here is a commentary for Hebrews 2:5-18, which is very helpful. The credits go to my sister. My job is to translate the original writing from Chinese to English and disseminate it to this community.
5It is not to angels that he has subjected the world to come, about which we are speaking. 6But there is a place where someone has testified:
“What is mankind that you are mindful of them,
a son of man that you care for him?
7You made them a little2:7 Or them for a little while lower than the angels;
you crowned them with glory and honor
8and put everything under their feet.”2:6-8 Psalm 8:4-6,2:7,8 Or 7 You made him a little lower than the angels; / you crowned him with glory and honor / 8 and put everything under his feet.”
In putting everything under them,2:8 Or him God left nothing that is not subject to them.2:8 Or him Yet at present we do not see everything subject to them.2:8 Or him 9But we do see Jesus, who was made lower than the angels for a little while, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.
10In bringing many sons and daughters to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through what he suffered. 11Both the one who makes people holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters.2:11 The Greek word for brothers and sisters (adelphoi) refers here to believers, both men and women, as part of God’s family; also in verse 12; and in 3:1, 12; 10:19; 13:22. 12He says,
“I will declare your name to my brothers and sisters;
in the assembly I will sing your praises.”2:12 Psalm 22:22
13And again,
“I will put my trust in him.”2:13 Isaiah 8:17
And again he says,
“Here am I, and the children God has given me.”2:13 Isaiah 8:18
14Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil— 15and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. 16For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham’s descendants. 17For this reason he had to be made like them,2:17 Or like his brothers fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. 18Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.
- What do the above verses talk about?
Following the first chapter which revealed the positions of angels, this chapter continued the efforts of correcting how Israelite view angels. In particular, Jesus is contrasted to angels. Angels are created, but Jesus is not created - he was, he is, and he will be. He is God. Christs jesus trumped the devil by dying on the cross and liberate slaves of death, and bring them to God' glory. God does not save Angels, only descendants of Abraham. He is the High Priest, and the sacrifice of our sin. He is both capable and also willing to save those who are tempted but put trust in him. The first chapter emphasizes the supremacy of Jesus. The whole bible talked about Angels 164 times in the new testament and 108
times in the old testament. Since we usually don't talk too much about angels in our daily christian life, here let me elaborate a bit on the relationship between Angeles, God, Jesus, and Christians.
Angels were created through Jesus. Before the heavens and the earth were created, angels had been created. They were present and cheered when the foundation of the earth was created. (Job)
There are many angels. They are spiritual. Their number is massive, thousands of thousands (Relevation 5:12-22, Hebrews 12:22)
There is a hierarchy among angels. They are mighty and they are still createes and are thus less powerful than God, the creator. The main mission of angels are serve God, praise God and worship God. They worshiped to Jesus. They are often sent to protect Christians or help those are being saved. (Hebrews 1:14)
One leader of the angels degraded and rebelled against God and become the devil. Those who follow him became his followers and thus degraded too and they are called evil angels.
One wrong view of Isealite is that they think Isrealite are manged by God directly while other non-Isrealites are mangaged by angels. The verse told us that is not the case. The whole world would be subject to Jesus, not to angels in the future. When God first created Adam and Eves, they were delegated to managed the birds in the air, the fish in the sea, and the beasts on the field. They multiple and subdue the world. That was the position of humanity. However, adam and eve sinned and fell short of the glory of God. When God asked Adam "where are you?" He is not asking where he is on the earth, he is asking where he is in the spiritual life and his relationship with God. Therefore, God is more concerned about our position in our relationship with God rather than our behavior, words, mind, thought and habits. Leaving the position that God gave to humanity initially is the starting point of sin.
Currently, human seems to be inferior to angels. However, human will a more glorious and precious future since we are made in God's image and he will have his eternal life, personality, and he will like him more day by day (3 John chapter 2) and sit on the throne together with him and manage everything on the earth. Although we can not see such a future with our physical eyes, but we can see it with our spiritual eyes in faith and thus run for it joyfully. (Hebrews 11:13)
Verse 9, the word "but" emphasizes what follows is totally different from the previous sentence. Although humanity failed to live up to God's will, only Jesus fullfilled God's will as a person as well as the God. He became a bit lower than angels because he came to this world in flesh even though he is eternal God. Verse 10 tells us that All things are made through God and for God (Revelation 11), and therefore, all things are for him, though him, and to him all glory belong (Romes 8:14-16). Many sons refer to all the people who became of God's children because of faith. "entering his glory" refers to the Glory of being with God in eternal life and enjoy his ever-presence. Verse 11 states that both Jesus and christian are united to God and Jesus called his followers also his brothers. Verse 12 "your name" refers to the name of the Father God. Verse 13 is the proclamation of Jesus after the resurrection (came back to life after death) "I will rely on him", him, the Father God. "look" is a victorious proclamation. Verse 14 states that Jesus became a human in flesh so that he can experience death and claim victory over death too and get back the key to death and hades. Finally, both death and hades will be thrown in to the fire lake together with the devil (Revelation 10, 14). Verse 15 "Afraid of death" is only talking about the fear of death, but also the fear of who is behind death, the devil. However, Jesus, through his death and resurrection, hit the head of the devil (Genesis 3:15, 1 John 3:8), and save all the people who believe in him.
Verse 16 emphasizes that Jesus's salvation only fall on those who have faith on him, the descendants of Abraham (Galations 3:7), Angels have no salvation. Verse 17 talks about redeeming so that God's wrath can be satisfied, paid the debt, so that we can be reconciled back to God. Mercy refers to God's mercy to us, and faith refers to our faith to God. Jesus became the mediator between God and u s. Verse 18 talked about when Jesus became flesh, he was tempted and went though trials as well. So he knows and understands (or so we know he knows and understands) how much we need him when we are in similar situations. He is our help anytime, anywhere as long as we go to him and ask him for help just like a baby needs milk from her mom.
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