Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Hebrews 2:12

"saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, In the midst of the congregation will I sing thy praise." — Hebrews 2:12 (ASV)

The writer clarifies the point of spiritual brotherhood with an appeal to Ps 22, a psalm that was regarded as messianic in the early church. As he hung on the cross, Jesus quoted its opening words: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Mark 15:34). And the words about dividing garments (Psalms 22:18) are seen as fulfilled in what the soldiers did as they crucified Jesus . It was thus the most natural thing in the world for the writer of Hebrews to see Jesus as the speaker in this psalm. He will declare his name to his brothers. In antiquity “name” generally stood for the whole character. So in this psalm the writer sees Jesus as saying that he will proclaim God’s character as he has revealed himself, not simply that he will declare the name of God. The important thing in this quotation is that Jesus will do this “to [his] brothers.” Jesus recognizes them as kin. The parallel statement in the next line reinforces the idea.

The word “congregation” (ekklesia; GK 1711) can mean a properly summoned political group (Acts 19:39) or an assembly of almost any kind, including the rioting Ephesians (Acts 19:32, 41). But it is also used of the congregation of ancient Israel (Acts 7:38). In the NT it became the characteristic word for the “church,” the gatherings of Christians. Now he who sings God’s praises in the midst of God’s people is by that very fact showing that he is one of them, their spokesman. The “brothers” are the church.