Hebrews 1:5 - Printer Friendly

ESV: For to which of the angels did God ever say, “You are my Son, today I have begotten you”? Or again, “I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son”?

NIV: For 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'?

NASB: For to which of the angels did He ever say, 'YOU ARE MY SON, TODAY I HAVE FATHERED YOU'? And again, 'I WILL BE A FATHER TO HIM AND HE WILL BE A SON TO ME'?

CSB: For to which of the angels did he 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?

NLT: For God never said to any angel what he said to Jesus: 'You are my Son. Today I have become your Father. ' God also said, 'I will be his Father, and he will be my Son.'

KJV: For 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?

NKJV: For to which of the angels did He ever say: “You are My Son, Today I have begotten You”? And again: “I will be to Him a Father, And He shall be to Me a Son”?

Verses 1 through 4 described Jesus as above any angel, both in power and authority. Starting in verse 5, the writer of Hebrews presents specific evidence from the Old Testament to support this. According to the prophets, the Messiah—Jesus Christ—is not some created being or spiritual power. He is the unique and superior Son of God. This explanation will continue through all of chapter 2. The writer will pause, however, in Hebrews 2:1–4 to give the first of several warnings against rejecting the gospel message.

The first citation given is from Psalm 2:7. This Psalm describes the crowning of a king, accompanied by celebration. Meanwhile, in other pagan nations, people oppose this new ruler. Psalm 2 encourages the other territories to obey God and to follow His chosen leader. Psalm 2:7 specifically implies that this new ruler derives his right to the throne from his relationship to God. The expression "I have begotten you" from this verse does not refer to biology, but to authority.

The writer of Hebrews uses this reference to support his claim that Jesus is an authority far above and beyond any angel. This same verse, Psalm 2:7, is quoted by Paul, who also makes the connection between it and the Messiah (Acts 13:33).

The second Old Testament citation is from 2 Samuel 7:14. This is part of a message given to King David, where God speaks through the prophet Nathan. In its immediate context, the verse refers to the literal family of David, since it also describes the penalties David's son would endure for disobedience. The writer of Hebrews is extending this concept of lineage, along with the reference in Psalm 2:7, to apply to the ultimate descendant of David, Jesus Christ. This connects to the idea of Jesus being highly honored, as mentioned in Hebrews 1:3.

Hebrews 1:5–14 uses a collection of Old Testament quotations. These are used to support the claims made in verses 1 through 4. In particular, the writer is explaining that Jesus Christ is not merely some angelic being or a created spiritual power. He is the exact nature of God and above all other authorities. Since this letter is written to a Jewish audience, this use of Old Testament material is crucial and would have been especially effective. This explanation continues through the entire second chapter of Hebrews.

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.