VERSE BY VERSE STUDIES HEBREWS
Angels and Christ's Superiority (1:4-14) by Dr. Lloyd T. Anderson, Pastor, Bethany B aptist Church, W est Covina
H aving shown the superiority of Christ to the prophets — the earthly messengers of the past, the apostle now proceeds to set forth His superiority to the angels—the heaven ly messengers of the present. Since there was a strong tendency among the Jews at this time to unduly exalt the angelic hosts, it was absolutely essential that he should do this. They boasted that the Law was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator (Ga latians 3:19; Acts 7:53) ; and contem porary history shows that the Jewish sect of the Essenes—to whom doubt less refers in Colossians 2:18-19 — worshipped these heavenly beings. Our author goes on to show in a su perb and masterly way that the Jesus of history, the Messiah of Israel, is as far above the angels as the Creator is above the creature; and that by virtue of His humiliation and death and their union with Him in resur rection life, these Hebrew believers were themselves destined to a posi tion which is far above that of the angels, as the heir of a mansion is above the servants in the mansion. We are now, therefore, to listen to the testimony of the written word in this matter (1:4-14) ; and, after paus ing to consider the relative impor tance of the words spoken by the an gels and by the Lord (2-1-4), to trace
His wondrous descent from Heaven to Bethlehem, and from Golgotha and Calvary to the throne of universal empire (2:5-10). We shall also be in formed of the blessings which come to redeemed humanity because of these things (2:11-18). According to the testimony of the Scripture, Christ is better than angels because there are predicated of Him, things which could be said only of God Himself. He is: (1) God the Son — v. 5; (2) He receives worship—vv. 6-7; (3) He is righteous—w . 8-9; (4) He is Jehovah—v. 10; (5) He is Creator—v. 10; (6) He is Eternal— v. 11; (7) He is Immutable—v. 12; (8) He is Sovereign—vv. 13-14. “He is related to these heavenly in telligences simply as the Author of their being (Col. 1:16); while the ap pointed duties of the angels are to worship His person and to serve His servants (verses 6 and 14). In verse 6 Christ is the Object of angelic worship. “Let all the angels of God worship Him.” Paul and Bar nabas instantly and sternly forbad idolaters to worship t h em (Acts 14:8-18); and when the seer of Pat- mos, overwhelmed by what he heard and saw, fell at the feet of one of these celestial messengers to do him homage, he also was restrained. “I, John, saw these things and heard 25
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