Seeing Jesus: A Look at the Incarnation of the Divine Son in Hebrews 2:5-9

8/9/2019 Seeing Jesus: A Look at the Incarnation of the Divine Son in Hebrews 2:5-9

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WHEATON COLLEGE

SEEING JESUS:

A LOOK AT THE INCARNATION OF THE DIVINE SON IN HEBREWS 2:5-9

SUBMITTED TO DR. DOUGLAS J. MOOIN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF

BITH 646-GREEK EXEGESIS OF HEBREWS

BYJUSTIN LANGLEY

APRIL 22, 2010CPO 4224


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EXPANDED PARAPHRASE OF HEBREWS 2:5-9

God has not permitted angels to rule over the eschatological age. Rather, Ps 8 tells us that God

has given humanity the responsibility of ruling over creation by exalting them to a status ranking

just below the angels, and has given human beings much glory and honor. Indeed, he decided

that he would subject all things in creation to humanity. Yes, nothing in creation is excluded

from the human right to rule. But human experience seems to indicate that human beings

currently do not rule over the creation. Human sin has produced a situation consisting of

frustration and hardship for humanity. Nevertheless, the psalmists word must be true. In fact, we

see it fulfilled in Jesus. He became fully human, taking on their status just below the angels, so

that he could experience the death that was required to restore human beings to the rule of the

eschatological age. Indeed, he was bestowed with the glory and honor of being human so that he

could experience death on behalf of humanity as the expression of Gods grace towards his fallen

image-bearers. It is Jesus death and what it accomplished that enables us to see him as rightful

ruler over the eschatological age, which has begun but awaits its consummation. Jesus fulfills the

lofty place of humanity as described in Ps 8 and therefore serves as the rightful ruler over the

eschatological age, which is another reason he proves to be superior to angels.

1


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INTRODUCTION

The letter to the Hebrews continues to fascinate students of the New Testament for a variety of

reasons. At the outset, readers face the mystery of the author who never identifies himself

specifically.1 Also, very quickly in ch. 1, readers begin to see the authors unique methods for

quoting Scripture. The sheer volume of Scripture passages the author utilizes and the

sophisticated ways in which he draws them into his argument impress the reader with the weight

of his message. The author also exhibits an artistic mastery of language and rhetoric as he

employs alliteration, puns, and various figures of speech in order to communicate compellingly.

These rhetorical elements, among other things, have convinced many commentators that the

author may have originally delivered this word of exhortation (13:22) as a sermon or at least

composed it with an awareness or intention that someone would communicate the message

orally.2

The message begins with a majestic exaltation of Gods Son as a superior means (and

medium) of revelation. This exordium articulates the Sons equality with God, his activity in

creation and redemption, and his superiority to angels, which introduces the first section of his

argument (1:1-4). He then demonstrates the Sons superiority to the angels by applying several

texts from the Septuagint which show the exalted position of Gods Son (1:5-13). He closes the

1 The author ostensibly gives away his gender by referring to himself with a masculine participle in 11:32;thus, with most commentators, I will refer to the author with masculine pronouns.

2 See, for example, David A. deSilva,An Introduction to the New Testament: Contexts, Methods &Ministry Formation (Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity, 2004), 789.


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catena of quotations with Ps 110:1, which the author will develop later in the message, and then

he affirms the proper position of angels as ministering spirits (1:14). In light of the Sons

superiority to angels, the author warns his audience of the danger of neglecting the salvation

revealed in and through Gods Son (2:1-4). In the next paragraph, the author shifts his focus to

the incarnation of the Son and his solidarity with humanity. He quotes Ps 8:4-6 (8:5-7, LXX) and

applies the verses to Jesus. While Ps 8 seems to refer in some way to humanitys relationship

with the created world, the author of Hebrews applies the verses to Jesus with respect to the

world to come. Moreover, we must decide whether he intends to capitalize on the usage of

as a Messianic title. We must also arbitrate between a few textual variants. First,

within the quotation of Ps 8 the author has omitted one line, but this line shows up in several

Greek manuscripts. Second, and far less significant, we must determine whether the dative

personal pronoun occurs twice or once in the first clause following the quotation. Finally, and

most significantly, we must review the textual variant in v. 9 and determine whether we should

read or . Theologically, we seek to understand how Jesus humiliation,

exaltation, and death correlate in this passage.

ANGELS WILL NOT RULE IN THE ESCHATOLOGICAL AGE (2:5)

The author begins this paragraph with a link to his earlier discussion of the inferiority of the

angels in 1:5-14, and he begins by highlighting something nottrue of angels: Now, it is not to

angels that God subjected the world to come, which is what we are talking about (2:5).3 The

introducing this clause likely connects, rather loosely, back to 1:5-14.4 Nevertheless, the author

3 All translations of Scripture are my own.

4 For used as a general transition word see BDAG 189. Cf. Harold W. Attridge, The Epistle to theHebrews (ed. Helmut Koester;Hermeneia; Philadelphia: Fortress, 1989), 69 n8.


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intends his readers to understand God as the subject of the verb , drawing some

connection also with 2:1-4. He assures his readers that God has not subjected

to angels. The word usually refers simply to the inhabited world or an

inhabited region,5 and the author has already used the term in this general way in 1:6.6 However,

he modifies with a present participle from .7 This phrase probably coheres in

meaning with the similar phrase found in 6:5, .8Lane suggests a conceptual

(as well as linguistic) link also with Pss 92:1 and 95:10 (LXX), which both refer to the

which cannot be shaken9 in connection with the Lords eschatological reign.10

Thus, he understands the phrase as a designation of the eschatological realm of salvation,

11

and

he points out that God has not subjected this realm to angels.12

The author notes at the end of the sentence that this eschatological world is what we are

talking about. Within the quotations of Scripture in 1:5-14, some references to eschatological

5 See BDAG 699.

6 Contra Paul Ellingworth, The Epistle to the Hebrews (NIGTC; Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1993), 117-18,144.

7 This may provide another connection with 1:14, where a present participle from appears. Thoughthis participle is used as a substantive, the connection with inheriting salvation may be suggestive for how we oughtto understand . Cf. George H. Guthrie and Russell D. Quinn, A Discourse Analysisof the Use of Psalm 8:4-6 in Hebrews 2:5-9,JETS49:2 (June 2006): 239, and Paul Ellingworth and Eugene A.Nida, The Letter to the Hebrews (UBS Handbook Series; New York: United Bible Societies, 1994), 33.

8 Cf. also 13:14.

9 See also the similar phrase in Heb 12:28.

10 William L. Lane,Hebrews 1-8 (WBC 47A; Dallas: Word, 1991), 45-6.

11 Ibid.

12 The usage of the aorist here may reflect Gods decision not to subject the world to come to angels, whichhad taken place prior to the coming of the realm in view. Cf. Ellingworth,Hebrews (NIGTC), 145-6. Furthermore,the author may bring this up as a point of contrast with a possible understanding that his readers may have had thatthepresent worldis ruled by angels. This idea may have been drawn from the LXX rendering of Deut 32:8 and fromdevelopments of this theme within Judaism. See Attridge,Hebrews, 70 n9.


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realities appear, particularly in vv. 11-12. However, this phrase probably serves more to indicate

the character of the upcoming discourse.13 With the introduction of the coming eschatological

realm and the authors insistence that God will not subject it to angels, the question naturally

arises from the readers: To whom, then, has God decided to subject it?14

NOT TO ANGELS, BUT TO HUMANITY (2:6-8A)

The author introduces Ps 8:5-715 into his argument at this point with the curious phrase,

Someone somewhere has testified. The psalmist praises Yahweh as he looks at creation, and he

marvels at the status of humanity within that magnificent creation. Verses 6-9 comment on the

elevated status the creator gave humanity, as reflected in Gen 1:26-28. The author of Hebrews

begins his quotation from this Psalm at v. 5, with the words, What are human beings that you

remember them?16In Psalm 8, the psalmist asks the rhetorical question to communicate the

relative insignificance of human beings when viewed against the brilliant backdrop of a starry

sky also created by God.

The psalmist follows this rhetorical question with another parallel question, which the

author of Hebrews also quotes: Or what are the descendants of Adam that you care for them?

13 Cf. Attridge,Hebrews, 70.

14 Contra Lane,Hebrews 1-8, 45, I am not sure the author intends for his readers, at this point, to draw theconclusion that God has subjected the coming world to the Son, per se. Theologically, the assertion is surely correct;however, it seems that the authors argument moves into answering this implied question by looking to Jesus in his

humanity, rather than specifically in his Sonship.

15 For simplicity of reference, I will refer to the LXX versification unless otherwise indicated.

16 The references to humanity in the MT, LXX, and NT are singular, but the author clearly intends to speakof human beings collectively, so, to bring this out in English, I am translating with human beings andthe masculine singular pronouns that follow with plural pronouns. Cf. D.A. Carson, The Inclusive Language

Debate: A Plea for Realism (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1998), 105-9. Also see Peter T. OBrien, The Letter to theHebrews (PNTC; Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2010), 95.


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The Greek phrase receives much attention from scholars in this passage, and

rightfully so. Since in the Gospels Jesus uses this designation as a title for himself, apparently

with intended Messianic connotations, particularly in connection with the figure in Dan 7:13-14,

one must decide if the phrase has those connotations here. In the Psalm, the phrase, clearly set in

parallel with , means the same thing as .17 The TNIV translates this phrase

as mere mortals, a rendering which has received criticism because it erects an additional set of

barriers to seeing clearly how the author of Hebrews may apply this text to Jesus. First, the

phrase does not highlight mortality the way the English word mortal does.18

Second, using the modifier mere, when applied to Jesus, may imply to some readers that the

person so designated is not more than mortal.19To alleviate the difficulty, while attempting to

retain the apparent generic meaning of the phrase, we have rendered as

descendants of Adam.20

17 Cf. Ellingworth,Hebrews (UBS), 34. With synonymous parallelism, there is usually some advance inmeaning in the second line. The verbs in this verse are also very similar in meaning, but it seems more likely to seean advance in specificity from the first line to the second in the verbs, rather than a shift in the subjects.

18 Vern S. Poythress, Small Changes in Meaning Can Matter: The Unacceptability of the TNIV,JBMW10:2 (Fall 2005): 31.

19 Ibid., 32. Other scholars have called for a retention of the translation son of man in this verse,apparently failing to see any way other than through this phrase that the author of Hebrews could have applied Ps 8to Jesus. See, e.g., Wayne Grudem, Are the Criticisms of the TNIV Bible Really Justified? An Interaction withCraig Blomberg, Darrell Bock, Peter Bradley, D.A. Carson, and Bruce Waltke,JBMW7:2 (Spring 2002): 57-8.

20 I think this rendering sufficiently satisfies Blombergs request:

What is needed in modern language translations is some kind of rendering that does notimmediately ornaturally suggest a Messianic interpretation in verses 6-8 and that isgender-inclusive to ensure that readers recognize that men and women alike were createdin Gods image and given the charge to exercise responsible stewardship over the earth,but which then can also be appliedto Jesus when the reader comes to verse 9 and graspsthe dynamic of our authors flow of thought.

Craig L. Blomberg, But We See Jesus: The Relationship between the Son of Man in Hebrews 2.6 and2.9 and the Implications for English Translations inA Cloud of Witnesses: The Theology of Hebrews in its AncientContexts (ed. Richard Bauckham et al; LNST 387; New York: T&T Clark, 2008), 98.


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In spite of humanitys relative insignificance in the cosmos,21 the psalmist highlights the

exalted status God has given them: You gave them a little lower status than angels (Heb 2:7a).

The verb refers to lacking something,22 and the parallelism of this verse implies that

God has caused human beings to lack status in comparison with the angels. Normally, this verb

carries a negative connotation, but the psalmist (and, thus, the author of Hebrews) utilizes the

term to highlight the exalted status of humanity, just below the status of angels in Gods presence

and service. The Hebrew word translated with regularly refers to a short space or a

small degree,23 but this Greek phrase may refer to a small degree or a short amount of time.24

Commentators consistently note the ambiguity of the phrase, but most end up choosing to render

the phrase temporally.25 However, since the psalmist seems to have intended a reference to a

small degree, we have retained this meaning in the translation of the Greek phrase.

The Hebrew text of Ps 8 makes this comparison between humanity and , which

could refer to God or to angelic creatures. The Greek translators resolved the ambiguity of this

term by translating with , which probably influenced the author of Hebrews decision

21 Humanitys insignificance is routinely expounded by Jewish writers when referring to Ps 8. See GeorgeH. Guthrie, Hebrews, in Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament(ed. G.K. Beale and D.A.Carson; Grand Rapids: Baker, 2007), 945.

22 C. Spicq, ( ), , , TLNT1:469-70. Cf. Albert Pietersma, Text-Production and Text-Reception: Psalm 8 in Greek, inDie SeptuagintaTexte, Kontexte, Lebenswelten:

Herausgegeben von Martin Karrer und Wolfgang Kraus (ed. Martin Meiser; WUNT 219; Tbingen: Mohr Siebeck,2008), 492. I have intentionally avoided the regular translation of this verb, made lower, because English readerstend to equate (or at least relate closely) the verb made with the idea of creating. The idea of creation is notinherent in the verb itself, and, while this may be legitimate with reference to humanity in general, it is notappropriate when speaking of Jesus with this verb in v. 9.

23 See L. Koehler and W. Baumgartner, ,HALOT611. Cf. Ellingworth,Hebrews (NIGTC), 154.

24 However, Pietersma, Text-Production, 493, suggests that regularly refers to degree (a littleversus a lot) rather than to temporal duration (a short time). He goes on to state that the author of Hebrews putsa temporal spin on the phrase when referring to Jesus in v. 9.

25 See, e.g., David A. deSilva,Perseverance in Gratitude: A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary on the Epistleto the Hebrews (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2000), 109-10.


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to use this text at this point in his argument.26 Whether the psalmist originally had in mind a

comparison between human beings and God or a comparison between human beings and angels,

the point remains that humanity has an elevated status in creation.

The psalmist continues his reflection on the exalted status of humanity, saying, You

bestowed them with glory and honor (Heb 2:7b). The verb , often translated

crowned, figuratively refers to bestowing honor or granting an award to someone who has won

a victory.27With the Psalms clear reflection on Gen 1:26-28, many commentators suggest that

this line refers to humanitys God-given mandate to rule over the rest of creation, 28 and the

original Psalm surely did refer to this aspect of humanitys status, particularly in light of the next

line of the Psalm. However, since the author of Hebrews omits the next line of the Psalm,

perhaps he desires to generalize humanitys rulership,29not desiring to get bogged down in the

psalmists explanation, which further specifies the mandate of ruling over the world of animals

in the last few lines of the Psalm.30This also might make it easier for him to use the teaching of

26 Cf. Simon Kistemaker, The Psalm Citations in the Epistle to the Hebrews (Amsterdam: G. van Soest,1961), 83.

27 See C.J. Hemer, Crown, Sceptre, Rod,NIDNTT1:405-6. I have avoided the typical translationcrowned this English term usually automatically communicates a royal connotation that I do not think is natural tothis Greek word. In approximately 40 occurrences of this word in Greek literature from the LXX to the EarlyChurch Fathers, I did not find a single instance of this verb used for the coronation of a king. (Song 3:11 is not anexception.) Contra Craig R. Koester,Hebrews (AYB 36; Garden City: Doubleday, 1974; repr. New Haven, Conn.:Yale University Press, 2008), 217.

28 E.g., Lane,Hebrews 1-8, 46.

29 Another option is that the author desires to make a connection with the priestly vocation of humanityperhaps implied in Gen 2:15. Lane,Hebrews 1-8, 49, suggests that the usage of the phrase may alludeto Exod 28:2, 40 (LXX), which refers to Aarons priestly attire. This would provide an interesting (yet subtle)transition to the next section which focuses on the priesthood of Jesus. However, the Greek terms are reversed inExod 28, and I can see no other indications in this paragraph that a reference to priestly ideas is intended.

30 Ellingworth,Hebrews (NIGTC), 149. Many manuscripts include the omitted line, but this is probably dueto assimilation to the LXX. Cf. Bruce M. Metzger,A Textual Commentary on the Greek New Testament(2d ed.;New York: United Bible Societies, 1994), 593-4.


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this Psalm to speak of the subjection of the world to come to humanity, in response to his

implied question in v. 5.31

The last line of the Psalm that the author quotes contains the linguistic element that

answers the implied question of v. 5: You subjected all things under their feet (Heb 2:8a). The

psalmist had originally specified the reference to all things, recalling the mandate recorded in

Gen 1:26-28 that humanity should have dominion over all of the animals God had created.

Commentators typically see a connection at this point, by means of the modifying phrase under

their feet, with the author of Hebrews earlier quotation of Ps 110:1 (Heb 1:13) .32 However, the

author of Hebrews makes no mention in his explanation of the quotation of enemies or of a

footstool, so perhaps he does not have this connection explicitly in mind here.33 Rather, he seems

simply to focus on the broad idea of the subjection of all things to humanity, and this makes Ps

8:5-7 a particularly effective text to quote in order to make his point: God has not subjected the

world to come to angels; rather, he has subjected all things to humanity.

SOMETHING AMISS: WE DO NOT SEE ALL THINGS SUBJECT TO HUMANITY (2:8BC)

31 Also, by omitting this line, he alters the parallelism. The original Psalm, in these verses, consisted ofthree bicola, each set in synonymous parallelism. The author of Hebrews has essentially changed the structure to onebicolon set in synonymous parallelism followed by a tricolon set in synonymous parallelism. This may haveweighted the tricolon with the emphasis he desired to communicate, whereas the original structure may haveproven too banal for his purposes.

32 E.g., F.F. Bruce, The Epistle to the Hebrews (NICNT; Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1990), 74.

33 The connection between Ps 110:1 and Ps 8:7 is much tighter in 1 Cor 15:25-27.


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The author of Hebrews begins his elaboration and application of Ps 8:5-7 by emphasizing that

God omitted nothing in all of creation when he subjected all things to humanity.34 Granting the

ostensible totality of the subjection of all things to humanity, the author of Hebrews perceives a

note of dissonance with his own experience: But now, we do not yet see all things subject to

them (Heb 2:8c). As the author evaluates his own observation of the operations of the world, he

can manifestly claim that humankind does not experience mastery of the creation. Perhaps this

implies the understanding that angels do indeed govern the present age35 along with a tacit

acknowledgement of humanitys fall from their exalted position.36 Thus, Ps 8 speaks of the

design for humanity in creation which remains unrealized due to the events narrated in Gen 3.

Nevertheless, the author of Hebrews does not wish to expound on any of these themes.

Indeed, if he has humanitys failure to obey God in his purview at all, he remains conspicuously

silent about it. However, the author does reveal a measure of hope that he may yet experience

this reality. The little word may indicate that the author of Hebrews viewed his experience

as caught up in the overlap of the ages, realizing that the age to come had begun but still

awaited full consummation.37 As he moves to apply Ps 8 to Jesus, he highlights the exalted

nature of humanity within creation, testified of in Scripture, though not fully experienced in daily

living.

WE SEE JESUS: FULLY HUMAN, FULLY EXALTED (2:9)

34 Whether or not the dative personal pronoun is repeated in this sentence (2:8b) seems to me a very minor

issue. The earliest manuscripts omit the first occurrence, and it certainly seems unnecessary. For brief discussion,see Metzger, Textual, 594, and Attridge,Hebrews, 69 n4.

35 Cf. Deut 32:8 (LXX).

36 See Annang Asumang and Bill Domeris, Ministering in the Tabernacle: Spatiality and the Christologyof Hebrews, Conspectus: JSATS1:1 (March 2006): 12.

37 So OBrien,Hebrews, 97.


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Understanding how the author applies (and how he does not apply) Ps 8:5-7 to Jesus remains the

crux of this passage. He first brings in the phrase the one who has a little lower status than

angels. The author utilizes a perfect tense participle from to identify one who has a

low status.38As in Ps 8, modifies this verb, and most commentators

insist that we must understand temporally here, in contrast with its probable spatial

meaning in the Psalm itself.39 Usually, they demand this shift in order to make plain a reference

to Jesus incarnation, which, of course, only lasted a short time.40In addition, commentators who

press this issue also see this passage as describing a sequence of humiliation followed by

glorification as a result of death in Jesus incarnation.41

However, as Westcott comments on v. 7, is used here of degreeand not of

time.The Hebrew is unambiguous; and there is no reason to depart from the meaning of the

original either in this place or in v. 9.42 The author of Hebrews takes this phrase as his point of

departure for interpreting the passage from Ps 8. Those who insist on the translation of

as son of man, insisting that we must at least allow for the possibility that the

author of Hebrews intends to capitalize on the potential Messianic connotation that Jesus himself

gave to this phrase, seem to overlook the fact that the author of Hebrews neveruses this phrase

38 For the perfect tense conveying a primarily stative idea, see Stanley E. Porter,Idioms of the Greek NewTestament(2d ed.; Sheffield: JSOT, 1999), 39-40.

39 E.g., Lane,Hebrews 1-8, 42-3, who argues that the positioning of at the beginning of the clausein v. 9 is placed first for emphasis. Even if this placement is emphatic (which I doubt), I do not see how this

requires a shift in the meaning of the phrase from a spatial idea to a temporal idea. This phrase, modifying theparticiple, is bracketed by the definite article and the participle, which is a common Greek construction that does notseem emphatic in any sense.

40 Cf., e.g., Attridge,Hebrews, 75-6.

41 Cf., e.g., Donald Guthrie,Hebrews (TNTC; Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity, 1983), 90-1.

42 B.F. Westcott, The Epistle to the Hebrews (London: Macmillan, 1920), 44.


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again in the entire epistle.43 Moreover, if he were reading Ps 8 in a Messianic fashion at all, one

would expect that he would apply the epithet to Jesus in v. 9 of all places.44 Therefore, it seems

best to understand this phrase as applied to Jesus in the same way it appears in the Psalm.45

This participial construction serves as an appositive to the accusative , placed

emphatically in the middle of the clause. The authors climactic point rests on the two words

. However, the significance of the contrast in what we do see versus what we

do not see (in v. 8) lies in the two participial phrases drawn from the language of Ps 8:6. These

phrases connect the person of Jesus with humanity as described in the Psalm. God gave humanity

a slightly lower status than the angels, and Jesus has a slightly lower status than the angels .

46

Likewise, God bestowed on humanity glory and honor, and Jesus has received glory and honor.

Most commentators understand the prepositional phrase to

modify , seeing that the suffering of death serves as the ground of Jesus

receiving glory and honor.47However, this seems redundant, since the final subordinate clause of

this verse, also referring to Jesus death, modifies . Perhaps we may see

as modifying , showing that Jesus has a status slightly lower

than the angels for the sake of the suffering of death.48 The author may have wanted to show

43 Cf. OBrien,Hebrews, 96.

44 On this point, see in particular Darrell Bock, Do Gender-Sensitive Translations Distort Scripture? NotNecessarily,JETS45:4 (Dec. 2002): 662. Cf. Carson,Inclusive Language , 180-1.

45 Cf. Barnabas Lindars, The Theology of the Letter to the Hebrews (NTT; Cambridge: CambridgeUniversity Press, 1991), 40. One could argue for both meanings, as do Asumang and Domeris, Ministering, 11:His lowering was both in terms of the shortness of the time and His hierarchical position in relation to the angels.

46 We could perhaps quibble over whether this is an exalted or a reduced status for Jesus, but I think thepossibility of viewing this as humiliation, in line with a passage like Phil 2:7-8, is quite beside the authors point.Rather, he uses this language in order to show Jesus identification with humanity, as the Psalmist describeshumanity.

47 See, e.g., Ellingworth,Hebrews (NIGTC), 154-5.

48 More idiomatically, perhaps we could render the clause, the one who has a slightly lower status thanangels because he needed to suffer death.


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how Jesus fulfills both points of the psalmists comments about humanity in relation to his

death.

Finally, the last clause of the paragraph gives the reason Jesus received the glory and

honor of being human: so that by Gods grace he might taste death on behalf of everyone. In

place of a handful of manuscripts read , a fascinating textual variant that

apparently existed in the time of Origen. Most (if not all) English translations retain the majority

reading, but some scholars have recently argued for the preference of .49

Nevertheless, it seems more reasonable to understand that appeared as an early

marginal gloss that found its way into some manuscripts in this clause at a relatively early date .

50

Perhaps the author mentions Gods grace here to show that Jesus death for everyone flows out

from Gods grace toward humanity, who failed to measure up to the exalted status the psalmist

ascribes to them.51

SUMMARY

The author of Hebrews spent most of ch. 1 arguing for Jesus superiority above the angels by

virtue of his divine Sonship. In 2:5, he picks up this argument and carries it forward in a slightly

different direction. He begins the paragraph indicating that the angels will not rule the

49 E.g., Ellingworth,Hebrews (NIGTC), 155-6. For a more popular presentation, see Bart D. Ehrman,Misquoting Jesus: The Story Behind Who Changed the Bible and Why (New York: HarperCollins, 2005), 144-8.

50 For full discussion, see Daniel B. Wallace, The Gospel According to Bart: A Review Article ofMisquoting Jesus by Bart Ehrman,JETS49:2 (June 2006): 337-40. Cf. Metzger, Textual Commentary, 594.

51 Lane,Hebrews 1-8, 49. Cf. Thomas G. Smothers, A Superior Model: Hebrews 1:1-4:13,RevExp 82:3(Sum 1985): 339.


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eschatological age. He then quotes Ps 8:5-7 from the LXX in order to identify humanity as the

ones destined to rule the eschatological age. However, he then highlights how his and his

audiences common experience tells them that humanity does not currently rule over all things as

the psalmist says they should.

He then moves to apply Ps 8:5-7 to Jesus, explaining that we see Jesus by virtue of his

suffering death on behalf of humanity. His argument implies the failure of humanity to

experience the fullness of the position to which God had exalted them in his creation.

Nevertheless, the failure of humanity has not thwarted the design of God, for he has decided to

subject the coming eschatological age to Jesus, the one who lived up to the exalted status given

to humanity by God.

APPLICATION

In this text, the author of Hebrews affirms the psalmists reckoning of the elevated status of

humanity. The psalmist reflects on the amazing reality that God cares for human beings .52 Even

as the author of Hebrews acknowledges the failure of humanity to live up to Gods design, he

also highlights the immeasurable grace of God in sending his Son to take on the fullness of

humanity and experience death on human beings behalf. Jesus death for us, perhaps above all

other statements in the Bible, affirms the dignity and value of human beings.

The author of Hebrews also wants his audience to see Jesus as sovereign over all things.

Later in the message, he exhorts his audience to run the race of life with endurance by looking to

Jesus as their goal (12:2). Knowing that we live in the last days, experiencing the frustrations

52 Cf. J.P. Oberholzer, What is Man? inDe Fructu Oris Sui: Essays in Honour of Adrianus van Selms(ed. I.H. Eybers et al; Pretoria Oriental 9; Leiden: Brill, 1971), 147.


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associated with living in this world broken by the results of human sin, we can take great comfort

in looking to Jesus endurance of suffering in his human life, knowing that he now sits at the

right hand of the Father, having offered the perfect sacrifice effective to take away all sin and

provide forgiveness for believers. Indeed, we now see Jesus, the perfect man who has

inaugurated the kingdom of God in which he rules sovereignly over all things.


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BIBLIOGRAPHY

Asumang, Annang and Bill Domeris. Ministering in the Tabernacle: Spatiality and theChristology of Hebrews, Conspectus: The Journal of the South African TheologicalSeminary 1:1 (March 2006): 1-25.

Attridge, Harold W. The Epistle to the Hebrews. Edited by Helmut Koester.Hermeneia.Philadelphia: Fortress, 1989.

Bauer, Walter, William Arndt, F. W. Gingrich, and Frederick William Danker, eds.A Greek-

English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature. Third ed.Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000.

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Grudem, Wayne. Are the Criticisms of the TNIV Bible Really Justified? An Interaction withCraig Blomberg, Darrell Bock, Peter Bradley, D.A. Carson, and Bruce Waltke.Journalfor Biblical Manhood and Womanhood7:2 (Spring 2002): 29-63.

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Porter, Stanley E.Idioms of the Greek New Testament. 2d ed. Sheffield: JSOT, 1999.

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Documents

Seeing Jesus: A Look at the Incarnation of the Divine Son in Hebrews 2:5-9