Teks -- Hebrews 2:6 (NET)

2:6 Instead someone testified somewhere: “What is man that you think of him or the son of man that you care for him?

Tafsiran/Catatan -- Catatan Kata/Frasa (per frasa)

Robertson: Heb 2:6 - But one somewhere

But one somewhere ( de pou tis ).

See Heb 4:4 for a like indefinite quotation. Philo uses this "literary mannerism"(Moffatt). He quotes Psa 8:5-7 and extends here to Heb 2:8.

Robertson: Heb 2:6 - Hath testified

Hath testified ( diemarturato ).

First aorist middle indicative of diamarturomai , old verb to testify vigorously (Act 2:40).

Robertson: Heb 2:6 - What

What ( Ti ).

Neuter, not masculine tis (who). The insignificance of man is implied.

Robertson: Heb 2:6 - The son of man

The son of man ( huios anthrōpou ).

Not ho huios tou anthrōpou which Jesus used so often about himself, but literally here "son of man"like the same words so often in Ezekiel, without Messianic meaning here.

Robertson: Heb 2:6 - Visited

Visited ( episkeptēi ).

Second person singular present indicative middle of episkeptomai , old verb to look upon, to look after, to go to see (Mat 25:36), from which verb episcopos , overseer, bishop, comes.

Vincent: Heb 2:6 - In a certain place

In a certain place ( πού )

Only here and Heb 4:4, signifying indefinite quotation. It does not mean that the writer is ignorant of the author or of the place, but assumes that the readers know it, and that it is a matter of no moment who said it or where it is written.

Vincent: Heb 2:6 - Testified

Testified ( διεμαρτυράτο )

Mostly in Luke and Acts. Only here in Hebrews. In Paul only in 1st Thessalonians. See on 1Th 2:12. It implies a solemn , earnest testimony.

Vincent: Heb 2:6 - What is man

What is man

The Hebrew interrogation, îָä , what , what kind of , implies " how small or insignificant " compared with the array of the heavenly bodies; not " how great is man."

Vincent: Heb 2:6 - The son of man

The son of man

Hebrew son of Adam , with a reference to his earthly nature as formed out of the dust. Very often in Ezekiel as a form of address to the prophet, lxx, υἱὲ ἀνθρώπου son of man . The direct reference of these words cannot be to the Messiah, yet one is reminded that the Son of man was Christ's own title for himself.

Vincent: Heb 2:6 - Visitest

Visitest ( ἐπισκέπτῃ )

The primary sense of the verb is to look upon ; hence, to look after or inspect ; to visit in order to inspect or help. Similarly the Latin visere means both to look at and to visit . An ἐπίσκοπος is an overlooker , and ἐπισκοπὴ is visitation . The verb only here in Hebrews, o P., very often in lxx. See on Mat 25:36. Here in the sense of graciously and helpfully regarding ; caring for .

Vincent: Heb 2:6 - Thou madest him a little lower than the angels

Thou madest him a little lower than the angels ( ἠλάττωσας )

Rend. thou didst for some little time make him lower than the angels . Ἐλαττοῦν to make less or inferior , only here, Heb 2:9, and Joh 3:30. Often in lxx (principally Sirach).Βραχύ τι , the Hebrew as A.V. a little ; of degree . The lxx translators interpreted it, apparently, of time , " for some little time." Although there is precedent for both meanings in both Class. and N.T., the idea of time better suits the whole line of thought, and would probably, as Robertson Smith observes, have appeared to a Greek reader the more natural interpretation. For this sense see Isa 57:17; Act 5:34. He who has been described as superior to the angels, was, for a short time, on the same plane with man, and identified with an economy which was under the administration of angels. This temporary subordination to angels was followed by permanent elevation over them. Παρ ' ἀγγέλους . The Hebrew is îֵàֱìֹäִéí , than God . Elohim is used in a wide sense in O.T.: see, for instance, Psa 82:6, where God addresses the judges by that titles and declares that he himself called them to their office and gave them their name and dignity. Comp. Joh 10:34 and Psa 29:1, lxx υἱοὶ θεοῦ sons of God , A.V. mighty . The lxx translators understand it, not as representing the personal God, but that which is divine, in which sense it would be appropriate to angels as having divine qualities.

Wesley: Heb 2:6 - What is man

To the vast expanse of heaven, to the moon and the stars which thou hast ordained! This psalm seems to have been composed by David, in a clear, moonshiny, and starlight night, while he was contemplating the wonderful fabric of heaven; because in his magnificent description of its luminaries, he takes no notice of the sun, the most glorious of them all. The words here cited concerning dominion were doubtless in some sense applicable to Adam; although in their complete and highest sense, they belong to none but the second Adam. Or the son of man, that thou visitest him - The sense rises: we are mindful of him that is absent; but to visit, denotes the care of a present God. Psa 8:4.

JFB: Heb 2:6 - But

It is not to angels the Gospel kingdom is subject, BUT . . .

JFB: Heb 2:6 - one . . . testified

The usual way of quoting Scripture to readers familiar with it. Psa 8:5-7 praises Jehovah for exalting MAN, so as to subject all the works of God on earth to him: this dignity having been lost by the first Adam, is realized only in Christ the Son of man, the Representative Man and Head of our redeemed race. Thus Paul proves that it is to MAN, not to angels, that God has subjected the "world to come." In Heb 2:6-8, MAN is spoken of in general ("him . . . him . . . his); then at Heb 2:9, first JESUS is introduced as fulfilling, as man, all the conditions of the prophecy, and passing through death Himself; and so consequently bringing us men, His "brethren," to "glory and honor."

JFB: Heb 2:6 - What, &c.

How insignificant in himself, yet how exalted by God's grace! (Compare Psa 144:3). The Hebrew, "Enosh" and "Ben-Adam," express "man" and "Son of man" in his weakness: "Son of man" is here used of any and every child of man: unlike, seemingly, the lord of creation, such as he was originally (Gen. 1:1-2:25), and such as he is designed to be (Psa 8:1-9), and such as he actually is by title and shall hereafter more fully be in the person of, and in union with, Jesus, pre-eminently the Son of man (Heb 2:9).

JFB: Heb 2:6 - art mindful

As of one absent.

JFB: Heb 2:6 - visitest

Lookest after him, as one present.

Clarke: Heb 2:6 - But one in a certain place

But one in a certain place - This one is David; and the certain place, Psa 8:4, Psa 8:5, Psa 8:6. But why does the apostle use this indeterminate mode of quotation? Because it was common thus to express the testimony of any of the inspired writers; אמר ההוא amar hahu kethab , thus saith a certain scripture. So Philo, De Plant. Noe: Ειπε γαρ που, he saith somewhere; ειπε γαρ τις, a certain person saith. Thus even the heathens were accustomed to quote high authorities; so Plato, Tim.: Ὡς εφη τις, as a certain person saith, meaning Heraclitus. See in Rosenmuller. It is such a mode of quotation as we sometimes use when we speak of a very eminent person who is well known; as that very eminent person, that great philosopher, that celebrated divine, that inspired teacher of the Gentiles, the royal psalmist, the evangelical prophet, hath said. The mode of quotation therefore implies, not ignorance, but reverence

Clarke: Heb 2:6 - What is man

What is man - This quotation is verbatim from the Septuagint; and, as the Greek is not as emphatic as the Hebrew, I will quote the original: מה אנוש כי תזכרנו ובן אדם כי תפקדנו mah enosh ki thizkerennu , uben Adam ki thiphkedennu ; What is miserable man, that thou rememberest him? and the son of Adam, that thou visitest him? The variation of the terms in the original is very emphatic. Adam, אדם, is the name given to man at his creation, and expresses his origin, and generic distinction from all other animals. Enosh, אנוש, which signifies sick, weak, wretched, was never given to him till after his fall. The son of Adam means here, any one or all of the fallen posterity of the first man. That God should remember in the way of mercy these wretched beings, is great condescension; that he should visit them, manifest himself to them, yea, even dwell among them, and at last assume their nature, and give up his life to ransom them from the bitter pains of eternal death, is mercy and love indescribable and eternal.

Defender: Heb 2:6 - in a certain place

This passage, quoted from Psa 8:4, Psa 8:5, confirms that the eighth psalm is, indeed, a prophetic psalm of the Messiah."

TSK: Heb 2:6 - in // What // the son // visitest

in : Heb 4:4, Heb 5:6; 1Pe 1:11

What : Job 7:17, Job 7:18, Job 15:14; Psa 8:4-8, Psa 144:3; Isa 40:17

the son : Job 25:6; Psa 146:3, Psa 146:4; Isa 51:12

visitest : Gen 50:24; Luk 1:68, Luk 1:78, Luk 7:16

Tafsiran/Catatan -- Catatan Kata/Frasa (per Ayat)

Poole: Heb 2:6 - But one in a certain place testified // Saying // What is man? // That thou art mindful of him // Or the Son of man // That thou visitest him

But one in a certain place testified: the Spirit proves affirmatively out of one of the prophets, that with these Hebrews it might have the more weight and authority, by an elliptical speech, that this world to come was subject to the great gospel Minister: But to Jesus he put in subjection the world to come, as one testifieth. This one was the king and prophet David, a Lord and Son to whom was this Jesus; the title of the 8th Psalm Psa 8:1-9ascribes it to him: he is not particularly named, because these Hebrews well knew it, yet he diemarturato , thoroughly testified, or most expressly, giving a full confirmation of what is asserted, that Jesus is the Lord of the world to come: and this certain place was a well known place, and very ready with those, even Psa 8:1-9 .

Saying making it known by word and writing there beyond any contradiction.

What is man? the subject of David’ s admiration is not the first Adam, nor any mere man, but the gospel Prophet, God-man, a most eminent One, the Messiah of these Hebrews, the man Christ Jesus, 1Ti 2:5 ; and to him only are the privileges vouchsafed agreeable, and by him only enjoyed. For Adam had now lost his dominion when this Psalm was penned, and was never so honoured as to have all things under his feet, even principalities and powers, which Christ had, Heb 2:8 Eph 1:20-22 ; and Christ interprets it of himself, Mat 21:16 . The expostulation is resolvable: Man is nothing in himself, that such royalty should be assigned to him.

That thou art mindful of him that God should respect him, should remember and design such a worm as man for so great preferment, as union to the Deity and universal dominion.

Or the Son of man: this is the peculiar title of the Second Adam. Adam was a man, but not the son of man, but of God by creation, Luk 3:38 ; but the Spirit testifieth this of Christ, Dan 7:13 ; Lord of the sabbath, Luk 6:5 ; God-man, Joh 3:13 5:27 .

That thou visitest himepiskepth , to be peculiarly inspected; and with a special care concerned for him, so industriously and with so great a providence to afford him suitable succour. The form of it is an expostulation with admiration: it is an amazement at the discovery of so stupendous love to man. How emptied he himself for sinners! This work of Christ is the greatest wonder and astonishment to angels.

Haydock: Heb 2:6 - But one

But one; to wit, the author of the 8th Psalm said, what is man, &c. that it, man, or mankind, considered in his own frail nature, corrupted by sin, guilty of eternal death, that thou shouldst be mindful of him, restore him to thy favour, and bestow such graces upon him? But the words of the psalm, and of St. Paul in this place, though they may be understood of every man, yet are to be taken as particularly spoken of Christ as man, or of the human nature of Christ, exalted by the real union with the divine person of the Son of God. (Witham) ---

If the sacred humanity of Jesus Christ spoke in this manner, when visited by the eternal word, with what humility ought a sinner to say: What is man?

Gill: Heb 2:6 - But one in a certain place testified // Saying, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man, that thou visitest him?

But one in a certain place testified,.... That is, David, for he is the penman of the psalm, out of which the following words are taken; and though his name is not mentioned by the apostle, nor the particular place, or the psalm pointed at, as in Act 13:33 yet this was not through ignorance of either, nor out of disrespect to the penman; but because the apostle is writing to Jews, who were conversant with the Scriptures, and knew full well who said the words, and where they were: and it is usual with the Jews to cite passages in this manner; and the form by which the passage is introduced, by the word testified, is quite agreeable to their way of citing Scripture, of which there is another instance in Heb 7:17 and I think that this form is only used in this epistle to the Hebrews, with which they were acquainted: it is common with them to say, התורה העידה, "the law testified" ^e, as it is said in such or such a place; and here the apostle produces a passage, as a witness and testimony of the truth of what he had said, that the Gospel dispensation is not put in subjection to angels, but to the Messiah: the passage stands in Psa 8:4 which psalm belongs to the times of the Messiah, as appears from the non-application of it to others; and from the application of a passage in it to the children in his time, Mat 21:16 by Christ himself, and of the passage here by the apostle; nor in any other time was the name of the Lord excellent in all the earth, with which the psalm begins and concludes:

Saying, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man, that thou visitest him? this is not to be understood of mankind in general: not of man in a state of innocence; there were no babes nor sucklings in paradise, nor enemies to restrain; "Enosh", the word for man, signifies a frail mortal man, which Adam then was not; nor could he be called the son of man; nor can it so well suit with him, to be said to be made a little lower than the angels, and then crowned with glory and honour: nor of man as fallen, for all things are not subjected unto him; but of Christ, with whom everything agrees, as the name by which he is called, "Enosh", a frail man; for he was a man encompassed with infirmities; of no note and esteem among men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with griefs; was subject to death, and did die; and is often called the son of man: what is said of him suits with him, as that God was "mindful of him"; which may be expressive of his love and delight in, and choice of his human nature, to be taken into union with his divine person; and of his counsel and covenant in preparing it for him; and of his uniting it to his person; and of his providential care of it, and great affection for it; of his unction of it, and of his great regard to it in its sufferings, by supporting it, and in raising it from the dead: and also that he "visited" him; not in a way of wrath, but of favour, with his presence, with the gifts and graces of his Spirit, with divine supports, and spiritual peace and joy; all which in itself it was not deserving of, nor could it claim; and therefore these things are spoken of as favours, and in a way of admiration.