Useful Bible Studies > Hebrews Commentary > chapter 2

Brothers in God’s family

Hebrews 2:10-11

There is a relationship between Jesus, and the people who belong to God. It is a family relationship. He calls us ‘brothers’ (Mark 3:35; Matthew 28:10).

And that astonishes us. He is God; we are only people. But he calls us his brothers. We are not even as important as angels (God’s servants) – Hebrews 2:7. We are not even as splendid as the moon or the stars – Psalm 8:3. Yet God’s Son calls us his brothers. He created all things. Everything belongs to him. He has always existed. We created nothing, and we deserve nothing. Yet we are his brothers!

But it was God’s plan to save us. God did that by means of Jesus’ death. The writer of Hebrews calls Jesus the ‘author’ or the ‘captain’ of salvation (our relationship with God when he saves us). We are not sure which of these, ‘author’ or ‘captain’, is the better translation. Both are true. Our relationship comes from Jesus. So Jesus is like the ‘author’ of God’s act to save us. And Jesus is the leader (or ‘captain’) of all who have this relationship with God.

We are Jesus’ brothers because he has separated us to belong to him. In other words, he has ‘sanctified’ us, or he has made us ‘holy’. And so we join his family. And we all have the same Father. Jesus’ Father, God, has become ‘our Father’ too.

That is how we pray (Matthew 6:9). And that is our relationship with God. It hardly seems possible that people should receive such an honour. But it was always God’s plan that people should receive honour (Hebrews 2:7). He is God the Father, and it is his desire to have many sons (Hebrews 2:10). And he gives them ‘glory’. That means splendid and wonderful light and beauty. Only God has such glory. But he gives it to his children too (1 Peter 2:9; 1 John 3:1-2; Revelation 22:3-5).

Next part: A lesson from Psalm 22 (Hebrews 2:12)

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