Hebrews 2:3-8 NIV

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Hebrews 2:3

How shall we escape - If they who had fewer privileges than we have, to whom God spoke in divers manners by angels and prophets, fell under the displeasure of their Maker, and were often punished with a sore destruction; how shall we escape wrath to the uttermost if we neglect the salvation provided for us, and proclaimed to us by the Son of God? Their offense was high; ours, indescribably higher. The salvation mentioned here is the whole system of Christianity, with all the privileges it... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Hebrews 2:4

God also bearing them witness - He did not leave the confirmation of these great truths to the testimony of men; he bore his own testimony to them by signs, wonders, various miracles, and distributions of the Holy Ghost, Πνευματος ' Αγιου μερισμοις . And all these were proved to come from himself; for no man could do those miracles at his own pleasure, but the power to work them was given according to God's own will; or rather, God himself wrought them, in order to accredit the ministry... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Hebrews 2:5

The world to come - That הבא עולם olam habba , the world to come, meant the days of the Messiah among the Jews, is most evident, and has been often pointed out in the course of these notes; and that the administration of this kingdom has not been intrusted to angels, who were frequently employed under the law, is also evident, for the government is on the shoulder of Jesus Christ; he alone has the keys of death and hell; he alone shuts, and no man opens; opens, and no man shuts; he alone... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Hebrews 2:6

But one in a certain place - This one is David; and the certain place, Psalm 8:4 , Psalm 8:5 , Psalm 8:6 . But why does the apostle use this indeterminate mode of quotation? Because it was common thus to express the testimony of any of the inspired writers; ההוא אמר amar hahu kethab , thus saith a certain scripture. So Philo, De Plant. Noe: Ειπε γαρ που , he saith somewhere; ειπε γαρ τις , a certain person saith. Thus even the heathens were accustomed to quote high authorities;... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Hebrews 2:7

Thou madest him a little lower than the angels - We must again have recourse to the original from which this quotation is made: מאלהים מעט ותחסרהו vattechasserehu meat meelohim . If this be spoken of man as he came out of the hands of his Maker, it places him at the head of all God's works; for literally translated it is: Thou hast made him less than God. And this is proved by his being made in the image and likeness of God, which is spoken of no other creature either in heaven or earth;... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Hebrews 2:3

Verse 3 3.If we neglect so great a salvation, etc. Not only the rejection of the Gospel, but also its neglect, deserves the heaviest punishment, and that on account of the greatness of the grace which it offers; hence he says, so great a salvation. God would indeed leave his gifts valued by us according to their worth. Then the more precious they are, the baser is our ingratitude when we do not value them. In a word, in proportion to the greatness of Christ will be the severity of God’s... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Hebrews 2:4

Verse 4 4.God also bearing them witness, etc. In addition to the fact, that the Apostles had what they preached from the Son of God, the Lord also proved his approbation of their preaching by miracles, as by a solemn subscription. Then they who do not reverently receive the Gospel recommended by such testimonies, disregard not only the word of God, but also his works. He designates miracles, for the sake of amplifying their importance, by three names. They are called signs because they rouse... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Hebrews 2:5

Verse 5 5.For unto the angels, etc. He again proves by another argument that Christ ought to be obeyed; for the Father has conferred on him the sovereignty of the whole world, while the angels are wholly destitute of such an honor. It hence follows that none of the angels should stand in the way of his preeminence who alone possesses supremacy. But first, the Psalm which he quotes must be examined, for it seems to be unfitly applied to Christ. David there mentions the benefits which God... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Hebrews 2:7

Verse 7 7.Thou madest him, etc. A new difficulty now arises as to the explanation of the words. I have already shown that the passage is fitly applicable to the Son of God; but the Apostle seems now to turn the words from that meaning in which David understood them; for a little, βραχύ τι seems to refer to time, as it means a little while, and designates the abasement of Christ’s humiliation; and he confines the glory to the day of resurrection, while David extends it generally to the whole... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Hebrews 2:8

Verse 8 8.For in that he put all in subjection under him; or, doubtless in subjecting all things to him, etc. One might think the argument to be this, — “To the man whom David speaks all things are subjected, but to mankind all things are not made subject; then he does not speak of any individual man.” But this reasoning cannot stand, for the minor proposition is true also of Christ; for all things are not as yet made subject to him, as Paul shows in 1 Corinthians 15:28. There is therefore... read more

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Hebrews 2:3

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Hebrews 2:4

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Hebrews 2:5

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Hebrews 2:6

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Hebrews 2:7

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Hebrews 2:3

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Hebrews 2:4

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Hebrews 2:5

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Hebrews 2:7

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Hebrews 2:8

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