Hebrews Chapter 2 Part 1

 

Hebrews Chapter 2 Part 1

Warning Against Neglecting Salvation

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. Heb 2:1

Therefore we ought... Because God has spoken unto us by His Son, because He is such a glorious personage, and because what He says is of such infinite importance to our eternal welfare.

Eighteen Safeguards for Christians

1. Hearing (Heb. 2:1)

2. Heeding (Heb. 3:12)

3. Exhorting (Heb. 3:13)

4. Fearing (Heb. 4:1)

5. Laboring (Heb. 4:11)

6. Coming (Heb. 4:16; 10:19-20)

7. Leaving (Heb. 6:1)

8. Showing (Heb. 6:11-12)

9. Drawing (Heb. 10:22)

10. Holding (Heb. 3:6; 10:23)

11. Laying (Heb. 12:1)

12. Looking (Heb. 12:2; Hebrews 15)

13. Considering (Heb. 12:3)

14. Lifting (Heb. 12:12)

15. Making (Heb. 12:13)

16. Following (Heb. 12:14)

17. Going (Heb. 13:13)

18. Obeying (Heb. 13:17)

more earnest heed… 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.

Paul is trying to tell us the importance of learning God’s ways and then living the life God would have for us. We must not only be saved, but walk in that salvation. These Scriptures from Proverbs tell us the best.

Prov. 2:1-6 “My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee;” “So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, [and] apply thine heart to understanding;” “Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, [and] liftest up thy voice for understanding;” “If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as [for] hid treasures;” “Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.” “For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth [cometh] knowledge and understanding.”

let them slip... Greek: pararrhueo, to flow beside or past; to slip away from one’s memory. Only here and means, lest we should let truth slip away from us and forget we were purged from our old sins (2Pet. 1:4-10).

The first warning

The writer now paused in his exposition to address the readers with the first in a series of five urgent warnings. (The others are in chaps. 3-4; 5:11-6:20; Heb. 10:19-39; 12:1-29.) This one is the briefest and most restrained of all of them, but is nonetheless solemn.

The truth he had just enunciated has important implications. The therefore shows that this admonition arose directly from the preceding material. Since the Son is so supremely great and is destined for final triumph over His enemies, the readers would do well to pay more careful attention to these realities. The danger is that, if they would not, they might drift away (pararyōmen, a word that occurs only here in the NT). The writer’s audience was marked by immaturity and spiritual sluggishness (cf. Heb. 5:11-12), and if this trait were not eliminated there was danger of their slipping away from what they had heard. The author may have had the Septuagint rendering of Prov. 3:21 in mind, where the Greek translators used the word for “drift away” that is found here: “My son, do not slip away, but keep my counsel and intent.”

In our society today, it seems as if the standards God gave us in the Bible are being totally ignored. Men are doing whatever is right in their own sight. This society is interested in fulfilling the lust of the flesh. The only solution to the problems we face is a return to God and His ways.

For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward; Heb 2:2

For If the... “The Greek term assumes a fulfilled condition and here carries the idea. “In view of the fact that …”

word spoken by... Referring to the law which was given by angels (Acts 7:53; Gal. 3:19), and also to special messages from angels, as in the case of Lot’s wife (Gen. 19:17-26); Samson (Jdg. 13:5; with Jdg. 16:19-22), and others.

was stedfast... Greek: bebaios, stedfast (Heb. 2:2; 3:14; 6:19; 2Cor. 1:7); firm (Heb. 3:6); sure (Rom. 4:16; 2Pet. 1:10, 1:19); and of force (Heb. 9:17).

and every transgression... Greek: parabasis. Here; Heb. 9:15; Rom. 4:15; 5:14; Gal. 3:19; 1Tim. 2:14. Translated "breaking the law" in Rom. 2:23.

and disobedience received... Greek: parakoe, unwillingness to hear (Heb. 2:2; Rom. 5:19; 2Cor. 10:6).

Transgression and disobedience, The former means to step across the line, in an overt sin of commission. The latter carries the idea of shutting one’s ears to God’s commands, thereby committing a sin of omission. Both are willful, serious and require just judgment.

recompence of reward... Greek: misthapodosia, payment of wages; recompense for breaking law (Heb. 2:2; 10:35; 11:26).

Inasmuch as under the Old Covenant, which was instituted through angelic ministration (Gal. 3:19), there were severe penalties for infractions of its demands, the readers could not suppose there would be no penalties for infractions against the New Covenant.

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; Heb 2:3

How shall we... Questions 5-7. Next, Heb. 3:17. If they who had less privileges were punished for every sin, we who have the greater light in Christ will be punished also for each sin. What a fool’s dream to think there is no moral responsibility on Christians to live right under grace, or that grace does not see their sins if they commit any!

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 (Mat. 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; Luke 12:47).

If we neglect... Greek: ameleo, neglect (Heb. 2:3; 1Tim. 4:14); be negligent (2Pet. 1:12); regard not (Heb. 8:9); and make light of (Mat. 22:5).

so great salvation...

Ten Reasons Why Salvation Is Great

1. Its Founder—Christ preached it (Heb. 2:3)

2. Its price—Death of only begotten Son (John 3:16; Col. 1:20; 1Pet. 2:24)

3. Its scope:

(1) Time and eternity (2Cor. 6:2; Isa. 45:17; Heb. 5:9)

(2) Jews and Gentiles (Rom. 1:16)

4. Its benefits:

(1) Physical healing (Acts 3:16; 4:9-12; Mat. 8:17; 1Pet. 2:24; Jas. 5:14)

(2) Soul salvation (1Pet. 1:9; 2Cor. 7:10; Eph. 1:7; 2:8-9)

(3) Deliverance's (Exo. 14:13; 1Sam. 14:45; Isa. 33:2)

(4) Joy and peace (Psm. 20:5; 51:12; Isa. 12:3; Rom. 5:1-2)

(5) Preservation (Isa. 26:1)

(6) Daily benefits (Psm. 68:19)

5. Its infinity—it reaches to the greatest depths and the farther-est ends to redeem, exalting the redeemed to the highest heavens (Eph. 3:18; Acts 13:47; Psm. 98:3; Isa. 49:6)

6. Its divine source (Psm. 25:5; 37:39)

7. Its confirmation (Heb. 2:3-4; Mar. 16:15-20)

8. Its basic requisites—Grace and faith alone (Rom. 3:24-31; Eph. 2:8-9; Tit. 2:11)

9. Its exclusiveness (Acts 4:12)

10. Its utter simplicity of reception (John 3:16; Rom. 1:16; 10:9-10; 1Jhn. 1:9)

confirmed unto us... Not only was it confirmed then, but it should be likewise confirmed today (Mat. 18:18; 28:20; Mar. 16:15-20; Luke 24:49; Acts 1:4-8; 1Cor. 12:4-11; etc.).

With tantalizing vagueness, the author asked, How shall we escape (cf. Heb. 12:25) if we ignore such a great salvation? If the readers lost sight of the ultimate victory and deliverance that was promised to them in connection with the Son’s own final victory, they could expect retribution. What its nature might be the writer did not spell out, but it would be unwarranted to think he was talking about hell. The “we” which pervades the passage shows that the author included himself among those who needed to pay close attention to these truths.

The “salvation,” of course, is the same as that just mentioned in Heb. 1:14 and alludes to the readers’ potential share in the Son’s triumphant dominion, in which He has “companions” (cf. Heb. 1:9).

by them that... This phrase reveals the succession of evangelism. That generation of Hebrews would not have heard if the previous generations of witnesses had not passed the message along (1 Tim 2:5-7).

The angels who followed Lucifer sinned in full knowledge. They were in the very presence of God and still decided to go against God and follow Lucifer.

Isaiah 14:12 “How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! [how] art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!”

Revelation 12:4 “And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born.”

It is much worse to sin in full knowledge than it is to sin unknowingly. These fallen angels (devil spirits), recognized Jesus, because they had been in heaven with Him. When they came into contact with Jesus, they would ask Him if He had come to torment them before time.

Matthew 8:29 ” And, behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? art thou come hither to torment us before the time?”

They know that their fate is to burn in the lake of fire.

Revelation 20:10 “And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet [are], and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.”

1 Corinthians 10:12 “Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.”

Mark 16:15-16 “And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.”

There are only 2 ways to go. One way belief in Jesus leads to heaven. To reject Jesus as your Savior brings damnation. “Believeth” means to continually believe. You must not put off salvation. To put off salvation is to reject it for right now. There may not be tomorrow.

1 Thessalonians 5:3 “For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.”

There is a great falling away of even the Christians, what in the world will happen to them who do not believe?

1 Peter 4:17-18 “For the time [is come] that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if [it] first [begin] at us, what shall the end [be] of them that obey not the gospel of God?” “And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?”

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? Heb 2:4

also bearing them... God also bore witness. He did not leave the confirmation of such great salvation to men alone. He bore witness by:

1. Signs and wonders (Mar. 16:15-20; Acts 2:43; 5:16; 10:38; 1Cor. 12:4-31)The supernatural powers demonstrated by Jesus and by His apostles were the Father’s divine confirmation of the gospel of Jesus Christ, His Son (John 10:38; Acts 2:22; Rom. 15:19; 1 Cor. 14:22). This authentication of the message was the purpose of such miraculous deeds.

2. Various miracles (Acts 2:43; 19:11) God verified the Son’s message with miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost. The author states that these sign gifts were given to the first-generation witnesses. He does not suggest that his readers possessed these same miraculous gifts.

3. Gifts of the Holy Spirit (1Cor. 12:4-11, 12:28-31; Rom. 1:11; Heb. 2:4) The epistle’s first reference to the Holy Spirit refers in passing to His ministry of confirming the message of salvation by means of miraculous gifts. Mentioned elsewhere in the epistle are the Holy Spirit’s involvement in the revelation of Scripture (3:7; 10:15), in teaching (9:8), in pre-salvation operations (6:4), perhaps His convicting work (10:29), common grace, and in ministry to Christ (9:14). The phrase “gifts” of the Holy Spirit Himself upon every believer (Rom. 8:9; Gal. 3:5; Eph. 1:13), or more likely it refers to the gifts given by the Spirit (Rom. 12; 1 Cor. 12).

The miraculous sign gifts of the Holy Spirit were present in the first century to confirm apostolic revelation (2Cor. 12:12; Heb. 2:2-4), and are not expected today. Just as it is necessary to erect a scaffolding to aid construction when a building is being erected, so sign gifts were the spiritual scaffolding used by God to give credibility to His revelation which became the foundation of the church. When the written Word of God was complete, God removed the scaffolding. These gifts were given primarily as signs for the Jews (1 Cor. 1:22).

These powers are still for gospel preachers (see, Heb. 2:3).

The Lord Jesus Himself, while on earth, spoke much of His future kingdom and the participation of His faithful followers in that reign (cf., e.g., Luke 12:31-32; 22:29-30). But this salvation experience, which was first announced by the Lord had also received confirmation through the various miracles and manifestations of the Spirit which His original auditors, those who heard Him, were empowered to exhibit. In speaking like this, the writer of Hebrews regarded these miracles as the powers of the coming Age (cf. Heb. 6:5) and, in harmony with the early Christians in the Book of Acts, saw them as expressions of the sovereignty of the One who had gone to sit at God’s right hand (cf. “signs,” “wonders,” and/or “miracles” in Acts 2:43; 4:30; 5:12; 6:8; 8:6, 8:13; 14:3; 15:12; also cf. 2Cor. 12:12). That the author was indeed thinking throughout of “the world to come” is made clear in Heb. 2:5.

Also, as the apostles were primarily communicating an oral tradition, they needed signs to authenticate their message (2 Thess. 2:15). When considering a sign gift, one should remember that gifts, such as the gift of apostles, were foundational gifts needed in the first century. And were characterized by certain qualifications that could not be met today (Acts 1:21-22).

Also, Paul specifically indicated that some gifts would cease (1 Cor. 13:8), and he referred to miracles seemingly in the past tense. They were still prevalent at the time of writing (verse 3).

The sign gifts would include apostles (Eph. 4:11), healing (1 Cor. 12:9), tongues, miracles and interpretations of tongues (1 Cor. 12:10). Some might add to that list the discernment of spirits (1 Cor. 12:10).

Just as God gave Moses the power to do miracles before the pharaoh, He gave the disciples power to perform miracles before the people. We read that Jesus did so many miracles that if they were all written down there would not be enough books in the whole world to hold them all.

John 21:25 “And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen.”

No one but God could bring sight to a man who had been blind from birth. Everyone should have believed who saw these fantastic miracles of God, but they did not. Jesus told them if they did not believe for any other reason to believe Him for the works.

John 10:37-38 “If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not.” “But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father [is] in me, and I in him.”

Notice (in verse 4 above), that all of the miracles are according to God’s will. Paul found this to be true when he prayed three times for God to remove the thorn in his flesh, and God said no. Signs and wonders will still follow those who believe. The difference in Jesus and us, is that we must do these miracles in Jesus’ name. Read the 14th chapter of John beginning with the 12th verse. I will give just two verses here.

John 14:12-13 “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater [works] than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.” “And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.”

Notice in verse 12 who can do this, “he that believeth”.

Verses 5-9: If Christ became a Man and partook of death, how can He be superior to the angels? This apparent contradiction is presently answered as reasonable and logical. The writer states that the angels do not have authority in the world to come.

Throughout the past and present ages angels have administered judgment on man: at Sodom (Gen. 19:13), on Israel (2 Sam. 24:15-17), on kings (Acts 12:23), during the Great Tribulation (Rev. chapters 8, 9). But in the age to come angels will have no authority over the saints.

In fact, the saints will judge angels (1 Cor. 6:3). Quoting (Psalm 8), the author shows that man will rule in God’s coming age. Psalm 8 describes man as made by God a little lower than the angels. “A Little” (Greek brachu ti) has two possible interpretations. It can refer to time (for a little while), or degree (a little lower). Both concepts are true, but the second fits the context better.

Although God has made man slightly lower than the angels for the present, He also has crowned him with glory and honor and set him over His creation. Man, is the capstone and crown of God’s creation. Into man’s hands God will ultimately place His creation. As He proclaimed from the moment of creation (Gen. 1:26, 28), God will ultimately place His creation into man’s hands through Christ.

By death Christ will regain for man what he lost by sin and death, namely, the dominion of the world. The author interprets all things to mean that God left nothing, including angels, independent of man’s dominion. So as Man, Jesus will rule the earth. He to whom world dominion is divinely committed is greater that the angels, who do not have this privilege.

The Founder of Salvation

For unto the angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come, whereof we speak. Heb 2:5

world to come... The kingdom of the Messiah. The term refers to the inhabited earth. The reference is to the great millennial kingdom (Zech. 14:9; Rev. 20:1-5). Angels will not reign over the messianic kingdom.

Rev. 11:15 “And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become [the kingdoms] of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.”

Rev. 20:6 “Blessed and holy [is] he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.”

We can all clearly see that the angels will not rule. Jesus will be the supreme ruler and His followers [Christians] will rule with Him as His subordinates.

The King-Son as the perfected Captain

The author here returned to his main train of thought, the destiny of Jesus in the world to come. But now Jesus’ intimate involvement through His Incarnation with those who will share that destiny was brought to the fore.

The Destiny Of The Captain

It has been claimed that the Dead Sea Scrolls show that the sectarians of Qumran believed that the coming Age would be marked by the dominion of Michael and his angelic subordinates. The statement here by the writer of Hebrews forcefully refutes this view. Not… angels, but people, will be awarded this dominion in the world to come. That the author was not just now introducing this subject is made plain by the expression about which we are speaking. It is obvious that the first chapter, with its manifest stress on the kingship and future reign of the Son, was about this very subject.

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? Heb 2:6

a certain place... This is not an indication that the writer was ignorant of the source of the quotation that follows. The location of the quotation is not as significant as its divine authorship. Perhaps it is significant that the author of Hebrews is not identified either.

The writer may have desired that his readers understand that the Holy Spirit is the real author of all Scripture (2 Tim. 3:16; 2 Peter 1:21).

What is man,... The 7th Old Testament prophecy in Hebrews (Heb. 2:6-7; Psm. 8:4-6, unfulfilled). Next, Heb. 2:12.

mindful of him… Both refer to mankind, not to Christ. The passage asks why God would ever bother with man. As the following verses demonstrate (Verses 9-10), the incarnation of Christ is the greatest proof of God’s love and regard for mankind. Christ was not sent in the form of an angel. He was sent in the form of a man.

This son of man is not Jesus. If this were speaking of Jesus, Son would be capitalized. Another reason we know this is not speaking of Jesus is that Jesus here is the one visiting the son of man. In our church services, I love to sing the song “WHO AM I”. In this song, it says who am I that a King would bleed and die for? It also says who am I that He would pray “not my will thine for”?

The answer I may never know; why He ever loved me so. If we stop and really think about this, it is almost unbelievable. Why would God the Father be willing to sacrifice His only begotten Son so that someone as unworthy as I am might live? It is a big question, isn’t it?

1John 4:10 “Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.”

Propitiation means atonement.

A portion of Psm. 8:1-9 was now quoted. While the psalm as a whole is often read as a general statement about the role of man in God’s Creation, it is clear in the light of Heb. 2:5 and the application that follows in Heb. 2:8-9 that the author of Hebrews read it primarily as messianic and eschatological. In doing so he stood well within the New Testament perspective on the Old Testament, a perspective directly traceable to Jesus Himself (cf. Luke 24:25-27, 24:44-45).

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: Heb 2:7

than the angels... Angels were given supernatural powers by the Creator. They have continual access to the throne of God (Job 1:6; 2:1; Rev. 5:11), and are not subject to death.

When Jesus came to the earth, He took on the form of flesh that He might be tempted in all the ways we are. He took on the flesh of man that He might relate to us better.

John 1:14 “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.”

Hebrews 4:15 “For we have not a high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as [we are, yet] without sin.”

Jesus was tempted in all things when Satan tempted Him 40 days and nights while Jesus was fasting. Jesus did not succumb to the temptation, but withstood the devil. He also tells us, if we will withstand the devil, he will flee from us.

James 4:7 “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”

didst set him... Including the sun, moon, and stars to rule them (Psm. 8:3-6).

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. Heb 2:8

put all things... The purpose of the first 1,000 years of the eternal reign of Christ is to put all enemies down and rid the earth of all rebellion (1Cor. 15:24-28; Eph. 1:10; Rev. 20:1-15).

in subjection under... In spite of the superiority of angels to mankind, God had originally placed the administration of the earth into the hands of mankind (Gen. 1:26-28). Due to the Fall (Gen. 3), however, mankind has been incapable of fulfilling that divinely ordained position.

Matthew 28:18 “And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.”

We know this was true even when Jesus walked the earth in His house of flesh. When He told the sea to quiet down and it did, the disciples were amazed that even the sea had to obey Him. He spoke to unclean spirits and they had to leave.

Even the 2000 devil spirits asked permission of Jesus to go into the hogs that ran violently into the sea. He had to give permission for them to go, because they were subject to Him. We could go on and on about how three times he told the spirit to go back into someone assumed dead. Jesus is the God of the living and the dead.

Revelation 5:13 “And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power, [be] unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.”

To sum up this lesson, we would have to say that Jesus Christ our Lord is also King of kings and Lord of lord’ that the real power and authority is the Word of God; (spoken and written). We must truly accept the spoken and written Word as absolute Truth and continue in the teaching of both to the end.

Whatever might have been the general appropriateness of Psm. 8:1-9 to man’s current standing in the world, in the view of the writer those words do not now describe the actual state of affairs. Instead, he affirmed, at present we do not see everything subject to Him. He was thinking here primarily of Jesus (Heb. 2:9). No doubt the familiar messianic designation “Son of Man” (Heb. 2:6) contributed to this understanding. Thus, he asserted, while total dominion over the created order is not yet His, Jesus is at last seen as crowned with glory and honor because He suffered death.

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. Heb 2:9

for the suffering... This is why He was made lower than angels. They are immortal and cannot die (Mat. 22:30). It was necessary for Christ to be capable of death that He might taste death for every man.

glory and honor... Because Jesus became “obedient to the point of death … God highly exalted Him” (Phil. 2:8-9). By His redemptive work, Christ has fulfilled all that is required as the supreme representative of mankind. By His incarnation, substitutionary sacrifice and victory over sin and death (Rom. 6:23; 1 John 4:10), He has fulfilled man’s original purpose.

As the Second Adam (1 Cor. 15:47), He was for a short time lower than the angels. Now He has glory and honor, and all things (including angels), are subject to Him.

taste death for... Everyone who believes, that is. The death of Christ can only be applied in its efficacy to those who come to God repentantly in faith, asking for saving grace and forgiveness of sins (2 Cor. 5:21; 1 Tim. 2:6; 4:10; Titus 2:11).

We must notice in the Scripture above, that Jesus was made a little lower than the angels. He was not lower at all, but took on this state of being lower for His stay on the earth. The death of the cross that Jesus died was in payment for us, so that we would not have to die this way to pay for our sins.

Phil. 2:7-9 “But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:” “And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.” “Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:”

We should see in this that we have done nothing to deserve to be saved. It is a gift of grace. This is a free gift of God; all we do is accept it.

Verse 8 ended with the confession that Man’s present status does not suggest that he will someday be over all creation. But Christ’s status does. Unlike man, He already has been crowned, and because of His identity with and victory for man, He makes (Psalm 8), a future reality for man. Death is one significant quality that makes man lower than the angels (Luke 20:36), but Christ has conquered death for man.

No doubt the familiar messianic designation “Son of Man” (Heb. 2:6) contributed to this understanding. Thus, he asserted, while total dominion over the created order is not yet His, Jesus is at last seen as crowned with glory and honor because He suffered death. The One so crowned was made a little lower than the angels for the very purpose of dying, that is, that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone. This last statement is best understood as the purpose of the Lord’s being made lower than the angels in His Incarnation. The words beginning with “now crowned” and ending with “suffered death” are a parenthesis more easily read as such in the Greek text. The focus of the statement, despite its reference to Jesus’ present glory, is on the fact that He became a man in order to die.

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. Heb 2:10

became him, for... It was suitable to divine wisdom and justice and the program of grace to offer Jesus as a sacrifice in order to bring many sons to glory. 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 (Rom. 8:18, 29-30).

captain of their... The Originator of salvation. Without suffering He could not have died; without dying He could not have made atonement for sin; and without completing His redemptive work He could not have been perfected. The term is also used (in 12:2 and Acts 5:31). It could be translated “pioneer”, “leader,” “author,” or “originator”. Christ is the source (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).

perfect thru suffering... Greek: teleioo, make a full end; complete. The idea is that Christ could not have been made complete or bring to a complete end the work He was supposed to do without His sufferings (see, Phlp. 3:12). 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 (5:8-9; 7:25-28; Phil. 2:8; 1 Pet. 2:21), and establish the perfect righteousness (Mat. 3:15), to be imputed to believers (2Cor. 5:21; Phil. 3:8, 19).

The concept of a suffering Messiah was a real stumbling block to the Jews. The author tackles this problem by declaring that the sufferings of the Cross were an integral part of God’s redemptive plan. In fact, Christ was made perfect through the suffering of death. Not that His deity lacks perfection (1:3, 8), but His humanity was vocationally perfected.

That is, as Man, Jesus was enabled through suffering to become the captain of man’s salvation; suffering allows Him to experientially empathize with us (verse 18), and death was the means of His destroying Satan (verse 14), and securing our redemption (9:12).

Luke 24:26 “Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory?”

Luke 24:46 “And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:”

The suffering that Christ did was not because He deserved to suffer, but because we deserved to suffer. He was our substitute. He suffered in our place. We are His creation and He bought us back out of sin.

There is a penalty for sin, but Jesus paid our penalty for us that we might be judged not guilty of sin. If we suffer with Christ for the cause of Christianity, then we shall reign with Him, as we read (in Rom. 8:17).

“And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with [him], that we may be also glorified together.”

A Christian is a follower of Christ. If our leader suffered, so will we.

1 Thes. 3:4 “For verily, when we were with you, we told you before that we should suffer tribulation; even as it came to pass, and ye know.”

The Captain’s Link With His Followers

In this section the writer of Hebrews used, for the first time, the Greek word archēgos of Jesus (his other use of the word is in Heb. 12:2). The word suggests such concepts as “Leader,” “Originator,” and “Founder” and is almost equivalent in some respects to the English word “Pioneer.” The familiar rendering “Captain” (KJV) seems a bit superior to “Author” (Heb. 2:10). The Lord Jesus, the writer will try to show, is the Captain of that loyal band of people whom God is preparing for glory.

The author here continued to think of Psm. 8:1-9, as his reference to everything reveals (cf. Heb. 2:8). Thus the glory he mentioned here is also the glory referred to in the psalm, that is, the glory of dominion over the created order (cf. Heb. 2:7-8). Even the expression many sons is inspired by the psalmist’s mention of “the Son of Man” and suggests that for the writer of Hebrews the messianic title Son of Man probably had a corporate aspect. Jesus is the Son of Man, and His brothers and sisters are the many people who are linked with Him in both suffering and future glory. They will be the King’s “companions” who share His joy in the world to come (cf. Heb. 1:9).

In Heb. 2:9 the writer had mentioned Jesus’ death for the first time. Now he affirmed that such suffering was appropriate for the One who was to serve as the Captain of the many sons. Before He could fittingly lead them to the salvation experience God had in mind for them (i.e., “to glory”), He must be made perfect for this role “through suffering.” Since His brethren must suffer, so must He if He is to be the kind of Captain they need. By having done so, He can give them the help they require (cf. Heb. 2:18).