Hebrews 2 Study Notes

2:1-18 In this chapter the author turned to consider Jesus as a human being. He is the Son of Man just as surely as he is the Son of God. Believers err if they emphasize one reality to the neglect of the other. The author uses the fact that the law was binding to introduce the first of several strong exhortations in the book (3:7-19; 5:11-6:3; 10:26-31; 12:1-2,14-29). He warned his readers about the danger of drifting away from participating in the gospel mission by standing on the sidelines as God’s plan for history moves forward. The gospel was verified to its first hearers by signs and wonders, various miracles, and distributions of gifts from the Holy Spirit as the church was in its foundational stages. The Word of God is now verified by the internal testimony of the Holy Spirit, so there seems no further need for such spectacular acts of verification.

2:5-9 The author demonstrated that the eternal Son entered creation to become a man and thereby temporarily became lower than the angels. Psalm 8, on one level taken to be a reference to humankind and the dominion conferred on man by God, also applies to the son of man as Jesus Christ. Psalm 8 is a look backward to Genesis as well as a look forward to events disclosed in the book of Revelation, where God subjects all things to humanity by subjecting them to Jesus. Jesus was crowned with glory and honor by God because he suffered death for everyone. Like Paul, the author noted that the coronation of Jesus Christ as King of kings followed his humiliating crucifixion in obedience to the Father (Php 2:8-9).

2:10-18 In these verses the author showed why it was necessary that the eternal Son became a man. First, it was appropriate that the Son should have a ministry completed in suffering, which all humans experience, so that he might identify with us and bring many sons and daughters into the presence of God. People who have accepted Christ’s sacrifice on their behalf can be referred to as “children” of God because the Son of God has made them his brothers and sisters. The author quoted three OT verses to show that the Son is present in the gathered church (Ps 22:22), that the Son trusts the Father (Is 8:17), and that the church can come before the Father because it is united with Christ (Is 8:18). Second, the Son became a man and suffered death so that he could destroy the one holding the power of death—that is, the devil. It is by virtue of Christ’s death on our behalf that we are freed from the fear of death. Third, the Son became a man and suffered death so that he could serve as a faithful high priest in service to God. The only person who can serve as a mediator between God and man is the one who is both God and man. It is by reason of his faithfulness as a man who was tempted and suffered that he could make atonement for the sins of the people. Not only did he suffer divine retribution on our behalf, but he is able to help us because he is like his brothers and sisters in every way except sin.