Hebrews 2

Wesley: It became him—it was suitable to all his attributes, justice, goodness, and wisdom. For whom—as their ultimate end—and by whom—as their first cause—are all things. In bringing many children to glory—to perfect the captain of their salvation through sufferings. Captain: prince, leader, and author. Perfect/consummate: bring him to a full and glorious end of all his troubles. What is said of our Lord’s being made perfect through sufferings has no relation to our being saved or sanctified by sufferings as atonement; his atonement and his Spirit carrying on faith’s work alone can sanctify us.

Agreed on both sides: the pioneer is perfected through suffering; many sons are brought to glory. Arminians gladly confess the fittingness of the Father’s plan without making our pains a second sacrifice.

Calvin: that Christ’s humiliation appear glorious to the godly. The best cause is God’s good pleasure—for whom and by whom are all things. It was necessary that Christ, as the first-begotten, should by the cross be inaugurated into his supremacy, since that is the common lot of all; this is the conforming of the head with the members (Rom 8:29). By sorrows the faithful are sanctified for glory as Christ himself was—so they may kiss the cross rather than dread it. τελειῶσαι: consecrated/perfected as captain.

The King who governs fits the Captain to the many sons by the same cruciform path he has decreed for his family—head and members.

Wesley: He that sanctifieth—Christ—and they who are sanctified—brought to God—are all of one—partakers of one nature from one parent, Adam. Hence he is not ashamed to call them brethren.

Shared solidarity: sanctifier and sanctified share one human source. Classical Arminians hear fraternity that grounds sympathy (vv. 17–18) without dissolving the distinction between Redeemer and redeemed.

Calvin: the author of holiness and we who partake of it are of one nature—out of the same mass. He not only as God sanctifies us; there is also power of sanctifying in his human nature, God having poured upon it a perfect fullness of holiness. He is not ashamed to call them brethren—even when elevated after the resurrection into immortal glory.

Union and shared nature; holiness drawn from the Head. Fraternity is honor conferred by the exalted Christ.

Wesley: I will declare thy name to my brethren—Christ declares God as gracious and merciful to all who believe. In the midst of the church will I sing praise—as precentor of the choir; he still does this by his word and Spirit.

The singing Brother leads congregational praise. Psalm 22’s voice is Christ’s among his brethren.

Calvin: from Ps 22—Christ is the speaker. Proclaiming God’s name began with the gospel and continues by pastors’ ministry; Christ is author of the gospel. He leads our songs—chief composer of our hymns.

The King who governs still speaks through gospel ministry; Christ himself is the herald in his disciples.

Wesley: I will put my trust in him—as one who has communion with his brethren in sufferings as well as nature. Behold, here I am with the children which God hath given me—he presents all believers to God.

Children given are believers he presents; trust amid suffering is the Brother’s pattern. Held in common: incarnation solidarity.

Calvin: trust in God proves he was man exposed to human wants; what is natural to our helplessness he willingly undertook. “Children whom God has given me”: primary cause of obedience is God’s adoption; Christ brings none to the Father but those given him—this donation depends on eternal election. “All those whom the Father gives me will come to me” (John 6:37).

The children are the Father’s gift to the Son—election underwriting the trust and the family.

Wesley: The children partake of flesh and blood—human nature with its infirmities. He likewise took part of the same, that through his own death he might destroy the tyranny of him that had, by God’s permission, the power of death—the devil. Death is the devil’s sergeant delivering those seized in sin.

Agreed on both sides: incarnation, death, devil’s death-power broken. Arminians underline likewise—full participation—so help to the tempted is no Docetism.

Calvin: the Son of God became man to partake of our condition and by death redeem us from it. The devil’s destruction means he cannot prevail against us; his power to hurt is destroyed or restrained. Power of death is ascribed from the effect—destructive and bringing death. Tyranny abolished so that we may reckon him as though he were not.

The King who governs dismantles the devil’s reign for his people through the Brother’s death.

Wesley: deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. Every man who fears death is subject to bondage; every man fears death who knows not Christ. He delivers all true believers from this bondage.

Deliverance is for true believers; lifelong slavery is the pre-Christ condition. The warning passages later still matter—true faith continues.

Calvin: miserable are those who fear death apart from Christ—only curse appears, God’s wrath against sin. Christ, undergoing our curse, took away what is dreadful in death. We are not yet freed from dying, yet in life and death we have peace when Christ goes before us. Extreme fear of death is evidence of little proficiency in Christ’s faith.

Effectual deliverance from death’s bondage-fear for those in Christ—peace because the curse-bearer leads.

Wesley: He taketh not hold of angels—does not take their nature. He taketh hold of the seed of Abraham—takes human nature; Paul says Abraham’s seed rather than Adam’s because the promise was made to Abraham.

Help is for Abraham’s offspring, not angels. Incarnation targets the promised line.

Calvin: he enhances the benefit by comparison—he never did so much for angels. Preference for us was owing to our misery, not our excellency. This overthrows those who deny Christ to be actual man of human seed. He names Abraham’s seed for greater credit from Scripture.

Particular help to Abraham’s seed—promise people—shows the King’s discriminating mercy.

Wesley: It behoved him to be made like his brethren in all things pertaining to human nature and in all sufferings and temptations—that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest: merciful toward sinners, faithful toward God; to make reconciliation for the people’s sins.

Shared high-priest christology: likeness, mercy, faithfulness, propitiation. Arminians stress the fitness (“behoved”) of full likeness so that mercy is not theoretical.

Calvin: flesh and human feelings; Christ was made subject to human affections that he might be a merciful and therefore faithful high priest. Mercy is especially required in a priest; experience produces sympathy. He had no need of experience to know mercy, but we could not be persuaded he is ready to help had he not become acquainted by experience with our miseries. He made propitiation for the people’s sins.

Propitiation for the people; the merciful priest is the King’s provision—sympathy grounded in assumption of our frame.

Wesley: In that he hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted—he has given a demonstrative proof that he is able so to do.

Pastorally: ability to help the tempted is proven in his own suffering. Hearers under pressure (and under 2:1’s warning) have a Brother who can actually help—help to be sought, not presumed while drifting.

Calvin: having been tried by our evils, he is ready to bring help. Temptation means experience or probation; to be able is to be fit or inclined. Whenever evils pass over us, nothing happens but what the Son of God has experienced that he might sympathize; he is present as though he suffered with us.

The King who governs has fitted his priest by temptation’s school—sure help for those being tempted among his people.