Just as everyone dies because we all belong to Adam, everyone who belongs to Christ will be given new life.” (1 Corinthians 15:22, NLT)

Man was created as a noble creature, with capacity to glorify God and live a life of richness and honor. What happened? Why is it that he does not have the dominion assigned to him? The answer is an obvious one—sin. Man fell from his innocence and lives as a rebel. The original place of honor has been vacated. Although we may be disappointed as we look upon man, Hebrews reminds us that we should look elsewhere. In Adam, man sinned. We do not see man in the place of dominion, but we can look to a man—the one perfect man, Jesus. Although essentially God, He “was made a little lower than the angels” (2:9), i.e. He became a man. The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us. The Son of God took upon Himself our humanity. As man, He suffered the death of the Cross. Now, however, the glorified Man, Christ Jesus, is “crowned with glory and honor” (2:9). Man sinned, but the Man, Christ Jesus, is the Redeemer from sin. Man disobeyed, but the Man, Christ Jesus, was “obedient unto death” (Phil. 2:8). (Everyman’s Bible Commentary)

Today’s text from the Amplified Bible…

Hebrews 2:9–18 (AMP) ⁹ But we are able to see Jesus, who was ranked lower than the angels for a little while, crowned with glory and honor because of His having suffered death, in order that by the grace (unmerited favor) of God [to us sinners] He might experience death for every individual person. ¹⁰ For it was an act worthy [of God] and fitting [to the divine nature] that He, for Whose sake and by Whom all things have their existence, in bringing many sons into glory, should make the Pioneer of their salvation perfect [should bring to maturity the human experience necessary to be perfectly equipped for His office as High Priest] through suffering. ¹¹For both He Who sanctifies [making men holy] and those who are sanctified all have one [Father]. For this reason, He is not ashamed to call them brethren; ¹² For He says, I will declare Your [the Father’s] name to My brethren; in the midst of the [worshiping] congregation I will sing hymns of praise to You. ¹³ And again He says, My trust and assured reliance and confident hope shall be fixed in Him. And yet again, Here I am, I and the children whom God has given Me. ¹⁴ Since, therefore, [these His] children share in flesh and blood [in the physical nature of human beings], He [Himself] in a similar manner partook of the same [nature], that by [going through] death He might bring to nought and make of no effect him who had the power of death—that is, the devil— ¹⁵ And also that He might deliver and completely set free all those who through the [haunting] fear of death were held in bondage throughout the whole course of their lives. ¹⁶ For, as we all know, He [Christ] did not take hold of angels [the fallen angels, to give them a helping and delivering hand], but He did take hold of [the fallen] descendants of Abraham [to reach out to them a helping and delivering hand]. ¹⁷ So it is evident that it was essential that He be made like His brethren in every respect, in order that He might become a merciful (sympathetic) and faithful High Priest in the things related to God, to make atonement and propitiation for the people’s sins. ¹⁸ For because He Himself [in His humanity] has suffered in being tempted (tested and tried), He is able [immediately] to run to the cry of (assist, relieve) those who are being tempted and tested and tried [and who therefore are being exposed to suffering].

                                                                                   Pastor Mike