The writer of the book of Hebrews begins his argument that Christ's New-Testament system is superior to Moses' Old-Testament Law by pointing out in chapter 1 that because Christ is the divine Son of God, He is far better than the angels through whom God gave the Old-Testament law to Moses. However, in chapter 2, he goes on to point out that this One who was so much better than the angels was made lower than the angels. In verses 5 through 8, he quotes, from Psalm 8, that man was made a little lower than the angels, then points out that Christ was also made a little lower than the angels. In other words, He became a man--a human being.

Why? "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." (verse 9) The reason given here is "for the suffering of death." The inspired writer is setting up the basis for his later argument that the sacrifices of animals in the Old Testament were insufficient to forgive sin, so it would take the sacrifice of something greater. Basically, he is saying that Jesus became a man to die for our sins. Thus, this passage emphasizes the importance of Christ's death to the plan of salvation.

1. In verse 9, he says that Jesus had to die for everybody, "that He by the grace of God should taste death for every man." Jesus Himself had pointed out that God would give His Son for the whole world, telling Nicodemus, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." (John 3:16) This was necessary because "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23) What makes this fact even worse is that sin has severe consequences. "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 6:23) Yet, even as Paul mentions God's gift, the Bible teaches that God loves us enough to have had Jesus lay down His life for our sins. "By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us..." (1 John 3:16). That is why it was necessary that He, by the grace of God, should taste death for everyone.
   
   
2. In verse 10, the passage says that the aim of making the captain of our salvation perfect through sufferings (referring to His death) was for Him to bring many sons to glory. This may refer to the fact that all human beings are God's offspring (sons, or children), physically speaking, because He is the Father of our spirits (Acts 17:28; Hebrews 12:9). This would mean that God wants to make a way for all His offspring, or all human beings, to be saved from sin. It might also refer to the fact that those who are saved from sin are born again through God's word and, hence, become His spiritual children (1 Peter 1:23; 1 John 3:1-3). However, either way we look at it, we must understand that the death of Jesus Christ was necessary in order for this to happen, because it was He who "loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood." (Revelation 1:4-6) Just as one goal of the ship's captain is to bring the passengers to safety, so Jesus, as the captain of our salvation, has as His aim to bring many sons to glory.
   
   
3. In verse 14, the passage says that through His death, Christ has destroyed him who had the power of death, that is, the devil. After Adam and Eve sinned, it was prophesied that the seed of the woman would bruise the head of the serpent (Genesis 3:16). This has been universally understood to be a prophecy of the Messiah who would come to destroy the devil. Jesus Himself understood that His mission involved conquering Satan. In Matthew 12:22-29, He said that His power over the demons demonstrated that He had first bound the "strong man." In Luke 10:17,18, when the seventy returned, having cast out demons, Jesus said that He saw Satan falling as lightning from heaven. This was not something that took place before the world began; rather, it was going on right then with Christ's involvment in conquering Satan. Both John 12:27-31 and 16:7-11 also refer to the casting out, or judgment, of this world's prince, or ruler, that was soon to come. This is exactly what Jesus did: "He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil." (1 John 3:8) The devil's power over mankind, which brings the fear of death, is through sin. But by His death, Jesus made possible the forgiveness of sin, thus destroying the power of death and releasing from the fear of death, those who receive His forgiveness.
   
   
4. In verse 17, the passage says that His death has made reconciliation, or propitiation, for the sins of the people. The verb translated make reconciliation in the King James Version, or make propitiation in the New King James Version, was used among the Greeks to mean making the gods propitious or appeasing them; since their good will was not perceived to be their natural attitude but something to be earned. This use of the word is foreign to the Bible. In the Old Testament, the concept was related to the atonement made for the people's sins with the animal sacrifices (cf. Leviticus 16:8-22). Of course, those sacrifices pointed forward to the time when Christ would come to make complete atonement for the sins of the world. Thus, in the New Testament, the concept of propitiation always refers to the fact that God is propitiated through His own provision of Christ's sacrifice to show mercy and make possible the remission of sins. "Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood ..." (Romans 3.24-25) We must conclude, then, that Christ's death was what made it possible for the Scriptures to call Him "the propitiation for our sins" (1 John 2:1-2; 4:10). Because He made propitiation for our sins, we can have reconciliation with God.
   
   

God created us to be in fellowship with Him, but all of us have sinned and broken that fellowship. Yet, God--Father, Son, and Holy Spirit--loved us enough that, even though we deserved eternal punishment for our sins, God the Father sent God the Son, who was so much better than the angels, to be made lower than the angels that He might die for our sins, bring us to glory, destroy the power of the devil, and make propitiation with the Father. However, while God's gift of salvation is free, in that He does not require us to do anything to make atonement, it is not unconditional. He has revealed in His word certain commands that we must obey to demonstrate that we are willing to submit our wills to His in accepting His offer of remission of sins. This is why the Hebrew writer goes on to say about the death of Christ, "Though He was a son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered. And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him." (Hebrews 5:8-9) Have you obeyed Him?