I. That the Savior was human--vv11-14a; Heb 4:15; Isa 7:14; John 1:14

II. That the Savior suffer death to defeat death--vv10, 14b-16; John 12:23-24; Phil 2:7-8

III. That this divine/human Savior be our atoning high priest--v17; Rom 8:3; Isa 53:12

Albert Barnes on Hebrews 2:17: It was necessary that he should in all things become like man, that he might suffer in his stead, and make an atonement.

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--That he might be merciful--that he might be affected with a feeling of our infirmities, that, partaking of our nature with all its infirmities and afflictions, he might know how to be a 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 [here] is to make propitiation or atonement for sins by sacrifice.

And so:

1. He exercises himself in the things pertaining to GOD, taking heed that God’s honor be properly secured, his laws properly enforced, and both his justice and mercy magnified.

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 place by his own blood....

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THE MESSAGE FOR CHILDREN

I want to talk to you about one of the doctors you see. This doctor doesn’t tell you to "say ahhh." This doctor tells you to open wide. Which kind of doctor am I talking about? Right! Your dentist! You’ve very fortunate to have the dentist you had because you could be my age or older and have less than warm memories about your dentist. Okay, now OPEN WIDE!

No, not your mouth! Your ears! If your dentist had some bad times with a dentist when he was a child, I think he would be very careful not to hurt you. What do you think? Well, the Bible says the same thing about Jesus. Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity. As we just heard in the Bible reading, he is human just as you and I are. If your dentist got hurt at the dentist when he was your age, he will understand your fears. Jesus was human so that he could be our Savior. He was human so that he could face a lot of suffering, not just when they nailed him to the cross, but before that. And it wasn’t just the kind of hurt that bleeds; it was the hurt inside--the fear kind of hurt.

The Bible tells us not only that Jesus died to break the power of death over us; he also helps us right now because he understands so very well what it is to be human and what it feels like to hurt. When he comes back or when you and I go to heaven, we will never again be hurt, not here (mouth), not here (mind), nor here (body). Jesus will take away all our pain and all our fear.