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1 Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip. 2 For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward; 3 How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him; 4 God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will? 5 For unto the angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come, whereof we speak. 6 But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man, that thou visitest him? 7 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: 8 Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him. 9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. 10 For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. 11 For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren, 12 Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee. 13 And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold I and the children which God hath given me. 14 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; 15 And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. 16 For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham. 17 Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. 18 For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.
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[AD 253] Origen of Alexandria on Hebrews 2:1-2
The design of Judas concerning the betrayal of our Lord and Savior did not originate in the wickedness of his mind alone. For Scripture testifies that the “devil had already put it into his heart to betray him.” On this account Solomon rightly commanded, saying, “Keep your heart with all diligence.” And the apostle Paul warns us: “Therefore we ought to pay closer attention to the things which we have heard, lest by chance we drift away.”

Source: ON FIRST PRINCIPLES 3.2.4
[AD 373] Ephrem the Syrian on Hebrews 2:1-2
“Therefore we must pay the closer attention to what we have heard” from the Son, “lest we drift away” just like the former people. “If,” because of that message declared through the angel in Sodom, those who did not want to listen to it “received the penalty of punishment, then how can we be saved, if we neglect so great a new life?”

Source: COMMENTARY ON THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS
[AD 407] John Chrysostom on Hebrews 2:1-2
“And every transgression or disobedience,” he says. Not this one or that one, but “every” one. Nothing, he says, remained unavenged but “received a just recompense of reward” instead of punishment. Why does he speak like this? Such is the manner of Paul, not to make much account of his phrases but indifferently to put down words of evil sound, even in matters of good meaning. As also in another place he says, “Bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.” And again he has put “recompense” for punishment, as here he calls punishment “reward.”

Source: ON THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS 3.6
[AD 407] John Chrysostom on Hebrews 2:1
5. And having spoken concerning the Son, both what related to the Economy, and what related to the Creation, and to His sovereignty, and having shown His co-equal dignity, and that as absolute Master He rules not men only but also the powers above, he next exhorts them, having made out his argument, that we ought to give heed to the things which have been heard. [Hebrews 2:1] "Wherefore we ought to give more earnest heed" (says he) "to the things which we have heard." Why "more earnest"? Here he meant "more earnest" than to the Law: but he suppressed the actual expression of it, and yet makes it plain in the course of reasoning, not in the way of counsel, nor of exhortation. For so it was better.

Source: Homily 3 on Hebrews
[AD 220] Tertullian on Hebrews 2:2
Although it is not in heaven, it is yet higher than hell, and is appointed to afford an interval of rest to the souls of the righteous, until the consummation of all things shall complete the resurrection of all men with the "full recompense of their reward." This consummation will then be manifested in heavenly promises, which Marcion, however, claims for his own god, just as if the Creator had never announced them.

Source: Against Marcion Book IV
[AD 407] John Chrysostom on Hebrews 2:2-3
"For if the word spoken by Angels" (says he) "was steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward; how shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation, which at the first began to be spoken to us by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard Him?"

Why ought we to "give more earnest heed to the things which we have heard"? Were not those former things of God, as well as these? Either then he means "more earnest" than [to] the Law, or "very earnest"; not making comparison, God forbid. For since, on account of the long space of time, they had a great opinion of the Old Covenant, but these things had been despised as yet new, he proves (more than his argument required) that we ought rather to give heed to these. How? By saying in effect, Both these and those are of God, but not in a like manner. And this he shows us afterwards: but for the present he treats it somewhat superficially, but afterwards more clearly, saying "For if that first covenant had been faultless" [Hebrews 8:7], and many other such things: "for that which decays and waxes old is ready to vanish away." [Hebrews 8:13] But as yet he ventures not to say any such thing in the beginning of his discourse, nor until he shall have first occupied and possessed his hearer by his fuller [arguments].

Why then ought we "to give more earnest heed"? "Lest at any time," says he, "we should let them slip" — that is, lest at any time we should perish, lest we should fall away. And here he shows the grievousness of this falling away, in that it is a difficult thing for that which has fallen away to return again, inasmuch as it has happened through wilful negligence. And he took this form of speech from the Proverbs. For, says he, "my son [take heed] lest you fall away" [Proverbs 3:21, Septuagint], showing both the easiness of the fall, and the grievousness of the ruin. That is, our disobedience is not without danger. And while by his mode of reasoning he shows that the chastisement is greater, yet again he leaves it in the form of a question, and not in the conclusion. For indeed this is to make one's discourse inoffensive, when one does not in every case of one's self infer the judgment, but leaves it in the power of the hearer himself to give sentence: and this would render them more open to conviction. And both the prophet Nathan does the same in the Old [Testament], and in Matthew Christ, saying, "What will He do to the husbandmen" [Matthew 21:40] of that vineyard? So compelling them to give sentence themselves: for this is the greatest victory.

Next, when he had said, "For if the word which was spoken by Angels was steadfast" — he did not add, much more that by Christ: but letting this pass, he said what is less, "How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation?" And see how he makes the comparison. "For if the word which was spoken by Angels," says he. There, "by Angels," here, "by the Lord" — and there "a word," but here, "salvation."

Then lest any man should say, Your sayings, O Paul, are they Christ's? He proves their trustworthiness both from his having heard these things of Him, and from their being now spoken by God; since not merely a voice is wafted, as in the case of Moses, but signs are done, and facts bear witness.

6. But what is this, "For if the word spoken by Angels was steadfast"? For in the Epistle to the Galatians also he says to this effect, "Being ordained by angels in the hand of a Mediator." [Galatians 3:19] And again, "You received a law by the disposition of Angels, and have not kept it." [Acts 7:53] And everywhere he says 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 spoke, and God answered him [Exodus 19:19]) — 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" [John 1:17], and here "by Angels"? For it is said, "And God came down in thick darkness." [Exodus 19:16-20]

"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. [Judges 2:1; 13:3] 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. [Exodus 19:16]

"And every transgression and disobedience," says he. Not this one and that one, but "every" one. Nothing, he says, remained unavenged, but "received a just recompense of reward," instead of [saying] punishment. Why now spoke he thus? Such is the manner of Paul, not to make much account of his phrases, but indifferently to put down words of evil sound, even in matters of good meaning. As also in another place he says, "Bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ." [2 Corinthians 10:5] And again he has put "the recompense" for punishment, as here he calls punishment "reward." "If it be a righteous thing," he says, "with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you, and to you who are troubled rest." [2 Thessalonians 1:6-7] That is, justice was not violated, but God went forth against them, and caused the penalty to come round on the sinners, though not all their sins are made manifest, but only where the express ordinances were transgressed.

"How then shall we," he says, "escape if we neglect so great salvation?" Hereby he signified, that other salvation was no great thing. Well too did he add the "So great." For not from wars (he says) will He now rescue us, nor bestow on us the earth and the good things that are in the earth, but it will be the dissolution of death, the destruction of the devil, the kingdom of Heaven, everlasting life. For all these things he has briefly expressed, by saying, "if we neglect so great salvation."

7. Then he subjoins what makes this worthy of belief. "Which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord": that is, had its beginning from the fountain itself. It was not a man who brought it over into the earth, nor any created power, but the Only-Begotten Himself.

"And was confirmed unto us by them that heard [Him]." What is "confirmed"? It was believed, or, it came to pass. For (he says) we have the earnest; that is, it has not been extinguished, it has not ceased, but it is strong and prevails. And the cause is, the Divine power works therein. It means they who heard from the Lord, themselves confirmed us. This is a great thing and trustworthy: which also Luke says in the beginning of his Gospel, "As they delivered unto us, which from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the Word." [Luke 1:2]

Source: Homily 3 on Hebrews
[AD 407] John Chrysostom on Hebrews 2:3-4
“How then shall we,” Paul says, “escape if we neglect so great a salvation?” Here he signifies that the other salvation was no great thing.… For it is not from wars, Paul says, that Christ will now rescue us, nor will he bestow on us the earth and the good things that are in the earth; rather it will be the dissolution of death, the destruction of the devil, the kingdom of heaven, everlasting life. For all these things he has briefly expressed by saying, “if we neglect so great a salvation.”

Source: ON THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS 3.6
[AD 407] John Chrysostom on Hebrews 2:3-4
Why then ought we to “pay the closer attention”? Lest at any time, Paul says … we should fall away. And here he shows the grievousness of this falling away, in that it is a difficult thing for that which has fallen away to return again, inasmuch as it has happened through willful negligence. And he took this form of speech from the Proverbs. For Solomon says, “My son, take heed lest you fall away,” showing both the easiness of the fall and the grievousness of the ruin. That is, our disobedience is not without danger. And while by his mode of reasoning he shows that the chastisement is greater, yet again he leaves it in the form of a question and not as a conclusion. For indeed this is to make one’s discourse inoffensive, when one … leaves it in the power of the hearers to draw their own conclusions and thus be more greatly persuaded. The prophet Nathan does the same in the Old Testament11 as Christ does in Matthew, saying, “What will he do to the tenants” of that vineyard? In doing so he compels them to draw the conclusion themselves, for this is the greatest victory.

Source: ON THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS 3.5
[AD 407] John Chrysostom on Hebrews 2:3-4
Even without a gift, the mere consciousness of a pure life would be sufficient to lift up a person; much more when the grace is added also. It was to the humble, to the simple, that it was given, and especially to the simple, for it is said, “with glad and generous hearts.” Hereby he urged them on, and, if they were growing negligent, gave them a spur. For the humble and those who imagine no great things concerning themselves become more earnest when they have received a gift, in that they have obtained more than they rightly deserve and think that they are not worthy of such a gift. But those who think they have done well, believing the gift to be something they deserve, are puffed up. This is why God dispenses this profitably, as one may see also in the church; for some have the word of teaching, while others do not have power to open their mouths. Let no one, he says, be grieved because of this. For “to each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.” For if the householder knows to whom he should entrust something, much more will God, who understands the mind of humans … One thing only is worthy of grief: sin; there is nothing else. Do not say, “Why am I not rich?” or “If I were rich, I would give to the poor.” You cannot know that you would not covet riches if you had any. For now indeed you say these things, but, if you were put to the test, you would be different. So also, when we are satisfied, we think that we are able to fast; but, when we have gone without food for a time, other thoughts come into us. Again, when we are away from strong drink, we think that we are able to master our appetite, but it is no longer so when we are caught by it.Do not say, “Oh, that I had the gift of teaching,” or “If I had it, I would have edified innumerable souls.” You cannot know whether or not this gift of teaching would be to your condemnation. You cannot know whether envy or sloth would not have disposed you to hide your talent.

Source: ON THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS 3.8
[AD 407] John Chrysostom on Hebrews 2:3-4
You have a child, you have a neighbor, you have a friend, you have a brother, you have relatives. And, though publicly before the church you are not able to draw out a long discourse, to these you can exhort in private. Before them there is no need of rhetoric or elaborate discourse. Prove in this way that if you had skill of speech, you would not neglect it. But if in the small matter you are not faithful, how shall I trust you concerning the great? That every person can do this, hear what Paul says, how he charged even lay people. “Build one another up,” he says, “just as you are doing,” and, “Comfort one another with these words.” God knows how God should distribute gifts to every person. Are you better than Moses? Hear how he shrinks from the hardship: “Am I,” he says, “able to bear them? For you said to me, ‘Carry them in your bosom, as a nurse carries the sucking child.’ ” What then did God do? He took some of Moses’ spirit and gave it to the others, showing that, even when Moses bore them, the gift was not his own but was of the Spirit.

Source: ON THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS 3.9
[AD 407] John Chrysostom on Hebrews 2:3-4
This is a great and trustworthy thing, as Luke also says in the beginning of his Gospel: “As they were delivered to us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word.” One may ask, “How then was it confirmed? What if those that heard were forgers?” Paul rejects this objection and shows that the grace was not human. If they had gone astray, God would not have borne witness to them; for Paul continued, “God also bore witness.” Both they indeed bear witness and God bears witness too. How does God bear witness? Not by word or by voice, though this also would have been worthy of belief, but how? “By signs and wonders and various miracles.” He appropriately said, “various miracles,” declaring the abundance of the gifts, which was not so in the former dispensation—neither so great signs, nor so various. That is, we did not believe simply the eyewitnesses but signs and wonders; therefore, it is not they whom we believe, but God.

Source: ON THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS 3.7
[AD 428] Theodore of Mopsuestia on Hebrews 2:3-4
Paul showed that there is a very great difference between the old covenant and the new covenant, since he speaks about the “word” in the first covenant, but in this covenant he speaks of “salvation.” For the first covenant was only a giving of customs and observances, whereas in this covenant there is also the grace of the Spirit and release from sins and the promise of the kingdom of heaven and the promise of immortality. Therefore, he also rightly says, “such a great salvation,” showing by the epithet its greatness. In the first covenant it was given “through the angels,” but now “through the Lord.” And since there were marvels with the former covenant, so that the new covenant might not seem inferior to the old in this respect, he well appended the statement, “while God further testified with signs and wonders and various powers,” saying this so that by its increase the fullness of grace might appear beyond that of the law also in this matter. For there the wonders took place only according to the need, but here also many of those outside the faith were healed through us, from even whatsoever diseases happened to afflict them. For such was the abundance of healings among us. Also the dead were raised.… After comparing and contrasting the difference and showing the superiority in a various and manifold manner, he added a greater thing that did not happen to those in the law: “and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed.” For that each of the believers should have their own share in the Spirit was a characteristic of those in grace. And well he adds in addition to all these things “according to his own will,” that is, the will of God who fully wished once and for all to lavish us greatly so that his grace for us might not be repented of, and that the gifts of grace once given to us might not be changed along with the things of the previous covenant, as some might suspect.

Source: FRAGMENTS ON THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS 2.3-4
[AD 430] Augustine of Hippo on Hebrews 2:3-4
Since the message was proclaimed in former times by angels but now by the Son, he draws [this] logical and obvious conclusion.… And, just as though you had asked, “what salvation?” he replied as follows, in order to show that he was referring to the salvation of the New Testament, that is, to the word not spoken by the angels but by the Lord.

Source: ON THE TRINITY 3.11.22
[AD 458] Theodoret of Cyrus on Hebrews 2:3-4
Again he associated a comparison with the exhortation, showing the extent to which the gospel teaching surpasses the provisions of the law. The ministry of angels was involved in the giving of the law, whereas in this case the Lord in person was the first to propose the saving teaching, and those who were in receipt of the apostolic grace welcomed it. While the law gives us a glimpse of what has to be done, the Lord’s teaching is the source of eternal salvation.… He also showed the new covenant to be resplendent with spiritual gifts: of old the inspired authors alone shared in the spiritual bounty, whereas now all the believers enjoy this grace.… While he said this to encourage them to give heed to the divine teaching more zealously, he brought out the difference between the former and the latter under the guise of exhortation. It was very wise of him to say God witnesses to the message through miracles: the demonstration is beyond question, and the reliability of the witness indisputable.

Source: INTERPRETATION OF HEBREWS 2
[AD 604] Gregory the Dialogist on Hebrews 2:3
Moreover, in the Epistle to the Hebrews he writes again thus: "How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard Him; God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit? "
[AD 1022] Symeon the New Theologian on Hebrews 2:3-4
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 brought down by our former slavery to sin and a fleshly mind. Instead, heeding the voice of the Lord we will watch and pray without ceasing, and we will go from that place and arrive at bliss and the promised good things, by the grace and kindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom belongs all glory for ever. Amen

Source: DISCOURSE 5.25
[AD 407] John Chrysostom on Hebrews 2:4
How then was it confirmed? What if those that heard were forgers? Says some one. This objection then he overthrows, and shows that the grace was not human. If they had gone astray, God would not have borne witness to them; for he subjoined [Hebrews 2:4], "God also bearing witness with them." Both they indeed bear witness, and God bears witness too. How does He bear witness? Not by word or by voice, (though this also would have been worthy of belief): but how? "By signs, and wonders, and various miracles." (Well said he, "various miracles," declaring the abundance of the gifts: which was not so in the former dispensation, neither so great signs and so various.) That is, we did not believe them simply, but through signs and wonders: wherefore we believe not them, but God Himself.

"And by gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to His own will."

What then, if wizards also do signs, and the Jews said that He "cast out devils through Beelzebub"? [Luke 11:15] But they do not such kind of signs: therefore said he "various miracles": for those others were not miracles, [or powers, ] but weakness and fancy, and things altogether vain. Wherefore he said, "by gifts of the Holy Ghost according to His own will."

8. Here he seems to me to intimate something further. For it is not likely there were many there who had gifts, but that these had failed, upon their becoming more slothful. In order then that even in this he might comfort them, and not leave them to fall away, he referred all to the will of God. He knows (he says) what is expedient, and for whom, and apportions His grace accordingly. Which also he [Paul] does in the Epistle to the Corinthians, saying, "God has set every one of us, as it pleased Him." [1 Corinthians 12:18] And again, "The manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal." [1 Corinthians 12:7]

"According to His will." He shows that the gift is according to the will of the Father. But oftentimes on account of their unclean and slothful life many have not received a gift, and sometimes also those whose life is good and pure have not received one. Why, I pray you? Lest they might be made haughty, that they might not be puffed up, that they might not grow more negligent, that they might not be more excited. For if even without a gift, the mere consciousness of a pure life be sufficient to lift a man up, much more when the grace is added also. Wherefore to the humble, to the simple, it was rather given, and especially to the simple: for it is said, "in singleness and gladness of heart." [Acts 2:46] Yea, and hereby also he rather urged them on, and if they were growing negligent gave them a spur. For the humble, and he who imagines no great things concerning himself, becomes more earnest when he has received a gift, in that he has obtained what is beyond his deserts, and thinks that he is not worthy thereof. But he who thinks he has done well, reckoning it to be his due, is puffed up. Wherefore God dispenses this profitably: which one may see taking place also in the Church: for one has the word of teaching, another has not power to open his mouth. Let not this man (he says) be grieved because of this. For "the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal." [1 Corinthians 12:7] For if a man that is an householder knows to whom he should entrust anything, much more God, who understands the mind of men, "who knows all things or ever they come into being." One thing only is worthy of grief, Sin: there is nothing else.

Say not, Wherefore have I not riches? Or, If I had, I would give to the poor. You know not, if you had them, whether you would not the rather be covetous. For now indeed you say these things, but being put to the trial you would be different. Since also when we are satisfied, we think that we are able to fast; but when we have gone without a little space, other thoughts come into us. Again, when we are out of the way of strong drink, we think ourselves able to master our appetite, but no longer so, when we are caught by it.

Say not, Wherefore had I not the gift of teaching? Or, If I had it, I should have edified innumerable souls. You know not, if you had it, whether it would not be to your condemnation — whether envy, whether sloth, would not have disposed you to hide your talent. Now, indeed, you are now free from all these, and though thou give not "the portion of meat" [Luke 12:42], you are not called to account: but then, you would have been responsible for many.

9. And besides, neither now are you without the gift. Show in the little, what you would have been, if you had had the other. "For if" (he says) "you are not faithful in that which is little, how shall any one give you that which is great?" [Luke 16:11] Give such proof as did the widow; she had two farthings, and she cast in all, whatsoever she possessed.

Do you seek riches? Prove that you think lightly of the few things, that I may trust you also concerning the many things. But if you dost not think lightly even of these, much less will you do so of the other.

Again, in speech, prove that you can use fitly exhortation and counsel. Have you not external eloquence? Have you not store of thoughts? But nevertheless you know these common things. You have a child, you have a neighbor, you have a friend, you have a brother, you have kinsmen. And though publicly before the Church, you are not able to draw out a long discourse, these you can exhort in private. Here, there is no need of rhetoric, nor of elaborate discourse: prove in these, that if you had skill of speech, you would not have neglected it. But if in the small matter you are not in earnest, how shall I trust you concerning the great?

For, that every man can do this, hear what Paul says, how he charged even lay people; "Edify," he says, "one another, as also ye do." [1 Thessalonians 5:11] And, "Comfort one another with these words." [1 Thessalonians 4:18] God knows how He should distribute to every man. Are you better than Moses? Hear how he shrinks from the hardship. "Am I," says he, "able to bear them? For You said to me, Bear them up, as a nursing-father would bear up the sucking-child." [Numbers 11:12] What then did God? He took of his spirit and gave unto the others, showing that neither when he bare them was the gift his own, but of the Spirit. If you had had the gift, you would perchance have been lifted up, perchance would you have been turned out of the way. You know not yourself as God knows you. Let us not say, To what end is that? On what account is this? When God dispenses, let us not demand an account of Him: for this [is] of the uttermost impiety and folly. We are slaves, and slaves far apart from our Master, knowing not even the things which are before us.

10. Let us not then busy ourselves about the counsel of God, but whatsoever He has given, this let us guard, though it be small, though it be the lowest, and we shall be altogether approved. Or rather, none of the gifts of God is small: are you grieved because you have not the gift of teaching? Then tell me, which seems to you the greater, to have the gift of teaching, or the gift of driving away diseases? Doubtless the latter. But what? Tell me; does it not seem to you greater to give eyes to the blind than even to drive away diseases? But what? Tell me; does it not seem to you greater to raise the dead than to give eyes to the blind? What again, tell me; does it not seem to you greater to do this by shadows and napkins, than by a word? Tell me then, which would you? Raise the dead with shadows and napkins, or have the gift of teaching? Doubtless you will say the former, to raise the dead with shadows and napkins. If then I should show to you, that there is another gift far greater than this, and that thou dost not receive it when it is in your power to receive it, are not you justly deprived of those others? And this gift not one or two, but all may have. I know that you open wide your mouths and are amazed, at being to hear that it is in your power to have a greater gift than raising the dead, and giving eyes to the blind, doing the same things which were done in the time of the Apostles. And it seems to you past belief.

What then is this gift? charity. Nay, believe me; for the word is not mine, but Christ's speaking by Paul. For what says he? "Covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet show I unto you a more excellent way." [1 Corinthians 12:31] What is this, "yet more excellent"? What he means is this. The Corinthians were proud over their gifts, and those having tongues, the least gift, were puffed up against the rest. He says therefore, Do ye by all means desire gifts? I show unto you a way of gifts not merely excelling but far more excellent. Then he says, "Though I speak with the tongues of Angels, and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I have faith so as to remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing." [1 Corinthians 13:1-2]

Have you seen the gift? Covet earnestly this gift. This is greater than raising the dead. This is far better than all the rest. And that it is so, hear what Christ Himself says, discoursing with His disciples, "By this shall all men know that you are My disciples." [John 13:35] And showing how, He mentioned not the miracles, but what? "If you have love one with another." And again He says to the Father, "Hereby shall they know that You have sent Me, if they be one." [John 17:21] And He said to His disciples, "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another." [John 13:34] Such an one therefore is more venerable and glorious than those who raise the dead; with reason. For that indeed is wholly of God's grace, but this, of your own earnestness also. This is of one who is a Christian indeed: this shows the disciple of Christ, the crucified, the man that has nothing common with earth. Without this, not even martyrdom can profit.

And as a proof, see this plainly. The blessed Paul took two of the highest virtues, or rather three; namely, those which consist in miracles, in knowledge, in life. And without this the others, he said, are nothing. And I will say how these are nothing. "Though I give my goods to feed the poor," he says, "and have not charity, I am nothing." [1 Corinthians 13:3] For it is possible not to be charitable even when one feeds the poor and exhausts one's means.

11. And indeed these things have been sufficiently declared by us, in the place concerning Charity: and there we refer the readers. Meanwhile, as I was saying, let us covet earnestly the Gift, let us love one another; and we shall need nothing else for the perfect acquisition of virtue, but all will be easy to us without toils and we shall do all perfectly with much diligence.

But see, even now, it is said, we love one another. For one man has two friends, and another three. But this is not to love for God's sake, but for the sake of being beloved. But to love for God's sake has not this as its principle of Love; but such an one will be disposed towards all men as towards brethren; loving those that are of the same faith as being true brothers; heretics and Heathen and Jews, brothers indeed by nature, but vile and unprofitable — pitying and wearing himself out and weeping for them. Herein we shall be like God if we love all men, even our enemies; not, if we work miracles.  For we regard even God with admiration when He works wonders, yet much more, when He shows love towards man, when He is long-suffering. If then even in God this is worthy of much admiration, much more in men is it evident that this renders us admirable.

This then let us zealously seek after: and we shall be no way inferior to Paul and Peter and those who have raised innumerable dead, though we may not be able to drive away a fever. But without this [Love]; though we should work greater miracles even than the Apostles themselves, though we should expose ourselves to innumerable dangers for the faith: there will be to us no profit from any. And these things it is not I that say, but he, the very nourisher of Charity, knows these things. To him then let us be obedient; for thus we shall be able to attain to the good things promised, of which may we all be made partakers, by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom to the Father with the Holy Ghost, be the glory, now and for ever and world without end. Amen.

Source: Homily 3 on Hebrews
[AD 1274] Thomas Aquinas on Hebrews 2:4
89. - After showing in a number of ways Christ’s superiority over the angels, the Apostle here concludes that Christ’s doctrine, namely, the New Testament, deserves more obedience than the Old Testament. In regard to this he does three things: first, he states the conclusion intended; secondly, he supports this conclusion with a reason (v. 2); thirdly, he confirms the consequence (v. 5).

90. - In regard to the first it should be noted that after giving the judicial and moral precepts of the Law in Ex. (chap. 25), He continues in verse 20: ‘Behold, I shall send my angel, who shall go before you and shall bring you into the land;’ and then adds, ‘Take notice of him and hear his voice, and do not think him one to be condemned’ (Ex. 23:21). Therefore, if the commandment of an angel, through whom the Law was delivered, is obeyed, they will enter heaven. Hence, it says in Mt. (19:17): ‘If you will enter into life, keep the commandments.’ Therefore it is necessary to keep those commandments of the Law; but much more to obey the commandments of Him Who is higher than the angels, through whom the Law was delivered. And this what he says, therefore, we must pay the closer attention to what we have heard: ‘We have heard a rumor from the Lord’ (Ob. 1:1); ‘O Lord, I have heard your hearing and was afraid’ (Heb. 3:1). Therefore, we ought to observe more closely for three reasons: first, because of the authority of the one speaking, for He is the Creator and the Son of God and not a creature of God’s minister: ‘We ought to obey God rather than men’ (Ac. 5:29); secondly, because of the usefulness of the commands, for they are the words of eternal life: ‘Lord, to whom shall go, you have the words of eternal life’ (Jn. 6:69); others are words of temporal goods: ‘If you would hear me, you would eat the good things of the earth’ (Is. 1:19); thirdly, because of the sweetness of their observance, for they are sweet: ‘His commandments are not heavy’ (1 Jn. 5:3); ‘My yoke is sweet and my burden light’ (Mt. 11:30); ‘This is a yoke which neither we nor our fathers have been able to bear’ (Ac. 15:10).

91. - Secondly, he shows the same thing from the threatening danger when he says, lest we drift away from it, i.e., be eternally damned. Here it should be noted that someone drifts away by bodily punishments: ‘Like waters that return no more, we fall down into the earth’ (2 Sam. 14:14). He drifts away worse through guilt; but he drifts away worst by eternal damnation, because not a shard remains: ‘And it shall be broken small as the potter’s vessel, broken all to pieces with a mighty breaking, and there shall not a shard be found of the pieces thereof’ (Is. 30:14).

92. - Then he adduces the reason, which contains a conditional sentence with a comparison between the New and Old Testaments. In the antecedent is mentioned the condition of the Old Testament, and in the consequent the condition of the New Testament. In regard to the Old he mentions three things: first, the authority of the Law; secondly, the solidity of truth (v. 2b); thirdly, the necessity of obeying (v. 2c).

93. - First, he mentions the authority, because the Law was not delivered by human authority but by angels: ‘Being ordained by angels through the hand of a mediator’ (Gal. 2:19); This is he that was in the Church in the wilderness, with the angel who spoke to him on mount Sion and with our fathers’ (Ac. 7:38). Nor is this strange, because, as Dionysius proves, the revelation of divine illuminations reach us through the medium of angels.

94. - He shows the firmness of the truth when he says, was valid, because everything foretold in the Old Law has been fulfilled: (Pr. 12:19) ‘The lip of truth shall be steadfast for ever;’ ‘Not one dot or one iota of the law shall pass away until all be fulfilled’ (Mt. 5:18); ‘The words that proceed from my mouth, I will not make void’ (Ps. 88:35). Therefore, it was made valid, because it was not made void.

95. - Then he shows the necessity of obeying, because the disobedient are punished: and every transgression or disobedience received a just retribution. Here he mentions one thing which corresponds to a double guilt, namely, to the sin of omission and of transgression. The first corresponds to affirmative precepts; the other to negative precepts. The first is identified by the name, disobedience. But is disobedience a general sin? It seems so: for a sin is specific, because it has a special end. Hence, when someone does not obey a precept with the intention of scorning it, it is a special sin; but when there is another reason, say, concupiscence, then it is a condition following the sin, but it is not a special sin. The other is called a transgression: ‘I have counted all the sinners of the earth prevaricators’ (Ps. 118:119). Then he mentions something on the part of the punishment: received a just retribution. For retribution depends on the amount of guilt, so that one who sins more gravely receives a greater punishment; but the wages depend on the quality, so that one who sins from the fires of lust will be punished with fire. There, he will receive a good wage for good acts and an evil wage for wicked actions. Consequently, retribution is received for good and for evil, inasmuch as it implies distributive justice. It is called just because of the equality of punishment, so that according to the amount of sin there is a certain amount of punishment.

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 firmness of its truth (v. 4).

97. - He says, therefore: If the word spoken by angels punishes transgressors, how shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation? In this he denotes the danger which threatens those who do not obey. But above he called the Old Testament salvation. The reason for this is that a word is ordained to knowledge only; for this is what the Old Testament did, since by it there came knowledge of sin: ‘By the law is the knowledge of sin’ (Rom. 3:20). Also the knowledge of God: ‘He has not done in like manner to every nation’ (Ps. 75:2). But it did not confer grace, for grace is conferred in the New Testament: ‘Grace and truth came by Jesus Christ’ (Jn. 1:17), which leads to eternal salvation: ‘Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life’ (Jn. 6:69); ‘Your word is exceedingly refined’ (Ps. 118:140). Then he commends salvation, because it is so great. And certainly it is very great, if you consider the danger from which it frees us, because it frees us not only from the dangers of bodily death but of spiritual: ‘He will save his people form their sins’ (Mt. 1:21). It is also great, because it is universal, i.e., not confined to one nation or to one danger, but it is for all men and from all enemies: ‘He is the savior of all men, but especially of the faithful’ (1 Tim. 4:10); ‘That being delivered from the hand of our enemies, we may serve him without fear’ (Lk. 1:74). It is also great, because it is eternal: ‘Israel is saved in the Lord with an eternal salvation’ (Is. 45:17). Therefore, it should not be neglected, but we should be careful to obtain it: ‘We have seen the land which is exceedingly rich and fruitful’ (Jg. 18:9); then he continues: ‘Neglect not; lose no time; let us go and possess it: there will be no difficulty’ (Jg. 18:9) And of course we should not neglect it, because if we are negligent, we shall be punished not only by losing what is good but also by incurring evil, namely, eternal damnation, which we shall not be able to escape.’ Hence, he said, How shall we escape? ‘Who has shown you to flee the wrath to come’ (Mt. 3:7)? ‘The way to escape shall fail them’ (Jb. 11:20); ‘Wither shall I go from your spirit; or whither shall I flee from your face’ (Ps. 138:7)?

98. - Then (v. 3b) he shows the origin of the doctrine of the New Testament. Here he mentions a double origin: first of all, that it came not by angels but by Christ: ‘He has spoken to us in his Son’ (Heb. 1:2); ‘The only begotten who is in the bosom of the Father, he has declared him’ (Jn. 1:18). Hence, he says, it was declared at first by the Lord, because it has two beginnings: one is absolute and from all eternity; and this is through the Word: ‘He chose us in him before the foundation of the world’ (Eph. 1:4). The other is the beginning of the declaration, and this occurs in time through the Incarnate Word. The second origin was through the apostles, who head from Christ; hence, he says, was attested to us by them that heard him, i.e., by its preachers: ‘That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen, we declare unto you’ (1 Jn. 1:1); ‘Who from the beginning were eyewitnesses’ (Lk. 1:2).

99. - Then he mentions its solidity, which is greater than that of the Old Testament, as God testifies, Who cannot lie; hence he says, while God also bore witness by signs and wonders. But it should be noted that testimony is made by speech, which is a sense-perceptible sign. But God gave testimony with two sense-perceptible signs, namely, by miracles and by the gifts of the Holy Spirit. In regard to the first he says, while God bore witness by signs as to lesser miracles, such as healing a fever or curing a lame person (Ac. 3) and wonders, as to greater miracles, such as the raising of the dead: ‘Tabitha, arise’ (Ac. 9:40). But the greatest wonder was that God became man: ‘Behold, I and my children whom the Lord has given me for a sign’ (Is. 8:18), namely, that I who am a man and my children should believe this. For it was a marvel that the human heart should believe this. He said, by various miracles, so that signs and wonders refer to acts which exceed the power of nature, namely, a sign would be something beyond and above nature, though not contrary to it; while a wonder is something contrary to nature, as the raising of the dead. In regard to the second, i.e., the gifts, he says, and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his own will. This seems to be contrary to Wis. (7:27): ‘The spirit is one’ how is he distributed. The answer is that He is not distributed as to His essence, but as to His gifts: ‘There are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit’ (1 Cor. 12:4). For all gifts are attributed to the Holy Spirit, because they proceed from love, which is appropriated to the Holy Spirit, as Gregory says: ‘Truly the Holy Spirit is love.’
[AD 220] Tertullian on Hebrews 2:5
And we saw Him, and He had not attractiveness or grace; but His mien was unhonoured, deficient in comparison of the sons of men," "a man set in the plague, and knowing how to bear infirmity: "to wit as having been set by the Father "for a stone of offence," and "made a little lower" by Him "than angels," He pronounces Himself "a worm, and not a man, an ignominy of man, and the refuse of the People.

Source: An Answer to the Jews
[AD 258] Cyprian on Hebrews 2:5
For what is a greater or a more worthy care of overseers, than to provide by diligent solicitude and wholesome medicine for cherishing and preserving the sheep? since the Lord speaks, and says, "The diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have ye bound up that which was broken, neither have ye brought again that which was driven away, neither have ye sought that which was lost. And my sheep were scattered because there is no shepherd; and they became meat to all the beasts of the field, and none did search or seek after them. Therefore thus saith the Lord, Behold, I am against the shepherds, and I will require my flock at their hands, and cause them to cease from feeding the flock; neither shall they feed them any more: for I will deliver them from their mouth, and I will feed them with judgment." Since therefore the Lord thus threatens such shepherds by whom the Lord's sheep are neglected and perish, what else ought we to do, dearest brother, than to exhibit full diligence in gathering together and restoring the sheep of Christ, and to apply the medicine of paternal affection to cure the wounds of the lapsed, since the Lord also in the Gospel warns, and says, "They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick? " For although we are many shepherds, yet we feed one flock, and ought to collect and cherish all the sheep which Christ by His blood and passion sought for; nor ought we to suffer our suppliant and mourning brethren to be cruelly despised and trodden down by the haughty presumption of some, since it is written, "But the man that is proud and boastful shall bring nothing at all to perfection, who has enlarged his soul as hell." And the Lord, in His Gospel, blames and condemns men of that kind, saying, "Ye are they which justify yourselves before men, but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight Of God." He says that those are execrable and detestable who please themselves, who, swelling and inflated, arrogantly assume anything to themselves. Since then Marcian has begun to be of these, and, allying himself with Novatian, has stood forth as the opponent of mercy and love, let him not pronounce sentence, but receive it; and let him not so act as if he himself were to judge of the college of priests, since he himself is judged by all the priests.

Source: Epistle LXVI
[AD 395] Gregory of Nyssa on Hebrews 2:5-7
When, according to the prophetic word, people were alienated from the life-giving womb through sin and went astray from the womb in which they were fashioned, they spoke falsehood instead of truth. Because of this, the Mediator, assuming the first fruit of our common nature, made it holy through his soul and body, unmixed and unreceptive of all evil, preserving it in himself. He did this in order that, having taken it up to the Father of incorruptibility through his own incorruptibility, the entire group might be drawn along with it because of their related nature, in order that the Father might admit the disinherited to “adoption” as children and the enemies of God to a share in the Godhead. And just as the first fruit of the dough was assimilated through purity and innocence to the true Father and God, so we also as dough in similar ways will cleave to the Father of incorruptibility by imitating, as far as we can, the innocence and stability of the Mediator. Thus, we shall be a crown of precious stones for the only begotten God, having become an honor and a glory through our life. For Paul says, “Having made himself a little lower than the angels because of his having suffered death, he made those whose nature had previously become thorny through sin into a crown for himself, transforming the thorn through suffering into honor and glory.” And yet, once he has “taken away the sins of the world” and taken upon his head a crown of thorns in order to weave a crown of “honor and glory,” there is no small danger that someone may be discovered to be a burr and a thorn because of his evil life, and then be placed in the middle of the Master’s crown because of sharing in his body. The just voice speaks directly to this one: “How did you get in here without a wedding garment? How were you, a thorn, woven in with those fitted into my crown through honor and glory?”

Source: ON PERFECTION
[AD 407] John Chrysostom on Hebrews 2:5-7
"For unto Angels He has not put in subjection the world to come, whereof we speak. But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man that You are mindful of him, or the son of man that Thou visitest him? You made him a little lower than the Angels."

1. I could have wished to know for certain whether any hear with fitting earnestness the things that are said, whether we are not casting the seeds by the wayside: for in that case I should have made my instructions with more cheerfulness. For we shall speak, though no one hear, for the fear which is laid on us by our Saviour. For, says He, testify to this people; even if they hear not, you shall yourself be guiltless. [See Ezekiel 3:19] If however I had been persuaded of your earnestness, I should have spoken not for fear only, but should have done it with pleasure also. For now indeed, even if no man hear, even if my work, so long as I fulfill my own part, brings no danger, still the labor is not altogether pleasant. For what profit is it, when though I be not blamed, yet no one is benefited? But if any would give heed we shall receive advantage not so much from avoiding punishment ourselves as from your progress.

How then shall I know this? Having taken notice of some of you, who are not very attentive, I shall question them privately, when I meet them. And if I find that they retain any of the things that have been spoken (I say not all, for this would not be very easy for you), but even if [they retain] a few things out of many, it is plain I should have no further doubts about the rest. And indeed we ought, without giving notice beforehand, to have attacked you when off your guard. However it will suffice, if even in this way I should be able to attain my purpose. Nay rather, even as it is, I can attack you when you are off your guard. For that I shall question you, I have forewarned you; but when I shall question you I do not as yet make evident. For perhaps it may be today; perhaps tomorrow, perhaps after twenty or thirty days, perhaps after fewer, perhaps after more. Thus has God also made uncertain the day of our death. Nor has He allowed it be clear to us, whether it shall befall us today, or tomorrow, or after a whole year, or after many years; that through the uncertainty of the expectation we may through all time keep ourselves firm in virtue. And that we shall indeed depart, He has said — but when, He has not yet said. Thus too I have said that I shall question you, but I have not added when, wishing you always to be thoughtful.

And let no man say, I heard these things four or five weeks ago, or more, and I cannot retain them. For I wish the hearer so to retain them as to have his recollection perpetual and not apt to fade, nor yet that he should disown what is spoken. For I wish you to retain them, not, in order to tell them to me, but that you may have profit; and this is of most serious interest to me. Let no one then say this.

2. However, I must now begin with what follows in the epistle. What then is set before us to speak on today?

"For not to angels," he says, "did He put in subjection the world to come, whereof we speak." Is he then discoursing concerning some other world? No, but concerning this. Therefore he added "whereof we speak," that he might not allow the mind to wander away in search of some other. How then does he call it "the world to come"? Exactly as he also says in another place, "Who is the figure of him that was to come," [Romans 5:14,] when he is speaking about Adam and Christ in the Epistle to the Romans; calling Christ according to the flesh "Him that was to come" in respect of the times of Adam, (for [then] He was to come). So now also, since he had said, "but when he brings in the First-Begotten into the world": that you might not suppose that he is speaking of another world, it is made certain from many considerations and from his saying "to come." For the world was to come, but the Son of God always was. This world then which was about to come, He put in subjection not to Angels but to Christ. For that this is spoken with reference to the Son (he says) is evident: for surely no one would assert the other alternative, that it had reference to Angels.

Then he brings forward another testimony also and says, "but one in a certain place testified, saying." Wherefore did he not mention the name of the prophet, but hid it? Yea, and in other testimonies also he does this: as when he says, "but when He brings in again the First-Begotten into the world, He says, And let all the Angels of God worship Him. And again, I will be to Him a Father. And of the Angels He says, Who makes His angels spirits. And, You, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundations of the earth" [c. i. 6, 5, 7, 10]:— so also here he says, "but one in a certain place testified, saying." And this very thing (I conceive) is the act of one that conceals himself, and shows that they were well skilled in the Scriptures; his not setting down him who uttered the testimony, but introducing it as familiar and obvious.

Source: Homily 4 on Hebrews
[AD 407] John Chrysostom on Hebrews 2:5-7
There is another consolation if indeed he, who is hereafter to have all put in subjection under him, has himself died and submitted to sufferings innumerable. “But,” Paul says, “we see him who was made a little lower than the angels, even Jesus, for the suffering of death”—then turns immediately to the good things again—“crowned with glory and honor.” Do you see how all things apply to him? For the expression “a little” would rather suit him, who was only three days in Hades, but not ourselves who are in corruption for a long time. Likewise also, the expression “with glory and honor” will suit him much more completely than us. Again Paul reminds them of the cross, thereby effecting two things, both showing Christ’s care for them and persuading them to bear all things nobly, looking to the master. For, he would say, if he who is worshiped by angels endured for your sake to have a little less than the angels, much more ought you, who are inferior to the angels, to bear all things for his sake. Then Paul shows that the cross is “glory and honor,” as Christ himself always calls it, saying, “that the Son of man may be glorified” and “the Son of man is glorified.” If then he calls his sufferings for his servants’ sake “glory,” much more should you endure sufferings for the Lord.

Source: ON THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS 4.3
[AD 430] Augustine of Hippo on Hebrews 2:5-7
The fact that he is the Word is not the reason why he is a mediator, for certainly the Word at the summit of immortality and the apex of beatitude is far removed from miserable mortals. Rather, he is a mediator because he is human and, as a human, shows us that to attain that supreme good, blessed and beatific, we need not seek other mediators to serve like rungs on a ladder of ascent. For the blessed God who makes us blessed by deigning to share our humanity showed us the shortest way to sharing in his divinity. Freeing us from mortality and misery, he leads us, not to the immortal blessed angels so as to become immortal and blessed by sharing in their nature, but to that Trinity in communion with which even the angels are blessed. When, then, in order to be mediator, he willed to take “the form of a servant” below the angels, he remained in the form of God above the angels, being simultaneously the way of life on earth and life itself in heaven.

Source: City of God 9.15
[AD 893] Photios I of Constantinople on Hebrews 2:5-7
Why does he bring up the quote, “what are human beings that you are mindful of them?” He purports to prove, from the contrary, the following statement, that Christ is far superior to the angels. “A little while lower than the angels,” he brings … up in order to disprove the opposite proposition. He means that he was made lower through the suffering of death, “we saw him, but he had no form nor beauty.” Therefore, it was appropriate to say that about the Lord, because he was exalted; again, it was appropriate to exhort them [angels] to “put everything in subjection under his feet.”

Source: FRAGMENTS ON THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS 2.6-9
[AD 220] Tertullian on Hebrews 2:6
Gird Thee Thy sword around Thy thigh, most potent in Thy bloom and beauty!" while the Father withal afterwards, after making Him somewhat lower than angels, "crowned Him with glory and honour and subjected all things beneath His feet." And then shall they "learn to know Him whom they pierced, and shall beat their breasts tribe by tribe; " of course because in days bygone they did not know Him when conditionedin the humility of human estate.

Source: An Answer to the Jews
[AD 407] John Chrysostom on Hebrews 2:8
"What is man that You are mindful of him, or the son of man that Thou visitest him? You made him a little lower than the angels: You crowned him with glory and honor." [Hebrews 2:8] "You have put all things in subjection under his feet."

Now although these things were spoken of human nature generally, they would nevertheless apply more properly to Christ according to the flesh. For this, "You have put all things in subjection under his feet," belongs to Him rather than to us.  For the Son of God visited us when we were nothing: and after having assumed our [nature], and united it to Himself, He became higher than all.

"For," he says, "in that He has put all things in subjection under Him, He left nothing not put under Him: but now we see not yet all things put under Him." What he means is this:— since he had said, "Until I make Your enemies Your footstool" [Hebrews 1:13] — and it was likely that they would still be grieved — then having inserted a few things after this parenthetically, he added this testimony in confirmation of the former. For that they might not say, How is it that He has put His enemies under His feet, when we have suffered so much? He sufficiently hinted at it in the former place indeed (for the word "until" showed, not what should take place immediately, but in course of time) but here he follows it up. For do not suppose (he says) that because they have not yet been made subject, they are not to be made subject: for that they must be made subject, is evident; for, on this account was the prophecy spoken. "For," he says, "in that He has put all things under Him, He left nothing not put under Him." How then is it that all things have not been put under Him? Because they are hereafter to be put under Him.

If then all things must be made subject to Him, but have not yet been made subject, do not grieve, nor trouble yourself. If indeed when the end had come, and all things were made subject, thou were still suffering these things, with reason would you repine: "But now we see not yet all things put under Him." The King has not yet clearly conquered. Why then are you troubled when suffering affliction? The preaching [of the Gospel] has not yet prevailed over all; it is not yet time that they should be altogether made subject.

Source: Homily 4 on Hebrews
[AD 407] John Chrysostom on Hebrews 2:8
He said, “Until I make your enemies your footstool.” But it was likely that his hearers would still be grieved … so he added this testimony in confirmation of the subjection. That they might not say, “How is it that he has put his enemies under his feet, when we have suffered so much?” He did … hint at this in the former place, for the word until showed not what should take place immediately, but over the course of time. Nevertheless, here he follows it up. For do not suppose, he says, that because they have not yet been made subject, they are not to be made subject; for that they must be made subject is evident. It is on this account that the prophecy was spoken. “For,” he says, “in that he has put all things under him, he left nothing not put under him.” How then is it that all things have not been put under him? Because they are hereafter to be put under him.

Source: ON THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS 4.2
[AD 1274] Thomas Aquinas on Hebrews 2:8
100. - Having made a comparison to show that it is more necessary to observe the commandments of Christ than those of the Law delivered by angels, the Apostle now confirms the consequence. First, he confirms this consequence by showing that Christ’s power is greater than that of the angels; secondly, he proves this on the authority of Scripture (v. 6).

101. - He says, therefore, that they will undergo severer punishments who act against Christ’s commandments than those who act against the commandments of angels, because Christ is Lord, and a person who offends his Lord is punished more than one who sins against a servant. That Christ is Lord is shown by the fact that God has not subjected the earth to angels but to Christ. He does two things: first, he shows that the earth is not subject to angels; secondly, he shows which earth he means (v. 5c).

102. - The earth is not subject to angels: ‘What other has he appointed over the earth, or whom has he set over the world he made’ (Jb. 34:13)? But Daniel (chap. 10) says that an angel was the prince of the Greeks and of the Persians, and in Dt. (32:8) it says: ‘He appointed the bounds of people according to the number of the children of Israel.’ But it should be noted that they are not subject to them as to a lord, but as to a vicegerent: for all visible creation is administered by angels: ‘His ministers who do his will’ (Ps. 102:21). Or, it was not to angels that God has subjected the world to come, i.e., that world which is to come, because in Scripture something is described as coming, not in relation to us but in relation to that to which it is compared, as the Apostle says of Adam in relation to Christ: ‘Who is the form of the future’, (Rom. 5:14), for Christ is not future in relation to Himself, but in relation to Adam. So, here, this earth is said to come not in relation to us but in relation to Christ, Who exists from all eternity, whereas the earth exists in time.

103. - And because the Manicheans say that the earth is subject to an evil god and not to the good God, he adds, of which we speak, namely not of some other world, but of this one; or because he had said above, they shall perish, namely, the heavens, and they shall be changed, which, as was explained there, is understood of the state but not of the substance of the world Hence, there are two states of the world: one is its present state: ‘But the heavens and the earth which are not, by the same Word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment’ (2 Pt. 3:7); the other is its future state. But in the world which now exists not all things are subject to Him as far as the execution of His power is concerned, although they are subject to His authority; but in that future state the earth will be subject to Him; hence, he says, of which we speak.

104. - Then he proves by an authority, when he says, it has been testified somewhere. Here he does three things: first, he commends the value of the testimony to be adduced; secondly, he adduces it (v. 6b); thirdly, he explains the meaning of the testimony (v. 8b).

105. - In regard to the testimony he states first that the words of the Old Testament are witnesses to Christ: ‘Search the Scriptures: the same are they that give testimony of me’ (Jn. 5:39). Therefore, he says, for it has been testified somewhere. Secondly, because among the Jews there were some writings less known and some better known, the Scriptures of the Psalms are of greater value than those they used in all their sacrifices; hence, he says, somewhere, known and manifest. Thirdly, he gives the authority of the speaker, namely, David, who enjoyed the greatest authority: ‘The man to whom it was appointed concerning the Christ of the God of Jacob, the excellent Psalmist of Israel said’ (2 Sam. 23:1).

106. - Then he adduces the authority (v. 6b). Here he does three things: first, he hints at the mystery of the Incarnation; secondly, of the Passion (v. 7); thirdly, the mystery of the exaltation (v. 7b). In regard to the first he touches on two things: first, the cause of the Incarnation; secondly, the Incarnation itself (v. 6c).

107. - But the cause of the Incarnation is God’s care of man. Therefore, he says: What is man? as though in contempt. As if to say: Man is so unimportant when compared to God: ‘All nations are before him as if they had no being at all, and are counted to him as nothing and vanity’ (Is. 40:17). For if a person loves another and leaves him in wretchedness for a long time, he seems to have forgotten. But God loved the human race, both because He made it according to His own image and because He placed man in the midst of paradise. But after sin, because He did not come to his aid immediately, He seems to have forgotten. But later he seems to have become mindful of him, when He sends a Redeemer: ‘Remember us, O Lord, in the favor of your people; visit us with your salvation’ (Ps. 105:4). Therefore, he says, What is man that you are mindful of him? As if to say: If we consider man’s vileness, it is strange that You should be mindful of him who is so vile and so small. I say vile and small in nature, especially in regard to his substance: ‘God formed man from the slime of the earth (Gen. 2:7); ‘And now, O Lord, you are our Father and we are clay’ (Is. 64:8). Vile in his sins; hence, Augustine says on John: ‘Men accomplish nothing when they sin;’ ‘Behold, I have made you small among the nations, you are exceedingly contemptible’ (Ob 1:2). Vile and weak in his punishment: ‘Man born of a woman, living for a time is filled with many miseries’ (Jb. 14:1); ‘Who shall raise up Jacob, for he is very little’ (Am 7:5).

108. - Secondly, he mentions the Incarnation when he says, the son of man. Here it should be noted that in Sacred Scripture Christ is called the Son of man, as is clear from Daniel and from the Gospel. The reason for this is that others are sons of men: ‘O you sons of men, how long will you be dull of heart?’ (Ps. 4:3); but Christ alone is the son of man, namely, of the Blessed Virgin, and He is visited by God. Sometimes in Scripture a visitation refers to a benefit, as when ‘the Lord visited Sarah as He had promised and fulfilled what He spoke’ (Gen. 21:1). Sometimes it refers to a punishment: ‘I will visit their iniquities with a rod’ (Ps. 88:33). But here it refers to the benefit: You care for [visit] i.e., confer a most excellent gift on man, because you make him a son of God, when His humanity is assumed by the Word. Or he says this because of Christ’s fullness: ‘Full of grace and truth’ (Jn. 1:14). Or both can be referred to Christ, so that the sense is this: You were mindful of him in the Incarnation, when humanity was assumed by Christ, but you visit him in the resurrection. Or both should be referred to the human race. But every son of man is a man, although not every man is a son of a man. For Adam was not a son of man. A man, therefore, is one who bears the image of the earthly man, namely, of Adam; and this man is called a sinner; but a son of man is one who bears the image of the heavenly man, namely Christ, Who is called the Son of man: ‘Therefore, as we have borne the image of the earthly, let us bear also the image of the heavenly’ (1 Cor. 15:49). Man, therefore, is called a sinner; and because he is far from God, ‘for salvation is far from sinners’ (Ps. 118:155), God is said to be mindful of him, as a man is mindful of one far away. But when he is changed from sinner to just, the son of man is visited by grace: ‘Your visitation has guarded my spirit’ (Jb. 10:12).

109. - Then (v. 7) he mentions the mystery of the Passion. Here it should be noted that in the order of nature corruptible things are lower than incorruptible things. But angels are incorruptible and immortal according to their nature; hence, when Christ deigned to suffer and undergo death He was made a little less than they: not that He had lost His fullness or was diminished in any way, but because He joined our smallness to Him self. This was signified in Lk. (22:4): ‘There appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him’, not because He needed him, but to show that He was less than they by suffering. He says, little less, for two reasons: first because every bodily creature is slight when compared with the rational, because bodily things are confined within the fixed limits of their quantity, but not rational things, which can grow and grown in intelligence. But Christ was made less than the angels, not in regard to his divinity nor in regard to His soul, but in regard to His body. Therefore, he said, a little less, i.e., quantitatively. Secondly, he is a little less according to duration, because He lasted a short time: ‘For a small moment have I forsaken you’ (Is. 54:7).

110. - Nor is it strange, if He was made less than the angels in his suffering body, since in this respect He was made less than man: ‘I am a worm and not a man’ (Ps. 21:7), and this because of His shameful death: ‘Let us condemn him to a most shameful death’ (Wis. 2:20). But if the question, What is man that you are mindful of him? is referred to man, then man is said to be a little less not in regard to the kind of knowledge, because both man and angel share the same kind of knowledge, but according to the manner, because the angels know in a more excellent way than men. Secondly, as to the body, because, although an angel and a soul are of one nature, namely, intellectual, nevertheless, the soul is united to a body; but even in this he is a little less, because the dignity of the soul is not destroyed by this union, but it is dulled and impeded from higher contemplation: ‘The corruptible body is a load upon the soul’ (Wis. 9:15). Thirdly, as to gifts; and in this respect man is a little less not as to gratuitous gifts, in which ‘they will be as the angels in heaven’ (Mt. 22:30), but as to natural gifts.

111. - Then (v. 7b) he presents the mystery of exaltation. Here he does three things: first, he shows its glory; secondly, the honor (v. 7c); thirdly, the power (v. 8). ‘The lamb that was slain is worthy to receive power and divinity and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and benediction; and every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth, and such as are in the sea’ (Rev. 5:12).

112. - He says, therefore, You have crowned him with glory, i.e., with brightness: for glory implies brightness. But Christ was crowned with a double glory, namely, with the glory of the body: ‘Who will reform the body of our lowness, made like to the body of his glory’ (Phil. 3:2). This glory is promised Him in Jn (12:18): ‘I have both glorified it, namely, your soul, by filling it with the splendors of grace, and will glorify it again’, namely, the body with the glory of immortality.’ Another brightness comes from the confession of all people: ‘Every tongue should confess that the Lord Jesus Christ is in the glory of God the Father’ (Phil. 2:11); ‘Glory and great beauty shall you lay upon him’ (Ps. 20:6).

113. - Then (v. 7b) he shows His honor. Now honor differs from glory as effect from cause: for honor is reverence shown in view of some excellence; hence, it is a testification of one’s goodness. But that honor consists in every creature’s revering Him as the Father is revered: ‘That all men may honor the Son as they honor the Father’ (Jn. 5:23). he says, crowned, namely, as a sign of victory, because a crown is given to a victor: ‘They, indeed, that they may receive a perishable crown: but we an imperishable one’ (1 Cor. 9:25); ‘He is not crowned, except he strive lawfully’ (2 Tim. 2:5). But Christ won this crown by the struggle of His Passion: ‘He was made obedient unto death: for which cause God also has exalted him and given him a name which is above every name’ (Phil. 2:8). But things which belong to Christ as God are not a reward but are natural to Him; yet inasmuch as He is man, they are the reward for the victory of his Passion.

114. - Then he shows His power: first, as to its authority; secondly, as to its effect (v. 8).

115. - In regard to the first he says: You have set him over the works of your hands. This can be taken in three ways: in one way, as meaning that He was set over all places; and this in the Ascension: ‘He ascended above all the heavens’ (Eph. 4:10); secondly, over all dignities: ‘Setting him on his right hand above all principality and power and virtue and dominion’ (Eph. 1:21); thirdly, over all power, because He is set above every creature: ‘all power is given to me in heaven and in earth’ (Mt. 28:18). But Christ as God is not appointed but born; yet He is appointed as man: Whom he appointed heir of all things (above 1:2).

116. - The effect of His power is that all things are subject to him [under his feet]. The prophet uses the past for the future because of His authority, for it has already taken place in God’s eternal predestination. He says, under his feet, i.e., under His humanity or with all subjection: ‘Till I make your enemies your footstool’ (Ps. 109:1).

117a. - That is, under His humanity: for just as the head of Christ is God, so by the feet of Christ is understood his humanity: ‘We shall adore in the place where his feet stood’ (Ps. 131:7).

117b. - But if it is understood that way, then man is said to be crowned with glory as to intellectual knowledge, in which he excels the other animals: ‘The man, indeed, ought not to cover his head, because he is the image and glory of God’ (1 Cor. 11:7); ‘Who teachers us more than the beasts of the earth’ (Jb. 35:11). He is crowned with honor, inasmuch as he along of all the animals is master of his own actions and is not subject to the necessity of changeable things in regard to his soul, because he has free will. He is crowned with power, because you have set him over all your works: ‘Let him have dominion over the fishes of the sea and the fowls of the air and the beasts and the whole earth’ (Gen. 1:26).

118. - Then (v. 8) he explains the meaning of the testimony. Here he does two things: first, he explains it as to His sublimity; secondly, as to His diminution (v. 9). In regard to the first he does two things: first, he shows how the prophet’s statement is to be understood; secondly, that it has not yet been fulfilled (v. 8b).

119. - Therefore, (v. 8a) he shows how the statement is to be understood. For since Scripture says that all things have been subjected to Christ, there is nothing outside his control. Hence, the all is not limited to certain genera, but applies absolutely to all, because all are generally and universally subject to Him. But then Arius argues: The Father has subjected all things to the Son; therefore, the Son is inferior to the Father. I answer that it is true that the Father subjected all things to the Son according to His human nature, in which He is inferior to the Father: ‘The Father is greater than I (Jn. 14:28); but according to the divine nature Christ Himself subjected all things to Himself.

120. - Then when he says, as it is, we do not yet see all things subject to Him, he shows that this has not yet been fulfilled, because unbelievers, sinners and devils are not yet subject to Him: ‘But not all obey the Gospel’ (Rom. 10:16); ‘How long do you refuse to submit to me?’ (Ex. 10:3). Consequently, sinners are not subject to Christ by reason of their rebellious wills; but in regard to his power all are subject to Him: now in regard to its authority, but later in regard to obedience. Hence, this is an explanation of the phrase, the world to come (v. 5).
[AD 253] Origen of Alexandria on Hebrews 2:9
We understood the Christ to be the creator, but the Father is greater. He, indeed, who is such great things as “the advocate,” “the expiation,” “the propitiatory,” because he showed compassion “on our weaknesses” in experiencing temptation “in all things” human “in our likeness, without sin,” is a “great high priest” who offered himself as the sacrifice offered once for all, not for humans alone, but also for every spiritual being. For “apart from God he tasted death for all.” This appears in some copies of the epistle to the Hebrews as “by the grace of God.”But whether “apart from God he tasted death for all,” he died not only for humans but also for the rest of the spiritual beings, or “by the grace of God he tasted death for all,” he died for all apart from God, for “by the grace of God he tasted death for all.” And, indeed, it would be strange to declare that he tasted death for human sins but not also for any other creature, besides man, that happened to be in sin—for instance, for the stars, since not even the stars are absolutely pure before God. As we have read in Job, “And the stars are not clean in his sight,” unless this was said hyperbolically.
For this reason he is a “great high priest,” since he restores all things to the kingdom of the Father, causing the things that are lacking in each of the creatures to be supplied, that they may be able to receive the Father’s glory.

Source: COMMENTARY ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 1.255-58
[AD 373] Ephrem the Syrian on Hebrews 2:9
God “tasted death for every one,” but, because his immortal nature could not die in the flesh in which he died, he who was dead, as it is, did not die. He did not die because of his nature; he nominally clothed himself with death for his love to us. Since he was superior to death by his nature, death could not approach him.

Source: COMMENTARY ON THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS
[AD 407] John Chrysostom on Hebrews 2:9
3. Then again there is another consolation if indeed He who is hereafter to have all put in subjection under Him, has Himself also died and submitted to sufferings innumerable. [Hebrews 2:9] "But," he says, "we see Him who was made a little lower than the angels, even Jesus, for the suffering of death" — then the good things again —"crowned with glory and honor." Do you see, how all things apply to Him? For the [expression], "a little," would rather suit Him, who was only three days in Hades, but not ourselves who are for a long time in corruption. Likewise also the [expression] "with glory and honor" will suit Him much more than us.

Again, he reminds them of the Cross, thereby effecting two things; both showing His care [for them] and persuading them to bear all things nobly, looking to the Master. For (he would say) if He who is worshipped of Angels, for your sake endured to have a little less than the Angels, much more ought thou who art inferior to the Angels, to bear all things for His sake. Then he shows that the Cross is "glory and honor," as He Himself also always calls it, saying, "That the Son of Man might be glorified" [John 11:5]; and, "the Son of Man is glorified." [John 12:23] If then He calls the [sufferings] for His servants' sake "glory," much more should you the [sufferings] for the Lord.

Do you see the fruit of the Cross, how great it is? fear not the matter: for it seems to you indeed to be dismal, but it brings forth good things innumerable. From these considerations he shows the benefit of trial. Then he says, "That He by the grace of God should taste death for every man."

"That by the grace of God," he says. And He indeed because of the grace of God towards us suffered these things. "He who spared not His Own Son," he says, "but delivered Him up for us all." [Romans 8:32] Why? He did not owe us this, but has done it of grace. And again in the Epistle to the Romans he says, "Much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace which is by one man Jesus Christ, has abounded unto many." [Romans 5:15]

"That by the grace of God He should taste death for every man," not for the faithful only, but even for the whole world: for He indeed died for all; But what if all have not believed? He has fulfilled His own [part].

Moreover he said rightly "taste death for every man," he did not say "die." For as if He really was tasting it, when He had spent a little time therein, He immediately arose.

By saying then "for the suffering of death," he signified real death, and by saying "superior to angels," he declared the resurrection. For as a physician though not needing to taste the food prepared for the sick man, yet in his care for him tastes first himself, that he may persuade the sick man with confidence to venture on the food, so since all men were afraid of death, in persuading them to take courage against death, He tasted it also Himself though He needed not. "For," He says, "the prince of this world comes and finds nothing in Me." [John 14:30] So both the words "by grace" and "should taste death for every man," establish this.

Source: Homily 4 on Hebrews
[AD 407] John Chrysostom on Hebrews 2:9
Do you see the fruit of the cross, how great it is? Fear not the matter, for it seems to you indeed to be dismal, but it brings forth innumerable good things. From these considerations he shows the benefit of trial. Then he says, “that by the grace of God he might taste death for every one.” “That by the grace of God,” he says. And he indeed suffered these things because of the grace of God toward us. “He who did not spare his own Son,” he says, “but gave him up for us all.” Why? He did not owe us this but has done it of grace. And again, in the epistle to the Romans he says, “Much more have the grace of God and the free gift in the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many.” This occurred “that by the grace of God he might taste death for every one,” not for the faithful only, but even for the whole world, for he indeed died for all. But what if all have not believed? He has fulfilled his own part. Moreover, he said rightly, “taste death for every one”; he did not say “die.” For as if he really was tasting it, when he had spent a little time in the grave, he immediately arose.

Source: ON THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS 4.3
[AD 407] John Chrysostom on Hebrews 2:9
By saying then “because of the suffering of death,” he signified real death, and by saying, “superior to angels,” he declared the resurrection. For as a physician, though not needing to taste the food prepared for a sick person, tastes it first himself so that he may persuade the sick person to eat with confidence, so also, since all people were afraid of death, … he tasted it himself, though he did not need it himself. “For,” he says, “the ruler of this world comes and has no power over me.” So both the words “by grace” and “might taste death for every one” establish this.

Source: ON THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS 4.3
[AD 425] Severian of Gabala on Hebrews 2:9
He calls it the age to come. Then he adds at last, “we do not yet see everything in subjection to him. But we see Jesus made lower than the angels.” Then he applies to Jesus the question, “What is man that you are mindful of him?” For the things common to humanity belong to him. But as the Son himself says, “Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings I will establish praise for the sake of your enemies” and “I will see the heavens, the works of your fingers.” No one would say that the man God remembered had made “the praise established from the mouth of babes and infants for the sake of your enemies” and “I will see the heavens, the works of your fingers.” This one remembered humanity and lowered himself a little lower than the angels. But who is the “man”? Jesus. Because of the suffering of his death, “he was made a little lower than the angels.”

Source: FRAGMENTS ON THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS 2.5-9
[AD 428] Theodore of Mopsuestia on Hebrews 2:9
Jesus is a man. For “what is man that you are mindful of him?” Yet the apostle asserts that this passage refers to Jesus, for he says, “We see him who was made a little lower than the angels, Jesus.” What then do we conclude? The man Jesus was like all humans and differed in no way from those whose nature he shares, save that to him a grace was given. The grace that was given does not change his nature. But after death was destroyed, “God gave him the name which is above every name.” The one who gave is God. The one to whom it was given is the man Jesus Christ, the first fruits of those who are raised. For he is the “firstborn from the dead.” Therefore, he ascended and sits at the right hand of the Father and is above all.

Source: FRAGMENTS ON THE TREATISE ON THE INCARNATION 2
[AD 428] Theodore of Mopsuestia on Hebrews 2:9
Some suffer something very laughable here, changing “without God” and making it to read “by the grace of God,” not following the Scripture’s train of thought. Owing to their failure to understand that he once said, “without God,” they erase it to no profit and put in what seems satisfactory to their opinion. Yet what notion would be suggested by Paul inserting “by the grace of God”? And what train of thought would lead him to this? For it is not his custom to append “by the grace of God” capriciously, but always there is some logical train of thought involved. For example, he talks about grace when he, talking about his experience, adds, “by the grace of God I am what I am.” Or when it is his task to speak concerning God’s love for humankind and that God has done all things, even though we are not worthy to obtain them, as is contained in his statement, “By grace you have been saved,” … he appends, “And this not of your own doing, it is the gift of God, not because of works, lest any one should boast.” Clearly he shows through this, that he is speaking concerning the grace of God, which he showed on behalf of all people. But in Hebrews Paul is discussing what is being set forth by him concerning Christ, what sort of person he is and how he differs from the angels (the starting point of his discussion), and in what respect he seems to be lower than them because of his death. What need was there then for him to say, “by the grace of God”? It is out of place for him to speak concerning his goodness concerning us.Instead, the line of argument shows this to be the case when he says, “without God he tasted death,” since his divinity was not hindered in this respect, and therefore he showed a diminution “for a short time” from his usual state. He appears also here to share the honor because of his connection with the other nature. It is most natural that those who have heard these things would think that the indwelling of the Word of God would be spectacular at the time of his suffering, even though this does not correspond with the things that have been set forth. Yet “without” God he tasted the trial of death, he adds, “For it was fitting for him, on whose account all things exist and through whom all things exist, having led many sons into glory while he was the originator of their salvation to be made perfect through suffering.” It is not that his divinity was not a contributor, he says. For the usual things “were fitting.” … For, let me tell you, the fact of suffering in no way was appropriate for it. But clearly this “it was fitting” confirms the notion of “without God.” For although it was not fitting, Paul himself says that it is fitting, showing at the same time also what sort of things he once did, and what they were. “For it was fitting for him, because of whom and through whom all things exist.” Quite clearly he is speaking about the divine Word, inasmuch as he shared with many his sonship and led them into this glory. He is the “originator” of everybody’s “salvation,” our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the one who is said flatly to have been accepted as a perfect man through his sufferings, so that also Christ’s nature and God’s grace might be made manifest.

Source: FRAGMENTS ON THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS 2.9-10
[AD 428] Theodore of Mopsuestia on Hebrews 2:9
In this account of the sonship, the apostle appears to include the man who was assumed with the “many,” not because, like them, he received the sonship by grace, since the Godhead alone possesses the sonship by nature.

Source: FRAGMENTS ON THE TREATISE ON THE INCARNATION 12.2
[AD 458] Theodoret of Cyrus on Hebrews 2:9
Since Paul called him both maker and Lord of the angels, and this seemed somehow beyond belief to those being taught that the nature of the angels is immortal and yet hearing of the passion of Christ the Lord, he was obliged to offer instruction on this as well. He was made less than the angels not in the divine nature but in his suffering humanity; this shared in divine glory after the resurrection. Of course, he endured the suffering for all: everything in possession of created nature needed this healing. He said as much, in fact, “so that apart from God he would taste death for everyone,” only the divine nature is without need (he is saying); all other things needed the remedy of the incarnation. By becoming man God the Word destroyed the power of death; in destroying it he promised us resurrection, to resurrection he linked incorruptibility and immortality, and visible things also will share in incorruptibility.

Source: INTERPRETATION OF HEBREWS 2
[AD 990] Oecumenius on Hebrews 2:9
Note that the Nestorians stumble against the Scripture and so they read “so that without God he tasted death for all,” constructing the argument that Christ had an indwelling of the Word of God but not union with it, because he did not have his divinity when he was crucified. For they say that it is written “without God he tasted death.” But see how a certain orthodox man answered. First, the text reads “by the grace of God.” Moreover, even if we understand it to read “apart from [without] God,” it ought to be understood in the sense that Christ died for all the other beings except for God, for he died not only for humanity but also for the powers above, that “he might break down the dividing wall” and unite the lower beings with the higher ones. Similar to this is that statement which is said elsewhere, “But when it says, ‘All things are put in subjection under him,’ it is plain that the One is excepted who put all things under him.”

Source: FRAGMENTS ON THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS 2.9
[AD 1022] Symeon the New Theologian on Hebrews 2:9
But let us look, if you will, and examine closely the mystery of the resurrection of Christ our God, the very thing that mystically comes to be in us as we wish, and how in us Christ is buried in us as in a tomb, and how being united to our souls, he rises up and raises us with him. This is the goal of this discussion.Christ our God was hanged upon a cross and nailed upon it the sin of the world, tasting death and descending to the lower parts of Hades. Then again, rising from Hades he returned to his own undefiled body, from which in his descent he was in no way separated. And immediately he arose from the dead and went up from there to heaven with great glory and power. So we now come from the world and enter through the sufferings of the Lord43 into a repentance and humiliation of burial like his, who himself came down from heaven and took on our body as a tomb, and united with our souls he raises them from the dead, which most surely they were. Then he permits those who were raised with Christ to see the glory of his mystical resurrection.

Source: DISCOURSE 13.2
[AD 220] Tertullian on Hebrews 2:10
Of course the houses of none but married men fare well! The families of celibates, the estates of eunuchs, the fortunes of military men, or of such as travel without wives, have gone to rack and ruin! For are not we, too, soldiers? Soldiers, indeed, subject to all the stricter discipline, that we are subject to so great a General? Are not we, too, travellers in this world? Why moreover, Christian, are you so conditioned, that you cannot (so travel) without a wife? "In my present (widowed)state, too, a consort in domestic works is necessary.

Source: On Exhortation to Chastity
[AD 373] Athanasius of Alexandria on Hebrews 2:10
If all things made by the will of God were made by God, how can God be one of the things that were made? And since the apostle says, “for whom and by whom all things exist,” how can these men say we were not made for him, but he for us?

Source: LETTER TO THE BISHOPS OF EGYPT 2.15
[AD 407] John Chrysostom on Hebrews 2:10
4. "For it became Him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the Captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings." He speaks here of the Father. Do you see how again he applies the [expression] "by whom" to Him? Which he would not have done, had it been [an expression] of inferiority, and only applicable to the Son. And what he says is this:— He has done what is worthy of His love towards mankind, in showing His First-born to be more glorious than all, and in setting Him forth as an example to the others, like some noble wrestler that surpasses the rest.

"The Captain of their salvation," that is, the Cause of their salvation. Do you see how great is the space between? Both He is a Son, and we are sons; but He saves, we are saved. Do you see how He both brings us together and then separates us; "bringing," he says, "many sons unto glory": here he brings us together —"the Captain of their salvation," again he separates.

"To make perfect through sufferings." Then sufferings are a perfecting, and a cause of salvation. Do you see that to suffer affliction is not the portion of those who are utterly forsaken; if indeed it was by this that God first honored His Son, by leading Him through sufferings? And truly His taking flesh to suffer what He did suffer, is a far greater thing than making the world, and bringing it out of things that are not. This indeed also is [a token] of His loving-kindness, but the other far more. And [the Apostle] himself also pointing out this very thing, says, "That in the ages to come He might show forth the exceeding riches of His goodness, He both raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus." [Ephesians 2:7]

"For it became Him for whom are all things and by whom are all things in bringing many sons to glory, to make the Captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings." For (he means) it became Him who takes tender care, and brought all things into being, to give up the Son for the salvation of the rest, the One for the many. However he did not express himself thus, but, "to make perfect through sufferings," showing the suffering for any one, not merely profits "him," but he himself also becomes more glorious and more perfect. And this too he says in reference to the faithful, comforting them by the way: for Christ was glorified then when He suffered. But when I say, He was glorified, do not suppose that there was an accession of glory to Him: for that which is of nature He always had, and received nothing in addition.

Source: Homily 4 on Hebrews
[AD 407] John Chrysostom on Hebrews 2:10
By saying “to make perfect through suffering,” he shows that the one who suffers for someone not only helps him but becomes himself more glorious and more perfect.… But when I say he was glorified, do not suppose there was an addition of glory to him; for he always had that glory by nature and received nothing in addition.

Source: ON THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS 4.4
[AD 407] John Chrysostom on Hebrews 2:10
Sufferings are a perfecting and a cause of salvation. Do you see that to suffer affliction is not the fate of those who are utterly forsaken, if indeed it was by leading him through sufferings that God first honored his Son? And truly, his taking flesh to suffer what he suffered is a far greater thing than creating the world out of things that are not. This is indeed a token of his lovingkindness, but the other far more.

Source: ON THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS 4.4
[AD 407] John Chrysostom on Hebrews 2:10
God has done what is worthy of God’s love toward humankind in showing the firstborn to be more glorious than all and in setting him forth as an example to the others, like some noble wrestler who surpasses the rest.Paul says, “The pioneer of their salvation,” that is, the cause of their salvation. Do you see what a vast difference there is between the two? He is a Son, and we are sons and daughters; but he saves, and we are saved. Do you see how Paul both brings us together and then separates us? By saying, “bringing many sons to glory,” he brings us together; by saying, “the pioneer of their salvation,” he separates us.

Source: ON THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS 4.4
[AD 428] Theodore of Mopsuestia on Hebrews 2:10
And the pioneer of all men’s salvation, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the man assumed by him, is declared perfect through sufferings in such a way that both his own nature and God’s grace are made evident.

Source: COMMENTARY ON HEBREWS 2.9-10
[AD 258] Cyprian on Hebrews 2:11
For consider what glory it is to set aside the lusts of this life, and to oppose a mind withdrawn from all commerce with nature and the world, to all the opposition of the adversary, and to have no dread of the cruelty of the torturer; that a man should be animated by the suffering whereby he might be believed to be destroyed, and should take to himself, as an enhancement of his strength, that which the punisher thinks will aggravate his torments. For although the hook, springing forth from the stiffening ribs, is put back again into the wound, and with the repeated strokes of the whip the returning lash is drawn away with the rent portions of the flesh; still he stands immoveable, the stronger for his sufferings, revolving only this in his mind, that in that brutality of the executioners Christ Himself is suffering more in proportion to what he suffers. For since, if he should deny the Lord, he would incur guilt on His behalf for whom he ought to have overcome, it is essential that He should be seen to bear all things to whom the victory is due, even in the suffering.

Source: Pseudo-Cyprian On the Glory of Martyrdom
[AD 407] John Chrysostom on Hebrews 2:11-12
5. "For," he says, "both He that sanctifies, and they who are sanctified, are all of one, for which cause He is not ashamed to call them brethren." Behold again how he brings [them] together, honoring and comforting them, and making them brethren of Christ, in this respect that they are "of one." Then again guarding himself and showing that he is speaking of that which is according to the flesh, he introduces, "For He who sanctifies," [i.e.] Christ, "and they who are sanctified," ourselves. Do you see how great is the difference? He sanctifies, we are sanctified. And above he said, "the Captain of their salvation. For there is one God, of whom are all things." [1 Corinthians 8:6]

"For which cause He is not ashamed to call them brethren." Do you see how again he shows the superiority? For by saying, "He is not ashamed," he shows that the whole comes not of the nature of the thing, but of the loving affection of Him who was "not ashamed" of anything, [yea] of His great humility. For though we be "of one," yet He sanctifies and we are sanctified: and great is the difference. Moreover "He" is of the Father, as a true Son, that is, of His substance; "we," as created, that is, brought out of things that are not, so that the difference is great. Wherefore he says, "He is not ashamed to call them brethren" [Hebrews 2:12], "saying, I will declare Your name unto My brethren." [Psalm 22:22] For when He clothed Himself with flesh, He clothed Himself also with the brotherhood, and at the same time came in the brotherhood.

Source: Homily 4 on Hebrews
[AD 407] John Chrysostom on Hebrews 2:11-12
“He is not ashamed to call them brethren.” Do you see how again he shows the superiority? For by saying, “he is not ashamed,” he shows that the whole comes not of the nature of the thing but of the loving affection of him who was “not ashamed” of anything, yes, of his great humility. For though we are “of one origin,” yet he sanctifies and we are sanctified, and great is the difference. Moreover “he” is of the Father as a true Son, that is, of his substance; “we” as created, that is, brought out of things that are not, so that the difference is great. Therefore he says, “He is not ashamed to call them brethren, saying, ‘I will declare your name to my brothers and sisters.’ ” For when he clothed himself with flesh, he clothed himself also with his siblings, and at the same time came in human form.

Source: ON THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS 4.5
[AD 430] Augustine of Hippo on Hebrews 2:11-12
Insofar as he is the only begotten, he is without sibling, but insofar as he is the “firstborn” he has deigned to call all those his siblings who, subsequent to and in virtue of his being first, are born again unto God’s grace through filial adoption, in accordance with the teaching of the apostle.

Source: On Faith and the Creed 4.6
[AD 458] Theodoret of Cyrus on Hebrews 2:11-12
“The one who sanctifies and those who are sanctified have all one origin.” This is a reference to the humanity of the one who sanctifies, for the assumed nature is created. The creator of him and of us is one. We are sanctified through him. Now if the heretics wish to understand this of the divine nature, let them not do so in such a way as to lessen the glory of the only begotten. For both we and he have one Father; but it is clear that he is Son by nature, we by grace. The fact that it says, “He sanctifies, but we are sanctified,” teaches us this difference.

Source: INTERPRETATION OF HEBREWS 2
[AD 458] Theodoret of Cyrus on Hebrews 2:11-12
How would it be possible to name him our brother or to call us sons and daughters properly if it were not for the nature—the same as ours—with which he was clothed?… And it was especially necessary for Paul to say “in the same way” so that he might refute the reproach of making the incarnation a fantasy. He makes all of these points in order to teach those who suppose that the Son was lower than the angels that he endured suffering for a necessary reason. He explains this more clearly in what follows.

Source: INTERPRETATION OF HEBREWS 2.14-15
[AD 893] Photios I of Constantinople on Hebrews 2:11-12
“He will not be ashamed.” He highlighted the difference. Even though he is truly human, he is our brother not according to nature but according to his love toward humankind, as he remains truly God.

Source: FRAGMENTS ON THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS 2.11
[AD 407] John Chrysostom on Hebrews 2:13
This indeed he brings forward naturally. But this "I will put my trust in Him" [2 Samuel 22:3], what does it mean? For what follows this is also [introduced] naturally. "Behold, I and the children which God has given Me." [385 8:18] For as here He shows Himself a Father, so before, a Brother. "I will declare Your name unto My brethren," He says.

And again he indicates the superiority and the great interval [between us], by what follows [Hebrews 2:14]: "Since then the children," he says, "are partakers of flesh and blood" you see where he says the likeness is? In reference to the flesh), "in like manner He also Himself took part of the same." Let all the Heretics be ashamed, let those hide their faces who say that He came in appearance and not in reality. For he did not say, "He took part of these" only, and then say no more; although had he said thus, it would have been sufficient, but he asserted something more, adding "in like manner," not in appearance, he means, or by an image (since in that case "in like manner" is not preserved) but in reality; showing the brotherhood.

Source: Homily 4 on Hebrews
[AD 428] Theodore of Mopsuestia on Hebrews 2:13
He [Christ] has given us in holy baptism regeneration, and by this he makes us his own body, his own flesh, his offspring—as it is written, “Here am I, and the children God has given me.”

Source: CATECHETICAL HOMILIES 16.25
[AD 458] Theodoret of Cyrus on Hebrews 2:13
The phrase “he is not ashamed” suffices to bring out the difference in sonship. Speaking of masters and slaves we are accustomed to bring out the humility of masters by saying, “He is not afraid to eat and drink with his servants, to sit with them and personally to tend those of them who are ill.” So this is what he is implying here as well, that the one who for our sakes accepted suffering is not ashamed to call “brethren” those for whom he endured the suffering—and not only “brethren,” he also calls them “children.” Likewise the Lord in the sacred Gospels said to the divine apostles, “Little children, yet a little while I am with you,” and again, “Children, have you any fish?” He also shows that what is said in lowly fashion is said in reference to the incarnation: to the phrase “he is not ashamed” he linked “I shall have trust in him,” that is, he is not ashamed on account of the salvation of humankind even to use language at variance with his own dignity.

Source: INTERPRETATION OF HEBREWS 2
[AD 1274] Thomas Aquinas on Hebrews 2:13
121. - Above, the Apostle, desiring to prove Christ’s eminence over the angels, relied on the authority of a prophet who said something pertaining to Christ’s dignity, such as, ‘you put everything in subjection under his feet’, and something pertaining to His Passion, namely, ‘you have made him a little less than the angels’. But this seems to militate against his chief intention, which is to prefer Christ over the angels. Consequently, he explains this more fully in this section, where he does three thing: first, he shows in what sense that lessening is to be understood; secondly, he describes the suitability of the Passion (v. 10) In regard to the first he does two things: first, he explains a statement he made; secondly, he describes the Passion (v. 9b).

122. - He said therefore: What is man that you are mindful of him? You have crowned him with glory and honor. You have subjected all things under his feet. You have made him a little lower than the angels. These are the things the prophet predicted of Christ, and already we see many of them fulfilled. Hence, it is certain that the rest will be fulfilled, namely, that all things will be subjected under his feet. ‘The accomplishments of the past give assurance for the future’ (Gregory). Then he continues, but we see Jesus, who for a little while, was made lower than the angels, crowned with glory and honor for suffering death, which was the cause of His exaltation: ‘For which cause God also exalted him’ (Phil. 2:9). He says, of death, because He did not endure just any death, but the bitterest and most shameful: ‘Let us condemn him to a most shameful death’ (Wis. 2:20). Or, another way: We see Jesus, and when asked Who He is, answers: He Who by suffering death was made a little lower than the angels and then crowned with honor and glory. This lessening was due only to His suffering of death. Nor is this strange, because in this respect He is not only lower than the angels, but lower than men: ‘Despised and the most abject of men’ (Is. 53:2). A Gloss of Augustine against Maximus says that Christ was made a little lower than the angels, not because of a condition of His nature but because of the Passion. For as to the nature of the human mind, which Christ assumed without sin, nothing is greater but the Trinity alone. In body He is less than the angels, because He suffered in his body. But this seems to be contrary to Dionysius, who says that angels are greater than men by reason of their natural participation in light. The answer is that we can speak two ways about the nature of the human mind and the angelic mind: in one way, according to what is natural, and then the angelic mind is more excellent and more noble than the nature of the human mind, because an angel receives knowledge of divine truth in a more excellent and fuller intellectual light, but man from creatures. In another way, we can consider the nature of each without sin in relation to happiness; they are then equal: ‘They will be as the angels in heaven’ (Mt. 22:30). Yet by reason of His excellent grace Christ in His human nature is greater than the angels. Consequently, His lessening is not in relation to the nature of His divinity nor absolutely according to His human nature, but in the sense that He suffered according to it. But we can say that Christ was crowned with a triple glory, namely, with the glory of holiness, which He had in the first instant of His conception; secondly, with the glory of the beatific vision, because from the first instant of His conception He possessed it; thirdly, with the glory of incorruptibility, which He merited after the Passion.

123. - Then (v. 9b) he describes Christ’s Passion from three viewpoints: first, from its cause; secondly, from its utility; thirdly from the manner.

124. - Only God’s grace was the cause, for that alone led Him to give His only begotten Son: ‘God so loved the world as to give his only begotten Son’ (Jn. 3:16); ‘But God commends his charity toward us, when as yet we were sinners according to the time Christ died for us’ (Rom. 5:8). Or, according to a Gloss of Augustine, that the grace of God, i.e., Christ Himself, Who is the grace of God, might taste death for all. Here grace is in the nominative case. But Christ is called grace because He is the author of grace: ‘Grace and truth came by Jesus Christ’ (Jn. 1:17). Or, because He is given freely: ‘A son has been given to us’ (Is. 9:6). Then the sense is this: He was made a little lower in order that He Who is the grace of God might taste death for all.

125. - For all: behold the usefulness. But for all can be understood in two ways: first, as applying to all the predestined, since it is only in the predestined that it is efficacious. Secondly, as applying absolutely to all so far as sufficiency is concerned; for of itself it is sufficient for all: ‘Who is the savior of all, but especially of the faithful’ (1 Tim. 4:10); ‘He died for all in general, because the price was sufficient for all. And if all do not believe, he nevertheless fulfilled His part’ (Chrysostom).

126. - Might taste: behold the manner. For a person who has not eaten or drunk much is said to have tasted. Therefore, because Christ did not continue in death but rose at once, He tasted death: ‘He shall drink of the torrent in the way’ (Ps. 109:7). One who is on the way hurries. Furthermore, taste is a discerner of flavor; hence one who tastes discerns more than one who drinks. Therefore, to indicate that He tasted death and pain, and that His death was not imaginary, as Mani and Apollinaris claim, he says, that he might taste death: ‘O, all you that pass by the way, attend and see, if there be any sorrow like to my sorrow’ (Lam. 1:12). But the manner is mentioned when he says, taste. Matthew (26:39) says the same thing: ‘If it be possible, let this chalice pass from me.’ He says this for two reasons: first, to express the bitterness of death, which is experienced by taste: ‘O, all you that pass by the way, attend and see if there be any sorrow like to my sorrow’ (Lam 1:12); ‘The drink shall be bitter to them that drink it’ (Is. 24:9); secondly, because just as tasting or not tasting lie in the power of the taster, so also the Passion of Christ was voluntary: ‘I have the power to lay down my life’ (Jn. 10:18).

127. - Then (v. 10) he shows the suitability from its usefulness. For God the Father is the cause of Christ’s death, since He is the One by whom all things exist as by an efficient cause, and for whom all things exist, as for a final cause. All things are for Him, because they are for communicating His goodness: and this was the cause inducing Him to produce things, and thus all things are finally for God: ‘The Lord has made all things for himself’ (Pr. 16:4). But effectively, all things are by Him: ‘Who made heaven and the sea and all things in it’ (Ps. 145:6); ‘I am the alpha and the omega, the beginning and the end’ (Rev. 1:8). ‘Of him and by him and in him are all things’ (Rom. 11:36). Therefore, it became Him as the author of all things to provide for all: ‘He has equally cared for all’ (Wis. 6:8). Secondly, it was fitting on the part of the cause, which, as has been stated, was the grace of God. But grace is ordained to glory: ‘The grace of God, life everlasting’ (Rom. 6:23). But God from all eternity predestined those whom He would lead to glory, i.e., all those who are adopted sons of God, because ‘if sons, heirs also’ (Rom. 8:17). Therefore, he says, who had brought many sons to glory. As if to say: He has one perfect Son naturally: ‘Therefore, having yet one son most dear to him’ (Mk 12:6); but the others are adopted and, therefore, must be brought into glory. Hence, he says: who had brought, i.e., foreordained them to be brought.

128. - And what was fitting for Him? This, namely, that he should make perfect the pioneer of their salvation, which consists in two things, namely, that they become sons and be brought into their inheritance. That they are sons they owe to the natural Son: ‘Whom he foreknew he also predestined to be made conformable to the image of his son’ (Rom. 8:29). But they obtain glory and the inheritance only through Him Whose inheritance it is by right and Who is the brightness of glory. Therefore, because we obtain those two things through the Son, He is fittingly called the pioneer of salvation: ‘He will save his people from their sins’ (Mt. 1:21); ‘Looking on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith’ (Heb. 12:12). Therefore it was fitting that the Father send the author of salvation, namely, His Son, Who had brought many sons into glory. To be perfected through suffering, i.e., by merit. For He, as the natural Son, is altogether perfect, but because He was lessened in the Passion He had to be made perfect by the merit of the Passion: ‘Ought not Christ to have suffered these things and so to enter into his glory’ (Lk. 24:26)?

129. - Then (v. 11) he proves what he had said. Here he does two things: first, he proves his conclusion on the part of the Father sanctifying; secondly, on the part of the Son sanctified (v. 14). In regard to the first he does two things: first, he states his conclusion; secondly, he proves it by an authority (v. 11b).

130. - He says, therefore: For both he that sanctifies and they that are sanctified have one origin. But it should be noted that the Apostle had said three things above: first, that Christ is the cause of salvation, in which he shows that we depend on Him as on a Savior; secondly, he shows that the Father is the finisher of Christ by the merit of the Passion, so that in this, Christ depends on the Father; thirdly, that the Father brings us into glory, which also shows that we depend on God. Accordingly, the Apostle does three things here: first he shows that we depend on Christ, for the one sanctified depends on the sanctifier: ‘Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people by his own blood, suffered without the gate’ (Heb. 13:12). Therefore, it has been well said that because He is the author and sanctifier, we depend on him; but He depends on the Father, from Whom He has power to sanctify; which is the second. But all, namely, He that sanctifies and we who are sanctified, have one origin, namely, of the Father; this is the third: ‘Heirs of God; co-heirs with Christ’ (Rom. 8:17).

131. - Then he proves there points with three authorities: first, that Christ, as the mediator and author of salvation, brings God’s gifts to us; hence, he says, that is why, namely, because He and we depend on the Father, he is not ashamed to call them brethren, because all are of the same Father: ‘Have we not all one Father’ (Mal 2:10); ‘That he might be the firstborn among many brethren’ (Rom. 8:29). Therefore, it is stated in Ps. 21 (v. 23): ‘I will declare your name to my brethren;’ ‘Go to my brethren’ (Jn. 20:17). But note that he says, he is not ashamed to call them brethren, because some born of an ignoble race are ashamed to recognize their brethren, if they are promoted: ‘The brethren of a poor man hate him’ (Pr. 19:7). But not Christ, for He says, I will proclaim your name to my brethren: ‘Father, I have manifested your name to the men whom you have given me’ (Jn. 17:6); ‘The only begotten who is in the bosom of the Father, he has declared him’ (Jn. 1:18).

132. - Then he shows the fruit of this manifestation when he says, in the midst of the congregation will I praise you. As if to say: This forms a great Church in the midst of which I will praise you. He says, in the midst, because just as a pillar in the midst of a house supports it and a lamp in the midst of a house gives light and the heart in the midst of the body gives life, so Christ is in the midst of the Church. Furthermore, in the midst, because He was not sent to one people, as Moses was: ‘In Judea God is known; his name is great in Israel’ (Ps. 75:2), but He was sent for the salvation of all: ‘He has wrought salvation in the midst of the earth’ (Ps. 73:12). Therefore, it is stated in Lk (24:36) that Jesus stood in the midst of His disciples. On this point it should be noted that before the Law it was the custom that all the firstborn were priests, and this pertained to the right of primogeniture. But Christ is a brother and firstborn; therefore, He is a priest. But a priest who sanctifies the people is a mediator between God and the people: ‘I was the mediator and stood between the Lord and you at that time’ (Dt. 5:5). Therefore, it pertains to him to announce the things of God to the people and to bring the things of the people to God. He does the first by preaching; hence, he says, I will proclaim your name to my brethren, i.e., I will bring them to know you, and this to sanctify them: ‘Sanctify them in the truth’ (Jn. 17:17). The second He accomplishes by doing, when He makes men burst forth in praise of God. Hence, he says, in the midst of the congregation will I praise you.

133. - Then when he says, and again, he shows that Christ Himself depends on the Father by the fact that He says, I will put my trust in him: ‘In you, Lord, have I hoped; let me never be confounded’ (Ps. 30:2). But he shows the kind of hope He has, namely, firm hope, which is called trust: for hope, even though it is not concerned with the impossible, sometimes has fear joined to it, and then it his properly called hope. But sometimes hope is firm and without fear; then it is called trust. This is the hope Christ had.

134. - He says, therefore, I will put my trust in him, i.e., I will have confidence in His help. But the saints say that in Christ there is neither faith nor hope, but only charity. I answer that hope is one thing and trust another: for hope is the expectation of future happiness; and this was not in Christ, because He was happy from the instant of His conception. But trust is the expectation of help, and in regard to this there was hope in Christ, inasmuch as He awaited help from the Father during His Passion. Therefore, whenever we read that Christ had hope, this is not to be understood as referring to its principal, which is happiness, but as referring to the glory of the resurrection and of the glory conferred on His body.

135. - Then when he repeats, and again, he shows that we depend on the Father: Here am I and the children whom God has given me: ‘Yours they were and to me you gave them’ (Jn. 17:6); ‘Children, have you any fish’ (Jn. 21:5)? They are called children on account of their purity: ‘If the young men be clean especially from women’ (1 Sam. 21:4); and a bit later he continues: ‘The vessels of the young men were holy.’ They are called children because of their purity: ‘Behold, I and the children whom the Lord has given me are signs and portents in Israel from the Lord of hosts’ (Is. 8:18). Also on account of their simplicity: ‘Brethren do not become children in sense: but in malice be children’ (1 Cor. 14:20); also because of their humility: ‘unless you be converted and become as little children, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven’ (Mt. 18:3). He shows that not only is He from God, but also the children; hence he continues, whom God has given me. This shows that both he that sanctifies and they that are sanctified have all one origin, because it says in Jn (6:44): ‘No one can come to me, unless the Father who sent me draw him.’
[AD 215] Clement of Alexandria on Hebrews 2:14
Perish, then, the savage beasts whose food is blood! For it is unlawful for men, whose body is nothing but flesh elaborated of blood, to touch blood. For human blood has become a partaker of the Word:

Source: Clement of Alexandria The Instructor Book III
[AD 339] Eusebius of Caesarea on Hebrews 2:14
Now the laws of love summoned him even as far as death and the dead themselves, so that he might summon the souls of those who were long dead. And so, because he cared for the salvation of all for ages past, and in order that “he might destroy him who has the power of death,” as Scripture teaches, here again he underwent the dis-pensation in his mingled natures. As a man, he left his body to the usual burial, while as God he departed from it. For he cried with a loud cry and said to the Father, “I commend my spirit,” and departed from the body free, in no way waiting for death, who was lagging as if in fear to come to him. Nay, rather, he pursued death from behind and drove him on, trodden under his feet and fleeing, until he burst the eternal gates of his dark realms, making a road of return back again to life for the dead there bound with the bonds of death. Even his own body was raised up, and many bodies of the sleeping saints arose and came together with him into the holy and real city of heaven, as rightly is said by the holy words. …The Savior of the universe, our Lord, the Christ of God, called victor, is represented in the prophetic predictions as reviling death and releasing the souls that are bound there, by whom he raises the hymn of victory. And he says these words: “From the hand of Hades I will save them, and from death I will ransom their souls. O Death where is your victory? O Death, where is your sting?” “The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.”

Source: PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 4.12
[AD 386] Cyril of Jerusalem on Hebrews 2:14
For since the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also Himself likewise partook of the same (Heb 2.14), that having been made partakers of His presence in the flesh we might be made partakers also of His Divine grace: thus Jesus was baptized, that thereby we again by our participation might receive both salvation and honour. According to Job, there was in the waters the dragon that draws up the Jordan into his mouth (Job 40.23). Since,


therefore, it was necessary to break the heads of the dragon in pieces (Ps 74.14), He went down and bound the strong one in the waters, that we might receive power to tread upon serpents and scorpions (Luke 10.19). The beast was great and terrible. No fishing- vessel was able to carry one scale of his tail (Job 40.26): destruction ran before him (Job 41.13), ravaging all that met him. The Life encountered him, that the mouth of Death might henceforth be stopped, and all we that are saved might say, O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory (1 Cor 15.55)? The sting of death is drowned by Baptism. - "Catechetical Lectures; 3, Chapter 11"
[AD 386] Cyril of Jerusalem on Hebrews 2:14
Jesus sanctified baptism when he himself was baptized. If the Son of God was baptized, can anyone who scorns baptism pretend to piety? Not that he was baptized to receive the remission of sins—for he was without sin—but, being sinless, he was nevertheless baptized that he might impart grace and dignity to those who receive the sacrament. For, “since the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same nature,” that we, sharing his incarnate life, might also share his divine grace. Thus Jesus was baptized that we, in turn, so made partakers with him, might receive not only salvation but also the dignity. The dragon, according to Job, was in the water, he who received the Jordan in his maw. When, therefore, it was necessary to crush the heads of the dragon, descending into the water, he bound the strong one, that we might receive the “power to tread upon serpents and scorpions.” It was no ordinary beast, but a horrible monster. No fishing ship could last under a single scale of his tail; before him stalked destruction, ravaging all in her path. But life came running up, that that maw of death might be stopped and all we who were saved might say, “O death, where is your sting? O grave, where is your victory?” Baptism draws death’s sting.

Source: Catechetical Lecture 3:11
[AD 390] Gregory of Nazianzus on Hebrews 2:14
He surrenders his life, yet has the power to take it again. Yes, the veil is rent, for things of heaven are being revealed, rocks are being split, and dead men have an earlier awakening. He dies but he brings to life, and by death he destroys death. He is buried, yet he rises again. He goes down to hades, yet he leads souls up, ascends to heaven, and will come to judge the quick and dead.

Source: ON THE SON, THEOLOGICAL ORATION 3(29).20
[AD 397] Ambrose of Milan on Hebrews 2:14
See in what way the writer calls him created: “In so far as he took upon him the seed of Abraham,” plainly asserting the begetting of a body. How else, indeed, but in his body did he expiate the sins of the people? In what did he suffer, except in his body—even as we said above: “Christ having suffered in the flesh”? In what is he a priest, except in that which he took to himself from the priestly nation? It is a priest’s duty to offer something, and, according to the law, to enter into the holy places by means of blood. Seeing then that God had rejected the blood of bulls and goats, this High Priest was indeed bound to make passage and entry into the holy of holies in heaven through his own blood in order that he might be the everlasting propitiation for our sins. Priest and victim, then, are one; the priesthood and sacrifice are, however, exercised under the conditions of humanity, for he was led as a lamb to the slaughter, and he is a priest after the order of Melchizedek.

Source: Exposition of the Christian Faith 3. [86-87]
[AD 407] John Chrysostom on Hebrews 2:14
6. Next he sets down also the cause of the economy. "That through death," he says, "He might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil."

Here he points out the wonder, that by what the devil prevailed, by that was he overcome, and the very thing which was his strong weapon against the world, [namely], Death, by this Christ smote him. In this he exhibits the greatness of the conqueror's power. Do you see how great good death has wrought?

Source: Homily 4 on Hebrews
[AD 407] John Chrysostom on Hebrews 2:14
“Since therefore the children,” he says, “share in flesh and blood,” do you see where he says the likeness is? It is in reference to the flesh that “he himself likewise partook of the same.” Let all the heretics be ashamed, let those hide their faces who say that he came in appearance and not in reality. For he did not say, “he took part of these” only and then say no more, although, had he said thus, it would have been sufficient. Rather he asserted something more, adding “likewise”—not in appearance, he means, or by an image, but in reality, showing his brotherhood with us.

Source: ON THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS 4.5
[AD 407] John Chrysostom on Hebrews 2:14
Next he sets down also the cause of the economy of salvation, “that through death,” he says, “he might destroy him who has the power of death, that is, the devil.” Here [Paul] points out the wonder that, by that through which the devil prevailed, [the devil] was himself overcome. By the very thing that was [the devil’s] strong weapon against the world—death—Christ struck him. In this Christ exhibits the greatness of the conqueror’s power. Do you see what great goodness death has wrought?

Source: ON THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS 4.6
[AD 444] Cyril of Alexandria on Hebrews 2:14
It was not otherwise possible for man, being of a perishable nature, to escape death, unless he recovered that ancient grace, and partook once more of God who holds all things together in being and preserves them in life through the Son in The Spirit. Therefore His Only-Begotten Word has become a partaker of flesh and blood (Heb 2.14), that is, he has become man, though being Life by nature.., so that, having united himself with the flesh which perishes according to the law of its own nature... He might restore it to His own life and render it though himself a partaker of God the Father... And He wears our nature, refashioning it to his own Life. - "Commentary on John 14:20"
[AD 444] Cyril of Alexandria on Hebrews 2:14
For existing essentially as life, the only begotten Word of God united himself to earthy and mortal flesh in order that death, which was pursuing it like some wild beast, might thereafter relax its hold … Indeed, if the only begotten Word of God did not become human, but rather united to himself the external form [prosōpon] of a man, as is the opinion of those who define the union only by good pleasure and by an inclination of will, how would he be likened to “his brethren in all respects”?… How would he have “shared in blood and flesh” unless these had become his own as they are ours?

Source: COMMENTARY ON HEBREWS
[AD 444] Cyril of Alexandria on Hebrews 2:14
We say that he partook of blood and flesh in accordance with the meaning established by the interpreters of God. By “he” we do not mean the one who was in flesh and blood by his own nature and could not exist otherwise, but rather the one who never existed in this way and was of a nature different from ours.… For the Word became flesh, only not sinful flesh.… He was God and human at the same time.

Source: ON THE UNITY OF CHRIST 744
[AD 444] Cyril of Alexandria on Hebrews 2:14
Therefore, the one Lord Jesus Christ must not be divided into two sons. The correct expression of the faith is not assisted by taking this line, even when some allege that there is a union of persons, for Scripture says not that the Logos united to himself the person of the human being but that he became flesh. And for the Logos to become flesh is nothing other than for him to “share flesh and blood as we do,” to make his own a body from among us, and to be born of a woman as a human being. He did not depart from his divine status or cease to be born of the Father; he continued to be what he was, even in taking on flesh. This is what the correct teaching of the faith everywhere proclaims. And this is how we shall find the holy fathers conceived things. Accordingly, they boldly called the Virgin “God’s mother” (Theotokos) not because the nature of the Logos or the deity took the start of its existence in the holy Virgin, but because the holy body which was born of her possessed a rational soul to which the Logos was hypostatically united and was said to have had a fleshly birth.

Source: SECOND LETTER TO NESTORIUS
[AD 662] Maximus the Confessor on Hebrews 2:14
He destroys the tyranny of the evil one who dominated us by deceit. By casting at him as a weapon the flesh that was vanquished in Adam, he overcame him. Thus what was previously captured for death conquers the conqueror and destroys his life by a natural death. It became poison to him in order that he might vomit up all those whom he had swallowed when he held sway by having the power of death. But it became life to the human race by impelling the whole of nature to rise like dough to resurrection of life. It was for this especially that the Logos, who is God, became human—something truly unheard of—and voluntarily accepted the death of the flesh.

Source: THE LORD’S PRAYER 348
[AD 893] Photios I of Constantinople on Hebrews 2:14
Human beings had been afraid of death because they are held in slavery. The slavery of death means to be a subject of sin. “The sting of death is sin.” Now, by his death Christ destroyed “the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil,” the inventor and the leader of sin. Sin became a disease. However, as we have been released from the oppression of that slavery, so we have been also delivered from the fear of death. And that is evident from the following illustrations. Before we feared and tried to avoid death as the supreme and invincible evil, but now we perceive it as prelude transition into the superior life and accept it joyously from those who persecute us for the sake of Christ and his commandments.

Source: FRAGMENTS ON THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS 2.14-15
[AD 990] Oecumenius on Hebrews 2:14
And how does he rule over death? Since he rules over sin from which death has its power, he also rules over death. Sin, at any rate, is the power of death. Then having a sacrifice for sin and being the agent of the sacrifice, he has the power over death.… Through his own death he rendered sin ineffective and held the devil under his power, who is the strength and power of death. For if sin had not had power over humankind, death would not have entered the world.

Source: FRAGMENTS ON THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS 2.14
[AD 373] Ephrem the Syrian on Hebrews 2:15
“Since therefore the children,” summoned through his promise, “share in flesh and blood,” that is sin, as signified by flesh, “and he himself likewise partook of the same nature” in the likeness of flesh, he was mingled with them, so that he might become for them a model of goodness. He consigned himself to death, so that through his death “he might destroy him who has the power of death, that is, the devil,” who instilled death into living creatures when the fruit was eaten. So he died in order “to free,” through his death, those over whom the fear of death ruled and “who were, for all their lives, subject to the slavery of eternal death.” You do not receive the medicine that vivifies your life from angels, but from the seed itself of Abraham, to whom it was said, “In your seed all nations will be blessed.” “So he had to become similar in everything …” to the children of Abraham, “in order to become as merciful” as Moses, who, as an image of the Son, devoted himself to the salvation of the children of his nation. And [he had to become similar] also in order to become faithful and save all the nations from death, like Aaron, who in the mystery of the Son repelled death from the children of his generation by using the censor, which he received to oppose death. God appointed him high priest not for those things which are generously given to us through sacrifices, as through Eleazar, but for those which are spiritually granted to us in him: that is, in order that he becomes the propitiator through baptism and not through aspersion.“Because he himself has suffered and been tempted”—that is, he was tempted through his becoming connatural with us—he is able to assist those who are infirm in their weakness and victims of temptation. In fact, he is now made aware of … the weakness of flesh and knows humans more fully after clothing himself with flesh.

Source: COMMENTARY ON THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS
[AD 407] John Chrysostom on Hebrews 2:15
"And should deliver them," he says, "who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage." Why (he means) do ye shudder? Why do you fear him that has been brought to nought? He is no longer terrible, but has been trodden under foot, has been utterly despised; he is vile and of no account. [2 Timothy 1:10]

But what is "through fear of death were all their life-time subject to bondage"? He either means this, that he who fears death is a slave, and submits to all things rather than die; or this, that all men were slaves of death and were held under his power, because he had not yet been done away; or that men lived in continual fear, ever expecting that they should die, and being afraid of death, could have no sense of pleasure, while this fear was present with them. For this he hinted at in saying, "All their life-time." He here shows that the afflicted, the harassed, the persecuted, those that are deprived of country and of substance and of all other things, spend their lives more sweetly and more freely than they of old time who were in luxury, who suffered no such afflictions, who were in continual prosperity, if indeed these "all their life-time" were under this fear and were slaves; while the others have been made free and laugh at that which they shudder at. For this is now as if, when one was being led away to a captivity leading to death, and in continual expectation of it, one should feed him up with abundant dainties (something such as this was Death of old); but now, as if some one taking away that fear together with the dainties, were to promise a contest, and propose a combat that should lead no longer to death, but to a kingdom. Of which number would you have wished to be — those who are fed up in the prison-house, while every day looking for their sentence, or those who contend much and labor willingly, that they may crown themselves with the diadem of the kingdom? Do you see how he has raised up their soul, and made them elated? He shows too, that not death alone has been put an end to, but that thereby he also who is ever showing that war without truce against us, I mean the devil, has been brought to nought; since he that fears not death is out of reach of the devil's tyranny. For if "skin for skin, yea all things a man would give for his life" [Job 2:4]— when any one has determined to disregard even this, of what henceforward will he be the slave? He fears no one, he is in terror of no one, he is higher than all, and more free than all. For he that disregards his own life, much more [does he disregard] all other things. And when the devil finds a soul such as this, he can accomplish in it none of his works. For what? Tell me, shall he threaten the loss of property, and degradation, and banishment from one's country? But these are small matters to him who "counts not even his life dear" [Acts 20:24] unto him, according to the blessed Paul. You see that in casting out the tyranny of death, he also overthrew the strength of the devil. For he who has learned to study innumerable [truths] concerning the resurrection, how should he fear death? How should he shudder any more?

7. Therefore be ye not grieved, saying, why do we suffer such and such things? For so the victory becomes more glorious. And it would not have been glorious, unless by death He had destroyed death; but the most wonderful thing is that He conquered him by the very means by which he was strong, showing in every point the abundance of His means, and the excellence of His contrivances. Let us not then prove false to the gift bestowed on us. "For we," he says, "have received not a spirit of fear, but a spirit of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." [Romans 8:15; 2 Timothy 1:7] Let us stand then nobly, laughing death to scorn.

But [I pause] for it comes over me to groan bitterly [at the thought of] whither Christ has raised us up, and whither we have brought ourselves down. For when I see the wailings in the public places, the groanings over those departing life, the howlings, the other unseemly behavior, believe me, I am ashamed before those heathen, and Jews, and heretics who see it, and before all who for this cause openly laugh us to scorn. For whatever I may afterwards say, I shall talk to no purpose, when philosophizing concerning the resurrection. Why? Because the heathen do not attend to what is said by me, but to what is done by you. For they will say at once, 'when will any of these [fellows] be able to despise death, when he is not able to see another dead?'

Beautiful things were spoken by Paul, beautiful and worthy of Heaven, and of the love of God to man. For what does he say? "And He shall deliver them who through fear of death, were all their life-time subject to bondage." But ye do not allow these things to be believed, fighting against them by your deeds. And yet many things exist for this very end, God building a stronghold against it, that He might destroy this same evil custom. For tell me, what mean the bright torches? Do we not send them before as athletes? And what [mean] the hymns? Do we not glorify God, and give thanks that at last He has crowned the departed one, that He has freed him from his labors, that taking away uncertainty, He has him with Himself? Are not the Hymns for this? Is not Psalmody for this? All these are the acts of those rejoicing. "For," it is said, "is any merry? Let him sing psalms." [James 5:13] But to these things the heathen give no heed. For (one will say) do not tell me of him who is philosophical when out of the affliction, for this is nothing great or surprising — show me a man who in the very affliction itself is philosophical, and then I will believe the resurrection,

And indeed, that women engaged in the affairs of this life should act thus is no way surprising. And yet indeed this even is dreadful; for from them also is the same philosophy required. Wherefore also Paul says, "But concerning them which are asleep, I would not have you ignorant, that you sorrow not even as the rest who have no hope." [1 Thessalonians 4:13] He wrote not this to solitaries, nor to perpetual virgins, but to women and men in the world. But however this is not so dreadful. But when any man or woman, professing to be crucified to the world, he tears his hair, and she shrieks violently — what can be more unseemly than this? Believe me when I say if things were done as they ought, such persons should be excluded for a long time from the thresholds of the Church. For those who are indeed worthy of being grieved for, are these who still fear and shudder at death, who have no faith in the resurrection.

'But I do not disbelieve the resurrection' (one says) 'but I long after his society.' Why then, tell me, when he goes from home, and that for a long absence, dost not thou do the same? 'Yea, but I do weep then also' (she says) 'and mourn as I long after him.' But that is the conduct of those that really long after their associates, this that of her who despairs of his return.

Think, what you sing on that occasion, "Return unto your rest, O my soul, for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you." [Psalm 116:7] And again, "I will fear no evil, for You are with me." [Psalm 23:4] And again, "You are my refuge from the affliction which encompasses me." [Psalm 32:7] Think what these Psalms mean. But thou dost not give heed, but art drunk from grief.

Consider carefully the funeral lamentations of others that you may have a remedy in your own case. "Return, O my soul, to your rest, for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you." Tell me, do you say that the Lord has dealt bountifully with you, and weepest? Is not this mere acting, is it not hypocrisy? For if indeed thou really believest the things you say, your sorrow is superfluous: but if you are in sport and acting a part, and thinkest these things fables, why do you sing psalms? Why do you even endure the attendants? Why do you not drive away the singers? But this would be the act of madmen. And yet far more the other.

For the present, then, I advise you: but as time goes on, I shall treat the matter more seriously: for indeed I am greatly afraid that by this practice some grievous disease may make its way into the Church. The case of the wailings then we will hereafter correct. And meanwhile I charge and testify, both to rich and poor, both to women and men.

May God indeed grant that you all depart out of life unwailed, and according to the fitting rule fathers now grown old may be attended to their graves by sons, and mothers by daughters, and grand-children, and great grand-children, in a green old age, and that untimely death may in no case occur. May this then be, and this I pray, and I exhort the prelates and all of you to beseech God for each other, and to make this prayer in common. But if (which God forbid, and may it never happen) any bitter death should occur, bitter, I mean, not in its nature (for henceforth there is no bitter death, for it differs not at all from sleep), but bitter in regard of your disposition, if it should happen, and any should hire these mourning women, believe me when I say (I speak not without meaning but as I have resolved, let him who will, be angry), that person we will exclude from the Church for a long time, as we do the idolater. For if Paul calls "the covetous man an idolater" [Ephesians 5:5], much more him who brings in the practices of the idolaters over a believer.

For, tell me, for what cause do you invite presbyters, and the singers? Is it not to afford consolation? Is it not to honor the departed? Why then do you insult him? And why do you make him a public show? And why do you make game as on a stage? We come, discoursing of the things concerning the resurrection, instructing all, even those who have not yet been smitten, by the honor shown to him, to bear it nobly if any such thing should happen and do you bring those who overthrow our [teachings] as much as in them lies? What can be worse than this ridicule and mockery? What more grievous than this inconsistency?

8. Be ashamed and show reverence: but if you will not, we cannot endure the bringing in upon the Church of practices so destructive. For, it is said, "them that sin rebuke before all." [1 Timothy 5:20] And as to those miserable and wretched women, we through you forbid them ever to introduce themselves into the funerals of the faithful, lest we should oblige them in good earnest to wail over their own evils, and teach them not to do these things in the ills of others, but rather to weep for their own misfortunes. For an affectionate father too, when he has a disorderly son, not only advises him not to draw near to the wicked, but puts them in fear also. Behold then, I advise you, and those women through you, that you do not invite such persons, and that they do not attend. And may God grant that my words may produce some effect, and that my threat may avail. But if (which God forbid) we should be disregarded, we have no choice henceforward but to put our threat into execution, chastising you by the laws of the Church, and those women as befits them.

Now if any man is obstinate and contemptuous, let him hear Christ saying even now, "If any one trespass against you, go, tell him his fault between you and him alone"; but if he will not be persuaded, "take with you one or two." But if even so he contradict, "tell it to the Church, but if he shall also refuse to hear the Church, let him be unto you as a heathen man and a publican." [Matthew 18:15-17] Now if when a man trespasses against me, and will not be persuaded, [the Lord] commands me thus to turn away from him, judge ye in what light I ought to hold him who trespasses against himself, and against God. For do not you yourselves condemn us when we come down so gently upon you?

If however any man disregard the bonds which we inflict, again let Christ instruct him, saying, "Whatsoever you shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever you shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." [Matthew 18:18] For though we ourselves be miserable and good for nothing and worthy to be despised, as indeed we are; yet are we not avenging ourselves nor warding off anger, but are caring for your salvation.

Be influenced by reverence, I beseech you, and respect. For if a man bear with a friend when he attacks him more vehemently than he ought, ascertaining his object, and that he does it with kind intention, and not out of insolence; much more [should he bear with] a teacher when rebuking him, and a teacher who does not himself say these things as of authority, nor as one in the position of a ruler, but in that of a kindly guardian. For we do not say these things as wishing to exhibit our authority, (for how could we, praying that we may never come to the trial of them?) but grieving and lamenting for you.

Forgive me then, and let no man disregard the bonds of the Church. For it is not man who binds, but Christ who has given unto us this authority, and makes men lords of this so great dignity. For we indeed wish to use this power for loosing; or rather, we wish to have no need even of that, for we wish that there should not be any bound among us — we are not so miserable and wretched [as that] even though some of us are extreme good-for-nothings. If however we be compelled [so to act], forgive us. For it is not of our own accord, nor wishing it, but rather out of sorrow for you that are bound that we put the chains around you. But if any man despise these chains, the time of judgment will come, which shall teach him. And what comes after I do not wish to speak of, lest I should wound your minds. For in the first place indeed we do not wish to be brought into this necessity; but if we are so brought, we fulfill our own part, we cast around the chains. And if any man burst through them, I have done my part, and am henceforth free from blame, and you will have to give account to Him who commanded me to bind.

For neither, when a king is sitting in public, if any of the guard who stand beside him be commanded to bind one of the attendants, and to put the chains around [him], and he should not only thrust this man away, but also break the bonds in pieces, is it the guard who suffers the insult, and not much more the King who gave the order. For if He claim as His own, the things which are done to the faithful, much more will He feel as if Himself insulted when he is insulted who has been appointed to teach.

But God grant that none of those who are over this Church should be driven to the necessity of [inflicting] these bonds. For as it is a good thing not to sin, so is it profitable to endure reproof. Let us then endure the rebuke, and earnestly endeavor not to sin; and if we should sin let us bear the rebuke. For as it is an excellent thing not to be wounded, but, if this should happen, to apply the remedy to the wound, so also in this case.

But God forbid that any man should need such remedies as these. "But we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak." [Hebrews 6:9] But we have discoursed more vehemently for the sake of greater security. For it is better that I should be suspected by you of being a harsh, and severe, and self-willed person, than that you should do things not approved of God. But we trust in God, that this reproof will not be unserviceable to you, but that you will be so changed, that these discourses may be devoted to encomiums on you and to praises: that we may all be counted worthy to attain to those good things, which God has promised to them that love Him in Christ Jesus our Lord, with whom to the Father together with the Holy Ghost be glory, might, honor, now and for ever and world without end. Amen.

Source: Homily 4 on Hebrews
[AD 407] John Chrysostom on Hebrews 2:15
But what does it mean that “through fear of death were subject to lifelong bondage”? He either means that he who fears death is a slave and submits to all things rather than die; or that all people were slaves of death and were held under death’s power because he had not yet been done away. Or [it means] that people lived in continual fear, ever expecting that they should die, and, being afraid of death, could have no sense of pleasure while this fear was present with them.

Source: ON THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS 4.6
[AD 407] John Chrysostom on Hebrews 2:15
He shows not only that death has been put to an end, but also that thereby he who is ever showing that war without truce against us—I mean the devil—has been brought to nothing; since he fears that death is not out of reach of the devil’s tyranny. “Skin for skin! All that a man has he will give for his life.” When anyone has determined to disregard even this, of what then will he be the slave? He fears no one, he is in terror of no one, he is higher than all and freer than all. For he who disregards his own life will much more disregard all other things. And when the devil finds a soul such as this, he can accomplish in it none of his works. Why? Tell me, shall he threaten with loss of property and degradation and banishment from one’s country? But these are small matters to him who “counts not even his life dear,” according to the blessed Paul. You see that, in casting out the tyranny of death, he also overthrew the strength of the devil. For him who has learned to study innumerable truths concerning the resurrection, why should he fear death? Why should he shudder any more?Therefore, do not be grieved, saying, “Why do we suffer such and such things?” For so the victory becomes more glorious. And it would not have been glorious unless by death he had destroyed death; but the most wonderful thing is that he conquered him by the very means by which he was strong, showing at every point the abundance of his means and the excellence of his plans. Let us not then prove false to the gift bestowed on us. “For God,” he says, “did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power and love and self-control.” Let us stand then nobly, laughing death to scorn.

Source: ON THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS 4.6-7
[AD 458] Theodoret of Cyrus on Hebrews 2:15
How is it possible, he is saying, for Christ to style himself our brother or call us really children unless he bears the same nature? Hence on assuming it he overcame the influence of death and did away with the dread besetting us. We lived ever in the dread of death because we were forced to haul the yoke of mortality. Now, it was very necessary for him to use the phrase “likewise” so as to refute the calumny of mere appearance.

Source: INTERPRETATION OF HEBREWS 2
[AD 311] Methodius of Olympus on Hebrews 2:16
That Lord, I say, who in His simple and immaterial Deity, entered our nature, and of the virgin's womb became ineffably incarnate; that Lord, who was partaker of nothing else save the lump of Adam, who was by the serpent tripped up. For the Lord laid not hold of the seed of angels

Source: Methodius Oration Concerning Simeon and Anna
[AD 407] John Chrysostom on Hebrews 2:16
Paul, wishing to show the great kindness of God toward humans and the love which God had for the human race, after saying, “Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same,” follows up the subject in this passage. For do not regard lightly what is spoken, or think it a trifle, that he takes on our flesh.… “For truly he does not take hold of angels, but rather of the seed of Abraham.” What is it that he says? He took on not an angel’s nature, but humanity’s. But what is “he takes hold of”?… Why did he not say, “he took on him,” but “he takes hold of”? It is derived from the image of persons pursuing those who turn away from them, doing everything to overtake them as they flee and to take hold of them as they are bounding away. For when human nature was fleeing from him (and fleeing far away, for we “were far off,”) he pursued after and overtook us. He showed that he has done this only out of kindness and love and tender care. When he says, “Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to serve for the sake of those who are to obtain salvation,” he shows his extreme interest in behalf of human nature and that God makes great account of it. So also in this place he sets it forth much more by a comparison, for he says, “he does not take hold of angels.” For indeed it is a great and a wonderful thing and full of amazement that our flesh should sit on high and be adored by angels and archangels, by the cherubim and the seraphim. For having oftentimes thought upon this myself, I am amazed at it and imagine to myself great things concerning the human race.

Source: ON THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS 5.1
[AD 407] John Chrysostom on Hebrews 2:16-17
"For verily He takes not hold of Angels, but of the seed of Abraham He takes hold. Wherefore in all things it behooved Him to be made like His brethren."

1. Paul wishing to show the great kindness of God towards man, and the Love which He had for the human race, after saying: "Forasmuch then as the children were partakers of blood and flesh, He also Himself likewise took part of the same" [Hebrews 2:14]— follows up the subject in this passage. For do not regard lightly what is spoken, nor think this merely a slight [matter], His taking on Him our flesh. He granted not this to Angels; "For verily He takes not hold of Angels, but of the seed of Abraham." What is it that he says? He took not on Him an Angel's nature, but man's. But what is "He takes hold of"? He did not (he means) grasp that nature, which belongs to Angels, but ours. But why did he not say, "He took on Him," but used this expression, "He takes hold of"? It is derived from the figure of persons pursuing those who turn away from them, and doing everything to overtake them as they flee, and to take hold of them as they are bounding away. For when human nature was fleeing from Him, and fleeing far away [for we "were far off"— Ephesians 2:13], He pursued after and overtook us. He showed that He has done this only out of kindness, and love, and tender care. As then when he says, "Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation" [Hebrews 1:14]— he shows His extreme interest in behalf of human nature, and that God makes great account of it, so also in this place he sets it forth much more by a comparison, for he says, "He takes not hold of angels." For in very deed it is a great and a wonderful thing, and full of amazement that our flesh should sit on high, and be adored by Angels and Archangels, by the Cherubim and the Seraphim. For myself having oftentimes thought upon this, I am amazed at it, and imagine to myself great things concerning the human race. For I see that the introductions are great and splendid, and that God has great zeal on behalf of our nature.

Moreover he said not "of men (simply) He takes hold," but wishing to exalt them [the Hebrews] and to show that their race is great and honorable, he says, "but of the seed of Abraham He takes hold."

"Wherefore it behooved [Him] in all things to be made like His brethren." What is this, "in all things"? He was born (he means), was brought up, grew, suffered all things necessary, at last He died. This is, "in all things to be made like His brethren." For after he had discoursed much concerning His majesty and the glory on high, he then begins concerning the dispensation. And consider with how great power [he does this]. How he represents Him as having great zeal "to be made like us": which was a sign of much care. For having said above, "Inasmuch then as the children were partakers of flesh and blood, He also Himself in like manner took part of the same"; in this place also he says, "in all things to be made like His brethren." Which is all but saying, He that is so great, He that is "the brightness of His glory," He that is "the express image of His person," He that "made the worlds," He that "sits on the right hand of the Father," He was willing and earnest to become our brother in all things, and for this cause did He leave the angels and the other powers, and come down to us, and took hold of us, and wrought innumerable good things. He destroyed Death, He cast out the devil from his tyranny, He freed us from bondage: not by brotherhood alone did He honor us, but also in other ways beyond number. For He was willing also to become our High Priest with the Father: for he adds,

2. "That He might become a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God." For this cause (he means) He took on Him our flesh, only for Love to man, that He might have mercy upon us. For neither is there any other cause of the economy, but this alone. For He saw us, cast on the ground, perishing, tyrannized over by Death, and He had compassion on us. "To make reconciliation," he says, "for the sins of the people. That He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest."

What is "faithful"? True, able. For the Son is a faithful High Priest, able to deliver from their sins those whose High Priest He is. In order then that He might offer a sacrifice able to purify us, for this cause He has become man.

Accordingly he added, "in things pertaining to God,"— that is, for the sake of things in relation to God. We had become altogether enemies to God, (he would say) condemned, degraded, there was none who should offer sacrifice for us. He saw us in this condition, and had compassion on us, not appointing a High Priest for us, but Himself becoming a High Priest. In what sense He was "faithful," he added [viz.], "to make reconciliation for the sins of the people."

Source: Homily 5 on Hebrews
[AD 444] Cyril of Alexandria on Hebrews 2:16
For if it was a shadow and an appearance and not really an incarnation, then the Virgin did not give birth, nor did the Word from God the Father assume “the seed of Abraham,” nor did he become “like his brothers.” … Therefore, if the Word did not become flesh, neither was he tested by what he suffered so as to be able to help those who are tested.

Source: ON THE INCARNATION 681
[AD 444] Cyril of Alexandria on Hebrews 2:16
The Only Begotten operated not through his own nature, for that would in no way have improved our state, or through the nature of angels; but he operated through “the seed of Abraham,” as Scripture has it. For in this way and no other could the race, fallen into corruption, be restored to salvation.

Source: ON THE INCARNATION 684
[AD 458] Theodoret of Cyrus on Hebrews 2:16
It was very wise of the divine apostle to use the proper name instead of a generic name: he did not say, “He takes hold of human seed,” but “He takes hold of Abraham’s seed,” reminding them also of the promise made to Abraham.

Source: INTERPRETATION OF HEBREWS 2
[AD 458] Theodoret of Cyrus on Hebrews 2:16
If he had assumed the nature of angels, he would have proved superior to death; but since what he assumed was human, through the passion he paid humankind’s debt, while through the resurrection of the body that had suffered he demonstrated his own power.

Source: INTERPRETATION OF HEBREWS 2
[AD 407] John Chrysostom on Hebrews 2:17
He that is so great, he that is “the brightness of his glory,” he that is “the express image of his person,” he that “made the worlds,” he that “sits on the right hand of the Father,” he was willing and earnest to become our sibling in all things, and for this cause did he leave the angels and the other powers and come down to us; he took hold of us and wrought innumerable good things. He destroyed death, he cast out the devil from his tyranny, he freed us from bondage. Not as a sibling alone did he honor us, but also in other ways beyond number. For he was willing also to become our high priest with the Father; for he adds, “that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God.” For this cause, he means, he took on himself our flesh, only for love to humankind, that he might have mercy upon us. For neither is there any other cause of the economy, but this alone. For he saw us cast on the ground, perishing, tyrannized over by death, and he had compassion on us.

Source: ON THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS 5.1-2
[AD 407] John Chrysostom on Hebrews 2:18
"For," he says, "in that He has suffered Himself being tempted, He is able to succor them that are tempted." This is altogether low and mean, and unworthy of God. "For in that He has suffered Himself," he says. It is of Him who was made flesh that he here speaks, and it was said for the full assurance of the hearers, and on account of their weakness. That is (he would say) He went through the very experience of the things which we have suffered; "now" He is not ignorant of our sufferings; not only does He know them as God, but as man also He has known them, by the trial wherewith He was tried; He suffered much, He knows how to sympathize. And yet God is incapable of suffering: but he describes here what belongs to the Incarnation, as if he had said, Even the very flesh of Christ suffered many terrible things. He knows what tribulation is; He knows what temptation is, not less than we who have suffered, for He Himself also has suffered.

(What then is this, "He is able to succor them that are tempted"? It is as if one should say, He will stretch forth His hand with great eagerness, He will be sympathizing.)

3. Since they wished for something great, and to have an advantage over the [converts] from the Gentiles, he shows that they have an advantage in this while he did not hurt those from the Gentiles at all. In what respect now is this? Because of them is the salvation, because He took hold of them first, because from that race He assumed flesh. "For," he says, "He takes not hold of angels, but of the seed of Abraham He takes hold." Hereby he both gives honor to the Patriarch, and shows also what "the seed of Abraham" is. He reminds them of the promise made to him, saying, "To you and to your seed will I give this land" [Genesis 13:15]; showing by the very least thing, the nearness [of the relationship] in that they were "all of one." But that nearness was not great: [so] he comes back to this, and thenceforward dwells upon the dispensation which was after the flesh, and says, Even the mere willing to become man was a proof of great care and love; but now it is not this alone, but there are also the undying benefits which are bestowed on us through Him, for, he says, "to make reconciliation for the sins of the people."

Why said he not, of the world, instead of "the people"? For He bare away the sins of all. Because thus far his discourse was concerning them [the Hebrews]. Since the Angel also said to Joseph, "You shall call His name Jesus, for He shall save His people." [Matthew 1:21] For this too ought to have taken place first, and for this purpose He came, to save them and then through them the rest, although the contrary came to pass. This also the Apostles said at the first, "To you [God] having raised up His Son, sent [Him] to bless you" [Acts 3:26]: and again, "To you was the word of this Salvation sent." [Acts 13:26] Here he shows the noble birth of the Jews, in saying, "to make reconciliation for the sins of the people." For a while he speaks in this way. For that it is He who forgives the sins of all men, He declared both in the case of the paralytic, saying, "Your sins are forgiven" [Mark 2:5]; and also in that of Baptism: for He says to the disciples, "Go and teach all nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." [Matthew 28:19]

4. But when Paul has once taken in hand the flesh, he proceeds to utter all the lowly things, without any fear: for see what he says next:

Source: Homily 5 on Hebrews
[AD 407] John Chrysostom on Hebrews 2:18
“For,” he says, “because he himself has suffered and been tempted, he is able to help those who are tempted.” This seems altogether low and mean and unworthy of God—to suffer and be tempted. “For because he himself has suffered,” he says. But it is of him who was made flesh that he here speaks. This was said for the full assurance of the hearers and on account of their weakness. That is, he would say, he went through the very experience of that which we have suffered. Now he is not ignorant of our sufferings, not only because as God he knows them, but also because as man he knows them through the trial with which he was tested. Since he suffered many things, he knows how to sympathize with suffering. It is certainly true that God is impassible, but the statement here is made of the incarnation, as though it were said, “The flesh of Christ itself suffered many fearful things.” He knows what tribulation is. He knows what temptation is, not less than we who have suffered, for he himself also has suffered.

Source: ON THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS 5.2
[AD 407] John Chrysostom on Hebrews 2:18
Even if there is no persecution or tribulation, still there are other afflictions that befall us every day, and if we do not bear these, we should scarcely endure those. “No temptation has overtaken you,” it is said, “that is not common to man.” Let us then indeed pray to God that we may not come into temptation; but if we come into it, let us bear it nobly. For it is indeed a trait of prudent people not to throw themselves upon dangers; but this is the trait of noble persons and true philosophers. Let us not lightly cast ourselves upon dangers, for that is rashness; but, if we are led into them and called by circumstances, let us not yield, for that is cowardice, and, if indeed the gospel calls us, let us not refuse. In a simple case, when there is no reason or need or necessity that calls us in the fear of God, let us not rush in, for this is mere display and useless ambition. But should any of those things which are injurious to religion occur, then, though it be necessary to endure ten thousand deaths, let us refuse nothing. Do not risk trials when you find things that concern godliness prospering as you desire. Why draw down needless dangers that bring no gain?These things I say because I wish you to observe the laws of Christ, who commands us to “pray that we may not enter into temptation” and commands us to “take up the cross and follow” him. For these things are not contradictory; rather, they are exceedingly in harmony. Do be prepared like a valiant soldier. Be continually in your armor, sober, watchful and ever looking for the enemy. Do not, however, breed wars, for this is not the act of a soldier but of a mover of sedition. But if … the trumpet of godliness calls you, go forth immediately and make no account of your life, and enter with great eagerness into the contests, break the phalanx of the adversaries, bruise the face of the devil, set up your trophy. If, however, godliness is in nowise harmed, and if no one lays waste to our doctrines (those, I mean, which relate to the soul) or compels us to do anything displeasing to God, do not be meddlesome.

Source: ON THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS 5.7
[AD 458] Theodoret of Cyrus on Hebrews 2:18
He presented his saving death as an offering: the body he had assumed he offered for the whole of creation. He included something else as well for their consolation: having learned by experience the weakness of human nature in living under the law and under grace, he extends assistance to those under attack. This is said in respect of humanity: he is our high priest not as God but as human; he suffered not as God but as human; it was not as God that he learned our condition, but as God and creator he has a clear grasp of everything.

Source: INTERPRETATION OF HEBREWS 2
[AD 893] Photios I of Constantinople on Hebrews 2:18
“He is able to help those who are tempted” … should be interpreted as follows. As the sinless body of the Lord was subjected to the evil and the temptations of suffering befell it … therefore, having the sinless body, having been tried and having suffered, he has the just and blessed power over evil, can deliver humans who are dying under sin from the temptations that fall on them, and he can defend from the temptations. If the Lord had righteous and blessed power over the audacious evil that tempted his sinless body, he also is able to release those who are subject to sin and temptations and to be the helper of those who are tempted.

Source: FRAGMENTS ON THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS 2.18
[AD 1274] Thomas Aquinas on Hebrews 2:18
136. - Having shown the suitableness of Christ’s death from the standpoint of the Father causing it, the Apostle now shows the same thing from the standpoint of Christ enduring it. Therefore, he intends to show how He was made the author of salvation by his Passion: first, he shows the condition of the nature through which He could suffer and die; secondly, the benefits He obtained by dying (v. 14b); thirdly, he proves what he had proposed (v. 16).

137. - He says, therefore, I have said that He and the children have all one origin and that He called them brethren. Consequently, it was fitting that He be like them, not only because He confers on them a participation in the divine nature, which is from grace, but also because He assumed their nature. Hence, he says, therefore, because the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same nature.

138. - Here it should be noted that by the name flesh and blood is sometimes understood the nature of flesh and blood: ‘This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh’ (Gen. 2:23); then by flesh is understood the body: ‘You have clothed me with skin and flesh’ (Jb. 10:11) and by blood the soul: not as though the soul were blood, but because it is not preserved in the body without blood. Sometimes by flesh and blood are understood the vices of flesh and blood: ‘Flesh and blood have not revealed it to you’ (Mt. 16:17). But sometimes they signify the corruptibility of flesh and blood: ‘Flesh and blood shall not possess the kingdom of God, not corruption incorruption’ (1 Cor. 15:50). But here it does not refer to vices, for Christ assumed a nature without sin, but with the possibility of suffering, because He assumed a flesh similar to the sinner: ‘In the likeness of sinful flesh’ (Rom. 8:3). Therefore, like the children, He is partaker of flesh and blood, and all in the same way: for it was not imaginary flesh, as the Manicheans say, not was it assumed in the accidental way, as Nestorius said. But true flesh and blood, such as children have, were assumed into the unity of the person.

139. - That Christ is a partaker of flesh and blood is not to be understood as referring to the vices of flesh and blood, because He did not take on sin or commit any; but as referring to the very substance of animated flesh, because He assumed flesh and soul. It also included the possibility of suffering, because He assumed our nature capable of suffering. Therefore, the sense is: Because the children, i.e., the faithful, has a nature capable of suffering, Christ Himself partook of the same, i.e., of flesh and blood. But we partake of them through our person; and Christ in like manner assumed them to His person: ‘The Word was made flesh’ (Jn. 1:14). By flesh and blood can also be understood the flesh and blood of Christ according to the statement: ‘He that eats my flesh and drinks my blood’ (Jn. 6:55), of which the children, i.e., the apostles, partook at the last supper and of which Christ partook: ‘He drank His own blood’, as Chrysostom says.

140. - Then (v. 14b) he shows the benefits His death brought. In regard to this he does two things: first, he shows its usefulness on the part of the devil, who had the power; secondly, on our part who were held (v. 15).

141. - He says, therefore: He partook of flesh and blood, i.e., He assumed a nature in which He could suffer and die, which he could not do in the divine nature, that through death he might destroy him who had the power of death, i.e., the devil. But how does the devil have the power of death? For this is God’s prerogative: ‘The Lord kills and makes alive’ (1 Sam. 2:6); ‘I will kill and I will make to live’ (Dt. 32:39). I answer that a judge has the power of death in one way, because he inflicts death, when he punishes with death; but a thief has it another way in the sense of deserving death because of demerit. God has the power of death in the first way: For in what day you shall eat of it, you shall die the death’ (Gen. 2:17). But the devil in the second way, because by persuading men to sin, he yielded him over to death: ‘by the envy of the devil, death came into the world’ (Wis. 2:24). But he says, that he might destroy him, not as to his substance, which is indestructible, nor as to his malice, so that the devil would become good at some time, but as to his power: ‘Despoiling the principalities and powers’ (Col. 2:15).

142. - This was accomplished by the death of Christ in three ways: first, on the part of Christ, for the true nature of justice is that the victor subject the vanquished to himself: ‘For by whom a man is overcome, of the same is he the slave’ (2 Pt. 2:19). But Christ overcame the devil: ‘The Lion of the tribe of Judah has prevailed’ (Rev. 5:5). Therefore, it is just that the devil be subject to Him: ‘When a strong man armed keeps his court, those things are in peace which he possesses (Lk. 11:21). Secondly, on the part of the devil: for justice requires that a person who unjustly uses power granted him should lose it. But the devil has been given power over the sinners he seduced, but not over the good. Therefore, because he presumed to extend this power even to Christ, Who did not sin: ‘The prince of this world comes, and in me he has nothing’ (Jn. 14:30), he deserved to lose it. The third reason is on our part: for it is just that the vanquished be the servants of the victor. But man by sin was the servant of the devil: ‘Whoever commits sin is the servant of sin’ (Jn. 8:34); consequently, he was subject to the devil and liable to sin. But Christ paid the price for our sin: ‘Then did I pay that which I took not away’ (Ps. 68:5). Therefore, when the cause of servitude was taken away, man was set free by Christ.

143. - But it should be noted that another satisfaction was suitable. For man was in debt; but one man can satisfy for another out of charity, although no one can satisfy for the entire human race, because he does not have power over it, nor could the entire human race satisfy sufficiently, because it was entirely subject to sin; nor could an angel, because this satisfaction was unto glory, which exceeds the power of an angel. Therefore, it was necessary that the one who satisfied be man and God, Who alone has power over the whole human race. By the death of God and man, therefore, He destroyed him who had the empire of death.

144. - Then (v. 15) another advantage on our part is mentioned. In regard to this it should be noted that a man is a servant of sin to the extent that he is induced to sin. But the most effective inducements to sin are the love of transitory goods and the fear of present punishments: ‘Things set on fire, as to the first and dug down as to the second, shall perish at the rebuke of your countenance’ (Ps. 79:17). But these two amount to the same thing, because the more a person loves something, the more he fears its evil contrary. Hence, we see that savage beasts are kept from the greatest pleasures through fear of punishment; thus fear makes cowards of us all. Hence, if a man overcomes his fears, he overcomes everything; and when fear is overcome, all disordered love of the world is overcome. Thus Christ by His death broke this fear, because He removed the fear of death, and, consequently the love of the present life. For when a person considers that the Son of God, the Lord of death, willed to die, he no longer fears death. That is why before the death of Christ, it was said: ‘O death, how bitter is the remembrance of you’ (Sir. 41:1); but after Christ’s death the Apostle expresses a desire to be dissolved and be with Christ: Hence, we are told: ‘Fear not them that kill the body’ (Mt. 10:28). He says, therefore, and deliver all those who through the fear of death were subject to lifelong service, namely, the servitude of sin.

145. - But Christ freed us from a double servitude, namely, that of the Law and that of sin, since the law is called a yoke which neither we not our fathers were able to bear (Ac. 15:10). Now the difference between the Old and the New Law is fear and love. In the New there is love: ‘If you love me, keep my commandments’ (Jn. 14:15). But the Old was the law of fear: ‘You have not received the spirit of servitude again in fear’ (Rom. 8:15). Therefore, he sways, and deliver them who through the fear of bodily death, which the Law inflicted, were all subject to lifelong servitude.

146. - But why did He not free us at once from death but only from the fear of death? I answer that He freed us immediately from the cause of death, but not from death itself, although He freed us from the fear of death. The reason for this was that if he had freed us from bodily death, men would serve Christ only for their bodily good, and then the merit of faith and hope would be destroyed. Furthermore, bodily evils enable us to merit eternal life: ‘Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God’ (Ac. 14:21). It should be noted that He freed us from the fear of death, first of all, by showing the immortality that awaited us. As a result, man could scorn temporal death: Christ is risen from the dead, the first-fruits of them that sleep’ (1 Cor. 15:20); secondly, by giving us a foretaste of death He made us more ready to undergo death for Christ: ‘Christ suffered for us, leaving you an example’ (1 Pt. 2:2). Thirdly, by opening the gate to glory, which was closed before His death; as a result, we not only do not fear death, but we desire it: ‘Having a desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ, which is much better’ (Phil. 1:23).

147. - Then (v. 16) the Apostle proves the benefits which Christ’s death obtained. In regard to this he does three things: first, he shows that by His death Christ freed us by reason of the condition of the nature he assumed; secondly, he concludes a likeness (v. 17); thirdly, he shows the benefit of the likeness (v 17b).

148. - He says, therefore: So I have stated that Christ by His death freed us from sin and death. Nor is there any doubt that in regard to the condition of its nature an angel is greater than man; but because the angels were not subject to servitude or deserving of death, He did not assume an angel. But if he had, this would have been on account of the dignity of its nature. But we have never read that he assumed an angel, but only of the seed of Abraham, i.e., a human nature, not in the abstract but in an individual, and from the seed of Abraham. He adds this in order that the Jews, who glory in being of the seed of Abraham, might venerate Christ more. But he says significantly [take hold of], because that is properly said to be taken hold of, which flees. But not only the human nature fled from God, but also the children of Abraham: ‘But they would not hearken, and they turned away the shoulder to depart; and they stopped their ears not to hear’ (Zech. 7:11). This taking hold of human nature unto the unity of the person of the Son of God exalts our nature beyond measure. Hence, Chrysostom says: ‘It is a great and marvelous thing for our flesh to be seated above and to be adorned by angels and archangels. As I turn this over in my mind, I experience excessive joy, imagining great things about the human race.’

149. - But it would have seemed better to assume an angelic nature than a human nature. For likeness is the reason making the Incarnation of a divine person becoming. But a more express likeness of God is found in the angelic nature than in the human, because the former is the seal of resemblance. Therefore, it would seem more fitting to take hold of an angel than of the seed of Abraham. Furthermore, sin is found in the angelic nature as in the human nature. Therefore, if he took hold of human nature to free it from sin, it seems there was more reason to take hold of the angelic. I answer that a nature is assumable by the Son of God depending on its fitness to be united to the person of the Word. But this fitness depends on the dignity, so that the nature is assumable which is likely to attain to the Word Himself by knowing and loving Him; and also depending on the need, in the sense that it is subject to a reparable sin, although the first is found in the angelic nature, the second is not found. But the first and second are found in human nature, which is capable of knowing and loving God, and which has a reparable sin; consequently, it is assumable. But although the first is found in an angelic nature, it lacks the second: for a sin is irreparable not by reason of its gravity, but by reason of the condition of the nature. But what death was to men, the fall was to the angels. But it is clear that all the sins of man, whether they be small or great, are reparable before death; after death they are irreparable and remain for ever. Therefore, the angelic nature is not assumable.

150. - Then (v. 17) he concludes to a likeness. As if to say: Therefore, because He did not assume an angel but the seed of Abraham, it behooved him in all things to become like unto his brethren. In all things, I say, in which they are brethren, not in guilt but in punishment. Therefore, it behooved Him to have a nature that could suffer; hence ‘one tempted in all things as we are, without sin’ (Heb. 4:15). Likewise, they are brethren as to grace: ‘Behold, what love God showed to us: that we should be called and be sons of God (1 Jn. 3:1); ‘Those whom be foreknew and predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son’ (Rom. 8:29).

151. - Then he shows the usefulness of that resemblance when he says, that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest. Here he does two things: First, he mentions the likeness; secondly, he explains it (v. 18).

152. - Christ as mediator has two functions: one sets Him over the whole human race as judge: ‘He gave him power to do judgment, because He is the Son of man’ (Jn. 5:27); the other is in relation to God, before Whom He intercedes for us as our advocate. In a judge mercy is desired particularly by the guilty; but in an advocate fidelity. Now both of these qualities were exhibited by Christ during His Passion. Hence, in regard to the first, he says that by His Passion He was made like unto his brethren, that he might become merciful.

153. - But wasn’t He merciful from all eternity? It seems so, because ‘his mercies are above all his works’ (Ps. 144:9). For mercy consists in having a heart grieved at another’s misfortune: in one way, by merely recognizing the misfortune, which is the way God recognized our wretchedness without suffering; in another way, by experiencing our misfortune, which is how Christ experienced our misery, especially during the Passion. In addition He is a faithful advocate; hence, he is called a faithful high priest. ‘But Christ, being come a high priest of the good things to come’ (Heb. 9:11); and it is required that He be faithful: ‘Here now it is required among the dispensers that a man be found faithful’ (1 Cor. 4:2): and all this that He might be a propitiation for the sins of the people, for whom He willed to die.

154. - Then when he says, For in that wherein he himself has suffered and been tempted, he shows its utility. As if to say: I do not speak of Christ as God, but as man. Therefore, in that, i.e., in that nature which He assumed, in order to experience in Himself that our cause is His own. Hence he says, he suffered and was tempted; therefore, he is able to succor them also that are tempted. Or, another way: He became merciful and faithful, because in suffering and being tempted He has a kinship to mercy. He says, tempted, not by the flesh but by the enemy: ‘Jesus was led by the spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil’ (Mt. 4:1). For in Christ there was no rebellion of the lower powers against the higher, but He suffered for us in the flesh: ‘Christ suffered for us, leaving you an example that you should follow in his footsteps’ (1 Pt. 2:21); ‘Christ, therefore, having suffered in the flesh, be you also armed with the same thought’ (1 Pt. 4:1).