Hebrews 1:5

 

Berean Standard Bible
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”?
 
King James Bible
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?
 
NET Bible
For to which of the angels did God ever say, "You are my son! Today I have fathered you"? And in another place he says, "I will be his father and he will be my son."
 
Berean Study Bible
 
For to which of the angels did God ever say
This phrase sets the stage for a rhetorical question that emphasizes the unique status of Jesus Christ compared to the angels. The Greek word for "angels" is "ἄγγελοι" (angeloi), which means "messengers." In the Jewish tradition, angels were highly revered as divine messengers, yet the author of Hebrews underscores that none of them were ever addressed by God in the intimate terms that follow. This highlights the supremacy of Christ over all celestial beings, affirming His divine sonship and authority.
 
'You are My Son; today I have become Your Father'?
This quotation is from Psalm 2:7, a royal psalm that was originally understood in the context of the Davidic kingship. The phrase "You are My Son" signifies a special relationship and divine appointment. The Greek word for "Son" is "υἱός" (huios), which implies not just a biological relationship but a position of honor and inheritance. "Today I have become Your Father" can be understood as a declaration of Jesus' enthronement and recognition as the Messiah. In the New Testament context, this is often associated with Jesus' resurrection and exaltation, marking the fulfillment of God's promise and the inauguration of His eternal reign.
 
Or again, 'I will be His Father, and He will be My Son'
This part of the verse references 2 Samuel 7:14, part of the Davidic Covenant where God promises David that his offspring will have a special relationship with Him. The phrase "I will be His Father" indicates a covenantal promise, where God commits Himself to a paternal role. The Greek word for "Father" is "πατήρ" (patēr), which conveys authority, care, and provision. "He will be My Son" reiterates the unique sonship of Christ, emphasizing His role as the heir to God's promises. This relationship is not just about lineage but about the fulfillment of God's redemptive plan through Jesus, who is both fully divine and fully human.
 
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Rhetorical Question:
"For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee?"
This question is rhetorical, emphasizing that God has never called any angel His "Son" in this particular way. The phrase "Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee" is a direct quote from Psalm 2:7, traditionally interpreted as prophetic of the Messiah.
 
Second Quotation:
"And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son?"
This part quotes from 2 Samuel 7:14, where God speaks to David about his future offspring, again linking this promise to Jesus as the ultimate fulfillment of God's covenant with David.
 
Theological Implications:
 
Superiority of Christ: The author uses these scriptures to affirm the unique sonship of Jesus Christ, distinguishing Him from all angels. This underlines Christ's divine nature and His role in God's plan of salvation, which is superior to any angelic mediation or message.
 
Divine Sonship: The quotations emphasize that Jesus is not just another spiritual being or messenger but is uniquely the Son of God in a way that angels are not. This establishes Jesus' divine authority, His preeminence in the divine hierarchy, and His role in God's redemptive plan.
 
Fulfillment of Old Testament Prophecies: By citing these Old Testament texts, the author shows that Jesus is the fulfillment of the messianic prophecies, strengthening the argument for Jewish Christians who might be tempted to return to Judaism.
 
In summary, Hebrews 1:5 serves to elevate Jesus above angels by highlighting His unique relationship with God, affirming His divine sonship, and positioning Him as the central figure in Christian theology, particularly in relation to the Old Testament promises and prophecies.
 
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John Gill’s Exposition of the Bible
 
For unto which of the angels said he at any time,.... That is, he never said to any of the angels what he has said to Christ; namely, what follows,
 
thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee for though angels are called the sons of God, Job_1:6 yet are never said to be begotten by him; or, with this clause annexed to it, "this day have I begotten thee"; nor are they ever so called in a proper sense, or in such sense as Christ is: this is said to Christ, and of him, in Psa_2:7 and that agreeably to the sense of the Jewish church at this time, or the apostle would never have produced it to the Hebrews in such a manner; and not only the whole psalm in general, but this verse in particular, is owned by Jewish writers (t), both ancient and modern, to belong to the Messiah. Christ is the Son of God, not by Creation, nor by adoption, nor by office, but by nature; he is the true, proper, natural, and eternal Son of God; and as such is owned and declared by Jehovah the Father, in these words; the foundation of which relation lies in the begetting of him; which refers not to his nature, either divine or human: not to his divine nature, which is common with the Father and Spirit; wherefore if his was begotten, theirs must be also, being the same undivided nature, common to all three; much less to his human nature, in which he is never said to be begotten, but always to be made, and with respect to which he is without Father; nor to his office, as Mediator, in which he is not a Son, but a servant; besides, he was a Son, previous to his being a prophet, priest, and King; and his office is not the foundation of his sonship, but his sonship is the foundation of his office; or by which that is supported, and which fits him for the performance of it: but it has respect to his divine person; for as, in human generation, person begets person, and like begets like, so it is in divine generation; though care must be taken to remove all imperfection from it, as divisibility and multiplication of essence, priority and posteriority, dependence, and the like; nor can the modus, or manner of it, be conceived, or explained by us: the date of it, today, designs eternity, as in Isa_43:13, which is one continued day, an everlasting now; and this may be applied to any time and case, in which Christ is declared to be the Son of God; as at his incarnation, his baptism, his transfiguration on the Mount, and his resurrection from the dead, as in Act_13:33 and at his ascension to heaven, when he was made Lord and Christ, and his divine sonship more manifestly appeared; which seems to be the time, and case, more especially referred to here. And again, I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a Son: which words are taken from 2Sa_7:14 and the sense is, not that he should be his son by adoption; or that he would be instead of a father to him; or that he should be as dear to him as a son is to a father; but that he was really and properly so; and he would make it manifest, and own him as such, as he did at Jordan's river, upon the Mount, and at his resurrection and ascension; though the words are spoken of Solomon, as a type of Christ, they properly belong to the antitype, who is greater than Solomon.
 
(t) Zohar in Numb. fol. 82. 2. Maimon. in Misn. Sanhedrin, c. 11. 1. & Abarbinel, Mashmia Jeshua, fol. 37. 4. & 38. 1.
 
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Cross Reference:
 
Psalm 2:7
I will proclaim the decree spoken to Me by the LORD: “You are My Son; today I have become Your Father.
 
2 Samuel 7:14
I will be his Father, and he will be My son. When he does wrong, I will discipline him with the rod of men and with the blows of the sons of men.
 
Matthew 17:5
While Peter was still speaking, a bright cloud enveloped them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Listen to Him!”