Hebrews 2
| Hebrews 2 | |
|---|---|
Hebrews 2:9-11 in Papyrus 116 (6th century) | |
| Book | Epistle to the Hebrews |
| Category | General epistles |
| Christian Bible part | New Testament |
| Order in the Christian part | 19 |
Hebrews 2 is the second chapter of the Epistle to the Hebrews in the New Testament of the Christian Bible. The author is anonymous, although the internal reference to "our brother Timothy" (Hebrews 13:23) causes a traditional attribution to Paul, but this attribution has been disputed since the second century and there is no decisive evidence for the authorship.[1][2] This chapter contains the implications for responding to God's Son, the Son's subjection and glorification, to the believers' benefits.[3][4]
Text
[edit | edit source]The original text was written in Koine Greek. This chapter is divided into 18 verses.
Textual witnesses
[edit | edit source]Some early manuscripts containing the text of this chapter are:
- Papyrus 46 (175–225; complete)[5]
- Papyrus 13 (225-250; extant verses 14–18)[5]
- Codex Vaticanus (325-350)
- Codex Sinaiticus (330-360)
- Codex Alexandrinus (400-440)
- Codex Ephraemi Rescriptus (~450; extant verses 5-18)
- Codex Freerianus (~450; extant verses 4–7, 12–14)
- Codex Claromontanus (~550)
- Codex Coislinianus (~550; extant verses 11–16)
- Papyrus 116 (6th century; extant verses 9-11)

Old Testament references
[edit | edit source]- Hebrews 2:8: Psalm 8:4–6[6][7]
- Hebrews 2:12: Psalm 22:22[6]
- Hebrews 2:13a: 2 Samuel 22:3; Psalm 18:2;[6][7] Isaiah 8:17–18
- Hebrews 2:13b: Isaiah 8:18[7]
The Implications for Responding to God's Son (2:1–4)
[edit | edit source]This paragraph, the first of several warning passages, gives the direct practical consequences of the previous chapter, which can be a positive encouragement (pay more careful attention to what we have heard) or a negative attitude (drift away) as stated in verse 1.[8] The writer and readers were not part of the first generation of Christians when the gospel of salvation was first announced by the Lord (that is, Jesus Christ) and was confirmed by those who heard him (Hebrews 2:3), but they certainly received it from those who had obtained it from Jesus with the affirmation from God by signs, wonders and various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to His will (Hebrews 2:4).[8]
Verse 1
[edit | edit source]- Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away.[9]
- "Drift away": like people in a boat moving rapidly towards a waterfall; the manner of this drifting away will be explored in latter chapters, but here the disastrous consequences are stressed.[8]
The Subjection and Glorification of the Son (2:5–9)
[edit | edit source]The text centers on Psalm 8:4–6 in connection to the catena or 'chains' of the scriptures in the first chapter.[3]
Verse 5
[edit | edit source]- For He has not put the world to come, of which we speak, in subjection to angels.[10]
- "The world to come": recalling Israel's hope for "a glorious age to come", with the renewal of creation through the establishment of 'new heavens and new earth' (cf. Isaiah 65:17–25) which is sometimes specifically associated with the work of the Messiah (cf. Isaiah 11:1–9).[8]
Verse 6
[edit | edit source]- But someone testified somewhere, saying,
- “What is man, that you remember him, or the son of man, that you care for him?[11]
The Benefits of the Believers (2:10–18)
[edit | edit source]Verse 12
[edit | edit source]- saying:
- “I will declare Your name to My brethren; In the midst of the assembly I will sing praise to You."[12]
Verse 17
[edit | edit source]- Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.[14]
- "High Priest": the first time this title is given to Jesus in this epistle, to be the theme of the next major division (3:1–5:10), here is linked closely with the teaching that he had to be made like his brothers in every way.[15]
Verse 18
[edit | edit source]- For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted.[16]
- "He Himself has suffered, being tempted": at the entrance of his public ministry and a little before his death, Jesus was tempted by Satan; also throughout his life he endures poverty, with slight from his own relatives, a general contempt among men, often tempted by the Jews with ensnaring questions, later was deserted by his followers, by his own disciples, even by his God and Father; enduring great pains of body, anguish of mind, then lastly death itself.[17]
- "To aid those who are tempted": that only because he shared human nature, experienced human frailty and suffered when he was tempted, so Jesus is able to provide the appropriate help.[15]
See also
[edit | edit source]- Angel
- High priest
- Jesus Christ
- Related Bible parts: Job 7, 2 Samuel 22, Psalm 8, Psalm 22, Psalm 144, Isaiah 8, Isaiah 11, Matthew 4, Luke 4, Luke 22, John 10, 1 Corinthians 10, 2 Corinthians 12, Philippians 3, 2 Timothy 1, Hebrews 4, Jude, Revelation 3
References
[edit | edit source]- ^ Attridge 2007, p. 1236.
- ^ deSilva 2005, p. 201.
- ^ a b Attridge 2007, p. 1239.
- ^ deSilva 2005, pp. 202–3.
- ^ a b deSilva 2005, p. 202.
- ^ a b c Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ a b c Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ a b c d Peterson 1994, p. 1327.
- ^ Hebrews 2:1 NKJV
- ^ Hebrews 2:5 NKJV
- ^ Hebrews 2:6 LEB
- ^ Hebrews 2:12 NKJV
- ^ Note on Hebrews 2:12 in MEV
- ^ Hebrews 2:17 NKJV
- ^ a b Peterson 1994, p. 1328.
- ^ Hebrews 2:18 NKJV
- ^ Gill, John. Exposition of the Entire Bible - Hebrews 2:18
Sources
[edit | edit source]- Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
External links
[edit | edit source]- Hebrews 2 King James Bible - Wikisource
- English Translation with Parallel Latin Vulgate
- Online Bible at GospelHall.org (ESV, KJV, Darby, American Standard Version, Bible in Basic English)
- Multiple bible versions at Bible Gateway (NKJV, NIV, NRSV etc.)