Hebrews 2:11-12
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The text emphasizes that Jesus, the one who makes us holy, and we, who are being made holy, come from the same divine source. This shared origin in God is the deep reason why Jesus, despite his divine glory, isn't ashamed to call us his brothers and sisters.
For he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one source. That is why he is not ashamed to call them brothers, saying, “I will tell of your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will sing your praise.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
The author is explaining why Jesus, who is divine and superior to angels, is not ashamed to associate with humanity. This verse highlights that both Christ (the one who makes holy) and believers (those being made holy) ultimately come from the same divine source, God. This shared origin in God is the foundation for their brotherhood and why Jesus is willing to call them "brothers."
Jesus is called the one who sanctifies, but what does that truly mean? And what about us, the ones being sanctified?
This verse highlights a profound relationship between Christ and believers. Christ is presented as 'he who sanctifies.' This doesn't just mean He makes us morally clean. It speaks to a deeper consecration – setting us apart, making us holy, and bringing us into a new relationship with God. He is the divine agent who accomplishes this.
We, the 'sanctified,' are those being brought into this new relationship. The text emphasizes a continuous process – 'they who are being sanctified.' This points to our ongoing journey of being set apart for God's purposes and glory, a process initiated by Christ and empowered by His Spirit.
Think of it like this: Christ is the ultimate Holy One, consecrating Himself and us to the Father. We are His chosen people, being transformed and made holy through His sacrifice and ongoing work in our lives.
Why would Jesus, the Son of God, not be ashamed to call us 'brothers'? The answer lies in who our ultimate Father is.
The verse states that Christ and believers 'all have one source.' While there's a hint of shared humanity (as explored later in Hebrews), the primary 'one' here is God the Father.
This means Jesus, as the eternal Son, and we, as adopted children, share the same divine Father. This shared identity is the bedrock of our brotherhood with Christ. It's not primarily about us being 'of Adam' or 'of Abraham,' but about our common connection to God.
This is crucial because it elevates our status. Despite our sinfulness and His perfect holiness, our shared Father makes us family. This divine adoption means Christ isn't ashamed to identify with us, because we are His brothers and sisters in God's sight.
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Imagine the Son of God, pure and divine, looking at humanity's flaws. Why would He embrace us as siblings?
The incredible truth here is Christ's profound lack of shame in calling us 'brothers.' Given His divine nature and our fallen state, this could have been a point of separation. However, because we 'all have one' divine Father, and because He is the Sanctifier who sets us apart,
Christ embraces this brotherhood. This isn't a reluctant acceptance; it's a declaration of familial unity. He identifies with us, not in our sin, but in our redeemed identity as sons and daughters of God.
This brotherhood means Christ stands with us, advocates for us, and considers us His own. It's a testament to God's amazing grace that the Captain of our salvation is not ashamed to share His title and inheritance with us.
Understand the original words
hagiazō · Greek Verb
To set apart for a sacred purpose or to make holy; in the New Testament, this refers to the process of being made righteous and holy before God through the work of Christ.
adelphos · Greek Noun
One who shares a common origin or spiritual family bond, frequently used in the New Testament to denote the relational unity between believers and Christ, as well as among believers themselves.
ekklēsia · Greek Noun
A gathering of the people of God for worship and assembly; in the Greek Old Testament (Septuagint), it often refers to the covenant community of Israel.
This passage speaks of the people of Israel claiming to be descended from Abraham, highlighting the idea of a shared ancestry that can be a basis for familial connection, similar to how Christ's shared humanity connects Him to believers.
John 17:21Jesus prays for His followers to be one, just as He and the Father are one, emphasizing a deep spiritual unity that mirrors the 'oneness' mentioned in Hebrews 2:11, which underpins Christ's willingness to call us brothers.
Romans 8:29This verse explains that believers are predestined to be conformed to the image of God's Son, directly linking our transformation to Christ's identity as the elder brother and affirming our shared destiny in glory.
Philippians 2:7It describes Christ 'emptying himself' to take on human form, illustrating the profound act of humility that allows Him to identify with humanity and not be ashamed to call us brothers.
1 John 3:1This passage directly speaks to the 'amazing love' the Father has shown us, making us children of God and, by extension, siblings of Christ, echoing the sentiment of being 'brothers' through a shared Divine Father.
wesleyHebrews 2:11: "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,"
2:11 For - They are nearly related to each other. He that sanctifieth - Christ, Heb 13:12. And all they that are sanctified - That are brought to God; that draw near or come to him, which are synonymous terms. Are all of one - Partakers of one nature, from one parent, Adam.
pooleHebrews 2:11: "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,"
For both he that sanctifieth: for shows the reason of the Son’s incarnation, viz. the necessity of union in nature between the sanctifying Mediator and the sanctified sinner. The great gospel Minister was to bring many sons to glory by suffering, which he was not capable of, but by being united to one and the same nature with them to whom the penalty…
The text emphasizes that Jesus, the one who makes us holy, and we, who are being made holy, come from the same divine source. This shared origin in God is the deep reason why Jesus, despite his divine glory, isn't ashamed to call us his brothers and sisters.
The author is explaining why Jesus, who is divine and superior to angels, is not ashamed to associate with humanity. This verse highlights that both Christ (the one who makes holy) and believers (those being made holy) ultimately come from the same divine source, God. This shared origin in God is the foundation for their brotherhood and why Jesus is willing to call them "brothers."
The author is explaining why Jesus, who is divine and superior to angels, is not ashamed to associate with humanity. This verse highlights that both Christ (the one who makes holy) and believers (those being made holy) ultimately come from the same divine source, God. This shared origin in God is the foundation for their brotherhood and why Jesus is willing to call them "brothers."
"For he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one source. That is why he is not ashamed to call them brothers, saying,
“I will tell of your name to my brothers;
in the midst of the congregation I will sing your p…" — The text emphasizes that Jesus, the one who makes us holy, and we, who are being made holy, come from the same divine source. This shared origin in God is the deep reason why Jesus, despite his divin…
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Last reviewed October 2026