Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip. For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward; How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him; 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? ~ Hebrews 2:1-4 

Have you ever stopped and asked yourself what the great salvation of which Jesus spoke actually was? What about those who heard him?

In the gospels, Jesus declared that he was the Son of Man who is Lord, the true bread from Heaven, the good shepherd, the One sent from above, the Messiah, the way, the truth, and the Life, the true vine, and the list goes on.

He repeatedly claimed that God was his Father in language that no other man could speak of God. For example, in Matthew 11 Jesus declares, All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him. ~ Matthew 11:27

Now, who talks like this? Who can claim that no man knows the Father except those to whom he reveals the Father to? Jesus’s claims about who he is, is the great Salvation which began to be spoken by the Lord and was confirmed by those who heard him. Who Jesus is, is the gospel that was confirmed to us by those who heard him.

When Philip encountered this great salvation, he declared, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph. ~ John 1:45

When Peter understood it he said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God ~ Matthew 16:16.

John wrote about it in his letters, Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God ~ 1 John 5:1.

This is the great salvation of which God bore witness with signs, wonders, and miracles by the Holy Ghost.

Oftentimes the gospel is presented to us only from the vantage point of what Jesus did for us at the cross as a substitution, and we ought to rejoice and give this our deepest attention. However, we must never forget that what Christ has done for us rests upon the foundation of who Christ is, and the work that God did in and through Christ to reveal who he is.

If Christians would read the book of Acts and pattern their understanding of the gospel after the beliefs of the apostles and the believers therein, the church would most assuredly be stronger and a more effective witness.

The constant message throughout Acts was that of declaring who Jesus is!

When we consider the epistle to the Hebrews, the person of Jesus is set before us as the answer to slothfulness, and dullness of hearing The writer of Hebrews wants us to to Consider Jesus. He wants to know what God accomplished in Jesus for our benefit.

Far too many Christians do not truly take the time to consider the work that God accomplished in the humanity of Jesus to perfect him as our great High Priest, but the writer of Hebrews wants us to know, because this is who he is: Our Great High Priest!

What God did for us through Christ rests upon the foundation of what God accomplished in the person of Christ, that is, in his humanity.

For instance, in 2:9 the writer of Hebrews tells us that it was by the grace of God that Jesus tasted death for every man. Have you ever just taken time to consider the grace that God poured into Jesus so that he could face the cross?

What was it that caused the same man who entered the garden of gethsemane, sorrowful in soul, causing him to pray earnestly to the Father that this cup might pass from him, to suddenly face the cross with courage and strength? It was the grace of God.

In the 12th chapter of Hebrews the writer appeals to his audience to consider this grace by looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God ~ Hebrews 12:2.

There is joy in the grace of God and by the joy set before Jesus, he endured the cross. I want you to notice of what the enduringness of the cross was in the mind of the writer of Hebrews. He tells us in the next verse.

For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. ~ Hebrews 12:3

It was the hostility of those who rejected him as Messiah that Jesus endured at the cross.

Those who hated Jesus had sought to kill him from the beginning (John 5; 16-18; 7:1, 6-8, 30; 8:20, 37; 10:39; 11:47-57; Matthew 21:45-46; 26:14-16; Mark 11:18; 12:12; 14:1, 11; Luke 19:47; 20:19; 22:2, 6).

They hated Jesus without a cause (John 15:22-25).

They hated him because they rejected the ONE who sent him.  Thus they rejected the works of God, which God accomplished through Jesus (John 5:20, 36-38; 7:7; 9:3; 10:25- 32, 37, 38; 14:10, 11, 12; 15:24).

The works which the Father sent Jesus to accomplish was the proof that he is the Son of God (John 9:1-5; 10:24-33, 37-38; 14:10-12; 15:24).

They wanted to Kill because Jesus said God was his Father (John 5:18).

They wanted to kill him because he healed on the Sabbath (John 5:16-18; 7:19-24).

They wanted to kill him because they were not keeping the Law of Moses (John 7:19).

They wanted to kill him because his word had no place in them (John 8:37-45; 12:47-50; 15:22-25; 18:23, 37).

They wanted to kill him because of the truth which Jesus spoke from the Father (John 8:40).

Their hostility against Jesus was so obvious that it became public knowledge that the Jewish leaders wanted to kill him (John 7:25).

They accused Jesus of being a sinner (John 9:24).

They agreed that if anyone confessed that Jesus is the Messiah that that person would be expelled from the Synagogue (John 9:22).

They even desired to kill Lazarus after Jesus raised him from the dead, because the resurrection of Lazarus resulted in more people believing in him (John 12:10-12).

They attempted to stone him on multiple occasions (John 8:59; John 10:30-31,33). 

They called a private council meeting and decided to carry out their plot on Passover (John 11:47-53).

After they began plotting to arrest Jesus, the leading priests and the Pharisees publicly demanded that anyone seeing Jesus must report it immediately so they could arrest him (John 11:57).

Jesus was betrayed into their hands by one of his own disciples, Judas who was a traitor (Matthew 17:22; 20:18; 26:2, 21-24, 45-50; Mark 14:18, 21,41-42; Luke 22:2-4; John 13:18, 21; 19:11; Psalm 41:9).

Their hostility was not opposition to Jesus only. They were gathered together against THE LORD and against HIS CHRIST. The opposition against Jesus was against Jesus and his Father in Heaven (Acts 4:24-28; Psalm 2:1-12; Matthew 22;34; 27:17; John 11:47).

They lied and falsely accused him (Matthew 26:59-61; Mark 14:55-59).

They were envious of him (Matthew 27:17-19; Mark 15:9-11)

Even after the gentile ruler, Pilate, sought to release him, they insisted on putting him to death (John 19:12; Acts 3:13; Matthew 27:24).

They crucified him with wicked hands (Acts 2:22-24).

They denied the Holy and Just One and killed the Prince of life (Acts 3:13-15).

They murdered him (Acts 7:51-52; 1 Thessalonians 2:14-16).

Jesus endured the hostility of sinners and their reproaches towards God fell on Him (Romans 15:1-3; Hebrews 12:2-3).

Even though they were so hostile towards him, he made intercession for them (Isaiah 53:12).

Jesus died as an innocent lamb at the hands of sinners whose hostility against God inspired their rejection of him. Jesus, by the grace of God endured this suffering at their hands, and by the grace of God, Jesus in his human suffering was perfected as High Priest forever!

For even Christ pleased not Himself; but, as it is written, the reproaches of those that reproached you (God) fell on me ~ Rom.15:3, NKJ; cf. Ps.69:9, Ps.22:6-7.

Jesus bore the reproaches of man against God at the cross. The crucified Lord – in one image – represents both the summation of all the sins and enmity of man against God, and the glorious fullness of all the love and compassion of God for mankind (Norman McIlwain). 

Even though they found no cause of death in him they still desired for him to be slain (Acts 13:27-30). 

They condemned Him without a fair trial (Acts 8:33; Isa 53:8).

He  suffered wrongfully at their hands, while trusting God who judges righteously (1Peter 2:19-24).

They brutally assaulted Him (Luke 18:31-33). 

They incited the mob to cry, “Crucify Him!” (Matthew 27:20-26; Mark 15:11-14; Luke 23:10-23; Acts 3:13-19).

Judas, the traitor, was more remorseful than they were (Matthew 27:3-4).

God was not orchestrating the evil schemes carried out against Jesus. Satan was the one behind their evil plotting (Luke 22:52-53; 1 Corinthians 2:6-8).

Their evil hearts were filled with evil by the prince of this world (John 13:26-28; Luke 22:1-4, 45-54).

They were blind to God’s judgment for their rejection of Jesus (John 9:35-41; 12:23-41; 15:22-25; Acts 13:38-41; See also Isaiah 6:9-10; Matthew 13:13-15; Mark 4:12; Luke 8:10; Acts 28:23-28; Romans 11:8; and  2 Corinthians 3:14-15).

God delivered Jesus over to be crucified by the surrendered obedience of Jesus to the will of God, who gave him the authority to lay down His life and to take it up again: By this power, Jesus gave himself for us to be the ransom for our sins (John 10:11-18). 

Their rejection of Jesus was the culmination of the rejection of the prophets and righteous men God had sent to their ancestors. They became guilty of the blood of all the righteous prophets of God by their rejection of Jesus (Luke 11:46-52; Matthew 23:31-39).

Jesus died for righteousness sake, like many of the righteous men who came before him. Yet Jesus alone is the Messiah, the Redeemer, the Savior of the World. He is the only one whose blood can redeem fallen humanity. 

They crucified him to prove that he was not the Messiah. God raised him from the dead to prove that he is!