Hebrews 1:5

The phrase "to which of the angels" opens and closes this section of the text (cf. Hebrews 1:13). This literary device (an inclusio) marks off a literary unit by using the same word or phrase at the beginning and at the end of a discussion (cf. Hebrews 2:5-16; Hebrews 3:1 to Hebrews 4:14; Hebrews 5:1-10; Hebrews 5:11 to Hebrews 6:12; Hebrews 7:1-10; Hebrews 12:14 to Hebrews 13:20).

David prophetically referred to Jesus Christ as God’s Son in Psalms 2:7, the verse the writer quoted first. [Note: See. Franz Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Psalms , 1:95-97.] The Old Testament writers referred to angels collectively as the "sons of God" (Job 1:6; Job 2:1; Job 38:7), but they did not refer to any one of them as the Son of God. "Son of God" is a title that referred to the Davidic kings (2 Samuel 7:14) and specifically to Jesus Christ, God the Son (Mark 1:11; Luke 1:32). "Today" evidently refers to Jesus Christ’s entrance into heaven. This happened after His resurrection and at His ascension.

The eternal Son of God ". . . entered into the full exercise of all the prerogatives implied by His Sonship when, after His suffering had proved the completeness of His obedience, He was raised to the Father’s right hand." [Note: Bruce, p. 13. Cf. Hebrews 1:3.]

Another less probable view, I think, is that this day was the day of Jesus’ resurrection. [Note: Philip E. Hughes, A Commentary on the Epistle to the Hebrews, pp. 54-55; Pentecost, p. 48.]

"The writer is clearly more concerned to demonstrate the significance of the begetting in terms of the Son’s status, rather than to tie it down to a specific occasion." [Note: Guthrie, p. 73.]

The second quotation, from 2 Samuel 7:14 or 1 Chronicles 17:13, like the first, ties in with the Davidic Covenant and advances the previous point. Not only is Jesus the Son of God, He is also the promised son of David (Luke 1:32-33; Luke 1:68-69; Romans 1:3). Even though Jesus Christ was always God’s eternal Son, He became the Son prophesied to rule over David’s house. He received permission to rule the whole earth after His ascension (cf. Psalms 2:8).

To summarize, the title "Son" refers to Jesus in three separate respects. He was always the pre-existent Son (Hebrews 1:3 a-b; cf. Hebrews 5:8), He became the incarnate Son at His birth (Hebrews 1:2 a), and He became the exalted Son when He returned to heaven. [Note: See Lane, pp. 25-26.]

Note the chiastic style of the quotations, which begin and end with references to the Son surrounding references to the Father. This has the effect of stressing the Father but uniting the Son closely with Him.