Sermons from the Epistle to the Hebrews

Many Sons to Glory

Hebrews 2:10-13

December 10, 2000

In 1980, a movement among laborers began in the Lenin Shipyard in Gdansk, Poland, under the leadership of an unassuming worker named Lech Walesa. The movement, known as Solidarity, found its focus in Walesa who later earned a Nobel Prize for his efforts at peace in this Iron Curtain country. Poland had been under communist dominance and rule for 35 years, serving as a vassal of the Soviet Union. But the desire for liberation loomed in the bosoms of the Poles who had experienced enough bondage to last a dozen lifetimes. Within two weeks three million people had joined Walesa as part of Solidarity. Within another year, ten million stood with him from all walks of life with the common desire for liberty. Solidarity issued strikes and was willing to face the communist reprisal. For nine years they stood together facing the battering, glaring intimidation of the Communist Party. Then on June 4, 1989, the same day that thousands stood in Tiananmen Square in China to protest that dictatorship, Solidarity conquered; communists lost their grip on the country as voters cast their vote for the people who identified with Lech Walesa and Solidarity. Poland began its emergence as a democratic nation.

The story is a fascinating one, especially when contrasted with the failed attempt at democracy by the Chinese of Tiananmen Square. It seems that the Chinese had no Lech Walesa with which to identify. He had become the symbol, voice, and substance of Solidarity. As they stood with him, the Polish people found liberty and courage to go forward.

Solidarity became an issue in the first century church. The believers receiving this epistle were encountering Jewish false teachers pulling from one end and encountering Neronian persecution from the other. Everywhere they turned, they felt the torrential surge weakening their spiritual foundation. The threat to the church was enormous. Their one hope was to stand in solidarity against all the odds and opposition before them. But how would they do this? Were they to rally around mere men?

The critical issue facing those believers and us as well is being able to stand firmly and press on as Christians in the face of every circumstance. We are buffeted on every side by pressures, temptations, trials, and adversity. Any of these matters can affect our passion to press forward in faithfulness to Christ. The Lord saves us so that through the work of justification, process of sanctification, and completion of glorification, we might be conformed to the image of Jesus Christ. That is glory for the believer! The way to glory is helped by seeing our solidarity with Jesus Christ. How is this so for us?

I. Solidarity Initiated

Our author moves from describing the humility of Jesus Christ in his incarnation and death (v. 9) to declaring that it was God the Father who brought this about. He answers the question: How is God's glorious character and justice maintained in bringing those at enmity with him into sonship? How can incompatible beings, sinful man and holy God, be joined together in complete solidarity? Our text declares of all the actions of God in this redemptive work through Christ, "it was fitting" or appropriate or necessary. All that he did in Christ was appropriate for "bringing many sons to glory." Nothing was off schedule or done by chance.

John Owen describes the text as reminiscent of Israel going into Canaan land:

The Holy Ghost intimates that the way whereby God will bring His sons to glory is full of difficulties, perplexities, and oppositions, as that of the Israelites into Canaan also was; so that they have need of a Captain, Leader, and Guide, to carry them through it. But all is rendered safe and secure to them through the power, grace, and faithfulness of their Leader. They only perish in the wilderness and die in their sins, who, either out of love to the pleasures of this world, or being tempted by the hardships of the warfare to which He calls them, refuse to go up under His command [quoted by John Brown, Hebrews, 107].

That is the message of this text. Believers, true believers, are to be living in solidarity with the Captain of their salvation, Jesus Christ. In doing so they would be able to press on to the glory before them. To help them see this, the writer explains how God himself initiated this work of solidarity.

1. Sovereign foundation

It begins with God. All of our religion, all of our spirituality, all of our hope for the present and the future, must begin with God. "For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory," he writes. You will note a very Pauline sounding statement (e.g., Rom. 11:36) in the phrase, "for whom are all things, and through whom are all things." He wants to demonstrate that just as creation originated in the mind and through the power of God, so also does our salvation. It is not something of our imagination or creation that produces salvation. Nor is it something of our own self-effort that gains salvation. Nor is salvation chiefly for us. The goal of salvation is the glory of God! "All things" whether in creation or redemption, are for the Lord and his glory. There is a creeping idea running through humanity that the world exists for us and our desires. That is why some of these first-century believers were encountering fear and doubts about their circumstances. So he reminds them that their existence and especially their redemption is for the pleasure of God.

"Through whom are all things," points them to the whole work of salvation resting in the wisdom, power, and provision of the Lord. From beginning to culmination, their salvation is a divine work. Where is the consolation in that? "He that began a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ" (Phil. 1:6). For the struggling believer feeling the tug-of-war by false teaching and persecution, there is the assurance that the Lord who began the saving work is also the one who will see it through.

2. Sovereign purpose

There was no legitimate reason for God to save anyone. If we really work our way through the teaching of Scripture on the transcendent holiness of God and the pervasive sinfulness of man, then we can be assured that God had no reason, humanly speaking, to save any of us. Yet he did! By the wonder of divine mercy and grace, he has saved multitudes from their sins and brought them into adoption as part of his own family. The text describes this as the Lord "bringing many sons to glory." The "many sons" affirms the reality of salvation for people of every ethno-linguistic group through the ages. John caught a glimpse of this in Revelation 7:9-10, "After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could count, from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, and palm branches were in their hands; and they cry out with a loud voice, saying, 'Salvation to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb'."

"Glory" indicates the ultimate destiny of those who are children of God. Paul called Christ "the hope of glory" (Col. 1:27). John describes this glory as, "it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him as He is" (I John 3:2). It is not something that is fully comprehensible to us at present. It is enough just to know that we are "sons" who are destined to glory. But the "glory" of which he speaks must be grander than anything we can imagine. Paul says that even the creation will be affected by what he calls, "the freedom of the glory of the children of God." In light of this he gives encouragement to suffering believers that their sufferings "are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us" (Rom. 8:21, 18). That too is the motivation of our author.

3. Sovereign process

But how would God accomplish this sovereign purpose of bringing many sons to glory? Our writer affirms, by perfecting "the author of their salvation through sufferings." The perfecting he mentions does not mean moral perfection, for Jesus Christ is without sin (4:15). Instead it refers to the completion of the work of Christ necessary for redeeming sinners. He declares that it required "sufferings," plural, of a wide-variety, in order for Christ to completely qualify as our Redeemer.

Why did Jesus Christ suffer? First, Christ suffered temptations of every sort and conquered them completely so that he was qualified as the spotless Lamb of God to bear the judgment of God on our behalf at the cross. Second, his suffering indicates the humility he bore in the Incarnation and ultimately at the cross in which he stripped Satan of his power and ended the reign of death over the redeemed. Third, because of his experience of human suffering he is able to be the faithful, merciful high priest that comes to our aid as we too walk through times of affliction (cf. Heb. 4:15f; 5:8, I Pet. 1:18f, 3:18; also P. E. Hughes The Epistle to the Hebrews 100].

Our text calls Jesus, "the author of their salvation." While "author" is a permissible translation of the term, it seems best in this case to translate it as leader, pioneer, or captain. For it conveys the idea of one who blazes the trail before us. Who better to lead us to "glory" than one who is himself full of glory?

If we stand back and gaze upon this text, it explains that the solidarity we now have with Christ has come due to the grace and purpose of the Sovereign Lord. Even though we were at enmity with him, he took it upon himself to inflict the full measure of human suffering, temporal and eternal, upon his own Son so that he might bring "many sons to glory." Are you one of those "sons" who are destined to know that eternal experience of glory? Then be encouraged as you press on in faithfulness to Christ.

II. Solidarity Identified

It was interesting that in the 1989 Polish election, all 261 Solidarity candidates had their pictures individually taken shaking hands with Lech Walesa prior to the election. Their claim for receiving the vote of the Polish people was because they were identified with Walesa. Just as the Polish people were part of Solidarity by their identification with Lech Walesa, even so, we are to recognize our solidarity by our identification with Christ.

1. Work of Christ

Our text first explains this on the basis of the work of Christ: "For both He who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all from one." We typically look at sanctification as that work that follows justification, so that the believer is shaped and nurtured in holiness before the Lord. But here the term is used in a broader sense, encompassing the whole redemptive work of Jesus Christ from start to finish. It is Christ who "sanctifies," that is, he is the one, through his own sinless life and God-satisfying death that effectively cleanses sinful men, imputes to them his righteousness, and declares them to be no longer under condemnation before God. It is Christ alone who does this work. We can lay no claim to it, for we are but helpless sinners. But it is Christ who qualifies us as sons destined to glory.

The believers are called the "sanctified." Again, he is using this word in its broadest sense to refer to the whole work of God in the life of the believer. But it is instructive for us to see that he uses this term, for it carries the idea that we have been set apart to God through Christ, that we belong wholly to him, that we are no longer common-belonging to the world-but fully identified with Jesus Christ. Keep in mind that he is encouraging and motivating these brethren to press forward in their spiritual lives. He does so in this case by focusing their attention on what it means to be a Christian: "those who are sanctified." Think upon this for a moment. When Jesus Christ set his affection upon you and the Holy Spirit applied the redemptive work of Christ to you, then from that moment onward-for all eternity-you belong wholly to him. Your whole identity is now woven into the fabric of the death and resurrection of Christ. He affects every part of your life, for to be "sanctified" implies that you are now set apart for his glory and purpose. You cannot drift back to the world, for to do so would be an insult to the grace shown to you in Christ. You cannot give in to those feelings of spiritual lethargy, for you are no longer your own, "you have been bought with a price," therefore you must glorify the Lord in all that you do.

2. Common roots

Keep in mind that the writer is helping these struggling believers to understand their solidarity with Christ. He goes a step farther by declaring, "For both He who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all from one." The NASB has in italics Father, to imply that both Christ and the redeemed have their common root in the Father. While that is certainly true, there are other implications from that statement. It appears that the biblical writer purposefully left it ambiguous, so that we could look at the broad range of the common roots of Christ and the redeemed.

Some say that the blank answering "from one" should be Adam, as Jesus Christ is a son of Adam in a human sense, that he is flesh and blood as we are. That reality is set forth for us in the Incarnation, as God became man. As Son of Man, Jesus Christ knew the full extent of the human predicament so that Isaiah can describe him as "a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief" and our author can say, "He had to be made like His brethren in all things."

Others suggest that the blank must contain the name Abraham, since Abraham is later identified in 2:16 as the father of those who have faith. Jesus Christ exercised complete faith in the Father and his will, thus he identified with those who would have a similar faith in him.

I believe that J.B. Phillips captures the idea by his translation, "a common humanity." The NIV does an equally good job of translating it as, "of the same family." It seems that what the writer is doing is pointing ultimately to the suffering of Jesus Christ, e.g. 2:10, 14, and 17-18. The reason is that he wants these suffering believers to know that Christ is with them in their suffering and that he fully sympathizes with them. They can press on in faithfulness because the Captain of their salvation, who has suffered on their behalf, has led the way through suffering to triumph. They are "of the same family," in solidarity with him, therefore they too can triumph in the midst of suffering.

3. Brotherly declaration

Consider what was happening. These believers were wrestling with going on in their Christian lives. Maybe you identify with them. For reasons of persecution and the pull of Judaism on their end, and reasons of some other sort on your end, you identify with them. So the writer, who has already painted a clear portrait of Jesus Christ, tells them, "for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren." The spotless, infinitely noble Lamb of God is not ashamed to call them brethren. He who is blameless in thought, word, and deed, who is innately righteous in character and actions, looks at those whom he has sanctified, who are of the same family and calls them "brethren."

It was the reach of Christ's love and the success of his work that gave rise to such a strong declaration, "For which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren." Jesus Christ has fully identified with us in our humanity-in the depths of human suffering-and he has now identified with us in redemption through his own humiliating death at the cross. David DeSilva expresses it well, "The author is creating a sense of the esteem in which Jesus, the exalted Son, holds believers. He does not fear that association with them, owning them as his own family, will bring disgrace upon him" [Perseverance in Gratitude, 115]. And why is this so? Because Jesus Christ has confidence that the work which he has begun in us as believers will continue throughout eternity! These believers who had been shaken by their unbelieving neighbors estrangement of them are now encouraged to see that Christ himself associates with them. He has "treated them with honor beyond their deserving" so that they are now motivated to continue on in the faith rooted in him [DeSilva 115].

III. Solidarity Expressed

Just how seriously does Jesus Christ take this association with believers? We must remember that these Christians had not perfected their spiritual graces! They had a long way to go before they would be "model Christians." Yet Christ gladly associated with them as "brethren" and he does the same with you who have believed. To demonstrate this, our writer quotes from two Messianic texts, Psalm 22 and Isaiah 8, to explain the detailed way that Jesus Christ expresses his solidarity with each of us who have believed.

1. Revelation

First it comes in relationship to revelation, "I will proclaim Your name to My brethren." There is a unique sense in which Christians are able to grasp the Word of God in ways that those who are unbelieving do not. This does not have to do with the level of our academic abilities, but with the revealing work of the Holy Spirit in the hearts of believers.

Todd and I had the opportunity to hear a noted, respected Jewish scholar on Friday at a local synagogue. He is the first Jewish rabbi to have a Ph.D. in New Testament studies. His subject was the Jewish perspectives on Jesus Christ. Throughout his lecture he quoted the New Testament and referred to various doctrines, demonstrating that he had detailed knowledge of the teaching of the New Testament. But he would also discount the veracity of portions of the New Testament that he disagreed with. For instance, he said that he would throw out the entire book of Acts as far as he was concerned because it presented too much negative teaching on Jews. I do not doubt that he is extraordinarily knowledgeable in the broad range of New Testament studies. But he knows nothing of the revelatory work of the Word of God in the soul. Jesus declares that it is to his "brethren" alone that he proclaims the truths that liberate us and exhilarate us concerning God.

2. Worship

Quite naturally, this revelation of God leads to worship. He declares, In the midst of the congregation I will sing Your praise." "Congregation" is actually the Greek word we translate church throughout the New Testament. To "sing praise" is literally to "hymn thee" [M. Vincent, Word Studies, IV 403]. Here is the picture: Jesus Christ expresses the solidarity we have with him by engaging us in worshiping the Godhead as we gather corporately. It is "in the midst of the congregation" that this action takes place. It is the solidarity of corporate worship that Christ commits himself to lead his brethren. John Calvin helps us by commenting, "This teaching is the very strongest encouragement to us to bring yet more fervent zeal to the praise of God, when we hear that Christ leads our praise and is the Chief Conductor of our hymns" [K. Hughes, Hebrews: An Anchor for the Soul, I, 74].

Jesus Christ leads us in worship! As he speaks the Word of God to our souls, revealing God to us, he passionately prompts us to worship our glorious God. There is nothing to compare with the believer engaged in worship.

3. Trust

He shifts the quotation to Isaiah, "And again, 'I will put My trust in Him'." How did Jesus Christ live faithfully unto the Father throughout every moment of his earthly life as Son of Man? He did it by trusting in the Father, living in dependence upon him in all things. This text speaks of Isaiah sealing up his rejected message and declaring his dependence on the Lord. Now this writer affirms Isaiah's greater intent, that the Son of God, sharing our humanity, would put his trust in God. As he walked through trials, opposition, adversity, facing angry mobs and doubting hearers, as a man, he lived in dependence upon God the Father. In solidarity with him, these believers are now exhorted, along with us, to do the same. Later we are reminded, "without faith it is impossible to please God" (Heb. 11:6). Paul expressed it, "For we walk by faith, not by sight." This is the life of a Christian, trusting in the Lord.

4. Confidence

The last quotation offers a look ahead, one of eternal confidence, "And again, 'Behold, I and the children whom God has given Me'." The prophecy originally referred to Isaiah and his two sons (Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz and Shear-Jashub) whose names were signs for Israel that the Lord would one day remove their oppressors and that a remnant would return. The implication was that in spite of Israel's sense of loss, there was the certainty of a future by the mercy of the Lord. Isaiah's sons expressed his confidence in God's promises ahead.

But the words take on greater significance as our writer apples them messianically. They picture the confidence of Christ that all whom the Father has given him will remain with him for eternity (John 6:37). It is confidence that "neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in [that's solidarity!] Christ Jesus our Lord" (Rom.8:38-39). Things may look dim and grim for the present, but be assured that in Christ there is confidence for the future. Therefore, as a Christian, you can keep pressing on, in spite of the circumstances, knowing that the future confidently rests in him.

Conclusion

Solidarity with Christ means that your trust is in him. He will fulfill his mission of bringing "many sons to glory." Are you in that number?

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