Hebrews 1:4-14

Bible Study with Pastor Terry Gray


Hebrews 1:4-14
Jesus is not an angel. Jesus is superior to the angels. Jesus is God.


Hebrew 1:4
When Jesus took on humanity, His incarnation placed Him under angels, because He became man. However, when Jesus complete His work on the Cross, He ascended to His Father's throne, and once again regained his status as God.


The author quotes the Old Testament to prove his point: Jesus is the Son of God. God has never referred to any other angel that way.
Psalm 2:7
2 Samuel 7:14
1 Chronicles 17:13


Hebrews 1:6
People point to the term "first born" and use that prove Jesus was not God.


1. Yes, first born can mean, literally, first born.
2. However, first born is also a TITLE--a title of special status, representing the highest, the one who is the favorite, preeminent.


For example, Joseph had two sons: Manasseh and Ephraim (Genesis 41:51-52). However, Jacob, through God, blessed Ephraim as the first born (Genesis 48; Jeremiah 31:9). 


To discredit God's deity based on the use of "first born" to describe Jesus is weak.


Hebrew 1:7-14
God does not place Jesus in the same category as the angels. Jesus is the creator of the world (Hebrews 1:10-12). Jesus will one day rule with righteousness (Hebrews 1:8-9). Angels, on the other hand, worship Jesus (Hebrews 1:6).


Hebrews 1:8
God the Father calls His Son God!


Honestly, I don't see how anyone who actually reads the Bible can continue doubting the deity of God. If God calls Jesus God, then Jesus is God. I'd say God knows what He's talking about!


The following verses, not that they are necessary, provide further support of Jesus' deity:
John 1:1
John 20:28
Titus 2:13


A note on John 20:28--When Thomas finally realize Jesus was God, he fell down and worshiped Jesus, saying, "My Lord and My God!" Notice what Jesus did not do: Jesus did not tell Thomas to get up and not worship Him. Everywhere else in the Bible, when man became overwhelmed by the presence of an angel and bowed down to worship the angel, the angel always told them to get up and worship God, not them. Here, we clearly see Jesus acknowledging His deity.


Hebrews 1:14
Angels are...
- Created spirit beings
- Servants of God
- Ministers to those who would inherit salvation


Angels protect, provide, serve, and minister.


We worship God. We do not worship angels.
We worship God. We worship Jesus because Jesus is God. Angels are magnificent beings, but we need to be careful that we do not them above God.


The audience of the Book of Hebrews has started to worship angels, and the author is saying, get your eyes back on Jesus. Paul gives the same warning in Colossians, because they, too, were worshiping angels.


In the Old Testament, it was the angels who brought the Israelites the Law. They even thought Michael rivaled or surpassed the authority of God. The early Christian church also started worshiping angels. The best example that shows why this is wrong is the fact that angels hurriedly refuse being worshiped. They know that worship belongs to God and only God. Those who didn't, followed Satan's fall and will all end up in the lake of fire.


Jesus is God.
Those who continue to question the deity of Jesus need to consider the Cross. Jesus alone DIED on the Cross for us. GOD BECAME MAN SO THAT HE COULD BEAR THE WRATH OF GOD FOR US!!


God did not send an angel to die in our place. That wouldn't be possible anyway, because we could only be eternally redeemed with the blood of a PERFECT MAN.


By reducing Jesus down to the level of angel, what are we saying? Such a theory fails miserably at comprehending the great sacrifice God has made, the great suffering Jesus went through, the grave severity of our sins, and the measures necessary to cleanse us eternally.