For both the One who sanctifiesThis phrase refers to Jesus Christ, who is the sanctifier. Sanctification is the process of being made holy, set apart for God's purposes. In the Old Testament, sanctification involved rituals and sacrifices (
Leviticus 20:7-8). Jesus, as the ultimate High Priest, fulfills and surpasses these rituals through His sacrifice (
Hebrews 7:27). His role as sanctifier is rooted in His divine nature and His work on the cross, which provides the means for believers to be made holy.
and those who are sanctified
This refers to believers who have accepted Christ's sacrifice and are being made holy through His work. The process of sanctification is ongoing and involves the Holy Spirit's work in a believer's life (1 Thessalonians 5:23). Believers are called to live lives that reflect their sanctified status, aligning with God's will and purpose (1 Peter 1:15-16).
are of the same family.
This phrase emphasizes the unity and shared identity between Christ and believers. The concept of family in biblical times was central to one's identity and social structure. By stating that believers are of the same family as Christ, it highlights the intimate relationship and inheritance they share with Him (Romans 8:17). This familial bond is not based on ethnicity or lineage but on spiritual rebirth and adoption into God's family (John 1:12-13).
So Jesus is not ashamed
This indicates Christ's willingness to associate with believers despite their imperfections. In the cultural context of the first century, honor and shame were significant social values. By stating that Jesus is not ashamed, it underscores His acceptance and love for believers, regardless of their past or status. This reflects the grace and mercy inherent in the gospel message (Romans 1:16).
to call them brothers.
Calling believers "brothers" signifies a deep, personal relationship. In Jewish culture, the term "brother" was used not only for biological siblings but also for close kin and community members. This term signifies equality and shared inheritance among believers and Christ (Hebrews 2:17). It fulfills the prophecy and typology of the Old Testament, where the Messiah would be a brother to His people (Psalm 22:22). This brotherhood is a testament to the new covenant established through Christ's sacrifice, uniting all believers as one family under God.
Persons / Places / Events
1.
Jesus ChristThe one who sanctifies believers, making them holy and setting them apart for God's purposes.
2.
BelieversThose who are sanctified by Jesus, becoming part of God's family.
3.
Family of GodThe spiritual family that includes Jesus and all believers, emphasizing unity and shared identity.
4.
SanctificationThe process of being made holy, which is initiated and completed by Jesus.
5.
BrotherhoodThe relationship between Jesus and believers, highlighting the intimate and familial bond.
Teaching Points
Unity in ChristAs believers, we are united with Christ and each other, forming one family. This unity should be reflected in our relationships and community life.
Identity in ChristOur primary identity is as members of God's family. This should influence how we see ourselves and how we live our lives.
Sanctification ProcessRecognize that sanctification is both a completed work in Christ and an ongoing process in our lives. We should cooperate with the Holy Spirit in this transformative journey.
Christ's AcceptanceJesus is not ashamed to call us His brothers and sisters. We should live in a way that honors this relationship and reflects His love.
Encouragement in TrialsKnowing that we are part of God's family can provide comfort and strength during difficult times, reminding us that we are never alone.
Bible Study Questions and Answers
1.What is the meaning of Hebrews 2:11?
2.How does Hebrews 2:11 emphasize Jesus' role in our sanctification process?
3.What does "both the One who sanctifies and those who are sanctified" mean?
4.How does Hebrews 2:11 connect to the concept of spiritual family in Christ?
5.In what ways can we live out our identity as "brothers" of Christ?
6.How does understanding Hebrews 2:11 impact our relationship with fellow believers?
7.How does Hebrews 2:11 emphasize the shared humanity between Jesus and believers?
8.Why is sanctification significant in the context of Hebrews 2:11?
9.What does Hebrews 2:11 reveal about Jesus' relationship with believers?
10.What are the top 10 Lessons from Hebrews 2?
11.Is Jesus considered our brother in Christian theology?
12.What does the Bible say about sanctification?
13.The Old Testament allows slavery (Exodus 21:2-11); why would a moral God condone it?
14.If Hebrews 10:14 says believers are perfected forever by one sacrifice, why do Christians still sin and need ongoing forgiveness?What Does Hebrews 2:11 Mean
The One who sanctifies“For both the One who sanctifies…”
• The sanctifier is Jesus Himself.Hebrews 10:10 declares, “By this will we have been sanctified through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all,” reinforcing that Christ’s cross-work sets people apart for God.
• Sanctification is total in scope—“He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified” (Hebrews 10:14).
• It is also personal and ongoing;Hebrews 7:25 says He “always lives to intercede,” continually applying His finished work.
•John 17:19 shows Jesus willingly dedicating Himself so His followers “also may be sanctified in truth,” highlighting that He alone initiates and secures holiness for His people.
Those who are sanctified“…and those who are sanctified…”
• These are all believers who have trusted Christ. Paul reminds the Corinthian church, “You were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified” (1 Corinthians 6:11).
•Acts 20:32 speaks of “an inheritance among all those who are sanctified,” underscoring their secure status.
• Though still growing (1 Peter 2:9), they already belong wholly to God because the sanctifier’s work is complete.
Are of the same family“…are of the same family.”
• Jesus shared our humanity—“Since the children have flesh and blood, He too shared in their humanity” (Hebrews 2:14). That shared nature forms a genuine family bond.
•Romans 8:15-17 explains that we receive “the Spirit of adoption,” crying, “Abba, Father,” and become “heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ.”
•Ephesians 3:14-15 calls God “the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name,” rooting this new family in God’s eternal plan.
• Practical implications:
– We possess real kinship with the Lord.
– We enjoy full access to the Father.
– We share one another’s burdens within this household.
So Jesus is not ashamed“So Jesus is not ashamed…”
• Shame was removed at the cross;Hebrews 12:2 says He “endured the cross, scorning its shame.”
• Unlike those who may be ashamed of Him (Mark 8:38), Jesus gladly identifies with us.
•Hebrews 11:16 notes God “is not ashamed to be called their God,” showing consistency in God’s attitude toward His people.
• Because He is unashamed, we can “approach the throne of grace with confidence” (Hebrews 4:16).
To call them brothers“…to call them brothers.”
• Jesus verbalizes this new relationship: after His resurrection He told Mary, “Go to My brothers” (John 20:17).
•Matthew 12:50 reinforces, “Whoever does the will of My Father… is My brother.”
•Romans 8:29 identifies Him as “the firstborn among many brothers,” revealing both His preeminence and our inclusion.
• Benefits of being called brothers:
– Shared inheritance (Ephesians 1:11).
– Shared likeness—being conformed to His image (2 Corinthians 3:18).
– Shared mission—proclaiming His name to the world (Hebrews 2:12).
summary• Jesus, the sanctifier, fully sets believers apart by His once-for-all sacrifice.
• Those believers, already sanctified, join Him in a real family relationship.
• Because of this shared family, Jesus is proud—not ashamed—to identify with us.
• He openly calls us brothers, granting intimacy, acceptance, and joint inheritance with Him forever.
(11)
For both he that sanctifieth . . .--The special meaning of "sanctify" in this Epistle (
Hebrews 9:13;
Hebrews 10:10;
Hebrews 10:14;
Hebrews 10:29;
Hebrews 13:12) seems to be,
bringing into fellowship with God,the Holy One. "They who are sanctified"--literally,
are being sanctified (comp.
Acts 2:47;
1Corinthians 1:18)--are those whom the Captain of their salvation, in fulfilment of the Father's purpose (
Hebrews 2:10), is leading unto glory. The thoughts of the last verse, therefore, are repeated here, with a change of figure; and again (as in
Hebrews 2:9) we note the brief reference to a subject which will be prominent in later chapters; see especially
Hebrews 13:12. . . .
Verse 11. -
For both he that sanctifieth (
i.e. Christ, the
ἀρχηγὸς)
and they that are sanctified (
i.e. the "many sons" who are brought unto glory)
are all of one (
ἐξ ἑνὸς,
i.e. of God). The idea expressed here by the verb
ἁγιάζω, to sanctify, may be determined by comparison with
Hebrews 9:13, 14;
Hebrews 10:14, 29; and Hebrews 13:12 (
ἵνα ἁγιάση διὰ τοῦἰδίου αἱμάτος τὸν λαόν); cf.
John 17:9. It is not the idea, to us most familiar, of moral sanctification through the Holy Spirit, but that of the redeemed being brought into a new relation to God, hallowed for "
glory," through redemption; whence all Christians are called
ἅγοι.
Ἁγιάζειν is the equivalent in the LXX. of the Hebrew
קָדַשׂ, which is applied to the hallowing of both the sacrifices and the people to God's service. As an atoning sacrifice, Christ thus hallowed himself (
John 17:19), that thus he might hallow the "many sons."
Ἐξ ἑνός must certainly be taken as referring to God, not (as some take it) to Abraham or Adam. For the necessity of the SON taking part of
flesh and blood in order to accomplish the redemption is not introduced till ver. 14. So far the common fatherhood spoken of has been that of him "for whom are all things and by whom are all things," who, "in bringing many
sons to glory," has perfected "the Captain of their salvation." The idea is that it was meet that the Captain should be perfected through human sufferings,
since both he and the "many sons" are of one Divine Father; in their relation of sonship (with whatever difference of manner and degree) they are associated together. Be it observed, however, that it is not the
original relation to God of the "Sanctifier" and the "sanctified," but their relation to him in the redemption, that is denoted by
ἐξ ἑνός. The common sonship does not consist in this, that
he is Son by eternal generation and
they by creation. It has been seen above that the term
υἵος is net applied to Christ in this Epistle with reference to his eternal Being, but to his incarnation; and the human "sons" are not regarded as such till made so by redemption.
Ὁ ἁγιάζων, and
οι{ ἁγιαζομένοι rule the sense of
ἐξ ἑνός. The view is that the one Father sent the SON into the world to be the Firstborn of many sons. The expression, frequent in the Pentateuch, "I am he that sanctifieth," may be cited in illustration of the moaning of the passage.
For which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren;
i.e. in the Messianic utterances of the Old Testament, to which, in accordance with the plan and purpose of the Epistle, reference is again made for proof. The point of the quotations that follow (vers. 12, 13) is that the Messiah, notwithstanding the position above the angels, shown above to be assigned to him, is represented also as associating himself with men as brethren, in dependence on one heavenly Father.
Parallel Commentaries ...
Greek
Forγὰρ(gar)Conjunction
Strong's 1063:For. A primary particle; properly, assigning a reason.bothτε(te)Conjunction
Strong's 5037:And, both. A primary particle of connection or addition; both or also.the [One who]ὅ(ho)Article - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3588:The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.sanctifiesἁγιάζων(hagiazōn)Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 37:From hagios; to make holy, i.e. purify or consecrate; to venerate.andκαὶ(kai)Conjunction
Strong's 2532:And, even, also, namely.those whoοἱ(hoi)Article - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 3588:The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.are sanctifiedἁγιαζόμενοι(hagiazomenoi)Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 37:From hagios; to make holy, i.e. purify or consecrate; to venerate.[are]πάντες(pantes)Adjective - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 3956:All, the whole, every kind of. Including all the forms of declension; apparently a primary word; all, any, every, the whole.ofἐξ(ex)Preposition
Strong's 1537:From out, out from among, from, suggesting from the interior outwards. A primary preposition denoting origin, from, out.the same [family].ἑνὸς(henos)Adjective - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 1520:One. (including the neuter Hen); a primary numeral; one.That is whyδι’(di’)Preposition
Strong's 1223:A primary preposition denoting the channel of an act; through.[Jesus] is not ashamedἐπαισχύνεται(epaischynetai)Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1870:To be ashamed, be ashamed of. From epi and aischunomai; to feel shame for something.to callκαλεῖν(kalein)Verb - Present Infinitive Active
Strong's 2564:(a) I call, summon, invite, (b) I call, name. Akin to the base of keleuo; to 'call'.themαὐτοὺς(autous)Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 846:He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.brothers.ἀδελφοὺς(adelphous)Noun - Accusative Masculine Plural
Strong's 80:A brother, member of the same religious community, especially a fellow-Christian. A brother near or remote.
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NT Letters: Hebrews 2:11 For both he who sanctifies and those (Heb. He. Hb)