Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.
Parallel translations
- WEB having become so much better than the angels, as he has inherited a more excellent name than they have.
- BSB So He became as far superior to the angels as the name He has inherited is excellent beyond theirs.
- NKJV having become so much better than the angels, as He has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.
- NASB having become so much better than the angels, to the extent that He has inherited a more excellent name than they.
- NLT This shows that the Son is far greater than the angels, just as the name God gave him is greater than their names.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The exalted Son is far superior to the angels, having inherited a name greater than theirs. This begins a sustained argument for Christ's supremacy over angelic beings.
Overview
Having described the Son's deity and exaltation, the author now argues His superiority to angels, who were highly revered and associated with the giving of the law. The 'more excellent name' likely refers to His identity as 'Son.' Establishing this superiority matters because the author will warn against drifting from a salvation greater than the angel-mediated law.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 10
- Eph 1:21Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:
- Phil 2:9–11Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
- 1 Pet 3:22Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.
- Heb 2:9But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.
- Rev 5:11–12And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands;
- 2 Th 1:7And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels,
- Ps 2:7–8I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.
- Col 2:10And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:
- Col 1:18And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.
- Heb 1:9Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.
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Christ at the center
Hebrews is sustained worship of Christ: better than angels, Moses, and the priests; the great High Priest after Melchizedek who by one sacrifice perfects forever those he saves.
How Hebrews 1:4 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.