Post 20 of Study: Hebrews 2:10-18, continued.

Perhaps it is my emotional state, but today in reading verses 10-18, the main thing I thought about was how much God loves us, and by logic, me. Not me because I have anything to offer or that I have any virtue, but me because I am part of the we, because I am beyond weak and a sinner and still His creation, bearing the Imago Dei.

1.     He identifies with us, calling us brethren (siblings), the children God gave Him,

2.     He suffered like us and to some extent with us.

3.     He suffered for us.

4.     He tasted death for everyone (going back to verse 9).

Now, let’s take that apart. “Everyone” is, linguistically, distinct from “all.” It emphasizes every one, the individuals, not just the corporate. We get to, we must, keep that in balance. Unfortunately, today we have it unbalanced on the side of just “me, myself, and I.”   We believe individually, not as a group, yes, and we are loved individually but not separately. I don’t believe that the trope “if you were the only person on the planet, Jesus would have died for you” is healthy theology. It presumes an impossibility. It also presumes the individual is the center of the world and nondependent on others, independent of others.

5.     He is a merciful and faithful High Priest (perhaps saying those in the past and present in the temple were not so; the one who wanted Jesus dead didn’t exactly qualify as merciful and faithful.)

6.     He destroyed him who had the power of death, the devil (therefore we do not have to be in fear of that person, in my thinking.)

7.     He released those who were in fear of death from bondage (refer to Matthew 4 and Jesus reading Isaiah in the synagogue, a pivotal passage).

8.     In all things He was made like His brethren (which in context is everyone, not just Jews).  

So. Revel in God’s love today. You do not need The Shack to tell you how much He loves you.