Earth Subject to Man
5For He did not subject to angels the world to come, concerning which we are speaking. 6But one has testified somewhere, saying,
“What is man, that You remember him? Or a son of man, that You are concerned about him? 7You have made him for a little while lower than the angels; You have crowned him with glory and honor, And have appointed him over the works of Your hands; 8You have put all things in subjection under his feet.” (Psalm 8:4-6)
”For in subjecting all things to him, He left nothing that is not subject to him. But now we do not yet see all things subjected to him.
Heb 2:5-8
From the comments of those who wrote to me it seems the dawning of understanding has come. I am glad that my efforts in the last Gem have clarified things for you. You can see now from the words I have highlighted above that the writer’s focus in this paragraph is mankind. The reference to SON OF MAN is without the definite article in Greek so ought to correctly be translated as “a son of man”. In other words the writer is talking about man and the off-spring of man. How is it that mankind have God’s attention? That God should be mindful of mere man?
Notice the multiple repetitions of the pronoun ‘him’ are not ‘Him’ referring to Christ, but ‘him’ referring to mankind. Man is in focus here. God didn’t make the world subject to angels. The writer made it clear at the end of the previous chapter that ‘the angels are ministering spirits, sent forth to serve those who are heirs of salvation.’ Now he picks up that thought and expands on it.
As someone has said . . . But in a certain place one fully testified . . . But a certain writer has given his witness . . . Somewhere in the Scriptures someone says to God . . . And there is a place where someone has given this solemn testimony: . . . It is written some place in the Scriptures . . . Instead, as it is said somewhere in the Scriptures: . . . but one fully testified somewhere, saying . . . It says in Scripture . . . For in one place the Scriptures say . . . But the Scriptures affirm:
The vagueness of the quote is astounding. It should be an encouragement to you when you forget where a verse comes from, to be able to say “It says somewhere in the Bible . . .” This was written by a man who knew well the Old Testament Scriptures and would definitely have known the source of the quote from Psalm 8 but chose not to refer to it. Instead, he made his quote vague and unspecified. He didn’t even record the usual Hebraic formula referencing the Law or the Prophets nor the Writings. Instead we have “someone somewhere said”. . . Take note: It is ok to do that. Ponder on the freedom that gives you.
Not only that, but he has quoted the verse from the Septuagint rather than the Hebrew text. Much has been made of this, even to the point of suggesting that the move was deliberate to mask the use of “angels” instead of “God” as we saw in the previous Gem. The suggestion being that he quoted from the LXX and left it vague to skip the obvious difference between the Masoretic text and the Septuagint text. I don’t think that is the reason for a nano-second. I think he chose the LXX because he was focused on the argument related to the Son being greater than the angels. So of course he would choose the Septuagint reading over the Hebrew text because he is discussing angels in relation to The Son. We don’t have to appeal to arguments related to grammatical constructions or viewpoints on text variation to sort this out. Clearly the Septuagint text fits perfectly his point related to the comparison between the Son and the angels.
Now let’s look in detail at what the writer to the Hebrews is claiming:
- You have made mankind for a little while lower than the angels
- You have crowned them with glory and honour
- You have appointed them over the works of Your hands
- You have put all things in subjection under their feet.
They are the points the writer has gathered from the quote in Psalm 8. To those he adds the following comments of his own, little realising that too would later become known as Scripture.
- He left nothing that is not subject to him (man).
- But now we do not yet see all things subjected to him (man).
Is that clear now? But of course that leaves us with some big questions!
- “What? I don’t understand!”
- “When did that happen?”
- “What is he talking about?”
It is like the playing field has been changed or the goal posts have been moved. Especially so, if we have always read this block as referring to Jesus as the Son of Man. “Ian, what are you doing!” I am simply exegeting the text in the way it should be. The first portion of the writer’s argument relates to the position or mandate of mankind. From verse 9 onward the focus is on Jesus. Let’s unpack it a little more because we have two statements related to “a little while“. This is what I meant in the previous Gem concerning the commentators bogging down on the discussion as to whether the comparison here is a matter of degree or timing. Their arguments are sometimes convoluted but allow me to sum it up this way. We have “a little while” repeated in this part of Hebrews 2; both of which contrast enormously. Both also contrast in the terms of the degree of lowering.
The Contrasts in Essence:
- Mankind was made for a little while lower than the angels. (Hebrews 2:7)
- The Son was made for a little while lower than the angels. (Hebrews 2:9)
It is interesting that the writer quotes Ps 2:7 and then Psalm 8:4-6. He establishes the family relationship first and then hints at the inheritance. The notion of the inheritance was established at the beginning of the Bible. The mandate to rule the earth and subdue it was given to Adam (mankind) in Eden. At that time the earth was not subject to the angels, it was subject to mankind. Angels, as the writer has reminded us already, were ministering spirits or servants to enable mankind’s mandate. Man was destined to rule this new world that God created. As the writer of the letter said, “He left nothing that was not subject to him (namely man). But as a consequence of his sin he was banished from Eden and destined to spend his life in a futile attempt to subdue everything around him. Even the plants would rebel against his control. Am I making myself clear?
Thus for a little while mankind was made a little lower than the angels. Oh my goodness, how long that little while was! That is why the writer of the letter to the Hebrews states “But now we do not yet see all things subjected to him.” No, that is right, because things have gone awry.” But we also know we are destined for the Life of the Age to Come. I have told you about that frequently. But I have not as yet put the Life of the Age to Come in its full perspective. The time when order will be restored and things will return to the order God first established at Creation. When Man would rule over the creation as God initially intended. That is what the writer is talking about. Oh how magnificent the day – bring it on.
That is why the commentators discuss among themselves the significance of this in terms of the two comparisons of the degree of lowering and the timing.
The degree of lowering for mankind was significant in that he lost his right to rule over all in that world; his fellow man, the animals and the plants to remain subject to him. He effectively lost his mandate when he came out from under his subjection to God. I don’t need to tell you about the principle that we have authority when we are under authority ourselves. You know that principle. If you need a refresher on the idea then read Matthew 8:5-13 or Luke 7:1-10, or both.
Along with that, consider how Jesus could talk about the Kingdom of God being “not far”, “near” and “here” all at the same time. Have you ever considered it is all to do with the subjects being subject. When the subjects are under authority then the King is ruling. It cannot be said that the Kingdom is here until all the subjects are under His rule. It’s simple really. We are heirs of the inheritance. That is the inference we need to take from what the writer has written. He brought up the the matter of redeemed man’s inheritance in the beginning of his letter.
And now in these final days, he has spoken to us through his Son. God promised everything to the Son as an inheritance, and through the Son he created the universe.
Hebrews 1:2
Let me make it clear with a quote from Paul:
And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering.
Romans 8:17
Here are some more inheritance quotes for you to chew on. I thought about including the full quotes for you but then thought better of it. Firstly it would make this Gem too long but more importantly it would rob you of the benefit of looking the verses up yourselves and pondering them.
1 Peter 1:4; John 1:12; 17:22, 24; Matt 25:34; 2 Cor 8:9; Gal 3:29, 4:7; Col 1:12, 3:24
It is true, redeemed man have a remarkable inheritance in and through the work of Jesus Christ on the cross. For a little while, we have been groaning with creation. I will now complete the thoughts of Paul which run on from the quote I have used above.
For all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when God will reveal who his children really are. Against its will, all creation was subjected to God’s curse. But with eager hope, the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay. For we know that all creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. And we believers also groan, even though we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory, for we long for our bodies to be released from sin and suffering. We, too, wait with eager hope for the day when God will give us our full rights as his adopted children, including the new bodies he has promised us.
Romans 8:19-23
Oh the magnitude (degree) of that lowering! And added to that, the extent of that “for a little while”!
The magnitude of it is mind-blowing and needs to be pondered for a while. How appropriate to be doing that in the week leading up to Easter. Thank you LORD for the timing! Next Gem we will begin our investigation into the remaining verses of Hebrews 2. The writer has set the scene for the comparison between the two contrasts I outlined above.
Mankind was made for a little while lower than the angels.
Hebrews 2:7
The Son was made for a little while lower than the angels.
Hebrews 2:9
Jesus doesn’t need you to add your works to His sacrifice. Don’t try to pay for something that He already paid for.
Joyce Meyer
If Jesus Christ be God and died for me, then no sacrifice can be too great for me to make for Him.
C.T. Studd
The greatest love that had ever been shown in all of history was shown by the greatest person ever through the greatest sacrifice ever as the greatest gift to the least deserving.
John Piper
The Lord delights in your way as you give yourself as a living sacrifice to Him to use, in response to all He has done for you.
Ian