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Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

Hebrews 2:4

God also bearing them witness The original is stronger, "God bearing witness with them;" the supernatural witness coincided with the human.

both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles "Signs" to shew that there was a power behind their witness; "portents" to awaken the feeling of astonishment, and so arouse interest; and various "powers." These are alluded to, or recorded, in Mark 16:20; Acts 2:43; Acts 19:11. St Paul himself appealed to his own "mighty signs and wonders" (Romans 15:18-19; 1 Corinthians 2:4).

and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will The word "gifts" means rather "distributions" (Hebrews 4:12, "dividing"), and the words "according to His own will" apply only to this clause the gifts which the Holy Spirit distributes as He wills (1 Corinthians 7:17; 1 Corinthians 12:11; Romans 12:3).

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See also Hebrews 2:4 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse Hebrews 2:4. _GOD ALSO BEARING THEM WITNESS_] He did not leave the confirmation of these great truths to the testimony of _men_; he bore his _own_ testimony to them by _signs, wonders, various_...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    GOD ALSO BEARING THEM WITNESS - By miracles. Giving them the sanction of his authority, or showing that they were sent by him. No man can work a miracle by his own power. When the dead are raised, the...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    ANALYSIS AND ANNOTATIONS I. CHRIST, THE SON OF GOD AND His GLORY CHAPTER 1-2:4 _ 1. The Son in whom God hath spoken (Hebrews 1:1)_ 2. So much better than the angels (Hebrews 1:5) 3. Admonition and...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    HEBREWS 1:5 TO HEBREWS 2:18. THE SON IS SUPERIOR TO THE ANGELS. For this theme the way has been prepared in the closing words of Hebrews 1:14. The section may possibly be directed against angel-worshi...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    For the first time the writer discloses the practical aim which gives force and meaning to his theological argument. Christian men ought to realise the grandeur of their calling, and to hold fast to t...

  • Barclay Daily Study Bible (NT)

    THE SALVATION WE DARE NOT NEGLECT (Hebrews 2:1-4)...

  • Barclay Daily Study Bible (NT)

    We must, therefore, with very special intensity pay attention to the things that we have heard. For, if the word which was spoken through the medium of the angels proved itself to be certified as vali...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    GOD. App-98. BEARING... WITNESS. bearing witness with. Greek. _sunepimartureo._ Only here. SIGNS, WONDERS, MIRACLES. See App-176 Hebrews 3:2; Hebrews 3:1. GIFTS. distributions. Greek. _merismos._ On...

  • Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary

    ΣΥΝΕΠΙΜΑΡΤΥΡΟΥ͂ΝΤΟΣ ΤΟΥ͂ ΘΕΟΥ͂, “_God bearing witness with them_”; the supernatural witness coincided with the human. ΣΗΜΕΊΟΙΣ ΤΕ ΚΑῚ ΤΈΡΑΣΙΝ ΚΑῚ ΠΟΙΚΊΛΑΙΣ ΔΥΝΆΜΕΣΙΝ. “_Signs_” to shew that there was...

  • Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary

    A SOLEMN WARNING AND EXHORTATION...

  • Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary

    CH. 2. A SOLEMN WARNING AND EXHORTATION (1–4). CHRIST’S TEMPORARY HUMILIATION FOR THE REDEMPTION AND GLORIFICATION OF MANKIND DOES NOT DISPARAGE HIS PRE-EMINENCE OVER ANGELS (5–13), BUT WAS NECESSARY...

  • Charles Box Commentaries

    _HOW SHALL WE ESCAPE IF WE NEGLECT SO GREAT SALVATION -- HEBREWS 2:1-4:_ We must give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard because Jehovah made them available. We must give the more...

  • Charles Rose Commentaries

    ΣΥΝΕΠΙΜΑΡΤΥΡΟΎΝΤΟΣ _praes. act. part. (temp.) от_ ΣΥΝΕΠΙΜΑΡΤΥΡΈΩ (G4901) свидетельствовать вместе с кем-л., давать дополнительное свидетельство. _Gen. abs. Praes._ обозначает одновременное действие: ...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    _Hence, we see the certainty of punishment to those who neglect God's revelation through His Son._ _TEXT_ Hebrews 2:1-4 Hebrews 2:1 Therefore we ought to give more earnest heed to the things that we...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    BUTLER'S COMMENTS Special Study GIFTS, MIRACLES (HEBREWS 2:3-4) Introduction I. DEFINITION OF MIRACLE A. An event occurring in the natural world, observed by the senses, produced by divine power,...

  • Combined Bible Commentary

    CHRIST SUPERIOR TO ANGELS. (Hebrews 2:1-4) The title of this article is based upon the fact that the opening verses of Hebrews 2 contains an exhortation based upon what has been said in chapter 1. Th...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    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? THEM - rather, 'God, along with the Lord and His eye-w...

  • Concordant Commentary on the New Testament by A. E. Knoch

    11 The destruction of the earth and the heavens is but a crisis in their change (12), for they are not to be made non-existent, but created anew. All things are in a state of flux until the consummati...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    JESUS EXALTED IN HUMILIATION 1-4. The former dispensation, even though mediated by comparatively inferior beings such as the angels, was yet so sacred that all neglect of it was severely punished. Th...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    GIFTS] RM 'distributions.' The word implies variety of spiritual endowments: cp. 1 Corinthians 12:4; Romans 1:26; Ephesians 4:7. 5-18. It is no objection to the supremacy of Christ to say that by assu...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    HOW CAN I GET TO HEAVEN? HEBREWS _IAN MACKERVOY_ CHAPTER 2 JESUS IS SUPERIOR TO *ANGELS IN HIS MESSAGE 2:1-4 V1 That is why we must take in what we have heard. We must do this so that we do not...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    GOD ALSO BEARING THEM WITNESS. — That is, _bearing witness with them to_ the truth they preached. Mark 16:20 is a striking parallel; see also Acts 4:30. The divine attestation was given by miracles an...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    II. (1-4) These verses must be closely joined with the first chapter. Before advancing to the next step in his argument, the writer pauses to enforce the duty which results from what has been already...

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    CHAPTER II THE SON AND THE ANGELS Hebrews 1:4 - Hebrews 2:18 The most dangerous and persistent error against which the theologians of the New Testament had to contend was the doctrine of emanations....

  • Expositor's Greek Testament (Nicoll)

    to Hebrews 2:18. _The Son and the Angels_. Hebrews 1:4, although forming part of the sentence 1 3, introduces a subject which continues to be more or less in view throughout chaps 1 and 2. The exaltat...

  • Expositor's Greek Testament (Nicoll)

    From this proved superiority of the Son to the angels the writer deduces the warning that neglect of the salvation proclaimed by the Lord Himself and attested by God in miracles and gifts of the Holy...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    THE AUTHOR OF OUR SALVATION Hebrews 2:1 _ Drifting away_, Hebrews 2:1. The r.v. gives this solemn rendering. Unless we watch, the strong currents of the world will drift us away from God's great harb...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    Here we have the first of a series of warnings uttered in connection with the arguments. If the ministrations of angels had been of so steadfast a character, how much more the speech of the Son. The d...

  • Gary Hampton Commentaries

    WITNESSES TO THE TRUTHFUL MESSAGE The trustworthy nature of Christ's law was first attested to by the Lord who was its deliverer. Then, the apostles confirmed the message. The Father added His witness...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    God also bearing [them] witness, both with (e) signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will? (e) This is the true purpose of miracles. Now they...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    The miraculous powers of the Almighty bestowed in the early ages [centuries] of the Church, for the establishment and propagation of the faith, became afterwards less frequent, as there was less need...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    (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. (2) For if the word spoken by angels was steadfast, and every transgre...

  • Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly

    The epistle to the Hebrews differs in some important respects from all those which have been before us; so much so that many have questioned whether it be the writing of the apostle Paul, of Apollos,...

  • John Calvin's Bible Commentary

    4._God also bearing them witness, etc. _In addition to the fact, that the Apostles had what they preached from the Son of God, the Lord also proved his approbation of their preaching by miracles, as b...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    This is the reason why it is so much the more needful to hearken t the word spoken, in order that they should not let it pass away form life and memory. God had maintained the authority of the word th...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    GOD ALSO BEARING THEM WITNESS,.... The apostles of Christ; God testifying to their mission and commission, and the truth of the doctrine they preached: BOTH WITH SIGNS AND WONDERS, AND WITH DIVERS MI...

  • John Owen’s Exposition of the Epistle to the Hebrews(7 vols)

    In these three verses the apostle follows on his exhortation, laid down in that foregoing, and giveth many peculiar enforcements unto a due compliance with it, as we shall see in our exposition of the...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    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? Ver. 4. _And with divers miracles_] Whereby, as by the...

  • Jonathan Edwards' Notes On The Scriptures

    HEB. 2:4. GOD ALSO BEARING (THEM) WITNESS, BOTH WITH SIGNS AND WONDERS, AND WITH DIVERSE MIRACLES, AND GIFTS OF THE HOLY GHOST, ACCORDING TO HIS OWN WILL. The exposition of this text shows as nothin...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _For if the word spoken by angels_ The law delivered by their ministry. It is nowhere affirmed that the law was _given_ by angels, but that the people received it, εις διαταγας αγγελων, _by the dispos...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    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 writer, in the first chapter, has proved the superiori...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    THE NEED OF CHEERFUL OBEDIENCE TO CHRIST. The excellence of the Gospel-message:...

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    The first four verses of this chapter now press upon us the appropriate conclusions that must be drawn from so transcendent a revelation of the glory of God. "For this reason we should give heed more...

  • Marginal Notes in the King James Version (1611)

    GIFTS: Or, distributions...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    1-4 Christ being proved to be superior to the angels, this doctrine is applied. Our minds and memories are like a leaky vessel, they do not, without much care, retain what is poured into them. This p...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    OLBGrk; GOD ALSO BEARING THEM WITNESS: here is a further aggravation of the neglect of the gospel of salvation, from God's testifying to it by the works and gifts of his Holy Spirit: such sin grievous...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Hebrews 2:4 God G2316 witness G4901 (G5723) both G5037 signs G4592 and G2532 wonders G5059 with G2532 various...

  • Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary on the NT (4 vols)

    Hebrews 2:4. GOD ALSO BEARING THEM WITNESS, _i.e_ God bearing witness with them to the Gospel they preached, confirming their word by the signs that followed (Mark 16:20). WITH SIGNS, WONDERS, AND MI...

  • Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary on the NT (4 vols)

    DOCTRINAL HINTS. In this Epistle, as in the Gospel of John, the doctrine is based on the Divine nature of Christ, and on His incarnation. As in the Gospel (John 1:1-18) it is said that the Word was Go...

  • Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary on the NT (4 vols)

    Hebrews 2:1-4. These verses are closely connected with the first chapter, and scarcely less closely with the subsequent verses of the second. It is characteristic of these warnings and exhortations th...

  • Robertson's Word Pictures of the New Testament

    GOD ALSO BEARING WITNESS WITH THEM (συνεπιμαρτυρουντος του θεου). Genitive absolute with the present active participle of the late double compound verb συνεπιμαρτυρεω, to join (συν) in giving addit...

  • Sermon Bible Commentary

    Hebrews 1:5 ; HEBREWS 2:4. Why does the Apostle speak about the angels? He has shown from Psalm ii., from Psalm xcvii., from 2 Sam. vii., from Psalm cx., most clearly that the man Jesus is none other...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    Hebrews 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._ We have heard them; do not let us forget them. Let them no...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    Hebrews 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._ It is well to give heed to what you are now hearing, but i...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    Hebrews 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._ That is to say, because Jesus is so great, because the tru...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Warning against neglecting so great a salvation. Earth to be put under Christ. Jesus temporarily lower than angels to work out salvation for man. CHARACTERS: God, Christ, Holy Spirit, Satan...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Hebrews 2:1. _We ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard._ The things relating to the glory of the person of Christ, and all his offices as mediator; these we ought to st...

  • The Bible Study New Testament

    GOD ADDED HIS WITNESS. The Law of Moses was authenticated by miracles (Hebrews 12:18-21). The gospel was equally authenticated by the miracles which went side by side with the preaching of Christ and...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _Give the more earnest heed._ --This exhortation reveals the purpose of the foregoing comparison between Christ and the angels. It is to establish Christ’s superior claim to be heard when He speaks in...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _With signs and wonders, and with divers miracles_ SIGNS, WONDERS, AND MIRACLES 1_._ Signs, according to the notation of the word, imply such external visible things as signify and declare some mem...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    HEBREWS—NOTE ON HEBREWS 2:4 The terms SIGNS, WONDERS, and MIRACLES overlap in meaning. They appear together in Acts 2

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    HEBREWS—NOTE ON HEBREWS 2:1 This warning calls the reader to pay heed to the greater salvation which was declared by the Lord himself, attested by human eyewitnesses, and authenticated by God’s power....

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    THE HIGHER RESPONSIBILITIES OF HIGHER REVELATIONS _CRITICAL AND EXEGETICAL NOTES_ THE rhetorical character of the epistle is indicated in the hortatory passages that are so freely inserted. The exhor...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION HEBREWS 2:1 INTERPOSED EXHORTATION as explained above. HEBREWS 2:1 ON THIS ACCOUNT (_i.e. _on account of what has been seen of the SON'S superiority to the angels)...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    1 Corinthians 12:4; Acts 14:3; Acts 19:11; Acts 19:12; Acts 2:32;...

  • Vincent's Word Studies in the New Testament (4 Volume Set)

    God also bearing them witness [σ υ ν ε π ι μ α ρ τ υ ρ ο υ ν τ ο ς τ ο υ θ ε ο υ]. The verb N. T. o : sun along with other witnesses : ejpi giving additional testimony : marturein to bear witness. Wit...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    By signs and wonders — While he lived. And various miracles and distributions of the Holy Ghost — Miraculous gifts, distributed after his exaltation. According to his will — Not theirs who received th...

  • William Burkitt's Expository Notes

    Here we have. special reason assigned, why such as reject the gospel cannot escape divine wrath, because the gospel was first published and delivered by Jesus Christ; it was clearly, plainly, sweetly,...

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