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Being made so much better than the angels: this God-man, the great gospel Minister, is more excellent than angels, and so must surpass all the prophets. He became thus by being surety constituted and declared, as ordained by God’s decree from eternity, in eminency above them by actual investiture on his ascension, Eph_1:20,21. A more excellent person he is beyond any comparison for his Divine nature, and in his human transcending the angelical, on the account of the hypostatical union: see Heb_1:6.
Angels; these were spirits likest God, and called Elohims, or gods, Heb_1:7 Psa_104:4; being most pure, glorious, powerful, and heavenly creatures, Mar_8:38 13:32 2Th_1:7; of various ranks, orders, and degrees, Eph_1:21 Col_1:16; used by Christ as his ministers in the delivering of his law on Mount Sinai to Israel, Heb_2:2 Act_7:53 Gal_3:19. The measure of his transcendency over these, for person, office, and name, is infinitely beyond expression.
As he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name; this was his peculiar, hereditary lot, due to him by natural right, as the heir and first-born of God, justly acquired by him, and actually possessed of him, not as a mere title, but a name descriptive of his person, distinguishing him from, and setting him above, all others: God the Son incarnate, Isa_7:14 9:6; Lord over all creatures in heaven and in earth, and under it, Phi_2:9-11; not a simple messenger, but a Son, Mat_17:5 Joh_1:18; the Redeemer, Justifier, and Saviour of his people, Luk_1:31,32. He is a person of name famous for power, glory, and dignity above all others, Eph_1:21 Phi_2:9-11.
A more excellent name than they; diaforwteron, differencing from, and setting above, all the names of angels for eminency, the archangel himself being a servant and attendant on him, 1Th_4:16. His is more differencing and transcending in his kind than the name of angels is in their kind; he is above whatever they can pretend to, and so a more excellent Prophet than they. He hath in all things, as well as name, over them the pre-eminency.