Hebrews 2:14-15: Why Jesus was born

Introduction:

People love Christmas for different reasons. For many it is all about having that long holiday and going to far off places. For others it is all about family traditions and getting together after another year of busy separation. For many it is all about the shopping and the gifts. For Christians Christmas is all about the birth of Jesus Christ. But not just about baby Jesus. After the gospels we have no further mention of the nativity scene. We are not concerned so much with Jesus as a baby but that He was born in order to live and die for us. This is the central thing about the birth of Christ that we focus on, that He was born to die. This focus is found in many places let me direct your attention to Hebrews 2:14-15 which tells us why Jesus was born. Hebrews 2:14-15, ‘Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.’ We are breaking into a thought midway here so let me illuminate the broader context before we allow it to speak the importance of why Jesus was born.

The book of Hebrews was written to a group of Jewish Christians who were facing persecution and the temptation to return to Judaism under the pressure. The book of Hebrews is written to issue strong warnings and demonstrate the supremacy of Christ over the OT. If the law was given by angels Christ was greater than the angels, if the law had sacrifices, Christ’s offering of His life for sin was superior, if the law had a priesthood, Christ’s priesthood was better. Our verses come in the opening argument where Christ is shown to be higher than the angels. Angels may be glorious and powerful but Christ is God the Son, the exact imprint of the divine nature and the creator and upholder of the universe 1:1-3. The angels may have rank He has received a better name than they 1:4-5, and they worship Him 1:6. Angels minister but Christ rules 1:8, 14. Christ is divine and eternal 1:8- 12. If it is detrimental to neglect the law which was given by angels it is worse to neglect the gospel message delivered by Christ and substantiated by the miracles. Even though the angels may minister well Christ became a man in order to save us. The verses preceding the verses we are dealing with are 3 OT quotes the quote verses that have the idea of us being one with Christ as brothers and His obedient trusting life lived and died on our behalf. This discussion of Christ being better then the angels climaxes in the verses we have here stressing how through becoming a man he overcame satan and set us free. 4 aspects of why Jesus was born are stated in these verses.