What does it mean that Jesus was a little lower than the angels (Psalm 8:5; Hebrews 2:7)?

Answer

Psalm 8:5 contains a prophecy concerning Jesus Christ. When the psalmist contemplates the magnificence of the Lord, his thoughts shift to the grandeur of God’s creation. He ponders humanity and poses the question found in Psalm 8:4: “What is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?” (ESV). Verse 5 then states, “Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor” (ESV). (In the Hebrew text, “heavenly beings” is Elohim, a common name for God; the Septuagint uses the word angelos, which means “angel.”) Continuing in Psalm 8:6, it says, “You have given him dominion over the works of your hands; you have put all things under his feet” (ESV). The psalmist comprehended from Genesis 1:26–28 that God granted mankind the authority to govern the created world. The term “son of man” likely refers to Adam as the leader of the human race. Adam, created with a human body and bestowed with this authority, was positioned “a little lower” than the angels, yet adorned with glory and honor because he was made in God’s image.

In Hebrews 2:6–8, the writer cites Psalm 8:5 and then elaborates on the complete subjection of creation to the “son of man”: “In putting everything in subjection to him, he left nothing outside his control” (ESV). The author of Hebrews then identifies the “son of man” as Jesus Christ: “But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone” (verse 9, ESV).

By applying Psalm 8:5 to Jesus Christ, the writer of Hebrews links the title “son of man” to Jesus. This emphasizes Christ’s humanity and his connection to the first Adam, distinguishing Him as the supreme example of humanity. Jesus Christ is truly the Second Adam, the new Adam, who has come to address directly the consequences of what the first Adam introduced.Upon mankind and could never defeat, namely death “And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.”, (see 1 Corinthians 15:45). The Gospel of Luke’s theme is that Jesus is the Son of Man (see Luke 19:10); Jesus is the Second Adam who came to deliver mankind from death through His cross, burial, and empty tomb.

Also, by taking upon Himself sinless flesh in the Incarnation, Jesus was made “a little lower than the heavenly beings.” Jesus “made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant” when He took on human flesh “but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:”, (Philippians 2:7). The Lawgiver placed Himself in subjection to the Law “but when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,”, (Galatians 4:4). He who was rich became poor for our sakes “For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.”, (2 Corinthians 8:9). “The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” “even as the Son of Man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.”, (Matthew 20:28). Angels marvel at the Incarnation and desire to look into the gospel “Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have prReached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.” (1 Peter 1:12).

Being made a “little lower than the angels” and taking on a body eternally did not in any way diminish the deity of Christ. Jesus never ceased to be God; He simply showed the meekness and condescension of God. After the Incarnation, He was the God-man.

As a result of His atoning work on the cross, Jesus was crowned with glory and honor, and He is now seated at the right hand of His heavenly Father “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.” , (Colossians 3:1). The author of Hebrews points out that Jesus’ humble state was but temporary: “for a little while” He was made lower than the angels “Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; Thou crownedst him with glory and honour, And didst set him over the works of thy hands.” , (Hebrews 2:7). Jesus is exalted above all angels, and someday every knee will bow at His name and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father (Philippians 2:9-11).

Believers in Christ will reign with Him in the future, glorious millennium. Christ will subject all things to Himself as the Second Adam. What the first Adam and his descendants failed to accomplish because of our sin cf: Hebrews 2:8, the last Adam will accomplish, and the curse will be reversed (see Isaiah 65:17-25). All believers will share in Christ’s glory forever, living with Him in His new heaven and new earth. Without Jesus becoming “aLittle lower than the angels, there would be no redemption for any of us. Praise the Lord that He humbled Himself to come to us and seek and save the lost, “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.” (Luke 19:10).