`They desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for He hath

prepared for them a City' (11:16).

`Both He that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause He is not ashamed to call them

brethren' (2:11).

Hagiotes and hagiasmos in Hebrews 12:10 and 14 speak of holiness as the outcome of the Father's discipline,

without which no man shall see God.

Hagios, apart from its occurrences in the expression `the Holy Ghost', comes in 3:1, `holy brethren', who are

immediately named `partakers of the heavenly calling', a statement which illuminates the meaning of `holy

brethren' here. In 6:10 and 13:24 it is used for `the saints' without qualification.

Hagion in its ten occurrences is used to denote the Sanctuary or the Holiest of all, either in the Tabernacle in the

wilderness or the true Tabernacle, `heaven itself'. The sanctification of the epistle to the Hebrews is linked with the

wilderness and the Tabernacle, not the kingdom and the Temple, and with the heavenly Jerusalem, not the earthly

(see 12:22). It is associated with purification from death; it leads outside the camp, it shares the reproach of Christ,

and counts it greater riches than the treasures of Egypt. The Offering that accomplishes our sanctification was made

`through the eternal Spirit', but sanctification of the Spirit is never once mentioned in Hebrews. It is always

connected with the sufferings of the Captain of our salvation and His once-offered Sacrifice for the purification from

sins and uncleanness. It is utterly valueless as an aid to exegesis simply to string together the occurrences of the

word `sanctify' regardless of their origin or context. The word here, as we have seen, has a special shade of

meaning which is closely related to the theme of the epistle. It does not mean every saved one by virtue of

salvation, as it probably does in Romans 1:7. It is the title of the many sons who, through suffering, are going on to

glory. It is closely associated with the Captain and Perfecter of faith, Who for the joy set before Him endured the

cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of God. It is a necessity in view of the aionian

salvation and inheritance.

The element of overcoming is often passed over in Hebrews 10, but it is there, and there with a purpose. It

immediately precedes the reference to the perfecting of the sanctified, `from henceforth expecting till His enemies

be made His footstool' (13). Such sanctified ones the great Captain is not ashamed to call brethren. The three

quotations that follow in Hebrews 2 are designed to show the close association of Christ and His people.

This is particularly so in the second one where Christ uses the words, `I will put my trust in Him' (2:13). There

we see Him trusting, in the days of His flesh, and it is there we find the oneness with Him in this sanctification by

suffering.

`For as much then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also, in like manner, partook of the same; in order

that by means of death He might render powerless him having the strength of death, that is the devil, and might

set free those who by fear of death were all their life held in bondage' (Heb. 2:14,15 not AV JP).

The words of verse 11, `all of one', here receive fuller explanation. Those who were sanctified and called His

brethren were partakers of flesh and blood, and were also held in bondage by the fear of death. The Lord too, their

Redeemer, became partaker of the same nature, submitted Himself to death, and rendered the devil powerless. Had

the passage meant merely to indicate the Lord's sympathy with our frailty, flesh alone would have been used. `Flesh

and blood' stand for human nature without reference to its deeds. In other words, the Captain of our salvation

became a real man `in like manner', `not in show, nor in appearance, but in truth' (Chrysostom).

`The children' are first described as to their natural state, `common sharers of flesh and blood'; then, as to their

moral and dispensational condition, `held in bondage by fear of death'. The Saviour is first described as to His

natural state, `He partook of the same', and then as to the moral effects, `He rendered powerless the devil' and

delivered His brethren.

Three passages should be read in conjunction with these verses. Romans 8:3, Philippians 2:7,8, Hebrews 10:5-7,

and their contexts noted.