Hebrews 2:1-18

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 turn away from God. v2 The *angels spoke a message from God that was true. God punished all who did not obey what the *angels said. v3 We shall not escape if we neglect this great *salvation that comes from God. It was the *Lord who first told us of this *salvation. The people who heard him have shown us that it is true. v4 God also proved the truth of the message. He did this by signs, wonderful acts and many *miracles. As a further proof he gave gifts of the Holy Spirit as he chose.

Verse 1 The Son of God is so much greater than the *angels. We must therefore be very careful to listen to what he says. We must take in his message and obey it. God’s words are much more important for us than anything that *angels or men say. If we do not accept the pardon that God offers, we shall be in real danger. We have to continue to trust in him for our life, both now and for the future. There was a danger that these Hebrews could wander away from what is true. There was the risk that they might go back to their old ways and so avoid the trouble that the *Jews caused them. We also must be careful that we do not lose what we have in Jesus.

Verse 2 The words spoken by *angels are not like the words spoken by the Son of God. God sent his word by the *angels in the past. The Hebrews said that the law of God came by *angels. People had to obey God’s law. If they did not do so, God would punish them. The law included both blessing for right acts and punishment for wrong acts (see Deuteronomy 30:19). The good news that God will forgive wrong acts came by Jesus Christ.

Verse 3 The law that the *angels gave was very important. But the message that the Lord Jesus brought is much more important. There is no escape for any who do not accept the claims of Jesus Christ. God in Jesus has made for us the only way to heaven. If we do not accept that offer, there is no hope for us. The *angels did not show us this way to heaven. Jesus first taught it and in his death made it possible. Jesus is so much better than the *angels. So what he says is better than what they say. His promises are for a life that will never end.

The people who first heard Jesus told the good news to others. In their turn they passed it on. Now we have the chance to accept it. We have the Bible to show us the truth. We have the *witness of people who have found it to be true. This good news is that Jesus has accepted the punishment for all our *sins. We must come to Jesus and turn from our wrong. He will take away our *sins and give us new life. If we do not turn to him, we shall not have the new life. God will punish all who do not accept Jesus for all the wrong that they have done.

Verse 4 When the first *believers told other people the good news, God himself showed them that it was true. They spoke of what Jesus had done and God proved that it was true. He did this by special signs, wonderful acts and *miracles. He also gave to them gifts of the Holy Spirit. They used these gifts as God directed them. All of these things showed, to those who heard, that the message was from God (see Acts 2:22). No mere *human being could act like this.

Jesus is superior to *angels as a *human being 2:5-18

v5 God did not make *angels to govern the world to come, which is our subject. v6 The Bible says (Psalms 8:4-6), ‘What are *human beings that God thinks of them? What are the sons and daughters of *humanity that God cares for them? v7 God made them for a little while to be lower than the *angels. Then God made them kings of all with royal power and honour. v8 God has put all things under their authority’. God left nothing outside their authority. As it is, however, we do not yet see all things under their authority. v9 But we see Jesus. For a little while, God made him lower than the *angels. Now Jesus is the king in heaven, where he has a crown of great honour. This is because he suffered and died for us. He accepted our death, so that by the goodness of God we need not suffer in the same way.

v10 God made all things for himself and all things exist by his power. It was fitting that he should make Jesus our perfect leader. He did this by having Jesus suffer and die for our *sins. v11 Jesus is the one who makes men and women holy. The holy ones are those who have believed in Jesus. They have become one with Jesus. So he is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters. v12 Jesus says to his Father, ‘I will tell my brothers and sisters your name. With your people I will praise you in songs’ (Psalms 22:22). v13 Again he says, ‘I will put my trust in God’ (Isaiah 8:17). At another time he says, ‘Look, I am here with the children that God has given to me’, (Isaiah 3:18).

v14 The children he speaks of all have human bodies. Jesus became a real *human being like them. He died as we must die. The devil had the power of death. Jesus broke that power when he died. v15 He died to free us from the fear of death. Until Jesus came, people were so afraid of death that they were like slaves to it. v16 He did not come to help the *angels. He came to help those who have their origins in Abraham. v17 He had to be like them in everything. Then he could be the chief priest for them to bring them to God. He is so kind to them and they can depend on him as their agent to God. He had to be like them so that he could die as a *sacrifice for their *sins. God accepts this *sacrifice and takes all their *sins from them. v18 Jesus had to suffer all kinds of testing, but he did not fail. This makes him able to help any who are in need of the strength to do what is right.

Verse 5 God has not given authority to *angels over the world to come. As we have already seen (1:14), *angels are to serve and not to rule.

Verses 6-8 God's purpose for the world to come is that *humans, and not *angels, should rule it. The Old Testament clearly teaches this in Psalms 8:4-7. These verses show us both how small and how great *humans are. They are very small compared to the things that God has made and which surround us. They are great because God has a special purpose for them. This purpose is that *human beings should have authority over the world to come. God always has them in mind and he cares for them. They are special to God among all that God has made.

God made *humans to be a little lower than the *angels. *Angels are *spirits with great authority and power. We, who are *human, cannot compare ourselves with them. But God has a greater plan in mind for *human beings. The writer uses the words from Psalms 8:4-7 as a prophecy. They tell us what God will bring about. But the writer sees the words as first referring to Jesus.

When God first made a man, he gave him power over all the birds, animals and fishes (Genesis 1:28). The first man, Adam, failed to rule as God intended, because he did wrong. God had to punish the man and so *human beings lost the right to rule. God has not taken back the first promise and *human beings will one day be able to rule. All things are to be under the feet of *human beings, that is, under their authority. This shows how great a role God has for *humanity. As yet we do not see all things put under them. We are not good enough to take that place.

Verse 9 God's promise for *humanity is not yet complete. But we see Jesus, the Son of God who became a *human being. He came to earth and lived as a man, and so became a little lower than the *angels, just like us. He came to die for us. When he had done this, God raised him from the dead and gave him a royal crown of great honour and power. In Jesus, God has begun to carry out his promise that *human beings should rule. It is because of God’s great love that Jesus died for all of us.

Verse 10 God made all things. He made all things for himself. In other parts of the Bible it says that Jesus made all things and all things are for his pleasure. There is no problem here. God the Father and God the Son are both God. Together they made the heavens and the earth. It is only in Jesus that all things find their purpose. In order to make us clean from *sin there had to be a *sacrifice. It was right that Jesus should come to earth and become one of us. He was then able to suffer on behalf of us all. He died a terrible death on the cross of wood. This death was not for any *sins that he himself had done, for he was perfect. That is, he was all that God intended him to be. When he died, he accepted all our *sins. Because of this he can give to us a new life. He is able to bring many sons and daughters to be with God in heaven. We become God’s sons and daughters when we trust in Jesus and in his work for us. By his death for us, Jesus was able to make us clean from *sin. Now we can go to be with God.

Verse 11 Jesus makes us holy when we trust in him. He brings us into the family of God and makes us his sons and daughters. All who trust in Jesus receive a new birth from the *Spirit. In this way they have the same Father as Jesus and the same life. Jesus is so great, yet he is happy to call the weakest Christian brother or sister. He is the *firstborn of many brothers and sisters. He is the *firstborn from the dead and all who trust in him will also rise from the dead.

Verse 12 Jesus calls us his brothers and sisters. In the Old Testament the *Messiah says that he will tell the name of God to his brothers and sisters (Psalms 22:22). To the Hebrews the ‘name’ meant more than just a name. It meant the whole person. Jesus is the *Messiah and he showed men and women the nature of God. As a *human among *humans Jesus praised God. He praised God with them in the *temple of the *Jews in *Jerusalem and their other holy buildings. Now as we praise God, Jesus in *spirit is there with us. He promised that when two or three of those who follow him meet together, he too will be there (Matthew 18:20).

Verse 13 Jesus was God. But while he was living on earth as a man, he had to put his trust in God. During his life on earth he had to depend on God. In this he was the same as we are, for we need God's help. Jesus was one of us. Again he shows that we belong to the same family. He says, ‘Here am I, and the children whom God has given to me’ (Isaiah 8:18). He is speaking of the men and women who followed him. We are among them, if we put our trust in him.

Verses 14-15 We have human bodies from our birth. For Jesus to help us he had to be the same as us. He had to take a human body and blood to be a real *human being. Because we are *human, we have all done what is wrong. The punishment for our *sins is death, both of the body and of the *spirit. For Jesus to help us, he had to take our *sins upon himself as a real *human. Yet he himself lived without doing any *sin. So by his death he was able to accept our punishment. He did this on the cross. In his death for us he overcame the devil, who had the power of death. The death Jesus speaks about is more than the death of our body. It is the death of our *spirit as well. This means a future without God to which all who do wrong would go. For those who accept Christ, the death of the body is not the end. It is the way to a new life that never will die. This is life for the *spirit in a new body forever with God.

People have always lived with a fear of death. It is the one sure event that comes to us all. Apart from what the Bible has to say about it, no one knows what will come after death. Most people have no hope about the future, and they are afraid of what they do not know. In Jesus Christ there is the promise of a much better life. People who put their trust in Jesus need no longer fear death.

Verse 16 Jesus became a *human being so that he could take us by the hand and lead us to God. He did not become an *angel. He did not come to earth to help *angels. He came to this world to save the children of Abraham.

Abraham was the father of the *Jews and their nation came from him. He was also a man of real trust in God. The children of Abraham are all those who are *Jews by birth. The Bible also calls all who believe in the one true God the children of Abraham (Galatians 3:7-9). God rescues the men and women who trust in Jesus.

Verse 17 Jesus came to save men and women, not *angels. Therefore he had to become like one of us and not like an *angel. He had to be a *human being so that he could stand before God as our chief priest. He takes the *sacrifice for our *sins to God. That *sacrifice was his own blood, that is, his life that he gave for us on the cross. He asks God to forgive his brothers and sisters. God accepts the *sacrifice of Jesus to pay for all our *sins. God forgives all who put their trust in Jesus and in what he has done for them. Jesus loves us and we can trust him to be our priest towards God. At the same time, Jesus pleases God because he has done all that God asked of him.

He had to be like his brothers and sisters in all things. This means that he had to live life as a real man. He had to face the same problems that we do. The devil tested him and he suffered in life as we do, but much more than we have to suffer. He was still different from us in some things. He was different in his birth. His mother had not had sex with a man. His Father was God and not a man. He was different in his life, because he did not do any wrong at all. He was different in his death, for he did not need to die for himself because he was without *sin. He chose to die and gave himself up to the men who wanted to kill him. He died for all the *sins that we have done.

Verse 18 The suffering that Jesus had makes him able to help any who are in need. When the devil or the things of this life test us, we can look to Jesus. He will give us the strength to do what is right. If we fail to do what is right, he understands. When we turn to him and confess that we have failed, he is able to make us right with God again.

angel ~ a spirit person made by God to serve him and take his messages. There are angels who sinned and now serve the Devil.
spirit ~ that part of a person which we cannot see but which can speak to other spirits or to the soul; there are other spirits which can be good or evil.
sin ~ to sin is to do wrong, bad or evil; not to obey God; sins are the wrong things that we do.
soul ~ the part of a person that we cannot see that is in us during our life and lives after we die; it is our inner life (not the body); it is that part of people that God speaks to through their spirits.
salvation ~ when God saves us from the result and punishment of our sin; the rescue from sin, as God forgives us and gives us new life in Christ.
sin ~ to sin is to do wrong, bad or evil; not to obey God; sins are the wrong things that we do.
Lord ~ a title for God, or Jesus, to show that he is over all.
miracles ~ wonderful works that God does by his power; wonderful things that show that a person’s message is from God.
Jews ~ people who were born from Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and their children. It is also a name for the people of Israel.
Israel ~ God changed the name of Jacob to Israel (Genesis 35). The sons of Jacob were the beginning of the nation of Israel. The land that God promised to them is the land of Israel.
witness ~ a witness is someone who sees an event and will tell of it. To witness is to tell what you have seen.
sin ~ to sin is to do wrong, bad or evil; not to obey God; sins are the wrong things that we do.
believers ~ those who know and accept Christ.'human being ~ a human person.'human(s)/humanity ~ human person(s).
sacrifice ~ an offering to God, often an animal or bird, by the Jews to ask God to forgive their sins. Jesus gave himself to die as a sacrifice for our sins.
Jews ~ people who were born from Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and their children. It is also a name for the people of Israel.
sin ~ to sin is to do wrong, bad or evil; not to obey God; sins are the wrong things that we do.
Israel ~ God changed the name of Jacob to Israel (Genesis 35). The sons of Jacob were the beginning of the nation of Israel. The land that God promised to them is the land of Israel.
angel ~ a spirit person made by God to serve him and take his messages. There are angels who sinned and now serve the Devil.
spirit ~ that part of a person which we cannot see but which can speak to other spirits or to the soul; there are other spirits which can be good or evil.
sin ~ to sin is to do wrong, bad or evil; not to obey God; sins are the wrong things that we do.
soul ~ the part of a person that we cannot see that is in us during our life and lives after we die; it is our inner life (not the body); it is that part of people that God speaks to through their spirits.
spirit ~ that part of a person which we cannot see but which can speak to other spirits or to the soul; there are other spirits which can be good or evil.
soul ~ the part of a person that we cannot see that is in us during our life and lives after we die; it is our inner life (not the body); it is that part of people that God speaks to through their spirits.
spirit ~ that part of a person which we cannot see but which can speak to other spirits or to the soul; there are other spirits which can be good or evil.
soul ~ the part of a person that we cannot see that is in us during our life and lives after we die; it is our inner life (not the body); it is that part of people that God speaks to through their spirits.
firstborn ~ a title of Jesus as the first to rise from the dead. Then Christians are referred to as firstborn ones.
Messiah ~ the special servant of God, the name God chose for Jesus Christ. The person that God sent to save his people from their sins. God promised the Jews that Messiah would come. Jesus is that Messiah but the Jews still do not believe it.
sin ~ to sin is to do wrong, bad or evil; not to obey God; sins are the wrong things that we do.
Jews ~ people who were born from Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and their children. It is also a name for the people of Israel.
Israel ~ God changed the name of Jacob to Israel (Genesis 35). The sons of Jacob were the beginning of the nation of Israel. The land that God promised to them is the land of Israel.
temple ~ a special building for the worship of God. The Jews had one in Jerusalem for the worship of the true God.
worship ~ to give honour to God with praise, thanks and respect.
Jews ~ people who were born from Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and their children. It is also a name for the people of Israel.
Jerusalem ~ the capital city of Israel; the temple of God was there.
Israel ~ God changed the name of Jacob to Israel (Genesis 35). The sons of Jacob were the beginning of the nation of Israel. The land that God promised to them is the land of Israel.
Jerusalem ~ the capital city of Israel; the temple of God was there.
Israel ~ God changed the name of Jacob to Israel (Genesis 35). The sons of Jacob were the beginning of the nation of Israel. The land that God promised to them is the land of Israel.
temple ~ a special building for the worship of God. The Jews had one in Jerusalem for the worship of the true God.
worship ~ to give honour to God with praise, thanks and respect.
Jews ~ people who were born from Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and their children. It is also a name for the people of Israel.