Commentaries:
Barnes' Notes
For verily - Truly.
He took not on him the nature of angels - Margin, "He taketh not hold of angels, but of the seed of Abraham he taketh hold." The word used here - ̓́ epilambanetai - means, to take hold upon; to seize; to surprise; to take hold with a view to detain for oneself. Robinson. Then it means to take hold of one as by the hand - with a view to aid, conduct, or succour; Mark 8:23; Acts 23:19. It is rendered "took," Mark 8:23; Luke 9:47; Luke 14:4; Acts 9:27; Acts 17:19; Acts 18:17; Acts 21:30, Acts 21:33; Acts 23:19; Hebrews 8:9; "caught," Matthew 14:31; Acts 16:19; "take hold," Luke 20:20, Luke 20:26; "lay hold," and "laid hold," Luke 23:26; I Timothy 6:12. The general idea is that of seizing upon, or laying hold of anyone - no matter what the object is - whether to aid, or to drag to punishment, or simply to conduct. Here it means to lay hold with reference to "aid," or "help;" and the meaning is, that he did not seize the nature of angels, or take it to himself with reference to rendering "them" aid, but he assumed the nature of man - in order to aid "him." He undertook the work of human redemption, and consequently it was necessary for him to be man.
But he took on him the seed of Abraham - He came to help the descendants of Abraham, and consequently, since they were men, he became a man. Writing to Jews, it was not unnatural for the apostle to refer particularly to them as the descendants of Abraham, though this does not exclude the idea that he died for the whole human race. It was true that he came to render aid to the descendants of Abraham, but it was also true that he died for all. The fact that I love one of my children, and that I make provision for his education, and tell him so, does not exclude the idea that I love the others also - and that I may make to them a similar appeal when it shall be proper.
Other commentary entries containing this verse:
Amos 3:2
Acts 3:22
Hebrews 2:5
Hebrews 2:9
Hebrews 4:15
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