Each Thursday we will take a few minutes to examine three thoughts (or bullets) from the book of Hebrews. We encourage you to read the text, and consider the bullet points. Then join us in a simple prayer.
“For it was not to angels that God subjected the world to come, of which we are speaking. It has been testified somewhere,“What is man, that you are mindful of him, or the son of man, that you care for him? You made him for a little while lower than the angels; you have crowned him with glory and honor, 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. 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.”
- Hebrews 2:5-9
Introduction: As we continue in our study of Hebrews it is good to take a moment and remember that this letter was most likely originally delivered as a sermon to an audience of persecuted and spiritually-fatigued believers. The author is working hard to rouse his hearers from lethargy through a pronouncement of the person and work of Jesus. Keeping this in mind is important as we interact with Hebrews 2:5-9.
1. The Incarnation of The Son
a. In Christian theology we talk about the incarnation, or the embodiment of God the Son in human flesh - Jesus. Here in Hebrews 2:5-9 the author specifically names Jesus as the Son for the first time.
In doing so, the author points the attention of his audience towards Christ’s incarnation and begins to transition towards the arguments he will make in Chapters 3-10.
b. In raising the incarnation of Christ, the author also touches on an important, and at first glance; confusing dichotomy. Jesus is portrayed as being seated at the right hand of the majesty on high (Heb 1:3) as greater than the angels (Heb 1:5-14). And now in Hebrews 2:5-9 the author quotes Psalm 8, in which Jesus is crowned with glory and honour and everything is in subjection under his feet.
But, Psalm 110 (which the author quoted in 1:13) portrays the Son as still waiting “until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet,” pointing to a date in the future when subjugation of the world will be full.
c. Everything is in subjection to Jesus, yet at the present time, the first audience did not see everything in subjection to Jesus. How can this be? As George Guthrie writes, “Which is it? Have all things been subjugated to the Son, or does his universal dominance lie in the future?” with “Both!”[1]
2. The Now and Not Yet rule of Christ
a. The tension between what we see now (or what the original audience saw in their time) and what we expect for the future that isn’t yet visible is what Guthrie (and other theologians) refer to as “the inaugurated rule of Christ.” That is, the reign of Christ and the reality of Christian experience have begun, but will not be fully actualized until a final consummation at the end of the age. The Son’s rule is already a reality; but it must be confessed by faith until we see its full impact at the end of the age.[2]
b. As the author writes to his audience, “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. But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honour because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.” (Heb 2:8-9).
Jesus is both the one who has authority over the universe and the one who, having been for a time lower than the angels, can identify with us and has suffered for us. “This is intended as a basis of hope and will constitute a key theme in the rest of Hebrews.”[3]
c. For the original audience (a group of spiritually-fatigued, persecuted believers in the first century), this reality of now but not yet strikes at a difficult tension: If Jesus, even though he can identify with us in our suffering, now has the power over those making us suffer, why does he seem to remain silent?[4]
3. The exalted Christ and the persecuted church
a. This reality, that the rule of Christ is complete and yet not fully realized here on earth, is echoed by the apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:25-26, where he states, “For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death.”
We are called to walk in faith and to follow in Jesus’ example of suffering (1 Peter 2:21) and to recognize that, “persecution is a normal christian experience.”[5] Later in his letter, the author of Hebrews will in fact, recount a number of ‘heros of the faith’ who suffered immensely for their decision to follow God (Hebrews 11).
b. But this present suffering will come to an end! This is the promise and the hope to which everyone can cling in the midst of suffering, persecution and despair. Revelation 21:4 states, “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”
How desperately do we hope for and cling to this promise of the future! And yet, we can run into serious trouble if we attempt to accelerate God’s timing and force the future reality of Christ’s rule into the present time. Perhaps without even realizing that we are doing it, we speak for God and assert that we know best when we question his timing and control in the midst of our suffering.
c. “In western Christianity especially, ‘we have become committed to relieving the pain behind our problems rather than using our pain to wrestle more passionately with the character and purposes of God. Feeling better has become more important than finding God. And worse, we assume that people who find God always feel better.’[6] To Focus on our situations, our problems, our pains as primary (rather than the purposes of God) is to move away from important aspects of following Christ.”[7]
d. The author of Hebrews goes to great lengths to point towards the example of Jesus as a source of encouragement and a call to endurance for his listeners in the midst of persecution. The Son of God came to earth and became lower than the angels, suffered greatly and ultimately tasted death. He is now exalted at the right hand of the majesty on high and everything is subject to him.
Prayer
Father,
I have wasted too much time pursuing the relief of pain instead of seeking your face. I recognize in myself a deep-seated desire to avoid suffering, and in my attempts to do so, I have drifted from you.
Forgive me for wandering away from you. Renew my zeal for obedience and strengthen me through your Holy Spirit, that I might endure in faith to whatever end you call me.
When I cry out in pain, hear me! Be present with me and go with me into the world.
Lord, help me to trust you in every way as I desperately anticipate the day you will wipe every tear from my eyes.
I love you Lord.
Amen.
[1] Guthrie, George H.. Hebrews (The NIV Application Commentary Book 15) (p. 99). Zondervan Academic. Kindle Edition.
[2] Ibid.
[3] Ibid.
[4] This thought was heavily influenced by Guthrie’s exposition. He goes on to argue, “the intervening time between the exaltation and consummation of Christ’s rule allows for God’s mission of reconciliation as the church proclaims forgiveness in Christ.”
[5] Ibid.
[6] Larry Crabb, Finding God (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1993), 18.
[7] Guthrie, George H.. Hebrews (The NIV Application Commentary Book 15) (p. 99). Zondervan Academic. Kindle Edition.