Hebrews 1:4

1:4 Thus he became so far better than the angels as he has inherited a name superior to theirs.

Hebrews 11:40

11:40 For God had provided something better for us, so that they would be made perfect together with us.


tn Grk “having become.” This is part of the same sentence that extends from v. 1 through v. 4 in the Greek text.

tn Most modern English translations attempt to make the comparison somewhat smoother by treating “name” as if it were the subject of the second element: “as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs” (cf. NAB, NIV, NRSV, CEV). However, the Son is the subject of both the first and second elements: “he became so far better”; “he has inherited a name.” The present translation maintains this parallelism even though it results in a somewhat more awkward rendering.

sn This comparison is somewhat awkward to express in English, but it reflects an important element in the argument of Hebrews: the superiority of Jesus Christ.

tn The Greek phrasing emphasizes this point by negating the opposite: “so that they would not be made perfect without us.”