The Pulpit Commentary — Hebrews — Section 36

One only is given the title tlie Bon of God, even to" the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father," and of whom tho Father speaks as" my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." It is probable that in this name there is a depth of si"• nificance, e. height of dignity, and e. fulness of glory of which at present we ha;o little or no conception. 2. Tlte acquiBition of tltis name. "He hath by inheritance obtained" it. "He hath inherited" it: (1) Because of his relation to the Father. It belongs to him by his very Being, "by virtue of his Divine filiation. Ancrels may be, in an inferior sense, the sons of God by creation ; but they cannot inh~rit that title, for this plain reason, that they are created; not begotten; whilst our Lord inherits the 'more excellent name,' because be is begotten, not created." (2) And, perhaos, because it was promised to him in the Old Testament Scriptures; as in the passa.;es 0 quoted in our text. II. IN THE CORilESPONDING PRE·EMINE:SCE OF ms NATURE. Names and titles in the sacred writings, generally speaking, are neither given for their euphony, nor are they merely complimentary, but they express realities,in the circumstances, or cha- racter, or calling of the person to whom they are applied. 'fhis is especially the case in respect to the Son of God. "The dignity of his titles is indicative of his essential rank." He is called the Son of God because he is the Son of God in a peculiar anti exclusive sense. The name is indicative of his nature, which is essentially Divine. III. IN HIS COBilESPONDING PRE-EMINENCE AS MEDIATOR. "Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath," etc.; Revised Version," Having become by so much better than the nngcls," etc. The "having become" refers to the exaltation of our Lord in his humanity. In like manner it seems to us that the "This day have I begotten thee" refers to his resurrection from the dead. St. Paul certainly applied the words thus (Acts xiii. 32, 33). And he writes, God's" Son, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh, who was declared to be the Son of God with power, by the resurrection of the dend, even Jesus Christ our Lord." And St. John speaks of "Jesus Christ, the First-begotten of the dead" (Rev. i. 5). We conclude, then, that "begotten" is used figuratively, and that by it is intended the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, by which he was declared to be the Son of God with power, and his exaltation to his mediatorial throne. .And this bring8 us to our present point, which the fourth verse teaches us, that the exaltation of our Lord consequent upon the com- pletion of his redemptive work upon earth is commensurate with the exaltation of his essential nature; or, that his glory as Mediator corresponds with the dignity of hi8 no.me and nature. Alford: "Observe, that the Kpdno,v -y•v&p.•1101 is not identical with the 1t<1tll:11pov&p.111t•11, but in proportion to it : the triumphant issue of his mediation i8 consonant to the glorious name which is his by inheritance; but which, in the fulness of its present inconceivable glory, has been put on and taken up by him in the his- torical process of his mediatorial humiliation and triumph." The redemption uf humanity was an undertaking beyond all human power, and transcending even angelic wisdom, love, and might. Its accomplishment demanded the resources of Godlwad. Our Lord has redeemed man in a manner worthy of himself as Son of God, and his cxal- to.tiou as Redeemer corresponds with the pre-eminence of his transcendent Name. An,! more, this "exaltation must be conceived of as belonging, not to his humanity only, but to the entire undivided person of Christ, now resuming the fulness and glory of tl,e Godhead (John xvii. 5), and in addition to this having to.ken into the Godhead the manhood, now glorified by his obedience, atonement, o.nd victory (see Eph. i. 20-22; Phil. ii. 6-ll ; .Acts ii. 36 ; 1 Pet. iii. 21, 22). The Son of God before his incarnation was Heo.d over creation ; but after his work in the flesh he had become also Head ,:,/ creation, inasmuch as his !!lorified body, in which he triumphs sitting at God's right hand, is itself created, and is the sum and the centre of creation" (Alford). CONCLUSION. 1. Let his pre-eminence as Mediator inspire us with confidence in M,n as our Savi011,r. 2. Let his essential pre-eminence inspire us ttJith adoring reverenc11 towards him.-W. J. Ver. G.-T/1e Son of God the Recipient of the worship of the angels. "And again, when he bringeth in the First-begotten," etc. '!'his verse, as Ebrard remarks, "i8 unquestionably one of the most difficult in the wbolo Epistle." We have in it: 1. A11 august relationship. "His 1.<'irst-bcgotten." '!'his title is appropriately applied to the  26 'l'HE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [arr. I. 1-14.