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Listen to this post:
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Having proven his point that the exalted Jesus is superior to any angel, the author pauses to make an application:
Application: Thus, we should be especially afraid of drifting away from obedience to Jesus’s teaching.
[Hebrews Chapter 2:] Therefore we must pay greater attention to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away from it. 2 For if the message declared through angels was valid, and every transgression or disobedience received a just penalty, 3 how can we escape if we neglect so great a salvation? It was declared at first through the Lord [i.e. Jesus], and it was attested to us by those who heard him, 4 while God added his testimony by signs and wonders and various miracles, and by gifts of the Holy Spirit, distributed according to his [i.e. God’s] will.
Comment: Here the author assumes the tradition that the Law was revealed through angels – which, are inferior to Jesus – and so we should all the more pay attention to his message, the good news of the kingdom and the new covenant. Now, back to our previously scheduled Jesus Rulez theme.
Again: Jesus is much greater than the angels, since God put him over even them because of his obedience
5 Now God [literally: “he”] did not subject the coming world, about which we are speaking, to angels. 6 But someone has testified somewhere,
Here I switch to the NKJV through verse 8, because in its attempt to redress gender discrimination, the NRSV obscures the references to Christ that I’ve put in bold here:
“What is man that You are mindful of him, Or the son of man that You take care of him? 7 You have made him a little lower than the angels; You have crowned him with glory and honor, And set him over the works of Your hands. 8 You have put all things in subjection under his feet.” [Psalm 8:4-6] For in that He [i.e. God] put all in subjection under him [Jesus], He [God] left nothing that is not put under him [Jesus]. But now we do not yet see all things put under him. [Jesus]
Comment: Of course Psalm 8 was originally about the place of humankind generally. But this author is reading it also as a prophecy about Jesus being exalted because of his obedience (as in Philippians 2 and Revelation 5) – as he’s about to say. This, if you think about it, is astounding. God has put all beings (except himself, of course – 1 Corinthians 15:27, 1 Corinthians 11:3) under a man. Yes, even the mightiest of angels.
Now, back to the NRSV,
9 but we do see Jesus, who for a little while was made lower than the angels, now crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone. 10 It was fitting that God [lit: he] for whom and through whom all things exist, in bringing many children to glory, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through sufferings. 11 For the one who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one Father [lit: “are all of one”]. For this reason Jesus [lit: “he”] is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters, 12 saying, “I will proclaim your name to my brothers and sisters, in the midst of the congregation I will praise you.” [Psalm 22:2] 13 And again, “I [i.e. Jesus] will put my trust in him. [i.e. God]” And again, “Here am I and the children whom God has given me.” 14 Since, therefore, the children share flesh and blood, he himself likewise shared the same things, so that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by the fear of death. 16 For it is clear that he did not come to help angels, but the descendants of Abraham. 17 Therefore he had to become like his brothers and sisters in every respect, so that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make a sacrifice of atonement for the sins of the people. 18 Because he himself was tested by what he suffered, he is able to help those who are being tested.
There’s a lot we could say about this. But notice that the author seems to think that it is God, not Jesus, who created the heavens and the earth. (2:10) And notice that he doesn’t mention the idea of God doing the Genesis creation through Jesus either. This confirms how we read chapter 1 in part 1. This author is not going to preach two creators with no comment. Instead, like Paul he has two creations – the Genesis creation done by God alone, and the new creation, done by God through the man Jesus.
This section forcefully states that our savior Jesus is a real human being, like us, subject to God our Father. No “godman” is mentioned, no “second god,” and no additional “Person” in God. It is fitting that our everlasting high priest who brings us to God is a human like us; he’s one of our own, this who dared to trust in God even through a terrible sacrificial death. He even calls us his siblings – unlike God.
What – a “mere man” can make a sacrificial atonement for the since of all humanity? That’s what this author thinks. And why doubt it? This is no mere man, as shown by God’s choice to exalt him!
No a lot to work with in Hebrews 1-2 if you’re hoping to show that Jesus is the Genesis creator, or that he “has a divine nature”! Think about it: would an author who believed that Jesus was “fully divine,” and thought this was common Christian teaching – would he waste so much time arguing that Jesus is greater than angels? If Jesus “is God” – no need to worry about angels, right? In fact, we could just bypass the matter of his exaltation… but that’s not what this author does. It looks like we should think that Jesus’s exaltation is very important to christology!
