7 Thou madest him' a little | crownedst him with glory and ower than the angels; thou honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands: 1 a little while inferior to. in heaven with pertinency and with power, 'Why was man so honoured as to be united to the Godhead? Why did the Deity appear in the human form? What was there in man that should entitle him to this honour of being united to the Divinity, and of being thus exalted above the angels?' The wonder is not yet solved; and we may well suppose that the angelic ranks look with amazement-but without envy-on the fact that man, by his union with the Deity in the person of the Lord Jesus, has been raised above them in rank and in glory. Or the son of ¶ man. This phrase means the same as man, and is used merely to give variety to the mode of expression. Such a change or variety in words and phrases, when the same thing is intended, occurs constantly in Hebrew poetry. The name 'son of man' is often given to Christ to denote his intimate connexion with our race, and the interest which he felt in us, and is the common term which the Saviour uses when speaking of himself. Here it means man, and may be applied to human nature everywhere and therefore to human nature in the person of the Messiah. ¶ That thou visitest him. That thou shouldst regard him, or treat him with so much honour. Why is he the object of so much interest to the divine mind? weak, and dying as he was, God had exalted him, and had given him a dominion and a rank almost like that of the angels. The wonder of the Psalmist is, that God had given to human nature so much honour-a wonder that is not at all diminished when we think of the honour done to man by his connexion with the divine nature in the person of the Lord Jesus. If in contemplating the race as it appears; if when we look at the dominion of man over the lower world, we are amazed that God has bestowed so much honour on our nature, how much more should we wonder that he has honoured man by his connexion with the divinity. Paul applies this to the Lord Jesus. His object is to show that he is superior to the angels. In doing this he shows that he had a nature given him in itself but little inferior to the angels, and then that that had been exalted to a rank and dominion far above theirs. That such honour should be put on man is what is fitted to excite amazement, and well may one continue to ask why it has been done? When we survey the heavens, and contemplate their glories, and think of the exalted rank of other beings, we may well inquire why has such honour been conferred on man? Thou crownedst him with glory and honour. That is, with exalted honour. Glory and honour here are nearly 7. Thou madest him a little lower synonymous. The meaning is, that than the angels. Marg. A little while elevated honour had been conferred inferior to. The Greek may here on human nature. A most exalted mean a little inferior in rank, or in- and extended dominion had been ferior for a little time. But the pro- given to man, which showed that God bable meaning is, that it refers to had greatly honoured him. This inferiority of rank. Such is its ob- appeared eminently in the person of vious sense in Ps. viii., from which the Lord Jesus, "the exalted Man," this is quoted. The meaning is, that to whom this dominion was given in God had made man but little inferior the widest extent. ¶ And didst set to the angels in rank. He was infe- | him over, &c. Man has been placed rior, but still God had exalted him over the other works of God (1) by almost to their rank. Feeble and the original appointment (Gen i.26)• α all 8 Thou hast put all things that is not put under him. But now we see not yet things put under him. in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing a 1 Co. 15. 24. (2) man at large-though fallen, sinful, feeble, dying; (3) man, eminently in the person of the Lord Jesus, in whom human nature has received its chief exaltation. This is what is particularly in the eye of the apostle --and the language of the Psalm will accurately express this exaltation. 9 But we see Jesus, who' b Ph. 2. 8, 9. not entirely under his control; the tempest and the ocean rage; the pestilence conveys death through city and hamlet; the dominion of man is a broken dominion. His government is an imperfect government. The world is not yet put wholly under his dominion, but 8. Thou hast put all things in sub- enough has been done to constitute jection, &c. Ps. viii. 6. That is, all a pledge that it will yet be done. It things are put under the control of will be fully accomplished only in man, or thou hast given him domi-him who sustains our nature, and to nion over all things. For in that whom dominion is given over the he put all in subjection. The mean- worlds.' ing of this is, that the fair interpre tation of the passage in the Psalm is, that the dominion of man, or of human nature over the earth, was to be absolute and total. Nothing was to be excepted. But this is not now the fact in regard to man in general, and can be true only of human nature in the person of the Lord Jesus. There the dominion is absolute and univer. sal.' The point of the argument of the apostle may be this. 'It was the original appointment (Gen. i. 26) that man should have dominion over this lower world, and be its absolute lord and sovereign. Had he continued in innocence, this dominion would have been entire and perpetual. But he fell, and we do not now see him exerting this dominion. What is said of the dominion of man can be true only of human nature in the person of the Lord Jesus, and there it is completely fulfilled.' ¶ But now we see not yet all things put under him. That is, 'It is not now true that all things are subject to the control of man. There is indeed a general dominion over the works of God, and over the inferior creation. But the control is not universal. A large part of the animal creation rebels, and is brought into subjection only with difficulty. The elements are 9. But we see Jesus. 'We do not see that man elsewhere has the ex tended dominion of which the Psalm ist speaks. But we see the fulfilment of it in Jesus, who was crowned with glory and honour, and who has re ceived a dominion that is superior to that of the angels.' The point of this is, not that he suffered, and not that he tasted death for every man; but that on account of this, or as a re ward for thus suffering, he was crowned with glory and honour, and that he thus fulfilled all that David (Ps. viii.) had said of the dignity and honour of man. The object of the apostle is, to show that he was exalted, and in order to this he shows why it was-to wit, because he had suffered death to redeem man. Comp Phil. ii. 8, 9. ¶ Who was made a little lower than the angels. That is, as a man, or when on earth. His assumed rank was inferior to that of the angels. He took upon himself not the nature of angels (ver. 16), but the nature of man. The apostle is probably here answering some im plicd objections to the rank which it was claimed that the Lord Jesus had, or which might be urged to the views which he was defending. Those ob jections were mainly two. First that Jesus was a man; and secondly was made a little lower than and honour; that he' by the the angels,' for the suffering grace of God should taste death of death, crowned" with glory for every man. that he suffered and died. If that was the fact, it was natural to ask how he could be superior to the angels? How could he have had the rank which was claimed for him? This he answers by showing first, that his condition as a man was voluntarily assumed-'he was made lower than the angels;' and secondly, by showing that as a consequence of his sufferings and death, he was immediately crowned with glory and honour. This state of humiliation became him in the great work which he had undertaken, and he was immediately exalted to universal dominion, and as Mediator was raised to rank far above the angels. For the suffering of death. Marg. By. The meaning of the preposition here rendered 'for' (dià, here governing the accusative) is, 'on account of;' that is, Jesus on account of the sufferings of death, or in virtue of that, was crowned with glory and honour. His crowning was the result of his condescension and sufferings. See Notes Phil. ii. 8, 9. It does not here mean, as our translation would seem to imply, that he was made a little lower than the angels in order to suffer death, but that as a reward for having suffered death he was raised up to the right hand of God. ¶ Crowned with glory and honour. That is, at the right hand of God. He was raised up to heaven. Acts ii. 33; Mark xvi. 19. The meaning is, that he was crowned with the highest honour on account of his sufferings. Comp. Phil. ii. 8,9 Heb. xii. 2; v. 7-9; Eph i. 20-23. T That he. Or rather, since he by the grace of God tasted death for every man.' The sense is, that after he had thus tasted death, and as a consequence of it, he was thus exalted. The word here rendered “that” —őñws—incans usually and ὅπως properly that, so that, in order that, to b Jno. 3. 16. the end that, &c. But it may also mean when, after that, after. See Notes on Acts iii. 19. This is the interpretation which is given by Prof. Stuart (in loc.), and this interpretation seems to be demanded by the connexion. The general interpretation of the pas sage has been different. According to that, the sense is, 'We see Jesus, for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour, so as that, by the grace of God, he might taste of death for every man.' See Robinson's Lex. on the word öñas, and Doddridge on the place. But it is natural to ask when Jesus was thus crowned with glory and honour? It was not before the crucifixion-for he was then poor and despised. The connexion seems to require us to understand this of the glory to which he was exalted in heaven, and this was after his death, and could not be in order that he might taste of death. I am disposed, therefore, to regard this as teaching that the Lord Jesus was exalted to heaven in virtue of the atonement which he had made, and this accords with Phil. ii. 8, 9, and Heb. xii. 2. It accords both with the fact in the case, and with the design of the apostle in the argument before us. ¶ By the grace of God. By the favour of God, or by his benevolent purpose towards men. It was not by any claim which man had, but was by his special favour. ¶ Should taste death. Should die; or should experience death. See Matt. xvi. 28. Death seems to be represented as something bitter and unpalatable-something unpleasant -as an object may be to the taste. Or the language may be taken from a cup-since to experience calamity and sorrow is often represented as drinking a cup of woes. Ps. xi. 6; lxxiii. 10; lxxv. 8; Isa. li. 17; Matt. xx. 22; xxvi. 39. For every man. ¶ For all-unèp navrds—for each and all tion. | whether Jew or Gentile, bond or Washington. But how much more free, high or low, elect or non-elect. has that nature been honoured in the How could words affirm more clearly person of the Lord Jesus! (1.) What that the atonement made by the Lord an honour tɔ us it was that he should Jesus was unlimited in its nature and take our nature into intimate union design? How can we express that with himself-passing by the angelic idea in more clear or intelligible lan-hosts, and becoming a man! (2.) guage? That this refers to the atone- What an honour it was that human ment is evident-for it says that he nature there was so pure and holy; 'tasted death' for them. The friends that man-everywhere else so degra of the doctrine of general atonement dcd and vile-could be seen to be nodo not desire any other than Scripture | ble, and pure, and godlike! (3.) What language in which to express their an honour it was that the divinity belief. It expresses it exactly-with-should speak to men in connexion out any need of modification or explanation. The advocates of the doctrine of limited atonement cannot thus use Scripture language to express their belief. They cannot incorporate it with their creeds that the Lord Jesus 'tasted death FOR EVERY CAN.' They are compelled to modiit, to limit it, to explain it, in orer to prevent error and misconcepBut that system cannot be truc which requires men to shape and nodify the plain language of the Bible in order to keep men from error! Comp. Notes on II. Cor. v. 14, where this point is considered at length. Learn hence (vs. 6—9), from the incarnation of the Son of God, and his exaltation to heaven, what an honour has been conferred on human nature. When we look on the weakness and sinfulness of our race, we may well isk, what is man that God should honour him or regard him? He is the creature of a day. He is feeble and dying. He is lost and degraded. Compared with the universe at large, he is a speck, an atom. He has done nothing to deserve the divine favour or notice, and when we look at the race at large we can do it only with sentiments of the deepest humiliation and mortification. But when we look at human nature in the person of the Lord Jesus, we see it honoured there to a degree that is commensurate with all our desires, and that fills us with wonder. We feel that it is an honour to human nature-that it has done much to elevate man-when we look on such a man as Howard or with human nature, and perform such wonderful works-that the pure precepts of religion should come forth from human lips-the great doctrines of eternal life be uttered by a man, and that from human hands should go forth power to heal the sick and to raise the dead! (4.) What an honour to man it was that the atoncment for sin should be made in his own nature, and that the universe should be attracted to that scene where one in our form, and with flesh and blood like our own, should perform that great work. (5.) What an honour it is to man that his own nature is exalted far above all heavens! That one in our form sits on the throne of the universe! That adoring angels fall prostrate before him! That to him is intrusted all power in heaven and on earth! (6.) What an honour to man that one in his nature should be appointed to judge the worlds! That one in our own form, and with a nature like ours, shall sit on the throne of judgment and pronounce the final doom on angels and men! That assembled millions shall be constrained to bow before him, and receive their eternal doom from his hands! That prince and potentate-the illustrious dead of all past times, and the mighty men who are yet to live, shall all ap pear before him, and all receive from him there the sentence of their final destiny! I see, therefore, the most honour done to my nature as a man, not in the deeds of proud conquerors • not in the lives of sages and philan α 10 For it became " him, for whom are all things, and by a Lu. 24. 26. 46. thropists; not in those who have carried their investigations farthest into the obscurities of matter and of mind; not in the splendid orators, poets, and historians of other times, or that now live-much as I may admire them, or feel it an honour to belong to a race which has produced such illustrious men—but in the fact that the Son of God has chosen a body like my own in which to dwell; in the inexpressible loveliness evinced in his pure morals, his benevolence, his blameless life; in the great decds that he performed on earth; in the fact that it was this form that was chosen in which to make atonement for sin; in the honours that now cluster around him in heaven, and the glories that shall attend him when he shall come to judge the world. "Princes to his imperial name Bend their bright sceptres down; To see him wear the crown. "Those soft, those blessed feet of his, High on a throne of light they stand, "His head, the dear, majestic head, "This is the Man, th' exalted Man, 10. For it became him. There was a fitness or propriety in it; it was such an arrangement as became God to make, in redeeming many, that the great agent by whom it was accomplished, should be made complete in all respects by sufferings. The apos. tle evidently means by this to meet an objection that might be offered by a Jew to the doctrine which he had been stating -- an objection drawn from the fact that Jesus was a man b Ro. 11. 36. of sorrows, and that his life was a life of affliction. This he meets by stat ing that there was a fitness and pro priety in that fact. There was a reason for it-a reason drawn from the plan and character of God. It was fit, in the nature of the case, that he should be qualified to be a complete or perfect Saviour — a Saviour just adapted to the purpose undertaken, by sufferings. The reasons of this fitness, the apostle does not state. The amount of it probably was, that it became him as a Being of infinite benevolence; as one who wished to provide a perfect system of redemption, to subject his Son to such sufferings as should completely qualify him to be a Saviour for all men. This subjection to his humble condition, and to his many woes, made him such a Saviour as man needed, and qualified him fully for his work. There was a propriety that he who should redeem the suffering and the lost should partake of their nature; identify himself with them; and share their woes, and the consequences of their sins. T For whom are all things. With respect to whose glory the whole universe was made; and with respect to whom the whole arrangement for salvation has been formed. The phrase is synonymous with the Supreme Ruler;' and the idea is, that it became the Sovereign of the universe to provide a perfect scheme of salvation-even though it involved the humiliation and death of his own Son. And by whom are all things. By whose agency everything is made. As it was by his agency, therefore, that the plan of salvation was entered into, there was a fitness that it should be perfect. It was not the work of fate or chance, and there was a propriety that the whole plan should bear the mark of the infinite wisdom of its Author. ¶ In bringing many sons unto glory. To heaven. This was the plan-it was to bring many to heaven who should be regarded |