For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, who had brought many children into glory, to perfect the author of their salvation, by his passion.

“Of course the houses of none but married men fare well! The families of celibates, the estates of eunuchs, the fortunes of military men, or of such as travel without wives, have gone to rack and ruin! For are not we, too, soldiers? Soldiers, indeed, subject to all the stricter discipline, that we are subject to so great a General? Are not we, too, travellers in this world? Why moreover, Christian, are you so conditioned, that you cannot (so travel) without a wife? "In my present (widowed)state, too, a consort in domestic works is necessary.”

“"For it became Him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the Captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings." He speaks here of the Father. Seest thou how again he applies the expression "by whom" to Him? Which he would not have done, had it been an expression of inferiority, and only applicable to the Son. And what he says is this: He has done what is worthy of His love towards mankind, in showing His First-born to be more glorious than all, and in setting Him forth as an example to the others, like some noble wrestler that surpasses the rest. "The Captain of their salvation," that is, the Cause of their salvation. Seest thou how great is the space between? Both He is a Son, and we are sons; but He saves, we are saved. Seest thou how He both brings us together and then separates us; "bringing," he says, "many sons unto glory": here he brings us together, - "the Captain of their salvation," again he separates. "To make perfect through sufferings." Then sufferings are a perfecting, and a cause of salvation. Seest thou that to suffer affliction is not the portion of those who are utterly forsaken; if indeed it was by this that God first honored His Son, by leading Him through sufferings? And truly His taking flesh to suffer what He did suffer, is a far greater thing than making the world, and bringing it out of things that are not. This indeed also is a token of His loving-kindness, but the other far more. And the Apostle himself also pointing out this very thing, says, "That in the ages to come He might show forth the exceeding riches of His goodness, He both raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus." (Eph. ii. 7, Eph. ii. 6.) "For it became 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 (he means) it became Him who taketh tender care, and brought all things into being, to give up the Son for the salvation of the rest, the One for the many. However he did not express himself thus, but, "to make perfect through sufferings," showing the suffering for any one, not merely profits him, but he himself also becomes more glorious and more perfect. And this too he says in reference to the faithful, comforting them by the way: for Christ was glorified then when He suffered. But when I say, He was glorified, do not suppose that there was an accession of glory to Him: for that which is of nature He always had, and received nothing in addition.”

“Above, the Apostle, wishing to prove the excellence of Christ over the Angels, adduced the authority of the prophet, in which there was something that pertains to the dignity of Christ, such as that saying, "thou hast subjected all things," etc. And this he himself expounded. But there was also something that pertains to his passion, namely, "thou hast lessened him," etc. Now this seems to conflict with his principal intention, namely, that he intends to set Christ above the Angels. And therefore in this part he expounds this at length. Here he does two things: first he shows in what respect this lessening is to be understood, namely, according to the passion; second he treats of the fittingness of the passion, where it says "for it became him." Concerning the first he does two things: first he shows what has been said; second he describes the passion itself, where it says "that by the grace of God." He says therefore, "but him," etc. Let it be continued thus: thus it has been said, "what is man," etc., "with glory and honor," etc., "thou hast subjected all things," etc., "thou hast lessened him," etc.; and these things the prophet foretold of Christ, but already we see many of them fulfilled. For certain, therefore, we hold that what remains is yet to be fulfilled, namely, that all things will be subjected to him, etc. Gregory: "the showing forth of things past is the certainty of things to come." And it can be construed thus: "we see him who was made a little lower than the Angels" to be Jesus; and not only this, but "crowned with glory and honor," on account of the passion of death, which was the cause of that exaltation. Phil. 2:9: "for which cause God also hath exalted him," etc. And he says "of death," because he did not endure just any passion, but the harshest and most shameful. Wisd. 2:20: "let us condemn him to a most shameful death." Or otherwise: "we see Jesus," and as if it were asked of him whom he meant, therefore answering he says: namely, him who through the passion of death was made a little lower than the Angels, crowned with glory and honor; as if to say: this lessening is not to be understood in Christ except on account of the passion of death. Nor is it surprising, because as regards this he is inferior not only to the Angels, but even to men. Is. 53:2f.: "we have desired him, the last of men," etc. But the Gloss says — and it is from Augustine's Against Maximinus — that Christ was not made lower than the Angels on account of the condition of human nature, but on account of the passion. For the nature of the human mind, which Christ assumed without sin, has nothing greater than the Trinity alone. He is therefore lower than the Angels in body, because the passion is according to the body. This seems to be against Dionysius, who says that the Angels are greater than men by natural participation of light. And it must be said that we can speak of the nature of the human and angelic mind in two ways. In one way, according to natural endowments alone, and thus the nature of the Angels is more excellent and nobler than the nature of the human mind, because the Angel receives the knowledge of divine truth in a certain excellence and fullness of intellectual light, but man from creatures. In another way we can take the nature of each without sin, in order to the obtaining of beatitude, and thus they are equal. Lk. 20: "they shall be as the Angels in heaven." Christ, however, as to the excellence of grace, according to the human mind, is greater than the Angels. This lessening, therefore, is not according to the nature of the divinity, nor absolutely according to human nature, except insofar as he suffered according to it. We can, however, say that Christ was crowned with a threefold glory: namely, the glory of sanctification, which he had in the first instant of his conception; likewise the glory of divine fruition, because from that very instant of his conception he was a comprehensor; likewise the glory of impassibility, which he merited after the passion. Then, when he says "that by the grace of God," he describes the passion itself, and he describes it in three ways: first from its cause, when he says "that by the grace of God"; second from its usefulness, when he says "for all"; third from its manner, when he says "he might taste." For the cause was the grace of God alone. Hence it continues thus: "we see Jesus, who was made lower," for this, "that by the grace of God," etc. For it was by that very grace that it came about that he gave his only-begotten Son. John 3:16: "for God so loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son." Rom. 5:8: "but God commendeth his charity towards us, because when as yet we were sinners," etc. Or, according to what the Gloss of Augustine says, "that grace," that is, Christ himself, who is the grace of God; and thus "grace" is in the nominative case. But Christ is called "grace" because he is the author of grace. John 1:17: "grace and truth came by Jesus Christ." Or because he was given freely. Is. 9:6: "a son is given to us." So that the sense would be that he himself was made lower, that he himself who is the grace of God, etc. Both positions are according to the Gloss. "For all" — behold the usefulness. But "for all" can be understood in two ways: either so that it is a fitting distribution, namely for all the predestined — for these alone it has efficacy; or absolutely for all, as to sufficiency, for as far as it is in itself, it is sufficient for all. 1 Tim. 4:10: "who is the savior of all, but especially of the faithful." Chrysostom: he died for all men generally, because the price suffices for all; and if not all believe, he nevertheless fulfilled what was his part. "He might taste" — behold the manner. For he tastes who does not eat much, nor drink much. Because, therefore, Christ did not remain in death, but rose again at once, he therefore "tasted." Ps. 109:7: "he shall drink of the torrent in the way," etc. The traveler hastens. Likewise, taste is discerning of flavor, hence one who tastes discerns more than one who drinks. Therefore, that he might signify that he felt death and sorrow, and thus that death was not illusory, as the Manichean and Apollinaris say, he therefore says "he tasted." Lam. 1:12: "O all ye that pass by the way," etc. The manner, indeed, is set down when it is said "he might taste." A like thing is found Matt. 26:39: "Father, if it be possible, let this chalice pass from me"; and this for three reasons. First, in order to express the bitterness of death, the experience of which is through taste. Lam. 1:12: "O all ye that pass by the way." Is. 24:9: "the drink shall be bitter to them that drink it." Second, because just as to taste or not to taste is in the power of the one tasting, so too the passion of Christ was voluntary. John 10:18: "I have power to lay down my life." Third, because to taste is to take a little, and Christ remained but a little in death, according to that: Ps. 15:10: "thou wilt not leave my soul in hell," etc. Then, when he says "for it became him," etc., he shows the fittingness from usefulness. For God the Father is he who was the cause of death. For he is the one through whom are all things, as through an efficient cause, and on account of whom are all things, as through a final cause. For all things are on account of him, because on account of his goodness to be communicated. And this was the moving cause for producing things, and thus finally all things are on account of God. Prov. 16:4: "the Lord hath made all things for himself." They also exist effectively through him. Ps. 145:4: "who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all things that are in them." He is, therefore, the beginning and end of all things. Apoc. 1:8: "I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end." Rom. 11:36: "of him, and by him, and in him, are all things." It became him, therefore, since he is the author of all things, to provide for all. Wisd. 6:8: "he hath equal care of all." Second, it was fitting on the part of the cause, which, as has been said, was the grace of God; but grace is ordered to glory. Rom. 6:23: "the grace of God, life everlasting"; and God from eternity predestined those whom he was to bring into glory. And these are all those who are partakers of the sonship of his Son, because "if sons, also heirs," Rom. 8:17. And therefore he says "who had brought many sons into glory," as if to say: he himself has one Son, perfect by nature. Mark 12:6: "therefore, having yet one son, most dear," etc. Who is by nature "the brightness of glory," above, 1:3. But the others are adopted, and therefore are to be brought into glory. Hence he says "who had brought," that is, he had preordained them to be brought. And what was fitting for him? This, namely, that he himself is the author of their salvation, etc. This salvation consists in two things: namely, that they become sons, and that they be brought into the inheritance. But that they are sons, they have through the natural Son. "Whom he foreknew and predestined, to be made conformable to the image of his Son," Rom. 8:29. But they do not obtain glory and inheritance except through him whose the inheritance naturally is, who is the brightness of glory. Because, therefore, we obtain these two things through the Son, therefore he is fittingly called the author of salvation. Matt. 1:21: "he shall save his people from their sins." Below, 12:2: "looking on Jesus, the author and finisher of faith." It became, therefore, that the Father should send the author of salvation, namely the Son, as has been explained, who had brought many sons through him into glory. And thus the fittingness on the part of the cause is clear. To be perfected through the passion, that is, through faith. For he himself, insofar as he is the natural Son, is totally perfect; but because in the passion he was made lower, he had to be perfected through the merit of the passion. From this consummation, therefore, the fittingness of the manner is clear, concerning which he had said that he "tasted." For he only tasted death, because he did not accept it except that through merit he might be perfected by the passion. For his very consummation is his glorification. Lk., last chapter: "it behooved Christ to suffer, and so to enter into his glory." He also "tasted," because, since he himself had brought sons into glory, just as a physician tastes the medicine so that the sick person may not shrink from it but may drink it more confidently, so he himself tasted death, so that, since without death entering by necessity there is no salvation, no one might flee from death. Consequently, when he says "for he that sanctifieth," he proves what he had said. Here he does two things: first he proves his proposition on the part of the Father who perfects; second on the part of Christ who is perfected, where it says "for as much then as the children." Further, concerning the first he does two things: first he sets forth what he intends; second he proves it by authority, where it says "for which cause." He says, therefore: "for he that sanctifieth, and they who are sanctified, are all of one." Now it must be known that above the Apostle had said three things: first, that Christ is the cause of salvation, in which he shows that we depend on him as on a savior; second, he shows that the Father is the one who perfects Christ himself through the merit of the passion, and in this Christ depends on the Father; third, that the Father brings us into glory, in which he also shows that we depend on God. And according to this, the Apostle here does three things. For first he shows that we depend on Christ: the one sanctified depends on the one sanctified, but Christ is the one who sanctifies. Below, 13:12: "Jesus, that he might sanctify by his own blood," etc. Well, therefore, it has been said that, because he is the author and sanctifier, we depend on him; but he himself depends on the Father, from whom he has that he sanctifies, which is the second point. But all — namely he who sanctifies and we who are sanctified — are of one, namely of the Father, which is the third point. Rom. 8:17: "heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ." Consequently he proves these three things by three authorities. And first, that Christ, as mediator and author of salvation, refers to us the things that are God's. Hence he says: "for which cause," because, namely, we and he depend from the Father and are of one God the Father, "he is not ashamed to call them brethren," namely because they are of the same Father. Mal. 2:10: "is there not one father of us all?" Rom. 8:29: "that he might be the firstborn amongst many brethren." Therefore it is said in Ps. 21:22: "I will declare thy name to my brethren." And John 20:17: "go to my brethren." But note that he says "he is not ashamed," etc.; because some who are born of lowly stock, if they are promoted, are ashamed to acknowledge their kinsmen. Prov. 19:7: "the brethren of the poor man hate him." But not so Christ; rather he says "I will declare thy name to my brethren." John 17:5f.: "Father, I have manifested thy name to the men whom thou hast given me." John 1:18: "the only-begotten, who is in the bosom of the Father," etc. He shows the fruit of this announcement, when he says "in the midst of the church will I praise thee," as if to say: by this a great church is gathered for thee, in the midst of which I will praise thee. And he says "in the midst," because just as a column in the midst of a house sustains it, a lamp in the midst of a house illumines it, the heart in the midst of the body gives it life, so Christ is in the midst of the Church. Likewise "in the midst," because he was not sent to one people only, as Moses was — Ps. 75:1: "God is known in Judea" — but for the salvation of the whole world — Ps. 73:12: "thou hast wrought salvation in the midst of the earth" — and therefore it is said, Luke, last chapter: "Jesus stood in the midst of the disciples." It must be known concerning this, that before the law it was the custom that all firstborn were priests, and this pertained to the right of the firstborn. But Christ is a brother as the firstborn, and therefore he is a priest. But a priest, sanctifying the people, is in the middle between God and the people. Deut. 5:5: "I was the mediator at that time." And therefore it pertains to him, first, to announce to the people the things that are God's; second, to refer to God the things that are the people's. He does the first by saying — and therefore he says "I will declare thy name to my brethren," that is, I will lead them into knowledge of thee, and this is to sanctify them. John 17:17: "sanctify them in the truth," etc. He does the second while he makes men, out of affection towards God, break forth into the praise of God, and therefore he says "in the midst of the church." Then, when he says "and again," etc., he shows that Christ himself depends on the Father, by this that he says "I will put my trust in him." This, according to Jerome, is found Is. 8:17, where we have: "I will wait for the Lord, who hath hid his face from the house of Jacob," etc. But Is. 12:2 has expressly: "I will deal confidently, and will not fear." "I will be trusting in him" for the glory of the head and the members, which above he called consummation. Ps. 30:1: "in thee, O Lord, have I hoped." He shows, however, what hope he has, because not just any hope, but a firm one, which is called trust. For hope, even if it is not of the impossible, nevertheless sometimes has fear joined to it, and then it is properly called hope. Sometimes hope is firm and without fear, and then it is properly called trust. And this Christ had. He says, therefore, "I will be trusting in him," that is, I will have trust in his help, namely the Father's, for the glory of the body, which he will raise up, and of the members and of the soul. Ps. 31:1: "in thee, O Lord, have I hoped," etc. Jer. 17: "blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord." But on the contrary, the saints say that in Christ there is neither faith nor hope, but only charity. I answer. It must be said that hope is one thing, trust another; for hope is the expectation of future beatitude, and this was not in Christ, because from the instant of his conception he was blessed; but trust is the expectation of any kind of help; and according to this, trust was in Christ, insofar as, according to his human nature, he expected help from the Father in the passion. Hence, when it is found there that Christ is said to have hope, it is not to be understood by reason of the principal object, which is beatitude, but by reason of the glory of the resurrection, and of the glory conferred on the body. Then, when he says "and again," etc., he shows the third point, namely that he refers us to God, saying "behold I." And it is found Is. 8:18. As if to say: I have been referred to God — I, I say, who am trusting — and likewise "my children," whom I lead back to God, namely my disciples. John, last chapter: "children, have you any meat?" "Whom God hath given me." John 17:6: "they were thine, and thou hast given them to me." These are called "children" on account of purity. 1 Kings 21:4: "if the young men are clean, especially from women"; and a little after, in the same place, 5: "the vessels of the young men were holy." Likewise on account of simplicity. 1 Cor. 14:20: "do not become children in sense, but in malice be children." Likewise on account of humility. Matt. 18:3: "unless you be converted, and become as little children," etc. Likewise on account of readiness towards the good: "suffer the little children to come to me." And he shows that not only he himself is from God, but also the children; hence he adds "whom the Lord hath given me," and thus it is verified what he had said: "he that sanctifieth and they that are sanctified are all of one," because John 6:44: "no man can come to me, except the Father who hath sent me draw him."”

“Having mentioned the death of Christ, the apostle here proceeds to prevent and remove the scandal of the cross; and this he does by showing both how it became God that Christ should suffer and how much man should be benefited by those sufferings. I. How it became God that Christ should suffer: For it became 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, Heb 2:10. Here, 1. God is described as the final end and first cause of all things, and as such it became him to secure his own glory in all that he did, not only to act so that he might in nothing dishonour himself, but so that he might from every thing have a revenue of glory. 2. He is declared to have acted up to this glorious character in the work of redemption, as to the choice both of the end and of the means. (1.) In the choice of the end; and that was to bring many sons to glory in enjoying the glorious privileges of the gospel, and to future glory in heaven, which will be glory indeed, an exceeding eternal weight of glory. Here observe, [1.] We must be the sons of God both by adoption and regeneration, before we can be brought to the glory of heaven. Heaven is the inheritance; and only those that are the children are heirs of that inheritance. [2.] All true believers are the children of God: to those that receive Christ he has granted the power and privilege of being the children of God, even to as many as believe on his name, Joh 1:12. [3.] Though the sons of God are but a few in one place and at one time, yet when they shall be all brought together it will appear that they are many. Christ is the first-born among many brethren. [4.] All the sons of God, now many soever they are, or however dispersed and divided, shall at length be brought together to glory. (2.) In the choice of the means. In finding out such a person as should be the captain of our salvation; those that are saved must come to that salvation under the guidance of a captain and leader sufficient for that purpose; and they must be all enlisted under the banner of this captain; they must endure hardship as good soldiers of Christ; they must follow their captain, and those that do so shall be brought safely off, and shall inherit great glory and honour. [2.] In making this captain of our salvation perfect through sufferings. God the Father made the Lord Jesus Christ the captain of our salvation (that is, he consecrated, he appointed him to that office, he gave him a commission for it), and he made him a perfect captain: he had perfection of wisdom, and courage, and strength, by the Spirit of the Lord, which he had without measure; he was made perfect through sufferings; that is, he perfected the work of our redemption by shedding his blood, and was thereby perfectly qualified to be a Mediator between God and man. He found his way to the crown by the cross, and so must his people too. The excellent Dr. Owen observes that the Lord Jesus Christ, being consecrated and perfected through suffering, has consecrated the way of suffering for all his followers to pass through unto glory; and hereby their sufferings are made necessary and unavoidable, they are hereby made honourable, useful, and profitable. II. He shows how much they would be benefited by the cross and sufferings of Christ; as there was nothing unbecoming God and Christ, so there was that which would be very beneficial to men, in these sufferings. Hereby they are brought into a near union with Christ, and into a very endearing relation. 1. Into a near union (Heb 2:11): Both he that sanctifieth and those that are sanctified are all of one. Observe, Christ is he that sanctifieth; he has purchased and sent the sanctifying Spirit; he is the head of all sanctifying influences. The Spirit sanctifieth as the Spirit of Christ. True believers are those who are sanctified, endowed with holy principles and powers, separated and set apart from mean and vile uses to high and holy uses and purposes; for so they must be before they can be brought to glory. Now Christ, who is the agent in this work of sanctification, and Christians, who are the recipient subjects, are all of one. How? Why, (1.) They are all of one heavenly Father, and that is God. God is the Father of Christ by eternal generation and by miraculous conception, of Christians by adoption and regeneration. (2.) They are of one earthly father, Adam. Christ and believers have the same human nature. (3.) Of one spirit, one holy and heavenly disposition; the same mind is in them that was in Christ, though not in the same measure; the same Spirit informs and actuates the head and all the members. 2. Into an endearing relation. This results from the union. And here first he declares what this relation is, and then he quotes three texts out of the Old Testament to illustrate and prove it. (1.) He declares what this relation is: he and believers being all of one, he therefore is not ashamed to call them brethren. Observe, [1.] Christ and believers are brethren; not only bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh, but spirit of his spirit-brethren by the whole blood, in what is heavenly as well as in what is earthly. [2.] Christ is not ashamed to own this relation; he is not ashamed to call them brethren, which is wonderful goodness and condescension in him, considering their meanness by nature and vileness by sin; but he will never be ashamed of any who are not ashamed of him, and who take care not to be a shame and reproach to him and to themselves. (2.) He illustrates this from three texts of scripture. [1.] The first is out of Psa 22:22, I will declare thy name unto my brethren; in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee. This psalm was an eminent prophecy of Christ; it begins with his words on the cross, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Now here it is foretold, First, That Christ should have a church or congregation in the world, a company of volunteers, freely willing to follow him. Secondly, That these should not only be brethren to one another, but to Christ himself. Thirdly, That he would declare his Father's name to them, that is, his nature and attributes, his mind and will: this he did in his own person, while he dwelt among us, and by his Spirit poured out upon his disciples, enabling them to spread the knowledge of God in the world from one generation to another, to the end of the world. Fourthly, That Christ would sing praise to his Father in the church. The glory of the Father was what Christ had in his eye; his heart was set upon it, he laid out himself for it, and he would have his people to join with him in it. [2.] The second scripture is quoted from Psa 18:2, And again, I will put my trust in him. That psalm sets forth the troubles that David, as a type of Christ, met with, and how he in all his troubles put his trust in God. Now this shows that besides his divine nature, which needed no supports, he was to take another nature upon him, that would want those supports which none but God could give. He suffered and trusted as our head and president. Owen in locum. His brethren must suffer and trust too. [3.] The third scripture is taken from Isa 8:18, Behold, I and the children which God hath given me. This proves Christ really and truly man, for parents and children are of the same nature. Christ's children were given him of the Father, in the counsel of his eternal love, and that covenant of peace which was between them. And they are given to Christ at their conversion. When they take hold of his covenant, then Christ receives them, rules over them, rejoices in them, perfects all their affairs, takes them up to heaven, and there presents them to his Father, Behold, I and the children which thou hast given me.”

“For both he that sanctifieth,.... Not himself, though this is said of him, Joh 17:19 nor his Father, though this also is true of him, Isa 8:13 but his people, the sons brought to glory, whose salvation he is the Captain of; they are sanctified in him, he being made sanctification to them; and they have their sanctification from him, all their grace and holiness; and they are sanctified by him, both by his blood, which expiates their sins, and removes the guilt of them, and by his Spirit, working internal principles of grace and holiness in them, who are by nature, and in their unregenerate state, guilty and unclean: and they who are sanctified; the sons brought to glory; they are not naturally holy, nor so of themselves, they are made holy; all that are sons are made holy; whom God adopts into his family, he regenerates: sanctification is absolutely necessary to their being brought to glory; and between the sanctifier and the sanctified there is a likeness, as there ought to be: they are all of one: they are both of one God and Father, Christ's God is their God, and his Father is their Father; they are of one body, Christ is the head, and they are members; they are of one covenant, Christ is the surety, Mediator, and messenger of it, and they share in all its blessings and promises; they are of one man, Adam, Christ is a Son of Adam, though not by ordinary generation, they descend from him in the common way; they are all of one nature, of one blood; Christ has took part of the same flesh and blood with them: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren; Christ, and these sons that are sanctified, stand in the relation of brethren to each other; Christ is the firstborn among many brethren; he is a brother born for the day of adversity, and one that sticks closer than a brother: and this relation is founded both upon the incarnation of Christ, who thereby became his people's "Goel"; or near kinsman, yea, brother, Sol 8:1 and upon their adoption unto his Father's family, which is made manifest by their regeneration, and by their doing his Father's will under the influence of his grace and Spirit, Mat 12:49 and this relation Christ owns; he called his disciples brethren, when God had raised him from the dead, and given him glory; and so he will call all his saints, even the meanest of them, in the great day, Mat 28:10, and "he is not ashamed" to do it; he does not disdain it, though he is God over all, and the Son of God, and is also in his human nature made higher than the heavens; which shows the wonderful condescension of Christ, and the honour that is put upon the saints; and may teach them not to despise the meanest among them: such a relation the Jews own will be between the Messiah and the Israelites. The Targumist on Sol 8:1 paraphrases the words thus; "when the King Messiah shall be revealed to the congregation of Israel, the children of Israel shall say unto him, Come, be thou with us, for "a brother", or "be thou our brother".'' Nor can they say this will reflect any discredit upon Christ, when they make such a relation to be between God and them. The Israelites, they say (f), are called, "the brethren of the holy blessed God"; in proof of which they often produce Psa 122:8 as being the words of God to them; and again, interpreting those words in Lev 25:48 "one of his brethren may redeem him", this, say (g) they, is the holy blessed God. (f) Zohar in Exod. fol. 23. 3. & in Lev. fol. 3. 3. & 9. 3. & 32. 2. (g) Tzeror Hammor, fol. 106. 3.”

“For it became him - It was suitable to the Divine wisdom, the requisitions of justice, and the economy of grace, to offer Jesus as a sacrifice, in order to bring many sons and daughters to glory. For whom - and by whom - God is the cause of all things, and he is the object or end of them. Perfect through sufferings - Without suffering he could not have died, and without dying he could not have made an atonement for sin. The sacrifice must be consummated, in order that he might be qualified to be the Captain or Author of the salvation of men, and lead all those who become children of God, through faith in him, into eternal glory. I believe this to be the sense of the passage; and it appears to be an answer to the grand objection of the Jews: "The Messiah is never to be conquered, or die; but will be victorious, and endure for ever." Now the apostle shows that this is not the counsel of God; on the contrary, that it was entirely congruous to the will and nature of God, by whom, and for whom are all things, to bring men to eternal glory through the suffering and death of the Messiah. This is the decision of the Spirit of God against their prejudices; and on the Divine authority this must be our conclusion. Without the passion and death of Christ, the salvation of man would have been impossible. As there are many different views of this and some of the following verses, I shall introduce a paraphrase of the whole from Dr. Dodd, who gives the substance of what Doddridge, Pearce, and Owen, have said on this subject. Heb 2:10. For it became him, etc. - Such has been the conduct of God in the great affair of our redemption; and the beauty and harmony of it will be apparent in proportion to the degree in which it is examined; for, though the Jews dream of a temporal Messiah as a scheme conducive to the Divine glory, it well became him - it was expedient, that, in order to act worthy of himself, he should take this method; Him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things - that glorious Being who is the first cause and last end of all, in pursuit of the great and important design he had formed, of conducting many, whom he is pleased to adopt as his sons, to the possession of that inheritance of glory intended for them, to make and constitute Jesus, his first-begotten and well beloved Son, the Leader and Prince of their salvation, and to make him perfect, or completely fit for the full execution of his office, by a long train of various and extreme sufferings, whereby he was, as it were, solemnly consecrated to it. Heb 2:11. Now, in consequence of this appointment, Jesus, the great Sanctifier, who engages and consecrates men to the service of God, and they who are sanctified, (i.e. consecrated and introduced to God with such acceptance), are all of one family - all the descendants of Adam, and in a sense the seed of Abraham; for which cause he is not ashamed to call them, whom he thus redeems, and presents to the Divine favor, his brethren. Heb 2:12. Saying, in the person of David, who represented the Messiah in his sufferings and exaltation, I will declare thy name to my brethren; in the midst of the Church will I praise thee. Heb 2:13. And again, speaking as a mortal man, exposed to such exercises of faith in trials and difficulties as others were, he says, in a psalm which sets forth his triumph over his enemies: I will trust in him, as other good men have done in all ages; and again, elsewhere in the person of Isaiah: Behold I, and the children which my God hath given me, are for signs and for wonders. Heb 2:14. Seeing then those whom he represents in one place and another, as the children of the same family with himself, were partakers of flesh and blood, he himself in like manner participated in them, that thereby becoming capable of those sufferings to which, without such a union with flesh, this Divine Sanctifier could not have been obnoxious, he might, by his own voluntary and meritorious death, abolish and depose him who, by Divine permission, had the empire of death, and led it in his train when he made the first invasion on mankind; that is, the devil, the great artificer of mischief and destruction; at the beginning the murderer of the human race; who still seems to triumph in the spread of mortality, which is his work, and who may often, by God's permission, be the executioner of it. Heb 2:15. But Christ, the great Prince of mercy and life, graciously interposed, that he might deliver those miserable captives of Satan - mankind in general, and the dark and idolatrous Gentiles in particular, who, through fear of death, were, or justly might have been, all their lifetime, obnoxious to bondage; having nothing to expect in consequence of it, if they rightly understood their state, but future misery; whereas now, changing their lord, they have happily changed their condition, and are, as many as have believed in him, the heirs of eternal life."”

“For it became him, &c. He gives the reasons for which the Son of God would become man and suffer death, not that this was absolutely necessary, but a convenient means to manifest the goodness, the wisdom, and the justice of God, by the incarnation and death of his Son; that having decreed to bring many sons, or children, to eternal glory, he was pleased to send his divine Son to become man, and so to consummate the Author [3] of man’s salvation by suffering; i.e. to make him a perfect and consummate sacrifice of expiation for the sins of all men, and to satisfy the justice of God in the most perfect manner. (Witham) — By suffering, Christ was to enter into his glory, (Luke xxiv. 26.) which the apostle here calls being made perfect. (Challoner) — In this and the above verses we may observe three different states of Jesus Christ. The first, that of his humiliation by his passion and death; the second, that of his glory at his resurrection and ascension into heaven; the third, that of his consummated glory in heaven after the last judgment. In his first state, viz. his passion, he was made not only less than the Angels, but as the last of men; novissimus virorum. In his second, all power was given to him in heaven and earth; but this power he will not fully exercise till after the general judgment, when all things, without exception, will be made subject to him; and this is the third state, the permanent state of his glory, which is never to end. To thy sovereign power, O divine Jesus, subject my mind, will, and heart, and make my hitherto rebellious heart in all things conformable to thy sacred and loving heart.”

“For--giving a reason why "the grace of God" required that Jesus "should taste death." it became him--The whole plan was (not only not derogatory to, but) highly becoming God, though unbelief considers it a disgrace [BENGEL]. An answer to the Jews, and Hebrew Christians, whosoever, through impatience at the delay in the promised advent of Christ's glory, were in danger of apostasy, stumbling at Christ crucified. The Jerusalem Christians especially were liable to this danger. This scheme of redemption was altogether such a one as harmonizes with the love, justice, and wisdom of God. for whom--God the Father (Rom 11:36; Co1 8:6; Rev 4:11). In Col 1:16 the same is said of Christ. all things--Greek, "the universe of things," "the all things." He uses for "God," the periphrasis, "Him for whom . . . by whom are all things," to mark the becomingness of Christ's suffering as the way to His being "perfected" as "Captain of our salvation," seeing that His is the way that pleased Him whose will and whose glory are the end of all things, and by whose operation all things exist. in bringing--The Greek is past, "having brought as He did," namely, in His electing purpose (compare "ye are sons," namely, in His purpose, Gal 4:6; Eph 1:4), a purpose which is accomplished in Jesus being "perfected through sufferings." many-- (Mat 20:28). "The Church" (Heb 2:12), "the general assembly" (Heb 12:23). sons--no longer children as under the Old Testament law, but sons by adoption. unto glory--to share Christ's "glory" (Heb 2:9; compare Heb 2:7; Joh 17:10, Joh 17:22, Joh 17:24; Rom 8:21). Sonship, holiness (Heb 2:11), and glory, are inseparably joined. "Suffering," "salvation," and "glory," in Paul's writings, often go together (Ti2 2:10). Salvation presupposes destruction, deliverance from which for us required Christ's "sufferings." to make . . . perfect--"to consummate"; to bring to consummated glory through sufferings, as the appointed avenue to it. "He who suffers for another, not only benefits him, but becomes himself the brighter and more perfect" [CHRYSOSTOM]. Bringing to the end of troubles, and to the goal full of glory: a metaphor from the contests in the public games. Compare "It is finished," Luk 24:26; Joh 19:30. I prefer, with CALVIN, understanding, "to make perfect as a completed sacrifice": legal and official, not moral, perfection is meant: "to consecrate" (so the same Greek is translated Heb 7:28; compare Margin) by the finished expiation of His death, as our perfect High Priest, and so our "Captain of salvation" (Luk 13:32). This agrees with Heb 2:11, "He that sanctifieth," that is, consecrates them by Himself being made a consecrated offering for them. So Heb 10:14, Heb 10:29; Joh 17:19 : by the perfecting of His consecration for them in His death, He perfects their consecration, and so throws open access to glory (Heb 10:19-21; Heb 5:9; Heb 9:9 accord with this sense). captain of, &c.--literally, Prince-leader: as Joshua, not Moses, led the people into the Holy Land, so will our Joshua, or Jesus, lead us into the heavenly inheritance (Act 13:39). The same Greek is in Heb 12:2, "Author of our faith." Act 3:15, "Prince of life" (Act 5:31). Preceding others by His example, as well as the originator of our salvation.”