HC 40

Heidelberg Catechism

Q40. Why was it necessary for Christ to humble Himself even unto death?

Because of the justice and truth of God satisfaction for our sins could be made in no other way than by the death of the Son of God.

Gen. 2:17 — [17] but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”
Rom. 8:3 — [3] For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh,
Phil. 2:8 — [8] And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
Heb. 2:9 — [9] But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.
Heb. 2:14-15 — [14] Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, [15] and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.

The Assembly cited Gen. 2:17 in support of this answer. Read it in context — how does it bear on what is claimed here?
5 passages are cited here. Which does the most work, and is anything claimed that the proofs do not obviously carry?
WSC Q20 treats the same ground. What does it add, and why might it put things differently?
WSC Q21 treats the same ground. What does it add, and why might it put things differently?