Hebrews — Chapter 1
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1On many past occasions and in many different ways, God spoke to our fathers through the prophets.
2But in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, and through whom He made the universe.
3The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His nature, upholding all things by His powerful word. After He had provided purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.
4So He became as far superior to the angels as the name He has inherited is excellent beyond theirs.
5For to which of the angels did God ever say: “You are My Son; today I have become Your Father”? Or again: “I will be His Father, and He will be My Son”?
6And again, when God brings His firstborn into the world, He says: “Let all God’s angels worship Him.”
7Now about the angels He says: “He makes His angels winds, His servants flames of fire.”
8But about the Son He says: “Your throne, O God, endures forever and ever, and justice is the scepter of Your kingdom.
9You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, Your God, has anointed You above Your companions with the oil of joy.”
10And: “In the beginning, O Lord, You laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of Your hands.
11They will perish, but You remain; they will all wear out like a garment.
12You will roll them up like a robe; like a garment they will be changed; but You remain the same, and Your years will never end.”
13Yet to which of the angels did God ever say: “Sit at My right hand until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet”?
14Are not the angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?
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?
1God, having of old time spoken unto the fathers in the prophets by divers portions and in divers manners,
2hath at the end of these days spoken unto us in [his] Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom also he made the worlds;
3who being the effulgence of his glory, and the very image of his substance, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had made purification of sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;
4having become by so much better than the angels, as he hath inherited 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 when he again bringeth in the firstborn into the world he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him.
7And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels winds, And his ministers a flame a fire:
8but of the Son [he saith,] Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever; And the sceptre of uprightness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.
9Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; Therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee With the oil of gladness above thy fellows.
10And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning didst lay the foundation of the earth, And the heavens are the works of thy hands:
11They shall perish; but thou continuest: And they all shall wax old as doth a garment;
12And as a mantle shalt thou roll them up, As a garment, and they shall be changed: But thou art the same, And thy years shall not fail.
13But of which of the angels hath he said at any time, Sit thou on my right hand, Till I make thine enemies the footstool of thy feet?
14Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to do service for the sake of them that shall inherit salvation?
1After God spoke long ago in various portions and in various ways to our ancestors through the prophets,
2in these last days he has spoken to us in a son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he created the world.
3The Son is the radiance of his glory and the representation of his essence, and he sustains all things by his powerful word, and so when he had accomplished cleansing for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.
4Thus he became so far better than the angels as he has inherited a name superior to theirs.
5For to which of the angels did God ever say, “You are my son! Today I have fathered you”? And in another place he says, “I will be his father and he will be my son.”
6But when he again brings his firstborn into the world, he says, “Let all the angels of God worship him!”
7And he says of the angels, “He makes his angels winds and his ministers a flame of fire,”
8but of the Son he says, “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, and a righteous scepter is the scepter of your kingdom.
9You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness.So God, your God, has anointed you over your companions with the oil of rejoicing.”
10And, “You founded the earth in the beginning, Lord, and the heavens are the works of your hands.
11They will perish, but you continue. And they will all grow old like a garment,
12and like a robe you will fold them upand like a garment they will be changed, but you are the same and your years will never run out.”
13But to which of the angels has he ever said, “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet”?
14Are they not all ministering spirits, sent out to serve those who will inherit salvation?
1God, having in the past spoken to the fathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways,
2has at the end of these days spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom also he made the worlds.
3His Son is the radiance of his glory, the very image of his substance, and upholding all things by the word of his power, who, when he had by himself purified us of our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;
4having become so much better than the angels, as he has inherited a more excellent name than they have.
5For to which of the angels did he say at any time, “You are my Son. Today I have become your father?” and again, “I will be to him a Father, and he will be to me a Son?”
6When he again brings in the firstborn into the world he says, “Let all the angels of God worship him.”
7Of the angels he says, “Who makes his angels winds, and his servants a flame of fire.”
8But of the Son he says, “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever. The scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your Kingdom.
9You have loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness above your fellows.”
10And, “You, Lord, in the beginning, laid the foundation of the earth. The heavens are the works of your hands.
11They will perish, but you continue. They all will grow old like a garment does.
12You will roll them up like a mantle, and they will be changed; but you are the same. Your years will not fail.”
13But which of the angels has he told at any time, “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies the footstool of your feet?”
14Aren’t they all serving spirits, sent out to do service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation?
Summary
The author contrasts God's past revelation through the prophets, given at many times and in various ways, with his final revelation through his Son (vv. 1-2), who reflects God's own glory and bears the very stamp of his nature, upholding the universe by his word and now seated at God's right hand after purifying people from sin (v. 3). A series of Old Testament quotations then establishes the Son's superiority to angels: he alone is called God's Son and is worshiped by angels (vv. 4-6), his throne and reign are eternal while creation itself will wear out and be discarded like an old garment (vv. 8-12), and he sits enthroned while angels remain merely serving spirits sent to assist those who will inherit salvation (vv. 13-14).
Authorship & Background
Commentary
- Enduring Word (David Guzik): enduringword.com Guzik covers the superiority of Christ's revelation, the seven descriptions of Christ (v.3), and the seven OT quotations proving superiority to angels.
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown (1871): blueletterbible.org A critical and explanatory commentary on the whole Bible, more concise than Matthew Henry and closer to the Hebrew and Greek, with attention to historical and geographical detail. Public domain.
- Matthew Henry's Exposition (1710): blueletterbible.org A devotional verse-by-verse commentary in the Puritan tradition, still among the most widely read three centuries on. Public domain.
Videos
Articles
- GotQuestions.org: gotquestions.org On the whole book: an overview of the book of Hebrews -- who wrote it, when, why, and how it fits the rest of Scripture.
Links open on the publisher's own site. Nothing here is reproduced on this page.
Reflection
- God's Final Word (vv.1-2) — After speaking through prophets in many ways over many centuries, God has now spoken fully and finally through His Son. Do you treat Christ as God's definitive word to you, or just one voice among many you listen to?
- The Exact Imprint of God (v.3) — Christ is described as the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of His being, sustaining all things by His own powerful word. When you want to know what God is really like, do you look to Jesus first?
- Sat Down in Victory (v.3) — After purging sins, Christ sat down at God's right hand — a posture of completed work, not ongoing labor. Are you resting in the fact that His sacrifice is finished, or still striving as if there's more for you to add?
- An Eternal, Unchanging Throne (vv.8-12) — The Father addresses the Son as God, declares His throne eternal, and describes Him as the Creator who remains the same while everything else wears out and changes. In a life full of shifting circumstances, does Christ's unchanging nature give you real stability?
- Angels in Your Service (v.14) — Angels are described as ministering spirits sent out to serve those who will inherit salvation. Does it change how you see your struggles to know you're served by angels — not because of your own worth, but because of your inheritance in Christ?