John Calvin Commentary Hebrews 2:8

"Thou didst put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he subjected all things unto him, he left nothing that is not subject to him. But now we see not yet all things subjected to him." — Hebrews 2:8 (ASV)

For in that he put all in subjection under him; or, doubtless, in subjecting all things to him, etc. One might think the argument is this: “To the man of whom David speaks, all things are subjected, but to mankind all things are not made subject; therefore, he does not speak of any individual man.” But this reasoning cannot stand, for the minor proposition is also true of Christ, because all things are not yet made subject to him, as Paul shows in 1 Corinthians 15:28.

Therefore, there is another interpretation; for after laying down this truth, that Christ has universal dominion over all creatures, he adds, as an objection, “But all things do not yet obey the authority of Christ.” To meet this objection, he teaches us that what he immediately adds concerning glory and honor is now seen completed in Christ, as if he were saying, “Though universal subjection does not yet appear to us, let us be satisfied that he has passed through death and has been exalted to the highest state of honor; for what is still lacking will be completed in its own time.”

But first, it is a stumbling block for some that the Apostle concludes with such subtle reasoning that nothing remains unsubjected to Christ, especially since David includes “all things” in a general sense. For the various kinds of things David subsequently enumerates—such as beasts of the field, fish of the sea, and birds of the air—do not, they argue, prove such a comprehensive subjection.

To this I reply that a general declaration should not be restricted to these particular examples. For David intended nothing more than to provide some examples of this dominion—covering the most prominent things and indeed extending it even to the humblest—so that we may understand that nothing is ours except through the generosity of God and our union with Christ.

We may, therefore, explain the passage this way: “You have made all things subject to him—not only things necessary for eternal blessedness, but also such lesser things as serve to supply the needs of the body.” In any case, the lesser dominion over animals depends on the greater dominion.

Again, the question is asked, “Why does he say that we do not yet see all things made subject to Christ?” The solution to this question is found in the passage from Paul already quoted; and in the first chapter of this Epistle, we said a few things on this subject.

Since Christ is continually at war with various enemies, it is undoubtedly clear that he does not yet have undisturbed possession of his kingdom. He is not, however, compelled to wage war; rather, it is by his will that his enemies will not be subdued until the last day, so that we may be tested and proven by ongoing trials.