Hebrews 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; WE - emphatic: who have received the message of salvation so clearly delivered to us (cf. Hebrews 12:25). SO GREAT SALVATION - embodied in Jesus, whose name means salvation, not only deliverance from foes and death, and the grant of temporal blessings (which the law promised to the obedient), but also grace of the Spirit, forgiveness of sins, and the promise of glory (Hebrews 2:10). WHICH, [ heetis (G3748)] - 'inasmuch as being a salvation which began,' etc. Spo...

3._If we neglect so great a salvation, etc. _Not only the rejection of the Gospel, but also its neglect, deserves the heaviest punishment, and that on account of the greatness of the grace which it offers; hence he says, _so great a salvation. _God would indeed leave his gifts valued by us according to their worth. Then the more precious they are, the baser is our ingratitude when we do not value them. In a word, in proportion to the greatness of Christ will be the severity of God’s vengeance on all the despisers of his Gospel. (30) And observe that the word salvation is transferred here metonymically to the doctrine of salvation; for as the Lord would not have men otherwise saved than by the Gospel, so when that is neglected the whole salvation of God is rejected; for it is God’s power unto salvation to those who believe. (Romans 1:16.) H

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 proceeds from the corruption of our nature, temptations, worldly cares, and pleasures. Sinning against the gospel is neglect of this great salvation; it is a contempt of the saving grace of God in Christ, making light of it, not caring for it, not regarding either the worth of gospel grace, or the want of it, and our undone state without it. The Lord's judgments under the gospel dispensation are chiefly spiritual, but are on that account the more to be dreaded. Here is an appeal to the consciences of sinners. Even partial neglects will not escape rebukes; they often bring darkness on the souls they do not finally ruin. The setting forth the gospel was continued and confirmed by those who hear...

Verse Hebrews 2:3. _HOW SHALL WE ESCAPE_] If they who had fewer privileges than we have, to whom God spoke in divers manners by angels and prophets, fell under the displeasure of their Maker, and were often punished with a sore destruction; how shall we escape wrath to the uttermost if we neglect the salvation provided for us, and proclaimed to us by the Son of God? Their offence was _high_; ours, indescribably _higher_. The _salvation_ mentioned here is the whole system of Christianity, with all the privileges it confers; properly called a _salvation_, because, by bringing such an abundance of heavenly _light_ into the world, it _saves_ or _delivers_ men from the kingdom of _darkness, ignorance, error, superstition_, and _idolatry_; and provides all the requisite means to _free_ them from the _power, guilt_, and _contamination_...

HOW SHALL WE ESCAPE - How shall we escape the just recompense due to transgressors? What way is there of being saved from punishment, if we suffer the great salvation to be neglected, and do not embrace its offers? The sense is, that there is no other way of salvation, and the neglect of this will be followed by certain destruction. why it will, the apostle proceeds to show, by stating that this plan of salvation was proclaimed first by the Lord himself, and had been confirmed by the most decided and amazing miracles. IF WE NEGLECT - It is not merely if we commit great sins. Not, if we are murderers, adulterers, thieves, infidels, atheists, scoffers. It is, if we merely “neglect” this salvation - if we do not embrace it - if we suffer it to pass unimproved. “Neglect” is enough to ruin a man. A man who is in business need not commit forgery or robbery to ruin himself; he has only to “negl...

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) WE OUGHT (or, _we are bound_)_ _MORE ABUNDANTLY TO GIVE HEED TO THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE HEARD (_i.e. _the gospel that has been preached to us in the Son), LEST AT ANY TIME (or, _lest haply_)_ _WE LET THEM SLIP (rather, _float past them_)_. _The word παραρρυῶμεν (aorist subjunctive from παραρρέω)_ _denotes flowing or floating past anything. The allusion is to the danger, inci

HOW SHALL WE ESCAPE,.... The righteous judgment of God, and eternal punishment: IF WE NEGLECT SO GREAT SALVATION? as the Gospel is, which is called salvation; in opposition to the law, which is the ministration of condemnation; and because it is a declaration of salvation by Christ; and is the means of bringing it near, and of the application of it in conversion, and so is the power of God unto it: and it is a "great" salvation; the Gospel which reveals it is great, for the author of it is Christ; it has been confirmed by miracles, and attended with great success; and has in it great things, great mysteries, and exceeding great and precious promises: and the salvation which it declares is great; it is the produce of great wisdom; it is wrought by a great person, by a Saviour, and a great one, and who is the great God, and our Saviour; it has been procured at great charge and expense, ev...

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 not be like the driftwood which goes floating down the stream. Let us make a desperate effort to retain them in our memories; and, above all, to ponder them in our hearts. Hebrews 2:2. _For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward; how shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation;_ They could not trifle with the angels' message without receiving just punishment from God. Much less, then, can we trifle with Christ's gospel. We have not an angelic saviour; but God himself, in the person of his So

SALVATION (_ See Scofield) - (Romans 1:16). _...

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 warning (Hebrews 2:1) Hebrews 1:1 Sublime is the beginning of this precious document. God who in many measures and in many ways spake of old to the fathers in the prophets, at the end of these days hath spoken to us in a Son, whom He constituted heir of all things, by whom also He made the worlds; who being the effulgence of His glory and the expression of His substance, and upholding all things by the wor