These verses are the bedrock of doctrine of the Bible. These verses describe what God is doing trying to change mankind. God wants to bring sons and daughters to glory. Though man has drifted into a sea of sin, we have a captain of salvation who has rescued us.

1 – The removal of the glory (vs. 5-8)

• The future – When man was created he was a lot like God. He was clothed with the glory of God. He was to lose this in the Garden of Eden. The world that is coming will not be ruled by angels, it will be ruled by believers. See Revelation 20:4ff.
• The failure – See also Psalm 8. In physical terms man is just a speck in this universe. Yet this is where Jesus chose to come and reveal himself. Man is far from the mental brilliance he could have had if he had not fallen. Man was made a little lower than the angels. Man was made far above the animals. We can’t blame God for our failure. When God created man he had power over the entire world. Satan robbed man of everything that God gave mankind. See John 12:31. Satan is the Prince of this World. Man relinquished the title to Satan. See Ephesians 6:12. Our battle is against the spiritual wicked rulers in high places. Man does NOT rule this world. Lions have been “tamed”, only to turn around and kill the trainer. Man does not rule the animals anymore. The sin nature has messed us up. Man has lost his crown. Man has to struggle against nature to farm the land. We are not in control of our body as we get sickness and death. It is because the glory has been removed.

2 – The revelation of glory (vs. 9-10)

There is a huge contrast between verses 8 & 9! Jesus revealed the glory that man left behind. See John 1:14-15. When Jesus came to this Earth he revealed his glory. The disciples believed in Jesus because to them he revealed his glory in three things.

• In his incarnation (vs. 9) – The Angels had been worshipping Jesus in Heaven and now He is made lower than the angels. Jesus is made lower than the angels to show us the glory. Jesus shows how we could have been if we had not fallen into sin. Jesus has control over the animals. He has the fish jump into Peter’s nets. He has the rooster crow after Peter denies him three times.
• In his substitution (vs. 9) – Jesus was made lower than the angels so that he could die. Angels do not die. Why did Jesus have to die? See Romans 6:23. Jesus was our substitute. He paid the debt. He took the death you were supposed to take. Christ died for you! That is the Gospel. Remember that word “substitution” when you witness about Jesus.
• In His perfection (vs. 10) – It was the suffering of Jesus Christ that qualified Jesus for the job. He is the Captain of our Salvation. He has gone before us. He leads by example. He is crowned with glory and honour. He did no stay dead! He has been given a name that is above all other names. He has already blazed a trail that we are going to follow. Keep your eyes on the Captain. Jesus is the Resurrection and the Life. Those who believe in Jesus will never die.

3 – The restoration of the glory (vs. 11-13)

We lost the glory with Adam and with sin but when God saved us we got the glory back. See John 17:22. Jesus was not just talking to Peter or his disciples. The Captain of our Salvation has come and Paradise has been regained.

• We have a heavenly Father who names us. (vs. 11-12). We are now in the family of God. We are called brothers and sisters in Christ. See Colossians 2:10. We need to figure out what God has given us. We are complete in Christ. We are complete positionally but not practically. We need to live.
• We have a heavenly Father who claims us. (vs. 13) We are God’s trophies. Jesus is not ashamed to claim us in Heaven. Why are we ashamed to claim him on Earth?

We can be sure that we don’t have to do or get anything else if we have trusted in Jesus for salvation, all we have to do – is follow Jesus.

Categories: Hebrews