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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 Rom. 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 Heb. 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" (verse 13). Such
sanctified ones the great Captain is not ashamed to call brethren. The three quotations
that follow in Heb. 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.
No.20.
Him who had the strength of death (2: 14, 15).
pp. 69 - 72
"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).