Hebrews 2:17

{16} Wherefore in {d} all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a {e} merciful and {f} faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. (16) He applies the same to the priesthood, for which he would not have been suited, unless he had become man, and like us in all things, sin being the exception. (d) Not only concerning nature, but qualities too. (e) That he might be truly touched with the feeling of our miseries. (f) Doing his office sincerely.

Wherefore (ὅθεν) oP. Often in Hebrews. In all things to be made like unto his brethren (κατὰ πάντα τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς ὁμοιωθῆναι) Comp. Philippians 2:7, ἐν ὁμοιώματι ἀνθρώπων γενόμενος having become in the likeness of men. Likeness is asserted without qualification. There was a complete and real likeness to humanity, a likeness which was closest just where the traces of the curse of sin were most apparent - in poverty, temptation, and violent and unmerited death. It behooved (ὤφειλεν) Indicating an obligation growing out of the position which Christ assumed: something which he owed to his position as the helper of his people. That he might be a merciful and faithful high priest (ἵνα ἐλεήμων γένηται καὶ πιστὸς ἀρχιερεὺς) Rend. that he might be compassionate, and so (in consequence of being compassionate), a faithful high priest. The keynote of the Epistle, the high-priesthood of Christ, which is intimated in Hebrews 1:3, is here for the first time distinctly struck. Having shown that Christ delivers from the fear of death by nullifying the accusing power of sin, he now shows that he does this in his capacity of high priest, for which office it was necessary that he should be made like unto his human brethren. In the O.T. economy, the fear of death was especially connected with the approach to God of an impure worshipper (see Numbers 18:3, Numbers 18:5).

This fear was mitigated or removed by the intervention of the Levitical priest, since it was the special charge of the priest so to discharge the service of the tabernacle that there might be no outbreak of divine wrath on the children of Israel (Numbers 18:5).Γένηται might show himself to be, or prove to be. The idea of compassion as an attribute of priests is not found in the O.T. On the contrary, the fault of the priests was their frequent lack of sympathy with the people (see Hosea 4:4-9). In the later Jewish history, and in N.T. times, the priestly aristocracy of the Sadducees was notoriously unfeeling and cruel. The idea of a compassionate and faithful high priest would appeal powerfully to Jewish readers, who knew the deficiency of the Aaronic priesthood in that particular. Πιστὸς faithful, as an attribute of a priest, appears in 1 Samuel 2:35. The idea there is fidelity. He will do all that is in God's mind. Comp. Hebrews 3:2. This implies trustworthiness. The idea here is, faithful in filling out the true ideal of the priesthood (Hebrews 5:1, Hebrews 5:2), by being not a mere ceremonialist but a compassionate man. In things pertaining to God (τὰ πρὸς τὸν θεόν) Comp. Romans 15:17. A technical phrase in Jewish liturgical language to denote the functions of worship. Const. with a faithful high priest, not with compassionate. To make reconciliation (εἰς τὸ ἱλάσκεθαι) See on propitiation, Romans 3:25. The verb only here and Luke 18:13.

Hebrews 2:17 . ὅθεν [six times in this Epistle; not used by Paul, but cf. Acts 26:19 ] ‘wherefore,’ because He makes the seed of Abraham the object of His saving work, ὤφειλεν , “He was under obligation”. ὀφείλω is “used of a necessity imposed either by law and duty, or by reason, or by the times, or by the nature of the matter under consideration” (Thayer). Here it was the nature of the case which imposed the obligation κατὰ πάντα τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς ὁμοιωθῆναι “to be made like His brothers in all respects,” and therefore, as Chrysostom says, ἐτέχθη , ἐτράφη , ηὐξήθη , ἔπαθε πάντα ἅπερ ἐχρῆν , τέλος ἀπέθανη . He must be a real man, and not merely have the appearance of one. He must enter into the necessary human experiences, look at things from the human point of view, take His place in the crowd amidst the ordinary elements of life. ἵνα introduces one purpose which this thorough incarnation was to serve. It would put Christ in a position to sympathise with the tempted and thus incline Him to make propitiation for the sins of the people. [ τοῦ λαοῦ , also a restricted Jewish designation.] The High-Priesthood is here first mentioned, and it is mentioned as an office with which the readers were familiar.

The writer does not now enlarge upon the office or work of the Priest, but merely points to one radical necessity imposed by priesthood, “making propitiation for the sins of the people”; and he affirms that in order to do this ( εἰς τὸ ) he must be merciful and faithful. ἐλεήμων as well as πιστὸς is naturally construed with ἀρχιερεὺς , and has its root in Exodus 22:27 , ἐλεήμων γάρ εἰμι , the priest must represent the Divine mercy; he must also be πιστὸς , primarily to God, as in Hebrews 3:2 , but thereby faithful to men and to be trusted by them in the region in which he exercises his function, τὰ πρὸς τὸν θεόν , the whole Godward relations of men. The expression is directly connected with ἀρχιερεὺς , by implication with πιστὸς , and it is found in Exodus 18:19 , γίνου σὺ τῷ λαῷ τὰ πρὸς τὸν θεὸν . For neat analogies cf. Wetstein. εἰς τὸ ἱλάσκεσθαι , “for the purpose of making propitiation,” εἰς indicating the special purpose to be served by Christ’s becoming Priest. ἱλάσκομαι ( ἱλάσκω is not met with), from ἵλαος , Attic ἵλεως “propitious,” “merciful,” means “I render propitious to myself”. In the classics it is followed by the accusative of the person propitiated, sometimes of the anger felt. In the LXX it occurs twelve times, thrice as the translation of כִּפֵּר . The only instance in which it is followed by an accusative of the sin, as here, is Psalms 64 (65):3, τὰς ἀσεβείας ἡμῶν σὺ ἱλάσῃ .

Hebrews 2:17-18 . Wherefore in all things — That essentially pertain to our nature, and in all sufferings and temptations; it behooved him — In respect of the office, duty, and employment he had taken upon him; or it was highly fit and proper, yea, necessary, in order to his design of redeeming them; to be made like his brethren — That is, a mortal man; that — By experience of suffering in himself; he might be a merciful and faithful High-Priest — Merciful toward sinners, affected with the sorrows and sufferings of others, and the more inclined to pity and relieve them; and faithful toward God, in discharging every other part of his office, as well as in relieving his suffering members. A priest or high-priest, is one who has a right of approaching God, and of bringing others to him. His being faithful is treated of, Hebrews 3:2 , &c., with its use: merciful, Hebrews 4:14 , &c., with the use also: high-priest, Hebrews 5:4 , &c., Hebrews 7:1 . The use is added, from Hebrews 10:19 . “The Son of God, who made men, no doubt had such a knowledge of their infirmity, as might have rendered him a merciful intercessor, though he had not been made flesh. Yet, considering the greatness of his nature, it might have been difficult for men to have understood this.

And therefore, to impress us the more strongly with the belief that he is most affectionately disposed, from sympathy, to succour us when tempted; and, in judging us at the last day, to make every reasonable allowance for the infirmity of our nature, he was pleased to be made like us in all things, and even to suffer by temptations.” In things pertaining to God — That were to be done either for men with God, or for God with men; to make reconciliation for — Or to expiate, as ιλασκεσθαι signifies, the sins of the people — Not the people of the Jews merely, but the people of all nations, whether Jews or Gentiles, who, in repentance and faith, should turn to God. Hence St. John tells us, he is the propitiation for the sins of the whole world, offering sacrifice and interceding for them, and deriving God’s grace, peace, and blessings upon them. For in that e himself suffered, being tempted — See Hebrews 4:15 ; he is able — Has a greater fitness and readiness; to succour them that are tempted — And he has given a manifest, demonstrative proof that he is able so to do. Our Lord was not only tempted immediately after his baptism in the wilderness, but his whole life was a continued scene of temptation, as we learn from Luke 22:28 : Ye are they who have continued with me in my temptation.

Hebrews 2:17 . Ὅθεν ) The particle ὅθεν occurs six times in this epistle, but never in the epistles to which the apostle has affixed his name; and yet it occurs in Paul’s speech, Acts 26:19 .— ὤφειλε , it behoved Him ) A grand expression, ch. Hebrews 5:3 . It behoved Him from the relationship of consanguinity, and because He had undertaken it in the Old Testament, Hebrews 2:12-13 . He now exhibits greater confidence in the tone of his speaking; comp. Hebrews 2:11 , He is not ashamed.—κατὰ πάντα, in all things ) in all sufferings and temptations.— τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς , to His brethren ) Hebrews 2:11 .— ὁμοιωθῆναι , to be made like ) This is a recapitulation of those things which precede. The sum of those which follow is immediately added.— ἵνα , that ) The apostle thrice glances at the High Priesthood, till he comes to its full discussion, ch. 7. He touches upon it in three successive steps. I. He ought to be made like to His brethren, THAT He might BECOME a merciful and faithful High Priest , in the passage before us. II. HE WAS CALLED a High Priest at the time when He was made perfect; ch. Hebrews 5:10 . III. He was MADE High Priest when He entered into that which is within the veil; ch. Hebrews 6:20 ; and when this entrance was made once for all, He always, as a Priest for us, presents Himself before the face of God; ch. Hebrews 9:24 .— ἐλεήμων , merciful ) This word, as well as πιστὸς , faithful , is construed with ἀρχιερεὺς , high priest; ch. Hebrews 4:15 , Hebrews 5:2 .

He was made merciful to the people labouring under sins: πιστὸς , faithful , so far as GOD is concerned. There is a Chiasmus here.[22] We have the Priest and the High Priest , who has the right of drawing near and of bringing men to God. The word faithful is treated of, ch. Hebrews 3:2 , with the addition of the practical application: the word ἐλεήμων , merciful , ch. Hebrews 4:14 , etc., with the practical application also added: the word ἀρχιερεὺς , High Priest , is treated of, ch. Hebrews 5:4-5 , Hebrews 7:1-2 , with the practical application added, ch. Hebrews 10:19 . The proposition or statement of many things at Romans 1:16 (where see the note), very much resembles this. Of these three points, one, ἐλεήμων , merciful , is put before γένηται , that He might become , because it is deduced from what was previously said. The other two are properly connected together, because they come to be treated of afterwards along with the first. But the word merciful , and, conjointly with it, faithful High Priest , elegantly have in this proposition a rather absolute signification, because again (in turn) the subsequent discussion contemplates faithfulness without the priesthood in the case of Moses, and mercy with the priesthood in the case of Aaron. First, Jesus is merciful . No one can suppose that Jesus had more mercy before He suffered, and that now He has more severity. Only let us now flee (escape) from the wrath of the Lamb, which is even yet to come.— Ἀρχιερεὺς ) High Priest