Hebrews Chapter 2

1 We must pay the most careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away.

1. What is the warning here regarding?

Therefore. Gr. “On account of this” διατουτο that is, on account of the exalted dignity and rank of the Messiah, as stated in the previous chapter. The sense is, “Since Christ, the Author of the new dispensation, is so far exalted above the prophets, and even the angels, we ought to give the more earnest attention to all that has been Spoken.” BN

This warning calls the reader to pay heed to the greater salvation which was declared by the Lord himself, attested by human eyewitnesses, and authenticated by God’s power. Therefore. Since Jesus is superior to the angels, we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard because this message of the Son of God is also superior to prior revelation, which came through angels. To drift away results in dangerous “neglect” of the message . ESVN

closer attention … drift away. Both phrases have nautical connotations. The first refers to mooring a ship, tying it up at the dock. The second was often used of a ship that had been allowed to drift past the harbor. The warning is to secure oneself to the truth of the gospel, being careful not to pass by the only harbor of salvation. The closest attention must be paid to these very serious matters of the Christian faith. The readers in their tendency to apathy are in danger of making shipwreck of their lives. MSBN

 2 For since the message spoken through angels was binding, and every violation and disobedience received its just punishment, 3 how shall we escape if we ignore so great a salvation? This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him. 4 God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.

2. What message?

“The word spoken through angels” refers to the terms of the Mosaic Covenant (cf. Deut 33:2 LXX; Acts 7:53; Gal. 3:19).

Deuteronomy 33:2   He said, “The LORD came from Sinai and dawned from Seir upon us; he shone forth from Mount Paran; he came from the ten thousands of holy ones, with flaming fire at his right hand.

Acts 7:53   you who received the law as delivered by angels and did not keep it.”

Galatians 3:19 Why then the law? It was added because of transgressions, until the offspring should come to whom the promise had been made, and it was put in place through angels by an intermediary.

For the Jews, these terms were not open to debate. For them the will of God was unalterable. It required obedience. Under the Old Covenant the connection between sin and punishment was clear and direct. Even more so, the readers could count on the New Covenant that had come not through angels, but through God’s Son, to involve punishment for sinners. This is especially true if that sin involves failing to give attention to all our responsibilities as Christians who have received such a great salvation. “Transgression” refers to overstepping bounds, and “disobedience” to the violation of God’s will more generally. Another less probable view is that “transgression” refers to sins of commission and “disobedience” to sins of omission. The writer did not specify the punishment, but it cannot be loss of salvation since Scripture specifically states that we will not lose our salvation (John 10:28-29; Rom. 8:31-39; Eph. 1:11-14; 1 Pet. 1:3-5; et al.). In view of the context (1:8-14) the ultimate victory of Jesus Christ and their own ultimate deliverance and rewards seem to be what the readers were in danger of forgetting.

“The neglected salvation is not our final deliverance from hell, that is not the salvation ‘about which we are speaking.’ Rather, it is the opportunity to enter into the final destiny of man, to reign with Christ over the works of God’s hands (Heb. 2:8-9).”

“Salvation includes far more than moral and bodily regeneration, for it embraces the covenanted kingdom of God, the inheritance of David’s Son, the joint-heirship and reign with Christ.”

Note that the writer himself could have been negligent. He said, “How shall we escape?” not “How shall you escape?” (cf. v. 1). The most natural conclusion is that genuine Christians are in view in this warning, not unsaved professing Christians. The writer gave us no clues in the text that he had in mind unsaved professing Christians. Everything he said can be and has been true of genuine believers. CN

3. So what is the argument here ?

If the Mosaic law came with retribution for failure to follow and obey it (v. 2), then surely the greater salvation announced by the Lord comes with more dangerous retribution for those who neglect it (cf. “showed no concern,” 8:9; see also 10:28–29; 12:25).salvation. See note on 1:14. declared. Jesus himself (the Lord; cf. 1:10; 13:20) first announced this salvation, and his superiority proves the superiority of this revelation. attested. The Greek verb (bebaioō) also conveys a sense of assurance and confirmation. by those who heard. Eyewitnesses to Jesus’ life and teaching. Apparently the audience (and probably the author) of Hebrews were not eyewitnesses of Jesus, but received the testimony from others. ESVN

If disobedience to the older covenant of law brought swift judgment, how much more severe will be the judgment of disobedience to the New Covenant gospel of salvation, which was mediated by the Son who is superior to the angels (cf. Mt 10:14, 15; 11:20–24)? The messenger and message of the New Covenant are greater than the messengers and message of the older covenant. The greater the privilege, the greater the punishment for disobedience or neglect (10:29; cf. Lk 12:47). by those who heard. This phrase reveals the succession of evangelism. That generation of Hebrews would not have heard if the previous generation of witnesses had not passed the message along (cf. 1Ti 2:5–7). MSBN

 The book of Hebrews has many severe warnings about neglecting God’s truth (cf. 2:1-4; 3:7-4:11; 5:11-6:12; 10:19-39; 12:14-29).

 “if we neglect so great a salvation“ The term “neglect” (ameleō) means “to pay no attention to” or “to be unconcerned about” something or someone. It is used in the NT for (1) an admonition for Timothy not to neglect his spiritual gift (cf. 1 Tim. 4:14) and (2) an affirmation of YHWH’s lack of attention to Israel because they violated His covenant (cf. Heb. 8:9).  This is the major point of the argument that if the Mosaic Covenant had such tremendous consequences for its neglect then how much more severe the consequences for neglecting the new and better Covenant brought by Jesus (the Son). The consequences of knowingly neglecting a message are related to the majesty of the One who brings the message (i.e., parables of royal wedding, cf. Matt. 22:2-14). The interpretive question then becomes, “Is this referring to (1) a rejecting of the new covenant (the gospel) or (2) a neglecting of the new covenant?” The contemporary usage of the term implies #2. Some commentators would add the use of “we” as an evidence of the author identifying with a believing group, but in 10:26 the author uses this same pronoun (first person plural) in addressing the unbelieving group. These recipients were not rejecting the gospel, but minimizing its influence in their lives.

“it was at the first spoken through the Lord” Jesus is called by YHWH’s OT covenant title “I Am that I Am” (cf. Exod.3:14, which was later read as “Lord” [adon]). See Special Topic at 2:7. This is one of the ways that NT authors show the deity of Jesus of Nazareth. YHWH Himself bears witness to the truthfulness of Jesus’ message (cf. v. 4). BU God also bearing them witness—He did not leave the confirmation of these great truths to the testimony of men; he bore his own testimony to them by signs, wonders, various miracles, and distributions of the Holy Ghost, Πνευματος ‘Αγιου μερισμοις. And all these were proved to come from himself; for no man could do those miracles at his own pleasure, but the power to work them was given according to God’s own will; or rather, God himself wrought them, in order to accredit the ministry of his servants. ACC

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 5 It is not to angels that he has subjected the world to come, about which we are speaking. 6 But there is a place where someone has testified: “What is mankind that you are mindful of them, a son of man that you care for him? 7 You made them a little[a] lower than the angels; you crowned them with glory and honor 8 and put everything under their feet.” In putting everything under them, God left nothing that is not subject to them. Yet at present we do not see everything subject to them. 9 But we do see Jesus, who was made lower than the angels for a little while, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.

4. So Jesus is lower than the angels?

Some of the original Jewish readers of Hebrews felt inclined to abandon the Christian faith because of Jesus’ humanity. The writer stressed His deity in chapter one because some Jews failed to appreciate that. In this chapter he showed why Jesus was not inferior because He was a man. Jesus’ humanity enabled Him to regain man’s lost dominion (vv. 5-9).

The writer returned to his main argument (ch. 1). He did so to develop the destiny of Jesus Christ more fully so his readers would strengthen their commitment to continue following Him.

2:5“The world to come” refers to the inhabited earth under Jesus Christ’s reign (during the Millennium and from then on; cf.1:8-9, 11-13). Some branches of Judaism believed Michael and his angels would rule over it. The angels administer the present world (Deut. 32:8; Dan. 10:20-21; 12:1), but the Son will administer the world to come.

“This will occur at His second advent when He returns to this earth to sit as David’s Son on David’s throne and rule over David’s kingdom in fulfillment of God’s covenants and promises.”

In this respect, too, Jesus is superior to the angels. The phrase “concerning which we are speaking” indicates that the writer was resuming his exposition and continuing his thought from 1:5-14.

2:6-8aThe writer interpreted this passage (Ps. 8:4-6) as Messianic. and Hebrews 2: A Case Study in Biblical Hermeneutics and Biblical Theology,” in Walvoord: A Tribute, p. 44.

There is some evidence that the Jews of this time did not consider Psalm 8 to be messianic. “Son of Man” is a Messianic title (Dan. 7:13-14). As a man, Jesus was temporarily lower than the angels during His earthly ministry. His crowning took place at His ascension as did His receiving authority over all creation. The time when all things now under His authority will bow to that authority awaits His return to earth at His second advent and the judgments that will follow His coming.

2:8b-9Even though believers do not yet see Jesus glorified on earth, we do see Him with the eye of faith glorified in heaven. God has crowned Jesus with glory and honor because He endured death. He suffered death because it was God’s will for Him to taste death for every person. Suffering, introduced here, becomes a dominant theme in this epistle. This was God’s purpose in the Incarnation.

Jesus Christ’s death was for everyone in that by dying He paid the penalty for the sins of every human being, elect and non-elect (cf. 1 John 2:2; 2 Peter 2:1; John 3:16). His death was sufficient for all, but it is efficient only for those who rest their confidence in it as what satisfied God.

“There is a profound note of anticipation in the OT teaching about humanity. The words of the psalmist look forward into the future, and that future is inextricably bound up with the person and work of Jesus. His condescension to be made for a brief while ‘lower than the angels’ set in motion a sequence of events in which abasement and humiliation were the necessary prelude to exaltation. His coronation investiture with priestly glory and splendor provide assurance that the power of sin and death has been nullified and that humanity will yet be led to the full realization of their intended glory. In Jesus the hearers are to find the pledge of their own entrance into the imperial destiny intended by God for them.”  CN

The humanity of Christ needs to be emphasized as well as His deity. You see, He brought deity down to this earth, and He took humanity back to heaven. To begin with, let us understand what world the author is talking about. A great many folk think immediately that the “world to come” is heaven. However, the word for “world” in this verse means “inhabited earth” in the Greek. This verse is talking about the people of this earth. It is used in Matthew 24:14 which says, “And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world [inhabited earth for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.” It is also used in Romans 10:18, “But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the [inhabited] earth, and their words unto the ends of the world.” The word world could not refer to heaven or to eternity. It does not refer to this dispensation of grace in which we live today. It speaks of the messianic kingdom, the kingdom that is coming on the earth. Hebrew believers, schooled in the Old Testament, knew that the theme song of that book was the coming kingdom over which one in David’s line would rule. The messianic Kingdom became the theme song of every one of the prophets. “Unto the angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come”—the millennial Kingdom that is coming upon the earth. Not only have angels not ruled in the past, they will not rule in the future. They have been servants and messengers in the past, and they will continue to be servants in the future. This is the thought expressed here. JVM

  10 In bringing many sons and daughters to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through what he suffered.

5.  If all things are for and by Christ and He was perfect, why would He have to suffer?

What God did through the humiliation of Jesus Christ was perfectly consistent with His sovereign righteousness and holiness. Without Christ’s humiliation and suffering, there could be no redemption. Without redemption, there could be no glorification (cf. Ro 8:18, 29, 30). perfect. In His divine nature, Christ was already perfect. However, His human nature was perfected through obedience, including suffering in order that He might be an understanding High-Priest, an example for believers (cf. 5:8, 9; 7:25–28; Php 2:8; 1Pe 2:21), and establish the perfect righteousness (Mt 3:15) to be imputed to believers (2Co 5:21; Php 3:8, 19). author. The term is also used in 12:2 and Ac 5:31. It could be translated “pioneer,” “leader,” “captain,” or “originator.” Christ is the source (cf. 5:9, which has the meaning of cause), the initiator, and the leader in regard to salvation. He has led the way into heaven as our forerunner (6:20). MSBN

This is God the Father, who acts to “make perfect” the “founder of their salvation” (Jesus). many sons. The followers of the one unique Son of God are now also called “sons,” for they are adopted into the glory of the newly redeemed human family (see “brothers,” vv. 11–12; and “children,” v. 13; also 12:5–8). founder. The Greek can designate either an originator or a leader (see 12:2). salvation. See 1:14 and 2:3. suffering. Especially Jesus’ suffering of death (v. 9, see vv. 14–18). The concept of making perfect is applied elsewhere in Hebrews both to Jesus himself (5:9; 7:28) and to his work in sanctifying his followers (10:14; 12:23). In saying that Jesus was made perfect, the author is not suggesting that Jesus was sinful (cf. 4:15; 7:26) but that as he lived his life, his maturity and experience deepened, yet always with full obedience to the Father. As a human being, he needed to live his life and obey God (which he did perfectly) to become the perfect sacrifice for sins. ESVN

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 11 Both the one who makes people holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters. 12 He says, “I will declare your name to my brothers and sisters; in the assembly I will sing your praises.” 13 And again, “I will put my trust in him.” And again he says, “Here am I, and the children God has given me.”

 6. All have one source?

all of one: This phrase refers either to the common humanity which Jesus shares with all believers, or to the fact that Jesus and believers all belong to God. Because the children of God and the Son Himself are from the same Father (see John 20:17), Jesus can call all believers His brethren.

John 20:17 (NKJV)   Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, ‘I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God.’ “

 Psalm 22, which is quoted here, describes the agony of a righteous sufferer. Ultimately the psalm is messianic. It depicts the sufferings of Christ. Jesus quoted Ps. 22:1 on the Cross (see Matt. 27:46). In this psalm, the Messiah refers to My brethren, identifying Himself with all those who place their faith in God.

Psalm 22:22 I will declare Your name to My brethren; In the midst of the assembly I will praise You. 

Matthew 27:46 (NKJV)  And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?”that is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”

Isaiah 8:17-18 (NKJV)  And I will wait on the LORD, Who hides His face from the house of Jacob; And I will hope in Him. 18  Here am I and the children whom the LORD has given me! We are for signs and wonders in Israel From the LORD of hosts, Who dwells in Mount Zion.

 The citations are from Is. 8:17, 18 and refer to a prophet, who, like the Lord Jesus, was persecuted and rejected but became a rallying point for the faithful. NSBKJV

he who sanctifies. Jesus makes his people holy through his blood (13:12). those who are sanctified. Jesus’ true followers, who are made holy by his sacrifice (10:10, 14; 13:12). Some commentators thinkone source is a reference to the common humanity shared by Jesus and those being saved (see 2:12–18), or to their common descent from Abraham. Others think that the “one source” is God the Father. That is why he is not ashamed to call them brothers. Since they share a common descent (or, since God is their common Father), they are members of the same family, and therefore brothers.  Psalm 22, from which this verse quotes, is associated with Jesus’ death (e.g., Ps. 22:1, 16–18) and resurrection (Ps. 22:19–24). The resurrected Messiah, his suffering completed, calls his brothers to join with him in worship. Both this verse and Matt. 26:30speak of Jesus singing, but here the congregation in view is the assembly of all the redeemed in heaven.  The second citation in this verse clearly comes from Isa. 8:18, and thus the first likely derives from Isa. 8:17 (following the Septuagint). The prophet links himself with the children who will follow God. Jesus as the Messiah/prophet similarly associates himself with believers, who are the Father’s human “children.”ESVN

  14 Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil— 15 and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.

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7. How did Jesus destroy death?

The defeat of Satan and of death testifies that the atoning work of Christ is effectual. But not only is there defeat; there is also deliverance. Though fear can enslave, and the fear of dying has long plagued humanity, Christ has settled the problem by his own death and resurrection. As a man he died. He partook of flesh and blood and thus he died, but by his death came deliverance. Therefore, the power of Satan has been rendered inoperative (katargeō), and Christ has made an atonement for sin fully satisfying to God (Isa 53:11). What great victory is His! And what great victory all believers have in him! Satan and death are defeated and the fear of death is gone! That man who is free in Christ is indeed the most free of men. WBC

A human Savior was necessary, because human beings (children) are in need of a propitiatory sacrifice (see note on v. 17) and a sympathetic high priest (vv. 17–18). share in flesh and blood. Jesus was fully human, as the “children” are and as the high priest had to be (see5:1–2). Jesus’ death, by cleansing his followers of sin, destroys the death grip of the devil (cf. 1 John 3:8) and gives hope and deliverance to those who were in slavery to the fear of death. the one who has the power of death. Satan’s power is not absolute, but is under the control of God, who ultimately rules over life and death (Deut. 32:39; Job 2:6; Ps. 90:3; 139:16; Rev. 1:18). Nevertheless, Satan “was a murderer from the beginning” (John 8:44), and he does have power to harm people to some extent (cf. Mark 5:2–5; Luke 13:16). The verse at least means Satan has power to work in the realm of death, and to incite people into sin that leads to death (cf. Rom. 6:16, 23). However, the emphasis of the verse is not on Satan’s power but on Christ’s triumph over Satan and over death. ESVN

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 16 For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham’s descendants. 17 For this reason he had to be made like them,[k] fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. 18 Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.

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8. Who are the Seed of Abraham?

Here “the seed of Abraham” probably refers primarily to believers, the spiritual descendants of Abraham (Gal. 3:29), rather than to Jews, the physical descendants of Abraham (cf. Isa. 41:8-10). The original readers, saved Jews, were both the physical and spiritual descendants of Abraham. The contrast is between angelic and human believers in the context. Jesus Christ does not give help to angels in the same way He does to Christians. He helps us uniquely as an elder brother and parent (vv. 11-15). CN

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9. How can Jesus identity with our temptations?

“All things” means in every way, specifically by experiencing human life and by suffering. Jesus Christ’s identification with us made possible His ministry as high priest in which He would be merciful to us and faithful to God. Eli is an example of a high priest who was neither faithful nor merciful (cf. 1 Sam. 2:27-36). The basis for this ministry was His making satisfaction (propitiation, by atonement) for sin by His self-sacrifice.

“. . . the concept of high priesthood, as applied to Christ, expresses both Christ’s unity with mankind in a particular historical tradition (5:1) and his leadership of God’s pilgrim people into the heavenly sanctuary.”

“‘O laos [“The people”] is Hebrews’ preferred term for the people of God.”

As our priest, Jesus Christ can help us because He has undergone the same trials we experience (in body, mind, and emotions) and has emerged victorious. The testing in view is temptation to depart from God’s will, specifically apostasy. The picture is of an older brother helping his younger brothers navigate the pitfalls of growing up successfully. That is the role a priest plays.

“Think of it this way—which bridge has undergone the greatest stress, the one that collapses under its first load of traffic, or the one that bears the same traffic morning and evening, year after year?”

The writer developed these ideas more fully later. He only introduced them here.

“It is a characteristic of this Epistle just to touch upon a truth, and then to dismiss it for a time, taking it up later for full treatment.”

“. . . the writer composes like a musician intertwining one theme with another.”

The emphasis in 2:5-18 has been on Jesus Christ’s present ministry whereas that of 1:5-14 was on His future ministry. In both sections, however, there is a looking forward to the time when all things will be subject to Him. The writer focused on the future to encourage his readers to persevere faithfully in the present rather than apostatizing.

“With vv 17-18 the writer prepares to lead his hearers directly into the body of the discourse devoted to the exposition of Jesus as priest and sacrifice. Common to the concepts both of champion and of high priest are the elements of representation and solidarity with a particular people. The presentation of Jesus in 2:10-18 provided assurance that the exalted Son continues to identify himself with the oppressed people of God exposed to humiliation and testing in a hostile world.”CN

The genuineness of Christ’s humanity is demonstrated by the fact that He was subject to temptation. By experiencing temptation, Jesus became fully capable of understanding and sympathizing with His human brethren (cf. 4:15). He felt the full force of temptation. Though we often yield to temptation before we feel its full force, Jesus resisted temptation even when the greatest enticement for yielding had become evident (cf. Lk 4:1–13). able to come to the aid … tempted. MSBN

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ESVN……………..….ESV Study Bible Notes  

NSBKJV…………………The Nelson Study Bible : New King James Version

MSBN……………….MacArthur NASB Study Notes

NIVSN……………….NIV Study Notes.  

JVM ………………….J Vernon McGee’s Commentary

BN ……………………Barnes Notes

WBC………….…….Wycliffe Bible Commentary  

CN ……….…………..Constables Notes  

IC……………….…….Ironside Commentary  

NET…………….…….Net Bible Study Notes.

JFB……………………Jamieson Fausset  Brown Commentary

VWS………………….Vincent Word Studies  

CMM………………..Commentary on Matthew and Mark  

BDB……………..….Barclay’s Daily Study Bible (NT)  

Darby……………….John Darby’s Synopsis of the OT and NT  

Johnson……………Johnson’s Notes on the New Testament  

NTCMM…………..The New Testament Commentary:  Matthew and Mark.  

EHS………………….Expositions of the Holy Scriptures  

CPP…………………The Complete Pulpit Commentary  

SBC…………………..Sermon Bible Commentary  

K&D…………………Keil and Deilitzsch Commentary on the OT  

EBC……………….…Expositors Bible Commentary  

CBSC……………….Cambridge Bible for Schools and College  

GC……………………Guzik Commentary  

RD…………………..Robert  Deffinbaugh  

NSB …………………The Nelson Study Bible  

MHC…………………Matthew Henry Commentary  

CSTTB………Chuck Smith Through The Bible  

BBC…………….Bridgeway Bible commentary

BU…………………Bob Utley

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