"What is mankind that you are mindful of them, a son of man that you care for him? You made them a little lower than the angels; you crowned them with glory and honor and put everything under their feet."
« Qu'est-ce que l'homme, pour que tu te souviennes de lui, ou le fils de l'homme, pour que tu prennes soin de lui ? Tu l'as abaissé pour un peu de temps au-dessous des anges, tu l'as couronné de gloire et d'honneur. »
Hébreux 2:6–8 · Louis Segond✦ Mindful of Them
David's astonished question from Psalm 8. Why would the God of Hebrews 1 — who sustains all things by His powerful word — be mindful of creatures made a little lower than the angels? The answer is not in humanity's worthiness. It is in God's character. Bernard's sufficient cause: God Himself. Psalm 18:19: He delivered me because He delighted in me. The crowning with glory and honor is not despite the lowness — it is through it. Bowen's James 4:10: humble yourselves, and He shall lift you up.
"Yet at present we do not see everything subject to them. But we do see Jesus, who was made lower than the angels for a little while, now crowned with glory and honor because He suffered death, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone."
« Mais celui qui a été abaissé pour un peu de temps au-dessous des anges, Jésus, nous le voyons couronné de gloire et d'honneur à cause de la mort qu'il a soufferte. »
Hébreux 2:9 · Louis Segond"Yet at present we do not see everything subject to them. But we do see Jesus."
— Hebrews 2:9 · The one thing visible in the dimness is enough.The pivotal sentence of the chapter. We do not see the completed plan yet. The world is broken. The creation groans. But we do see Jesus — the Pioneer who has already gone through. Made lower, crowned through suffering, now seated. The one thing visible in the dimness is enough. 1 Corinthians 13:12: now dimly, then face to face. But Jesus is visible in the dimness.
"In bringing many sons and daughters to glory, it was fitting that God should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through what He suffered. Both the one who makes people holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters."
« Il convenait, en effet, que celui pour qui et par qui sont toutes choses, et qui voulait conduire à la gloire beaucoup de fils, élevât à la perfection par les souffrances le Prince de leur salut. Car celui qui sanctifie et ceux qui sont sanctifiés sont tous issus d'un seul. C'est pourquoi il n'a pas honte de les appeler frères. »
Hébreux 2:10–12 · Louis Segond✦ Not Ashamed
Perfect through suffering — not morally perfected but completed, brought to fullness. The suffering equipped Him as the finished instrument of salvation. And the astonishing claim: the Son of Hebrews 1 — radiance, heir, sustainer — calls us family. Not servants. Not subjects. Brothers and sisters. He is not ashamed.
"Since the children have flesh and blood, He too shared in their humanity so that by His death He might break the power of him who holds the power of death — that is, the devil."
« Ainsi donc, puisque les enfants participent au sang et à la chair, il y a également participé lui-même, afin que, par la mort, il anéantît celui qui a la puissance de la mort. »
Hébreux 2:14 · Louis Segond✦ Shared, Not Observed
Not observed from a distance. Not sympathized from heaven. Shared. The same flesh. The same blood. Bowen's condescension — adding humanity to the infinite God. The Shepherd did not shout instructions from the hilltop. He entered the valley. He took the same nature. He broke the power of death by walking through it.
"He had to be made like them, fully human in every way, in order that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest. Because He Himself suffered when He was tempted, He is able to help those who are being tempted."
« En conséquence, il a dû être rendu semblable en toutes choses à ses frères, afin qu'il fût un souverain sacrificateur miséricordieux et fidèle. Car, ayant été tenté lui-même dans ce qu'il a souffert, il peut secourir ceux qui sont tentés. »
Hébreux 2:17–18 · Louis SegondHe had to. Not chose to as a nice gesture. Had to — required by the nature of mercy itself. A high priest who does not know the human condition cannot be merciful to it. He knows because He shared. He is able to help because He suffered.
"Jesus made fully human. He knows all about our struggles and strengths. He is God and He is human like us. God shares my humanity — greatest comfort and blessing."
But We Do See Jesus
We do not see the completed plan. But we see the Pioneer who has gone through. The one thing visible in the dimness is enough.
Of the Same Family
The Son of God is not ashamed to call us brothers and sisters. Not servants. Family. The radiance of glory calls Le sister.
He Too Shared
The same flesh. The same blood. Not observed from heaven but entered into. God shares my humanity. Greatest comfort. Greatest blessing.