Heb 2:5-9

The Already/Not-yet of Christ’s Reign

Big Idea: Since we do not yet see everything in subjection to Christ, we must look to Jesus as an example of endurance under suffering so that we may persevere in the faith.

Intro

What do you do when reality doesn’t seem to match what we confess to be true?

Christ is king, but it sure doesn’t always seem like it.

This is never more apparent than when we personally go through suffering.

The whole sermon of Hebrews is given to address that most pressing of questions

As we move through the AH argument that Jesus is superior to angels, we come to transition section.

Between the exalted nature of the Son and what the catechism calls His estate of humiliation.

Hebrews 2:5-9

The World to Come is Subject to Christ (Man) not Angels

The AH picks up the thread from v. 13 and his quote from Ps. 110.

The Son is superior to angels because everything is subjected to Him (not angels)

“the world to come” is the present days in which God has spoken to us in His Son.

It is the inaugurated kingdom of the risen and ascended Christ.

Coming assumes and inaugurated eschatology, what we call the Already/Not-yet.

Then the AH quotes Psalm 8:4-6.

Introducing the quote this way does not mean that the preacher does not know who wrote this or where it is found, but rather that it is well known and God is the author with the human author being subordinate.

The AH interprets this psalm Christologically, man/son of man and him all refer to Christ, the is God the Father.you

Psalm 8 is a hymn of creation, celebrating the wonders of God’s creation and our place within the created order.

The psalm has as its background Genesis 1-2 and the dominion mandate given to Adam.

The Christological way that the AH interprets psalm 8 does not mean that it did not have reference to man in general, merely that Jesus is as second Adam, perfect image bearer, and representative The Man & Son of Manman.

When we consider how to apply this, we will come back to how this refers to Christ and Christians in a moment.

Psalm 8 marvels that God gave mankind such authority over His creation.

It celebrates our exalted place in the created order.

His point in citing Ps 8 and applying it to Christ is to show that, although in the old age, the world was subject to angels, in the world to come it is subject to Christ.

What he is at pains to show from Ps. 8 is is now in subjection to Christ, the stress falls on everything. everything

There is nothing outside the sovereign authority of the Son.

“And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.” (Mt 28:18).

So the AH is clarifying the Ps. 110 quotation, which seems to suggest that God will, at some future time, say at the end of the age, “make your enemies a footstool for your feet.”

With Ps. 8, the AH concludes that has happened at the enthronement of the Son at his ascension, inaugurating the world to come (last days).until

Yet We do not See All Things Subject to Christ–Yet.

But, if until as already happened, why don’t we see everything subject to the Son?

That is what he moves to answer next, reconciling the ambiguity by introducing what theologians later call the Already/but-not-yet.

He acknowledges, yes, right now we don’t see everything subjected to the Son…but what do we see, we see Jesus!

Incarnation

He was made a little lower than the angels…now becomes a reference not just to man’s status, but to the Son’s status as a man.

“who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.” (Php 2:6–7).

For a little while…means the duration of his estate of humiliation, birth, life, death, resurrection, until His ascension.

Exaltation

Now crowned with glory…refers to His Ascension, which was a return to that exalted state he occupied before being made a little lower

And when the is enthroned as king.

But he was exalted he accomplished something. because

…which is another way of saying what he already said in 1:3.Because of the suffering of death

“After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,” (Heb 1:3).

Paul says the identical thing in the rest of Phil 2,

“And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Php 2:8–11).

Now, the question is, how does this prove everything is subject to the Son?

The AH reasons that if the Father has exalted the Son because of His atoning death on the cross, then all the things are subject to Him.

Notice the logic.

If the Father had not exalted the Son, then we would question whether all things were subject to Him.

But since he has, so they are.

In other words just because it seems like everything is not subject to the Son does not mean they are not, what we are waiting for is the impact of all things being subject to the Son to become a reality.

That is why we pray “thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”

Jesus is king and all things are subject to him because God has crowned Him with glory and honor, but we do not yet see all those things subject to Him.

We see Jesus

So what do we see?

We see Jesus.

We see His Pattern

Humiliation then exaltation

Suffering then glory

death before resurrection

Some postmil guys are dangerously close to reversing this order.

There is no glory apart from the cross, apart from suffering.

“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.” (Jn 12:24–25).

We see His Example

Endurance even unto to death.

“For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps.” (1 Pe 2:21).

Persecution is the experience of Christians.normal

The call is then to suffer well.

“if we endure, we will also reign with him;” (2 Ti 2:12).

We see His accomplishment

Tasting death for everyone (means experienced death)

Substitutionary atonement (for everyone)

Question: does the everyone mean universal atonement?

No, the first rule of scripture interpretation is “scripture interprets scripture.”

This will be qualified in the next few verses is synonymous with ‘bringing many sons to glory’, ‘ those who are sanctified,’ ‘brothers,’ ‘children God has given me,’ ‘seed of Abraham’ (Heb. 2:10–11, 16). That is, the Son died for the elect. (Cara, 100).everyone

So Christ is king, and His exaltation means that the impact of His enthronement while we may think it is slow in coming, will be realized one day.

Then on that day, every knee will bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

We you look out at the world and despair because you don’t see the reign of Christ realized, what you need to do is look up and by faith see Jesus, like Stephen did when he was being stoned.

“But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. And he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”” (Ac 7:55–56).

So look and see Jesus.

Since we do not yet see everything in subjection to Christ, we must look to Jesus as an example of endurance under suffering so that we may persevere in the faith.