“But we do see Jesus, who was made lower than the angels for a little while, now crowned with glory and honor.” (Hebrews 2:9 NIV)
In the letter to the Hebrews, we read about a reality that is not yet visible. God has placed everything under Jesus’ authority. We believe this, but we do not yet see it (Hebrews 2:8). Then the writer makes a remarkable statement: But we do see Jesus, crowned with glory and honor. That gives us confidence that all of God’s other promises will also be fulfilled.
At first, I found this verse confusing. After all, we cannot literally see Jesus. The answer becomes clearer when we look at the original Greek text, which uses two different words for “see.” In verse 8, the word refers to physical sight: with our natural eyes, we do not yet see that Jesus has been given all authority. In verse 9, however, a different word is used, meaning to fix one’s gaze deliberately on something. The point is not to focus on what is visible around us, but to fix our attention on Jesus. As we do so, our confidence grows, and we begin to see the world from the right perspective.
Paul expresses the same truth in Colossians 3:2, “Set your mind on things above, not on earthly things” (NIV). Our focus, then, should be on the unseen reality of heaven.
What helps you keep your eyes fixed on Jesus?