Hebrews 2:1-18

Continuing from the end of ‘chapter 1’:

Hebrews 2:1-4:

^2:1Because-of-this it is necessary more-exceedingly (for) us to have-attention to the (things) having been heard lest-perhaps we may be caused-to-flow-aside (from them), ^.2for if the word having been uttered-forth by means of angels became firm and all stepping-aside and disobedience received a rightly-due compensation-payment, ^.3how will we escape having been unconcerned of so-great a salvation, the-one-which, having received a beginning to be uttered-forth by means of the Lord, was made-firm into us by the (people) having heard, ^.4God bearing-witness-together both with signs and wonders and variegated abilities and distributions of holy spirit according to His intention?

On account of this, what is written in chapter 1, it is binding more abundantly for us (all of us) to hold our attention to the things having been heard (we must, we ought more than above the measure already attained by us to turn our minds, thoughts and attention towards/for the purpose of the things that have already been heard by us) – why? – lest perhaps (whether or not, whether it may happen at any time or not that) we would be caused to flow aside from them (made by others to move as a river beside them but not actually getting right on top of them, which is where we should be in our walk, our behavior).

In truth…

• if/since the word that was uttered-forth (the account of God’s inner-thoughts spoken to mankind) through angels became firm (sure, steady, definite)
  • and all stepping-aside (every willful transgression, the action of going beside and thus against God’s Word) and disobedience (every hearing aside, literally hearing what God gives to believe, but deciding to put what is heard aside from oneself, refusing to carry it out, thus going against what is heard, against God's Word)
    • received a rightly-due compensation-payment (a wage given as the pay-back that was justly due),
• how will we escape (how will we, emphatically ‘we’, flee out from a rightly-due compensation payment) having been unconcerned of so-great a salvation (after we have been without concern, careless, no interest, what we heard did not cause us any thought whatsoever and so we disregarded so great a degree of salvation, safety, the standing and state of being made-safe to God from sins and their consequences),
  • the salvation which,
    • after it had received a beginning (start, origin) to be spoken by God to mankind through the Lord (Master, Jesus Christ),
  • was made-firm into us (it was made sure, steady, definite for us) by the agency of the people who heard the Lord speaking,
  • God bearing-witness-together (God is presently and actively witnessing, attesting with His knowledge emphatically of/for this salvation in conjunction with what these people heard and spoke to us) – how? –
    • both with signs (signals or standards of designation and authentication)
    • and wonders (supernatural occurrences)
    • and variegated abilities (manifold able-powers, various capabilities)
    • and distributions of holy spirit (impartations of holy spirit, things imparted as dividing something into parts and then distributing the different parts to others, apportionments of holy spirit, this includes all that emanates from the spirit, such as movement, speech, etc, actions done according to and motivated by spirit; every holy-person has received holy spirit-life inside of us; singular ‘holy spirit’ because there is only one gift of holy spirit)
• according to His intention (in accordance, conformity and proportion to/with God’s active volition and desire, His will)?

Paul does not write a short answer to this question but instead he continues to teach and explain “so-great a salvation”.

[Reference: Deuteronomy 33:2; Ezra 6:18; Psalm 68:17; Matthew 22:5; John 14:26, 16:13; Acts chapters 1 and 2, 1:8, 2:42 and 43, 5:12, 7:53, 9:1-20, 10:34-43, 14:3, 22:14 and 15; Romans 3:8, 4:15, 5:19, 12:3-8, 15:19; I Corinthians 7:17, 9:1, 12:12-27, 15:3-11; II Corinthians 10:13, 12:11 and 12; Galatians 3:19; Ephesians 2:20, 4:4; Colossians 1:18; I Thessalonians 2:13; I Timothy 4:14; Hebrews 10:26-39, 12:25; II Peter 1:16, 3:15 and 16.]

Verses 5-10:

^.5For He did not subject to angels the inhabited-area, the (inhabited-area) being about to (come) concerning which we utter-forth, ^.6but someone somewhere throughly-witnessed saying, “Who is man that You remember him, or a son of man that You look-intensely-on him? ^.7You made him less a short thing beside angels; You crowned him with glory and honor; ^.8You subjected all-things down-under his feet”; for in the subjecting all things, He left nothing unsubjected to him. But now not-yet we see all things having been subjected² to him, ^.9but the (one), having been made-less² a short thing beside angels, we observe, Jesus because-of the suffering of death having been crowned² with glory and honor so-that with (the) grace of God he may taste death on behalf of all, ^.10for it used-to become Him to make (him) complete – because-of whom all things (are) and by means of whom all things (are), having led many sons into glory, the author of their salvation by means of sufferings;

It was not to angels that God subjected the inhabited area (caused the dwelled-in parts of the world to be in submission, to be arranged in the position of being underneath)…

• emphatically and specifically the inhabited area being on the point of coming (it has not come yet but it is about to come into being) – about which we speak.

But someone somewhere throughly-witnessed…. A 'witness' is someone who has information or knowledge of that-which he is attesting to, and can therefore confirm it on the strength of his-own authority. Here the verb is "throughly-witness" – this one fully affirmed, testified through the entire subject, thoroughly, he made known the information and knowledge that he has regarding this subject. Paul refers specifically to the prophetic old covenant writing of Psalm 8:4, 5, and 6 (b), which the readers of this letter should be very-much aware of. Some Greek texts also include the first part of verse 6; however, that is not relevant to the point that Paul is making in this passage and so it should be omitted.

God did not subject to angels the inhabited-area that is about to come into being concerning which we utter-forth, but someone somewhere bore complete witness saying:

• “Who is man that You remember him ([some Greek texts have “what” instead of “who”] – who is weak mankind that You, God, remind Yourself of him, call him to Your mind, recollect him)
• or a son of man that You look intensely on him (singular ‘son’ – a son of mankind, one whose origin is specifically from Adam, the first man, that You, God, look-upon, inspect, observe him with a view to help or relieve him, visiting and doing what is needed in the situation)?
• You made him less a short thing beside angels (You, God, caused him to be smaller in quality, degree, magnitude, a little something, a small bit lower, inferior when compared side by side to/with angels);
• You crowned him with glory and honor (You, God, crowned him the victorious king with importance, splendor, renown, and with being estimated valuable, deemed worthy of price);
• You subjected all-things down-under his feet (You, God, caused all-things to be in submission, to be arranged in the position of being down underneath his feet, under his rulership and authority and ability).”

In truth, during the time while God is subjecting all things under His son’s feet [the words “all things” may not be in the original text, however it is understood in the context], God left nothing unsubjected to him (God sent-away, dismissed, discharged, let-go from His concern not one thing that is not in subjection to him, not in submission, not arranged in the position of being under His son’s authority, etc).

It is interesting to notice that the verbs “subjecting” and “left” here are in the aorist tense, which is why it may be translated as a past event – however, this tense can refer to any time past, present, or future emphasizing that once this event is accomplished it is done, finished, it will not need to be done a second time! Paul continues to explain in the next sentence that this event has already started and it is taking place at the present time and will be fully accomplished at a future time. In verses 9 and 14 Paul explains the “thing” that made Jesus a short thing less beside angels and why God caused him to be that way – which is also the reason why God has crowned the resurrected Christ Jesus with glory and honor.

Paul continues: at the present time we don’t yet see all things having been subjected and continuing subjected to him (we do not perceive with our eyes and understand the object-of-sight in our mind's thoughts, i.e. all things in submission to him, because it has not been fully accomplished yet for us to be able to see everything that God has done for and with the resurrected Christ Jesus, His son).

But we presently and actively observe (we look and mentally-envision, we are mentally-aware and contemplate, even though we may not physically see everything with our physical eyes – we observe whom?)…

• the one,
  • having been made-less and continuing made-less a short thing beside angels (verse 7(a) above and the truth that this occurred has not changed),
• Jesus (Jesus is the one we are referring to)
  • because-of the suffering of death (on account of the experience of his own death, he was affected by death, he died)
• having been crowned and continuing crowned with glory and honor (this same Jesus was crowned with glory and honor when God raised him up from among the rest of the dead-people, and he remains crowned with glory and honor; verse 7(b) above)
  • so-that with the grace of God he may taste death on behalf of all (in such a manner that with/by God’s bestowed unmerited or undeserved favor Jesus would taste death, in the sense that he himself would experience the effects of death, being dead, not having any life, in the interests of all people).

In truth, it was becoming (distinguishing, suitable, proper) for/to/with God to make him complete (cause him to reach and arrive at his ending-issue; God made him perfect causing him to arrive at his ultimate state of completeness) – whom? – …

• because-of whom all things are (on account of whom all the things that I am writing about here came to pass, are, and will be)
• and by means of whom all things are (through whom all the things that I am writing about here came to pass, are, and will be),
• having led many sons into glory (he has already directed, conducted, conveyed a lot of sons into importance, splendor, renown),
• the author of their salvation by means of sufferings (the source, cause, chief, first, he set the rule, the beginner of their salvation, their safety, which is the standing and state of being made-safe to God from sins and their consequences through Jesus’ sufferings, explained in verse 9 above).

The Lord Jesus has been made complete by God and he will not change from this state of completeness. We should notice the great description of the Lord Jesus – it was becoming for God to make him complete! See also Acts 3:15 and Colossians 1:13-27.

Verse 6 has the phrase “son of man” which generally refers to anyone of mankind, humankind, but specifically in this context it is referring to Jesus who is now the Lord and the Christ. It emphasizes that he is the one who is descended from the man whom God created and made and formed as recorded in Genesis chapters 1 and 2, the first man Adam to whom God gave dominion, etc, on/over the earth. However this first man gave it to satan as recorded in Genesis chapter 3. Jesus is the seed of the woman (Genesis 3:15). Today of course Jesus has accomplished redemption and salvation and so he is the resurrected Christ, the second man having received his spiritual body, the life of which is holy spirit (not soul/breath life). Christ is the new man, the last man. After all Christians will be gathered together away from the earth, Christ Jesus will come to be present for those who will believe at that time among the nation of Israel and the other nations, the Gentiles, as ‘the son of man’ and he will exercise the authority that he has, his dominion on/over the earth having regained and replaced the first man and all that the first man gave to the devil/satan.

Paul quotes the Septuagint (the Greek version of the old covenant writings) of the prophecy in Psalm 8. He shows us the progression as to why Jesus was a little less than the angels (between his birth and his resurrection) but that now he is second-in-command to God Himself only. The resurrected Christ is the son of God and he is the second and last man, the new genus of mankind. Jesus has become so-much stronger-than angels by as-much-as he inherited and continues inherited a name more-different beside them (Hebrews 1:4) – he is the SON of God.

Grace is what is freely bestowed without any merit on the recipient's part; it includes reference to the attitude and quality of the one giving something favorable to another. Grace is not bestowed because somebody deserves a wage that is owed for something they said or did, nor because they begged so hard, nor because they forced the giver to give! Grace is bestowed because the giver wants to give by his own freedom of will to the recipient - it is completely unmerited favor from the giver to the recipient.

Re-reading verses 5-10:

Verses 5-10:

^.5For He did not subject to angels the inhabited-area, the (inhabited-area) being about to (come) concerning which we utter-forth, ^.6but someone somewhere throughly-witnessed saying, “Who is man that You remember him, or a son of man that You look-intensely-on him? ^.7You made him less a short thing beside angels; You crowned him with glory and honor; ^.8You subjected all-things down-under his feet”; for in the subjecting all things, He left nothing unsubjected to him. But now not-yet we see all things having been subjected² to him, ^.9but the (one), having been made-less² a short thing beside angels, we observe, Jesus because-of the suffering of death having been crowned² with glory and honor so-that with (the) grace of God he may taste death on behalf of all, ^.10for it used-to become Him to make (him) complete – because-of whom all things (are) and by means of whom all things (are), having led many sons into glory, the author of their salvation by means of sufferings;

 [Reference: Psalm 8; Matthew 22:44, 24:14, chapters 26-28; Luke 24:26; John 5:27; Acts chapters 1-4, 3:15, 5:31, 7:53, 17:31; Romans 5:6-21, 8:18, 29, 38 and 39, 15:7; I Corinthians 8:6, 15:23-28; II Corinthians 5:14-17; Ephesians 1:19-23, 2:4-10; Philippians 2:5-11, 3:21; Colossians chapter 1, 3:1; I Timothy 2:5 and 6, 4:8, 6:19; II Timothy 2:10, 4:1; Hebrews 1:6 and 13, 5:9, 10:14, 12:2, 13:12; I Peter 1:21; Revelation 3:10, 12:9, 16:14, and chapters 19-22.]

Verses 11-13:

^.11for both the (one) making-holy and the (people) being made-holy (are) all out-from one, because-of which cause he is not ashamed to call them “brothers” ^.12saying, “I will announce Your name to my brothers, in (the) midst of (the) church I will hymn-to You”; ^.13and again, “I will be having been persuaded² on Him”; and again, “Look!, I and the young-children whom God gave to me”;

In truth…

• both the one making holy (he who is sanctifying, causing others to become holy, setting people apart from the state of being common, defiled or unclean against God)
• and the people who are being made holy (sanctified, caused to come into the state of corresponding to the essence of God, Who is Holy Spirit, by receiving holy spirit-life from God by means of the Lord Jesus Christ)

…are all out-from one (all originate from one, referring to one man, Adam being the first man whom God created and from-whom all of mankind descended, including Jesus and all holy-people).

On account of this cause (the ground for charge, the reason for accusation, here used in the good sense explaining to the readers that the reason for the following is the truth just written about – because of which) he is not ashamed (the Lord Jesus does not cause himself to feel shame, to have the feeling or emotion of disgrace and guilt being sorry of/upon the following as though it were improper, ignominious or dishonorable to do the following) to call them “brothers.” All the people whom the Lord Jesus has made-holy are his brothers because God is the Father of the Lord Jesus and God is the Father of all holy-people.

The Lord Jesus is not ashamed to call those who have received holy spirit-life – “brothers” – saying…

• “I will announce (message, report, relate) Your name (designating God’s distinguishing and distinctive constitution, character and quality) to my brothers,
  • in the midst of the church I will hymn-to You (in the middle of the assembly of holy-people who are my brothers I will sing hymns to You, God; hymns are songs that are sung in praise of/to God)” [this is a reference to what was previously written in Psalm 22:22];
• and again, “I will be having been persuaded and continuing persuaded on Him (emphatically I, myself, will be in the state of already being convinced and still actively convinced resting-on or based-upon Him, God)” [this is a reference to what was previously written in II Samuel 22:3; Isaiah 12:2, 18:17(b)];
• and again, “Look (see, behold, pay attention to what I am saying)!, I and the young-children whom God gave to me (I and the little children whom God presented without force to me, yielded to me)” [this is a reference to what was previously written in Isaiah 8:18(a)]….

[Reference: Genesis 2:7; II Samuel 22:3; Psalm 22:22; Isaiah 8:17(b) and 18(a), 12:2; Matthew chapter 1, 2, 27 and 18; Luke 3:23-38; Acts 16:25, 17:26; Romans 5:6-21, 15:16; I Corinthians 1:2, 6:11; Ephesians 5:19 and 25(b)-27; Colossians 1:27, 3:16; Hebrews 6:4, 10:10 and 14, 13:12.]

Verses 14-18:

^.14therefore since the young-children shared-in-common² of blood and flesh, also he being-near-beside shared of the same-things in order that by means of death he may render-ineffective the (one) having the strongness of death, that is the devil, ^.15and he may remove these-people from (it), as-many-as with fear of death through all of life used-to-be liable of slavery; ^.16for indeed he does not take-hold-on angels but he takes-hold-on seed of Abraham ^.17from-which he used-to-owe to be made-like the brothers according to all-things in order that he may become a merciful and believing chief-priest (concerning) the-things towards God with-a-view to make-propitiation-for the sins of the people, ^.18for in that-which he suffered² himself having been tempted, he is able to come-to-help the (people) being tempted.

Following-on logically…

• since it is a fact that the young-children shared-in-common and continue to share-in-common of blood and flesh (the people who are made-holy, holy-people partook and still partake of/in/with the same-things, they participate with one-another of what are common to all, which are blood containing soul-life evidenced by their breathing, and flesh being their physical bodies),
• also emphatically he being-near-beside shared of the same-things (he himself, Jesus, being alongside, close-by, next to the young-children, partook once during a past time in association with them of the same things that they share in common – the objects that he shared-of were blood and flesh)
  • for the purpose and result that by means of death (through death, Jesus experienced death) he may render ineffective (he would cause to be inactive, inoperative and useless) the one having the strongness of death (the one holding the exerted-force of death, death’s power-in-effect, the exerted-strength which issues from death bringing death to mankind; death is lack of the only true God’s life) – what one had the strongness of death at that time? – that one is the devil,
  • and he may remove these-people from it (Jesus would move these people away from death, he would change or alter one thing for another by taking them away from death and placing them into God’s life instead),
    • specifically as many people as with fear of death through all of life (who had fright, terror, were afraid of death while living their lives) used to be liable of slavery (were continuing during that past time to be held-in or made-subject pertaining to slavery, the consequence of living with fear of death, the consequence being servitude, slaves in bondage);….

The word translated "devil" comes from the words: "through" and "throw" or "cast" – the devil throws or casts things through people, like stabbing a person from outside through the person and out the other side with an accusation or slander, etc. "Satan" is the name that emphasizes the devil's opposing and adversarial attributes being in total opposition to the only true God. There are many names used in the Bible to describe his characteristics, qualities, etc. The devil is the chief of the devil-spirits (demons), which are the other evil-spirits in subordination to the devil. In Genesis chapter 3 the devil brought death to mankind and mankind accepted it even though God had previously told Adam to avoid it; thus mankind was also removed from God’s life and its effects. Mankind’s free access was denied at that time recorded in Genesis 3:23 and 24. Today of course all holy-people have been given holy spirit-life which is God’s life in Christ’s life in us (see Colossians chapter 1).

A master/slave relationship may not be a permanent relationship because the master could get rid of his slave (the servant bound to serve the master). He could dismiss his slave from that position if the slave refused to be receptive and do what the master asked him to do. This is the relationship that God had with those who wanted to be among God’s people prior to the Lord Jesus making holy spirit-life available to all (Judeans / Israelites and Gentiles / other-nations). God would issue His commandments, His words to them, and they were to believe them and obey them and to recognize that He was their God and to love Him. In return He would bless them and keep them safe from harm, etc, as they awaited the coming of the promised redeemer. This was not a sonship relationship by seed. They were not God's sons with His gift of holy spirit born within them as we holy-people/Christians are and have today. Sometimes they were referred to as God's sons but it was understood that it was only by adoption, not birth.

Re-reading from verse 14 again: therefore since the young-children shared-in-common² of blood and flesh, also he being-near-beside shared of the same-things in order that by means of death he may render-ineffective the (one) having the strongness of death, that is the devil, and he may remove these-people from (it), as-many-as with fear of death through all of life used-to-be liable of slavery; in truth and of course…

• he does not take-hold-on angels (the Lord Jesus presently does not catch angels as stretching his hand out receiving them to himself thereby saving them from danger)
• but on the contrary, he takes-hold-on seed of Abraham (the Lord Jesus presently catches the offspring, posterity of Abraham as stretching his hand out receiving them to himself thereby saving them from danger; refer to Acts 3:25, Romans 9:7, Galatians 3:16 and 29)…

…from which fact he used to owe to be made-like the brothers according to all-things (he was during a past time obligated to be caused to be like, to be similar to his brothers in accordance, conformity and proportion to/with all aspects) for the purpose and result that he would become (come to pass to be)…

• a merciful (one who shows active-relief towards others because of withholding merited judgment from them)
• and believing (actively having belief, faithful, trusting, reliable)
  • chief-priest concerning the-things towards God (high priest pertaining to the things that are offered by him to God on behalf of himself and all the people)
  • with-a-view to make propitiation for the sins of the people (for the purpose of regaining favor, blessing, making atonement for the sins that the people committed; sins are aberrations from God's Word, missing the mark of what God says, not doing what He told them to do),…

…for in that-which he suffered and continues suffered himself having been tempted (resting in the fact that Jesus experienced, was affected by things previously, and this truth has not changed, emphatically he himself was made trial of, tried in the bad sense of being put to the test with evil and ill-intent being enticed to do wrong, try to cause him to fall-aside from the truth of God’s Word, he was enticed to disbelieve what God says; the devil is the one who tempts with/by evil and he tempted Jesus),…

• he is able to come-to-help (the Lord Jesus presently is capable, he has the able-power to run to give aid, advance to support) the people who are presently being tempted.

Again, verses 14-18:

Verses 14-18:

^.14therefore since the young-children shared-in-common² of blood and flesh, also he being-near-beside shared of the same-things in order that by means of death he may render-ineffective the (one) having the strongness of death, that is the devil, ^.15and he may remove these-people from (it), as-many-as with fear of death through all of life used-to-be liable of slavery; ^.16for indeed he does not take-hold-on angels but he takes-hold-on seed of Abraham ^.17from-which he used-to-owe to be made-like the brothers according to all-things in order that he may become a merciful and believing chief-priest (concerning) the-things towards God with-a-view to make-propitiation-for the sins of the people, ^.18for in that-which he suffered² himself having been tempted, he is able to come-to-help the (people) being tempted.

[Reference: Genesis 17:19, 21:12; Leviticus chapter 16, 21:10; Matthew 1:21, 4:1-11, 5:7, 13:39, 14:31, 16:1 and 21, 17:12, 19:3, 22:18 and 35, 25:41; Luke 22:28; Acts 3:18 and 25, 5:9, 10:38, 13:10, 17:3; Romans 3:24 and 25, 4:13 to 5:2, 8:3 and 15, 9:7; I Corinthians 7:5, 10:9-13, 12:26, chapter 15, 15:54; Galatians 3:16 and 29, 4:24, 5:1, 6:1; Ephesians 4:27, 6:11; Philippians 2:27; I Thessalonians 3:5; II Thessalonians 3:3; I Timothy 3:6, 7 and 11, 6:12 and 19; II Timothy 1:10, 2:13 and 26; Hebrews 1:9, 3:1, 4:14 and 15, chapter 9; I Peter 5:8; I John 2:2, 4:10; Revelation 12:9 and 12, 20:2 and 20. Note: verbs with a superscript 2 (²) immediately following them indicate the "perfect" tense - details are provided in the "Relevant Notes" link of this study.]

Paul continues – in the next ‘chapter’….