Hebrews 1:14 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Are they not all ministering spirits sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation?

NIV: Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?

NASB: Are they not all ministering spirits, sent out to provide service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation?

CSB: Are they not all ministering spirits sent out to serve those who are going to inherit salvation?

NLT: Therefore, angels are only servants — spirits sent to care for people who will inherit salvation.

KJV: Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?

NKJV: Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation?

Verse 13 made it clear that God has never said words like those quoted from Psalm 110:1 to any angel. Rather, the Bible consistently portrays angels as servants. They are not shown as authority figures, but merely as obeying the will of God under His direction (Judges 6:11–18; Psalm 103:20; Daniel 6:22). This is important for the point the writer of Hebrews is making in this passage. God is not giving rule and authority to angels, but to Christ.

Chapters 1 and 2 are mostly a collection of Old Testament Scriptures, meant to prove that Jesus is a higher authority than any angel. God once spoke to man through prophets (Hebrews 1:1), and now He is speaking through Jesus Christ (Hebrews 1:2). As a result, the readers of this letter ought to listen to the message of Jesus just as intently as they would the Old Testament message of God. The first verses of chapter 2 are, in fact, the first of several warnings in Hebrews about the consequences of rejecting this message.

These verses all combine to prove that Jesus is unchanging, eternal, and full of authority. He is not a created being—He is identical to God.

Hebrews 1:5–14 uses a collection of Old Testament quotations. These are used to support the claims made in verses 1 through 4. In particular, the writer is explaining that Jesus Christ is not merely some angelic being or a created spiritual power. He is the exact nature of God and above all other authorities. Since this letter is written to a Jewish audience, this use of Old Testament material is crucial and would have been especially effective. This explanation continues through the entire second chapter of Hebrews.

Chapter 1 starts off with an immediate appeal to God's communication with mankind. It also establishes the divinity of Jesus Christ. Hebrews describes Jesus as superior to all other beings and all other claims. The first area where Jesus is elevated is with respect to angels. Using direct quotations from the Old Testament, this chapter clearly demonstrates that Jesus is above, beyond, and far more than every angel. This theme will continue through chapter 2.

The first chapter of Hebrews establishes two primary ideas used to support the rest of the book. First, that God has spoken to mankind, most recently through Jesus, so we ought to be listening to Him. Secondly, chapter 1 introduces the fact that Jesus is superior to other spiritual beings, such as angels. These concepts are used to support the superiority of faith in Christ, over the Old Testament Law, expressed in the book's later chapters.

The book of Hebrews is meant to challenge, encourage, and empower Christian believers. According to this letter, Jesus Christ is superior to all other prophets and all other claims to truth. Since God has given us Christ, we ought to listen to what He says and not move backwards. The consequences of ignoring God are dire. Hebrews is important for drawing on many portions of the Old Testament in making a case that Christ is the ultimate and perfect expression of God's plan for mankind. This book presents some tough ideas about the Christian faith, a fact the author makes specific note of.