Hebrews 1:4-14

 Hebrews 1:4-14

The Jewish fascination with angels during the first century was extensive. The Jews came to think of angels as intermediaries between God and His chosen people. Angels were seen as presiding over the destiny of Israel, moving the stars, and being in charge of snow, rain, frost, hail, lightning, and thunder. In Jewish thought, the role of the angels was vast, critical, and powerful. It seems at times that Israel’s concepts of angelic activity drew dangerously close to becoming animistic. The incomparable superiority of Christ over angels is presented in two ways. First, “who Christ is” as seen in verses 1-8, and second, a direct contrast in comparison between Christ and the angels. The author of Hebrews points out seven direct contrasts between Christ and angels. 

• First, Christ has a more excellent name than angels (vv. 4-5). 

• Second, angels adore Christ (v. 6). 

• Third, He created the angels, v. 7.

• Fourth, even while being a man, Christ was given greater gifts than angels (v. 8-9). 

• Fifth, Christ is eternal, but angels aren’t (vv. 10-11). 

• Sixth, Christ is more highly exalted than angels (v. 13). 

• Seventh angels are only servants, while Christ is the Son (v. 14).

While expressing the superiority of Christ over angels, the author asserts that Christ is in fact God. The deity of Jesus Christ is expressed by applying to Christ psalms that are clearly and recognizably about God. In verses 8-9 the author quotes from Psalm 45:6-7. These verses are specifically about God, and in the psalm we see a prophecy of the coming Christ. The author of Hebrews applies that prophecy and contrasts God, in the person of Jesus, as superior to the angels.

While it is clear that angels perform an important role in God’s economy, we must not say more than we know. Angels in some ways perform service to God by working on behalf of Christians. But since scripture does not give us a definitive list of what they do, apparently it’s not important for us to know all that they do. We must never pray to angels for them to act on our behalf. We are to pray to God, and He will intervene, if He so chooses, in the ways that are best. It is worth noting that once the Church began, the activity of angels seems to have diminished into the background. God’s person filled with God’s Spirit is apparently the preferred method of God working in the world. Consider that there is no record of any angel preaching the gospel or making a disciple.

“Lord, help me never be distracted by Your created being no matter how grand they may be. AMEN