Hebrews 2

Notes

Ver. 1. Since Christ is thus infinitely superior to the ancient prophets, and even to the loftiest angels, it highly concerns us, who live under the more eminently glorious dispensation of the gospel, both in respect of duty and interest, to attend the more diligently, affectionately, and steadfastly unto—and with humble faith and love to esteem, embrace, meditate upon, and seriously improve—the everlasting doctrines thereof, which have been delivered unto us in the ministry of the Word; and to retain them carefully in our hearts and memories, and persevere in our holy profession of them—lest at any time, through the corruption, heedlessness, treachery, and prejudices of our hearts, or the temptations of Satan and the snares of this evil world, we should be carried away from the truth, and suffer it to slip out of our minds, and so should lose the benefit of it, and perish under its gracious administrations. 2. For if the law of Moses, which was given at Mount Sinai by the ministration of angels, acting as Christ's messengers, was established by divine authority and enforced with an awful sanction; and every contemptuous violation of any of its precepts, or act of wilful disobedience to the authority of God in it, was severely punished with death; 3. How can we expect to escape the judgments of God, in time or eternity, if, through carelessness or unbelief, we despise and reject the glorious gospel—which alone reveals, exhibits, and offers to us that spiritual, heavenly, and eternal salvation which was secured by the infinitely precious blood of Christ, and comprehends in it deliverance from so great sinfulness and misery, and an advancement to so great holiness, happiness, and glory as answers all our wants, and infinitely transcends all our conceptions: the first clear publication of which, without the vail of typical shadows, was begun in the personal ministrations of our Lord Jesus Christ himself on earth, and was further explained and confirmed to us Jews by his inspired apostles, evangelists, and others, who themselves heard him preach these glad tidings of salvation! 4. Yea, to assure us of the infallible certainty of their testimony, God himself attested their integrity and the truth of their doctrine by manifold miraculous operations and effects on the bodies of men, and by an abundant bestowal of spiritual gifts—such as prophecy, wisdom, knowledge, and utterance, speaking with or interpreting languages they never learned—which were dispensed by the Holy Ghost, in their different kinds and degrees, according to the insight of his infinite love. 5. But to proceed in our comparison of Christ with the holy angels, it is manifest that, in his mediatorial office, as well as in his divine Person, he is infinitely superior to them; for though God employed them as his heralds in publishing the law at Sinai, and employs them as ministering spirits to the heirs of salvation, yet he has not given them any headship or ruling power over the New Testament church, nor are its doctrines, ordinances, privileges, or blessings derived from or even published by them. 6-8. But the inspired psalmist David, when contemplating the magnificent works of God, breaks out into a rapture of admiration that God should so favour, support, and assist man; and, after a short debasement, constitute him the universal Lord and head of all his creatures, not one excepted—that he might conquer, subdue, and triumph over his enemies, overcoming all opposition and casting it beneath his feet. Now it is fully evident, from observation and experience, that never since the fall, neither mankind in general nor any particular one of them, has ever had an absolute and universal dominion over all things. 9. But though Jesus Christ has not yet put an end to all the opposition of his and his people's enemies, we certainly know, from the testimony of inspired writers, and from the marvellous effusion of the Holy Ghost in his miraculous gifts and graces, and the wonderful effects of the gospel in convincing and converting multitudes, that he, in consequence of his debasement, obedience, sufferings, and death, in the place of all the world, Jews and Gentiles, is exalted to the highest glory, power, and authority—that he might be in full capacity to accomplish the great end of his death in its complete salvation. 10. For however offensive the doctrine of his debasement may be to carnal Jews, who only look for a temporal deliverer, it infinitely well became, and tended to the singular glory of, the justice, holiness, wisdom, goodness, and other perfections of God the Creator, Preserver, and last End of all things, and of his holy law and government, in bringing all true, humble, and regenerated men to their complete happiness in heaven, to prepare and consecrate his only begotten Son, as their Prince, Leader, and Author of eternal salvation, to his heavenly work of intercession and government, by his suffering on their behalf and in their stead. 11. For both Jesus the Redeemer, who, by his blood, purges away the guilt and filth of all sin, and we, his redeemed, who have accepted Christ, are, by the constitution of the promise of grace, one in the view of the law; and are partakers of the same human nature, in the same condition of weakness, trouble, and mortality; on which account Christ, however great and glorious, does, and in the last day will, more openly avow us, however mean and despicable, to be his brethren; 12. Engaging in the great work by his personal ministrations, and by his servants, will make known the glory and celebrate the praises of his perfections and counsels among all people, faithfully gathering through their faith a loving people. 13. And, like one having communion with us in human affections, sufferings, and graces, he represents himself as trusting in God for support, assistance, success in, and reward of his work, and as ready to do whatever is necessary for our future or eternal salvation, who, as his spiritual children, were to be saved by faith. 14. Since therefore these children whom God has by faith called to be saved by him are equally partakers of immortal souls and mortal bodies as the rest of mankind, he also, having existed the Son of God from all eternity, did, in the fulness of time, assume a true human nature, with all its essential properties and sinless infirmities, into personal union with himself, that he, as their Kinsman-redeemer, in the same nature which sinned, might make a proper fulfillment to the law and justice of God; and that thus, by means of his meritorious death, which he suffered in their room and stead, to take away their sins and the curse of the law, and to secure their happy resurrection and eternal life—he might entirely conquer, overthrow, and make void the power of that great destroying adversary the devil, who, by means of Adam's first transgression, had brought sin and death upon men, and has a limited empire over death, to inflict it upon obstinate and incorrigible sinners, and to be their everlasting portion in eternal death; 15. And that through his suffering of death he might destroy death in its destructive influence; and deliver all people from the sting, dominion, and terrors of it, and in due time give them a complete victory and triumph over it—even though their inward sense of guilt, the terrors of the Jewish dispensation, or heathen ignorance of a happy immortality, had long rendered the thoughts of their death enslaving and terrible. 16. For, to accomplish these important ends, he did not lay hold upon the nature of angels, by taking it into personal union with his divine, as if he intended to recover any of them who fell from their original holiness and happiness; but, passing by them, he laid hold on, and personally united to himself, the far inferior nature of man, as derived from the patriarch Abraham, to whom God promised that in his seed all the nations of the earth should be blessed. 17. From which it is plainly evident that, in order to Christ's duly answering the great design of his office as their Redeemer and Saviour, it was thought fit and necessary that he should partake of their nature in all its essentials; and be made in suffering, and everything but sin, like unto the people whom he was to bring to glory—that so, by his own experience of sufferings in their stead, he might be the better qualified, and the more feelingly engaged, to act the part of a compassionate, tender-hearted High-priest for them towards God, in making answerable to his Father's justice for their sins, and in securing and procuring peace and reconciliation for them. 18. And having thus experimentally endured the temptations of Satan and troubles of this world, as well as the weight of all heinous sins, and triumphed over them, he is the more fit and inclined to sympathize with, support, comfort, and relieve his brethren, when exercised with any like temptations, afflictions, or trials.

Ver. 3. So great salvation. This salvation was 'great,' (1) In the love from which it sprung. (2) In the means by which it was accomplished—the incarnation, death, and resurrection of the Son of God. (3) In the means by which it is applied—the Spirit of the living God. (4) In the disease of sin and ruin of death from which it delivers. (5) In the rest and glory to which it conducts. C.

Ver. 5. The world to come is not the future state following death and judgment, but the times of Messiah in this world during which the prophecies concerning Jews and Gentiles will be all fulfilled. C.

Ver. 11. He that sanctifieth, does not here signify 'he that maketh holy,' but he that by his own death separates his people from the world and dedicates them to God. See Jn. 17. 19; He. 10. 10, 14.—Are all of one 'flesh and blood,' which his brethren had from Adam, which he received by the Holy Ghost, and by which, being himself without sin, he yet 'bore their sins in his own body on the tree.' See ver. 14. C.

Ver. 16. The word 'nature' is supplied by the translators, but the marginal reading is greatly preferable. Literally, it stands thus: 'For of angels he taketh not hold, but of the seed of Abraham he taketh hold.' C.

Reflections.—In the superior excellency of its principal preacher, in its manifold and marvellous attestation, and in the full and extensive salvation which it exhibits, the gospel far transcends the law of Moses. With great care and reverence, then, ought we to hear, receive, and retain it, and all the spiritual and eternal blessings which it conveys. To neglect so great a salvation is one of the most grievous sins, and exposes men to the most terrible wrath of God.—How astonishing is it that God should leave angels to perish in their sins, and fix his love upon men, and unite his Son to them! But never can we sufficiently adore the excesses of that love through which we behold him in our nature, for a time debased, suffering, and dead; and then gloriously exalted to his Father's right hand, as head over all things to his gospel church, and expecting till all his enemies be made his footstool. Infinite is the mercy that God should thus bring many sinful men, as his loved, blessed, and regenerated children, to eternal life through faith in Jesus Christ his Son. Yea, herein all his perfections are highly glorified, and his Son qualified to be an exalted intercessor and Captain of salvation. Delightful is Jesus' connection with us, as our elder Brother, and the source of all our sanctification, comfort, and victory over sin, Satan, fears, troubles, and death. And amazing is his Priesthood, and kind his manner of executing it. But great indeed are the effects of this love, that by the death of my divine Saviour I am made alive and free; and sin, devils, and death are conquered—that, by his temptations and trials, I am succoured under and delivered from mine! Since he, then, is merciful, let me always flee into his bosom; and since he is faithful, let me always adore and trust him.