Hebrews 2:5-9 (Examine)
"It is not to the angels that He has subjected the world to come, about which we are speaking. But there is a place where someone has testified:
'What is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him? You made him a little lower than the angels; you crowned him with glory and honor and put everything under his feet'
In putting everything under him, God left nothing that is not subject to him. Yet at the present time we do not see everything subject to him. But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone."
Hebrews 2:5-9
1. What does the author mean by "It is not to angels that he has subjected the world to come"?
2. Does the phrase "world to come" speak of the future world?
Answer: I am going to combine these two questions since the answer to the second one greatly affects the answer to the first. The word "world" literally means the inhabited earth. We are talking about a physical inhabited earth that is to come... a future inhabited world. This is what John MacArthur says about the word "subject":
The author is pointing out that God's intention is not for the angels to administer or rule the future inhabited earth.
3. Why is the author using this Psalm right here?
Answer: Again he is talking to a Jewish audience and references an objection that they may have for Jesus being less than angels because He was man. I believe that Psalm 8 prophesies about the coming Messiah, who was Jesus. That "He" would be made a little lower than angels in the sense that He took on human flesh. Him becoming a man was necessary, which we will see later on in Hebrews. So how can Jesus be superior to angels since he took on humanity? This is the question I believe the author is answering. He has already made the assertion that Jesus is superior to angels, so now he has to deal with the "human thing".
4. Is the author implying a reference to Jesus (the Son of man) when quoting this Psalm?
Answer: I believe so.
5. Why does the author only point out two of the three things God would do relative to the Son of Man?
Answer: The author's point is that Jesus is superior to angels and therefore His words are to be trusted and believed. He now is making a sub-point by saying that God did not intent the angels to rule or administer the future inhabited earth (which I believe is a reference to the Millennial Kingdom). As a fulfillment of Psalm 8, we see Jesus who was made a little lower than angels and crowned with glory and honor. What we don't see is everything subject to Him. In other words, we see our present inhabited world being administered by evil forces (fallen angels). Satan is called the "ruler of this world" (John 12:31) among many of his designated titles. This world, in a sense, is subject to Satan. He is still the ruler of our present inhabited earth. Though Jesus is on the throne, He is not physically ruling this present world. The author of Hebrew knows that this issue has to be addressed because it is the biggest reason that the Jewish people rejected Jesus as the Messiah. You have to understand the mindset of a Jewish believer to really get this. We they thought about the Messiah coming, they thought about Him taking on humanity and setting up His kingdom (the kingdom of the Jews) immediately! This is why the religious leaders taunted Jesus at the cross saying, "He saved others but he can't save himself. He's the king of Israel! Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him." The disciples were confused by the death of Jesus because that was not what the Messiah was "supposed" to do. They didn't understand that the Messiah was going to take on humanity and die. Jesus was crowned with glory and honor at the resurrection and ascension into heaven, but will not set up His physical kingdom until later... The future inhabited earth.
6. Did the people have trouble looking at Jesus being "the Son of Man"?
Answer: Yes, because of their understanding of what the Son of Man was supposed to come and do.
I know this maybe a lot to process, I will speak more to it tomorrow, but just keep in mind that the author is trying to convince a Jewish audience of the authority that Jesus holds, so he has to address the issue of his humanity and delayed kingdom rule.
I wrote down several of my questions the other day. I will answer those questions and talk about what I believe the author is saying.
1. What does the author mean by "It is not to angels that he has subjected the world to come"?
2. Does the phrase "world to come" speak of the future world?
Answer: I am going to combine these two questions since the answer to the second one greatly affects the answer to the first. The word "world" literally means the inhabited earth. We are talking about a physical inhabited earth that is to come... a future inhabited world. This is what John MacArthur says about the word "subject":
Now it's an interesting use of the term put in subjection. That's hoopatasa which is a military term and it's the term used for arranging your soldiers in order under a commanding General. The word speaks of a system of administration.
The author is pointing out that God's intention is not for the angels to administer or rule the future inhabited earth.
3. Why is the author using this Psalm right here?
Answer: Again he is talking to a Jewish audience and references an objection that they may have for Jesus being less than angels because He was man. I believe that Psalm 8 prophesies about the coming Messiah, who was Jesus. That "He" would be made a little lower than angels in the sense that He took on human flesh. Him becoming a man was necessary, which we will see later on in Hebrews. So how can Jesus be superior to angels since he took on humanity? This is the question I believe the author is answering. He has already made the assertion that Jesus is superior to angels, so now he has to deal with the "human thing".
4. Is the author implying a reference to Jesus (the Son of man) when quoting this Psalm?
Answer: I believe so.
5. Why does the author only point out two of the three things God would do relative to the Son of Man?
Answer: The author's point is that Jesus is superior to angels and therefore His words are to be trusted and believed. He now is making a sub-point by saying that God did not intent the angels to rule or administer the future inhabited earth (which I believe is a reference to the Millennial Kingdom). As a fulfillment of Psalm 8, we see Jesus who was made a little lower than angels and crowned with glory and honor. What we don't see is everything subject to Him. In other words, we see our present inhabited world being administered by evil forces (fallen angels). Satan is called the "ruler of this world" (John 12:31) among many of his designated titles. This world, in a sense, is subject to Satan. He is still the ruler of our present inhabited earth. Though Jesus is on the throne, He is not physically ruling this present world. The author of Hebrew knows that this issue has to be addressed because it is the biggest reason that the Jewish people rejected Jesus as the Messiah. You have to understand the mindset of a Jewish believer to really get this. We they thought about the Messiah coming, they thought about Him taking on humanity and setting up His kingdom (the kingdom of the Jews) immediately! This is why the religious leaders taunted Jesus at the cross saying, "He saved others but he can't save himself. He's the king of Israel! Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him." The disciples were confused by the death of Jesus because that was not what the Messiah was "supposed" to do. They didn't understand that the Messiah was going to take on humanity and die. Jesus was crowned with glory and honor at the resurrection and ascension into heaven, but will not set up His physical kingdom until later... The future inhabited earth.
6. Did the people have trouble looking at Jesus being "the Son of Man"?
Answer: Yes, because of their understanding of what the Son of Man was supposed to come and do.
I know this maybe a lot to process, I will speak more to it tomorrow, but just keep in mind that the author is trying to convince a Jewish audience of the authority that Jesus holds, so he has to address the issue of his humanity and delayed kingdom rule.
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