How does Hebrews 2:7 connect to Psalm 8:5 regarding human dignity? The Echo: One Spirit, One Declaration • Hebrews 2:7: “You made him a little lower than the angels; You crowned him with glory and honor.” • Psalm 8:5: “You made him a little lower than the angels; You crowned him with glory and honor.” • Same words, same Spirit—Hebrews simply lifts David’s lyric into the New Testament to anchor a timeless truth about every human life. Why Hebrews Quotes Psalm 8 • To confirm Scripture interprets Scripture—what God says once, He means forever. • To spotlight the dignity God assigned to humanity in creation, then magnified in Christ. • To remind believers that Jesus took on genuine humanity; therefore, our worth is affirmed, not erased, by His incarnation. Created Dignity: God’s Original Design • Genesis 1:26–27—“Let Us make man in Our image...and let them rule.” • Psalm 8:6—“You made him ruler over the works of Your hands.” • Dominion and stewardship flow from being image-bearers; dignity is not earned but bestowed. Fallen, Yet Not Forsaken • Romans 3:23—humanity “falls short,” yet the image remains (Genesis 9:6 affirms it post-fall). • The echo in Hebrews assures us God’s original verdict still stands: “crowned with glory and honor.” Dignity Perfected in Christ • Hebrews 2:9—“But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, now crowned with glory and honor...” • By identifying with us, Jesus validates human worth and lifts it to its intended height. • 1 Corinthians 15:27—everything placed under His feet; those united to Him share that reign (Revelation 5:10). Practical Encouragements • Speak and act toward every person as one crowned by God—James 3:9 grounds respectful speech in the image of God. • Reject any view that measures worth by productivity, status, or utility; Scripture bases dignity on divine decree. • Let Christ’s condescension fuel humble service; if the Lord honored humanity by taking flesh, no act of love is beneath us. Summing Up Hebrews 2:7 mirrors Psalm 8:5 word-for-word to proclaim that human beings—though currently “a little lower than the angels”—remain bearers of God-given glory and honor. Sin wounded but did not erase that worth; Christ restores and elevates it. Therefore, every life carries immeasurable value, and believers are called to live in line with that royal identity. |
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