What is man?

The way things were.

Great Kilt, belted plaid.

This ridiculous thing is a reference to how things were.

I was going to insert a Kilt joke here, but every one I found had to do with a what one wears under a kilt.

A reference to the past

We are in Hebrews chapter two and what we will see this morning is both a reference to what was and what will be.

The writer of Hebrews is making the point that Jesus is higher than the angles, but in the middle of chapter 2, he used a really odd reference to make his point.

We will look at the verses in Hebrews first, then the reference.

Hebrews 2:5–8 NASB95

5 For He did not subject to angels the world to come, concerning which we are speaking. 6 But one has testified somewhere, saying, “What is man, that You remember him? Or the son of man, that You are concerned about him? 7 “You 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; 8 You have put all things in subjection under his feet.” 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.

“One has testified somewhere.”

Didn’t know. Or it was so familiar to the audience, he didn’t have to.

“Lower than the angels” Greek word clearly meaning angels.

Psalms 8. is where the reverence is from. “One has testified”

Psalm 8 NASB95

For the choir director; on the Gittith. A Psalm of David. 1 O Lord, our Lord, How majestic is Your name in all the earth, Who have displayed Your splendor above the heavens! 2 From the mouth of infants and nursing babes You have established strength Because of Your adversaries, To make the enemy and the revengeful cease. 3 When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, The moon and the stars, which You have ordained; 4 What is man that You take thought of him, And the son of man that You care for him? 5 Yet You have made him a little lower than God, And You crown him with glory and majesty! 6 You make him to rule over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under his feet, 7 All sheep and oxen, And also the beasts of the field, 8 The birds of the heavens and the fish of the sea, Whatever passes through the paths of the seas. 9 O Lord, our Lord, How majestic is Your name in all the earth!

Prior to the writer of Hebrews, this wasn’t considered a messianic passages.

SON OF MAN - wasn’t used here as a Title, but simple for descendants.

Elohim. (Plural) God / heavenly beings/ angels.

DAVID

Psalm 8:3–4 NASB95

3 When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, The moon and the stars, which You have ordained; 4 What is man that You take thought of him, And the son of man that You care for him?

Man in the Garden -

A little lower than angels.

Crowned with glory and majesty

rule over the works of Your hands.

Put all things under his feet.

sheep and oxen

beasts of the field

birds of the heavens, fish of the sea.

Genesis 1:26 NASB95

26 Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”

Hebrews 2:9 NASB95

9 But we do see Him who was made for a little while lower than the angels, namely, Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone.

Jesus’ obedience rectified Adam and Eve’s disobedience.

Jesus went willingly to a shameful death, while Adam hid in his shame.

Adam and Ever were forced outside of paradise, but Jesus made a way for man to enter into paradise.

Crown of thorns represents the removal of the curse on the earth. (Thorns and thistles)

Death was introduced through Adam, but defeated by Jesus.

Hebrews 2:8 NASB95

8 You have put all things in subjection under his feet.” 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.

YET

Philippians 2:9–11 NASB95

9 For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

You can reject Him as savior, but there will come a time that you WILL acknowledge Him as LORD.