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Our Salvation Is Great

So we must be more careful to follow what we were taught. Then we will not be pulled away from the truth. The teaching that God spoke through angels was shown to be true. And anyone who did not follow it or obey it received the punishment he earned. The salvation that was given to us is very great. So surely we also will be punished if we live as if this salvation were not important. It was the Lord himself who first told about this salvation. And those who heard him proved to us that this salvation is true. God also proved it by using wonders, great signs, and many kinds of miracles. And he proved it by giving people gifts through the Holy Spirit, just as he wanted.

Christ Became Like Men

God did not choose angels to be the rulers of the new world that was coming. It is that future world we have been talking about. It is written somewhere in the Scriptures,

“Why is man important to you?
    Why do you take care of the son of man?[a]
For a short time you made him lower than the angels.
    But you crowned him with glory and honor.
    You put all things under his control.” Psalm 8:4-6

If God put everything under his control, there was nothing left that he did not rule. But we do not yet see him ruling over everything. But we see Jesus! For a short time he was made lower than the angels. But now we see him wearing a crown of glory and honor because he suffered and died. Because of God’s grace, he died for everyone.

10 God is the One who made all things. And all things are for his glory. God wanted to have many sons share his glory. So God made perfect the One who leads people to salvation. He made Jesus a perfect Savior through Jesus’ suffering.

11 Jesus, who makes people holy, and those who are made holy are from the same family. So he is not ashamed to call them his brothers. 12 He says,

“Then, I will tell my fellow Israelites about you.
    I will praise you when your people meet to worship you.” Psalm 22:22

13 He also says,

“I will trust in God.” Isaiah 8:17

And he also says,

“I am here. And with me are the children that God has given me.” Isaiah 8:18

14 These children are people with physical bodies. So Jesus himself became like them and had the same experiences they have. He did this so that, by dying, he could destroy the one who has the power of death. That one is the devil. 15 Jesus became like men and died so that he could free them. They were like slaves all their lives because of their fear of death. 16 Clearly, it is not angels that Jesus helps, but the people who are from Abraham.[b] 17 For this reason Jesus had to be made like his brothers in every way. He became like men so that he could be their merciful and faithful high priest in service to God. Then Jesus could bring forgiveness for their sins. 18 And now he can help those who are tempted. He is able to help because he himself suffered and was tempted.

Footnotes

  1. 2:6 son of man This can mean any, but the name “Son of Man” is often used to mean Jesus. When Jesus became a man, he showed what God planned for all people to be.
  2. 2:16 Abraham Most respected ancestor of the Jews. Every Jew hoped to see Abraham.

Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip.

For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward;

How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him;

God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will?

For unto the angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come, whereof we speak.

But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man that thou visitest him?

Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands:

Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him.

But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.

10 For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.

11 For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren,

12 Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee.

13 And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold I and the children which God hath given me.

14 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;

15 And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.

16 For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham.

17 Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.

18 For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.

持守真道

因此,我們必須更加重視所聽的道,以免隨流漂去。 既然藉天使傳下來的話正確無誤,凡干犯、違背的人都受到了應有的報應, 我們若忽略了這麼大的救恩,怎能逃避懲罰呢?這救恩首先由主親口宣講出來,後來由聽見的人向我們證實了。 同時,上帝按自己的旨意,用神蹟、奇事、各樣的異能、聖靈的恩賜和他們一同做見證。

救恩的元帥

上帝並沒有把我們所談論的未來世界交給天使掌管。 相反,有人在聖經中做見證說:

「人算什麼,你竟顧念他?
世人算什麼,你竟眷顧他?
你使他暫時比天使低微一點,
賜他榮耀和尊貴作冠冕,
派他管理你所造的一切,
使萬物降服在他腳下。」

既說叫萬物都降服在人的管理之下,就沒有一樣例外。不過,我們到現在還沒有看到萬物都降服在人的管理之下, 只看見耶穌暫時比天使低微一點,好靠著上帝的恩典為全人類親嚐死亡的滋味。祂因為經歷死亡的痛苦而得到了尊貴和榮耀作冠冕。

10 作為萬物的歸宿和根源的上帝,叫救恩的元帥耶穌經歷苦難而得以純全,以便帶領許多的兒女進入榮耀,這樣的安排是恰當的。 11 因為使人聖潔的耶穌和那些得以聖潔的人都出自同一位父親,所以耶穌不以稱呼他們弟兄姊妹為恥。 12 祂說:

「我要向眾弟兄傳揚你的名,
在會眾中歌頌你。」

13 又說:

「我要倚靠祂。」

還說:

「看啊,我和上帝賜給我的兒女都在這裡。」

14 因為眾兒女都是血肉之軀,所以祂也同樣取了血肉之軀,為要親身經歷死亡,藉此摧毀掌握死亡權勢的魔鬼, 15 釋放那些因怕死而一生做奴隸的人。 16 很明顯,祂要救助的不是天使,而是亞伯拉罕的後裔。 17 所以祂必須在每一方面都與祂的弟兄姊妹相同,以便在事奉上帝的事上成為一位仁慈忠信的大祭司,替眾人獻上贖罪祭。 18 祂經歷過受試煉的痛苦,所以能幫助受試煉的人。