HEBREWS 2
2 Therefore it’s crucial that we hold tight to the things we have heard so we don’t drift away. 2 For if the word spoken through angels was reliable, and every wrong step and disobedience got its rightful reward, 3 then how will we be escaping if we’re ignoring a salvation as great as this? This was first begun to be spoken of by the Lord and was drummed into us by those who heard him, 4 and validated by God with signs – both miracles and various powerful acts – distributed by the Holy Spirit in line with his will. 5 For he hasn’t put the coming world, about which we are speaking, under the control of angels. 6 Instead someone testifies somewhere saying, “What is man that you keep him in mind; the son of man that you watch out for him? 7 For you made him a little lower than angels. You crowned him with glory and honour and you placed him over the works of your hands – 8 you subjected everything under his feet.” For in the subjection of everything to him, he left nothing outside his authority. At this time, however, we don’t see everything subjected to him yet. 9 Still, though he was made a little lower than angels, we see Jesus crowned with glory and honour because he suffered death so that by God’s grace he would taste death on behalf of everyone.
10 See, it was proper for him (for whom and through whom all things exist), in leading may sons to glory, to make the pioneer of their salvation complete through sufferings. 11 For, in common, the one sanctifying and the ones being sanctified are all from One, so he is not ashamed to call them brothers, 12 saying, “I will proclaim your name to my brothers. In the midst of the assembly I will sing your praise.” 13 And again, “I myself will be confident in him.” And again, “Look, it’s me and the little children God has given me.” 14 Since, then, these little children have taken a share of flesh and blood, so likewise he participated in it, so that through death he should bring to nothing the one having the power of death – that is, the devil 15 (and that he should be releasing these ones – all those living in subjection to slavery because of the fear of death). 16 For surely he didn't embrace angels; instead he embraced those of the seed of Abraham. 17 Therefore he needed to be made in the same form as all the brothers so that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest before God, in order to be a reconciling sacrifice for the sins of the people. 18 Since he himself suffered in this when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.
10 See, it was proper for him (for whom and through whom all things exist), in leading may sons to glory, to make the pioneer of their salvation complete through sufferings. 11 For, in common, the one sanctifying and the ones being sanctified are all from One, so he is not ashamed to call them brothers, 12 saying, “I will proclaim your name to my brothers. In the midst of the assembly I will sing your praise.” 13 And again, “I myself will be confident in him.” And again, “Look, it’s me and the little children God has given me.” 14 Since, then, these little children have taken a share of flesh and blood, so likewise he participated in it, so that through death he should bring to nothing the one having the power of death – that is, the devil 15 (and that he should be releasing these ones – all those living in subjection to slavery because of the fear of death). 16 For surely he didn't embrace angels; instead he embraced those of the seed of Abraham. 17 Therefore he needed to be made in the same form as all the brothers so that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest before God, in order to be a reconciling sacrifice for the sins of the people. 18 Since he himself suffered in this when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.
1) drift away. The Greek word here is used when a boat is loosed from its moorings and drifts away from the pier.
3) This was first begun to be spoken of by the Lord and was drummed into us by those who heard him. This is the strongest (or at least the most quoted) argument against Pauline authorship of Hebrews - i.e. Paul saw Jesus personally on the road to Damascus (see Acts 9 and elsewhere), so how could he possibly refer to those who have heard him as if he wasn't one of them? Still, there are loads of arguments for Pauline authorship which I may put up here at some point. As for this verse, though, J. Vernon McGee argues for Pauline authorship this way:
“Some have claimed that Hebrews 2:3 excludes Paul as the author because he says in Galatians 1:11, 12 that he received his gospel not from men but from God. However, this is not incongruous with Paul's statement in Galatians. Paul is evidently using the editorial "we" that is used so effectually in the New Testament. If Paul places himself in the same category with the other Christians at Jerusalem, he could not say that we received it from God on the road to Damascus about midday on a mule. Paul's conversion was peculiar to himself. Then the Galatians passage does not exclude the fact that Paul did not have it confirmed unto him by the ones who heard the Lord. In Galatians he is defending his apostleship and is therefore showing from whence he received his authority.”
The debate will continue, no doubt. As you can tell I strongly lean towards the idea that Paul wrote Hebrews, myself...but that doesn't mean I'm right.
6-8) A quote from Psalm 8:4-6
7, 9) a little. This can be 'little' in the sense of time ('a little while'), or of space ('a little distance'), or of status ('a bit lower rank'). The context on the original quote (Psalm 8) would suggest it is talking about status, so that's how I have translated it.
9) Jesus crowned with glory and honour because he suffered death. The principle we should follow then is that sacrifice is good (e.g. Rom 12:1), and as a bonus we are rewarded for it. By sacrifice I do not mean a suicide bomber type of thing! I do mean we give of ourselves for God's purposes, which includes putting others first and sacrificially using our resources for others' benefit, especially (but not exclusively) for our fellow believers (Gal 6:10).
10) to make the pioneer of their salvation complete through sufferings. Some translations use 'perfect' instead of 'complete' here. Both are fine, but 'perfect' can be misinterpreted more easily by today's reader. Jesus was always perfect in the sense that we often use it; that is, he was uncorrupted by sin, unblemished and whole. He was not, however, always ready to die on the cross as our substitute - e.g. he couldn't be sacrificed as a child. He had to grow and become a man and learn obedience to the Father and preach the gospel of the kingdom, all things he had to mature into. Thus he was made complete when he suffered because he had at that time experienced everything he needed to experience for God's purposes to be fulfilled and for our sake.
12) A quote from Psalm 22:22.
13) Quotes from Isaiah 8:17-18.
16) he embraced those of the seed of Abraham. I was tempted to translate this as “take on the form of the seed of Abraham”, but the verb 'epilambanetai' means to seize, so seems to be used figuratively here. The next verse talks about the incarnation as a result of what was said in v16, so it would not make sense to mention the incarnation as a result of the incarnation.
18) in this. In the form of man, spoken about in v17.
3) This was first begun to be spoken of by the Lord and was drummed into us by those who heard him. This is the strongest (or at least the most quoted) argument against Pauline authorship of Hebrews - i.e. Paul saw Jesus personally on the road to Damascus (see Acts 9 and elsewhere), so how could he possibly refer to those who have heard him as if he wasn't one of them? Still, there are loads of arguments for Pauline authorship which I may put up here at some point. As for this verse, though, J. Vernon McGee argues for Pauline authorship this way:
“Some have claimed that Hebrews 2:3 excludes Paul as the author because he says in Galatians 1:11, 12 that he received his gospel not from men but from God. However, this is not incongruous with Paul's statement in Galatians. Paul is evidently using the editorial "we" that is used so effectually in the New Testament. If Paul places himself in the same category with the other Christians at Jerusalem, he could not say that we received it from God on the road to Damascus about midday on a mule. Paul's conversion was peculiar to himself. Then the Galatians passage does not exclude the fact that Paul did not have it confirmed unto him by the ones who heard the Lord. In Galatians he is defending his apostleship and is therefore showing from whence he received his authority.”
The debate will continue, no doubt. As you can tell I strongly lean towards the idea that Paul wrote Hebrews, myself...but that doesn't mean I'm right.
6-8) A quote from Psalm 8:4-6
7, 9) a little. This can be 'little' in the sense of time ('a little while'), or of space ('a little distance'), or of status ('a bit lower rank'). The context on the original quote (Psalm 8) would suggest it is talking about status, so that's how I have translated it.
9) Jesus crowned with glory and honour because he suffered death. The principle we should follow then is that sacrifice is good (e.g. Rom 12:1), and as a bonus we are rewarded for it. By sacrifice I do not mean a suicide bomber type of thing! I do mean we give of ourselves for God's purposes, which includes putting others first and sacrificially using our resources for others' benefit, especially (but not exclusively) for our fellow believers (Gal 6:10).
10) to make the pioneer of their salvation complete through sufferings. Some translations use 'perfect' instead of 'complete' here. Both are fine, but 'perfect' can be misinterpreted more easily by today's reader. Jesus was always perfect in the sense that we often use it; that is, he was uncorrupted by sin, unblemished and whole. He was not, however, always ready to die on the cross as our substitute - e.g. he couldn't be sacrificed as a child. He had to grow and become a man and learn obedience to the Father and preach the gospel of the kingdom, all things he had to mature into. Thus he was made complete when he suffered because he had at that time experienced everything he needed to experience for God's purposes to be fulfilled and for our sake.
12) A quote from Psalm 22:22.
13) Quotes from Isaiah 8:17-18.
16) he embraced those of the seed of Abraham. I was tempted to translate this as “take on the form of the seed of Abraham”, but the verb 'epilambanetai' means to seize, so seems to be used figuratively here. The next verse talks about the incarnation as a result of what was said in v16, so it would not make sense to mention the incarnation as a result of the incarnation.
18) in this. In the form of man, spoken about in v17.