Hebrews 1:4-9 KJV

The Angels of God Worship Jesus

 WHAT IT SAYS:

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

5  For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son?

6  And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him.

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

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

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

WHAT IT MEANS:

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

Albert Barnes said: As a son has a rank in a family above servants; as he has a control over the property above that which servants have, so it is with the Mediator.

The author of Hebrews (unknown, but many believe to be the Apostle Paul, or perhaps the Apostle John) begins, in these verses to compare Jesus Christ, the Son of God to the angels. He starts off by saying that He is “so much better than the angels.”

I believe this whole comparison is being made because someone may have begun to teach that Jesus, whom they had seen after the resurrection and before the ascension, was an angel. That error needed to be nipped in the bud. Jesus was not an angel he was the only begotten Son of God.

The word “inheritance” applies to a Son and not an angel. Jesus obtained a more excellent name than any angel. To be the Son of God ranks higher than the angels.

Another reason for this comparison may be that, in the Hebrew mind an angel was a divine being who was much higher than man. If someone received a visit from an angel that was a divine revelation from God. Angels are messengers and servants of God who should be treated with respect and obedience because they speak for Him, but they are not the Son of God.

5        For unto which of the angels said he at any time,

Here the author is provoking the believing Hebrews to think. The words “said he” lead us to the Scriptures (both Old and New Testament) which they took as the divine source of instruction and guidance. The first quote is from Psalms 2:7

Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee?

He is pointing out that angels were never called “sons” as Jesus was. Angels were never “begotten” but Jesus is called the Only Begotten Son.

In the following verse from 1 Chronicles 22:10 Solomon is being call “a son” and given the everlasting throne which Jesus now occupies.

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

In the ancient Hebrew believer’s mind these things were closely related and relevant to their understanding. An angel is not a son. Only a son can be an heir.

6  And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him.

The author continues to point out that the firstbegotten son, Jesus Christ, was worshipped by angels. In the Gospel of Luke 2:12-14 we see the angels telling the shepherds about the birth of the baby Jesus and they break into spontaneous worship of God.

In Revelation 7:10-12 we see the angels around the throne worshipping the “Lamb” who is Jesus Christ.

All the above was to show who Jesus is, but now, the author describes angles and quotes from Psalm 104:4:

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

Angels do not have bodies as Jesus has, but are spirits and they are also ministers or servants of God who ignite the fires of the Spirit in mankind.

And here below the author quotes from Ps 45:6-7 which is a dictation from God through David – a prophecy – concerning Jesus.

8  But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever:

God himself pronounces the Son “O God” and speaks of His eternal throne. That can only be God and no one else.

a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.

A “scepter” is a symbol of sovereignty denoting the one who is supreme in power, rank and authority. If you recall in the story of Ester the king held a scepter and if he did not acknowledge her with it, she would have died when she came uninvited into his presence. The scepter of God and Jesus Christ which represents their kingdom is a symbol of righteousness. Righteousness is synonymous with justice and virtue.

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

Because Jesus loved righteousness and hated sin and lawlessness, God anointed Him with the oil of joy and gladness far above his fellows. “His fellows” would be us – Praise the Lord!

Luke 4:16  And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read.

17  And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written,

18  The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,

19  To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.

20  And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him.

21  And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.

Here are the verses from Hebrews 1:4-9 again:

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

5  For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son?

6  And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him.

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

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

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