Hebrews 1:5-14

Hebrews 1:5-14

[5] For  unto which  of the angels  said he  at any time,  Thou  Son,  this day  begotten  And  again,  to  him  a Father,  and  he  to  a Son?  [6] And  again,  when  he bringeth in  the firstbegotten  into  the world,  he saith,  And  all  the angels  of God  worship  him.  [7] And  of  the angels  he saith,  Who maketh  his  angels  spirits,  and  his  ministers  a flame  of fire.  [8] But  unto  the Son  throne,  O God,  is for  ever  a sceptre  of righteousness  is the sceptre  kingdom.  [9] Thou hast loved  righteousness,  and  hated  iniquity;  therefore  God,  hath anointed  with the oil  of gladness  above  fellows.  [10] And,  Thou,  Lord,  in  the beginning  hast laid the foundation  of the earth;  and  the heavens  the works  hands:  [11] They  shall perish;  but  thou  remainest;  and  they all  shall wax old  as  doth a garment;  [12] And  as  a vesture  them  up,  and  they shall be changed:  but  thou  the same,  and  years  not  fail.  [13] But  to  which  of the angels  said he  at any time,  Sit  on  right hand,  until  I make  enemies  footstool?  [14] not  all  ministering  spirits,  sent forth  to  minister  for  them who shall  be heirs of  salvation? 

What does Hebrews 1:5-14 Mean?

Contextual Meaning

The writer proceeded to explain the exaltation of Jesus Christ to help his readers appreciate the fact that He fulfilled Old Testament prophecy concerning the Son of David. He did this so they would appreciate Him properly and not overemphasize the importance of angels. Angels were very important in Judaism primarily because multitudes of them assisted God in giving the Mosaic Law at Mount Sinai (cf. Deuteronomy 33:2; Psalm 68:17; Acts 7:53; Galatians 3:19). They also appeared occasionally to make very important announcements (e.g, Genesis 16:9; Genesis 31:11; Exodus 3:2; et al.).
"The internal structure of the first major segment of the address ( Hebrews 1:11-124 to Hebrews 2:18) exhibits the writer"s customary style of alternating between two types of literary genre, exposition and exhortation. The chain of OT passages demonstrating the superiority of the Son to angels ( Hebrews 1:5-13) is expository in character and lays the foundation for the solemn appeal in Hebrews 2:1-4." [1]
The "hook-word" that connects these two sections of the epistle ( Hebrews 1:1-4 and Hebrews 1:5-14) is "angels." Lane provided the following helpful comparisons. [2]
Parallels between Hebrews 1:1-4and Hebrews 1:5-13 Hebrews 1:1-4 Hebrews 1:5-13AAppointment as royal heir ( Hebrews 1:2 b)A"Appointment as royal Son and heir ( Hebrews 1:5-9)BMediator of the creation ( Hebrews 1:2 c)B"Mediator of the creation ( Hebrews 1:10)CEternal nature and pre-existent glory ( Hebrews 1:3 a-b)C"Unchanging, eternal nature ( 1711724571_37)DExaltation to God"s right hand ( Hebrews 1:3 c)D"Exaltation to God"s right hand ( Hebrews 1:13)
"Christology is the central focus in all the theology of Hebrews , and two titles of Christ are central to its Christology: Son of God and High Priest. Around these two focal points all the major ideas in Hebrews concerning Christ"s person and work can be located. Christ as High Priest is actually the more distinctive and important idea in the theology of the book, but Christ as Son of God is foundational." [3]
Bibliology (specifically the writer"s uses of the Old Testament), eschatology, and soteriology (specifically progressive sanctification and perseverance) are also major theological emphases in Hebrews. [4]
The writer cited seven Old Testament passages to prove Jesus" superiority over the angels ( Hebrews 1:4). As mentioned previously, the number seven was especially significant to the Jews as representing the completeness of something (e.g, the work of creation, etc.). Probably the writer used seven facts in Hebrews 1:2-3 and seven passages in Hebrews 1:5-13 to impress completeness strongly on his original readers.
"The author has an unusual method of citation; he almost always neglects the human author of his OT quotations (exceptions are Hebrews 4:7; Hebrews 9:19-20), though throughout the rest of the NT the human author is often noted. Instead, without actually saying "God says," he normally ascribes the passage he quotes to God, except, of course, where God is addressed, as in Hebrews 2:6. Twice he attributes words in the OT to Christ ( Hebrews 2:11-12; Hebrews 10:5 ff.) and twice to the Holy Spirit ( Hebrews 3:7; Hebrews 10:15). No other NT writer shares this way of quoting the OT.... The effect is to emphasize the divine authorship of the whole OT." [2]
"Unlike Paul, who shows a preference for the introductory formula kathos gegraptai [6], the writer of Hebrews never introduces a quotation from the OT with a form of the verb graphein, "to write." His preference is for the verb legein, "to say," especially in the form of the present participle legon, "saying." The text of the OT is presented dynamically. The writer is persuaded that God continues to speak today in the biblical passages that are cited...." [7]
The writer"s contrast of Jesus Christ"s authority and name with that of the angels suggests that his original readers may have regarded the angels too highly. This was true of certain first-century sects within Judaism, one of which was the Essene community that lived at Qumran. The Dead Sea Scrolls have revealed that this group had a highly developed angelology and regarded angels with more veneration than they should have. Nevertheless all the Jews regarded angels highly because God had given the Mosaic Law and other special information to them through angelic mediation (cf. Deuteronomy 33:2; Acts 7:53; Galatians 3:19; Hebrews 2:2). [8]
What the writer said about angelic mediators applies to those who claim to mediate knowledge concerning God and the after-life to humankind. Such self-proclaimed mediators today include leaders of some cults, some New Age proponents, Shirley MacLaine, and other advocates of reincarnation. Finding one"s spiritual "guide" and "channeling" to the unseen world through that being is popular in some circles. This also applies to people who claim to reveal how human beings can find God and secure His acceptance while denying biblical revelation on these subjects.