不可忽視救恩

因此,我們必須更加留心所聽過的事,免得隨流漂去。 要知道,那藉著天使所說的話既然是確定的,連一切過犯和悖逆都受到了應得的報應, 那麼,如果我們忽視了如此偉大的救恩,又怎麼能逃脫報應呢?這救恩起初由主傳講,後來由那些聽見的人向我們證實。 神又照著自己的旨意,用神蹟、奇事和各種大能,以及聖靈的各種恩賜,與他們一同見證。

耶穌與謙卑

事實上,我們所說的那「將要來的世界」,神並沒有使它服從天使, 但是有人在經上[a]某處鄭重地見證說:

「人算什麼,你竟然顧念他?
人之子算什麼,你竟然照顧他?
你使他暫時比天使低微[b]
你賜他榮耀和尊貴為冠冕;[c]
你使萬有都服從在他的腳下。」[d]

既然神使萬有都服從他,就沒有留下一樣不服從他;但如今,我們還沒有看見萬有都服從他。 不過我們看見的是:那暫時比天使低微的耶穌,因著死亡的痛苦被賜予榮耀和尊貴為冠冕,好使他藉著神的恩典,替所有的人嘗了死的滋味。

10 萬有因他而有、萬有藉他而成的那一位,既然要帶領許多兒女歸於榮耀,就藉著苦難使他們救恩的元首[e]得以成全,這是合宜的, 11 因為那使人分別為聖的,和那些被分別為聖的,都是出於同一位。因這理由,他稱他們為弟兄,並不以為恥。 12 他說:

「我要向我的弟兄們宣揚你的名,
我要在會眾面前歌頌你。」[f]

13 他又說:「我要依靠他。」[g]還說:「看哪,我和神所賜給我的孩子們都在這裡[h]!」[i]

14 所以,孩子們既然同屬血肉之體,他也照樣同有一樣的血肉之體,為要藉著死亡來廢除那掌握死亡權勢的——就是魔鬼, 15 並且釋放那些因怕死而終生被束縛為奴役的人。 16 顯然,他並不是要救拔天使,而是救拔亞伯拉罕的後裔。 17 故此,他必須在各方面都像他的弟兄們那樣,為要在屬神的事上成為憐憫人的、忠心[j]的大祭司,好為子民的罪孽獻上平息祭[k] 18 既然他自己在被試探的時候受了苦,他就能幫助那些受試探的人。

Footnotes

  1. 希伯來書 2:6 在經上——輔助詞語。
  2. 希伯來書 2:7 暫時比天使低微——或譯作「比天使低微一點」。
  3. 希伯來書 2:7 有古抄本附「你也委任他統管你手所造的;」。
  4. 希伯來書 2:8 《詩篇》8:4-6。
  5. 希伯來書 2:10 元首——或譯作「創始者」。
  6. 希伯來書 2:12 《詩篇》22:22。
  7. 希伯來書 2:13 《以賽亞書》8:17;12:2。
  8. 希伯來書 2:13 都在這裡——輔助詞語。
  9. 希伯來書 2:13 《以賽亞書》8:18。
  10. 希伯來書 2:17 忠心——或譯作「信實」。
  11. 希伯來書 2:17 平息祭——或譯作「挽回祭」。

A Warning against Drifting Away

So we must listen very carefully to the truth we have heard, or we may drift away from it. For the message God delivered through angels has always stood firm, and every violation of the law and every act of disobedience was punished. So what makes us think we can escape if we ignore this great salvation that was first announced by the Lord Jesus himself and then delivered to us by those who heard him speak? And God confirmed the message by giving signs and wonders and various miracles and gifts of the Holy Spirit whenever he chose.

Jesus, the Man

And furthermore, it is not angels who will control the future world we are talking about. For in one place the Scriptures say,

“What are mere mortals that you should think about them,
    or a son of man[a] that you should care for him?
Yet for a little while you made them a little lower than the angels
    and crowned them with glory and honor.[b]
You gave them authority over all things.”[c]

Now when it says “all things,” it means nothing is left out. But we have not yet seen all things put under their authority. What we do see is Jesus, who for a little while was given a position “a little lower than the angels”; and because he suffered death for us, he is now “crowned with glory and honor.” Yes, by God’s grace, Jesus tasted death for everyone. 10 God, for whom and through whom everything was made, chose to bring many children into glory. And it was only right that he should make Jesus, through his suffering, a perfect leader, fit to bring them into their salvation.

11 So now Jesus and the ones he makes holy have the same Father. That is why Jesus is not ashamed to call them his brothers and sisters.[d] 12 For he said to God,

“I will proclaim your name to my brothers and sisters.
    I will praise you among your assembled people.”[e]

13 He also said,

“I will put my trust in him,”
    that is, “I and the children God has given me.”[f]

14 Because God’s children are human beings—made of flesh and blood—the Son also became flesh and blood. For only as a human being could he die, and only by dying could he break the power of the devil, who had[g] the power of death. 15 Only in this way could he set free all who have lived their lives as slaves to the fear of dying.

16 We also know that the Son did not come to help angels; he came to help the descendants of Abraham. 17 Therefore, it was necessary for him to be made in every respect like us, his brothers and sisters,[h] so that he could be our merciful and faithful High Priest before God. Then he could offer a sacrifice that would take away the sins of the people. 18 Since he himself has gone through suffering and testing, he is able to help us when we are being tested.

Footnotes

  1. 2:6 Or the Son of Man.
  2. 2:7 Some manuscripts add You gave them charge of everything you made.
  3. 2:6-8 Ps 8:4-6 (Greek version).
  4. 2:11 Greek brothers; also in 2:12.
  5. 2:12 Ps 22:22.
  6. 2:13 Isa 8:17-18.
  7. 2:14 Or has.
  8. 2:17 Greek like the brothers.