Since we are in the Easter Season that started with the vernal equinox on March 20 that was followed by the new moon on March 26, for the past several weeks we have been studying the Jewish Calendar and Holy Days that are Regulated by the Moon and Stars that are used to determine the time of our Lord's crucifixion, burial, and his resurrection that we celebrate on Resurrection Sunday that is aka Easter.
We have seen that the Spring Feasts that relate to the First Advent of TLJC are:
Passover (Pesach): Nisan 14, This year is on Wednesday (April 8, 2009) (the crucifixion of TLJC)
Unleavened Bread: Nisan 15. This year is on Thursday (April 9, 2009)
First Fruits: Nisan 18. This year is on Sunday (April 12, 2009) (the celebration of the resurrection of TLJC)
Pentecost (Shabuoth): Sivan 6, This year on Sunday (May 31, 2009) (The Holy Spirit was sent, beginning the Church age)
Picking up where we left off last time where we left off last time where we were discussing the Victorious Proclamation that TLJC made to the demons that were incarcerated in Tartarus because of their attack on mankind in the antedeluvian period.
These incarcerated demons received the information that the resurrected "Seed of the woman" has received glory and honor indicates to the demons of Tartarus that they will not receive such recognition.
Not only have they been defeated by the work of Messiah on earth and his recognition in heaven, they are also discouraged to learn that fallen mankind, created lower than they with regard to intelligence, rank, and authority, will through faith in Christ rule over them in eternity.
Therefore, what discourages these demons should be a source of encouragement, comfort, confidence, and excitement for believers.
But for the moment according to Heb 2:8, "we do not see all things subjected to Him." but, in spite of this we are not dismayed.
By means of doctrine, we are able to glance into the future to the Second Advent when all things will be in subjection to Him. We are able to gain great confidence and courage knowing that our Lord and Savior has been crowned with glory and honor and we are positionally in Him at the right hand of the throne of God.
Through the baptism of the Holy Spirit we are made higher than the angels whom we will judge: 1Cor 6:3a - where Paul asks the Corinthian believers "Do you not know that we will judge angels?
Heb 2:9;c The Greek word "stephanoo", translated "crown," is an emblem of royalty, conquest, and victory. Our Lord is divine royalty in His undiminished deity as a Member of the Trinity.
He is also Jewish royalty in His true humanity as a descendant of David.
He has battlefield royalty in His hypostatic union under the title, King of kings and Lord of lords. He conquered sin on the cross as a willing substitutionary sacrifice for the entire human race.
He is victorious in the angelic conflict as a result of His strategic victory on the cross.
The crown is also a symbol of power, success, prosperity, and virtue. In his present session at the right hand of the Father the true humanity of Christ has total power over the entire angelic population, both elect and fallen. He possesses the authority to judge both men and angels.
He is successful because He fulfilled the Father's plan for salvation by becoming the impeccable substitute on the cross.
He is prosperous in that He now holds title to the millennial kingdom that He will establish and administer following His Second Advent.
He is virtuous in His true humanity because of His demonstrated impeccability that was maintained under the greatest possible pressure.
Our Lord informed the demons in Tartarus of these things. Their mission during the antedeluvian period was to destroy the human race in order to prevent the Messiah's entry into the human race and human history. They now find out that the One whose line they sought to destroy is victorious in the appeal trial and as a result has command authority over them and their destiny.
They find out that not only did the human race survive their genetic infiltration but that the descendants of Noah who survived will ultimately be given authority to judge them.
From this we also see that throughout human history, there are unbelievers, who due to their rejection of the gospel, are as unaware of the events between the universal flood and the Resurrection as the Bene ha Elohim in Tartarus were.
We also see that the cross must come before the crown. The high priesthood of Jesus Christ began at the cross. There would be no high priesthood of Christ had He chosen to take the devil up on his offer and take the crown before enduring the cross.
Consequently, we see Jesus and only Jesus, made lower than the angels at the virgin birth but he is now higher than the angels in His ascension and session.
Heb 2:9; Next we have the purpose clause that gives special emphasis to its subject. Usually a purpose clause is introduced by the conjunction" hina " in the subjunctive mood, but here we find here the conjunction "hopos " that is translated "that" or "in order that".
This conjunction requires the following verb to be in the aorist subjunctive. But first we find the instrumental of means from the noun: "charis" that is translated "grace" plus the ablative of source "Theos", translated "God" so the translation is "by means of grace from the source of God"
This is followed by the verb that uses the required aorist subjunctive: "geuomai- that is translated "He should taste"
The constantive aorist: tense presents the action as a point in time. It contemplates the action in its entirety and gathers it into a single whole.
The active voice shows that Jesus Christ produces the action of the verb on the cross.
The subjunctive mood indicates the purpose clause.
God had a purpose in sending Christ into the world with the mission to arrive at the cross as our substitute.
God's purpose was for Him to "taste death." The verb "geuoma" does mean "to taste" with the mouth but it came to be used in a metaphorical sense as "to come to know."
The humanity of Jesus Christ in his impeccable spiritual perfection and his perfect physical body would not normally have had an appointment with death. However, in order to suffer the penalty for sin in our place, as our substitute, He willingly received the imputation of our sins and their judgment.
We have seen that the period during which our Lord experienced spiritual death was between noon and three o'clock on Wednesday Nisan 14, 29AD.
Those for whom Christ died spiritually on the cross are brought out by the last prepositional phrase of the verse 9 with the words . "huper " plus the ablative singular of:" pas" that is translated "as a substitute for every person."
Heb 2:9; But having been made inferior to angels for a brief period ( true humanity during the Incarnation ) because of the suffering of spiritual death, we keep on seeing something of value, Jesus and only Jesus, having been crowned with glory and honor, that by means of grace from the source of God He should taste spiritual death as a substitute for every person.
Heb 2:10; For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to perfect the author of their salvation through sufferings.
This verse gives us the reason that Jesus was made lower than the angels. This is indicated by the illative use of the particle: "gar" that is translated "For"
Illation is a literary term that refers to an inferred conclusion. The illative use of the Greek particle "gar" indicates the introduction of such an inferred conclusion.
Why was Jesus Christ made lower than the angels? Why was He required to suffer spiritual death? Why was it necessary for Him to become a substitutionary sacrifice?
The illative use of the particle "gar" indicates that we may conclude some things from verse.
The conclusion begins with an idiom from the impersonal imperfect active indicative of the Greek verb "prepo"- that is translated "it was fitting"
Impersonal verbs are designed to establish the qualifications of the one who produces the action of the verb that in this context is God the Father.
The progressive imperfect tense is a Progressive of description and indicates continuous action in past time. It helps one to see the course of the action by passing before the eye the flowing stream of history. The progressive imperfect denotes action in progress in past time without regard to It's completion.
The active voice indicates that God the Father produces the action of the verb by undertaking a process that is at harmony with His perfect divine essence.
The indicative mood is declarative as a statement of historical fact.
This verb informs us that the divine plan of salvation began in eternity past. It indicates that the omniscience of God perceived the angelic rebellion, the resultant trial, the subsequent appeal, the grant of an appeal, the fall of mankind, and the necessity for a savior.
By perceiving these things it was necessary for the Father to develop a plan that would resolve mankind's sin problem and simultaneously remain at harmony with his perfect essence and the rules of engagement for the appeal trial.
Mankind was not created with eternal life, nor was the entire human race created simultaneously as was the case with the angels.
Man was created lower than the angels, without eternal life, and incrementally.
When man fell he acquired the OSN. Having never had eternal life, he was offered an opportunity to acquire it by means of a volitional decision.
That decision was based on a Person who would emerge in human history. He would be God incarnate being both God and Man in one Person in hypostatic union.
God's provision of this person was compatible with divine essence because His true humanity would be without an OSN because of his virgin birth.
However, the rules of engagement required that as a substitutionary sacrifice his perfection must be tested just as Adam was before his fall.
In order to do this it was proper and necessary for the Father to test the Messiah through suffering.
We have the opportunity to be saved because the substitutionary Sacrifice was tested just as we are, and in that testing remained impeccable.
Heb 4:15; For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.
Because of this, Satan cannot offer any rebuttal argument that Jesus' sacrifice was unfair because He was both perfect God and perfect man. The divine nature of our Lord was voluntarily restricted during the Incarnation under the principle of "kenosis".
During the dispensation of the Incarnation, our Lord Jesus Christ voluntarily restricted the independent use of His divine attributes in compliance with the Father's plan for his First Advent.
In the person of the incarnate Christ are two natures, inseparably united, without mixture or loss of separate identity, without loss or transfer of properties or attributes, the union being personal and eternal.
The kenosis of our Lord is revealed in Phil 2:6; Jesus, Who though He existed eternally in the essence of God ( divine attributes ) He did not think equality with God ( undiminished deity ) a gain to be seized and held,
v. 7 but He emptied or deprived Himself (the Greek word "kenoo") of His privileges ( the independent function of divine attributes ), taking the form of a servant ( true humanity ), having been born in the likeness of man ( like Adam before the fall without a sinful nature ).
v. 8 - In fact, although He was found in outward appearance as a man ( without a sinful nature and with His Shekinah Glory veiled ), He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, that is, the death of the cross.
v. 9 - Therefore, God the Father highly exalted Him and graciously bestowed the highest office and gave Him a name ( King of kings and Lord of lords ) which is above every name.
The fact our Lord was impeccable in His hypostatic union is not an argument against his authenticity as a substitute. Under the principle of posse non peccare it was possible for Him not to sin, but our Lord faced constant temptations during the Incarnation but he never committed one single sin.
These temptations were necessary in order for Jesus in His true humanity to demonstrate the power of the prototype divine power system under the sustaining ministry of God the Holy Spirit.
Accompanying most of these temptations was a significant amount of suffering that grew progressively as His reputation became more widely known as He approached His destiny on the cross.
In order for our Lord to be a qualified, authentic, and valid substitute for us, it was proper that God systematically allowed this testing and suffering to take place during the Incarnation.
God's qualifications to impose these sufferings upon the Lord are found in
Heb 2:10a ;For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things
God the Father is the member of the Trinity who planned all things. He is the original cause.
God planned the creation of the angels. Jesus Christ, as God the Son in His undiminished deity, executed that plan.
God planned the creation of the universe. Jesus Christ as God the Son executed that plan.
God planned the creation of the human race. Jesus Christ as God the Son executed that plan.
God planned the method of man's salvation. Jesus Christ as God the Son executed that plan.
God's plan for our salvation was in compliance with all the rules of engagement for the appeal trial. It was proper in the sense that its execution was not in any way unfair to Satan and the fallen angels.
God, Who is the First Cause of all that exists in heaven and in the earth, is absolute righteousness and cannot be unfair. He has sovereign authority over all His creation and governs all the affairs of His creation by means of absolute justice.
His perfect righteousness and his perfect justice insure that He will achieve the conclusion of His plan in a fair and just manner. In the process He will accomplish His objective of being glorified by bringing many sons to glory.
Heb 2:10;For it was proper for God, because of Whom are all things and through Whom are all things, to bring many sons to glory, …"
"Many sons" refer to Church Age believers. Jesus Christ in His resurrected humanity has been crowned with glory and honor. This is a glory which He eternally possesses in His undiminished deity.
During the Incarnation this glory was veiled, otherwise the testimony of His messianic status would have been too obvious. Those alive during the Incarnation were challenged to evaluate Jesus as Messiah based on His words, His actions, His miracles, and the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies.
The manifestation of His eternal glory would have been a revelation of His deity and would have been incompatible with the rules of engagement for the Incarnation.
This is why the kenosis was one of the rules of engagement for the Incarnation. It required the Messiah to execute the divine plan for salvation totally by means of human attributes that were sufficient only when submissive to the prototype divine power system and the sustaining ministry of the Holy Spirit.
Consequently, during the Incarnation, our Lord veiled the preincarnate glory of His deity by giving up the outward appearance of His deity.
Heb 2:11; For both He who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all from one Father; for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren,
It must have been a shock to the demons in tartarus to hear that Christ is not ashamed to acknowledge fallen mankind as His brothern.
In addition to that, all believers in the Church Age share all that Christ is and what he has.
Heb 2:12; Saying, "I WILL PROCLAIM YOUR NAME TO MY BRETHREN, IN THE MIDST OF THE CONGREGATION I WILL SING YOUR PRAISE."
This is a quotation of (Psa 22:22;) that anticipates our Lord's session at the right hand of the Father, where TLJC is promised a Bride as well as the rulership of the world when the Father makes his enemies his footstool.
The Bride that is presently being formed becomes a reality at the Marriage Supper. (Rev 19:9)
His Kingdom starts when He brings them with Him at the Second Advent. Rev 17:14;
In the meantime, He has provided a heritage for His brethren who have been left behind in the devil's kosmos and as a result are in the kosmos but not of it.
This provision is the content of the Bible: "The Word of Truth," that informs them of God's Thinking and God's Reality, the plan of the Father, and the Mind of Christ; (1Co 2:16) in permanent written form.
As far as the angels are concerned; His declaration to the demons in tartarus announces the progress of God's plan to make our Lord's enemies his footstool that establishes the Juggernaut of impending doom of Satan and the fallen angels.
In the same way that David responded with praise to the Doctrinal message, believers in the Church Age respond.
Heb 2:13; And again, "I WILL PUT MY TRUST IN HIM." And again, "BEHOLD, I AND THE CHILDREN WHOM GOD HAS GIVEN ME.
This quotation of Isa 8:17-18; presents the two sides of the angelic conflict.
The human side is presented in the statement "And I will wait for the LORD." Each person who exercises positive volition in Jesus Christ by simply believing in him for eternal life enters the angelic conflict and become witness for the prosecution of the fallen angels.
Believers in union with Christ will share in the conquest of His enemies, (The fallen angels) as God the Father throws them down at our Lord's feet.
The Divine side is presented in the phrase "I and the children whom God has given Me."
In order that He should not be alone in his battlefield royalty, God has given believers to Christ as His own possession.
Heb 2:14; Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil.
In his humanity, Jesus Christ possessed flesh and blood just as all of the rest of the human race, but without an old sin nature or the imputation of Adam's sin.
Through His substitutionary spiritual death on the Cross, He rendered Satan powerless.