Therefore because the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself in like manner hath been partaker of the same: that, through death, he might destroy him who had the empire of death, that is to say, the devil:

“Now the laws of love summoned him even as far as death and the dead themselves, so that he might summon the souls of those who were long dead. And so, because he cared for the salvation of all for ages past, and in order that "he might destroy him who has the power of death," as Scripture teaches, here again he underwent the dis-pensation in his mingled natures. As a man, he left his body to the usual burial, while as God he departed from it. For he cried with a loud cry and said to the Father, "I commend my spirit," and departed from the body free, in no way waiting for death, who was lagging as if in fear to come to him. Nay, rather, he pursued death from behind and drove him on, trodden under his feet and fleeing, until he burst the eternal gates of his dark realms, making a road of return back again to life for the dead there bound with the bonds of death. Even his own body was raised up, and many bodies of the sleeping saints arose and came together with him into the holy and real city of heaven, as rightly is said by the holy words. …The Savior of the universe, our Lord, the Christ of God, called victor, is represented in the prophetic predictions as reviling death and releasing the souls that are bound there, by whom he raises the hymn of victory. And he says these words: "From the hand of Hades I will save them, and from death I will ransom their souls. O Death where is your victory? O Death, where is your sting?" "The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law."”

“Jesus sanctified baptism when he himself was baptized. If the Son of God was baptized, can anyone who scorns baptism pretend to piety? Not that he was baptized to receive the remission of sins—for he was without sin—but, being sinless, he was nevertheless baptized that he might impart grace and dignity to those who receive the sacrament. For, "since the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same nature," that we, sharing his incarnate life, might also share his divine grace. Thus Jesus was baptized that we, in turn, so made partakers with him, might receive not only salvation but also the dignity. The dragon, according to Job, was in the water, he who received the Jordan in his maw. When, therefore, it was necessary to crush the heads of the dragon, descending into the water, he bound the strong one, that we might receive the "power to tread upon serpents and scorpions." It was no ordinary beast, but a horrible monster. No fishing ship could last under a single scale of his tail; before him stalked destruction, ravaging all in her path. But life came running up, that that maw of death might be stopped and all we who were saved might say, "O death, where is your sting? O grave, where is your victory?" Baptism draws death's sting.”

“He surrenders his life, yet has the power to take it again. Yes, the veil is rent, for things of heaven are being revealed, rocks are being split, and dead men have an earlier awakening. He dies but he brings to life, and by death he destroys death. He is buried, yet he rises again. He goes down to hades, yet he leads souls up, ascends to heaven, and will come to judge the quick and dead.”

“See in what way the writer calls him created: "In so far as he took upon him the seed of Abraham," plainly asserting the begetting of a body. How else, indeed, but in his body did he expiate the sins of the people? In what did he suffer, except in his body—even as we said above: "Christ having suffered in the flesh"? In what is he a priest, except in that which he took to himself from the priestly nation? It is a priest's duty to offer something, and, according to the law, to enter into the holy places by means of blood. Seeing then that God had rejected the blood of bulls and goats, this High Priest was indeed bound to make passage and entry into the holy of holies in heaven through his own blood in order that he might be the everlasting propitiation for our sins. Priest and victim, then, are one; the priesthood and sacrifice are, however, exercised under the conditions of humanity, for he was led as a lamb to the slaughter, and he is a priest after the order of Melchizedek.”

“And again he indicates the superiority and the great interval between us, by what follows: "Since then the children," he saith, "are partakers of flesh and blood" (thou seest where he saith the likeness is? in reference to the flesh), "in like manner He also Himself took part of the same." Let all the Heretics be ashamed, let those hide their faces who say that He came in appearance and not in reality. For he did not say, "He took part of these" only, and then say no more; although had he said thus, it would have been sufficient, but he asserted something more, adding "in like manner," not in appearance, he means, or by an image (since in that case "in like manner" is not preserved) but in reality; showing the brotherhood. Next he sets down also the cause of the economy. "That through death," he says, "He might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil." Here he points out the wonder, that by what the devil prevailed, by that was he overcome, and the very thing which was his strong weapon against the world, namely, Death, by this Christ smote him. In this he exhibits the greatness of the conqueror's power. Dost thou see how great good death hath wrought?”

“Above the Apostle showed the fittingness of the death of Christ on the part of the Father imposing death; here he shows the same on the part of Christ himself undergoing death. Now he said of Christ that he was the author of the salvation of the faithful; therefore here he intends to show how through his passion he was made the author of their salvation. And concerning this he does three things. First he shows the condition of the nature by which he was able to die and suffer; second he shows the usefulness which he brought about through death, at the place "that through death"; third he proves what he had proposed, at the place "for nowhere the angels." He says therefore first: I said that he and the children are all from one, and that he called them brothers; therefore it was fitting that he should be like them, not only because he imparts to them a participation in the divine nature, which is from the gift of grace, but also because he himself assumed their nature. Hence he says that since the children shared in flesh and blood, he likewise partook of the same. Here it should be noted that by the name of flesh and blood, sometimes the very nature of flesh and blood is understood, Gen. 2:23: "This now is bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh," so that by flesh you understand the body, according to Job 10:11: "with skin and flesh you have clothed me"; but by blood you understand the soul, not that the soul is itself blood, but because it is not preserved in the body without blood. Sometimes, however, by flesh and blood are understood the vices of flesh and blood. Matt. 16:17: "flesh and blood has not revealed it to you." Sometimes, however, the very corruptibility of flesh and blood. 1 Cor. 15:50: "flesh and blood shall not possess the kingdom of God, neither shall corruption possess incorruption." But here it is not understood of the vices: for Christ assumed a nature without sin, but with passibility, because he assumed flesh like unto sinful flesh. Rom. 8:3: "in the likeness of the flesh of sin." He himself, therefore, shared either with the children, or also with flesh and blood, and entirely in like manner, namely, not with flesh in a phantom way, as Manichaeus said, nor accidentally, as Nestorius said, but with true flesh and blood, just as the children, and in unity of person. What is said here, that Christ shared in flesh and blood, is not to be understood according to what these terms designate as the vices of flesh and blood, for he did not assume guilt, nor commit it; but according to what they designate as the very substance of ensouled flesh, because he assumed flesh and soul. Likewise it is to be understood of the passibility of the flesh, because he assumed our passible nature. So that the sense is that the children, that is, the faithful, had a passible nature, and he, namely Christ, partook of the same — either "the children," namely in the nature of flesh and blood, or "the same," that is, flesh and blood — not indeed in a phantom way, as Manichaeus raves, nor accidentally, as Nestorius feigns, but "likewise," namely as we do, that is, in the way that we partake, that is, according to the truth of the thing, namely personally and substantially. For we partake of them in person, and Christ likewise assumed them into unity of person. John 1:14: "the Word was made flesh." Flesh and blood can also be understood as the flesh and blood of Christ, according to John 6:55: "he who eats my flesh and drinks my blood"; in which the children, namely the apostles, shared at the supper, and Christ likewise partook of the same, namely of flesh and blood, because he himself likewise partook, as Chrysostom expressly says on Matthew 26: Christ himself (he says) drank his own blood. Hence Luke 22:15: "With desire I have desired," etc. Next he shows the usefulness which he brought about through death, when he says "that through death he might destroy," etc. And concerning this he does two things. First he shows this usefulness on the part of the Devil, who held; second on our part, who were held, at the place "that he might deliver them." He says therefore: he partook of flesh and blood for this reason, that is, he assumed a nature in which he could suffer and die, which he could not in the divine nature, in order that through death he might destroy him who had the empire of death, that is, the Devil. But how does the Devil have dominion over death? For this belongs to God alone. 1 Kings 2:6: "the Lord makes alive, and kills," and Deut. 32:39: "I will kill, and I will make to live." I respond. It must be said that a judge has dominion of death in one way, namely as it were inflicting death, when he punishes through death; a thief has it in another way, namely as it were acquiring death for himself through demerit. In the first way God has the empire of death. Gen. 2:17: "in whatever day you shall eat of it, you shall die the death." In the second way, the Devil, who by persuading man to sin, condemned him to death. Wisdom 2:24: "by the envy of the Devil, death entered into the world." But he says "destroy" not as to the substance, which he has incorruptible, not as to malice, as though the Devil might at some time become good (as Origen says), but as to the dominion of power. John 12:31: "now is the judgment of the world, now shall the prince of this world be cast out." Col. 2:15: "despoiling the principalities and powers, he led them confidently, openly triumphing over them in himself." And this was brought about through the death of Christ for a threefold reason. One is on the part of Christ. For it is the true principle of justice that the victor subject the vanquished to himself. 2 Pet. 2:19: "for by whom a man is overcome, of the same also he is the slave." For Christ conquered the Devil. Apoc. 5:5: "the lion of the tribe of Judah has conquered." And therefore it is just that the Devil be subject to him. Luke 11:21: "when a strong man armed keeps his court," etc. Another reason is on the part of the Devil. For justice demands that whoever misuses a power granted to him should lose it. But to the Devil it was given permissively over sinners whom he seduced, but not over the good. Because, therefore, he presumed to extend this even to Christ himself, who did no sin — John 14:30: "the prince of this world comes, and in me he has nothing" — therefore he deserved to lose it. The third reason is on our part, because it is just that the vanquished be the servant of the victor, as has been said. But man through sin was a servant of the Devil — John 8:34f: "whoever commits sin is the servant of sin" — and thus subject to the Devil, and liable to sin. But Christ paid the price for our sin. Ps.: "the things I did not steal, then I paid." The cause of servitude, namely sin, having been removed, therefore, man was freed through Christ. But it must be known that no other satisfaction was fitting. For man was the debtor, but one can indeed satisfy for another out of charity. But no one could satisfy for the whole human nature, because he does not have power over it. Nor also could the human race itself sufficiently satisfy, because the whole was liable to sin. Nor also an angel, because this satisfaction is for glory, which exceeds the capacity of the nature of an angel. It was necessary, therefore, that there be a man, who ought to satisfy, and God, who alone has power over the whole human race, who could satisfy for the whole human race. Through the death, therefore, of God and man, he destroyed him who has the empire of death. Next, when he says "that he might deliver them," etc., another usefulness is set forth on our part. Concerning which it must be known that man is a servant of sin insofar as he is led to sin. But among all things there are two which lead most effectively to sin, namely the love of present goods, inflaming badly, and also the fear of present punishments, humbling badly. Of these, Ps. 79:17: "burnt with fire," as to the first, "and dug under," as to the second. But these two are reduced to the same thing, because the more one loves some good, the more he fears the evil contrary to it. These are the things by which man is bound and held fast in sin; yet he is moved more through fear than through love. Hence we see that fierce beasts are held back from the greatest pleasures by fear of punishment, and thus fear binds men the most. But among all fears, the fear of death is the greatest. For it is the end of terrible things. Hence if a man overcomes this fear, he overcomes all; and this being overcome, every inordinate love of the world is overcome. And therefore Christ through his death broke this bond, because he took away the fear of death, and consequently the love of the present life. For when a man considers that the Son of God, the lord of death, willed to die, he does not fear to die. And hence it is that before the death of Christ that one said, in Ecclus. 41:1: "O death, how bitter is the remembrance of you." But after the death of Christ the Apostle cries out, Phil. 1:23: "having a desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ." Hence Matt. 10:28: "do not fear those who kill the body," etc. He says therefore "that he might deliver them," who through fear of death were liable to servitude, namely of sin, through their whole life, which they too much desired. Or otherwise: for man was liable to a twofold servitude, namely of the law and of sin. Hence Acts 15:10, the law is called a yoke, which neither we nor our fathers were able to bear. For the hands of Moses were heavy, Exod. 17:12; Gal. 4:5: "that he might redeem them who were under the law." For they were liable to the servitude of sin. From this twofold servitude Christ freed us. But the difference between the New and the Old Testament is fear and love. In the New there is love. John 14:15: "if you love me, keep my commandments." But the Old was a law of fear. Rom. 8:15: "for you have not received the spirit of servitude again in fear." And therefore he says "that he might deliver them" who, through fear of bodily death, which the law inflicted, were through their whole life liable to the servitude of the law. But it is asked why he did not immediately free from death, but from the fear of death? I respond. It must be said that he immediately freed us from death as to its cause, but not yet from death itself, although he freed us from the fear of death. The reason for this is that if he had freed us from bodily death, men would serve Christ only for the sake of a bodily good, and thus the merit of faith and hope would perish; likewise also the very punishments are meritorious for us unto eternal life. Acts 14:21: "through many tribulations," etc. And it should be noted that he freed us from the fear of death, first by showing the future immortality, and from this man esteems temporal death lightly. 1 Cor. 15:20: "Christ rising, the firstfruits of them that sleep," etc. Second, by voluntarily foretasting death, from which we are made more ready to undergo death for Christ. 1 Pet. 2:21: "Christ suffered for us, leaving you an example," etc. Third, by opening the approach to glory, which before his death did not lie open, and from this we not only do not fear death, but we desire it. Phil. 1:23: "having a desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ," etc. Next, when he says "for nowhere did he take hold of the angels," the Apostle proves the usefulness which the death of Christ brought. And concerning this he does three things. First he shows that Christ freed us through death, which he proves from the condition of the passible nature which he assumed; second he concludes the likeness, at the place "whence he ought"; third he shows the usefulness of the likeness, at the place "that he might become merciful." He says therefore: I said that Christ through his death freed us from sins and death. Nor is there doubt that, as to the condition of nature, an angel is greater than man; but because an angel was not liable to servitude, nor worthy of death, therefore he did not assume an angel. But if he had assumed an angel, this indeed would have been on account of the dignity of the nature; but nowhere do we read that he assumed him, but only the seed of Abraham, that is, human nature, not however the ideal nature, but in an individual and an atom, and from the seed of Abraham. Matt. 1:1: "son of Abraham," etc. And he adds this so that the Jews, who glory in being of the race of Abraham, might the more venerate Christ. But he significantly says "took hold of," because that is properly said to be taken hold of which flees. But not only did human nature itself flee from God, but also the very sons of Abraham. Zech. 7:11: "they turned away the shoulder," etc. But this taking hold of human nature into the unity of the person of the Son of God exalts our nature beyond measure; hence Chrysostom says: it is truly great and wonderful and full of astonishment, that our flesh sits on high, and is adored by Angels and Archangels. Turning this over often in my mind I suffer a rapture, imagining great things of the human race. But it seems that he ought rather to have taken hold of the angelic nature than the human nature: for likeness is a reason contributing to the congruity of the incarnation of the divine person. But in the angelic nature is found a more express likeness of God than in the human, because it itself is the seal of likeness, Ezek. 28:12. It seems, therefore, more fitting that he ought to have taken hold of an angel, than the seed of Abraham. Moreover: in the angelic nature sin is found just as in the human. Job 4:18: "in his angels he found wickedness." If, therefore, he took hold of human nature in order to free it from sin, it seems that he ought much more to have taken hold of the angelic. I respond. It must be said that some nature is called assumable by the Son of God according to its congruence to unity of person. But this congruence is regarded as to two things: namely as to dignity, that that nature is assumable which is born to attain the Word itself through its own operation, by loving and knowing him; and as to necessity, namely that it be subject to a remediable sin. The first and second are found in human nature, which is fit and born to love and know God, and its sin was remediable, and therefore it is assumable. But to the angelic nature, although the first is present, the second is nevertheless lacking; for its sin is irremediable, not indeed from the gravity of the fault, but from the condition of its nature or state. What is death to men, is a fall to angels, as Damascene says. But it is manifest that all the sins of man, whether they be small or great, before death are remissible, but after death they are irremissible and remain perpetually; and therefore the angelic nature is unassumable. And through this the solution to the objections is clear, because although in the angelic nature there is the congruence of dignity, the congruence of necessity is nevertheless lacking. Then, when he says "whence he ought in all things to be made like unto his brethren," from the foregoing he concludes the likeness, as if he were to say: since, therefore, he did not take hold of the angels, but the seed of Abraham, therefore he ought in all things to be made like his brethren. In all things, I say, in which they are brethren — not in fault, but in punishment — and therefore he ought to have a passible nature. Hence below, 4:15: "but tempted in all things according to likeness, without sin" — namely as to punishment, not the temptation of fault. Likewise they are brethren as to grace. 1 John 3:1: "behold what charity God the Father has given us, that we should be called and should be the sons of God." Rom. 8:29: "whom he foreknew, he also predestined to be made conformable," etc. Next he sets forth the usefulness of this likeness, when he says "that he might become merciful," where he does two things: for first he sets it forth; second he expounds it, at the place "for in that," etc. For Christ, insofar as he is mediator, has a twofold office. One by which he is set over the whole human race as judge. John 5:27: "he gave him power to do judgment," etc. The other, by comparison to God, before whom he intercedes for us as it were an advocate, because he stands before his face for us — below, 7:25, and 1 John 2:1: "we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ," etc. But in a judge mercy is most desired, and especially by the accused; in an advocate fidelity is desired. But in Christ the Apostle intimates that these two things exist through his passion. For the human race desired mercy in Christ insofar as he is judge; fidelity, insofar as he is advocate. And Christ exhibited these two things through his passion. Hence as to the first he says that through the passion he was made like his brethren, that he might become merciful. But was he not merciful from eternity? It seems that he was, because "his mercies are over all his works," Ps. 144:9. Likewise, from the beginning he had mercy. Job 31:18: "from my infancy mercy grew up with me." I respond. It must be said that mercy is called, as it were, a wretched heart over another's misery, and this is in two ways. In one way through mere apprehension, and thus God, without passion, apprehends our misery. For he knew our frame, as it is said in Ps. 102:14. In another way through experience, and thus Christ, especially in his passion, experienced our misery. And thus it is said, that he who was merciful through apprehension of our misery, might become merciful through experience. Is. 58:9: "I will cry, and say: behold I am here, for I am merciful, the Lord your God." And hence it is that he showed mercy, as is clear concerning the woman caught in adultery. He taught mercy, Matt. 5:7: "be merciful," etc. He commanded mercy, Matt. 12:7: "learn what this is: I will have mercy, and not sacrifice," etc. Likewise he himself is a faithful advocate. And therefore he is called a faithful high priest. Below, 9:11: "Christ, being present, a high priest of the good things to come." And it is required that he be faithful. 1 Cor. 14:2: "here now it is required among stewards, that a man be found faithful." And all this, that he might make propitiation for the sins of the people, namely for whom he willed to undergo death. For the passion itself is a pleading, and an intercession of the faithful. Then, when he says "for in that," etc., he expounds this usefulness, and it continues thus, as if he were to say: I do not speak of Christ insofar as he is God, but insofar as he is man. And therefore "in that," that is, in that nature which he assumed, so that he might experience in himself that our cause is his own. Hence he says "he was both tempted and suffered"; therefore he is able to help also those who are tempted. Or otherwise: therefore he was made merciful and faithful, because in that he suffered and was tempted, he has a certain fittingness for this, that he should show mercy. And he says "tempted," not by the flesh, but by the enemy. Matt. 4:1: "Jesus was led into the desert by the spirit, to be tempted by the Devil." For in him there was no rebellion of the lower part against the higher, but he suffered in the flesh for us. 1 Pet. 2:21: "Christ suffered for us," etc. And 4:1: "Christ therefore having suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same thought."”

“Here the apostle proceeds to assert the incarnation of Christ, as taking upon him not the nature of angels, but the seed of Abraham; and he shows the reason and design of his so doing. I. The incarnation of Christ is asserted (Heb 2:16): Verily he took not upon him the nature of angels, but he took upon him the seed of Abraham. He took part of flesh and blood. Though as God he pre-existed from all eternity, yet in the fulness of time he took our nature into union with his divine nature, and became really and truly man. He did not lay hold of angels, but he laid hold of the seed of Abraham. The angels fell, and he let them go, and lie under the desert, defilement, and dominion of their sin, without hope or help. Christ never designed to be the Saviour of the fallen angels; as their tree fell, so it lies, and must lie to eternity, and therefore he did not assume their nature. The nature of angels could not be an atoning sacrifice for the sin of man. Now Christ resolving to recover the seed of Abraham and raise them up from their fallen state, he took upon him the human nature from one descended from the loins of Abraham, that the same nature that had sinned might suffer, to restore human nature to a state of hope and trial, and all that accepted of mercy to a state of special favour and salvation. Now there is hope and help for the chief of sinners in and through Christ. Here is a price paid sufficient for all, and suitable to all, for it was in our nature. Let us all then know the day of our gracious visitation, and improve that distinguishing mercy which has been shown to fallen men, not to the fallen angels. II. The reasons and designs of the incarnation of Christ are declared. 1. Because the children were partakers of flesh and blood, he must take part of the same, and he made like his brethren, Heb 2:14, Heb 2:15. For no higher nor lower nature than man's that had sinned could so suffer for the sin of man as to satisfy the justice of God, and raise man up to a state of hope, and make believers the children of God, and so brethren to Christ. 2. He became man that he might die; as God he could not die, and therefore he assumed another nature and state. Here the wonderful love of God appeared, that, when Christ knew what he must suffer in our nature, and how he must die in it, yet he so readily took it upon him. The legal sacrifices and offerings God could not accept as propitiation. A body was prepared for Christ, and he said, Lo! I come, I delight to do thy will. 3. That through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil, Heb 2:14. The devil was the first sinner, and the first tempter to sin, and sin was the procuring cause of death; and he may be said to have the power of death, as he draws men into sin, the ways whereof are death, as he is often permitted to terrify the consciences of men with the fear of death, and as he is the executioner of divine justice, haling their souls from their bodies to the tribunal of God, there to receive their doom, and then being their tormentor, as he was before their tempter. In these respects he may be said to have had the power of death. But now Christ has so far destroyed him who had the power of death that he can keep none under the power of spiritual death; nor can he draw any into sin (the procuring cause of death), nor require the soul of any from the body, nor execute the sentence upon any but those who choose and continue to be his willing slaves, and persist in their enmity to God. 4. That he might deliver his own people from the slavish fear of death to which they are often subject. This may refer to the Old Testament saints, who were more under a spirit of bondage, because life and immortality were not so fully brought to light as now they are by the gospel. Or it may refer to all the people of God, whether under the Old Testament or the New, whose minds are often in perplexing fears about death and eternity. Christ became man, and died, to deliver them from those perplexities of soul, by letting them know that death is not only a conquered enemy, but a reconciled friend, not sent to hurt the soul, or separate it from the love of God, but to put an end to all their grievances and complaints, and to give them a passage to eternal life and blessedness; so that to them death is not now in the hand of Satan, but in the hand of Christ - not Satan's servant, but Christ's servant - has not hell following it, but heaven to all who are in Christ. 5. Christ must be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to the justice and honour of God and to the support and comfort of his people. He must be faithful to God and merciful to men. (1.) In things pertaining to God, to his justice, and to his honour - to make reconciliation for the sins of the people, to make all the attributes of divine nature, and all the persons subsisting therein, harmonize in man's recovery, and fully to reconcile God and man. Observe, There was a great breach and quarrel between God and man, by reason of sin; but Christ, by becoming man and dying, has taken up the quarrel, and made reconciliation so far that God is ready to receive all into favour and friendship who come to him through Christ. (2.) In things pertaining to his people, to their support and comfort: In that he suffered, being tempted, he is able to succour those that are tempted, Heb 2:18. Here observe, [1.] Christ's passion: He suffered being tempted; and his temptations were not the least part of his sufferings. He was in all things tempted as we are, yet without sin, Heb 4:15. [2.] Christ's compassion: He is able to succour those that are tempted. He is touched with a feeling of our infirmities, a sympathizing physician, tender and skilful; he knows how to deal with tempted sorrowful souls, because he has been himself sick of the same disease, not of sin, but of temptation and trouble of soul. The remembrance of his own sorrows and temptations makes him mindful of the trials of his people, and ready to help them. Here observe, First, The best of Christians are subject to temptations, to many temptations, while in this world; let us never count upon an absolute freedom from temptations in this world. Secondly, Temptations bring our souls into such distress and danger that they need support and succour. Thirdly, Christ is ready and willing to succour those who under their temptations apply to him; and he became man, and was tempted, that he might be every way qualified to succour his people.”

“And deliver them, who through fear of death,.... This is another end of Christ's assuming human nature, and dying in it, and thereby destroying Satan, that he might save some out of his hands: who were all their lifetime subject to bondage; meaning chiefly God's elect among the Jews; for though all men are in a state of bondage to the lusts of the flesh, and are Satan's captives; yet this describes more particularly the state of the Jews, under the law of Moses, which gendered unto bondage; which they being guilty of the breach of, and seeing the danger they were exposed to on that account, were subject, bound, and held fast in and under a spirit of bondage: and that "through fear of death"; through fear of a corporeal death; through fear of chastisements and afflictions, the forerunners of death, and what sometimes bring it on; and through fear of death itself, as a disunion of soul and body, and as a penal evil; and through fear of what follows it, an awful judgment: and this the Jews especially were in fear of, from their frequent violations of the precepts, both of the moral, and of the ceremonial law, which threatened with death; and this they lived in a continual fear of, because they were daily transgressing, which brought on them a spirit of bondage unto fear: and, as Philo the Jew (o) observes, nothing more brings the mind into bondage than the fear of death: and many these, even all the chosen ones among them, Christ delivered, or saved from sin, from Satan, from the law, and its curses, from death corporeal, as a penal evil, and from death eternal; even from all enemies and dangers, and brought them into the glorious liberty of the children of God. (o) Quod omnis Probus Liber, p. 868.”

“The children are partakers of flesh and blood - Since those children of God, who have fallen and are to be redeemed, are human beings; in order to be qualified to redeem them by suffering and dying in their stead, He himself likewise took part of the same - he became incarnate; and thus he who was God with God, became man with men. By the children here we are to understand, not only the disciples and all genuine Christians, as in Heb 2:13, but also the whole human race; all Jews and all Gentiles; so Joh 11:51, Joh 11:52 : He prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation; and not for that nation only, but also that he should gather together in one the Children of God that were scattered abroad; meaning, probably, all the Jews in every part of the earth. But collate this with Jo1 2:2, where: the evangelist explains the former words: He is the propitiation for our sins, (the Jews), and not for ours only, but for the sins of the Whole World. As the apostle was writing to the Hebrews only, he in general uses a Jewish phraseology, pointing out to them their own privileges; and rarely introduces the Gentiles, or what the Messiah has done for the other nations of the earth. That through death - That by the merit of his own death, making atonement for sin, and procuring the almighty energy of the Holy Spirit, he might counterwork καταργηση, or render useless and ineffectual, all the operations of him who had the power, κρατος, or influence, to bring death into the world; so that death, which was intended by him who was a murderer from the beginning to be the final ruin of mankind, becomes the instrument of their exaltation and endless glory; and thus the death brought in by Satan is counterworked and rendered ineffectual by the death of Christ. Him that had the power of death - This is spoken in conformity to an opinion prevalent among the Jews, that there was a certain fallen angel who was called מלאך המות malak hammaveth, the angel of death; i.e. one who had the power of separating the soul from the body, when God decreed that the person should die. There were two of these, according to some of the Jewish writers: one was the angel of death to the Gentiles; the other, to the Jews. Thus Tob haarets, fol. 31: "There are two angels which preside over death: one is over those who die out of the land of Israel, and his name is Sammael; the other is he who presides over those who die in the land of Israel, and this is Gabriel." Sammael is a common name for the devil among the Jews; and there is a tradition among them, delivered by the author of Pesikta rabbetha in Yalcut Simeoni, par. 2, f. 56, that the angel of death should be destroyed by the Messiah! "Satan said to the holy blessed God: Lord of the world, show me the Messiah. The Lord answered: Come and see him. And when he had seen him he was terrified, and his countenance fell, and he said: Most certainly this is the Messiah who shall cast me and all the nations into hell, as it is written Isa 25:8, The Lord shall swallow up death for ever." This is a very remarkable saying, and the apostle shows that it is true, for the Messiah came to destroy him who had the power of death. Dr. Owen has made some collections on this head from other Jewish writers which tend to illustrate this verse; they may he seen in his comment, vol. i., p. 456, 8vo. edition.”

“He who has thus been shown to be the "Captain (Greek, 'Leader') of salvation" to the "many sons," by trusting and suffering like them, must therefore become man like them, in order that His death may be efficacious for them [ALFORD]. the children--before mentioned (Heb 2:13); those existing in His eternal purpose, though not in actual being. are partakers of--literally, "have (in His purpose) been partakers" all in common. flesh and blood--Greek oldest manuscripts have "blood and flesh." The inner and more important element, the blood, as the more immediate vehicle of the soul, stands before the more palpable element, the flesh; also, with reference to Christ's blood-shedding with a view to which He entered into community with our corporeal life. "The life of the flesh is in the blood; it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul" (Lev 17:11, Lev 17:14). also--Greek, "in a somewhat similar manner"; not altogether in a like manner. For He, unlike them, was conceived and born not in sin (Heb 4:15). But mainly "in like manner"; not in mere semblance of a body, as the DocetÃ&brvbr heretics taught. took part of--participated in. The forfeited inheritance (according to Jewish law) was ransomed by the nearest of kin; so Jesus became our nearest of kin by His assumed humanity, in order to be our Redeemer. that through death--which He could not have undergone as God but only by becoming man. Not by Almighty power but by His death (so the Greek) He overcame death. "Jesus suffering death overcame; Satan wielding death succumbed" [BENGEL]. As David cut off the head of Goliath with the giant's own sword wherewith the latter was wont to win his victories. Coming to redeem mankind, Christ made Himself a sort of hook to destroy the devil; for in Him there was His humanity to attract the devourer to Him, His divinity to pierce him, apparent weakness to provoke, hidden power to transfix the hungry ravisher. The Latin epigram says, Mors mortis morti mortem nisi morte tu lisset, ÆternÃ&brvbr vitÃ&brvbr janua clausa foret. "Had not death by death borne to death the death of Death, the gate of eternal life would have been closed". destroy--literally, "render powerless"; deprive of all power to hurt His people. "That thou mightest still the enemy and avenger" (Psa 8:2). The same Greek verb is used in Ti2 1:10, "abolished death." There is no more death for believers. Christ plants in them an undying seed, the germ of heavenly immortality, though believers have to pass through natural death. power--Satan is "strong" (Mat 12:29). of death--implying that death itself is a power which, though originally foreign to human nature, now reigns over it (Rom 5:12; Rom 6:9). The power which death has Satan wields. The author of sin is the author of its consequences. Compare "power of the enemy" (Luk 10:19). Satan has acquired over man (by God's law, Gen 2:17; Rom 6:23) the power of death by man's sin, death being the executioner of sin, and man being Satan's "lawful captive." Jesus, by dying, has made the dying His own (Rom 14:9), and has taken the prey from the mighty. Death's power was manifest; he who wielded that power, lurking beneath it, is here expressed, namely, Satan. Wisdom 2:24, "By the envy of the devil, death entered into the world."”