Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Hebrews 2:17

"Wherefore it behooved him in all things to be made like unto his brethren, that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people." — Hebrews 2:17 (ASV)

The purpose of salvation involved a genuine incarnation. “He had to” means “he owed it” (GK 4053; the verb can be used of financial debts). There is the sense of moral obligation here. The nature of the work Jesus came to accomplish demanded the Incarnation. This Incarnation was not aimless; it was for the specific purpose of Jesus’ becoming a high priest, another way of saying that it was to save people. Our great High Priest is one who is first and foremost “merciful” (GK 1798), and he is also “faithful” (GK 4412). This latter adjective can refer to the faith that relies on someone or something or that on which one can rely, i.e., “relying” or “reliable.” Jesus is, of course, both. But here the emphasis is on his relationship to God the Father, and so the first meaning is more probable (cf. Rev. 1:5; 3:14; 19:11). Only in Hebrews is the term “high priest” applied to Jesus in the NT. This is the first example of its use, but the author does not explain it. He may want us to see Jesus as superior to all other priests. Or he may be using the term because he sees Jesus’ saving work as fulfilling all that is signified by the ceremonies of the Day of Atonement, for which the high priest’s ministry was indispensable. “In service to God” (lit., “with respect to the things of God”) shows where Christ’s high priestly work is carried out. Some of the service of the high priest was directed toward the people, but this is not in view here.

The service Christ was to render was in order “that he might make atonement for the sins of the people.” “Make atonement” (GK 2661) is better rendered “propitiate”; it relates to putting away the divine wrath (see NIV note). When people sin, they arouse the wrath of God (Romans 1:18) and become his enemies (Romans 5:10). One aspect of salvation deals with this wrath, and it is to this that the author is directing attention at this point. Christ saves us in a way that takes account of and appeases the divine wrath against every evil thing. “The people” means the people of God—those for whom Christ died.