Hebrews 1:4

{4} Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent {i} name than they. (4) Before he comes to declare the office of Christ, he sets forth the excellency of his person. First of all he shows him to be man, and that in addition he is God also. (i) Dignity and honour.

The detailed development of the argument is now introduced. The point is to show the superiority of the agent of the new dispensation to the agents of the old - the angels and Moses. Christ's superiority to the angels is first discussed. Being made so much better than the angels (τοσούτῳ κρείττων γενόμενος τῶν ἀγγέλων) The informal and abrupt introduction of this topic goes to show that the writer was addressing Jewish Christians, who were familiar with the prominent part ascribed to angels in the O.T. economy, especially in the giving of the law. See on Galatians 3:9. For being made, rend. having become; which is to be taken in close connection with sat down, etc., and in contrast with ὢν being, Hebrews 1:3. It is not denied that the Son was essentially and eternally superior to the angels; but his glorification was conditioned upon his fulfillment of the requirements of his human state, and it is this that is emphasized. After having passed through the experience described in Philippians 2:6-8, he sat down on the right hand of the divine majesty as messianic sovereign, and so became or proved to be what in reality he was from eternity, superior to the angels. Τοσούτῳ - ὅσῳ so much - as. Never used by Paul. Κρείττων better, superior, rare in Paul, and always neuter and adverbial. In Hebrews thirteen times. See also 1 Peter 3:17; 2 Peter 2:21. Often in lxx. It does not indicate here moral excellence, but dignity and power.

He became superior to the angels, resuming his preincarnate dignity, as he had been, for a brief period, less or lower than the angels (Hebrews 2:7). The superiority of Messiah to the angels was affirmed in rabbinical writings. He hath by inheritance obtained (κεκληρονόμηκεν) More neatly, as Rev., hath inherited, as a son. See Hebrews 1:2, and comp. Romans 8:17. For the verb, see on Acts 13:19, and see on 1 Peter 1:4. More excellent (διαφορώτερον) Διάφορος only once outside of Hebrews, Romans 12:6. The comparative only in Hebrews. In the sense of more excellent, only in later writers. Its earlier sense is different. The idea of difference is that which radically distinguishes it from κρείττων better. Here it presents the comparative of a comparative conception. The Son's name differs from that of the angels, and is more different for good. Than they (παρ' αὐτοὺς) Lit. beside or in comparison with them. Παρα, indicating comparison, occurs a few times in Luke, as Luke 3:13; Luke 13:2; Luke 18:4. In Hebrews always to mark comparison, except Hebrews 11:11, Hebrews 11:12.

Hebrews 1:4 to Hebrews 2:18 . The Son and the Angels . Hebrews 1:4 , although forming part of the sentence 1–3, introduces a subject which continues to be more or less in view throughout chaps 1 and 2. The exaltation of the Mediator to the right hand of Sovereignty is in keeping with His designation as Son, a designation which marked Him out as superior to the angels. Proof is adduced from the O.T. To this proof, in accordance with the writer’s manner, a resulting admonition is attached, Hebrews 2:1-4 . And the remainder of chap. 2 is occupied with an explanation of the reasonableness of the incarnation and the suffering it involved; or, in other words, it is explained why if Christ is really greater than the angels, He had to be made a little lower than they. τοσούτῳ κρείττων γενόμενος … “having become as much superior to the angels as He has obtained a more excellent name than they”. The form of comparison here used, τοσ .… ὅσῳ is found also, Hebrews 7:20-22 , Hebrews 8:6 , Hebrews 10:25 ; also in Philo. κρείττων is one of the words most necessary in an Epistle in which comparison is never out of sight. The Son became ( γενόμενος ) greater than the angels in virtue of taking His seat at God’s right hand. This exaltation was the result of His earthly work. It is as Mediator of the new revelation, who has cleansed the sinful by His death, that He assumes supremacy. And this is in keeping with and in fulfilment of His obtaining the name of Son.

This name κεκληρονόμηκεν , He has obtained, not “von Anfang an” as Bleek and others say, but as Riehm points out, in the O.T. The Messiah, then future, was spoken of as Son; and therefore to the O.T. reference is at once made in proof. The Messianic Sonship no doubt rests upon the Eternal Sonship, but it is not the latter but the former that is here in view. In support of this statement the writer adduces an abundance of evidence, no fewer than seven passages being cited from the O.T. Before considering these, two preliminary objections may first be removed. (1) To us nothing may seem less in need of proof than that Christ who has indelibly impressed Himself on mankind is superior to the angels who are little more than a picturesque adornment of earthly life. But when this writer lived the angels may be said to have been in possession, whereas Christ had yet to win His inheritance. Moreover, as Schoettgen shows (p. 905) it was usual and needful to make good the proposition, “Messias major est Patriarchis, Mose, et Angelis ministerialibus”. Prof. Odgers, too, has shown ( Proceedings of Soc. of Hist. Theol. , 1895–6) that quite possibly the writer had in view some Jewish Gnostics who believed that Christ Himself belonged to the angelic creation and had, with the angels, a fluid personality and no proper human nature.

Hebrews 1:4-6 . Being made — Rather being; (for the word made is not implied in the original expression, γενομενος ;) so much better — Higher; than the angels — As the Jews gloried exceedingly in the law of Moses, on account of its being delivered by the ministry of angels, the apostle proves, by passages from the Jewish Scriptures, that the Son is superior in nature and dignity to all the angelical hosts. How much more then may we glory in the gospel, which was given, not by the ministry of angels, but by the very Son of God. As he hath by inheritance obtained — Greek, κεκληρονομηκην , he hath inherited; a more excellent name than they — Namely, the name of Son; a name which he is said to inherit, because he really is God’s Son, and that in a sense in which no creature, man or angel, is his Song of Solomon 1 st, Not by adoption, regeneration, or title, as patriarchs, prophets, or any other saints might be his sons: for he is distinguished from all these, Mark 12:6 . 2d, Not by the resurrection merely, by which the saints will hereafter be manifested to be the sons of God, Luke 20:36 . For he was distinguished from Moses and Elias on the mount of transfiguration, who had both entered the immortal state, Matthew 17:6 . 3d, Not by creation, as Adam was, ( Luke 3:38 ,) and angels are God’s sons; for he is here represented as having a right to the name of Song of Solomon by inheritance, which the angels have not.

Hence he is termed the only- begotten of the Father; an expression which excludes from that honourable relation angels, and all other beings whatever. For unto which of the angels — Although sometimes termed in Scripture the sons of God, because created by him; said he at any time, Thou art my Son — God of God, Light of Light, the eternal Word of the eternal Father; this day have I begotten thee — Namely, in and from eternity; which, by its unalterable permanency of duration, is one continued unsuccessive day. See the note on Psalm 2:7 . “It is true, because the angel said to his mother, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee; therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God; some contend that these words, Thou art my Son, &c.; are a prediction of our Lord’s miraculous conception. But on that supposition the argument taken from the name falls: for instead of proving Jesus superior to angels, his miraculous conception does not make him superior to Adam, who was as much the immediate work of God as Christ’s human nature was the immediate work of the Holy Ghost. Besides, he is said ( John 3:17 ) to have been the Son of God before he was sent into the world;” and Hebrews 1:2 of this chapter, when the worlds were made by him. See Macknight.

Hebrews 1:4 . Τοσούτῳ , so much ) This verse has two clauses, of which, by Chiasmus, the second is discussed in Hebrews 1:5 , but the first in Hebrews 1:13 ; and the Interrogation gives a point to both. The Chiasmus,[6] σχῆμα χιαστὸν , oratio decussata , is so frequent in this epistle, that the observation of this figure alone contributes very much to the explanation of the epistle. See Hebrews 1:9 , ch. Hebrews 2:9 ; Hebrews 2:12 ; Hebrews 2:17 , Hebrews 3:1 ; Hebrews 3:8 , Hebrews 4:14-16 , Hebrews 5:7 , Hebrews 6:7 , Hebrews 7:6 , Hebrews 8:4 ; Hebrews 8:10 , Hebrews 9:1 , Hebrews 10:20 ; Hebrews 10:23 ; Hebrews 10:33 ; Hebrews 10:38 , Hebrews 11:1 ; Hebrews 11:33 , Hebrews 12:22-24 , Hebrews 13:10 , with the annott. It may be asked, Why, in this one epistle, does that figure occur in every chapter? Ans . It is shown, at some of those passages which I have just now quoted, that Paul uses the Chiasmus even elsewhere, but more frequently to the Jews; and Surenhusius shows, in the βίβλος καταλλαγῆς , p. 78, etc., 607, 608, that their teachers greatly delight in this figure of speech in their writings. Therefore the apostle, who became all things to all men, has adapted his style to the Hebrews; and these men, who were guided by the Spirit, had quite ready at their command all the forms of discourse, in a greater degree than the most practised rhetoricians.— κρείττων γενόμενος , being made better ) by His exaltation, Hebrews 1:3 ; Hebrews 1:13 .

The antithesis is ἠλαττωμένον , made lower or less , ch. Hebrews 2:9 . This may be compared with Mark 10:18 , note, [where Jesus, in His voluntary humiliation, saith, “Why callest thou Me good?” etc.] κρείττων , better , more excellent, more powerful: οἱ κρείττονες , the gods, among the ancient heathens.— τῶν ἀγγέλων , than the angels ) whose excellence is elsewhere spoken of as great.— παρʼ αὐτοὺς ) παρὰ denotes great pre-eminence above [as compared with] others. Comp. παρὰ , Hebrews 1:9 , ch. Hebrews 3:3 . Angels are excluded in part explicitly, Hebrews 1:5 ; Hebrews 1:13 , and in part by implication; for while none of them has taken this name, the Son of GOD, from that very circumstance they are not the heirs of this name , and therefore not the heirs of all things; but they are a portion, no doubt a distinguished one, of the inheritance of the Son, whom they worship as Lord, Hebrews 1:6 : nor were the worlds created by them, but rather they themselves were created, Hebrews 1:7 .— κεκληρονόμηκεν ὄνομα , He hath inherited a name ) The name of Son is proper for the Son, because He is the Son; and in this name principally the inheritance consists. All things are an addition to the inheritance, Hebrews 1:2 . The inheritance of the name is more ancient than the worlds themselves. The inheritance of all things is as old as all things themselves. [6] See Appendix.