Hebrews 1


Verse 1. - God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,

1. Sundry times - many and varied times in the long ago.

2. Divers manners - many and varied ways in the long ago.

3. Unto the Fathers by the prophets - The Old Testament.


Verse 2 - Hath 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;

A. Last days. – I John 2:18.

B. Spoken to us by His Son. The New Testament.

1. Us - the apostles who wrote the New Testament.

  1. By His Son - Though the counsel of the Lord Jesus Christ.

  2. II Peter 3:2 - Peter describes the Old and New Testaments.

  1. Heir of all things

    1. I Cor. 15:24-28 – Christ shall one day have complete, total rule over all this world.

    2. Heb. 1:14 – Angels minister to the heirs of salvation. We also have an inheritance because we are in the family.

    3. Romans 8:17 – Joint heirs with Christ.

    4. Gal. 3:29 – We are Abraham’s seed – joint heirs with Christ.


Verse 3 - Who 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;

A. Brightness of his glory.

  1. John 1:14 - And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

  2. John 14:9 - Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Show us the Father? 1

B. Express image of his person.

  1. The word “express” means “the same as.” Example: an engraving, an exact copy. The words “express image” in our KJV come from the same Greek word.

  2. II Cor. 4:4 - In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

  3. Col. 1:15,16 - Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: 16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:

C. Uphold by the Word of His Power.

  1. Psalms 75:3 - The earth and all the inhabitants thereof are dissolved: I bear up the pillars of it. Selah.

  1. This Psalm shows how God will bear up the pillars of His power.

  2. Verse 6-10 – Any promotion or increase comes from God.

  3. He is the judge.

  4. He will completely destroy all power but His own.

  1. Col. 1:17 - And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.

  1. This passage shows how God is the very center of everything on this earth, both tangible and intangible.

  2. Verse 15 states that Christ is the image of the invisible God, who freely gives us eternal salvation.

  3. Verse 16,17 states that Christ has created everything, and He continues to hold everything together.

  4. Verse 18 declares that Christ is the head of the church He created during His own personal ministry.

  5. Verse 19-20 concludes that it pleased the Father for all fulness to dwell in the Son, and the Son has made peace through the blood for His cross, in order to reconcile everything unto Himself.

  1. Rev. 4:11 - Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.

  1. This verse is a concluding verse, stating that in the end of time, every person will know how great God is and that Jesus Christ is all in all.

  2. None will doubt, because every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess.

  1. Word of His power.

  1. Just as it is God’s Word (the world was spoken into existence) that caused the worlds to appear, so it is God’s Word that reveals to sinners their eternal damnation and brings conviction of sins and brings them to the blood of Christ for redemption.

  2. John 1:14 – Jesus the Word of God. Compare to John 1:1.

  3. Eccl. 8:4 remarks that in the word of the king is power, and who will rebuke the king?

  4. Romans 1:16 reveals the gospel as the power of God, and this power is in His Word.

  5. II Cor. 4:7 states that we have this power of God, the gospel, in earthern vessels (these mortal bodies). When we as saved sinners receive the command and burden from God to preach the everlasting gospel, this is a great thing indeed. We show the excellency of God and His great power when we preach a gospel that brings sinners to Himself. We preach a power that is outside ourselves, a power that we do not understand, and cannot explain, yet a power that is totally essential to eternal life.

D. By Himself purged our sins.

  1. Christ created all this world and He will redeem it. He will need no help from men, or anybody or anything else. On the part of men – good works, baptism, church membership, holding offices in the church, giving tithes and offerings, whatever – will never play even the smallest part in salvation.

  2. John 1:29 – John the Baptist pointed out Christ as the one who will take away the sins of the world.

  3. I John 1:7 – It is the blood of Christ that cleanses us from all sins.

  4. I John 3:5 – Christ appeared to take away our sins, and He has no sins.

  5. Heb. 7:27 – Christ didn’t need to offer a sacrifice for his own sins as the Levitical priesthood did. He had no sins.

  6. Hebrews 9:12-14 – Christ entered the Holy of Holies with His own blood, not with the blood of animals, which could never take away sins.

E. Sat down because the work was finished.

  1. Compare Hebrews 10:11 and 12 – The high priest stood daily, ministering the blood of animals. Christ gave one sacrifice and then sat down, because the work of redemption was finished.

  2. John 19:30 - When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.

  3. When the lost are finished - James 1:15 - Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.

  1. When the lost die, there is no more opportunity for redemption.

  2. The lost are still because there is nothing more to be done.

  3. They await their eternal damnation. 2


CHRIST COMPARED TO THE ANGELS

Verse 4-14


    1. The show “Touched by an Angel” is from the devil.

    2. Compare: - Hebrews 1:4 to Heb. 2:7,9,16 – Christ is better than the angels, yet is created a little lower than them.


Verse 4 - Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.

A. Being made.

    1. The word “made” makes many people feel that Christ was created or made.

    2. The word doesn’t mean that Christ was created, but that He “became,” or it was brought to pass (through the works of Christ) to be revealed that Christ was better than the angels.

    3. Christ did things (redemption) that the angels could not do.

    1. “Better than the angels”

      1. Hebrews 2:9 – Jesus was made a little lower than the angels.

      2. The “chain of command” or order of importance is:

  1. God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit.

  2. Angels.

  3. Men.

  4. Animals. (This includes fish, creeping things, beasts, birds.)

  5. Plants.

      1. We might think that Christ being made in the likeness of men (Phil 2:5) would put him below angels.

  1. This is not so, because Christ is incapable of sin, and the angels were capable of sin.

  2. This is proven by the 1/3 of the angels that followed Satan in His rebellion against God.

  3. Christ is made like men, yet without sin.

  4. Christ is like God, therefore He is still God, above angels, and definitely above men, who are dead in trespasses and sins.

    1. A comparison between Christ and His creation, both angels and men.

  1. He is independent, they are dependent.

  2. He blesses, they receive blessings.

  3. He is worshipped, they worship.

  4. He is the king, they are the subjects.

  5. He is the master, they are the servants.

  6. He sends, they are sent.

    1. There are two ways Christ is better than the angels.

  1. By inheritance.

  1. Inheritance is what makes Christ above all.

  2. Psalms 2:7,8 – God declares that Christ is His son, and when Christ asks, God will give Him the heathen for an inheritance.

  3. Those who receive an inheritance do so because they are born into the family.

  4. There are those who are “adopted” who will also receive an inheritance.

  5. The position Christ has isn’t by promotion, but by inheritance because he is the Son of God. Promotion is what re-incarnation is about. Mormonism is about promotion.

  6. Every other person in heaven will have place because of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, not because of any good thing they have done.

  1. Obtained a better name.

  1. Phil. 2:9- Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:

  2. All will bow before Christ and confess that He is above all.


General outline for the rest of the chapter


    1. Proving Christ is greter than the angels from Scripture. This shows us the correct way to prove anything – use ample scripture.

      1. Verse 5 – Psalms 2:7

      2. Verse 5 – Psalms 89:26

      3. Verse 6 – Psalms 97:7

      4. Verse 7 – Psalms 104:4

      5. Verse 8,9 – Psalms 45:6,7

      6. Verse 10-12 – Pslams 102:25-27

      7. Verse 13 – Psalms 110:1

    1. Divisions of the passage.

      1. Verse 4-6 – Scriptural proof that Christ has obtained a greater inheritance than the angels.

      2. Verse 7-12 – Comparing what God has given the angels (verse 7 – quotes Psalms 104:4) and what God has given Jesus (verse 8-12)

    1. Verse 8-9 quotes Psalms 45:6,7.

    2. Verse 10-12 quotes Psalms 102:25-27.

      1. Verse 13 – Comparsion between angels and Jesus (Quote Psalms 110:1)

      2. Verse 14 – Conclusion.

    1. Angels are ministering spirits (they are not the Saviour.)

    2. Angels are sent tominister to the elect.


Verse 5 - 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?

A. Thou art my Son.

  1. Psalms 2:7,8 - I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee. 8 Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.

  2. Psalms 89:26, 27 - He shall cry unto me, Thou art my father, my God, and the rock of my salvation. 27 Also I will make him my firstborn, higher than the kings of the earth.

    1. God never said to any angel, or anybody else, these precious words.

      1. Compare verse 5 to verse 13.

      2. In these two verses God is saying things to Christ He has never said, nor ever will say, to anybody else.

      3. Christ is the only begotten Son of the Father.

      4. Saved people are the Sons of God, but not in the same relationship as Christ is to the Father.

      5. Christ will sit beside His Father, ruling with a rod of iron.

      6. The Faithful saved will also rule and reign with Christ, but not in the same degree as Christ reigns with His Father.


Verse 6 - And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him.

A. The angels of God will worship Christ because all know that Christ is above all.

  1. I don’t know where this quote comes from, as I could find no scripture in the Old Testament, which contains these words.

  1. It is likely a combination of verses.

  2. The general thought is realized in Revelation 5:11-12 when the angels worship Jesus Christ.

  3. This worship is in the middle of other worship.

    1. Rev. 5:8-10 – The 24 elders (representatives of all the saved of all the ages) worship God.

    2. Rev. 5:11-12 – The angels worship God.

    3. Rev. 5:13 – Every creature worships God.

    4. Rev. 5:14 – The 24 elders worship again.

  1. Psalms 97:7 - The word “gods,” translated from the Hebrew “Elohim,” refers to the angels or anybody else who is put in the place of God.

  1. Col. 2:18 - the worshipping of angels. We are not to worship angels. ("Worshipping of angels" was a practice which very early prevailed among some that were called Christians, and for a long time continued in Phrygia and Pisidia; some make Simon Magus, and others Cerinthus, the author of this idolatry; but was not only a branch of the Platonic philosophy, and so a part of that philosophy and vain deceit before mentioned. 3) Today, the worshipping of angels is being revived in television programs and books. It is a form of religion, but it certainly denies the power and purposes of God.

  2. Angels worship Almighty God. Rev. 7:11 - And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God, 12 Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen.

  3. John is instructed by the angels they are not to be worshipped. Rev. 22:8,9 - And I John saw these things, and heard them. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which showed me these things. 9 Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God.

B. First begotten - Psalms 89:27 - Also I will make him my firstborn, higher than the kings of the earth.

      1. This verse teach that at one time Christ (the firstbegotten) wasn’t in the world.

      2. This verse also teaches there is coming a time when Christ shall be exalted above every king, actually above every thing and every person.


Compare Verses 7 With Verse 8 And 9


Verse 7 - And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire.

A. Psalms 104:4 - Who maketh his angels spirits; his ministers a flaming fire:

B. The context of this passage shows the power of God in controlling all aspects of His environment.


Verse 8 - But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.

A. Psalms 45:6 - Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: the sceptre of thy kingdom is a right sceptre.

B. This Psalms speaks of the glory of Jesus Christ above all. Verse 7 doesn’t speak of a “contest” in heaven to figure out who is the greatest. It speaks of the fact that Christ is greater than all.

C. The “sceptre” is a rod or stick held by the king with which he gives commands. The sceptre is the instrument, righteousness is the way or method the sceptre is operated.


Verse 9 - Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.

A. This is almost a direct quote from Psalms 45:7 - Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness: therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.


Verse 10-12 - And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands: 11 They shall perish; but thou remainest; and they all shall wax old as doth a garment; 12 And as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed: but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail.

A. Almost a direct quote from Psalms 102:25-27 - Of old hast thou laid the foundation of the earth: and the heavens are the work of thy hands. 26 They shall perish, but thou shalt endure: yea, all of them shall wax old like a garment; as a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed: 27 But thou art the same, and thy years shall have no end.


Verse 13 - But to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool?

      1. Quoted from Psalms 110:1 - A Psalm of David. The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.

      2. See verse 5 for my comments on verse 13.


Verse 14 – Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?

        1. Angels, referred to in verse 13, are ministering spirits, not the redeemer.

        2. Angels minister to the saints at the command of God and Christ. 4