Hebrews 2:8

For (γὰρ) Explanatory. Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet, that is to say, nothing is excepted. That is not put under him (αὐτῷ ἀνυπότακτον) Lit. "unsubjected to him." The adjective only here and 1 Timothy 1:9; Titus 1:6. But this ideal is not yet a reality. We see not yet all things subjected to him, but we do see the germinal fulfillment of the prophecy in Jesus' life, suffering, and death.

Hebrews 2:8 . πάντα ὑπέταξας .… “Thou didst put all things under his feet.” In the psalm “all things” are defined as “all sheep and oxen, yea and the beasts of the field, the fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passes through the paths of the sea”. But to our author the scope of the “all” has been enlarged by the event. His argument requires an absolutely universal subjection, so that everything obstructive of man’s “glory” may be subdued. And having seen this achieved by Christ, he is emboldened to give to “all” this fullest content. The one point he seeks to make good is that “in subjecting all things to him, he has left nothing, and therefore not the οἰκουμένη μέλλουσα , unsubjected to him”. The “world to come” is under human dominion and administration. The angels are left behind; there is no room for angelic government. But this very sovereignty of man is precisely that which we do not see visibly fulfilled: “for the present ( νῦν ) we do not yet see all things subjected to him”. True, says the author, but we do see Jesus who for the suffering of death (or that He might suffer death) has been made a little lower than angels, crowned with glory and honour that by God’s grace He might taste death for every man. In other words, we see the first two items of man’s supremacy, as given in the psalm, fulfilled, and the third guaranteed.

Jesus was (1) made a little lower than angels; (2) was crowned with glory and honour; and (3) by dying for every man has removed that last obstacle, the fear of death which kept men in δουλεία and hindered them from supreme dominion over all things. The construction of the sentence is much debated. But it must be admitted that any construction which makes the coronation subsequent to the tasting death for every man, is unnatural; the ὅπως depends upon ἐστεφανωμένον . And the difficulty which has been felt in giving its natural sense to this clause has been introduced by supposing that δόξῃ καὶ τιμῇ ἐστεφ . refers to the heavenly state of Jesus. On this understanding it is of course difficult to see how it could be said that Jesus was crowned in order to taste death. But as undoubtedly the first clause, ἠλαττουμένον βλέπομεν , refers to the earthly life of Jesus, it is natural to suppose that the second clause, which speaks of his being crowned, also refers to that life. The tenses are the same. But if so, what was the crowning here referred to? It was His recognition as Messiah, as the true Head and King of men. He was thus recognised by God at His baptism and at the Transfiguration [in connection with which the same words δόξῃ κ . τιμῇ are used, 2 Peter 1:16-18 ] as well as by His disciples at Caesarea Philippi.

Hebrews 2:8-9 . Thou hast put all things — All things without exception; in subjection — Υποκατω των ποδων αυτου , under his very feet — Such are the psalmist’s words, expressive of a dominion every way unlimited and absolute. For in that it is said, he put all things under him, he left nothing — That is, nothing is excepted; that is not put under him — But the whole universe and every creature in it is included. But now we see not yet all things put under him — That is, under man, concerning whom the words were spoken, being connected with Hebrews 2:4 of the Psalm, What is man? As if the apostle had said, A long space of time hath elapsed since the giving out this testimony, and much longer since the creation of man; and yet, during all these years, or rather, all these ages, we see that all things are very far from being put under man’s feet, from being subjected to the human race in general, or to any individual mere man. Hence, (as if the apostle had added,) we ourselves, by our own observation, may easily discern that these words of the psalmist respect not only, or principally, either the first man or his posterity, under whom certainly all things are not, and never were, put in subjection. But we see Jesus — That is, it is only in Jesus that the psalmist’s testimony is verified; he was made lower than the angels — And he hath had all things put in subjection to him. These things, says the apostle, we see.

Yet it was not on his own account that he was made lower than the angels, in being clothed with our frail and mortal nature, but in order that he might suffer death, which is further explained by the addition of the next clause. For the words δια το παθημα του θανατου , for the suffering of death, are evidently intended to express the final cause of the humiliation of Christ, (he was made lower than the angels, who cannot die, that he might suffer death, ) and not the meritorious cause of his exaltation. This, therefore, is the import and natural order of the words: we see Jesus crowned with glory and honour, who was for a little while made lower than the angels, for the suffering of death; that he by the grace of God — By his gracious, free, sovereign purpose, suited to, and arising from, his natural goodness and benignity, mercy and compassion; might taste death — Tasting death, (like seeing death,) is a Hebrew form of expression, signifying really dying, not dying in appearance or pretence, as some of old foolishly taught respecting the death of Christ, which shadow of dying could only have produced a shadow of redemption. The expression may also imply, finding by experience what is in death; Christ knew by experience what bitterness was in that cup of death which is threatened to sinners. He understood and felt it fully.

Hebrews 2:8 . [13] Πάντα ὑπέταξας ) See 1 Corinthians 15:27 , and what goes before with the annot.— γὰρ , for ) The apostle shows the reason why he quoted this passage, namely, because we are taught in it that it was Jesus to whom all things were subjected, and therefore the world to come, Hebrews 2:5 . Often γὰρ , for , is useful for the Ætiology of [ assigning a reason for ] what is said; ch. Hebrews 7:14 , Hebrews 9:24 ; and so Paul, Romans 3:28 .— αὐτῷ , αὐτῷ ) under Him, under Him , the man of whom he is speaking, the Son of Man. This is explained in the middle of Hebrews 2:9 , concerning Jesus , the application to Him having been most suitably put off till that place.— τὰ πάντα ) τὰ in the second and third place has the force of a relative to the πάντα , all things , which precedes. The same force of the article may be found at John 19:5 ; John 19:7 ; Galatians 5:13 ; Galatians 6:14 .— οὐδὲν , nothing ) not even angels; Hebrews 2:5 , ch.

Hebrews 1:6 .— ἀφῆκεν , left ) in the language of the psalm, to which the events partly correspond, partly will correspond.— νῦν δὲ οὔπω , but now not yet ) Νῦν , now , serves the purpose of an Anthypophora;[14] for the time is denoted in οὒπω , not yet , and the latter is construed with ὁρῶμεν , we see , in antithesis to the present βλέπομεν , we perceive .[15] More things are already subjected to Christ than we see; and all things will be entirely subjected to Him at the proper time, and we shall behold it; Ephesians 1:22 ; 1 Corinthians 15:27-28 . But why not yet all things ? Because both His body, the Church, is in distress, and He Himself is not acknowledged, at least is not seen. The verb βλέπω , I look, I perceive , denotes something more definite; ὁράω , I see , something more extensive and more august. [13] Τὰ ἔργα τῶν χειρῶν σου , the works of Thy hands ) The sun, moon, stars, etc., Psalm 8:4 .—V. g. [14] Part of a refutation of an objection that might be made by anticipation. Append. [15] Βλέπειν , to look , to use the eyes, whether seeing something or not. Ὁρᾷν , to see something; and is never used absolutely. Thus the Greeks never used ὁρᾷν , but always βλέπειν , of the situation of a region. Tittm. Syn.—ED.

8 . thou hast put … ] Rather, “Thou didst put …” by one eternal decree. This clause should be added to the last verse. The clause applies not to Christ (as in 1 Corinthians 15:25 ) but to man in his redeemed glory. all things ] This is defined in the Psalm ( Hebrews 8:8-9 ) to mean specially the animal world, but is here applied to the universe in accordance with its Messianic application ( Matthew 28:18 ). For ] The “for” continues the reasoning of Hebrews 2:5 . The writer with deep insight seizes upon the juxtaposition of “humiliation” and “dominion” as a paradox which only found in Christ its full solution. he left nothing that is not put under him ] The inference intended to be drawn is not “and therefore even angels will be subject to man,” but “and therefore the control of angels will come to an end.” When however we read such a passage as 1 Corinthians 6:3 (“Know ye not that we shall judge angels?”) it is uncertain whether the author would not have admitted even the other inference. But now ] i.e. but, in this present earthly condition of things man is not as yet supreme. We see as a fact ( ὁρῶμεν ) man’s humiliation; we perceive by faith the glorification of Jesus, and of all humanity in Him. under him ] i.e. under man.