Greater Than The Angels

Angels were most important in the Jewish religion, primarily because thousands of angels assisted in the giving of the Law at Mount Sinai.

This fact is stated in

Deuteronomy 33:2 KJV 1900

2 And he said, The Lord came from Sinai, And rose up from Seir unto them; He shined forth from mount Paran, And he came with ten thousands of saints: From his right hand went a fiery law for them.

Acts 7:53 KJV 1900

53 Who have received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept it.

Galatians 3:19 KJV 1900

19 Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator.

Since the theme of Hebrews is the superiority of Christ and His salvation to the Law of Moses, the writer would have to deal with the important subject of angels.

This long section on angels is divided into three sections.

First, there is an affirmation (Heb. 1:4–14) of the superiority of Christ to the angels. The proof presented consists of seven quotations from the Old Testament.

Second, there is an exhortation (Heb. 2:1–4) that the readers (and this includes us) pay earnest heed to the Word God has given through His Son.

Finally, there is an explanation (Heb. 2:5–18) as to how Christ, with a human body, could still be superior to angels who are spirits.

Affirmation: Christ Is Superior to the Angels

1: He Is The Son

Hebrews 1:4–5 KJV 1900

4 Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. 5 For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son?

No angel would be given this title.

It belongs uniquely to our Lord Jesus Christ. The first quotation is from Psalm 2:7: “Thou art My Son, this day have I begotten Thee.”

From eternity, Jesus Christ was God the Son. He humbled Himself and became Man.

In His resurrection He glorified that humanity received from the Father and received back the eternal glory He had veiled.

The Resurrection declares: “Jesus is God’s Son!”

Romans 1:4 KJV 1900

4 And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:

The second quotation is from 2 Samuel 7:14.

The immediate application in David’s experience was to his son, Solomon, whom God would love and discipline as a son.

But the ultimate application is to Jesus Christ, the “greater than Solomon”

Matthew 12:42 KJV 1900

42 The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here.

2: He Is The FirstBorn Who Receives Worship.

Hebrews 1:6 KJV 1900

6 And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him.

The term “firstborn” in the Bible does not always mean “born first.”

God made Solomon the firstborn even though Solomon is listed tenth in the official genealogy.

The title is one of rank and honor, for the firstborn receives the inheritance and the special blessing.

Christ is the Firstborn because He created all things; and He is the highest of all.

When He came into the world, the angels worshiped Him

God commanded them to do so, which proves that Jesus Christ is God; for none of God’s angels would worship a mere creature.

3: He Is Served By The Angels

Hebrews 1:7 KJV 1900

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

This is a quotation from Psalm 104:4.

Angels are created spirits; they have no bodies, though they can assume human forms when ministering on earth.

Angels sometimes served our Lord when He was on earth and they serve Him and us now.

4: He Is God Enthroned And Anointed.

Hebrews 1:8–9 KJV 1900

8 But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom. 9 Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.

Angels minister before the throne; they do not sit on the throne.

When Christ ascended and entered the heavenly glory, He was anointed for His heavenly ministry with “the oil of gladness” (Heb. 1:9).

What a joyful scene that must have been!

Angels praise Him, but they cannot share that position or that joy.

1 Peter 1:12 KJV 1900

12 Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.

Our Lord’s throne is forever, which means He is eternal God.

5: He Is The Eternal Creator

Hebrews 1:10–12 KJV 1900

10 And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands: 11 They shall perish; but thou remainest; and they all shall wax old as doth a garment; 12 And as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed: but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail.

This long quotation comes from Psalm 102:25–27.

The angels did not found the earth, for they too are a part of creation. Jesus Christ is the Creator, and one day He will do away with the old creation and bring in a new creation.

Everything around us changes, but He will never change.

He is “the same yesterday, and today, and forever” (Heb. 13:8).

6: Christ Is The Sovereign, Angels Are The Servants

Hebrews 1:13–14 KJV 1900

13 But to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool? 14 Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?

Again, the writer quotes Psalm 110:1.

The fact that Jesus Christ is now at the Father’s right hand (the place of honor) is mentioned many times in the New Testament.

Mark 16:19 KJV 1900

19 So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.

Acts 2:33–34 KJV 1900

33 Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear. 34 For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand,

Romans 8:34 KJV 1900

34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.

Colossians 3:1 KJV 1900

1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.

1 Peter 3:22 KJV 1900

22 Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.

Angels are the ministering spirits who serve the Lord seated on the throne.

But they also minister to us who are the “heirs of salvation” through faith in Christ. The angels today are serving us!

How?

Hebrews 2:7 KJV 1900

7 Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands:

Christ In Us.

From all This:

It would be impossible to do away with the evidence presented in these quotations.

Jesus Christ is greater than the angels, and this means He is also greater than the Law which they helped deliver to the people of lsrael.