Heb 1:4-6 | KingComments | STEP | It will be a good thing to reflect for a moment on how the Lord Jesus is presented in this letter. It is not simple to distinguish His various glories. He is, after all, God and Man in one Person. I will try to explain something about it. From the previous verses you have understood that He is now seated as Man in heaven. He has taken His seat there as Man, after He had accomplished the purification of sins through His work on the cross. Before that time He indeed was in heaven, but not as Man. He was not eternally Man. He became that through His birth on the earth. John speaks about “Jesus Christ [as] coming in the flesh” ( ) and about “the Word became flesh” ( ). Thus the Lord Jesus existed, for He is the eternal Son of the eternal Father, but He became Man, or, as John says, ‘came in the flesh’ or ‘became flesh’. That can only be said of a person who has been there already, but now comes in a different way. And how did that happen? God the Holy Spirit conceived Him in Mary ( ). Therefore the Lord Jesus is the Son of God in two ways. First, He is God the Son from all eternity. Second, He became Son in a new way through His birth on the earth. Also as Man He could call God His Father. His eternal Sonship is present throughout this letter. Sometimes this also comes forward, as in the previous verses in His glory as Creator and as Bearer of all things. But in this letter the emphasis is mainly on the fact that He is the Son of God as Man . In His Person countless glories are present. As limited people we cannot see the extent of all those glories as a whole. We can see them ‘in part’ ( ), which means that we are able to see and admire just a part of that glory at a time. This is how the writer approaches this issue here. . We go back to our study of chapter 1. We have come to , where the writer connects to the foregoing by now comparing the glory of the Son to the angels. Angels used to have an exceptional place in the Judaic system. The earthly people of God received the law through angels ( ; ). And when the Lord (Yahweh) appeared in the Old Testament He did that normally also in the form of an angel, as the Angel of the Lord. To a Jew the angels were the highest beings next to God. They deeply respected them. John for example wanted to worship an angel ( ). To a Jew a human being was much lower than an angel. Now the Lord Jesus became Man. So He is in heaven. That presents a problem for the mind of the Jew. Christ became Man and yet is He more than the angels? As the eternal Son and also as Creator He has always been exalted above the angels. The Jews, however, still had to develop a sense for the fact that He is still above the angels as Man and this because He is the Son of God as Man. To the angels that was not an issue. They saw in Him, also when He was as Man on earth, their Lord and Master. Angels honored Him at His birth ( ). And during His life they served Him and were ready to do that ( ; ). Now as Man He has returned to heaven, ‘on high’ ( ), where He had always been as the eternal Son. There God granted Him a glory He did not have before that time. By taking this place as Man, a dimension has been added to the distance in glory which was there between Him and the angels. That is indicated by the words “so much better”. Here is also mention of ‘become’ something, which indicates that it was not present before. The distance between Him and the angels has always been immeasurably great and cannot grow greater. But His excellence above the angels can indeed get more emphasis. That happens by the new name He has inherited. That name is given to Him by God after He had died – an inheritance is indeed connected to death –, was risen and had returned to heaven. It is the Name above every name ( ). Then the moment has come for the writer to prove His excellence above the angels. For that purpose he quotes many portions from the Old Testament that speak of the Messiah. The believers to whom he wrote were familiar with that. The verses quoted should persuade them. They give a unanimous testimony. In seven quotations from the Old Testament – specifically the Greek translation of that (the Septuagint) – the excellence, which is beyond all things, of the Son is shown. To make yourself aware of the power of these quotations you ought to step into the shoes of the believing Jew. This also is not a simple section, but your effort to conceive something of it will be rewarded abundantly. It took me quite a while before I succeeded to comprehend a bit about how impressive this testimony from the Old Testament is. First of all I will give you the quotations in a row: 1. He is higher than the angels and is worshiped by them ( , with quotations from (1) ; (2) ; (3) ); 2. His throne is forever and ever and therefore exalted above all thrones ( , with quotations from (4) ; (5) ); 3. He is exalted above His companions ( , with a quotation from (5) ); 4. He is exalted above His creation, for there comes an end to that ( , with a quotation from (6) ); 5. He is exalted above the time ( , with a quotation from (6) ); 6. He is exalted above His enemies ( , with a quotation from (7) ); and once again: 7. He is exalted above the angels ( , with a quotation from (7) ). In these quotations you also see a chronological order. They are about 1. His birth ( ), 2. His presence on earth in fellowship with the Father ( ), 3. His return into the world ( ), 4. His kingdom in the millennium ( ) and 5. the eternal situation after the millennium ( ). . The first proof text ( ) shows the superiority of the Son above the angels by pointing at His position as Son. God has never said to a certain angel personally: “You are My Son.” Angels were indeed called sons of God ( ; ), but then it is about sons as creatures, like Adam, who is also called son of God ( ). Here the name ‘Son’ is given to the Messiah, born on earth. It is therefore about His relation in time. He has been through eternity the eternal Son of the eternal Father and now His relation as Son born on earth is added to that since His birth. There are people who are teaching that He only became Son when He was born, while His eternal Sonship is denied. However, if He first and only became Son by His birth, then the order in Psalm 2 ( ) should have been: ‘I have begotten You, You are My Son.’ However, first it is written: “You are My Son.” Then it is determined that that Son was “begotten”, which means, He became Man. In this way the eternal relation is determined first and thereafter the new relation. . The second quotation ( ; ) is written in the future tense: “I will be to Him a Father, and He shall be to Me a Son.” That cannot possibly refer to His relation to His Father in eternity, for that has no beginning. It refers to His relation in time, from His birth. God makes clear here how the Messiah will be related to Him. These words relate primarily to Solomon, the son of David. Solomon is an example of the Lord Jesus as the Prince of Peace. Therefore the Holy Spirit can quote and apply these verses to the Son of David, the Lord Jesus (cf. ). An application to angels is impossible. Do you know to whom this quotation is also applied? To you and me! Just read what is written in 2 Corinthians 6 ( ). In the context of that section, it is about behaving in such a way that God really can call Himself your Father and that He can acknowledge you as His son or daughter. Then you look like the Lord Jesus, Who He also calls Son. Now read Hebrews 1:4-5 again. Reflection: What have you learnt about the difference between the Lord Jesus and the angels?

‏ Hebrews 1:4-6

The Son Far Above the Angels (I)

It will be a good thing to reflect for a moment on how the Lord Jesus is presented in this letter. It is not simple to distinguish His various glories. He is, after all, God and Man in one Person. I will try to explain something about it. From the previous verses you have understood that He is now seated as Man in heaven. He has taken His seat there as Man, after He had accomplished the purification of sins through His work on the cross.

Before that time He indeed was in heaven, but not as Man. He was not eternally Man. He became that through His birth on the earth. John speaks about “Jesus Christ [as] coming in the flesh” (2Jn 1:7) and about “the Word became flesh” (Jn 1:14). Thus the Lord Jesus existed, for He is the eternal Son of the eternal Father, but He became Man, or, as John says, ‘came in the flesh’ or ‘became flesh’. That can only be said of a person who has been there already, but now comes in a different way.

And how did that happen? God the Holy Spirit conceived Him in Mary (Lk 1:35). Therefore the Lord Jesus is the Son of God in two ways. First, He is God the Son from all eternity. Second, He became Son in a new way through His birth on the earth. Also as Man He could call God His Father.

His eternal Sonship is present throughout this letter. Sometimes this also comes forward, as in the previous verses in His glory as Creator and as Bearer of all things. But in this letter the emphasis is mainly on the fact that He is the Son of God as Man. In His Person countless glories are present. As limited people we cannot see the extent of all those glories as a whole. We can see them ‘in part’ (1Cor 13:9), which means that we are able to see and admire just a part of that glory at a time. This is how the writer approaches this issue here.

Heb 1:4. We go back to our study of chapter 1. We have come to Heb 1:4, where the writer connects to the foregoing by now comparing the glory of the Son to the angels. Angels used to have an exceptional place in the Judaic system. The earthly people of God received the law through angels (Acts 7:53; Gal 3:19). And when the Lord (Yahweh) appeared in the Old Testament He did that normally also in the form of an angel, as the Angel of the Lord.

To a Jew the angels were the highest beings next to God. They deeply respected them. John for example wanted to worship an angel (Rev 19:10 ; Rev 22:8-9). To a Jew a human being was much lower than an angel. Now the Lord Jesus became Man. So He is in heaven. That presents a problem for the mind of the Jew. Christ became Man and yet is He more than the angels?

As the eternal Son and also as Creator He has always been exalted above the angels. The Jews, however, still had to develop a sense for the fact that He is still above the angels as Man and this because He is the Son of God as Man. To the angels that was not an issue. They saw in Him, also when He was as Man on earth, their Lord and Master. Angels honored Him at His birth (Lk 2:10 ; 13-14). And during His life they served Him and were ready to do that (Mt 4:11 ; Mt 26:53; 1Tim 3:16).

Now as Man He has returned to heaven, ‘on high’ (Heb 1:3), where He had always been as the eternal Son. There God granted Him a glory He did not have before that time. By taking this place as Man, a dimension has been added to the distance in glory which was there between Him and the angels. That is indicated by the words “so much better”.

Here is also mention of ‘become’ something, which indicates that it was not present before. The distance between Him and the angels has always been immeasurably great and cannot grow greater. But His excellence above the angels can indeed get more emphasis. That happens by the new name He has inherited. That name is given to Him by God after He had died – an inheritance is indeed connected to death –, was risen and had returned to heaven. It is the Name above every name (Phil 2:9).

Then the moment has come for the writer to prove His excellence above the angels. For that purpose he quotes many portions from the Old Testament that speak of the Messiah. The believers to whom he wrote were familiar with that. The verses quoted should persuade them. They give a unanimous testimony. In seven quotations from the Old Testament – specifically the Greek translation of that (the Septuagint) – the excellence, which is beyond all things, of the Son is shown.

To make yourself aware of the power of these quotations you ought to step into the shoes of the believing Jew. This also is not a simple section, but your effort to conceive something of it will be rewarded abundantly. It took me quite a while before I succeeded to comprehend a bit about how impressive this testimony from the Old Testament is. First of all I will give you the quotations in a row:

1. He is higher than the angels and is worshiped by them (Heb 1:4-6, with quotations from (1) Psa 2:7; (2) 1Chr 17:13; (3) Psa 97:7);

2. His throne is forever and ever and therefore exalted above all thrones (Heb 1:7-8, with quotations from (4) Psa 104:4; (5) Psa 45:7);

3. He is exalted above His companions (Heb 1:9, with a quotation from (5) Psa 45:8);

4. He is exalted above His creation, for there comes an end to that (Heb 1:10-12, with a quotation from (6) Psa 102:26);

5. He is exalted above the time (Heb 1:12, with a quotation from (6) Psa 102:27-28);

6. He is exalted above His enemies (Heb 1:13, with a quotation from (7) Psa 110:1); and once again:

7. He is exalted above the angels (Heb 1:13-14, with a quotation from (7) Psa 110:1).

In these quotations you also see a chronological order. They are about

1. His birth (Heb 1:5a),

2. His presence on earth in fellowship with the Father (Heb 1:5b),

3. His return into the world (Heb 1:6),

4. His kingdom in the millennium (Heb 1:8) and

5. the eternal situation after the millennium (Heb 1:11).

Heb 1:5a. The first proof text (Psa 2:7) shows the superiority of the Son above the angels by pointing at His position as Son. God has never said to a certain angel personally: “You are My Son.” Angels were indeed called sons of God (Gen 6:2; Job 1:6), but then it is about sons as creatures, like Adam, who is also called son of God (Lk 3:38). Here the name ‘Son’ is given to the Messiah, born on earth. It is therefore about His relation in time. He has been through eternity the eternal Son of the eternal Father and now His relation as Son born on earth is added to that since His birth.

There are people who are teaching that He only became Son when He was born, while His eternal Sonship is denied. However, if He first and only became Son by His birth, then the order in Psalm 2 (Psa 2:7) should have been: ‘I have begotten You, You are My Son.’ However, first it is written: “You are My Son.” Then it is determined that that Son was “begotten”, which means, He became Man. In this way the eternal relation is determined first and thereafter the new relation.

Heb 1:5b. The second quotation (2Sam 7:14; 1Chr 17:13) is written in the future tense: “I will be to Him a Father, and He shall be to Me a Son.” That cannot possibly refer to His relation to His Father in eternity, for that has no beginning. It refers to His relation in time, from His birth. God makes clear here how the Messiah will be related to Him.

These words relate primarily to Solomon, the son of David. Solomon is an example of the Lord Jesus as the Prince of Peace. Therefore the Holy Spirit can quote and apply these verses to the Son of David, the Lord Jesus (cf. Mt 1:1). An application to angels is impossible.

Do you know to whom this quotation is also applied? To you and me! Just read what is written in 2 Corinthians 6 (2Cor 6:18). In the context of that section, it is about behaving in such a way that God really can call Himself your Father and that He can acknowledge you as His son or daughter. Then you look like the Lord Jesus, Who He also calls Son.

Now read Hebrews 1:4-5 again.

Reflection: What have you learnt about the difference between the Lord Jesus and the angels?

The Son Far Above the Angels (II)

Heb 1:6. The third quotation (Psa 97:7) is about worshiping the Son. Only a Divine Person is worthy of worship. God appeals to “all” angels to do that, not just a few. They are called “the angels of God”, which means, creatures who are nearest to Him and who are instruments of His power and government. In that position they ought to worship the Messiah.

God makes this appeal “when He again brings the firstborn into the world”. That certainly refers to His birth in Bethlehem. Then God brought Him into the world and the angels were praising God (Lk 2:13). But God will bring Him again into the world. Then He will not come as a Baby, but in power and majesty (Rev 19:11-16). He will come as ”the firstborn”, which means that He will be in the midst of others and amongst them He will take the first place. That also appears from the description of His return in Revelation 19 (Rev 19:11-16). He is also the Firstborn of the whole creation (Col 1:15), the Firstborn from the dead (Col 1:18; Rev 1:5) and the Firstborn among many brethren (Rom 8:29).

Heb 1:7. The fourth quotation (Psa 104:4) shows that angels have been made to something, namely “winds” and “ministers”. The Son however is not made to something. The messengers, these invisible creatures, are swift and invisible as the wind, but their work is observable. They are ministers with a power of flame of fire, terrible, terrifying and consuming. Therefore angels are exalted far above men. But the Son is exalted immeasurably far above the angels. While He is the Son, the angels are compared to no more than the elementary forces of wind and a flame of fire.

Heb 1:8-9. The fifth quotation is from Psalm 45 (Psa 45:6-7). Psalm 45 is a Messianic psalm, in which the Divinity of the Messiah is emphasized strongly. The psalmist addresses the Messiah as “God”. As it is said, the Son has not been made to something, as the angels were, but God acknowledges Him in what He is: God. God speaks about His “throne”. That is His earthly throne, which ends to exist when He takes possession of an eternal throne. It is an eternal throne because righteousness is the foundation of it.

The Messiah exercises His dominion, of which the scepter is the symbol, as a righteous King. No one can dispute His kingdom and no one can question the righteousness of His reign. Any ground for this is lacking. Regarding the angels, they do not sit on a throne, but they are standing before the throne, ready to serve.

He is entitled to that place. He proved that when He was on earth. He showed that He loved righteousness and hated lawlessness. Therefore He was a pleasure to God and therefore God anointed Him with the oil of gladness above His companions, i.e. the believing remnant of Israel.

The wonderful thing in this quotation is that on the one side you see that the Divinity of the Lord Jesus is affirmed again as well as His eternal throne. On the other side you see Him as the faithful Man on earth where He made God-fearing people His companions, above whom He at the same time is highly exalted.

Heb 1:10-12. But His glory is presented yet more extensively: He is Yahweh. There can be no misunderstanding about this because of the sixth quotation (Psa 102:26-28). The quotation starts with ‘and’, which makes it clear that it connects and adds to what has already been said about the Son. In Psalm 102 He is not only seen as Man, but as Man in the deepest humiliation, in His suffering and finally in His death.

However, He is also acknowledged by God as the Maker of heaven and earth. The psalm is the prophetical expression from the heart of the Savior, in the prospect of what He endured on earth as Man. But you also hear God’s answer to Him in this quotation. The answer implies that, however deeply He was humiliated, He was at the same time the Creator. That answer is quoted here by the writer. You read that God addresses His Son with “You, Lord”. To the readers of the letter, and for you too, this means that the Jesus of the New Testament is the Yahweh of the Old Testament.

Then you read in the quotation about “the beginning” (Gen 1:1; Jn 1:1). He is at the beginning of all things. All things owe their beginning to Him Who Himself has no beginning. He also has no end, though His works do have, for they will perish. Mockers do say that all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation (2Pet 3:4), but they will be cruelly disillusioned. The material world has no life in itself and is neither eternal, as its Creator is. Here in one phrase you move from the beginning to the perishing at the end, from Genesis 1:1 to Revelation 21:1. It indicates the huge contrast between the Creator and the creation.

He is eternally the Same. His years will last endlessly, even now He has become Man, for also as Man He has no end. The creation will be changed, but He Himself is the Eternal and the Unchangeable. “Will be changed” indicates a new heaven and a new earth (Rev 20:11 ; Rev 21:1). Creation will be like a “garment” and He will deal with the creation as with a “cloak”. A garment finally grows old and you can fold up a cloak or change it for another one. That is not the case with the Son. Christ is Creator and also Recreator.

Heb 1:13. The seventh quotation (Psa 110:1) is in accordance with the seventh glory of the Son in Heb 1:3. Not only His Person is glorious and Divine, not only does He take the first place toward all creatures in the universe, but He has His own place at the right hand of the Majesty in the heavens. He Who had been with God in eternity, came to earth, was despised, but will rule soon, is now seated at God’s right hand.

Psalm 110:1 is the verse from the Old Testament quoted the most in the New Testament. That’s because in the Old Testament, in fact, only this verse says something about the present place of the Lord Jesus in heaven after His suffering, dying and resurrection and before His return.

He is now seated, while the angels are always standing (Lk 1:19; Rev 8:2). When Michael and his angels have fought against the dragon and his angels and have defeated them (Rev 12:7-8), they will return to God’s presence and stand there in their place of humble servants, awaiting the next order. What God says to His Son He will never say to the mightiest angel.

Heb 1:14. The chapter ends with a question that consists of a conclusion. Angels minister, but Christ rules. Angels are ministers of God, but also of the believers. Angels are spirits, they have no terrestrial bodies. They see the believers, they are spectators of what the believers do and don’t do, as 1 Corinthians 11 proves (1Cor 11:10), and they provide them with assistance where it is needed, because the believers are companions of the Son.

The believers are presented here as “those who will inherit salvation”. With salvation in this letter is meant the millennial kingdom. Therefore you should see salvation here as something that is in the future. Salvation is also something you already possess. Therefore you may know for sure that you are saved on the ground of your conversion to God and your faith in the Lord Jesus (Eph 2:8).

It is important that you, to know what the expression ‘salvation’ means, look at the context in which it is written. Salvation often means to be placed on a new territory, beyond the reach of evil spirits and connected to Christ. In the quoted Ephesians 2:8 the point is that you are already in heaven now, in safety in an area where you are connected to a glorified Christ.

As it is said, in this letter it is about salvation as something in the future. That implies that we sometimes have to go a tough and difficult way before we reach that salvation. That applied to the Jewish believers anyhow. Therefore they urgently needed a ministry of empowerment, comfort and protection.

The Lord uses among other things His angels to minister His own. He deploys them, He sends them. They go on His command. Like when He sends an angel to Cornelius (Acts 10:3) and to Philip (Acts 8:26). He deploys them to bring Lazarus to Him (Lk 16:22). God uses angels to protect us (Mt 4:6 ; Mt 18:10; Acts 12:15). These angels are the chosen or holy angels (Mt 25:31; 1Tim 5:21).

You see a multitude of ministries that the angels do and that on your and my behalf. Therefore not the angels are worthy of praise – they would reject it (Rev 22:8-9) – but the Lord of the angels: the Man Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Creator and Heir of all things.

Now read Hebrews 1:6-14 again.

Reflection: Which glories of the Lord Jesus have you learnt about? Worship Him for them.