---

1. A description of the work which Christ has come to accomplish for His people. He is described as "He that sanctifieth," and His people as "they who are sanctified." Jesus sanctifies both Himself and His people with His own blood, expiating and purging away their sins, and fitting them, and Himself as their Surety, for coming with acceptance into the presence of the holy God. This is the great end of the Saviour's mighty undertaking, to bring His people near to God. To a creature with a moral nature like man, distance from God is misery — it is death. Thus He is in our. text most comprehensively, as well as appropriately, described as "He that sanctifieth." We say, most comprehensively; for this is the sum of all that He accomplishes as the Saviour of His people — most appropriately, for the word as here used carries us back to the shedding of blood needful for sanctification under the law, and suggests the necessity of the fact which the apostle is expounding, that Jesus, in sanctifying Himself and His people, should in common with them both suffer and die.

2. The declaration of the reason why the Son of God, in sanctifying His people, must Himself of necessity be a sufferer. The ordinance of consecration for the priesthood under the law suggests this necessity; yet the question remains, whence the necessity of the shedding of blood? Our text answers this question — "He that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one." Here is the essence of the Divine scheme for sinners' redemption.

I. WHATSOEVER IS THEIRS IS MADE HIS.

1. Their sin. One man may spontaneously make himself liable for his neighbour's debt but a husband is necessarily liable for the debts of his wife, because they are "all of one." This is only a shadow of Christ's hability for the sin of His people. Like the husband, Christ may be regarded as having spontaneously assumed the relation of unity with His spouse, but having become one flesh with her, He is, voluntarily indeed, yet necessarily, liable for her debts.

2. Jesus having thus become chargeable with the guilt of His people's sin, became subject to its penal effects. With their sin their suffering also is made His.

3. With their sin their death also is made His. Death was from the beginning the appointed penalty of sin.

II. WHAT IS CHRIST'S IS TRANSFERRED TO HIS PEOPLE.

1. His righteousness is made theirs (2 Corinthians 5:21). Thus the holy God can look with complacency on "the ungodly" believing in Jesus. Not that He esteems less hateful their sin. Not that He esteems less honourable His own law, but He accepts them "in the beloved," and He is "the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth."

2. His death is made theirs. He had obeyed as His people's surety and head. In the same capacity He died. Thus, when He died on the Cross, His people died in Him. "If one died for all, then were all dead," or "then have all died." This is the glorious security of His people, that having died in their surety, their salvation, in the most important some of the word, is already accomplished.

3. Christ's resurrection, as well as His death, is made theirs. In the person of their Head they have already risen and taken possession of their inheritance.

(Alex. Anderson.)

---

---

KJV: 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,

WEB: For both he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all from one, for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brothers,