November 14, 2025 • 30 mins
What if the message you’ve staked your life on wasn’t just inspiring, but historically confirmed and theologically unshakeable? We continue in Hebrews chapter 2 and follow a clear line: Jesus first spoke the gospel, those who heard confirmed it, and God authenticated their witness with signs, wonders, and gifts given by the Holy Spirit according to his will. That sequence guards the gospel from drift and gives us a sober mandate—receive what was entrusted and pass it on intact to people who can teach others also.
From there we pivot into the heart of Psalm 8 and the mystery of the incarnation. Humanity was crowned with glory and honor and tasked with dominion, yet the fall fractured both creation and our own hearts. We do not yet see all things under our feet. But we do see Jesus. For a little while he was made lower than the angels, not by losing his deity but by adding true humanity. He embraced the limits of our condition, answered the skeptic’s challenge by his chosen humility, and walked the road of the suffering servant. In tasting death for everyone, he turned shame into a crown—glory and honor secured through love that pays the ultimate price.
If you’re hungry for a faith anchored in Scripture, history, and a living Christ, this conversation will steady your steps. Listen, share it with someone who needs clarity, and tell us: what helped you “see Jesus” more clearly today? Subscribe, leave a review, and pass the word to a friend who loves thoughtful Bible teaching.
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May God Bless you!! - Glenn and Steve
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
SPEAKER_01 (00:20):
The book of Hebrews tells us that Jesus is better.
He's better than the angels, andhe had a better message.
He is a more significant personthat we need to pay attention to
lest we neglect it and driftaway.
Next, we're going to learn aboutspiritual gifts and the sign
(00:40):
gifts that were given to attestto Jesus and his message.
If you have your copy of theWord of God, turn to Hebrews
chapter 2, and we're going toread verses 3 and 4.
Here it's going to talk to usabout these signs that were
given, and we'll be able to digout some gold nuggets from that.
(01:03):
Steve, can you read verses 3 and4 of Hebrews chapter 2?
SPEAKER_00 (01:07):
How will we escape if we neglect so great a
salvation?
After it was at the first spokenthrough the Lord, it was
confirmed to us by those whoheard.
God also testified with them,both by signs and wonders and by
various miracles, and by giftsof the Holy Spirit, according to
(01:27):
his own will.
SPEAKER_01 (01:28):
In those verses, it says the message of salvation
was first spoken by Jesus, thenconfirmed by those who heard.
Confirmed to us, it says.
Steve, we can get some timingout of that, can we not?
What can we conclude by howthat's phrased?
SPEAKER_00 (01:46):
I think it's clear by just the plain text that's
here that it says it wasconfirmed to us, the second
generation believers, by thosewho heard.
First, it was those disciplesand apostles that directly heard
the ministry of Jesus ChristHimself.
Then those were the ones thatwere confirmed by the signs and
(02:08):
miracles that were done, thenpassed down to the us here in
verse 3, which are these Hebrewbelievers, the second generation
believers.
That's the timing that wasassociated, I think.
SPEAKER_01 (02:21):
That's exactly right.
That's what I get from this aswell.
It says confirmed to us by thosewho heard.
He's not saying confirmed to wewho heard.
He's speaking those who firstheard confirmed it through these
sign gifts, and then passed itdown to us.
(02:42):
Steve, what's the responsibilitynow for us?
The sequence here, Jesus firstgave this message.
The first generation of apostlesheard it, passed it on to the
writer of the Hebrews and thenext generation, like Timothy,
who then passed it on to someonewho passed it on to us.
(03:03):
What is our responsibility now?
SPEAKER_00 (03:05):
I think it's our responsibility now to pass it
down to not only the nextgeneration, but also the people
that are in our sphere ofinfluence.
When we say pass down, we meanby doing things such as what
we're doing, teaching verse byverse, going through the
scripture and explaining it andstudying it, taking our time to
(03:28):
understand it a little bitbetter.
That's what we mean by passingdown.
We're not taking something,converting it to something else,
giving it a new meaning, andthen passing that down to
another generation.
No, we're taking the very exactsame teachings and passing them
along to our fellow peers andalso the next generation, our
(03:50):
understanding, so that it canthen be perpetuated down to the
generation after that.
SPEAKER_01 (03:55):
We have been given a very, very precious message of
precious treasure that has beenpassed down to us by faithful
people.
We need to be that faithfulperson as well and pass it down
to others.
In the Apostle Paul's lastmessage to his disciple Timothy,
(04:16):
the very last messages he gavehim in 2 Timothy, he said this
quote, the things which you haveheard from me in the presence of
many witnesses, entrust these tofaithful men who will be able to
teach others also.
He says that in 2 Timothy 2,too.
So we should do the same.
We should pass on the wonderfulmessage of Jesus Christ and the
(04:39):
wonderful salvation to otherswho will then be able to teach
others.
That's our task because it hasbeen passed down to us.
When verse 3 then says,confirmed to us by those who
heard, how was it confirmed?
Well, it says that these weresigns.
These were miraculous signs.
(05:01):
Mark 16, 20 says the apostlestook the message of Jesus and
spread it through the world, themessages being confirmed with
miraculous signs.
Miracle are described as signs,it says, a sign that confirmed
the message.
So, Steve, how is it that amiracle can be called a sign?
(05:23):
What is it a sign of and why isit a sign?
SPEAKER_00 (05:26):
Well, that's the meaning of the Greek word behind
the signs there.
They're attesting miracles.
They're a testament to thepeople that the miracles were
done through, that they weretrue and accurate in their
teachings of what Jesus Christtaught them.
It was a proof that what theywere saying was actually true
(05:51):
because they were given thesepower of these attesting
miracles signs that confirmed,as the word that's used here,
the word and the teachings thatwere given to them and passed
down to this second generationof believers.
SPEAKER_01 (06:06):
They had an issue of several people standing before
them giving different messages,and they can't all be true.
Some of them are false prophets.
How do we know the falseprophets from the true?
Well, if the true prophet hadundeniable miraculous signs,
then therefore we can tell thatwas true.
That was the purpose of themiracles.
(06:28):
It calls them signs.
That brings us to the idea ofspiritual gifts.
I want to take a quick minutehere to talk about it because
this passage before us inHebrews 2, verses 3 and 4, talk
about these signs and wondersand various miracles and by
gifts of the Holy Spiritaccording to his own will.
(06:50):
There's been much discussion inchurch circles about spiritual
gifts.
It gets very popular.
There'll get to be times wherepeople are very interested in
spiritual gifts.
People today say miraculousgifts are still in place, and
some say that they've ceased toanswer this question or at least
(07:11):
discuss it here because thispassage deals with it.
First, it seems that at leastsome gifts were imparted
directly by the apostlespersonally by the physical
laying on of hands and physicaltouching of people.
Two places in the New Testamentsupport that.
(08:01):
So it would seem like Paul hadto be there personally and
physically to impart at leastsome of the spiritual gifts.
Next, here in Hebrews 2.4, saysthe spiritual gifts were indeed
gifts given according to his ownwill.
So spiritual gifts are given byGod as he wills.
(08:24):
They're not commons, they're notfor everyone.
They're gifts given by God.
We cannot claim that all peoplewould get the same gift, for
they are only given according toGod's will.
We also know that not all peopleget the gifts.
1 Corinthians 12, 30 tells usthat not all are given
(08:45):
miraculous gifts.
Further, Hebrews 2.3 here inthis passage gives some
indication about when the signgifts were used in the church.
Verse 3 is clearly speaking ofevents in the past.
He says, quote, after it was atthe first spoken by Jesus.
And then the verse speaks of thesign gifts in the past tense,
(09:10):
quote, was confirmed to us bythose who heard, unquote.
He doesn't say is beingconfirmed by us.
He says, no, it was confirmed bythose who heard, past tense
verb.
Now, the people that would claimthat the miraculous gifts have
ceased would give the passagesthat I just mentioned.
(09:32):
Paul had to be there in person.
This passage is speaking aboutthem in the past tense, not
currently going on.
Those people in the past, theyhad signed wonders.
Doesn't say we.
The other side of that would saythat spiritual gifts are still
going, would say that, well, itdoesn't say God couldn't give
(09:53):
them again if he wanted to.
If he wanted to give anothermiraculous sign, what would keep
him from it?
The miraculous signs again inthe future are a possibility,
but we have to remember that thegifts are still that.
They were primarily signs thatwere to confirm the gospel
message.
They were not just there merelyfor the benefit of the people in
(10:17):
the church.
They were signs to confirm a newmessage to a new group of
people.
Could God do that again?
He could do anything he wants.
It's just whether he is.
And there's places where thegifts are not as common in the
New Testament.
That brings us to the nextsection.
(10:37):
Up to now in the book ofHebrews, it's been talking about
Jesus as divine.
He is God Almighty.
He is to be above the creation,above the angels.
In this next section, he's goingto talk about Jesus as fully
human.
Steve, can you read verses fiveto nine?
SPEAKER_00 (10:58):
For he did not subject to angels the world to
come concerning which we arespeaking, but one has testified
somewhere, saying, What is manthat you remember him, or the
Son of Man that you areconcerned about him?
You have made him for a littlewhile lower than the angels, you
have crowned him with glory andhonor, and have appointed him
(11:22):
over the works of your hands.
You have put all things insubjection under his feet.
For in subjecting all things tohim, he left nothing that is not
subject to him.
But now we do not yet see allthings subjected to him, but we
do see him who was made for alittle while lower than the
(11:43):
angels, namely Jesus, because ofthe suffering of death crowned
with glory and honor, so that bythe grace of God he might taste
death for everyone.
Steve, what's the main point ofthat passage?
I think the main point in thispassage here is that we're
talking about in this sectionthat Jesus is above all.
(12:05):
The author has been talkingabout Jesus being above the
angels.
Now he's kind of moving into asection here that's talking
about uh Old Testament Psalmsagain, but it's a psalm reaching
back talking about mankinditself, that mankind was
created, and that all ofcreation was put in subject to
(12:28):
him.
At the latter part of it, hesays, but we do see him in verse
9 who was made a little whilelower than the angels, namely
Jesus.
So I think in this section thatwe just read here, he's
associating Jesus with mankind.
That creation was put insubjection to man.
(12:48):
If you go back and read thepsalm, I think it's Psalm 8
where this comes from, it talksabout the creatures and
everything else being put insubjection to mankind himself,
and that the writer is nowassociating Jesus' human portion
of him, the human form of him,the fully manned part of him to
(13:13):
mankind itself.
It's basically saying here'sJesus above everything else,
even above the angels, yet helowered himself temporarily to
the level of mankind himself sothat he could walk among us and
be with us.
I think that's the general ideathat the author is making during
(13:35):
this section.
SPEAKER_01 (13:36):
This is just so fantastic and it is so wonderful
to us as humans that God, who isso far above us that we are
separated from him, but yet hestepped down into humanity and
put on humanity.
He didn't take away from hisdeity, but he added humanity to
(13:56):
it in the form of Jesus.
The main point of this is thatJesus is not only fully God
Almighty, but he is fully human.
Jesus was given authority overthe entire world because Adam
was given authority over theentire world, but he lost it.
Jesus came and he had what theangels didn't have.
(14:19):
God's most powerful andmagnificent beings, the angels,
were not given what Jesus wasgiven, the authority over
creation.
That's what's the main passagehere.
We'll walk through this and kindof get some key points.
Verse 6 here, I just find itincredible.
He just quotes these OldTestament passages and it fits
(14:41):
them perfectly in with theteachings of Christ.
This writer has memorized theOld Testament.
I'm convinced of it.
As you said, Steve, he's quotingPsalm 8.
This Psalm was speaking abouthow God is gracious for
considering mankind and givingus dominion over the earth.
Remember, Adam in the verybeginning in the garden was
(15:02):
given dominion over the garden.
And it says here in verse 5, theworld to come, that really means
the inhabited earth that is tocome.
What it's saying here is thatthere's a transition that's
talking about the future earthlyrule of Jesus over the earth.
(15:23):
The passage is talking about thecoming future earthly kingdom of
Christ reigning on earth becauseit's talking about the world
here, it's the inhabited world.
Jesus is fully human, so he getsall the privileges of being
human.
Hebrews is saying that Jesus hasa human nature and has dominion
(15:45):
over the earth.
Chapter one pointed out thatJesus is God Almighty.
Now, chapter two is pointing outthat Jesus is fully human.
He is both God and man.
It's quoting these passages inthe Old Testament that talked
about mankind and saying Jesusfits into this.
(16:06):
The Holy Spirit gives us thisinterpretation of these Old
Testament passages.
Now we can see Christ revealedin these Old Testament passages.
Psalm 8 was just talking abouthow regular humans have dominion
over the earth.
Well, Jesus is now fully human,so he gets dominion over the
(16:28):
earth.
Steve, verse 6, it says, What isman that you would remember him?
Why would the Almighty, Eternal,Infinite God have any concern at
all for human beings?
SPEAKER_00 (16:41):
I think that's what the psalmist was really getting
at is the wonderment that God,the creator of everything and
even ourselves, mankind, why isit that he would even consider
him this lowly creation that hehas made?
I think it goes with the factthat whenever God created
(17:05):
mankind, he told him, go forth,be fruitful, multiply.
He put in subjection to him allthe other creation.
I think that the author isassociating the psalmist in
Psalm 8, and that God, thecreator, that he is thinking of
the creation itself to the pointthat he would give them this
(17:27):
responsibility to be over all ofthe creatures and creation
itself, with Jesus himselfcoming down, as you just pointed
out a while ago, taking on theform of man himself, dwelling
among mankind for a period oftime, and personally giving
(17:47):
teachings to mankind himself inthe form of a man.
Why would God, the creator, eventake time out of whatever he
might be doing to do this andconsider the creation, the thing
that he has made and created togo to this extent in order to
(18:09):
communicate with him and bringabout a way of salvation for
him.
I think that's the reason whythe author is connecting this
back to Psalm 8.
God, why would you even considerus lowly creation and the things
that you have given and providedfor us even greater than that?
(18:29):
The writer says that JesusChrist Himself has come down,
taken on the form of a man, andtalked and dwelt among us.
Give us the teachings and theway that we can have salvation
to be able to be righteous infront of God and to be able to
have a life living in thepresence of God.
I think that it's just awonderful thing that the
(18:51):
writer's trying to communicateto this second generation of
believers of Hebrews here thathe's talking to.
SPEAKER_01 (18:58):
Genesis tells us that God created mankind in his
image.
It is a great privilege to bemade in God's image.
It's a great privilege to begiven this wonderful earth that
we have with all of itsbenefits.
Humans were given dominionoriginally over all the earth.
And it is a great privilege tohave this and to have God's
(19:22):
image in us.
1 Peter 1:12 says that angelsare longing to see the way that
God deals with humans.
They're fascinated with thisidea of creating a free creature
in his image that can walk awayor love.
Yet here we have Jesus steppingdown into humanity and taking on
(19:47):
the humanity, putting humanityonto his deity.
Therefore, Jesus has this sameimage and this same dominion
that we have.
It is a great privilege to havea God that has stepped into our
shoes.
Now, at the end of verse 8, itsays, He left nothing that is
not subject to him, meaningmankind, but now we do not yet
(20:11):
see all things subjected to him.
Steve, what happened?
Why is it that all things arenot on the earth, not subject to
humans now?
SPEAKER_00 (20:22):
Well, we have the fall of mankind that happened
through Adam and Eve.
Eve was deceived by the serpent,which we are later told is Satan
himself.
Adam disobeyed by partaking ofthe fruit of the tree of
knowledge and evil.
Because of that disobedience,now mankind has to toil the
(20:45):
ground with the sweat of hisbrow and the other cursings that
came about in Genesis chapter 3.
There.
The bottom line from that isthat we lost it through the fall
of mankind, and that no longeris everything subject to us.
Not only that, but Satan now hasa place in this world.
(21:09):
We're told in other parts ofscripture that he is the prince
over the this world currentlythat we are in and living in and
experiencing.
There's going to be a timewhenever he is going to be taken
care of, but for now, we are notin a place where we originally
were at the creation in theGarden of Eden.
(21:29):
We're in a state considered afallen state and we're in need
of restoration, which JesusChrist has provided a way for us
to achieve that.
SPEAKER_01 (21:40):
Not only have we lost dominion over the physical
world, at least can't controlthe ocean tides and can't
control the storms, but we'vealso, because of sin, we've lost
some control over evenourselves.
Mankind is so sinful that allleaders have some degree of
(22:00):
depraved behavior.
And even the best human beings,as far as leadership and how to
control ourselves, we are alldeep down very depraved, and we
can't control ourselves.
That's what he's saying here.
All things are not subject atthe end of verse eight.
At the end of verse eight andend of verse nine, what we do
see is Jesus.
We do see Jesus.
(22:21):
He came and became a man.
It says in verse 9, we do seehim who was made for a little
while lower than the angels.
Through Jesus, our sin iscanceled.
We will ultimately regain theposition that we lost.
The end of verse eight, we don'tsee all things subject to
mankind today.
When we're glorified and thecurse on the earth is removed,
(22:44):
then we will have our dominionback.
We do see Jesus.
The question for us, verse 9, itsays, We do see him who was made
for a little while.
The question we should askourselves and all those around
us is do you see Jesus?
Do you see Jesus?
Do you see Jesus, this wonderfulGod that stepped into human skin
(23:05):
and became fully human, justlike you, just like I.
Verse 9 has this great, grandtheological concept.
Jesus pre-existed.
Then when he added humanity tohis deity, he was made a little
lower than the angels.
Jesus temporarily humbledhimself to be a little lower
(23:26):
than the angels.
And the emphasis here is ontemporary nature.
He was for a little while madelower than the angels.
Think of it.
(23:53):
Skeptics will then turn aroundand ask how Jesus could not know
the day or the hour of hiscoming in Mark 13, 32.
That's one of the chestnutquestions from the atheist and
the skeptics.
How come he couldn't that therewas a fact that he didn't know?
Well, quite simply, Jesus tookon humanity, and while on earth,
(24:13):
the first time he was here, hewas made a little lower than the
angels.
Jesus voluntarily limitedhimself to serve in the role of
the suffering servant.
Jesus was fully human, yetwithout sin.
And because of that, he took onthe role of submitted suffering
servant.
The question for all of us is: do we see Jesus in all of his (24:34):
undefined
glory?
Do we see Jesus for who heactually is, or are we just
looking for things to criticize?
In verse nine, twice mentionsthat Jesus died.
It says, because of thesufferings of death, crowned
(24:55):
with glory and honor.
Steve, what is the connectionbetween Jesus' death and him
being crowned with glory andhonor?
SPEAKER_00 (25:03):
I think part of it goes back to verse six that
says, What is man that youremember him?
You know, Glenn, there's ateaching out there that God
created everything, includingmankind, and then just kind of
walked away, and that we're downhere just trying to make the
best of everything that we can.
This teaching here through thePsalms says, No, that God, you
(25:27):
remembered us, that Heremembered mankind to the point
that Jesus, second person of theTrinity, came and temporarily
took on the form of a man, alittle lower than the angels, so
that he might die for us, tastedeath as a payment for the
(25:48):
penalty that we have against us,and of course, then resurrected.
That's the final part of it thatgives us our hope is the
resurrection.
I think it all fits togetherhere of what the author is
trying to convey.
God didn't just create mankindand walk away.
No, he knows that man fell, lostthe dominion that was given to
(26:11):
him, yet he himself came in theform of a man in order to
provide a way of redemption sothat mankind might be able to be
redeemed back to that state thathe was originally created in in
the Garden of Eden.
I think it's just a great storyabout the God that we have and
how much that he loves us thathe did all of this.
SPEAKER_01 (26:33):
Again, says at the end of verse 9, crowned with
glory and honor, so that by thegrace of God he might taste
death for everyone.
There's a connection between hisdeath and being crowned with
glory.
His death was the ultimate actof love.
He died out of love for us.
Jesus was sinless and did nothave to die, but he voluntarily
(26:57):
died for you and for me.
Jesus' self-sacrifice savedcountless numbers of people
because of an act of love.
That's where it's talking aboutthere.
That's why he has glory andhonor, is because he did the
ultimate sacrifice.
At the end of verse 9, he mighttaste death for everyone.
Well, one of the theological armwrestling matches that the
(27:20):
theologians do is whether Jesusdied only for the ones he
intended to save, or whetherJesus died for all people.
Hebrews 2.9 says Jesus died foreveryone.
However, Hebrews 7.25 tells uswho actually are saved, for it
tells us Jesus saves, quote,those who draw near to God
(27:42):
through him, since he lives tomake intercession for them.
Jesus' death makes salvationavailable to everyone, but it
only is effective for those whoreceive the gift of salvation by
faith.
So, Steve, here I see in thispassage, he spent chapter one at
these lofty heights talkingabout how wonderful Jesus is as
(28:05):
a person by whom and for whomeverything was made.
He could sit in the throne room.
He's called God by the Father.
Yet here in chapter two, he wasborn in a lowly manger and he
knows death just like all of us.
We're going to see in the comingpassages that he was tempted in
all ways just like we are.
(28:27):
We have a wonderful Saviorthat's not only God Almighty,
but he stepped into humanity andlived like we did so that he
could identify with us.
That is the ultimate act oflove.
SPEAKER_00 (28:42):
I think the writer of Hebrews is introducing the
concept of the kinsman redeemer.
And you can see that play out inthe book of Ruth.
But there were three things thatthe kinsman redeemer needed to
have in order to redeem hiskinsman back from whatever
situation that they were in.
(29:02):
One, he needed to be a kinsman.
Second, he needed to have themeans or the monetary way in
order to provide the redemption.
And the third thing is he had tobe willing to do it.
We see that in Jesus Christ, heis our kinsman because he came
and became mankind.
He was temporarily a littlelower than the angels.
(29:24):
And of course, he paid our priceand that he was willing to do
that.
We'll talk about that a littlebit later in some of our other
sessions in Hebrews, but Ibelieve that the author is
introducing that concept tothese Hebrew believers who would
be very well versed in knowingabout the kinsman redeemer and
what that brings about and howit would come about to the
(29:47):
believers.
I think the writer is justreally masterful in the way that
he is constructing this letterto these Hebrew believers.
SPEAKER_01 (29:55):
We'll probably stop here now for time because we've
got.
Some great things ahead of us.
Tune in next time because we'regoing to answer the question:
are there any benefits tosuffering?
Most people don't want tosuffer.
We avoid suffering, but theBible tells us there are some
benefits to suffering.
We trust that you'll be backhere again with us next time as
(30:18):
we reason through the book ofHebrews.
SPEAKER_00 (30:20):
Thank you so much for watching and listening.
And as always, may the Lordbless you.
The book of Hebrews tells us that Jesus is better.
He's better than the angels, andhe had a better message.
He is a more significant personthat we need to pay attention to
lest we neglect it and driftaway.
Next, we're going to learn aboutspiritual gifts and the sign
(00:40):
gifts that were given to attestto Jesus and his message.
If you have your copy of theWord of God, turn to Hebrews
chapter 2, and we're going toread verses 3 and 4.
Here it's going to talk to usabout these signs that were
given, and we'll be able to digout some gold nuggets from that.
(01:03):
Steve, can you read verses 3 and4 of Hebrews chapter 2?
SPEAKER_00 (01:07):
How will we escape if we neglect so great a
salvation?
After it was at the first spokenthrough the Lord, it was
confirmed to us by those whoheard.
God also testified with them,both by signs and wonders and by
various miracles, and by giftsof the Holy Spirit, according to
(01:27):
his own will.
SPEAKER_01 (01:28):
In those verses, it says the message of salvation
was first spoken by Jesus, thenconfirmed by those who heard.
Confirmed to us, it says.
Steve, we can get some timingout of that, can we not?
What can we conclude by howthat's phrased?
SPEAKER_00 (01:46):
I think it's clear by just the plain text that's
here that it says it wasconfirmed to us, the second
generation believers, by thosewho heard.
First, it was those disciplesand apostles that directly heard
the ministry of Jesus ChristHimself.
Then those were the ones thatwere confirmed by the signs and
(02:08):
miracles that were done, thenpassed down to the us here in
verse 3, which are these Hebrewbelievers, the second generation
believers.
That's the timing that wasassociated, I think.
SPEAKER_01 (02:21):
That's exactly right.
That's what I get from this aswell.
It says confirmed to us by thosewho heard.
He's not saying confirmed to wewho heard.
He's speaking those who firstheard confirmed it through these
sign gifts, and then passed itdown to us.
(02:42):
Steve, what's the responsibilitynow for us?
The sequence here, Jesus firstgave this message.
The first generation of apostlesheard it, passed it on to the
writer of the Hebrews and thenext generation, like Timothy,
who then passed it on to someonewho passed it on to us.
(03:03):
What is our responsibility now?
SPEAKER_00 (03:05):
I think it's our responsibility now to pass it
down to not only the nextgeneration, but also the people
that are in our sphere ofinfluence.
When we say pass down, we meanby doing things such as what
we're doing, teaching verse byverse, going through the
scripture and explaining it andstudying it, taking our time to
(03:28):
understand it a little bitbetter.
That's what we mean by passingdown.
We're not taking something,converting it to something else,
giving it a new meaning, andthen passing that down to
another generation.
No, we're taking the very exactsame teachings and passing them
along to our fellow peers andalso the next generation, our
(03:50):
understanding, so that it canthen be perpetuated down to the
generation after that.
SPEAKER_01 (03:55):
We have been given a very, very precious message of
precious treasure that has beenpassed down to us by faithful
people.
We need to be that faithfulperson as well and pass it down
to others.
In the Apostle Paul's lastmessage to his disciple Timothy,
(04:16):
the very last messages he gavehim in 2 Timothy, he said this
quote, the things which you haveheard from me in the presence of
many witnesses, entrust these tofaithful men who will be able to
teach others also.
He says that in 2 Timothy 2,too.
So we should do the same.
We should pass on the wonderfulmessage of Jesus Christ and the
(04:39):
wonderful salvation to otherswho will then be able to teach
others.
That's our task because it hasbeen passed down to us.
When verse 3 then says,confirmed to us by those who
heard, how was it confirmed?
Well, it says that these weresigns.
These were miraculous signs.
(05:01):
Mark 16, 20 says the apostlestook the message of Jesus and
spread it through the world, themessages being confirmed with
miraculous signs.
Miracle are described as signs,it says, a sign that confirmed
the message.
So, Steve, how is it that amiracle can be called a sign?
(05:23):
What is it a sign of and why isit a sign?
SPEAKER_00 (05:26):
Well, that's the meaning of the Greek word behind
the signs there.
They're attesting miracles.
They're a testament to thepeople that the miracles were
done through, that they weretrue and accurate in their
teachings of what Jesus Christtaught them.
It was a proof that what theywere saying was actually true
(05:51):
because they were given thesepower of these attesting
miracles signs that confirmed,as the word that's used here,
the word and the teachings thatwere given to them and passed
down to this second generationof believers.
SPEAKER_01 (06:06):
They had an issue of several people standing before
them giving different messages,and they can't all be true.
Some of them are false prophets.
How do we know the falseprophets from the true?
Well, if the true prophet hadundeniable miraculous signs,
then therefore we can tell thatwas true.
That was the purpose of themiracles.
(06:28):
It calls them signs.
That brings us to the idea ofspiritual gifts.
I want to take a quick minutehere to talk about it because
this passage before us inHebrews 2, verses 3 and 4, talk
about these signs and wondersand various miracles and by
gifts of the Holy Spiritaccording to his own will.
(06:50):
There's been much discussion inchurch circles about spiritual
gifts.
It gets very popular.
There'll get to be times wherepeople are very interested in
spiritual gifts.
People today say miraculousgifts are still in place, and
some say that they've ceased toanswer this question or at least
(07:11):
discuss it here because thispassage deals with it.
First, it seems that at leastsome gifts were imparted
directly by the apostlespersonally by the physical
laying on of hands and physicaltouching of people.
Two places in the New Testamentsupport that.
(08:01):
So it would seem like Paul hadto be there personally and
physically to impart at leastsome of the spiritual gifts.
Next, here in Hebrews 2.4, saysthe spiritual gifts were indeed
gifts given according to his ownwill.
So spiritual gifts are given byGod as he wills.
(08:24):
They're not commons, they're notfor everyone.
They're gifts given by God.
We cannot claim that all peoplewould get the same gift, for
they are only given according toGod's will.
We also know that not all peopleget the gifts.
1 Corinthians 12, 30 tells usthat not all are given
(08:45):
miraculous gifts.
Further, Hebrews 2.3 here inthis passage gives some
indication about when the signgifts were used in the church.
Verse 3 is clearly speaking ofevents in the past.
He says, quote, after it was atthe first spoken by Jesus.
And then the verse speaks of thesign gifts in the past tense,
(09:10):
quote, was confirmed to us bythose who heard, unquote.
He doesn't say is beingconfirmed by us.
He says, no, it was confirmed bythose who heard, past tense
verb.
Now, the people that would claimthat the miraculous gifts have
ceased would give the passagesthat I just mentioned.
(09:32):
Paul had to be there in person.
This passage is speaking aboutthem in the past tense, not
currently going on.
Those people in the past, theyhad signed wonders.
Doesn't say we.
The other side of that would saythat spiritual gifts are still
going, would say that, well, itdoesn't say God couldn't give
(09:53):
them again if he wanted to.
If he wanted to give anothermiraculous sign, what would keep
him from it?
The miraculous signs again inthe future are a possibility,
but we have to remember that thegifts are still that.
They were primarily signs thatwere to confirm the gospel
message.
They were not just there merelyfor the benefit of the people in
(10:17):
the church.
They were signs to confirm a newmessage to a new group of
people.
Could God do that again?
He could do anything he wants.
It's just whether he is.
And there's places where thegifts are not as common in the
New Testament.
That brings us to the nextsection.
(10:37):
Up to now in the book ofHebrews, it's been talking about
Jesus as divine.
He is God Almighty.
He is to be above the creation,above the angels.
In this next section, he's goingto talk about Jesus as fully
human.
Steve, can you read verses fiveto nine?
SPEAKER_00 (10:58):
For he did not subject to angels the world to
come concerning which we arespeaking, but one has testified
somewhere, saying, What is manthat you remember him, or the
Son of Man that you areconcerned about him?
You have made him for a littlewhile lower than the angels, you
have crowned him with glory andhonor, and have appointed him
(11:22):
over the works of your hands.
You have put all things insubjection under his feet.
For in subjecting all things tohim, he left nothing that is not
subject to him.
But now we do not yet see allthings subjected to him, but we
do see him who was made for alittle while lower than the
(11:43):
angels, namely Jesus, because ofthe suffering of death crowned
with glory and honor, so that bythe grace of God he might taste
death for everyone.
Steve, what's the main point ofthat passage?
I think the main point in thispassage here is that we're
talking about in this sectionthat Jesus is above all.
(12:05):
The author has been talkingabout Jesus being above the
angels.
Now he's kind of moving into asection here that's talking
about uh Old Testament Psalmsagain, but it's a psalm reaching
back talking about mankinditself, that mankind was
created, and that all ofcreation was put in subject to
(12:28):
him.
At the latter part of it, hesays, but we do see him in verse
9 who was made a little whilelower than the angels, namely
Jesus.
So I think in this section thatwe just read here, he's
associating Jesus with mankind.
That creation was put insubjection to man.
(12:48):
If you go back and read thepsalm, I think it's Psalm 8
where this comes from, it talksabout the creatures and
everything else being put insubjection to mankind himself,
and that the writer is nowassociating Jesus' human portion
of him, the human form of him,the fully manned part of him to
(13:13):
mankind itself.
It's basically saying here'sJesus above everything else,
even above the angels, yet helowered himself temporarily to
the level of mankind himself sothat he could walk among us and
be with us.
I think that's the general ideathat the author is making during
(13:35):
this section.
SPEAKER_01 (13:36):
This is just so fantastic and it is so wonderful
to us as humans that God, who isso far above us that we are
separated from him, but yet hestepped down into humanity and
put on humanity.
He didn't take away from hisdeity, but he added humanity to
(13:56):
it in the form of Jesus.
The main point of this is thatJesus is not only fully God
Almighty, but he is fully human.
Jesus was given authority overthe entire world because Adam
was given authority over theentire world, but he lost it.
Jesus came and he had what theangels didn't have.
(14:19):
God's most powerful andmagnificent beings, the angels,
were not given what Jesus wasgiven, the authority over
creation.
That's what's the main passagehere.
We'll walk through this and kindof get some key points.
Verse 6 here, I just find itincredible.
He just quotes these OldTestament passages and it fits
(14:41):
them perfectly in with theteachings of Christ.
This writer has memorized theOld Testament.
I'm convinced of it.
As you said, Steve, he's quotingPsalm 8.
This Psalm was speaking abouthow God is gracious for
considering mankind and givingus dominion over the earth.
Remember, Adam in the verybeginning in the garden was
(15:02):
given dominion over the garden.
And it says here in verse 5, theworld to come, that really means
the inhabited earth that is tocome.
What it's saying here is thatthere's a transition that's
talking about the future earthlyrule of Jesus over the earth.
(15:23):
The passage is talking about thecoming future earthly kingdom of
Christ reigning on earth becauseit's talking about the world
here, it's the inhabited world.
Jesus is fully human, so he getsall the privileges of being
human.
Hebrews is saying that Jesus hasa human nature and has dominion
(15:45):
over the earth.
Chapter one pointed out thatJesus is God Almighty.
Now, chapter two is pointing outthat Jesus is fully human.
He is both God and man.
It's quoting these passages inthe Old Testament that talked
about mankind and saying Jesusfits into this.
(16:06):
The Holy Spirit gives us thisinterpretation of these Old
Testament passages.
Now we can see Christ revealedin these Old Testament passages.
Psalm 8 was just talking abouthow regular humans have dominion
over the earth.
Well, Jesus is now fully human,so he gets dominion over the
(16:28):
earth.
Steve, verse 6, it says, What isman that you would remember him?
Why would the Almighty, Eternal,Infinite God have any concern at
all for human beings?
SPEAKER_00 (16:41):
I think that's what the psalmist was really getting
at is the wonderment that God,the creator of everything and
even ourselves, mankind, why isit that he would even consider
him this lowly creation that hehas made?
I think it goes with the factthat whenever God created
(17:05):
mankind, he told him, go forth,be fruitful, multiply.
He put in subjection to him allthe other creation.
I think that the author isassociating the psalmist in
Psalm 8, and that God, thecreator, that he is thinking of
the creation itself to the pointthat he would give them this
(17:27):
responsibility to be over all ofthe creatures and creation
itself, with Jesus himselfcoming down, as you just pointed
out a while ago, taking on theform of man himself, dwelling
among mankind for a period oftime, and personally giving
(17:47):
teachings to mankind himself inthe form of a man.
Why would God, the creator, eventake time out of whatever he
might be doing to do this andconsider the creation, the thing
that he has made and created togo to this extent in order to
(18:09):
communicate with him and bringabout a way of salvation for
him.
I think that's the reason whythe author is connecting this
back to Psalm 8.
God, why would you even considerus lowly creation and the things
that you have given and providedfor us even greater than that?
(18:29):
The writer says that JesusChrist Himself has come down,
taken on the form of a man, andtalked and dwelt among us.
Give us the teachings and theway that we can have salvation
to be able to be righteous infront of God and to be able to
have a life living in thepresence of God.
I think that it's just awonderful thing that the
(18:51):
writer's trying to communicateto this second generation of
believers of Hebrews here thathe's talking to.
SPEAKER_01 (18:58):
Genesis tells us that God created mankind in his
image.
It is a great privilege to bemade in God's image.
It's a great privilege to begiven this wonderful earth that
we have with all of itsbenefits.
Humans were given dominionoriginally over all the earth.
And it is a great privilege tohave this and to have God's
(19:22):
image in us.
1 Peter 1:12 says that angelsare longing to see the way that
God deals with humans.
They're fascinated with thisidea of creating a free creature
in his image that can walk awayor love.
Yet here we have Jesus steppingdown into humanity and taking on
(19:47):
the humanity, putting humanityonto his deity.
Therefore, Jesus has this sameimage and this same dominion
that we have.
It is a great privilege to havea God that has stepped into our
shoes.
Now, at the end of verse 8, itsays, He left nothing that is
not subject to him, meaningmankind, but now we do not yet
(20:11):
see all things subjected to him.
Steve, what happened?
Why is it that all things arenot on the earth, not subject to
humans now?
SPEAKER_00 (20:22):
Well, we have the fall of mankind that happened
through Adam and Eve.
Eve was deceived by the serpent,which we are later told is Satan
himself.
Adam disobeyed by partaking ofthe fruit of the tree of
knowledge and evil.
Because of that disobedience,now mankind has to toil the
(20:45):
ground with the sweat of hisbrow and the other cursings that
came about in Genesis chapter 3.
There.
The bottom line from that isthat we lost it through the fall
of mankind, and that no longeris everything subject to us.
Not only that, but Satan now hasa place in this world.
(21:09):
We're told in other parts ofscripture that he is the prince
over the this world currentlythat we are in and living in and
experiencing.
There's going to be a timewhenever he is going to be taken
care of, but for now, we are notin a place where we originally
were at the creation in theGarden of Eden.
(21:29):
We're in a state considered afallen state and we're in need
of restoration, which JesusChrist has provided a way for us
to achieve that.
SPEAKER_01 (21:40):
Not only have we lost dominion over the physical
world, at least can't controlthe ocean tides and can't
control the storms, but we'vealso, because of sin, we've lost
some control over evenourselves.
Mankind is so sinful that allleaders have some degree of
(22:00):
depraved behavior.
And even the best human beings,as far as leadership and how to
control ourselves, we are alldeep down very depraved, and we
can't control ourselves.
That's what he's saying here.
All things are not subject atthe end of verse eight.
At the end of verse eight andend of verse nine, what we do
see is Jesus.
We do see Jesus.
(22:21):
He came and became a man.
It says in verse 9, we do seehim who was made for a little
while lower than the angels.
Through Jesus, our sin iscanceled.
We will ultimately regain theposition that we lost.
The end of verse eight, we don'tsee all things subject to
mankind today.
When we're glorified and thecurse on the earth is removed,
(22:44):
then we will have our dominionback.
We do see Jesus.
The question for us, verse 9, itsays, We do see him who was made
for a little while.
The question we should askourselves and all those around
us is do you see Jesus?
Do you see Jesus?
Do you see Jesus, this wonderfulGod that stepped into human skin
(23:05):
and became fully human, justlike you, just like I.
Verse 9 has this great, grandtheological concept.
Jesus pre-existed.
Then when he added humanity tohis deity, he was made a little
lower than the angels.
Jesus temporarily humbledhimself to be a little lower
(23:26):
than the angels.
And the emphasis here is ontemporary nature.
He was for a little while madelower than the angels.
Think of it.
(23:53):
Skeptics will then turn aroundand ask how Jesus could not know
the day or the hour of hiscoming in Mark 13, 32.
That's one of the chestnutquestions from the atheist and
the skeptics.
How come he couldn't that therewas a fact that he didn't know?
Well, quite simply, Jesus tookon humanity, and while on earth,
(24:13):
the first time he was here, hewas made a little lower than the
angels.
Jesus voluntarily limitedhimself to serve in the role of
the suffering servant.
Jesus was fully human, yetwithout sin.
And because of that, he took onthe role of submitted suffering
servant.
The question for all of us is: do we see Jesus in all of his (24:34):
undefined
glory?
Do we see Jesus for who heactually is, or are we just
looking for things to criticize?
In verse nine, twice mentionsthat Jesus died.
It says, because of thesufferings of death, crowned
(24:55):
with glory and honor.
Steve, what is the connectionbetween Jesus' death and him
being crowned with glory andhonor?
SPEAKER_00 (25:03):
I think part of it goes back to verse six that
says, What is man that youremember him?
You know, Glenn, there's ateaching out there that God
created everything, includingmankind, and then just kind of
walked away, and that we're downhere just trying to make the
best of everything that we can.
This teaching here through thePsalms says, No, that God, you
(25:27):
remembered us, that Heremembered mankind to the point
that Jesus, second person of theTrinity, came and temporarily
took on the form of a man, alittle lower than the angels, so
that he might die for us, tastedeath as a payment for the
(25:48):
penalty that we have against us,and of course, then resurrected.
That's the final part of it thatgives us our hope is the
resurrection.
I think it all fits togetherhere of what the author is
trying to convey.
God didn't just create mankindand walk away.
No, he knows that man fell, lostthe dominion that was given to
(26:11):
him, yet he himself came in theform of a man in order to
provide a way of redemption sothat mankind might be able to be
redeemed back to that state thathe was originally created in in
the Garden of Eden.
I think it's just a great storyabout the God that we have and
how much that he loves us thathe did all of this.
SPEAKER_01 (26:33):
Again, says at the end of verse 9, crowned with
glory and honor, so that by thegrace of God he might taste
death for everyone.
There's a connection between hisdeath and being crowned with
glory.
His death was the ultimate actof love.
He died out of love for us.
Jesus was sinless and did nothave to die, but he voluntarily
(26:57):
died for you and for me.
Jesus' self-sacrifice savedcountless numbers of people
because of an act of love.
That's where it's talking aboutthere.
That's why he has glory andhonor, is because he did the
ultimate sacrifice.
At the end of verse 9, he mighttaste death for everyone.
Well, one of the theological armwrestling matches that the
(27:20):
theologians do is whether Jesusdied only for the ones he
intended to save, or whetherJesus died for all people.
Hebrews 2.9 says Jesus died foreveryone.
However, Hebrews 7.25 tells uswho actually are saved, for it
tells us Jesus saves, quote,those who draw near to God
(27:42):
through him, since he lives tomake intercession for them.
Jesus' death makes salvationavailable to everyone, but it
only is effective for those whoreceive the gift of salvation by
faith.
So, Steve, here I see in thispassage, he spent chapter one at
these lofty heights talkingabout how wonderful Jesus is as
(28:05):
a person by whom and for whomeverything was made.
He could sit in the throne room.
He's called God by the Father.
Yet here in chapter two, he wasborn in a lowly manger and he
knows death just like all of us.
We're going to see in the comingpassages that he was tempted in
all ways just like we are.
(28:27):
We have a wonderful Saviorthat's not only God Almighty,
but he stepped into humanity andlived like we did so that he
could identify with us.
That is the ultimate act oflove.
SPEAKER_00 (28:42):
I think the writer of Hebrews is introducing the
concept of the kinsman redeemer.
And you can see that play out inthe book of Ruth.
But there were three things thatthe kinsman redeemer needed to
have in order to redeem hiskinsman back from whatever
situation that they were in.
(29:02):
One, he needed to be a kinsman.
Second, he needed to have themeans or the monetary way in
order to provide the redemption.
And the third thing is he had tobe willing to do it.
We see that in Jesus Christ, heis our kinsman because he came
and became mankind.
He was temporarily a littlelower than the angels.
(29:24):
And of course, he paid our priceand that he was willing to do
that.
We'll talk about that a littlebit later in some of our other
sessions in Hebrews, but Ibelieve that the author is
introducing that concept tothese Hebrew believers who would
be very well versed in knowingabout the kinsman redeemer and
what that brings about and howit would come about to the
(29:47):
believers.
I think the writer is justreally masterful in the way that
he is constructing this letterto these Hebrew believers.
SPEAKER_01 (29:55):
We'll probably stop here now for time because we've
got.
Some great things ahead of us.
Tune in next time because we'regoing to answer the question:
are there any benefits tosuffering?
Most people don't want tosuffer.
We avoid suffering, but theBible tells us there are some
benefits to suffering.
We trust that you'll be backhere again with us next time as
(30:18):
we reason through the book ofHebrews.
SPEAKER_00 (30:20):
Thank you so much for watching and listening.
And as always, may the Lordbless you.
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