By Larry Curl

(Part 5)

The Magnificence of Christ in His Superiority to the Angels

Hebrews 1:4-14, 4 “So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs. 5 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”? 6 And again, when God brings his firstborn into the world, he says, “Let all God’s angels worship him.”

Hebrews 1, verse 4 states that Christ is superior to the angels. What does superior mean?

According to Strong’s Greek the word “Superior”, as used here means: Stronger, more excellent. A derivative of kratos; meaning stronger, i.e. better.

So, Jesus is stronger, more excellent than the angels! He is better!

Verse 4 also says the name he has is superior to the name of the angels. What does that mean? What name did Christ inherit that is better than angels? That is more excellent?

Based on verse 5, it is the name Son, that was given to him by his Father!

5 “For to which of the angels did God ever say, “You are my Son; today I have become your Father?”

God the Father has not called any of the angels “Son”. Only Jesus has received this superior, more excellent name! And this indicates that the relationship between God the Father and God the Son (Jesus) is unique. It is true that we also call God our Father and we are made in his image. So, in a sense we are sons or daughters of the Father. But, only Jesus is the Son of God as described in Hebrews 1:3 “The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word…”

No angel, human or any other being is a Son that is “ the exact representation” of God the Father. This only applies to Jesus.

Verse 6 also affirms that Jesus is superior to angels because here the Father says that all the angels are to worship him.

 6 “And again, when God brings his firstborn into the world, he says, “Let all God’s angels worship him.”

According to Scripture who alone is worthy of worship? (God)

So, this passage is just another of many others that confirms the deity of Jesus Christ. God Himself, by saying Jesus is to be worshipped, makes it very clear that Jesus must also be God.  

Hebrew 1:8 shows us another case of God Himself testifying that Jesus the Son is also God.

8 But about the Son he says, “Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever; 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 by anointing you with the oil of joy.”

Here in verse 8, when God the Father talks about the Son he addresses him saying, “Your throne, O God…”  For God the Father to address the Son as “O God “may seem a bit unusual to us. It is sort of as if God is speaking to himself, and in a sense, he is. Because there is only one God. But, we also know from Scripture that this one God exists in three persons (Father, Son and Holy Spirit). This concept is challenging. And the relationship between God the Father and God the Son will always be somewhat of a hard thing for us to grasp. As noted in verse 9, where God also indicates that he is the God of Jesus the Son.  “…therefore God, your God…”

Even though it is clear that Jesus is God, God the Father is still also God to Jesus.

We see this unique relationship between God the Father and God the Son play out many times where Jesus shows that even though he is fully God, he is still submissive and obedient to God the Father.

John 14:28-31

28 “You heard me say, ‘I am going away and I am coming back to you.’ If you loved me, you would be glad that I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. 29 I have told you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe. 30 I will not say much more to you, for the prince of this world is coming. He has no hold over me, 31 but he comes so that the world may learn that I love the Father and do exactly what my Father has commanded me.’’

Hebrews 10:5-7

5 “Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said: “Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me; 6 with burnt offerings and sin offerings    you were not pleased. 7 Then I said, ‘Here I am—it is written about me in the scroll—    I have come to do your will, my God.’”

Philippians 2:5-8

5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in very nature[a] God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; 7 rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature[b] of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!

As we noted in a previous lesson what makes Christ so magnificent is the combining of wonderful attributes in a manner that we see in no one else. Jesus is superior to the angels; he is fully God and yet he is humble and obedient…even unto death on a cross!

The Magnificence of Christ in His Unchanging Permanence

• His Eternal Nature

Hebrews 1:10 “He also says, “In the beginning, Lord, you laid the foundations of the earth, 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 You will roll them up like a robe; like a garment they will be changed. But you remain the same, and your years will never end.”

In a world where things seem to be rapidly changing and often in ways that make us uncomfortable and sometimes even fearful, it is good to know that Jesus Christ will always remain and that he remains the same!

According to verse 11, even the very foundations of the earth and the heavens that Jesus created in the beginning will perish.  But Jesus himself will still remain.

And as we see also in Hebrews 13:8 he remains the same.

Hebrews 13:8 “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever.” KJV

It is interesting that the author of Hebrews (who is probably Paul) uses clothes as the illustration of things that will perish.

11 “…they will all wear out like a garment. 12 You will roll them up like a robe; like a garment they will be changed…”

As we get older, we realize more and more that things like clothes are so temporary. We may get quite a few good years out of some items, but eventually even these will develop worn spots that turn into holes. Then we may use them as work clothes for a while, but at some point, they will become rags and will be discarded. The exception might be if we had clothes that we hardly ever wear. But, for the sake of comparison to the illustration in these verses, these garments are the kinds that “all wear out”.  They are being actively worn.

So, in comparison to clothes, how long will the earth and the heavens last?

They will last much longer of course. And, in comparison to clothes and even the entire length of our human lives, it seems to us like the earth and the heavens will last forever.

But it would appear that the author is trying to get us to see that even things that seem so permanent to us now, like the earth and like the heavens, are in reality short lived compared to eternity and the eternal nature of Jesus Christ.

It brings us comfort and peace to know that there is someone we can absolutely count on that will always remain the same! Especially when that someone is as powerful, loving and good as Jesus Christ. So, we see the magnificence of Jesus in his unchanging permanence. 

“… But you (Jesus, the Son of God) remain the same, and your years will never end.”