In bringing many sons and daughters to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through what he suffered.
Hebrews 2:10 NIV
But we see Jesus… Hebrews 2:9a
The author begins his letter to his Jewish brothers stating that G_d’s final word is through the Son, not angels or prophets.
Previously the author of Hebrews has made a case through scripture that Jesus, the Son of God, is higher than the angels.
Heir of all things
Who has ascended into heaven and descended?
Proverbs 30:4 NASB
Who has gathered the wind in His fists?
Who has wrapped the waters in His garment?
Who has established all the ends of the earth?
What is His name or His son’s name?
Surely you know!
Continuing in our study of Hebrews, a letter authored to first century Jews, we now continue the second chapter after what we covered previously in the beginning verses 1-9 in Hebrew 2 – Pay Attention.
Fitting and proper perfection
Are you a perfect Jew?
Or more to a personal point, am I a perfect Christian?
Of course not.
So how do we have any chutzpah outside of the Messiah Jesus to say that we may be accepted into eternal life by the Lord? This is the issue of salvation the writer of Hebrews takes on here.
Hebrews 2:
For it was bekavod (fitting, proper) for him, for whom are all things and through whom are all things, in bringing banim rabbim (many sons) to kavod, to bring to shleimut (perfection, completion) the Rosh (Head) and Mekhonen (Founder) of their Yeshua’at Hashem through yissurim (suffering).
Hebrews 2:10 Orthodox Jewish Bible
Most Christians lack a full understanding of many terms of Hebrew origin like perfection, author, purification and redemption. I am neither a Torah trained Rabbi nor Messianic Jew, but further readings of Paul‘s letters will help you to understand an academic Jewish approach to some of these terms.
10 – It was fitting for Him
Various translations of πρέπω read: it became Him, it was bekavod, it was fitting, it was entirely appropriate – the concept that God does what is right and perfect. Jews and Christians must agree that man has a tendency to weigh perfection incorrectly.
כָּֽל־דֶּרֶךְ־אִישׁ יָשָׁר בְּעֵינָיו וְתֹכֵן לִבֹּות יְהוָֽה׃
עֲשֹׂה צְדָקָה וּמִשְׁפָּט נִבְחָר לַיהוָה מִזָּֽבַח׃
Proverbs 21:2,3
in bringing many sons
“Many sons – πολύς υἱός speaks of multitudes and not specifically men (as opposed to women) or of a specific son. Think of the beneficiary as humanity, rather than all creation or even the Creator Himself. And what is the benefit – what is our reward?
unto glory
“εἰςδόξα – eis doxa – To glory or toward glory.
Now glory means many things to different people, so let’s be clear in our completed understanding of doxa, as in ‘doxology.’ Yes, praise of God or of a man.
Glory becomes a Biblical description of the brightness of God, or of the sun, moon, stars, angels or an object; implying magnificence, excellence, preeminence, dignity, grace and majesty.
God is unsurpassed glory! A higher indescribable brightness. Yet the glory of God has a contrasting glory of which we seldom speak.
Doxa in Greek translates as an opinion, judgment, view; therefore our human opinion or estimate of someone or something, whether good or bad, is a glory or judgement – Biblically of God, a Most High Glory.
to perfect
τελειόω – to complete (perfect), to bring to the end (goal) proposed, to accomplish or bring to a close, a fulfillment by event of the prophecies of the scriptures.
לָכֵן אֲחַלֶּק־לֹו בָרַבִּים וְאֶת־עֲצוּמִים יְחַלֵּק שָׁלָל תַּחַת אֲשֶׁר הֶעֱרָה לַמָּוֶת נַפְשֹׁו וְאֶת־פֹּשְׁעִים נִמְנָה וְהוּא חֵטְא־רַבִּים נָשָׂא וְלַפֹּשְׁעִים יַפְגִּֽיעַ׃ ס
Isaiah 53:12
their head and founder
We must, at some point in our lives, confess that some have authority over us. (This is assumed in a Biblical-based Hebrew culture.) Current authority, previous authority and a succession of authority all come into play.
Abraham, Israel, Moses, David and family patriarchs may all be mentioned as a head or founding father of Jews. The Lord granted both His Authority and succession through them. Here the author of Hebrews points to their Higher Authority.
ἀρχηγός – archēgos implies one that takes the lead in any thing and thus affords an example, a predecessor in a matter, pioneer. Jesus, therefore, becomes a captain or founder, a chief leader or Prince over these who followed.
Within the same verse His origin was established as ‘Him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things’… or other translations read: ‘God—for whom and through whom all things exist—...’ Clearly, the Son of God IS God! Jesus IS before all founders and over all authority.
of their salvation
Two questions come immediately to mind:
- What is salvation?
- Whose salvation? (Or who can be saved?)
σωτηρία sōtēria –Salvation, in Greek, the common language of first century Judea and much of the Roman Empire, refers to deliverance, preservation, safety, even from molestation by one’s enemies. A Roman understanding of sōtēria could have viewed a “savior” as a threat to their own authority.
In an ethical sense, that which concludes to the soul’s safety, of Messianic salvation.
יָשַׁע – yasha` is the Hebrew concept. Isaiah asks,
פָּגַ֤עְתָּ אֶת־שָׂשׂ֙ וְעֹ֣שֵׂה צֶ֔דֶק בִּדְרָכֶ֖יךָ יִזְכְּר֑וּךָ הֵן־אַתָּ֤ה קָצַ֨פְתָּ֙ וַֽנֶּחֱטָ֔א בָּהֶ֥ם עֹולָ֖ם וְנִוָּשֵֽׁעַ׃
How can we be saved if we remain in our sins?
Isaiah 64:5 CSB
The question of who can be saved is one of some debate, which we will not take on today. Since the writer of Hebrews refers to the Son, the Messiah, as God in this introductory passage, we will briefly examine His own answer to this question.
When the disciples heard this, they were utterly astonished and asked, “Then who can be saved? ”
Matthew 19:25 CSB
The Jewish Apostle and tax collector relates consecutive stories about money, the rich and salvation, asking the Messiah who can be saved. Hear His answer:
26 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
Matthew 19:26 CSB
Not even an Apostle or rich ruler can earn salvation or buy perfection. Yet God the Father has made a way for the completion of sinful man.
through sufferings.
διά dia πάθημα pathēma
We hesitate here, even that the Messiah must suffer, let alone that we must in death. Yet the meaning is clear: that which one suffers or has suffered. We shrink from some of the descriptions of sufferings: misfortune, calamity, evil, affliction.
Many of us have experienced some of the afflictions which Christians must undergo. And we know we cannot endure that with the Messiah suffered for our sins as a Sacrifice painfully crucified on the Cross.
Hebrews and gentiles know that in perfection a price must be paid for sin.
Sanctification – ἁγιάζω
To sanctify is to purify, separating from the profane and dedicating or consecrating to a Holy God.
How can a sinner be consecrated to the Lord God?
The author of Hebrews continues by assuring us that the Messiah Jesus completed our sanctification and He, the crucified Son of Man calls us brothers (or sisters). What undue grace and love of those of the world. And grace for both Jew and gentile, grace for those of the first century and sinners of this twenty-first century.
Once again the writer of Hebrews quotes familiar scripture, even the very song
from Psalm 22 יְהוֹשׁוּעַ Yĕhowshuwa` cried out from the cross! He also quotes the historical record of Samuel and the prophet Isaiah.
Again, I will trust in him. And again, Here I am with the children God gave me.
Hebrews 2:13 CSB
The Lord God has become a personal God on the Cross!
וְה֥וּא כֹהֵ֖ן לְאֵ֥ל עֶלְיֹֽון׃
a Priest of G_d Most High
The writer of Hebrews closes this section about Jesus becoming our Pioneer of Perfection with explanation why the Son of Man became a High Priest for us.
17 Therefore, he had to be like his brothers and sisters in every way, so that he could become a merciful and faithful high priest in matters pertaining to God, to make atonement for the sins of the people.
More about atonement and our need for this Priest in Hebrews 3.
To be continued...
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