1 Because of this it behoveth `us' more abundantly to take heed to the things heard, lest we may glide aside,
In many parts, and many ways, God of old having spoken to the fathers in the prophets, in these last days did speak to us in a Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He did make the ages;
This, now, beloved, a second letter to you I write, in both which I stir up your pure mind in reminding `you',
and I will be diligent that also at every time ye have, after my outgoing, power to make to yourselves the remembrance of these things.
Wherefore, I will not be careless always to remind you concerning these things, though, having known them, and having been established in the present truth, and I think right, so long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up in reminding `you',
and ye have forgotten the exhortation that doth speak fully with you as with sons, `My son, be not despising chastening of the Lord, nor be faint, being reproved by Him,
My son! keep my sayings, And my commands lay up with thee. Keep my commands, and live, And my law as the pupil of thine eye.
My son, if thou dost accept my sayings, And my commands dost lay up with thee, To cause thine ear to attend to wisdom, Thou inclinest thy heart to understanding, For, if for intelligence thou callest, For understanding givest forth thy voice, If thou dost seek her as silver, And as hid treasures searchest for her, Then understandest thou fear of Jehovah, And knowledge of God thou findest. For Jehovah giveth wisdom, From His mouth knowledge and understanding.
`Beth.' With what doth a young man purify his path? To observe -- according to Thy word.
and saith unto them, `Set your heart to all the words which I am testifying against you to-day, that ye command your sons to observe to do all the words of this law, for it `is' not a vain thing for you, for it `is' your life, and by this thing ye prolong days on the ground whither ye are passing over the Jordan to possess it.'
`Only, take heed to thyself, and watch thy soul exceedingly, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they turn aside from thy heart, all days of thy life; and thou hast made them known to thy sons, and to thy sons' sons.
See, may ye not refuse him who is speaking, for if those did not escape who refused him who upon earth was divinely speaking -- much less we who do turn away from him who `speaketh' from heaven, whose voice the earth shook then, and now hath he promised, saying, `Yet once -- I shake not only the earth, but also the heaven;'
for if the word being spoken through messengers did become stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience did receive a just recompense, how shall we escape, having neglected so great salvation? which a beginning receiving -- to be spoken through the Lord -- by those having heard was confirmed to us, God also bearing joint-witness both with signs and wonders, and manifold powers, and distributions of the Holy Spirit, according to His will.
`Lay ye to your ears these words, for the Son of Man is about to be delivered up to the hands of men.'
do ye not yet understand, nor remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many hand-baskets ye took up?
My son, to my words give attention, To my sayings incline thine ear, Let them not turn aside from thine eyes, Preserve them in the midst of thy heart. For life they `are' to those finding them, And to all their flesh healing.
Hear, ye sons, the instruction of a father, And give attention to know understanding. For good learning I have given to you, My law forsake not. For, a son I have been to my father -- tender, And an only one before my mother. And he directeth me, and he saith to me: `Let thy heart retain my words, Keep my commands, and live.
`Take heed to yourselves, lest ye forget the covenant of Jehovah your God, which He hath made with you, and have made to yourselves a graven image, a similitude of anything `concerning' which Jehovah thy God hath charged thee:
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Hebrews 2
Commentary on Hebrews 2 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 2
In this chapter the apostle,
Hbr 2:1-4
The apostle proceeds in the plain profitable method of doctrine, reason, and use, through this epistle. Here we have the application of the truths before asserted and proved; this is brought in by the illative particle therefore, with which this chapter begins, and which shows its connection with the former, where the apostle having proved Christ to be superior to the angels by whose ministry the law was given, and therefore that the gospel dispensation must be more excellent than the legal, he now comes to apply this doctrine both by way of exhortation and argument.
Hbr 2:5-9
The apostle, having made this serious application of the doctrine of the personal excellency of Christ above the angels, now returns to that pleasant subject again, and pursues it further (v. 5): For to the angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come, whereof we speak.
Hbr 2:10-13
Having mentioned the death of Christ, the apostle here proceeds to prevent and remove the scandal of the cross; and this he does by showing both how it became God that Christ should suffer and how much man should be benefited by those sufferings.
Hbr 2:14-18
Here the apostle proceeds to assert the incarnation of Christ, as taking upon him not the nature of angels, but the seed of Abraham; and he shows the reason and design of his so doing.