Introduction and Context
The letter of Hebrews was written to an audience of believers who were suffering from immense persecution. Kent Hughes suggests that these persecutions came at the hand of Emperor Nero.[1] This would place the date of the letter around 68 A.D., which according to John MacArthur the letter was likely penned between 67 and 69 A.D..[2] The letter was likely written around this time-period during the tyrannical reign of Emperor Nero.
The letter takes on a sermonic type of structure and utilizes Old Testament citation, imagery, and themes throughout. Hebrew’s heavy usage of the Old Testament seems to suggest that the audience of the epistle was primarily Jewish. John MacArthur suggests that the Qumran community is a likely prospect for the letter audience, as the Qumran community held a high doctrinal view of angels, which may explain why the first two chapters of the letter are dedicated to demonstrating Christ’s superiority to the angels.[3] However, Christ’s superiority is one of the major themes and thrusts of the author of Hebrew’s argument, as he demonstrates Christ’s superiority over other figures throughout the epistle.
The theme of Christ’s superiority dominates most of the letter. The author begins the letter by discussing Christ’s superior and exalted position (Hebrews 1:1-4, NKJV). Then for the first two chapters the author seeks to demonstrate Christ’s superiority to the angels (1:4-2:18). These two chapters are densely packed with Old Testament citation, as the author seeks to demonstrate Christ’s superiority to the angels. In chapter three and four the author demonstrates Christ’s superiority to Old Testament figures such as Moses, Aaron, and even to the promise of rest (3:1-4:13). Finally, in chapters four through ten the author argues for Christ’s superior priesthood and priestly ministry (Hebrews 4:14-10:18, NKJV). This section takes up the largest portion of the book. For the remaining chapters however, the author seeks to exhort his audience to persevere and endure their various afflictions and persecutions (10:19-13:25). In-short, the author seeks to exhort his audience to persevere through their persecutions on the basis of Christ’s superiority.
It is in the authors argument of Christ’s superiority to the Angels that Hebrews 2:1-4 is found. This passage is the first of four warning passages found in the book of Hebrews. The goal of these warning passages is to warn the audience against a particular-spiritual danger. In this passage the author seeks to warn his audience against drifting away from the “things” they have heard (2:1). This passage comes in the middle of the author’s argument for Christ’s superiority to the angels. The author uses this motif to drive the passages’ main argument. In the passage before the author uses Old Testament citation to demonstrate Christ’s positional superiority to the angels (1:5-14). Here he moves to warn his audience against drifting away, while continuing his argument for Christ’s superiority to the angels. The proceeding passage discusses Christ and mankind’s position in relationship to the angels and the incarnation (2:5-9).
Warning against Drifting: 2:1
In this passage the author of Hebrews seeks to warn his audience against spiritual drifting. He accomplishes this by exhorting them to pay attention to what they have heard, which is the Gospel. And by instilling in their minds a reminder of the greatness of salvation by using a Hebrew argument style to demonstrate the greatness of salvation. The author uses nautical terms in the passage, continues his argument for Christ’s superiority to the Angels, and lovingly warns his audience against drifting. This message is both necessary ad timely for the author’s audience, as they are in danger of drifting due to the persecution that they are facing.
In verse one the author begins by using the word “therefore” (2:1). This indicates both a change in idea while also maintaining a connection to the previous idea. Essentially, the author is saying “because of this… this.” The author is essentially building on the previous argument of Christ’s superiority thereby making his exhortation a consequence of Christ’s superiority. That is, because Christ is superior and exalted, greater attention must be given to what has been said.[4] Leon Morris suggests that it is “the whole Christian Gospel” that the author is referring to here.[5] The author’s audience is a group of believers. Therefore, they have heard the message about Christ, which is the Gospel. Had they not heard the message about Jesus they would not be believers nor part of the New Testament Church, which would then give the author of Hebrews no reason to write them that they might persevere in the faith.
The author of Hebrews then warns them of the consequence of failing to pay attention to the message of the Gospel, which is to drift away from it.
In this verse the author employs two uses of nautical terminology. The first is when the author exhorts his audience to “give the more earnest heed” (Hebrews 2:1, NKJV). The idea here is of a boat or ship being moored to a dock.[6] Therefore, when the author exhorts his audience to give heed to, or to pay attention to what has been heard, he is essentially telling them to tie themselves to what they have heard like a boat to a dock. The second usage of nautical terms is seen in the phrase “lest we drift away” (2:1). The picture here is of a boat that has slowly drifted or slid out from a harbor.[7] Essentially the author is telling his audience that they must hold to or tie themselves to the message about Christ like a boat that is moored to a dock. Otherwise they will drift away from the Gospel message as a ship that has not been anchored slides out of the safety of its harbor.
The author tells them this because amidst their persecution and suffering they are tempted to abandon the faith and return to what they once believed (Judaism). He is telling them that should they not hold to what they have heard they will drift away from it, as the storm of persecution they are facing is pulling their attention away from where it should be. Should they fail to give the Gospel the attention needed, they may find that they have drifted away from the faith. The author is warning them not to lose sight of the Gospel amidst persecution. It is easy for difficult times in life to pull the believer’s gaze away from the Gospel, this is when a believer is most likely to drift away. The idea of drifting does not connotate the idea of a deliberate “sailing” away. Rather, it suggests a slow or gradual slide away from the faith. It is due to misplaced focus and therefore negligence to pay attention to what is most vital to the believer. This is the warning of the passage that is reinforced by the argument of the next three verses.
Do Not Neglect Salvation: 2:2-4
In the next three verses the author of Hebrews employs a type of Hebrew argument called a “qal wa homer,” which means light and heavy.[8] This argument “employs the reasoning that if something is true in a light or lesser thing, it is even more true in a heavier or greater thing.[9] This type of argument begins with the lighter and then moves to the heavier. The lighter in this verse is the Law which was given by the angels (Hebrews 2:2, NKJV). The author shows that the Law was given by the angels, that it proved steadfast or reliable, and that those who broke it were punished (2:2). That is the Angels were instrument in the giving of the Law (Acts 7:38). The Law was reliable, in that those who broke it were punished. If this is true and reliable, how much more so is salvation reliable which was spoken of by the Son of God (Who rules over angels), confirmed by the Apostles, and testified by God the Father through miracles and the Holy Spirit. Additionally, Chris not only spoke of salvation but is the means of salvation, as He was offered as a propitiation for the sins of the world. It is the Apostles and disciples of Jesus who witnessed Jesus’ earthly ministry, miracles, death and resurrection who then bore witness of Jesus and the salvation that He freely gives (2:3). That is, they confirm the message of the Gospel because they have seen it and experienced it. But not only does Jesus speak of it and the Apostles confirm it but God Himself bears witness of salvation as well (Hebrews 2:4, NKJV). He accomplishes this through signs, wonders and miracles, which are seen in the earthly Ministry of Jesus Christ and in the ministries of the Apostles, as they performed miracles such as healing and exorcisms. God also testifies to this through the Holy Spirit by the giving of gifts, which is seen both in the early Church and today.
The question then raised is, “If man was held accountable for trespassing the Law, how much more so will those who neglect the Law, which is greater, be held accountable?”[10] This reinforces the concept the concept of the first verse, as there is great danger in drifting away, which comes from misplaced attention and thereby a neglect of the Gospel and of salvation. The author of Hebrews really puts the Law and salvation on a scale for his audience. Both are valuable and true, but the other has more weight. This is doubly impactful for the audience, as it is revealed later in Hebrews that some are tempted to abandon the faith and return to Judaism, which includes a strict adherence to the Law. The author gives reasoning and credibility for both parts of the argument, which emphasizes the greatness of salvation, which consequently must not be neglected. This comparison also continues the author’s argument that Jesus Christ is superior to the angels, as the salvation which he spoke of is greater than the Law mediated by the angels.
It is to note that the author is not speaking to the lost. Rather, he is speaking to the saved. For the lost neglecting, or rejecting salvation brings eternal punishment, but there are also consequences for the saved should they neglect the Gospel.[11] Should these believers fail to pay attention and neglect their salvation, they will drift away. The author attempts to demonstrate the greatness of salvation compared to the Law so that they may see the weight of salvation, the reasoning for the greater.
In summary, the author is warning his audience against drifting away and against neglecting salvation, which is so great. He does this by telling them to pay attention to what they have heard, the gospel, so that they do not drift away like a boat that drifts away from a harbor because someone neglected to tie it down. The believers are in danger of this because they are facing the stormy seas of persecution which may steal their attention away from the Gospel. This could result in them abandoning the faith. The author also demonstrates the greatness of salvation which is superior to the Law which is given by Angels. All with the purpose of warning them against drifting away amidst the persecution they face.
Application
This passage applies to the Church today in several ways. The first of which is a warning to believers against spiritual drifting. While believers in the modern American Church do not face the persecution that the Hebrew believers faced, there are many other afflictions that can pull a Christian's attention away from the Gospel and cause them to drift spiritually. Believers going through types of grief, loss, and suffering may drift away from the Gospel. For example, a believer who loses a loved one may drift away do to the pain of that loss.
Another example could be a break-up, divorce, or the loss of a job. Pain and suffering are not the only way believers can begin to drift today. Entertainment and social media can pull a believer's attention away from the Gospel and cause them to drift because of misplaced attention. That is not to say that entertainment and social media is bad, but when it can become an idol that causes believers to drift.
Another way believers could potentially drift away is by way of paying too much attention to the good aspects of life such as school, relationships, and even the ministry. It is possible to be so consumed with blessings that believers may miss the Gospel and drift away. Kent Hughes suggests that some possible avenues for drifting are many years lived as a Christian, being familiar with the truth, and busyness.[12] Of course, the cure for this is to pay attention to the Gospel (Hebrews 2:1). The Christian must tie themselves to the Gospel like a boat to a dock so that they do not drift away amidst the storms, afflictions, and distractions of life.[13]
Secondly, believers must not neglect their salvation. Rather they must see its greatness and give it the upmost attention in life.[14] If they want to see the greatness of the Gospel they need only to look at God's Word. There they see the greatness of salvation spoken by the Lord Jesus in the Gospels. They see it confirmed by the Apostles and the early Church in Acts. They see God attesting to it through Scripture as a whole, and in His Son, who is the Word of God through miracles, signs, and wonders, which He also did through the Apostles. He also testifies to it through the Holy Spirit in the giving of gifts. The Godhead, all of Scripture, and the Church attest to the greatness of salvation, may believers see this and never lose their awe, neglect the Gospel, and drift away.[15]
[1] R. Kent Hughes, Hebrews, (Wheaton: Crossway, 2015), 16-17. [2] MacArthur, John, The MacArthur Bible Commentary, (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2005), 1832. [3] Ibid [4] Kenneth L. Barker and John R. Kohlenberger III, eds., The Expositors Bible Commentary, (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1994), 946. [5] Ibid. [6] MacArthur, John, The MacArthur Bible Commentary, (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2005), 1838. [7] Ibid, 1838. [8] Simon J. Kistemaker, Exposition of the Epistle to the Hebrews, (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1984), 58. [9] R. Kent Hughes, Hebrews, (Wheaton: Crossway, 2015), 50. [10] Ibid, 52. [11] Ibid, 52-53. [12] Ibid, 48-49. [13] Ibid, 52-53. [14] Ibid,
52-53.
[15] Ibid.