SEV Biblia, Chapter 2:17
Por lo cual, debía hacerse en todo semejante a los hermanos, ser hecho misericordioso y fiel Sumo sacerdote en lo que es para con Dios, para expiar los pecados del pueblo;
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Hebrew 2:17
Verse 17. Wherefore in all things] Because he thus laid hold on man in order to redeem him, it was necessary that he should in all things become like to man, that he might suffer in his stead, and make an atonement in his nature. That he might be a merciful and faithful high priest] ina elehmwn genhtai? That he might be merciful - that he might be affected with a feeling of our infirmities, that, partaking of our nature with all its innocent infirmities and afflictions, he might know how to compassionate poor, afflicted, suffering man. And that he might be a faithful high priest in those things which relate to God, whose justice requires the punishment of the transgressors, or a suitable expiation to be made for the sins of the people.
The proper meaning of ilaskesqai tav amartiav is to make propitiation or atonement for sins by sacrifice. See the note on this word, "Luke xviii. 13", where it is particularly explained. Christ is the great High Priest of mankind; 1. He exercises himself in the things pertaining to GOD, taking heed that God's honour be properly secured, his worship properly regulated, his laws properly enforced, and both his justice and mercy magnified. Again, 2. He exercises himself in things pertaining to MEN, that he may make an atonement for them, apply this atonement to them, and liberate them thereby from the curse of a broken law, from the guilt and power of sin, from its inbeing and nature, and from all the evils to which they were exposed through it, and lastly that he might open their way into the holiest by his own blood; and he has mercifully and faithfully accomplished all that he has undertaken.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 17. Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren , etc..] The adopted sons of God, who were brethren before Christ's incarnation, being from all eternity predestinated to the adoption of children: Christ's incarnation was in time, and after that many of the brethren existed; and it was only for their sakes that he assumed human nature; and therefore it was proper he should be like them in that nature, in all things: in all the essentials of it; it was not necessary that he should have it by natural generation; nor that it should have a subsistence in itself as theirs: and in all the properties and affections of it, that are, not sinful; for it did not behove him to be like them in sin, nor in sickness, and in diseases of the body: and in all temptations; though in some things his differ from theirs; none of his arose from within; and those from without could make no impression on him: and in sufferings, that there might be a conformity between the head and members; though there is in some things a difference; his sufferings were by way of punishment, and were attended with wrath, and were meritorious, which cannot be said of theirs; but that he should have an human nature, as to its essence and perfection, like to theirs, was necessary: it was proper he should be truly and really man, as well as truly God, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest ; he could not be an high priest, offer sacrifice for sin, and make intercession, unless he was man; nor could he be a merciful and compassionate one, sympathize with his people in their sorrows, temptations, and sufferings, unless he was like them in these; nor would he be a faithful, that is, a true and lawful one otherwise, because every high priest is taken from among men: in things [pertaining] to God ; in things in which God has to do with his people, as to preside in his name over them, to declare his will unto them, and bless them; and in things in which the people have to do with God, to offer to God a sacrifice for their sins, to present this sacrifice to him, to appear in his presence for them, to carry in their petitions, and plead their cause as their advocate: to make reconciliation for the sins of the people ; of God's covenant people, the people he has chosen for himself, and given to his Son; and whom Christ saves from their sins, by making satisfaction for them, to the law and justice of God, which is here meant by reconciliation: and in order to this, which could not be done without blood, without sufferings and death, it was proper he should be man, and like unto his brethren: the allusion seems to be to the two goats on the day of atonement, one of which was to be slain, and the other let go; which were to be, as the Jews say f39 , yw , alike, in colour, in stature, and in price; and so were the birds to be alike in the same things, that were used at the cleansing of the leper f40 : and the Jews tell us f41 , that the high priest was to be greater than his brethren, in beauty, in strength, in wisdom, and in riches; all which is true of Christ.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 14-18 - The angels fell, and remained without hope or help. Christ neve designed to be the Saviour of the fallen angels, therefore he did no take their nature; and the nature of angels could not be an atonin sacrifice for the sin of man. Here is a price paid, enough for all, an suitable to all, for it was in our nature. Here the wonderful love of God appeared, that, when Christ knew what he must suffer in our nature and how he must die in it, yet he readily took it upon him. And thi atonement made way for his people's deliverance from Satan's bondage and for the pardon of their sins through faith. Let those who drea death, and strive to get the better of their terrors, no longer attemp to outbrave or to stifle them, no longer grow careless or wicke through despair. Let them not expect help from the world, or huma devices; but let them seek pardon, peace, grace, and a lively hope of heaven, by faith in Him who died and rose again, that thus they ma rise above the fear of death. The remembrance of his own sorrows an temptations, makes Christ mindful of the trials of his people, an ready to help them. He is ready and willing to succour those who ar tempted, and seek him. He became man, and was tempted, that he might be every way qualified to succour his people, seeing that he had passe through the same temptations himself, but continued perfectly free from sin. Then let not the afflicted and tempted despond, or give place to Satan, as if temptations made it wrong for them to come to the Lord in prayer. Not soul ever perished under temptation, that cried unto the Lord from real alarm at its danger, with faith and expectation of relief. This is our duty upon our first being surprised by temptations and would stop their progress, which is our wisdom __________________________________________________________________
Greek Textus Receptus
οθεν 3606 ωφειλεν 3784 5707 κατα 2596 παντα 3956 τοις 3588 αδελφοις 80 ομοιωθηναι 3666 5683 ινα 2443 ελεημων 1655 γενηται 1096 5638 και 2532 πιστος 4103 αρχιερευς 749 τα 3588 προς 4314 τον 3588 θεον 2316 εις 1519 το 3588 ιλασκεσθαι 2433 5745 τας 3588 αμαρτιας 266 του 3588 λαου 2992
Vincent's NT Word Studies
17. Wherefore (oqen). o P. Often in Hebrews.In all things to be made like unto his brethren (kata panta toiv adelfoiv omoiwqhnai). Comp. Philip. ii. 7, ejn oJmoiwmati ajnqrwpwn genomenov having become in the likeness of men. Likeness is asserted without qualification. There was a complete and real likeness to humanity, a likeness which was closest just where the traces of the curse of sin were most apparent - in poverty, temptation, and violent and unmerited death.
It behooved (wfeilen). Indicating an obligation growing out of the position which Christ assumed: something which he owed to his position as the helper of his people.
That he might be a merciful and faithful high priest (ina elehmwn genhtai kai pistov arciereuv). Rend. that he might be compassionate, and so (in consequence of being compassionate), a faithful high priest. The keynote of the Epistle, the high-priesthood of Christ, which is intimated in ch. i. 3, is here for the first time distinctly struck. Having shown that Christ delivers from the fear of death by nullifying the accusing power of sin, he now shows that he does this in his capacity of high priest, for which office it was necessary that he should be made like unto his human brethren. In the O.T. economy, the fear of death was especially connected with the approach to God of an impure worshipper (see Num. xviii. 3, 5). This fear was mitigated or removed by the intervention of the Levitical priest, since it was the special charge of the priest so to discharge the service of the tabernacle that there might be no outbreak of divine wrath on the children of Israel (Num. xviii. 5).Genhtai might show himself to be, or prove to be. The idea of compassion as an attribute of priests is not found in the O.T. On the contrary, the fault of the priests was their frequent lack of sympathy with the people (see Hos. iv. 4-9). In the later Jewish history, and in N.T. times, the priestly aristocracy of the Sadducees was notoriously unfeeling and cruel. The idea of a compassionate and faithful high priest would appeal powerfully to Jewish readers, who knew the deficiency of the Aaronic priesthood in that particular. Pistov faithful, as an attribute of a priest, appears in 1 Samuel ii. 35. The idea there is fidelity. He will do all that is in God's mind. Comp. Heb. iii. 2. This implies trustworthiness. The idea here is, faithful in filling out the true ideal of the priesthood (ch. v. 1, 2), by being not a mere ceremonialist but a compassionate man.
In things pertaining to God (ta prov ton qeon). Comp. Rom. xv. 17. A technical phrase in Jewish liturgical language to denote the functions of worship. Const. with a faithful high priest, not with compassionate. To make reconciliation (eiv to ilaskeqai). See on propitiation, Rom. iii. 25. The verb only here and Luke xviii. 13.
