By Stuart Powell
In Psalm 8, David pondered why God invested so much of himself in humanity’s brokenness. David recognized the unworthy position those sinners hold in God’s view. God cherishes every person; he sees eternal worth in each one.
The writer of Hebrews read David’s contemplative words and saw something more than a dismal description of hopeless sinners. The Hebrews author described the glory of God’s Son who willingly chose to come into the broken world to suffer for every sinner. Listen to that description of the Son of Man:
It has been testified somewhere, “What is man, that you are mindful of him, or the son of man, that you care for him? You made him for a little while lower than the angels; you have crowned him with glory and honor, putting everything in subjection under his feet.”
Now in putting everything in subjection to him, he left nothing outside his control. At present, we do not yet see everything in subjection to him. But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone (Hebrews 2:6-9, English Standard Version).
The only earthly crown Jesus ever wore was made of thorns. It did not bring him honor before the people; rather, it amplified his pain and haloed his shame. Yet it was through his suffering that Jesus received a spiritual crown no human eye has ever seen. It is the diadem belonging to the King of kings. It adorns the head of the One whose face outshines the sun. It is promised to the One seated at God’s right hand.
Let’s take this time of remembrance to recall that Jesus’ coronation began on a hill outside of Jerusalem’s walls. The bread and the cup evoke a mental image of his head, wounded and bleeding, that all believers might find grace in his presence.
Stuart Powell lives outside of Terre Haute, Indiana, where he serves with the North Side Christian Church.
Author: Christian Standard
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