8 You have put all things in subjection under his feet.” For in that He put all in subjection under him, He left nothing that is not put under him. But now we do not yet see all things put under him.
The author applied Psalm 8 to Christ, who represents all humanity in His life, death, and future reign.
8 You have put all things in subjection under his feet.”
This first sentence is the conclusion of the quote from the psalm. God put creation in subjection to man as a theocratic king. The Father will put all things under the feet of Jesus in His humanity. He will succeed as the ultimate Theocratic King where Adam failed to gain dominion over the earth.
For
“For” explains that all things are put in subjection under the Messiah’s feet. There is no exception to this.
in that
This phrase refers to Psalm 8 where God made the following statement:
He put all in subjection under him,
God will put everything in subjection to mankind through theocratic kingship. Christ in His humanity will reign one day, with all creation without exception subject to Him.
He left nothing that is not put under him.
The “him” refers to both humanity and Christ. Christ was the Father’s representative man. The Psalm 8 quotation refers to all humanity, but Hebrews applies it to Christ in the next phrase. This statement is absolute—nothing remains that was not put under Him.
But now
The author now specifically applied Psalm 8 to Christ the Messiah. The present generation does not see the Son’s full authority. That will be left to the future. We cannot see the Son’s dominion over creation at this point.
we do not yet see all things put under him.
Psalm 8 was not fulfilled at the writing of Hebrews. Everything was not subject to Christ at that time. God delayed absolute human rule over creation because of humanity’s sinful failure (He 2:15).
The word “yet” indicates that God’s delay of human rule over creation was only temporary.
PRINCIPLE:
All creation will ultimately be put in subjection to the Son.
APPLICATION:
Jesus will come again at His Second Advent to establish the Age of the Messiah, or the Millennial Kingdom. He will fulfill the unconditional covenants of the Old Testament at that time.
Jesus is our forerunner to glory (He 6:20). He is our ground and guarantee for personal exaltation. Man today does not dominate the world. Jesus is not yet King of the world; Satan is the prince of this world. Adam corrupted his theocratic kingship and lost his domain, but Jesus will establish an entirely new and successful dominion. Today we live in an age where two economies overlap—the present age and the one yet to come.
Believers will one day judge angels (1 Co 6:3).
