Bible Commentaries
Hebrews 2

Verse 1

Therefore ; on account of the dignity and glory of him who speaks.

We have heard ; from Christ and those commissioned to speak in his name.

Let them slip ; forget or neglect them, and lose the benefit. The character of the Saviour should secure for his instructions the most earnest attention. This all ought to give, from regard not only to him, but to their own benefit.

Verse 2

Spoken by angels ; that is, by the ministration of angels. Acts 7:38 ; Acts 7:53 ; Galatians 3:19 .

Was steadfast ; firm, settled, established, and could not be violated with impunity.

Verse 3

The neglect of Christ’s salvation is ruinous to the soul.

Verse 5

The world to come ; or, the coming age. This was a common expression with the Jewish Rabbis to indicate the expected reign of the Messiah, which is the Christian dispensation in its whole course to the end of time and the final judgment.

Verse 6

One in a certain place ; Psalms 8:4-9 .

Verse 8

For in that he put all in subjection under him , he left nothing-not put under him ; as much as to say, The psalmist explicitly declares that all things are put under man.

We see not yet all things put under him ; that is, under man, apart from Christ.

Verse 9

But we see Jesus-crowned with glory and honor ; as much as to say, The words of the psalmist have their complete fulfilment only in "the man Christ Jesus," in whose person human nature is exalter to universal dominion and crowned with glory and honor, after he has been made a little lower than the angels ; in the nature which he took upon him for the purpose of suffering death to atone for sin.

Verse 10

It became him ; it was suitable that God, in saving sinners, should effect it through the suffering and death of his Son, who thus became the Author of complete, eternal salvation to all who trust in him.

Perfect through sufferings ; perfect in his character as Mediator and Redeemer. It was through the suffering of death for the salvation of men that he was to be exalter to the mediatorial throne and have all things put under his feet. Compare Philippians 2:5-11 , which may serve as a divine commentary on the present verse.

Verse 11

He that sanctifieth ; Christ.

They who are sanctified ; Christians.

All of one ; either simply of one nature, or of one Father, as partakers of the same nature, or of one Father, as partakers of the same nature received from God. The latter view is favored by the words "many sons," immediately preceding.

Verse 12

Saying ; in Psalms 22:22 , a psalm of which Christ is the subject.

Verse 13

I will put my trust in him ; 2 Samuel 22:3 , where David in his conflict and victory is regarded as the type of Christ. Some suppose the quotation to be from Isaiah 8:17 , where, in the Greek version of the Seventy, the same words occur. The argument is, that trust in God is an attribute of men. Christ, by exercising it, makes himself one with men.

Behold , I and the children which God hath given me ; taken from Isaiah 8:18 . Some understand the words of Isaiah as spoken directly and exclusively of the Messiah. But they may be more naturally understood of the prophet himself, who was, by God’s appointment, a type or symbol of Christ in his prophetical office, as David was in his kingly office. As such, the prophet and his children were "for signs and for wonders in Israel from the Lord of hosts, who dwelleth in mount Zion," as he immediately adds. In Christ then, the great antitype, the words have their perfect fulfilment. By the expression, "I and the children which God hath given me," he declares that he has a common nature with them, which is the point to be proved.

Verse 14

The children ; in allusion to the words just quoted: "Behold, I and the children which God hath given me." Through death-destroy ; for it was through death that Jesus conquered and spoiled the prince of death. John 12:31 .

Him that had the power of death-the devil ; by the agency of the devil sin was introduced into the world, and death through sin. Romans 5:12 . Over all that are out of Christ he reigns, in and through death, as a cruel tyrant and tormentor. But Christ, by redeeming men from sin and death, takes them out of the power of Satan.

Verse 15

Through fear of death-subject to bondage ; the sting of death is sin and its penalty. It is this that makes it so terrible to men. From this sting Christ delivers all who trust in him, making the death of the body to them the gateway to eternal life. Those who believe in Christ need not fear death, for it will put an end to all their sorrows, and introduce them to endless joys.

Verse 16

Took not on him the nature of angels ; or, as the margin, taketh not hold of angels, for the purpose of saving them; and so in the following clause. The way in which he takes hold of the seed of Abraham is by the assumption of their nature, that he may in and through it redeem them. The seed of Abraham includes all who are Abraham’s children in a spiritual sense, by the possession of his faith. Romans 4:11 ; Galatians 3:7 ; Galatians 3:16 .

Verse 17

It behooved him ; it was proper for him.

His brethren ; of the human race.

To make reconciliation for the sins ; more exactly, to make propitiation for the sins, which was the office of the Jewish high-priest. But he did it typically, by the blood of bulls and goats; Christ does it efficaciously, by his own blood. Chap Hebrews 9:12 .

Verse 18

He is able ; having endured sufferings and temptations, he is fitted to sympathize with and deliver others who endure them. Jesus Christ being both God and man, perfectly understands and rightly regards the claims of God and the character and interests of men, and is thus prepared to bring glory to God in the highest, and manifest most effectively good will to men.