For this reason he had to be made like them, fully human in every way. Hebrews 2:17
Derek noticed his son didn’t want to take off his shirt to swim and realized it was because he was self-conscious about a birthmark that covers parts of his chest, belly, and left arm. Determined to help his son, Derek underwent a lengthy and painful tattooing process to create an identical mark on his own body.
Derek’s love for his son reflects God’s love for His sons and daughters. Because we, His children, “have flesh and blood” (Hebrews 2:14), Jesus became like us and took on a human form and “shared in [our] humanity” to free us from the power of death (v. 14). “He had to be made like [us], fully human in every way” (v. 17) to make things right with God for us.
Derek wanted to help his son overcome his self-consciousness and so made himself “like” him. Jesus helped us overcome our far greater problem—slavery to death. He overcame it for us by making Himself like us, bearing the consequence of our sin by dying in our place.
Jesus’ willingness to share in our humanity not only secured our right relationship with God but enables us to trust Him in our moments of struggle. When we face temptation and hardship, we can lean on Him for strength and support because “he is able to help” (v. 18). Like a loving father, He understands and cares.
How might Jesus relate to the struggle you’re facing right now? What keeps you from leaning on Him in this moment?
Thank You, Jesus, for taking on a human form to relate to me in my struggles and pay for my wrongdoings. I want to trust You more.
INSIGHT
In Hebrews 2, the writer points to the “pioneer” of salvation—Jesus Himself (v. 10). Hebrews 12:2 uses the same word (archēgos) to speak of Him as the pioneer of our faith. Other translations render the term as “author,” “originator,” “founder,” or “captain.” The term connotes one who initiates. In Romans 8:29, the apostle Paul calls Jesus “the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.” Integral to His pioneering work is the fact that “both the one who makes people holy [Christ] and those who are made holy [those who believe in Him] are of the same family. So, Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters” (Hebrews 2:11). Not only are we brothers and sisters with each other, but also with Christ Himself.