Hebrews 2:17 - Printer Friendly

ESV: 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.

NIV: For this reason he had to be made like them, fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people.

NASB: Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brothers so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.

CSB: Therefore, he had to be like his brothers and sisters in every way, so that he could become a merciful and faithful high priest in matters pertaining to God, to make atonement for the sins of the people.

NLT: Therefore, it was necessary for him to be made in every respect like us, his brothers and sisters, so that he could be our merciful and faithful High Priest before God. Then he could offer a sacrifice that would take away the sins of the people.

KJV: Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.

NKJV: 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.

Verse 16 punctuated the idea that God has favored mankind above angels. This is shown in the lives of the Jewish forefathers (Genesis 9; Genesis 12; Exodus 19). It is also demonstrated in the ministry of Jesus Christ. Prior verses pointed out that angels do not experience suffering or temptation in the same way as humans. So, they cannot be truly useful in times of trouble, and they cannot serve as examples for us to follow (Hebrews 1:14).

Christ, on the other hand, came as a man, in order to perfectly serve as our example and our sacrifice. This verse puts an exclamation point on the entire theme of Hebrews chapters 1 and 2. The Messiah had to become exactly like humanity in order to properly atone for their sins and to become the truly perfect high priest reconciling them to God. All of the Old Testament quotations used in Hebrews, so far, are meant to intersect in this single statement.

For the Jewish Christians reading these words, the idea of a "high priest" would have been especially meaningful. Once per year, Israel's high priest—and only that single person at that single time—entered the holiest part of the temple in order to offer a sacrifice for the sins of the people (Leviticus 16). When Jesus was crucified, the veil which separated this room from the rest of the temple was torn from top to bottom (Matthew 27:50–51). Both literally and figuratively, Jesus serves as our perpetual High Priest, eliminating the barrier between God and man, and atoning for sin once and for all (Hebrews 10:11–14).

Hebrews 2:5–18 explains why the Messiah, Jesus Christ, came in the form of a man, rather than being an angel. In order to serve as a true example, He had to experience our human suffering and temptation. By doing so, Jesus was able to become the ''Captain,'' or the ''Founder,'' of our salvation. His resurrection breaks the slavery we experience over our fear of death. By using more quotations from the Old Testament, the writer of Hebrews shows that this is exactly what God planned for all along.

Chapter 2 begins with a strong warning about the dangers of apostasy. Chapter 1 opened by explaining that Jesus Christ is the message of God. This chapter points out that those who have faith in Christ, but drift from that truth, will face dire consequences. The rest of the passage continues a series of proofs begun in Chapter 1. These are quotes from the Old Testament, used to prove that the Messiah is not an angel, but is superior to any created being. He is, in fact, identical to God. And yet, He became fully human in order to serve as our perfect high priest.

The first two chapters of Hebrews are meant to prove that Jesus Christ is superior to angels. Rather than seeing Jesus as a created being, or some form of exalted angel, He should be viewed as what He is: identical with God. These two chapters use extensive Old Testament quotes to prove this point. The first few verses of chapter 2 feature the first of several warnings within the book about the dangers of apostasy. Later chapters will demonstrate that Christ is also superior to other prophets, spiritual leaders, and priests.

The book of Hebrews is meant to challenge, encourage, and empower Christian believers. According to this letter, Jesus Christ is superior to all other prophets and all other claims to truth. Since God has given us Christ, we ought to listen to what He says and not move backwards. The consequences of ignoring God are dire. Hebrews is important for drawing on many portions of the Old Testament in making a case that Christ is the ultimate and perfect expression of God's plan for mankind. This book presents some tough ideas about the Christian faith, a fact the author makes specific note of.