By: Pastor Tom Bromwell
Hebrews 2:9 "But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man."
The above verse declares many truths about the Lord Jesus Christ. Hebrews chapter one declares Christ to be greater than the prophets and greater than the angels. God had used the prophets and the angels in the lives of the Hebrew people, but had now sent His "only begotten Son". But how could He that is greater than the angels be made lower than the angels? The verse explains itself. Notice that we "see" Jesus and that he was made a little lower "for the suffering of death". This reveals the precious truth that Christ became a man. Man is a little lower than the angels and Christ took on a body of flesh to suffer death. It is important to know that He took a man's body but not a man's sin nature. This great verse speaks of God being housed in a temporal, human body. The purpose for this was so that He could taste death for every man. II Corinthians 5: 21 declares: "For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." The spotless Lamb of God shed His blood on the Cross and faced the wrath of God for us. He died and was buried. However as our text declares, it was only a taste of death because He conquered death. He rose from the grave after three days and three nights with an eternal, glorified body, never to taste death again. God now offers eternal salvation from the power and penalty (Hell) of sin to all who will exercise "repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ".
Lastly, I want to point out that our text says that Christ was crowned with glory and honour. When reading the account of the crucifixion, I find that soldiers crowned him with a crown of thorns. Who crowned Him with glory and honour? The Father did. He was fulfilling His Father's will (John 3:16),and in so doing was crowned with glory and honour. The following verses concerning these truths are the best way to conclude:
Philippians 2: 5-11 "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."
If you have not trusted Christ as your Saviour and would like to know more,