Heb 1

Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.

·         Having become greater than the angels is a reference to His state, not His nature. He emptied Himself on the cross giving up all rights and privileges so that He would die, facing God’s wrath alone.

·         Angels mediated the first covenant, Jesus the second

·         Angels didn’t experience what Christ did.

[5] For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee?

·         This goes to prove the point that He is superior to all the angels, God never calls angels His son.  This is from Psalm 2:7, and all of Ps 2 is about the Messiah ruling over the earth. 

·         This quote is also seen in the prophecy given to David in 2 Sam 7:14.

·         The angels do not rule over anything. Nowhere in fact are angels said to reign, but it is to man that God gives the charge to rule over the creation.

·         Begotten, not made, not born, not created. The Father eternally begets the Son.

And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son?

·         As believers we enjoy the communion with God as a Father and Son, but Angels have no such privilege.  We have this because of the sonship of Christ, and that He calls us brothers.

·         Sonship refers to His Kingship. Just as in the NT the Fatherhood of God is associated with the Kingdom of God.

[6] And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world,

·         Firstborn means first in rank, or pre-eminence. Jacob was not the firstborn, but he was the one who got the birthright. David was the youngest of his brothers, but the firstborn, Ps 89:27 Same idea then applies to Christ.

he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him.

·         This quote comes from the Septuagint (greek Old Testament) Deuteronomy 32:43, which may not look like this passage at all. “Be glad, O skies, with Him. And Let all the divine sons do obeisance to Him.  Be glad O nations, with His people, and let all the angels of God prevail for Him. For He will avenge the blood of His sons and take revenge and repay the enemies with a sentence, and He will repay those who hate, and the Lord shall cleanse the land of His people.”

·         Since the angels worship Christ, and the lesser worships the greater, Christ is superior to the angels.

·         See also Revelation 5, where the angels worship Him.

[7] And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire.

·         The Davidic covenant was the primary basis for Christ being superior to the angels. But it’s worth noting that by their own creation angels are inferior. Psalm 104:3-4 says that angels are servants. If servants then not sons.

·         This is connected to v8, which contrasts the Son’s unlimited power

[8] But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a cepter of righteousness is the cepter of thy kingdom.

·         The Father here is speaking of the Son. He says: Your throne God.  God never calls the angels God, He calls them angels. Here He calls His Son, God.

[9] Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.

·         Since no angel was thus anointed, and never was declared to make God glad, or raised above the others, and God raised Jesus up, Jesus is superior to the angels.

[10] And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are 

the works of thine hands:[11] They shall perish; but thou remainest; and they all shall wax old as doth a garment;

·         Here the writer contrasts the different characteristics of angels vs Jesus.

o   Angels are dependent on God for sustainment, since He upholds the universe.

o   Angels are created, non-eternal things, while Christ is eternal, non created. See John 1:1

o   Angels grow and learn and change, while God is immutable.

[12] And as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed: but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail.

·         Therefore Jesus is sovereign with unlimited power over the angels, and is greater than they.

[13] But to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool?

·         This comes from Psalm 110, which is about Christ. 

·         Jesus is superior to the angels because He sits down, while the angels never rest

[14] Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?

·         Keyword here is ministering. They are not in a position of authority but of service.

Summary: all of these passages come from the OT. To make the same proof with the NT is trivially simple.

·         Jesus has an inheritance with God the Father that angels don’t have. He is the Son of God. (4-5,13)

·         Angels worship Jesus, therefore Jesus is God, and superior to them (6)

·         Angels are merely servants, they have no claim to a superior position, while Jesus is the ruler of all.  (7-9,14)

·         Jesus has all the characteristics of God, while angels do not. (10-12)