We are going to take a small detour through angelology then back to Hebrews.
THE DOCTRINE OF ANGELS (ANGELOLOGY)
Evans, W., & Coder, S. M. (1998, c1974). The great doctrines of the Bible. Includes index. (Enl. ed. /). Chicago: Moody Press.
We are not to think that man is the highest form of created being. As the distance between man and the lower forms of life is filled with beings of various grades, so it is possible that between man and God there exist creatures of higher than human intelligence and power. Indeed, the existence of lesser deities in all heathen mythologies presumes the existence of a higher order of beings between God and man, superior to man and inferior to God. This possibility is turned into certainty by the express and explicit teaching of the Scriptures. It would be sad indeed if we should allow ourselves to be such victims of sense perception and so materialistic that we should refuse to believe in an order of spiritual beings simply because they were beyond our sight and touch. We should not thus shut ourselves out of a larger life. A so—called liberal faith may express unbelief in such beings. Does not such a faith (?) label itself narrow rather than liberal by such a refusal of faith? Does not a liberal faith mean a faith that believes much, not little—as much, not as little, as possible?
I. THEIR EXISTENCE
1. The Teaching of Jesus
Matt. 18:10—“For I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven.” Mark 13:32—“But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven.” 8:38; Matt. 13:41; 26:53.
These are a sufficient number of passages, though they are by no means all, to prove that Jesus believed in the existence of angels. Jesus is not here speaking in any accommodative sense. Nor is He simply expressing a superstitious belief existing among the Jews at that time. This was not the habit of Jesus. He did not fail to correct popular opinion and tradition when it was wrong, e. g., His rebuke of the false ceremonialism of the Pharisees, and the unbelief of the Sadducees in the resurrection. See also the Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5:20–37).
2. The Teaching of Paul, and Other Apostles
2 Thess. 1:7—“And to you who are troubled, rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels.” Col. 2:18—“Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels.” Is not one of the principal reasons for the writing of the Epistle to the Colossians to correct the Gnostic theory of the worshipping of angels? See also Eph. 1:21; Col. 1:16. John believed in an angelic order of beings: John 1:51; Rev. 12:7; 22:9. Peter: 1 Pet. 3:22; 2 Pet. 2:11. See also Jude 9; Luke 22:43; Mark 8:38; Heb. 12:22. These and numerous other references in the Scriptures compel the candid student of the Word to believe in the existence of angels.
II. THE NATURE OF ANGELS
1. They are Created Beings.
Col. 1:16—“For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers; all things were created by him, and for him.” Angels are not the spirits of the departed, nor are they glorified human beings (Heb. 12:22, 23). Neh. 9:6—“Thou, even thou, art Lord alone; thou hast made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host.”
2. They are Spiritual Beings.
Heb. 1:14—“Are they not all ministering spirits?” Psa. 104:4— “Who maketh his angels spirits; his ministers a flaming fire.” Although the angels are “spirits,” they nevertheless ofttimes have appeared to men in visible, and even human form (Gen. 19; Judges 2:1; 6:11–22; Matt. 1:20; Luke 1:26; John 20:12). There seems to be no sex among the angels, although wherever the word “angel” is used in the Scriptures it is always in the masculine form.
3. They are Beings of Great Might and Power.
2 Pet. 2:11—“Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might [than man].” Psa. 103:20—“Angels that excel in strength.” One angel was able to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah, and other guilty cities; one angel smote the first—born, and rolled away the great stone from the mouth of the tomb. One angel had power to lay hold of that old dragon, the devil (Rev. 20:2, 10); one angel smote a hundred and fourscore and five thousand Assyrians (Isa. 37:36). Their power is delegated; they are the angels of His might (2 Thess. 1:7), the ministers through whom God’s might is manifested. They are mighty, but not almighty.
4. There are Various Ranks and Orders of Angels.
We read of Michael, the archangel (Jude 9; 1 Thess. 4:16); angels, authorities, and powers—which are supposedly ranks and orders of angels (1 Pet. 3:22; Col. 1:16). In the Apocryphal books we find a hierarchy with seven archangels, including Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, Uriel. The fact that but one archangel is mentioned in the Scriptures proves that its doctrine of angels was not derived, as some supposed, from Babylonian and Persian sources, for there we find seven archangels instead of one.
5. The Number of Angels
Heb. 12:22, R. V.—“Innumerable hosts of angels.” Cf. 2 Kings 6:17; Matt. 26:53; Job 25:3.
III. THE FALL OF ANGELS
Originally all angels were created good. The Scriptures speak of a fall of angels—“the angels that sinned”—who are now bound.
2 Pet. 2:4—“For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment.” Jude 6—“And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.”
1. The Time of the Fall of Angels
Some maintain that it took place before the creation recorded in Genesis 1:2—between verses one and two; that it was this fall which made the original creation (Gen. 1:1) “waste and void.” This view can neither be proven nor refuted, nevertheless the great and awful fact of a fall of angels remains.
2. The Cause of the Fall of Angels
Peter does not specify the sin. Jude says they “kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation.” This, taken in connection with Deut. 32:8, which seems to indicate that certain territories or boundaries were appointed unto the angels, and Gen. 6:1–4, which speaks of the “sons of God” (which some suppose to refer to angels, which, however, is questionable), might seem to imply that the sin of the angels consisted in leaving their own abode and coming down to cohabit with the “daughters of men.” Thus their sin would be that of lust. To some expositors the context in Jude would seem to warrant such a conclusion, inasmuch as reference is made to the sins of Sodom and Gomorrah. But this can hardly be true, for a close study of the text in Genesis 6 shows that by “the sons of God” are meant the Sethites. This would seem to be the true interpretation; if so, then the sin recorded in Genesis 6 would be (1) natural and not monstrous; (2) Scriptural, and not mythical (Num. 25; Judges 3:6; Rev. 2:14, 20–22 refer to sins of a similar description); (3) accords with the designations subsequently given to the followers of God (Luke 3:38; Rom. 8:14; Gal. 3:26); (4) has a historical basis in the fact that Seth was regarded by his mother as a (the) son of (from) God, (5) in the circumstance that already the Sethites had begun to call themselves by the name of Jehovah (Gen. 4:26); (6), finally, it is sufficient as a hypothesis, and is therefore entitled to the preference (after Lange).
There are still others who say that the sin of the angels was pride and disobedience. It seems quite certain that these were the sins that caused Satan’s downfall (Ezek. 28). If this be the true view then we are to understand the words “estate” or “principality” as indicating that instead of being satisfied with the dignity once for all assigned to them under the Son of God, they aspired higher.
3. The Work of Fallen Angels Who are Now Free
Scripture speaks of another company of angels who are associated with Satan and who are free to carry out his purposes (Matt. 25:41; Rev. 12:7–9). Nothing is revealed about the time or nature of their fall. Some students see in Rev. 12:4 a suggestion that they fell with Satan, and that they may have included one third of the heavenly host. These fallen angels are commonly believed to be identical with the demons mentioned throughout the New Testament.
They oppose God’s purposes (Dan. 10:10–14); afflict God’s people (Luke 13:16; Matt. 17:15–18); execute Satan’s purposes (Matt. 25:41; 12:26, 27); binder the spiritual life of God’s people (Eph. 6:12); try to deceive God’s people (1 Sam. 28:7–20).
4. The Judgment of the Fallen Angels
Jude 6; 2 Pet. 2:4; Matt. 25:41, show that there is no hope of their redemption. Their final doom will be in the eternal fire. According to 1 Cor. 6:3 it would seem as though the saints were to have some part in the judgment of fallen angels.
IV. THE WORK OF ANGELS
1. Their Heavenly Ministry
Isa. 6; Rev. 5:11, 12; 8:3, 4—priestly service and worship.
2. Their Earthly Ministry
To the angels has been committed the administration of the affairs material to sense, e. g., showing Hagar a fountain; appearing before Joshua with a drawn sword; releasing the chains from Peter, and opening the prison doors; feeding, strengthening, and defending the children of God. To the Holy Spirit more particularly has been committed the task of imparting the truth concerning spiritual matters.
In general: Angels have a relation to the earth somewhat as follows: They are related to winds, fires, storms, pestilence (Psa. 103:20; 104:4; 1 Chron. 21:15, 16, 27). The nation of Israel has a special relationship to angels in the sense of angelic guardianship (Dan. 12:l; Ezek.9:l; Dan. 11:1).
In particular: Angels have a special ministry with reference to the Church of Jesus Christ—the body of believers. They are the saints’ “ministering servants” (Heb. 1:14)—they do service for God’s people. Illustrations: To Abraham (Gen. 19); to Gideon (Judg.6); to Mary (Luke 1); to the shepherds (Luke 2); to Peter (Acts 12); to Paul (Acts 27).
A. THEY GUIDE THE BELIEVER.
They guide the worker to the sinner (Acts 8:26), and the sinner to the worker (Acts 10:3). Note: The angel guides, but the Spirit instructs (8:29). Are angels interested in conversions? (Luke 15:10). How they watch our dealing with the unsaved!
B. THEY CHEER AND STRENGTHEN GOD’S PEOPLE.
1 Kings 19:5–8; Matt. 4:11; Luke 22:43; cf. Acts 27:4–35; 5:19.
C. THEY DEFEND, PROTECT, AND DELIVER GOD’S SERVANTS.
Dan. 6:22; Acts 5:19; 2Kings 6:18; Gen. 19:11; Acts 12:8–11; 27:23, 24.
D. THEY ARE EYEWITNESSES OF THE CHURCH AND THE BELIEVER.
1 Tim. 5:21—in matters of preaching, the service of the church, and soul—saving, the angels look on—a solemn and appalling thought. 1 Cor. 4:9—the good angels are spectators while the church engages in fierce battle with the hosts of sin. This is an incentive to endurance. 1 Cor. 11:10—“Because of the angels.” Is there intimated here a lack of modesty on the part of the women so shocking to the angels, who veil their faces in the presence of God when they worship?
E. THEY GUARD THE ELECT DEAD.
Luke 16:22; Matt. 24:31. Just as they guarded Christ’s tomb, and as Michael guarded Moses’ body (Jude 9).
F. THEY ACCOMPANY CHRIST AT HIS SECOND COMING.
Separating the righteous from the wicked (Matt. 25:31, 32; 2 Thess. 1:7, 8). Executing God’s wrath upon the wicked (Matt. 13:39–42, R. V.) How this is done, no human pen can describe. The most fearful imagery of the Bible is connected with the judgment work of angels (cf. Revelation; fire, hail, blood, plague of locusts, poison of scorpions, etc.)—whether actual or symbolic, it is awful.
Note: Even if the Jews didn't hold the angels in awe and respect, it would have been necessary for the author to consider the angels simply because of the position they held as mediators. In the OT the angels were the mediators between God and man, the man being Moses whom God elevated to a position of authority. In the NT Jesus is the mediator between God and man. So the author sets out to prove the superiority of the mediator of the NT over the mediators of the OT, thereby proving the OT revelation inferior and in need of replacement.
γίνομαι [ginomai /ghin·om·ahee/] (became) v4
This word is in contrast to the Greek word poieo, which means "to make" or "to construct or fashion something out of existing materials". Ginomai is the word used of the universe coming in to existence. It wasn't, then in an instant it was. Let's remember that the writer is talking about the work of Jesus Christ in relation to the NT revelation. Not Jesus' eternal position.
Note: In verse 5 the author states that Jesus is superior just because no angel was ever called the Son. Collectively angels were called "sons of God" (Job 1:6, Ps 89:6), but never individually. Again we are not talking about being born a son, rather the office of son.
πάλιν [palin /pal·in/] ….. εἰσάγω [eisago /ice·ag·o/] (again, ... brings) v6
Palin is the Greek word for again and eisago is the verb meaning "bring in", when used with a verb palin means a second time so the phrase means a second time he brings in. The verb "brings in" is in a tense called aorist subjunctive, culminative aorist. This means that the action is completed but it is still to happen in the future.
πρωτότοκος [prototokos /pro·tot·ok·os/] (firstborn) v6
Same word used in Rom 8:29, "...firstborn among many brethren..."; Col 1:15 "... firstborn of all creation..."; Col 1:18 ".... firstborn from the dead....". The term is always associated with priority and superiority. Jesus is God's firstborn. Only in this passage is this word used without limitation and is descriptive of honor and dignity.
οἰκουμένη [oikoumene /oy·kou·men·ay/] (world) v6
This word means the inhabited earth. It was used quite commonly to mean the entire Roman Empire.
In verse 6 the author's point is that the angels are going to be called to worship Jesus. In the Jewish mind the inferior always pays the superior respect.
In verses 7 - 14 the third argument is introduced to the readers. The point is that angels are servants of God, who God can use in anyway he needs. Bending the angels as it were to fit the role he needs them for. The author is going to draw some contrasts and the thing he wants us to get out of these verses is the servitude and changeability of the angels as contrasted to the eternal power, the higher calling, the position as creator rather than creation, and the un-changeability of Jesus.
We have discovered in Chapter One that Jesus is superior to the Prophets in the Old Testament. We have begun to discover that Jesus is superior to the mediators of the OT, the angels. In the middle of this comparison, at the beginning of Chapter Two, the author takes time out for a "parenthetical warning". That is a warning that takes place in the middle of another argument. After this warning the author again takes up the comparison of Jesus to the Angels.
C h a p t e r T w o
προσέχω [prosecho /pros·ekh·o/] (pay more careful) v1
This word literally means to hold to, to be cautious, to adhere, to be given or even addicted to. It is the same word used of Lydia's attitude about the gospel in Acts 16:14 where she was listening with rapt attention, and gave heed, and the Lord opened her heart. We must have this kind of attitude for the Lord to open our hearts.
παραρρέω [pararrhueo /par·ar·hroo·eh·o/](drift away) v1
This word means drift away or drift past. When something drifts past something else, there are usually two possible causes that have allowed it to happen. There is equipment failure, or there is personal or “pilot” error exactly like a plane crash where you could have instrument failure or a human mistake. Romans 1:18-22 says,
" The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools" (Romans 1:18-22, NIV)
The above passage effectively wipes out the equipment failure argument. God is obvious in His love. So that leaves "pilot error" or to put it bluntly personal laziness or callousness. We must not let ourselves "drift past" the message of the gospel.
παράβασις [parabasis /par·ab·as·is/] (violation) v2
Literally means "stepping over the line". Means a willful or a conscious act of doing something against God's will.
παρακοή [parakoe /par·ak·o·ay/] (disobedience) v2
Means a sin which results from pararrhueo-ing, a careless attitude, drifting past or neglecting to pay attention to what God says.
Note: The way this verse starts "For if" is a style of argument or debating that was very common among teachers. What he is doing is arguing from the lesser to the greater. What he is trying to conjure up in the peoples mind are exactly the stories that we read in the OT about the nation of Israel's disobedience (Lev 10:1-7, Numbers 16, Joshua 7, Gen 19:1-26). He wants them to remember the penalties for the transgressions as he builds to the second half of his exhortation. The "for if" in the Greek represents a fulfilled condition, not a hypothetical case. It literally means "in view of the fact".
ἀμελέω [ameleo /am·el·eh·o/] (ignore) v3
Same word used in Matt 22:5; this word means more than neglect, it means make light of, take in a joking manner.
ἀρχή [arche /ar·khay/] (first) v3
This word means first, but at the same time it means first in rank, first in order, first in time, first in place, the commencement, the beginning. Jesus is all this to the gospel.
Note: in verse 4 the author mentions signs, wonders and miracles. These were also present in the OT revelation but to the NT revelation God added gifts of the Holy Spirit. Gifts give to again to show the superiority of the NEW revelation.
After this four-verse warning or exhortation, the author once again takes up the argument of the superiority of Jesus to the angels. The world (which is the same word used in verse 6) is not to be ruled by angels but by man. The "for"" at the start of the verse is the link that takes us back through the last 4 verses to the 14th verse of the first chapter.
ἐπισκέπτομαι [episkeptomai /ep·ee·skep·tom·ahee/] (concerned about) v6
This is the same word in James 1:27 when we are supposed to visit widows and orphans. This word means, "to look upon in order to help or to benefit, to look after, to have a care for".
The reason we are looking closely at this word is because there is some question as to who this passage is in reference to. The first part is clearly indicative of man. But the phrase "son of man" in the second part of the verse is the point of some discussion. By attaching the definition of episkeptomai to his passage it becomes evident that the meaning for the phrase this time is the human race. God helps, looks after and has a care for us. The picture the author is painting in verses 6 through 8 is the human race in Adam. We are looking at God's perfect pre-sin position for the human race. What the author is doing is building a case for the next step of his argument. The Jews were concerned that Jesus was just a man who died. The Jews were using the argument to criticize and confuse the Hebrew Christians. So the author is building an argument to explain the necessity of Jesus becoming a man to accomplish his purposes. In verse 8, again the picture of Adam in his pre-sin perfection God put all things in subjection under his feet. It is interesting that God never rescinded this command. The fact that we do not see all that is subjected to man is due to Adam's sin nature. Adam lost the dominion he enjoyed. He was no longer master of all he saw, for now sin was his master. The animal kingdom was still subservient, but now through fear not love.
In verse 9, the author links the rank of Jesus "little lower than angels" with the rank of man in verse 7 and the same crowning and honoring that Adam received in verse 7 are Jesus' in verse 9. Jesus through his mandatory blood sacrifice regained the position for man that God gave Adam in Genesis by God's grace. Jesus tasted the last phase of sin so we wouldn't have to. God didn't kill Adam, sin did. Jesus removed that sin, so now we don't have to die. God gave Adam everything, Adam lost it through sin, Jesus paid the wages of sin, God now gives us everything he gave Adam, as long as we crucify our sin nature with Christ's flesh on the cross (Gal 2:20) by accepting Jesus' work and his victory. Which is incidentally the crown with which Jesus is crowned.
στεφανόω [stephanoo /stef·an·o·o/] (crowned) v9
This word is the word for "victor's crown" the crown that a general was given for winning a battle.
πρέπω [prepo /prep·o/] (fitting) v10
"To be becoming, seemly, fit." It wasn't a logical necessity, dei "more careful" (verse 1) or an obligation growing out of circumstances as in opheilen "had to be" (verse 17). It was an inner fitness in God's character and dealings. A holy God cannot look upon sin with any allowance. A righteous God cannot do anything else except require that sin be paid for. A loving God cannot do less than provide the payment for that sin.
ἀρχηγός [archegos /ar·khay·gos/] (pioneer) v10
A compound word made up of ago "to lead or go" and arche "first", so "one who goes first" or "leader".
ἀδελφός [adelphos /ad·el·fos/] (family) v11
This word literally "from the same womb". Jesus in his human incarnation, and us, have the same God for our Father.
Note: The verses quoted from Isaiah in verse 13, are Isaiah's statements regarding his infant sons and how he knew that God was going to fulfill his purposes through them. The author is trying to show us that the unity in purpose and love that Isaiah had for his infant sons, is the same unity in purpose and love that Jesus has for his "brethren".
κοινωνέω [koinoneo /koy·no·neh·o/] (have) v14
This word means, "to have share in common with someone else." So the subjects have something in common, flesh and blood.
μετέχω [metecho /met·ekh·o/] (shared) v14
Compound word made up of echo "to hold" and meta "with". Literally it means to voluntarily take on and hold with something, the something in this case being flesh and blood.
Note: Jesus took to himself something, which by nature, he had nothing in common with. This was a voluntary action. Koinonia marks the characteristic sharing of the fleshly nature as it relates to the human race as a whole, metecho speaks of the unique fact of the voluntary acceptance of humanity by Jesus.
καταργέω [katargeo /kat·arg·eh·o/] (destroy) v14
This word means 'to bring to naught, to render inoperative." Satan was not annihilated at the cross his power was broken. Now spiritual death cannot hold the believer who puts their faith in Jesus.
κράτος [kratos /krat·os/] (power) v14
This word is used for power in the sense of dominion. Satan's domination over the human race was in the form of death. That domination, and his dominion are now broken.
Note: In the closing verses of Chapter 2, the author makes the case, that for Jesus to be a faithful and compassionate High Priest, he had in every way, to partake of the same fleshly weaknesses that his brothers had. The idea of compassion as an attribute of priests is not found in the OT. One of the major faults of the priests was their lack of sympathy with the people
"“But let no man bring a charge, let no man accuse another, for your people are like those who bring charges against a priest. You stumble day and night, and the prophets stumble with you. So I will destroy your mother— my people are destroyed from lack of knowledge. “Because you have rejected knowledge, I also reject you as my priests; because you have ignored the law of your God, I also will ignore your children. The more the priests increased, the more they sinned against me; they exchanged their Glory for something disgraceful. They feed on the sins of my people and relish their wickedness. And it will be: Like people, like priests. I will punish both of them for their ways and repay them for their deeds." (Hosea 4:4-9, NIV)
The idea of a compassionate priest would be welcome news to the Jewish readers of this letter, who knew firsthand the lack of sympathy exhibited by the Aaronic priests. The author also makes the last point about the inferiority of the angels, in the fact that Jesus passed them by in order to help the descendant's of Abraham, namely us.
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