Hebrews 2:14-18 - The Perfect Sacrificial Lamb
- Joshua Carpenter
- 2 days ago
- 3 min read
Thank God for Jesus’ perfect sacrifice every day!
Hebrews 2:14–18 (ESV)
14 Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. 16 For surely it is not angels that he helps, but he helps the offspring of Abraham. 17 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. 18 For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.
Canons of Dordt
Point 2 - Limited Atonement
Article 4: Reasons For The Infinite Value of Christ’s Death
This death is of such great value and worth for the reason that
the person who suffered it is—
as was necessary to be our Savior—
not only a true and perfectly holy human,
but also the only begotten Son of God,
of the same eternal and infinite essence with the Father and the Holy Spirit.
Another reason is that this death was accompanied by the experience of God’s wrath and curse, which we by our sins had fully deserved.
Summary
So far this week, we’ve taken a look at how Jesus is fully God and fully man united in one person. But the question still remains to be answered - Why is that so important? Why is it so important for our salvation that Jesus is both fully God and fully man?
The author of Hebrews tells us as much in our passage today, at least the importance of why Jesus needed to be fully man. Having been talking about how Christ is not ashamed to be called our brother, believers throughout every age are reminded of the necessity for Jesus taking on our flesh, tabernacling among us.
Jesus took on our flesh in order that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. Not only that, but we are told: 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.
It was necessary for Jesus to take on our flesh so that He could pay the debt of our sins. The Canons remind us of this necessity, that Jesus be a true and perfectly holy man as human nature must pay the debt of sin (which is echoed in the Heidelberg Catechism QA 16). So, it was necessary for Jesus to fully man.
Then why is it also necessary for Jesus to be the only begotten Son of God? Because it’s only by Jesus being fully God that He could bear the weight of God’s just wrath on our sin (see HC Q & A 17). This is why Jesus was the perfect sacrificial lamb on your and my behalf, why His sacrifice is of infinite value!
Dig Deeper
As I write this, this week is preparation week for our congregation as we look forward to celebrating Communion in our congregation this upcoming Lord’s Day. It is this perfect sacrifice of infinite value that we remember, celebrate, and proclaim whenever we gather around the Lord’s Table together.
But it shouldn’t be just when we celebrate Communion, nor only at Good Friday and Easter, which we celebrated not too long ago. Every Lord’s Day, as we gather as fellow brothers and sisters in Christ to worship the One True God, we come together to celebrate, praise, and worship the Lord out of gratitude and love for what He’s done for us in the perfect sacrifice of Jesus!
And every day, through the Lord’s grace and strength, may our lives be ones lived in gratitude for what God has done as the Gospel works its way into our daily life, thanking and praising the Lord often for His amazing grace in Jesus!
ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, in heaven. Hallowed be His name!
ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that when temptation comes, you will remember that because Christ Himself suffered when tempted, He is able to help those being tempted;
ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED:
Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Romans 5
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