Hebrews 2:1-4

Hebrews 2:1-4

[1] Therefore  ought  heed  to the things which we have heard,  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  escape,  if we neglect  so great  salvation;  which  at the first  began  to be spoken  by  the Lord,  and was confirmed  unto  by  them that heard  [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? 

What does Hebrews 2:1-4 Mean?

Contextual Meaning

Having just encouraged his readers with a reminder of God"s help for the faithful ( Hebrews 1:14), the writer next urged his readers to be faithful. He did so to warn them of the possibility of retrogressing spiritually and consequently losing part of their inheritance. Jacob"s sons Reuben, Simeon, and Levi had done this.
"The second step in the argument for Jesus" superiority shows him to be infinitely great because of the nature of the salvation he won.... The author precedes the development of this thought with a brief section in which he exhorts his readers to attend to what has been said, a feature we shall notice elsewhere (e.g, Hebrews 3:7-11; Hebrews 5:11-14)." [1]
"The author uses doctrine as a basis for exhorting believers." [1]
"The number of unusual words and idioms and the avoidance of the vocabulary of the LXX suggest that in this paragraph it was the writer"s intention to confront the thought and life of his readers in a more arresting way than reliance upon familiar words and phrases would foster." [3]