Hebrews 2:5-9; The "Already and Not Yet" Kingdom of Christ

The "Already and Not Yet" Kingdom of Christ

Hebrews 2:5-9

In our continuing conversation about the fact that Jesus is greater than the angels, this next section deals with the fact that Jesus' dominion is greater than the angels' dominions. We focus in on the fact that Jesus' kingdom is "already here" and "not yet fully realized." My notes follow the video.

In the teaching, I referenced Louie Giglio's "How Great is Our God" sermon.

Hebrews 2:5-9

1. Jesus’ exaltation is greater than the exaltation of the Angels
2. To Jesus the world to come will be subjected.
1. World to come.. Changing times.
2. “Inhabited world,” Roman empire
3. Quote from Psalm 8:4-6
1. Masoric seems to speak of mankind (Ps 8 in context).  LXX definitely has a messianic bent.
1. Referenced by Paul twice (1Cor 15:25; Eph 1:22) in this light.
2. HS used this translational bias to teach about Messiah!
2. Jesus, the truest man, who will repair what Adam screwed up.
1. Gen 1:26-28
2. Phil 2:6-8
3. 1 Cor 15 (esp 44-45)
3. “Are mindful,” G:Perfect. “Meditate”
4. “Care for” is “visit”
5. Made him for a little while lower than the angels
1. Not mankind, which is, for all of this creation, lower than the angels.
2. Jesus’ first advent.
3. Highly exalted, but for a little while, humiliated.
6. Crowned with glory and honor….
1. Jesus, on account of his sacrifice (vs 9) is glorified
2. Second advent.             
4. Jesus’ control is absolute (vs 8b).
1. Paul excepts the Father from Jesus’ authority, which seems obvious (1Cor 15:25).                       
2. Jesus, as creator/sustainer is not only responsible for the origin of all things but also their continued existance.
5. Jesus’ control and rule is not unchallenged or undelegated (vs 9).
1. Lit: Now and not yet we see (visual) all things submitted to him who, for a little while is made lower than the angles, we can see (understand) that Jesus, through suffering and death, has been crowned with glory and honor, by the grace of God to taste death for everyone.   
2. The point of this sentence is that Jesus is exalted, and that his exaltation is made greater by, not lessened by, the humiliation of suffering and death for our salvation.
3. We see now (Nun), but not yet (oupo).  Right next to each other in the text.  Jesus’ exaltation is now (seated at the right hand) but not yet (Rev 19-20).
4. For now, his kingdom is held hostage by Satan
1. Gen 1:28 given to mankind
2. Gen 3, lost to Satan
3. 2 Cor 4:4
4. Mat 4:8-10
5. Jesus will regain complete control when the “last enemy to be defeated” is defeated.
6. The Grace of God drove Jesus to the cross to “taste death for all.”  
1. He did not take the cross out of weakness.  He was not forced to do so.
2. He did so out of a place of sovereignty.
3. He was driven to do it, not be Satan, but by His own grace.
4. John 10:18
7. Application:
1. For Jesus, exaltation came because of willing humiliation.  The same can happen to us: Jas 4:7-10
2. When we don’t “see” how Christ can be in control, He still is!