Hebrews 1:7

Having in one testimony from the Scripture, expressing the subjection of angels unto the Lord Christ, signally proved his main design, the apostle proceedeth to the further confirmation of it in the same way, and that by balancing single testimonies concerning the nature and offices of the angels with some others concerning the same things in the Lord Christ, of whom he treats. And the first of these, relating unto angels, he lays down in the next verse:

Hebrews 1:7. Καὶ πρὸς μὲν τοὺς ἀγγέλους λέγει· ᾿Ο ποιῶν τοὺς ἀγγέλους αὑτοῦ πςνύματα, καὶ τοὺς λειτουργοὺς αὑτοῦ πυρὸς φλόγα.

There is not much of difficulty in the words. Πρὸς ἀγγέλους,” unto the angels.” Syr., על מַלָאכֵא, “of” (or “concerning”) “the angels.” אל is often used for על, and on the contrary, and πρός for περί; so that πρὸς τοὺς ἀγγέλους, “to the angels,” is as much as περί τῶν ἀγγέλων, “of” (or “concerning”) “the angels:” “But as concerning the angels,” (or, “and of the angels,”) “he saith;” for these words are not spoken unto the angels, as the following words are directly spoken unto the Son. He is the person as well spoken to as spoken of; but so are not the angels in the place from whence this testimony is taken, wherein the Holy Ghost only declareth the providence of God concerning them. Λέγει, “he saith;” that is, God the Father saith, or the Holy Ghost in the Scripture saith, as was before observe.

Τοὺς λειτουργούς . Λειτουργός is “minister publicus,” “a public minister,” or agent; from λήϊτος, which is the same with δημόσιος, as Hesychius renders it, “public.” He that is employed in any great and public work is λειτουργός. Hence, of old, magistrates were termed λειτουργοὶ Θεῶν, they are by Paul, διάκονοι Θεοῦ, Romans 13:4, “the ministers of God.” And Hebrews 8:2 of this epistle, he calls the Lord Jesus, in respect of his priestly office, τῶν ἁγιών λειτουργόν, “the public minister of holy things;” and himself, in respect of his apostleship, λειτουργὸν ᾿Ιησοῦ Χριστοῦ, Romans 15:16, “a minister of Jesus Christ.” So the name is on this account equipollent unto that of angels; for as that denoteth the mission of those spirits unto their work, so doth this their employment therein.

This testimony is taken from Psalms 104:4, where the words are to the same purpose: עֹשֶׂה מַלְאָכָיו רוּחוֹת מְשָׁרְתָיו אֵשׁ לֹחֵט. The translation now in the Greek is the same with that of the apostle, only for πυρὸς φλόγα, “a flame of fire,” some copies have it πῦρ φλέγον, “a flaming fire,” more express to the original; and the change probably was made in the copies from this place of the apostle. Symmachus, πῦρ λάβρον, “a devouring fire.” [8]

[8] EXPOSITION. Ποιῶν. κ. τ. λ. “Who maketh his angels that serve him the ministers of his will, as the winds and the lightning are.” The angels are employed simply in a ministerial capacity, while the Son is lord of all. Stuart. Angels are ministering elements of nature; the Son is everlasting king. Πρός, like לְּ, turned towards; i.e., “in respect of.” Tholuck. Πρός is to be rendered, not “to,” but “respecting.” The angels are regarded as δυνάμεις of God, through whom God works wonders in the kingdom of nature. Ebrard. God's angels are employed by him in the same way as the more ordinary agents of nature, winds and lightnings. Turner. Calvin, Beza, Bucer, Grotius, Limborch, Lowth, Campbell, Michaelis, Knapp, and others, translate the Greek words as equivalent to the Hebrew. Luther, Calov, Storr, Tholuck, and others, interpret the Hebrew according to the Greek. The Hebrew, it is alleged, must from the context be rendered, “He makes thewinds his messengers,” etc. To the former view it is justly objected, that the Greek rendering would have been, ῾Ο ποιῶν ἀγγέλους αὐτοῦ τὰ πνεύματα . To the latter, that the analogy of the context requires us in the Hebrew psalm to understand winds as the messengers of God, even as light is his garment, the heaven his tent, and the clouds his chariot. Tholuck, Stuart, and Turner hold that the Hebrew psalm leads to the opposite conclusion, from the natural order of the words, from the connection of angels with natural causes, and from the real scope of the context, “Who maketh the clouds his chariot.” The former, says Storr, like angels and ministers, must be understood literally, and the latter (chariot), like winds and lightnings, figuratively for agents of his will The translation adopted by the New Testament from the Septuagint has the sanction also of the Chaldee and Syriac versions. TRANSLATIONS. ῾Ο ποιῶν, κ. τ. λ. Who maketh his angels winds. Stuart, Craik, Ebrard. Who maketh winds his messengers, and flaming fire his ministers. Campbell on Gospels, Dissert. 8 part 3 sect. 10.

Hebrews 1:7. But unto [of] the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire, [or, flaming fire.]

The apostle here entereth upon his third argument to prove the pre- eminence of the Lord Christ above angels, and that by comparing them together, either as to their natures or as to their employments, according as the one or the other is set forth, declared, and testified unto in the Scriptures of the Old Testament. And this first place which he refers unto angels we shall now explain and vindicate; and in so doing inquire both who they are of whom the psalmist speaks, and what it is that he affirmeth of them.

There is a threefold sense given of the words of the psalmist, as they lie in the Hebrew text :

1. The first is that of the modern Jews, who deny that there is any mention made of angels, affirming the subject that the psalmist treats of to be the winds, with thunder and lightning, which God employs as his messengers and ministers to accomplish his will and pleasure. So he made the winds his messengers when he sent them to raise a storm on Jonah when he fled from his presence; and a flaming fire his minister, when by it he consumed Sodom and Gomorrah. And this opinion makes רוּחוֹת, which it interprets “winds,” and אֵשׂ לֹהֵט, “a flaming fire,” to be the subjects of the proposition, of which it is affirmed that God employs them as his messengers and ministers.

That this opinion, which is directly contradictory to the authority of the apostle, is so also to the design of the psalmist, sense of the words, consent of the ancient Jews, and so no way to be admitted, shall afterwards be made to appear.

2. Some aver that the winds and meteors are principally intended, but yet so as that God, affirming that he makes the winds his messengers, doth also intimate that it is the work and employment of his angels above to be his messengers also; and that because he maketh use of their ministry to cause those winds and fires whereby he accomplisheth his will. And this they illustrate by the fire and winds caused by them on mount Sinai at the giving of the law.

But this interpretation, whatever is pretended to the contrary, doth not really differ from the former, denying angels to be intentionally spoken of, only hooking in a respect unto them, not to seem to contradict the apostle, and therefore will be disproved together with that which went before.

3. Others grant that it is the angels of whom the apostle treats; but as to the interpretation of the words they are of two opinions.

Some make “spirits” to be the subject of what is affirmed, and “angels” to be the predicate. In this sense God is said to make those spiritual substances, inhabitants of heaven, his messengers, employing them in his service; and them whose nature is “a flaming fire,” that is the seraphim, to be his ministers, and to accomplish his pleasure. And this way, after Austin, go many expositors, making the term “angels” here merely to denote an employment, and not the persons employed. But as this interpretation also takes off from the efficacy and evidence of the apostle's argument, so we shall see that there is nothing in the words themselves leading to the embracement of it.

It remains, therefore, that it is the angels that are here spoken of; as also that they are intended and designed by that name, which denotes their persons, and not their employment.

That angels are primarily intended by the psalmist, contrary to the first opinion, of the modern Jews, and the second mentioned, leaning thereunto, appears,

1. From the scope and design of the psalmist. For designing to set out the glory of God in his works of creation and providence, after he had declared the framing of all things by his power which come under the name of “heavens,” Psalms 110:2-3, before he proceeds to the creation of the earth, passing over, with Moses, the creation of angels, or couching it with him under the production of light or of the heavens, as they are called in Job, he declareth his providence and sovereignty in employing his angels between heaven and earth, as his servants for the accomplishment of his pleasure. Neither doth it at all suit his method or design, in his enumeration of the works of God, to make mention of the winds and tempests, and their use in the earth, before he had mentioned the creation of the earth itself, which follows in the next verse unto this. So that these senses are excluded by the context of the psalm.

2. The consent of the ancient Jews lies against the sentiment of the modern. Both the old translations either made or embraced by them expressly refer the words unto angels. So doth that of the LXX., as is evident from the words; and so doth the Targum, thus rendering the place, מצלהבא דעבד אזגדוי סרהובין היךְ רוחא שמשוי תקיפין היךְ אשא; “Who maketh his messengers” (or “angels”) “swift as spirits, and his ministers strong” (or “powerful”) “as a flaming fire.” The supply of the note of similitude makes it evident that they understood the text of angels, and not winds, and of making angels as spirits, and not of making winds to be angels or messengers, which is inconsistent with their words.

3. The word מַלְאָכִים doth usually denote the angels themselves, and no reason can be given why it should not do so in this place.

Moreover, it appears that that term is the subject of the proposition: for,

1. The apostle and the LXX. fixing the articles before ἀγγέλους and λειτουργούς, “angels” and “ministers,” do plainly determine the subject spoken of: for although, it may be, some variety may be observed in the use of articles in other places, so that they do not always determine the subject of the proposition, as sometimes confessedly they do, as John 1:1; John 4:24; yet in this place, where in the original all the words are left indefinitely, without any prefix to direct the emphasis unto any one of them, the fixing of them in the translation of the apostle and LXX. must necessarily design the subject of them, or else by the addition of the article they leave the sense much more ambiguous than before, and give occasion to a great mistake in the interpretation of the words.

2. The apostle speaks of angels: “Unto the angels he saith.” And in all other testimonies produced by him, that whereof he treats hath the place of the subject spoken of, and not of that which is attributed unto any thing else. Neither can the words be freed from equivocation, if “angels” in the first place denote the persons of the angels, and in the latter their employment only.

3. The design and scope of the apostle requires this construction of the words; for his intention is, to prove by this testimony that the angels are employed in such works and services, and in such a manner, as that they are no way to be compared to the Son of God, in respect of that office which as mediator he hath undertaken: which the sense and construction contended for alone doth prove.

4. The original text requires this sense; for, according to the common use of that language, among words indefinitely used, the first denotes the subject spoken of, which is angels here: עֹשֶׂה מַלְאָכָיו רוּחוֹת, “making his angels spirits.” And in such propositions ofttimes some note of similitude is to be understood, without which the sense is not complete, and which, as I have showed, the Targum supplieth in this place.

From what hath been said, I suppose it is made evident both that the psalmist expressly treats of angels, and that the subject spoken of by the apostle is expressed in that word, and that following, of ministers.

Our next inquiry is after what is affirmed concerning these angels and ministers spoken of; and that is, that God makes them “spirits,” and “a flame of fire.” And concerning the meaning of these words there are two opinions:

1. That the creation of angels is intended in the words; and the nature whereof they were made is expressed in them. He made them spirits, that is, of a spiritual substance; and his heavenly ministers, quick, powerful, agile, as a flaming fire. Some carry this sense farther, and affirm that two sorts of angels are intimated, one of an aerial substance like the wind, and the other igneal or fiery, denying all pure intelligences, without mixture of matter, as the product of the school of Aristotle.

But this seems not to be the intention of the words; nor is the creation of the angels or the substance whereof they consist here expressed: for,

(1.) The analysis of the psalm, formerly touched on, requires the referring of these words to the providence of God in employing the angels, and not to his power in making them.

(2.) The apostle in this place hath nothing to do with the essence and nature of the angels, but with their dignity, honor, and employment; on which accounts he preferreth the Lord Christ before them. Wherefore,

2. The providence of God in disposing and employing of angels in his service is intended in these words; and so they may have a double sense:

(1.) That God employeth his angels and heavenly ministers in the production of those winds, רוּחוֹת, and fire, אֵשׁ לֹהֵט, thunder and lightning, whereby he executeth many judgments in the world.

(2.) A note of similitude may be understood, to complete the sense, which is expressed in the Targum on the psalm: “He maketh” (or “sendeth”) “his angels like the winds, or like a flaming fire,” maketh them speedy, spiritual, agile, powerful, quickly and effectually accomplishing the work that is appointed unto them.

Either way this is the plain intendment of the psalm, that God useth and employeth his angels in effecting the works of his providence here below, and that they were made to serve the providence of God in that way and manner. ‘This,'saith the apostle, ‘is the testimony which the Holy Ghost gives concerning them, their nature, duty, and work, wherein they serve the providence of God. But now,'saith he, ‘consider what the Scripture saith concerning the Son, how it calls him God, how it ascribes a throne and a kingdom unto him'(testimonies whereof he produceth in the next verses),' and you will easily discern his pre-eminence above them.'

But before we proceed to the consideration of the ensuing testimonies, we may make some observations on that which we have already passed through; as,

I. Our conceptions of the angels, their nature, office, and work, is to be regulated by the Scripture.

The Jews of old had many curious speculations about angels, wherein they greatly pleased and greatly deceived themselves. Wherefore the apostle, in his dealing with them, calls them off from all their foolish imaginations, to attend unto those things which God hath revealed in his word concerning them. This the Holy Ghost saith of them, and therefore this we are to receive and believe, and this alone: for,

1. This will keep us unto that becoming sobriety in things above us which both the Scripture greatly commends and is exceedingly suited unto right reason. The Scripture minds us μὴ ὑπερφρονεῖν παρ᾿ ὅ δεῖ φρονεῖν ἀλλὰ φρονεῖν εἰς σωφρονεῖν, Romans 12:3, “to keep ourselves within the bounds of modesty, and to be wise to sobriety.” And the rule of that sobriety is given us for ever, Deuteronomy 29:28, לָנֹוּ וּלְבָנֵינוּ הנִּסְתָּרֹת לַיהוֹה אֶלהֵינוּ וְהַנִּגְלֹת; “Secret things belong unto the Lord our God: but revealed things unto us and to our children.” Divine revelation is the rule and measure of our knowledge in these things, and that bounds and determines our sobriety. And hence the apostle, condemning the curiosity of men on this very subject about angels, makes the nature of their sin to consist in exceeding these bounds by an inquiry into things unrevealed; and the rise of that evil to lie in pride, vanity, and fleshliness; and the tendency of it to be unto false worship, superstition, and idolatry, Colossians 2:18. Neither is there any thing more averse from right reason, nor more condemned by wise men of former times, than a curious humour of prying into those things wherein we are not concerned, and for whose investigation we have no certain, honest, lawful rule or medium. And this evil is increased where God himself hath given bounds to our inquiries, as in this case he hath.

2. This alone will bring us unto any certainty and truth. Whilst men indulge to their own imaginations and fancies, as too many in this matter have been apt to do, it is sad to consider how they have wandered up and down, and with what fond conceits they have deceived themselves and others. The world hath been filled with monstrous opinions and doctrines about angels, their nature, offices, and employments. Some have worshipped them, others pretended I know not what communion and intercourse with them; in all which conceits there hath been little of truth, and nothing at all of certainty. Whereas if men, according to the example of the apostle, would keep themselves to the word of God, as they would know enough in this matter for the discharging of their own duty, so they would have assurance and evidence of truth in their conceptions; without which pretended high and raised notions are but a shadow of a dream, worse than professed ignorance.

II. We may hence observe, that the glory, honor, and exaltation of angels lies in their subserviency to the providence of God. It lies not so much in their nature as in their work and service. The intention of the apostle is to show the glory of angels and their exaltation; which he doth by the induction of this testimony, reporting their serviceableness in the works wherein of God they are employed. God hath endowed the angels with a very excellent nature, furnished them with many eminenent properties, of wisdom, power, agility, perpetuity: but yet what is glorious and honorable herein consists not merely in their nature itself and its essential properties, all which abide in the horridest and most- to-be-detested part of the whole creation, namely, the devils; but in their conformity and answerableness unto the mind and will of God, that is, in their moral, not merely natural endowments. These make them amiable, glorious, excellent. Unto this their readiness for and compliance with the will of God, that God having made them for his service, and employing them in his work, their discharge of their duty therein with cheerfulness, alacrity, readiness, and ability, is that which renders them truly honorable and glorious. Their readiness and ability to serve the providence of God is their glory; for,

1. The greatest glory that any creature can be made partaker of, is to serve the will and set forth the praise of its Creator. That is its order and tendency towards its principal end; in which two all true honor consists. It is glorious even in the angels to serve the God of glory. What is there above this for a creature to aspire unto? what that its nature is capable of? Those among the angels who, as it seems, attempted somewhat further, somewhat higher, attained nothing but an endless ruin in shame and misery. Men are ready to fancy strange things about the glory of angels, and do little consider that all the difference in glory that is in any parts of God's creation lies merely in willingness, ability, and readiness to serve God their Creator.

2. The works wherein God employs them, in a subservience unto his providence, are in an especial manner glorious works. As for the service of angels, as it is intimated unto us in the Scripture, it may be reduced unto two heads; for they are employed either in the communication of protection and blessings to the church, or in the execution of the vengeance and judgments of God against his enemies. Instances to both these purposes may be multiplied, but they are commonly known. Now these are glorious works. God in them eminently exalts his mercy and justice, the two properties of his nature in the execution whereof he is most eminently exalted: and from these works ariseth all that revenue of glory and praise which God is pleased to reserve to himself from the world: so that it must needs be very honorable to be employed in these works.

3. They perform their duty in their service in a very glorious manner, with great power, wisdom, and uncontrollable efficacy. Thus, one of them slew one hundred and eighty-five thousand of the enemies of God in a night; another set fire on Sodom and Gomorrah from heaven. Of the like power and expedition are they in all their services, in all things to the utmost capacity of creatures answering the will of God. God himself, it is true, sees that in them and their works which keeps them short of absolute purity and perfection, which are his own properties; but as to the capacity of mere creatures, and for their state and condition, there is a perfection in their obedience, and that is their glory.

Now, if this be the great glory of angels, and we poor worms of the earth are invited, as we are, unto a participation with them therein, what unspeakable folly will it be in us if we be found negligent in laboring to attain thereunto! Our future glory consists in this, that we shall be made like unto angels; and our way towards it is, to do the will of our Father on earth as it is done by them in heaven. Oh, in how many vanities doth vain man place his glory! Nothing so shameful that one or other hath not gloried in; whilst the true and only glory, of doing the will of God, is neglected by almost all! But we must treat again of these things upon the last verse of this chapter.