Hebrews 1:6
And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him.
Original Language Analysis
Cross References
Historical Context
The command for angels to worship Christ would have shocked any first-century Jew who viewed worship as belonging exclusively to Yahweh. Jewish monotheism rigorously guarded against worshiping any created being, including angels (Revelation 19:10, 22:8-9). The Dead Sea Scrolls and other Second Temple literature show that while angels were honored and their ministry appreciated, worship was reserved for God alone.
By citing Scripture that commands angels to worship Christ, the author makes an unmistakable claim: Christ is Yahweh, God incarnate. This isn't angel veneration or the worship of a created being; it is the acknowledgment of Christ's full deity. The Old Testament passages quoted were originally about Yahweh; their application to Christ identifies Him as Yahweh manifest in flesh.
Some first-century believers, influenced by Jewish angelology or incipient Gnostic ideas, may have viewed Christ as an exalted angel or intermediary figure—higher than humans but less than God. This verse demolishes such christology. Angels worship Christ; therefore Christ cannot be an angel. He is the object of angelic worship, the Creator they serve, the Lord they obey. This establishes the foundation for Christian orthodoxy's insistence on Christ's full deity as essential to the gospel.
Questions for Reflection
- How does the fact that angels worship Christ affect your own worship and devotion to Him?
- Why is Christ's full deity essential to the gospel and to Christian assurance of salvation?
- In what ways might believers today be tempted to seek help from spiritual beings or forces rather than trusting Christ's supreme authority?
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Analysis & Commentary
And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him. The third Old Testament quotation demonstrates angels' subordination to Christ by showing they are commanded to worship Him. "When he bringeth in the firstbegotten" (hotan de palin eisagagē ton prōtotokon eis tēn oikoumenēn, ὅταν δὲ πάλιν εἰσαγάγῃ τὸν πρωτότοκον εἰς τὴν οἰκουμένην) may refer to Christ's incarnation, His second coming, or both—the word palin ("again") could modify "bringeth in" (bringing Him again into the world at the second advent) or connect to the previous "again" in verse 5 (introducing another quotation).
The title "firstbegotten" (prōtotokon, πρωτότοκον, "firstborn") doesn't mean Christ was created first but emphasizes His preeminence and supremacy (Colossians 1:15-18). In biblical usage, "firstborn" carried rights of inheritance, authority, and honor—it was a title of rank, not merely chronological order. Christ is the supreme heir, the one possessing all rights and honors.
The quotation "let all the angels of God worship him" comes from Deuteronomy 32:43 (LXX) or possibly Psalm 97:7. The verb "worship" (proskynesatōsan, προσκυνησάτωσαν) indicates the reverence and homage due to deity alone. That all angels are commanded to worship Christ definitively proves His deity and superiority. Created beings worship Him; therefore He is not a created being but God Himself. If angels are to worship Christ, how much more should humans worship and trust Him completely.