Hebrews 2:15

“Since therefore the children,” summoned through his promise, “share in flesh and blood,” that is sin, as signified by flesh, “and he himself likewise partook of the same nature” in the likeness of flesh, he was mingled with them, so that he might become for them a model of goodness. He consigned himself to death, so that through his death “he might destroy him who has the power of death, that is, the devil,” who instilled death into living creatures when the fruit was eaten. So he died in order “to free,” through his death, those over whom the fear of death ruled and “who were, for all their lives, subject to the slavery of eternal death.” You do not receive the medicine that vivifies your life from angels, but from the seed itself of Abraham, to whom it was said, “In your seed all nations will be blessed.” “So he had to become similar in everything …” to the children of Abraham, “in order to become as merciful” as Moses, who, as an image of the Son, devoted himself to the salvation of the children of his nation. And [he had to become similar] also in order to become faithful and save all the nations from death, like Aaron, who in the mystery of the Son repelled death from the children of his generation by using the censor, which he received to oppose death. God appointed him high priest not for those things which are generously given to us through sacrifices, as through Eleazar, but for those which are spiritually granted to us in him: that is, in order that he becomes the propitiator through baptism and not through aspersion.“Because he himself has suffered and been tempted”—that is, he was tempted through his becoming connatural with us—he is able to assist those who are infirm in their weakness and victims of temptation. In fact, he is now made aware of … the weakness of flesh and knows humans more fully after clothing himself with flesh.

"And should deliver them," he says, "who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage." Why (he means) do ye shudder? Why do you fear him that hath been brought to nought? He is no longer terrible, but has been trodden under foot, hath been utterly despised; he is vile and of no account. (2 Tim. i. 10.)

But what is "through fear of death were all their life-time subject to bondage"? He either means this, that he who fears death is a slave, and submits to all things rather than die; or this, that all men were slaves of death and were held under his power, because he had not yet been done away; or that men lived in continual fear, ever expecting that they should die, and being afraid of death, could have no sense of pleasure, while this fear was present with them. For this he hinted at in saying, "All their life-time." He here shows that the afflicted, the harassed, the persecuted, those that are deprived of country and of substance and of all other things, spend their lives more sweetly and more freely than they of old time who were in luxury, who suffered no such afflictions, who were in continual prosperity, if indeed these "all their life-time" were under this fear and were slaves; while the others have been made free and laugh at that which they shudder at. For this is now as if, when one was being led away to a captivity leading to death, and in continual expectation of it, one should feed him up with abundant dainties (something such as this was Death of old); but now, as if some one taking away that fear together with the dainties, were to promise a contest, and propose a combat that should lead no longer to death, but to a kingdom. Of which number wouldst thou have wished to be - those who are fed up in the prison-house, while every day looking for their sentence, or those who contend much and labor willingly, that they may crown themselves with the diadem of the kingdom? Seest thou how he has raised up their soul, and made them elated? He shows too, that not death alone has been put an end to, but that thereby he also who is ever showing that war without trace against us, I mean the devil, hath been brought to nought; since he that fears not death is out of reach of the devil's tyranny. For if "skin for skin, yea all things a man would give for his life" (Job ii. 4) - when any one has determined to disregard even this, of what henceforward will he be the slave? He fears no one, he is in terror of no one, he is higher than all, and more free than all. For he that disregards his own life, much more doth he disregard all other things. And when the devil finds a soul such as this, he can accomplish in it none of his works. For what? tell me, shall he threaten the loss of property, and degradation, and banishment from one's country? But these are small matters to him who "counteth not even his life dear" (Acts xx. 24) unto him, according to the blessed Paul. Thou seest that in casting out the tyranny of death, he also overthrew the strength of the devil. For he who has learnt to study innumerable truths concerning the resurrection, how should he fear death? How should he shudder any more?

Therefore be ye not grieved, saying, why do we suffer such and such things? For so the victory becomes more glorious. And it would not have been glorious, unless by death He had destroyed death; but the most wonderful thing is that He conquered him by the very means by which he was strong, showing in every point the abundance of His means, and the excellence of His contrivances. Let us not then prove false to the gift bestowed on us. "For we," he says, "have received not a spirit of fear, but a spirit of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." (Rom. viii. 15; 2 Tim. i. 7.) Let us stand then nobly, laughing death to scorn.

How is it possible, he is saying, for Christ to style himself our brother or call us really children unless he bears the same nature? Hence on assuming it he overcame the influence of death and did away with the dread besetting us. We lived ever in the dread of death because we were forced to haul the yoke of mortality. Now, it was very necessary for him to use the phrase “likewise” so as to refute the calumny of mere appearance.

"all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death." — [PHOTIUS] Before, he says, death was abolished, throughout their lives, humans were exposed and subjected to the fear of slavery: for they feared death which had not yet been abolished: and nothing of worldly pleasures could delight the courageous, and this was due to the fear of death, in the manner of a cruel and savage master always pressing and terrifying those who were on the earth.

"were held in slavery." The people were bound to death, as they were guilty of this slavery. The slavery of death is to be held and subjected to sin, for sin is the power and sting of death. (1 Cor. 15:56) Therefore, since Christ through death abolished the one who has the power of death, that is,the Devil, the inventor and leader of sin, sin has become weak, and we have been freed from the slavery according to its dominion; we have been liberated from the fear of death. And this is clearly seen in their very actions. For those who before feared and shunned death as the greatest evil and overwhelming, now approach it joyfully as a change of life and a prelude, when they are brought forth for Christ and His laws by those who persecute them. Therefore, is it not evident that the Savior has freed us from the fear of death and from the slavery that comes from it?