29. Christ, Our Brother

Christ, Our Brother

He is not ashamed to call them brethren. Hebrews 2.11

A saved soul stands closer to Jesus than he realizes. Martin Luther made the statement that, if we fully realized what it means to be saved, we would become so happy that we would die of joy. Surely, then, we should pray with the Psalmist, “Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law” (Psalm 119. 18). May our text today be an answer to this prayer!

Jesus always identifies Himself with the souls He saves. “For both he that sanctifieth and they that are sanctified are all of one” (v. 11). To be sanctified means to be cleansed, or to be made holy. “He that sanctifieth” is Jesus. “They that are sanctified” are His followers, who have been washed in His blood. Our verse could then read, “Both Jesus and His cleansed people are all of one.” No wonder the Scriptures use the figure of Christ as the head and the redeemed as His body. Could there be a closer union than that of the head and body? They can not be separated and live.

Again, the figure of the bride and the bridegroom is used. The bride is here the redeemed. The bridegroom is Christ. What tender love there is between the bridegroom and the bride! They have become one. The joy of the one is in the other. This truth, that Jesus always identifies Himself with His own, is also brought out in His promise to the dying thief, “Today thou shalt be with me in paradise” (Luke 23. 43). Note that Jesus specifically said “with me.” When Saul persecuted the Christians Jesus said to him, “Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?” (Acts 9. 4). Why did He not say, “Why persecutest thou the Christians?” Because “He that sanctifieth and they that are sanctified are of one.” Jesus always identifies Himself with His own.

Jesus “is not ashamed to call them brethren.” Not even when His disciples fled at the time of His arrest was He ashamed to call them brethren. The first Easter message given to Mary was, “Go to my brethren.” How sweetly these words must have sounded in the ears of these frightened men! On the judgment day Jesus shall say to those on His right hand, “Inasmuch as ye did it unto one of these my brethren, even these least, ye did it unto me” (Matthew 25. 40).

Jesus introduces the redeemed soul to his other “brethren.” He has said, “I will declare thy name unto my brethren.” When one saved soul meets another saved soul they immediately feel they know each other. And why not, for Jesus said, “I will declare thy name.” He owns the saved one as His child. He declares his name to the Christians. That is why there is that close brotherly tie between Christians. Walls of separation are immediately broken down. No written credentials are necessary. The living Saviour has given the heart assurance that this individual is also a brother.

What is more wonderful than to be saved! What better family to belong to than the family of Jesus Christ! Is any title more precious than “brethren”? Does Jesus look upon you as one of His brethren? What a day it will be when Jesus shall gather His entire family together and say, “Behold, I and the children whom God hath given me” (Hebrews 2. 13).