What is Mankind?
For the past several Sundays we have been studying about angels. Our goal has been to discover how significant angels are to us, not that we might honor the angels but rather that we might honor Jesus Christ, who is so much greater than even the angels. As we come to our text today, we find that the author is not quite through with angels; in fact, they are mentioned four more times in Hebrews 2:5‑18.
It is not to angels that he has subjected the world to come, about which we are speaking. But there is a place where someone has testified:
“What is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you
care for him? You made him a little lower than the angels; you crowned him
with glory and honor and put everything under his feet.
In putting everything under him, God left nothing that is not subject to him. Yet at present we do not see everything subject to him. But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.
In bringing many sons to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the author of their salvation perfect through suffering. Both the one who makes men holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers. He says,
“I will declare your name to my brothers; in the presence of the
congregation I will sing your praises.”
And again, “I will put my trust in him.”
And again he says, “Here am I, and the children God has given me.”
Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death–that is, the devil– and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham’s descendants. For this reason he had to be made like his brothers 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. Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.
Verse 5 opens with the words, “It is not to angels that he (God) has subjected the world to come.” The human race was created a little lower than the angels, but its ultimate destiny is much higher. Man was created to be the king of the earth. And how do we manage to make the transition from a lower position to a higher? Only through Christ, who Himself was made a little lower than the angels. However, because of His great ministry on the cross He was crowned with glory and honor and exalted above the angels. Those of us who become His spiritual brothers, will share in His destiny. In the meantime, Jesus has a great ministry as advocate and priest, not to the angels, but to us.
There is some profound theology in this second chapter of Hebrews—theology about angels, man, and Christ—and we’re not going to ignore it, but I believe the greatest profit we may find here is in realizing the worth of a human being. There is a great crisis today in respect to human value. We regularly see evidence of this in the international news as totalitarian governments deny human rights, tolerate death squads, practice institutional apartheid, and sacrifice hundreds of thousands of young soldiers in ideological and unwinnable wars.
We see it in our own country as a million and a half innocent humans are sacrificed each year on the altars of the abortion mills. We see it in the crime rate, as tens of thousands are killed or maimed by those who haven’t the slightest respect for life or property. We see it in the scourge of alcoholism, drug abuse, and sexual promiscuity, as millions destroy their bodies, souls and spirits.
But there is more subtle evidence of a crisis in human worth. Experts tell us that there are millions who hate themselves, having no positive self‑concept, no self‑esteem. Depression is occurring in epidemic proportions; suicide is an increasing problem; and our mental hospitals are full of people who have been told, or have perceived, that they have no value. I am aware that the self‑esteem movement has gone too far and has become something of a cult, but I also believe it is both good psychology and good theology to suggest that no one will be healthy unless they understand and accept that as a human being he is valuable.
What makes human life valuable? Principally the fact that mankind, and only mankind, is created in the image and likeness of God, is loved by God, is gifted by God, and is redeemable by God’s Son. That makes us valuable. We do not need cosmetic surgery to be valuable; we do not need to be thin to be valuable; we do not need the finest clothes, cars, and houses to be valuable; we do not need the recognition and applause of men to be valuable; we do not need anything except to recognize and enjoy the great destiny that God has planned for us.
That is not to say, however, that a person should never feel insignificant or trivial. The Psalmist asks a question which is quoted in our text, “What Is man?” It is an ultimate question. “What is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him?” Have you ever had the experience on a starlit night of looking up into the majesty of the heavens and feeling just a little bit insignificant? If you can stand on the edge of the Grand Canyon or on the rim of Crater Lake or at the foot of the Grand Tetons or overlooking the great Niagara Falls and not wonder, “Who am I? Can the Creator of this universe really care about little old me?”, then you are unusual indeed.
But while occasional feelings of insignificance are understandable and normal, especially when we are faced with that which is majestic and awesome, there is an answer to the Psalmist’s question. In fact, he answers his own question by the Spirit of God: “You made him a little lower than the angels; you crowned him with glory and honor and put everything under his feet.” He is speaking of us.
Mankind’s original destiny was to have dominion over the earth. (5‑8a)
The emphasis in the Psalmist’s answer (“You made him a little lower than the angels”) should be on the word, “little.” It may mean either “lower by a little” or “lower for a little while.” Frankly, I believe both are implied. Mankind was created only one rung down on the ladder from the angels, but even that slightly lower state is temporary. We are lower than angels in that we have physical bodies while they are spiritual (supernatural); we are confined to the earth and to relatively nearby space, while they are not so confined; we are subject to death but they are not. But all this is only for a little while. Mankind’s ultimate destiny is to rule; we will eventually judge the angels and they will serve us forever.
Now mankind’s destiny to have dominion over God’s creation was evident from the very beginning in the garden of Eden. In Genesis 1:26 God says,
“Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”
So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.
And God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”
Then God said, “I give you every seedbearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds of the air and all the creatures that move on the ground‑‑everything that has the breath of life in it‑‑I give every green plant for food.” And it was so.
That was the opening scene in the great destiny of mankind. The animal world was at his disposal; no animal was fierce or uncontrollable. The earth was tremendously productive; it took no labor to produce food. All of creation responded to the touch of the first human beings. I assume that had they exercised proper dominion over the earth God, would have soon elevated them to dominion over the universe, over the angels. But that great beginning was short‑lived; something went terribly wrong.
Through sin mankind’s great destiny was forfeited.
Look at Hebrews 2:8: “In putting everything under him (i.e. mankind), God left nothing that is not subject to him. Yet at present we do not see everything subject to him.” It isn’t that mankind doesn’t try to rule over nature; he still dreams of dominion. That is why he still risks his life to climb Mt. Everest; that is why he explores the depths of the sea; that is why he continues his efforts to conquer space. There is something in human beings that desperately desires dominion.
But there is so much evidence that mankind has failed in his quest to subdue the earth. Insects still bite and carry disease; termites still destroy man’s handiwork; hurricanes and tornadoes still do incredible damage to human life and possessions. Even where he has succeeded in exercising dominion, he has succeeded only inconsistently. We produce great quantities of food, but in the process we introduce pesticides that threaten our health. We harvest the oil in the earth’s crust to produce energy, but there is the constant threat of pollution of the environment and destruction of the ozone layer. We eradicate certain harmful insects, only to discover that we have interrupted the food chain of animals we want to preserve. We have increased life expectancy, but in the process have also created an enormous economic and social problem respecting the care of the elderly. We have made great progress in medical technology, but not in the ethical decisions to control it. And of course, the last frontier awaiting mankind’s dominion is his own moral nature. Almost no progress has been made in taming the human spirit.
G. K. Chesterton has summarized well the condition of the human race: “Whatever else is or is not true, this one thing is certain: Man is not what he was meant to be.” It’s sad; he was created to be a ruler; yet in so many ways he is a slave. And why do we find ourselves in this sad state of affairs? Because Adam and Eve sinned and brought a curse upon themselves, upon their progeny and upon the whole creation. Genesis 2 lists the effects of the Fall upon the animal world, humankind, and even the ground:
“Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life. It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return.”
But the situation, while desperate, is not hopeless, for the author goes on in verse 9, “But we see Jesus.” We do not see mankind living up to his destiny, but we see Jesus who has lived up to his and has enabled us to recapture ours. Which brings us to our 3rd point:
Only through Christ can mankind’s destiny be restored. (9‑18)
There are two steps by which Jesus has recovered mankind’s lost destiny. He first stooped to become one of us, and then, having tasted death for everyone, He was crowned with glory and honor. Those who believe in Him enjoy the benefits of His death and will reign with Him in glory.
Christ became one of us. I would like to suggest to you that the incarnation, God becoming man, is the only possible way human destiny could be recovered. Had there been an easier way, God certainly would have taken it.
The nature of His identification: Four phrases in the text indicate the nature of his identification. The first is found in verse 9: “But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels.” That, of course, is the exact same phrase that is used of mankind in verse 7. The Creator of the angels assumes a position that is lower than they, so that he might completely identify with us and even die for us. Angels cannot die, but Jesus came to die.
In verse 11 we find a second phrase, “the same family.” “Both the one who makes men holy (i.e. Christ) and those who are made holy (i.e. Christians) are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers.” The point is that the Savior and the saved are part of the same spiritual family, but before they could be called spiritual brothers, they had to become physical brothers. Angels are never called our brothers, but Jesus is. Isn’t that a mind‑blowing concept? Imagine Jesus calling us his brothers and not being ashamed of it!
Then in verse 14 we find another term that indicates the nature of his identification with us, namely “flesh and blood.” “Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity.” The point is that his physical body was just like ours. He bled if he cut his hand on a saw and he got bruised if he fell.
But the most compelling phrase in our text is that found in verse 17: “Like us in every way.” “For this reason he had to be made like his brothers in every way.” From the rest of the NT it is obvious that “in every way” refers to his susceptibility to all the limitations known to man‑‑weariness, hunger, thirst, temptation, emotional stress‑‑Jesus experienced it all.
So the nature of Jesus’ identification with us is such that he became completely human. The only difference between him and us is that he did not sin.
The extent of His identification. In verse the author says, “In bringing many sons to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the author of their salvation perfect through suffering.” Suffering is a universal experience among mankind. Not everyone suffers the same way, nor does everyone suffer to the same degree, but we all suffer. If Jesus was to totally identify with us, he, too, had to suffer. In fact, it is through suffering that He was made perfect.
Don’t misunderstand. The phrase “perfect through suffering” in verse 10 should not be interpreted as implying that Jesus was ever less than perfect in His character, for at least four times the New Testament states clearly that “He had no sin.” But it’s one thing to be perfect in character and quite another to be perfect in experience. We may refer to a new‑born child as perfect, but when we say that we are referring to its lack of personal sin, not to its competence or understanding. Those kinds of perfections come only through time and experience, through trial and error. So too, Jesus was fully equipped to lead God’s children to salvation through the process of suffering.
The purposes of His identification. Five key purposes are mentioned regarding Christ’s identification with us in His incarnation.
1.That he might be our substitute. Verse 9 reads, “He suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.” Jesus died in our place. He tasted death so that we might have life. Do you see the motive for His becoming our substitute? It is “the grace of God.” What we did not deserve (salvation) we received, and what we deserved (death) we did not receive. That is grace.
2.That He might destroy the devil. Verse 14 says, “Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death‑‑that is, the devil.” Has the devil been destroyed? Not the last time I read the paper or watched TV. What is the author saying, then? Well, the Greek word translated “destroy” here does not mean to “eliminate.” Rather it means “to render impotent; to nullify; to break the power and authority of.”
The devil’s biggest weapon has always been death. The death of hope, the death of morality, physical death, and finally spiritual death. Spiritual death, the worst kind of death, is defined as “eternal separation from God.” Those who listen to Satan’s lies and submit to his authority will experience spiritual death, also called “the second death.” But Jesus obtained a more powerful weapon than Satan’s‑‑eternal life through resurrection, which is offered to all those who trust in Him.
F. F. Bruce has written very perceptively regarding the death of Christ:
“If ever death had appeared to be triumphant, it was when Jesus of Nazareth, disowned by His nation, abandoned by His disciples, executed by the might of imperial Rome, breathed His last on the cross. Why, some had actually recognized in His cry of pain and desolation the complaint that even God had forsaken Him…. If ever a cause was lost, it was His; if ever the powers of evil were victorious, it was then. And yet, within a generation His followers were exultingly proclaiming the crucified Jesus to be the conqueror of death and asserting, like our author here, that by dying He had reduced the erstwhile lord of death to impotence. The keys of death and Hades were henceforth held firmly in Jesus’ powerful hand, for He, in the language of His own parable, had invaded the strong man’s fortress, disarmed him, bound him fast and robbed him of his spoil.”[i]
3.That he might free us from slavery. Verse 14 goes on to say, “That he might free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.” In our pursuit of dominion over the earth, we have made some remarkable progress. We have tamed the atom; we have increased agricultural productivity; we have virtually eradicated many diseases. But our ultimate impotence is aptly demonstrated by our inability to handle the problem of death. Very few would profess absolutely no fear of death; it is virtually a universal fear.
The fear of death produces a kind of slavery. People will go to great lengths to postpone death. Some become almost pathological in their eating habits and their exercise programs. Some stuff themselves with vitamins and run to the doctor every time they have a cold. There are even those who have their bodies frozen in liquid nitrogen hoping that a cure for what killed them might be found and applied retroactively. The fear of death makes many into slaves.
But there is another kind of fear of death that is much more subtle. One might even call it “the fear of missing out on life.” Consider a person who believes happiness is dependent upon wealth, and if he can just obtain a little more he will be content. He devotes all his time to the unending pursuit of a fortune. As a result, he misses out on the things that really matter in life—watching his children grow up, enjoying God’s creation, spending time worshiping and getting to know God. In his grubby search for money and the things that money can buy he awakens to find that the years have flown by and he has not yet begun to live.
How does Christ deliver from this? The glory of the gospel of Jesus Christ is that the cross reverses our values. In its light we are able to strip away the devil’s lie, and to act upon the principle that freedom is not having what I want but in doing what God wants. Even the age‑old fear of physical death is cancelled when one grasps the truth of Christ’s payment for our sins. Paul said, “For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain,” and “O death, where is your victory? O Death, where is your sting?”
4.That he might become an adequate advocate when we sin. Verse 17 reads, “For this reason he had to be made like his brothers 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.” The high priest in the OT had one uniquely solemn service to perform; he had to present an atonement for sin to God. He was the people’s representative to God‑‑their lawyer, if you please. He could serve well in that capacity only by means of a sympathetic self‑identification with the people. Otherwise, his service was just mechanical and valueless.
Jesus took on Himself our humanity in every way, so when the going gets tough we can get down on our knees and pray, “Lord, I know what you went through when you were here. I’m going through it now. Be merciful to me.” And though Satan is there accusing us day and night, Jesus is at the right hand of the Father, mercifully serving as our attorney, pleading that those sins have already been paid for.
5.That he might help us when we are tempted. Verse 18 says, “Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.” The emphasis here is not so much on Christ’s advocacy after we sin as it is on His help to keep us from sin. Suppose Jesus had come full‑grown into the world a week before He died. He may still have been able to preach His great discourses and to offer Himself a sacrifice for our sins, but how could He have helped us with our trials and temptations? A person could say, “How can God expect me to live a perfect life in my situation? After all, I’m only human. Christ has never been where I am. What does He know of the sexual temptations of adolescence? What does He know about the temptation to act unethically to get ahead in the business world?”
The fact is, however, Jesus felt every kind of temptation we will ever feel‑‑and more. And He felt temptation to a degree that we could not possibly experience, simply because we usually succumb long before the highest degree is reached. But since Jesus never sinned, He took the full measure of every temptation that came to Him. And why did He do that? So that He could come to our aid, be an encouragement to us, and help us to victory.
The principal focus of our text today has been upon the identification of Christ with us. But the story doesn’t end there.
Christ is now exalted with glory and honor. (9)
Verse 9 says, “But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death.” After He accomplished the work of His substitutionary death, He was exalted to the right hand of the Father. There He sits on a throne from which He reigns and will reign forever. And if we are in Him, we too will be exalted with glory and honor. For Jesus is the author of our salvation, according to verse 10. The Greek word means “pioneer” or “trailblazer,” someone always out front, leading and setting the example.
As the great Pioneer of redemption Jesus was made for a little while lower than the angels so that He could become one of us, redeem us, and restore our great destiny.
Conclusion: I wish to return where we began‑‑talking about the crisis in human value. Hebrews 2:16 says, “For surely it is not angels He helps, but Abraham’s descendants.” We are a very privileged class of God’s creation. We ought to believe it, act like it, and capitalize on it. We were created by God for His glory. Sin has so far prevented us from attaining that glory, but Jesus Christ has opened up by His death a way by which we can reach the goal for which we were made. We are commanded to believe the truth; if we do, we will receive the gift of salvation. Then we can hold our heads up high, for in Jesus Christ we are kings of the earth.
Tags:
Incarnation
Angels
Substitution
Advocate
Temptation
Exaltation
[i] F. F. Bruce, The Epistle to the Hebrews, 49.