Hebrews 2:3

But what is this, "For if the word spoken by Angels was steadfast"? For in the Epistle to the Galatians also he saith to this effect, "Being ordained by angels in the hand of a Mediator." And again, "Ye received a law by the disposition of Angels, and have not kept it." And everywhere he saith it was given by angels. Some indeed say that Moses is signified; but without reason. For here he says Angels in the plural: and the Angels too which he here speaks of, are those in Heaven. What then is it? Either he means the Decalogue only (for there Moses spake, and God answered him), - or that angels were present, God disposing them in order, - or that he speaks thus in regard of all things said and done in the old Covenant, as if Angels had part in them. But how is it said in another place, "The Law was given by Moses," and here "by Angels"? For it is said, "And God came down in thick darkness." "For if the word spoken by angels was steadfast." What is "was steadfast"? True, as one may say; and faithful in its proper season; and all the things which had been spoken came to pass. Either this is his meaning, or that they prevailed, and the threatenings were coming to be accomplished. Or by "the word" he means injunctions. For apart from the Law, Angels sent from God enjoined many things: for instance at Bochim, in the Judges, in [the history of] Samson. For this is the cause why he said not "the Law" but "the word." And he seems to me haply rather to mean this, viz., those things which are committed to the management of angels. What shall we say then? The angels who were entrusted with the charge of the nation were then present, and they themselves made the trumpets, and the other things, the fire, the thick darkness. "And every transgression and disobedience," saith he. Not this one and that one, but "every" one. […]

Since before His coming they were not bound to believe in the Trinity except implicitly, now after the promulgation of the New Testament all are bound to believe it explicitly, so that it is now not only credible because worthy of belief, or fitting from …

There "the word," here "salvation." If there was salvation there too, it was not great: they were delivered from enemies and received earthly goods; but here it is far greater. Therefore he also said, "so great." For the destruction of death, the perdition of demons, …

The Holy Spirit radiated in the hearts of the preachers so that they could preach and write all the truth. God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spoke in times past to the fathers by the prophets, last of all in these days …

I mean the fleshly and by "air' the spiritual. For if the mind is set free of evil thoughts and passions and through it we gaze upon the freedom which Christ and God gave to us, then we will no longer be bound by and …

96. – Then (v. 3) he places the consequent of his conditional, in which he describes the condition of the New Testament. Here he does three things: first, he shows the need to obey; secondly, the origin of the New Testament (v. 3b); thirdly, the …

So great a salvation - A deliverance from so great wickedness and misery, into so great holiness and happiness. This was first spoken of (before he came it was not known) by Him who is the Lord - of angels as well as men.

There is no door of mercy left open for them; there will be no more sacrifice for sin; they are irrecoverably lost. The unavoidableness of the misery of such is here expressed by way of question: How shall we escape?

These witnesses could have no worldly end or interest of their own to serve hereby. Nothing could induce them to give in their evidence but the Redeemer's glory, and their own and others' salvation; they exposed themselves by their testimony to the loss of all that was dear to them in this life, and many of them sealed it with their blood.

This great Lord of all was the first who began to speak it plainly and clearly, without types and shadows as it was before he came. Now surely it may be expected that all will reverence this Lord, and take heed to a gospel that began to be spoken by one who spoke so as never man spoke. Another argument is taken from the character of those who were witnesses to Christ and the gospel (

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How shall we escape,....

Observe, The severest punishment God ever inflicted upon sinners is no more than what sin deserves: it is a just recompence of reward; punishments are as just, and as much due to sin as rewards are to obedience, yea, more due than rewards are to imperfect obedience. (2.) How the gospel is described.

So the discourses of Jesus, for example, the Sermon on the Mount, and the first proclamation of the Gospel kingdom by the Lord (Mt 4:17), he could only know by the report of the Twelve: so the saying, "It is more blessed to give than to receive" (Ac 20:35).

How shall we escape - If they who had fewer privileges than we have, to whom God spoke in divers manners by angels and prophets, fell under the displeasure of their Maker, and were often punished with a sore destruction; how shall we escape wrath to the uttermost if we neglect the salvation provided for us, and proclaimed to us by the Son of God? Their offense was high; ours, indescribably higher. The salvation mentioned here is the whole system of Christianity, with all the privileges it confers; properly called a salvation, because, by bringing such an abundance of heavenly light into the world, it saves or delivers men from the kingdom of darkness, ignorance, error, superstition, and idolatry; and provides all the requisite means to free them from the power, guilt, and contamination of sin. This salvation is great when compared with that granted to the Jews: 1. The Jewish dispensation was provided for the Jews alone; the Christian dispensation for all mankind. 2. The Jewish dispensation was full of significant types and ceremonies; the Christian dispensation is the substance of all those types. 3. The Jewish dispensation referred chiefly to the body and outward state of man - washings and external cleansings of the flesh; the Christian, to the inward state - purifying the heart and soul, and purging the conscience from dead works. 4. The Jewish dispensation promised temporal happiness; the Christian, spiritual. 5. The Jewish dispensation belonged chiefly to time; the Christian, to eternity. 6. The Jewish dispensation had its glory; but that was nothing when compared to the exceeding glory of the Gospel. 7. Moses administered the former; Jesus Christ, the Creator, Governor, and Savior of the world, the latter. 8. […]