But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour: that, through the grace of God, he might taste death for all.

“Then again there is another consolation if indeed He who is hereafter to have all put in subjection under Him, hath Himself also died and submitted to sufferings innumerable. "But," he says, "we see Him who was made a little lower than the angels, even Jesus, for the suffering of death" - then the good things again, - "crowned with glory and honor." Seest thou, how all things apply to Him? For the expression, "a little," would rather suit Him, who was only three days in Hades, but not ourselves who are for a long time in corruption. Likewise also the expression "with glory and honor" will suit Him much more than us. Again, he reminds them of the Cross, thereby effecting two things; both showing His care for them and persuading them to bear all things nobly, looking to the Master. For (he would say) if He who is worshiped of Angels, for thy sake endured to have a little less than the Angels, much more oughtest thou who art inferior to the Angels, to bear all things for His sake. Then he shows that the Cross is "glory and honor," as He Himself also always calls it, saying, "That the Son of Man might be glorified" (John xi. 5); and, "the Son of Man is glorified." (John xii. 23.) If then He calls the sufferings for His servants' sake "glory," much more shouldest thou the sufferings for the Lord. Seest thou the fruit of the Cross, how great it is? fear not the matter: for it seemeth to thee indeed to be dismal, but it brings forth good things innumerable. From these considerations he shows the benefit of trial. Then he says, "That He by the grace of God should taste death for every man." "That by the grace of God," he says. And He indeed because of the grace of God towards us suffered these things. "He who spared not His Own Son," he says, "but delivered Him up for us all." (Rom. viii. 32.) Why? He did not owe us this, but has done it of grace. And again in the Epistle to the Romans he says, "Much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace which is by one man Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many." (Rom. v. 15.) "That by the grace of God He should taste death for every man," not for the faithful only, but even for the whole world: for He indeed died for all; But what if all have not believed? He hath fulfilled His own part. Moreover he said rightly "taste death for every man," he did not say "die." For as if He really was tasting it, when He had spent a little time therein, He immediately arose. By saying then "for the suffering of death," he signified real death, and by saying "superior to angels," he declared the resurrection. For as a physician though not needing to taste the food prepared for the sick man, yet in his care for him tastes first himself, that he may persuade the sick man with confidence to venture on the food, so since all men were afraid of death, in persuading them to take courage against death, He tasted it also Himself though He needed not. "For," He says, "the prince of this world cometh and findeth nothing in Me." (John xiv. 30.) So both the words "by grace" and "should taste death for every man," establish this.”

“Above, the Apostle, wishing to prove the excellence of Christ over the Angels, adduced the authority of the prophet, in which there was something that pertains to the dignity of Christ, such as that saying, "thou hast subjected all things," etc. And this he himself expounded. But there was also something that pertains to his passion, namely, "thou hast lessened him," etc. Now this seems to conflict with his principal intention, namely, that he intends to set Christ above the Angels. And therefore in this part he expounds this at length. Here he does two things: first he shows in what respect this lessening is to be understood, namely, according to the passion; second he treats of the fittingness of the passion, where it says "for it became him." Concerning the first he does two things: first he shows what has been said; second he describes the passion itself, where it says "that by the grace of God." He says therefore, "but him," etc. Let it be continued thus: thus it has been said, "what is man," etc., "with glory and honor," etc., "thou hast subjected all things," etc., "thou hast lessened him," etc.; and these things the prophet foretold of Christ, but already we see many of them fulfilled. For certain, therefore, we hold that what remains is yet to be fulfilled, namely, that all things will be subjected to him, etc. Gregory: "the showing forth of things past is the certainty of things to come." And it can be construed thus: "we see him who was made a little lower than the Angels" to be Jesus; and not only this, but "crowned with glory and honor," on account of the passion of death, which was the cause of that exaltation. Phil. 2:9: "for which cause God also hath exalted him," etc. And he says "of death," because he did not endure just any passion, but the harshest and most shameful. Wisd. 2:20: "let us condemn him to a most shameful death." Or otherwise: "we see Jesus," and as if it were asked of him whom he meant, therefore answering he says: namely, him who through the passion of death was made a little lower than the Angels, crowned with glory and honor; as if to say: this lessening is not to be understood in Christ except on account of the passion of death. Nor is it surprising, because as regards this he is inferior not only to the Angels, but even to men. Is. 53:2f.: "we have desired him, the last of men," etc. But the Gloss says — and it is from Augustine's Against Maximinus — that Christ was not made lower than the Angels on account of the condition of human nature, but on account of the passion. For the nature of the human mind, which Christ assumed without sin, has nothing greater than the Trinity alone. He is therefore lower than the Angels in body, because the passion is according to the body. This seems to be against Dionysius, who says that the Angels are greater than men by natural participation of light. And it must be said that we can speak of the nature of the human and angelic mind in two ways. In one way, according to natural endowments alone, and thus the nature of the Angels is more excellent and nobler than the nature of the human mind, because the Angel receives the knowledge of divine truth in a certain excellence and fullness of intellectual light, but man from creatures. In another way we can take the nature of each without sin, in order to the obtaining of beatitude, and thus they are equal. Lk. 20: "they shall be as the Angels in heaven." Christ, however, as to the excellence of grace, according to the human mind, is greater than the Angels. This lessening, therefore, is not according to the nature of the divinity, nor absolutely according to human nature, except insofar as he suffered according to it. We can, however, say that Christ was crowned with a threefold glory: namely, the glory of sanctification, which he had in the first instant of his conception; likewise the glory of divine fruition, because from that very instant of his conception he was a comprehensor; likewise the glory of impassibility, which he merited after the passion. Then, when he says "that by the grace of God," he describes the passion itself, and he describes it in three ways: first from its cause, when he says "that by the grace of God"; second from its usefulness, when he says "for all"; third from its manner, when he says "he might taste." For the cause was the grace of God alone. Hence it continues thus: "we see Jesus, who was made lower," for this, "that by the grace of God," etc. For it was by that very grace that it came about that he gave his only-begotten Son. John 3:16: "for God so loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son." Rom. 5:8: "but God commendeth his charity towards us, because when as yet we were sinners," etc. Or, according to what the Gloss of Augustine says, "that grace," that is, Christ himself, who is the grace of God; and thus "grace" is in the nominative case. But Christ is called "grace" because he is the author of grace. John 1:17: "grace and truth came by Jesus Christ." Or because he was given freely. Is. 9:6: "a son is given to us." So that the sense would be that he himself was made lower, that he himself who is the grace of God, etc. Both positions are according to the Gloss. "For all" — behold the usefulness. But "for all" can be understood in two ways: either so that it is a fitting distribution, namely for all the predestined — for these alone it has efficacy; or absolutely for all, as to sufficiency, for as far as it is in itself, it is sufficient for all. 1 Tim. 4:10: "who is the savior of all, but especially of the faithful." Chrysostom: he died for all men generally, because the price suffices for all; and if not all believe, he nevertheless fulfilled what was his part. "He might taste" — behold the manner. For he tastes who does not eat much, nor drink much. Because, therefore, Christ did not remain in death, but rose again at once, he therefore "tasted." Ps. 109:7: "he shall drink of the torrent in the way," etc. The traveler hastens. Likewise, taste is discerning of flavor, hence one who tastes discerns more than one who drinks. Therefore, that he might signify that he felt death and sorrow, and thus that death was not illusory, as the Manichean and Apollinaris say, he therefore says "he tasted." Lam. 1:12: "O all ye that pass by the way," etc. The manner, indeed, is set down when it is said "he might taste." A like thing is found Matt. 26:39: "Father, if it be possible, let this chalice pass from me"; and this for three reasons. First, in order to express the bitterness of death, the experience of which is through taste. Lam. 1:12: "O all ye that pass by the way." Is. 24:9: "the drink shall be bitter to them that drink it." Second, because just as to taste or not to taste is in the power of the one tasting, so too the passion of Christ was voluntary. John 10:18: "I have power to lay down my life." Third, because to taste is to take a little, and Christ remained but a little in death, according to that: Ps. 15:10: "thou wilt not leave my soul in hell," etc. Then, when he says "for it became him," etc., he shows the fittingness from usefulness. For God the Father is he who was the cause of death. For he is the one through whom are all things, as through an efficient cause, and on account of whom are all things, as through a final cause. For all things are on account of him, because on account of his goodness to be communicated. And this was the moving cause for producing things, and thus finally all things are on account of God. Prov. 16:4: "the Lord hath made all things for himself." They also exist effectively through him. Ps. 145:4: "who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all things that are in them." He is, therefore, the beginning and end of all things. Apoc. 1:8: "I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end." Rom. 11:36: "of him, and by him, and in him, are all things." It became him, therefore, since he is the author of all things, to provide for all. Wisd. 6:8: "he hath equal care of all." Second, it was fitting on the part of the cause, which, as has been said, was the grace of God; but grace is ordered to glory. Rom. 6:23: "the grace of God, life everlasting"; and God from eternity predestined those whom he was to bring into glory. And these are all those who are partakers of the sonship of his Son, because "if sons, also heirs," Rom. 8:17. And therefore he says "who had brought many sons into glory," as if to say: he himself has one Son, perfect by nature. Mark 12:6: "therefore, having yet one son, most dear," etc. Who is by nature "the brightness of glory," above, 1:3. But the others are adopted, and therefore are to be brought into glory. Hence he says "who had brought," that is, he had preordained them to be brought. And what was fitting for him? This, namely, that he himself is the author of their salvation, etc. This salvation consists in two things: namely, that they become sons, and that they be brought into the inheritance. But that they are sons, they have through the natural Son. "Whom he foreknew and predestined, to be made conformable to the image of his Son," Rom. 8:29. But they do not obtain glory and inheritance except through him whose the inheritance naturally is, who is the brightness of glory. Because, therefore, we obtain these two things through the Son, therefore he is fittingly called the author of salvation. Matt. 1:21: "he shall save his people from their sins." Below, 12:2: "looking on Jesus, the author and finisher of faith." It became, therefore, that the Father should send the author of salvation, namely the Son, as has been explained, who had brought many sons through him into glory. And thus the fittingness on the part of the cause is clear. To be perfected through the passion, that is, through faith. For he himself, insofar as he is the natural Son, is totally perfect; but because in the passion he was made lower, he had to be perfected through the merit of the passion. From this consummation, therefore, the fittingness of the manner is clear, concerning which he had said that he "tasted." For he only tasted death, because he did not accept it except that through merit he might be perfected by the passion. For his very consummation is his glorification. Lk., last chapter: "it behooved Christ to suffer, and so to enter into his glory." He also "tasted," because, since he himself had brought sons into glory, just as a physician tastes the medicine so that the sick person may not shrink from it but may drink it more confidently, so he himself tasted death, so that, since without death entering by necessity there is no salvation, no one might flee from death. Consequently, when he says "for he that sanctifieth," he proves what he had said. Here he does two things: first he proves his proposition on the part of the Father who perfects; second on the part of Christ who is perfected, where it says "for as much then as the children." Further, concerning the first he does two things: first he sets forth what he intends; second he proves it by authority, where it says "for which cause." He says, therefore: "for he that sanctifieth, and they who are sanctified, are all of one." Now it must be known that above the Apostle had said three things: first, that Christ is the cause of salvation, in which he shows that we depend on him as on a savior; second, he shows that the Father is the one who perfects Christ himself through the merit of the passion, and in this Christ depends on the Father; third, that the Father brings us into glory, in which he also shows that we depend on God. And according to this, the Apostle here does three things. For first he shows that we depend on Christ: the one sanctified depends on the one sanctified, but Christ is the one who sanctifies. Below, 13:12: "Jesus, that he might sanctify by his own blood," etc. Well, therefore, it has been said that, because he is the author and sanctifier, we depend on him; but he himself depends on the Father, from whom he has that he sanctifies, which is the second point. But all — namely he who sanctifies and we who are sanctified — are of one, namely of the Father, which is the third point. Rom. 8:17: "heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ." Consequently he proves these three things by three authorities. And first, that Christ, as mediator and author of salvation, refers to us the things that are God's. Hence he says: "for which cause," because, namely, we and he depend from the Father and are of one God the Father, "he is not ashamed to call them brethren," namely because they are of the same Father. Mal. 2:10: "is there not one father of us all?" Rom. 8:29: "that he might be the firstborn amongst many brethren." Therefore it is said in Ps. 21:22: "I will declare thy name to my brethren." And John 20:17: "go to my brethren." But note that he says "he is not ashamed," etc.; because some who are born of lowly stock, if they are promoted, are ashamed to acknowledge their kinsmen. Prov. 19:7: "the brethren of the poor man hate him." But not so Christ; rather he says "I will declare thy name to my brethren." John 17:5f.: "Father, I have manifested thy name to the men whom thou hast given me." John 1:18: "the only-begotten, who is in the bosom of the Father," etc. He shows the fruit of this announcement, when he says "in the midst of the church will I praise thee," as if to say: by this a great church is gathered for thee, in the midst of which I will praise thee. And he says "in the midst," because just as a column in the midst of a house sustains it, a lamp in the midst of a house illumines it, the heart in the midst of the body gives it life, so Christ is in the midst of the Church. Likewise "in the midst," because he was not sent to one people only, as Moses was — Ps. 75:1: "God is known in Judea" — but for the salvation of the whole world — Ps. 73:12: "thou hast wrought salvation in the midst of the earth" — and therefore it is said, Luke, last chapter: "Jesus stood in the midst of the disciples." It must be known concerning this, that before the law it was the custom that all firstborn were priests, and this pertained to the right of the firstborn. But Christ is a brother as the firstborn, and therefore he is a priest. But a priest, sanctifying the people, is in the middle between God and the people. Deut. 5:5: "I was the mediator at that time." And therefore it pertains to him, first, to announce to the people the things that are God's; second, to refer to God the things that are the people's. He does the first by saying — and therefore he says "I will declare thy name to my brethren," that is, I will lead them into knowledge of thee, and this is to sanctify them. John 17:17: "sanctify them in the truth," etc. He does the second while he makes men, out of affection towards God, break forth into the praise of God, and therefore he says "in the midst of the church." Then, when he says "and again," etc., he shows that Christ himself depends on the Father, by this that he says "I will put my trust in him." This, according to Jerome, is found Is. 8:17, where we have: "I will wait for the Lord, who hath hid his face from the house of Jacob," etc. But Is. 12:2 has expressly: "I will deal confidently, and will not fear." "I will be trusting in him" for the glory of the head and the members, which above he called consummation. Ps. 30:1: "in thee, O Lord, have I hoped." He shows, however, what hope he has, because not just any hope, but a firm one, which is called trust. For hope, even if it is not of the impossible, nevertheless sometimes has fear joined to it, and then it is properly called hope. Sometimes hope is firm and without fear, and then it is properly called trust. And this Christ had. He says, therefore, "I will be trusting in him," that is, I will have trust in his help, namely the Father's, for the glory of the body, which he will raise up, and of the members and of the soul. Ps. 31:1: "in thee, O Lord, have I hoped," etc. Jer. 17: "blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord." But on the contrary, the saints say that in Christ there is neither faith nor hope, but only charity. I answer. It must be said that hope is one thing, trust another; for hope is the expectation of future beatitude, and this was not in Christ, because from the instant of his conception he was blessed; but trust is the expectation of any kind of help; and according to this, trust was in Christ, insofar as, according to his human nature, he expected help from the Father in the passion. Hence, when it is found there that Christ is said to have hope, it is not to be understood by reason of the principal object, which is beatitude, but by reason of the glory of the resurrection, and of the glory conferred on the body. Then, when he says "and again," etc., he shows the third point, namely that he refers us to God, saying "behold I." And it is found Is. 8:18. As if to say: I have been referred to God — I, I say, who am trusting — and likewise "my children," whom I lead back to God, namely my disciples. John, last chapter: "children, have you any meat?" "Whom God hath given me." John 17:6: "they were thine, and thou hast given them to me." These are called "children" on account of purity. 1 Kings 21:4: "if the young men are clean, especially from women"; and a little after, in the same place, 5: "the vessels of the young men were holy." Likewise on account of simplicity. 1 Cor. 14:20: "do not become children in sense, but in malice be children." Likewise on account of humility. Matt. 18:3: "unless you be converted, and become as little children," etc. Likewise on account of readiness towards the good: "suffer the little children to come to me." And he shows that not only he himself is from God, but also the children; hence he adds "whom the Lord hath given me," and thus it is verified what he had said: "he that sanctifieth and they that are sanctified are all of one," because John 6:44: "no man can come to me, except the Father who hath sent me draw him."”

“For it became him, for whom are all things,.... This is not a periphrasis of Christ, who died, but of God the Father, who delivered him to death; and who is the final cause of all things, in nature, and in grace, all things being made for his pleasure and for his glory; and he is the efficient cause of all things, as follows: and by whom are all things; all the works of creation, providence, and grace: in bringing many sons to glory; not to worldly glory, but to the heavenly glory, which they are undeserving of; and which was long ago prepared for them; is at present hid; is weighty, solid, durable, yea, eternal: the persons whom God, of his rich grace, brings to this, are "sons"; who are predestinated to the adoption of children; are regenerated by the Spirit of God; believe in Christ; and have the spirit of adoption given them, and so being children, are heirs of glory: and these are "many"; for though they are but few, when compared with others, yet they are many, considered by themselves; they are many that God has ordained to eternal life, and given to Christ, and for whom he has given himself a ransom, and whom he justifies; and accordingly there are many mansions of glory provided for them in their Father's house, whose act it is to bring them thither: he has chosen them to this glory, and prepared it for them; he sent his Son to redeem them; he reveals his Son in them, the hope of glory; he calls them to his eternal glory, and makes them meet for it, and gives them an abundant entrance into it: and him it became--to make the Captain of their salutation perfect through sufferings; Christ is "the Captain of salvation", and is so called, because he is the author of it; and he is the Prince and Commander of these sons, who are committed to his charge, and are under his care; and is their guide and leader; and who is gone before them to prepare their mansions of glory for them: and he is made "perfect through sufferings"; he suffered all that the law and justice of God could require; and hereby he became perfectly acquainted with the sufferings of his people, and a perfect Saviour of them; and in this way went to glory himself: and it "became" God the Father, the first cause, and last end of all things, since he had a design to bring all his adopted sons to glory, that his own Son should perfectly suffer for them; this was agreeable to, and becoming the perfections of his nature, his wisdom, his veracity, his justice, grace, and mercy.”

“Should taste death for every man - In consequence of the fall of Adam, the whole human race became sinful in their nature, and in their practice added transgression to sinfulness of disposition, and thus became exposed to endless perdition. To redeem them Jesus Christ took on him the nature of man, and suffered the penalty due to their sins. It was a custom in ancient times to take off criminals by making them drink a cup of poison. Socrates was adjudged to drink a cup of the juice of hemlock, by order of the Athenian magistrates: Πινειν το φαρμακον, αναγκαζοντων των Αρχοντων. The sentence was one of the most unjust ever pronounced on man. Socrates was not only innocent of every crime laid to his charge, but was the greatest benefactor to his country. He was duly conscious of the iniquity of his sentence, yet cheerfully submitted to his appointed fate; for when the officer brought in the poison, though his friends endeavored to persuade him that he had yet a considerable time in which he might continue to live, yet, knowing that every purpose of life was now accomplished, he refused to avail himself of a few remaining moments, seized the cup, and drank off the poison with the utmost cheerfulness and alacrity; επισχομενος και μαλα ευχερως και ευκολως εξεπιε. Plato, Phaed. sub. fin. The reference in the text seems to point out the whole human race as being accused, tried, found guilty, and condemned, each having his own poisoned cup to drink; and Jesus, the wonderful Jesus, takes the cup out of the hand of each, and cheerfully and with alacrity drinks off the dregs! Thus having drunk every man's poisoned cup, he tasted that death which they must have endured, had not their cup been drunk by another. Is not this the cup to which he refers, Mat 26:39 : O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me? But without his drinking it, the salvation of the world would have been impossible; and therefore he cheerfully drank it in the place of every human soul, and thus made atonement for the sin of the whole world: and this he did, χαριτι Θεου, by the grace, mercy, or infinite goodness of God. Jesus Christ, incarnated, crucified, dying, rising, ascending to heaven, and becoming our Mediator at God's right hand, is the full proof of God's infinite love to the human race. Instead of χαριτι Θεου, by the grace of God, some MSS. and the Syriac have χωρις Θεου, without God, or God excepted; i.e. the manhood died, not the Deity. This was probably a marginal gloss, which has crept into the text of many MSS., and is quoted by some of the chief of the Greek and Latin fathers. Several critics contend that the verse should be read thus: "But we see Jesus, who for a little while was made less than angels, that by the grace of God he might taste death for every man, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor." Howsoever it be taken, the sense is nearly the same: 1. Jesus Christ was incarnated. 2. He suffered death as an expiatory victim. 3. The persons in whose behalf he suffered were the whole human race; every man - all human creatures. 4. This Jesus is now in a state of the highest glory and honor.”

“But we see (by faith) Jesus, who as man, by his sufferings and death, was made less than the Angels, nay, despised as the last of men; now, by his glorious resurrection and ascension, and by the submission all nations pay to him, who believe in him and worship him, crowned with glory and honour. And he submitted himself willingly to all those sufferings, even to the death of the cross, that by the grace of God he might taste death for all; or, as we read in the Syriac version, for every man: therefore not only for the predestinate or the elect, who are saved. (Witham)”

“But--We see not man as yet exercising lordship over all things, "but rather, Him who was made a little lower than the angels (compare Luk 22:43), we behold (by faith: a different Greek verb from that for 'we see,' Heb 2:8, which expresses the impression which our eyes passively receive from objects around us; whereas, 'we behold,' or 'look at,' implies the direction and intention of one deliberately regarding something which he tries to see: so Heb 3:19; Heb 10:25, Greek), namely, Jesus, on account of His suffering of death, crowned," &c. He is already crowned, though unseen by us, save by faith; hereafter all things shall be subjected to Him visibly and fully. The ground of His exaltation is "on accoumt of His having suffered death" (Heb 2:10; Phi 2:8-9). that he by the grace of God-- (Tit 2:11; Tit 3:4). The reading of ORIGEN, "That He without God" (laying aside His Divinity; or, for every being save God: or perhaps alluding to His having been temporarily "forsaken," as the Sin-bearer, by the Father on the cross), is not supported by the manuscripts. The "that," &c., is connected with "crowned with glory," &c., thus: His exaltation after sufferings is the perfecting or consummation of His work (Heb 2:10) for us: without it His death would have been ineffectual; with it, and from it, flows the result that His tasting of death is available for (in behalf of, for the good of) every man. He is crowned as the Head in heaven of our common humanity, presenting His blood as the all-prevailing plea for us. This coronation above makes His death applicable for every individual man (observe the singular; not merely "for all men"), Heb 4:14; Heb 9:24; Jo1 2:2. "Taste death" implies His personal experimental undergoing of death: death of the body, and death (spiritually) of the soul, in His being forsaken of the Father. "As a physician first tastes his medicines to encourage his sick patient to take them, so Christ, when all men feared death, in order to persuade them to be bold in meeting it, tasted it Himself, though He had no need" [CHRYSOSTOM]. (Heb 2:14-15).”