Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions

Today’s devotion comes from Hebrews 2:9-18.

 

“⁹ But we do see Him who was made for a little while lower than the angels, namely, Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone.¹⁰ For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to perfect the author of their salvation through sufferings.  ¹¹ For both He who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all from one Father;  for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren, ¹² saying,

¹³ And again,

And again,

¹⁴ Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, ¹⁵ and might free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives.  ¹⁶ For assuredly He does not give help to angels, but He gives help to the descendant of Abraham.  ¹⁷ Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.  ¹⁸ For since He Himself was tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted.”  Hebrews 2:9-18.

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Today’s Scripture teaches us that in order for Jesus to be our Savior, He had to become man.  As the Heidelberg Catechism states:  “the justice of God requires that the same human nature which hath sinned, should likewise make satisfaction for sin;  and one, who is himself a sinner, cannot satisfy for others”.  (See Question and Answer 16 below.).  “Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.”  Verse 17.

Here is what the Belgic Confession states in part about the need for our Savior to be man:

Article 18:  Of the Incarnation of Jesus Christ.

We confess, therefore, that God did fulfill the promise, which he made to the fathers, by the mouth of his holy prophets, when he sent into the world, at the time appointed by him, his own, only-begotten and eternal Son, who took upon him the form of a servant, and became like unto man, really assuming the true human nature, with all its infirmities, sin excepted, being conceived in the womb of the blessed Virgin Mary, by the power of the Holy Ghost, without the means of man, and did not only assume human nature as to the body, but also a true human soul, that he might be a real man.  For since the soul was lost as well as the body, it was necessary that he should take both upon him, to save both.  Therefore we confess (in opposition to the heresy of the Anabaptists, who deny that Christ assumed human flesh of his mother) that Christ is become a partaker of the flesh and blood of the children;  that he is a fruit of the loins of David after the flesh;  made of the seed of David according to the flesh;  a fruit of the womb of the Virgin Mary, made of a woman, a branch of David;  a shoot of the root of Jesse;  sprung from the tribe of Judah;  descended from the Jews according to the flesh;  of the seed of Abraham, since he took on him the seed of Abraham, and became like unto his brethren in all things, sin excepted, so that in truth he is our Immanuel, that is to say, God with us.

Here is what the Westminister Larger Catechism states in part about the need for our Savior to be man:

Question 38:  Why was it requisite that the Mediator should be God?

Answer:  It was requisite that the Mediator should be God, that he might sustain and keep the human nature from sinking under the infinite wrath of God, and the power of death;  give worth and efficacy to his sufferings, obedience, and intercession;  and to satisfy God’s justice, procure his favor, purchase a peculiar people, give his Spirit to them, conquer all their enemies, and bring them to everlasting salvation.

Question 39:  Why was it requisite that the Mediator should be man?

Answer:  It was requisite that the Mediator should be man, that he might advance our nature, perform obedience to the law, suffer and make intercession for us in our nature, have a fellow feeling of our infirmities;  that we might receive the adoption of sons, and have comfort and access with boldness unto the throne of grace.

Question 40:  Why was it requisite that the Mediator should be God and man in one person ?

Answer:  It was requisite that the Mediator, who was to reconcile God and man, should himself be both God and man, and this in one person, that the proper works of each nature might be accepted of God for us, and relied on by us, as the works of the whole person.

Here is what the Heidelberg Catechism states in part about the need for our Savior to be man:

V. LORD’S DAY.

Question 12.  Since then, by the righteous judgment of God, we deserved temporal and eternal punishment, is there no way by which we may escape that punishment, and be again received into favor?

Answer.  God will have his justice satisfied; and therefore we must make this full satisfaction, either by ourselves, or by another.

Question 13.  Can we ourselves then make this satisfaction?

Answer.  By no means;  but on the contrary we daily increase our debt.

Question 14.  Can there be found anywhere, one, who is a mere creature, able to satisfy for us?

Answer.  None;  for, first, God will not punish any other creature for the sin which man hath committed;  and further, no mere creature can sustain the burden of God’s eternal wrath against sin, so as to deliver others from it.

Question 15.  What sort of a mediator and deliverer then must we seek for?

Answer.  For one who is very man, and perfectly righteous; and yet more powerful than all creatures;  that is, one who is also very God.

VI. LORD’S DAY.

Question 16.  Why must he be very man, and also perfectly righteous?

Answer.  Because the justice of God requires that the same human nature which hath sinned, should  likewise make satisfaction for sin;  and one, who is himself a sinner, cannot satisfy for others.

Question 17.  Why must he in one person be also very God?

Answer.  That he might, by the power of his Godhead sustain in his human nature, the burden of God’s wrath;  and might obtain for, and restore to us, righteousness and life.

Question 18.  Who then is that Mediator, who is in one person both very God, and a real righteous man?

Answer.  Our Lord Jesus Christ:  “who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption.”

Question 19. Whence knowest thou this?

Answer.  From the holy gospel, which God himself first revealed in Paradise;  and afterwards published by the patriarchs and prophets, and represented by the sacrifices and other ceremonies of the law;  and lastly, has fulfilled it by his only begotten Son.