Hebrews 1:4Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Then, after again saying something exalted in the words, "at the right hand of the throne of Majesty on high," he speaks once more of something lowly, adding: "having become so much better than the angels, as He has inherited a more excellent name than they."

Here he speaks of the divine economy in the flesh. The words "having become so much better" do not refer to the essence, which is one with the essence of the Father. That did not become, but was begotten.

They refer to the essence of the flesh. This did become. Yet he is not now speaking of the origin of the essence.

Rather, just as John said, "He who comes after me has become before me, because He was before me" (Jn 1:15), expressing that He is more honorable and more glorious, so also Paul speaks here.

At the beginning of the Epistle he compared Him with the prophets because of the weakness of the hearers. Now, continuing, he places Him above the angels, little by little leading the hearers to the truth.

The word "being" is used in place of "having appeared," as John also says: "He who comes after me has become before me" (Jn 1:15), that is, He has appeared more honorable than I.

Here he is not speaking of His nature according to essence. The words "He inherited" are undoubtedly spoken according to the flesh, for as God the Word He always had this name.

In the same way, we say both lowly and exalted things about man. For example, if we say, "man is a great thing," we name all that is best in him. But if we say, "man is earth and ashes," we name all that is worst.

So too concerning the Lord, at times we say everything that belongs to the properties of the Godhead, and at times what belongs to the properties of the flesh.

The Apostle necessarily added, "so much better than the angels," wishing to show this. As much as the Son differs from the servant, so much also has the ministry of the Son become better than the ministry of servants.

Therefore, distinguishing the Old Testament ministry from the New Testament ministry, the Apostle writes boldly to the Jews and says: "so much better than the angels."

For this reason he did not speak in a merely comparative way, saying, "having become greater or more honorable." He did this so that no one would conclude that the angels are of the same kind as He.

Instead he said "better," so as to make clear the Son's distinction by nature from created beings. We have proof of this in the divine Scriptures.

If He was so much superior to the angels in all that I have indicated, then how much more excellent than theirs is the name He inherited? That is precisely the name of which he said: “He gave Him the name which is above every name” (Phil 2:9).

The Apostle said this according to His humanity. For the Son, as God, is the Creator of the angels and the Master of the angels. As man, after the Resurrection and the Ascension into heaven, He became better than the angels.

This was because He had been made lower than the angels through the suffering of death. "We see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, because of the suffering of death" (Heb 2:9).

Therefore, as man He was lower than the angels, because the angels have an immortal nature, while He endured the Passion. Yet after His Ascension into heaven He became better than the angels.

For He sat "far above all principality and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age, but also in that which is to come" (Eph 1:21).

This too refers to His humanity. The word “having become” is used instead of “having appeared.” For as God, He is better beyond every comparison.

He always possessed the name of closest Sonship, and did not inherit it afterward in time.

The word “having become” should not be referred to the flesh, lest you seem to introduce a division, but to Christ, worshiped in one nature together with His flesh.

For once the Apostle has begun to speak of the divine economy, he speaks fearlessly about the humble and abased circumstances of Christ’s life.

"Having become so much better than the angels." His speech concerns the divine economy, the Incarnation. For His flesh was created, but God the Word was not created, but begotten.

Therefore His flesh appeared so much better than the angels themselves as, he says, one may know from the difference of names. You should not refer the word "having become" to the flesh in such a way as to think of division.

Refer it to Christ, worshiped in one Hypostasis even with His flesh. For once He accepted the divine economy, lowly things may be heard of Him without fear.

"He inherited the name." For the Word, having the name Son from the beginning, had it also with the flesh. Therefore the word "inherited" is naturally used as a consequence of the Incarnation.

"Having become so much better than the angels." Here the Apostle passes directly to his proposition that Jesus Christ is more excellent than the angels.

From the very portrayal of Him as God, as man, and as seated on the throne with God, it follows of itself that Jesus Christ is incomparably higher than the angels.

Yet the Apostle, as it were, is not content with this. He says that Jesus Christ is higher than the angels already because, according to His humanity, He inherited the name of Son.

He became the heir of God, not as the angels are heirs, only by goodness and in an improper sense.

“Having become so much better than the angels, as He hath inherited a more excellent name than they” (Heb 1:4-14). What more excellent names, then, are ascribed to the Messiah in the Psalms?

These names refer both to His Godhead and to His humanity. First, the name Son of God is ascribed to Him according to essence, eternally begotten of God the Father: “Thou art My Son; this day have I begotten Thee” (Heb 1:5).