Unique Incarnation, Savior, Priest, Sanctifier

Chapter 2, Part 4 – Pastor Martin Saine
9-17-23

But we see Jesus, who was made a little (while) lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone.

Hebrews 2:9

While it’s true that Jesus, while here on Earth, was self-limited in His power according to the will of the Father so that He could live a life of obedience and righteousness in the same manner that we can, which is by the power of the Holy Spirit in faith, and was therefore a “little lower than the angels”, He was still the commander of the hosts (armies) of heaven that met Joshua outside Jericho in Joshua Chapter 5.

Joshua 5 : 13-15 And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, a Man stood opposite him with His sword drawn in His hand. And Joshua went to Him and said to Him, "Are You for us or for our adversaries?"  So He said, "No, but as Commander of the army of the LORD I have now come." And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped, and said to Him, "What does my Lord say to His servant?"
Then the Commander of the LORD's army said to Joshua, "Take your sandal off your foot, for the place where you stand is holy." And Joshua did so.

The Angel of the Lord (Pre-incarnate Jesus Christ), the Commander of the Lord’s armies, demanded Joshua worship Him.

Here’s a few comments from Jesus concerning His relationship with the angels:

Matthew 13:41-31 The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness,
For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works.  And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

Matthew 25:31-32 "When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory.  "Then He will also say to those on the left hand, 'Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels.

Mark 8:38 -39 For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels. "And then He will send His angels, and gather together His elect from the four winds, from the farthest part of earth to the farthest part of heaven.

Luke 4:10 For it is written: ‘HE SHALL GIVE HIS ANGELS CHARGE OVER YOU, TO KEEP YOU,’

Luke 9:26 For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, of him the Son of Man will be ashamed when He comes in His own glory, and in His Father’s, and of the holy angels.

2 Th 1: 6- 8  "...since it is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who trouble you, and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels,  in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Jesus was for a little while, a little lower than the angels, but make no mistake about His position:

Mat 26:52 -54 But Jesus said to him, "Put your sword in its place, for all who take the sword will perish by the sword.  Or do you think that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He will provide Me with more than twelve legions of angels?
How then could the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must happen thus?"

Heb 2:9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little (while) lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone.

Jesus had to be a little lower than the angels or else He could not have suffered death!
(God cannot suffer death, Angels cannot suffer death…)

Heb 2:9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little (while) lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone.
pas
Including all the forms of declension; apparently a primary word; all, any, every, the whole: – all (manner of, means) alway (-s), any (one), X daily, + ever, every (one, way), as many as, + no (-thing), X throughly, whatsoever, whole, whosoever.

Hebrews 2: 9-10 But we see Jesus, who was made a little (while) lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone. For (gar- inasmuch as, “because”) it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.

It was “fitting”- (prepo- to tower up or be conspicuous) appropriate, in keeping with His very nature – On display!

For Him for whom are all things and by whom are all things-

In the process of bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain (chief leader, originator, prince, author) of their salvation perfect (complete) through sufferings.

Jesus was perfect, sinless, and lacked nothing in regards to His deity and equality in the Godhead. What He learned, and what He became complete in, is obedience, faith, and suffering in order to be our Savior and High Priest!

Hebrews 2:11 - 15 For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one, for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren, (Matt 28, John 20...)  saying: "I WILL DECLARE YOUR NAME TO MY BRETHREN; IN THE MIDST OF THE ASSEMBLY I WILL SING PRAISE TO YOU." Psalms 22:22                  And again: "I WILL PUT MY TRUST IN HIM." And again: "HERE AM I AND THE CHILDREN WHOM GOD HAS GIVEN ME." 2 Sam 22:3, Is 8:17-18                    Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil,  and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.

1Co 15:45- 58  And so it is written, "THE FIRST MAN ADAM BECAME A LIVING BEING." The last Adam became a life-giving spirit.
However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural, and afterward the spiritual.
The first man was of the earth, made of dust; the second Man is the Lord from heaven.  As was the man of dust, so also are those who are made of dust; and as is the heavenly Man, so also are those who are heavenly.  And as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly Man.
Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption.  So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: "DEATH IS SWALLOWED UP IN VICTORY."  "O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR STING? O HADES, WHERE IS YOUR VICTORY?"
The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law.  But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.

Heb 2:16 -18 For indeed He does not give aid to angels, but He does give aid to the seed of Abraham.  Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.  For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted.

Heb 4:14-16 Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.
For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.
Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Heb 2:11 For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one, for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren,

Sanctifies/sanctified =
hagiazō
hag-ee-ad’-zo
From G40; to make holy, that is, (ceremonially) purify or consecrate; (mentally) to venerate: – hallow, be holy, sanctify.

Exactly when does a believer in Christ become officially “sanctified” according to the strictest sense of the word?
2Co 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

Is that it? Is sanctification a one-time event? A two time event?
Rom 8:29 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.

Gal 5:16-26 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.  For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.
But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.  Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness,
idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.
And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.