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Hebrews chapter 2
HEBREWS CHAPTER TWO.
So having established the Messiah's divinity Paul begins in the second chapter to warn them of the danger of failing to appreciate the importance of the gospel and how vital it is to receive God's great Salvation through God's Son.
They had begun to believe but foolishly were neglecting their faith in Christ and had returned in part to continue the earthly religion set out by Moses under the Law. They had succumbed to the false teaching of the Judaisers, just like the Galatians.
Perhaps foolishly, they had thought that Jesus was just another man- another prophet. From their point of view He certainly wasn't an angel. Some would have seen him in the flesh.
So Paul then begins to show how it was necessary for Jesus to become a man for a time- set a little lower than the angels but nevertheless far more important than these angelic creatures.
God did not choose to come to this earth as a ghost or even an angel, he chose to take a human body- He was a human descendant of Abraham.
So why did God's son, need to come as a man. Well the Jews should be the first to realise that man's biggest problem is sin, not only on this earth but for all eternity sin will separate man from God. Man needs a high priest more than he needs anything else. Priests have to be one of the people.
So the Son of God became a man simply so that he could deal with the problem of sin and truly represent us before his Father. That is where he is now - at God's right hand interceding for us. Like any other man he endured suffering and temptation while on the earth, but unlike any other man he did not sin, but continued throughout his life to obey God even though God allowed him to endure temptation, pain and suffering. So he understands our predicament on this earth and is well able to empathise with us in our temptations and trials. He is well fitted to strengthen us and encourage us. Furthermore, we know that to get where He is now, he died and rose again. He conquered death, not for himself, for being sinless he was not subject to death, but he conquered death for us. So we no longer live in fear of our greatest enemy
"Holiness unto the Lord" may have been the banner of the tabernacle but it was never fully established under the law. However, now those who believe in Jesus are counted as His children. We are blood related. He calls us his brethren. That is only possible because He has made us Holy just as He is Holy. So God's command in the Old Testament "Be Holy because I am Holy" has come to pass, just as all that God says comes to pass.
Chapter one reveals the Divinity of Jesus.
Chapter two reveals the Humanity of Jesus
Between the levels of the divine and the human messengers of God, are angels. In Chapter one the Messenger is above angels, (Divine) but in Chapter two, the messenger is below angels.(human)
In chapter 1, by comparing the Son with angels we learn something special about the Son, so likewise in chapter two as man is compared to angels we learn something special about man.
What is man? Psalm 8.
This can better be understood when we consider what man was, and what man will be.
He was created as a king. He was crowned with glory and honour, he is destined to fulfil that original intention. He will reign in the next world, but will be far better fitted to reign in the world to come because of Jesus and the salvation He gained for man. Ponder for a moment, and ask yourself, why will man be better fitted to reign in the next world?
We might ask why God did not destroy the world immediately after the fall of man. But no, He did not do that, for had he done so, it would have been tantamount to admitting He had made a mistake in making man. But He did not make a mistake, for God never makes mistakes. God’s plan was a plan of redemption, (buying back) and within that plan God determined to put within man a vital ingredient which would fit him to reign in righteousness and holiness with Him. That ingredient was a free will, by which man would choose to be holy. Consider also in this context the confidence that God had from the beginning that his power of LOVE, would win man over from his natural father, the devil. There will be no sin in the next world when man is in charge, because he will have seen the full extent of the folly and cost of sin. So ‘‘repentant man,’’ redeemed, is a far better creature, as far as God is concerned, than man before the fall.
This plan of redemption reveals the value of man to God and indeed the positive high nature of man as a spiritual being. He was made in the image of God. God walked with him. He was a son of God, a “chip off the old block” so to speak. Jesus, when confronted by the Jews, asked why they marvelled that He should say He was the Son of God, for Jesus reminded them that the Psalmist correctly described men as ‘‘gods. ’’
The Son of God is not ashamed to say he is the brother of redeemed man.
Regardless of all the evils that man has instigated and carried out on this earth, so great was the salvation and cleansing, that Jesus now counts himself as one of us. Not that He has become a sinner, but that He has made us Saints. (holy)
Man has not been lifted to a position he has earned, but he is now identified as a creature of high divine standing. As Martin Lloyd Jones once said, “Man is not a monkey getting better, but a spiritual being who has lost his spiritual life.’’
God did not even bother to redeem fallen angels but He bankrupted heaven to redeem man. This shows the true value of man. For man is really part of God Himself.
Man was and is destined to reign over all things, but as yet we do not see man fulfilling his real potential, but we do see Jesus, the last Adam, and the first of a new race of Holy sons of God
His complete humanity ensures our salvation. He is truly a high priest with every essential characteristic, to intercede successfully for us. By tasting death, He destroyed the one who had the power of death over man. What a mystery? Charles Wesley wrote that amazing sentence “The immortal dies”. The Immortal put on mortality so that He could taste death for us. His resurrection ensures our salvation. Our salvation is proof of his victory.
In 1 Cor. Ch. 15 we read that death was ‘‘swallowed up in victory’’. In spiritual terms we live, because Jesus, killed and swallowed up our great roaring enemy of death.
Our salvation is proof of Christ’s victory over Satan in that the blood - washed sinner experiences a freedom from guilt.
Secondly, when a sinner chooses to receive Jesus into his life, Satan must leave. The fact that Jesus takes up his abode and evicts Satan is proof of the greater authority of Jesus. Satan would not relinquish his territory so easily if he had any power.
Thirdly, He takes away the fear of death, having taken away the cause of death which is sin. Sin gets its power from the law. If there is no law there is no knowledge of sin or wrong doing. Jesus paid the penalty of the Law in full, by death. There is now no law to condemn those who rest by faith IN Jesus. So sin has lost its power to separate man from God. Free from the law means to be free from sin. Freedom from sin means freedom from death.
Hebrews ch. 2 v 14-15 tells us that he entered into the bondage of our swaddling clothes, and ultimately our grave clothes, but broke free, by defeating death for us. He tore the bars away from the prison called ‘the fear of death’’
***************************
BOARD SUMMARY: CH 2
WARNING: If the word spoken by angels was important, so much so that those who refused to accept it were punished.
How shall we escape if we neglect so great a Salvation, First preached by the Lord, then by the disciples and confirmed by God with miracles, signs and wonders and by gifts of the Holy Spirit.
The Wonder of the Incarnation:
What is man? What was man? What will man become?
What is man that God could become one?
Why did God redeem fallen man, regardless of the great cost? Why didn’t he start all over again, after the fall?
How does redeemed man compare with Adam before the fall? Is he better?
What is man’s eternal purpose?
Why will he be fit to reign in the next (eternal) world?
CONSIDER: Our great High Priest.
What a High Priest! He is not ashamed to call sinful man his brethren.
What a helper in times of trial!
An elder brother, who has gone through all human tests before us. He understands our humanity and is able to encourage us.
So having established the Messiah's divinity Paul begins in the second chapter to warn them of the danger of failing to appreciate the importance of the gospel and how vital it is to receive God's great Salvation through God's Son.
They had begun to believe but foolishly were neglecting their faith in Christ and had returned in part to continue the earthly religion set out by Moses under the Law. They had succumbed to the false teaching of the Judaisers, just like the Galatians.
Perhaps foolishly, they had thought that Jesus was just another man- another prophet. From their point of view He certainly wasn't an angel. Some would have seen him in the flesh.
So Paul then begins to show how it was necessary for Jesus to become a man for a time- set a little lower than the angels but nevertheless far more important than these angelic creatures.
God did not choose to come to this earth as a ghost or even an angel, he chose to take a human body- He was a human descendant of Abraham.
So why did God's son, need to come as a man. Well the Jews should be the first to realise that man's biggest problem is sin, not only on this earth but for all eternity sin will separate man from God. Man needs a high priest more than he needs anything else. Priests have to be one of the people.
So the Son of God became a man simply so that he could deal with the problem of sin and truly represent us before his Father. That is where he is now - at God's right hand interceding for us. Like any other man he endured suffering and temptation while on the earth, but unlike any other man he did not sin, but continued throughout his life to obey God even though God allowed him to endure temptation, pain and suffering. So he understands our predicament on this earth and is well able to empathise with us in our temptations and trials. He is well fitted to strengthen us and encourage us. Furthermore, we know that to get where He is now, he died and rose again. He conquered death, not for himself, for being sinless he was not subject to death, but he conquered death for us. So we no longer live in fear of our greatest enemy
"Holiness unto the Lord" may have been the banner of the tabernacle but it was never fully established under the law. However, now those who believe in Jesus are counted as His children. We are blood related. He calls us his brethren. That is only possible because He has made us Holy just as He is Holy. So God's command in the Old Testament "Be Holy because I am Holy" has come to pass, just as all that God says comes to pass.
Chapter one reveals the Divinity of Jesus.
Chapter two reveals the Humanity of Jesus
Between the levels of the divine and the human messengers of God, are angels. In Chapter one the Messenger is above angels, (Divine) but in Chapter two, the messenger is below angels.(human)
In chapter 1, by comparing the Son with angels we learn something special about the Son, so likewise in chapter two as man is compared to angels we learn something special about man.
What is man? Psalm 8.
This can better be understood when we consider what man was, and what man will be.
He was created as a king. He was crowned with glory and honour, he is destined to fulfil that original intention. He will reign in the next world, but will be far better fitted to reign in the world to come because of Jesus and the salvation He gained for man. Ponder for a moment, and ask yourself, why will man be better fitted to reign in the next world?
We might ask why God did not destroy the world immediately after the fall of man. But no, He did not do that, for had he done so, it would have been tantamount to admitting He had made a mistake in making man. But He did not make a mistake, for God never makes mistakes. God’s plan was a plan of redemption, (buying back) and within that plan God determined to put within man a vital ingredient which would fit him to reign in righteousness and holiness with Him. That ingredient was a free will, by which man would choose to be holy. Consider also in this context the confidence that God had from the beginning that his power of LOVE, would win man over from his natural father, the devil. There will be no sin in the next world when man is in charge, because he will have seen the full extent of the folly and cost of sin. So ‘‘repentant man,’’ redeemed, is a far better creature, as far as God is concerned, than man before the fall.
This plan of redemption reveals the value of man to God and indeed the positive high nature of man as a spiritual being. He was made in the image of God. God walked with him. He was a son of God, a “chip off the old block” so to speak. Jesus, when confronted by the Jews, asked why they marvelled that He should say He was the Son of God, for Jesus reminded them that the Psalmist correctly described men as ‘‘gods. ’’
The Son of God is not ashamed to say he is the brother of redeemed man.
Regardless of all the evils that man has instigated and carried out on this earth, so great was the salvation and cleansing, that Jesus now counts himself as one of us. Not that He has become a sinner, but that He has made us Saints. (holy)
Man has not been lifted to a position he has earned, but he is now identified as a creature of high divine standing. As Martin Lloyd Jones once said, “Man is not a monkey getting better, but a spiritual being who has lost his spiritual life.’’
God did not even bother to redeem fallen angels but He bankrupted heaven to redeem man. This shows the true value of man. For man is really part of God Himself.
Man was and is destined to reign over all things, but as yet we do not see man fulfilling his real potential, but we do see Jesus, the last Adam, and the first of a new race of Holy sons of God
His complete humanity ensures our salvation. He is truly a high priest with every essential characteristic, to intercede successfully for us. By tasting death, He destroyed the one who had the power of death over man. What a mystery? Charles Wesley wrote that amazing sentence “The immortal dies”. The Immortal put on mortality so that He could taste death for us. His resurrection ensures our salvation. Our salvation is proof of his victory.
In 1 Cor. Ch. 15 we read that death was ‘‘swallowed up in victory’’. In spiritual terms we live, because Jesus, killed and swallowed up our great roaring enemy of death.
Our salvation is proof of Christ’s victory over Satan in that the blood - washed sinner experiences a freedom from guilt.
Secondly, when a sinner chooses to receive Jesus into his life, Satan must leave. The fact that Jesus takes up his abode and evicts Satan is proof of the greater authority of Jesus. Satan would not relinquish his territory so easily if he had any power.
Thirdly, He takes away the fear of death, having taken away the cause of death which is sin. Sin gets its power from the law. If there is no law there is no knowledge of sin or wrong doing. Jesus paid the penalty of the Law in full, by death. There is now no law to condemn those who rest by faith IN Jesus. So sin has lost its power to separate man from God. Free from the law means to be free from sin. Freedom from sin means freedom from death.
Hebrews ch. 2 v 14-15 tells us that he entered into the bondage of our swaddling clothes, and ultimately our grave clothes, but broke free, by defeating death for us. He tore the bars away from the prison called ‘the fear of death’’
***************************
BOARD SUMMARY: CH 2
WARNING: If the word spoken by angels was important, so much so that those who refused to accept it were punished.
How shall we escape if we neglect so great a Salvation, First preached by the Lord, then by the disciples and confirmed by God with miracles, signs and wonders and by gifts of the Holy Spirit.
The Wonder of the Incarnation:
What is man? What was man? What will man become?
What is man that God could become one?
Why did God redeem fallen man, regardless of the great cost? Why didn’t he start all over again, after the fall?
How does redeemed man compare with Adam before the fall? Is he better?
What is man’s eternal purpose?
Why will he be fit to reign in the next (eternal) world?
CONSIDER: Our great High Priest.
What a High Priest! He is not ashamed to call sinful man his brethren.
What a helper in times of trial!
An elder brother, who has gone through all human tests before us. He understands our humanity and is able to encourage us.
