Is Jesus our brother?

But there is more. "Go unto My brethren." He is not ashamed to call the disciples His brethren. He had prepared the way for this; He had said on Israel's rebellious rejection of their Messiah, "Whosoever shall do the will of My Father which is in heaven, the same is My brother, and sister, and mother." (Matt. 12:50) Now, on the accomplishment of His atoning work He acknowledges definitely this blessed fruit of it, not only sins forgiven to faith by virtue of His shed blood, but believers in the most intimate way related to Himself, the risen Man and Son of God. They are His brethren; to whom, according to Ps. 22:22, He proceeds to make known the name, not merely of Jehovah, but of the Father. For now they were not quickened only, but quickened with Christ. They stood in Him risen from the dead, forgiven all trespasses. And they learn that thus related to Christ in His new place as in the condition of Man according to Divine counsels for eternity, all question of sin being closed triumphantly on the cross, not for Him Who had no need, but for the believer who had all possible need in guilt and an evil nature and an accusing enemy and a holy, righteous Judge, they enter into His own blessed and everlasting relationship with His Father and God. "And say to them, I ascend unto My Father and your Father, My God and your God."

Secondly, the Lord can speak of His disciples as "My brethren". Never before had He spoken of His disciples as His brethren, but through His death, having sanctified them, He is not ashamed to call them brethren (Hebrews 2:11). Even as the bride, in the Song of Songs, can say, "I am my beloved's, and my beloved is mine", so Mary, in the love of her heart, says, "My Lord", and Jesus, in the greatness of His love, can respond by calling His own "My brethren".

Brethren. — Reminded of the association between the Lord Jesus and Christians, He — the Captain of the band, and the company — sons of God, we are prepared to hear that the Son regards them as His brethren. He who died on the cross and went on high thereby sanctified Himself, that His own might be sanctified in truth. Of this sanctification the Lord spoke in His prayer on the night before His cross (John 17:19). To that we believe reference is now made: "For both He that sanctifies and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause He is not ashamed to call them brethren, saying, I will declare Thy name to My brethren, in the midst of the Church [or, Assembly] will I sing praise to Thee" (Heb. 2:11-12). And here of another passage in the Gospel of John are we reminded — viz. of the Lord's message by Mary Magdalene to His disciples on the day of His resurrection: "Go to My brethren, and say to them, I ascend to My Father, and your Father; and to My God, and your God" (John 20:17). In the house at Capernaum the Lord had declared who they were that He would regard as His brethren (Mark 3:31-35). After His resurrection for the first time He definitely so called His disciples. The angel at the tomb had charged the women to tell His disciples that He was risen. He on meeting them said, "Go tell My brethren" (Matt. 28:10). From His lips, and His alone, did Mary and the other women on that day first hear of the relationship in which He owned them all. Precious indeed was this. Precious to those godly and devout women must have been their recollection of it up to the day of their death. And written for our instruction, what can each true saint say it is to him or to her? For, what no angel has part in, the feeblest saint can say — viz. he is privileged to form one of the company of the Lord's brethren.

His brethren! Who were they? Those who had forsaken Him in the garden, and Peter, who had denied Him in the high priest's house. That woman, known in her city as a sinner, and who had entered unbidden Simon the Pharisee's house (Luke 7:37-50). Paul, who persecuted the Church of God. Those once dead in trespasses and sins, who needed a sacrifice, and who believed the Divine testimony about the Lord's death and resurrection. What grace the words "My brethren" speak of! And surely, when Mary delivered her message, it should have struck them all. His friends, as we have said, the Lord had called them before His death (John 15:14-15). His brethren He now termed them. Nothing they had done had checked the outflow of His love to them; nor had the desertion of the Eleven in the garden made Him ashamed as such to own them! Men at times have been ashamed of their nationality, or of their kindred. And if one has disgraced his family, his very name may be forbidden to be mentioned in the social circle. But the Lord was not ashamed to own the tie between Him and them. And we, if believers, can say between Him and us, for, adds the sacred writer, "they are all of one" (11).

Firstly, the Sanctifier, Christ, and the sanctified, believers, are viewed as all of one. This wonderful expression would seem to indicate that Christ, having come into our position and borne the consequences, has so truly brought us into His position before God, as Man, that He and His own — the Sanctifier and the sanctified — are viewed as forming one company before God. It is well to remark, however, that the Word of God never says of Jesus and of men that they are all one, but that “He that sanctifies and they who are sanctified are all of one.” For this cause, because of the position into which He has brought them through His sanctifying work, He is not ashamed to call them “brethren”.

Believers are sanctified; being sanctified they are brought into the same position before God as Christ — all of one; and, being all of one, He is not ashamed to call them brethren. We know from the Gospels that it was not until Christ was risen that He called His disciples “brethren”. The Lord Himself ever walked in relationship with God as His Father. Never once in His path do we hear Him address God as “My God”; it is always “My Father”. Only on the cross, when made sin, does He say “My God”. We, however, are brought into this relationship, not by incarnation but through redemption. Therefore, it is not until He is risen that the Lord can say, “I ascend to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God” and immediately speaks of His disciples as “My brethren”.

If we say "of the same mass" the expression may be pushed too far, as though He and the others were of the same nature as children of Adam, sinners together. In this case He would have to call every man His brother; whereas it is only the children whom God has given Him, "sanctified" ones, that He so calls. But He and the sanctified ones are all as men in the same nature and position together before God. When I say "the same," it is not in the same state of sin, but the contrary, for they are the Sanctifier and the sanctified, but in the same truth of human position as it is before God as sanctified to Him; the same as far forth as man when He, as the sanctified one, is before God. On this account He is not ashamed to call the sanctified His brethren.

Now the Kinsman comes into view. "For both He that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of One, for which cause He is not ashamed to call them 'brethren.'" Here; surely, is the "Firstborn among many brethren," and all the connection assures us that "of One" or "out of One" means "of one Father." Yet there is an infinite difference; so that indeed it is divine love in Him which makes Him recognize and welcome "brethren" like these. He is the divine Son; they are only human. He is the Sanctifier; they are the sanctified; yet He is not ashamed of them; by and by He will conform them to His likeness, that they may be the fit companions of His heart forever.

Now this perfect Leader of salvation has identified Himself in perfect and beautiful grace with His people: "For both He that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause He is not ashamed to call them brethren." Christ by His finished work has set apart His people to God. That is what sanctification primarily means in this epistle. It does not mean the work of the Spirit in our hearts: — that is the sanctification of the Spirit. We have also the Father's sanctification, as you might say, in His having chosen us in Christ before the foundation of the world: — that would be the sanctification according to the purpose of God; but the sanctification spoken of here is primarily that work of Christ which has forever cut us loose from Satan and sin, and set us before God as His ransomed people. Far be it from me to say that the work of Christ could ever, as regards a true believer, be apart from the inward work of the Spirit. It is distinct, but not separable from it.

" For both He that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one." Here is another wonder of grace. The One who sanctifies us and we who are sanctified — we have just been speaking of our sin and guilt, yet here he brings these two together, the One who has sanctified and they who are sanctified are "all of one" — belong to one company, to one family; or, as has been said by those who are devoted students of the word of God — they are "all of one Father." I shrink personally from absolutely declaring that I believe the "one" spoken of here refers to the Father, because that is not the general theme of the epistle; and yet there is no doubt that there is strong presumption that that may be just the meaning, for He speaks of them as His brethren. But whatever may be the full meaning of this expression, "all of one," it speaks of our identification with Christ, who has come down into our condition as the Captain of salvation, taken His place amongst us and through death has brought us into the place He has gained for us. Therefore He is not ashamed to call us brethren, to take that title upon His blessed lips which speaks of the closest and most endearing of relationships. You remember, when our blessed Lord rose from the dead, that He referred to His disciples as His brethren. He said to Mary, after His resurrection, "Go to My brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God."

In the performance of this work, the Lord Jesus is seen as sanctifying (or setting apart) every believer to God. But this too involves His own voluntary unity with them: "For both He that sanctifieth, and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause He is not ashamed to call them brethren." They are of one Father, -He by very nature and title, we by His infinite grace. By nature, it is impossible that He should call us brethren, but through virtue of His perfect salvation, He is not ashamed to do so. But let us repeat, this He does in grace: for us to call Him "Brother" would be unbecoming abuse of grace.

Next is predestination to be conformed to the image of His Son. It is not, let us mark well, merely predestination to be saved, but for future glory as conformed to the image of Christ, who is Himself “the image of God.” Doubtless the moral side of the truth is the prominent one here — that is, that the purity, holiness, and every other blessed virtue of our Lord, will have its bright reflection in His saints. Marvelous purpose indeed, and worthy of such a God! Elsewhere, of course, we learn that even physically our bodies shall be fashioned like unto His body of glory (Phil. 3:21). How blessedly complete the gracious purpose of our God. To our own hearts today could anything compare with being like Him who has saved us both from our sins and from the power of sin? To contemplate such a Person is to long to be like Him.

His title here — “the Firstborn among many brethren” — is plainly one of priority in Person, not in point of time of birth. Colossians 1:15-16 confirms such a principle as to the “firstborn.” Christ is “the firstborn of every creature.” Why? “For by Him were all things created.” Psalm 89:27 bears clear testimony also. Speaking of David as typifying Christ, God declares, “I will make him my firstborn, higher than the kings of the earth.” It is an official dignity far above any mere question of time. In Old Testament times the firstborn according to nature was accorded the priority over his brethren, but this rigid custom was yet oftentimes reversed by God, who gave the birthright to a younger. So now, God would make clear that Adam has been fully dispossessed of all the rights of the firstborn, and these are now eternally held by the Lord Jesus. Yet we may thank God that in grace He (Christ) has “many” whom He is not ashamed to call brethren (Heb. 2:11).

The purpose itself is put clearly before us. Christ is of necessity in the forefront of it, and thus its justification, and the full assurance that it will be carried out. "We know that to those who love God all things work together for good, to those who are the called according to purpose." The present is linked with the future in a most absolute way. From God's foreknowledge of us in the past eternity to the accomplished glory of the future, there is a perfectly linked chain of blessing, no link of which can ever be sundered. God's purpose is that Christ His Son, should be a First-born among many brethren. How blessed to see the grace which is necessarily manifested when Christ is thus in the forefront! It is not here, therefore, the "Only-Begotten," of whom the apostle speaks. The Son is that; but He is here in human guise, a "Firstborn," which implies others, and that is clearly expressed. He is found thus with those whom He is not ashamed to call His brethren. God's purpose, therefore, includes, of necessity, these. If it failed as to the brethren, it would fail as to the Son of His love. They are bound up together in His thoughts.