God Helps the Seed of Abraham

An Examination of Heb. 2:10-18

For 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. For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one. (2:10-11)

There is a unity between the sanctifier, who was perfected through suffering, and those who are being sanctified; they are one. He has redeemed them from their sins with His blood. He washes them with the water of the Word and presents them clean to God. He supplies the branches of His Vine with His own nourishment, that both He and they may be a plant that brings forth fruit unto God.

for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren, saying: “I will declare Your name to My brethren; in the midst of the assembly I will sing praise to You.” And again: “I will put My trust in Him.” And again:“Here am I and the children whom God has given Me.” (2:11-13)

They are His brethren because they do what the Father says (Matt. 12:50). He is not ashamed to be called their elder brother, since they are being sanctified in Him. His brethren are “the assembly” or “the congregation” in Old Testament language, and “the Church” in New Testament language. The Lord has given to His Messiah children (Isa. 8:18). These are children of God, born again (fathered) by God’s Spirit. They are children of Abraham because they belong to the Seed of Abraham, who is Jesus. (Gal. 3:16; 29)

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. (2:14-15)

The brethren of Jesus, the children of God and of Abraham, have a perfect High Priest who has chosen to share in flesh and blood, so that when He conquered death, He could deliver them from the fear of death also. He continues forever in an unchangeable priesthood; He is able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them (Heb. 7:24-25).

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.

“Seed of Abraham” is here used interchangeably with “His [Jesus’] brethren.” Jesus’ brethren are only those who do the Father’s will (Matt. 12:50). Neither term, then, refers to the natural Jew, but only to the spiritual Jew (Rom. 2:28-29). Jesus is the Sanctifier, His brethren are those being sanctified, and they are one Body. They are the “Seed of Abraham.” The Seed of Abraham does include natural Jews who have the faith of Abraham, but it does not include natural Jews who do not have the faith of Abraham. The Seed of Abraham includes natural gentiles who have the faith of Abraham, but it does not include gentiles in whom is no faith. All who have faith are grafted into the same Body. They become the Seed of Abraham, in Christ, and recipients of God’s supernatural aid.

Now to Abraham and his Seed were the promises made. He does not say, “And to seeds,” as of many, but as of one, “And to your Seed,” who is Christ. (Gal. 3:16)

And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise. (Gal. 3:29)

The promises are inherited by faith, not by “the law”–that law by which men called themselves Jews, whether judging by genealogy, national boundary, or particular works peculiar to them–like circumcision of the flesh or preparing a proper sacrifice.

Scripture contends that the promise to Abraham was, from the beginning, a promise that would be inherited by faith. If there were another way to inherit the promise–by Jewish law–the criteria of faith would be made of no effect. But God has not allowed this; the criteria of faith stands. The promises are sure to “all the seed” including those outside “the law” (those outwardly unrecognized as Jews). Thus Abraham became “a father of many nations” and an “heir of the world” as promised.

For the promise that he would be the heir of the world was not to Abraham or to his seed through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. For if those who are of the law are heirs, faith is made void and the promise made of no effect, because the law brings about wrath; for where there is no law there is no transgression. Therefore it is of faith that it might be according to grace, so that the promise might be sure to all the seed, not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all (as it is written, “I have made you a father of many nations.”) (Rom. 4:13-16)

And so returning to our original text from Heb. 2, God gives aid to the seed of Abraham. And the seed of Abraham consists of those who put their obedient trust in Christ, whether they are Jews or Gentiles. These are His brethren, and they are priests serving their High Priest faithfully in His House.