putting everything in subjection under his feet.” Now in putting everything in subjection to him, he left nothing outside his control. At present, we do not yet see everything in subjection to him.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The text emphasizes that the grand vision of all things being subject to humanity is a decree established from the beginning, not a description of the current reality. The phrasing "he left nothing that is not put under him" highlights the intended totality of this dominion, a truth we don't fully witness yet in our present experience.
putting everything in subjection under his feet.” Now in putting everything in subjection to him, he left nothing outside his control. At present, we do not yet see everything in subjection to him.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The author is quoting Psalm 8 to argue that humanity, and especially the person of Christ as the ultimate man, was originally designed to have dominion over all creation. However, the writer acknowledges that this universal subjection isn't currently visible in the world, setting up the need to explain how this dominion is ultimately fulfilled in Christ.
The Bible opens with a stunning declaration: God gave humanity authority over His creation. But have we ever truly experienced that kind of total dominion?
This verse points us back to the very beginning, to God's initial design for humankind.
The First Mandate
Genesis 1:26-28 clearly states God's intention: "Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth."
Absolute Authority
The author of Hebrews uses Psalm 8:6 to emphasize this point: God put everything under humanity's feet. This wasn't a limited power; it was meant to be absolute and all-encompassing. The original Hebrew concept here speaks of a total, unhindered control over creation.
The Unfulfilled Ideal
However, the verse immediately contrasts this ideal with our present reality. The phrase "he left nothing outside his control" highlights the completeness of God's decree, while "At present, we do not yet see everything in subjection to him" acknowledges the stark difference between that divine intention and human experience.
If humanity was originally given dominion but we don't see it now, where does that leave us? This verse hints at a greater reality found in Jesus.
The apparent contradiction between God's decree of dominion and our current experience of brokenness is a central theme.
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The Paradox of Humiliation and Glory
The author of Hebrews is wrestling with a profound paradox: how can God declare all things subject to humanity, yet we live in a world marked by suffering, chaos, and death? The answer, revealed later in the passage, lies in Jesus Christ.
Jesus, The Man
While the Psalm originally speaks of man in general, the author of Hebrews applies it to human nature. The decree of dominion wasn't voided; it simply wasn't fully realized by fallen humanity. Instead, it finds its ultimate fulfillment in the person of Jesus. He, as the Son of Man, is the one through whom and for whom all things are ultimately subjected.
A Future Certainty
The phrase 'we do not yet see' isn't an admission of defeat, but a statement of present reality pointing to a future certainty. The dominion declared in the Psalm is not entirely absent now; it's germinally fulfilled in Christ's current reign and will be fully realized when He returns. What we observe now is the 'broken dominion' of humanity, but that is not the final word.
The author of Hebrews quotes Psalm 8 to show that while humanity was originally designed for total dominion, this ideal was broken by the fall. The psalm's promise is not yet fully realized for believers in their earthly experience, but finds its ultimate fulfillment in the resurrected Christ, in whom humanity's intended glory and authority will be fully restored.
c. 1000 BC
Psalm 8 Composed
King David likely composed Psalm 8, which the author of Hebrews quotes extensively, reflecting on humanity's intended dominion over creation as established by God.
c. 1446 BC
Exodus from Egypt
The Israelites' liberation from slavery in Egypt and their subsequent covenant relationship with God established a precedent for God's people being set apart and empowered by Him.
c. 586 BC
Babylonian Exile Begins
The fall of Jerusalem and the exile of many Judeans to Babylon marked a low point where God's people experienced a loss of dominion and a sense of God's absent control.
c. AD 30-33— this verse
Jesus' Crucifixion and Resurrection
Jesus, though seemingly humbled and put to death, is resurrected, demonstrating God's ultimate power and initiating the fulfillment of His plan for humanity's dominion through Christ.
c. AD 45-60
Paul's Missionary Journeys
The Apostle Paul travels extensively, establishing churches and proclaiming the gospel, spreading the message of Christ's authority and the dawning of a new age of God's kingdom.
c. AD 64-67
Persecution of Christians
Christians faced intense persecution under Roman emperors like Nero, a stark contrast to the dominion promised in Psalm 8, highlighting the present reality versus the future hope.
This passage directly echoes Psalm 8, stating that God has put all things under Christ's feet, aligning with the Hebrews author's use of the psalm to describe Christ's ultimate dominion.
Genesis 1:28This foundational verse describes God's original commission to humanity to rule over creation, setting the stage for the Hebrews author's discussion of man's dominion which is ultimately fulfilled in Christ.
Psalm 110:1This psalm, also frequently referenced in the New Testament, speaks of the Messiah sitting at God's right hand until all enemies are put under his feet, reinforcing the theme of Christ's sovereign authority over all things.
Ephesians 1:20-22This passage describes God raising Christ from the dead and seating him at his right hand, far above all rule and authority, confirming the reality of Christ's supreme dominion over all creation which is not yet fully realized by human eyes.
wesleyHebrews 2:8: "Thou hast 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 see not yet all things put under him."
2:8 Now this putting all things under him, implies that there is nothing that is not put under him. But it is plain, this is not done now, with regard to man in general.
cambridgeHebrews 2:8: "Thou hast 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 see not yet all things put under him."
8 . thou hast put … ] Rather, “Thou didst put …” by one eternal decree. This clause should be added to the last verse. The clause applies not to Christ (as in 1 Corinthians 15:25 ) but to man in his redeemed glory. all things ] This is defined in the Psalm ( Hebrews 8:8-9 ) to mean specia…
The text emphasizes that the grand vision of all things being subject to humanity is a decree established from the beginning, not a description of the current reality. The phrasing "he left nothing that is not put under him" highlights the intended totality of this dominion, a truth we don't fully witness yet in our present experience.
The author is quoting Psalm 8 to argue that humanity, and especially the person of Christ as the ultimate man, was originally designed to have dominion over all creation. However, the writer acknowledges that this universal subjection isn't currently visible in the world, setting up the need to explain how this dominion is ultimately fulfilled in Christ.
The author is quoting Psalm 8 to argue that humanity, and especially the person of Christ as the ultimate man, was originally designed to have dominion over all creation. However, the writer acknowledges that this universal subjection isn't currently visible in the world, setting up the need to explain how this dominion is ultimately fulfilled in Christ.
"putting everything in subjection under his feet.”
Now in putting everything in subjection to him, he left nothing outside his control. At present, we do not yet see everything in subjection to him." — The text emphasizes that the grand vision of all things being subject to humanity is a decree established from the beginning, not a description of the current reality. The phrasing "he left nothing t…
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Last reviewed October 2026