Hebrews 2

Jesus’ Humanity And A Call to Pay Attention to God’s Revelation through Him

In chapter one, the writer to the Hebrews brilliantly demonstrated from the Scriptures the deity of Jesus and His superiority over all angels. Now he demonstrates the humanity of Jesus from the Scriptures and applies the implications of Jesus’ humanity.           - David Guzik

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.            - Thomas Constable

Pay Attention

Drift Away

Vs. 1 - For this reason, we must pay attention all the more to what we have heard

“For this reason” recalls the author’s line of reasoning from the previous section.  Because Jesus, the messenger of the new covenant, is so superior, let’s hold fast to our faith in Him.  Jesus was greater than the angels who delivered the Mosaic law, so the revelation of God through Him cannot be ignored or undervalued. 

Vs. 1 - so that we will not drift away.

Most scholars believe that the author of Hebrews wrote primarily from a concern that his audience was tempted to “neglect” or “drift away” from the truth they had received about Jesus as God’s Messiah.  They were under great pressure to return to their former religion, primarily the old covenant practices of Judaism. 

This is a warning against apostatizing, departing from truth once held. All the warnings in the Bible against following false teachers are similar to this one in their intent.     - Thomas Constable

The Greek phrase for drift away comes from the idea “to slip” (Dodds). It was used for an arrow slipping from the quiver, for snow slipping off a landscape, or for food slipping down the windpipe to cause choking. It happens easily. One doesn’t have to do anything to drift away. Departure from the faith usually comes from slow drifting, not a sudden departure.            - David Guzik

This first verse could be very vividly translated: "Therefore, we must the more eagerly anchor our lives to the things that we have been taught lest the ship of life drift past the harbour and be wrecked." It is a vivid picture of a ship drifting to destruction because the pilot sleeps.            - William Barclay

This Great Salvation

Vs. 2-3 - For if the message spoken through angels was legally binding and every transgression and disobedience received a just punishment, how will we escape if we neglect such a great salvation?

We are even more culpable for rejecting Jesus’ message than people were for rejecting the old covenant. The author contrasts the “message declared by angels,” which revealed God in types and shadows, with the “great salvation” of Jesus, in whom God’s glory was fully displayed. If God was upset when the prophets were rejected, how much more do you think he will be upset if the Son is rejected?       - Michael Kruger

The author warned the Hebrews that judgment would be reserved for the Christian who, having received the truth of the gospel of Jesus, chose later to abandon it.  If there were consequences to rejecting the message delivered by the angels, how much more dangerous would it be to refuse the revelation of God through His Son?

After all, the message of the kingdom of God through His Son had been declared by the Father, witnessed by the apostles, and verified by many miracles.  

Spoken by God - vs. 3 - This salvation had its beginning when it was spoken of by the Lord

Confirmed by Apostles - vs. 3 - and it was confirmed to us by those who heard him.

Signs And Wonders - Vs. 4 - God also testified by signs and wonders, various miracles, and distributions of gifts from the Holy Spirit according to his will.

Humans Made Lower Than The Angels

What is Man?

Vs. 5-6 - For he has not subjected to angels the world to come that we are talking about.  But someone somewhere has testified:

Here, the author continued his exposition of angels to introduce an argument that can be difficult to follow at first reading.  He began by quoting Psalm 8 - King David’s description of how God created men to be “lower than the angels” but also gave them authority over all living things on earth. The psalm depicts man’s original purpose, and the author of Hebrews highlights the need for the Messiah to restore it. 

Psalm 8:4-6 (NIV) -  what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them? You have made them a little lower than the angels and crowned them with glory and honor. You made them rulers over the works of your hands; you put everything under their feet:

In summary, it’s as though he’s saying, Men and the Messiah were made “lower than the angels” for a time, but God’s plan for them is much greater than any promises made to angels.  Theirs is a future of “glory and honor” with all of God’s creation “under their feet.” 

This is by no means an easy passage of which to grasp the meaning; but when we do, it is a tremendous thing. The writer begins with a quotation from Psalms 8:4-6. If we are ever to understand this passage correctly, we must understand one thing--the whole reference of Psalms 8:1-9 is to man. It sings of the glory that God gave to man. There is no reference to the Messiah.        

The psalm is a great lyric cry of the glory of man as God meant it to be. It is in fact an expansion of the great promise of God at creation in Genesis 1:28, when he said to man: "Have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves upon the earth."      - William Barclay

The World to Come

Vs. 8 (NLT) - Now when it says “all things,” it means nothing is left out. But we have not yet seen all things put under their authority. 

The writer to the Hebrews goes on, the situation with which we are confronted is very different. Man was meant to have dominion over everything but he has not. He is a creature who is frustrated by his circumstances, defeated by his temptations, girt about with his own weakness. He who should be free is bound.

In this passage, there are three basic ideas. (i) God created man, only a little less than himself, to have the mastery over all things. (ii) Man through his sin entered into defeat instead of mastery. (iii) Into this state of defeat came Jesus Christ in order that, by his life and death and glory, he might make man what he was meant to be.             - William Barclay

Jesus Made Perfect Through Suffering

For A Little While

Vs. 9 - What we do see is Jesus, who for a little while was given a position “a little lower than the angels”; and because he suffered death for us, he is now “crowned with glory and honor.”

In the divine plan to redeem fallen humanity and to restore their original purpose, God the Son became like men “for a little while” before being exalted again to “glory and honor.”  In this section, the author examines the implications of Jesus’ humanity. 

Jews considered that human beings were inferior to angels. They therefore wondered how Jesus Christ could be superior to angels when in fact he was a man.  The writer points out that this human status of inferiority to angels is only temporary. God’s original purpose was that human beings should rule over all things, but because of sin they lost this authority and are themselves in need of salvation. Jesus Christ, in order to save them, took their position of being temporarily lower than angels, so that he might accept sin’s penalty on their behalf. He died in shame on a cross, but God exalted him to the highest place in heaven.               - Don Fleming

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 (Hebrews 2:5-9) and to bring many sons to glory.       - Thomas Constable

In God’s plan, it was necessary for the Messiah to become like those He came to save.  It was man who had “fallen,” so God became man to restore mankind.  He entered into our condition so that He could rescue us from it. 

We know that, had he only been God, yet still he would not have been fitted for a perfect Savior, unless he had become man. Man had sinned; man must suffer. It was man in whom God’s purposes had been for a while defeated; it must be in man that God must triumph over his great enemy.          - Charles Spurgeon

Pioneer of Salvation

Vs. 10 - For in bringing many sons and daughters to glory, it was entirely appropriate that God—for whom and through whom all things exist—should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through sufferings.

The Messiah became like men so that He could lead them out of the bondage of their fallen condition.  He blazed the trail to make a way for them to be rescued. 

The word (pioneer) carries with it the idea of being a trailblazer, breaking through new ground so that others can follow behind him. The word is also used of a prince, a leader, and a representative head of a family. Therefore, Jesus has blazed the trail and is leading the way for us to be crowned with glory and honor with him.            - Brent Kercheville

Through Suffering

Vs. 10 - perfect through sufferings

It was “appropriate” or “fitting” for the Messiah to confront human suffering in His humility as a man.  He entered into it, experienced it, and overcame it for us. 

Why was the Messiah’s perfection completed through suffering? 

To identify with us as brothers and sisters - Vs. 11 - For the one who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one Father. That is why Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters…

Three Old Testament quotations emphasize the union that exists between Christ and the men and women he has saved. He calls them his brothers and sisters, he trusts in God as they do, and he and these his children are God’s new people.         - Don Fleming

In each of these examples, the Messiah is willing to associate Himself with His brethren, whether it be in a congregation of worship, a community of trust in the Father, or declaring a common family association.       - David Guzik

Psalm 22:22 - I will proclaim your name to my brothers and sisters; I will praise you in the assembly.

Isaiah 12:2 - Indeed, God is my salvation; I will trust him and not be afraid

Isaiah 8:18 - Here I am with the children the Lord has given me to be signs and wonders in Israel from the Lord of Armies who dwells on Mount Zion.

To destroy the one holding the power of death - Vs. 14 - so that through his death he might destroy the one holding the power of death—that is, the devil

To free those held in slavery by fear of death - Vs. 14-15 - through his death he might…free those who were held in slavery all their lives by the fear of death.

To become our faithful high priest - Vs. 17 - so that he could become a merciful and faithful high priest in matters pertaining to God, to make atonement for the sins of the people

Here is the first of several references to the priestly order of Judaism in the book of Hebrews.  The author assumed that his audience was familiar with the concepts of the tabernacle, the temple, and the Aaronic priesthood.

One tribe of Israel, the tribe of Levi, was responsible for the erection, maintenance and transport of the tabernacle. One man in this tribe, Aaron, the older brother of Moses, was Israel’s first high priest, and his sons were the priests who assisted him (Exodus 28:1; Numbers 8:14-19). The Old Testament priesthood is therefore sometimes called the Aaronic priesthood, sometimes the Levitical priesthood. Only the descendants of Aaron could be priests, and only members of the tribe of Levi could assist in the service and maintenance of the tabernacle (Exodus 29:9; Numbers 3:1-10).

Priests were responsible to teach the law and to see that the Israelite people maintained God’s standards of morality, holiness, cleanliness and justice (Leviticus 10:10-11; Deuteronomy 17:8-9; Deuteronomy 24:8; Deuteronomy 33:10). They offered sacrifices on behalf of those who brought them, and therefore were mediators between the people and God (Leviticus 1:4-9; Leviticus 6:25-26). They also carried out daily functions in the tabernacle, such as tending the lamps and offering incense (Exodus 27:20-21; Exodus 30:7-8).                - Don Fleming

The author will return to the concept of Jesus as our great and faithful high priest in chapters 4, 5, and 7.  His purpose here was to introduce Jesus as a priest, a mediator or representative to God the Father for all of humanity, Who offered Himself as the required sacrifice to atone for sin.  

Because God the Son became like men and suffered with them and for them, the author will continue to describe Him as a superior priest and mediator for all men.  Because He experienced human temptation, Jesus is uniquely positioned to help those who are tempted. 

Were the rest of the Scripture silent on this subject, this verse might be an ample support for every tempted soul.      - Clarke

With Hebrews 2:17-18, 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 Hebrews 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.       - William Lane