And again, when God brings His firstborn into the world,The term "firstborn" in biblical context often signifies preeminence and authority rather than birth order. In the Old Testament, the firstborn son held a special status, receiving a double portion of the inheritance and leadership of the family. Here, "firstborn" refers to Jesus Christ, emphasizing His supremacy and unique relationship with God. The phrase "brings into the world" can be understood as referring to the incarnation of Christ, when God sent His Son into the world as a human being. This aligns with the prophecy of the Messiah's coming, as seen in passages like
Isaiah 9:6 and
Micah 5:2, which speak of a ruler coming from Bethlehem. The use of "again" suggests a continuation or reiteration of a previous point, possibly referring to the repeated emphasis on Christ's divine mission and authority.
He says: “Let all God’s angels worship Him.”
This command for the angels to worship Christ underscores His divine nature and authority over all creation, including the heavenly beings. The worship of angels is significant because angels are powerful and revered beings in biblical tradition, often serving as messengers and servants of God. The directive for them to worship Jesus highlights His superiority and divinity. This phrase echoes Old Testament themes, such as inDeuteronomy 32:43 in the Septuagint, where the nations and heavenly beings are called to worship God. It also connects to the New Testament, where the worship of Jesus is a recurring theme, as seen inPhilippians 2:9-11, where every knee bows to Christ. This worship is a fulfillment of the messianic prophecies and typologies that depict the Messiah as the ultimate King and divine figure, worthy of worship and adoration.
Persons / Places / Events
1.
GodThe sovereign Creator who brings His firstborn into the world and commands worship.
2.
Jesus ChristReferred to as the "firstborn," indicating His preeminence and unique status as the Son of God.
3.
AngelsHeavenly beings commanded to worship Jesus, highlighting His superiority over them.
4.
The WorldThe realm into which Jesus is brought, emphasizing His incarnation and mission.
5.
The Author of HebrewsTraditionally attributed to Paul or another early Christian leader, writing to Jewish Christians to affirm the supremacy of Christ.
Teaching Points
The Supremacy of ChristJesus is not merely a prophet or teacher; He is the divine Son of God, worthy of worship by all creation, including angels.
The Role of AngelsAngels, though powerful and significant, are servants of God and worshipers of Christ, underscoring His divine authority.
The IncarnationThe phrase "brings His firstborn into the world" highlights the mystery and significance of the incarnation—God becoming man.
Worship as a ResponseOur response to the revelation of Christ's supremacy should be worship, aligning ourselves with the heavenly hosts.
Christ's Preeminence in Our LivesRecognizing Jesus as the "firstborn" calls us to prioritize Him above all else in our lives, reflecting His preeminence in our actions and decisions.
Bible Study Questions and Answers
1.What is the meaning of Hebrews 1:6?
2.How does Hebrews 1:6 emphasize the divinity and authority of Jesus Christ?
3.What role do angels play in worship according to Hebrews 1:6?
4.How can we apply the worship of Jesus by angels to our lives?
5.Connect Hebrews 1:6 with Old Testament prophecies about Jesus' divine nature.
6.How does acknowledging Jesus' authority impact our daily decisions and actions?
7.What does Hebrews 1:6 reveal about the divinity of Jesus?
8.How does Hebrews 1:6 support the worship of Jesus by angels?
9.Why is the command for angels to worship significant in Hebrews 1:6?
10.What are the top 10 Lessons from Hebrews 1?
11.How can we judge angels if they judge us?
12.What is the nature of the spirit world?
13.Is Jesus superior to the angels?
14.Is Jesus actually Archangel Michael?What Does Hebrews 1:6 Mean
And again- The writer uses “again” to point back to a previous pattern of citing Scripture (Hebrews 1:5) and forward to another authoritative statement.
- It reminds us God speaks repeatedly and consistently; each citation builds the case that the Son is greater than any created being (Isaiah 55:11;Psalm 33:11).
When God brings His firstborn into the world- “Brings” highlights the Father’s active role in revealing the Son—first in the Incarnation (John 1:14) and ultimately in the Second Coming (Acts 1:11).
- “Firstborn” points to rank and supremacy, not origin. Jesus is pre-existent yet given first place over all creation (Colossians 1:15-18;Revelation 1:5).
- “Into the world” underscores that the eternal Son entered our history and realm, tying heaven’s agenda to earth’s need (Galatians 4:4-5).
He says- God Himself speaks; the command that follows carries divine authority (Psalm 33:9).
- Scripture is presented as God’s living, present voice (Hebrews 4:12). The author treats the Old Testament quotation as God still speaking now (Matthew 22:31-32).
Let all God’s angels worship Him- Quoted from the Greek Old Testament blend ofDeuteronomy 32:43 andPsalm 97:7, revealing that heaven’s host bows to the Son.
- Angels, though glorious (Luke 2:9-14), are commanded to honor Jesus, proving His deity and superiority (Philippians 2:9-11;Revelation 5:11-12).
- Worship is due to God alone (Exodus 34:14). Angels’ worship of Christ confirms He shares the Father’s divine nature (John 5:23).
- At His birth angels praised Him (Luke 2:13-14). At His return they will accompany and acclaim Him (2 Thessalonians 1:7-10).
summaryHebrews 1:6 teaches that the Father publicly declares the supremacy of His Son, commanding every angelic being to worship Jesus. The verse affirms Christ’s pre-existence, rightful preeminence, and full deity. By presenting Old Testament testimony as God’s current word, the writer shows that all of heaven recognizes what every believer joyfully confesses: Jesus is worthy of absolute worship and honor now and forever.
(6)
And again.--There seems little doubt that the true translation is,
And when He again leadeth (literally,
shall have led)
the Firstborn into the world He saith. The position of "again" (in the Greek) shows that it does not indicate a new step in the argument, but must be joined with "leadeth." The speaker ("He saith") is God, speaking in the word of Scripture; in this Epistle quotations from the Old Testament are usually thus introduced. The quotation involves some difficulty. It cannot be
directly taken from
Psalm 97:7, "worship Him, all His angels;" for the citations from the Greek Bible in this Epistle are usually so exact that we cannot believe the writer would have so altered the form of the sentence now before us. In
Deuteronomy 32:43, however, we find words identical with those of the text in most copies of the LXX.; but there is nothing answering to them in the Hebrew, and there is no sufficient reason for supposing that the clause has dropped out of the Hebrew text. There are similarities (both of subject and of diction) between the Psalm and the last section of the Song of Moses, which make it easy to see how the words could find their way into the Song. The Psalm belongs to a cycle (Psalms 93, 95-99) whose theme is the triumphant announcement of the coming of God's kingdom, by which was denoted (as the readers of the Epistle knew) the kingdom of Christ. In the divine plan the predicted Theophany was coincident with the fulfilment of the Messianic hope. In both Psalm and Song we read of the judgment exercised and the vengeance inflicted by the enthroned King. (Comp.
Psalm 2:9.) This agreement in tone and subject renders less important the question whether the Hebrew original of the Song really contained the words. The thought was familiar from Scripture, and in this very connection. When the Messiah, reigning as the Firstborn of God (see
Hebrews 1:5), shall appear for judgment--that is, when God leadeth a second time His Firstborn into "the world of men" (see
Hebrews 2:5), that He may receive full possession of His inheritance--He saith, And let all angels of God worship Him. The word here rendered "leadeth in" is in frequent use for the introduction of Israel (typically God's "firstborn,"
Exodus 4:22) into the land of Canaan. It should, perhaps, be noted that, though in
Psalm 97:7 "angels" may not be perfectly exact as a rendering of the Hebrew
Elohim, the verse so distinctly expresses the homage done to the King by superhuman powers, that its fitness for the argument here is obvious. . . .
Verse 6. -
And again, when he bringeth in the first-begotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him. The most obvious translation of the Greek here seems at first sight to be, "But whenever he [
i.e. God] shall again bring [or, 'bring back'] the Firstborn into the inhabited world, he saith;"
ὅταν εἰσαγάῃ denoting the indefiniteness of future time, and the position of
πάλιν connecting it most naturally with
εἰσαγάγῃ. If such be the force of
πάλιν, the reference must be to the second advent; which, however, is not suggested by the context, in which there has been no mention of a first advent, but only of the assignation to the Messiah of the name of Son. This supposed reference to a second advent may be avoided by disconnecting
πάλιν in sense from
εἰσαγάγῃ, and taking it (as in the verse immediately preceding, and elsewhere in the Epistle) as only introducing a new quotation. And the Greek will bear this interpretation, though the order of the words, taken by themselves, is against it. The "Firstborn" (
πρωτότοκος) is evidently the Son previously spoken of; the word is so applied (
Psalm 89:27) in a passage undoubtedly founded on the text last quoted. The same word is applied in the New Testament to Christ, as "the Firstborn among many brethren," "the Firstborn of every creature," "the Firstborn from the dead" (
Romans 8:29;
Colossians 1:15, 18). And the idea conveyed by these passages may have been in the writer's mind, and intended to be understood by his Christian readers. But for the immediate purpose of his argument he may be supposed to refer only to this designation as applied in the Old Testament to the SON already spoken cf. Thus the meaning may be, "But, again, with reference to the time when he shall introduce this SON, the Firstborn, into our inhabited world, he speaks thus of the angels." Or it may be, "But whenever he shall bring a second time into the world the Firstborn who has already once appeared, he speaks thus of the angels." But the first meaning seems more suitable to the general context. The force of the writer's argument is the same, whichever view we take; the point being that, at the time of the advent of the So, whatever advent may be meant, the angels appear only as attendant worshippers. As to the understood nominative to "saith," we may suppose it to be "God," as in ver. 5. But it is to be observed that
λέγει, without an expressed nominative, is a usual formula for introducing a scriptural quotation. The question remains - What is the text quoted, and how can it be understood as bearing the meaning here assigned to it? In the Hebrew Bible we find nothing like it, except in
Psalm 97:7, "Worship him, all ye gods," A.V.; where the LXX. has
προσκυνήσατε αὐτῷ πάντες οἱ ἄγγελοι Θεοῦ. But in
Deuteronomy 32:43 we find in the LXX., though not in the Masoretic text,
καὶπροσκυνησάτωσαν αὐτῷ πάντες ἄγγελοι Θεοῦ: the very words, including the introductory
καὶ, which are quoted. Hence, the quotations in this Epistle being mainly from the LXX., we may conclude that this is the text referred to. It occurs towards the end of the Song of Moses, in connection with its concluding picture of the LORD'S final triumph, in which the nations are called upon to rejoice with his people, when he would avenge the blood of his servants, and render vengeance to his adversaries, and make atonement for (Greek,
ἐκκαθαριεῖ) his land and for his people. Viewed in the light of later prophecy, this triumph is identified with that of the Messiah's kingdom, and is therefore that of the time of bringing "the Firstborn into the world." cf.
Romans 15:10, where "Rejoice, ye Gentiles," etc., from the same passage, is applied to the time of Christ. It is no objection to the quotation that, as it stands in the Epistle, "the Firstborn," though not mentioned in the original, seems to be regarded as the
object of the angels' worship. The passage is simply cited as it stands, the reader being left to draw his own inference; and the main point of it is that the angels in "that day" are not, like the Son, sharers of the throne, but only worshippers.
Parallel Commentaries ...
Greek
Andδὲ(de)Conjunction
Strong's 1161:A primary particle; but, and, etc.again,πάλιν(palin)Adverb
Strong's 3825:Probably from the same as pale; anew, i.e. back, once more, or furthermore or on the other hand.whenὍταν(Hotan)Conjunction
Strong's 3752:When, whenever. From hote and an; whenever; also causatively inasmuch as.[God] bringsεἰσαγάγῃ(eisagagē)Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1521:To lead in, bring in, introduce. From eis and ago; to introduce.[His]τὸν(ton)Article - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3588:The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.firstbornπρωτότοκον(prōtotokon)Adjective - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 4416:First-born, eldest. From protos and the alternate of tikto; first-born.intoεἰς(eis)Preposition
Strong's 1519:A primary preposition; to or into, of place, time, or purpose; also in adverbial phrases.theτὴν(tēn)Article - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 3588:The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.world,οἰκουμένην(oikoumenēn)Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 3625:Feminine participle present passive of oikeo; land, i.e. The globe; specially, the Roman empire.He says:λέγει(legei)Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 3004:(a) I say, speak; I mean, mention, tell, (b) I call, name, especially in the pass., (c) I tell, command.“{Let} allπάντες(pantes)Adjective - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 3956:All, the whole, every kind of. Including all the forms of declension; apparently a primary word; all, any, every, the whole.God’sΘεοῦ(Theou)Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 2316:A deity, especially the supreme Divinity; figuratively, a magistrate; by Hebraism, very.angelsἄγγελοι(angeloi)Noun - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 32:From aggello; a messenger; especially an 'angel'; by implication, a pastor.worshipπροσκυνησάτωσαν(proskynēsatōsan)Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 4352:From pros and a probable derivative of kuon; to fawn or crouch to, i.e. prostrate oneself in homage.Him.”αὐτῷ(autō)Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 846:He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.
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NT Letters: Hebrews 1:6 Again when he brings in the firstborn (Heb. He. Hb) 
