by signs and wonders and various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will. Some of this may have been reported to the church via the tradition but some will have been their first hand experience (6:4–5). The writer does not encourage confidence in miracles but in the divine word attested by them with its command to approach the divine throne in the boldness of faith, which is faith in the divine pronouncement of forgiveness. For the Holy Spirit, see 3:7; 6:4–5; 9:8, 14; 10:15, 29.
Comments on Theological Themes
The coming argument will clarify the preacher’s assumptions, so that without glancing ahead we can run the risk of imposing alien categories on what he expresses somewhat generally at this point. We will need to unfold this with Hebrews itself, but a sketch is necessary here. One of the cords that runs through Hebrews and holds it together is the promise of (covenant with) God to Abraham, which finally is that he would inherit the world (Rom 4:13) and that all nations would be blessed through him. Over the subsequent history of that promise it was clarified that this covenant concerned God purposes for creation from its foundation (e.g., Ps 8:4–6; Heb 2:5–9; 4:3–4); it was for the purpose expressed in this promise that God had created the world, so that the promise is in reality the inner secret of the very cosmos. One must say that the covenant is the internal basis of creation, and creation the external basis of the covenant. The full vision of what was promised was indicated in Moses and the prophets (particularly Jeremiah 31) but finally revealed in the Son, namely, entrance into God’s resting place, the holy city of God, the sacred presence of God himself (Heb 3:7—4:11; 11:8–16; 12:22–24; 13:14). From this vantage point Hebrews clarifies how the OT indicated precisely this. The tabernacle of Moses (and the entire covenant that revolved on it) was a provisional stage in the journey of the promise. As a copy and shadow constructed after the heavenly original shown him (8:5) it symbolized 1) what was in store, namely, entrance of the people and all creation with them into God’s holy presence, and, 2) how it would be achieved, namely, priestly mediation and cleansing, sanctifying sacrifice. Within its system its sacrifices accomplished nothing and everything. Nothing in themselves, not even partial forgiveness, in that the blood of animals cannot take away sins (10:4, 11). Everything, and thus full forgiveness, as a shadow of Christ enacted in faith. The very structure of its system attested that it did not “bring perfection” and that “the way into the holy places is not yet opened” (7:11–18; 9:8–10). Yet it remains that it was God’s own chosen way of disclosing how the promise must be understood.
We must let Hebrews tell the rest of this story, but this is enough to say this: It is into the history of this promise that Jesus stepped—he took on the blood and flesh of the seed of Abraham (Heb 2:10–16) who had broken his covenant (Deut 11 and 27–28) and shown the impossibility of its realization. He did this so as to bring this promise to its goal and unlock its blessings for all nations and the world as such. This is the great salvation (2:3), since he died as a ransom to set those who are called free from the sins committed under the first covenant so that they may receive the promised inheritance (9:15). It is of course an entailment that this great salvation has to do with deserved punishment (recompense) and ultimately with a deserved punishment of death, which is met in the Son’s death (2:1–16; 9:15; 9:12—10:10, 26–31).
Teaching Hebrews 2:1–4
1. Some parts of Hebrews virtually preach themselves. The role of the commentator is limited to nudging things down the text’s own channels. What was said under Context and Comments on Theological Themes is key for this purpose. Lest in our own preaching, however, we think that application should be “left to the Spirit” we note that our preacher does both teaching and application. His doctrine and application are really the two legs of a single stride forward, just as cognitive understanding and obedience of life are the two legs of faithful reception that are necessary for progress of any sort. By this same token we note that Hebrews’ exhortations are merely different versions of its expositions, and vice versa. This means that its story of priesthood and sacrifice is not merely a convenient way to communicate the gospel to ancient Jews, but a necessary way for it to be received by all. What Hebrews makes clearer than perhaps any NT writing is that the gospel is Christ in the OT and the OT in Christ. It will only occasion the “drift” against which he warns if this is not embraced as fully as this sermon requires of all believers no matter what their ethnic and religious background.
2. Christology. The Lord is mentioned only once here, but as the opening therefore tells us, not to mention the logic of the entire sermon, it is a matter of paying the most careful attention to him, for he is Lord.
3. Salvation. The great salvation is the greatest of goods: Life from death! The joy-filled celebration of arrival at the city of God, delighting in the knowledge that God’s face is—finally, fully—shining on us (Num 6:24–26; Heb 12:22–24). Life as it was meant to be, and will be forever. It can, however, be refused and because all good, and truth, and beauty are concentrated there, there is none of this life outside of it. To refuse it is death in the darkest, most hopeless reaches of abandonment.53 Creation’s hour has struck, the way of life or death is before us (Deut 30:11–20), and there is no escape. From Moses we learn that and how this is so (2:2). From the way in which God has spoken we must admit that it has been indubitably confirmed (2:3–4).
4. Perseverance. A key element of salvation for Hebrews is introduced in 2:1, the need for perseverance. Like some other NT writers, Hebrews portrays salvation as primarily a future destination for the people of God who are on pilgrimage toward it. Faith, in this perspective, is a matter of a life of faith, and faith is a matter of obedience to the divine command that is involved in the promise. Faith is therefore not a past, one-off decision, but a mode of living on the way, and if one abandons the path, one does not arrive at the goal. To be sure, God’s act is prior, it is sufficient, it is irreversible, and it is grace. Faith is not the achievement of salvation but the response to it. But. Without faith it is impossible to please God (11:6). There is much to learn about this, but for the moment it is enough to hear the exhortation lest we drift away.
5. The Holy Spirit. Though Hebrews does not feature the Spirit on the scale of Acts and 1 Corinthians the Spirit’s presence in the community and role in the history of salvation is vital. At this point the gifts of the Spirit are mentioned in language that relates to the distributions of Israel’s inheritance (Josh 11:23); we are recipients of the true inheritance. One could also say that in 2:1–4 we find not so much Trinitarian theology as its assumption in the salvific co-acting of God (Father), Lord (Son), and Holy Spirit.
50. Bruce, Galatians, 176–78, doubts that any of the proposed parallels prior to Galatians amount to Paul’s claim that the angels administered the law.
51. Betz, Galatians, 169, citing LXX Pss 102:20; 103:4; Jub. 2:2; 1 En. 60:1–2. Within Ps 68 note vv. 7–9, 32–35.
52. Given the angels’ witness to the old covenant as heaven’s speech we might hazard that their presence at the birth of Jesus was in its own way the law’s worship and service of the Son. In Heb 1:14 their continuing service of the heirs is for the advance of this same story. For us to fail to do the same—work for that advance—would be to fall out of step with their witness and that of Moses.
53. By way of partial analogy, see the drama of Gen 27:37 (cf. Heb 12:14–17). The exclusivity and finality of the situation are absolute in the word now spoken in the Son.
2:5–9
“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.”
Context
Having
