Notes on Hebrews: Chapter 2
I’ll get right in to it. This chapter opens with an admonition from Luke to his Hebrew brothers in Christ. The persecution of the Christian church at the hands of the Jewish populace in Jerusalem was intensifying. Exhortations from the ritualistic and traditional Jews to return to the ways of the Jewish fathers were moving from spoken words to physical violence. Some of the New Jewish Christians were wavering in the faith and considering a return to orthodoxy. Mother was against daughter and fathers against sons over the new forming church. Another important theme in this chapter is the great emptying of Christ from his divine status to a more humble experience as a man, so that he may then be exalted above all.
This is Luke’s warning. Be careful not to drift away from faith in Christ for the loss of so great a salvation is beyond tragedy. In Jerusalem, the heart of Israel, the Christian church begins to grow. The Sanhedrin (Jewish religious leaders of the day) will have none of it. “We have killed the shepherd and we will scatter the sheep’. Tensions are always high in Jerusalem for she is an occupied capital at the hands of the Roman Army. The last group that the Sanhedrin will support is one that exhorts its followers to “love the enemy and pray for the persecutor?” They need the will of the people to be unified against Rome and these Christians defy their order! Is it any wonder that they couldn’t tolerate Christians? On a patriotic level, I don’t blame them. Meditate on this, what do you do when your Christianity and your Patriotism are at odds?
The Bible in general and this particular instance of Christian history point to this; if you reject the Kingdom of God, you will be cut off. The Jews saw their nation destroyed in 70 A.D. with the sacking of Jerusalem and the destruction of the Temple. Many Roman scholars believe that the downfall of the Roman Empire was hurried along by the growth of Christianity. It would have been good to see what could have happened in this part of the world, at that moment in time, if young Christianity would have been given a chance. Now our Christianity is older and polished, strong in its doctrines. In fact, the church in the west has the benefit of being the “Masters of the House” instead of the “upstart servants” of that day. Luke warns his audience as I now warn mine. Do not drift away from so great a gift, for in this humble state lies your salvation.
Humility is one of many virtues revered in public, yet privately scorned. It is one of those virtues worn well by those who humble themselves, but to those that have humility forced upon them, it is loathsome. I’ve been there. Jesus has too. Luke writes that the Lord is to be revered for the humiliation that began with the incarnation (verse 7,9) and ended with the cross. (verse 9). The heart of Luke’s message in chapter 2 is this, Jesus was Mighty, humbled himself, and became the Almighty. I’m wondering dear reader if you and I can do the same?
We are in the midst of The Great War on Terror. I capitalize it because it will be with us for decades or longer. Our government requires us to be of one will and one mind against the enemy. The majority of our pastors concur (I know my denomination does). Will the Christian church follow Jesus’ example? Will we leave our lofty position, to humble ourselves, so that we might then be brought even higher, or, will we ride our pride ’til the end? Joshua 24:15
