Hebrews 2:5-18
Hebrews 2026 • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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ANNOUNCEMENTS
ANNOUNCEMENTS
SCRIPTURE MEMORY
SCRIPTURE MEMORY
In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.
INTRODUCTION
INTRODUCTION
This morning we cover the remainder of Hebrews chapter 2 where we see the humanity of our Lord and understand why it was necessary for him to take on flesh and blood.
First, I’ll read the entire passage. Listen to the Word of God.
EXPOSITION
EXPOSITION
THE SON’S EXALTATION THROUGH SUFFERING
THE SON’S EXALTATION THROUGH SUFFERING
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.
For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering. For he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one source. That is why he is not ashamed to call them brothers, saying, “I will tell of your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will sing your praise.” And again, “I will put my trust in him.” And again, “Behold, I and the children God has given me.” Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. For surely it is not angels that he helps, but he helps the offspring of Abraham. Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.
Pray.
2.5 SUBJECTED WORLD
2.5 SUBJECTED WORLD
For it was not to angels that God subjected the world to come, of which we are speaking.
Last week we covered the first four verses of chapter two where the author wrote about the reliability of the Law that was delivered by angels, so reliable that those who disobeyed the law were punished.
That’s all the Law could do: point out our sin and our need for saving. It doesn’t mean the Law is faulty, it’s still reliable. But it was never intended to save, only to point people to the Savior.
That’s why the message of the gospel is a greater message for it has the power to save! Because it is the greater message, we dare not neglect such a great salvation.
The world to come written in this verse seems to point to Christ’s millennial kingdom.
The Greek word for “world” is “oikoumene” which means the world of inhabitants, as opposed to kosmos which is the world as a system.
Who will rule over this world of inhabitants? Let’s find out by following the author’s arguments.
He begins by once again quoting an OT passage.
2.6-8 QUOTING PSALM 8
2.6-8 QUOTING PSALM 8
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.”
I love this: it has been testified somewhere. Even though the Bible authors were inspired by the Holy Spirit, we still see their humanity.
Isn’t that just like us today?
That somewhere is Psalm 8 which was written by David.
When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?
You can picture the young shepherd boy David, out in the fields gazing up into the night sky.
And in the vastness of the universe, we wonder the same thing David wrote: what is man? We feel so small, especially when we consider the size of the God who created such a vast universe.
How is such a mighty God mindful of us specks on earth? Why would he even care about us?
It would have been easy for David to think of himself as insignificant. But the Lord gave him answers to his deep ponderings.
What is man that you are mindful of him or the son of man, or son of Adam, that you care for him?
Even though we may FEEL insignificant compared to the vastness of the universe, we aren’t. God provided David with the significance of man: made a little lower than the angels, and crowned with glory and honor.
[Defender’s Study Bible] Man is not, as evolutionists think, “a little higher than the apes,” but rather “a little lower than the angels.”
It is humans who were made in the very image of God and given purpose and dominion over the rest of God’s creation.
Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.
This is powerful. Yes, compared to the grandeur of the heavens and the mighty works of God, it’s easy for us to think that we are irrelevant and unimportant.
Have you ever felt that way? Perhaps you feel that way today? Hear the truth of God: God is mindful of you!
From Psalm 139...
How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! If I would count them, they are more than the sand. I awake, and I am still with you.
What comfort there is in knowing that God continually holds our needs, troubles, and suffering in his awareness, while planning and working for our care and growth.
The rest of verse 8 is a commentary on the first phrase of that verse...
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.
God’s original plan was for mankind to rule over and care for his creation. When Adam and Eve sinned, they stepped out from under the authority of God, thus forfeiting their dominion.
That’s why at the present we do not see everything in subjection.
Normally this Psalm 8 is read as referring to humans in general and how they fit in with God’s design, but there’s a big reveal coming in the next verse that narrows all humanity down to one man.
2.9 JESUS
2.9 JESUS
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.
But we see him, Jesus! As glorious as it is to know that humans are the crown jewel of God’s creation, even more glorious is the fact that the God of the universe took on flesh, became one of us, suffered and died for our sins, and made a way for us to be rescued from the dominion of darkness.
By God’s grace, Jesus tasted death that we might feast on eternal life.
What is man that God is mindful of us or the son of man that God cares for us?
Not only were were made a little lower than the angels and crowned with glory and honor, we are the recipients of God’s grace and mercy!
You want to know how valuable you are? God sacrificed himself for you and for me.
When I think of how this author applies portions of Psalm 8 to Jesus, it makes me think of telescope.
I remember an inexpensive handheld telescope I had when I was younger. I would use it at times to look at the moon, and it did bring it a bit closer into view, but it was nothing compared to the telescope my friend had.
You know, the ones that are on a tripod that you set up on your back deck. That telescope made my handheld one seem like something I got out of a cereal box.
I could see things on the moon much clearer using the larger telescope. Now imagine what things we could see on the moon using the Hubble space telescope!
The author of Hebrews just pulled out the Hubble space telescope and pointed it at Psalm 8. What was fuzzy before, became crystal clear: in these verses from Psalm 8, we see Jesus!
For a little while Jesus was made lower than the angels.
Remember what we read about Jesus is the first chapter?
He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.
This preincarnate Jesus was infinitely higher than the angels he created, but for a little while, he took on flesh, became human, becoming lower than the angels he created.
And him being crowned with glory and honor is because of the death he suffered.
Paul explains it this way to the Philippians...
Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 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. 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.
So there is the one that God subjected the world to come. Jesus, the King of kings and Lord of lords!
But that’s not all. Remember the dominion mankind lost in the Garden because of sin?
Watch how it will be restored in Christ.
The saying is trustworthy, for: If we have died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him;
And to the church in Laodicea, Jesus said...
The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne.
Chapter 1 addresses the deity of Jesus and chapter 2 addresses his humanity.
For mankind to be saved, it took God himself to became a man, live a sinless life so that he could offer himself as the perfect lamb of God as a sacrifice for our sin.
We continue on verse 10...
JESUS AS HIGH PRIEST AND SAVIOR
JESUS AS HIGH PRIEST AND SAVIOR
2.10 PERFECT THROUGH SUFFERING
2.10 PERFECT THROUGH SUFFERING
For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering.
Of course the founder of our salvation is Jesus. We see this same Greek word in Hebrews 12:2...
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Our founder was made perfect through suffering.
Perfect = complete, finish, to make complete of its kind and without blemish or defect
Now understand this: Jesus said in Matthew...
You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Again, from Hebrews 12:2
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith...
If the founder of our faith was made perfect through suffering, guess what that means for us? God will use suffering to perfect us. The goal: bringing many sons to glory.
We talked about suffering at our Elders and Wives gathering last night.
Suffering is a key tool in God’s discipleship program. It’s never fun to go through - no need to tell that to Jesus who endured the cross and scorning its shame - but there is always joy on the other side - our knowledge of God increases and our faith is strengthened, ultimately the joy before us is eternity in the very presence of our Lord.
All this is the sanctification process that every believer goes through. Verses 11-12...
2.11-13 CALLED BROTHERS
2.11-13 CALLED BROTHERS
For he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one source. That is why he is not ashamed to call them brothers, saying, “I will tell of your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will sing your praise.” And again, “I will put my trust in him.” And again, “Behold, I and the children God has given me.”
Sanctifies means to make holy and it is through sanctification that we are united in Christ and united to each other. If we are sons of God, Jesus is our brother and his followers are our brothers and sisters.
In these three verses are three OT passages that our author is quoting, all emphasizing the relationship we have with our Savior...
I will tell of your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will praise you:
Next two come from the prophet Isaiah...
I will wait for the Lord, who is hiding his face from the house of Jacob, and I will hope in him. Behold, I and the children whom the Lord has given me are signs and portents in Israel from the Lord of hosts, who dwells on Mount Zion.
Since Jesus is the Son of God, by putting our trust in him, he becomes to us our brother, thus making us children of God.
He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
What an amazing truth: we not just servants, we’re not even just friends, we are children of God Almighty and brothers and sisters to Christ and to each other.
Our author continues his line of reasoning on the importance of Christ’s humanity and our being united with him...
2.14-16 SATAN DESTROYED
2.14-16 SATAN DESTROYED
Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. For surely it is not angels that he helps, but he helps the offspring of Abraham.
Here the author reflects on the incarnation and mission of Jesus. His becoming man was necessary because his children were flesh and blood.
We understand that we as humans share in the fact that we are flesh and blood, but do we fully grasp the significant of Jesus partaking of the same?
There are two Greek words in this passage that are worth highlighting:
the children SHARE in flesh and blood - koineneo
He likewise partook of the same things - metecho
Hebrews: An Introduction and Commentary (iv) His Work on Man’s Behalf (2:10–18)
Although there is no essential difference in meaning, the change of tense from the perfect to the aorist suggests that Christ’s taking on human nature is a specific act in time; he became what he was not before (i.e. a man).
The reason he needed to become a human was to deal with a human’s greatest enemy...death. Death was man’s sentence when he sinned against God.
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Jesus had to first taste death by dying himself. No eternal God could ever taste death; he must become flesh and blood. And he conquered death by rising again, thus destroying the power of Satan and our bondage to the fear that he holds over us.
Because of Christ, no longer is death our enemy, no longer does Satan have power over us, we live eternally with our Lord and death is merely a doorway from this life to the next.
Jesus didn’t do all this for angels, he did it for the children of Abraham, the nation of Israel, his chosen people.
For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
Sadly, not all Jews put their faith in Jesus and are not, therefore, children of Abraham in Christ’s kingdom.
Paul is clear about this...
But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel, and not all are children of Abraham because they are his offspring, but “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as offspring.
and from Galatians...
Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham.
Christ came to save lost mankind...
The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.
But many people - Jews and Gentiles - have neglected and are neglecting this great salvation.
There’s more to Jesus needing to become flesh and blood like us...
2.17-18 OUR HIGH PRIEST
2.17-18 OUR HIGH PRIEST
Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.
Jesus was made like us so that he might become our merciful and faithful high priest. The very one enters into the service of God.
We understand - and the audience of this letter understood - the role of the high priest in the temple service. Only the high priest could enter the holy of holies to make atonement for the sins of the people.
Jesus is our high priest who came to make propitiation for sins once and for all.
Make propitiation for = to appease an offended party’s wrath (for some wrongdoing) in order to regain goodwill, normally accomplished by making sacrifice to an offended deity
We are the ones who offended and God is the offended deity thus incurring his wrath.
So the OT high priest would enter the Most Holy Place with a sacrifice in hand to appease God’s wrath.
Of course the human high priests would need to do this every year, for their sacrifices were insufficient. Jesus, our merciful and faithful high priest, entered the heavenly temple with a sacrifice to appease God’s wrath and that sacrifice was himself, for he is the perfect lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.
And because he came in the flesh, he suffered when tempted just like all of us, so he understands our struggles and is able to help.
For all these reasons - to conquer death and Satan, to become our eternal high priest, and to understood what we face as humans - it was essential for Jesus to become human.
GOD IN THE FLESH
GOD IN THE FLESH
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness: He was manifested in the flesh, vindicated by the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory.
By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already.
For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. Such a one is the deceiver and the antichrist.
This is our Lord and Savior, the eternal God who came in the flesh to save us sinners.
APPLICATION
APPLICATION
But we see HIM!
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.
But we see him...
There may be evil all around us, but we see him
The darkness may be getting thicker, but we see him
The world is filled with lies and at times it’s hard to know what is truth from falsehood, but we see him
Many people are doing what is right in their own eyes, but we see him
There are many who call evil good and good evil, but we see him
Brothers and sisters, let us fix our eyes on Jesus. He is the founder of the great salvation and the perfector of our faith.
Amen.
REFLECTION
REFLECTION
CLOSING SONG
CLOSING SONG
Christus Victor (Amen)
BENEDICTION
BENEDICTION
