed when he seems to be alive and well on earth today?” Jesus triumphed over the devil at the cross (Col. 2:15), but we live in a time when the full effects of Jesus’ death on the cross have not been fully realized. Satan is still active as a roaring lion (1 Pet. 5:8). He still has limited power in this age (Eph. 6:11) although his future doom is certain (Rev. 20:10).

Some people ask: “How did Satan hold the power of death?” This statement presents a problem because Scripture asserts that God alone has charge of the issues of life and death (Luke 12:5). Satan took the lead in introducing sin into the world by his successful temptation of Adam (Rom. 5:12). Satan has the power of death because he introduced sin that causes death. Death is the fruit of sin (Rom. 5:21). The death and resurrection of Jesus have rendered powerless the one who was formerly the master of death.

Jesus destroyed our enemy but He also liberated us from our chief fear. Death still occurs but we no longer need to be afraid of it. Like Satan, death has a limited sovereignty. Death itself will die at the return of Christ with the resurrection of believers (1 Cor. 15:54). This hope sets us free from the fear of death that can enslave us. Death cannot separate saved people from the love of God (Rom. 8:35–39). 

Christ has not yet abolished death. He has defeated the devil who had the power of death. We still face natural death. The removal of sin by the death of Jesus withdraws the sting of sin (1 Cor. 15:55–57) and one day Jesus will completely destroy death (1 Cor. 15:54). Jesus’ victory over death is seen in His resurrection. His resurrection is the cornerstone of our hope that we as Christians need not fear death.

Christ became a human being to help sinful human beings. In the incarnation, Christ stooped lower than the position of an angel to become a human being. As a human being, Christ was able to provide salvation for human beings.

To Make Propitiation (17–18)

Jesus had a complete, perfect humanity in order that He could “become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God” and “make propitiation for the sins of the people.” Unless Jesus became fully human in every respect, except for sin, He could not represent believers as their High Priest. Jesus must be human in order to serve as High Priest on behalf of humanity.

Jesus shared our human nature so that He could make propitiation for the sins of the people. Propitiation conveys the sense of an atoning sacrifice that puts away sin and satisfies the wrath of God. “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 8:1) because Jesus’ death paid for our sin and satisfied the righteous wrath of God.