BOOK 58 OF 66 · GENERAL EPISTLES · KING JAMES BIBLE

Hebrews 2

Hebrews book home•Chapter 2 of 13•18 verses

Chapter overviewAt a glance + deeper study

REVIEWED OVERVIEW

Hebrews 2 Overview

Because the message spoken by angels was steadfast, Hebrews warns readers not to neglect so great salvation. Jesus was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, tasted death for every man, was made perfect as the captain of salvation through sufferings, and took real human nature so He could destroy the devil’s power of death and become a merciful and faithful high priest.

HebrewsBook

2Chapter

18Verses

General EpistlesDivision

Before you read Hebrews 2

Coming from

Hebrews opens by declaring that God, who spoke through the prophets, has now spoken in His Son. The Son is heir of all things, Creator, brightness of God’s glory, express image of His person, sustainer of all things, purifier of sins, and exalted above angels. A chain of Old Testament quotations establishes the Son’s unique divine and royal identity.

In this chapter

Leads into

Hebrews compares Jesus with Moses: both are faithful, but Christ is worthy of greater glory as the Son over God’s house rather than merely a servant in it. The chapter then uses Israel’s wilderness unbelief as a warning, repeatedly urging believers to hear God’s voice ‘to day’ and not harden their hearts.

Key understandingExplore deeper

‘Taste death for every man’ gives universal scope to Christ’s death; the verse should not be narrowed beyond its own wording.

Christ being ‘made perfect through sufferings’ does not mean He was morally imperfect. It speaks of being fully fitted/completed in His incarnate saving mission.

Major truths in this chapterExplore deeper

The Son truly became man

He partook of flesh and blood and calls the sanctified His brethren.

Christ’s death reaches every man in provision

He tasted death for every man.

His humanity equips His priestly sympathy

Having suffered temptation, He is able to succour those tempted.

Connections to the rest of ScriptureExplore deeper

Psalm 8:4–6

Hebrews applies the psalm’s human dominion language to Jesus.

John 1:14

The Word became flesh.

1 John 2:2

Christ is the propitiation for the sins of the whole world.

What is clear, and where care is neededExplore deeper

Do not make ‘neglect so great salvation’ mean eternal life is earned by diligent works

The warning concerns response to God’s great revelation, not a works-based gospel.

Do not interpret ‘made perfect’ as moral correction in Christ

He was sinless; the phrase concerns completion of His suffering mission.

Do not deny the universal wording of ‘every man’

Hebrews says Christ tasted death for every man, so the scope of provision should not be narrowed beyond the text.

Read Hebrews 2 watching for…

The warning against drifting/neglect.

Why Jesus was made lower than angels.

The phrase ‘for every man.’

Christ’s solidarity with humanity.

His role as merciful high priest.

Chapter outline3 sections

1-4Believers are warned not to neglect so great salvation 5-9Jesus is made a little lower than the angels and crowned with glory through suffering 10-18Christ shares humanity, destroys the power of death, and becomes a merciful High Priest

Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip.

For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward;

How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him;

God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will?

For unto the angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come, whereof we speak.

But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man, that thou visitest him?

Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands:

Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him.

But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.

For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.

For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren,

Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee.

And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold I and the children which God hath given me.

Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;

And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.

For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham.

Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.

For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.

STUDY THIS VERSE

Hebrews 2:3

Back to verse ↑

Cross References

Cross-reference storage is active. This passage does not yet have curated references loaded.

Related TWBC Resources

The Scripture resource graph is active. Sermons, Bible Overviews, courses, questions, and studies can attach here without changing the Bible text.