Hebrews 2:10 - Wesley's Explanatory Notes

In this verse the apostle expresses, in his own words, what he expressed before in those of the Psalmist. It became him — It was suitable to all his attributes, both to his justice, goodness, and wisdom. For whom — As their ultimate end. And by whom — As their first cause. Are all things, in bringing many adopted sons to glory — To this very thing, that they are sons, and are treated as such To perfect the captain — Prince, leader, and author of their salvation, by his atoning sufferings for them. To perfect or consummate implies the bringing him to a full and glorious end of all his troubles, Hebrews 5:9. This consummation by sufferings intimates, the glory of Christ, to whom, being consummated, all things are made subject. The preceding sufferings. Of these he treats expressly, Hebrews 2:11-18; having before spoken of his glory, both to give an edge to his exhortation, and to remove the scandal of sufferings and death. A fuller consideration of both these points he interweaves with the following discourse on his priesthood. But what is here said of our Lord's being made perfect through sufferings, has no relation to our being saved or sanctified by sufferings. Even he himself was perfect, as God and as man, before ever be suffered. By his sufferings, in his life and death, he was made a perfect or complete sin — offering. But unless we were to be made the same sacrifice, and to atone for sin, what is said of him in this respect is as much out of our sphere as his ascension into heaven. It is his atonement, and his Spirit carrying on "the work of faith with power" in our hearts, that alone can sanctify us. Various afflictions indeed may be made subservient to this; and so far as they are blessed to the weaning us from sin, and causing our affections to be set on things above, so far they do indirectly help on our sanctification.