What does it mean that Jesus was for a little while made lower than the angels?

The above question is a difficult one which has unfortunately led many to fall into grievous error. Some Christians even get offended when you ask them the above same question. They get infuriated because of a lack of insight into what the bible actually teaches with regards to this important subject matter. Personally, in time past I wrestled with this same question. I employed all of my powers just for me to find a satisfactory answer to the above question, but all was to no avail. It took a long time for me to finally gain an in-depth understanding of it's true meaning. Since then, my heart has been at peace within me, and am glad to share the same truth with you.

 In the book of Hebrews, it is written: But we do see Him who was made for a little while lower than the angels, namely, Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone (Hebrews 2: 9). It is important to know that, false teachers uses this passage of scripture as a proof text to deny the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ. Of a truth, at first glance, you might be tempted to think that Jesus Christ is not God, because it is written, "But we do see Him who was made for a little while lower than the angels". Jesus was for a little while made lower than the angels, but does that text in anyway mean that Jesus Christ is not God? Does it mean that Jesus Christ cannot be equated with God?

Apostle Paul by the help of the Spirit penned down these inspired words; who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross (Philippians 2: 6-8). Jesus Christ who was in the form of God willingly emptied himself, not of his divine nature, but he voluntarily self restricted the use of certain of his divine prerogatives during the time of his sojourning here on earth. He laid aside his glory as God and took another nature into union with himself. Jesus took a human nature in addition to himself, hence, he became the GodMan. He was perfect in Godhood and perfect in Manhood as well with each nature retaining it's attributes peculiar to it. 

The human nature of Jesus Christ whiles on earth, was inferior to the nature of the holy angels. Jesus was for a little while, for a period of thirty three years made a little lower than the angels, because of his assumption of a human nature. Some argue that Jesus was not for a little while made lower than the angels, because the Hebrew text translates it has "Elohim" instead of "angels", see (Psalm 8; 5). But when you check the new testament, the original Greek language, it uses "aggelos" and not "Elohim", see proof text (Hebrews 2; 9). So Jesus was for a little while made lower than the angels, and not Elohim according to the original new testament Greek language, and remember that the new testament was originally written in Greek, and not in Hebrew.

The author of the book of Hebrews, quoted from the Septuagint. The Septuagint is the Greek translation of the old testament. The Septuagint translates Psalm eight verse five as ''a little lower than the angels'' and the apostle by the Spirit quoted the Septuagint and he rightly applied it to Jesus. This is what John MacArthur, an excellent theologian wrote: "Septuagint was the Old Testament written, translated into Greek. The Old Testament was written in Hebrew. By the time of Christ, there was such a tremendous number of Greek speaking Jews, that 70 men had gotten together and translated the old Hebrew into Greek, and that is the Septuagint. It is a Greek translation of the Old Testament. And evidently, the writer of Hebrews was a Greek-culture individual, because when he quotes the Old Testament, he invariably quotes it from the Septuagint, or the Greek translation. And consequently, it varies slightly from the Hebrew translation. Not in truth or in fact, simply in translation. So, where there’s a little area of difference - and it won’t be a difference in meaning by any stretch of the imagination, but only just in a phrase, the word choice, or whatever it may be - it is because he is quoting the Septuagint".

The Lord and creator of the angelic hosts for a little while deigned to take on flesh, he took a nature that was inferior to the nature of the angels, therefore, for a little while as a Man, he was made a little lower than they. Jesus human nature was subject to limitations and weaknesses, and was also bound by time. He took a nature that was vulnerable to suffer hunger, pain, tiredness, temptations of all forms, and even death. But these are things that the angelic beings do not experience in anyway. So in relation to Jesus human nature, for a little while he was made lower than the angels. Let us look at the text once more: But we do see Him who was made for a little while lower than the angels, namely, Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone (Hebrews 2: 9).

 From the text, we can see that the primary reason for the incarnation of the Son of God, was for the purpose of suffering death for everyone of us. Death is something that angels cannot experience, but because Jesus took a nature which was inferior to that of angels, that was why he could experience death in our stead. If Jesus had not become incarnate, if he did not for a little while become lower than the angels, there would have been no redemption for us. It is to our own advantage that Jesus Christ was for a little while made lower than the holy spirits.

Learn this, the human nature of Christ that was made a little while lower than the angels, that same nature was glorified and highly exalted far above all the angels after his bodily resurrection. The apostle tells us that Jesus was "for a little while made lower than the angels" that means it was only for a short period of time that he was made lower than they, in respect to his human nature. The Man Jesus Christ has been crowned with honor and glory, he has been highly exalted to sit at the right hand of the father, a place which the angels cannot have the privilege to sit: But to which of the angels has He ever said, "Sit at My right hand, Until I make Your enemies A footstool for Your feet"?  (Hebrews 1:13). The human nature of Jesus Christ has not only been exalted, but the father also commands all the angels to worship the GodMan: And when He again brings the firstborn into the world, He says, "And let all the angels of God worship Him."(Hebrews 1: 6). The GodMan is superior to the angels in every respect, he is their Lord and God whom they continually worship, but for the sake of our eternal salvation, in an act of self renunciation, he was temporarily made a little lower than they. God bless you

              A thought to ponder

The Man Jesus Christ has been highly exalted to sit at the right hand of the father, a place which the holy angels cannot have the privilege to sit

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