Jesus, the Son of God

 

After making purification for sins, he [Jesus] sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs. For to which of the angels did God ever say, “You are my Son, today I have begotten you”? (Hebrews 1:4-5 ESV).

 

Today we will dig a little deeper into this passage in the initial verses of Hebrews. Remember, the writer is declaring that Jesus is greater than any other thing in all of creation because He is God. The author uses the Old Testament to prove his point, since his readers accepted its authority. He uses seven passages, all taken from the Septuagint, which is the Greek translation of the Hebrew Old Testament. They may be grouped under five thoughts. The first is that Jesus is superior to the angels because He is uniquely the Son of God (vv. 4-5). The author says that Jesus has “become as much better than the angels, as He has inherited a more excellent name than they” (v. 4). For the Hebrews, the name signified the essential character of a person in himself and in his work. In the sense of His eternal existence and His essential nature, Jesus always had a more excellent name than the angels. That did not change when He took on humanity in the Incarnation.

 

But the statement here about His having become as much better than the angels refers to what Jesus accomplished through His incarnation, death on the cross for our sins, resurrection, and ascension into glory again. The name that is especially in view here is, “Son of God.” While the angels were sometimes referred to in the plural as “sons of God” (cf. Job 1:6), and while believers are called “sons of God” (cf. John 1:12), no single angel or believer was ever referred to as “the Son of God.” That title uniquely belongs to Jesus and signifies His deity, as the Jews themselves knew (cf. John 5:18).

 

The author backs up the claim to Jesus’ more excellent name by quoting the well-known messianic Psalm 2:7: “You are My Son, today I have begotten You.” In that psalm, the verse quoted here is preceded by the statement, “I will surely tell of the decree of the Lord.” Because that decree took place in eternity, before creation. This doctrine has been affirmed by the Church for centuries. Christians of all denominations have affirmed the eternal Sonship of Jesus Christ and have said that He is “eternally begotten” by the Father, not made (“The Nicene Creed”). In other words, since God exists in eternity, begetting is not an event that took place in time. Rather, it describes an eternal relationship between the first and second members of the Godhead. They always have and always will relate to one another as Father and Son. Like a human father and son, God the Father and Jesus the Son share the same essential nature, which is the main point. Unlike a human father and son, God the Father did not pre-date the existence of God the Son, because Jesus shares His nature as eternal God (cf. John 1:1-3).

 

Thus, the author’s first point is that Jesus is greater than the angels because of His unique position as the Son of God, as seen in two Old Testament prophecies. To demote Him to the level of the angels, who are mere messengers (1:14), would be blasphemy! However, the meaning is far deeper for us practically. It is WHO He is that gives Him the power to fulfill all the promises He has made. There are thousands of those recorded in the Scripture; however, let me remind you of just one:

 

[Jesus said] “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. And you know the way to where I am going.” Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.” (John 14:1-7 ESV).

 

If I want eternal life, I only need to know Jesus! It won’t be an angel that comes to get me when I die. It will be the Son of God, Jesus! Now, that gives me hope and encourages me in the times that are difficult!