November 3, 2002
First Church of the Brethren
H. Kevin Derr
Hebrews 2:1-4
“We must pay attention, The first warning”
1We must pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not
drift away. 2For if the message spoken by angels was binding, and every violation and
disobedience received its just punishment, 3how shall we escape if we ignore such a great
salvation? This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those
who heard him. 4God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and gifts of the
Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.
Introduction:
I. Last Week: Hebrews 1:5-14
A. We looked at three groups of OT quotations, all of which address the
comparison of Jesus to the angels, the Son of God to Servants of God. The
point to show the superiority and changeless nature of Jesus the Son of God
1. The first group was Vs. 5 & 6
A. OT quotes include, Ps2:7 & 2 Samuel 7:14
B. These will provide evidence for Jesus’ divine sonship
2. The second group was Vs. 7-12
A. Psalm 104:4, 45:6-7, 102:25-27& Psalm 110:1
B. This moves from the assertion of an idea to the argument for the
idea
3. And the third group was Vs. 13-14
A. Deut 32:43
B. This will assert Jesus superiority to the angels
B. We essentially looked at issues of Christology based in a Hebraic Christian
context. Yet, our author almost exclusively quotes from the Greek translation
of the OT, the LXX. Remember again, the letter to the Hebrews was written
to people who are believers, and who are familiar with the OT scriptures and
the message of the gospel.
II. Today we will be looking at Vs. 1-4 of Chapter 2 where we are given a warning. Our
warning is to pay careful attention to the message delivered to us. Why because if the
message delivered by the angels was binding, the message delivered by the unique
Son of God is even more demanding . . .. It may be helpful to recall the parable of the
Tenants in Matthew 21:33-46, Mark 12:1-12 or Luke 20:9-19. In essence, a son
should demand more respect than the servants.
A. Today’s text includes a warning, it is the first of five warnings that you will
find in Hebrews (2:1-4; 3:7-4:14; 5:11-6:12; 10:19--39; & 12:14-29).
B. It is good to remember the large role that angels played in the inter-testamental
period.
Prayer:
I. As we begin our exploration of Hebrews 2:1-4, it is should be noted that their is a direct
thematic connection to 1:1-4. Vs. 1:2 specifically, “but in these last days he has spoken to us by
his Son,”
A. The author worked hard to help us understand that the Son is superior to the angles,
and if the Son is superior to the angels, then the message spoken to us by the son
would be superior to the message spoken to us in they past, be that by prophets or
angels.
1. It is not a difficult logical jump to make, and we make the inferences like this
all the time.
2. And in fact we are called to make such an inference here in 2:1, “We must pay
more careful attention to what we have heard, so that we do not drift
away.”
A. Why must we pay more careful attention, because the Son is superior
to the angels and their message.
B. In other words, God’s greatest revelation comes not from the past, from
the messages delivered through angels, but through God’s Son.
3. If we are paying more careful attention, it implies also that there is a
consequence for not paying attention to what we have heard.
A. The consequence is that we will drift away. There also seems to be a
sense that the community who is receiving this letter has done just
what they are warned against, they have not been paying attention to
that they have heard.
1. That they are in fact drifting away, away from the message they
heard.
2. What did they hear, and where they drifting. It is probably
much like many churches today where so many things have
become more important than the message we have received
from the Son.
A. It is not hard to imagine how it happens, we become
comfortable with the message, and center more on
organizational issues, cultural issues, popular items and
so forth, and the gospel gets relegated to the middle or
bottom of our list of concerns.
B. What may have caused congregational drift in the days
of the letter to the Hebrews, may not be of great
importance or temptation today, yet the warning stands,
and rightly so.
B. The message we received is just as important today as it was then, and
the warning against drifting away is still needed.
B. But what was the message that was received, that they heard? It is most likely an
appeal to the Kerygma, the preaching of the early church. Christian tradition if you
will. Remember the NT cannon had not yet been formed, some letters and gospels
may well be circulating among the churches, but Scripture is still the OT, and for this
community, most likely the Greek OT or the LXX
1. Perhaps their temptation was to drift back to Judaism, to the older revelation of
God, one that was more familiar, where family and friends were part of the
worshiping community, where there was a long established tradition that was
safe, appealing and secure.
2. Yet, this community had received the message, and they were likely drifting
1. Moving without direct course, the image is a ship being taken by the
current, not being piloted by the captain.
2. And this is no way to get where you would like to go, and it may well
lead to peril.
II. Our author tells us that this is exactly the case. That if we drift we will find ourselves in peril.
A. In Vs. 2 & 3a of chapter 2, we see these words, 2For if the message spoken by angels
was binding, and every violation and disobedience received its just punishment,
3how shall we escape if we ignore such a great salvation?
1. What message was spoken by angels? Is this a reference to the giving of the
Law?
A. If we investigate we will find no mention of Angels giving the Law in
Exodus 19 and 20.
B. If, you will look with me to Deut. 33:2. We read these words “The
LORD came from Sinai and dawned over them from Seir; he shone
forth from Mount Paran. He came with myriads of holy ones from
the south, from his mountain slopes
1. We see scripture attesting to the presence of angels at the giving
of the law
2. Psalm 68: 17 also provides a clue to their presence as well.
3. However, sometime before the 1st century, the idea spread that
angels played a meditorial role in the giving of the Law. (Lane
WBC 47a P. 37)
A. William Lane develops this in much more depth if you
would like to explore it more.
B. Early in the Maccabean period angelic mediation in the
giving of the law, the dictation of the torah to Moses, can
be seen. Even in the Acts account Stephen speaks of the
angel who spoke to Moses on Mount Sinai (Acts 7:38)
and Paul describes the Law as “ordained by angels
through an intermediary” (Gal. 3:19) (Lane WBC Vol.
47a P. 37).
C. The notion that the Law was given to Moses by an
angelic mediator is not out of the scope of everyday
Judaism of the time.
2. The Law given by angels carried with it punishment for things done contrary to
the reveled word of God. The author of Hebrews employs judicial language in
speaking of this matter, he says “and every violation and disobedience
received its just punishment”
A. It was nothing to be taken lightly, it was a serious matter to oppose the
revelation of God’s will, and it came with a warning. If you disobey
the revelation of God’s will, you will be punished for every violation
and disobedience.
B. Then in 3a, the author of Hebrews writes these words, 3how shall we
escape if we ignore such a great salvation?
1. If we become careless in our attention to the revelation of God
in the Son it seems that there is a great disaster awaiting us.
A. We are not told here what that punishment for ignoring,
or treating carelessly the revelation of God is, but the
record of Israel gives us some sobering thoughts on the
matter.
B. And it should be sobering to consider, if the message
delivered by angels, an inferior revelation of God’s
will, was binding and provided for disobedience in
punishment
C. How much more will be the reward for disobedience if
the revelation of God in the Son is superior to the one
delivered by angels?
1. If we do not pay attention, if we treat the
revelation of God by the Son carelessly, if we
ignore the great salvation, what hope do we
have?
2. If we become lazy, careless, and distracted and
ultimately ignore the revelation of God, what
hope to escape disaster do we have?
2. The answer is of course not to ignore such a great salvation, not
to treat the message of God carelessly, not to drift but to set a
course for life and there by avoid destruction.
III. The message of the spoken to us by the Son, is a message of salvation. In Vs. 3b we read
these words This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by
those who heard him.
A. The Author of Hebrews gives us a bit of information about himself, he was not one of
those who heard Jesus personally, so it eliminates from the possible author list the
12, and those who were present with Jesus before or after the resurrection.
1. It was one of the eye witnesses, one of those who heard Jesus, who brought the
message of salvation to the group being addressed in Hebrews.
2. In this sense, we have much in common with these “Hebrew” believers, we did
not hear Jesus speak the message, it was confirmed to us by those who did. For
us it takes place in the form of the Scripture, it may have been by apostolic
visit or by letter that these believers came to Christ.
B. This salvation:
1. It was first spoken by the Lord. The Son is now identified as the Lord. The
angles announced a revelation of God, and hinted about the coming salvation,
but it is not until the Son that this salvation is announced
2. It was first announced by the Son, but has been announced by others since in
conveying the message of salivation to those who did not hear Jesus speak, just
as we should continue to announce the message of salvation.
3. The messages of salvation is now confirmed to those who did not hear from
Jesus, its accuracy is guaranteed, its validity is pointed to, its nature as the
ultimate revelation of the Divine Will is attested by those who first heard it.
But it does not end with those who first heard it, it is attested in other ways as
well.
C. Vs. 4 speaks about this confirmation. Vs. 4 follows, 4God also testified to it by signs,
wonders and various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according
to his will.
1. In verse 4 we hear a resounding of the Kerygma, the preaching of the early
church. The distribution of the gifts of the Holy Spirit according to his will
resounds strongly with what we hear of Peter’s preaching in Acts 2, for
example 38Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the
name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive
the gift of the Holy Spirit.”
2. It also speaks of how God “testified” that Jesus was the son. Again from
Peter’s preaching on Pentecost day we find these words spoken. 22“Men of
Israel, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you
by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as
you yourselves know.
A. Not only did God accredit Jesus with miracles, signs and wonders, but
now the message that people are continuing to proclaim after Jesus’
resurrection is also accredited by signs, wonders and miracles.
B. God is manifesting his power in the Body of Christ through the Holy
Spirit as it was manifest in the person of Jesus before Pentecost.
1. God is now active in the Church as he had been in Jesus
2. It is a continuing sign of the importance of the message of
salvation delivered first by the Son, the Lord, and now by those
who heard him speak the message, and even in those who did
not hear Jesus speak the message.
IV. We who have heard this great message of salvation must not treat it lightly, for it is the
greatest revelation of God’s will, of God’s sell and it has been delivered to us by God’s Son.
We mus therefore pay great attention lest we drift away.
A. We have been entrusted with the greatest revelation of God, but we are not to horde or
hid this message of salvation
1. We are to be like those who passed it on to us, pass it on to others and as the
message of salvation is passed on, it will be accredited to us by the Holy Spirit
2. As we proclaim the message of salvation I am convinced that we too will see
various miracles, signs and wonders, what that will look like, I have no idea,
but this I know it will be done according to the will of God
B. It is important that you and I pay great attention to this message, and treat it with, not
only respect, but with attention to detail and a realization that this is the very
revelation of the Living God through the Son spoken to us in these last days.
