Might deliver (525) (apallasso from apó = from, any separation of one thing from another by which the union or fellowship of the two is destroyed + allásso = change form or nature of a thing, to make otherwise) means to change from, and so to release, deliver, set free or liberate. It meant to transfer from one state to another, to remove from. Strictly speaking apallasso spoke of a change by separating or by break up an existing connection, setting the one part into a different state or relation. In a word apallasso meant to give absolute freedom. In Greek secular writings apallasso was used for release from the place of responsibility -- of wife who desired release from marriage contract; of a superintendence of land under lease release from a municipal office. It was used of a judicial settlement = get oneself delivered from, to come to an agreement with regard to some dispute or issue, to settle with or to come to terms with. Thus it was a technical term with pictured satisfaction of a plaintiff by the defendant, especially of the creditor (plaintiff) by the debtor (defendant). Apallasso - 11v in the non-apocryphal Septuagint - Ex. 19:22; 1Sa 14:29; Job 3:10; 7:15; 9:12, 34; 10:19; 27:5; 34:5; Isa. 10:7; Jer. 32:31 In the present context in Hebrews 2:15, apallasso pictures the incarnation of Jesus and His crucifixion taking believers from one state to another, specifically conveying the idea of separating believers from the domain of darkness to the kingdom of His beloved Son. Jesus' satisfactory sacrifice on the Cross released sinners from their former condition in Adam (remember his fear in the garden in Genesis 3:10 because of his nakedness in turn because of his knowledge of good and evil which equated with sin having entered into him) in which we were subject to the right and the might (see notes Ephesians 2:2) of Satan (who had the power of death, because sin brings death). When we believed the debt (see note Romans 6:23) we owed (see notes Colossians 2:14; 2:15) was counted as paid in full (see John 19:30), we were immediately made complete in Christ (see note Colossians 2:10) and set free (John 8:32,36, Luke 4:18, see note Romans 6:14) from the penalty of sin (Gal 3:13) and power of Sin (see notes Romans 6:11; 6:12; 6:13), so that the devil no longer was our father and no longer had dominion over us. Luke used apallasso in describing the supernatural effect of cloths that had touched Paul and then touched sick and demon possessed individuals writing... that handkerchiefs or aprons were even carried from his body to the sick, and the diseases left (apallasso) them and the evil spirits went out. (Luke 19:2) In a legal sense apallasso pictures the satisfaction (Heb 2:17, Ro 3:25; 1Jn 2:2) of the plaintiff (God the Father) by the defendant (Ro 3:23) or using another scenario of the creditor by the debtor as illustrated by Luke's use of apallasso in Lu 12:58 For while you are going with your opponent to appear before the magistrate, on your way there make an effort to settle with (KJV = "be delivered from") (apallasso) him, in order that he may not drag you before the judge, and the judge turn you over to the constable, and the constable throw you into prison. (Luke 12:58) Fear (5401) (phobos from phébomai = flee from) means alarm, terror, or fright. Salvation includes freedom from human anxiety and promise of life and meaning beyond physical death. The redeemed child of God no longer need fear death, for to him "to die is gain" (See notes Philippians 1:21; 1:23) Paul records that now we know beyond a shadow of a doubt... that Christ, having been raised from the dead, is never to die again; death no longer is master over Him. (See note Romans 6:9) In the context of extolling the Lord God of Israel for visiting His people (inherent in the OT promises of the Messiah) and accomplishing redemption (the liberation upon payment of a price) Luke records that God would grant us (Mary and other Jews living at that time) that we, being delivered (see rhuomai) from the hand of our enemies, might serve Him without fear (aphobos)" (Luke 1:74) John adds that... There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love. (1John 4:18) Death is personified as if it were a harsh, malevolent taskmaster that knew it had us cornered on death row (see Jn 3:18) as long as we were in Adam (Ro 5:12) and under the dominion of Satan (Acts 26:18) MacDonald notes that... Though there are occasional flashes of light in the OT concerning life after death, the general impression is one of uncertainty, horror, and gloom. What was hazy then is clear now because Christ brought life and immortality to light by the gospel (see note 2 Timothy 1:10). (MacDonald, W & Farstad, A. Believer's Bible Commentary: Thomas Nelson) Death (2288) (thanatos) is literally a physical separation of the soul from the body. The basic idea of death is separation from something. This is a fearful thought if we don't know what the future life holds. But if we know the One Who holds the future in His hands, we can rest in peace in life and in death! We owed a debt we could not pay. Jesus paid a debt He did not owe! If the Lamb of God (John 1:29) had never shed His blood (see notes Ephesians 1:7, Colossians 1:20) Satan would not have been defeated as predicted by God in the Garden of Eden when He declared to the Serpent of old... And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head, and you shall bruise him on the heel." (Genesis 3:15) At Calvary Jesus "crushed the head" of the old Serpent, Satan, because it is our sins which give the devil power over us. When our sins are forgiven and taken out of the way Satan has no authority and power of us. Rev 12:11 says they "they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even to death." They had no fear of death because for a believer to be absent from the body is to be with the Lord. Jesus declared... "And do not fear those who kill the body, but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. (Matthew 10:28) Spurgeon - He so took upon Him flesh and blood as to die in our nature, that thus he might slay death, and might set us free from all fear of death. Do you not see that, if the representative Man, Christ Jesus, died, he also rose again, and that so also will all who are in him rise, too? If you are in him, you shall rise again. Therefore, fear not to lie down in your last sleep, for the trumpet shall awaken you, and your bodies shall be molded afresh like unto his glorious body, and your soul and body together shall dwell in infinite bliss for ever. "Wherefore comfort one another with these words." Illustration - F B Meyer - By DEATH CHRIST DELIVERS FROM THE FEAR OF DEATH. A child was in the habit of playing in a large and beautiful garden, with sunny lawns; but there was one part of it, a long and winding path, down which he never ventured; indeed, he dreaded to go near it, because some silly nurse had told him that ogres and goblins dwelt within its darksome gloom. At last his eldest brother heard of his fear, and, after playing one day with him, took him to the embowered entrance of the grove, and, leaving him there terror-stricken, went singing through its length, and returned, and reasoned with the child, proving that his fears were groundless. At last he took the lad’s hand, and they went through it together, and from that moment the fear which had haunted the place fled. And the memory of that brother’s presence took its place. So has Jesus done for us! WERE SUBJECT TO SLAVERY ALL THEIR LIVES: tou zon (PAN) enochoi esan (3PIAI) douleias: (Ro 8:15,21 Ga 4:21 2Ti 1:7) Were subject (1777) (enochos from enécho = hold in or to be ensnared) means to hold in and so to be be entangled in, subject to, ensnared. It means being subject to control of someone or of some institution - controlled by, under the control of, subject to. The present tense identifies this condition as continuous! What a contrast is this state of oppression, ensnarement and bondage with the picture in Hebrews 2:10, of the glory of the “sons”! Do we really comprehend how wonderful and how great our salvation really is? I fear that far too often I do not! Slavery (1397) (douleia) is bondage, servitude, , state of a doulos or slave. It is that state of a man in which he is prevented from freely possessing and enjoying his life, a state opposed to liberty. It is a state of servitude to our flesh and to the devil! Before Christ delivered us! But He has set the captives free! (Isa 61:1 Lu 4:18) Every time they would sin they would be placed into bondage so to speak. literally, “subjects of bondage”; not merely liable to it, but enthralled in it (compare Ro 8:15; Ga 5:1). Aristotle was correct defining bondage and liberty... “Bondage, the living not as one chooses; liberty, the living as one chooses.” Freedom is the ability to live as one chooses. Liberty in Christ is the ability to live as one ought.. Christ by delivering us from the curse of God against our sin, has taken from death all that made it formidable. Death, viewed apart from Christ, can only fill with horror, if the sinner even dares to think of it. Why? Hebrews says Heb 10:31 It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God. Heb 12:29 for our God is a consuming fire. We couldn't have gotten free of the ''fear of death'' by any manner or any amount of money all of our lives! Such a life can hardly be called life! In fact Paul says in such a state we "were dead (spiritually) in our trespasses and sins"! (See note Ephesians 2:1) On the other hand, for the believer, “death is swallowed up in victory” (1Cor 15:54). From Global Prayer Digest 1/23/01 re the Muslim Maldives Islands: "Even Christian radio broadcasts have been squelched there. To fill the spiritual void, the Maldivians have blended Islam and animism. Fear of evil spirits rules their lives, so they put no windows in their coral or thatched houses and they burn lamps all night. Currently, no Christian resources are available in their Divehi language except a possible short wave program." (Comment: For these who set in darkness and fear of death, a great Light has shone forth. Are you bearing the Light of Christ in you the hope of glory to the dark places of this world which is passing away? If not, why not? We are called to be His witnesses wherever He has placed us.) ><>><>><> THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE - At the southern tip of Africa, a cape jutting out into the ocean once caused sailors great anxiety. Many who attempted to sail around it were lost in the swirling seas. Because adverse weather conditions so often prevailed there, the region was named the Cape of Storms. A Portuguese captain determined to find a safe route through those treacherous waters so his countrymen could reach Cathay and the riches of the East Indies in safety. He succeeded, and the area was renamed the Cape of Good Hope. We all face a great storm called death. But our Lord has already traveled through it safely and has provided a way for us to do the same. By His crucifixion and resurrection, Christ abolished eternal death for every believer and has permanently established our fellowship with Him in heaven. Although this "last enemy," physical death, can touch us temporarily, its brief control over our earthly body will end at the resurrection. The sting of death has been removed! Now all who know Christ as Savior can face life's final voyage with confidence. Even though the sea may be rough, we will experience no terror as we pass through the "cape of good hope" and into heaven's harbor. The Master Helmsman Himself has assured our safe passage. -- Henry G. Bosch (Our Daily Bread, Copyright RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved) Think of just crossing a river, Stepping out safe on that shore, Sadness and suffering over, Dwelling with Christ evermore! --Anon Christ has charted a safe course through the dark waters of death. ><>><>><> J C Philpot has the following devotional thoughts on Hebrews 2:14... It is no evidence against you if you are subject to bondage; it is no mark against you if you cannot look death in the face without doubt or fear. Is it not "the children" who feel the bondage? And did not the Lord come to deliver them from it? Are you then not a child because you fear death? If you had no sense of sin, no tenderness of conscience, you would be as careless about death as most other people are. Thus your very bondage, your very fears, if they make you sigh and cry for deliverance, are marks of life. And the day will surely come when the Lord will remove these chilling fears and put an end to these killing doubts. As you draw near to the brink of Jordan, the Lord will be with you to deliver you, who, through fear of death, are now subject to bondage; he will extract its sting, and rob the grave of its victory, enabling you to shout "Salvation!" through his blood, even at the moment when nature sinks lowest and the last enemy appears nearest in view. Oh, what a blessed Jesus we have; what a heavenly Friend; what a divine Mediator between a holy God and our guilty souls! What love he displayed in taking our flesh and blood; what kind condescension, what wondrous depths of unspeakable grace! He loved us sufficiently to lay down his life for us. Did he not for our sakes endure the agony of the cross, the hidings of God's face, the burden of sin, the pangs of hell? And if he has done all this for us on earth, will he leave his work undone in heaven? Has he quickened you into life, made you feel your sin, taught you to seek for mercy, raised up a good hope in your heart, applied a promise to your soul, given you a testimony? He may have done all this, and yet at times your conscience may be held down in bondage and imprisonment. But it is only to make further way for his grace; to open up more and more of his willingness and ability to save to the uttermost all that come unto God by him. It is only to make himself in the end more precious to you; to show you more of his finished work, more of his dying love and atoning blood, and more of what he is able to do in delivering you from all your fears. Thus, as the Adam fall was overruled by the wisdom of God to make manifest the riches of his eternal love, mercy, and grace, so your very doubts, fears, and bondage will be blessedly overruled to give you further discoveries of Christ, to wean you more from an arm of flesh, and to make you know more experimentally what the Lord Jesus Christ is to those who seek his face and hang upon and trust him and him alone. A man who believes that he may live and die, and that safely, without an experimental knowledge of Christ, will never seek his face, never call upon his name, never long for the manifestations of his love. But he who feels that he can neither live nor die without him, who knows that he has a soul that only Christ can save, who has sins which only Christ's blood can pardon, iniquities that only Christ's righteousness can cover, will be often crying to the Lord to visit his soul with his salvation, and will find no rest till Christ appears; but when Christ appears to the joy of his soul, will bless and praise him with joyful lips. And oh, what a glorious trophy will that man be of Christ's eternal victory over sin and Satan, when he will reign with him and with his assembled saints in one immortal day! (J. C. Philpot. Daily Words for Zion's Wayfarers) In his book The Way Into the Holiest, F B Meyer entitles Chapter 7... THE DEATH OF DEATH "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; and deliver them, who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage." Hebrews 2:14-15. WE fear death with a double fear. There is, first, the instinctive fear shared also by the animal creation; for the very brutes tremble as the moment of death draws near. Surely this fear is not wrong. It is often congenital and involuntary, and afflicts some of God's noblest saints: though doubtless these will some day confess that it was most unwarrantable, and that the moment of dissolution was calm and sweet and blessed. It is a growing opinion among thoughtful men that the moment of death, when the spirit passes from its earthly tabernacle, is probably the most painless and the happiest moment of its whole earthly story. And if this be so generally, how much more must it be the case with those on whose sight are breaking the glories of Paradise! The child whose eyes feast upon a glowing vista of flower and fruit, beckoning it through the garden-gate, hardly notices the rough woodwork of the gate itself as it bounds through; and probably the soul, becoming aware of the beauty of the King and the glories of its home, is too absorbed to notice the act of death, till it suddenly finds itself free to mount and soar and revel in the dawning light. But there is another fear of death, which is spiritual. dread its mystery. What is it? Whither does it lead? Why does it come just now? What is the nature of the life beyond? We see the movements on the other side of the thick curtain which sways to and fro; but we can distinguish no form. The dying ones are conscious of sights and sounds for which we strain eye and ear in vain. We dread its leave-taking. The heathen poet sang sadly of leaving earth and home and family. Long habit endears the homeliest lot and the roughest comrades: how much more the true-hearted and congenial-it is hard to part from them. If only we could all go together, there would be nothing in it. But this separate dropping-off, this departing one by one, this drift from the anchorage alone! Who can deny that it is a lonesome thing? Men dread the after-death. " The sting of death is sin." The sinner dreads to die, because he knows that, on the other side of death, he must meet the God against whom he has sinned, and stand at his bar to give an account and receive the due reward of his deeds. How can he face that burning glory? How can he answer for one of a thousand? How can mortal man be just with God? How can he escape hell, and find his place amid the happy festal throngs of the Golden City? Many of man's fears were known to Christ. And he knew that they would be felt by many who were to be closely related to him as brethren. If, then, he was prompted by ordinary feelings of compassion to the great masses of mankind, he would be especially moved to relieve those with whom he had so close an affinity, as these marvelous verses unfold. He and they are all of one (see note Hebrews 2:11). He calls them brethren through the lips of psalmist and prophet (see note Hebrews 2:12). He takes his stand in the assembled Church, and sings his Father's praise in its company (Hebrews 2:12). He even associates himself with them in their humble childlike trust (see note Hebrews 2:13). He dares to accost the gaze of all worlds, as he comes forward leading them by the hand (Hebrews 2:13). Oh, marvelous identification! Oh, rapturous association! More wondrous far than if a seraph should cherish friendship with a worm! But the preciousness of this relationship lies in the fact that Jesus will do all he can to alleviate that fear of death, which is more or less common to us all. But in order to do it, he must die. He could not be the death of death unless he had personally tasted death. He needed to fulfill the law of death by dying, before he could abolish death. Our David must go into the valley of Elah, and grapple with our giant foe, and wrest from him his power, and slay him with his own sword. As in the old fable Prometheus could not slay the Minotaur unless he accompanied the yearly freight of victims, so must Jesus go with the myriads of our race into the dark confines of the tomb, that death might do its worst in vain; that the grave might lose its victory; and that the grim gaoler might be shown powerless to hold the Resurrection and the Life. Had Christ not died, it might have been affirmed that, in one place at least, death and sin, chaos and darkness, were supreme. "It behooved him, therefore, to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day." And, like another Samson, carrying the gates of his prison-house, he came forth, demonstrating forever that light is stronger than darkness, salvation than sin, life than death. Hear his triumphant cry, as thrice the risen and ascended Master exclaims, "I died, and lo, I am alive forevermore, and have the keys of Hades and of death." Death and hell chose their own battleground, their strongest; and there, in the hour of his weakness, our King defeated them, and now carries the trophy of victory at his girdle forevermore. Hallelujah! But he could only have died by becoming man. Perhaps there is no race in the universe that can die but our own. So there may be no other spot in the wide universe of God seamed with graves, shadowed by the outspread wings of the angel of death, or marked by the plague-spot of sin. "Sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all." In order then to die, Christ must take on himself our human nature. Others die because they are born; Christ was born that he might die. It is as if he said: "Of thee, O human mother, must I be born; and I must suffer the aches and pains and sorrows of mortal life; and I must hasten quickly to the destined goal of human life; I have come into the world to die." "Forasmuch as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same, in order that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil: and deliver them, who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage." I. BY DEATH CHRIST DESTROYED HIM THAT HAD THE POWER OF DEATH Scripture has no doubt as to the existence of the devil. And those who know much of their own inner life, and of the sudden assaults of evil to which we are liable, cannot but realize his terrible power. And from this passage we infer that that power was even greater before Jesus died. "He had the power of death." It was a chief weapon in his infernal armory. The dread of it was so great as to drive men to yield to any demands made by the priests of false religions, with their dark impurities and hideous rites. Thus timid sheep are scared by horrid shouts and blows into the butcher's shambles. But since Jesus died, the devil and his power are destroyed. Brought to naught, not made extinct. Still he assails the Christian warrior, though armed from head to foot; and goes about seeking whom he may devour, and deceives men to ruin. Satan is not impotent though chained. He has received the wound which annuls his power, but it has not yet been effectual to destroy him. His power was broken at the cross and grave of Jesus. The hour of Gethsemane was the hour and power of darkness. And Satan must have seen the Resurrection in despair. It was the knell of his destiny. It sealed his doom. The prince of this world was judged and cast out from the seat of power (John 12:31, 16:11). The serpent's head was bruised beyond remedy. Fear not the devil, O child of God; nor death! These make much noise, but they have no power. The Breaker has gone before thee, clearing thy way. Only keep close behind him. Hark! He gives thee power over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt thee (Luke 10:9). No robber shall pluck thee from thy Shepherd's hand. II. BY DEATH CHRIST DELIVERS FROM THE FEAR OF DEATH A child was in the habit of playing in a large and beautiful garden, with sunny lawns; but there was one part of it, a long and winding path, down which he never ventured; indeed, he dreaded to go near it, because some silly nurse had told him that ogres and goblins dwelt within its darksome gloom. At last his eldest brother heard of his fear, and, after playing one day with him, took him to the embowered entrance of the grove, and, leaving him there terror-stricken, went singing through its length, and returned, and reasoned with the child, proving that his fears were groundless. At last he took the lad's hand, and they went through it together, and from that moment the fear which had haunted the place fled. And the memory of that brother's presence took its place. So has Jesus done for us! Fear not the mystery Of death! Jesus has died, and has shown us that it is the gateway into another life, more fair and blessed than this-a life in which human words are understood, and human faces smile, and human affections linger still. The forty days of his resurrection life have solved many of the problems, and illumined most of the mystery. To die is to go at once to be with him. No chasm, no interval, no weary delay in purgatory. Absent from the body, present with the Lord, One moment here in conditions of mortality; the next beyond the stars. Fear not the loneliness of death! The soul in the dark valley becomes aware of another at its side, "Thou art with me." Death cannot separate us, even for a moment, from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. In the hour of death Jesus fulfills his own promise, "I will come again and take you unto myself." And on the other side we step into a vast circle of loving spirits, who welcome the new-comer with festal songs (see note 2 Peter 1:11) Fear not the after-death! The curse and penalty of sin have been borne by him. Death, the supreme sentence on sinners, has been suffered for us by our Substitute. In him we have indeed passed on to the other side of the doom, which is justly ours, as members of a sinful race. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea, rather, that is risen again." Death! How shall they die who have already died in Christ? That which others call death, we call sleep. We dread it no more than sleep. Our bodies lie down exhausted with the long working-day, to awake in the fresh energy of the eternal morning; but in the meanwhile the spirit is presented faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy.