Hebrews 2:1-9

Hebrews 2:1–4 (NASB95)

For this reason we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away from it. For if the word spoken through angels proved unalterable, and every transgression and disobedience received a just penalty, how will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation? After it was at the first spoken through the Lord, it was confirmed to us by those who heard, God also testifying with them, both by signs and wonders and by various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit according to His own will.

We Covered Verse 1 Last Time

And an Important Thing to Remember as We Look at Verse 2 is:

We are Still in the Context of Chapter 1

Verse 1 Begins With “Because of This”

“Because Jesus is Superior to the Angels…

We Need to Pay Closer Attention to What We Have Heard From Him”

Hebrews 2:2 (NASB)

For if the word spoken through angels proved unalterable, and every transgression and disobedience received a just penalty,

What was the Word Spoken Through Angels?

From the Context, We Know the Author is Talking About the Old Law Given to Moses On Mount Sinai

It was a Commonly Accepted Belief in Jewish Tradition that the Old Covenant Had Been Delivered/Mediated By Angels

Some Jewish Texts as Well as the Jewish Historian Josephus Prove This to Be the Case

And There are a Few NT Texts that Seem to Convey that Same Idea

Some Believe the Author of Hebrews is Saying, “For if the Word Spoken Through Human Messengers”

But Based On the Context of Chapter 1, Where Heavenly Beings are Being Referred to…

It Seems that the Hebrews Writer is Referring to this Belief that Angels Were Involved in the Giving of the Old Law

The Point is Not Whether Angels Had Anything to Do With the Giving of the Old Law or Not

The Point the Hebrew Author is Continuing to Make is:

Jesus is Better Than the Angels

The Gospel is Better Than the Old Law

Hebrews 2:2 (NASB)

For if the word spoken through angels proved unalterable, and every transgression and disobedience received a just penalty,

The Old Law Proved Unalterable

It was Reliable, Steadfast, Binding, in Force, Valid, Verified, Firmly Established

The Hebrews Writer Doesn’t Want to Diminish the Importance and the Validity of the OT

It was a Law Given By God

Hebrews 2:2 (NASB)

For if the word spoken through angels proved unalterable, and every transgression and disobedience received a just penalty,

Under the Old Law, Every Transgression and Disobedience was Punished

Transgression = Going Outside the Boundary of What God Has Said to Do

Disobedience = Unwillingness to Hear and Submit to God’s Law

One Commentator Described it Like This:

Transgression Represents the Character of Sin

Stepping Out of the Boundary God Has Set

Disobedience Represents the Cause of Sin

Refusing to Listen to God

Another Commentator Described:

Transgression as Sins of Commission

Doing What is Wrong

Disobedience as Sins of Omission

Not Doing What is Right

Doing Either Resulted in a Just, Fair, Appropriate Reward

What was the Reward?

Punishment

Verse 2 Summary:

If the Old Law/Covenant was Binding…

And Brought About Just Punishment to Those Who Refused to Listen to and Obey it…

Hebrews 2:3 (NASB)

how will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation? After it was at the first spoken through the Lord, it was confirmed to us by those who heard,

This Type of Argument is Called a fortiori

“If the Lesser Thing is True, Then the Greater Thing is Even More True”

If Transgressing and Disobeying the Law Spoken By Angels Brought About Just Punishment…

Then Neglecting the Great Salvation that Comes Through the Gospel of Christ…

Is Even More Inescapable

He Already Made the Point that Jesus is Better Than the Angels

Now He’s Helping Us Apply that Point

If Neglecting What the Angels Spoke Deserves Punishment…

Then Neglecting What Jesus Spoke Definitely Deserves Punishment

“Neglect” = To Disregard, Ignore, Be Unconcerned With, To Not Care About

Those Who Disregard Such a Wonderful Salvation Made Possible By the Son of God…

Will Have No Way of Escaping Punishment

This was a Powerful Warning to Those Hebrew Christians On the Verge of Forsaking the Christian Life

Hebrews 2:3 (NASB)

how will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation? After it was at the first spoken through the Lord, it was confirmed to us by those who heard,

The Gospel of Christ that Brings Such a Great Salvation was First Spoken By Jesus…

Then it was Confirmed By the Apostles and Earliest Disciples

Hebrews 2:4 (NASB)

God also testifying with them, both by signs and wonders and by various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit according to His own will.

God was Also a Witness to the Validity of the Gospel

How?

By the Signs, Wonders, and Miracles that Were Performed By the Power of His Spirit

All of the Signs, Wonders, Miracles, and Gifts Were Meant to Validate/Confirm the Gospel Message to Be True

It Proved to the Listeners of the Message that it is Truly a Message From God Himself

Summary of Verses 2-4 in Light of the Context of Chapter 1:

If Jesus is Superior to the Angels…

And the Old Law Spoken By Angels was Firmly Established and Binding…

And Brought Deserved Punishment to Those Who Refused to Listen to it and Obey it…

Then the Gospel Spoken By Jesus, and Confirmed By the Apostles and God Himself…

Will Even More Surely Bring Deserved Punishment to Those Who Neglect it

This Warning Passage is Based Upon the Teaching of Chapter 1

Jesus is Better Than the Angels

Therefore His New Covenant Gospel is Better Than the Angels’ Old Covenant Law

Application

Jesus and His Gospel are Superior to the Angels and the OT

So We Need to Pay Much Closer Attention to/Heed the Message of the Gospel

So That We Do Not Drift Away and Eventually Neglect it Altogether

To Do so Would Be to Lose Out On Such a Great Salvation

And to Have an Inescapable Punishment Waiting for Us

Hebrews 2:5-9

In Verse 5, We Leave the Warning Passage and Go Back to Theological Teaching

But We Haven’t Started Anything New Yet

The Author is Still Focusing On Jesus’ Supremacy to the Angels

Hebrews 2:5–9 (NASB95)

For He did not subject to angels the world to come, concerning which we are speaking. But one has testified somewhere, saying, “What is man, that You remember him? Or the son of man, that You are concerned about him? You have made him for a little while lower than the angels; You have crowned him with glory and honor, And have appointed him over the works of Your hands; You have put all things in subjection under his feet.”

For in subjecting all things to him, He left nothing that is not subject to him. But now we do not yet see all things subjected to him. But we do see Him who was made for a little while lower than the angels, namely, Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone.

Now Let’s Break This Passage Down

Hebrews 2:5 (NASB95)

For He did not subject to angels the world to come, concerning which we are speaking.

God Did Not Subject the World to Come to the Angels

This is Speaking of After Jesus’ Return and Salvation of His People

Hebrews 2:6–8 (NASB95)

But one has testified somewhere, saying, “What is man, that You remember him? Or the son of man, that You are concerned about him? “You have made him for a little while lower than the angels; You have crowned him with glory and honor, And have appointed him over the works of Your hands; You have put all things in subjection under his feet.” For in subjecting all things to him, He left nothing that is not subject to him. But now we do not yet see all things subjected to him.

Now, the Author Quotes From Psalm 8

Let’s Read the Psalm to Get a Fuller Picture of What the Hebrews Author was Saying

Psalm 8 (NASB95)

O Lord, our Lord, How majestic is Your name in all the earth, Who have displayed Your splendor above the heavens! From the mouth of infants and nursing babes You have established strength Because of Your adversaries, To make the enemy and the revengeful cease.

When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, The moon and the stars, which You have ordained; What is man that You take thought of him, And the son of man that You care for him? Yet You have made him a little lower than God, And You crown him with glory and majesty!

You make him to rule over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under his feet, All sheep and oxen, And also the beasts of the field, The birds of the heavens and the fish of the sea, Whatever passes through the paths of the seas. O Lord, our Lord, How majestic is Your name in all the earth!

In this Psalm, David Looks at the Night Sky and Asks a Question Many of Us Have Probably Asked:

Why Would God, Who Can Create All This, Care About Me?

Why Would God Care About Humans?

He Made Humans Lower in Status than “Elohim” (God or Heavenly Beings)

And Gave Us Rulership Over All of His Creation

This is Exactly What We See in the Creation

Genesis 1:28 (NASB95)

God blessed them; and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

Humans Were Created to Reign Over the Entire World for God

Everything was Created to Be Under Our Dominion

To Be God’s Image Bearers was to Rule Over All the Earth With Glory and Majesty

Hebrews 2:6–8 (NASB95)

But one has testified somewhere, saying, “What is man, that You remember him? Or the son of man, that You are concerned about him? “You have made him for a little while lower than the angels; You have crowned him with glory and honor, And have appointed him over the works of Your hands; You have put all things in subjection under his feet.” For in subjecting all things to him, He left nothing that is not subject to him. But now we do not yet see all things subjected to him.

David was Using the Terms “Man” & “Son of Man” to Refer to Humanity in a General Sense

Humans Were Meant to Rule Over Creation With Glory and Majesty

But Once Sin Entered the Picture…

Our Purpose Never Became the Reality it was Meant to Be

We Don’t Yet See All Things Subjected to Humanity

Don’t Overlook the Word “Yet”

The Author Chose that Word for a Reason

It Means Exactly What it Sounds Like it Means

Humans Aren’t Fulfilling Our Purpose of Ruling Over Creation With Glory and Honor… Yet

The Point is that Someday This Will Be the Case

2 Timothy 2:11–12 (NASB95)

It is a trustworthy statement: For if we died with Him, we will also live with Him; If we endure, we will also reign with Him; If we deny Him, He also will deny us;

Upon Jesus’ Return, the Faithful Will Reign With Him

But Right Now, We Don’t See That Being the Case…

Hebrews 2:9 (NASB95)

But we do see Him who was made for a little while lower than the angels, namely, Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone.

We Don’t See All Things Subjected to Humanity Just Yet

But There is One Who was Made for a Little While Lower Than the Angels…

Who is Crowned with Glory and Honor

There is One Human Who Rules and to Whom All Things are Subjected

His Name is Jesus

King Jesus is the One in Charge of All Things, Including the World to Come

Ephesians 1:20–23 (NASB95)

which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.

Jesus Succeeded Where Adam and All Who Came After Him Failed

He was Perfectly Obedient

He was/is Everything that Humans Were Created to Be

Jesus was/is the Perfect Human

Hebrews 2:9 (NASB95)

But we do see Him who was made for a little while lower than the angels, namely, Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone.

What Led to Jesus Being Crowned With Glory and Honor?

His Suffering of Death

Philippians 2:5–11 (NASB95)

Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.

Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Jesus’ Obedient Death Led to His Exaltation and Reign Over All Things

Hebrews 2:9 (NASB95)

But we do see Him who was made for a little while lower than the angels, namely, Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone.

Jesus Tasted/Experienced Death for Everyone

He Died in Order to Benefit Humanity

This was All Done By the Grace of God

The Hebrews Author is Going to Tell Us What All Jesus’ Experiencing Death for Us Entails

We Will Look at That Next Time

The Point

The Point the Hebrews Author is Making is This:

God Did Not Make Angels Rulers Over the World to Come

He Made Jesus the Ruler Over the Present World AND Over the World to Come

Jesus is Better Than the Angels

Application

Jesus Suffered and Experienced Death for Us

In Order to Receive the Glory, Honor, and Dominion in the World to Come…

That We Were Meant to Have in This World…

We Must Die and Resurrect With Him in Baptism

And We Must Be Willing to Suffer and Die for Him as Christians