HAVING BECOME AS MUCH BETTER THAN THE ANGELS: tosouto kreitton genomenos (AMPMSN) tôn aggelôn: (Torrey's Topic Preciousness of Christ, ANGELS) (Nave's ANGELS) (Click in depth ISBE Article on Angels) (See excellent booklet from RBC What Can We Learn From The Angels?) (Heb 1:9 - note; Heb 2:9- note; Ep 1:21- note; Col 1:18-note; Col 2:10-note; 2Th 1:7; 1Pe 3:22 - note; Rev 5:11 - note; Rev 5:12 - note)
 

having become so much better than the messengers (YLT)

thus proving himself, by the more glorious name that he has won far greater than all the angels of God (Phillips)

having become by so much superior to the angels (Wuest)

Being made so much better than the angels (KJV)

as far superior to the angels (NAB)

[Taking a place and rank by which] He Himself became as much superior to angels (Amp)

Thus he became so far better than the angels (NET)

The Son became much greater than the angels (ICB)

I like John MacArthur's introductory comments to Hebrews 1:4-14...

In this chapter we are going to be dealing with meat as opposed to milk. I cannot remember a passage on which I have spent more time. To some extent, it is like an iceberg. You can see the top clearly enough, but it may not appear too impressive or meaningful. We will be looking below the surface of this passage into its deep truths. In that sense, verses 4 through 14 are not easy to understand. If, even in a small measure, I can help make these truths more understandable, I have succeeded in what I asked God to help me do.

Keep in mind that the book of Hebrews is written to Jewish people, primarily to Jewish believers but also to Jewish unbelievers. Both groups are pressed with the truth that the New Covenant is better than the Old—that Jesus Christ is the better Priest, and the better Mediator, and that He is the final Priest and the final Sacrifice at the same time. Throughout the book we have comparisons between the New Covenant and the Old Covenant and between Jesus Christ and everyone else, to show that Jesus is superior in every way.

In the first three verses Jesus is shown as superior to everything and everyone. After unfolding all of the human "everyones" Christ is superior to, the Holy Spirit teaches us that Jesus Christ is also superior to angels. (MacArthur, John: Hebrews. Moody Press or Logos)

NOTE: Do not confuse this discussion of Jesus better than the angels with the Angel of the LORD a term found only in the Old Testament and referring not to a created angel but almost certainly to preincarnate appearances of the Lord Jesus Christ. Click for a Scriptural analysis of the Angel of the LORD. It is very interesting to note that the term the Angel of the Lord does not appear in the New Testament after the incarnation of Christ He becomes a man, for their was no longer any need for a "pre-incarnate" theophany (appearance in the form of God) for the God-Man Christ Jesus.

Spurgeon comments...

So you perceive that Christ is no created angel. He is sometimes compared to an angel. He is sometimes called the angel of the covenant, but he is not a created angel. He is higher in nature, higher in rank, higher in intellect, and higher in power than they. He is nothing less than very God of very God. The very man who suffered on Calvary.

Paul had warned Timothy that

the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons (1Ti 4:1).

That these later times had already arrived in the first century church is clear for writing to the church at Colossae Paul warned the saints to reject false angelogly saying

Let no one keep defrauding you of your prize by delighting in self-abasement and the worship of the angels, taking his stand on visions he has seen, inflated without cause by his fleshly mind and not holding fast to the Head (Christ), from Whom the entire body, being supplied and held together by the joints and ligaments, grows with a growth which is from God. (Colossians 2:18; 2:19-note) 

Many people in the first century apparently believed that angels served as mediators between God and men and it was tempting to focus more on angels than upon the sufficiency of Christ as the Great High Priest and Mediator. Basing his arguments upon familiar Old Testament verses, specifically quoting from the Greek translation, the Septuagint (LXX), the author in eleven verses (Hebrews 1:4-14) brilliantly constructs a convincing contrast between Christ the Creator and the created angels, conclusively demonstrating that Christ is far superior to the angels and He Alone warrants the readers (and our) adoration, worship and obedience.

Modern Christianity enamored with widespread Scripturally "shallow" teaching on angels, is in desperate need of this sound doctrine which alone is able to nourish our faith (1Ti 4:6) and cause us to "grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (2Pe 3:18-note) 

Scripture has considerable teaching on the topic of angels with some 108 direct references in the OT and 165 in the NT. Study of these passages reveals that God's primary purpose for creating the angels was to render worship and service to God and in turn serve as God's messengers and ministers to men. For a synopsis of "angelology" I would recommend taking an hour or so and reading through the passages in Torrey's topic on Angels. Don't just read Torrey's conclusions (as good as I think they are) but as "you have an anointing from the Holy One" (1Jn 2:20), read the passages in context and allow your Teacher the Holy Spirit to lead you into all truth (i.e., Be a Berean - Acts 17:11-note). Remember you can download Instaverse and hold your pointer over Torrey's references to read the passages in context (KJV and ESV are available at no charge).

James Townsend in Emmaus Journal (Vol 9. Page 97. 2000) writes the following summary of Jesus and angels...

Superior to the Invisible Agents of Old Testament Revelation - Angels (Hebrews 1:1-2:18)

A lot of modern people have caught the disease of angelitis (spawned from TV shows such as “Touched by an Angel”). When angels are promoted to the extent that God’s Son is demoted, then such obsessions amount to “the worship of angels” (see note Colossians 2:18). Angels were the invisible intermediaries involved in God’s giving the Old Testament revelation of the law (see Acts 7:38, 53 and Gal. 3:19). In order to show that God’s New Testament revelation in His Son is superior to the Old Testament revelation at Sinai, the author of Hebrews (Heb 1:1-2:18) cites evidence to show the Son’s superiority above all angels (who are unseen law-givers).

In Hebrews 1:1-3 the author forges seven scintillating statements about God’s Son, who is God’s supreme revelation (Heb 1:1–3). In Heb 1:4-14 he shows, by seven Scriptural citations, that He is “superior to the angels” (He 1:4-note) because no angel has ever been singled out as “the” Son (He 1:5-note; He 1:6-note), or addressed as “God” (He 1:8-note) or has had an eternal existence (He 1:10-note; He 1:11, 12-note).

The word “angels” appears twelve times in Hebrews 1:4-2:18. The law (or past revelation) was “spoken by angels” (He 2:2-note), but this last revelation (He 1:2-note) was spoken by God’s superior Son, so no one dare neglect the message “announced  by” God’s Son (He 2:3-note) and attested by God the Father (He 2:4-note).

Angels were not only agents of the law-giving (Hebrews 2:2-note), but administrators over nations (He 2:5-note; Da. 10:13, 20, 21; 11:1, where angels are called “princes” ruling over nations). Yet God has not “subjected the world to come…to angels” (Hebrews 2:5-note), but eventually the world is to be subjected to the Son...

Become (1096) (ginomai) is a word the meaning of which is in contrast to that of poieo (poieo) which means “to make.” The latter means “to construct or fashion something out of existing materials.” The former is the word used of the universe coming into existence. It means “to become.” The Son became better than the angels, inferring that at one time He was lower than the angels. 2:7, 9 during His incarnation.

A number of cults and other unorthodox religious organizations deny the deity of Christ on the basis of the KJV translation of Jesus “being made” incorrectly interpreting this out of context (which will usually lead to an erroneous interpretation) to mean that Jesus was created ("made").

The Greek verb however is not poieo, meaning to “to make or create,” but ginomai, which means “to become” and is the meaning conveyed by most modern translations. Jesus Christ always existed, but He became better than the angels in His exaltation, a statement which is better understood when we learn that in His incarnation on earth He was

made for a little while lower than the angels...that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone. (see note Hebrews 2:9)

Better (2909) (kreitton from kratos = strong which denotes power in activity and effect) is the comparative degree of agathos meaning good (intrinsically good).

Robertson renders it as "by how much more".  

Vine comments that

better is here indicative of a higher position or rank. (Vine, W. Collected writings of W. E. Vine. Nashville: Thomas Nelson or Logos)

As Wuest puts it Jesus is so much superior to the angels.

Better is a KEYWORD (see key words) in Hebrews. This repetition of "better" demonstrates beyond all doubt to the Jewish reader that the New is better than the Old system. Study the uses below. What is better? You will need to read the surrounding context to answer this question.

Hebrews
A "Better" Book
Uses of "Better"

Hebrews 1:4 (note) having become as much better than the angels, as He has inherited a more excellent name than they.

Hebrews 6:9 (note) But, beloved, we are convinced of better things concerning you, and things that accompany salvation, though we are speaking in this way.

Hebrews 7:19 (note) (for the Law made nothing perfect), and on the other hand there is a bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God.

Hebrews 7:22 (note) so much the more also Jesus has become the guarantee of a better covenant.

Hebrews 8:6 (note) But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, by as much as He is also the mediator of a better covenant, which has been enacted on better promises.

Hebrews 9:23 (note) Therefore it was necessary for the copies of the things in the heavens to be cleansed with these, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.

Hebrews 10:34 (note) For you showed sympathy to the prisoners, and accepted joyfully the seizure of your property, knowing that you have for yourselves a better possession and an abiding one.

Hebrews 11:4 (note) By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained the testimony that he was righteous, God testifying about his gifts, and through faith, though he is dead, he still speaks.

Hebrews 11:16 (note) But as it is, they desire a better country, that is a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; for He has prepared a city for them.

Hebrews 11:35 (note) Women received back their dead by resurrection; and others were tortured, not accepting their release, in order that they might obtain a better resurrection;

Hebrews 11:40 (note) because God had provided something better for us, so that apart from us they should not be made perfect.

Hebrews 12:24 (note) and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks better than the blood of Abel.

Angels (32) (aggelos or angelos) is the Greek word used to describe a messenger sent in order to announce, teach or perform anything in place of one who has sent him. In Scripture aggelos refers to transcendent (exceeding usual limits) celestial spirit beings, messenger, superior in power and intelligence to man, who are

sent out (by God) to render service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation. (Heb 1:14-note)

Angels are often referred to as the hosts (for more discussion click here) of God (LORD of hosts or Sabaoth) and equate with His "army" in heaven. God is represented as surrounded by a host of beings of a higher order than man. As to their number, the writer of Hebrews says there are "myriads (murias = indefinite large number that cannot be counted) of angels" (Hebrews 12:22-note) The writer of Hebrews writes that in the Old Testament God spoke

"the word...through angels " and that word "proved unalterable and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense, (He 2:2-note)

Why would the writer even need to address the issue of Jesus as much better than the angels? For one thing, from the very fact the writer had to address this issue implies that ancient Jews, even those who were now believers in the Messiah held angels in high regard. It is not surprising that Jews might have a high regard for angels, because Scripture teaches that the law had been given through angels (Acts 7:53).

Paul writes that

"God gave his laws to angels to give to Moses, who was the mediator between God and the people" (Gal 3:19NLT).

Wuest feels that...

The informal and abrupt introduction of angels, shows that the writer was addressing Jews, who were familiar with the important part the angels played in the Old Testament, particularly in the giving of the law.

Cherubim were woven into the veil of the tabernacle, and cherubim were fashioned of gold for the mercy seat.  Furthermore, in the OT, angelic beings had made frequent appearance to the Jewish people (eg Da 8:16-note, etc).

Finally, it is evident from Paul's letter to the Colossians that those with a strong Jewish background (Col 2:16, 17-note) were being tempted to "delight in false humility and the worship of angels" (Col 2:18-note).

Those to whom this letter is sent were either already entertaining or being encouraged to entertain, teaching which elevated angels to a position rivaling that of Christ himself.

Thomas Aquinas explains that...

Angels mean messengers and ministers. Their function is to execute the plan of divine providence, even in earthly things.

John Calvin

Angels are the dispensers and administrators of the divine beneficence towards us.

Billy Graham rightly declared...

Of one thing we can be sure: Angels never draw attention to themselves but ascribe glory to God and press His message upon the heavens as a delivering and sustaining word of the highest order.

AS HE HAS INHERITED A MORE EXCELLENT NAME THAN THEY: hoso diaphoroteron par autous kekleronomeken (3SRAI) onoma: (Ps 2:7,8;  Php 2:9, 2:10, 2:11)

God gave him a name that is much greater than theirs (ICB)

thus proving himself, by the more glorious name that he has won far greater than all the angels of God (Phillips)

just as the name God gave him is far greater than their names (NLT)

as the glorious Name (title) which He has inherited is different from and more excellent than theirs. (Amp)

as the Name He possesses by inheritance is more excellent than theirs (WNT)

Inherited (2816) (kleronomeo [word study] from kleros = a lot + nemomai = to possess) is in the perfect tense which conveys the idea in context of the permanence of His inherited Name. The verse could be more literally translated

He inherited in times past with the present result that the inheritance is in His permanent possession.

The perfect tense of kleronomeo speaks of a past completed action and of the present abiding results. Jesus is the Heir Who forever possesses the more excellent name.

More (5118) (tosoutos) refers to a high degree of quantity and thus means so much, so great

Excellent (1313)(diaphoros from diaphéro = be different, superior) pertains to that which is different and in the present context the focus is on  different in "value" and thus His Name is outstanding, exceptional (forming an exception, not ordinary), superior (of extraordinary worth or merit, of higher rank, quality, or importance), surpassing (greatly exceeding others, of very high degree) and excellent. 

Diaphoros signifies more distinguished, more eminent and is used elsewhere only (He 8:6-note) describing the Son's “more excellent ministry, by as much as He is also the mediator of a better covenant, which has been enacted on better promises.”

Diaphoros - 4x in 4v - Ro 12:6; Heb 1:4; 8:6; 9:10. NAS = differ(1), more excellent(2), various(1).

Diaphoros - 5x in Septuagint (LXX) - Lev 19:19; Deut 22:9; Ezra 8:27; Dan 7:7, 19)

Name (3686) (onoma) is the distinctive designation of a person or thing and includes the ideas of  title, character, reputation or authority.

In antiquity the name meant much more than it does today. We use a name as little more than a distinguishing mark or label to differentiate one person from other people. But in the NT "the name" concisely sums up all that a person is. One's whole character was somehow implied in the name.

Jesus (Greek Iesous, Hebrew = Yeshua = Jehovah is Salvation)...Who will save His people from their sins" (Mt 1:21), the "Name which is above every name" for as Peter declared...

there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men, by which we must be saved." (Acts 4:12)