LIBERTY UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF DIVINITY
Research Paper
New Testament use of Old Testament
Hebrews 2:5-9
Submitted to Professor Schnittjer
In fulfillment of the requirements for the completion of NT use of OT Paper
OBST 680, New Testament Development of Old Testament Themes
February 26th, 2025
Submitted by
Lee Black
March 2nd, 2025
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Introduction
The book of Hebrews is a unique book where its author is truly anonymous. There is
much debate about who the writer is with many arguing for Paul, some for Luke, and the list
goes on. Schriener said in his commentary that clement of Alexandria thought that Paul wrote it
in Hebrew and Luke translated it into Greek.1 However, there is no name that is stated in the
beginning of the book similar to other epistles. There is only one who knows the author and as
Origen stated, “But as to who actually wrote the epistle, God knows the truth of the matter.” The
writer of this book used many Old Testament quotations and allusions. Additionally, most of the
quotations that were used from the Old Testament were from taken from the Septuagint, the
Greek version of the Old Testament.2 This essay will look at how the Old Testament text of
Psalm 8:4-6 was used in Hebrews 2:5-9 by the author to show how Jesus lowered himself below
the angels by taking on human form which was a means to achieve the definitive victory of
redemption for the lost.
Psalm 8:4-6
The eighth Psalm was written by David and is addressed to the chief musician upon
gittith. David highlights in the Psalm the reflective phenomenon of God’s creation and how
humans were given a superior place here on earth. The first chapter in the book of Genesis is
where David would find his answer to the question he asked, “what is man that thou art mindful
of him?” The first chapter of Genesis then becomes the donor text for David with his Psalm 8
becoming the receptor text. As noted in the prior essay the Psalmist used scripture from the book
1 Schreiner, Thomas R. 2015. Commentary on Hebrews. Nashville: B&H Publishing Group. Accessed
February 24, 2025.
2 Lea, Thomas. 1999. Holman New Testament Commentary - Hebrews and James. Nashville: B&H
Publishing Group. Accessed February 24, 2025.
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of Genesis to God’s glory of creation. Humans are so infinitesimal when we are compared to
God, but he created all things for a purpose.
Hebrews 2:5-9
Just as Genesis is the donor text for Psalms 8, Psalms 8 now becomes the donor while
Hebrews 2:5-9 is the receptor. Beale and Carson summarize the context of these verses of
scripture as “the superior son became incarnate.”3 The author of Hebrews presented and
supported the claim that Jesus when he came as the son, is superior to the angels. He supported
his notion by using seven Old Testament quotations, Ps 2:7; 2 Sam 7:14; Duet 32:43; Ps 104;
45:6-7; 102:25-27; 110:1 in the order presented here.4 David Allen in his exposition of Hebrews
noted that the author used on the Septuagint (LXX) for the quotations. He went on to mention
that from a detailed study it was discovered that the wording of the LXX in comparison to the
Masoretic Text (MT) further supplies the author with the ability to make his theological
argument.5
The fifth verse of Hebrews chapter two begins with the author expressing a negative
theological statement. The statement “for he has not submitted the coming world to angels”, is
the framework that the author of Hebrews approached the use of Psalms 8:4-6.6 Guthrie notes
that the meaning of “the world to come” or “coming world” is a matter of debate.7 There are
other commentaries that have stated that it could be referring to either the afterlife or even the
new order of things. The verses to follow (6-8) are practically a verbatim quote of the psalmist in
3 Beale, G.K. "Handbook on the New Testament use of the Old Testament." In Handbook on the New
Testament use of the Old Testament, by G.K. Beale, 13-14. Grand Rapids: BakerAcademic, 2012.
4 Allen, David Lewis. Hebrews. Nashville, Tenn: B & H Publishing Group, 2010
5 Ibid page 141, second paragraph.
6 Beale, G.K. "Handbook on the New Testament use of the Old Testament." In Handbook on the New
Testament use of the Old Testament, by G.K. Beale, 13-14. Grand Rapids: BakerAcademic, 2012.
7 Guthrie, Donald. 2009. Hebrews. Westmont: InterVarsity Press. Accessed February 20, 2025
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Psalms 8:4-6. In the Psalm David discusses the insignificance of the human beings, while the
author of Hebrews highlighted the magnificence of Jesus the son of man.8 In verse six schreiner
states “ The text here follows the LXX but represents a literal translation of the MT as well, but
then in verse seven the author follows the LXX instead of the MT.9 The section of Hebrews 2:8-9
closes out with the discussion of how the subjection of all things to Jesus was to come in the
future, and that is was certainly going to happen.
Conclusion
The author of Hebrews by knowing and quoting Psalms showed that Jesus coming down
to earth, taking on the form of man, was part of a divine purpose for our redemptions. Beale and
Carson point out in their handbook that the authors use of Psalms integrates multiple features of
Christology, but there being two primaries “exaltation and incarnation.”10 This portion of
Hebrews made a big emphasis on the Lord Jesus becoming man, him experiencing death on the
cross, and then how he obtained dominion over the “world to come.” By using what the psalmist
said in Psalm 8 and applying it to Jesus we can see that when he became man he was “made
lower than the angels”, but on the cross he was sacrificed for all of mans sins, he is now crowned
with glory and honor.
Bibliography
8 Lea, Thomas D, and Max E Anders. Hebrews & James. Nashville, Tenn: Holman Reference, 1999.
9 Schreiner, Thomas R. Commentary on Hebrews. Edited by Andreas J. KKstenberger,
10 Beale, G.K. "Handbook on the New Testament use of the Old Testament." In Handbook on the New
Testament use of the Old Testament, by G.K. Beale, 13-14. Grand Rapids: BakerAcademic, 2012.
4
Allen, David L. Hebrews: An Exegetical and Theological Exposition of Holy Scripture.
Nashville: B&H Publishing Group, 2010.
Beale, G.K. "Handbook on the New Testament use of the Old Testament." In Handbook on the
New Testament use of the Old Testament, by G.K. Beale, 13-14. Grand Rapids:
BakerAcademic, 2012.
Guthrie, Donald. Hebrews. Westmont: Intervarsity Press, 2009.
Guthrie, George H. Hebrews. Gand Rapids: Zondervan, 1998.
Harris, Dana M. Hebrews. Nashville: B&H Academic, 2019.
Lea, Thomas D. Holman New Testament Commentary-Hebrews & James. Nashville: B&H
Publishing, 1999.
Schnittjer, Gary E. Old Testament use of Old Testament. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Academic,
2021.
Schreiner, Thomas R. Commentary on Hebrews. Nashville: B&H Publishing, 2015.
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