Thursday after the Fifteenth Sunday after Trinity Sunday

Scripture: Hebrews 2:5—3:6 (NKJV)

2:5 For He has not put the world to come, of which we speak, in subjection to angels. 6 But one testified in a certain place, saying: “What is man that You are mindful of him, or the son of man that You take care of him? 7 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. 8 You have put all things in subjection under his feet.” For in that He put all in subjection under him, He left nothing that is not put under him. But now we do not yet see all things put under him. 9 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.

10 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. 11 For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one, for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren, 12 saying: “I will declare Your name to My brethren; In the midst of the assembly I will sing praise to You.” 13 And again: “I will put My trust in Him.” And again: “Here am I and the children whom God has given Me.” 14 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, 15 and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.

16 For indeed He does not give aid to angels, but He does give aid to the seed of Abraham. 17 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. 18 For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted.

3:1 Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Christ Jesus, 2 who was faithful to Him who appointed Him, as Moses also was faithful in all His house. 3 For this One has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as He who built the house has more honor than the house. 4 For every house is built by someone, but He who built all things is God. 5 And Moses indeed was faithful in all His house as a servant, for a testimony of those things which would be spoken afterward, 6 but Christ as a Son over His own house, whose house we are if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end.

Devotion

[v.5:] “For He did not subject to the angels…”

He is showing with another proof that Christ is far superior to the angels, namely, as I say, Christ according to His humanity, on the basis of Psa. 7. On the basis of this passage, he at the same time is busy with what the Hebrews might have been able to raise as an objection: “For we have seen Him despised and the least of men, etc.” (Isa. 53:3). He says that this happened for the brief time of His passion for our sake, etc. For He was soon crowned with glory and honor and appointed over all things, etc.

[v.5:] “…the world to come…”

He means the kingdom of God which the prophets foretold was going to come and which would be far more suitable than all the kingdoms of the world, just as Isaiah calls Him “the Father of the age to come.” Because the kingdom of Christ is spiritual, all creatures have been subjected in spirit to Christ and to those who are in Christ. For all people are serving us to our salvation, even sheep, oxen, and fishes as well as sin, death, and hell. The reason that you do not see that all things have been subjected to Christ is that the flesh does not see these things which have to do with the spiritual kingdom of Christ, which consists in faith and hope. You will see what you have been waiting for when the Father will place all the enemies of Christ under His feet.

Johannes Bugenhagen, Annotations on Paul’s Epistles (1525)