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.

Hey listeners, this is Nick from Scripture Central, and today's podcast addresses the question.

How does the epistle to the Hebrews describe the family of God?

Throughout the Epistle to the Hebrews, Jesus is depicted as an atoning high priest in the heavenly temple,

allowing all God's children to come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy

and find grace to help in time of need.

An often overlooked aspect of Jesus' divine atonement, however, involves Jesus' role as our brother.

As Matthew Bowen has noted, a key component of the message of Hebrews about Jesus as divine son

and atoning high priest is his solidarity with humankind that grows out of his sibling

relationship with them. Indeed, toward the beginning of this epistle, the author notes that

in all things it behooved him to be made like unto his brethren, that

he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation

for the sins of the people. In other words, had Jesus not become like his brothers and sisters,

he could not have performed his atoning sacrifice.

The depiction of Jesus as a brother to all mankind is not an unfamiliar one in the Bible.

In the Gospel of John, for example, Jesus himself claimed to be our brother.

Go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father, and to my God and

your God. Similarly, Paul describes how Jesus was the first born among many brethren. In Hebrews,

such familial language is not confined to the opening chapters, but is employed throughout the

epistle, reaffirming that we can relate to Jesus Christ

because we do, in fact, belong to the divine family of God. Indeed, this divine family is

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