The Letters · New Testament

Hebrews 2

Hebrews 2: the first warning, and the Son made lower than the angels

General context

The argument breaks off into a warning. Because of what has been said, the hearers ought to give the more earnest heed to what they have heard, lest they let it slip. If the word spoken by angels was stedfast and every transgression received a just recompence, the letter asks how those who neglect so great salvation shall escape, a salvation which began to be spoken by the Lord, was confirmed by those who heard him, and was witnessed by signs, wonders, miracles and gifts of the Holy Ghost. The argument resumes: the world to come is not put in subjection to angels. A quotation asks what man is that God is mindful of him, and says he was made a little lower than the angels and had all things put under his feet. The writer observes that all things are not yet seen under him, but that Jesus is seen, made lower than the angels for the suffering of death and crowned with glory and honour, tasting death for every man. The captain of their salvation is made perfect through sufferings. Because sanctifier and sanctified are all of one, he calls them brethren, and three quotations are put in his mouth. Since the children share flesh and blood, he took part of the same, to destroy through death the one who had the power of death and to free those held in bondage by fear of death. He took on him the seed of Abraham, was made like his brethren, and became a merciful and faithful high priest who can help those who are tempted.

Cited passages: Hebrews 2:1, Hebrews 2:2, Hebrews 2:3, Hebrews 2:4, Hebrews 2:5, Hebrews 2:6, Hebrews 2:7, Hebrews 2:8, Hebrews 2:9, Hebrews 2:10, Hebrews 2:11, Hebrews 2:12, Hebrews 2:13, Hebrews 2:14, Hebrews 2:15, Hebrews 2:16, Hebrews 2:17, Hebrews 2:18

Hebrews 2 (KJV)

¹Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip.

²For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward;

³How 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;

⁴God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will?

⁵For unto the angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come, whereof we speak.

⁶But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man, that thou visitest him?

⁷Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands:

⁸Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him.

⁹But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.

¹⁰For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.

¹¹For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren,

¹²Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee.

¹³And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold I and the children which God hath given me.

¹⁴Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;

¹⁵And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.

¹⁶For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham.

¹⁷Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.

¹⁸For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.

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Historical context

Verse 3 places the writer and the readers at one remove from the Lord's own speaking: the salvation "was confirmed unto us by them that heard him". The letter therefore does not claim that its writer heard the Lord, and it still names no one. The first quotation is introduced only as "one in a certain place testified", without a name or a book. Its wording matches Psalm 8 with changes: Hebrews 2:6 reads "or the son of man" where Psalm 8:4 reads "and the son of man", and Hebrews 2:7 reads "thou crownedst him with glory and honour" where Psalm 8:5 reads "hast crowned him with glory and honour". Hebrews 2:12 reads "in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee" where Psalm 22:22 reads "in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee". The saying at Hebrews 2:13, "Behold I and the children which God hath given me", stands close to Isaiah 8:18, "Behold, I and the children whom the Lord hath given me". The chapter states that the word was spoken by angels but does not say which word or when. It names the devil as the one who had the power of death and gives no further account of him.

Cited passages: Hebrews 2:3, Hebrews 2:6, Psalms 8:4, Hebrews 2:7, Psalms 8:5, Hebrews 2:12, Psalms 22:22, Hebrews 2:13, Isaiah 8:18, Hebrews 2:2, Hebrews 2:14

Literary context

The chapter sets the pattern the rest of the letter follows: a stretch of argument, then a direct address to the hearers, then argument again. The warning is tied to the previous chapter by its first word and argues from lesser to greater, from a stedfast word spoken by angels to "so great salvation". The quoted phrase "a little lower than the angels" is first a difficulty, since "we see not yet all things put under him", and then the solution, because Jesus was "made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death". The turn is marked by the contrast between not seeing and seeing: "But now we see not yet" answered by "But we see Jesus". Kinship language then takes over, with brethren, children, flesh and blood repeated across verses 11 to 17, and the three short quotations are given to the Son as his own speech. The last two verses introduce the words high priest, which the letter has not used before and will not drop again.

Cited passages: Hebrews 2:1, Hebrews 2:2, Hebrews 2:3, Hebrews 2:7, Hebrews 2:8, Hebrews 2:9, Hebrews 2:11, Hebrews 2:14, Hebrews 2:17

Key moments

Lest we let them slip (Hebrews 2:1). The argument pauses for a direct warning to pay closer attention.
So great salvation (Hebrews 2:3). The warning argues from the word spoken by angels to a greater message.
What is man? (Hebrews 2:6). An unnamed source is quoted asking what man is that God is mindful of him.
But we see Jesus (Hebrews 2:9). The unfulfilled quotation is applied to one who suffered death.
Not ashamed to call them brethren (Hebrews 2:11). Sanctifier and sanctified are said to be all of one.
Flesh and blood shared (Hebrews 2:14). He takes part of flesh and blood to destroy the one with the power of death.
A merciful high priest (Hebrews 2:17). The letter first calls him a high priest made like his brethren.

For reflection

The chapter admits plainly that all things are not yet seen put under him, and answers by pointing to one person rather than to visible evidence. How does a reader hold an unfinished claim and a stated ground for it at the same time?