Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, (15) and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. (16) For indeed He does not give aid to angels, but He does give aid to the seed of Abraham. (17) Therefore in all things He had to be made like his brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. (18) For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted.

The writer of the letter to the Hebrews is unknown. This letter was written to Jewish Christians in a church facing prosecution because of the gospel. Jewish Christians were ready to deny Christ and revert to Judaism but the author is showing them that Christ is sufficient. The doctrines of Jesus’s deity and humanity are not just nice theological points for intellectual debate but precious truth. We are flesh and blood as human beings and if the Lord came to redeem us He must not only be a divine Savior but must be one of us; our kinsman redeemer. We have shared in the same humanity, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death because of the fall – Satan. The devil had the power of death, not the supreme power but subordinate power of death.

Jesus Christ came to give aid not to angels but to the seed of Abraham. The elect angels need no redemption for they did not sin. The non elect angels are passed by. When talking about the seed of Abraham the author is not talking about every individual without exception, he is talking about the brethren, God’s covenantal people. Fear of death is natural to sinners. It not necessarily so to the faithful. The purpose of the incarnation was, that through death, Jesus Christ renders powerless him who had the power of death (devil), and brings the faithful to eternal life through His atoning sacrifice. This is victory over death. in Roman’s 8:1 we are told “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. (2) For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.”

Jesus paid the penalty of spiritual death and delivers the faithful from Satan’s domain. All our days are written in God’s book and we wil not die one second before our allotted time. As a Christian we know death is not the end but the beginning. Death is the last enemy and comes to us all because of sin but now, in Christ, we will live because of our belief. Satan’s power has been broken and we need fear death no longer. If Jesus – despite our sins and shortcomings – is not ashamed to call us brethren, we should not be ashamed to proclaim Him as Savior and Lord.