The Humble King
“9 What we do see is Jesus, who for a little while was given a position “a little lower than the angels”; and because he suffered death for us, he is now “crowned with glory and honor.” Yes, by God’s grace, Jesus tasted death for everyone. 10 God, for whom and through whom everything was made, chose to bring many children into glory. And it was only right that he should make Jesus, through his suffering, a perfect leader, fit to bring them into their salvation.”
In the beginning, God made man and had a good plan for man.
7 Yet for a little while you made them a little lower than the angels
and crowned them with glory and honor.
8 You gave them authority over all things.” Now when it says “all things,” it means nothing is left out. But we have not yet seen all things put under their authority.
He gave man dominion over everything (Genesis 1:26) on Earth. Adam and Eve spent their days in the perfection of Eden. Man from the beginning was meant to live eternally with God. But when sin entered the world, it messed up this plan. Sin separated man from God and now man would experience death instead of life.
But because God loved man—He made man—He had a plan to restore man’s original honor. What was this plan? It was salvation through Jesus, His Son. God certainly chose an interesting way to save His people.
Philippians 2:6-8 says it so beautifully:
6 Though he was God,
he did not think of equality with God
as something to cling to.
7 Instead, he gave up his divine privileges;
he took the humble position of a slave
and was born as a human being.
When he appeared in human form,
8 he humbled himself in obedience to God
and died a criminal’s death on a cross.
Sin has a cost—it separates us from God; it costs us our peace with God. And sin equally demands a price—it requires an atonement. For our position of right standing with God to be restored, a sacrifice is required to reconcile us with God. God established a temporary system for His people to atone for their sins, but the Old Testament law was but a shadow of Jesus. Jesus came to do what the law could not do (Romans 8:3-4). Jesus, who is fully God, took on the form of a man, and lived life as we do. Then, after living a perfect guiltless life, He went to the cross to die as a sacrifice for our sins.
Hebrews 1 focuses on the fact that Jesus is God’s son. But Hebrews 2 seems to put emphasis that Jesus was the son of man. Why does this matter that Jesus was fully God and fully man? Why did Jesus have to take on the form of a man to bring us salvation?
Remember, Adam’s sin had two consequences: separation from God and death. For Jesus to be fully man He had to experience death like we do. We are not saved by Jesus’ perfect life here on earth. Jesus’ perfect life made Him the perfect candidate for the cross. His death on the cross was the gracious sacrifice He gave to restore our right standing with God (vs. 9-10).
9 What we do see is Jesus, who for a little while was given a position “a little lower than the angels”; and because he suffered death for us, he is now “crowned with glory and honor.” Yes, by God’s grace, Jesus tasted death for everyone. 10 God, for whom and through whom everything was made, chose to bring many children into glory. And it was only right that he should make Jesus, through his suffering, a perfect leader, fit to bring them into their salvation.
And because He was fully God he broke the power of death with His resurrection (vs. 14-15)
14 Because God’s children are human beings—made of flesh and blood—the Son also became flesh and blood. For only as a human being could he die, and only by dying could he break the power of the devil, who had the power of death. 15 Only in this way could he set free all who have lived their lives as slaves to the fear of dying.
So Jesus’ death was the sacrifice that atones for all sin and gives those who believe eternal life.
Hebrews 2 also explains that Jesus became a man so He could call us brothers and sisters. We are no longer just his creation; we are his sons and daughters. When we place our faith in Christ we are adopted into His family and we are co-heirs with Christ, with all rights and privileges—as true sons and daughters of the King.
11 So now Jesus and the ones he makes holy have the same Father. That is why Jesus is not ashamed to call them his brothers and sisters.
Additionally, Christ taking on the form of man makes Him our perfect high priest and our advocate. He too had to depend on God. He, too, had to experience all of the things we experienced. He understands our humanity, our frailty and our weaknesses and He petitions God on our behalf.
17 Therefore, it was necessary for him to be made in every respect like us, his brothers and sisters, so that he could be our merciful and faithful High Priest before God. Then he could offer a sacrifice that would take away the sins of the people. 18 Since he himself has gone through suffering and testing, he is able to help us when we are being tested.
Why on earth would Jesus, Son of God, humble himself, take on the form of man, become “a slave” and obedient to the point of death? Simply put, love.
John 3:16
16 “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. 17 God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him
His love for you and me is unparalleled. Notice, he does not do this for angels:
5 And furthermore, it is not angels who will control the future world we are talking about.6 For in one place the Scriptures say,
“What are mere mortals that you should think about them,
or a son of man that you should care for him?16 We also know that the Son did not come to help angels; he came to help the descendants of Abraham
Hebrews 1 starts off reminding us that Jesus is God’s son. And I am filled with awe as I am reminded that He is the “radiance of God’s glory.” When we keep that in the forefront of our minds as we look at Hebrews 2, I am even more humbled that Jesus would leave His divinity behind to come to Earth to save me. Friend, God had a plan, from the very beginning, to reconcile you to Him. My prayer is that you do not neglect this “great salvation” that was announced by Jesus, proclaimed by Believers and confirmed by God.
3 So what makes us think we can escape if we ignore this great salvation that was first announced by the Lord Jesus himself and then delivered to us by those who heard him speak? 4 And God confirmed the message by giving signs and wonders and various miracles and gifts of the Holy Spirit whenever he chose
