Hebrews 2:3  “how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation…”
The writer has just said Jesus is greater than the angels in chapter 1.  And if we listened to what God told us through angels in time past, then how much more should we be obedient to what He has told us through His Son?

3  “…which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him”
The writer of Hebrews isn’t stated, and there is a lot of debate over its authorship.  Many believe Paul wrote it, but others are adamant the book displays clues that show he didn’t.  This phrase is one of those.  The writer is saying some things were spoken of by Jesus which he didn’t hear, but that were later confirmed to him by others.  The argument is that Paul claimed to have met Christ, therefore it is thought he wouldn’t speak as though he were hearing things second hand.  If that’s the proper reading, I can see that.  However, it seems to me, if Paul were trying to make an argument to Jews, he could be saying that those things which Christ taught His disciples from the beginning, which he didn’t hear firsthand, were later confirmed to him by those disciples.  That wouldn’t preclude the fact that Paul did meet Christ Himself later and that he was told the same things.  The key to me is the words at the first began to be spoken by the Lord.  Not just the general concept of salvation, but what was specifically told to His first disciples.  Personally, I don’t see enough evidence to say.  The arguments could be both for and against.

8  “…we do not yet see all things put under him”
The inheritance is Christ’s, but He hasn’t taken full possession yet.  He will at the end of time.

9  “…who was made a little lower than the angels…”
He never gave up His divinity or authority, but as a man, He limited Himself which would put Him under the basic power of angels.

9  “…might taste death for everyone”
Similar idea to Romans 6.  Christ died once for all, and we can partake of His death by accepting Him.  In that way, the requirement of death for our sins is satisfied in Him.

14  “Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same…”
Christ became as we are to pay the price for our sins and to be a High Priest to us, to show us He can understand our issues and problems.

15  “…through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage”
Not positive, but this sounds like a reference to the fact that death still had people in bondage even if they died with faith in Christ, before His resurrection.  Faith in the idea of Him would keep them out of Hell, but they were still trapped in Hades, the place of the dead.  Death still had them in bondage there.  When Christ rose from the dead, He conquered death and opened Hades, providing a way out for those trapped there.  Those who now die in Christ do not go to Hades any longer as death has no hold on them.  To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord who is seated at the right hand of the Father in Heaven.

I hope you enjoy reading and studying His word.  May it accomplish what He desires.  Please feel free to comment or post questions.  Thanks for reading!

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.