Hebrews 2:14-18 (HCSB)
Now since the children have flesh and blood in common, Jesus also shared in these, so that through His death He might destroy the one holding the power of death—that is, the Devil—and free those who were held in slavery all their lives by the fear of death. For it is clear that He does not reach out to help angels, but to help Abraham’s offspring. Therefore, He had to be like His brothers in every way, so that He could become a merciful and faithful high priest in service[a] to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For since He Himself was tested and has suffered, He is able to help those who are tested.
In this paragraph, the writer of Hebrews points out four things that Jesus accomplished through His life, death, and resurrection. In order to accomplish these four things, He had to be made flesh and blood. A simulated death and a sham resurrection could not do any of these things. Only the real death of a real, sinless human being, and a real triumph over death through resurrection could accomplish them.
First, by His meritorious death, though He himself was innocent of any sin or wrongdoing, He thoroughly defeated the enemy, satan, and set the stage for his ultimate destruction in the lake of fire (Revelation 20:7-10). Even though satan appeared to win, Jesus knew and told His followers in advance that the enemy had no power over him (John 14:30-31). Through His obedient death, Jesus fulfilled the very first messianic prophecy in Scripture (Genesis 3:15), which specifically predicted the downfall of the enemy by the “seed of the woman”, Jesus.
Second, by His resurrection, Jesus removed the fear of death that had gripped mankind for millennia. He came back to prove conclusively that there was an even more abundant life on the other side of death, one that can be shared by anyone who will believe in and follow Jesus.
Third, through His death, Jesus became an effectual high priest for the people of God, a theme which the writer will develop more fully in chapters 4 and 5. Instead of the blood of bulls and sheep to atone for sins, once for each individual sin, Jesus came with His own blood to atone for sin once for all.
And finally, because Jesus struggled mightily against the temptation to avoid the pain, the suffering and the shame of the cross, and was victorious, He is able to help all those who are struggling with temptation. He can do this both as an example of the victory that is possible through faith and steadfast obedience., and by the power and authority with which He imbues those who belong to him by faith.
Father, we are often taught that Jesus died for our sins, and that He died so that we could have eternal life. But how much richer are the gifts He brought bought for us with His life, His death, and His resurrection! How much more we have to be thankful for, and how much greater our ability to live for You because of His obedience. Thank you, Lord, for these amazing truths! Amen.