Hebrews 2: So Great a Salvation — ReidOne Bible Study

Hebrews 2 (WEB)

1 Therefore we ought to pay greater attention to the things that were heard, lest perhaps we drift away.

2 For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense;

3 how will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation—which at the first having been spoken through the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard;

4 God also testifying with them, both by signs and wonders, by various works of power, and by gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to his own will?

5 For he didn’t subject the world to come, of which we speak, to angels.

6 But one has somewhere testified, saying, “What is man, that you think of him? Or the son of man, that you care for him?

7 You made him a little lower than the angels. You crowned him with glory and honor.

8 You have put all things in subjection under his feet.” For in that he subjected all things to him, he left nothing that is not subject to him. But now we don’t see all things subjected to him, yet.

9 But we see him who has been made a little lower than the angels, Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that by the grace of God he should taste of death for everyone.

10 For it became him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many children to glory, to make the author of their salvation perfect through sufferings.

11 For both he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all from one, for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brothers,

12 saying, “I will declare your name to my brothers. In the midst of the congregation I will sing your praise.”

13 Again, “I will put my trust in him.” Again, “Behold, here I am with the children whom God has given me.”

14 Since then the children have shared in flesh and blood, he also himself in the same way partook of the same, that through death he might bring to nothing him who had the power of death, that is, the devil,

15 and might deliver all of them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.

16 For most certainly, he doesn’t give help to angels, but he gives help to the seed of Abraham.

17 Therefore he was obligated in all things to be made like his brothers, that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make atonement for the sins of the people.

18 For in that he himself has suffered being tempted, he is able to help those who are tempted.

Hebrews 2 (KJV)

1 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.

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

3 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;

4 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?

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

6 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?

7 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:

8 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.

9 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.

10 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.

11 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,

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

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

14 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;

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

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

17 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.

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

Hebrews 2 (ASV)

1 Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things that were heard, lest haply we drift away from them.

2 For if the word spoken through angels proved stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward;

3 how shall we escape, if we neglect so great a salvation? which having at the first been spoken through the Lord, was confirmed unto us by them that heard;

4 God also bearing witness with them, both by signs and wonders, and by manifold powers, and by gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to his own will.

5 For not unto angels did he subject the world to come, whereof we speak.

6 But one hath somewhere testified, saying, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? Or the son of man, that thou visitest him?

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

8 Thou didst put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he subjected all things unto him, he left nothing that is not subject to him. But now we see not yet all things subjected to him.

9 But we behold him who hath been made a little lower than the angels, even Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that by the grace of God he should taste of death for every man.

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

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

12 saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, In the midst of the congregation will I sing thy praise.

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

14 Since then the children are sharers in flesh and blood, he also himself in like manner partook of the same; that through death he might bring to nought him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;

15 and might deliver all them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.

16 For verily not to angels doth he give help, but he giveth help to the seed of Abraham.

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

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

Summary

Having shown the Son's supremacy, the writer draws his first practical conclusion: we must pay closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away. If the message delivered through angels was binding, how will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, first announced by the Lord and confirmed by eyewitnesses and by God's own signs and wonders? The writer then explains why the supreme Son was made for a little while lower than the angels. Quoting Psalm 8, he acknowledges that we do not yet see all things subjected to humanity, but we do see Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, who by God's grace tasted death for everyone. It was fitting that God should make the author of our salvation perfect through sufferings, bringing many sons and daughters to glory. Because the children share flesh and blood, the Son shared in the same, so that through death he might destroy the one who holds the power of death, the devil, and free those enslaved all their lives by the fear of death. He helps not angels but the seed of Abraham, and so he had to be made like his brothers in every way, becoming a merciful and faithful high priest to make atonement for the people—and because he himself suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are tempted.

Key Figures

Jesus — The Son made for a little while lower than the angels, crowned through suffering, who tasted death for everyone and became a merciful and faithful high priest.
The devil — The one who held the power of death and the fear that enslaved humanity, brought to nothing through the death of the Son.
The brothers (the seed of Abraham) — Those Jesus is not ashamed to call brothers, sharing their flesh and blood so he might help and deliver them from the fear of death.

Key Verse

Hebrews 2:3 (WEB)

how will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation—which at the first having been spoken through the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard;

Lessons Learned

Neglect, not just outright rejection, can cause us to drift from a great salvation.
The eternal Son took on our flesh and blood to share fully in our humanity.
By his death Jesus defeated the devil and freed those enslaved by the fear of death.
Because he suffered temptation himself, Jesus is able to help us when we are tempted.

Drifting is a quiet danger. “Lest perhaps we drift away” (Hebrews 2:1, WEB). We rarely decide to abandon Christ; we simply stop paying attention and slowly slip from the shore.
The Son became one of us to save us. “The children have shared in flesh and blood, he also himself in the same way partook of the same” (Hebrews 2:14, WEB). Our salvation required a real incarnation.
Christ has disarmed the fear of death. Through death he destroyed the one with power over death and freed those held in lifelong bondage to fear (Hebrews 2:14-15, WEB). The grave no longer terrifies those who are his.
Our high priest knows temptation from the inside. “In that he himself has suffered being tempted, he is able to help those who are tempted” (Hebrews 2:18, WEB). His sympathy is earned, not theoretical.

What is the difference between actively rejecting the gospel and simply “drifting away” from it (2:1)?
Why was it necessary for the Son to be made “a little lower than the angels” and to taste death (2:9)?
How does Jesus' death deal with the devil and the fear of death (2:14-15)?
What does it mean that Jesus was made “perfect through sufferings” (2:10), and how does that comfort us?
Where do you sense yourself drifting, and what would “paying greater attention” look like for you this week?

Drifting requires no decision—just inattention. A boat unanchored slowly moves with the current until it is far from where it began. The warning is sobering precisely because spiritual loss often happens through neglect rather than rebellion, so the antidote is renewed attention to what we have heard.
To rescue people who die, the Son had to be able to die, so he took our nature for a little while lower than the angels (2:9). His tasting death for everyone is the heart of the gospel: he entered our condition fully in order to lift us to glory.
Jesus did not avoid death but went through it, and in dying he stripped the devil of the weapon of death and the fear that enslaves us (2:14-15). For believers, death is now a defeated enemy, so we can live free from the bondage of dreading it.
His perfection was not moral improvement—he was always sinless—but completion through experience; he became the fully proven, qualified Savior by suffering (2:10). This comforts us because our pioneer has walked the road of suffering ahead of us and brings us safely to glory.
This is a personal-application question. Encourage members to name, honestly and without shame, a place of spiritual neglect—prayer, fellowship, the word—and one concrete step back toward attentiveness. As leader, keep the tone hopeful, since the warning is given so that we might not drift.