that through death he might destroy the one
who has the power of death, that is, the Devil,
and free those who through fear of death
had been subject to slavery all their life.
We may not think of ourselves as overly fearful of death. There is of course some natural aversion to the pain that often accompanies it, to the idea of being separated from those still living, to the idea of our bodies ceasing to operate, and to the unknown and unknowable nature of what awaits us beyond, we who are only accustomed to experience reality through the medium of bodily sensation. This level of fear is something that seems normal and sufficiently distant from our reality day-to-day (at least most days, we hope) that it does not much affect our choices much less make us "subject to slavery" all of our lives.
But the author of the Letter to the Hebrews is implying both that we fear death more than we realize and that we are not as free as we imagine. We are hear something in an exchange between Jesus and the Pharisees.
They answered him, “We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, ‘You will become free’?” Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin (see John 8:33-34).
We often imagine ourselves to be acting in freedom when in reality our choices a fear which is so dire that we are reluctant to admit it even to ourselves. It is this fear that makes us both defensive in order to protect the treasures we have accumulated and offensive in order to fill our barns to overflowing so that we can say to ourselves, "you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry" (see Luke 12:19). If we clearly analyze ourselves we will see that much of what we do stems from a desire for a level of safety and assurance that this world cannot offer. Whether the assurance we are trying to capture is that we are well liked, that we are powerful enough to resist whatever we imagine to be likely threats, that we are wealthy enough to meet any possible need, or anything else, we often try to seek from this world more than it is designed to give.
Since the children share in blood and Flesh,
Jesus likewise shared in them,
that through death he might destroy the one
who has the power of death, that is, the Devil,
Jesus did not solve the problem of death by simply removing it. He did something much more drastic instead, which would remove not only death, but the power it granted the Devil over mankind. He chose to become like us in all things except sin so that he could deal, not only with effects, but with the chief cause of the problem. It was precisely through his death, through transforming death into a perfect sacrifice of obedience, and through his resurrection that the true power of death over the hearts of women and men could finally be broken.
therefore, he had to become like his brothers and sisters in every way,
that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest before God
to expiate the sins of the people.
Brothers and sisters, we need no longer be slaves held in bondage by fear. Christ our Lord has conquered death. What now has any ultimate power over us? What remains that is worthy of fear? We can now be healed of the myriad ways we used to assuage this fear with sin. We can instead learn more and more that there is only one whom we should fear, one whom to fear is in fact a source of joy and freedom.
But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him! (see Luke 12:5).
We witness in the earthly ministry of Jesus that he did indeed have definitive power over sickness and death. It is true that sickness and death are still a realities we must face. But by the faith we learn from watching the power of Jesus at work in his ministry, and especially in his resurrection, we can come to share in this life and this power. We may still die, if Jesus does not return before the end of our lives, but this need no longer be a cause of undue fear, much less reduce us to slavery. Death can instead be the consummation of lives offered to the Lord and be marked by our eager anticipation to enter into his presence.
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