The Book of HebrewsНамуна

Angelic Revelations: Hebrews 1:1-14

Let’s look at how the book of Hebrews dealt with angelic revelations in 1:1-2:18. 

Jewish communities in the first century often exalted angels as powerful, glorious creatures who brought divine revelations to inferior human beings. 

The outlooks of the local Jewish community were rooted in biblical passages, but they gave excessive honor to angels. This exaggerated honor for angels raised a serious challenge to those who followed Christ. After all, everyone knew that Jesus was flesh and blood, a human being. How then could anyone follow what he said instead of the revelations of angels? 

The author of Hebrews responded to this challenge in five steps. First, in Hebrews chapter 1:1-4 he wrote that his audience should follow Jesus because Jesus is God’s supreme source of divine revelation. The author acknowledged that God spoke through angels and other means throughout Old Testament history. But he insisted that, as the divinely appointed royal high priest of the last days, Jesus brought revelation that was far superior to any revelation given through angels. 

In chapter 1:5-14, the author of Hebrews explained that Jesus is greater than angels because he alone is God’s messianic Son. He noted that Jesus fulfilled the ideals for David’s house. And Jesus also fulfilled David’s prediction of the victory of God’s messianic Son over all of God’s enemies. By contrast, he noted that angels are nothing more than spirits sent to serve those who inherit salvation in Christ.