The writer proceeded to explain the exaltation of Jesus Christ to help his readers appreciate the fact that He fulfilled Old Testament prophecy concerning the Son of David. He did this so they would appreciate Him properly and not overemphasize the importance of angels. Angels were very important in Judaism primarily because thousands of them assisted God in giving the Mosaic Law at Mount Sinai (cf. Deut. 33:2; Ps. 68:17; Acts 7:53; Gal. 3:19).
"The internal structure of the first major segment of the address (1:5-2:18) exhibits the writer's customary style of alternating between two types of literary genre, exposition and exhortation. The chain of OT passages demonstrating the superiority of the Son to angels (1:5-13) is expository in character and lays the foundation for the solemn appeal in 2:1-4."37
The "hook-word"that connects these two sections of the epistle is "angels."
"Christology is the central focus in all the theology of Hebrews, and two titles of Christ are central to its Christology: Son of God and High Priest. Around these two focal points all the major ideas in Hebrews concerning Christ's person and work can be located. Christ as High Priest is actually the more distinctive and important idea in the theology of the book, but Christ as Son of God is foundational."39
The writer cited seven Old Testament passages to prove Jesus' superiority over the angels (v. 4). As mentioned previously, the number seven was especially significant to the Jews as representing the completeness of something (e.g., the work of creation, etc.). Probably the writer used seven facts in verses 2b-3 and seven passages in verses 5-13 to impress completeness strongly on his original readers.
"The author has an unusual method of citation; he almost always neglects the human author of his OT quotations (exceptions are 4:7; 9:19-20), though throughout the rest of the NT the human author is often noted. Instead, without actually saying God says,' he normally ascribes the passage he quotes to God, except, of course, where God is addressed, as in 2:6. Twice he attributes words in the OT to Christ (2:11-12; 10:5ff.) and twice to the Holy Spirit (3:7; 10:15). No other NT writer shares this way of quoting the OT. . . . The effect is to emphasize the divine authorship of the whole OT."40
"Unlike Paul, who shows a preference for the introductory formula kathos gegraptai["as it is written"], the writer of Hebrews never introduces a quotation from the OT with a form of the verb graphein, to write.' His preference is for the verb legein, to say,' especially in the form of the present participle legon, saying.' The text of the OT is presented dynamically. The writer is persuaded that God continues to speak today in the biblical passages that are cited. . . .
"The writer shows no concern to provide specific references for his quotations from the OT. With rare exception (Heb 4:7; 9:20) they are presented anonymously. The authority of the biblical text resides in its ultimate speaker, namely, God."41
The writer's contrast of Jesus Christ's authority and name with that of the angels suggests that his original readers may have regarded the angels too highly. This was true of certain first century sects within Judaism one of which was the Essene community that lived at Qumran. The Dead Sea Scrolls have revealed that this group had a highly developed angelology and regarded angels with more veneration than they should have. Nevertheless all the Jews regarded angels highly because God had given the Mosaic Law to them through angelic mediation (cf. Deut. 33:2; Acts 7:39, 53; Gal. 3:19; Heb. 2:2).42
What the writer said about angelic mediators applies to those who claim to mediate knowledge concerning God and the after-life to humankind. Such self-proclaimed mediators today include leaders of cults, Shirley MacLaine, and other advocates of reincarnation. It also applies to people who claim to reveal how human beings can find God and secure His acceptance while denying biblical revelation on these subjects.
1:5 The phrase "to which of the angels"opens and closes this section of the text (cf. v. 13). This literary device (an inclusio) marks off a literary unit by using the same word or phrase at the beginning and at the end of a discussion (cf. 2:5-16; 3:1-4:14; 5:1-10; 5:11-6:12; 7:1-10; 12:14-13:20).43
David referred to Jesus Christ as God's Son in Psalm 2:7, the verse the writer quoted first. The Old Testament writers referred to angels collectively as the "sons of God"(Job. 1:6; 2:1; 38:7), but they did not refer to any one of them as a Son of God. "Son of God"is a title that refers to one of the Davidic kings (2 Sam. 7:14) and specifically to Jesus Christ, God the Son (Mark 1:11; Luke 1:32). "Today"evidently refers to Jesus Christ's entrance into heaven. This happened after His resurrection and ascension.
The eternal Son of God ". . . entered into the full exercise of all the prerogatives implied by His Sonship when, after His suffering had proved the completeness of His obedience, He was raised to the Father's right hand."44
The second quotation, from 2 Samuel 7:14 or 1 Chronicles 17:13, as the first, ties in with the Davidic Covenant and advances the previous point. Not only is Jesus the Son of God, He is also the promised son of David (Luke 1:32-33, 68-69; Rom. 1:3). Even though Jesus Christ was always God's eternal Son, He became the Son prophesied to rule over David's house. He received permission to rule the whole earth after His ascension (cf. Ps. 2:8).
The title "Son"refers to Jesus in three separate respects. He was always the pre-existentSon (v. 3a-b; cf. 5:8), He became the incarnateSon at His birth (v. 2a, possibly a proleptic reference), and He became the exaltedSon when He returned to heaven.45
Note the chiastic style of the quotations, which begin and end with references to the Son surrounding references to the Father. This has the effect of stressing the Father but binding the Son close to Him.
1:6 We can see the superiority of the Son also in the third quotation from Deuteronomy 32:43 (in the Septuagint) in that the angels worship Him as Yahweh. "Again"may go with "brings"implying Jesus Christ's second advent.46On the other hand it may go with "says"implying the first advent.47In this case it would simply separate this quotation from the former one. The word order in the Greek text favors the first option, but the sense of the context favors the second. Most translators and interpreters connect "again"with "says."48The point is that the angels worship the Son. The angels did worship Jesus at His first advent and will worship Him at His second advent.
The title "first-born"reflects the sovereignty, uniqueness, and superiority of Messiah (Ps. 89:27). It does not always mean born first chronologically. This is especially clear in the case of Solomon who was really the tenth son of David chronologically (1 Chron. 3:1-5). The title describes rank and honor here. The first-born received special blessings (inheritance) from his father.
"The context requires that oikoumene["world"] be understood as the heavenly world of eschatological salvation into which the Son entered at his ascension [cf. 2:5] . . ."49
1:7 Instead of being sovereign, the angels are servants. The fourth quotation is from Psalm 104:4. By describing the angels as winds the psalmist was drawing attention to their spirit nature, invisibility, power, and function as servants of a higher Power. As flames of fire they are God's agents of judgment and illumination. Wind and fire were also symbols of the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament. They were appropriate designations of both the Holy Spirit and angels because both served the Father in similar ways as His servants. Even though the angels are as swift as wind and as strong as fire, they are inferior to the Son.
1:8-9 By contrast, the Son's ministry is to rule. His throne is eternal, not created, and immutable. This fifth quotation, from Psalm 45:6-7, describes the final triumph of David's Son, the Messiah, who is also God. The Son is superior to angels also because He is God.
"This and the following quotation (vv. 10-12) are used to show that the Son is addressed in scripture both as God and as Lord. . . . The point of v. 8b, for the author of Hebrews, seems to be that the Son exercises royal power, whereas the angels are mere leitourgoi(["ministers"] v. 7)."50
"Jesus' deity is more powerfully asserted in Hebrews than in any other New testament writing, with the exception of the Gospel of John."51
The prophets predicted that Messiah would be righteous. Jesus Christ demonstrated this quality during His earthly ministry. The anointing to which the writer referred probably took place after His ascension. Messiah is God, yet God anointed Him. The "companions"probably include all other righteous beings, angelic and human, including faithful Christians (cf. 2:10-11; 3:1, 14; 12:8). Part of the quotation in this verse does not argue the superiority of Christ over the angels. The writer probably included it because it makes a statement he developed later in this epistle. The term "companions"describes those who have intimate, not just superficial, association with Jesus Christ (cf. Luke 5:7).52The NASB translators rendered the Greek word, metochos, "partakers"everywhere else it occurs in Hebrews (i.e., 3:1, 14; 6:4; 12:8)
1:10-12 Psalm 102:25-27, the sixth quotation, also referred to Messiah. The Son is Creator (cf. v. 2). This verse looks to the past. "Lord"is master (Gr. kurie) and refers to God in the passage the writer quoted.
This quotation is important to the writer's argument also because it reveals the immutability of the Son. After God burns up the present earth and heavens, He will create new heavens and a new earth (2 Peter 3:10-12; Rev. 21-22). Even though the earth as we know it will end, the Son's rule will continue eternally and with it His joy. The millennial kingdom will only be the first phase of Messiah's endless rule.
Note that the quotations tied together with "and"begin and end with the Son's eternal nature (vv. 8, 12).
"The attribute of permanence in the Creator corresponds to the durability of his throne and serves to reinforce the contrast between the mutability of the angels and the stable, abiding character of the Son."53
1:13 The seventh and last quotation in this series is from Psalm 110:1. Angels stand and serve, but the Son sits and rules (cf. v. 3; 8:1; 10:12; 12:2; Matt. 22:43-44; 26:64; Mark 16:19; Acts 2:33-34; Rom. 8:34; Col. 3:1; 1 Pet. 3:22). The vindication predicted here will take place when Jesus Christ returns at His second advent and at the various judgments of God's enemies that will follow that return.54Eventually every knee shall bow to Him (Phil. 2:10-11).
One writer identified a chiasm in the quotations in verses 3-13.
"AThe Son's status as royal King (Ps 2:7; 2 Sam 7:14) (Heb 1:5)
BThe Son's status as Divine Wisdom (Deut 32:43: Ps 104:4) (Heb 1:6-7)
CThe Son's status as royal King and Divine Wisdom (Ps 45:6-7) (Heb 1:8-9)
B'The son's status as Divine Wisdom (Ps 102:26-28) (Heb 1:10-12)
A'The Son's status as royal King (Ps 110:1) (Heb 1:13)"55
1:14 God revealed a primary purpose and ministry of the angels in this verse. It is to assist human beings in reaching their final deliverance over their spiritual enemies. This includes bringing us to conversion. However, it also involves protecting and strengthening us so that we may one day obtain our full inheritance with Christ in glory. This ministry of service is obviously inferior to Jesus Christ's ministry of ruling.
Was the writer speaking of all Christians or only of faithful Christians when He wrote of "those who will inherit salvation?"56In his other uses of "inheritance"and "inherit"he sometimes referred to all Christians as inheriting from God (e.g., 9:15; cf. 11:8). At other times he apparently meant only faithful Christians (e.g., 6:12; cf. 11:17). I think he was probably speaking of all Christians here in view of what he just said about the ministry of angels. There is no other Scripture that limits the angels' ministry to faithful Christians or indicates that angels have a special ministry to faithful Christians (cf. Matt. 18:10).
"Inherit' is often used in the NT in senses other than the strict one of obtaining something by a will. It can mean obtain possession of without regard to the means. It is used of possessing the earth (Matt 5:5), the kingdom of God (1 Cor 6:9-10), eternal life (Mark 10:17), the promises (Heb 6:12), incorruption (1 Cor. 15:50), blessing (Heb 12:17), a more excellent name (v. 4, . . .)."57
This writer spoke of the inheritance of Christians as the Old Testament writers spoke of the inheritance of the Israelites. Our inheritance refers to all that God wants to give His people. We will inevitably receive some of that (cf. 1 Per. 1:3-9). However, we can forfeit part of our inheritance through unfaithfulness, as Esau did (12:16) and as the generation of Israelites who died in the wilderness did (3:7-4:11).
"In contrast with the first part of this verse, the last three words ["will inherit salvation"] are all major concepts in Hebrews."58
Thus this section closes with a positive encouragement for the readers. The writer's array of Old Testament quotations in this pericope presents one of the most glorious Christologies in Scripture. He placed emphasis on Jesus' future reign as God's King who is also David's Son. In summary, the Son is superior to the angels in seven respects.
1. He is the Son of God (v. 5a).
2. He is the promised son of David (v. 5b).
3. He is the sovereign whom angels worship as Yahweh (v. 6).
4. His ministry is not that of a temporary servant like the angels (v. 7).
5. His ministry is that of the eternal ruler (vv. 8-9).
6. He is the immutable creator (vv. 10-12).
7. He is the sovereign who will rule as victor over all His enemies (v. 13).
"The writer of Hebrews uses seven eschatological passages in Hebrews 1:5-14 to demonstrate Jesus' right to rule in the coming millennial kingdom. Because of this extensive quoting from six psalms and 2 Samuel 7, the term soteria(salvation') in Hebrews 1:14 is best understood in the Old Testament sense as deliverance from the enemies of Yahweh and participation in His kingdom.
"The readers of the epistle are viewed as metochoi, companions' of the coming King (1:9). This relationship assures them of an ultimate victory in the final salvation' provided by the King (1:13-14). His victory will be in part their victory."59
