Hebreos 2

VBL · Chapter 2/13

1Por lo tanto deberíamos estar aún más atentos a lo que hemos aprendido para no descarriarnos.

2Si el mensaje que los ángeles trajeron es fiel, y si cada pecado y acto de desobediencia trae su propia consecuencia,

3¿cómo escaparemos si no atendemos esta gran salvación que el Señor anunció desde el principio, y que después nos confirmó por medio de quienes lo oyeron?

4Dios también dio testimonio por medio de señales y milagros, por actos que demuestran su poder, y por medio de los dones del Espíritu Santo, que repartió como quiso.

5No serán los ángeles los encargados del mundo venidero del cual hablamos.

6Sino que, como se ha dicho: “¿Qué son los seres humanos para que te preocupes por ellos? ¿Quién es el hijo de hombre para que cuides de él?

7Lo hiciste un poco inferior a los ángeles; lo coronaste con gloria y honra, y lo pusiste por encima de toda tu creación.

8Le diste autoridad sobre todas las cosas”. No quedó nada por fuera cuando Dios le dio autoridad sobre todas las cosas. Sin embargo, vemos que no todo está sujeto a su autoridad todavía.

9Pero vemos a Jesús, puesto en un lugar un poco inferior al de los ángeles, coronado de gloria y honra por el sufrimiento de la muerte. Por medio de la gracia de Dios, Jesús experimentó la muerte por todos.

10Era conveniente que Dios, quien crea y sostiene todas las cosas, preparara por medio del sufrimiento a Aquél que los lleva a la salvación, para llevar a muchos de sus hijos a la gloria.

11Pues tanto el que santifica como los que son santificados pertenecen a la misma familia. Por eso no vacila en llamarlos “hermanos”

12al decir: “Anunciaré tu nombre a mis hermanos; te alabaré entre tu pueblo cuando se reúna”.

13Y también dice: “Pondré mi confianza en él”, y “Aquí estoy, junto a los hijos que Dios me ha dado”.

14Y como los hijos tienen en común carne y sangre, él participó de su carne y sangre del mismo modo, para así destruir por medio de la muerte a aquél que tiene el poder de la muerte—el diablo—

15y liberar a todos los que habían estado esclavizados toda la vida por miedo a la muerte.

16Sin duda alguna, los ángeles no son su preocupación; él se preocupa por ayudar a los hijos de Abraham.

17Por ello le fue necesario volverse como sus hermanos en todo, para poder llegar a ser un sumo sacerdote, misericordioso y fiel, en las cosas de Dios, para perdonar los pecados de su pueblo.

18Y como él mismo sufrió la tentación, puede ayudar a los que son tentados.

📖 Chapter study

Summary

The author warns against neglecting the great salvation announced by Jesus, and explains why the Son of God had to become human: to conquer death and become a compassionate high priest. He quotes Psalm 8 to show the place that humanity and Christ occupy in God's plan.

Explanation

The chapter's logic follows a 'greater to lesser' argument: if the message delivered by angels already demanded serious obedience in the Old Testament, how much more the message of salvation brought by the Son of God himself. Jesus' incarnation — becoming fully human, subject to death — is explained as necessary so that he could free humanity from the fear of death and become a high priest who understands human weaknesses from personal experience. Today's practical application is that Jesus does not observe human suffering from a distance, but understands it because he lived it too.

Fun facts

  • The quotation of Psalm 8 about man being made 'a little lower than the angels' (2:7) is reinterpreted here specifically about Jesus, showing how the New Testament often reads the Psalms in light of Christ's life.

Verse-by-verse explanation

  1. Hebreos 2:1Having shown that Jesus is superior to the angels, the letter makes the first of several practical pauses: since the message is so great, it's necessary to pay closer attention to it, so as not to let it slip away.
  2. Hebreos 2:2The letter recalls that, according to Jewish tradition, the law had been delivered through angels, and even so every act of disobedience to it already carried a serious consequence.
  3. Hebreos 2:3If disobeying a lesser message, delivered by angels, already brought punishment, the question is: how can anyone escape after ignoring so much greater a salvation, announced by the Lord Himself and confirmed by those who heard Him?
  4. Hebreos 2:4The letter recalls that God confirmed this message with signs, wonders, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, distributed according to His own will, reinforcing the authenticity of what had been announced.
  5. Hebreos 2:5The letter picks the main argument back up: it isn't the angels who will govern the world that is still to come — that's what the rest of the chapter goes on to discuss.
  6. Hebreos 2:6A quotation from Psalm 8 is used here, a question that originally refers to any human being: why would God care so much about so small a creature?
  7. Hebreos 2:7It's a quotation from Psalm 8, which originally speaks of humanity in general — made “a little lower” than the heavenly beings, yet crowned with glory and honor. The letter uses this psalm about humanity and, in the next verse, applies it specifically to Jesus, showing how He became human to represent everyone.
  8. Hebreos 2:8The citation continues, saying that everything was placed under humanity's feet, but the letter observes: in the real world, we don't yet see that fully fulfilled, which sets up the next argument about Jesus.
  9. Hebreos 2:9Here it becomes clear that “a little lower than the angels” describes Jesus taking on the human condition, including the possibility of dying — something angels normally don't face. He goes through this “by the grace of God,” to taste death on behalf of everyone, not as a defeat, but as part of the mission.
  10. Hebreos 2:10The letter explains why it made sense for the “captain of their salvation,” Jesus, to go through suffering: He was bringing many sons to glory, and that required this path.
  11. Hebreos 2:11Calling Jesus and those He saves “all of one,” of the same origin, is what allows Him, according to the letter, to call them brothers without any shame.
  12. Hebreos 2:12The letter quotes another psalm, placed in Jesus' mouth, announcing God's name among His brothers, as if He were singing along with the congregation.
  13. Hebreos 2:13Two short quotations follow, reinforcing Jesus' trust in God and His identification with those the letter calls “the children which God hath given me,” further proof of the bond between Him and humanity.
  14. Hebreos 2:14Calling the devil the one who “had the power of death” doesn't mean he decides who dies, but that the fear of death kept people in a kind of slavery. Jesus, by taking on human flesh and blood and dying, strips that power from fear, freeing those who had lived dominated by it.
  15. Hebreos 2:15The purpose of Jesus facing death, according to the letter, was to free those who had lived their whole lives enslaved by the fear of it, a fear that held people captive even without their realizing it.
  16. Hebreos 2:16Saying that Jesus “took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham” means He didn't come to rescue heavenly beings, but took on the human condition, tied to Abraham's lineage — He became one of us, not a disguised angel. It's this closeness that allows Him, in the next verse, to act as a merciful high priest.
  17. Hebreos 2:17In Judaism, the high priest was the only person authorized to enter the temple's most sacred space to deal with the people's sins before God. The letter calls Jesus this for the first time here, saying that He carries out this role with mercy because He too suffered as a human being — a theme that dominates the rest of the book.
  18. Hebreos 2:18Closing the chapter, the letter explains why Jesus is able to help those being tempted: because He Himself has already gone through temptation and suffering, and knows from experience what it costs.

Chapters

Our apps

Our apps →

Bible in Stories

The Bible told as a story, with audio and videos.

📱 Get the app

World in Stories

True stories of humanity that sound made up.

Feito! Pequenas Vitórias

A light daily routine for people who lose track of the day.