Hebrews 2:9

{6} But we {l} see Jesus, who was made a little {m} lower than the angels {7} for the {n} suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should {o} taste death for {8} every man. (6) The answer: this is already fulfilled in Jesus Christ our head, who was temporarily for our sakes inferior to the angels, being made man: but now is advanced into most high glory. (l) By his virtue and power which appears revealed in the Church. (m) Who abased himself for a time, and took the position of a servant. (7) He shows the cause of this subjection, that is, to taste death for our sakes, that in so doing the part of a redeemer, he might not only be our Prophet and King, but also our High Priest. (n) That he might die. (o) Feel death. (8) In this exists the force of the argument: for we could not eventually be glorified with him, unless he was abased for us, even for all the elect. By this event the apostle comes to the other part of the declaration of Christ's person, in which he proved him to be God and also man.

Jesus - made a little lower, etc. Repeated from Hebrews 2:7. To be subordinated to the angels is the same as being "made under the law," Galatians 4:4. In that chapter Paul shows that the law under which the church in its state of pupilage was kept (Galatians 3:23; Galatians 4:3) was instituted through the mediation of angels (Galatians 3:19). Then, as interchangeable with under the law, Paul has "enslaved under the elements (ὑπὸ τὰ στοιχεῖα) of the world" (Galatians 4:3, Galatians 4:9). These elements are elemental forces or spirits, as appears from a correct interpretation of Colossians 2:8, Colossians 2:20. The subjection to elemental spirits is only another form of subjection to the angels of the law, and our author uses this doctrine to show the mutable nature of angels in contrast with the immutable perfection of the Son (see Hebrews 1:7, Hebrews 1:8). This accords with the Epistle to the Colossians which deals with the heresy of angel-worship, and in which the worship of angels is represented as connected with the service of elemental or cosmic forces. Very striking is Colossians 2:15. When the bond of the law was rendered void in Christ's crucifixion, that ministry of angels which waited on the giving of the law was set aside by God (ἀπεκδύσαμενος) having stripped off, revealing Christ as the head of every principality and power. God made a show or display of them (ἐδειγμάτισεν) as subordinate and subject to Christ.

He thus boldly (ἐν παρρησίᾳ), by a bold stroke, put his own chosen ministers in subjection before the eyes of the world. See on Colossians 2:15. The use of the human name, Jesus, at this point, is significant. In this epistle that name usually furnishes the key to the argument of the passage in which it occurs. See Hebrews 3:1; Hebrews 6:20; Hebrews 12:2. For the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor (διὰ τὸ πάθημα τοῦ θανάτου δόξῃ καὶ τιμῇ ἐστεφανωμένον) The usual interpretation connects for the suffering of death with made lower than the angels, meaning that Jesus was subordinated to the angels for the suffering of death. But for the suffering of death should be connected with crowned, etc. Δια should be rendered because of. Jesus was crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death. Christ's exaltation and preeminence over the angels was won through humiliation and death. For crowned, see on 2 Timothy 2:5. Exaltation was the logical result of Christ's humiliation (comp. Philippians 2:9), not simply its recompense (comp. Matthew 23:12; Luke 14:11; Luke 18:14). He was glorified in humiliation. "The humiliation is only the glory not yet begun." By the grace of God (χάριτι θεοῦ) God manifested his grace in giving Christ the opportunity of tasting death for every man, and so abolishing death as a curse. The same thought of glory in humiliation is expressed in John 1:14.

Hebrews 2:9 . Δὲ , but ) The antithesis is between that in the psalm, which we do not yet see , and that which we already perceive fulfilled in Jesus. But what do we perceive? We perceive, as regards Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, that He, on account of the suffering of death, has been crowned with glory and honour. In this paragraph, ἠλαττωμένον ( διὰ — ἐστεφανωμένον ) ὅπως , κ . τ . λ ., is a Chiasmus, such as Paul has, Galatians 4:4-5 : and in the present clause, διὰ , κ . τ . λ . (which clause requires no point before δόξῃ ), that for (on account of ) which Jesus was crowned, namely, the suffering of death , is mentioned according to the natural order of the subject, and not without emphasis, before the actual crowning. The apostle takes away from the Jews the offensive scandal (stumbling-block) of the cross: and so refutes the argument, which might be drawn from the sufferings of Christ against His glory, and that glory the source of glory to us also, as that he even inverts it [turns it into an argument for , instead of against Christ]. He shows that the suffering of death is so far from obstructing the glory and honour of the Messiah, that it rather confirms them to us.

Whence he infers, that the fact of Jesus being “made lower than the angels,” which was only for a little, did not refer to the circumstance that He should continue under the power of death, but that, after He had once suffered death to the utmost, He should have everything made subject to Him. It is Jesus to whom the humbling and crowning, as described in the psalm, apply. It is therefore the same Person, to whom also the power over all appropriately belongs, which (power) follows close after, in the gradation of the psalm.— βραχύ τι , for some little time [ a little ]) Some hours on the cross, days of suffering, years of toils, how little are they all, when compared with eternity!— παρʼ ἀγγέλους , than the angels ) who are incapable of suffering and dying.— ἠλαττωμένον ) made lower , less, a worm: comp. Luke 22:43 . The participle implies, that Jesus of Himself, and for His own sake, might have entered upon glory without suffering; but the good of His brethren was likewise to be regarded.— Βλέπομεν , we perceive ) The act of looking , saith he, speaks (of itself). The same word occurs, ch. Hebrews 3:19 , Hebrews 10:25 . The fact and the issue agree with the faith of the previous testimony; Hebrews 2:6 , at the beginning.— τὸ πάθημα τοῦ θανάτου , the suffering of death ) The suffering of death is the main feature [in His sufferings, and so is put for all the rest]: ch.

9 . But we see ] Rather, “But we look upon.” The verb used is not ὁρῶμεν videmus as in the previous verse, but βλέπομεν cernimus (as in Hebrews 3:19 ). In accordance with the order of the original the verse should be rendered “ But we look upon Him who has been, for a little while, made low in comparison of angels—even Jesus—on account of the suffering of death crowned , &c.” who was made a little lower than the angels ] This alludes to the temporal (“for a little while”) and voluntary humiliation of the Incarnate Lord. See Php 2:7-11 . For a short time Christ was liable to agony and death from which angels are exempt; and even to the “intolerable indignity” of the grave. for the suffering of death ] Rather, “ because of the suffering of death.” The Via crucis was the appointed via lucis (comp. Hebrews 5:7-10 , Hebrews 7:26 , Hebrews 9:12 ). This truth—that the sufferings of Christ were the willing path of His perfectionment as the “Priest upon his throne” ( Zechariah 6:13 )—is brought out more distinctly in this than in any other Epistle. crowned with glory and honour ] Into the nature of this glory it was needless and hardly possible to enter. “On His head were many crowns” ( Revelation 19:12 ). that ] The words refer to the whole of the last clause. The universal efficacy of His death resulted from the double fact of His humiliation and glorification.