Hebrews 2:9: A Denial of Particular Redemption?

Hebrews 2:9 in Context: “Everyone,” “Many Sons,” and the Question of Universalism

Hebrews 2 9 but we see him speaking of Jesus and of course the context is not all things are yet subject to him but they will be subject to him. But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels namely Jesus crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.

Now just in passing really really fast. You should be aware of the fact that Bart Ehrman loves to talk about this particular the whole idea of the grace of God here in Hebrews 2 9. There's another one in Hebrews 5 textual variant stuff just be aware of that might come up in less than three weeks less than three weeks which is shocking to me.

Less than three weeks in Florida. But I'm gonna try to leave that all over to the side for now and just deal with the common as Troy Brooks describes himself OS AS Arminian one saved always saved Arminian which is the sound you hear is Arminius spinning the grave which it this wonderfully inconsistent position.

It was funny. I was reading something he had sent to me and he he was talking about how Calvinists appeal to mystery. You have to peel to mystery. That's a real that's a term I use all the time isn't it.

Yeah not. Not quite. But then he refers us to this this work by William Lane Craig and you start reading through the thing William Lane Craig and there's this whole paragraph about appealing to mystery.

And he's not. He's doing it. He's not about to crying. It is that I just love that. I guess if you're gonna be a one saved all the saved Arminian consistency isn't real real high on your your list of things to be really focused on anyways.

Hebrews 2:9 and the Misuse of “He Tasted Death for Everyone”

But the point is of course Hebrews 2 9 he might taste death for everyone there it is Jesus died for everybody there's. That's that's exactly what Hebrews says. And the John 3 16 conference Hebrews 2 9 was cited a number of times just thrown out there was never executed of course but it was just thrown out there and a lot of people do that.

And I tried to point out briefly to mr. Brooks said well you know it might be good if you read the whole section because once again we have to ask the question. So you're saying that the writer of Hebrews is saying that the term translated everyone here in Hebrews chapter 2 verse 9 which is the Greek term Pantos pass pass upon the standard word and it's who pair is is the standard preposition for a substitution.

It's all right there. So this clearly means that by the grace of God Jesus has tasted death on behalf of every single human being all right. You need to be able to consistently read that through the context.

I mean that's gonna be the con that's gonna be the argument of the context right. And you also might want to to consider as well. Is my interpretation such that it maybe teaches something like Oh universalism.

Maybe am I am I you know maybe missing the point here because if you read the rest of the section there is this consistent contextual reference to a particular group. And let's see what it's a particular group is Hebrews 210.

Many Sons Brought to Glory and the Sanctified Brothers

For it was fitting that he for whom and by whom all things exist in bringing many sons to glory. I can't be any sense the way it needs to be. And bring everyone to glory because we just established it in two nine pass pass upon there upon us means everyone every every single human being.

So maybe this text will vary in here because it shouldn't say bring many sons to glory but bring everyone to glory. Many sons is a limited term. So it can't mean that because that would be a specific group bring many sons to glory should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering.

Okay whoever this group is this many sons they are the saved because they have that's the founder of their salvation. So hmm. So that whoever this group is this Pontos is the founder of the salvation was made perfectly suffering.

That's Jesus. And they are sons. Many sons were brought to glory. That's what verse 10 says. It's let's see if there's anything more for he who sanctifies. And those who are sanctified all have one source.

That is why he is not ashamed to call them brothers. Hmm. So now we have a group that is sanctified. Is there a consistent discussion of those who are sanctifying the book of Hebrews. Well there is like in chapter 10 by his death he perfects those who are being sanctified.

Hmm seems to be the same group. So wherever they are they're perfected. So if two nine means every single human being then they're all perfected. And this is a perfect absolutely unquestionable universalistic text.

It's. There's just no there's no way around the fact that this is a text that teaches universalism. Everybody's gonna be saved. They've got salvation. They're brought to glory. They're sanctified. Hebrews chapter 10 says those are being sanctified.

They they're perfected. Doesn't seem any way around this either either got to be a you know universalist or maybe see that there is a specific group involved here that are called the brothers of the Lord.

Saying Hebrews 212. I will tell of your name to my brothers in the midst of the congregation I will sing your praise. So there is a specific group here in view and again I'll put my trust in him. And again behold the children God has given me.

Is there any biblical concept of God giving a particular people to Christ. There is. There is. Isn't there that would seem to fit with Hebrews 10 and Hebrews 8 and the New Covenant and might even fit with John 6.

Christ’s Brothers, the Children Given to Him, and the High Priestly Intercession

And giving a particular people to Christ for salvation isn't. Isn't that interesting. Since therefore the children seeming be the children who are who are their founder the founder of their salvation is Jesus share in flesh and blood he himself likewise particular the same things that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death that is the devil and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.

Well again seems to me the only two possible ways of understanding this text is either to be a universalist to believe that everyone is going to be delivered everyone fears death. Right. And so everyone is subject to lifelong slavery.

Well slavery that hmm that doesn't fit real well with the idea of free will. But anyway all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery and it says all of them so you've either got a specific group here that have been given by God to the Sun and a by the Spirit of God come to understand their their lifelong slavery and so on so forth.

Or you are universalist those only two possibilities I can see here the Armenian view just doesn't isn't doing real well here for surely it is not angels that he helps but he helps the offspring of Abraham.

Well now spring of Abraham. Does that mean we're only talking about all Jews here. Or is this the Christian concept as enunciated by the Apostle Paul that those who are the offspring of Abraham are those who what are of the faith of Abraham believe as Abraham believed.

Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect so that he might become a what a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God to do what to make the sins of the people here is that high priest concept again and that takes us right into the discussion of the high priest and who he intercedes for.

And the high priest always intercedes only for those for whom he's made the sacrifice. So if you're gonna take this if you're gonna take to nine the way that it was taken at the John 316 conference you can take the way Troy Brooks Drake's takes it then you have to believe that Jesus interceding for those who are in hell today or will be.

But there is a consistent way of reading Hebrews 2 that flows right into the arguments right through all of Hebrews. And it just requires you to recognize that Hebrews 2 9 has a specific group in mind that is the all that is being spoken of there.

And the only other option is pure universalism which is of course extremely contradictory to the testimony of Scripture. So when you hear people just throwing these texts out just just quoting them and saying hey there it is you might want to ask him.

Could could we read that in context. Could we could we see if how you're reading that actually flows into the context in any meaningful fashion. And we'll see what goes from there.