Like every other epistle, Hebrews should be interpreted with regards to author and recipients and a number of other contextual issues. I don’t know all of these in depth, but I may read the text and speculate on the content.
1Long ago God spoke to our ancestors in many and various ways by the prophets, 2but in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom he also created the worlds. 3He is the reflection of God’s glory and the exact imprint of God’s very being, and he sustains 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, 4having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.
This is not a typical letter. It doesn’t say who’s the author, and it doesn’t say clearly whom its recipients are, either. That’s kind of unusual. Perhaps it’s a transcript of a sermon or something like that.
It’s definitely to the Hebrews, though. At least, it’s probable, since the author relates the testimony of Jesus to the revelations of the Old Testament (the prophets). That’s not how you’d speak to Greeks and former Hellenists, for instance. In addition to that, there are allusions to Genesis (Creation), the tabernacle and the cultic system of Israel, kingship (Messiah-ship), and angelic beings. These are very Hebrew concepts, indeed. The author seems to be saying, “Jesus belongs within this worldview and can rightfully be described with this kind of Old Testament terminology.”
More than that, the status and authority of Jesus is emphasised. He took part in Creation, he sits at His right hand, his name is awesome, etc.. Jesus is a truly significant character we need pay attention to.
5 For to which of the angels did God ever say,
‘You are my Son;
today I have begotten you’?
Or again,
‘I will be his Father,
and he will be my Son’?
6And again, when he brings the firstborn into the world, he says,
‘Let all God’s angels worship him.’
7Of the angels he says,
‘He makes his angels winds,
and his servants flames of fire.’
8But of the Son he says,
‘Your throne, O God, is* for ever and ever,
and the righteous sceptre is the sceptre of your* kingdom.
9You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness;
therefore God, your God, has anointed you
with the oil of gladness beyond your companions.’
10And,
‘In the beginning, Lord, you founded the earth,
and the heavens are the work of your hands;
11they will perish, but you remain;
they will all wear out like clothing;
12like a cloak you will roll them up,
and like clothing* they will be changed.
But you are the same,
and your years will never end.’
13But to which of the angels has he ever said,
‘Sit at my right hand
until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet’?
14Are not all angels* spirits in the divine service, sent to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation?
There seems to be a lot of quotes here. These quotes are probably from the Old Testament. Once again, it’s clear that this letter—or transcipt or whatever—must have been to Hebrews. They consider Scripture as a great authority already, and therefore his argument carries much greater impact than if he’d been writing to Greeks who are less familiar with these past revelations.
The author obviously wants to make the point that Jesus is indeed more significant than angels in numerous aspects. The question is, Why would he make that point? I guess, it suggests the Hebrews he was talking to had been exposed to some kind of heresy; perhaps, they actually considered Jesus to be (somewhat) like the angels? And perhaps the author is now disciplining them, telling them how dead wrong they are? It’s possible.
Whatever the reason, the author uses this opportunity to spell out just how awesome Jesus is: First, he notes that Jesus has a special father-son relationship with God. Jesus is worshipped by angels. Jesus has been made a ruler, anointed with the “oil of gladness”. Everything in the Creation is temporal, but Jesus is eternal and unchanging. Finally, Jesus has been made a ruler while the angels are just serving spirits. All of this is true according to what the prophets stated in the past. In other words, Jesus is much greater than angels.
