Hebrews 2:9

God "tasted death for every one," but, because his immortal nature could not die in the flesh in which he died, he who was dead, as it is, did not die. He did not die because of his nature; he nominally clothed himself with death …

Since Paul called him both maker and Lord of the angels, and this seemed somehow beyond belief to those being taught that the nature of the angels is immortal and yet hearing of the passion of Christ the Lord, he was obliged to offer instruction …

Then again there is another consolation if indeed He who is hereafter to have all put in subjection under Him, hath Himself also died and submitted to sufferings innumerable. "But," he says, "we see Him who was made a little lower than the angels, even Jesus, for the suffering of death" - then the good things again, - "crowned with glory and honor." Seest thou, how all things apply to Him? For the expression, "a little," would rather suit Him, who was only three days in Hades, but not ourselves who are for a long time in corruption. Likewise also the expression "with glory and honor" will suit Him much more than us. Again, he reminds them of the Cross, thereby effecting two things; both showing His care for them and persuading them to bear all things nobly, looking to the Master. For (he would say) if He who is worshiped of Angels, for thy sake endured to have a little less than the Angels, much more oughtest thou who art inferior to the Angels, to bear all things for His sake. Then he shows that the Cross is "glory and honor," as He Himself also always calls it, saying, "That the Son of Man might be glorified" (John xi. 5); and, "the Son of Man is glorified." (John xii. 23.) If then He calls the sufferings for His servants' sake "glory," much more shouldest thou the sufferings for the Lord. Seest thou the fruit of the Cross, how great it is? fear not the matter: for it seemeth to thee indeed to be dismal, but it brings forth good things innumerable. From these considerations he shows the benefit of trial. Then he says, "That He by the grace of God should taste death for every man." "That by the grace of God," he says. And He indeed because of the grace of God towards us suffered these things. "He who spared not His Own Son," he says, "but delivered Him up for us all." (Rom. viii. 32.) Why? He did not owe us this, but has done it of grace. […]

He calls it the age to come. Then he adds at last, "we do not yet see everything in subjection to him. But we see Jesus made lower than the angels." Then he applies to Jesus the question, "What is man that you are mindful …

Jesus is a man. For "what is man that you are mindful of him?" Yet the apostle asserts that this passage refers to Jesus, for he says, "We see him who was made a little lower than the angels, Jesus." What then do we conclude? …

He endeavors to show that what was said pertains to Christ, and says: although the expression "He subjected all things" would seem to refer only to Him, nevertheless we have shown that this too will undoubtedly be fulfilled. But to be made a little lower …

In the New Testament, after the universal scripture and the course of time, Christ was formed, as was man on the sixth day, that He may "have dominion over the fish of the sea," and "the birds of the air." As the Psalm says, "what …

Why does he bring up the quote, "what are human beings that you are mindful of them?" He purports to prove, from the contrary, the following statement, that Christ is far superior to the angels. "A little while lower than the angels," he brings … …

But let us look, if you will, and examine closely the mystery of the resurrection of Christ our God, the very thing that mystically comes to be in us as we wish, and how in us Christ is buried in us as in a tomb, …

121. – Above, the Apostle, desiring to prove Christ's eminence over the angels, relied on the authority of a prophet who said something pertaining to Christ's dignity, such as, 'you put everything in subjection under his feet', and something pertaining to His Passion, namely, 'you …

It is done only with regard to Jesus, God-Man, who is now crowned with glory and honour - As a reward for his having suffered death. He was made a little lower than the angels - Who cannot either suffer or die. That by the grace of God, he might taste death - An expression denoting both the reality of his death, and the shortness of its continuance.

11 For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren, 12 Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee.

quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — verbatim-scripture

But we see Jesus,....

But we see Jesus - We do not see that mankind has the extended dominion of which the Psalmist speaks elsewhere. But we see the fulfillment of it in Jesus, who was crowned with glory and honor, and who has received a dominion that is superior to that of the angels.

THE Apostle, in this verse, does not claim to have seen the Lord in the flesh, although he boasts in another passage that he has done so, and asserts it as one of the proofs of his Apostleship. He is not, indeed, in this text referring to any seeing of the Lord by mortal eyes at all—he is speaking offaith—he means a spiritual sight of the Lord Jesus Christ.

10:25, Greek), namely, Jesus, on account of His suffering of death, crowned," &c. He is already crowned, though unseen by us, save by faith; hereafter all things shall be subjected to Him visibly and fully. The ground of His exaltation is "on accoumt of His having suffered death" (Heb 2:10;

quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — odd-straight-quotes

THE Apostle, in this verse, does not claim to have seen the Lord in the flesh, although he boasts in another passage that he has done so, and asserts it as one of the proofs of his Apostleship. He is not, indeed, in this text referring to any seeing of the Lord by mortal eyes at all—he is speaking offaith—he means a spiritual sight of the Lord Jesus Christ. The point to which I shall have to draw your attention this evening is that sight is very frequently used in Scripture as a metaphor, an illustration, a symbol to set forth what faith is. Faith is the eye of the soul. It is the act of looking unto Jesus. In that act, by which we are saved, we look unto Him and are saved from the very ends of the earth. We look to Him and we find salvation. So far as seeing with these natural eyes of ours is concerned it is the very opposite of faith. We have heard people speak as though they wished they had lived in the Savior's day and could have seen Him. It must have been a great privilege to those who were spiritually-minded, but it was no privilege (as they know now, alas, to their regret), to those who were spiritually blind—for many of those who saw our Lord and heard Him preach, rose up in wrath to thrust Him out of the synagogue, and cast Him down the brow of the cliff. Instead of being overawed by His sweet majesty, or won by that love which sat upon His brow, they scoffed at Him, said He was a Samaritan, had a devil, and was mad! Even the sight of Jesus Christ upon the Cross did not convert the men that stood there, but they thrust out their tongues and called Him by ignominious titles and increased the sorrows of His death by their scornful expressions. To see Jesus Christ with the natural eye is nothing, my Brothers and Sisters, for this shall be the lot of all men! They shall look on Him whom they have pierced and shall weep and wail because of Him.

IN Holy Scripture faith is placed in opposition to the sight of the eyes and yet it is frequently described as looking and seeing. It is opposed to carnal sight because it is spiritual sight—a discernment which comes not of the body, but arises out of the strong belief of the soul, worked in us by the Holy Spirit. Faith is sight in the sense of being a clear and vivid perception, a sure and indisputable discovery, a realizing and unquestionable discernment of fact. We see Jesus, for we are sure of His Presence.

IN Holy Scripture faith is placed in opposition to the sight of the eyes and yet it is frequently described as looking and seeing. It is opposed to carnal sight because it is spiritual sight—a discernment which comes not of the body, but arises out of the strong belief of the soul, worked in us by the Holy Spirit. Faith is sight in the sense of being a clear and vivid perception, a sure and indisputable discovery, a realizing and unquestionable discernment of fact. We see Jesus, for we are sure of His Presence. We have unquestionable evidence of His existence and we have an intelligent and intimate knowledge of His Person. Our soul has eyes far stronger than the dim optics of the body and with these we actually see Jesus. We have heard of Him and upon the witness of that hearing we have believed—and through believing there has come to us a new life which rejoices in new light and in opened eyes—and "we see Jesus." In the old sense of sight we speak of Him as of one "whom having not seen we love," but in the new sense, "we see Jesus." Beloved Reader, have you such a renewed nature that you have new senses and have you, with these senses, discerned the Lord? If not, may the Holy Spirit yet quicken you and, meanwhile, let us whom He has made alive assure you that we have heard His voice, for He says, "My sheep hear My voice." We have "tasted the good Word of God." We have touched Him and have been made whole. We have also known the smell of His fragrance, for His name to us is "as ointment poured forth." And now, in the words of our text, "we see Jesus." Faith is all the senses in one and infinitely more! And those who have it not are in a worse case than the blind and deaf, for spiritual life itself is absent. I.

Should taste death for every man - In consequence of the fall of Adam, the whole human race became sinful in their nature, and in their practice added transgression to sinfulness of disposition, and thus became exposed to endless perdition. To redeem them Jesus Christ took on him the nature of man, and suffered the penalty due to their sins. It was a custom in ancient times to take off criminals by making them drink a cup of poison. Socrates was adjudged to drink a cup of the juice of hemlock, by order of the Athenian magistrates: Πινειν το φαρμακον, αναγκαζοντων των Αρχοντων. The sentence was one of the most unjust ever pronounced on man. Socrates was not only innocent of every crime laid to his charge, but was the greatest benefactor to his country. He was duly conscious of the iniquity of his sentence, yet cheerfully submitted to his appointed fate; for when the officer brought in the poison, though his friends endeavored to persuade him that he had yet a considerable time in which he might continue to live, yet, knowing that every purpose of life was now accomplished, he refused to avail himself of a few remaining moments, seized the cup, and drank off the poison with the utmost cheerfulness and alacrity; επισχομενος και μαλα ευχερως και ευκολως εξεπιε. Plato, Phaed. sub. fin. The reference in the text seems to point out the whole human race as being accused, tried, found guilty, and condemned, each having his own poisoned cup to drink; and Jesus, the wonderful Jesus, takes the cup out of the hand of each, and cheerfully and with alacrity drinks off the dregs! Thus having drunk every man’s poisoned cup, he tasted that death which they must have endured, had not their cup been drunk by another. Is not this the cup to which he refers, Mat 26:39: O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me? […]