Though the Epistle to the Hebrews has an anonymous human author, there is no doubt, thanks to the similarity in content and style to other New Testament books and the gleanings we get about the circumstances surrounding its purpose and occasion, that it is authored ultimately by the Holy Spirit. The first 10 chapters reveal how Jesus Christ is greater than all, and here in chapter one, the focus is squarely on Him. We see that He is a greater representative – being the Son of God the Father – of God’s word than any other representative, such as the prophets and angels. Though the intended audience is Jewish Christians struggling with the temptation to revert to Judaism, twenty-first century American Christians can still relate to the mindset of a works-based salvation. We can still relate to self-focus instead of Christ-focus. Let’s take a look:
1) V1-4 – 1In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, 2but in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, and through whom He made the universe. 3The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His being, sustaining all things by His powerful word. After He had provided purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. 4So He became as much superior to the angels as the name He has inherited is superior to theirs.
Though we have no formal greeting or benediction given here at the beginning of Hebrews – likely because this was originally a speech given to an audience that knew the orator – we are in fact greeted by some really encouraging, strong language about God Himself, His care and concern for us, and the glory of Jesus. First, we are reminded that God has spoken. He has spoken to those who came before us through prophets. And these prophets appeared in many different places, revealing the word of God in many different ways. In addition to the myriad anonymous prophets, just think of all the named prophets, going back to Noah, Abraham, Moses, Deborah, Samuel, Nathan, Ahijah, Jehu, Elijah, Elisha, Isaiah, Huldah, Shemaiah, Iddo, Azariah, Micaiah, Oded, Gad, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Haggai, Zechariah, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Malachi, and John the Baptist, Anna, Agabus, Judas, Silas, Barnabas, and Paul.
Some ministered before the law was given, most afterward. Some ministered in the days of the kings in the southern kingdom of Judah, and others in the northern kingdom of Israel. Some ministered in exile; others stayed nearer the Promised Land. Some revealed their dreams and visions with speeches or writings; others acted out the declarations of God. Some were women, though most were men. Some delivered good news, and others bad. Some wept, others were giddy. Some could interpret the meanings of their prophecies; others could not. But none of them – neither their identities, nor their abilities – compare to Jesus. God spoke to us through His Son in these last days, and that’s what we are reminded of next in this introduction of Hebrews. 2 Peter 1:20 says, “Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation.” But Jesus was greater. He gave His own authoritative interpretations. So He is worthy of praise. God has spoken in the past through prophets, and that’s good, but He has spoken to us – and is speaking even now – through His Son, which is better.
Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is the “heir of all things” (v2; Romans 8:17; Galatians 3:9), and it was through Him that the universe was made (John 1:1-3). The Trinity was involved in creation (Genesis 1). V3 is stunning in its language and quite similar to Paul’s words in Colossians 1:13-19, which would be fitting if this letter was a follow up to the congregations of the Lycus Valley, where Colossae was located: “The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His being, sustaining all things by His powerful word.” Colossians 1:15-17 says, “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.”
The author of Hebrews talks about God speaking in these last days through His Son, the exact representation of Himself. It’s Emmanuel, God with us. Not only did He create all things, but He also sustains all things by His powerful word (Ephesians 1:11). There is nothing that happens apart from His permission and purpose. So we see what God has done, speaking to His people, revealing Himself; and now we see that His Son is the agent of God’s work. After we catch this glimpse of who Jesus is and what He is doing on the grand scale, the author of Hebrews points out His reason for coming, His reason for dwelling with His people in the midst of their trouble, His reason for tabernacling (John 1:14). He “provided purification for sins” (v3), and “sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven [throne of God]” (v3; Hebrews 12:2). In being made “a little lower than the angels” (Hebrews 2:7,9), for a time, Jesus returned to His rightful place, ruling as King over His creation, and restored His superiority to the angels (v4). In fact, if we wanted to measure how much greater Jesus is compared to the angels, we would have to consider how much greater His name is, compared to their names (v4).
We know the names of a few angels, Michael the archangel, and Gabriel. Some suggest that the name of Satan when he was angelic was Lucifer. We get a hint at the name of the Angel of the Lord, who is often thought of as a pre-incarnate Jesus, in Judges 13:17-18: “Manoah inquired of the angel of the LORD, ‘What is your name, so that we may honor you when your word comes true?’ He replied, ‘Why do you ask my name? It is ‘beyond understanding’ [or ‘wonderful’].” In Isaiah 9:6, we read the prophecy of the name of our Savior: “He will be called ‘Wonderful,’ ‘Counselor,’ ‘Mighty God,’ ‘Everlasting Father,’ ‘Prince of Peace.’” Paul says of Jesus, “God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:9-11). How much greater is the name “Jesus,” which literally means, “God saves,” than the names of the angels? There’s a song about the worthy name of Jesus, and the chorus goes like this: “Jesus, worthy is the lamb, who was slain for us, the Son of God and Man; He is high and lifted up, and all the world will praise Your great Name.” Jesus is Lord; Jesus is God. And this makes His name infinitely greater than any other name (Acts 19:17). And that means Jesus is infinitely greater than any angelic being. Thus we are introduced to the theme of Hebrews right here at the beginning – the supremacy of Jesus above all.
2) V5-6 – 5For to which of the angels did God ever say, “You are My Son; today I have become Your Father [or I have begotten You]” [Psalm 2:7]? Or again, “I will be His Father, and He will be My Son” [2 Samuel 7:14; 1 Chronicles 17:13]? 6And again, when God brings His firstborn into the world, He says, “Let all God’s angels worship Him” [Deuteronomy 32:43].
The author of Hebrews now elaborates on Jesus’ supremacy, especially in regard to angels. This may not seem to be a big deal to us, who are not likely tempted to esteem angels to the degree of the Lord Jesus. But in the first century AD, with various precursors to gnosticism treading on vulnerable congregations of baby Christians, especially in rural areas such as the Lycus Valley, where the Epistle to the Hebrews could be directed, the worship of unseen angels could have been a real problem (Colossians 2:18). So the author, who knows his Greek Jewish Christian audience and their circumstances well, here and in the verses still to come, uses a plethora of Old Testament Scriptures (from the Septuagint, since they were Greek Jews) to exalt Christ, God in the flesh, and downplay angels, for they are no more than creatures.
The Lord Jesus is God’s only Son (Genesis 22:2,12,16; John 3:16,18; 1 John 4:9), though the angels and humans are often called God’s children. Jesus is unique, begotten, not made, one in being with the Father. There was never a time when He was not. And no angel can stake that claim. Furthermore, God Himself told the angels to worship Jesus (check the footnote in your Bible on Deuteronomy 32:43; also consider Luke 2:8-14). Though the author calls Jesus God’s “firstborn,” he’s not talking like Jehovah’s Witnesses would want you to see. They think this verse, and others like it (Romans 8:29; Colossians 1:15,18), refer to the fact that Jehovah is the supreme deity, and Jesus is under Him and therefore not quite as worthy of worship. But the author, anonymously here and as Paul in those other texts, uses this language for to better understand the concept of being begotten. C.S. Lewis offers an analogy, which I will crudely paraphrase: If you walk into a dark room, turn on the light, and notice 2 books stacked on a table, you might conclude that the book on the bottom was there first. But not so fast! The books could have been placed there simultaneously. In that case, the bottom book could be said to have begotten the top book. Perhaps this illustration might help to grasp the concept of Jesus being the firstborn over all creation.
3) V7-12 – 7In speaking of the angels He says, “He makes His angels winds, His servants flames of fire” [Psalm 104:4]. 8But about the Son He says, “Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever, and righteousness will be the scepter of Your kingdom. 9You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, Your God, has set You above Your companions by anointing You with the oil of joy” [Psalm 45:6,7]. 10He also says, “In the beginning, O Lord, You laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of Your hands. 11They will perish, but You remain; they will all wear out like a garment. 12You will roll them up like a robe; like a garment they will be changed. But You remain the same, and Your years will never end” [Psalm 102:25-27].
The contrasting of Jesus and the angels continues. First the author notes the dominion of God – and therefore the dominion of Jesus – over the angels. Take care to notice that God is one speaking, and He’s referring to Jesus. So God speaks about angels, saying that Jesus makes them His messengers and servants. The first 4 verses of Psalm 104 read like this: “Praise the LORD, O my soul. O LORD my God, you are very great; you are clothed with splendor and majesty. He wraps himself in light as with a garment; he stretches out the heavens like a tent and lays the beams of his upper chambers on their waters. He makes the clouds his chariot and rides on the wings of the wind. He makes winds [angels in the Septuagint] his messengers, flames of fire his servants.”
Second, the author contrasts the angels’ mere creaturely servitude with Jesus’ divine supremacy. Again notice that God speaks of His Son Jesus, calling Him God. God says that Jesus is God, whose throne is eternal and whose righteousness is the foundation of His Kingdom. Because Jesus has loved righteousness and hated wickedness, God has set Him above His companions (perhaps the angels?). God the Father has the dominion, and He gives the dominion to His Son. God gives no such dominion to the angels; their role is important, but merely that of messenger, in comparison to Jesus’ reigning.
God speaks again in v10-12, with a lengthy quote from Psalm 102, saying that Jesus is Lord, the agent of creation, eternal because of His divinity, though His creation will perish. In fact, creation will be rolled up and changed by Jesus, but Jesus – because He is God, says God – will never change. This is similar teaching to what Jesus and Paul teach in the New Testament. The author of Hebrews will later say, quite famously, that Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8).
4) V13-14 – 13To which of the angels did God ever say, “Sit at My right hand until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet” [Psalm 110:1]? 14Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?
This final passage in chapter one conquers any doubt that Jesus is superior to the angels. God never told any mere angel, though they are glorious and filled with splendor, to sit at His right hand. God never gave dominion to angels. God never declared that He would exalt angels over their enemies. (By the way, Psalm 110 is the most quoted passage in the New Testament – some 30 times!) Only Jesus Christ received this honor from God the Father. And again the author wraps up the chapter reminding his audience that angels are messengers and ministers, important, but not divine, useful servants, but not ruling lords. Angels are servants of humans! Angels are guardians and helpers “to serve those who will inherit salvation.” Paul exalts angels as valuable witnesses (1 Timothy 3:16; 5:21) and powerful servants (Galatians 3:19; 2 Thessalonians 1:7), but he says, “Do you not know that we will judge angels” (1 Corinthians 6:3)? They are not to be worshiped (Revelation 22:8); but Jesus is to be worshiped by all.
Footnotes
- 1:5 Or have begotten you
- 1:5 Psalm 2:7
- 1:5 2 Samuel 7:14; 1 Chron. 17:13
- 1:6 Deut. 32:43 (see Dead Sea Scrolls and Septuagint)
- 1:7 Psalm 104:4
- 1:9 Psalm 45:6,7
- 1:12 Psalm 102:25-27
- 1:13 Psalm 110:1
Bible text from Gospelcom.net. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society.