A More Excellent Name

By:
Narrator: Chris Genthree
 •  5 min. read  •  grade level: 12
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“Being made so much better than the angels, as He hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they” (Heb. 1:44Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. (Hebrews 1:4)).
In Hebrews 2:99But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. (Hebrews 2:9), the Lord Jesus is seen taking a place “lower than the angels” by becoming man and ultimately going into death. Consequent upon His completed work of making “purification of sins” (Heb. 1:33Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; (Hebrews 1:3) JND) — note the characteristic expression for those who were accustomed to earthly rituals — He is viewed in His ascension and, as such, takes a place “much better than the angels” (vs. 4).
The expression “being made” does not give the correct meaning in either Hebrews 1:44Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. (Hebrews 1:4) or 2:9. Rather, it is the place this blessed One took. His ascension is mentioned first because chapter 1 emphasizes the majesty of the Son, while in chapter 2 we find His humiliation, fitting Him to be the “captain of their salvation” (typified by Joshua) and His people’s “merciful and faithful high priest” (typified by Aaron) through the wilderness journey (Heb. 2:10,1710For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. (Hebrews 2:10)
17Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. (Hebrews 2:17)).
In chapter 1, the Son is set forth as greater than the angels; in chapter 3, greater than Moses; in chapter 7 He is viewed as the fulfillment of the remarkable type of Melchisedec and is thus greater than Abraham, Aaron and his descendants.
Angels were esteemed as significant to the Jew, especially at the giving of the law (Acts 7:5353Who have received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept it. (Acts 7:53)), but in view of the greatness of the Son, their role now is simply that of “ministering spirits” (Heb. 1:1414Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation? (Hebrews 1:14)). The Son is superior to the angels in every way.
The expression, “Unto which of the angels said He at any time, Thou art My Son” (vs. 5), refers to the Son eternally; “this day have I begotten thee” (vs. 5) is the incarnation of the Son, a Man who is owned “Son of God” (Luke 1:3535And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. (Luke 1:35)) — not in creation as was Adam (Luke 3:3838Which was the son of Enos, which was the son of Seth, which was the son of Adam, which was the son of God. (Luke 3:38)); not by faith consequent upon redemption, as with us (Gal. 3:2626For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3:26) JND), but now, in time and in manhood the Lord Jesus is owned Son of God. This in no way denies His eternal Sonship, but it is founded upon it. “Again, I will be to Him a Father and He shall be to Me a Son” (vs. 5) is the pathway of the Son through this world. This expression does not emphasize the fact of the relationship itself, which ever existed with the Father and the Son, but conveys the practical enjoyment and consequences of that relationship. In 2 Corinthians 6:18 we see a similar thought, this time relative to the believer.
“Again, when He bringeth the first begotten into the world, He saith, And let all the angels of God worship Him” (vs. 6) refers to the Son’s appearing in glory, which leads us to the kingdom established in power: “Unto the Son He saith, Thy throne, O God, is forever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of Thy kingdom” (vs. 8).
Finally, at the conclusion of His 1000-year beneficent reign, the Son delivers the kingdom back “to God, even the Father” (1 Cor. 15:24), and wraps up the first material creation as one would fold up a garment and put it away. “Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth: and the heavens are the works of Thine hands: they shall perish, but Thou remainest: and they shall all wax old as doth a garment; and as a vesture shalt Thou fold them up, and they shall be changed: but Thou art the same, and Thy years shall not fail” (vss. 10-12).These verses take us from creation to the eternal day. The Son’s hand set the creation in order and that same hand will roll it up. Yet, He remains: “Thou remainest.  ...  Thou art the same” — what a comfort to the Hebrews who were leaving everything of sight behind to embrace eternal realities enjoyed only by faith! Our portion is enjoyed in the same way.
In verse 3 we read that the Son set Himself down in His own dignity and right; in verse 13, His ascension is referenced again, but this time He sits down at the invitation of God — no angel was ever so invited! As we trace the orderly development from the Son’s incarnation to the eternal state (vss. 5-12), we are again brought back to the point of where the Son is now, ascended to God’s right hand (vs. 13). As we are led through the wilderness, the Spirit of God would continually lead our thoughts to where the Son is now — a Man at the right hand of God as the object of faith and worship.
A More Excellent Sacrifice
“By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he, being dead, yet speaketh” (Heb. 11:44By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh. (Hebrews 11:4)).
If in chapter 1 we have the surpassing excellence of the Person of the Son, in this scripture we have, by inference, the greater excellence of His work in contrast to the sacrifices under Judaism (primarily noted in chapter 9 and the first half of chapter 10).
The instances of faith in chapter 11 are not random incidents recorded for our general interest, but specific acts of faith that would be of particular help to the Jewish believers at that time. The “more excellent sacrifice” is the starting point for faith.
W. J. Brockmeier