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Apostle Paul’s utterance of Heb. 2:10-13 also has a similar message to Matt. 28:10 & John 20:17.
The Bible has many references to the saved being sons of God and brothers of Jesus.
Children are generally equal to their siblings, and equal to their parents. Added to these relationships, there may be special privileges for the firstborn and special respect for the parents, but these are differences of rank, not of existence.
Divinization (Christian) - Wikipedia provides a long list of Church Fathers that believed that man would become God. For instance:
In the second century, Irenaeus, bishop of Lyons (c. 130–202) said that God had "become what we are, that He might bring us to be even what He is Himself." He added:
Do we cast blame on him [God] because we were not made gods from the beginning, but were at first created merely as men, and then later as gods? Although God has adopted this course out of his pure benevolence, that no one may charge him with discrimination or stinginess, he declares, "I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are sons of the Most High." … For it was necessary at first that nature be exhibited, then after that what was mortal would be conquered and swallowed up in immortality.
Clement of Alexandria said:
[T]he Word of God became man, that thou mayest learn from man how man may become God.
Augustine of Hippo said:
If we have been made sons of God, we have also been made gods.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church says:
The Word became flesh to make us "partakers of the divine nature": "For this is why the Word became man, and the Son of God became the Son of man: so that man, by entering into communion with the Word and thus receiving divine sonship, might become a son of God." "For the Son of God became man so that we might become God." "The only-begotten Son of God, wanting to make us sharers in his divinity, assumed our nature, so that he, made man, might make men gods."
If “Jesus is God”, what does it mean when He addresses the disciples as “brethren” in
Matt. 28:10 and John 20:17?
Matt. 28:10: “..., “Do not be afraid, Go and tell My brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see Me.
My brethren/brothers:
Here Jesus calls his disciples “brothers” because of the spiritual relationship they enjoy. Even after he was raised from the dead to the spirit realm, Jesus called his followers “my brothers.” (Matthew 28:10) Were they brothers of Almighty God? Of course not! But through their faith in Christ,they too became sons of the one Father.
Galatians 3:26 (NET Bible)
26 For in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God through faith.[a]
All those led by God's spirit are children of God—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ. The brothers of Christ are called the sons of God
Romans 8:14, 16-17 (NIV)
14 For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. 17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.
Conclusion:
Jesus never claims to be God, he said that the true worshipers are those that do the will of his Father and not his: " For whoever does the will of My Father who is in heaven, he is My brother, and sister, and mother.”(Matt. 12:50 NASB).
Further, all descendants of the imperfect Adam were slaves to sin, so they could not be considered sons of God. But thanks to Jesus’ ransom sacrifice, God can free them from slavery to sin and adopt them as his sons, making them joint-heirs with Christ. (Romans 8:14-17, Galatians 4:1-7)
Romans 8:14-17 NASB
14 For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons and daughters of God. 15 For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons and daughters by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!” 16 The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.
One of the great Biblical atonement metaphors is that of reconciliation. In 2 Cor 5:18, 19 we find that Christ reconciled the world to Himself by “not counting our sins against us”. Rom 5:10, 11 teaches that sinners were reconciled to God by Christ’s death. Further, a comparison with v9 shows that justification and reconciliation are used in parallel.
This is all summed up in the what is known as the great divine exchange of 2 Cor 5:21 -
God made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.
That is, Christ so identified with us that he took responsibility of our sin!
This metaphor of family reconciliation is based on two parallel ideas of Hebrew idiom:
Thus, as our beloved brother, Jesus takes responsibility for the family reconciliation, and reconciles us to God by His sacrificial death.
This is further reinforced by forgiven sinners being called "children of God", 1 John 3:1-3, 10, 5:2, John 11:52, Rom 8:16, 14, 9:8, Gal 3:26, Matt 5:9, Phil 2:15, Heb 2:13, etc. As children of God we can call the Son of God our brother.
Supplementary note: The fact that Jesus is called the "Son of God" does not make Him any less God because He is called "the God" (ho theos) in places like Matt 1:23, John 20:28, and equal to the Father in other places such as John 1:18, 5:17, 18, 23, 10:30, Phil 2:5-8, 1 Tim 3:16, Titus 2;13, Heb 1:8, 9, 2 Peter 1:1, Isa 9:6, 7, etc.
There are many instances throughout the bible in which Jesus' divinity is called into question. To clarify, Jesus is the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. During his earthly walk, Jesus had relatives-- parents, brothers, sisters, cousins, friends, etc. He also takes meaning of family to another level when he states, "For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother."(Matthew 12:50) Therefore it is appropriate and an honor for Jesus to refer to his followers as "brethren." So whether we read of Jesus praying to the Father or referring to his followers as brethren, these scriptures still hold true:
1Tim 3:16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.
1John 5:7 For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.8 And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one.
Titus 2:13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ.
1John 5:20 And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.
John 1:1-3 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.2The same was in the beginning with God.3All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
John 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
