Heb. 1:1 ¶ God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,
Heb. 1:2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;
The author, in words breathed into Him by the Holy Spirit, addresses his letter to the Hebrews, Jewish believers in the Messiah, Jesus Christ. As you read through the book, it would seem that this letter is meant to encourage these early Jewish Christians to guard against falling back into the rituals of the Jewish religious system from which Christ had liberated them, to encourage them to enjoy the benefits of their faith—living under grace and embracing the peace of God available to them through the finished work of Jesus.
God = the supreme Divinity; I would add, the one and only Divinity.
The writer begins with the assumption that there is no question that God exists. Burton Coffman uses a reference to comments from William Buckley concerning the personal nature of God that I liked.
“William F. Buckley, in NATIONAL REVIEW magazine, noted that the concept of an impersonal God robs religion of its three ‘R’s,' these being revelation, regeneration, and responsibility. If God is not personal, there can be no such thing as revelation; for, if there is no speaker, nothing has been spoken. Likewise, there could be no such thing as regeneration, because no one can be the son of some natural law, such as the law of osmosis or the law of gravitation. Responsibility also derives from the fact that God is a person; and, if God is not a person, then feeble, fallible man must be hailed as the highest thing in heaven and upon earth; and it is precisely that delusion which is the source of so much human sorrow.”
The writer acknowledges that in the past God spoke to His people through His prophets, to whom He revealed His word in various ways. In these last days, however, He has completed His revelation to us through His Son, Jesus—not just through His words, but by how He lived. “His Son” is obviously a messenger of higher standing than the prophets of old. I like the wording by Kenneth Wuest in his expanded translation: “…spoke to us in One who by nature is [His] Son….”
In the Greek, the phrase “last days” is a reference to “end times.” The end times from my general understanding is all time between the first and second coming of Jesus.
God appointed His Son, Jesus, to be His sole heir; in other words, He gave Him ownership of everything in the creation. Not only did He give Him ownership, He also gave Him the responsibility of enacting His plan for creation. As the Word, He spoke, and it was done.
John 1:1&14 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God….And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us….”
1John 5:7 “For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.”
He also enjoyed some actual hands on work in the process.
Genesis 2:21-22 “And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man.”
Psalm 8:3 “When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained…..”
I was listening to Jon Courson recently, and he gave an interesting explanation of God as the Creator. My paraphrase—God the Father devised the plan, and the Son brought the plan to fruition through the power of the Holy Spirit. I thought that was the best explanation I had heard in rectifying all the statements in scripture regarding Father and Son as Creator.
the “worlds” – The Hebrew for this word states: “properly, an age; by extension, perpetuity (also past); by implication, the world; specially (Jewish) a Messianic period (present or future):—age….” It was the plural that caught my eye. As I looked at the definition, it came to my mind that this world would eventually experience an initial creation that became a worthless, desolate undistinguishable ruin (from the Hebrew for “without form and void” in Genesis 1:2), a recreation of the world as we know it and recorded in Genesis 1-2, and another recreation when God creates the new heavens and earth for our eternal enjoyment. (See journal on Genesis for further explanation.)
In connection with “the ages,” it could be that the writer is referring to the different dispensations of how God interacted with mankind as a whole, talking about them as already being a part of His plan from the beginning.
In connection with “Messianic periods,” it could be that the writer is thinking of the different ways that the Messiah interacted with the people of Israel in particular throughout history—through bodily appearances in the Old Testament, His time of ministry as a man, through the power of the Holy Spirit in ministry through the body of believers until He returns to take the throne of David.
Heb. 1:3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;
Who = Jesus, “His Son”
The word brightness is a reference to light, and the word glory is a reference to that for which it is apparent He is worthy of praise and honor. (Brings to mind the words of the hold hymn, “Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus, Look full in His wonderful face, and the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace.”)
It is through Jesus the Son that God the Spirit manifests His Being to His creation.
John 4:24 “God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.”
He is the Great I AM in flesh.
John 1:1&14 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God….And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.”
1John 4:2&15 “Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God….Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.”
Jesus in His person is an exact representation of God the Father and His Holy Spirit in fleshly form.
It is through Jesus the Son that “all” (things has been added by the translators) is upheld or endures (from the Greek). In other words it is by the power of His word that the creation continues to function, sometimes even in spite of known “laws” of science. I used an excerpt from an article by Lambert Dolphin in my study of Colossians that I think is worth repeating here.
I heard a wonderful audio presentation of the truth of this verse by Dr. Mark Eastman on Chuck Missler’s www.khouse.org website. The excerpts from this article (shown below) by Lambert Dolphin (found at the same website) is similar to the type of information that I heard and explains in a way I never could a bit more about what this verse means.
What Holds the Universe Together?
The nucleus of the atom contains positively charged and neutral particles-to use a simplistic model. Mutual electrostatic repulsion between the like-positive protons would drive the nucleus apart if it were not for the "strong force" which binds the nucleus together….Similarly, accelerated electrons circling the nucleus should quickly radiate all their energy away and fall into the nucleus unless there exists an invisible energy source to counteract this.
The third New Testament creation-related passage which talks about atomic structure and physics is found in the Apostle Peter's Second Epistle: But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a loud noise [rhoizedon, a rushing roar] and the elements [stoicheion, atoms] will be dissolved with fire and the earth and the works that are upon it will be burned up. (2 Peter 3:10) The Greek word translated "elements" in the above mentioned passage from Colossians (and in 2 Peter also) is stoicheion, which can mean "the building blocks of the universe," or "the ordered arrangement of things." It can also mean the "atomic elements." The word translated "dissolved" in 2 Peter 3:10 is literally (in Greek) luo, meaning "unloosed." This language suggests that there will come a time in the future when God lets go of the nuclear forces which hold the atom together. This passage, like the one in Colossians, strongly suggests that the active power of God is behind the mysterious strong force that holds every atomic nucleus together. If this is so, all the other fundamental forces of nature are likewise forces that originate with Christ and His sustaining direction of the old creation.
If God "sustains the universe by His mighty word of power," moment by moment, were He to merely relax His grasp on the universe, every atom would come apart "by fire" (that is, by nuclear fire). It is inescapable that the Bible claims that God dynamically sustains the universe, including the very atoms themselves. Atoms, it would seem, are "stable" only because force and energy are being supplied into their physical nuclear binding fields from "outside" the system. [end excerpt]
The writer goes on to emphasize that this same Jesus “by Himself purged our sins.” Remember that the writer is speaking to those who have claimed Jesus as LORD and Savior. In doing so they were imputed the righteousness of God through Jesus.
2Corinthians 5:21 “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”
Being clothed in the righteousness of God is evidence that we have been purged or thoroughly cleansed of our sin; we are made pure in Jesus. It was the man Jesus alone who suffered the shame of the cross and the rejection of the Father to provide for our redemption. The Apostle Peter stated it this way:
1Peter 2:21-24 “For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously: Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.”
The fact that after enduring the cross and raising victorious from the grave He sat down at the right hand of God the Father is an affirmation of the Father’s acceptance of His sacrifice. To sit down at the right hand was to take the place of highest honor. By taking His seat, He is declaring His work of redemption complete.
Heb. 1:4 ¶ Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.
“being made” = being found (a better translation from the Greek in my opinion)
The Greek for “by inheritance obtained” is from a root that indicates a “sharer by lot, a possessor.” In other words, as God the Father’s heir, He is a sharer in and joint possessor of His name. Again, the Apostle John affirms this truth.
[Jesus speaking] - John 10:30 “I and my Father are one.”
John 14:9 “Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?”
Jesus is by very nature God. The angels, however, are created beings.
Nehemiah 9:6 “Thou, even thou, art LORD alone; thou hast made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth, and all things that are therein, the seas, and all that is therein, and thou preservest them all; and the host of heaven worshippeth thee.”
Colossians 1:16 “For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him….”
The writer is emphasizing that Jesus is better than the angels since He created them and obviously possesses complete authority and power over them.
Heb. 1:5 For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son?
These are two of many rhetorical questions you will find throughout scripture. The answer is obvious—none. This is a quote from Psalm 2:7; in context, the Father is speaking to His Son who has been enthroned in Zion and will rule over all nations. Through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Paul affirmed this Psalm to be in reference to Jesus as he taught in the synagogue at Antioch.
Acts 13:32-33 “And we declare unto you glad tidings, how that the promise which was made unto the fathers, God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that he hath raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the second psalm, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee.”
God also publicly declared Jesus to be His Son at His baptism.
Luke 3:21-22 “Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass, that Jesus also being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened, And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased.”
The next quote is from 2Samuel and is part of a message being delivered to David by the prophet Nathan.
2Samuel 7:12 “And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever. I will be his father, and he shall be my son.”
As is often the case with prophecy, the message to David has near and future application. David would have probably received these words with application to Solomon; however, it is obviously the throne of Messiah’s kingdom that will be established forever. The Holy Spirit affirms the truth of that application by using it here in reference to Jesus.
Heb. 1:6 And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him.
I could not find the verse being referenced. After checking some of the commentaries, it would seem that this quote is from the Septuagint and the Dead Sea Scrolls. The Septuagint reading of Psalm 97:7 states: “Let all God’s angels worship Him.”
The gospel of Luke gives us a picture of the angels glorifying God at the birth of the Savior.
Luke 2:12–14 “And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.”
Revelation gives a vivid picture of the angels worshipping Jesus, the Lamb of God.
Revelation 5:11-14 “And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing. And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever. And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever.”
Again, the writer emphasizes that if angels worship Him, Jesus is better (v4) than the angels.
I almost missed the statement about Jesus being the first begotten Son of the Father. Being the firstborn son entitled one to a double portion of his father’s inheritance and to assume the mantle of family priest. How blessed we are to be joint-heirs with Christ because of His willing sacrifice to provide for our redemption. In the next chapter, we will begin learning more about Jesus as our high priest.
Romans 8:16–17 “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ….”
Hebrews 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. 1:7 And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire.
This appears to be a direct quote of Psalm 104:4. Angels are spirits; Jesus is God in flesh. Angels are God’s ministers, worshippers, servants; Jesus is God’s Son. The word spirit makes reference to a current of air or breath. The angels are compared to the wind and a flame of fire. The Son is in authority over wind and fire.
Luke 8:25 “What manner of man is this! for he commandeth even the winds and water, and they obey him.”
Luke 12:49 “I am come to send fire on the earth; and what will I, if it be already kindled?”
Heb. 1:8 But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.
This is a quote from Psalm 45 and its truth reiterated in Psalm 97.
Psalm 45:6 “Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: the sceptre of thy kingdom is a right sceptre.”
Psalm 97:2 “…righteousness and judgment are the habitation of his throne.”
In contrast to the angels, Jesus occupies an eternal throne. The scepter is an emblem of authority. Jesus exercises authority in His kingdom in righteousness—holy, faithful, and in truth.
Heb. 1:9 Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.
This is a quote from Psalm 45:7: “Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness: therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.”
In context, the reference is still to God on the throne (as quoted above). By making application to the Son, the Holy Spirit is again affirming the oneness of Father and Son.
I think it is important to note that Jesus/God loves righteousness and hates iniquity. He hates the sin, not the sinner.
“above thy fellows” – The Greek makes reference again to sharers, associates, and partakers. This word is different from the word “heir,” however, used in verse 4. Staying in context in relationship to the angels, this would seem to be in reference to their realm of operation—the heavenlies, the supernatural realm.
Heb. 1:10 And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands:
Heb. 1:11 They shall perish; but thou remainest; and they all shall wax old as doth a garment;
Heb. 1:12 And as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed: but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail.
This is a quote from Psalm 102:25-27. Again the writer makes reference to the creative work of Jesus. “In the beginning” I take to be a reference to creation since God had no beginning. The Greek made reference to the commencement of time or rank. That made sense to me since God is outside of time and rank is reference to authority in comparison to something else. Until He chose to create, there was nothing to which comparison could be made.
The writer declares that Jesus “laid the foundation of the earth” and that the heavens are “the works of thine hands.” This is a restatement of truth from verse 2. This section goes on to make a great distinction between the creation and its Creator. The heavens and earth will experience destruction and decay just like clothes eventually do over time. Jesus, however, is the same yesterday, today and forever (Hebrew 13:8). The time is coming when Jesus will “roll them together” and change them, make them different (from the Greek). Again, Jesus never changes; He is the same yesterday, today and forever.
As I was reading through this section again in preparation for beginning another chapter, the word changed triggered a connection in my mind to what will happen to our bodies at the rapture.
1Corinthians 15:51 “Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed….”
The same Greek word is used in both places, and it simply means “to make different.” There are other scriptures that declare that the world will never end, that Abraham’s seed will inherit the land forever, and Messiah’s kingdom will be eternal.
Ephesians 3:21 “Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.”
Genesis 17:8 “And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.”
Isaiah 9:7 “Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever.”
Just as our bodies will be changed for us to live forever, so will this world be changed to fulfill these words of God as recorded in the scripture.
Interesting comment from Chuck Smith: “The universe is gradually in a state of entropy, deterioration. The sun is giving off 1,200 ,000 tons of mass every second. Given enough time, the sun will flicker out and die. The fire will go out in enough time.
Heb. 1:13 But to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool?
This verse is a quote from Psalm 110:1. Again, this is a rhetorical question. The obvious answer—none.
Heb. 1:14 Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?
The writer makes the point that the angels are ministering spirits, servants set apart to attend or serve those who will inherit salvation. That is a reference to those of us who have chosen to follow God in faith and have accepted the gift of salvation provided by the willing sacrifice of Jesus. Following are a few examples from scripture.
2 Kings 6:15–17 “And when the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, an host compassed the city both with horses and chariots. And his servant said unto him, Alas, my master! how shall we do? And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them. And Elisha prayed, and said, LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.”
Psalm 91:9–11 “Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation; There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.”
Acts 12:6–10 “…Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains: and the keepers before the door kept the prison. And, behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison: and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands. And the angel said unto him, Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals. And so he did. And he saith unto him, Cast thy garment about thee, and follow me. And he went out, and followed him; and wist not that it was true which was done by the angel; but thought he saw a vision. When they were past the first and the second ward, they came unto the iron gate that leadeth unto the city; which opened to them of his own accord: and they went out, and passed on through one street; and forthwith the angel departed from him.”
The continuing service of the angels is in direct contrast to the completed work of Jesus who is sitting at the right hand of God (v13).
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.
Therefore – Considering the fact that Jesus is far greater than the angels…
The writer is saying that Who Jesus Is should cause us to pay close attention to and apply to our lives the truth that He and His disciples taught. If we aren’t careful to do so, we are in danger of carelessly missing out (from the Greek for slip) on the blessings that accompany such obedience.
Heb. 2:2 For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward;
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?
Side note: The author of Hebrews did not “sign” his letter, so we cannot be sure who wrote it. I think many believe the author to be Paul. Allistair Begg rightly notes that Paul heard directly from Jesus. He did not hear from “them that heard him” (verse 3).
“the word spoken by angels” – According to what I’ve learned, the Jews believed that God’s law was given to Moses through the angels. I remember discovering this (to my surprise) in my study of Galatians.
Galatians 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.”
The Old Testament passage that possibly alludes to this is found in Deuteronomy.
Deuteronomy 33:2 “And he said, The LORD came from Sinai, and rose up from Seir unto them; he shined forth from mount Paran, and he came with ten thousands of saints: from his right hand went a fiery law for them.”
God’s law established principles by which the people were to live and the consequences for disobedience were clear; that was the main point Moses was driving home to the people as he gave them the message recorded in Deuteronomy. As we look at the history of the nation of Israel, God’s word has proven true over and over again.
In verse 3 the writer is basically saying that just as surely as God’s words to the nation of Israel has proven true, so too will His word to the “church,” those who have accepted the gift of salvation. To neglect our salvation is to make light of it or disregard the benefits that are ours as part of that salvation. The LORD Jesus declared this salvation from the beginning of His ministry, and it was affirmed as truth to those that had not personally heard Him by those He had personally taught.
I think the writer is drawing a distinction between the Old Testament Law and the truth embodied in that law as revealed by the Savior. The Jewish life as detailed in the Old Testament was full of types and rituals that pointed to Christ as well as laws that governed how to live one’s life. Jesus taught that He would die for the sins of the world and put an end to the need for the sacrificial system. He taught that the law involved more than just obeying the letter of the law; it involved obeying the heart of the law (e.g., The Sermon on the Mount).
God the Father affirmed Jesus by empowering Him through the Holy Spirit to perform signs, wonders, and many miracles and the ability to utilize the gifts of the Spirit according to the Father’s will. I’m not totally sure how to explain the difference between signs, wonders and miracles. Nicodemus explained it best.
John 3:2 “… Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.”
Again, Mr. Webster comes to the rescue; he defines a sign as “that which furnishes evidence; a mark; a token; an indication; a proof.” The Old Testament scriptures were full of prophecies about the coming Messiah. Jesus gave evidences or “signs” that He was that Messiah by the miracles He did. This was basically the answer that He sent to John when He asked for verification from prison that Jesus was the Messiah.
My thoughts after research: A wonder is anything that astonishes. A miracle is an act that transcends the laws of nature.
Luke 7:19-22 “And John calling unto him two of his disciples sent them to Jesus, saying, Art thou he that should come? or look we for another? When the men were come unto him, they said, John Baptist hath sent us unto thee, saying, Art thou he that should come? or look we for another? And in that same hour he cured many of their infirmities and plagues, and of evil spirits; and unto many that were blind he gave sight. Then Jesus answering said unto them, Go your way, and tell John what things ye have seen and heard; how that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor the gospel is preached.”
The gifts of the Holy Spirit are the same as those available to us as detailed by Paul in his letters to the Corinthians, Romans, and Ephesians; and scripture states that Jesus possessed the Spirit in His fullness, with no limitation. We may possess one or more to varying degrees; He possessed them all without measure.
John 3:34 “For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him.”
I think the correct inference is that Jesus operated according to the Father’s will because He said so.
John 4:34 “Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.”
John 5:30 “I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.”
Heb. 2:5 ¶ For unto the angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come, whereof we speak.
The wording of the KJV is confusing; every other of the nine translations I checked are clear that angels will not control “the world to come.” For example, the ESV states: “For it was not to angels that God subjected the world lto come….” Fruchtenbaum notes that this phrase was the most common rabbinic reference for the Messianic Kingdom.
The following verses are quoted from Psalm 8; and verse 6 of that Psalm states that after man was created, he was given that privilege.
Psalm 8:4-6 “What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour. Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet….”
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?
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.
In context, the above quote from the psalmist (8:4) is an expression of awe of God’s creation, and he is wondering how man possibly qualifies for any attention from the Creator. Not the greatest comparison—but I couldn’t help but think of the response of the spies sent in to check out the Promised Land and came back saying, “we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.” (Number 13:33)
It’s hard for me not to connect the term “son of man” with Jesus, but verse 9 that follows makes a definite contrast between the reference to man in these verses and the man Jesus. Man was created “a little lower than the angels” in position, power and ability at this time. How was man “crowned with glory and honor?” He was created in the image of God. He was created to rule in creation, but he forfeited that position when he chose to disobey the Creator. That he will be restored to that position is declared with the words “not yet” (v8). This leads right into the truth of the next verse, because man needed God’s intervention in love and mercy on His behalf to reclaim the position for which he was created.
I liked this comment from Stedman: “But man's authority was derived authority. Man himself was to be subject to the God who indwelt him. He was to be the means by which the invisible God became visible to his creatures. He was to be the manifestation of God's own life which dwelt in the royal residence of his human spirit. As long as man was subject to the dominion of God within him, he would be able to exercise dominion over all the universe around. Only when man accepted dominion could he exercise dominion.”
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.
How did God intervene? He sent His Son Jesus to be born and live as a man to suffer and taste death for every man.
Guzik: “The first false teaching about Jesus in the days of the early church did not deny that He was God, but it denied that He was really human and said He only seemed to be human. The heresy was called Docetism, coming from the ancient Greek word “to seem,” and was taught by Cerinthus, who opposed the apostle John in the city of Ephesus.…”
In context, the writer emphasizes that Jesus became a man. He was born the second Adam; He was born the seed of the woman.
Genesis 3:15 “And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.”
Jesus did not inherit a sin nature. He came to succeed where Adam had failed. In doing so, He became the only acceptable sacrifice for the atonement of man’s sin. Paul is very clear concerning this truth in his letter to the Corinthians.
1Corinthians 15:21-22 “For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.”
And in his letter to the Romans, verses 5:15-19: “But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification. For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.) Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.”
And in his letter to Timothy, verse 2:5: “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus….”
The suffering Jesus endured was much more than physical; it was spiritual. When we look to Jesus in faith as our LORD and Savior, our salvation is deliverance from eternal separation from God—spiritual death—not physical death (unless we are privileged to be part of the rapture). Jesus experienced (from the Greek for taste) the horror of such a separation as evidenced from His cry from the cross, “My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46) Why did He endure such separation? Because of the grace of God the Father. Grace is defined as “the divine influence upon the heart and its reflection in the life.” It was God’s will for Him to do so—a truth I’m not sure I will ever truly understand as I consider man, especially me.
John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
Matthew 26:39&42 “And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt….He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done.”
Philippians 2:8 “And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.”
Galatians 1:4 “Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father.…”
1John 4:9 “In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.”
As affirmed by the scripture listed above, Jesus’ sacrifice made possible salvation for “every man.” Scripture is also clear that although “many” (see Romans 5 above) will choose that gift, it will be “few” in comparison to the whole.
Matthew 7:13-14 “Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.”
“crowned with glory and honor” – Jesus came as a man—not just created in the image of God, but as the express image of God in flesh (Hebrews 1:3). Though the first “Adam” failed, Jesus, the second Adam, would be crowned with glory and honor for his obedience to God the Father even to the death of the cross.
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.
“it became Him” – God the Father
“captain” = author, Jesus
God in His fullness and unity, the Creator and Sustainer of His creation, devised a plan that would bring Him a family, “many sons,” (or children from the Greek). He wanted this to be a family that could express love to one another and chose to give man the ability to make his own choices because true love is an expression of choice—not compulsion. He placed the perfectly created man and woman in a wonderful garden with complete freedom to enjoy it as they pleased with only one thing forbidden to them. As I read through the scripture, I think the purpose of that one command was to prove their love for Him, their desire to accept Him as LORD. That principle was brought to mind in my recent study in Deuteronomy.
Exodus 16:4 “Then said the LORD unto Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in my law, or no.”
Exodus 20:20 “And Moses said unto the people, Fear not: for God is come to prove you, and that his fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not.”
Deuteronomy 8:2&16 “And thou shalt remember all the way which the LORD thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no….Who fed thee in the wilderness with manna, which thy fathers knew not, that he might humble thee, and that he might prove thee, to do thee good at thy latter end….”
In His omniscience, God knew that man would fail the test. So in His own love and mercy, that plan included sending His Son as the author or captain of their salvation, their deliverer, to give them a second chance. That plan required that His Son, Jesus, suffer as a man in order to redeem mankind from their sin and make it possible for them to become a part of His family—a family bound together by the love of and love for the Father. As captain, Jesus stands in the position of authority to these “many sons.” As author, Jesus is the Creator or Originator of the salvation of these “many sons.”
It is also important to note that Jesus endured many sufferings—plural—including physical, emotional and spiritual. His sufferings positioned Him as the unarguable Lamb without blemish who alone could atone for man’s sin. He didn’t come to earth as a handsome man, living a privileged life that was free from persecution and sorrow. He was a man “of sorrows and acquainted with grief.” He was “despised” and scorned. (Isaiah 53:2-3) In spite of it all, He never yielded to the flesh; He remained without sin and obedient to the Father. He came into this world as a man untainted by sin, as did Adam; but very unlike the first man, He never yielded to temptation and died victorious over sin and suffering to become the captain of our salvation.
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.
Heb. 2:13 And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold I and the children which God hath given me.
“he that sanctifieth” = Jesus
“they who are sanctified” = those who accept God’s gift of salvation in Jesus
“of one” = of the same origin, the same Father [God]
Verse 12 is a quote from Psalm 22:22: “I will declare thy name unto my brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee."
Verse 13 quotes from Isaiah 8:17-18: “And I will wait upon the LORD, that hideth his face from the house of Jacob, and I will look for him. Behold, I and the children whom the LORD hath given me are for signs and for wonders in Israel from the LORD of hosts, which dwelleth in mount Zion.”
The man Jesus is not ashamed of His earthly family; He recognizes them as originating from the same Father. He is proud to declare the Father to His new family, the church, those He has sanctified, and to praise the Father along with them. In looking at the Greek for the word name, it makes reference to “authority and character.” In every aspect Jesus declared the authority and character of God the Father in His life, ministry, death and resurrection.
Jesus was unswerving in declaring His faith in His Father and clear to those who followed Him that faith in Him was faith in the Father, seeing Him was seeing the Father, and hearing Him was hearing the Father.
John 5:26-30 “For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man. Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation. I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.”
John 10:30&38 “I and my Father are one….But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him.”
John 12:49-50 “For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak. And I know that his commandment is life everlasting: whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak.”
John 14:9-10a “Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father? Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me?”
John 17:8 “For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me.”
Side note: It’s very interesting to me how often I have made connections to the writings of John.
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.
“the children” = “the many sons,” His “brethren,” His family, “those who are sanctified,” “the church”
“destroy” = render useless, make of no effect
Since those who had been set apart to be His family, His brethren, shared in flesh and blood, Jesus also took on flesh and blood—became human. Why?
So that by His death He could destroy the one having the power of death, the devil.
To deliver those held bondage by the fear of death.
“partakers of flesh and blood” – As I thought about this phrase, it hit me that all mankind share in flesh and blood from a common originating source; they don’t, however, share soul and spirit. The soul and spirit are unique to each individual. Jesus shared in the same human lineage of flesh and blood through His mother Mary.
Man died spiritually when Adam yielded to the temptation of the devil and chose to disobey God. In that single act, the devil gained the “power of death.” Because his eternal future with God was no longer guaranteed, physical death became a very frightening prospect. The devil has been able to use that fear very effectively in his continual temptation of and deceitful workings among mankind. Those who trust in Jesus as LORD and Savior, however, are no longer held under that same bondage of fear. Though they may fear the process of dying, they have a hope for the future. They look forward to living in the presence of the Savior forever. Paul states it this way in his letter to the Romans.
Romans 8:13-17 “For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.”
I almost missed the phrase “He…took.” It was His choice. I couldn’t help but think of my study in Philippians as excerpted below.
Phil. 2:7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
“made himself of no reputation” and “He humbled Himself” – These phrases emphasize that Jesus came willingly in obedience to the Father to provide the sacrifice needed to redeem man. He affirmed that truth to His disciples during His time of ministry as told us by the Apostle John in one of my favorite chapters in scripture.
John 10:17-18 “Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.”
The Greek for no reputation emphasizes the truth that He emptied Himself; He lived in the flesh as a man; He lived in dependence upon the Spirit—just as we are supposed to do. He didn’t cease being God; He just chose to live with the limitations of a man, albeit a sinless man indwelt by the Spirit—just as Adam was created and intended to live. (I know I am repeating myself, but I think this truth is very important.)
[end excerpt]
Heb. 2:16 For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham.
My paraphrase—Jesus didn’t choose to partake or share in angelic nature; He chose to become like the seed of Abraham—human, flesh and blood. All the translations add the thought that He did this to help mankind; this thought seems to come for the Greek “took on,” which states, “to seize (for help…or any other purpose….).” This is in direct contrast to His dealings with the angels that rebelled.
Why the “seed of Abraham?” Because it was with Abraham that God made a covenant to bless all families of the earth.
Genesis 12:1-3 “Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.”
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.
Why was it so important for Jesus not only to become a man, but to experience the sufferings of man? To prove Him as One who could relate to the sufferings of mankind and help them through their own sufferings. Since His resurrection and ascension to the right hand of the Father, Jesus has been serving as our High Priest. The High Priest was the designated choice of God to represent the people before God and God before the people. Unique to any other high priest that served before Him, Jesus is worthy through his obedience to the cross to impute His righteousness to each child of God and provide unrestricted personal access to the Father for each one. Jesus is the fulfillment of all that the temple practices pointed toward. Jesus’ sacrifice of Himself made atonement for the sin of man once for all for all who will accept it.
As our High Priest, He is merciful and compassionate, faithful and trustworthy. Jesus the man could relate to showing mercy and compassion as One who knew from His experience as a man its powerful effect in the life of a person. I could not help but think of the verse in Corinthians that declares the truth of this principle.
2Corinthians 1:3-4 “Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.”
I liked the way Guzik expressed it: “Jesus knew the temptations of power and the temptations of pain. He knew the temptations of riches and the temptations of poverty. He knew the temptations of popularity and the temptations of rejection. He knew the temptations of the boy and the temptations of the man. He knew temptation from His friends and temptation from His enemies. He knew temptation from His family and temptation from strangers.”