Hebrews 2

Hebrews 2:1-4

In this chapter the apostle, 1. Makes some application of the doctrine laid down in the foregoing, concerning the excellency of the person of Christ, both by way of exhortation and argument, vers. 1, 2, 3, 4. Enlarges farther upon the preeminence of Christ above the angels, vers. 5, 6, 7. He proceeds to remove the standard of the craft, vers. 10—16. To assert the incarnation of Christ, taking upon him not the nature of angels, but the seed of Abraham, and assigns the region of his so doing, vers. 16. to the end.

1. Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should be let them dip. 2. For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward; 3. How shall we escape if we neglect to great salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him; 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?

The apostle, as he proceeds, applies the doctrine which he had advanced.

Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, considering the infinite dignity and glory of the Speaker; eagerly attentive to his words, during them up in our memory, and fixing them as principles of action in our hearts; lest at any time we should let them dip, and our treacherous memories, like leaking vessels, should suffer them to run out; or they should glide by us (wars-warers) as a fireman, unnoticed and neglected. For if the word spoken by angels, the law given to Moses on mount Sinai, was stedfast and valid, stamped with divine authority, and guarded with the most awful fanciers; and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward, as the righteous punishment inflicted by divine justice; how shall we escape, what aggravated guilt and ruin might be on us who have heard the gospel, if we neglect to great salvation; great incapacitability, if we confided the depths of the unbroken into which we were fallen, the wonderful means used to extricate us, or the infinite mercies, blessings, and benefits, accruing to us thereby; a salvation, which comes recommended in the strongest manner, as at the first it began to be spoken by the Lord of life and glory incarnate, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him, the apostles and others, who, commissioned by him, proclaimed the glad tidings of his gospel through the world: God also bearing them witness to the divinity of that doctrine which they preached, both with signs and wonders, and with divi-

verse miracles of the most stupendous kind, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, the most astonishing and various, given according to his own will, for the confirmation of their influences: an attribution for more excellent than was given to the law of Moses. Note, (1.) When matters of such eternal importance are at stake, as the salvation of an immortal soul, we can never be sufficiently careful and attentive. (2.) Whatever punishments God inflicts on sinners, they are no more than the just reward of their deeds. (3.) Neglect of the gospel is among the most atrocious crimes, and will be visited with the fevered judgments.

5. For unto the angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come, whereof we speak. 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 videst him?’ 7. Thou modest him + a little lower than the angels; thou crowned him with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands: 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. 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.

Hebrews 2:5-9

The apostle returns to the comparison between the Mediator and the angelic hosts, shewing his forpassing excellence.

For unto the angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come, whereof we speak, that is, the gospel dispensation, and the church under the new testament; not employing them as he did under the mosheal economy. But one in a certain place testified, when contemplating the glories of creation, What is man, how despicable a worm, that thou art mindful of him, and shouldst send thy co-eternal Son to take man’s nature upon him? or what is the foe of man, a poor frail mortal, that thou videst him, and in the person of the incarnate Saviour shouldst raise the human nature to such distinguished and transcendent glory. Thou modest him a little lower than the angels, or for a little whole (prayer v.) during his state of humiliation and sufferings unto death; thou crowned him with glory and honour, raising him triumphant from the grave, and, exalting him to the throne of Majesty on high, didst set him over the works of thy hands, bestowing on him absolute and universal dominion over every creature: thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet; not only all the enemies of himself and people, sin, Satan, death and hell, but all principalities and powers, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but in that also which is to come. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him, angels, as well as others, being included within his abscission and universal empire. But now we see not yet all things put under him, either man in general, or any individual of the human species; so that these words apportain not to any of Adam’s natural descendants; or under Jesus Christ himself at present, who hath not yet utterly subdued all his enemies, the time of his feast conquered not being arrived. But we see this blessed Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, during a while, for the sufferings of death, that he might in the human nature die for the sins of his people; wherein he appeared inferior to these immortal spirits; we see him now crowned with glory and honour, on a throne, at the right hand of God, reigning till every toe shall become his footsfoot; that he by the grace of God, of his mere sovereign love and mercy, should safe death for every man; not for every individual of the human species, but for Jew and Gentile, for sinners of every rank and degree, even for all those many sons whom God before the worlds ordained unto glory. Note, (1.) The fontal cause of our salvation is the sovereign grace of God; the meritorious cause is the death of our incarnate Redeemer. (2.) In Christ man’s nature is exalted above the angels; and we, by virtue of union with him, have obtained even a more excellent name than they.

10. For it became him for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons into glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. 11. For both he that sanctified, and they who are sanctified, are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren. 12. Saying, ‘I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing prattle unto thee. 13. And again, ‘I will put my trust in him. And again, ‘Behold, I and the children which God hath given me.

Hebrews 2:10-13

The cross was the offensive doctrine at which the Hebrews stumbled. The apostle therefore shews the excel-

lence of this method of salvation: how glorious to God; how effectual for us.

For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, it was most suitable and becoming, and fervent most eminently to display the glory of all his divine persechance, as bringing many sins unto glory, even the multitude of the restrained whom he had chosen in Christ Jesus, is made the Captain [verse 7—] Lender and Author, of their salvation perfect through sufferings, completely fitted and conjectured thereby for the execution of his mediatorial office, having made full translation to the divine justice for the sins of his people. For both he that sanctified, the Redeemer himself, who saves from the guilt and power of sin, and they who are sanctified by his blood and spirit, are all of one blood, receiving the human nature from one common parent; and, as included in the same covenant of redemption, have one Father, even God: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren, but cundecends to own the restraining relation, say yea, (Psalm xxii. 22.) I will declare thy name unto my brethren, opening to them all the glories of divine grace displayed in the gospel; in the midst of the church will I sing prattle unto thee, celebrating the wonders of thy love to thy peculiar people, (Matt. xxii. 30). And again, (Pl. xviii. 2.) I will put my trust in him, confident of his support under all my sufferings, and that they shall be effectual to the salvation of my people. And again, Behold, I and the children which God hath given me, as the eternal of my soul, for whom I am ready to undergo every affliction, that I may at last be able to preform them before the presence of his glory with exceeding great joy. Note, (1.) God hath more sons whom he hath decreed to bring unto glory; and though they he few in any one age or place, yet, when collected, they will be an innumerable multitude. (2.) We must be his children by adoption and grace, before we can receive the heavenly inheritance. (3.) In the method God hath taken to save sinners, by the incarnation of his Son, he hath acted eminently as became him, that, in the most amazing exercise of grace, he might withal make the most equal display of his justice and inexorable hatred of sin. (4.) The way to glory is through sufferings: the Head and the members must walk in the same steps; and, since he hath gone before, he hath conjectured the cross, and to bear it as our honour, and will prove in the close our unpeakable advantage. (5.) Christ is our elder brother; with what endearing affection ought we then to regard him, considering what he is to us, and what he hath done for us!

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’. 15. And ‘deliver them who through fear of death were all their life-time subject to bondage. 16. For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham. 17. Wherefore in all things it is behoved him to be ‘made like unto his brethren; that he might be a merciful and faithful high-prief, in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people: 18. For in that he himself hath suffered, being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.

Hebrews 2:14-18

By Christ’s incarnation was the redemption of his people to be accomplished.

Forasmuch then as the children, whom the Lord had given him, are partakers of flesh and blood, and as in the human nature sin had been committed, in this nature it must be enquired; therefore he also himself likewise took part of the same, made exactly in the likeness of his life, and one with them; that through death, giving himself to suffer in their stead, and bearing their sins in his own body on the tree, he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil, by which malice death shall entread into the world, and who is the execution of God’s wrath upon sinners: but his dominion is now broken, and his kingdom overthrown, by the death and resurrection of Jesus, who died and rose again, that he might deliver them who through fear of death were all their life-time subject to bondage, the sting of death, which is sin, being taken out of their consciences, and all their dismal apprehensions of the consequences of death being utterly removed. For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham, assuming the human nature, as a descendant from Abraham after the flesh. Wherefore, we may infer from hence that, in all things it behaved him to be made like unto his brethren, sin only excepted, that, experiencing in his own person all the infirmities and militias incident to the human nature, he might be a merciful and faithful High-prief, touched with tender sympathy towards them, and with all fidelity disbursing his office, in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people by the fullest satisfaction paid to the divine justice, and appearing, as their great High-prief, in the presence of God, with his own all-knowing blood: for in that he himself hath suffered, being tempted, he knows what fore temptations befit his people, can tenderly feel for them, and is able to succour them that are tempted;

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and make them with himself triumphant over all their enemies. Nam. (1.) Christ is very man, as well as very God: it was as necessary that he should suffer in our nature, as it was effectual to the efficacy of those sufferings, that he should be God incarnate. (2.) Satan, sin, and death, are all vanquished: since the Saviour blest, they have no more power to hurt his redeemed people; and we may now triumph over them, since life and immensely we before us, through our crucified Jesus. (3.) Christ hath made reconciliation between the offended God and the sinful God: since he hath offered the movement, justice to his/he, and grace enthroned. (4.) It is our comfort under all our present trials and sufferings, that we have one to go to, who hath felt all our sorrows, knows our infirmity, and hath now power great as his love to forecour and save to the uttermost all that come unto God by him.