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Annotations & References

Hebrews 1

1

1God, having of old time spoken unto the fathers in the prophets by divers portions and in divers manners, 2hath at the end of these days spoken unto us in his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom also he made the worlds; 3who being the effulgence of his glory, and the very image of his substance, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had made purification of sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; 4having become by so much better than the angels, as he hath inherited a more excellent name than they. 5For 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? 6And when he again bringeth in the firstborn into the world he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him. 7And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels winds, And his ministers a flame of fire: 8but of the Sonhe saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever; And the sceptre of uprightness is the sceptre of thy kingdom. 9Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; Therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee With the oil of gladness above thy fellows. 10And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning didst lay the foundation of the earth, And the heavens are the works of thy hands: 11They shall perish; but thou continuest: And they all shall wax old as doth a garment; 12And as a mantle shalt thou roll them up, As a garment, and they shall be changed: But thou art the same, And thy years shall not fail. 13But of which of the angels hath he said at any time, Sit thou on my right hand, Till I make thine enemies the footstool of thy feet? 14Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to do service for the sake of them that shall inherit salvation?

What is Hebrews 1 about?

For centuries God spoke to the fathers in fragments, a promise to the patriarchs, a vision to the prophets, the law thundered at Sinai. Now, in these last days, He has spoken in a Son who is the radiance of His glory and the exact imprint of His being, through whom He made the worlds and by whose word they are upheld. This Son purged our sins and sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high. A chain of Israel's own scriptures follows, each lifting the Son above the angels: they worship Him, His throne stands forever, He laid the earth's foundations and outlasts the very heavens, while they remain servants, winds and flames sent to wait on the heirs of salvation. To readers tempted to drift back toward the older glories, the argument leaves no way back: God has spoken His last and fullest word in a Son, and that Son is seated.