Commentaries and Other Bible Study Helps - Prayer Tents - Prayer Tents

2:5 Now (Gk. gar, lit., "for") continues the argument from 1:5-14 (and 2:2-4). The superior son of man (v. 6) has responsibilities of worldwide rule not accorded to angels. the world to come. A common Jewish expression for the future age in which all of God's purposes in salvation will be fulfilled. The author is speaking of a future salvation (see note on 9:27-28), though the "last days" have already been inaugurated (1:2).

2:6 What is man, that you are mindful of him, or the son of man, that you care for him? This quotation from Ps. 8:4-6 (cf. Heb. 4:4) displays God's exalted care for the human race generally in his creation, but "son of man" also hints at a special focus on the Messiah as the truest representative of mankind (cf. 2:9; Dan. 7:13). The author of Hebrews turned to this "son of man" passage with full awareness of Jesus' frequent application of the "son of man" title to himself (see notes on Matt. 8:20; John 1:51), and now the author is about to show how Ps. 8:4-6 is fulfilled in Jesus.

2:7 You made him. Some interpreters think the author of Hebrews, quoting Psalm 8, is talking only about man in general, the human race. Others think he is already talking about Jesus, the true Son of Man (see note on Heb. 2:6). for a little while lower. If this refers to mankind in general, then it means that during this earthly life believers are lower in status and authority than angels. But that situation is temporary, lasting for this life only. If, however, the writer is already referring to Jesus, it means that in his earthly suffering Jesus' glorious divine nature was temporarily obscured (cf. Phil. 2:6-8).

2:8 Putting everything in subjection to him echoes Gen. 1:28, where God put everything under the stewardship of Adam and Eve (Gen. 1:26-28). But if Jesus, the true representative of humanity, is specifically in view, then it means that the "world to come" (Heb. 2:5) is subjected to Jesus, indicating his superiority to angels in his authority to rule the world. This also implies that he rules the angels themselves, since nothing is outside his control. However, at present believers do not see the entire world subject either to human beings or to Christ. This raises the question, What has happened to God's plan to put everything in subjection under man (or under Christ)?

2:9 But we see him, that is, Jesus. At this point all interpreters agree that the focus of the passage is Jesus (cf. notes on vv. 7, 8). The phrase little while and the sequence of events in vv. 7-8 (cf. Ps. 8:5-6) demonstrate that, after first being made lower than the angels, Jesus was subsequently crowned and exalted. While Jesus' sufferings indicated his humiliation and subjection, his suffering of death was also the reason for his being crowned with glory and honor. Jesus tasted death as a work of God's grace done on behalf of everyone (i.e., all who follow him; Heb. 9:15, 28; 10:39). Jesus. This is the first mention of Jesus' name in Hebrews (see 3:1; 4:14; etc.; "Christ" first appears in 3:6). "Crowned with glory and honor" echoes the same phrase used in 2:7. Though the human race generally did not fulfill God's plan to put everything on earth under man's feet (vv. 6-8), there is one man who is fulfilling God's great plan for human beings, and that is Jesus.

2:10 he, for whom and by whom all things exist. This is God the Father, who acts to "make perfect" the "founder of their salvation" (Jesus). many sons. The followers of the one unique Son of God are now also called "sons," for they are adopted into the glory of the newly redeemed human family (see "brothers," vv. 11-12; and "children," v. 13; also 12:5-8). founder. The Greek can designate either an originator or a leader (see 12:2). salvation. See 1:14 and 2:3. suffering. Especially Jesus' suffering of death (v. 9, see vv. 14-18). The concept of making perfect is applied elsewhere in Hebrews both to Jesus himself (5:9; 7:28) and to his work in sanctifying his followers (10:14; 12:23). In saying that Jesus was made perfect, the author is not suggesting that Jesus was sinful (cf. 4:15; 7:26) but that as he lived his life, his maturity and experience deepened, yet always with full obedience to the Father. As a human being, he needed to live his life and obey God (which he did perfectly) to become the perfect sacrifice for sins.

2:11 he who sanctifies. Jesus makes his people holy through his blood (13:12). those who are sanctified. Jesus' true followers, who are made holy by his sacrifice (10:10, 14; 13:12). Some commentators think one source is a reference to the common humanity shared by Jesus and those being saved (see 2:12-18), or to their common descent from Abraham. Others think that the "one source" is God the Father. That is why he is not ashamed to call them brothers. Since they share a common descent (or, since God is their common Father), they are members of the same family, and therefore brothers.

2:12 Psalm 22, from which this verse quotes, is associated with Jesus' death (e.g., Ps. 22:1, 16-18) and resurrection (Ps. 22:19-24). The resurrected Messiah, his suffering completed, calls his brothers to join with him in worship. Both this verse and Matt. 26:30 speak of Jesus singing, but here the congregation in view is the assembly of all the redeemed in heaven.

2:13 The second citation in this verse clearly comes from Isa. 8:18, and thus the first likely derives from Isa. 8:17 (following the Septuagint). The prophet links himself with the children who will follow God. Jesus as the Messiah/prophet similarly associates himself with believers, who are the Father's human "children."

2:14-15 A human Savior was necessary, because human beings (children) are in need of a propitiatory sacrifice (see note on v. 17) and a sympathetic high priest (vv. 17-18). share in flesh and blood. Jesus was fully human, as the "children" are and as the high priest had to be (see 5:1-2). Jesus' death, by cleansing his followers of sin, destroys the death grip of the devil (cf. 1 John 3:8) and gives hope and deliverance to those who were in slavery to the fear of death. the one who has the power of death. Satan's power is not absolute, but is under the control of God, who ultimately rules over life and death (Deut. 32:39; Job 2:6; Ps. 90:3; 139:16; Rev. 1:18). Nevertheless, Satan "was a murderer from the beginning" (John 8:44), and he does have power to harm people to some extent (cf. Mark 5:2-5; Luke 13:16). The verse at least means Satan has power to work in the realm of death, and to incite people into sin that leads to death (cf. Rom. 6:16, 23). However, the emphasis of the verse is not on Satan's power but on Christ's triumph over Satan and over death.

2:16 Angels recalls the superiority of the Son to angels (see notes on 1:1-2:18; 1:6) and the need for him to partake of human nature. Offspring of Abraham connects to the OT story, referring not merely to Jewish Israel but also to the more expansive promises to Abraham (Gen. 12:1-3; 17:4-21; see Heb. 6:13-7:10; 11:8-19).

2:17 had to be. unless Jesus became fully human in every respect (except for sin), he could not represent believers as their high priest. like his brothers. Cf. vv. 11-12, emphasizing Jesus' human nature. high priest. See also 3:1-2; 4:14-5:10; 6:19-20; 7:11-10:18; 13:8-13. Jesus must be human in order to serve as high priest on behalf of humanity. Propitiation (Gk. hilaskomai) conveys the sense of an atoning sacrifice that puts away sin and satisfies God's wrath (cf. Deut. 21:8; Ps. 25:11; 65:3; 78:38; 79:9; Luke 18:13; see note on Rom. 3:25).

2:18 suffered. Jesus' sufferings as a human, especially his death (vv. 9-10). tempted. Jesus, as high priest, was tempted in every way and yet did not sin (4:15; also 7:26). help. Jesus is a sympathetic and merciful high priest who knows human spiritual infirmities since he experienced the full range of temptations, and he has atoned for transgressions.