Hebrews 1

Heb 1:1-14.

THE

HIGHEST OF

ALL

REVELATIONS

IS

GIVEN

US

NOW IN THE

SON OF

GOD,

WHO

IS

GREATER THAN THE

ANGELS, AND

WHO,

HAVING

COMPLETED

REDEMPTION,

SITS

ENTHRONED AT

GOD'S

RIGHT

HAND.

The writer, though not inscribing his name, was well known to those

addressed

(Heb 13:19).

For proofs of Paul being the author, see my Introduction. In the

Pauline method, the statement of subject and the division are put

before the discussion; and at the close, the practical follows the

doctrinal portion. The ardor of Spirit in this Epistle, as in First

John, bursting forth at once into the subject (without prefatory

inscription of name and greeting), the more effectively strikes the

hearers. The date must have been while the temple was yet standing,

before its destruction, A.D. 70; some time before

the martyrdom of Peter, who mentions this Epistle of Paul

(2Pe 3:15, 16);

at a time when many of the first hearers of the Lord were

dead.

1. at sundry times--Greek, "in many portions." All was

not revealed to each one prophet; but one received one portion of

revelation, and another another. To Noah the quarter of the world to

which Messiah should belong was revealed; to Abraham, the nation; to

Jacob, the tribe; to David and Isaiah, the family; to Micah, the town

of nativity; to Daniel, the exact time; to Malachi, the coming of His

forerunner, and His second advent; through Jonah, His burial and

resurrection; through Isaiah and Hosea, His resurrection. Each only

knew in part; but when that which was perfect came in Messiah, that

which was in part was done away

(1Co 13:12).

in divers manners--for example, internal suggestions, audible

voices, the Urim and Thummim, dreams, and visions. "In one way He was

seen by Abraham, in another by Moses, in another by Elias, and in

another by Micah; Isaiah, Daniel, and Ezekiel, beheld different forms"

[THEODORET]. (Compare

Nu 12:6-8).

The Old Testament revelations were fragmentary in substance, and

manifold in form; the very multitude of prophets shows that they

prophesied only in part. In Christ, the revelation of God is

full, not in shifting hues of separated color, but Himself the pure

light, uniting in His one person the whole spectrum

(Heb 1:3).

spake--the expression usual for a Jew to employ in addressing

Jews. So Matthew, a Jew writing especially for Jews, quotes Scripture,

not by the formula, "It is written," but "said," &c.

in time past--From Malachi, the last of the Old Testament

prophets, for four hundred years, there had arisen no prophet, in order

that the Son might be the more an object of expectation [BENGEL]. As God (the Father) is introduced as having

spoken here; so God the Son,

Heb 2:3;

God the Holy Ghost,

Heb 3:7.

the fathers--the Jewish fathers. The Jews of former days

(1Co 10:1).

ambassador, not (as the King of kings) in his ambassador. The

Son is the last and highest manifestation of God

(Mt 21:34, 37);

not merely a measure, as in the prophets, but the fulness of the Spirit

of God dwelling in Him bodily

(Joh 1:16; 3:34;

Col 2:9).

Thus he answers the Jewish objection drawn from their prophets. Jesus

is the end of all prophecy

(Re 19:10),

and of the law of Moses

(Joh 1:17; 5:46).

2. in these last days--In the oldest manuscripts the

Greek is. "At the last part of these days." The Rabbins divided

the whole of time into "this age," or "world," and "the age to come"

(Heb 2:5; 6:5).

The days of Messiah were the transition period or "last part of these

days" (in contrast to "in times past"), the close of the existing

dispensation, and beginning of the final dispensation of which Christ's

second coming shall be the crowning consummation.

Son"

(Joh 14:10).

The true "Prophet" of God. "His majesty is set forth: (1)

Absolutely by the very name "Son," and by three glorious

predicates, "whom He hath appointed," "by whom He made the worlds,"

"who sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;" thus His

course is described from the beginning of all things till he reached

the goal

(Heb 1:2, 3).

(2) Relatively, in comparison with the angels,

Heb 1:4;

the confirmation of this follows, and the very name "Son" is

proved at

Heb 1:5;

the "heirship,"

Heb 1:6-9;

the "making the worlds,"

Heb 1:10-12;

the "sitting at the right hand" of God,

Heb 1:13, 14."

His being made heir follows His sonship, and preceded His

making the worlds

(Pr 8:22, 23;

Eph 3:11).

As the first begotten, He is heir of the universe

(Heb 1:6),

which He made instrumentally,

Heb 11:3,

where "by the Word of God" answers to "by whom"' (the Son of God) here

(Joh 1:3).

Christ was "appointed" (in God's eternal counsel) to creation as an

office; and the universe so created was assigned to Him as a kingdom.

He is "heir of all things" by right of creation, and especially by

right of redemption. The promise to Abraham that he should be heir of

the world had its fulfilment, and will have it still more fully, in

Christ

(Ro 4:13;

Ga 3:16; 4:7).

worlds--the inferior and the superior worlds

(Col 1:16).

Literally, "ages" with all things and persons belonging to them; the

universe, including all space and ages of time, and all material and

spiritual existences. The Greek implies, He not only appointed

His Son heir of all things before creation, but He also (better

than "also He") made by Him the worlds.

3. Who being--by pre-existent and essential being.

brightness of his glory--Greek, the effulgence of

His glory. "Light of (from) light" [Nicene Creed]. "Who is so

senseless as to doubt concerning the eternal being of the Son? For when

has one seen light without effulgence?"

[ATHANASIUS, Against Arius, Orations, 2].

"The sun is never seen without effulgence, nor the Father without the

Son" [THEOPHYLACT]. It is because He is the

brightness, &c., and because He upholds, &c., that He sat

down on the right hand, &c. It was a return to His divine glory

(Joh 6:62; 17:5;

compare

Wisdom 7:25, 26,

where similar things are said of wisdom).

express image--"impress." But veiled in the flesh.

The Sun of God in glory beams

Too bright for us to scan;

But we can face the light that streams

For the mild Son of man.

(2Co 3:18)

of his person--Greek, "of His substantial essence";

"hypostasis."

upholding all things--Greek, "the universe."

Compare

Col 1:15, 17, 20,

which enumerates the three facts in the same order as here.

the word [BENGEL]. His word is God's

word

(Heb 11:3).

of his power--"The word" is the utterance which comes from His

(the Son's) power, and gives expression to it.

purged--Greek, "made purification of

. . . sins," namely, in His atonement, which graciously

covers the guilt of sin. "Our" is omitted in the oldest manuscripts.

Sin was the great uncleanness in God's sight, of which He has

effected the purgation by His sacrifice [ALFORD].

Our nature, as guilt-laden, could not, without our great High Priest's

blood of atonement sprinkling the heavenly mercy seat, come into

immediate contact with God. EBRARD says, "The

mediation between man and God, who was present in the Most Holy Place,

was revealed in three forms: (1) In sacrifices (typical propitiations

for guilt); (2) In the priesthood (the agents of those sacrifices); (3)

In the Levitical laws of purity (Levitical purity being attained by

sacrifice positively, by avoidance of Levitical pollution negatively,

the people being thus enabled to come into the presence of God without

dying,

De 5:26)"

(Le 16:1-34).

sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high--fulfilling

Ps 110:1.

This sitting of the Son at God's fight hand was by the act of the

Father

(Heb 8:1;

Eph 1:20);

it is never used of His pre-existing state co-equal with the Father,

but always of His exalted state as Son of man after His sufferings, and

as Mediator for man in the presence of God

(Ro 8:34):

a relation towards God and us about to come to an end when its object

has been accomplished

(1Co 15:28).

4. Being made . . . better--by His exaltation by the

Father

(Heb 1:3, 13):

in contrast to His being "made lower than the angels"

(Heb 2:9).

"Better," that is, superior to. As "being"

(Heb 1:3)

expresses His essential being so "being made"

(Heb 7:26)

marks what He became in His assumed manhood

(Php 2:6-9).

Paul shows that His humbled form (at which the Jews might stumble) is

no objection to His divine Messiahship. As the law was given by the

ministration of angels and Moses, it was inferior to the Gospel given

(Heb 1:4-14)

as God, and has been made, as the exalted Son of man

(Heb 2:5-18),

much better than the angels. The manifestations of God by angels (and

even by the angel of the covenant) at different times in the Old

Testament, did not bring man and God into personal union, as the

manifestation of God in human flesh does.

namely, Sonship; but He "obtained by inheritance,"

according to the promise of the Father, the name "Son," whereby

He is made known to men and angels. He is "the Son of God" is a sense

far exalted above that in which angels are called "sons of God"

(Job 1:6; 38:7).

"The fulness of the glory of the peculiar name "the Son of God," is

unattainable by human speech or thought. All appellations are but

fragments of its glory beams united in it as in a central sun,

Re 19:12.

A name that no than knew but He Himself."

5. For--substantiating His having "obtained a more excellent

name than the angels."

unto which--A frequent argument in this Epistle is derived from

the silence of Scripture

(Heb 1:13;

Heb 2:16; 7:3, 14)

[BENGEL].

this day have I begotten thee--

(Ps 2:7).

Fulfilled at the resurrection of Jesus, whereby the Father "declared,"

that is, made manifest His divine Sonship, heretofore veiled by His

humiliation

(Ac 13:33;

Ro 1:4).

Christ has a fourfold right to the title "Son of God"; (1) By

generation, as begotten of God; (2) By commission, as

sent by God; (3) By resurrection, as "the first-begotten of the

dead" (compare

Lu 20:36;

Ro 1:4;

Re 1:5);

(4) By actual possession, as heir of all

[BISHOP PEARSON]. The Psalm

here quoted applied primarily in a less full sense to Solomon, of whom

God promised by Nathan to David. "I will be his father and he shall be

my son." But as the whole theocracy was of Messianic import, the

triumph of David over Hadadezer and neighboring kings

(2Sa 8:1-18;

Ps 2:2, 3, 9-12)

is a type of God's ultimately subduing all enemies under His Son, whom

He sets (Hebrew, "anointed,"

Ps 2:6)

on His "holy hill of Zion," as King of the Jews and of the whole earth.

the antitype to Solomon, son of David. The "I" in Greek is

emphatic; I the Everlasting Father have begotten Thee this day,

that is, on this day, the day of Thy being manifested as My Son, "the

first-begotten of the dead"

(Col 1:18;

Re 1:5).

when Thou hast ransomed and opened heaven to Thy people. He had been

always Son, but now first was manifested as such in His once humbled,

now exalted manhood united to His Godhead. ALFORD

refers "this day" to the eternal generation of the Son: the day

in which the Son was begotten by the Father is an everlasting

to-day: there never was a yesterday or past time to Him, nor a

to-morrow or future time: "Nothing there is to come, and nothing past,

but an eternal NOW doth ever last"

(Pr 30:4;

Joh 10:30, 38; 16:28; 17:8).

The communication of the divine essence in its fulness, involves

eternal generation; for the divine essence has no beginning. But the

context refers to a definite point of time, namely, that of His having

entered on the inheritance

(Heb 1:4).

The "bringing the first-begotten into the world"

(Heb 1:6),

is not subsequent, as ALFORD thinks, to

Heb 1:5,

but anterior to it (compare

Ac 2:30-35).

6. And--Greek, "But." Not only this proves His

superiority, BUT a more decisive proof is

Ps 97:7,

which shows that not only at His resurrection, but also in prospect of

His being brought into the world (compare

Heb 9:11; 10:5)

as man, in His incarnation, nativity

(Lu 2:9-14),

temptation

(Mt 4:10, 11),

resurrection

(Mt 28:2),

and future second advent in glory, angels were designed by God to be

subject to Him. Compare

1Ti 3:16,

"seen of angels"; God manifesting Messiah as one to be gazed at with

adoring love by heavenly intelligences

(Eph 3:10;

2Th 1:9, 10;

1Pe 3:22).

The fullest realization of His Lordship shall be at His second coming

(Ps 97:7;

1Co 15:24, 25;

Php 2:9).

"Worship Him all ye gods" ("gods," that is, exalted beings, as

angels), refers to God; but it was universally admitted

among the Hebrews that God would dwell, in a peculiar sense, in Messiah

(so as to be in the Talmud phrase, "capable of being pointed to with

the finger"); and so what was said of God was true of, and to be

fulfilled in, Messiah. KIMCHI says that the

ninety-third through the hundred first Psalms contain in them the

mystery of Messiah. God ruled the theocracy in and through Him.

the world--subject to Christ

(Heb 2:5).

As "the first-begotten" He has the rights of primogeniture

(Ro 8:29);

Col 1:15, 16, 18).

In

De 32:43,

the Septuagint has, "Let all the angels of God worship Him,"

words not now found in the Hebrew. This passage of the

Septuagint may have been in Paul's mind as to the form,

but the substance is taken from

Ps 97:7.

The type David, in the

Ps 89:27

(quoted in

Heb 1:5),

is called "God's first-born, higher than the kings of the

earth"; so the antitypical first-begotten, the son of David, is to be

worshipped by all inferior lords, such as angels ("gods,"

Ps 97:7);

for He is "King of kings and Lord of lords"

(Re 19:16).

In the Greek, "again" is transposed; but this does not oblige

us, as ALFORD thinks, to translate, "when He

again shall have introduced," &c., namely, at Christ's second

coming; for there is no previous mention of a first bringing in;

and "again" is often used in quotations, not to be joined with the

verb, but parenthetically ("that I may again quote Scripture").

English Version is correct (compare

Mt 5:33;

Greek,

Joh 12:39).

7. of--The Greek is rather, "In reference TO the angels."

spirits--or "winds": Who employeth His angels as the winds, His

ministers as the lightnings; or, He maketh His angelic ministers the

directing powers of winds and flames, when these latter are required to

perform His will. "Commissions them to assume the agency or form of

flames for His purposes" [ALFORD].

English Version, "maketh His angels spirits," means, He

maketh them of a subtle, incorporeal nature, swift as the wind. So

Ps 18:10,

"a cherub . . . the wings of the wind."

Heb 1:14,

"ministering spirits," favors English Version here. As

"spirits" implies the wind-like velocity and subtle nature of the

cherubim, so "flame of fire" expresses the burning devotion and

intense all-consuming zeal of the adoring seraphim (meaning

"burning),

Isa 6:1.

The translation, "maketh winds His messengers, and a flame of fire His

ministers (!)," is plainly wrong. In the

Ps 104:3, 4,

the subject in each clause comes first, and the attribute predicated of

it second; so the Greek article here marks "angels" and

"ministers" as the subjects, and "winds" and "flame of fire,"

predicates, Schemoth Rabba says, "God is called God of Zebaoth

(the heavenly hosts), because He does what He pleases with His angels.

When He pleases, He makes them to sit

(Jud 6:11);

at other times to stand

(Isa 6:2);

at times to resemble women

(Zec 5:9);

at other times to resemble men

(Ge 18:2);

at times He makes them 'spirits'; at times, fire." "Maketh" implies

that, however exalted, they are but creatures, whereas the Son is the

Creator

(Heb 1:10):

not begotten from everlasting, nor to be worshipped, as

the Son

(Re 14:7; 22:8, 9).

8. O God--the Greek has the article to mark emphasis

(Ps 45:6, 7).

for ever . . . righteousness--Everlasting

duration and righteousness go together

(Ps 45:2; 89:14).

a sceptre of righteousness--literally, "a rod of rectitude," or

"straightforwardness." The oldest manuscripts prefix "and" (compare

Es 4:11).

9. iniquity--"unnrighteousness." Some oldest manuscripts read,

"lawlessness."

therefore--because God loves righteousness and hates iniquity.

God . . . thy God--JEROME,

AUGUSTINE, and others translate

Ps 45:7,

"O God, Thy God, hath anointed thee," whereby Christ is addressed as

God. This is probably the true translation of the Hebrew there,

and also of the Greek of Hebrews here; for it is likely the Son

is addressed, "O God," as in

Heb 1:8.

The anointing here meant is not that at His baptism, when He

solemnly entered on His ministry for us; but that with the "oil of

gladness," or "exulting joy" (which denotes a triumph, and

follows as the consequence of His manifested love of

righteousness and hatred of iniquity), wherewith, after His

triumphant completion of His work, He has been anointed by the Father

above His fellows (not only above us, His fellow men, the adopted

members of God's family, whom "He is not ashamed to call His brethren,"

but above the angels, fellow partakers in part with Him, though

infinitely His inferiors, in the glories, holiness, and joys of heaven;

"sons of God," and angel "messengers," though subordinate to the divine

Angel--"Messenger of the covenant"). Thus He is antitype to Solomon,

"chosen of all David's many sons to sit upon the throne of the kingdom

of the Lord over Israel," even as His father David was chosen before

all the house of his father's sons. The image is drawn from the custom

of anointing guests at feasts

(Ps 23:5);

or rather of anointing kings: not until His ascension did He assume the

kingdom as Son of man. A fuller accomplishment is yet to be,

when He shall be VISIBLY the anointed King over

the whole earth (set by the Father) on His holy hill of Zion,

Ps 2:6, 8.

So David, His type, was first anointed at Bethlehem

(1Sa 16:13;

Ps 89:20);

and yet again at Hebron, first over Judah

(2Sa 2:4),

then over all Israel

(2Sa 5:3);

not till the death of Saul did he enter on his actual kingdom; as it

was not till after Christ's death that the Father set Him at His right

hand far above all principalities

(Eph 1:20, 21).

The

forty-fifth Psalm

in its first meaning was addressed to Solomon; but the Holy Spirit

inspired the writer to use language which in its fulness can only apply

to the antitypical Solomon, the true Royal Head of the theocracy.

10. And--In another passage

(Ps 102:25-27)

He says.

in the beginning--English Version,

Ps 102:25,

"of old": Hebrew, "before," "aforetime." The Septuagint,

"in the beginning" (as in

Ge 1:1)

answers by contrast to the end implied in "They shall perish,"

&c. The Greek order here (not in the Septuagint) is,

"Thou in the beginning, O Lord," which throws the "Lord" into emphasis.

"Christ is preached even in passages where many might contend that the

Father was principally intended" [BENGEL].

laid the foundation of--"firmly founded" is included in

the idea of the Greek.

heavens--plural: not merely one, but manifold, and including

various orders of heavenly intelligences

(Eph 4:10).

works of thine hands--the heavens, as a woven veil or curtain

spread out.

11. They--The earth and the heavens in their present state and

form "shall perish"

(Heb 12:26, 27;

2Pe 3:13).

"Perish" does not mean annihilation; just as it did not mean so

in the case of "the world that being overflowed with water,

perished" under Noah

(2Pe 3:6).

The covenant of the possession of the earth was renewed with Noah and

his seed on the renovated earth. So it shall be after the perishing by

fire

(2Pe 3:12, 13).

remainest--through (so the Greek) all changes.

as . . . a garment--

(Isa 51:6).

12. vesture--Greek, "an enwrapping cloak."

fold them up--So the Septuagint,

Ps 102:26;

but the Hebrew, "change them." The Spirit, by Paul,

treats the Hebrew of the Old Testament, with independence of

handling, presenting the divine truth in various aspects; sometimes as

here sanctioning the Septuagint (compare

Isa 34:4;

Re 6:14);

sometimes the Hebrew; sometimes varying from both.

changed--as one lays aside a garment to put on another.

thou art the same--

(Isa 46:4;

Mal 3:6).

The same in nature, therefore in covenant faithfulness to Thy people.

shall not fail--Hebrew, "shall not end." Israel, in the

Babylonian captivity, in the hundred second Psalm, casts her hopes of

deliverance on Messiah, the unchanging covenant God of Israel.

13. Quotation from

Ps 110:1.

The image is taken from the custom of conquerors putting the feet on

the necks of the conquered

(Jos 10:24, 25).

14. ministering spirits--referring to

Heb 1:7,

"spirits . . . ministers." They are incorporeal

spirits, as God is, but ministering to Him as inferiors.

sent forth--present participle: "being sent forth"

continually, as their regular service in all ages.

to minister--Greek, "unto (that is, 'for') ministry."

for them--Greek, "on account of the." Angels are

sent forth on ministrations to God and Christ, not primarily to

men, though for the good of "those who are about to inherit

salvation" (so the Greek): the elect, who believe, or shall

believe, for whom all things, angels included, work together for good

(Ro 8:28).

Angels' ministrations are not properly rendered to men, since the

latter have no power of commanding them, though their ministrations to

God are often directed to the good of men. So the superiority of the

Son of God to angels is shown. They "all," how ever various their

ranks, "minister"; He is ministered to. They "stand"

(Lu 1:19)

before God, or are "sent forth" to execute the divine commands

on behalf of them whom He pleases to save; He "sits on the right

hand of the Majesty on high"

(Heb 1:3, 13).

He rules; they serve.