Hebrews 1
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
I. Introduction[a]
Chapter 1
1 In times past, God spoke in partial and various ways to our ancestors through the prophets; 2 in these last days, he spoke to us through a son, whom he made heir of all things and through whom he created the universe,(A)
3 who is the refulgence of his glory,
the very imprint of his being,
and who sustains all things by his mighty word.
When he had accomplished purification from sins,
he took his seat at the right hand of the Majesty on high,(B)
4 as far superior to the angels
as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.(C)
II. The Son Higher Than the Angels
Messianic Enthronement.[b] 5 For to which of the angels did God ever say:
“You are my son; this day I have begotten you”?(D)
Or again:
“I will be a father to him, and he shall be a son to me”?
6 And again, when he leads[c] the first-born into the world, he says:
“Let all the angels of God worship him.”(E)
7 Of the angels he says:
“He makes his angels winds
and his ministers a fiery flame”;(F)
8 but of the Son:
“Your throne, O God,[d] stands forever and ever;
and a righteous scepter is the scepter of your kingdom.(G)
9 You loved justice and hated wickedness;
therefore God, your God, anointed you
with the oil of gladness above your companions”;
10 and:
“At the beginning, O Lord, you established the earth,(H)
and the heavens are the works of your hands.
11 They will perish, but you remain;
and they will all grow old like a garment.
12 You will roll them up like a cloak,
and like a garment they will be changed.
But you are the same, and your years will have no end.”
13 But to which of the angels has he ever said:
“Sit at my right hand
until I make your enemies your footstool”?(I)
14 Are they not all ministering spirits sent to serve, for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation?(J)
Footnotes
- 1:1–4 The letter opens with an introduction consisting of a reflection on the climax of God’s revelation to the human race in his Son. The divine communication was initiated and maintained during Old Testament times in fragmentary and varied ways through the prophets (Hb 1:1), including Abraham, Moses, and all through whom God spoke. But now in these last days (Hb 1:2) the final age, God’s revelation of his saving purpose is achieved through a son, i.e., one who is Son, whose role is redeemer and mediator of creation. He was made heir of all things through his death and exaltation to glory, yet he existed before he appeared as man; through him God created the universe. Hb 1:3–4, which may be based upon a liturgical hymn, assimilate the Son to the personified Wisdom of the Old Testament as refulgence of God’s glory and imprint of his being (Hb 1:3; cf. Wis 7:26). These same terms are used of the Logos in Philo. The author now turns from the cosmological role of the preexistent Son to the redemptive work of Jesus: he brought about purification from sins and has been exalted to the right hand of God (see Ps 110:1). The once-humiliated and crucified Jesus has been declared God’s Son, and this name shows his superiority to the angels. The reason for the author’s insistence on that superiority is, among other things, that in some Jewish traditions angels were mediators of the old covenant (see Acts 7:53; Gal 3:19). Finally, Jesus’ superiority to the angels emphasizes the superiority of the new covenant to the old because of the heavenly priesthood of Jesus.
- 1:5–14 Jesus’ superiority to the angels is now demonstrated by a series of seven Old Testament texts. Some scholars see in the stages of Jesus’ exaltation an order corresponding to that of enthronement ceremonies in the ancient Near East, especially in Egypt, namely, elevation to divine status (Hb 1:5–6); presentation to the angels and proclamation of everlasting lordship (Hb 1:7–12); enthronement and conferral of royal power (Hb 1:13). The citations from the Psalms in Hb 1:5, 13 were traditionally used of Jesus’ messianic sonship (cf. Acts 13:33) through his resurrection and exaltation (cf. Acts 2:33–35); those in Hb 1:8, 10–12 are concerned with his divine kingship and his creative function. The central quotation in Hb 1:7 serves to contrast the angels with the Son. The author quotes it according to the Septuagint translation, which is quite different in meaning from that of the Hebrew (“You make the winds your messengers, and flaming fire your ministers”). The angels are only sent to serve…those who are to inherit salvation (Hb 1:14).
- 1:6 And again, when he leads: the Greek could also be translated “And when he again leads” in reference to the parousia.
- 1:8–12 O God: the application of the name “God” to the Son derives from the preexistence mentioned in Hb 1:2–3; the psalmist had already used it of the Hebrew king in the court style of the original. See note on Ps 45:7. It is also important for the author’s christology that in Hb 1:10–12 an Old Testament passage addressed to God is redirected to Jesus.
Hebrews 1
Living Bible
1 Long ago God spoke in many different ways to our fathers through the prophets, in visions, dreams, and even face to face,[a] telling them little by little about his plans.
2 But now in these days he has spoken to us through his Son to whom he has given everything and through whom he made the world and everything there is.
3 God’s Son shines out with God’s glory, and all that God’s Son is and does marks him as God. He regulates the universe by the mighty power of his command. He is the one who died to cleanse us and clear our record of all sin, and then sat down in highest honor beside the great God of heaven.
4 Thus he became far greater than the angels, as proved by the fact that his name “Son of God,” which was passed on to him from his Father, is far greater than the names and titles of the angels. 5-6 For God never said to any angel, “You are my Son, and today I have given you the honor that goes with that name.”[b] But God said it about Jesus. Another time he said, “I am his Father and he is my Son.” And still another time—when his firstborn Son came to earth—God said, “Let all the angels of God worship him.”
7 God speaks of his angels as messengers swift as the wind and as servants made of flaming fire; 8 but of his Son he says, “Your Kingdom, O God, will last forever and ever; its commands are always just and right. 9 You love right and hate wrong; so God, even your God, has poured out more gladness upon you than on anyone else.”
10 God also called him “Lord” when he said, “Lord, in the beginning you made the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands. 11 They will disappear into nothingness, but you will remain forever. They will become worn out like old clothes, 12 and some day you will fold them up and replace them. But you yourself will never change, and your years will never end.”
13 And did God ever say to an angel, as he does to his Son, “Sit here beside me in honor until I crush all your enemies beneath your feet”?
14 No, for the angels are only spirit-messengers sent out to help and care for those who are to receive his salvation.
Footnotes
- Hebrews 1:1 in visions, dreams, and even face to face, implied.
- Hebrews 1:5 today I have given you the honor that goes with that name, literally, “this day I have begotten you.”
Scripture texts, prefaces, introductions, footnotes and cross references used in this work are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC All Rights Reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.
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