College Press Bible Study Textbook Series
Hebrews 1:6-7
B.
Superior to angels in worship: worship Him. (cf. Acts 13:33); Hebrews 1:6-7.
Text
Hebrews 1:6 And when He again bringeth in the firstborn into the world He saith, And let all the angels of God worship Him. Hebrews 1:7 And of the angels He saith,
Who maketh His angels winds,
And His ministers a flame of fire:
Paraphrase
Hebrews 1:6 But, instead of calling any of the angels His begotten Son, when God foretells His bringing a second time the first-born into our world, by raising Him from the dead, to show that He hath subjected the angels to Him, He saith, Psalms 97:7. Yea, worship Him, all ye angels of God.
Hebrews 1:7 Besides, of the angels indeed David saith, Psalms 104:4. Who made His angels spiritual substances, and His ministers a flame of fire;that is, the greatest thing said of angels is, that they are beings not clogged with flesh, who serve God with the utmost activity;
Comment
and when He again bringeth in the firstborn
The word again creates a problem.
a.
It seems unlikely that this refers to Christ's birth, for His second coming would then be His third; the birth was not again in the world.
b.
A clarification of the problem of again may be in the alternate translation: and again, when He bringeth in
1.
This means He spoke again, rather than again bringing Him into the world.
2.
The angels worshipped at His birth for they spokeperhaps sangfrom the heavens, Luke 2:14,
It can be said God brought Him in, for the Scriptures teach it.
Luke 1:35To Mary: ... and the power of the Most High shall overshadow thee
John 3:16that He gave
firstborn
This is a descriptive title and is used in at least two senses;
a.
Firstborn of creationColossians 1:5-18.
b.
Firstborn from the deadRevelation 1:5.
This is firstborn, God desires Him to have many brethren:
Romans 8:29that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.
into the world
The Greek word, here translated, world, suggests the inhabited world.
a.
Christ came to man, for man needed a helper, an example, a Saviour.
b.
Hebrews 4:15tempted as we are
c.
Hebrews 2:18able to succor them.
God was able to do the most for man by bringing Christ into the inhabited earth.
He saith, and let all the angels worship Him
When did God say this?
a.
Some commentators say the time is uncertain.
b.
Some strain to suggest Psalms 97:7 or perhaps Deuteronomy 32:43.
c.
We do not need an Old Testament quotation; if the author were inspired as I believe he was, he spoke this by revelation, just as did John on Patmos.
The important thing is that the angels did worship Him while He was on earth, and now do so in heaven.
Luke 2:13-14Glory to God
Revelation 5:11-12and the number of them was 10,000 times
10,000 and thousands of thousandssayingworthy
winds and His ministers a flame of fire
This is a quotation from Psalms 104:4
In Psalms it reads a little differentlywho maketh winds
His messengers, flames of fire his ministers.
Differences occur among the translators here:
a.
Calvin: The passage quoted seems to have been turned to another meaning from what it appears to have; for as David is there describing the manner in which we see the world to be governed, nothing is more certain than the winds are mentioned, which he says are made messengers by the Lord.this testimony is brought forward for this purpose, that it might by a similitude be applied to angels. (p. 44)
1.
Calvin thinks that in this way David compares winds to angels because they perform offices in this world similar to what the angels do in heaven.
2.
Hebrews seems to use winds to illustrate angels.
b.
The correct thought of this phrase seems to be that angels move to serve Himas spirits:
cf. Daniel 9:21they swiftly
cf. Hebrews 1:14they are ministering spirits
His ministers a flame of fire
Angels are related to fire.
Revelation 14:18Angels have power over fire.
Revelation 16:8An angel gives power to the sun to scorch men with fire.
Study Questions
73.
What is meant when He again bringeth?
74.
Does it change the meaning to move the word again?
75.
What is meant by firstborn?
76.
Does this refer to Bethlehem birth?
77.
Are there second-born ones?
78.
In what way is Christ firstborn? See Colossians 1:15-18; Revelation 1:5.
79.
How, when others were resurrected before Him, could He be firstborn from the dead?
80.
When did God say, Let all the angels worship Him?
81.
Was He worshipped by angels? When?
82.
Where is a heavenly worship described?
83.
How many angels worshipped Him in this instance?
84.
Give an explanation of Who maketh His angels winds.
85.
Where is the quotation found?
86.
Do God's angels move as wind?
87.
What is meant by ministers a flame of fire?
88.
Where is a New Testament scripture that may clarify this?