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Hebrews Chapter 2

Memory verses for this week:  1 Pet 3:15  But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear: 

Introduction:  In Chapter 1, we found that God is now speaking to his chosen people through Jesus Christ in Paul’s day.   We know that the Old Testament was penned by prophets chosen by God to pen the words under the direction of the Holy Spirit.   But today, God has chosen to speak to us by Christ.   We saw that Christ is much greater than the angels, and that all things created were created by Christ.

I.  Giving Heed to the Things We Have Heard

Heb 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.

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

Anyone can hear the word of God.  But the hearer is not the one who is blessed of God, but it is the doer that is blessed.

James 1:22  But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.

James 1:23  For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:

James 1:24  For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.

James 1:25  But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

Thank God we live during this time period referred to as the dispensation of Grace.    I don’t think we realize the heavy penalty sin carried back in the Old Testament days.  Back before Christ came, the people lived under the law, and those who rejected the law were punished.  The punishment was harsh, and it came quickly.

Deu 4:1  Now therefore hearken, O Israel, unto the statutes and unto the judgments, which I teach you, for to do them, that ye may live, and go in and possess the land which the LORD God of your fathers giveth you.

Deu 4:2  Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you.

Deu 4:3  Your eyes have seen what the LORD did because of Baalpeor: for all the men that followed Baalpeor, the LORD thy God hath destroyed them from among you.

Deu 4:4  But ye that did cleave unto the LORD your God are alive every one of you this day. 

Jude 1:6  And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.  

Acts 7:53  Who have received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept it.

The angel’s word were steadfast.  Their word carried penalties.

Gal 3:19  Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator.

Gal 3:20  Now a mediator is not a mediator of one, but God is one.

Gal 3:21  Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law.

Gal 3:22  But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.

Gal 3:23  But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.

Gal 3:24  Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.

Gal 3:25  But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.

Gal 3:26  For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.

Heb 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;

Heb 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?

The words of our Lord are of greater value than that of the angels.  To let them slip is to have God’s displeasure on our lives.   The lost person has no hope if he neglects the salvation which Christ gives.   Sin has a penalty, and someone has to pay for that sin.   But the sins are not what causes the lost to spend eternity in hell.  Yes, the sins condemn a man.  But it is his or her rejection of Jesus Christ that seals their doom for eternity.  In those early days of the church, God used signs, wonders, and miracles that the lost might know Christ was who He said He was.

Rom 15:19  Through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God; so that from Jerusalem, and round about unto Illyricum, I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.

Rom 15:20  Yea, so have I strived to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build upon another man's foundation:

Rom 15:21  But as it is written, To whom he was not spoken of, they shall see: and they that have not heard shall understand.

Jonah was a man called to warn the lost to repent and turn back to God.  He refused to do it, and he paid a great price when God chastened him for running from his responsibilities.

Jonah 1:1  Now the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the son of Amittai, saying,

Jonah 1:2  Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me.

Jonah 1:3  But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD, and went down to Joppa; and he found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD.

Jonah 1:4  But the LORD sent out a great wind into the sea, and there was a mighty tempest in the sea, so that the ship was like to be broken.

Jonah 1:5  Then the mariners were afraid, and cried every man unto his god, and cast forth the wares that were in the ship into the sea, to lighten it of them. But Jonah was gone down into the sides of the ship; and he lay, and was fast asleep.

Jonah 1:6  So the shipmaster came to him, and said unto him, What meanest thou, O sleeper? arise, call upon thy God, if so be that God will think upon us, that we perish not.

Jonah 1:7  And they said every one to his fellow, Come, and let us cast lots, that we may know for whose cause this evil is upon us. So they cast lots, and the lot fell upon Jonah.

Jonah 1:8  Then said they unto him, Tell us, we pray thee, for whose cause this evil is upon us; What is thine occupation? and whence comest thou? what is thy country? and of what people art thou?

Jonah 1:9  And he said unto them, I am an Hebrew; and I fear the LORD, the God of heaven, which hath made the sea and the dry land.

Jonah 1:10  Then were the men exceedingly afraid, and said unto him, Why hast thou done this? For the men knew that he fled from the presence of the LORD, because he had told them.

Jonah 1:11  Then said they unto him, What shall we do unto thee, that the sea may be calm unto us? for the sea wrought, and was tempestuous.

Jonah 1:12  And he said unto them, Take me up, and cast me forth into the sea; so shall the sea be calm unto you: for I know that for my sake this great tempest is upon you.

If you are familiar with the scriptures, you know that Jonah was in the belly of the whale for 3 days and 3 nights before being cast up on the land where Jonah did go and preach his short message to those in Nineveh.

Jonah 3:1  And the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the second time, saying,

Jonah 3:2  Arise, go unto Nineveh, that great city, and preach unto it the preaching that I bid thee.

Jonah 3:3  So Jonah arose, and went unto Nineveh, according to the word of the LORD. Now Nineveh was an exceeding great city of three days' journey.

Jonah 3:4  And Jonah began to enter into the city a day's journey, and he cried, and said, Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown.

We all have a responsibility to tell the lost about Christ, and how the judgment of God is sure if they die in their sins.

Ezek 3:17  Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me.

Ezek 3:18  When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand.

Ezek 3:19  Yet if thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul.

II.  The Earth is to be Put Under Jesus Christ

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

Heb 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?

It was never God’s purpose that the angels should be rulers over humanity.  It did please the Lord to use them as messengers to man to make His will known.   We know that when the Lord was in the wilderness for the 40 days and was tempted, the angels came and ministered unto him.  Also, they came that night when he was praying in the garden before He was about to go to the cross.

Mat 4:8  Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and showeth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;

Mat 4:9  And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.

Mat 4:10  Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

Mat 4:11  Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.

Luke 22:42  Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.

Luke 22:43  And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him.

Luke 22:44  And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.

The one God appointed to reign over the earth is His dear Son, Jesus Christ, not one of the angels.  In verse 6, the certain place mentioned there is the same as mentioned in Psalms Chapter 8.

Psa 8:4  What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?

Psa 8:5  For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour.

Psa 8:6  Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet:

Heb 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:

Heb 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.

Man is made a little lower than the angels, but one day we shall be like Christ and exalted above the angels in the resurrection.

1 John 3:2  Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

When God placed man in the garden of Eden, he gave him power over the works of God’s hands in the beginning.   But the one whom God put all things under subjection is Jesus Christ.   It says in verse 8 that he has put all things under his feet.   Today, we do not see everything subject to Jesus.  But in the 1,000 year Millennial Reign of Christ, all things will be in subject unto Him.  This will carry over into the new heaven and earth.

III.   Jesus, Made a little Lower than the Angels

Heb 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.

Heb 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.

As we said earlier, we do not see all things put under subjection to Christ today, but we do see Christ made a littler lower than the angels as he suffered death there on the Cross.  But praise God, Jesus is not still dead, but after 3 days and 3 nights, he arose and is now seated on the right hand of the Father crowned with glory and honor.

Albert Barnes said this about verse 9 in his commentary.

Who was made a little lower than the angels—That is, as a man, or when on earth. His assumed rank was inferior to that of the angels. He took upon himself
not the nature of angels Heb. 2:16, but the nature of man. The apostle is probably here answering some implied objections to the rank which it was claimed that the
Lord Jesus had, or which MIGHT be urged to the views which he was defending. These objections were mainly two. First, that Jesus was a man; and secondly, that
he suffered and died. If that was the fact, it was natural to ask HOW he could be superior to the angels? How could he have had the rank which was claimed for
him? This he answers by showing first, that his condition as a man was “voluntarily” assumed—“he was made lower than the angels;” and secondly, by showing that as a consequence of his sufferings and death, he was immediately crowned with glory and honor. This state of humiliation became him in the great work which he had undertaken, and he was immediately exalted to universal
dominion, and as Mediator was raised to a rank far above the angels.

For the suffering of death—Margin, “By.” The meaning of the preposition rendered here “for” is, “on account  of;” that is, Jesus on account of the sufferings of death, or in virtue of that, was crowned with glory and honor. His crowning was the result of his condescension  and sufferings. It does not here mean, as our translation
would seem to imply, that he was made a little lower than the angels in order to suffer death, but that as a reward for having suffered death he was raised up to the right hand of God.

Crowned with glory and honor—That is, at the right hand of God. He was raised up to heaven; Acts 2:33; Mark 16:19. The meaning is, that he was crowned with the highest honor on account of his sufferings; compare Phil 2:8-9; Heb. 12:2; 5:7-9; Eph. 1:20-23.  

We are so blessed because Jesus tasted death for all men.   Unless He had come, led the perfect life, and died according to the scriptures, none of us would have any chance of entering Heaven one day.   Being the perfect sacrifice, He is now glorified and  at the right hand of the Heavenly Father today.  In verse 10, Paul states that he died ‘to make the captain of their salvation perfect through suffering.”   This is not referencing his character, but is in regards to him being the Savior of the world.  He truly is the Captain of our salvation.   Unless he had suffered and died, we would have no forgiveness of sin.

The one thing about Christ was that he was the sinless and perfect lamb of God.

John 19:6  When the chief priests therefore and officers saw him, they cried out, saying, Crucify him, crucify him. Pilate saith unto them, Take ye him, and crucify him: for I find no fault in him. 

Col 1:27  To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:

Col 1:28  Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:

Col 1:29  Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.

Heb 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,

Heb 2:12  Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee.

Jesus is the one who sanctifies us.   Those who trust in Christ are sanctified and set apart for good works to the glory of the Father.    All that are sanctified are of the Father.   Because of this, Jesus is not ashamed to call those who are saved brethren.   Jesus, and all of us who know Christ as Savior, praise God in the church.

Heb 2:13  And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold I and the children which God hath given me.

Heb 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;

Heb 2:15  And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.

In the perfect plan of redemption, Jesus took upon himself flesh and blood in order to be able to destroy Satan.   By overcoming Satan, he has freed us from the bondage of death and delivered us unto the Father. 

Heb 2:16  For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham.

Heb 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.

Heb 2:18  For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.

Verse 16 points out how that Christ did not come to save angels, but to save fallen man.  The angels stand amazed at salvation and desire to understand it better.   Jesus came in the flesh and was tempted in all points as we are.   This is important to realize that even though Jesus was God manifested in the flesh, He overcame the same fleshly desires we face each day.    Because he lived the perfect life, Christ is able to bring atonement for our sins.   Verse 17 says he became our merciful and high priest in all things pertaining to God.  Mercy was given to man, and faithfulness to God was seen in the atonement.

We mentioned earlier how that Jesus was taken into the wilderness and tempted of Satan.  But through all those temptations, Jesus never failed.   Jesus withstood every test.  That example should instill a desire within us to be more like Christ.

Mat 4:1  Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.

Mat 4:2  And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungered.

Mat 4:3  And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.

Mat 4:4  But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

Mat 4:5  Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple,

Mat 4:6  And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.

Mat 4:7  Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.

Mat 4:8  Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and showeth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;

Mat 4:9  And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.

Mat 4:10  Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

Mat 4:11  Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.

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