What does "by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they" mean in
Hebrews 1:4 being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. ( AKJV )
?
Did not Jesus have a "better name" than angels before?
No. The "man" known as Jesus of Nazareth was knit together in the womb of his mother, Mary, as a work of the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:35). The name "Jesus" grew increasingly "better" than the name of any angel from that time onward.
(and 3.) What does "obtained" mean, and what does "by inheritance" signify?
"he hath by inheritance obtained" is the KJV translators' rendering of the Greek κεκληρονόμηκεν, which is the perfect/active/indicative/3rd person/singular inflection of the verb κληρονομέω (Strong's G2816 - klēronomeō), i.e. "he has inherited".
In the minds of the KJV translators, the writer of Hebrews was intending to convey the idea that the reward for Jesus completion of his assigned task was a name (reputation) that would surpass that of any angel, which one would have to agree has been achieved (certainly from the perspective of our end of the timeline of history)
What was the "more excellent name" that He got?
Matthew 16:16 (KJV)
16And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.Revelation 19:11-16 (KJV)
11And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. 12His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself 13And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.
14And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. 15And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. 16And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.
Did not Jesus have a "better name" than angels before?
Yes, Jesus always had a "better name"than angels before, because he was the beginning of God's creation-God's only begotten son (Rev. 3:14) and was created to have the reflection of God's glory.(Heb.1:3)
Revelation 3:14 (NASB)
Beginning of the creation of God.
14 “To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: The Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God, says this."
Hebrews 1:3 NRSV
Reflection of God’s glory
3 "He is the reflection of God’s glory and the exact imprint of God’s very being, and he sustains[b] all things by his powerful word. When he had made purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high."
What does "obtained" mean ? What does "by inheritance" signify ?
Most translations translate the verse as follows:
Hebrews 1:4 (NASB)
4 "Having become as much better than the angels, as He has inherited a more excellent name than they."
So what was the "more excellent name" He inherited?
For the "more excellent name" or "authority bestowed to Jesus" we read:
Philippians 2:9-10 (NASB)
9 "For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth."
This is something Jesus did not posses before coming to earth, and this was because, He humbled himself , became a human being-flesh ( John 1:14) and by being obedient to the end and giving his life for the redemption of our sins , God exalted Him to a higher position.
Angels and authorities and powers are subjected to him.
1 Peter 3:22 (NASB)
22" Who is at the right hand of God, having gone into heaven, after angels and authorities and powers had been subjected to Him."
Granted the gift of immortality.
From Paul's inspired words ,(Rom. 6:9 below) we read that Jesus was granted the gift of immortality,something he did not possess before his resurrection: (read also 1 Timothy 6:15-16)
Romans 6:9 (NASB)
9" Knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, is never to die again; death no longer is master over Him."
Revelation 1:17-18 (NRSV)
17 "When I (John)saw him (Jesus), I fell at his feet as though dead. But he placed his right hand on me, saying, “Do not be afraid; I am the first and the last, 18 and the living one. I was dead, and see, I am alive forever and ever; and I have the keys of Death and of Hades."
God says "My Son thou art" and the "angels are messengers/ servants."
Hebrews 1:5-6 YLT
5 "For to which of the messengers said He ever,
My Son thou art -- I to-day have begotten thee?' and again,I will be to him for a father, and he shall be to Me for a son?' 6 and when again He may bring in the first-born to the world, He saith, `And let them bow before him -- all messengers of God;"
In response to comments by Michael May and Walter Smetana I add the following.
Throughout the Scriptures God is identified as the Creator. He is “the Creator of the heavens, . . . the Former of the earth and the Maker of it.” Isaiah wrote:
Isaiah 45:18 (NASB)
18 "For thus says the Lord, who created the heavens (He is the God who formed the earth and made it, He established it and did not create it [a]a waste place, but formed it to be inhabited), Compare Amos 4:13;"
Amos 4:13 (YLT)
13 "For, lo, the former of mountains, and creator of wind, And the declarer to man what [is] His thought, He is making dawn obscurity, And is treading on high places of earth, Jehovah, God of Hosts, [is] His name!"
Not a co-Creator. The Son’s share in the creative works, however, did not make him a co-Creator with his Father. The power for creation came from God through his holy spirit,
Genesis 1:1-2 (NASB)
The Creation
1 "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was [a]formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters."
Psalm 33:6 (YLT)
6 By the word of Jehovah The heavens have been made, And by the breath of His mouth all their host". (the footnotes of the NET Bible also give "spirit" for breath)
Psalm 33:6 (NASB)
6 "By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, And by the breath of His mouth all their host."
And since God is the Source of all life, all animate creation, visible and invisible, owes its life to him.
Psalm 36:9 (NASB)
9 "For with You is the fountain of life; In Your light we see light."
Rather than a co-Creator, then, the Son was the agent or instrumentality through whom God, the Creator, worked. Jesus himself credited God with the creation, as do all the Scriptures. Matthew 19:4-6.(NASB)
We are here because of God's will and not Jesus
It is because of God’s will that all things “existed and were created.” (Rev. 4:11) God, who has existed for all time, was alone before creation had a beginning. Psalm 90:1, 2; 1Tim. 1:17.
Other verse which identify God as the Creator: Genesis 1:1, John 1:3-5, Isaiah 45:18, Amos 4:13, Romans 1:25, 1 Peter 4:19, Revelation 4:11, 10:6, Acts 4:24, 14:15, 17:24
In the earthly sense, being in the family line of King David Jesus inherited his name, Son of David, but also being born by conception of the Holy Spirit and not an earthly father, he "inherited" the name the Son of God from the heavenly Father (See Luke 1:30-35). None of the angels can claim to be God, or born an earthly birth by conception of the Holy Spirit.
Jesus has so many names/tiles, so I'll only mention a few, only Jesus is the Son, the Lamb of God, the Saviour, The Christ, The Redeemer, The Good Shepherd. If you looked at the official name of an earthly monarch, they might have quite a number of titles, but Jesus' list (his official name and titles) would keep going and continue to grow as more people get saved through him and experience his work in their lives (John 21:25).
God, having spoken long ago to our fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, 2 in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, and through whom He made the ages, 3 who, being the radiance of His glory and the exact expression of His substance, and upholding all things by the power of his word, through having made the purification of sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, 4 having become by so much superior to the angels, as much as he has inherited a name more excellent beyond theirs. Heb 1:1-4 BLB
Did not Jesus have a "better name" than angels before?
The bible says nothing about Jesus existing before his conception/birth, certainly there is no mention of a name prior to this. So, no, he didn't have a 'better name' before. We can accept the facts as provided by the Gospels, and affirmed by the Apostles - or make up another story that better suits a traditional theology devised 100's of years after the actual Church Fathers - Paul, Peter, Timothy etc.
What does "obtained" mean?
"having become by so much superior to the angels" Jesus earnt the right and privilege to sit beside God. Having become the firstborn of all creation and firstborn of the dead, Jesus begins the next age of humans receiving spirit life - him being the firstborn of many brethren. Having qualified to rule with God's authority, God has exalted him beyond all others - being made lower than the angels, he has surpassed their status in all the universe being second only to God. (Rom 8:29, Col 1, Heb 2:9)
These things the angels could never do!
What does "by inheritance" signify?
"he has inherited" ties in with him becoming "heir" v2. "in these last days" emphasising the timing of this Jesus, who has come after the fathers and prophets. By accomplishing the hideous mission of the cross, Jesus has been rewarded with all power under God, inheriting all that God has, having life as God does, giving life as God does.
For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself. John 5:26, John 17:2
What was the "more excellent name" that He got?
Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come Eph 1:21
The name isn't important. What is important is that it is above all other names. IOW, no one has a name greater than Jesus!
Now his eyes are like a flame of fire, and upon his head many diadems, having a name having been written, which no one except he himself knows Rev 19:12
God also highly exalted him, and granted to him the name above every name Phil 2:9
We understand from, "God also highly exalted him", that Jesus is now in a more superior position of glory than ever before. We are told nothing about Jesus being RE-exalted. Jesus, born as a mortal human (he had to die as God's ONLY son) had limited glory as a man. He learnt obedience through suffering, he grew in wisdom, he was tempted but did not sin, he had to subject his will to the Father. This is crucial to grasping that Jesus and God cannot be of the 'same essence', though many cling to this unbiblical idea. How can God and Jesus have opposing wills if they are one substance!?
For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of Him who sent me. John 6:38
Your separation of Jesus from God is the greatest foundation to this flawed argument!
John 1 states clearly they all things were created by, for and through Christ! This chapter puts Christ as equal to God! Actually, it says Christ is God!
Christ is God who came as man putting aside his glory and the power of his name and all he is! He became man! The chasm he had to cross to take up all he is as God is a certain death!
For he endured the pain of the cross to obtain the glory he put aside!
So, you see! In reality, everytime Jesua spoke about God, he actually is speaking of himself!
No man can see God, but alas, we all can awe Christ! And those who know Christ, know God!
In summary, what Christ obtained after death is exactly what he laid down before coming to earth as man, his glory!
