Introduction: What Is Man?

What is man that You are mindful of him, or the son of man that You take thought of him? What is humanity? What is our nature?

It is pretty easy to lose your faith in humanity. A lot of people still try, but it doesn’t take much to see how broken we are.

Everyday Evidence of Human Brokenness

Yesterday was a pretty cold day. We were in Yorkton at a basketball tournament and stopped by the thrift store. While I was walking near the toy section, I overheard one of those conversations you’re glad you’re not part of.

There was a mom and a dad—both with kids—who were letting their children play with the toys to pass the time (a smart move). The mom approached the dad and said, “Your daughter is really sniffly-nosed.” He replied casually, “Well, I guess she can wipe it on her sleeve.” She pressed, “But aren’t you worried that she’s sick?” He said, “Oh no, she’ll be okay.” When she asked, “What about the other kids?” he answered, “Well, it’s good for their immune systems.”

She walked away saying, “Kids, we’re leaving now,” and headed one direction while he went the other. I’m sure she thought he was the most rude and inconsiderate parent ever, and he probably thought she was just another “Karen” interfering. I stood there thinking, Wow, what crazy people are in this store right now—I’m just going to walk this way.

People are not always that great. That’s a funny, light example. A harder one: think back to middle school. I used to reflect on being bullied—and I was—but with a bit more age and wisdom, I realized I had also been a bully. There was a boy named Jason who was one step lower on the social ladder than I was, and I was too willing to peck at him.

It’s like when you see a flock of chickens: one gets pecked a little, it attracts more, and soon that chicken is dead. In middle school, I sometimes acted no better than chickens pecking at the weakest one. What is man? It’s pretty easy to see how bad people are. You don’t have to look far—sometimes you just have to look in the mirror.

The Biblical Teaching on Human Sinfulness

The Bible speaks plainly about this. Romans 3 declares: “None is righteous, no, not one.” No one, by their own goodness or merit, can do what is right before God in such a way as to be saved. A brief history of Israel—or any page in the Book of Judges—shows the same pattern of rebellion and failure.

The Surprising Glory in Psalm 8

Yet we come to one passage that calls all of this “people are really bad” thinking into question: Psalm 8.

Psalm 8 (ESV, with context) O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! … When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?

Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor. You have given him dominion over the works of your hands; you have put all things under his feet…

(Note: The phrase “heavenly beings” translates Elohim, often “God” but here contextually “angels,” as reflected in the Septuagint and Hebrews’ quotation.)

This psalm is a commentary on Genesis: humanity created in God’s image, given dominion, crowned with glory and honor. Strikingly, the psalm says nothing about the fall. It speaks of these realities as present truths.

C.S. Lewis on the Weight of Glory

C.S. Lewis captures this in The Weight of Glory:

“It is a serious thing to live in a society of possible gods and goddesses… Remember that the dullest and most uninteresting person you talk to may one day be a creature which, if you saw it now, you would be strongly tempted to worship… or else a horror and a corruption such as you now meet, if at all, only in a nightmare. All day long we are, in some degree, helping each other to one or other of these destinations… There are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal… It is immortals whom we joke with, work with, marry, snub and exploit—immortal horrors or everlasting splendors.”

Hebrews’ Argument: Jesus Reveals True Humanity

The book of Hebrews makes a coherent case: In these last days, God has spoken through the Son—the final, greatest revelation—greater than the old covenant mediated by angels.

Hebrews shows Jesus is greater than angels not only because He is divine, but because of His human nature. Humans, in their created design and destiny, are greater than angels.

After a stern warning in Hebrews 2:1–4 (“How shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation?”), the author quotes Psalm 8 and applies it:

• It was not to angels that God subjected the world to come.
• “What is man…?” refers to humanity in general (including Jesus as the Son of Man).
• Humanity was made “for a little while lower than the angels,” crowned with glory and honor, and given dominion.
• We do not yet see everything in subjection to man (v. 8), but we do see Jesus (v. 9): made lower for a little while, now crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, tasting death for everyone.

This is the first time Hebrews names “Jesus.” He fulfills Psalm 8 perfectly and leads the way for all His brothers and sisters.

The Destiny of Redeemed Humanity

Jesus, the founder of salvation, was made perfect through suffering to bring many sons to glory (v. 10). Psalm 8 is true in Christ—and through union with Him, true for all who believe.

This is humanity’s purpose: created to rule over creation in glory, fallen yet redeemed to an even greater glory. Scripture echoes this:

• Romans 8:19 – Creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God.
• 1 Corinthians 6:3 – We are to judge angels.
• Daniel 12:3 – The wise will shine like the brightness of the stars forever.

Jesus does not merely save us from sin to get us to heaven; He redeems us to our original and ultimate purpose: crowned with glory and honor, ruling over creation—including angels—greater than the highest created beings.

Application: The Value of Every Person

This truth changes everything:

• The broken soul on the street corner, the difficult person, the one you pass by—each one, in Christ, could be far more glorious than you can imagine.
• Life matters because people matter. God created humanity for glory and redeemed us through the cross to be even more glorious.
• We must honor God’s purpose: respect human life, share the gospel, value others highly.
• Even for yourself: You were meant to rule over creation, judge angels, shine like the stars. Live like it—your holiness, words, worship, and responsibilities matter eternally.

What is man that You are mindful of him? So glorious that God became fully man. So glorious that, in Christ, man will rule over all God’s creation.

Live like the star God made you to be—and in Christ, redeemed you to be even more.

Let’s pray.