A letter from J. A. Trench.
Dear __, The dear Doctor has passed on to me an interesting question that has been before you as to the connection of Hebrews 2:13, first clause. I do not think it has been always maintained in the use made of the whole passage. The great point of Hebrews 2 is the reality of the humanity of the Lord Jesus, as in Hebrews of the divine glory of the One who has taken His place on the right hand of the majesty on high, having made purification for sins.
That He should become Man was necessary from their own Scriptures in order that He should take the place of universal supremacy, according to Psalm 8. But then, for far deeper reasons connected with the glory of God. First, it became God that He should take His place as Leader of our Salvation through the atoning sufferings of the Cross (Heb. 2:10). Secondly, that He might grapple with the enemy in the last stronghold of his power, and set free those who were held by the fear of death (Heb. 2:14-15). Thirdly, to make propitiation for our sins: and fourthly, to be a High Priest perfectly suited to our need (Heb. 2:17-18).
But you will have observed the care that the Spirit of God takes, while proving the necessity of the incarnation, to preclude any identification, that might be supposed necessarily consequential, with the race. In Heb. 2:11 it is the Sanctifier and the sanctified ones that are all of one — of one set, as set forth in the reality of His place as Man, risen from the dead. It is the children given Him with whom He partakes of flesh and blood (Heb. 2:14). It is the seed of Abraham of whom He takes hold, as made like to His brethren, in Heb. 2:16 and 17.
Then taking up verses 11-13 more particularly, their setting gives their wonderful force. It was only as Man He could have "brethren," associated with Himself in assembly for praise; though it must be in resurrection: for if the corn of wheat had not fallen into the ground He had been alone as Man, for ever. But further proof that He was Man to do so. Isaiah 8:17 (quoted from the LXX) gives His perfect dependence as Man, "I will put my trust in Him," which leads to the last quotation from the same chapter, "I and the children which God hath given me" Isaiah 8:18; to be displayed with Him in glory, involving again His Manhood — essential as it is whether for His brethren of the Assembly, or His children of Israel.
Morally, what light is cast upon the path by which He is conducting the sons of God to glory, as we look again at the three quotations of Heb. 2:12 and 13. He opens with our song of redemption — better than Exodus 15 — the Lord Himself in the midst to lead us in it: His dependence the pattern for us for the whole way; till the end when His own come out displayed in His glory. May it be yours and mine to know a little more of such a path of triumph under such a Leader.