Hebrews 1:5-14
Summary for Heb 1:5-14: 1:5-14 a In these ten verses, the author uses a variety of Old Testament texts to show that Jesus is superior to the angels. Among ancient Jewish and Christian interpreters, Old Testament passages were strung together one after the other in “chain quotations” (called “pearl stringing”) to convince the hearers or readers of a certain theological point by presenting a lot of scriptural evidence together. 1:5 b God ... said: This verse quotes Ps 2:7 c and 2 Sam 7:14 d. By exalting Jesus to his right hand (see Acts 1:9-11 e; 2:32-36 f; 7:55-56 g), the Father proclaimed his unique relationship with the Son.• Today I have become your Father (or Today I reveal you as my Son): Jesus did not become the Son at the exaltation—he had been involved in creation (Heb 1:2 h)—but the exaltation verified his identity to all.
1:6 i The supreme (or firstborn) Son shared the authority of the father, inherited most of his property, and was especially favored. In the New Testament, “firstborn” most frequently refers to Christ’s supremacy both in the church and in the created order; his resurrection is often given as the evidence for this status (Acts 13:33 j; Rom 1:4 k; 8:29 l; Col 1:15 m, 18 n; Rev 1:5 o; cp. Heb 12:23 p, where believers are called firstborn children).
• “Let all of God’s angels worship him”: This quotation from Deut 32:43 q demonstrates the lower status of the angels in that they worship the Son (see also Ps 97:7 r).
1:7 s This verse quotes Ps 104:4 t to show that the angels are messengers or servants and, therefore, of a lesser rank than the Son, whom they serve.
• In the Old Testament, angels are sometimes associated with winds and fire (see Exod 3:2 u; Judg 6:21 v; 13:16 w, 20 x; 2 Sam 22:11 y; Pss 18:10 z; 35:5 aa), which is why angels are mentioned in connection with God’s lordship over nature.
Summary for Heb 1:8-9: 1:8-9 ab These verses, quoting Ps 45:6-7 ac, proclaim the Son as the divine, just, eternal, anointed King of the universe.
• to the Son he says: Jesus is addressed as God; in Heb 1:9 ad, your God is a reference to God the Father.
• pouring out the oil of joy: Olive oil was used to anoint kings of Israel at the inauguration of their rule (1 Sam 10:1 ae; 1 Kgs 19:15-16 af). God has anointed his Son, Jesus Christ, as King.
Summary for Heb 1:10-12: 1:10-12 ag These verses, quoting Ps 102:25-27 ah, celebrate the Son as both the creator and the one who brings the created order to an end. All created things will wear out like old clothing, and the Son will discard them (cp. Heb 2:5 ai; 2 Pet 3:13 aj; Rev 21:1 ak). By contrast, the Son of God will live forever.
1:13 al In climactic fashion, the author ends his string of Old Testament quotations (see study note on 1:5-14) by quoting from Ps 110:1 am in celebration of Christ’s exaltation (see also study notes on Luke 20:42-43; 22:69; 1 Cor 15:25; Eph 1:19-22).
• The image of the Son’s enemies as a footstool under his feet represents their absolute subjugation (see Heb 2:8 an). In the ancient world, a victorious king would place his foot on the neck or back of an enemy as a symbolic act of domination.
1:14 ao Therefore, angels are only servants: The author restates his conclusion. God sends out the angels to care for his people, who will inherit salvation at the end of the age (see 9:28 ap).
Hebrews 2
Summary for Heb 2:1-4: 2:1-4 aq The author makes an argument from lesser to greater: If, in the lesser situation of the Old Testament era, people who rejected God’s word as delivered by angels were severely punished, how much greater the punishment will be for those who now reject the word of salvation that has been delivered by the Son himself and confirmed by the Holy Spirit. 2:1 ar The truth we have heard is the message of salvation delivered through Christ (2:3 as).• Drift away pictures a ship getting off course. Here it speaks of getting off track spiritually due to not listening very carefully to the Good News.
2:2 at According to Jewish tradition, the message God delivered, the law given on Mount Sinai (see Acts 7:38 au; Gal 3:19 av), was delivered through angels.
• Violation of the law was punished (see Exod 22:19 aw; Lev 20:10 ax; Num 35:16-21 ay), and punishment was inescapable (Prov 1:24-31 az; Jer 11:11 ba).
2:3 bb So what makes us think we can escape? Here the author presses the full force of the danger of turning away from Christ and his salvation. There is no escape from punishment for those who walk away, and the punishment will be of the greatest severity (cp. 6:4-12 bc; 10:26-31 bd; 12:29 be; Rom 2:5 bf; 1 Thes 2:16 bg).
• Salvation refers to God’s acts on behalf of his people. For example, God saved his people through the exodus from Egypt (Deut 26:5-9 bh). In the New Testament, salvation primarily refers to Christ’s work of rescuing people from the penalty of sin and giving them new life by his sacrificial death on the cross (Heb 5:9-10 bi). This salvation was first announced by the Lord Jesus himself (e.g., Matt 4:17 bj; 9:35 bk; Mark 1:15 bl; Luke 13:1-5 bm). He then delivered (or validated) the message through those who heard him speak (e.g., Mark 6:12 bn; Acts 2:38 bo; 3:19-20 bp).
2:4 bq God confirmed the message (literally God bore witness): God himself confirmed the validity of the message of Christ and his followers by giving signs and wonders and various miracles and gifts of the Holy Spirit (see Acts 2:22 br; Rom 15:19 bs; 2 Cor 12:12 bt).
Summary for Heb 2:5-9: 2:5-9 bu The author of Hebrews uses Ps 8:4-6 bv to transition from the discussion of Christ’s exalted divinity (Heb 1:5-14 bw) to the discussion of his humanity (2:10-18 bx). Psalm 8 by is often presented with Ps 110:1 bz (see Heb 1:13 ca) to speak of the submission of created things to Christ (see 1 Cor 15:25-27 cb; Eph 1:20-23 cc). Christ is the consummate human being. In his exaltation, he fulfills what fallen humanity could not: true dominion over the created order. 2:5 cd it is not angels: Cp. 1:13 ce.
Summary for Heb 2:6-8: 2:6-8 cf These verses quote Ps 8:4-6 cg. Psalm 8 ch speaks of the position God has given humanity, but the author of Hebrews applies it as a prediction about Christ, who is the fulfillment and representative head of humanity. 2:6 ci What are mere mortals: These two lines of the psalm proclaim God’s special attention to human beings.
• a son of man (or the Son of Man): The phrase son of man speaks of human existence; it parallels mere mortals in the previous line. In the Gospels Jesus frequently referred to himself with this phrase.
2:7 cj them: Literally him. This refers to humanity in general and is applied specifically to Christ (see study note on 2:6-8).
• Christ became a little lower than the angels (or lower than the angels for only a little while), like other human beings (see also Phil 2:5-8 ck). As a result of his suffering, he was crowned . . . with glory and honor (see Heb 2:9 cl; Phil 2:9-11 cm).
2:8 cn You gave them authority over all things (literally You have put all things under his feet): See study note on 2:6-8.
• nothing is left out: All things are ultimately subject to Christ and the church, but we have not yet seen the complete expression of this reality—it will be consummated at the end of the age.
2:9 co What we do see is Jesus: How can the church persevere when evil and death are still in the world? We look to Jesus both in his human life in a position “a little lower than the angels” and in his exaltation, now “crowned with glory and honor.” His suffering as a human being led to his exaltation (see Phil 2:5-11 cp; cp. Isa 52:13–53:12 cq). See also Heb 12:1-13 cr.
Summary for Heb 2:10-18: 2:10-18 cs At least four reasons why the Son of God became human are implied in this passage. First, it was only right: It is consistent with what we know of God’s character that he would accomplish salvation in this way (2:10 ct). Second, Jesus had to become human to die (2:14 cu). Third, high priests, as detailed in the Old Testament law, had to come from among God’s people (2:17 cv). Fourth, Jesus became a sympathetic priest, experiencing the suffering and testing we know as humans (2:18 cw). 2:10 cx children (literally sons): The author plays off his use of the title Son for Jesus throughout the section, here referring to the people of God as sons. The translation children makes it clear that this term refers to all God’s people, male and female.
• The term translated leader had a wide range of meanings in the ancient world, including founder, hero, champion, prince, captain, leader, or scout. Jesus is a leader in that he blazed a trail for those who are saved, leading them to glory.
2:11 cy have the same Father (literally are all out of one): Based on the family terminology in the context, the phrase can be understood as referring to God. However, the author might have been thinking of Abraham as a common ancestor (see 2:16 cz) or of human nature as a common experience (out of one nature).
• brothers and sisters: Greek adelphoi, a generic term that refers to members of the same family, both male and female.
2:12 da This verse quotes Ps 22:22 db, commenting on the phrase brothers and sisters in Heb 2:11 dc. Psalm 22 dd contains profound messianic prophecies concerning the sufferings of Christ (Ps 22:1 de, 7-8 df, 16-18 dg; see Matt 27:35 dh, 43 di; John 19:23-24 dj, 31-36 dk). Psalm 22:22 dl shows the solidarity of the righteous sufferer (Jesus) with the people of God in praising God for his help.
2:13 dm This verse quotes Isa 8:17-18 dn, which comes from a broader messianic context (cp. Isa 8:14 do with Rom 9:33 dp; 1 Pet 2:8 dq).
• I will put my trust in him here declares Jesus’ trust in the Father.
• I and the children God has given me indicates a close relationship between Jesus and the children of God.
Summary for Heb 2:14-15: 2:14-15 dr The death of the Son of God as a sacrifice for sin served to break the power of the devil: It made the devil’s power of death ineffective (1 Cor 15:56 ds).
• Philo, a first-century Jewish philosopher, wrote that “nothing is so calculated to enslave the mind as fearing death” (Philo, That Every Good Person Is Free 3.22). Through his sacrificial death, Christ set free those who were slaves to the fear of dying.
2:16 dt descendants of Abraham: Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross was for the heirs of God’s promises to Abraham, rather than for the angels.
Summary for Heb 2:17-18: 2:17-18 du These verses introduce Jesus’ role as our merciful and faithful High Priest, which is fully discussed in the central section of Hebrews (4:14–10:25 dv).
• It was necessary for him to share our humanity (see 5:1 dw).
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