Meditationen am Gnadenstuhl: Monday of Holy Week - Hebrews 2:1-4
Monday of Holy Week
Daily Lectionary Readings: Exodus 9:1-28; Hebrews 2:1-18; (Lamentations 1:1-22)
Hebrews 2:1–4 [1] Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it. [2] For since the message declared by angels proved to be reliable, and every transgression or disobedience received a just retribution, [3] how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard, [4] while God also bore witness by signs and wonders and various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.
In Hebrews 1:1-4, we hear that we are included in those to whom God has spoken to by His Son. In Hebrews 1:5-4, the congregation has been invited to listen to God as He addressed His enthroned Son in the company of the angels in heaven. Now the preacher shifts to exhorting our dependence on God's Word for their inheritance of salvation.
As mentioned, the book of Hebrews is a single written sermon, and its nature is liturgical. It is intended to be read aloud in a liturgical setting (in worship), and it illustrates what we do in our worship services, why we do them, and what that means for God's people. We will see ourselves compared to the congregation and priests in the context of the Old Testament sacrificial system and learn why Jesus is better.
Here at the beginning of Hebrews Chapter two, the preacher addresses the congregation. In verse one, he states that they (we) must keep ever-increasing attention to what they have heard. The preacher refers to their hearing the instruction they received prior to baptism. Remember, these are Jewish converts to Christianity. He does this to ensure they do not forfeit its great gift of salvation by inattention to the Word.
This is the image of a ship anchored in the harbor. If they do not hold fast to the Word, they will be set adrift.
Inattention brings about dire consequences now compared to the consequence after hearing the voice of God on Mt. Sinai (see Exodus 20:1-7; cf. Deuteronomy 33:1-4, Exodus 19:4-8). It is a binding contract.
The validity of God's Word to Israel is shown by the "just payment" (Heb. 2:2; Cf. Ex. 19:21-24). Considering how stiff the penalty for ignoring God's commandments is, how would those who neglect God's gift of salvation lead to even more significant consequences?
The preacher leaves the specifics of the penalty for this neglect to engage the hearer. What was the penalty at Mt. Sinai? (Ex. 19:12-13). The preacher will return to this in later chapters. The message of salvation is valid and certain for what reasons given?
Foundation in Christ as Lord (Heb. 2:3) founder of salvation (2:10). He is both the Messenger and the Message. This fulfills the prophecy of Isaiah 32:4 and 49:1 as the preacher of God’s salvation to all people.
It is validated by those who first heard Him (2:3) – the Apostles. The preacher doesn't emphasize the Apostles, and, by extension, pastors, as speakers of God's Word of salvation, but their "legal status" as witnesses, confirming the saints' common inheritance and the congregation of true heirs in Christ, the heir of all things. So in the Divine Service, the unbroken chain of a tradition delivering the message of salvation not only from past to present but from heaven to earth via the testimony of the eye- and ear- witnesses.
By God Himself corroborating their testimony by the acts He accomplishes through them. A wide variety of "signs and wonders." This is not a proof for skeptics but a confirmation of truth for those who trust in it.
V.4 "gifts of the Holy Spirit" through Gospel proclamation. Is it the Spirit distributing gifts or God allocating the Spirit? (cf. 1 Cor. 12:2-11). It is God allocating the Holy Spirit accompanied by signs and wonders and acts of empowerment through the preaching of the Gospel.
Each congregation is a community of hearers dependent on the voice of God through the Word about His Son. This creates the church as a heavenly community on earth because it creates and maintains faith in those who hear. Not just knowledge and teaching, but salvation.
There are two dimensions of attentive hearing: First, listen to their pastors who received it from the Apostles – who heard it from the Lord. Second, the congregation hears from their risen Lord Himself speaking through the Divine Service. This is our baptismal regeneration rejuvenated by the Body and Blood of Christ.
As the congregation pays ever-increasing attention to God’s Word, they grow in their capacity to abound in the better things that belong to their salvation (Hebrews 6:9). “We should fear and love God so that we do not despise preaching and His Word, but hold it sacred and gladly hear and learn it.” - meaning of the third commandment from the Small Catechism. (SC 16; cf. LC, Preface, 9-11).