THE SON IS SUPERIOR TO ANGELS

Passage: Hebrews 1:5-14

Key verse: 8

NIV

The Son Superior to Angels

5 For to which of the angels did God ever say,

“You are my Son;
    today I have become your Father”[a]?(A)

Or again,

“I will be his Father,
    and he will be my Son”[b]?(B)

6 And again, when God brings his firstborn(C) into the world,(D) he says,

“Let all God’s angels worship him.”[c](E)

7 In speaking of the angels he says,

“He makes his angels spirits,
    and his servants flames of fire.”[d](F)

8 But about the Son he says,

“Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever;(G)
    a scepter of justice will be the scepter of your kingdom.
9 You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness;
    therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions(H)
    by anointing you with the oil(I) of joy.”[e](J)

10 He also says,

“In the beginning, Lord, you laid the foundations of the earth,
    and the heavens are the work of your hands.(K)
11 They will perish, but you remain;
    they will all wear out like a garment.(L)
12 You will roll them up like a robe;
    like a garment they will be changed.
But you remain the same,(M)
    and your years will never end.”[f](N)

13 To which of the angels did God ever say,

“Sit at my right hand(O)
    until I make your enemies
    a footstool(P) for your feet”[g]?(Q)

14 Are not all angels ministering spirits(R) sent to serve those who will inherit(S) salvation?(T)

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Footnotes
  1. Hebrews 1:5 Psalm 2:7
  2. Hebrews 1:5 2 Samuel 7:14; 1 Chron. 17:13
  3. Hebrews 1:6 Deut. 32:43 (see Dead Sea Scrolls and Septuagint)
  4. Hebrews 1:7 Psalm 104:4
  5. Hebrews 1:9 Psalm 45:6,7
  6. Hebrews 1:12 Psalm 102:25-27
  7. Hebrews 1:13 Psalm 110:1
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

5 For to which of the angels did God ever say,

(A)“You are my Son,
    today I have begotten you”?

Or again,

(B)“I will be to him a father,
    and he shall be to me a son”?

6 And again, when he brings (C)the firstborn into the world, he says,

(D)“Let all God's angels worship him.”

7 Of the angels he says,

(E)“He makes his angels winds,
    and his ministers a flame of fire.”

8 But of the Son he says,

(F)“Your throne, O God, is forever and ever,
    the scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom.
9 You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness;
therefore God, your God, (G)has anointed you
    with (H)the oil of gladness beyond your companions.”

10 And,

(I)“You, Lord, laid the foundation of the earth in the beginning,
    and the heavens are the work of your hands;
11 they will perish, but you remain;
    they will all wear out like a garment,
12 like a robe you will roll them up,
    like a garment they will be changed.[a]
But you are (J)the same,
    and your years will have no end.”

13 And to which of the angels has he ever said,

(K)“Sit at my right hand
    (L)until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet”?

14 Are they not all ministering spirits (M)sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to (N)inherit salvation?

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Footnotes
  1. Hebrews 1:12 Some manuscripts omit like a garment
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

1. Jesus, worshiped by angels (5-9)

Jesus is not an angel; he is God the Son. When God brought his firstborn into the world, angels worshiped him (6; Lk 2:14). Angels are heavenly beings. They are God's servants; they are his messengers. Jesus is God who became man; as a man, he is a descendant of King David. His throne will last for ever and ever. He rules with righteousness.

2. Jesus, the Eternal Creator (1

-14)

Jesus is the Word of God who was there in the beginning. He laid the foundations of the earth and he molded the heavens with his hands. Through him all things were made (Jn 1:1-3). Heaven and earth will wear out like an old coat, but the Eternal Creator will be the same forever. God did not tell the angels that they would reign, but he promised his Son that he would make his enemies his footstool. Jesus died and rose to defeat sin and death; he is seated at the right hand of God to reign forever.

Prayer: Praise the Father God who sent his Son to be our Savior. Praise Jesus who won the victory over life and death.

One Word: Jesus reigns forever