i'm reposting this because i'm going to pick up the posting of the hebrews commentary. it should be fun. please comment to correct, rebuke and admonish as you'd see fit.
01:01- God spoke through prophets (God spoke through man).
01:02- God spoke through his Son (God now speaks through God).; through his son in the fact that JC speaks/spoke audible words that we can now read/hear --> also, through his Son in the sense of by means of (the whole JC being our mediator thing); the same words that God spoke through JC to create everything we now see (and don't see), God speaks through JC to us (pretty frickin' cool!!); the only reason that we now hear God is because of what JC has done for us by being ransomed for us.
01:03- That Son we see is in fact God! He's the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of God's nature. JC beat death, took his rightful place of Honor and popped His collar;
01:04- "having become much better than the angels..." why is that said --> because angels are also in Heaven. If you don't say that, then one could wrongly assume that just like the angels are in heaven, so now is JC. The author wants to make no mistake that Jesus isn't just in heaven as the angels are, he's in a higher place of honor then they are. This now starts a chain of things/people that JC is better than; JC inherited a better name than the angels do --> we get to be co-heirs with Christ (Rom. 8) --> we inherit this name as well, the only reason that we get access into heaven is the fact that we inherit JC's name!!
01:05- The author then proceeds to lay out from the scriptures why JC is better than the angels; the first cross reference in this verse is from Psa 2:7, the context of this Psalm is the nations are taunting God, but God ain't stressin' because he has set for himself the King that will lead to their ruin, namely JC (king of the universe is more lofty a title than an angel, chalk one up for Jesus); the second cross reference of this verse is from 2 Samuel 7:14, the context is that David wants to build a temple for God, then Nathan hears from God and God says that David is not the one to build the temple but that He will establish David's house forever, also that He will be a father to David's son (Solomon) and will not leave him. The author is seeing this promise as a promise for Jesus (the son of David, who's kingdom will be established forever) as the one in which this promise is fulfilled.; both verse's speak to JC's sonship and kingship; JC is better than the angels.
01:06- Basically, the first day JC is on the scene, he's the man; "firstborn"--> preeminence, over everything, so angels as well (see Col. 1 as well); JC is so much more higher than the angels that the angels all worship him; we see that first off when JC was born all the angels were singing Glory to God in the highest (Luke 2:9 and following);
01:07- The cross reference in this verse is Psa. 104:4. This Psalm is pretty much just ascribing God crazy worship. This cross ref. is thrown in their to contrast how much more better JC is than the angels; the contrast is that the angels are basically God's messenger boy but JC is the heir to the king of the universe (which gets laid out even further in the following verses), and we also know that JC is actually God himself, so again we see how much higher JC is than the angels;
01:08-09- The cross reference in this verse is Psa. 45:6-7; this is taken as more promises that are fulfilled in JC. this also speaks to God's sovereignty in all this ("...throne forever and ever..."; "...God has anointed you..."); remember the author is putting this against what the angels are, hammering in the theme of this chapter--> JC is better than the angels;
01:10-12- The cross reference in these verses are Psa. 102:25-26. This Psalm is talking about how they were destitute and God is going to show off his Glory through them and that God hasn't changed or diverted from the plan of showing himself off; this cross ref. reaffirms JC's deity, and reaffirms JC's preeminence and JC's steadfastness/durability;
01:13- The cross reference is Psa. 110:1. The Psalm is basically more glory ascribing to JC!; The Psalmist is talking about God, but the author of Hebrews references it about JC-->, again reaffirming JC's deity; It pits this verse against the truth that this promise isn't for the angels, its for the Son;
01:14- The angels are "ministering spirits"; it says that they minister to the those who will inherit salvation; what does that mean? it seems as if thats speaking to the co-heirs with Christ, God's church; i don't think that it is saying that we lord over them and they are at our beck and call. I think it means that they will minister to us as a part of serving God. Angels serve God, not us. They are at His beck and call, not ours;
Chapter 1 Quick Wrap-Up:
Jesus is better than the angels; JC is better because of His preeminence, Kingship and the fact that JC is God. The author hammers those theme's in as well.