But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone. (10) For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing  many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.  (11) For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one, for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren

The author of the letter to the Hebrews is unknown and the main theme of this letter, written to Jewish Christians, concerns endurance under trials. These people were being persecuted for their Christian beliefs and were tempted to revert to the Jewish religion to escape trials.  This letter argued that the faithful are saved now but the glory is ahead in Christ.  The Jewish Christians were warned not to let present heat cause them to neglect or ignore the great salvation in Christ Jesus. They (we)  are to continue in faith and hold fast.

The Jews thought the Messiah would be a conquering figure and of this world.  God’s plan however, was to use Jesus suffering and death to glorify Him and by God’s  grace to justify those who believe.  Man cannot earn salvation – no works by man are sufficient and salvation is by faith alone in Christ alone.  Our verses today affirm the humanity of Jesus; He was true God and true man.  He had to become fully human to save humans.  In verse 11 we are told that Jesus sanctifies – He is the whole of salvation – which means that He had to be without sin and also fully God.

The doctrine in our verses today is  Christ Jesus became man to save us – to bear the penalty for man’s sin as true man and true God becoming the perfect sacrifice.  Only in Christ are we justified and made right with God.  The message of Hebrews is you can’t go back.  Christ Jesus is God’s final word to us.