Hebrews 2:1-18 - Series on the Epistles of Paul (134)

Well, good evening, brethren. The Book of Hebrews is really more like a sermon or teaching a message. And that goes on all the way through to about chapter 10, verse 18. And then after that, from verse 19, it is, till the end of the epistle, it's more related to showing teachings, which could be applied in our everyday life. So we saw in the previous study that in Hebrews, how the writer, which, as I mentioned, I believed it was Paul and I explained why I believed so. But anyway, how the writer in Hebrews 1 established the supremacy of Jesus Christ. Now, in the Old Testament, God revealed his purpose progressively through prophets, but he has now given his fullest revelation through his son.

Now, Hebrews shows that Christ, as we went through the first chapter, shows that Christ existed before creation. It also shows that Christ created and sustained all things. And also that he is the express image of God's person, is in the image of God. He basically, his attitude, his character, his personality is like that of the fathers. So Christ then became a human. We can easily reference that, not only in Hebrews chapter 1, but we also in John 1 verse 14. And then he made purification for our sons. He has done whatever needed to be done to pay for our sins, to sacrifice for our sins. And that is something no angel could accomplish. Following his death, Christ was resurrected, was glorified, and exalted to be at the right hand of the Father.

Hebrews also clearly shows that Christ is the Son whom angels worship. Christ is the Eternal King who loves righteousness. And Christ is the one through whom God will ultimately bring many sons to glory.

We also showed by reading the section in chapter 1 where it says that Christ is also superior to the entire creation. The heavens and earth will grow old and ultimately fold away, but Christ remains forever.

So we saw in chapter 1 that Christ is the Living Savior, the Creator, the Coming King, and the Eternal Son of God, while angels are subordinate, ministering spirits, serving those who will inherit salvation. In other words, serving us.

Now, in chapter 2, Paul develops several reasons why Christ is superior to angels, while also explaining why he became a human being.

The fact of Christ becoming human makes him not only a glorious heavenly ruler, but a merciful and understanding high priest. And that's what we'll see in this chapter. And so chapter 2 therefore ties Christ's superiority to the very purpose of human life and why we need a high priest. In verse 6, for instance, of chapter 2, it addresses what is man. It says, and there it says, what is man that you are mindful of him. And so in chapter 6, it addresses one of the greatest questions of life.

Why he, God, cares about us, and what opportunities you and I have. In other words, it's basically explaining our enormous human potential. Why we were born, what is salvation, why is there mankind? In fact, the whole reason for God's creative plan. Now, also, as mentioned in the previous study, Hebrews gives us six warnings.

And right at the beginning of this chapter, chapter 2, we have the first of these six warnings. Do not drift from the things we have heard. So let's read verses 1, 2, 3. Chapter 2, 1, 2, and 3. Therefore, we must give the more earnest heed in the things we have heard, lest we drift away. For if the words spoken through angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just reward, how shall we escape if we neglect salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was conferred to us by those who heard Him?

And so we see Yah in verse 1 and through 3, that we must give the more earnest heed to what we've heard, lest we drift away. Otherwise, how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? This is a warning directly based on chapter 1. So Yahweh is saying this warning, the message was delivered through angels, that was delivered through angels, was binding. As we see that in verse, if the words spoken through angels, in verse 2.

So we see it was delivered through angels. Then He says, disobedient, and the Old Covenant brought consequences. And it says that every transgression, disobedience received the just reward, brought consequences. How much more then is neglecting the salvation proclaimed by Jesus Christ, by the Son? And so as we have greater revelation, we have greater responsibility. As we have greater understanding, we have greater responsibility.

And then it says the Gospel was first spoken by the Lord. Christ preached this Gospel of salvation, of redemption, of His sacrifice for us. And then was confirmed by those who heard Him. So this Gospel was confirmed by the very Apostles. And so the central contrast here that we see in this section is the punishment for rejecting the Gospel of Jesus Christ. That is the message of God's grace, redemption, and salvation through true Godly repentance, due to Christ's redemptive sacrifice and work as our living Savior.

So that punishment of rejecting that Good News message is far beyond the punishment for rejecting the law. And so we continue now in verse 4. God, who also bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will. And so the Gospel received, the Gospel of Jesus Christ, received greater divine confirmation. It was powerfully authenticated by God. How? Through signs, through wonders, through miracles, and through gifts of the Holy Spirit.

The point is not merely that Christ brought the message of God's grace, redemption, and salvation upon true repentance, but the Father Himself testified to the superiority and authority of the message brought through His Son. Now continue in verse 5. For He has not put the world to come of which we speak in subjection to angels. The world to come, the wonderful world tomorrow and what comes after that, is subject to Christ, not to angels. And so this introduces another major point of Christ's superiority.

In other words, the world to come, everything beyond the lost trumpet, the world to come, will not be ruled by angels. And now, Hebrews quotes Psalms 8, verse 4 through 6. So let's look at Psalm 8, verse 4 through 6. Psalm 8, verse 4 through 6. What is man that you are mindful of him, and the Son of man that you visit him? For you have made him a little lower than the angels, and you have crowned him with glory and honor. You have made him to have dominion over the works of your hands.

You have put all things under his feet. So this is a Psalm, Psalm 8, and this is prophetic. And there are similar sentiments painted in Job 7, verse 17. Let's just look at Job 7, verse 17. Job 7, verse 17.

What is man that you should exalt him, that you should set your heart on him? And also in Psalm 144, Psalm 144, verse 3.

So Paul is now quoting Psalm 8, but you can see that this feeling or question is posed in Job by Job, and also in Psalm 144, verse 3 that says, Lord, what is man that you take knowledge of him, or the Son or man that you are mindful of him? And so God originally gave mankind dominion over his creation. We read that in Genesis 1, verse 28. Genesis 1, verse 28. Just look at Genesis 1, verse 28. It reads, Then God blessed them, that's Adam and Eve, and God said to them, Be fruitful and multiply, fill the earth and subdue it, have dominion over the fish, of the sea, and over the birds, of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.

And so God originally gave mankind dominion over his creation. But that purpose has not yet been completely realized. It hasn't been completely fulfilled. And so we read in verse 8 of Hebrews chapter 2, in the latter part, after it finishes quoting Psalm 8, it finishes quoting Psalm 8 in verse 8 of Hebrews 2, where it says, You've put all things in subjection under his feet, and then he continues, For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him.

But now we do not yet see all things put under him. We do not see everything put under man, under humanity. Humanity presently does not exercise the dominion or the complete dominion God intended. That is a future, incredible, as I mentioned earlier on, human potential that we have. But we today are not there yet. But there is something we do not, we do now see. And that is in verse 9 in the first part. They say, But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor, that he, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone.

You see, we see Jesus. Jesus became temporarily lower than the angels by becoming a human being and suffering death. But now he is resurrected and, as it says, crowned with glory and honor. He says, suffering death, crowned with glory and honor. You see, so that's what we see. Therefore, Christ, as the second Adam, as Paul refers to in 1 Corinthians 15, accomplishes what the first Adam failed to accomplish. Ultimately, all things will be subject to mankind, to humanity. Now, completing that verse 9, that latter part of verse 9, he says that he, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone.

You see, why did the one Christ superior to angels become lower than angels? Why did Christ become flesh? He was superior to angels. We saw in chapter 1 that he created everything. Everything exists. He sustains it. So, is the one superior to angels? Why did he become lower than the angels? Well, for one reason, he said he could die. And angels obviously do not experience human mortality. And so, Christ took upon himself humanity, being a human, being flesh. He became flesh to experience death, die on our behalf, and ultimately restore mankind to the destiny that God has intended for us.

So, Christ's humiliation was therefore temporary and purposeful. He had a purpose. God had a purpose in his plan. And God's plan is just so amazing that it's beyond our initial comprehension, as God reveals it to us, we start understanding it. But it's just amazing. Therefore, he continues now in verse 10. For it was fitting for him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.

So, Christ's purpose is therefore to bring many sons to glory. So, Christ's work is not merely about his own glorification, but Christ suffered as a human being, so that as human beings, might ultimately share his glory, to bring many sons to glory. So, his sufferings qualified him by experiencing what he went through, qualified him as the captain, as the author of our salvation.

If we look at 1 John 3 verse 2, 1 John 3 verse 2, 1 John 3 verse 2, this is, Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be. But we know that when he is revealed, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.

We shall be like him. And so, we will have the same glory. We will have on upon the first resurrection, once we are transformed, if we are alive, and it was the other side of the sound of the seventh trumpet, we shall be like him when he's revealed that he's coming. All right, let's continue now with verse 11, Hebrews 2 verse 11. For both he who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one, for which reason is not ashamed to call them brethren?

Christ calls those he sanctifies his brethren. And note that we are being sanctified. We are going through this process of sanctification. And we read in 1 Peter chapter 1 verse 2, if I'm not mistaken, that we are in the process of sanctification through the Spirit and to obedience. And so we are being sanctified. We go through this process with the help of God's only Spirit. We all are going through this process. We all have to admit that we all are imperfect. We all need to get better. And we all are going through this process of, through time, of being sanctified, of really getting better.

And then it says, we all, who are being sanctified, are all of one. Now, the new international version translates that one of one family. The new living translation says that of one father. And so we are of one, of one family, of one father. We are all children of the Father of God.

And that's why He's calling us brethren. And so we can see that, yeah, in this verse, verse 11, this verse 11 establishes a relationship between us and Christ and the Father, establishes a relationship that angels do not possess. You see, angels are servants, but Christ calls us brethren. And Christ identifies Himself with human beings that He is saving.

He identifies Himself very intimately with us as brethren. Now, look at what Hebrews now says in verse 12. He says, saying, I will declare your name to my brethren. In the midst of the assembly, I will sing praise to you. So, yeah, in verse 12, Hebrews is quoting from Psalm 22. And so let us just briefly look at Psalm 22. Psalm 22. Now, Psalm 22 is a very, very interesting prophetic progression about Christ. It really is a very inspiring Psalm, which is prophetic about Christ.

It begins by saying, oh, my God, my God, why have you forsaken me? And you know these are words that Christ stated at the cross. Matthew 27, 46, if I remember correctly. And you see, and so we can see a parallel, maybe a parallel or a picture, prophetic picture about Christ. As you read, for instance, you go on in verse 6. He says, for I am a worm and no man. It was Christ. This could have been thoughts that could have gone through Christ's mind. Because understand, Christ suffered pain and like a human being.

He suffered extreme pain, like we all suffer to one degree or another at different times. In our lives. And how many of us, when we suffer through pain, how many of us might not ask the question, my God, my God, why are you not answering my prayers?

Why are you forsaking me? And it is possible, not saying it is for sure, but because Christ was fully human, yes, he was fully divine, but he was also fully human, he went through all the human emotions when he goes through that pain. And as a human being, the emotions that we all have and we know, you and I know, that God doesn't forsake us.

He says, I never leave you or forsake you. But it does cross our minds sometimes as failing weak human beings. It does cross our mind and says, God, why are you forsaking me? Why are you not answering my prayers? And so, yeah, it appears that it is like a description of crushed thoughts in the cross. I'm not saying it is, but it appears that it's like a prophetic looking forward towards or like crushed thoughts that Yah, in verse 6 of Psalm 22, says, I'm a warm and no man, a reproach of man and despised by the people.

Those who see me ridicule me and they shoot out the lip. You know, they hurl insults at him. They shake the head saying to Christ, oh, he trusted in God, in the Lord. Let God rescue him. Let God deliver him since he delighted in God.

And we can see those are things that happened as we read Matthew 27. We see those are some of the comments people said. And so we have here in Psalm 22 a very interesting, let's just put it that way, progression about what's happening or what could be happening through Christ's mind at that time. Look at verse 14, for instance. Verse 14 says, it says, I am pulled out like water and all my bones are out of joint. My heart is like wax. It has melted within me. My strength is dried up like a potcher. My tongue clings to my jaws.

Remember Christ said, I'm thirsty. My tongue clings to my jaws. You have brought me to the dust of the earth. And so you can see this is very much a prophetic psalm. Then we get down to verse 21 and the latter part of verse 21, where he says, save me.

But then right at the end of verse 21 says, you have answered me. Now it shows that Christ knew that God had answered him. Even though a little earlier says, my God, my God, why have you forsaken me?

You can see in verse 21, at the end of verse 21, that he says, you have answered me. That is quite amazing. Then look at verse 22. I will declare your name to my brethren. In the midst of the assembly, I will praise you.

Now, this is exactly what we read in Hebrews 2. Turn back to it, Hebrews 2. Verse 12, because I will declare your name to my brethren. In the midst of the assembly, I will sing praise to you.

Now, this is prophetic. And so it means that will happen. But think about it.

This happened before and I'll show you in a moment. But let's just continue with the Psalm, here.

This is because the Psalm now, from here onwards, moves to praise. It moves to praise.

Look at it in verse 26. And the poor or the meek shall eat and be satisfied. Those who seek him will praise the Lord, that your heart will forever. And look at it a bit later.

It says, all those in verse 29, all the prosperous of the earth shall eat and worship. All those who go down to the dust shall bow before him. That was their resurrect and bow before him. Even he who cannot keep himself alive. And so they all. And so it is very prophetic.

But look at verse 27 and 28. All the ends of the earth shall remember and return to the Lord. And all the families of the nations shall worship before you. For the kingdom is the Lord's and he rules over the nations.

You can see that that Psalm 22 begins with a situation that from where we can see a parallel situation of Christ on the cross. But then Christ says, you have answered me. And then it moves towards praise, move towards praise and singing.

Now, I mentioned a moment ago that this is, I believe, prophetic. That we will do that with Christ. But did you know that that has already happened as a preamble to that in the future? For instance, if we look at Matthew 26 verse 30, Matthew 26 verse 30, what do we have here? You have Christ on the, at the end of the Passover ceremony when he changed the symbols. And then at the end of that ceremony, you know, when we at the end of Passover, we sing a song. And it says in verse 30, 26 verse 30, And when they had sang a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

Christ literally sang together with his disciples. And it says, therefore, in the midst of the assembly, I will sing praise to you, to God the Father. And so Christ literally praised God together with his disciples. So it is quite, I don't know, quite to me, it's quite awesome to see how Christ declares us as his brethren. That is such an intimate relationship with us. And so look at now continuing in Hebrews chapter 2 verse 13. And it says, and again, I'll put my trust in him. And again, here I am, and the children whom God has given me.

Christ has become, makes us one of the family. Christ has done all this for us so that we might become part of God's glorified family. It's so encouraging, brethren. It is so encouraging. And there's so much we need to be grateful for. Now continuing in verse 14. Inasmuch then, as the children have foretaken of flesh and blood, he himself likewise shared in the same that through death, he might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil.

And so, yeah, in verse 14, we see Christ shared our flesh and blood. Our flesh and blood nature, humanity. He says he has foretaken our flesh and blood and shared the same that through death, he might destroy Satan and his demons that had the power of death.

And so, the sequence here is very important. Christ became flesh. Why? So he could die. And through his death, he did what? He defeated Satan. Christ's death is a decisive victory over Satan and his demonic powers. So continue now in verse 15. And release those who through fear of death, were all their lifetime subject to bondage. Christ delivers humanity from the fear of bondage and of death. And he says, yeah, and release. So Christ did not merely defeat Satan by himself and for himself, but for us. His victory liberates us, you know, we're Satan's captives. It liberates us, human beings, because we live under mortality, fear of death and bondage resulting from sin.

And Christ's victory provides that deliverance from that bondage. We all are subject to death, the bondage of death. And continuing now in verse 16. For indeed, he does not give aid to angels, but he does give aid to the seed of Abraham. So Christ gives aid between inverted commas, and I'll mention it to you just now, why I put it, say, yeah, between inverted commas, to the seed of Abraham.

Not angels. So this is another striking contrast. Christ did not undertake his saving work to redeem angels. His saving work is directly towards mankind, the seed of Abraham. His superiority over fallen angels is demonstrated because they are excluded from the salvation that Christ provides to humanity. Now, the word aid, he gives aid. It comes from a Greek word, 1949, ipilama banomai, or something similar to that, sorry, from my Greek, which is not very good.

But anyway, it is a seize, or provide help, or injury, or attainment, or any other purpose. Or is it taking hold of? So one translation, obviously, possible translation, is as it is, as we get it here in the New King James Version. But it is interesting to note that the King James Version has an alternative version with an addition. And the King James Version, if you read that for verse 16, it reads, For verily he took not on him the nature of angels, but he took on him, and between brackets it's called the nature of the seed of Abraham.

In other words, he took on, Christ took on the nature of man, not of angels. But the words, the nature of angels, or on him the nature of angels, is in italics in the King James Version. So clearly, it's not in the text. But it is worth considering possibility, because as we read in verse 14, it said that he is partaken of flesh and blood, and he shared it of the same.

And so Christ is partaken of this flesh and blood, of this nature of human beings. And also in verse 17, if we therefore look at the context before and after, in verse 17 he says, therefore in all things he had to be made like his brothers, that he might be a merciful and faithful priest in things pertaining to God to make propitiation for the sins of the people. And so if we look at the context before, on verse 14, that says that he has partaken of flesh and blood, and in verse 17 that says he had to be made like his brethren, a possible meaning of verse 16 might indeed be that he took on human characteristics like flesh and blood, and he is made like us, right, as of the seed of Abraham, so that he might be a merciful and faithful priest.

On the other side, the other meaning is also valid, that he is the art to help, to aid human beings and not angels. And so the point here is that Christ became like his brethren, in verse 17, became, he was made like his brethren, for what purpose? He says, yeah, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest, in things pertaining to God to make propitiation for the sins of the people.

And so this moves this epistle to the Hebrews towards one of its greatest themes, and that Jesus Christ is our high priest. Indeed, we'll see quite a few chapters following, talking about the priesthood of Christ. So you could say that Hebrews is a priestly epistle, and angels cannot fulfill that role. Christ became completely human, so that he could represent human beings before the Father. And so we see he became like his brethren, in order that to be merciful towards man, to be a faithful high priest before God, and to make propitiation, in other words, to sacrifice for the sins of the people. That's what he says. Yeah, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest, in things pertaining to God to make propitiation for the sins of the people. In other words, to sacrifice, to pay for the sins of the people.

And so propitiation, therefore, carries the idea of dealing with sin, so that reconciliation with God becomes possible. In other words, therefore, Christ sacrificed for our sins. That is probably, to put it in layman's terms, the word propitiation in ways that layman may comprehend a little bit better. And so, therefore, the superiority of Christ is therefore not just because he's superior in power and authority. It is also superiority in his ability to identify with mankind, to represent you and I, and to save mankind. And so this chapter reaches a very practical conclusion on verse 18. For in that he himself has suffered being tempted, he is able to aid those who are tempted. Therefore, because Christ suffered temptation, he can help us. Christ understands human experience because he went through that experience as a full human being. He experienced human weakness, he experienced hunger, he experienced suffering, he experienced opposition and hatred, he experienced temptation, and he experienced, by the way, experienced temptation but he never sinned, and he experienced death. Therefore, Christ is able to help those of us with which are being tempted or struggling with suffering or are going through anger or whatever fears or concerns we may have. So an angel may minister to us, but an angel has never lived our human experience. Christ says, that makes Christ not merely a glorious, heavenly ruler, but a merciful and understanding high priest.