Albert Barnes Commentary Hebrews 2:7

"Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; Thou crownedst him with glory and honor, And didst set him over the works of thy hands:" — Hebrews 2:7 (ASV)

You made him a little lower than the angels. The marginal note says, A little while inferior to. The Greek may here mean a little inferior in rank, or inferior for a little time. But the probable meaning is that it refers to inferiority of rank. Such is its obvious sense in Psalm 8, from which this is quoted.

The meaning is that God had made man only a little inferior to the angels in rank. He was inferior, but still God had exalted him almost to their rank. Feeble, and weak, and dying as he was, God had exalted him and had given him a dominion and a rank almost like that of the angels.

The wonder of the Psalmist is that God had given human nature so much honour—a wonder that is not at all diminished when we think of the honour done to man by his connection with the Divine nature in the person of the Lord Jesus.

If, in contemplating humanity as it appears; if, when we look at the dominion of man over the lower world, we are amazed that God has bestowed so much honour on our nature, how much more should we wonder that he has honoured man by his connection with the Divinity.

Paul applies this to the Lord Jesus. His object is to show that he is superior to the angels. In doing this, he shows that he had a nature given him in itself only a little inferior to the angels, and then that it had been exalted to a rank and dominion far above theirs.

That such honour should be put on man is what is fitted to excite amazement, and well may one continue to ask why it has been done? When we survey the heavens, and contemplate their glories, and think of the exalted rank of other beings, we may well inquire why has such honour been conferred on man?

You crowned him with glory and honour. That is, with exalted honour. Glory and honour here are nearly synonymous. The meaning is that elevated honour had been conferred on human nature. A most exalted and extended dominion had been given to man, which showed that God had greatly honoured him. This appeared eminently in the person of the Lord Jesus, "the exalted Man," to whom this dominion was given in the widest extent.

And you did set him over, etc. Man has been placed over the other works of God:

1. By the original appointment (Genesis 1:26).
2. In man at large—though fallen, sinful, feeble, and dying.
3. Eminently in the person of the Lord Jesus, in whom human nature has received its chief exaltation. This is what the apostle particularly has in view—and the language of the Psalm will accurately express this exaltation.