Free Bible Commentary
“Hebrews 2:1-4”
Categories: Hebrews“For this reason we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away from it. For if the word spoken through angels proved unalterable, and every transgression and disobedience received a just penalty, how will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation? After it was at the first spoken through the Lord, it was confirmed to us by those who heard, God also testifying with them, both by signs and wonders and by various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit according to His own will.”
---End of Scripture verses---
If the readers practiced zealous adherence to the old law delivered through angels, they ought to pay even “closer attention” (verse 1) to the word which was spoken by the Lord Jesus (1:2), and delivered to them through His apostles and prophets (verse 4). These Hebrew Christians were experiencing some troubling times because of their faith, but it was time to cling to their faith and Christ’s word and kingdom as tightly as possible, and not fall away from it. The eternal consequences were entirely too great for them to turn loose of their spiritual moorings and “drift away” from their Rock of salvation.
Friends, the Creator and Judge of the world speaks to us through the Gospel (1:2). We must listen closely to it and cling to it like our lives depend upon it. We must obey the truth and not let go of it for any reason because one day we will all be judged by it. We must “pay much closer attention” and keep our ship on its proper course so that we do not just aimlessly drift about in the sea of ignorance, doubt and sin. If we neglect spending time in the word and applying its teaching to our lives we will float away from the Lord and toward the jagged rocks of error and worldliness, to our own peril. There are many things in this world that can cut us loose from our strong anchor of hope (6:19). Laziness. Distraction. Dissatisfaction. Worldly ambition. Busy-ness.
The author uses a classic “lesser to the greater argument” in verse 2-3. If the Law of Moses was “unalterable” and “just,” and those under it were accountable to its every command and every infringement was punishable by God, how much more so the “great salvation” revealed by the Lord Jesus Christ in the New Testament? Once a person was convicted of sin under the old law, there was no way of release or “escape” because the blood of bulls and goats could not take away sins (10:4), and there was no true forgiveness until God provided a Savior.
But, when the Father sent His own Son into the world to die for our sins and provide for our soul’s salvation, that was truly the provision of “great salvation”. This salvation is “great” because of the greatness of the One who gave His own life as the atoning sacrifice for our sins. This salvation is “great” because of the horrid nature of sin and its eternal damnation that He rescued us from. Friend, there is no way to escape the everlasting condemnation of sin unless you latch onto the Savior and His holy message with all your might and not let go and “drift away” to your own disaster.
We see in verse 4 what the true purpose of “signs” and “wonders” and “miracles” was. God empowered the Apostles and other disciples in the first century with miraculous capabilities through His Holy Spirit in order to “confirm” (verse 3) the word of truth that they spoke by inspiration. When they taught the Gospel, the accompaniment of miracles validated their words as God-ordained truth. Just read Acts chapter 14 as a prime example of this truth in action. “Therefore they spent a long time there speaking boldly with reliance upon the Lord, who was testifying to the word of His grace, granting that signs and wonders be done by their hands” (Acts 14:3).
Now that we have the final, perfect, completed, compiled New Testament, miracles have served their purpose and have ceased to be necessary (1 Corinthians 13:8-13). The Gospel of Jesus Christ is “the power of God for salvation” (Romans 1:16), and it is all we need to make us spiritually complete (2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:3-4).
Please read Hebrews 2:5-13 for tomorrow.
Have a great day!
- Louie Taylor
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