The Taste of Death
4/27 Reading Portions: Numbers 4; Psalm 38; Song of Solomon 2; Hebrews 2
But we see Him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone. Hebrews 2:9
Quoting Psalm 8, the apostle speaks of Christ’s incarnation. God made, or declared, the circumstances to be so by His eternal counsel, for Jesus is the Lamb slain from “before the foundation of the world” (1 Pet 1:18-21).
Christ’s tasting death for everyone does not mean every man is saved or will be saved through the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ; neither does it mean the possibility exists for every man to “make a decision for salvation.” This presumption would contradict the following verse, since we are told that…
…it was fitting that He, for whom and by whom all things exist [because of who He is, the Creator and Sustainer of all creation], in bringing many sons to glory. Hebrews 2:10a
Certainly, since Adam’s fall, death is appointed man’s lot (Heb 9:27), for…
…in Adam all die. 1 Corinthians 15:22
Yet Christ’s tasting death for everyone means His death was ordained that He should die for everyone of God’s children Christ brings to glory.
Moreover, Christ’s suffering and death are sufficient for everyone of the sons He is bringing to glory because our salvation was made…
…perfect through [Christ’s] suffering. Hebrews 2:10b
In other words, the suffering of Christ is so holy, so complete, and so supreme in majesty that absolutely nothing need be or can be added to it. Faith in Christ’s person and work is indeed life eternal. Hallelujah! What a Savior!
Jesus suffer’d God’s holy wrath
Upon a tree of wood;
Its breadth, its length, its height, its depth,
Is rarely understood…
By men who have been saved by grace,
For sin still haunts our flesh;
Therefore we long to see Christ’s face
To bring us peace and rest.
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