Austin Bible Church
The Book of Hebrews was written in 67 AD as a warning to the Jewish nation that the most serious phase of divine discipline was imminent (the Fifth Cycle of Discipline) and would result in complete destruction of the nation. There was special evangelism to the Jewish nation before the destruction at the hands of Titus the Roman general in 70 AD. In that national destruction in August of 70 AD, 1.9 million Jews were killed.
In Hebrews 2:1, “For this reason” refers to the Angelic Conflict. Because of the Angelic Conflict, the world is warned to not reject Jesus as personal Savior. This is similar to the fallen angels’ rejection of the sovereign authority of God prior to the restoration of the earth and the creation of mankind. For the unbelievers who reject the salvation work of Jesus Christ, they will share the destiny of the fallen angels and Satan in the Lake of Fire. Rev. 20:10; Matt. 25:41.
"For this reason we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away from it." (Hebrews 2:1, NASB)
"And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are also; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever." (Revelation 20:10, NASB)
""Then He will also say to those on His left, 'Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels;" (Matthew 25:41, NASB)
In Hebrews 2:1, “we” means that the writer is a believer and identifies himself as a member of the Jewish nation to give the warning. “Must pay much closer attention” is the present active infinitive of προσέχω (prosechō) and means to apply the mind to something or concentrate on the subject, look a subject in the face, to focus your attention on it, to keep on concentrating until you see the issue. The infinitive mood means that it is God’s purpose for them to hear before they are judged. Grace always precedes judgment. They really needed to listen because they were within three years of a terrible national disaster.
“To what we have heard” is the dative of advantage and refers to the person and work of Jesus Christ who is the reality. He has come historically. Every Saturday, these Jews read and heard the Torah and in that Torah, the Old Testament scriptures were salvation passages. They had also heard the Gospel proclaimed in Jerusalem since Pentecost, the day the Church Age began. For nearly 40 years they have had concentrated evangelism in their own city.
“So that we do not drift away from it” refers to the unbelieving Jews not drifting past the safe harbor of salvation in Jesus Christ. “Drift away” is a nautical term and means to drift past a safe harbor. Unless unbelieving Jews listened to the Gospel and respond to it, they will end up on the rocks – the Lake of Fire.
This warning was an analogy to the judgment of fallen angels. In Hebrews 2:2, the word “if” is a first class condition in the Greek and means if and it’s true. The word “if” can be one of four class conditions in the Greek. The first class condition means if and it’s true. The second class condition means if and it’s not true. The third class condition means if, maybe it is true, maybe it is not. The fourth class condition means if and I wish it were, but it is not.
"For if the word spoken through angels proved unalterable, and every transgression and disobedience received a just penalty," (Hebrews 2:2, NASB)
“The word spoken” refers to the choice given to every angel following the fall of Satan. The choice was to accept the grace and absolute authority of God or to reject that grace and authority and side with the fallen Satan. Two-thirds of the angels remained positive to the grace and absolute authority of God. One-third rejected the grace and absolute authority of God and joined Satan as Fallen Angels under Satan’s leadership. The details of exactly how this decision point was presented to them are not given in Scripture. The angels’ decisions were permanent. At this point prior to the creation of mankind, the angelic realm was permanently split into Elect and Fallen angels.
“Spoken” this is an aorist (point of time in which they gave a testimony) passive (they received this testimony and responded positively) participle (there was constant witnessing “through angels” meaning by means of angels, through the instrumentality of angels. “Proved” is γίνομαι (ginomai) should be translated, became. “Unalterable” means incapable of being destroyed. Their word was incapable of being destroyed.
“Every transgression” refers to the overt act of passing beyond the boundary. This indicates that all fallen angels passed beyond a boundary. We know Satan did, when he said “I will” five times in Isaiah 14:12-14 and Ezekiel 28. All fallen angels rejected whatever system of grace God provided for them, so they immediately passed outside the sphere of being related to God. Some are bound in prison in Tartarus, but most are operative.
""How you have fallen from heaven, O star of the morning, son of the dawn! You have been cut down to the earth, You who have weakened the nations! "But you said in your heart, 'I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God, And I will sit on the mount of assembly In the recesses of the north. 'I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.'" (Isaiah 14:12-14, NASB)
“Disobedience” means deviation from. They deviated from the plan of God. Transgression and disobedience are two words which describe the angelic fall. This is negative volition. “Received a just penalty” is described in Matthew 25:41 and means to receive back wages. God owes them the Lake of Fire.
""Then He will also say to those on His left, 'Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels;" (Matthew 25:41, NASB)
Because they passed beyond the divine boundary and deviated from the plan of God, they are to be punished in the Lake of Fire forever. Because Satan appealed his sentence, it was delayed until human history could demonstrate that God is truly both a perfectly loving and perfectly just God. Satan’s objection to God's sentence to the Lake of Fire was not accepted by the perfectly fair justice of God and was thrown out of court.
Hebrews 2:3 shows the author’s concern for his unsaved brethren according to the flesh. “How will we escape” is an interrogative adverb which always demands a negative answer. The future middle indicative of ἐκφεύγω (ekpheugō) and indicates both the fall of Jerusalem (70 AD) and the question of eternity (Lake of Fire).
"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," (Hebrews 2:3, NASB)
Just as the fallen angel has certain doom, so the unbeliever in the human race has certain doom. They share the Lake of Fire. “If” is not a conditional clause, but a conditional participle meaning having neglected. “Neglect” means disregard, to have no care for, a word for negative volition, apathy plus negative volition. “So great salvation” refers to Jesus Christ dying spiritually on the Cross while bearing our sins. Literally, “how shall we escape having disregarded which kind of salvation.”
In Hebrews 2:3, “After it was at the first” is the present active participle. Jesus being alive spoke to the first generation. Apostles being alive spoke to the second generation. Then those following them spoke to the third generation. “To be spoken” is the present active infinitive. There were warnings for the three generations. In Matthew 23:37, the meaning is that, “if Jesus Christ Himself could not evangelize them, who could?”
""Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling." (Matthew 23:37, NASB)
In Hebrews 2:3, “was confirmed” means was ratified, established, was verified unto us to the third generation. The Gospel was presented to the third generation, from apostles in the second generation and from Jesus Christ while He was on earth. So, if angels went negative and rejected the grace of God in eternity past, how can unbelievers as members of the human race escape? They cannot! Not one!
In Hebrews 2:4, there was special evangelism to the Jews in 67 AD, three years before the Fifth Cycle of Discipline. In three years, 70 AD, the fall of Jerusalem would occur. There was three years of concentrated evangelism. God and only God is the policy maker for the human race.
"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." (Hebrews 2:4, NASB)
No nation or group of people or individual will ever be bypassed by the Gospel including our own. Every generation will be reached by the Gospel. Concentrated evangelism is graciously provided before judgment hits. That is why 1.9 million Jews died in a 90-day period.
“Also testifying with them” means confirming or supporting witnesses and refers to the people clearly giving the Gospel. In order for it to be very effective in a short period of time, He used “signs and wonders and by various miracles and by gifts.” God used four means to evangelize the Jews – signs, wonders, miracles, and gifts.
“Signs” is a specialized word σημεῖον (sēmeion) and refers to the warning of the coming of the Fifth Cycle of Discipline. Isaiah also warned Israel of the Fifth Cycle of Discipline to the Jews of his day and gave three signs - the virgin birth (Isaiah 7:14), tongues (Isaiah 28:11) and the two deaths of Christ (Isaiah 53:9). Forty years is always the period of testing.
""Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel." (Isaiah 7:14, NASB)
"Indeed, He will speak to this people Through stammering lips and a foreign tongue," (Isaiah 28:11, NASB)
"His grave was assigned with wicked men, Yet He was with a rich man in His death, Because He had done no violence, Nor was there any deceit in His mouth." (Isaiah 53:9, NASB)
“Wonders” is τέρας (teras) and is an instrument, an attention-getter, and refers to miracles. “Miracles” is δύναμις (dunamis) and means many kinds of powers. The Father’s power in His planning is in view in 1 Peter 1:5. God the Son’s power is in view in Philippians 4:13, 2 Peter 1:3, and Ephesians 1:19. The Holy Spirit’s power in in view in Acts 1:8. The Word’s power in in view in Hebrews 4:12.
"who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time." (1 Peter 1:5, NASB)
"I can do all things through Him who strengthens me." (Philippians 4:13, NASB)
"seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence." (2 Peter 1:3, NASB)
"and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might" (Ephesians 1:19, NASB)
"but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth."" (Acts 1:8, NASB)
"For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart." (Hebrews 4:12, NASB)
“Gifts” refers to the temporary spiritual gifts given by the Holy Spirit in the pre-canon period of the Church Age. These included Apostleship, Healing, and Tongues. In Hebrews 2:4, “according to His own will” means there was a concentrated focus on Jerusalem before 70 AD, but with very little effect.