Better Than Angels Part 2

Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away. For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just reward, how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him, God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit... But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone... Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage... Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted. (Hebrews 2:1–18)

Why did Jesus have to come? Hebrews answers by showing the One who is better than angels stooping lower than angels to save us.

Strong Declarative Statements

iPhones are better than Android. Chick-fil-A is better than KFC. Chevy is better than Ford. New King James is better than the ESV. When I or anyone makes strong declarative statements like that, I may make a few new friends, but I'll probably lose more than I make—and maybe get some emails. We may not all agree on those statements, but we can agree on a few things about them. They are opinions held by some. They tell you something about the person speaking. And they are objective statements about subjective realities, matters of preference.

The author of Hebrews is making a strong declarative statement of his own: Jesus is better than fill in the blank, whatever it may be. In the 21st century, that is rather politically incorrect to say. But understand that 2,000 years ago, when this author made the claim, it wasn't very politically correct then either. He is writing this very letter from prison, in chains because of his strong position about Jesus.

An Apologetic for the Reader

These kinds of strong propositions aren't a "drop the mic" moment where everyone simply agrees and you walk away. When someone makes a statement like that, there is an expectation that you will back it up, that you will give a reason for the view you hold. When someone gives a reason for what they believe, we call that an apologetic. You're not making an apology—you're giving a defense, like a lawyer arguing why the evidence and testimony point to a particular conclusion.

The author states his conclusion at the beginning—Jesus is better—and then goes back to establish why. He's already said in chapter 1 that Jesus is better than angels, and he will say more as we move into chapters three, four, and five: Jesus is better than Moses, better than Abraham, better than the priesthood, better than so many things that came out of Judaism. This letter was written to Christians who came out of Judaism, so his defense is oriented toward their worldview.

If we were writing a similar book for our day, it would look different. A huge segment of the Western world holds a materialistic, humanistic worldview, so we would aim our arguments there. Authors have done exactly that—Timothy Keller's The Reason for God, Ravi Zacharias's Can Man Live Without God and Jesus Among Other Gods, and the writings of C.S. Lewis. They were establishing an apologetic for a certain segment of people, just as this author does.

Jesus, Greater Than Angels

He starts at ground level. He doesn't immediately argue that Jesus is better than Abraham, because his audience has a very strong view of Abraham. He begins with a lower-shelf claim—Jesus is better than angels—and proves it from the Scriptures they all held to. The Scriptures declare that Jesus is the eternal, uncreated Creator who came down from heaven as a man. That's why He's called the Son of God: He is God in human flesh, God incarnate, so that we can behold the glory of God among us. He's not just a man; He's greater than a man, greater than angels.

Then chapter 2 brings the application. If it is true that Jesus is greater than angels, and if the Scriptures point to Him as the eternal, uncreated Creator come down to earth, what does that mean for us? Every apologetic must come to that point—what does this practically mean for my life?

We Must Hear and Obey Jesus

Hebrews 2:1 answers: "Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away." Point one: if Jesus is better than angels, we must hear and obey Jesus. Another translation says we must pay much closer attention to Him.

The Jewish readers had a high regard for angels and for the word delivered by angels. Verse 2 says, "For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast..." Jewish tradition held that angels delivered the law from God to Moses on Mount Sinai. If the word spoken through angels was trustworthy, and every transgression against it received a just reward, then surely we should pay attention to the message spoken by Jesus, who is God and greater than angels.

We live in a world with a million competing voices, perhaps more now than at any time in history, bombarding us with views about the purpose, meaning, and value of life. Here in San Diego County, 3.2 million people speak 110 different languages, and each language represents a different belief, a different worldview. We're constantly told that all of those views are equal and ultimately the same. And yet here comes someone who says Jesus is better—that amid all the competing voices, we need to give the more earnest hearing to the voice of Jesus.

Hear Him

There's a wonderful story in Matthew, Mark, and Luke. Jesus is on a mountaintop with Peter, James, and John. They've come to pray, but as night comes, the disciples fall asleep—it's good to know the apostles sometimes fell asleep praying. Then they are startled awake by something phenomenal: Jesus is transfigured before them, bright and shining, His clothes whiter than any launderer could make them. Moses, the representative of the law, and Elijah, the representative of the prophets, appear and speak with Him.

Overcome, Peter interjects: "Lord, it's good for us to be here. Let us build three tabernacles—one for You, one for Moses, one for Elijah." So you have these competing voices: the law, the prophets, and Peter. Then a bright cloud overshadows them, and a voice says, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him." That is good counsel. Amid all the competing voices—legal, prophetic, apostolic—hear Him.

The Dire Cost of Disobedience

Why is this imperative? Verse 1 says, "lest we drift away," with the implication that we drift away into judgment. Verse 2 continues: "every transgression and disobedience received a just reward... how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?" Point two: the cost of defiance and disobedience to Jesus is dire.

Jesus is the eternal, uncreated Creator, the Son of God, the preacher of a message of salvation greater than any message delivered by angels—a message authenticated by miracles, the greatest being His own resurrection, which we'll celebrate in about a month. If we defy, disobey, or neglect that message of grace, how shall we escape a judgment that the Scriptures show is eternal and complete, with no way to return?

Romans 1:18 says, "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of those who suppress the truth in unrighteousness." One day God's wrath will come. If any of us received even a fraction of a second's vision of what that wrath would look like, it would radically transform how we live. The descriptions of it in Scripture are terrifying. So we need to pay closer attention to Jesus, because He has a message of salvation—rescue from that coming day of wrath.

Are We Hearing Him?

Have you ever been in a crowded room where everyone talks at once and the volume keeps rising, and across the room a friend or your spouse tries to get your attention? You key in and discern what they're saying amid all the noise. That's what the author urges: amid the chaos, pay attention to Jesus. Revelation 2 and 3 repeat it again and again: "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches." Jesus tells the church in Revelation 3:20, "I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens, I will come in to him."

This raises a simple, challenging question: are we paying attention to what Jesus has said? Are we taking in His words by reading and listening? I commend you for being here to hear His word taught. But there's a difference between listening and hearing. Every wife sadly knows this: "Are you listening to me?" "Yes, I'm listening." That's the wrong question. The real question is, "Are you hearing me?" Do we hear Him?

Crowned with Glory and Honor

Why pay closer attention? Verse 5: "For He has not put the world to come, of which we speak, in subjection to angels." The Jewish readers held angels in high regard—created higher than humans, dwelling in God's presence, serving as His messengers. But the world to come will not be placed under angels. Verse 6 quotes Psalm 8: "What is man that You are mindful of him... You have made him a little lower than the angels; You have crowned him with glory and honor, and set him over the works of Your hands. You have put all things in subjection under his feet."

The Psalms declare prophetically that God will place humanity—though created lower than angels—in a place of glory from which they will rule. Verse 8 adds, "But now we do not yet see all things put under him." We see it prophetically in the Scriptures, but we don't yet experience it practically. "But we see Jesus," verse 9, "who was made a little lower than the angels." God became a man, humbling Himself into a human body, "for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor."

Point three: Jesus is crowned with glory and honor and will rule over all things for eternity. That's a good reason to listen to Him. Yes, in order and rank, man is lower than angels, and Jesus came in a human body lower than angels. But even occupying that body, He is King of kings and Lord of lords. He humbled Himself to the very place you and I occupy—for a specific purpose.

Why Did He Come?

Verse 9 tells us: "that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone." Why did He occupy that lowest state, the uncreated Creator clothing Himself in a created body? I don't think humanity could make up this story. We like to make our gods higher than everything; here He humbles Himself. And when He came to earth, He didn't come as a king with power, prestige, and money.

Philippians 2:5 describes how He came: "Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow... and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord."

In this realm we do not yet see all things put under Him. But in the unseen realm, beyond what our instruments can study, Jesus occupies a throne. We see it prophetically, not yet practically. And yet Jesus taught us to pray, "Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven." That is the prayer of the church, and it will be answered. It hasn't come to pass yet, but it will.

He Had to Be Made Like Us

Why was it necessary for God to come as a man? A Jewish reader might ask, "We have the law, Abraham, Moses—why would we need Jesus?" Verse 10 answers: "For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings."

The uncreated Creator had to become like His creation so He could be the perfect champion of our salvation. He had to become a human being, confronted with the realities of sin, so He could confront and atone for sin and pay its penalty. Then the author gives one of the most beautiful statements in the entire Bible, verses 14–15: "Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage."

Freed from the Fear of Death

When researchers across cultures ask what humanity's greatest fear is, the list always whittles down to one thing: death. Maybe today you find yourself in the throes of that fear. Just yesterday we held another memorial service here, and when we come to such services we are confronted with death's reality and the shortness of this life.

Life seems long when you're young. Remember being a kid when September came and all you could think about was Christmas, and it seemed to take forever? Now September comes and we say, "Yes, back to school," and then, "Goodness, they're off again for Christmas." It goes faster and faster, and in the back of humanity's mind is the nagging thought: this life will end. So why did Jesus come? To destroy the one who had the power of death and to release us from the fear of death.

Point four: Jesus came to release us from the fear of death because of the bondage of sin. I cannot think of any better news. The Dow at 30,000 pales in comparison. A retirement account that sets you up for life pales in comparison—because even tens of millions of dollars are worthless when death comes. God became a humble human being to rescue us from sin and death.

A Merciful High Priest

Verse 16: "For indeed He does not give aid to angels, but He does give aid to the seed of Abraham." He didn't come to save angels; He came to save humans, so He became a human. Therefore, verse 17, "in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation"—payment—"for the sins of the people. For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted."

Point five: Jesus suffered the penalty, power, persistence, and presence of sin to free us from the same. Consider what that means. In eternity past, the Son of God, the holy Word of God (John 1:1–4), existed as the eternal, uncreated Creator, never touched by sin, completely holy, completely consecrated. Then 2,000 years ago He stepped down into the darkness, the muck and mire of this fallen world, and suffered in the presence of sin, touched by what touches us every day.

He also suffered the persistent temptation of sin. Hebrews 4:15 tells us He was tempted in all points as we are, yet without sin. He never succumbed to the temptation that bombards us daily. Then His lifeless body was laid in a tomb because He experienced sin's power in death, just as we will. And in the same way our flesh fears death, His did too—in Gethsemane He cried, "If there's any other way, let this cup pass from Me." Yet He went on to experience the penalty of sin on the cross, so that you don't have to.

Yes, you and I will experience sin's power; we will die. Daily we face its persistent temptation, and all our lives we have walked amid its presence. But because of what Jesus did on the cross, you don't have to experience its penalty. By faith in Jesus you can be freed from its power through the resurrection, and freed from its persistent presence in the glorification of being with Him forever. I can't think of any better news. So he says we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard—this message of salvation from Jesus. And may we not only hear it, but declare it.

Closing Prayer

Lord Jesus, we ask for Your grace. Meet us here this morning. We thank You for Your goodness, that You displayed Your love and grace toward us, that while we were yet sinners You came and lived here where sin is present, where its persistent temptation comes against us, where its power is seen daily, and where we live under the fear of its penalty. Increase our joy that we have been rescued from these things by Your grace. Make us witnesses of Your grace to those we meet this week—on school campuses, at work sites, wherever we are.

It may be that as you stand here this morning, you realize for the first time your need for God's grace and you want to be released from the fear of death. Jesus came to set us free as we put our trust in Him. If you'd like to receive His saving grace today, lift up your hand. God bless you. Pray with me where you are: Dear Jesus, I recognize my need for You. I've sinned against You. Would You come into my life, forgive me of my sin, and help me follow You by faith the rest of my life? In Jesus' name, amen.