Book of Common Prayer

The Messiah and his brothers and sisters

¹⁰ This is how it works out. Everything exists for the sake of God and because of him; and it was appropriate that, in bringing many children to glory, he should make perfect, through suffering, the one who leads the way to salvation. ¹¹ For the one who makes others holy, and the ones who are made holy, all belong to a single family.

This is why he isn’t ashamed to call them his brothers and sisters, ¹² when he says,

¹³ and again,

and again,

¹⁴ Since the children share in blood and flesh, he too shared in them, in just the same way, so that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, ¹⁵ and set free the people who all their lives long were under the power of slavery because of the fear of death. ¹⁶ It’s obvious, you see, that he isn’t taking special thought for angels; he’s taking special thought for Abraham’s family. ¹⁷ That’s why he had to be like his brothers and sisters in every way, so that he might become a merciful and trustworthy high priest in God’s presence, to make atonement for the sins of the people. ¹⁸ He himself has suffered, you see, through being put to the test, and that’s why he is able to help those who are being tested right now.

The final challenge

⁴⁴ “Anyone who believes in me,” shouted Jesus in a loud voice, “doesn’t believe in me, but in the one who sent me! ⁴⁵ Anyone who sees me sees the one who sent me! ⁴⁶ I’ve come into the world as light, so that everyone who believes in me won’t need to stay in the dark.

⁴⁷ “If anyone hears my words and doesn’t keep them, I’m not going to judge them. That wasn’t why I came. I came to save the world, not to judge it. ⁴⁸ Anyone who rejects me and doesn’t hold on to my words has a judge. The word which I have spoken will judge them on the last day.

⁴⁹ “I haven’t spoken on my own authority. The father who sent me gave me his own command about what I should say and speak. ⁵⁰ And I know that his command is the life of the coming age. What I speak, then, is what the father has told me to speak.”