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| 1 Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip. |
More earnest heed – Study the doctrine and get a clear understanding of every element of the truth--become rooted, grounded, settled, and established. R5114:3, 1823:1
The hearing of the Word of the Lord brings with it responsibilities. R3164:5
Especially at the passover season. R3178:3
The things – The precious things of the divine Word. R2532:4
The divine credentials. R1823:1
Which we have heard – "The words that I speak unto you they are spirit and they are life." (John 6:63) E204; R371:5
We should let them – Let spiritual things. E205; R371:5
Slip – From our marred and leaky vessels. E245; R3617:2*, 371:5
There is danger of losing what we have received, unless we give heed. R78:2[R78:2*]
Should forget much of the truth. R1025:3*
Forgetful hearers and readers of the Word. R2093:3
All which God's Word testifies as truth should be held fast and not allowed to slip. R1206:2, R2389:1
"Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go: keep her; for she is thy life." (Prov. 4:13) R2389:1
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| 2 For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward; |
Spoken by angels – Those in charge of the first dispensation. R1677:6
God's direct messages in the past to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, etc., including the giving of the Law--the angels representing God, as his mouthpieces. R3764:3
Every transgression – Under the law. R3052:6
Just recompense – A reward of blessing or of stripes which will be proportionate to the individual efforts of each to come into harmony with God and his holiness. R2734:1
God will neither over-punish nor under-punish. SM117:T
Whoever has wronged one of the least of them shall receive a just recompense for the evil deed. R1469:6, 724:1
Those having degraded themselves seriously with a measure of wilfulness, will have the correspondingly more steps to retrace. SM146:2
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| 3 How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him; |
How shall we escape – Destruction. R1951:3
The wrath of God. R2093:5
People of so-called Christian lands, having had more light, more privilege, more opportunity, and sinning against greater knowledge, have seared their consciences more deeply. R5225:6
If we – Christians. R78:2
The "we" class is the Church class, the believers only, who have the light and the knowledge at the present time. NS237:1
Neglect – Causing truths to gradually slip away from us. R78:2
Simply to neglect is fatal. We must stand, or progress. R1802:4*
Our appreciation of the value of anything is shown by the earnestness with which we strive for it. R78:5
So great salvation – That a special class, who would manifest special love for the Lord, might become heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Jesus Christ, his Son. R5275:6
Which comes only through faith and obedience to the Word of the Lord. R2093:5
Which began to be applicable to his Church at Pentecost. OV252:3; R4769:5
Peculiar to the Gospel Age. R5304:1, 5775:3
Love is the crowning excellency of Christianity, and is necessary to fit for the Great Salvation. R78:5
More than an "elect" few are eventually to reach eternal life through the Redeemer of mankind. SM42:2; R5063:6; Q619:2
At the first – The message of the Kingdom (the Gospel) was planted by our Lord and the apostles. R2276:5, 3769:3
All that ever went before our Lord's preaching was not the Gospel, but merely foreshadowings of it. R2595:6
Began to be spoken – The proclamation of the Gospel could not be made until the ransom was paid. R2847:6
No one was saved before Jesus came. R5179:4
When Jesus came, he threw light upon the entire subject of God's plan for human salvation from sin and death. R5608:5
The due time for the testimony to reach the world has not yet come. R5354:2,4
By the Lord – The terms of the heavenly calling are not stated in the Old Testament. F86; R4820:5
"He brought life and immortality to light." (2 Tim. 1:10) E393; R5354:4, 5291:2, 5179:4, 4785:5, 3447:4
Confirmed unto us – The secret of the Gospel was not fully revealed until after Pentecost. R5507:3
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| 4 God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to his own will? |
Signs and wonders – These demonstrations of divine power supplementing Paul's faithful use of his natural abilities were the Lord's endorsement of all he did. R1745:4, 1695:4
Miracles, and gifts – Intended to assist in the establishment of the Church--all such gifts ceased and were supplanted by the fruits of the spirit. R5831:2
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| 5 For unto the angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come, whereof we speak. |
For unto the angels – The angels were permitted contact with the fallen race to prove whether they could bring mankind back to God. PD15/24
Who were evidently the unsuccessful rulers of the first epoch. A220; R1677:6, 1154:6
Put in subjection – Infers there was a time when the world was in subjection to the angels. Q16:4
The world to come – The third world or epoch, "wherein dwelleth righteousness." (2 Peter 3:13) A67; F609; R4908:6, 1809:5
The grand era from the time of the sounding of the seventh trumpet. R256:5
The Gospel church then glorified will be "The kings (rulers) and priests (teachers)" (Rev. 5:10) of that new age. R545:4
Which shall be more righteous and successful than the rule by angels. R1677:6
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| 6 But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man, that thou visitest him?
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Art mindful of him – God's original purpose concerning man has not been abandoned. A175
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| 7 Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands: |
Thou madest him – Man, originally. A175; R419:2, 219:2, 165:4
A little lower – Less some little. (Rotherham) A175
In degree or nature, but none the less perfect. A175
Than the angels – Man, the highest of the earthly creatures, is lower than the lowest of the spiritual beings. Q502:6; A177; R916:1
Glory and honor – The glory and honor of perfect manhood. A175
Set him over – The Heavenly Father made man king of earth. R5377:1
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| 8 Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him. |
Thou hast – In thy plans concerning man. A175
Put all things – All earthly things. A174; R419:2, 165:4
Under him – Under man. A174; E427; R419:3, 165:5
But now – Since the fall and forfeiture of man's estate. R1267:6, 419:3, 165:5
Not yet all things – Restored again and subjected to him. R1267:6
We see not this promised restitution yet, but we do see the first step God is taking toward its accomplishment. A175
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All things ... under his feet – Man was designed to have dominion over all the earth.
But now ... not yet – Paul is reminding us of the obvious, i.e., that even though this was God's purpose for man, man has not yet attained to that purpose. |
| 9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. |
But we see Jesus – The ransomer of all. R4629:2
"We look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen." (2 Cor. 4:18) "Every eye shall see him." (Rev. 1:7) By mental perception. T85
The beginning of God's work. R4973:4
Made a little lower – And therefore lower than his pre-human state. B108; R329:3
Humbled himself and took the earthly nature. OV353:4
The human body of Jesus. "A body hast thou prepared me." (Heb. 10:5) R5748:2, 5064:1, 5053:3, 5027:3
Not like angels, nor in any sense a being of their order and nature. R329:3
Than the angels – Greek, angelos. E67
"He took upon him the form of a servant and was made in the likeness of men." (Phil. 2:7) R4098:2, 2075:5, 329:4
Suffering of death – For the purpose of being man's sacrifice. R5917:4
The ransom-price for the sins of the whole world. R5053:3, 4966:1
Had it not been necessary for Jesus to suffer death, "the just for the unjust," (1 Pet. 3:18) he would not have come into the world. OV151:5
It was necessary that a perfect man should die and remain dead everlastingly, that Adam and the race condemned in him might be released from death by a resurrection. R2477:1
When he had accomplished that purpose, he no longer had need of human nature. R5416:1
There is no reason for Jesus to be made a little lower, or even as low as the angels again. R197:1
The death of our Lord in his prehuman condition could not have effected the payment of man's penalty and the consequent release of the condemned race. OV354:1
The suffering of death on the part of our Lord Jesus constituted the ransom price for the sin of the whole world. Q68:2
With glory and honor – The perfection of human nature. E427; A175; R5873:1, 5291:5, 5222:6, 1810:3*, 1267:6, 573:6, 463:1
"We beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth." (John 1:14) R3476:3
Showing that Jesus did not take our fallen nature. R316:4*
That he – He left the glory which he had with the Father as the Logos, and was made flesh and became the man Christ Jesus. SM73:T
As a fitting ransom or substitute. A175
The whole merit of the world's salvation was through Jesus, centered in his death. R3701:1
The divine law of a life for a life was to teach us a great lesson; that perfect human life having been condemned to death, it would require a perfect human life to redeem it. R4964:4
By the grace of God – Favor. A175; R5291:5, 556:4*
Favor, love, bounty. R685:5; E451
The divine arrangement whereby God could be just and not repudiate the rulership of his own court and yet recover man from the death sentence. SM171:2
Should taste death – And thus make possible human restitution. E427
There is a broad basis of God's Plan laid in the redemptive work at Calvary. R5291:5
Eventually all of Adam's children will come forth from the tomb. R5179:2
The basis of hope, for the Church and for the world. R5822:2, 4734:2, 4372:2, 3694:1, 2750:1, 1750:1
That was the only object for our Lord becoming a man. R3476:6
The privilege to return to the image of God with his law rewritten in their hearts, was secured for all by the sacrifice at Calvary. R5286:6
"Poured out his soul unto death." (Isa. 53:12) R3025:6
Sacrificial death. Jesus voluntarily met the penalty for man's sin. PT388:3; R4982:3
The race was not condemned individually, but as a whole, in one man, Adam. Similarly, the race has been redeemed as a whole, by the "man Christ Jesus." (1 Cor. 15:22) SM68:T
Proves the character of the one who will be autocratic in the extreme in Messiah's kingdom. R5646:6
Not only has Jesus tasted death, but a great many have been going into death in answer to the call to be of the bride of Christ. R4973:4
The apostle does not say, tasted eternal torment for every man. SM29:1; CR278:1
For every man – Jew or Gentile, bond or free, of every nation and race, color and sex; all are included. CR430:3; A97; R4982:6, 2396:5
It does not leave out any, not one. Q592:4; R4633:5; OV237:4
The divine provision of a remedy for sinners is co-extensive with the blight of sin. R3066:1
So that every man might have a judgment or trial, to determine whether he is worthy of this blessing. SM150:2
For those already enlightened as well as for the millions who have never heard of the only name whereby we must be saved. A104; R4633:5; OV197:5; SM539:2
Universal redemption--not universal salvation. R5925:1
This work of redemption covers centuries. R4998:3
Jesus' mission at his first advent was to save in the sense of redeeming, while his second advent will complete the work by restoring to perfection all the redeemed. R604:1*
"He gave himself a ransom for all." (1 Tim. 2:6) A344; F668; R5166:3, 1478:3, 779:1, 623:6, 145:1; OV182:4
But not for himself. R47:2*
A salvation brought about by the death of Jesus is contrary to the evolution theory. R881:3
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But we see – In vs 8 he tells us that we do "not yet" see man having fulfilled God's purpose for him. But what do we see?
Jesus – "The author and finisher of our faith."
Made a little lower than the angels – Exactly the same description given of Adam. In other words, 'We see Jesus made a perfect human being.'
For the suffering of death – This was His purpose in taking such a lowly position (in comparison to His position as the Archangel.)
Crowned with glory and honour – The glory and honor of the perfect human nature. Exactly the same description given of Adam in vss. 6,7.
Grace of God – Amen!
Taste death for every man – Not just for the true believers but for every man. |
| 10 For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. |
For it became him – The Father. E118[E118:1], E144; R1267:6[R1267:9], 393:1, 280:6
Whom are all things – All things as they shall ultimately be re-united under Christ in God are to be so for God's sake. R1778:5, 1270:1
Bringing many sons – Of God, not of Christ. E144
The Lord is giving his brethren necessary experiences to lead them to God, to glory. R5579:6
The human race. R1267:6
Unto glory – "Glory, honor and immortality." (Rom. 2:7) E395; R1879:4
They are not on an equality with their elder brother; he is their Head, their Chief, the Captain of their salvation. R5215:3
The glory of the restored perfection and dominion. R1267:6
The captain – Jesus. R393:1, 281:1
Princely Leader (Rotherham). R1778:5, 1270:1
Make sure we are fighting as our Captain would wish. R5427:6
Perfect – As a spiritual being. T80; R393:1
Not as a man, for as such he was perfect. R456:2
In experiences for his future office. E51
Worthy to be granted the power and glory which Messiah will exercise. R5090:2
Made a perfect New Creature of the divine nature. R795:4; R1830:4
Through – By, or, on account of. R361:2
Sufferings – Sacrifice of earthly hopes, aims and ambitions; suffering unto death. R5778:1, 795:4
To prove his character, his loyalty, to manifest to us, the angels, and all creatures, his wonderful obedience and worthiness of the divine nature. Q559:2; R4618:3, 5472:5, 965:1, 456:5
Tested to perfection, to the last degree, that when he commands obedience of all to Jehovah, it is not more than he yielded. R965:1, 281:1
A less painful death would have been our ransom price, but Jesus was not only to be the Redeemer, but also the Restorer of men. R393:1
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| 11 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, |
Who are sanctified – Set apart, consecrated. R489:4*
The Lord's body members. R4399:5, 297:2
Are all of one – One spirit, one mind, begotten of the spirit of the truth. E244
By reason of our sanctification of the spirit, we are one. R375:1
Complete sanctification in Christ constitutes the perfection and unity of the church. R69:2*
This unity was illustrated on the great day of atonement by the burnt-offering of two rams. T73
For which cause – If we would follow Christ, we must suffer. R811:6*, 469:2*, 285:5*, 210:4*
He is not ashamed – So far is the Lord from any domineering attitude in the exercise of his Lordship or authority. R1523:5
To call them brethren – Not children. E144; R1359:6
Usual term of greeting in the early Church. F230
Like him they have consecrated their lives to the Father's business, the service of the truth. SM705:1
Those who seek, love, and do the will of the Father, in preference to their own. R964:5
The many brethren that compose the body of Christ are like Christ in worldly circumstances. R811:1*
As our Advocate, our Lord stands with us as our Elder Brother, as Chief Priest over his own House of Priests. R4584:6
If this thought of intimate relationship could always be before our minds, we would assist bearing one another's burdens. R2824:2
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| 12 Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee. |
Saying – As it was prophetically written. R964:5
My brethren – Who have received the spirit of adoption. E109
The "little flock," the bride class. R5007:1, 964:5
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| 13 And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold I and the children which God hath given me. |
I – The entire head and body--one. R964:5
And the children – Of God. E144; R1359:6
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| 14 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; |
Flesh and blood – Human nature. E448; R164:4
Part of the same – The same flesh and blood, human nature. E425; R2794:5, 578:5, 474:4, 261:3, 68:4*, 18:2
Thereby becoming the Branch out of David's root. E136
Not that he might die for himself, as one of us. R726:6*
That through death – As a substitute, or ransom-price before God's Law. R1685:4
He might – Legally. R1685:4, 485:2
Destroy – Greek, katargeo, render powerless; the only way of rendering Satan absolutely powerless would be by his destruction. R2001:4
Ultimately, Satan is to be destroyed, together with all who have his spirit of antagonism to God. OV306:4; R5603:3
In due time. R1879:1, 485:2
In the lake of fire. R655:6, 701:2
As the enemy of God and righteousness. R1253:1
After being loosed in the end of the Millennial Age. R1233:5, 725:3
Satan has become inseparably connected with sin, and his destruction is plainly declared. R5896:1, 255:1
Christ became flesh for the express purpose of destroying the Captor and effecting the deliverance. R30:4*
Jesus is stronger than the "strong man armed" and competent to bind and destroy him. R632:4*
Not preserved in any sense or condition. R2609:5, 696:6
Proof that angels are mortal. A187; R1879:1, 673:5
"Into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels." (Matt. 25:41) F619; R2608:6, 725:3
Him that – It is an under or subordinate power which he has grasped as a usurper. R452:4*
Had the power – The empire; the dominion. C315; R1779:6, 1271:3; Q620:T
"Holding the dominion of death" (Rotherham). Not the eternal dominion to which he aspired, but an ignominious dominion amid sin and death, over poor fallen humanity. R1687:5
The dominion lost by Adam and to be restored by Jesus. R269:4
Satan does not have this power unlimitedly, but can exercise it only under restraints and restrictions, as with Job. R2668:5, 2180:1, 1684:6
However great a power Satan may exercise over the world, we know that his power does not extend to the Church. R1779:6, 1271:3
Authority or control. R964:6
Had the keys of death. R145:1*
Of death – Death, as well as Satan, is our enemy. R2599:6
This penalty was inflicted by God (no matter into whose hands he commits the power of death as his executioner). R911:4
Within limitations, fallen spirits can closely approximate the time of future deaths. R2180:1
This power extends also to storms, hail, drouth and pests. R1685:6, 1771:6
Including disease and sickness. D612; R2189:2, 1684:5, 451:6*
Satan undoubtedly has the power to relieve the sick, when his doctrine will be best served thereby. R3187:3, 5802:1, 1685:6, 1644:3
The fact that Satan has adopted "mind cures" to draw the attention of the world and to keep them blinded proves that our great foe is put in straits to continue his hold upon mankind. R2014:5
That is, the devil – Rightdoing and rightdoers, only, shall continue forever. A121
The executioner of the sentence pronounced. E449
And thus release from his grasp all of the race. R417:5
"For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil." (1 John 3:8) R2610:3
When the typical lamb was slain the power of Pharaoh was broken; so the power of the devil was broken when the antitypical Lamb was slain, and complete deliverance became a mere question of time. R1322:2
Satan turns the grindstone on which the jewels are polished. SM324:2; Q23:6
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| 15 And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. |
And deliver them – The Great Company as typified in the "scape-goat." T60, T70
Those who compromise with the world and its spirit. R5864:6
Release the children of God and bring them into life. R964:6
Jesus does not use the power to deliver from death (except in a few special cases) until the Times of Restitution. R47:5*
Fear of death – Fear of sacrificial death. R5270:2
The death of the old man, the death of the flesh. CR348:2
For fear of the cost the Great Company holds back their sacrifice until too late. R4648:1, 828:4; CR102:1
The Great Company's lack of zeal leads them to hold back from sacrifice, although they do not draw back to wilful sin. HG668:6
Fear of the world, fear of mankind, fear of the reproach borne by the bullock and the goat beyond the camp, in the wilderness, the separated or dead condition. T70
Cowards who turn back and never really take the vow of consecration. R5607:4
Same kind of death as verse 14. R101:2*
Subject to bondage – Fear of men and men's traditions and opinions, which always keep back from full obedience to God, even unto death. T70
In Babylon. R694:5
To the flesh, to the customs of society--fearful of the sacrificing experiences which they covenanted should be theirs. R5232:4, 4921:1, 4665:3; Q24:3
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Fear of death – Of the sacrificial death. This has reference to the Great Company.
All their lifetime – The implication here might be that the decision to relegate one to the Great Company may not be made until about the time of their death. If so, this becomes a precious promise to any who have had prior doubts but are now running a good race and not at all under the 'Fear of death.' [* As near as can be determined, this is NOT Pastor Russell's view of the Great Company's attitude. His thought seems to be expressed in Q24:3.] |
| 16 For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham. |
The nature of angels – The death of an angel could not have redeemed man. R5429:6
Angels were not condemned to death, hence needed no ransom. R1680:4
As though referring to the angels which sinned. E425
But he took on him – Our Lord stooped from his high position. R5352:2
"For the suffering of death." (Heb. 2:9) E138
The seed of Abraham – Human nature. Q769:5
This evidently refers to his birth of the flesh, as the son of Mary. R3513:2
Not one step lower than his own, but he came down two steps and took the nature of men--he became a man; he was "made flesh." A178
"The Word was made flesh" (John 1:14) and that flesh he gave forever for the life of the world. A178; E151
Divine justice required that a perfect human life must be given for a perfect human life. R5429:6, 5128:1
Our Lord will exercise both the kingly and priestly office in his great work of the oath-bound covenant. R3513:4
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| 17 Wherefore in all things it behoved 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. |
It behooved him – It was a necessary part of his preparation for the work of redeeming and blessing mankind. E128
Made like unto – Tested, tried and proved obedient to his covenant of consecration. R963:6
Not as a sinful man for this would deny the ransom. R951:3
His brethren – Who have received the spirit of adoption. E109
Those who seek, love, and do the will of the Father, in preference to their own. R964:5
"Whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven." (Matt. 12:50) R963:3
High priest – For the world. R3192:5
Make reconciliation – In the end of the antitypical Day of Atonement, the blood will be applied to Justice on behalf of the whole world. Q444:1
When the people shall have been released from their death-condemnation, they will be in a position to receive blessings. R4905:6
The people – For the whole world in due time. R677:4*
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| 18 For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted. |
Suffered – Likewise, the body is to be trained to perfect sympathy and obedience through suffering. R405:4*, 12:5*
Being tempted – As recorded in Matt. 4:1-11. R2243:5, 4969:3
He is "touched with a feeling of our infirmities." (Heb. 4:15) E52; R1829:5
One feature of Jesus' work since his resurrection is to give us the benefit of his former experience, by giving aid to the tempted. R77:6*
Trials of all kinds, apart from those arising through sin. R1335:3; 4544:4
Of the weaknesses of the flesh, he had none. R4544:4
He is able – "To save to the uttermost." (Heb. 7:25) F162
As our great Advocate. R4545:5, 1829:5
Our High Priest is not one who is cold and indifferent, but full of sympathy. R5585:6
To succor – Assist, comfort, relieve. R1807:5
To deliver from temptations which otherwise might overpower. F161; R28:4*
We must apply for succor at the throne of grace. R4545:5
Jesus' sufferings and temptations prepared him to be able to succor the tempted. R31:1*; 4545:5
His sacrifice is efficacious for forgiveness of unwilling faults. R4544:5
This great antitypical priest, whose priesthood is continual, is not only able to take away sin, but is able to sympathize fully with those for whom his "better sacrifices" have been made. R5777:2
Them – His spirit-begotten disciples. R4545:5
That are tempted – The trials which Jehovah permits to come upon his consecrated people are the same kind that he permitted to come upon our Redeemer. R4970:3
For the testing of our character. In every case behind the temptation is the Adversary. R4545:4,5
Who are tried, but who are not in affiliation with sin. R1335:3
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