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The Letters · New Testament

Hebrews 1

Hebrews 1: God speaks by his Son, who is set above the angels

General context

God spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets and has in these last days spoken by his Son. The Son is appointed heir of all things, the worlds were made by him, he is the brightness of his glory and the express image of his person, he upholds all things by the word of his power, and when he had purged sins he sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high. He is made better than the angels, having obtained a more excellent name by inheritance. A run of quoted scripture follows. It opens with a question about which of the angels was ever addressed as Son, and two sayings answer it. A further quotation calls all the angels of God to worship the firstbegotten when he is brought into the world. Of the angels the letter quotes a line about spirits and a flame of fire; to the Son it quotes lines about a throne for ever and ever, about anointing with the oil of gladness, and about laying the foundation of the earth while the heavens wax old and are folded up. A closing question asks which of the angels was ever told to sit at God's right hand. The chapter ends by calling the angels ministering spirits sent forth for the heirs of salvation.

Cited passages: Hebrews 1:1, Hebrews 1:2, Hebrews 1:3, Hebrews 1:4, Hebrews 1:5, Hebrews 1:6, Hebrews 1:7, Hebrews 1:8, Hebrews 1:9, Hebrews 1:10, Hebrews 1:11, Hebrews 1:12, Hebrews 1:13, Hebrews 1:14

Hebrews 1 (KJV)

1God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,

2Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;

3Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;

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

5For 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?

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

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

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

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

10And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands:

11They shall perish; but thou remainest; and they all shall wax old as doth a garment;

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

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

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

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Historical context

The letter begins with God rather than with a greeting, and this chapter names no writer and no recipients. Its quotations are introduced without a book or a human speaker, only by phrases such as said he, he saith and And again. Several differ from the Old Testament verses as printed in this canon. The second saying at Hebrews 1:5, "I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son", is worded differently from 2 Samuel 7:14, which reads "I will be his father, and he shall be my son". The call at Hebrews 1:6, "let all the angels of God worship him", is not printed in that form at Psalm 97:7, which reads "worship him, all ye gods". Hebrews 1:7 has "his ministers a flame of fire" where Psalm 104:4 has "his ministers a flaming fire". Hebrews 1:8 has "a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom" where Psalm 45:6 has "the sceptre of thy kingdom is a right sceptre". Hebrews 1:12 ends "thy years shall not fail" where Psalm 102:27 ends "thy years shall have no end". Hebrews 1:13 has "Sit on my right hand" where Psalm 110:1 has "Sit thou at my right hand". The chapter says nothing about where the earlier speaking by the prophets is recorded.

Cited passages: Hebrews 1:1, Hebrews 1:5, 2 Samuel 7:14, Hebrews 1:6, Psalms 97:7, Hebrews 1:7, Psalms 104:4, Hebrews 1:8, Psalms 45:6, Hebrews 1:12, Psalms 102:27, Hebrews 1:13, Psalms 110:1

Literary context

The chapter is a comparison carried by quotation. Two matching questions frame the run of citations: "For unto which of the angels said he at any time" at verse 5 and "But to which of the angels said he at any time" at verse 13. Between them the introductions alternate between the two parties, "And of the angels he saith" against "But unto the Son he saith". What is said of the angels concerns service and changeable form, spirits and fire; what is said to the Son concerns throne, sceptre and permanence, set against a creation that wears out: "They shall perish; but thou remainest". The first sentence sets many times, many manners and many prophets against one Son in these last days. The last verse turns the comparison outward, making the angels servants of "them who shall be heirs of salvation", which brings the readers into an argument that has so far been about the Son alone.

Cited passages: Hebrews 1:1, Hebrews 1:2, Hebrews 1:5, Hebrews 1:7, Hebrews 1:8, Hebrews 1:11, Hebrews 1:12, Hebrews 1:13, Hebrews 1:14

Key moments

  1. God speaks by his Son (Hebrews 1:2). The opening sets the speaking by the prophets against speaking by the Son.
  2. Seated on the right hand (Hebrews 1:3). After purging sins the Son sits down on the right hand of the Majesty on high.
  3. A more excellent name (Hebrews 1:4). The Son is said to have obtained by inheritance a better name than the angels.
  4. Which angel was called Son? (Hebrews 1:5). A question introduces two quoted sayings addressed to a son.
  5. Angels told to worship (Hebrews 1:6). A quotation calls all the angels of God to worship the firstbegotten.
  6. A throne for ever (Hebrews 1:8). A quotation addressed to the Son names his throne and sceptre.
  7. Angels as ministering spirits (Hebrews 1:14). The chapter closes by calling angels servants of the heirs of salvation.

For reflection

Every claim this chapter makes about the Son is argued by quoting words already in circulation rather than asserted on the writer's own authority. What difference does that method make to how a reader weighs the claims?