Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil—and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.
Hebrews 2.14-15
Hebrews 2.14-15 connects the beginning and the end of Jesus' earthly life, and in so doing, makes clear why he came. These verses would be great to use with an unbelieving friend of family member to take them step-by-step through you Christian view of Christmas.
"Since the children have flesh and blood..."
The term "children" is taken from the previous verse and refers to the spiritual offspring of Christ, the Messiah (see Isaiah 8.18 & 53.10). These are also the "children of God." In sending Christ, God has the salvation of his "children" in view. It is true that "God so loved the world, that he gave [Jesus]" (John 3.16). But it is also true that God was especially gathering "into one the children of God who are scattered abroad" (John 11.52). God's design was to offer Christ to the world, and to adopt into his family those receiving Christ (John 1.12).
"...he too shared in their humanity ..."
Christ existed before the Incarnation. He is the eternal Word. He was with God and was God (John 1.1, Colossians 2.9). But he took on flesh and blood and clothed his deity with humanity. He became fully man while remaining fully God. It is a great mystery in many ways, but it is at the heart of our faith and is what the Bible teaches.
"...so that by his death..."
The reason Jesus became man was to die. As God, he could not die for sinners. But as a man he could. His aim was to die. Therefore, he had to be born human. Good Friday is the reason for Christmas.
"...he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil..."
In dying, Christ de-fanged the devil by covering all our sin. This means that Satan has no legitimate grounds to accuse us before God. "Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies" (Romans 5.9).
Satan's ultimate weapon against us is our own sin. If the death of Jesus takes it away, the chief weapon of the devil is taken out of his hand. He cannot make a case for our death penalty because the Judge has acquitted us by the death of his own Son!
"...and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death."
We are free from the fear of death because God has justified us. Satan cannot overturn that decree. And God means for our ultimate safety to have an immediate effect on our lives. The assured happy ending takes away the slavery and fear of the now. If we do not need to fear our last great enemy-death-then we do not need to fear anything. We can be free: free for joy, free for others.
What a great Christmas present from God to us, and from us to the world!
This is an excerpt from 'Joy to the World-Daily Readings for Advent' by John Piper.
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