“For to which of the angels did
He ever say,
‘You are My Son,
Today I have begotten You’?
Today I have begotten You’?
And again,
‘I will be a Father to Him
And He shall be a Son to Me’?” (Hebrews 1:5).
And He shall be a Son to Me’?” (Hebrews 1:5).
I am thankful that the Son is not only greater than the angels, but He
is “far above all rule and authority
and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this
age but also in the one to come” (Ephesians 1:21).
Today’s verse in Hebrews draws upon the Davidic covenant and the Christ
as complete fulfillment.
The first quote is from Psalm 2.
“I will surely tell of the decree
of the Lord:
He said to Me, ‘You are My Son,
Today I have begotten You.
Ask of Me, and I will surely give the nations as Your inheritance,
And the very ends of the earth as Your possession.
You shall break them with a rod of iron,
You shall shatter them like earthenware’” (Psalm 2:7-9).
He said to Me, ‘You are My Son,
Today I have begotten You.
Ask of Me, and I will surely give the nations as Your inheritance,
And the very ends of the earth as Your possession.
You shall break them with a rod of iron,
You shall shatter them like earthenware’” (Psalm 2:7-9).
Paul uses Psalm 2:7 as an explanatory text for Christ’s resurrection (Acts
13:33). From Christ’s resurrection to His enthronement at God’s right hand
should be seen as one great movement – from the lowest state (in the place of
the dead) to the highest state (“…at the
right hand of the Majesty on high,” Hebrews 1:3). The sonship described in
Psalm 2:7 is not biological reproduction. Read the Psalm. As often happens in
the Bible, ideas are often explained by parallel passages which function as
apposition. In this case, 2:6 explains what this sonship reference is; the LORD
proclaims, “as for Me, I have installed
My King upon Zion, My holy mountain.” The begotting of 2:7 is enthronement
language.[1]
The eternal Son, through the work He accomplished in His life and atoning
death, is anointed (“Christ” in verb form) as absolute King. Remember the creation
of humanity in God’s “image” and “likeness,” and that this imaging and
likening was dominion (Genesis 1:26). This image was tainted on the day
humanity rebelled against God (we wanted to reign independent and autonomously instead of reflecting His sovereignty). The eternal divine Son, Who came and lived as
the second Adam, was faithful in obedience to the Father. So He reigns as the
absolute, perfect “image” and “likeness” of the Father, ruling over
all.
The second quote in Hebrews 1:5 comes from 2 Samuel 7:14//1 Chronicles
17:13. The relationship between “the LORD
and…His Anointed” (Psalm 2:2) is revealed to be that between a Father and
Son. This is not just about governance, but eternal relationship. The Father
and Son shared a love from all eternity past (John 17:24). The Father and Son
shared a glory from all eternity past (John 17:5). This love and glory is now
displayed in the Kingdom rule of the Son for the eternal glory of the Father.
Praise Him, for the eternal Son, because of what He accomplished in
life and death as one of us, is now revealed to be God’s King of kings and Lord
of lords for the subjecting of the nations (Psalm 2:8,9; Revelation 2:26,27;
12:5) and eternal glory of the Father.
 |
| The desert rat on his throne, content to let the King of kings reign over all. |
[1] The same understand is revealed in Psalm 89:27, where
“I shall make Him My firstborn” is
explained by the line, “the highest of
the kings of the earth.”
