For it was not to angels that God subjected the world to come, of which we are speaking. 6 It has been testified somewhere,
“What is man, that you are mindful of him,
or the son of man, that you care for him?
7 You made him for a little while lower than the angels;
you have crowned him with glory and honor,
8 putting everything in subjection under his feet.”
Now in putting everything in subjection to him, he left nothing outside his control. At present, we do not yet see everything in subjection to him. 9 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. 10 For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering.11 For he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one source. That is why he is not ashamed to call them brothers,[c] 12 saying,
“I will tell of your name to my brothers;
in the midst of the congregation I will sing your praise.”
13 And again,
“I will put my trust in him.”
And again,
“Behold, I and the children God has given me.”
14 Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. 16 For surely it is not angels that he helps, but he helps the offspring of Abraham. 17 Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.18 For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.
It is always important for us when reading the Bible to pay attention to the details. For example, in verse 6 of or text, the noun is in the singular, that is, it is referring to a specific man, a specific person. The phrase son of man, speaks to an individual man quite set apart from other men in general.
If the listener to the sermon we call Hebrews was familiar with Daniel or with the words of Jesus, he or she would immediately recognize this son of man, as being the Messiah.
Here is the theological point of all of this: What Hebrews has in mind is that Jesus is the true, typical, authentic, representative for humanity. This is emphasized in verse 8, where psalm 110 is again quoted, saying that this Man will have everything put under his feet.
Jesus, just like Paul says in I Corinthians 15:20-28, is the truly human one, the perfect human one…the One who does what mankind couldn’t do, in order to restore mankind to his proper place, not only in relationship to God but in relationship to creation.
Back to Psalm 8. There we have mankind exalted with everything under his feet, ruling the world, bringing justice and order to creation. But anyone singing that Psalm then or singing it now, but missing the point, might argue: But wait a minute, man isn’t bringing order and justice, in fact it appears to be quite the opposite.
How are we supposed to take the psalm seriously about the exalted place of man and woman in the creation order, when we are not doing, have not done, and cannot do, what we were given to do?
The answer is that all of this HAS happened in Jesus Christ. Jesus, after his birth, life, humiliation, death and resurrection is now exalted, he takes his place as THE man who has accomplished the plan of God for the world.
Or as NT Wright put it, Jesus has gone ahead of the rest of us into God’s future, the future in which order and justice, saving order, healing justice will come to the world.
This is why the humanity of Jesus the son of God is necessary for the world. He is God and he was made lower than the angels…he embraced the humiliations of this life, just think of it: God being born, helpless and needy, that is the beginning of his humiliation! And then he was made to know all the miseries that accompany life if a fallen and broken world among fallen, broken and self-absorbed people.
He was hated by those he came to rescue. He was mocked, beaten and murdered…And all of that as a man…as THE man. And yes, for a little while as verse 9 says, he was made lower than the angels…the angels that for eternity passed, sang his praises and covered their holy eyes at his presence!
And, verse 9 continues, he is crowned with glory, He is the perfect man, achieving as man, the crown of life because of his suffering and death…that is, it was the only way that life could be won and a man had to do it.
Now look at verse 10. Our text says it is fitting…one translation better puts it this way, This is how it works out: This One who created all things, and for whom they were created…for Him to bring many sons to glory…many men and women…human beings…Well then of course the author of that rescue would be perfected and win this rescue…only through suffering.
Now perhaps you are thinking that all of this is fine and you have never doubted the humanity of Jesus, perfect God and perfect man…but I would guess you have lessened, unintentionally, I am sure, but lessened still, the humanity of Christ.
Have you ever thought that the reason Jesus defeated temptation in this life was because he was God? In other words, do you think that when Jesus was in a tight spot, as a man, that his divinity came swooping in to rescue him? Or did Jesus defeat every temptation…as a man?
When Jesus prayed from the cross, Father forgave them…Have you ever thought that that prayer was not answered? They were not all forgiven for this act, at least some of them, probably most of them.
How could Jesus pray a prayer as God that God would not answer? Well, because he prayed the prayer as a man. He fulfilled the righteousness of the law of God by praying for his enemies, for those who cursed him. He was, as a man, fulfilling righteousness, a righteousness, a perfection that He would give to all who trust in Him.
Theologians call this imputation. In the Bible imputation is three-fold. Adam’s sin was imputed, (or counted as) to us. Our sin was imputed, (or counted as) being Jesus’ and Jesus’ righteous is imputed, (or counted as) to us. But of course, Jesus had to fulfill the righteousness of God as a man so that mankind could be counted as righteous!
What a glorious gift we have been given! The perfect righteousness of THE man is counted as being ours!!!
Prayer: Father, thank you for Your Word and for the revelation of redemption in Jesus, the Savior of the world. Help me to rejoice and live in the righteousness that is mine in Jesus Christ. May I never take it for granted or think to abuse it by making light, but rather help me to see the glory of Jesus on every page and to be filled with thanksgiving for Your incredible mercy, love and kindness to speak to Your people so beautifully and clearly. Through Jesus Christ, the Word of God, I pray, Amen.
Hymn: They Are More Precious Than Gold