Listen up! Look up!
Opening Prayer
Exalted Lord, I offer my life, my talents, my days that I may honor You.
Read Hebrews 2:1-9
For additional translations of the passage, use this link to Bible Gateway.
[1] We must pay the most careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away. [2] For since the message spoken through angels was binding, and every violation and disobedience received its just punishment, [3] how shall we escape if we ignore so great a salvation? This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him. [4] God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will. [5] It is not to angels that he has subjected the world to come, about which we are speaking. [6] But there is a place where someone has testified: “What is mankind that you are mindful of them, a son of man that you care for him? [7] You made them a little lower than the angels; you crowned them with glory and honor [8] and put everything under their feet.” In putting everything under them, God left nothing that is not subject to them. Yet at present we do not see everything subject to them. [9] But we do see Jesus, who was made lower than the angels for a little while, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone. Scripture taken from the THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, NIV Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
What is Jesus’ relation to angels?Angels have their place. After all, according to Jewish tradition, the old covenant was brought to Moses by angels. However, the new covenant is instituted by the Son of God himself. And as the messenger is so much greater than angels, so the message must be given even greater attention.Quoting Psalm 8, the author shows how human beings have failed to fulfil their God-given destiny in bringing creation to heel. Because of that they are still “a little lower than angels” (7). But Jesus has achieved what humanity as a whole failed to do and so is “crowned with glory” over the whole of creation.How did Jesus achieve this? Counter-intuitively, it was by suffering death. In his classic work From Good to Great, the business guru Jim Collins describes “The Level 5 Leader” who achieves where others fail. Far from being a huge, domineering personality, such a leader combines genuine humility with absolute commitment to his cause. What a great description of Jesus! It is precisely because he “tasted death for everyone” (9) that we now see him glorified.
Apply
“But we do see Jesus” (9). Spend some time meditating on the light of the glory of Jesus.
Closing prayer
Jesus, You are the one we see. You are at the center of our vision and we love You.
Click here to sign up to receive the EXTRAs via email each quarter.
© 2025 Scripture Union U.S.A. All rights reserved. Reproduction of the whole or any part of the contents without written permission is prohibited.
Discovery is published in the USA under license from Scripture Union England and Wales, Trinity House, Opal Court, Opal Drive, Fox Milne, Milton Keynes, MK15 0DF.