An Exposition of

Hebrews 2

Christopher May

An Exposition of Hebrews 2

Ó2006 by Christopher S May

Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holman Christian Standard Bible, Copyright 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Holman Christian Standard Bible, Holman CSBÒ, and HCSB, are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Other versions sighted are NASB, the New American Standard Bible, the Lockman Foundation, 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995; used by permission. NIV, the Holy Bible New International VersionÓ by International Bible Society, 1973, 1978, 1984. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved. KJV, the King James Version.

Hebrews 2:1-4

Introduction: In chapter 2 we are going to encounter the first of 5 warnings that are recorded in the book of Hebrews. We are also going to continue with the theme of the Supremacy of Christ, which runs throughout the whole book of Hebrews; specifically we will continue to look at how Jesus is superior to the angels. In this chapter we will see that Jesus is superior to angels because of His humanity. We will also look at mans place in the plan of God. And finally we will begin to unfold the truth that Jesus is our Great High Priest.

Chapter 2:

I.              Review – The Theme of Hebrews – Jesus is Superior

• We discussed chapter 1 last week; do you remember what was the main theme of that chapter?  Jesus is superior to angels because of His Sonship.

a.     Main Theme of Chapter 1 - Jesus is superior to angels

                                          i.    Jesus is the creator – angels were created

1.   In these last days, He has spoken to us by ⌊His⌋ Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things and through whom He made the universe. (Hebrews 1:2)

2.   because by Him everything was created, in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities— all things have been created through Him and for Him. (Colossians 1:16)

• Who do these verses teach was the creator? Jesus – The Son
• What did He create? Everything in Heaven and on earth.

                                        ii.    Jesus inherited a better name than the angels

1.     (Son) For to which of the angels did He ever say, You are My Son; today I have become Your Father, or again, I will be His Father, and He will be My Son?  (Hebrews 1:5)

2.     (Firstborn) When He again brings His firstborn into the world, He says, And all God’s angels must worship Him (Hebrews 1:6)

3.   (God) but about the Son: Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, and the scepter of Your kingdom is a scepter of justice. You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness; this is why God, Your God, has anointed You, rather than Your companions, with the oil of joy. (Hebrews 1:8)

                                       iii.     Jesus is on the throne

1.     Your throne, O God, is forever and ever (Hebrews 1:8)

2.     God, Your God, has anointed You, rather than Your companions, with the oil of joy (Hebrews 1:9)

                                       iv.    Jesus is the Son of God, angels are the servants of God

1.     You are my Son (Hebrews 1:5)

2.     But about the Son: (Hebrews 1:8)

3.     Angels are ministering spirits: Are they not all ministering spirits sent out to serve those who are going to inherit salvation? (Hebrews 1:14)

With that as background we can now move into chapter 2. Chapter 2, as I have already said, is a continuation of the theme that Jesus is superior to angels. In this chapter the writer looks at the humanity of Jesus, and uses this along with some Old Testament Scripture, to show us that Jesus is superior to angels because He became human, (He became like us) and for this reason, not only is He superior to the angels, He is also able to be our Great High Priest!

Let’s take a quick look at how chapter 2 lays out and then we can take it apart piece by piece.

b.    The Main Theme of Chapter 2

You could title Hebrews Chapter 2 “Jesus is superior to angels, part 2 – the humanity of Jesus”

·         Before we dig into this do you have any thoughts on why Jesus’ humanity might make Him superior to angels?

Here are five reasons, all taken directly from Hebrews chapter 2, that on the surface appear to make Jesus inferior to the angels, but when we develop these you will see the superiority of Jesus in each one.

                                          i.    Made for a little while lower than the angels (Hebrews 2:9)

                                         ii.    Tasted death for everyone (Hebrews 2:9)

                                        iii.    Shares flesh and blood with us (Hebrews 2:14)

                                        iv.    Made like us in all things (Hebrew 2:17)

                                         v.    He suffered temptation (Hebrews 2:18)

You have probably noticed that I skipped the first few verses in chapter 2. That is because verses one through four is like a parenthesis in the flow of thought from chapter 1 to chapter 2. The theme of these 2 chapters, as I have already said, is that Jesus is superior to angels. Halfway though making the case the author stops and gives us a warning, and then continues on with the thought. So let’s look at this now. In verse 1 we see the warning, in verses 2-4 we see the reason for the warning, and then in verse 5 the flow of thought picks right back up with the argument that Jesus is superior to angels. Only now he is arguing this point from the perspective of the warning he just issued.

II.            Chapter 2

a.       The Warning (Hebrews 2:1-4)

                                          i.    We must therefore (For This Reason [NASB], Therefore [KJV], Since all this is true [NIV])

·   This passage begins with “we must therefore pay even more attention”, why are we to pay even more attention? Because of all that we have just learned in chapter 1:

1.         God has spoken to us through His Son (Hebrews 1:1-2)

2.         The Son is the radiance of God’s Glory and the exact representation of His nature (Hebrews 1:3)

3.         The Son made purification for our sins (Hebrew 1:3)

4.         The Son is better than angels because:

a.     He is the Son (v5)

b.    He is worshipped by angels (v6)

c.     He created the heavens and the earth (v10)

d.    He is eternal (v11-12)

e.     He is God (v8)

·         What is the warning? We must pay attention to what we have heard so that we do not drift away.

b.    What have we heard?

                                          i.    Jesus is superior to angels (Hebrews 1)

                                         ii.    Jesus is the radiance of God’s glory (Hebrews 1:3)

1.     “Lord,” said Philip, “show us the Father, and that’s enough for us.” Jesus said to him, “Have I been among you all this time without your knowing Me, Philip? The one who has seen Me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Don’t you believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me? The words I speak to you I do not speak on My own. The Father who lives in Me does His works. (John 14:8-10)

2.     He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation (Colossians 1:15)

                                        iii.    Jesus made purifications for our sins (Hebrews 1:3)

1.     He gave Himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to cleanse for Himself a special people, eager to do good works. (Titus 2:14)

2.     who gave Himself for our sins to rescue us from this present evil age,  according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.  (Galatians 1:4)

                                        iv.    What are we to do?

1.     Pay even more attention (Hebrew 2:1)

In the Greek this warning that we must therefore “pay even more attention” comes from the words dei and prosechō.  This is a Present Indicative Active verb, which means that this is to be a continuous or repeated action.

1. The Active Voice represents the action as being accomplished by the subject of the verb:[i] In this case “we”

2. The Indicative Mood makes an assertion of fact and is used with all six Greek tenses. It is the only mood in which distinctions can regularly be made about the time when an action occurs:[ii]

3. The Present Tense in the Indicative Mood represents contemporaneous action, as opposed to action in the past or the future. In moods other than in the indicative mood, it refers only to continuous or repeated action. [iii]

So what we are being told here is that we are to continuously and repeatedly pay close attention to what we have heard.

·               What have we heard? That in these last days God has spoken to us in His Son Jesus; He is the image of the invisible God; He is the heir of all things; He is the sustainer of all things; He made purification for sin; He is seated on His throne at the right hand of God.

Next we see the danger of what will happen to us if we fail to pay attention to what we have heard.

·               Why are we to pay much closer attention to what we have heard?

The author gives us 3 reasons in the next few verses.

1.     If we don’t pay attention we risk drifting away

The Greek word that we translate into Drift away is the Greek word pararréō, which is actually made up of two other Greek words pará (by, past, beyond) and rhéō (To float). When we put these words together we get a word that means to float by, drift past, or slip away. The Complete Word Study Dictionary New Testament defines it like this:

To float by or drift past as a ship, or to flow past as a river. Figuratively to slip away, suggesting a gradual and almost unnoticed movement past a certain point. Of a person, to move stealthily as a thief. It is used figuratively of persons meaning to glide away, to swerve or deviate from something, such as the truth, law, precepts; to fall aside. [iv]  

This is the only place where this word is used in the New Testament; however, it is used one time in the Septuagint (the Greek translation of the Old Testament) and that is in Proverbs 3:21. Looking at this verse in a couple different translations can help us get a better understanding of the word.

Maintain ⌊your⌋ competence and discretion. My son, don’t lose sight of them. (HCSB)

My son, let them not vanish from your sight; Keep sound wisdom and discretion, (NASB)

My son, preserve sound judgment and discernment, do not let them out of your sight. (NIV)

2.     All disobedience results in punishment

The thought here is that if a violation of the law that was delivered by angels results in punishment, then how much more serious is it to disobey Jesus when we have just learned that Jesus is superior to the angels?

There are 2 Greek words here that are translated as Transgression (violation in the NIV) and Disobedience.

A.        First is the word parábasis, which we translate as Transgression, and expresses the idea of wrongdoing or of breaking the law.

B.        The second word here, the one that we translate as Disobedience is the Greek word parakoé̄ and this word means fail to hear, to hear amiss, or to be inattentive or careless.

·               Based on these definitions why do you think both words were used here and what do you think the author is trying to teach us by using both of these words?

The first word, transgression, has the idea of willfully breaking the law, or of overtly stepping across the line in a willful act of defiance. The second word, disobedience, is talking about a person who, by misunderstanding, failing to hear or hearing incorrectly, then sins inadvertently. Either way, whether willful or not, this passage teaches us that every sin will receive its just punishment.

We all know Romans 3:23, “all have sinned”, and Romans 6:23, “the wages of sin is death”, but what about Leviticus 4:1-3

Then the Lord spoke to Moses: “Tell the Israelites: When someone sins unintentionally against any of the Lord’s commands and does anything prohibited by them—“If the anointed priest sins, bringing guilt on the people, he is to present to the Lord a young, unblemished bull as a sin offering for the sin he has committed. He must bring the bull to the entrance to the tent of meeting before the Lord, lay his hand on the bull’s head, and slaughter it before the Lord. (Leviticus 4:1-3)

We see from this verse that even unintentional sin requires payment, and later on in Hebrews 2 we see that Jesus took on flesh and blood and became like us so that he could deliver us from the power, and fear of death.

Next we are asked the rhetorical question, “how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation?” 

There are 3 important points here that we need to look at:

1. This salvation is a “great salvation”

2. This salvation may be neglected.

3. There is no escape for those who neglect this great salvation.

Let’s look at these one at a time.

1. Our salvation is great because of:

A.    The greatness of the One who saves

a.     He is the heir of all things (Hebrews 1:2)

b.    He is the creator of all things (Revelation 4:11)

c.     He is radiance of the Father’s glory and the exact representation of His nature (John 14:9)

d.    He upholds all things by the word of His power (Colossians 1:17)

e.     He is better than the angels (Hebrews 1&2)

B.    The awful condition from which we are saved

a.     We were slaves to sin (Romans 6:5-7) (John 8:34)

b.    We were under the penalty of death (Romans 6:23)

c.     We were under the wrath of God (John 3:36)

C.    The position into which we are saved

a.     We were brought into the family of God (Galatians 3:29) (Titus 3:7)

b.    We were given an inheritance that: (1 Peter 1:3-5)

                                                  i.    Can never perish

                                                 ii.    Can never spoil

                                                iii.    Can never fade

                                                iv.    Is kept for us in Heaven

                                                 v.    Is protected by the power of God

                                                vi.    Is ready to be revealed

D.    The price that was paid

a.     He paid not with corruptible things like silver and gold; He paid with His own blood (1Peter 1:18-19)

2. This salvation may be neglected

It is neglected every time someone is given the opportunity to be saved and they let it slip by, and it is neglected every time it is rejected. This great salvation can be openly rejected, or it can be passively ignored, either way the result is the same.

“The process of neglecting, like to process of drifting may be painless and unconscious, but it is more dangerous on that account. You may neglect it without hating it or denying it.”[v]  In other words not choosing it is the same as rejecting it.

3. There is no escape for those who reject this great salvation

We are back to that rhetorical question again; “how will we escape if we neglect such a great salvation?” The answer is we will not. “How will we escape the wrath of God if we neglect the gift of God? How will we escape the wages of sin if we neglect the Atonement for sin? How will we escape the condemnation of Hell if we reject the salvation of Heaven?”[vi]

In the end of verse 3 we see that this great salvation was announced by God and then it was confirmed to us (both the author and the readers of Hebrews) by those who heard (the apostles). In other words, Jesus spoke this message to the disciples and the writer of Hebrews got the message from one of them and delivered it to us. (Just a side note here; this is the one verse in Hebrews that make me think that it was not Paul that wrote this letter)

Then there is something really interesting in verse 4. We are told that God is bearing witness with them (the disciples). It is interesting to note that there are 3 things listed here as witnesses confirming this great salvation. This is very important when you remember that this book was written to a Jewish audience. In the Old Testament a person could not be convicted of crime on the basis of just one witness; the law required 2 or 3.

One witness cannot establish any wrongdoing or sin against a person, whatever that person has done.  A fact must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses (Deuteronomy 19:15)

Here in Hebrews 2 we are being told that we have 3 witnesses to this great salvation: we have Signs & Wonders, Miracles, and the Gifts of the Holy Spirit. Let’s take a closer look at each of these.

1. The three witnesses

A.    Signs (sēmeíon) and Wonders (téras)

Sēmeíon Sign, mark, token, miracle with a spiritual end and purpose. In the pl., miracles which lead to something out of and beyond themselves; finger–marks of God, valuable not so much for what they are as for what they indicate of the grace and power of the Doer[vii]

Téras is derived from tēréō, to keep, watch, connoting that which due to its extraordinary character is apt to be observed and kept in the memory. It is a miracle regarded as startling, imposing or amazing. A wonder or omen. It is often associated with sēmeíon, sign, and is usually in the pl. translated “wonders”[viii]

B.    Miracles (dúnamis)

Dúnamis Power, inherent ability, is used of works of supernatural origin and character, such as could not be produced by natural agents or means.[ix]

C.   Gifts (merismós)

Merismós The act of distribution, separation, or that which is distributed.[x]

·         Look again at verse 4; who does it tell us these signs came through? The Holy Spirit

Note that the gifts mentioned in verse 4 are from the Holy Spirit. A few weeks ago we talked about the meaning and purpose of spiritual gifts, and here we see another reason for the Holy Spirit giving gifts; they are to be a witness to the great salvation that is mentioned here in Hebrews 2.

So here we have the first of 5 warnings here in Hebrews; we have four more to go and each warning is more severe than the one that preceded it.

In our next lesson we will continue in Hebrews 2 by again looking at the superiority of Jesus; starting in verse 5 we will see that Jesus is superior to angels because of His humanity.

Hebrews 2:5-18

Introduction: In this lesson we are going to continue our study of Hebrews chapter 2. In verses 5-18 we pick right back up with the theme of the superiority of Jesus, specifically His superiority to angels, and in these verses we will learn that Jesus is superior because of His humanity.

Remember from the last lesson that I said verses 1-4 were a parenthesis in the middle of the argument that Jesus is better than the angels. To illustrate this point lets look at the flow of thought by reading Hebrews 1:14 and the skipping right to Hebrews 2:5

Are they not all ministering spirits sent out to serve those who are going to inherit salvation? For He has not subjected to angels the world to come that we are talking about. (Hebrews 1:14, 2:5)

As you can see the flow of thought started in chapter 1 is picked right back up and continues in verse 5 of chapter 2. In chapter 1 the writer emphasized the Deity of Jesus and in chapter 2 the emphasis in on His humanity; the point here is that Jesus is superior to angels on both accounts.

You would think, looking back at verse 14 of the previous chapter, that because angels are “ministering spirits” who are not confined by the limitations of a human body, that they would have an advantage over those who are, but as we will see in the following verses this is not the case at all, and in fact this is part of what makes Jesus superior to them.

These 14 verses can be divided into the following 4 sections:

1.     Jesus humanity enabled Him to regain man’s lost dominion (verses 5-9)

2.     Jesus humanity enabled Him to bring many sons to glory (verves 10-13)

3.     Jesus humanity enabled Him to disarm Satan and deliver us from death (verses 14-16)

4.     Jesus humanity enables Him to be a sympathetic High Priest to His people (verses 17-18)

Now let’s look at each of these in more detail and walk through this verse by verse, and in some cases line by line, and see why Jesus humanity makes him superior to the angels.

1. Jesus’ humanity enabled Him to regain man’s lost dominion.

For He has not subjected to angels the world to come, that we are talking about. (Hebrews 2:5)

Many have assumed that the world to come is referring to Heaven, but the word translated “world” here in Hebrews 2:5 is the Greek word oikouménē which means the inhabited earth[xi] This word is used a few other times in the New Testament, and every time it refers to the inhabited world. Let’s take a look at a few of these:

Matthew 24:14 This good news of the kingdom will be proclaimed in all the world as a testimony to all nations.  And then the end will come. 

Romans 10:18 But I ask, “Did they not hear?” Yes, they did: Their voice has gone out to all the earth, and their words to the ends of the inhabited world

Hebrews 1:6 When He again brings His firstborn into the world, He says, And all God’s angels must worship Him

Revelation 16:13-14 Then I saw three unclean spirits like frogs coming from the dragon’s mouth, from the beast’s mouth, and from the mouth of the false prophet.  For they are spirits of demons performing signs, who travel to the kings of the whole world to assemble them for the battle of the great day of God, the Almighty. 

We can see from the use of the word in these verses that the world to come refers to this earth.

Continuing: But one has somewhere testified: What is man, that You remember him, or the son of man, that You care for him? You made him lower than the angels for a short time; You crowned him with glory and honor and subjected everything under his feet. (Hebrews 2:6-8)

In these verses we see man’s place in the plan of God. The quotation here is taken from Psalm 8:4-6, so let’s turn over there and take a look at this in its context.

In this Psalm David begins, like he does in most of his Psalms, by praising God. You can see here the great love that David has for his God. Here we see a man who, when he looks at the splendor of the heavens and the glory of the creation, stands in awe of the One who created it, and he breaks out in praise.

In verse 3 we see the thought process for question that David asks God, a question that is repeated in here Hebrews 2:6. David is confused and he says, “When I observe your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You set in place, what is man that You remember him, the son of man that You look after him?” 

·         How would you answer that question?

To understand this we need to understand why man was created, and to see God’s plan for man in His creation we have to go back to the beginning, so let’s turn over to Genesis 1:26-31 and see what we can find out.

Genesis 1:26-31 Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness.  They will rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, the animals, all the earth, and the creatures that crawl on the earth.” So God created man in His own image; He created him in the image of God; He created them male and female. God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it. Rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, and every creature that crawls  on the earth.” God also said, “Look, I have given you every seed-bearing plant on the surface of the entire earth, and every tree whose fruit contains seed. This food will be for you, for all the wildlife of the earth, for every bird of the sky, and for every creature that crawls on the earth—everything having the breath of life in it. I have given every green plant for food.”  And it was so. God saw all that He had made, and it was very good.  Evening came, and then morning: the sixth day.

So we can see here that God’s plan was to create man in His image, and then to have man rule over His creation. Man was, according to Psalm 8, created a little lower than the angels, but as we see here in Genesis he was created with privileges far higher than the angels; man was given dominion over God’s creation.

Back in Psalm 8, and in Hebrews 2, we see:

Psalms 8:6 You made him lord over the works of Your hands; You put everything under his feet:

Hebrews 2:7b-8a You made him lower than the angels for a short time; You crowned him with glory and honor and subjected everything under his feet.

• Does man currently rule over creation? Why/why not?

In Genesis 3 we see that Adam and Eve decided to disobey God and go their own way, and in verses 17-19 we see part of the curse that was placed on man because of his disobedience to God.

Genesis 3:17-19 And He said to Adam, “Because you listened to your wife’s voice and ate from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘Do not eat from it: The ground is cursed because of you. You will eat from it by means of painful labor all the days of your life. It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field. You will eat bread by the sweat of your brow until you return to the ground, since you were taken from it. For you are dust, and you will return to dust.”

When we put all of this together we see that God intended for man to rule His creation, but man chose to go his own way, and when he disobeyed God he lost his position as the ruler of creation.  As we will see in Hebrews though, God’s plan is still for man to rule over His creation. The problem is that humans are still sinners, and as such we are still under a curse. Man, in his sinful state cannot exercise dominion over “the fish of the sea”, “the birds of the sky”, “the cattle” and “all the earth” as God had intended. But what does the next line in Hebrews 2 say?

For in subjecting everything to him, He left nothing not subject to him. As it is, we do not yet see everything subjected to him.

Jesus, because of His humanity, regained for man the place in creation that he was intended to have. Here we see that we do not yet see everything in subjection to man…but we see Jesus. Throughout the Bible Jesus is called the second, or last Adam, and we will not get into all that implies here, but what you need to know is that Jesus has regained for humanity what was lost in the fall.

The very next line of Hebrews 2 is:

But we do see Jesus—made lower than the angels for a short time so that by God’s grace He might taste death for everyone (Hebrews 2:9a)

Jesus is the answer to our dilemma; Jesus became a man so that He could suffer and die for our sin and as a result restore the dominion that was lost because of our sin. Let’s look at a few verses that show us that Jesus did exercise dominion over the fish, over birds, over animals, and over nature.

Fish: Luke 5:4-7 When He had finished speaking, He said to Simon, “Put out into deep water and let down your nets for a catch.” “Master,” Simon replied, “we’ve worked hard all night long and caught nothing! But at Your word, I’ll let down the nets.” When they did this, they caught a great number of fish, and their nets began to tear. So they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them; they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.

Birds: Luke 22:34, 60 “I tell you, Peter,” He said, “the rooster will not crow today until  you deny three times that you know Me!” But Peter said, “Man, I don’t know what you’re talking about!” Immediately, while he was still speaking, a rooster crowed.

Animals: Mark 11:1-7 When they approached Jerusalem, at Bethphage and Bethany near the Mount of Olives, He sent two of His disciples and told them, “Go into the village ahead of you. As soon as you enter it, you will find a young donkey tied there, on which no one has ever sat. Untie it and bring it here.  If anyone says to you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord needs it and will send it back here right away.’ ” So they went and found a young donkey outside in the street, tied by a door. They untied it, and some of those standing there said to them, “What are you doing, untying the donkey?” They answered them just as Jesus had said, so they let them go. Then they brought the donkey to Jesus and threw their robes on it, and He sat on it.

Man was crowned with glory and honor, but he lost his crown and became the slave of sin. Let’s now look at a passage that tells us Jesus has regained that glory and honor and we will one-day reign with Him over creation.

Revelation 20:6 Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! The second death has no power over these, but they will be priests of God and the Messiah, and they will reign with Him for 1,000 years.

If Jesus had not become a man He could not have died and “tasted death for everyone”. It is true that angels cannot die, but it is also true that angels cannot save lost sinners and restore what we lost in the fall.

2. Jesus humanity enabled Him to bring many sons to glory.

For it was fitting, in bringing many sons to glory, that He, for whom and through whom all things exist (Hebrews 2:10a)

This is telling us that everything we see in creation was made for Jesus, and not only that, everything we have is from Him.

Colossians 1:16-17 because by Him everything was created, in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities— all things have been created through Him and for Him.  He is before all things, and by Him all things hold together.

Romans 11:36 For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things.  To Him be the glory forever. Amen.

Revelation 4:11 Our Lord and God, You are worthy to receive glory and honor and power, because You have created all things, and because of Your will they exist and were created.

1 Corinthians 8:5-6 For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth—as there are many “gods” and many “lords”— yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things, and we for Him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and we through Him

should make the source of their salvation perfect through sufferings (Hebrews 2:10b)

Jesus is not only the Second Adam; He is the author of our salvation. The Greek word here translated “author” is archēgós, which can also be translated as “Beginning, Originator, Founder, Leader Prince, Pioneer”[xii] or, as the KJV translates it “Captain”. The word actually means “the cause of”. This word can best be understood this way; look at Acts 3:15 where Jesus is called the Prince of life, this means that Jesus is the beginning of life because He is the beginning of God’s creation, but He is excluded from being a product of creation since He is the originator of creation.

• So, what is this teaching us?

We also see here that Jesus was “perfected” through suffering. Again we need to look at the Greek word used here that is translated “perfect” because this does not mean that Jesus was imperfect or that He needed anything added to Him to be the author of our salvation. The Greek word here is teleióō and it means complete or mature[xiii]. Of its use here in Hebrews 2:10, the Complete Word Study Dictionary say, ” The thought here is not that Jesus suffered from a deficiency of character or nature and that through suffering He underwent moral improvement. Rather, the perfection of Christ concerns His qualification as Savior. The appointed way to Saviorhood followed the path of testing. In the face of even the most pressing hardship and suffering, Jesus remained obedient to His Father. Having successfully endured the trial of life, He was proven fit to be the Savior of God’s people.”[xiv]

Luke 24:26 Didn’t the Messiah have to suffer these things and enter into His glory?”

Let’s look at a few more verses that use the same root word and see what we can learn about what this word means.

James 1:2-4 Consider it a great joy, my brothers, whenever you experience various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. But endurance must do its complete work, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing.

• What does this teach us about our own suffering?

Philippians 3:12-15 My goal is to know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, assuming that I will somehow reach the resurrection from among the dead. Not that I have already reached the goal or am already fully mature, but I make every effort to take hold of it because I also have been taken hold of by Christ Jesus. Brothers, I do not consider myself to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: forgetting what is behind and reaching forward to what is ahead, I pursue as my goal the prize promised by God’s heavenly call in Christ Jesus. Therefore, all who are mature should think this way. And if you think differently about anything, God will reveal this to you also.

Hebrews then goes on to say:

For the One who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one Father.  That is why He is not ashamed to call them brothers, saying: I will proclaim Your name to My brothers; I will sing hymns to You in the congregation. Again, I will trust in Him.  And again, Here I am with the children God gave Me.  (Hebrews 2:11-13)

The first thing we see here is that He who does the sanctifying and those He sanctifies are from the same Father. There is a lot said in this one sentence, and we could probably do a whole series of lessons just on this statement alone, but what I want you to see here is the word sanctify; this verse talks about the One who sanctifies, and those whom He sanctifies. So:

• Who is the One who sanctifies? Jesus
• Who are the ones who are sanctified? Those who are saved

The word here is hagiázō and it comes from the word hágios. The root word hágios is the word we translate in English as saint; it is used several times in the New Testament and it means, “Holy, set apart, sanctified, consecrated, saint. Its fundamental idea is separation, and it is the opposite of common.” [xv]  Throughout the New Testament believers are called “saints” and that literally means that Christians are consecrated, uncommon, and set apart. The word for sanctify comes from that word and it means, “To consecrate, devote, set apart from a common to a sacred use”.[xvi]

So what is this telling us? It is telling us first of all that it is Jesus who sets us apart from the world and who purifies us and who makes us holy. It is also telling us that Jesus, and those that He sets apart, are from the same Father. In essence it is saying that if You are a Christian, Jesus has set you apart, made you Holy, and you are now His brother or sister. This is something that the angels could never have accomplished and it is only because of His humanity that this is possible, so once again we see that Jesus is greater than the angels.

1 Corinthians 1:2 To God’s church at Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus and called as saints, with all those in every place who call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord—theirs and ours.

John 17:19 "I sanctify Myself for them, so they also may be sanctified by the truth. “

1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely. And may your spirit, soul, and body be kept sound and blameless for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.  He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it.

3. Jesus humanity enabled Him to disarm Satan and deliver us from death.

Let’s look at verses 14-16

Now since the children have flesh and blood in common, He also shared in these, so that through His death He might destroy the one holding the power of death—that is, the Devil — and free those who were held in slavery all their lives by the fear of death.  For it is clear that He does not reach out to help angels, but to help Abraham’s offspring. (Hebrews 2 14-16)

Angels cannot die, and Jesus didn’t come to save the angels, He came to save humans. Remember from Genesis 2:17 God told Adam and Eve that if they disobeyed Him they would die; and in Romans 6:23 we again see that the result of sin is death. The power that Satan had over us was the power of death; we are all sinners and because we all sin we all have to die. In order for this cycle to be broken, one who had never sinned had to die in our place, so Jesus took on flesh and blood; He became like us so “that through His death He might destroy the one holding the power of death.”

Here the HCSB and the NIV uses the phrase “Destroy”. I think the NASB has a better translation of this word when it uses “render powerless”. The word does not mean to annihilate, but to render inactive, idle, useless, ineffective, to make to cease [xvii] In other words, Satan is not destroyed, but he is disarmed.

Jesus called Satan a murderer:

John 8:44 " You are of your father the Devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning and has not stood in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he tells a lie, he speaks from his own nature, because he is a liar and the father of liars. 

But the murderer no longer has power over us:

1 Corinthians 15:55-57 " O Death, where is your victory? O Death, where is your sting? Now the sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!

Jesus did not take on the nature of angels in order to save those angels who sinned

2 Peter 2:4 For if God didn’t spare the angels who sinned, but threw them down into Tartarus and delivered them to be kept in chains of darkness until judgment; 

He took on flesh and blood in order to save men. He did not give help to angels, but He does give help to the descendants of Abraham.

Galatians 3:29 And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, heirs according to the promise. 

4. Jesus humanity enables Him to be a sympathetic High Priest to His people

Therefore He had to be like His brothers in every way, so that He could become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.  For since He Himself was tested and has suffered, He is able to help those who are tested.  (Hebrews 2 17:18)

Since we will be discussing in detail in later chapters exactly what it means that Jesus is our great High Priest I will not get into it here or discuss what all it means for us. What I do want you to see here tough is that because angels are spirits they cannot suffer the way that those with a physical body can, but Jesus can. Jesus was made like us in every way, but without sin. He suffered what we suffer so He understands what we go through. Since He was made like us in all things, He suffered like we suffer, He was tempted like we are tempted, and He is able to come to our rescue in ways that no angel could ever understand. He stands ready to come our aid.

I want to touch on one more thing here before we close. I have heard people say that Jesus cannot really understand our temptation because even though He was tempted He is sinless, and because He is sinless He cannot understand the strength of the temptations we face. If this is how you feel I have something for you to think about today; you cannot know the full weight of a temptation if you given in to it, you cannot know the full power of the temptation unless you come out victorious on the other side. So I contend that not only can Jesus understand the temptations that we face, but that because He was sinless and never yielded to temptation, He is the only One who can understand the full weight of our temptation. We can’t because we fall before we see it to the end; until we can claim to be sinless we can never claim that we have experienced the full assault of temptation the way Jesus did. So rest assured that Jesus does understand and He is able to come to aid of those who are tempted.

In closing I would like to use a quote from Warren Wiersbe’s commentary on Hebrews. “As you review this section, you cannot help but be amazed at the grace and wisdom of God. From a human point of view, it would seem foolish for God to become Man; yet it was this very act of grace that made possible our salvation and all that goes with it. When Jesus Christ became Man, He did not become inferior to the angels, for in His human body He accomplished something that angels could never accomplish. At the same time, He made it possible for us to share in His glory! He is not ashamed to call us His brothers and sisters. Are we ashamed to call Him “Lord”? [xviii]

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[i]Zodhiates, Spiros; Baker, Warren: The Complete Word Study Bible: King James Version. Electronic ed. Chattanooga: AMG Publishers, 2000, c1991, c1994

[ii]Zodhiates, Spiros; Baker, Warren: The Complete Word Study Bible: King James Version. Electronic ed. Chattanooga: AMG Publishers, 2000, c1991, c1994

[iii]Zodhiates, Spiros; Baker, Warren: The Complete Word Study Bible: King James Version. Electronic ed. Chattanooga: AMG Publishers, 2000, c1991, c1994

[iv]Zodhiates, Spiros: The Complete Word Study Dictionary: New Testament. Electronic ed. Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, 2000, c1992, c1993, S. G3901

[v] Smith, James: Handfuls on Purpose: Volume 3, series 7, pg 255: Hendrickson Publishers Inc.: c1947, c1971, c2004

[vi] Smith, James: Handfuls on Purpose: Volume 3, series 7, pg 255: Hendrickson Publishers Inc.: c1947, c1971, c2004

[vii]Zodhiates, Spiros: The Complete Word Study Dictionary: New Testament. Electronic ed. Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, 2000, c1992, c1993, S. G4592

[viii]Zodhiates, Spiros: The Complete Word Study Dictionary: New Testament. Electronic ed. Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, 2000, c1992, c1993, S. G5059

[ix] Vine, W.E.: An Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words, Fleming H. Revell Co. Old Tappan NJ: c 1940, c1961, c1962, c1963, c1964, c1965, c1966. Volume II pg 75.

[x]Zodhiates, Spiros: The Complete Word Study Dictionary: New Testament. Electronic ed. Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, 2000, c1992, c1993, S. G3311

[xi]Zodhiates, Spiros: The Complete Word Study Dictionary: New Testament. Electronic ed. Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, 2000, c1992, c1993, S. G3625

[xii] Zodhiates, Spiros: The Complete Word Study Dictionary: New Testament. Electronic ed. Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, 2000, c1992, c1993, S. G747

[xiii] Zodhiates, Spiros: The Complete Word Study Dictionary: New Testament. Electronic ed. Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, 2000, c1992, c1993, S. G5048

[xiv]Zodhiates, Spiros: The Complete Word Study Dictionary: New Testament. Electronic ed. Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, 2000, c1992, c1993, S. G5048

[xv]Zodhiates, Spiros: The Complete Word Study Dictionary: New Testament. Electronic ed. Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, 2000, c1992, c1993, S. G40

[xvi]Zodhiates, Spiros: The Complete Word Study Dictionary: New Testament. Electronic ed. Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, 2000, c1992, c1993, S. G37

[xvii]Zodhiates, Spiros: The Complete Word Study Dictionary: New Testament. Electronic ed. Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, 2000, c1992, c1993, S. G2673

[xviii]Wiersbe, Warren W.: The Bible Exposition Commentary. Wheaton, Ill.: Victor Books, 1996, c1989, S. Heb 2:5