Therefore ought we more diligently to observe the things which we have heard, lest perhaps we should let them slip.

“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 ruleth 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. "Wherefore we ought to give more earnest heed" (saith 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. 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 meaneth "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", and many other such things: "for that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away." 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," saith 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 hath fallen away to return again, inasmuch as it hath happened through wilful negligence. And he took this form of speech from the Proverbs. For, saith he, "my son [take heed] lest thou 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 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 doth the same in the Old [Testament], and in Matthew Christ, saying, "What will He do to the husbandmen" of that vineyard? so compelling them to give sentence themselves: for this is the greatest victory.”

“Above, the Apostle showed in many ways the superiority of Christ over the Angels; here from this he concludes that the teaching of Christ, namely the New Testament, must be obeyed more than the Old Testament. And concerning this he does three things. For first he sets down the intended conclusion; second he brings forward a reason for the intended conclusion; third he confirms the consequence of the reason. The first, at the beginning; the second, where he says "For if that which through Angels"; the third, where he says "For not to Angels." Concerning the first it must be known that in Ex. 23:20, after the judicial and moral precepts of the law had been given, he adds: "Behold, I send my Angel," etc., and there follows: "Observe therefore and hear his voice," etc. If therefore the command of the Angel, through whom the law was given, were kept, entrance would be prepared to the homeland. Whence also in Matt. 19:17 it is said: "If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments." It is necessary therefore to keep those commandments of the law; therefore it is necessary all the more to obey the commandments of him who is greater than the Angels, through whom the law was given. And this is what he says: "Therefore we ought more abundantly to observe the things which we have heard." Abd. 1:1: "We have heard a hearing from the Lord." Hab. 3:2: "Lord, I have heard thy hearing, and I feared." It is necessary therefore to observe more abundantly. And he says "more abundantly" on account of three things: first, on account of the authority of the one speaking, because this one is creator and Son of God, and that one a creature and minister of God. Acts 5:29: "We ought to obey God rather than men," and also than Angels. Second, on account of the usefulness of the things said, because they are words of eternal life. John 6:69: "Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of life," etc.; those others are of temporal goods. Is. 1:19: "If you be willing and hearken to me, you shall eat the good things of the land," etc. Third, on account of the sweetness of observance, because these things are sweet: 1 John 5:3: "His commandments are not heavy," and Matt. 11:30: "My yoke is sweet," etc.; those others are heavy: Acts 15:10: "This is a burden which neither we nor our fathers were able to bear." Second, he shows the same thing from the imminent danger, when he says "lest perhaps we should flow utterly away," that is, be eternally damned. Here it must be known that one flows away through bodily punishments — 2 Kings 19:14: "We slide away like waters upon the ground" — one flows out through fault, but one flows utterly away, bodily, through eternal damnation, because not even a shard remains. Is. 30:14: "It shall be broken as the potter's vessel is broken with a mighty destruction, and there shall not be found among the pieces thereof a sherd." Next he brings forward a reason for this, which contains a single conditional containing a comparison of the New and the Old Testament. In the antecedent is set down the condition of the Old Testament; in the consequent, the condition of the New Testament. Concerning the Old, however, he sets down three things: namely, the authority of the law; second, the firmness of its truth, where he says "which was made firm"; third, the necessity of observing it, where he says "and every transgression." First he sets down the authority, because the law was not given by human reason, but through Angels. Gal. 3:19: "ordained by Angels," etc. Acts 7:38: "This is that Moses who was in the church in the wilderness with the Angel who spoke to him on mount Sinai," etc. Nor is this to be wondered at, because, as Dionysius proves, revelations of divine illuminations come to us by the mediation of Angels. The firmness of the truth, however, he shows when he says "which was made firm," because everything that was foretold in the old law was entirely fulfilled. Matt. 5:18: "One iota or one tittle shall not pass from the law till all things be done"; and Prov. 12:19: "The lip of truth shall be firm for ever"; and the Psalm: "The things that proceed from my lips I will not make void." It was made firm, therefore, because it was not made void. He shows the necessity by which transgressors are punished. Whence he says "and every transgression and disobedience," etc. Where he sets down one thing which corresponds to a twofold fault, namely the sin of omission and of transgression. The first corresponds to affirmative precepts, the other to negative ones. The first is signified by the name of disobedience. But is disobedience a general sin? And it seems that it is, from what is said here. To which it must be said that a sin is called special from the intention of a special end. Whence when someone does not keep a precept with this intention, that he may despise the precept, thus it is a special sin; but when it is from some other cause, for instance when it is from concupiscence, then it is a condition following upon sin, but not however a special sin. The other, however, is called transgression. Ps. 118:115: "I have accounted transgressors," etc. Likewise he sets down another thing on the part of the punishment, when he says "received a just recompense of reward." For recompense regards the quantity of the fault, so that he who has sinned more is punished more. Reward, however, regards the quality, so that he who has sinned by the fire of lust may be tormented by fire. He will receive, therefore, a good reward for good things, and a bad one for bad things. And thus "reward" is taken both in a good and in a bad sense, insofar as it implies the justice of distributing. He says "just" on account of the equality of the punishment, namely that the measure of the stripes should be according to the measure of the sin. Concerning the punishments, it is found in Lev. 26 and Deut. 28. The Gloss says: "just," lest it be thought that justice perishes on account of mercy. Next, when he says "how shall we escape," etc., he sets down the consequent of his conditional, in which he describes the condition of the New Testament, where he does three things. For first he shows the necessity of observing it; second, the origin of the New Testament; third, the firmness of its truth. The second, where he says "which having taken its beginning." The third, where he says "God also bearing witness." He says therefore: If the word given through Angels punishes transgressors and the disobedient, how shall we escape, etc. In which he denotes the danger that threatens those who do not observe it. Above, however, he called the Old Testament "salvation." The reason for this is that the word is ordered only to knowledge, for this is what the Old Testament does, because through it there is knowledge of sin. Rom. 3:20: "Through the law, knowledge of sin." Likewise, knowledge of God. Ps. 147:9: "He hath not done in like manner to every nation." And elsewhere, 75:1: "In Judea God is known," etc. It did not, however, confer grace, but in the New Testament grace is conferred. John 1:17: "Grace and truth were made through Jesus Christ," which leads to eternal salvation. John 6:69: "Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life." Ps. 118:140: "Thy speech is exceedingly inflamed." Likewise, he commends it from its quantity. And he says "so great," that is, very great. And certainly it is very great, if you consider from what dangers it frees: because it frees not only from the dangers of bodily death, but also of spiritual death. Matt. 1:21: "For he shall save his people from their sins." Likewise it is great, because it is universal, that is, not of one people only, nor from one danger, but it is of all men and from all enemies. 1 Tim. 4:10: "Who is the savior of all, but especially of the faithful." Luke 1:74: "That being delivered from the hand of our enemies, without fear," etc. Likewise it is great, because it is eternal. Is. 45:17: "Israel is saved in the Lord with an everlasting salvation." And therefore it is not to be neglected, but we ought to be solicitous to obtain it. Judges 18:9: "We have seen a land exceedingly rich and fruitful." And there follows: "Do not neglect, do not cease," etc. And truly we ought not to neglect it, because if we shall have been negligent, we will be punished, not only by the loss of the good, but we shall also incur an evil, namely of eternal damnation, which we shall not be able to escape. Therefore he says, "How shall we escape?" Matt. 3:7: "Who will show you to flee from the wrath to come?" Job 11:20: "Flight shall perish from them." Ps. 138:6: "Whither shall I go from thy spirit? Or whither shall I flee from thy face?" He shows the origin of the teaching of the New Testament, when he says "which having taken its beginning," etc. Where he sets down its twofold origin. The first was not through Angels, but through Christ himself. Above, 1:2: "He hath spoken to us by his Son." John 1:18: "The only-begotten, who is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him." And therefore he says "which, having taken its beginning of being declared through the Lord" — because it has a twofold beginning: one simply, and that is from eternity, and this is through the Word itself. Eph. 1:4: "He chose us in him before the foundation of the world." The other is the beginning of the declaring, and this was in time, through the Word incarnate. The second origin was through the apostles who heard from Christ. Whence he says "by them that heard," that is, through their preaching. 1 John 1:1: "That which was from the beginning, which we have seen and have heard," etc. Luke 1:2: "As they related to us, who from the beginning themselves saw." Then he sets down its firmness, which is greater than the firmness of the Old Testament, which he shows from the testimony of God, who cannot lie. Whence he says "it was confirmed, God bearing witness," etc. It must be known, however, that testimony is through speech: speech is a sensible sign. God, however, bore witness by a twofold sensible sign, namely by miracles and by the gifts of the Holy Spirit. As to the first, he says that it was confirmed, God bearing witness, by "signs," with respect to lesser miracles, such as the healing of a lame man, or of a fever. Of the first, Acts 3:6 and 14:7; of the second, however, the last chapter of Acts. By "wonders," as to the greater things, such as the raising of the dead. Acts 9:40: "Tabitha, arise," etc. Now "portent" is so called as if "stretched forth" or "stretched afar," namely because it shows something at a distance. 2 Par. 32:31: "In the embassy of the princes of Babylon, who had been sent to him, to inquire concerning the wonder, namely that the sun had gone backward," etc. The chief wonder, however, is that God was made man. Is. 8:18: "I and my children, whom God hath given me for a wonder" — namely, that I am man, and that my children would believe this. For it was a wonder that the human heart could believe this. He says "by various powers" so that signs and wonders may be referred to those things which exceed the power of nature. So that a "sign" is called what is beyond and above nature, yet not contrary to it; but a "wonder" is what is contrary to nature, such as the childbirth of a virgin, the raising of the dead. But "power" is referred to those things which are according to nature as to the substance of the deed, but not as to the manner of its being done, as the healing of a fever, which indeed physicians can do, though not instantly. Or "powers" may be referred to the powers of the mind, which the Lord gave to his preachers, namely faith, hope, and charity. But as to the second, namely as to the gifts, he says "and by distributions of the Holy Spirit." But on the contrary, as it is said in Wisdom 7: "the Holy Spirit is one." How then is he distributed? It must be said that he is not distributed according to essence, but insofar as his gifts are distributed. 1 Cor. 12:4: "There are diversities of graces, but the same Spirit." Now all graces are attributed to the Holy Spirit, because they are given out of love. Love, however, is appropriated to the Holy Spirit. Gregory: "Surely the Holy Spirit is love." Or "by distributions," that is, through the distributions which are made by the Holy Spirit, because to one is given the word of wisdom, to another the word of knowledge, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, and so of the others. And all this not according to merits, nor from the necessity of nature, but through his own will. John 3:8: "The spirit breathes where he wills," etc., and 1 Cor. 12:11: "All these things one and the same spirit works," etc. Mark, last chapter: "The Lord cooperating, and confirming the word with signs that followed."”

“The apostle proceeds in the plain profitable method of doctrine, reason, and use, through this epistle. Here we have the application of the truths before asserted and proved; this is brought in by the illative particle therefore, with which this chapter begins, and which shows its connection with the former, where the apostle having proved Christ to be superior to the angels by whose ministry the law was given, and therefore that the gospel dispensation must be more excellent than the legal, he now comes to apply this doctrine both by way of exhortation and argument. I. By way of exhortation: Therefore we ought to give the more diligent heed to the things which we have heard, Heb 2:1. This is the first way by which we are to show our esteem of Christ and of the gospel. It is the great concern of every one under the gospel to give the most earnest heed to all gospel discoveries and directions, to prize them highly in his judgment as matters of the greatest importance, to hearken to them diligently in all the opportunities he has for that purpose, to read them frequently, to meditate on them closely, and to mix faith with them. We must embrace them in our hearts and affections, retain them in our memories, and finally regulate our words and actions according to them. II. By way of argument, he adds strong motives to enforce the exhortation. 1. From the great loss we shall sustain if we do not take this earnest heed to the things which we have heard: We shall let them slip. They will leak, and run out of our heads, lips, and lives, and we shall be great losers by our neglect. Learn, (1.) When we have received gospel truths into our minds, we are in danger of letting them slip. Our minds and memories are like a leaky vessel, they do not without much care retain what is poured into them; this proceeds from the corruption of our natures, the enmity and subtlety of Satan (he steals away the word), from the entanglements and snares of the world, the thorns that choke the good seed. (2.) Those meet with an inconceivable loss who let gospel truths, which they had received, slip out of their minds; they have lost a treasure far better than thousands of gold and silver; the seed is lost, their time and pains in hearing lost, and their hopes of a good harvest lost; all is lost, if the gospel be lost. (3.) This consideration should be a strong motive both to our attention to the gospel and our retention of it; and indeed, if we do not well attend, we shall not long retain the word of God; inattentive hearers will soon be forgetful hearers. 2. Another argument is taken from the dreadful punishment we shall incur if we do not do this duty, a more dreadful punishment than those fell under who neglected and disobeyed the law, Heb 2:2, Heb 2:3. Here observe, (1.) How the law is described: it was the word spoken by angels, and declared to be stedfast. It was the word spoken by angels, because given by the ministration of angels, they sounding the trumpet, and perhaps forming the words according to God's direction; and God, as judge, will make use of the angels to sound the trumpet a second time, and gather all to his tribunal, to receive their sentence, as they have conformed or not conformed to the law. And this law is declared to be stedfast; it is like the promise, yea and amen; it is truth and faithfulness, and it will abide and have its force whether men obey it or no; for every transgression and disobedience will receive a just recompence of reward. If men trifle with the law of God, the law will not trifle with them; it has taken hold of the sinners of former ages, and will take hold of sinners in all ages. God, as a righteous governor and judge, when he had given forth the law, would not let the contempt and breach of it go unpunished; but he has from time to time reckoned with the transgressors of it, and recompensed them according to the nature and aggravation of their disobedience. Observe, The severest punishment God ever inflicted upon sinners is no more than what sin deserves: it is a just recompence of reward; punishments are as just, and as much due to sin as rewards are to obedience, yea, more due than rewards are to imperfect obedience. (2.) How the gospel is described. It is salvation, a great salvation; so great salvation that no other salvation can compare with it; so great that none can fully express, no, nor yet conceive, how great it is. It is a great salvation that the gospel discovers, for it discovers a great Saviour, one who has manifested God to be reconciled to our nature, and reconcilable to our persons; it shows how we may be saved from so great sin and so great misery, and be restored to so great holiness and so great happiness. The gospel discovers to us a great sanctifier, to qualify us for salvation and to bring us to the Saviour. The gospel unfolds a great and excellent dispensation of grace, a new covenant; the great charter-deed and instrument is settled and secured to all those who come into the bond of the covenant. (3.) How sinning against the gospel is described: it is declared to be a neglect of this great salvation; it is a contempt put upon the saving grace of God in Christ, making light of it, not caring for it, not thinking it worth their while to acquaint themselves with it, not regarding either the worth of gospel grace or their own want of it and undone state without it; not using their endeavours to discern the truth of it, and assent to it, nor to discern the goodness of it, so as to approve of it, or apply it to themselves. In these things they discover a plain neglect of this great salvation. Let us all take heed that we be not found among those wicked wretched sinners who neglect the grace of the gospel. (4.) How the misery of such sinners is described: it is declared to be unavoidable (Heb 2:3): How shall we escape? This intimates, [1.] That the despisers of this salvation are condemned already, under arrest and in the hands of justice already. So they were by the sin of Adam; and they have strengthened their bonds by their personal transgression. He that believeth not is condemned already, Joh 3:18. [2.] There is no escaping out of this condemned state, but by accepting the great salvation discovered in the gospel; as far those who neglect it, the wrath of God is upon them, and it abides upon them; they cannot disengage themselves, they cannot emerge, they cannot get from under the curse. [3.] That there is a yet more aggravated curse and condemnation waiting for all those who despise the grace of God in Christ, and that this most heavy curse they cannot escape; they cannot conceal their persons at the great day, nor deny the fact, nor bribe the judge, nor break the prison. There is no door of mercy left open for them; there will be no more sacrifice for sin; they are irrecoverably lost. The unavoidableness of the misery of such is here expressed by way of question: How shall we escape? It is an appeal to universal reason, to the consciences of sinners themselves; it is a challenge to all their power and policy, to all their interest and alliances, whether they, or any for them, can find out, or can force out, a way of escape from the vindictive justice and wrath of God. It intimates that the neglecters of this great salvation will be left not only without power, but without plea and excuse, at the judgment-day; if they be asked what they have to say that the sentence should not be executed upon them, they will be speechless, and self-condemned by their own consciences, even to a greater degree of misery than those fell under who neglected the authority of the law, or sinned without the law. 3. Another argument to enforce the exhortation is taken from the dignity and excellency of the person by whom the gospel began to be spoken (Heb 2:3): It began at first to be spoken by the Lord, that is, the Lord Jesus Christ, who is Jehovah, the Lord of Life and glory, Lord of all, and as such possessed of unerring and infallible wisdom, infinite and inexhaustible goodness, unquestionable and unchangeable veracity and faithfulness, absolute sovereignty and authority, and irresistible power. This great Lord of all was the first who began to speak it plainly and clearly, without types and shadows as it was before he came. Now surely it may be expected that all will reverence this Lord, and take heed to a gospel that began to be spoken by one who spoke so as never man spoke. 4. Another argument is taken from the character of those who were witnesses to Christ and the gospel (Heb 2:3, Heb 2:4): It was confirmed to us by those that heard him, God also bearing them witness. Observe, (1.) The promulgation of the gospel was continued and confirmed by those who heard Christ, by the evangelists and apostles, who were eye and ear-witnesses of what Jesus Christ began both to do and to teach, Act 1:1. These witnesses could have no worldly end or interest of their own to serve hereby. Nothing could induce them to give in their evidence but the Redeemer's glory, and their own and others' salvation; they exposed themselves by their testimony to the loss of all that was dear to them in this life, and many of them sealed it with their blood. (2.) God himself bore witness to those who were witnesses for Christ; he testified that they were authorized and sent by him to preach Christ and salvation by him to the world. And how did he bear them witness? Not only by giving them great peace in their own minds, great patience under all their sufferings, and unspeakable courage and joy (though these were witnesses to themselves), but he bore them witness by signs, and wonders, and divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his will. [1.] With signs, signs of his gracious presence with them, and of his power working by them. [2.] Wonders, works quite beyond the power of nature, and out of the course of nature, filling the spectators with wonder and admiration, stirring them up to attend to the doctrine preached, and to enquire into it. [3.] Divers miracles, or mighty works, in which an almighty agency appeared beyond all reasonable controversy. [4.] Gifts of the Holy Ghost, qualifying, enabling, and exciting them to do the work to which they were called - divisions or distributions of the Holy Ghost, diversities of gifts, Co1 12:4, etc. And all this according to God's own will. It was the will of God that we should have sure footing for our faith, and a strong foundation for our hope in receiving the gospel. As at the giving forth of the law there were signs and wonders, by which God testified the authority and excellency of it, so he witnessed to the gospel by more and greater miracles, as to a more excellent and abiding dispensation.”

“Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed,.... This is an inference from the apostle's discourse in the preceding chapter; since he, by whom God has spoke in these last days, is his Son, who is infinitely above the angels, they being his creatures, and worshippers of him, and ministers to him, and his; therefore the greater regard should be had to the Gospel spoken by him: even to the things which we have heard; which are no other than the truths of the Gospel, which had been preached unto them, and which were heard by the apostles, who had preached them to them; and they had heard them from them, or from Christ himself, and were what their forefathers had desired to hear, and which the carnal ear has not heard; for there is an internal and an external hearing of the Gospel. Now it becomes the hearers of it to give heed, or attend unto it, to beware of that which is pernicious and hurtful, and to regard that which is good and profitable; and this giving heed takes in a close consideration of Gospel truths, a diligent inquiry into them, a valuable esteem of them, a strict adherence to them, and a watchfulness to retain what is heard, and to conform unto it: and this was to be done "more earnestly" than their forefathers had, or than they themselves had; or this may be put for the superlative degree, and signify, that they should give the most earnest heed; for they had the most abundant reason to give heed, since what they heard was not from Moses, and the prophets, to whom they did well to take heed, but from Christ the Son of God, who was greater than they: "lest at any time we should let them slip": and this either respects persons; and so the Vulgate Latin version renders it, "lest we should run out"; and the Syriac version, "lest we should fall"; and the Arabic version, "lest we should fall from honesty": which may intend partial slips and falls, to which the people of God are subject; and which are oftentimes owing to inadvertency to the word; for the Gospel, duly attended to, is a preservative from falling: or it may respect things, even the doctrines of the Gospel, lest we should let them slip out of us, through us, or besides us: the metaphor seems to be taken either from leaking vessels, which let out what is put into them; or to strainers, which let the liquor through, and it falls on the ground, and cannot be gathered up, and so becomes useless; and which is expressive of unprofitable hearing of the word, through inattention, negligence, and forgetfulness, and the irrecoverableness of it, when it is gone: the Gospel may be lost to some that hear it, as to any real benefit and advantage by it; and some who hear the Gospel may be lost and perish; but the grace of the Gospel can never be lost. Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed,.... This is an inference from the apostle's discourse in the preceding chapter; since he, by whom God has spoke in these last days, is his Son, who is infinitely above the angels, they being his creatures, and worshippers of him, and ministers to him, and his; therefore the greater regard should be had to the Gospel spoken by him: even to the things which we have heard; which are no other than the truths of the Gospel, which had been preached unto them, and which were heard by the apostles, who had preached them to them; and they had heard them from them, or from Christ himself, and were what their forefathers had desired to hear, and which the carnal ear has not heard; for there is an internal and an external hearing of the Gospel. Now it becomes the hearers of it to give heed, or attend unto it, to beware of that which is pernicious and hurtful, and to regard that which is good and profitable; and this giving heed takes in a close consideration of Gospel truths, a diligent inquiry into them, a valuable esteem of them, a strict adherence to them, and a watchfulness to retain what is heard, and to conform unto it: and this was to be done "more earnestly" than their forefathers had, or than they themselves had; or this may be put for the superlative degree, and signify, that they should give the most earnest heed; for they had the most abundant reason to give heed, since what they heard was not from Moses, and the prophets, to whom they did well to take heed, but from Christ the Son of God, who was greater than they: "lest at any time we should let them slip": and this either respects persons; and so the Vulgate Latin version renders it, "lest we should run out"; and the Syriac version, "lest we should fall"; and the Arabic version, "lest we should fall from honesty": which may intend partial slips and falls, to which the people of God are subject; and which are oftentimes owing to inadvertency to the word; for the Gospel, duly attended to, is a preservative from falling: or it may respect things, even the doctrines of the Gospel, lest we should let them slip out of us, through us, or besides us: the metaphor seems to be taken either from leaking vessels, which let out what is put into them; or to strainers, which let the liquor through, and it falls on the ground, and cannot be gathered up, and so becomes useless; and which is expressive of unprofitable hearing of the word, through inattention, negligence, and forgetfulness, and the irrecoverableness of it, when it is gone: the Gospel may be lost to some that hear it, as to any real benefit and advantage by it; and some who hear the Gospel may be lost and perish; but the grace of the Gospel can never be lost. Hebrews 2:2 heb 2:2 heb 2:2 heb 2:2For if the word spoken by angels was steadfast,.... This is a description of the law, from whence the apostle argues to a stricter regard to the Gospel, as from the lesser to the greater: this is called "the word", and a terrible one it was; it was a voice of words, which they that heard entreated they might hear no more; it was the word "spoken" with an articulate voice, and was heard by the Israelites, and it was spoken "by angels". Jehovah the Father's voice was never heard; when he came to give the law, ten thousand angels came along with him; and the ministry of these he used in the delivery of the law; by them he spoke it; they formed in the air the voices heard; it was ordained by them, and given by the disposition of them; see Act 7:53. To which agree those words of Herod, spoken to the Jews, recorded by Josephus (b); that we learn of God, , "by angels", the best of doctrines, and the most holy things in the law. And this was "steadfast"; firm, and sure, being the word of God, which cannot pass away, until it be fulfilled: it was confirmed by terrible signs attending it, and by the people's assent unto it; the penalty of it is sure and certain, in case of disobedience; and as to the form and ministration of it, it remained until Christ, the end of it, came; and as to the matter of it, so far as of a moral nature, it still remains: the judicial and ceremonial parts of it are abrogated; and the whole of it is abolished, as in the hands of Moses, and as a covenant of works, and as to the curse and condemnation of it, and with respect to justification by it; but it still continues as a cursing law to all that are under it; and as a means of conviction to sinners in the hands of the Spirit; and as a rule of walk and conversation to saints, as in the hands of Christ: and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward; every precept of the law had a penalty annexed to it; and every breach of it was punished as that penalty required; and that according to the strict justice of God, and the just demerit of sin; and none escaped, but suffered the punishment due to the violation of the precept either in themselves, or in their surety; so steadfast and immovable was this law. (b) Antiqu. l. 15. c. 5. sect. 3.”

“Therefore - Because God has spoken to us by his Son; and because that Son is so great and glorious a personage; and because the subject which is addressed to us is of such infinite importance to our welfare. We ought to give the more earnest heed - We should hear the doctrine of Christ with care, candour, and deep concern. Lest at any time we should let them slip - Μη ποτε παραρῥυωμεν· "Lest at any time we should leak out." This is a metaphor taken from unstanch vessels; the staves not being close together, the fluid put into them leaks through the chinks and crevices. Superficial hearers lose the benefit of the word preached, as the unseasoned vessel does its fluid; nor can any one hear to the saving of his soul, unless he give most earnest heed, which he will not do unless he consider the dignity of the speaker, the importance of the subject, and the absolute necessity of the salvation of his soul. St. Chrysostom renders it μη ποτε απολωμεθα, εκπεσωμεν, lest we perish, lest we fall away.”