1.
God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,
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;
Verse 2
In these last days; in these days of the last dispensation.--Appointed; constituted.--The worlds; the visible universe.
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;
Verse 3
The brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person; the visible manifestation by which his glory is revealed personally to mankind.--Purged our sins; purged them away, by making atonement for them.
4.
Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.
Verse 4
So much better than; so much superior to.--The angels. The writer brings Jesus into comparison with the angels, because the Jews regarded the Mosaic law as given by the ministration of angels, (Acts 7:53;) and he accordingly adopts this as one of the points of comparison between the two dispensations.--A more excellent name, that is, the name of Son, as specified in the Hebrews 1:5.
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?
Verse 5
These quotations are from Hebrews 1:5; Psalms 2:7; 2 Samuel 7:14; 2 Samuel 7:14, and are here considered as applicable to the Messiah. The meaning is, that Jesus was the Son of God, and that, too, in a sense altogether distinctive and peculiar.
6.
And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him.
Verse 6
The language here quoted is supposed to be taken from Hebrews 1:6; Psalms 97:7.
7.
And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire.
Verse 7
Hebrews 1:7; Psalms 104:4. The word spirits in this passage means winds. In the original psalm, where the writer is representing the power of God, as shown in the visible creation, the meaning has been supposed to be, Who maketh angels or messengers of the winds, and ministers, that is, servants of the lightning; which involves the idea that his angels, like the winds, are employed in subordinate stations to do his will. It is in this view of the meaning that the language is pertinent here.
Hebrews 1:8,Hebrews 1:9. Hebrews 1:8,Hebrews 1:9; Psalms 45:6,Psalms 45:7. The meaning is that, while, in the passage quoted above, it is implied that angels are only subordinate agents, to execute, like the winds, the commands of Jehovah, the Son is addressed as clothed with independent majesty and power.--Anointed thee. Anointing was the ancient ceremony of induction to the royal office. (1 Samuel 16:13.) The meaning therefore is, Thy God hath crowned thee, with rejoicings, as the monarch of the mediatorial kingdom.
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.
9.
Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.
10.
And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands:
Verse 10
Hebrews 1:10-12; Psalms 102:25-27.
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.
Verse 12
A vesture; a garment.
13.
But to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool?
Verse 13
Hebrews 1:13; Psalms 110:1.
14.
Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?
Verse 14
Ministering spirits; that is, are not they (the angels) instead of being like the Son, at the head of the kingdom, only ministering spirits, employed altogether in executing a superior's commands?