Hebrews Chapter 2
Heb 2:1 On account of this it behooves more earnestly us to attend to the things having been heard, lest perhaps we should glide away.
On account of the exalted dignity and rank of the Messiah as stated in the previous chapter that was given to him by YHWH Himself. The sense is: “Since Christ, the author of the new dispensation, is so far exalted above the prophets, and even the angels, we ought to give the more earnest attention to all that has been spoken.”
It is suitable or proper (Greek δεὶ dei) that we should attend to those things. When the Son of God speaks to people, every consideration makes it appropriate that we should attend to what is spoken.
We should let glide away. Greek. pararreo. Literally flow beside.
“Lest at any time we should leak out.” This is a metaphor taken from unstanch vessels; the staves not being close together, the fluid put into them leaks through the chinks and crevices. Superficial hearers lose the benefit of the word preached, as the unseasoned vessel does its fluid; nor can anyone hear to the saving of his soul, unless he give most earnest heed, which he will not do unless he consider the dignity of the speaker, the importance of the subject, and the absolute necessity of the salvation of his soul.
There is danger of losing what we have received, unless we give heed.
When you read the Bible, do you really consider who it comes from?
Jesus says that “man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word from the mouth of God. (Mat 4:4, Luke 4:4)” Are we careful to study the Whole Bible or only parts of it?
Do we give “earnest heed” to the instructions and admonitions of the Bible?
Heb 2:2 If for the through messengers having been spoken word was firm, and every deviation and imperfect hearing received a just retribution;
For if the word spoken by angels - The revelation in the Old Testament. It was indeed given by Yahweh, but it was the common opinion of the Hebrews that it was by the ministry of angels; see Act_7:38, Act_7:53 notes, and Gal_3:19 note, where this point is fully considered. As Paul was discoursing here of the superiority of the Redeemer to the angels, it was to the point to refer to the fact that the Law had been given by the ministry of angels.
The slightest infraction of the Law was sure to be punished. It made no provision for indulgence in sin; it demanded prompt, implicit, and entire obedience. “Received a just recompense of reward.” Was strictly punished. Subjected to equal retribution. This was the character of the Law. It threatened punishment for each and every offence, and made no allowance for transgression in any form; compare Num_15:30-31.
Heb 2:3 how we shall escape so great having disregarded a salvation? which a beginning having received to be spoken through the Lord, by those having heard for us was confirmed,
Hebrews 2:2-3 Weymouth For if the message delivered through angels proved to be true, and every transgression and act of disobedience met with just retribution, 3 how shall *we* escape if we are indifferent to a salvation as great as that now offered to us? This, after having first of all been announced by the Lord Himself, had its truth made sure to us by those who heard Him,
How shall we escape -- Destruction. The wrath of God. People of so-called Christian lands, having had more light, more privilege, more opportunity, and sinning against greater knowledge, have seared their consciences more deeply.
Neglect or disregarded or indifferent-- Causing truths to gradually slip away from us. Simply to neglect is fatal. We must stand, or progress. Our appreciation of the value of anything is shown by the earnestness with which we strive for it.
If we neglect - It is not merely if we commit great sins. Not, if we are murderers, adulterers, thieves, infidels, atheists, scoffers. It is, if we merely “neglect” this salvation - if we do not embrace it - if we suffer it to pass unimproved. “Neglect” is enough to ruin a man. A man who is in business need not commit forgery or robbery to ruin himself; he has only to “neglect” his business, and his ruin is certain. A man who is lying on a bed of sickness, need not cut his throat to destroy himself; he has only to “neglect” the means of restoration, and he will be ruined. A man floating in a skiff above Niagara, need not move an oar or make an effort to destroy himself; he has only to “neglect” using the oar at the proper time, and he will certainly be carried over the cataract. Most of the calamities of life are caused by simple “neglect.” By neglect of education children grow up in ignorance; by neglect a farm grows up to weeds and briars; by neglect a house goes to decay; by neglect of sowing, a man will have no harvest; by neglect of reaping, the harvest would rot in the fields. No worldly interest can prosper where there is neglect; and why may it not be so in religion? There is nothing in earthly affairs that is valuable that will not be ruined if it is not attended to - and why may it not be so with the concerns of the soul? Let no one infer, therefore, that because he is not a drunkard, or an adulterer, or a murderer, that, therefore, he will be saved. Such an inference would be as irrational as it would be for a man to infer that because he is not a murderer his farm will produce a harvest, or that because he is not an adulterer therefore his merchandise will take care of itself. Salvation would be worth nothing if it cost no effort - and there will be no salvation where no effort is put forth.
So great salvation -- That a special class, who would manifest special love for the Lord, might become heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Jesus Christ, his Son. More than an "elect" few are eventually to reach eternal life through the Redeemer of mankind.
Think on this verse and ask yourselves--am I being neglectful?
What more should we be doing?
Do we really appreciate the opportunity the Lord is giving us?
Does our thoughts, actions and desires show that appreciation?
Heb 2:4 Weymouth while God corroborated their testimony by signs and marvels and various miracles, and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed in accordance with His own will.
God also bearing them witness,.... The apostles of Christ; God testifying to their mission and commission, and the truth of the doctrine they preached:
both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles; such as taking up serpents without hurt, healing the sick, causing the lame to walk, and raising the dead, and casting out devils, and the like; all which were for the confirmation of the Gospel preached by them: a sign, wonder, or miracle, for these signify the same thing, is a marvellous work done before men, by the power of God, to confirm a divine truth; God is the sole author of miracles; and they were done in the first ages of Christianity, when they were necessary, to give evidence of the truth of it, and to establish men in it; and these were various, as before observed: and gifts of the Holy Ghost; such as besides gifts of healing and working miracles, gifts of foretelling things to come, discerning of spirits, speaking with divers kinds of tongues, and the interpretation of tongues, 1Co_12:8 according to His own will; either according to the will of God, who bore testimony by these miracles and gifts; or according to the will of the Holy Spirit, which distributed them to men severally as he pleased, 1Co_12:11.
Do you believe in the miracles that were done in the early Church?
Do you doubt God's power in your life?
Heb 2:5 Weymouth It is not to angels that God has assigned the sovereignty of that coming world, of which we speak.
For unto the angels hath he not put in subjection - In this verse the apostle returns to the subject which he had been discussing in Heb_1:1-14 - the superiority of the Messiah to the angels. From that subject he had been diverted Heb_2:1-4, by showing them what must be the consequences of defection from Christianity, and the danger of neglecting it. Having shown that, he now proceeds with the discussion, and shows that an honor had been conferred on the Lord Jesus which had never been bestowed on the angels - to wit, the “supremacy over this world.”
The world to come, meant the days of the Messiah among the Jews (The Kingdom for which we pray), is most evident, and has been often pointed out in the course of these notes; and that the administration of this kingdom has not been entrusted to angels, who were frequently employed under the law, is also evident, for the government is on the shoulder of Jesus Christ; he has the keys of death and hell; he shuts, and no man opens; opens, and no man shuts; he alone has the residue of the Spirit; he alone is the Governor of the universe, the Spirit, Soul, Heart, and Head of the Church: all is in his authority, and under subjection to him. All of this was bestowed upon him from his Father.
Do we really think about who we are espoused to?
When we gave our lives to God, it is with the hope of being the “Bride of Christ”—Do we really appreciate the honor we are given?
Do we take that honor for granted?
With such honor given, such an opportunity given, why are we so silent and not sharing it with everyone?
Heb 2:6 (BBE) But a certain writer has given his witness, saying, What is man, that you keep him in mind? what is the son of man, that you take him into account?
This one is David; and the certain place, Psa_8:4, Psa_8:5, Psa_8:6.
What is man - This quotation is verbatim from the Septuagint; and, as the Greek is not as emphatic as the Hebrew, I will quote the original: What is miserable man, that thou rememberest him? and the son of Adam, that thou visitest him? The variation of the terms in the original is very emphatic. Adam, is the name given to man at his creation, and expresses his origin, and generic distinction from all other animals. Enosh, which signifies sick, weak, wretched, was never given to him till after his fall. The son of Adam means here, any one or all of the fallen posterity of the first man. That God should remember in the way of mercy these wretched beings, is great condescension; that He should visit them, manifest Himself to them though His son, and to provide a ransom for them from eternal death, is mercy and love indescribable and eternal.
God's original purpose concerning man has not been abandoned.
Have you ever wondered what God sees in you? In mankind in general?
Do you know why God is dealing with mankind?
Do you know what His plan is? Do you even think He has a plan?
Heb 2:7 RV 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 madest him -- Man, originally. A little lower -- Less some little. (Rotherham) In degree or nature, but none the less perfect. Than the angels -- Man, the highest of the earthly creatures, is lower than the lowest of the spiritual beings. This was the state of Perfect Adam, in order for Jesus to ransom Father Adam, he had to be the same.
Thou crownedst him with glory and honor. - That is, with exalted honor. Glory and honor here are nearly synonymous. The meaning is, that elevated honor had been conferred on human nature. A most exalted and extended dominion had been given to “man,” which showed that God had greatly honored him. This appeared eminently in the person of the Lord Jesus, “the exalted Man,” to whom this dominion was given in the widest extent. And didst set him over ... - “Man” has been placed over the other works of God:
Man is little and lower than the angels. Viewing man from an airplane—they are but specks of dust on dust. Earth is but a spec of dust from the middle of our solar system. Our solar system is nothing in our galaxy and there are millions of galaxies in our Universe. God does not live in our universe, but outside of it. Think about that for a moment.
But God has a very keen interest in our planet and us. He sees everything that goes on and knows our hearts.
How does that make you feel?
Heb 2:8 (ESV) putting everything in subjection under his feet." Now in putting everything in subjection to him, he left nothing outside his control. At present, we do not yet see everything in subjection to him.
Psalms 8:3-9 JPS (8:4) When I behold Thy heavens, the work of Thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which Thou hast established; 4 (8:5) What is man, that Thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that Thou thinkest of him? 5 (8:6) Yet Thou hast made him but little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour. 6 (8:7) Thou hast made him to have dominion over the works of Thy hands; Thou hast put all things under His feet: 7 (8:8) Sheep and oxen, all of them, yea, and the beasts of the field; 8 (8:9) The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea; whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas. 9 (8:10) O LORD, our Lord, how glorious is Thy name in all the earth!
The meaning of this is, that the “fair interpretation” of the passage in the Psalm is, that the dominion of “man,” or of human nature over the earth, was to be absolute and total. Nothing was to be excepted. But this is not now the fact in regard to man in general, and can be true only of human nature in the person of the Lord Jesus. There the dominion is absolute and universal.” The point of the argument of the apostle may be this. It was the original appointment Gen_1:26 that man should have dominion over this lower world, and be its absolute lord and sovereign. Had he continued in innocence, this dominion would have been entire and perpetual. But he fell, and we do not now see him exerting this dominion. What is said of the dominion of man can be true only of human nature in the Lord Jesus, and there it is completely fulfilled.
Not yet all things –This is a promise of restitution. The fulfilment of this promise will be in the Kingdom that we pray for.
Have you thought about all that was lost through Adam’s sin?
Did you know that Jesus’ ransom sacrifice did more that release Adam and his children from the death penalty?
Do you know the Plan of God is to restore Adam and his children back to perfection in a perfect earth and give him back dominion? Do you know that if you are a faithful Christian now—you will get to help in that process?
Heb 2:9 RV But we behold him who hath been made a little lower than the angels, even Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honour, that by the grace of God he should taste death for every man.
Christ was made little, lower than the angels, through the assumption of the human nature, which is inferior to angels… for he could not continue long in this low estate, which is matter of joy to us; he could not be held by the cords of death, but must rise, and be exalted above angels, as he is: and he was made so low by God, Jehovah the Father, whose name is excellent in all the earth, Psa_8:1 He preordained him to this low estate; He prepared a body for him (Heb. 10:5; Phi 2:7) that he might taste death for every man. Jew or Gentile, bond or free, of every nation and race, color and sex; all are included. For those already enlightened as well as for the millions who have never heard of the only name whereby we must be saved.
thou crownest him with glory and honour; with that glory he had with the Father before the world was, and which followed upon his sufferings and death; for through them he entered into it, and upon his resurrection had it, and he is ascended on high, where he has the honour to sit at the right hand of God, which none of the angels have; and therefore is now above them, though once for a while below them, and they are now subject to him:
and didst set him over the works of thy hands: over angels, principalities, and powers; over the kings of the earth, and all the inhabitants of it, and all things in it, and made him higher than the heavens, and gave him a name above every name.
We may sometimes consider that Jesus died for us, but have you given thought to everything he did leading up to that point?
Do you appreciate the enormity of Jesus’ sacrifice on behalf of mankind?
Heb 2:10 (CEV) Everything belongs to God, and all things were created by His power. So God did the right thing when he made Jesus perfect by suffering, as Jesus led many of God's children to be saved and to share in his glory.
(EMTV) For it was fitting for Him, on account of whom are all things and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to perfect the Author of their salvation through sufferings.
(GNB) It was only right that God, who creates and preserves all things, should make Jesus perfect through suffering, in order to bring many children to share his glory. For Jesus is the one who leads them to salvation.
Conceivably, God could have engineered a way to save us that did not require the suffering of the Son of God; but it was fitting for Jesus to save us at the cost of His own agony.
This is the ultimate illustration of the fact that real love, real giving, involves sacrifice. As David said, nor will I offer . . . offerings to the LORD my God which costs me nothing (2Sa_24:24). God’s love for us had to show itself in sacrifice, and what could God sacrifice? His darling son. John 3:16, Isa. 53:10
The Lord Jesus is giving his brethren necessary experiences to lead them to God, to glory
Sufferings -- Sacrifice of earthly hopes, aims and ambitions; suffering unto death. To prove his character, his loyalty, to manifest to us, the angels, and all creatures, his wonderful obedience and worthiness of the divine nature. Tested to perfection, to the last degree, that when he commands obedience of all to Jehovah, it is not more than he yielded. A less painful death would have been our ransom price, but Jesus was not only to be the Redeemer, but also the Restorer of men.
“To make perfect does not imply moral imperfection in Jesus, but only the consummation of that human experience of sorrow and pain through which he must pass in order to become the leader of his people’s salvation.”
Do you understand the need for suffering?
Can you see that those who preach an easy way or prosperity are NOT teaching the Word of God?
What have your suffered for God?
How have you grown closer to God by that suffering?
Hebrews 2:11 ERV Jesus, the one 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 and sisters.
(Weymouth) For both He who sanctifies and those whom He is sanctifying have all one Father; and for this reason He is not ashamed to speak of them as His brothers;
If this thought of intimate relationship could always be before our minds, we would assist bearing one another's burdens.
He that sanctifies is he that makes atonement; and they who are sanctified are they who receive that atonement, and, being reconciled unto God, become his children by adoption, through grace.
Conceivably, God could have engineered a way to save us that did not require the suffering of the Son of God; but it was fitting for Jesus to save us at the cost of His own agony.
This is the ultimate illustration of the fact that real love, real giving, involves sacrifice. As David said, nor will I offer . . . offerings to the LORD my God which costs me nothing (2Sa_24:24)
Jesus and his people alike have God for their father. Therefore they are brethren, and Christ, notwithstanding his superior dignity, is not ashamed to call them by that name.
Heb 2: 12 MKJV saying, "I will declare Your name to My brothers; in the midst of the assembly I will sing praise to You."
Paul cites three evidences to the fact that Jesus the Messiah calls His people His brethren from the Old Testament: Psa_22:22, Isa_8:17-18.
In each one of these examples, we see Messiah willing to associate Himself with His brethren, whether it be in a congregation of worship, a community of trust in the Father, or declaring a common family association.
Do we truly understand the relationship we have to Jesus and to God?
Do we truly appreciate it?
How does this change your conduct? Your thinking? Your outlook?
Hebrews 2:13 MKJV And again, "I will put My trust in Him." And again, "Behold Me and the children whom God has given Me."
And again, I will put my trust in him] The quotation is probably from Isa_8:17, but nearly the same words are found in Psa_18:2 and 2Sa_22:3 (LXX.). The necessity of putting His trust in God is a proof of Jesus’ humanity, and therefore of His brotherhood with us. When He was on the Cross His enemies said by way of taunt, “He trusted in God” (Mat_27:43).
Behold, I, and the children which God hath given me] This verse furnishes a marked instance of the principles of Biblical interpretation, of which we have already seen many specimens. Isaiah by the prophetess has a son to whom he is bidden to give the name Maher-shalal-hash-baz, or “Speed-plunder-haste-spoil;” to his elder son he has been bidden to give the name Shear-Jashub, “a remnant shall remain;” and as the names of both sons are connected with prophecies concerning Israel he says “Lo! I and the children whom the Lord hath given me are for signs and for wonders in Israel from the Lord of hosts.” The words are here entirely dissociated from their context and from their primary historical meaning to indicate the relation between Christ and His redeemed children.
The main difficulty is on the question how this and the verse following can be applied to the Messiah? In the prophecy, they seem to refer solely to Isaiah, and to be expressive of his feelings alone - the feelings of a man who saw little encouragement in his work, and who having done all that he could do, at last put his sole trust in God. In regard to this difficult, and yet unsettled question, the following remarks may serve in part to remove the difficulty.
- The passage in Isaiah Isa_8:17-18, occurs “in the midst” of a number of predictions relating to the Messiah - preceded and followed by passages that had an ultimate reference undoubtedly to him; see Isa_7:14; Isa_8:8; Isa_9:1-7.
- The language, if used of Isaiah, would as accurately and fitly express the feelings and the condition of the Redeemer. There was such a remarkable similarity in the circumstances that the same language would express the condition of both. Both had delivered a solemn message to people; both had come to exhort them to turn to God, and to put their trust in him and both with the same result. The nation had disregarded them alike, and now their only hope was to confide in God, and the language used here would express the feelings of both - “I will trust in God. I will put confidence in him, and look to him.”
(3) There can be little doubt that in the time of Paul this passage was regarded by the Jews as applicable to the Messiah.
When you feel rejected by the world or even your brethren, do you put your trust in God?
Can you let go of the discouragement those times bring you when you give it to God?
If you can’t let go, have you really given it to God? And do you trust Him?
Hebrews 2:14 DRB Therefore because the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself in like manner hath been partaker of the same: that, through death, he might destroy him who had the empire of death, that is to say, the devil:
The same flesh and blood, human nature. Thereby becoming the Branch out of David's root.
Not that he might die for himself, as one of us. Christ became flesh for the express purpose of destroying the Captor and effecting the deliverance.
That through death -- As a substitute, or ransom-price before God's Law.
Destroy -- Greek, katargeo, render powerless; the only way of rendering Satan absolutely powerless would be by his destruction. Ultimately, in due time, Satan is to be destroyed, together with all who have his spirit of antagonism to God. After being loosed in the end of the Millennial Age.
Had the power (in KJV) -- The empire; the dominion. "Holding the dominion of death" (Rotherham). Not the eternal dominion to which he aspired, but an ignominious dominion amid sin and death, over poor fallen humanity. Satan does not have this power unlimitedly, but can exercise it only under restraints and restrictions, as with Job.
That is, the devil -- "For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil." (1Jo_3:8)
This verse is a simplification of the doctrine of the “Ransom”. Do you understand what the “Ransom” is?
Do you trust in God’s plan?
How does this affect your daily living?
Heb 2:15 and might set free them as many as by fear of death through all of the life held in were slavery.
This verb refers to our (the church’s) deliverance from the condemnation in Adam. We HAD TO BE DELIVERED from the death sentence and all of its concomitant human weaknesses and fears before we could be God’s sons.
FEAR OF DEATH: This term describes the state of the whole race except for those who have been delivered from it. Remember Paul’s parallel sermon in Romans 8:15. He points out that our deliverance from death and into sonship is NOT SLAVERY which leads to “fear AGAIN.” Thus we HAD this slavery and fear as condemned humans. The new “bondage” to Christ is no bondage! It also has no fear, as our past had.
Bondages have existed both because of the Law and because of Adamic condemnation. (Romans 11:30-32) In order to become a part of the promised seed, either or both bondages which held their slaves under the certain “fear of death” had to be removed. Hence (Galatians 4:4), Jesus was “born of a woman” (to remove ADAMIC condemnation) and “born under the Law” (to remove its death sentence). Otherwise (4:5) sonship was not possible.
Are you free from the bondage of death?
Are you living like you are free from the bondage of death?
Hebrews 2:16 MKJV For truly He did not take the nature of angels, but He took hold of the seed of Abraham.
He took not on him the nature of angels - Margin, “He taketh not hold of angels, but of the seed of Abraham he taketh hold.” The word used here - ἐπιλαμβάνεται epilambanetai - means, to take hold upon; to seize; to surprise; to take hold with a view to detain for oneself. Robinson. Then it means to take hold of one as by the hand - with a view to aid, conduct, or succour; Mar_8:23; Act_23:19. It is rendered “took,” Mar_8:23; Luk_9:47; Luk_14:4; Act_9:27; Act_17:19; Act_18:17; Act_21:30, Act_21:33; Act_23:19; Heb_8:9; “caught,” Mat_14:31; Act_16:19; “take hold,” Luk_20:20, Luk_20:26; “lay hold,” and “laid hold,” Luk_23:26; 1Ti_6:12. The general idea is that of seizing upon, or laying hold of anyone - no matter what the object is - whether to aid, or to drag to punishment, or simply to conduct. Here it means to lay hold with reference to “aid,” or “help;” and the meaning is, that he did not seize the nature of angels, or take it to himself with reference to rendering “them” aid, but he assumed the nature of man - in order to aid “him.” He undertook the work of human redemption, and consequently it was necessary for him to be man.
But he took on him the seed of Abraham - He came to help the descendants of Abraham, and consequently, since they were men, he became a man. Writing to Jews, it was not unnatural for the apostle to refer particularly to them as the descendants of Abraham, though this does not exclude the idea that he died for the whole human race in Adam.
Our Lord stooped from his high position. "For the suffering of death." (Heb_2:9). Think about all that Jesus gave up and suffered for you—How much of your time do you give to him?
Hebrews 2:17 Williams Therefore He had to be made like His brothers, so that He could be a sympathetic High Priest, as well as a faithful one, in things relating to God, in order to atone for the people's sins.
THEREFORE: Therefore = AS THE SEED OF ABRAHAM. Jesus, too, is part of this seed. This continues the thought from the previous verse.
HAD TO BE MADE: Literally: “He was obligated to be…” In other words, as Jesus AND his disciples together constitute the seed which will bless the world, it is obligatory that the entire seed knows how to be a merciful priesthood, sympathetic to the fallen race and its experiences.
LIKE HIS BRETHREN: Like the rest who constitute the seed.
HIGH PRIEST: Only in Hebrews is Jesus called High Priest. This had to impress a Jewish mind which had never known a high priest outside of the tribe of Levi. In Hebrews, Jesus is called High Priest fifteen times.
PROPITIATION: While the word certainly emphasizes and includes the payment for sin, it is here very much inclusive of the idea of the eradication of sin. As the antitype of the tabernacle sin offering picture, Jesus is less importantly a ransomer than he is a priest. This verse proves the point. One need not be “merciful” to give a ransom; but he must be merciful to be an effectual mediator between God and fallen man. The ransom paid for “the sin (singular) of the world.” This verse makes propitiation for sins (plural).
You believe that Jesus died for you, but do you understand that he understands the problems you have?
Do you go to your bridegroom with your fears?
Do you understand that he is also our advocate, our attorney to plead our cause to His Father?
Heb 2:18 Weymouth For inasmuch as He has Himself felt the pain of temptation and trial, He is also able instantly to help those who are tempted and tried.
He is "touched with a feeling of our infirmities." (Heb_4:15)
This great antitypical priest, whose priesthood is continual, is not only able to take away sin, but is able to sympathize fully with those for whom his "better sacrifices" have been made.
Being tempted - Or, being “tried.” The Greek word used here is more general in its meaning than the English word “tempted.” It means to “put to the proof;” to try the nature or character of; and this may be done either:
(1) By subjecting a person to “afflictions” or “sufferings” that his true character may be tried - that it may be seen whether he has sincere piety and love to God; or.
(2) By allowing one to fall into “temptation,” properly so called - where some strong inducement to evil is presented to the mind, and where it becomes thus a “trial” of virtue.
The Saviour was subjected to both these in as severe a form as was ever presented to people. His sufferings surpassed all others; and the temptations of Satan (see Matt. 4) were presented in the most alluring form in which he could exhibit them. Being “proved” or “tried” in both these respects, he showed that he had a strength of virtue which could bear all that could ever occur to seduce him from attachment to God; and at the same time to make him a perfect model for those who should be tried in the same manner.
Do you trust God’s Plan?
Do you trust Jesus?
Comments from this chapter come from: Russell, Clarke, Barnes, New Albany and more.
