16. (a) How is the little lock related to Jesus as to Abraham’s seed? (b) How does this help in relating the special deliverance to the larger picture?

¹⁶ Thus God’s Word clearly points out a specially chosen congregation, a “little flock,” who receive a prior share in the benefits of Christ’s ransom sacrifice, ahead of the rest of mankind. As already mentioned, Jesus himself is preeminently God’s firstborn Son, yet he has others closely associated with him under his headship, forming the “congregation of the firstborn.” Also, in a similar way, Christ Jesus himself is the promised Seed of Abraham; yet, by Jehovah’s undeserved kindness, these firstborn ones, because they have been “baptized into Christ” and “belong to Christ,” are also “really Abraham’s seed.” It is through this seed that “all nations of the earth will certainly bless themselves” in God’s kingdom, after the great deliverance at Armageddon from modern-day Egypt. Thus we can see how the smaller picture of a special deliverance for the firstborn class must first take place and must precede the larger picture, the fulfillment of which will certainly cause a song of triumphant praise to be sung to Jehovah, “for he has become highly exalted.” That is why, figuratively speaking, he went down to Egypt in the first instance, to “assign himself a name.”—Gal. 3:16, 27, 29; Gen. 22:18; Ex. 15:21; 2 Sam. 7:23.

17. How is 1 John 2:2 to be understood?

¹⁷ Thus, too, we can appreciate why John, in writing to these firstborn ones, said that Jesus is first a “sacrifice for our sins, yet not for ours only but also for the whole world’s.”—1 John 2:2.

A Close and Precious Relationship

1, 2. (a) In what way did Jesus become closely related to his “brothers”? (b) How is this tied in with the Lord’s evening meal?

ONE thing stands out very plainly in considering the fulfillment of the picture of Israel’s firstborn, and that is the extremely close relationship brought about by Jehovah between Jesus and the spiritual congregation of the firstborn, who share with him as part of Abraham’s seed. Looking again at Paul’s letter to the Hebrews, we note he stresses this at Hebrews 2:10-18, where he explains that “in bringing many sons to [heavenly] glory” it was fitting “to make the Chief Agent [Jesus Christ] of their salvation perfect through sufferings.” And since these many sons are “sharers of blood and flesh, he [Jesus] also similarly partook of the same things, that through his death he might bring to nothing the one having the means to cause death, that is, the Devil . . . for he is really not assisting angels at all, but he is assisting Abraham’s seed. Consequently he was obliged to become like his ‘brothers’ in all respects, that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, in order to offer propitiatory sacrifice for the sins of the people.”

² Yes, these sons are closely related to Jesus as part of the promised seed, but now we wish to draw your attention to another close similarity mentioned, namely, that both Jesus and these “brothers” of his are “sharers of blood and flesh.” This at once makes a close link with the Lord’s evening meal and the truths then discussed by Jesus, which we promised to review.

3. How did Jesus approach the final passover with his disciples?

³ As a faithful Jew, Jesus had always observed the annual passover feast on Nisan 14; but, knowing full well that he would finish his ministry and complete his sacrificial course right on time as the real “passover victim,” he approached this final passover with his disciples as an occasion that would be marked with the utmost significance. Even the choosing of the house where it was to be held was marked by unusual circumstances, an interesting instance of detailed foreknowledge, as Peter and John found to be true, “just as he [Jesus] had said to them.” And then, “when the hour came” and he was reclining at the table with his disciples, he said to them: “I have greatly desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer.”—Luke 22:7-16.