Hebrews 1:4 - Printer Friendly

ESV: having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.

NIV: So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs.

NASB: having become so much better than the angels, to the extent that He has inherited a more excellent name than they.

CSB: So he became superior to the angels, just as the name he inherited is more excellent than theirs.

NLT: This shows that the Son is far greater than the angels, just as the name God gave him is greater than their names.

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

NKJV: having become so much better than the angels, as He has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.

Verse 4 makes another reference to the superiority of Jesus. In prior verses, the writer has explained that God's message to mankind is now being given through Jesus. Since Jesus Christ is the "exact imprint" of the nature of God, He is the ultimate authority. These verses also remind a reader that Jesus is the Creator; He is not a created being. This makes Him superior to all other beings, including the angels.

Worship of angels, and other spiritual beings, was not uncommon in the day this letter was written. Part of the point of verse 4 is that Jesus is not on the same level as these beings. He is far, far above them. Even if an angel were to appear and give a different message than that of Christ, Christ would still be the superior authority (Galatians 1:8).

The "name" of Jesus, in this context, has more to do with status and reputation than just a personal label. Jesus' position as divine, His role as Creator, and His work in reconciling God and man make Him "more excellent" than any other conceivable spiritual being. The following verses will give explicit Old Testament proof that the Messiah—Jesus Christ—is not merely some angelic being. Rather, He is the unique and all-powerful Son of God.

Hebrews 1:1–4 summarizes the entire book of Hebrews. God has spoken to mankind in many ways, but now He speaks to us through Christ. This same man, Jesus Christ, is also God, and shares in all aspects of the divine nature. Jesus' superiority over all other things is summarized in His symbolic position, seated at the right hand of God the Father. Everything which follows in the book of Hebrews supports this same basic theme: Christ is above and beyond all other things.

Chapter 1 starts off with an immediate appeal to God's communication with mankind. It also establishes the divinity of Jesus Christ. Hebrews describes Jesus as superior to all other beings and all other claims. The first area where Jesus is elevated is with respect to angels. Using direct quotations from the Old Testament, this chapter clearly demonstrates that Jesus is above, beyond, and far more than every angel. This theme will continue through chapter 2.

The first chapter of Hebrews establishes two primary ideas used to support the rest of the book. First, that God has spoken to mankind, most recently through Jesus, so we ought to be listening to Him. Secondly, chapter 1 introduces the fact that Jesus is superior to other spiritual beings, such as angels. These concepts are used to support the superiority of faith in Christ, over the Old Testament Law, expressed in the book's later chapters.

The book of Hebrews is meant to challenge, encourage, and empower Christian believers. According to this letter, Jesus Christ is superior to all other prophets and all other claims to truth. Since God has given us Christ, we ought to listen to what He says and not move backwards. The consequences of ignoring God are dire. Hebrews is important for drawing on many portions of the Old Testament in making a case that Christ is the ultimate and perfect expression of God's plan for mankind. This book presents some tough ideas about the Christian faith, a fact the author makes specific note of.