Hebrews 1:7 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Of the angels he says, "He makes his angels winds, and his ministers a flame of fire."

NIV: In speaking of the angels he says, "He makes his angels spirits, and his servants flames of fire."

NASB: And regarding the angels He says, 'HE MAKES HIS ANGELS WINDS, AND HIS MINISTERS A FLAME OF FIRE.'

CSB: And about the angels he says: He makes his angels winds, and his servants a fiery flame,

NLT: Regarding the angels, he says, 'He sends his angels like the winds, his servants like flames of fire.'

KJV: And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire.

NKJV: And of the angels He says: “Who makes His angels spirits And His ministers a flame of fire.”

This verse continues a string of proofs from the Old Testament, showing that Jesus is more than simply an angelic being. In fact, according to these Scriptures, He is unique in His power and authority, and equal to God.

Verse 7 has to be read along with verses 8 and 9 to fully grasp the point. The writer of Hebrews is making a distinction between angels, who God treats as servants, and the Messiah, who God treats as a ruler.

In this case, the reference is to Psalm 104:4. Psalm 104 celebrates God's creative power and His blessing on all He has created. Psalm 104:4 specifically refers to God directing the actions of His "messengers," which is from the Hebrew word malākāy, the same term translated as "angels." The point being made is that angels are beings commanded by God as servants. They are not invested with authority. Instead, they are used in much the same way as other parts of creation.

This verse also suggests that God sometimes delivers His message, via His angels, using them through the natural world. Some see this as part of the contrast Hebrews is presenting, as well. While angels, per Psalm 104:4, have a flexible nature, sometimes appearing as flames or wind, the upcoming Scriptures will show that Christ has an eternal and unchanging nature—further proof that He is God.

Verses 8 and 9 will contrast the servant status of angels with the ruling status of Jesus Christ.

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.