seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
Hebrews 2:1 We must pay the most careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away. 2 For since the message spoken through angels was binding, and every violation and disobedience received its just punishment, 3 how shall we escape if we ignore so great a salvation? This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him. 4 God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.
5 It is not to angels that he has subjected the world to come, about which we are speaking. 6 But there is a place where someone has testified:
“What is mankind that you are mindful of them,
a son of man that you care for him?
7 You made them a little[a] lower than the angels;
you crowned them with glory and honor
8 and put everything under their feet.”[b][c]
a son of man that you care for him?
7 You made them a little[a] lower than the angels;
you crowned them with glory and honor
8 and put everything under their feet.”[b][c]
In putting everything under them,[d] God left nothing that is not subject to them.[e] Yet at present we do not see everything subject to them.[f] 9 But we do see Jesus, who was made lower than the angels for a little while, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.
10 In bringing many sons and daughters to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through what he suffered. 11 Both the one who makes people holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters.[g] 12 He says,
“I will declare your name to my brothers and sisters;
in the assembly I will sing your praises.”[h]
in the assembly I will sing your praises.”[h]
13 And again,
“I will put my trust in him.”[i]
And again he says,
“Here am I, and the children God has given me.”[j]
14 Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil— 15 and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. 16 For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham’s descendants. 17 For this reason he had to be made like them,[k] fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. 18 Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.
a. Hebrews 2:7 Or them for a little while
b. Hebrews 2:8 Psalm 8:4-6
c. Hebrews 2:8 Or 7 You made him a little lower than the angels;/ you crowned him with glory and honor/ 8 and put everything under his feet.”
d. Hebrews 2:8 Or him
e. Hebrews 2:8 Or him
f. Hebrews 2:8 Or him
g. Hebrews 2:11 The Greek word for brothers and sisters (adelphoi) refers here to believers, both men and women, as part of God’s family; also in verse 12; and in 3:1, 12; 10:19; 13:22.
h. Hebrews 2:12 Psalm 22:22
i. Hebrews 2:13 Isaiah 8:17
j. Hebrews 2:13 Isaiah 8:18
k. Hebrews 2:17 Or like his brothers
This is from the easy English commentary.
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.
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.
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.
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.
God's purpose for the world to come is that humans, and not angels, should rule it. The Old Testament clearly teaches this in Psalm 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 Psalm 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.
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.
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.
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 (Psalm 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).
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.
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.
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.
I knew I was in deep trouble when some of the commentaries talked about the "deep secret" revealed. The author seems to be continuing from the first chapter.... so I guess this is page 2 of the letter. This is where the comparison comes to the crux.Jesus wasn't an angel. He was there when God created the angels. I figure angels are the worker bees in the corridor between Heaven and earth. If God wants something done on earth.... without causing a big scene [like when Jesus comes back and wakes the dead].... God sends angels. In the Old Testament.... there were a lot of references to the "angel of the Lord". While Jesus was still getting ready to visit earth.... the angels were the top dog... they had the direct line to God. If God wanted humans to know something or do something.... then God would send an angel.
According to this chapter..... when Jesus came to earth.... He became a human. When He became a human.... the angels were in a class over Him.... for a while they were closer to God than Jesus. Jesus could have called the angels down to do His bidding..... God would have backed that up.... but in order for Jesus to save us.... He had to do everything God told Him to do.... and God told Him He had to live "sin free" as a human.
God controls time. So God can fast forward to the when a human meets Him at judgement. Now God gave everyone the ability to choose. He gave them rules to choose by... even in the Old Testament... they had the 10 Commandments. In the New Testament.... Jesus compacted those 10 down to 2... Love God and Love Each Other. Humans were tempted with every choice every day... to make the right decision or the wrong one. Humans were just built that way... so they could "choose" to Love God... not just love Him cause they have to.... that would be no fun for the human or for God.
Now God knew humans and since He can fast forward to the end of the story.... God knew that humans would have an excuse for all the bad choices they would make. God knew humans would say "You don't understand.... You don't know what it really like to be a human.... You are God... how would you know!" And God knew they were right.... smart butted humans were right. So...... enter Jesus.
Jesus gave up His spot as God. He, being God's Son, could do anything He so desired. If he wanted to come down her and thump me on the head and tell me I'm being an idiot... He could do it.... but He's a good son.... so He would go to His Father first. That's how good sons do it. So... when the time was right... and His Father as on board.... Jesus left His place in Heaven and became a human.... two classes below his regular station.... even the angels could mess with Him [if they were stupid enough].
Now satan.... yep satan was an angel... no more no less... an angel.... satan decided to mess with Jesus.... Everything looked tempting to Jesus.... I bet it was even harder being Jesus.... after all He was use to creating and sculpting these humans..... and now He would be tempted to "play" with them. Jesus was aware of satan... Jesus was there when His Dad threw satan out of Heaven. Jesus knew satan thought he was a hot shot.... and Jesus knew satan would mess with the Son of God.... hoping that the Son of God would make a misstep.... but Jesus didn't....
Satan offered Jesus the apple.... Jesus said "not thank you".
Once Jesus knew what it's like to be a human.... once Jesus knew what it's like to be tempted..... Jesus proved that humans can always make the right decision... but Jesus understood why we don't. That's when He became bigger and badder than the angels again. He moved on to going to the Cross... where He could have let his human body scream..... I wonder just how close Jesus came to saying.... "OK Father... call it off.... get me off this Cross". He didn't do it though. He stayed through the whole horrible murder.... and He let them put Him in the tomb.... then He got up. Mission accomplished.
For a brief moment in history.... Jesus the Messiah.... was a simple human being.... capable of sinning.... a class lower than angels..... a class lower than satan. Jesus the Messiah had a mission..... to take the excuse away.... and He did it.
When I get to Heaven.... God is going to ask me what I was thinking when I made some of the decisions I have made in my life. When I say "well".... then Jesus is going to chime in and say "I would have been tempted to do that Dad..... " and God will say... "OK".... "forgiven".
In the hierarchy of all beings..... God is first class. Angels are second class. Humans are third class...... Jesus became third class for us.
