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Hebrews 2:1-4

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Because of Jesus’s greatness, glory, honor, person, we are urged to listen more closely to what He says over any other person. He is the expert of experts and the truth itself.

No Christian wants to drift from the faith, yet that can happen. Deception is common, so we must know the truth well. The Scriptures are the only source of 100% truth. What angels said was important, but what Jesus says is of greater importance. If we scoff and discount Jesus’s message, it results in personal disaster. Jesus was authenticated to be the Son of God and Son of Man by the actions He did.

My translation and notes of Hebrews 2:1-4.

1 Therefore we must pay closer attention to the things that we have heard, lest we drift away.

[There are many voices of authority, many experts, many studies, many experiences, many opinions, but the only voice that matters in every area of this life and eternity is the voice of the one spoken of in chapter 1—Jesus Christ. We must strive to give priority to the Scriptures, particularly as Christians, to the New Testament, which is God’s message to Christians through Jesus, God the Son, and through Jesus’s Apostles, prophets, and prophetesses in the first century (…the things that we have heard). The Apostles were authenticated by Jesus. The prophets and prophetesses were authenticated by those Apostles. Those Apostles are now dead and with Jesus in heaven. The Greek word for ‘pay closer attention’ is περισσοτέρως perissotérōs (G4056). It means ‘above others’ and more earnest. The Greek word for ‘drift away’ is παραῤῥυέω pararrhyéō (G3901). It means ‘to glide by’ and ‘to escape me.’ That is, we know and knew something, but it’s importance and truth progressively weaken in our lives. We are to pay closer attention to the teachings of the New Testament. Some claim that the habits of prayer, Bible reading, and Bible study are legalism to be frowned upon, yet these same people brush their teeth after every meal and get up in the morning about the same time, go to the bathroom, get dressed, get coffee, get food, and go about their daily work—all habits].

2 For if the message spoken by angels was proven valid, and every violation and disobedience received a just repayment,

[Compare Acts 7:53, Luke 1:11-19, and Acts 11:13].

3 How will we escape, if we disregard such a salvation, which first began to be proclaimed by the Lord and was confirmed to us by those who heard him.

[This is the Gospel. The Gospel has never changed and never will. The Jews of Jesus’s time relied on keeping Mosaic Law for salvation. Jesus corrected this erroneous belief. If we disregard Jesus’s Gospel for another one, we have no salvation. Compare Galatians 1:6-9].

4 God also bore witness, both with signs and miracles, and with different types of power and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will.

[Jesus and His message were fully authenticated by signs and miraculous events. He revealed His authority over the weather (Mark 4:35-41), demons (Mark 1:21-28), sickness (Mark 1:29-34), and death. He healed a blind, mute, and deaf from demon possession (Matthew 12:22-23 and see note there) and a leper (Mark 1:40-45). He also fulfilled prophecies about Messiah. See The Top 40 Messianic Prophecies].

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