HEBREWS 2
Survey of the chapter
The first five verses of this chapter are a warning based on the truth of chapter one, the first of five warnings scattered throughout the epistle. If the word spoken by angels was disobeyed, judgement followed. Why should it be any different if the word spoken by the Son is disobeyed? Everything in chapter one that impresses us with the glory of Christ also warns us about the danger of rejecting one so glorious as He. In the subsequent verses, there is first of all a quotation from Psalm 8 about man, which gives the theme of the section, and then the seven-fold work of Christ as man is detailed. This time the contrast is not with the prophets or angels, but with Adam.
Structure of the chapter
|
(a) Verses 1-4 |
First warning passage- the word through angels and the word through the Lord. |
| (b) Verses 5-8 | Quotation from Psalm 8- man made lower than angels. |
| (c) Verses 9-10 | Christ made lower than angels. |
| (d) Verse 11 | The path of separation from the world of Adam. |
| (e) Verse 12 | The path of (resurrection) life with Christ. |
| (f)Verse 13 | The path of faith. |
| (g) Verses 14,15 | The path of deliverance. |
| (h) Verses 16-18 |
The path of victory over temptation. |
THE WORDS OF THE BIBLE, THE CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES, AS FOUND IN THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS CHAPTER 2, VERSES 1-4:
2:1 Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip.
2:2 For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward;
2:3 How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him;
2:4 God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will?
(a) Verses 1-4
First warning passage: the word by angels or the word by the Lord
2:1
Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip.
Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard- one of the failings of Israel in Old Testament times was they had not listened to the prophets. But now that the Son has spoken to them, dare they ignore Him, as they had ignored the prophets?
Lest at any time we should let them slip- the danger facing the Hebrews was of allowing the things they had heard to slip from their minds, as those who were not taking earnest heed to them. If persisted in, this would result in missing the salvation offered to them.
In chapter one the contrast was between the fragmentary revelations through the prophets, and the full revelation through the Son. In this chapter, however, the contrast is between the Lord speaking in grace, and angels mediating the law at Sinai.
Israel had sat at the feet of God, Deuteronomy 33:2,3, and heard the law; Judas had listened to Christ in the upper room, but went out to betray, so also the nation could do the same.
2:2
For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward;
For if the word spoken by angels was steadfast- note the contrast between letting the word slip, and the steadfast word of God, in whatever age. “Was steadfast” means “became confirmed”. By the penalty inflicted when the law was broken, God confirmed that He meant what He said.
And every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward- the law was confirmed by judgement, but the gospel is confirmed by acts of grace. Not only actual transgressions were judged, but also the attitude of disobedience, the refusal to hear with the intention of obeying.
2:3
How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him;
How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation? The writer associates himself with the nation as a whole. The Lord Himself had been in their midst, for He was “a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made to the fathers”, Romans 15:8. There was no escape from just recompense of reward if the law was broken and disobeyed, so we need not expect to escape when a greater word from God is uttered. Law works are not called for now, however, so it a question of simply ignoring the words of grace, and neglecting to believe them.
Which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord- notice that John the baptist is not included here, for “all the prophets and the law prophesied until John”, Matthew 11:13, but here the prophets and the law are superceded. The apostle John speaks of “that which ye have heard from the beginning”, 1 John 2:24, meaning from the beginning of Christ’s public ministry at His baptism. At that point John baptised his successor.
Note the great salvation is spoken, for it consists in doctrine. Israel were looking for salvation in war-terms, deliverance from their political enemies. Compare Matthew 13, where the mysteries of the kingdom begin with a parable about sowing the word of God, not judging enemies. The word is spoken by the Lord, the one with as much authority as the God of Sinai, as He indicated in Matthew 5:21,27,33,38. He is also the Lord of angels, as we learn from the way the angel of the Lord spoke when he said, “a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord”, Luke 2:11. So He was both the Lord of angels and shepherds.
And was confirmed unto us by them that heard him- this is surely decisive evidence that Paul is not the writer of the epistle, for he insists that he received the truth of the gospel from the Lord Himself, and “those who seemed to be somewhat” because they had been with the Lord on earth, added nothing to him, Galatians 2:6.
The word confirmed is connected with the word translated steadfast in verse 2. The law-threats were confirmed by acts of judgement, grace-promises are confirmed by acts of mercy.
2:4
God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will?
God also bearing them witness- literally “God bearing witness with”. So when the gospel of the kingdom was being made known by those who heard the Lord themselves, and then bore witness of what they had heard, it could be said that God was associating with them in their witness. The next words tell us how it happened.
Both with signs and wonders and with diverse miracles- the Lord had promised that signs would follow those that believed and preached the gospel, Mark 16:17,18. Signs are the miracles considered as significant acts, illustrations of doctrine. Wonders are the miracles looked at as unusual and tremendous events, designed to arrest attention. The word miracles emphasises that what is done is completely out of the ordinary, and which, because they were accompanied by words of truth, could only be caused by Divine power. (The devil will instigate miracles to promote error, Revelation 16:14). These three words had been used by Peter to describe those things which Christ did, and which marked Him out as approved of God, Acts 2:22. So the witness to the apostles was the same as the witness to Christ. The miracles were also witness to the fact that Christ was the one qualified to bring in the millenial age, for His miracles were the “powers of the age to come”, 6:5, showing the sort of changes that the reign of Christ will bring in.
And gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to his own will- in view of what the Lord had said about blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, Matthew 12:22-37, this is a reminder that the miracles and the Holy Spirit go together. The great and wicked mistake of saying Christ worked miracles by Satan must be avoided if they are to know salvation. Israel had seen God’s works for 40 years in the desert, yet failed to enter in to the “salvation” the land of Canaan represented, 3:9,17-19. Now God is giving them another 40 years of opportunity before the fall of Jerusalem, again with works of power from God.
The word “gifts” does not refer to the gifts given to believers to further the testimony, in the 1 Corinthians 12 sense. Rather, the word is literally “distributions”, referring to the strategic way in which the Holy Spirit moved the apostles and others to exercise the gift of the working of miracles. A reading of the Acts of the Apostles will show this. The Holy Spirit also retained the right to withdraw the miracles at the time of His choosing, and this He did. He thus acted according to His Divine will.
THE WORDS OF THE BIBLE, THE CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES, AS FOUND IN THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS CHAPTER 2, VERSES 5-10:
2:5 For unto the angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come, whereof we speak.
2:6 But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man, that Thou art mindful of him? or the son of man that thou visitest him?
2:7 Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands:
2:8 Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him.
2:9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that He by the grace of God should taste death for every man.
2:10 For it became Him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.
(b) Verses 5-8
Quotation from Psalm 8:
Man made lower than the angels
2:5
For unto the angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come, whereof we speak.
For unto the angels hath he not put in subjection- the fact that the Lord has come, and men have been sent forth with power to work miracles of confirmation and grace, shows us that angels are no longer to the fore.
The world to come whereof we speak- the habitable earth in its future condition is what the writer speaks of in 1:5-2:4. There are three major words used in the New Testament for “world”. There is the word cosmos, which, ideally, is the world of order, beauty and harmony as it came from God, (used in Hebrews 9:1); the opposite of cosmos being chaos. Sadly, that world has been spoiled, and hence it is now the world, not of harmony, but of hostility. Another word for world is “aionas”; which has to do with the passing of time, and so is the world of history. The third word is “oikoumene”, the habitable earth, the world of humanity.
So the writer is here referring to the future state of the earth when man’s day has come to an end, and his rule over the earth is cancelled. This is the earth as the writer has spoken of it in chapter 1:5-14. The question is, if that world is not to be subject to angels, then to whom is it to be subject? And if the answer is man, then the question is, which man? Who is competent enough to manage the earth for God?
For the answer to this question the writer turns to David’s words in Psalm 8. Perhaps he penned the psalm after a night out on the hillside looking after the sheep near Bethlehem, his home town. Just as centuries later shepherds would be guarding their flock on those same hillsides, when the birth of Christ was announced to them. As David looked within, he saw a frail mortal man; as he looked above, he saw the moon and stars; as he looked around, he thought of men; as he looked back he thought of Adam; as he looked forward he thought of Christ.
2:6
But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man that thou visitest him?
But one in a certain place testified, saying- the writer does not distract us by telling us the name of the psalmist, nor the particular place where the psalm is found.
What is man, that thou art mindful of him? The word used for man in Psalm 8:4 is “enosh”, frail, mortal, man. Seemingly so fragile, and subject to death, how can God’s purpose be centred there? He seems almost beneath being noticed by God.
Or the son of man, that thou visitest him? Not only does God notice him, but He also visits him, to make known His ways. From this we learn that God has great interest in man. He not only is mindful of man, but moves towards him. He not only has interest, but intervenes.
We should not think of this expression “son of man” as being a reference to Christ, for that is not how the psalmist uses it; he is simply describing men as sons of Adam, through their fathers, in a long line that stretches back to Adam. Implied in this is the fact that a sinful nature is passed on from father to son.
2:7
Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands:
Thou madest him a little lower than the angels- both man and the son of man are made by God, either through creation or procreation. Man will always be lower than angels, so the meaning “for a little while” lower, is not meant here.
Note that it is not “made a little higher than the animals”. Man was made on the same day as the land animals, as if to highlight the difference between them, Genesis 1:24-27. The apostle Paul wrote, “there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts,” 1 Corinthians 15:39. Prominent evolutionists may hoodwink the public that it is “proved” than man came from the lower animals, but it is they themselves who are deceived, for they have adopted a world-view which takes no account of God, and in many instances denies that He exists. But if God does not exist then there is no logical, rational thought. So by thinking, the atheist verifies that God exists!
Man is lower than angels because of the following:
Angels are stated to be greater in power and might than men, 2 Peter 2:11.
Angels do not die, being pure spirit.
Angels are fitted to live in heaven.
Angels can move from heaven to earth.
Angels are not limited by an earthly body.
Angels rest not day and night, worshipping God, Revelation 4:8.
So angels are higher because of their power, permanence, privilege and praise of God. But man is said to be only a little lower, so despite the foregoing, there are things which compensate, for man was made in the image and likeness of God, and the Son of God passed angels by, and became man.
God’s intention to make man is expressed in a unique way, for He said “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness”, Genesis 1:26. That this applies to the male and the female is clear from verse 27. As far as relationship with God is concerned, there is no bias with God towards the male or the female, all are equal in His sight, and both were created in God’s image and after His likeness.
The Lord Jesus in Matthew 22:15-22 referred to the head of Caesar on a coin as the image of Caesar. In other words, the image represented Caesar and His authority, and those who used the coin were recognising this. Part of God’s plan in making man, then, was that He might have someone to represent Him to the rest of the creation. One of the reasons why murder should be penalised by capital punishment is that man is made in the image of God, see Genesis 9:5,6.
Man is also said to be made after God’s likeness. It was not necessarily true that Caesar’s image on the coin was a very good likeness, but God made sure that man had the capacity to represent Him well, by giving him certain characteristics which He Himself possesses.
Man was made in the likeness of God in a three-fold way:-
God has personality, and each of the persons of the Godhead has his own particular distinctive features, by which He displays Himself. So man was given personality, to display God through it.
God has spirituality, which not only means that He is a Spirit, see John 4:24, but also means He can appreciate His own glories. Man was made so that he might appreciate those Divine glories too, and worship God in his spirit as a result.
God has rationality, which means that He reasons, plans, purposes, and decides. Man has these abilities too; not, of course, in the sense that He could advise God, see 1 Corinthians 2:16, but so that he could order his life in relation to God’s purpose in an intelligent way.
Sadly, as the subsequent chapters in Genesis show, this perfect state of things did not last long, for man sinned, and Adam “begat a son in his own likeness, after his image”, Genesis 5:3. The original purpose for which man was created was now only partially realised, and his abilities were now diverted for his own ends.
The remedy for this situation is found in the Lord Jesus, who became man that He might be the head of a new order of things. He displayed to perfection those things that God looked for in man. As such He is the perfect example to those who believe. As Ephesians 4:21 says, “the truth is in Jesus”, which means that if we would see a life lived that is true to God’s will, then we may see it in the earthly life of the Lord Jesus. Only those who are in Christ, and as such are a new creation, are able to represent God adequately.
Some translations of Psalm 8 say that man was made a little lower than God, since the word the psalmist used was “elohim”, and this is a word used many times for God. But it is also used in a lesser sense, even of the judges in Israel, Exodus 22:28; Psalm 82:6; John 10:34. In any case when the inspired writer to the Hebrews came to quote the psalm in Greek, he had separate words for God and angel at his disposal, and chose the word for angel. Does it not go without saying that man is lower than God; how could he be anything else? And is he only a little lower?
Thou crownedst him with glory and honour- glory is official, honour is moral, and these two perhaps correspond to man made in the image of God, (official position), and after His likeness, (moral character). So although lower than angels in the ranks of creation, yet man has a potential beyond all the angelic hosts.
The word used for crown here is “stephanos”, a wreath or circlet that was merited, (in contrast to the diadem that was inherited). It is the crown of the one who won the race as an athlete; who won respect as a citizen; who won a battle as a soldier, and who won a bride as a suitor.
And didst set him over the works of thy hands- man was a steward, responsible for the safekeeping of the property of another, even God.
2:8
Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him.
Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet- in the case of Adam this was limited to things on the earth, which the psalmist specifies as sheep, oxen, birds, fish, and other sea creatures. Being crowned with glory and honour should have ensured that the task was carried out faithfully. But Adam allowed his authority to be usurped.
For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him- this shows that there is nothing put under angels, and also that the “all” is not qualified, as if it was only all of a certain range of things, for there is nothing else to be under him. We must understand this in connection with Adam before we advance to the idea, under the guidance of the writer, that these things can only be fulfilled in Christ.
Summarising, we may think of what the psalmist says as follows:
| What is man, that thou art mindful of him? | The mystery |
| Thou madest him a little lower than the angels | The minority |
| Thou crownedst him with glory and honour | The majesty |
| Thou didst set him over the works of Thine hands | The ministry |
| Thou hast put all things under his feet | The mastery |
But now we see not yet all things put under him- a change has come in, (hence the word “but”), showing that the potential of Psalm 8 has not been realised in Adam, and this situation continues, (hence the word “now”). There is also the word “yet”, telling us that there is something in prospect. The “now” refers to conditions under Adam, the “yet” to conditions under Christ.
The emphasis in this chapter is on the manhood of Christ, as in chapter one it was on His Deity, and the remainder of the chapter sets out seven things that Jesus has been able to do by coming into manhood:
| Verses 5-8 | Vindicate God’s trust in man |
| Verse 9 | Consummate God’s purpose |
| Verses 10-13 | Elevate God’s people |
| Verse 14 | Eradicate the Devil |
| Verse 15 | Emancipate the slaves |
| Verses 16-17 | Propitiate sins |
| Verse 18 | Relate to believers’ sufferings |
(c) Verses 9-10
Christ made lower than the angels
2:9
But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.
But we see Jesus- this is the first of seven uses in the epistle of the name which emphasises His manhood. The Son of God has been made in fashion as a man, to be all that God expected man to be from the beginning. We turn away from looking at Adam, and allow Jesus to fill our gaze. The writers of the New Testament are very sparing of their use of the name Jesus on its own, and only use it like that when there is a special need to do so. The disciples never addressed the Lord as Jesus. He Himself said, “Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am”, John 13:13.
Who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death- here we see why the writer quoted from Psalm 8, for the full potential of that psalm is not reached in Adam, but in Jesus, who is the second man, and the Last Adam, 1 Corinthians 15:45-47. By coming into manhood, He, the creator of angels, has become lower than they are, for “made a little lower than the angels” has now become in the writer’s mind the equivalent of saying “became a man”.
Adam was made a little lower than the angels for the enjoyment of life, but sadly, he fell, and this brought in suffering and death. Only Jesus could remedy this, and He did it by enduring the suffering connected with death. “For” means “with a view to”, so He became man expressly to die. Angels do not die, and Adam’s death had no merit, so only Christ’s death can deal with the situation brought in by the fall.
Crowned with glory and honour- not only must He correspond to Adam by being made lower than angels, but He must correspond too in being crowned with glory and honour before His great work is done at the Cross, just as Adam was crowned before his great sin in disobeying God. So there was seen in Christ the perfect representation and likeness of God that glory and honour involve, and it takes four gospel records to give us just a glimpse of it.
We see this in the brief insight Luke gives to us of the boyhood of the Lord Jesus. He is taken by Joseph and Mary to Jerusalem for the feast of passover. Instead of returning with them, He remained behind. When they at last found Him He was in the Temple “sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions. And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers”, Luke 2:46,47. See how his corresponds with what we have said about the image and likeness of God given to man at the beginning:
His personality.
“Wist ye not that I must be about My Father’s business?”. He is aware of His distinct mission from the Father, even though He had not yet been anointed for public ministry.
This is a sign of His spirituality.
He is with the doctors or teachers in the temple as they discuss the Law.
This shows His rationality, for
He was hearing, asking, and answering questions in a manner which impressed the learned doctors, but without asserting Himself as superior to them, for He ever “made Himself of no reputation”.
That he by the grace of God should taste death for every man- this phrase refers to the whole of the previous part of the verse. Note the punctuation, with commas between phrases until the word honour, which is followed by a semi-colon. This would suggest that “crowned with glory and honour” refers to Him during His life, for the first two statements, “made a little lower”, and, “crowned with glory and honour”, become true in order that He might taste death for every man. He showed Himself fit to die by His life before God and men.
Adam was made in the image of God, to represent God to creation. This was a glory indeed. He was also made after the likeness of God, involving, as we have seen, personality, spirituality and rationality. These are honourable things, and they were expressed by Adam as far as man is able to manifest them. Adam fell, however, and lost the dominion to which his crown entitled him. There is another, however, in whom these features were seen to perfection, and with the eye of faith we discern in Christ when He was here those qualities and characteristics which make a man glorious and honourable.
The words “every man” could be translated “every thing”, and assure us of the far-reaching effects of the work of Christ, which has guaranteed the deliverance of a groaning creation, Romans 8:20,21; Colossians 1:20. He gave insights into this deliverance when He was here the first time, for He defeated death, disease, demon-possession, danger and distress, as Matthew 8 details. No wonder the writer speaks of the Hebrews tasting the powers of the age to come, 6:5. Adam tasted of the forbidden tree, and forfeited his rights over the earth, but Christ has tasted death, (on a tree, Acts 5:30), and purchased for Himself the right to have all creation subject to Himself. As the creator of all things, He is supreme over them, but since He has become man He must prove his claim.
2:10
For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.
For it became him- there is no disparity between God’s purpose to bring in glory for the earth through Christ, and the sufferings which He required His Son to pass through. It is a becoming thing for Him to require, because both sufferings and glories are part of His eternal plan. Suffering brings in perfection for Christ, and perfection is becoming to God, (“As for God, His way is perfect”, Psalm 18:30), even though it means sufferings for His Son and His people. The higher good of a restored and delivered creation comes through suffering.
For whom are all things- notice the mention of “things” in these verses. The expression signifies the sum total of all things in God’s creation which are relevant in each instance: Verse 8 Thou hast put all things under his feet.
For in that he put all in subjection under him.
He left nothing that is not put under him.
But now we see not yet all things put under Him.
Verse 10 For whom are all things.
Verse 10 By whom are all things.
The things put under Adam are restricted to such things as sheep and oxen, Psalm 8:7,8. Under Christ, however, are all things, whether the earth to come; angels, 1 Peter 3:22, Ephesians 1:21,22, (note the quotation from Psalm 8); all rule and authority and power, 1 Corinthians 15:24,25; and at the end of time, even death itself, 1 Corinthians 15:26,27. Creation in its entirety is for God; it exists for His sake, and for His glory. As is said by the heavenly hosts, “For thy pleasure they are, and were created”, Revelation 4:11. Christ will see to it that His creation is preserved for His glory.
And by whom are all things- God is not only the reason for all things existing, but they have been brought into existence by Him, too. Yet in chapter one the creation of all things is the work of the Son; so they must be co-equal, as a comparison between John 1:3 and Romans 11:34-36 also shows. Since God is the originator and the goal of all things, (Revelation 1:8), then He has the right to superintend all things through Christ.
In bringing many sons unto glory- as Firstborn Son of God, the Lord Jesus will have many brethren, Romans 8:29. Here we learn the pathway through which they are brought to the glory of association with Christ. Adam brought all descended from him to shame in a corrupted and vain world. God is ensuring that the last Adam has associates who reach a position of glory. Note there is no mention of honour here, for the glory is because of association with Christ, which guarantees it, whereas honour depends upon our conduct here.
To make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings- the idea of the word captain is chief leader or author. As one who has passed through this world without mishap already, Christ is perfectly qualified (the meaning of the word perfect) to lead His people through to their ultimate state of salvation, as well as to be the author or source of their salvation from the pitfalls along the pathway of faith.
Some in Israel wanted to appoint a captain to lead them back into Egypt when the way was hard, whereas the faithful ones were satisfied to be led into the land of Canaan under Joshua, whose name means “Salvation of Jehovah”, and is the equivalent to Jesus. It is interesting to notice that this was not Joshua’s original name. When he went with Caleb and the other ten spies into Canaan he was Oshea, but Moses renamed him at that time, Numbers 13:16. It was important that when he eventually led the people into the land that they should realise that the salvation was of the Lord, and not of a man and his military prowess.
Just as Joseph knew sufferings in Egypt before the rest of his family did; and just as Moses knew 40 years of difficulty in the wilderness before the nation did, so Joshua had been a faithful spy, and had risked going into Canaan when it was held by the enemy. But Joshua was met by the Captain of the host of the Lord as he entered Canaan, Joshua 5:13-15, so there is one superior to Joshua as captain.
So the Lord Jesus has blazed a trail for His people to follow. He not only died to save from sins judicially, but lives to save from sins practically, showing us the way to tread so that we are saved from sinning.
As a result of these things, we may say that:
The mystery is solved; the minority status is sanctified; the majesty is seen; the ministry is safe; the mastery is and will be successful. The writer now gives to us five features of this path to glory.
THE WORDS OF THE BIBLE, THE CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES, AS FOUND IN THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS CHAPTER 2, VERSES 11-15:
2:11 For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren,
2:12 Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee.
2:13 And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold I and the children which God hath given me.
2:14 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;
2:15 And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
Verse 11
The path of separation from the world of Adam
2:11
For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren,
For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified- to sanctify means to set apart. It is too early in the epistle to think in terms of being sanctified by the sacrifice of Christ, 10:10. In the context here, the captain of our salvation has separated us from the world of Adam of which we formed part. In His prayer in John 17 the Lord Jesus spoke of sanctifying Himself, that His people might be sanctified by the truth, verse 19. Sanctification, or holiness, has not to do in the first instance with separation from sin, (we must not confuse sanctification with purification), but rather involves separation from the ordinary, to be occupied with the sacred. Christ ever sanctified Himself in this sense during His life down here, and this qualifies Him to sanctify His people now. He had contrasted those who have eternal life with those who only have the life of flesh, John 17:2, and has described His own as given to Him by the Father out of the world, verse 6. This does not involve being physically removed, but morally distinct. Given that believers are in the world, He requested that they might be sanctified by the truth. The truth in question being that regarding the nature of the eternal life believers possess, the very life of God. It is as we have fellowship with God and His Son in the things of eternal life, (which things were expressed fully by the Son when He was here), that we shall be set apart from the world of Adam. The closer we get to God, the further we shall be from the world.
Adam associated his race with things that caused them to perish, whereas Christ associates with salvation the race of which He is head. By passing through this world, and suffering in it, the Lord Jesus has equipped Himself with the experience to lead His people through the same world, with all its sufferings.
Are all of one- the sanctifier, (Christ), and those sanctified, (His people), all emerge out of one common experience of suffering on the way to glory. He has already come out of the tomb never to suffer again. But association with Christ in His burial and resurrection begins a life of suffering for the believer, from which suffering he will emerge just a certainly as Christ has emerged. If we suffer with Him, we shall be glorified together, Romans 8:17, the one experience follows the other. Christ is out of the experience of suffering already, whereas we await that emergence, but because it is certain it can be spoken of as if already accomplished. It is noticeable that the apostles did not begin to suffer for Christ until He was risen from the dead.
For which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren- scripture says that “A brother is born for adversity”, Proverbs 17:17, and the common experience of suffering bonds us with our captain. If He passed through suffering, and the people did not, then there might be room for embarrassment if He called us brethren.
Note the way Romans 8 moves from a consideration of sufferings because of a groaning creation, verses 16-27, to the thought that God’s people shall be brethren with His Son, in glory, verses 28-30. No amount of privation can destroy that, as Romans 8:38,39 declares: “For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord”.
(e) Verse 12
The path of resurrection life with Christ
2:12
Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee.
Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren- these are words found in Psalm 22:22 at the point where the scene changes from one of death and great suffering, to resurrection and great glory. They represent the point where Christ finishes His experience of suffering in this world, and begins to enter His glory. As Peter puts it, “God raised him from the dead and gave him glory”, 1 Peter 1:21.
The Lord described His disciples as those that had continued with Him in His temptations, and despite the way they had forsaken Him in Gethsemane, He still said to the women, “Go tell my brethren that I go before you into Galilee”, Matthew 28:10. He also spoke of ascending to His Father and theirs, thus showing He was not ashamed to associate with them, even if they had been ashamed, temporarily, to associate with Him. In this way He began to carry out what He promised in His prayer to His Father in John 17:26, and continued the declaration of the Father’s name or character.
In the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee- if the first phrase involved teaching the Name, this one involves praising the Name. Praise is the expression of the works of God, and here the Lord Jesus can be thought of as praising God for His great work of delivering Him from death, in answer to His prayer, Hebrews 5:7. It is noticeable that after the passover meal a psalm was sung before they left, in accordance with the custom of Israel, whereas we do not read of this in the upper room in the post-resurrection appearances to the disciples there. Perhaps a psalm, (1 Corinthians 14:26; Ephesians 5:19), now has the more spiritual idea of a personal expression of praise, rather than the repetition of the exercises of others. By singing praise in the church is meant the recounting by the Lord Jesus of His appreciation of the intervention of His Father on His behalf; He does this as His people speak of Him to the Father. Psalm 22 does not actually use the word sing in the expression that is quoted here, perhaps confirming that singing is not necessarily in view.
There is a possibility that the declaring of the Name is done while His people are still on earth, whereas the singing of praise in the midst of the church will take place in heaven when all the redeemed are safe home. So one refers to the local assembly, the other to “the church of the firstborn (ones) which are written (enrolled) in heaven”, 12:23.
(f) Verse 13
The path of faith in God
2:13
And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold I and the children which God hath given me.
And again, I will put my trust in him- this is a quotation from Psalm 18, which is mainly an account of David’s deliverance from the hand of his enemies, including Saul. Now Saul had persecuted David some 40 or more years before, and he seems to have used this psalm as an expression of his dependence on God at every stage of his life. The first three verses, from which this quote comes, give to us the attitude of David to adversity, and one feature is his trust in God. Then he records the way in which God vindicated his trust in him by delivering him from his foes. So we learn that during the time when His enemies had the upper hand, the Lord Jesus was marked by trust in God. Indeed, this was ever His attitude, for Psalm 22:9,10 says “I was cast upon thee from the womb; Thou art my God from my mother’s belly; thou didst make me hope when I was upon my mother’s breast”. As a result, He knew deliverance from Herod. Children, even unborn children, are remarkably sensitive to the circumstances in which their mother finds herself. See, for instance, Luke 1:41. By implication, His brethren will be marked by this trust too, as they follow the path the captain of their salvation has marked out for them.
And again, Behold, I and the children which God hath given me- this is a quotation from Isaiah 8:18. Isaiah had the task of warning the wicked king Ahaz of impending captivity at the hands of the Assyrians. As a sign to Israel, Isaiah was instructed by God to name his two sons in a particular way. One was to be Shear-jashub, a name which means “A remnant shall return”, and the other, Maher-shalal-hash-baz, which means “In making haste to the spoil he hasteneth the prey”. So when Isaiah said to the nation, “Behold, I and the children which God hath given me”, they were a “sign and a wonder” to Israel. Maher-shalal-hash-baz was testimony that the Assyrian would indeed hasten to invade the land, and take them as a prey. The other son, however, was God’s promise that even though that happened, a remnant would return from captivity.
So during the present age believers from the nation of Israel are likewise a testimony to coming judgement on the nation in the form of the Great Tribulation, (and to a lesser extent the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70), and also to the fact that God will be favourable to His people and ensure that a remnant of them will know His salvation.
It is interesting that the Lord Jesus called His brethren “children”, in John 21:5, using the same word which is found here and in the next verse. So physical descendants are not necessarily in view in the application of the quotation, but a spiritual relationship. Just as Isaiah’s trust was in God despite the impending judgements, so the trust of the Hebrew believers should be in God despite what would happen to them as a nation in AD 70.
(g) Verses 14-15
The path of deliverance
2:14
Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;
Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood- the children in question being those addressed in the previous verse, the children of God, who are the same as Christ’s brethren, true believers. The present condition of the children is in view because they were not children before they became partakers. The verb “are partakers” is in the perfect tense, meaning continuation from the past to the present. Those who share flesh and blood are in a condition of relative weakness, which leaves them vulnerable to attack by evil as they make their way to glory, therefore their Captain steps in to help.
He also himself- it is necessary for Him to have the same nature as those He leads, so that He may pass through the same experiences, sin apart of course.
Likewise took part of the same- not only does He share flesh and blood with the children, but shares it likewise, or in the same manner. The word likewise is equivalent to “in all things” in verse 17, and hence means similarity which amounts to equality The manhood of Christ is real, even though He is without sin, for a sinful nature is not an integral part of humanity. Adam was a real man before he sinned. He did not have to possess a sinful nature before he was rightly called a man. 1 Corinthians 15:50 distinguishes between flesh and blood, and corruption, showing that our corrupt nature can be considered apart from our flesh and blood condition. The Lord Jesus took part of flesh and blood in like manner to the children, by birth of a mother, and He subsequently took part in this condition as He lived amongst men. Perhaps there is an allusion to the other son mentioned by Isaiah, even Immanuel, the child born of the virgin, Isaiah 9:14, see Matthew 1:23.
The notion that Mary was only the carrier of Christ in the womb contradicts the statement here that He “likewise took part of the same”. If Christ was contaminated by being nourished by Mary in the womb, as some suggest, then He must have been contaminated after He was born when He drank His mother’s milk.
The word used of believers is partakers, meaning they have a common, equal share in humanity, whereas Christ took part, which involves coming in from outside the condition, a testimony to His pre-existence before birth. He took part by virgin birth in that which we take part in by natural generation.
That through death he might destroy him that had the power of death- Psalm 18, which is quoted in verse 13, (also found in 2 Samuel 22), was written when the Lord had delivered David from his enemies, including Goliath and his sons. In fact 2 Samuel 21:22 links the defeat of Goliath when David was a youth, with the defeat of his four sons by David’s mighty men, when David was an old man. Goliath had put the fear of death into the hearts of the armies of Israel, but David had delivered them from that fear, and had beheaded Goliath with his own sword. So Christ has defeated the greatest enemy of all, the Devil, by using the very weapon that he used to terrify men.
By coming into flesh and blood conditions, and by allowing Himself to be condemned to death, the Lord Jesus placed Himself in a position of weakness, 2 Corinthians 13:4. Yet in this weakness He defeated the mightiest force for evil there ever could be. Since He is now raised from the dead by the power of God, there is no possibility of the Devil being effective against God’s sons.
To destroy means to make of no effect; it does not mean to annihilate. In the wisdom of God, the Devil is still allowed some measure of activity, but when his final doom is effected it will only take an “ordinary” angel to bind him and cast him into the lake of fire, Revelation 20:1-3.
2:15
And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage- those under the law were under the ministration of condemnation and death, 2 Corinthians 3:7,9. This brought bondage, for they were not free from fear of death. Imagine a believer in Israel who is returning from sacrificing a sin offering. As he returns to his tent he sins again; yet it is too late to return to the altar. He goes to sleep that night fearing that he may die, and die, moreover, with sin upon him. Through Christ’s death, however, this fear is removed, and death may be faced calmly. This relates especially to believers who formerly were Jews, and therefore under the law.
THE WORDS OF THE BIBLE, THE CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES, AS FOUND IN THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS CHAPTER 2, VERSES 16-18:
2:16 For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham.
2:17 Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.
2:18 For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.
(h) Verses 16-18
The path of victory over temptation
2:16
For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham.
For verily he took not on him the nature of angels- the writer has been emphasising that the Lord took our nature, partaking in flesh and blood conditions. Now he assures us that the reason he did not take the nature of angels was because He set out to expressly help men.
The word “took” means to “take up a person to help him, to rescue from peril, and also to succour”. The point is that if He is going to help men in flesh and blood conditions, with the fear of death in their hearts, He needs to come into manhood.
But he took on him the seed of Abraham- that is, His coming is relevant to the first readers of the epistle, the Hebrews, descendants of “Abram the Hebrew”, Genesis 14:13. They should not think that because the link with Adam has been emphasised in the earlier verses, they have no special place with God. They are a favoured nation, for “of whom, as concerning the flesh, Christ came”, Romans 9:5, and “Salvation is of the Jews”, John 4:22. The special emphasis, however, is on those descended from Abraham naturally who were believers, and therefore were his seed spiritually, see John 8:33-45; Romans 4:16; Galatians 3:29.
The word “took” is the same as is used in 8:9 of God taking hold of Israel to lead them out of Egypt. Here our captain takes hold of our hand to lead out of the world. “For verily” is only found here in the New Testament. It is used when something is affirmed in an ironical way, and has the idea of “it goes without saying,” or, “of course”.
2:17
Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.
Wherefore- this means “for which reason”.
In all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren- for the purpose of taking hold of the seed of Abraham, He needed to be made like them in all things. Note He is made like His brethren, meaning believers. He is not made like unbelievers in all things, for they have a sinful nature, whereas believers are looked at ideally as being righteous, even whilst in a mortal body. This confirms that the seed of Abraham in verse 16 means believers. “Behoved” means “a necessity in view of the subject under discussion”. Having taken flesh and blood, and come to take hold of believers to help them, it is necessary that He become like them in all relevant things, so that He may minister to them effectively. The previous verses have shown believers to be delivered by His various ministries; but they are passing through temptations that may cause them to fall, so how can He help them in this?
That he might be- in order that He might take His place as, or be granted the position of.
A merciful and faithful high priest- the word for mercy here indicates the outward manifestation of pity, with need on the part of the one shown mercy, and resources on the part of the one showing it. It is not simply an attitude, but an act, as demonstrated by the Good Samaritan, who was not content to look from a distance, (as the priest was), but acted in compassion.
Faithfulness marks Him, not only in His relationship with God, 3:2, but also towards believers, the idea behind faithfulness being reliability and stability. The failures we manifest do not cause our helper to desert us.
In things pertaining to God- in matters that relate to the honour of God. Aaron was made priest to minister unto God, Exodus 28:1. The priesthood of Aaron had to do with constant sacrifices and yearly atonement. Christ dealt with these two aspects before He entered into his ministry, as Hebrews 7:28 makes clear. His sacrifice renders altar-sacrifices obsolete, chapter 10, and His work of propitiation is once for all, chapter 9. His priesthood has to do with helping us move through the world safely, and leading the way into the presence of God.
To make reconciliation for the sins of the people- reconciliation, the bringing into harmony of persons formerly at variance, is one result of the work of propitiation. “To” means “for to”, a similar expression to the “that He might be” of the beginning of the verse. The change of word indicates that, as the scholars say, “this is a separate telic clause”, (a clause which tells us what the goal is). So there are two goals in view in the verse, the one issuing from the other. He is made like His brethren with the general object of being a faithful high priest for them, and also to make propitiation. Compare 1 John 2:1,2, with the advocacy of Christ on the basis of His propitiatory work. He is the propitiation for our sins in the sense that the one in heaven interceding is the one who once was on the cross propitiating.
The Lord Jesus spoke to Mary Magdalene about His brethren, and indicated that He was about to “ascend to my Father, and your Father, to my God, and your God”, John 20:17. Thus He would still be the link between His people and God, maintaining them in His dual role of Advocate with the Father, and High Priest in things pertaining to God.
The basis of His advocacy is two-fold. His person, for He is Jesus Christ the righteous, and His work, for He is the propitiation for our sins, 1 John 2:1,2. The apostle John was concerned about believers sinning. The sins of believers are just as obnoxious to God, and just as deserving of wrath, as those of unbelievers. But we are “saved from wrath through Him”, Romans 5:9, as He pleads the merits of His work. He is, says John, the propitiatory offering for our sins. Not was, but is. In other words, the one who acts for us in heaven as our advocate, is the very same one who hung upon the cross as a sacrifice for our sins.
He is also our high priest. Hebrews 2:17,18 form a bridge between chapter two, with its emphasis on the reasons why the Lord Jesus took manhood, and the way in which Israel were tempted in the wilderness as noted in chapter three.
Note in particular the word “for” which begins verse 18. Too little attention has been paid to this word, and hence the connection between verses 17 and 18 is often lost. The reason why we have a high priest who is merciful and faithful is that He has been here in manhood and suffered being tempted. When His people pass through temptation, then He undertakes to deal with their cause. Because He has been here, and has been tempted in all points like as we are, He is able to help us when we cry to Him for help. The word for succour was used by the woman of Canaan in Matthew 15:25 when she cried out, “Lord, help me”. He is able to point us to the ways in which He overcame in the wilderness temptation, and thus we are strengthened to resist temptation.
But what if we fall, and sin? In that case He comes to our aid in another way. We see it typified negatively in Leviticus 10:16-20. The priests were commanded to eat the sin-offerings, as long as their blood had not been brought into the sanctuary. This was in order to “bear the iniquity of the congregation, to make atonement for them before the Lord”, Leviticus 10:17, where the word for bear is the same as is used for the scapegoat bearing iniquity. But at the end of the consecration of the priesthood, Moses was angry on God’s behalf, for the priests had failed in this.
One of the functions of priesthood, then, was to personally identify with the sin-offering by eating it, and by so doing bear the iniquity of the congregation, taking responsibility for their failure, but doing so safeguarded by the fact that a sin-offering had been accepted by God. As they did this the scripture explicitly says they made atonement for the people, Leviticus 10:17. We see then what the writer to the Hebrews means when he talks of Christ making reconciliation for the sins of the people. He is indicating that Christ personally identifies Himself with His sin-offering work at Calvary, and thus takes responsibility for the failures of His people under temptation. This is acceptable to God, and His people are preserved, despite their failure. So it is that sins that would otherwise distance believers from God are dealt with, and reconciliation is effected.
2:18
For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.
For in that he hath suffered, being tempted- only those who resist temptation suffer when they are tempted. The fact that it is not said without qualification that He suffered when He was tempted shows that He always resisted resolutely. He therefore knows what His people pass through when they resist temptation.
He is able to succour them that are tempted- knowing from personal experience the pressure they are under, He is able to suit the help they need to their situation. When His people do not resist temptation, then His work at Calvary safeguards their position before God, hence the mention of reconciliation, (the result of propitiation), in the previous verse. To succour means to run to the aid of a person in danger, when they cry for help. The woman of Matthew 15:25 cried “Lord, help me”, and this is what we need to do. The same word is used also in Hebrews 4:16 in the expression “grace to help in time of need”. Because He has experienced the pressure of temptation, and has overcome, when we go to Him for help He is able to point us to the way in which He overcame, as detailed in the temptation accounts in the gospels.ause He has experienced the pressure of temptation, and has overcome, when we go to Him for help He is able to point us to the way in which He overcame, as detailed in the temptation accounts in the gospels.