As the Christmas season begins, we can find ourselves distracted by the season’s busyness. We can also find ourselves sad, remembering what we have lost or have never gained. No matter where we find ourselves this Christmas, we all need to remember the reason for the season: the birth of Jesus.
To help us fix our eyes on Jesus, I want to share with you six reasons why Jesus was born from Hebrews 2:5–18.
(1) To Subject the World to Humanity (Hebrews 2:5)
Jesus was born to subject the world to come to us, not to the angels. That’s what Hebrews 2:5 says: “For it was not to angels that God subjected the world to come, of which we are speaking.” The world to come probably refers to heavenly Mt Zion, the city of God spoken of Hebrews 11–12. In short, it’s the salvation humans but not angels inherit according to Hebrews 1:14.
As Hebrews 2 continues, we see how this argument works. It goes like this. Psalm 8 says God subjected the world to humans. But the world is not yet subjected to humans. So, Psalm 8 must refer to the world to come, the world that Jesus, the new Adam would bring (Ramsay, Mark 347).
Because of sin, humans were for a little while lower than the angels. But Jesus was born to return us to our glory and honor and to subject the world to come to us. He was born for our salvation, something that angels long to look into (1 Pet 1:12).
(2) to Bring many sons to Glory by Tasting Death for Everyone (Hebrews 2:5–10)
Jesus came to bring sons and daughters to glory by tasting death for everyone. He came to regain and restore the glory and honour of being a human being in God’s word. Sin had destroyed that glory. Jesus regains it for us.
Hebrews makes this point by citing Psalm 8. That psalm of David tells us that God created humans for glory and honour, although humans were for a little while placed under the angels (Heb 2:7). But their end is to subject all things to themselves (Heb 2:8).
Here is the practical problem as verse 8 says, “At present, we do not yet see everything in subjection to him.” Psalm 8 says all things must be placed under our feet. But we don’t see that happening. This means, for Hebrews, that this subjection must refer to the world to come. And this world to come centers on Jesus. Look verse 9:
“But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone” (Heb 2:9).
Jesus in the incarnation was made lower than the angels, one might say, for a short time. But at the cross, he was crowned with glory and honour because he tasted death for everyone. As a result, verse 10 says, Jesus brings “many sons to glory” (Heb 2:10).
Jesus was born to bring us back to glory through the cross.
(3) To be made perfect by suffering, so that he could sanctify us (Hebrews 2:10c–11)
Jesus was born to make humans holy and to sanctify us. It is fitting that God “should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering. For he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one source” (Heb 2:10c–11).
The word “perfect” means complete, finished, reaching a goal. It doesn’t here mean moral perfection. By suffering at the cross, Jesus reached a goal of his being born.
Because Jesus was faithful to the point of death, he became a faithful high priest so that he could sanctify those who need to be sanctified. The humanity of Jesus was made holy—it was dedicated to God for service. So he can share his holiness. Having been made lower than the angels because of sin, the second Adam Jesus rises above the angels through sanctification.
And the “one source” mentioned in verse 11 could be “God” or “Abraham.” I find it more likely the “one source” refers to the shared humanity between Jesus and us. This is because of the prior context and because in verse 14, Hebrews tells us Jesus became flesh and blood like us to save us.
Jesus was born to be the perfect human who could sanctify all other humans
(4) To Adopt us into Jesus’s Family (Hebrews 2:12–13)
Jesus was born to be our brother, and so bring us into the family of God. Jesus is our brother. God is our father. And we all share one Spirit, the Spirit of the Father and of Jesus. Into this Spirit, we are all baptized and so adopted into the family of God.
Hebrews 2:12–13 cites three passages, which are all quotes from Jesus. These are prophetic passages in the Old Testament. And Hebrews cites them as words of Jesus. Hebrews 2:11, for example, quotes Psalm 22:22 says, “I will tell of your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will sing your praise.” The next two verses repeat the idea that Jesus as our brother—both of us children of God, him by nature and us by grace—praise God together.
It might sound strange to say, but note that Jesus here says he is our sibling in grace, our brother by adoption. As we become children of God, by faith we are adopted in the family of God because we all have our source in the common humanity of Jesus.
Jesus was born to expand the family of God. By the way, this is why our salvation is secure. As I cannot stop being a father to my children or a brother to my siblings, so Jesus cannot stop being our brother or God our Father forever. It’s a temporary arrangement. It’s family. God made human families to image him as Father and Son, so that we could know once we enter into this family, it’s forever.
(5) To Destroy the Devil (Hebrews 2:14–16)
Jesus was also born to free us from the fear of death and the oppression of the devil, who uses the fear of death to enslave us to our passions and desires.
Hebrews 2:14 explains that Jesus took on the same flesh and blood that we have. He did so because of us—we are the children that God wanted in the orphanage. Out of philanthropy, the love of humans, God the Son took on flesh and blood to be like us in every way but without sin as Hebrews 4:15 says.
Why did Jesus become human? Hebrews tells us because mortal people of flesh and blood are subject to the fear of death, which enslaves us. Enslaved to who and what? The who is easy: the Devil, because he holds the power of death as verse 15 says.
And given the context, the what must be sin, especially since the next few verses talk about how Jesus propitiates for sins. Also, when John says in 1 John 3:8, “The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil,” the works in context are sin.
We could stop here and be amazed. But I want to draw your attention to the word “help” in verse 16. “For surely it is not angels that he helps, but he helps the offspring of Abraham” (Heb 2:16). The word for “help” (ἐπιλαμβάνεται) means grasping someone hand.
The image in context means pulling one up. And that pulling up must be bringing humans who were a little lower than the angels above them. And this happens because Jesus conquered death and the devil at the cross.
We were low for a little while. But Christ raises us up by freeing us from the fear of death, and the sin that we do because we fear death. At the cross, Jesus disarms the devil (Col 2:15). He has no power over those who trust in Jesus.
(6) To be “a merciful and faithful high priest” (Hebrews 2:17-18)
Jesus was born to be merciful to you as our high priest. Verses 17 and 18 says:
Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.
Jesus became like his brothers by taking humanity to himself. For this reason, he was a merciful and faithful high priest who makes propitiation for our sins. And as brother to us, as one who took on flesh and blood, Jesus can help those who likewise suffer.
The immortal became mortal to make us immortal. The one who is Life became human to experience death. The Unsuffering One, while remaining what he was, became what he was not (i.e. human), so that he could suffer for our sake.
Jesus was born because he loved you. And as Christmas comes and goes this year, remember why Jesus came. And if you feel saddened by the loss of family or the desire for a family, remember that Jesus is your brother, God your Father, and you possess the Spirit of them both.
