Because of Jesus’ supremacy over angels, we must give greater heed to His
salvation. In OT times, if one rejected God’s message through angels (the Law
of Moses), he paid a costly price for disobedience, often death. The writer of
Hebrews asks how much worse it would be for those who reject the message of Him
who is greater than the angels. Therefore, he notes, we must pay even more
careful attention to the final, complete message God has given in His Son.
As true as that is, it raises a question and presents an apparent
dilemma.
Jesus, who has been presented as being fully God in chapter one, was
obviously a man! How can His deity – “greater than angels” – be reconciled with
His humanity – “lower than angels?” Hebrews 2 provides the answer.
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2:1-4 The Call to Attention
Let’s follow the line of reasoning so far in Hebrews.
God has spoken finally and completely in His Son.
The Son, being God, is superior to angels.
The OT Law was spoken through angels.
Deut 33:2; Acts 7:51-53; Gal 3:19
It was extremely firm, rigid, and unbending.
Those who disobeyed were consistently and justly penalized. Heb 10:28-29
But, again, the Son is far greater than the angels.
Therefore, the Word spoken through Him is superior. Not less firm, but even more firm.
The Lord spoke this message.
The first listeners confirmed it.
Divine miracles bore witness to it. Acts 2:22; 4:16; 8:13
We are in danger of drifting from His message.
If we neglect this great salvation, we will not escape.
So, we must pay close, constant attention! Or else!
How do Christians drift from the Word … the faith … the church … the
Christian life?
Is it intentional or accidental?
Could we perish … due to neglect?
What might we neglect? How? Why?
What steps could we take to become more attentive?
2:5-8 The Glory of Man
How can we reconcile Jesus’ deity and humanity?
How can we fit “God, throne, and eternal” with the cross?
How can we understand “greater than angels,” yet “lower than angels?”
Hebrews answers, based on Gen 1-2 and Ps 8.
1. Man was given but lost
his glory and honor.
2. The God-Man reclaimed it
through His death.
3. So we return to that
glory by following Him.
•
God never subjected the world (economy) to angels,
but to man. Gen 1:26-27
•
Man, in His image, subject to Him, was to rule all
of creation as His agent.
•
He said so in Ps 8. Note 8:3-4. Contrast man’s
smallness with his prominence.
•
Man traded his glory for dishonor through sin.
Abdicated his throne. Became a slave.
•
So, “We do not see all things subjected to man.”
2:9-18 The
Man of Glory
Then how can the words of Ps 8 ever be realized? How can the crown, that
man lost through sin, be won back?
Not through man in his sin, but through the Man without sin.
Ps 8 applies ultimately to Christ. Note these Jewish Messianic terms: Son
of Man, crowned with glory and honor, appointed over creation, all subject to
Him.
Yet this Savior would also be “made lower than the angels.”
That lowering is not a contradiction of His identity, but the fulfillment
of it!
Like man, the Son of Man (representative man) traded … abdicated … became
a slave.
So that He could win back the crown … for us!
Because of the suffering of death.
By the grace of God.
He tasted (experienced) death for us, in our place.
So that, through this one (only!) Son, God can bring many (adopted!) sons
to glory.
Result: He is the Author of our salvation!
Result: Our Savior is also our brother!
Such a victory was not possible under Judaism. It required a new
covenant.
Jesus
had to take on flesh and blood (humanity) …
Jesus
had to share our nature in every way …
Jesus
had to become a little (while) lower than angels …
Why?
•
To die;
•
To defeat the devil;
•
To set us free from fear of death;
•
To help the seed of Abraham;
•
To become a merciful and faithful high
priest;
•
To make propitiation for our sins;
•
To be tempted in what He suffered;
•
To come to our aid when tempted.
To Propitiate
To appease, splacate, pacify the one who was offended.
Gen 32:20 Jacob hoped to “propitiate” Esau.
Rom 3:25
1 Jn 2:2
1 Jn 4:10
Lk 18:13 “Be merciful (propitious) to me, the sinner!”
Heb 9:5 The “mercy seat” (propitiatory)
Jesus, My Brother
•
He Sanctifies.
•
He Testifies.
•
He Identifies.
•
He Nullifies.
•
He Indemnifies.
The
God of angels,
who
is also the Man of glory,
is
also the Brother of sinners.
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