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Hebrews 1:7

in Hebrews 1

Now about the angels He says: “He makes His angels winds, His servants flames of fire.”

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels winds, And his ministers a flame of fire:

KJV

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

This verse in Hebrews 1

Commentary

18 notes on this verse

A commentator

Gregory of Nazianzus

ON THEOLOGY, THEOLOGICAL ORATION 2(28).31 · Written before 390.

Since the Word knows the tabernacle of Moses to be a figure of the whole creation—I mean the entire system of things visible and invisible—shall we pass the first veil and, stepping beyond the realm of sense, look into the holy place, the intellectual and celestial creation? But not even this can we see in an incorporeal way, though it is incorporeal, since it is called—or is—fire and spirit. For he is said to make his angels spirits and his ministers flames of fire … though perhaps this "making" means preserving by that Word by which they came into existence.

This site's exposition

He makes His angels winds

Psalm 104:4 calls the angels His angels winds, His servants flames of fire, servants described by their work and by elements that change. The Hebrew can mean God makes winds His messengers or makes His messengers like winds, and either way the angels serve.

The record, by era

The Church Fathers5 voices

A commentator

Oecumenius

The Pseudo-Oecumenian Catena on Hebrews · Written before 550.

proposed

"Who makes His angels spirits." For they are created beings, therefore he says, "Who makes." Behold the greatest difference: that some are created, while the One is uncreated; for the act of creating denotes the production from non-being into being. It is not only to …

A commentator

Theodore of Mopsuestia

FRAGMENTS ON THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS 1.7-8 · Written before 428.

proposed

The mention of the angels' "service" (wind) shows their quickness, while the mention of "ministry" (flames) shows their power. When he says that the angels have been made these things, he presents how they also have the ability to be these things. And he distinguishes …

A commentator

Ephrem the Syrian

COMMENTARY ON THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS · Written before 373.

proposed

And it was never announced to any man, "Let all God's angels worship him." In fact, even though men are able to subject their fellow creatures, they will never force the angels to obey them. The angels are not materially formed. "He made," Paul says, …
In what manner, then, did He beget Him? First of all, divine operations cannot be known or declared by any one; but nevertheless the sacred writings teach us, in which it is laid down that this Son of God is the speech, or even the reason of God, and also that the other angels are spirits of God. For speech is breath sent forth with a voice signifying something. But, however, since breath and speech are sent forth from different parts, inasmuch as breath proceeds from the nostrils, speech from the mouth, the difference between the Son of God and the other angels is great. For they proceeded from God as silent spirits, because they were not created to teach the knowledge of God, but for His service. But though He is Himself also a spirit, yet He proceeded from the mouth of God with voice and sound, as the Word, on this account indeed, because He was about to make use of His voice to the people; that is, because He was about to be a teacher of the knowledge of God, and of the heavenly mystery to be revealed to man.

A commentator

Clement of Rome

1 CLEMENT 36.1-6 · Written before 99.

proposed

This is the way, dear friends, in which we found our salvation, Jesus Christ, the high priest of our offerings, the protector and helper of our weakness. Through him we fix our gaze on the heights of heaven. In him we see mirrored God's pure and transcendent face. Through him the eyes of our hearts have been opened. Through him our foolish and darkened understanding springs up to the light. Through him the Master has willed that we should taste immortal knowledge. For, since "he reflects the glory of God," "he is as much superior to the angels as the name he has obtained is more excellent than theirs." For thus it is written: "He makes his angels winds, and his servants flames of fire." But of his Son this is what the Master said: "You are my son, today I have begotten you. Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession." And again he says to him, "Sit at my right hand till I make your enemies your footstool." Who are meant by "enemies"? Those who are wicked and resist his will.
11 more voices on this verse

The Church Fathers2 voices

A commentator

John Chrysostom

Homily on Hebrews 3 · Written before 407.

proposed

Is it then Angels only? No; for hear what follows: "And of His Angels He saith, Which maketh His Angels spirits, and His ministers a flame of fire: but unto the Son, Thy Throne, O God, is for ever and ever." Behold, the greatest difference! that they are created, but He uncreated. While of His angels He saith, who "maketh"; wherefore of the Son did He not say "Who maketh"? Although he might have expressed the difference as follows: "Of His Angels He saith, Who maketh His Angels spirits, but of the Son, 'The Lord created Me': 'God hath made Him Lord and Christ.'" But neither was the one spoken concerning the Son, nor the other concerning God The Word, but concerning the flesh. For when he desired to express the true difference, he no longer included angels only, but the whole ministering power above. Seest thou how he distinguishes, and with how great clearness, between creatures and Creator, ministers and Lord, the Heir and true Son, and slaves?

A commentator

Severian of Gabala

FRAGMENTS ON THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS 1.7-8 · Written before 425.

proposed

For just as in the matter of "radiance" and "exact image of his nature" he imitated John, calling him "the Word" and saying that he was God, so also here he imitated John. Just as John said, "This one was in the beginning, all things …

The Medieval Church2 voices

A commentator

Thomas Aquinas

Commentary on Hebrews · Written before 1274.

proposed

58. – Then (v. 7) the reason is given on the part of the angels, why they adore Him. As if to say: It is just that they adore, because they are ministers; hence, he says, he makes his angels winds [spirits] and his servants …

A commentator

Theophylact of Ohrid

Commentary on Hebrews · Written before 1107.

proposed

Here is the greatest difference between them: they are created, but He is not created. The expression "You make" means bringing from non-existence into existence. He has superiority not only over the angels alone, but also over all ministering powers. He did not say "made," …

The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices

A commentator

John Wesley

1703–1791

Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament (1755)

proposed

Who maketh his angels - This implies, they are only creatures, whereas the Son is eternal, ver. 8; and the Creator himself, ver. 10.

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Or "to the angels", as in the following verse, "to the Son", which stands opposed to this; and the words said to them, or of them, are found in Psa 104:4 who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire: this cannot be understood of the wind and lightning, and of God's making these his messengers and ministers to do his will; for such a sense is not suitable to the scope of the psalm, from whence they are taken, nor to the order of the words in which they stand; for it is not said he makes spirits, or winds, his angels, and flaming fire his ministers, but the reverse; and is contrary to the design of the apostle in citing them, which is to show the superiority of Christ to angels, of whom it is said, that they are made spirits: they are "spirits", created ones, and so differ from God the Creator: they are incorporeal ones, and so differ from men; they are immaterial, and so die not; they are spiritual substances subsisting in themselves: and they are "made" such by God the Father, and by the Son the Lord Jesus Christ, within the six days of the creation, and all at once; for it is not to be supposed that the Lord is daily making them; and this proves the Son to be God, as well as more excellent than the angels; unless this is to be understood of the daily disposal of them in providence, in causing winds, thunder, lightning, and the like. […]

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

proposed

This distinguishes Christ's throne from all earthly thrones, which are tottering, and will at length tumble down; but the throne of Christ shall be as the days of heaven. Fourthly, God declares of Christ the perfect equity of his administration, and of the execution of his power, through all the parts of his government: A sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom,

The Nineteenth Century3 voices

And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits - He gives to them an inferior name, and assigns to them a more humble office. They are mere ministers, and have not ascribed to them the name of “Son.” They have a name which implies a more humble rank and office - the name “spirit,” and the appellation of a “flame of fire.” They obey his will as the winds and the lightnings do.

A commentator

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

proposed

of--The Greek is rather, "In reference TO the angels." spirits--or "winds": Who employeth His angels as the winds, His ministers as the lightnings; or, He maketh His angelic ministers the directing powers of winds and flames, when these latter are required to perform His will.

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A commentator

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible · Written before 1832.

proposed

Who maketh his angels spirits - They are so far from being superior to Christ, that they are not called God’s sons in any peculiar sense, but his servants, as tempests and lightnings are. In many respects they may have been made inferior even to man as he came out of the hands of his Maker, for he was made in the image and likeness of God; but of the angels, even the highest order of them, this is never spoken. It is very likely that the apostle refers here to the opinions of the Jews relative to the angels. In Pirkey R. Elieser, c. 4, it is said: “The angels which were created the second day, when they minister before God, נעשין של אש become fire.” In Shemoth Rabba, s. 25, fol. 123, it is said: “God is named the Lord of hosts, because with his angels he doth whatsoever he wills: when he pleases, he makes them sit down; Jdg 6:11: And the angel of the Lord came, and sat under a tree. When he pleases, he causes them to stand; Isa 6:2: The seraphim stood. Sometimes he makes them like women; Zec 5:9: Behold there came two women, and the wind was in their wings. Sometimes he makes them like men; Gen 18:2: And, lo, three men stood by him. Sometimes he makes them spirits; Psa 104:4: Who maketh his angels spirits. Sometimes he makes them fire; ibid. His ministers a flame of fire.” In Yalcut Simeoni, par. 2, fol. 11, it is said: “The angel answered Manoah, I know not in whose image I am made, for God changeth us every hour: sometimes he makes us fire, sometimes spirit, sometimes men, and at other times angels.” It is very probable that those who are termed angels are not confined to any specific form or shape, but assume various forms and appearances according to the nature of the work on which they are employed and the will of their sovereign employer. This seems to have been the ancient Jewish doctrine on this subject.

Modern Voices1 voice

The writer of Hebrews builds on his assertions that the particular son of God (Jesus) who was the agent of creation, eternal wisdom, and the essence of God, by comparing him to other supernatural sons of God (angels).

The words behind it

18 Greek words

Every Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

The walk

8 stops

Each card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.

  • Through

    2 Kings 6:17

    Then Elisha prayed, “O LORD, please open his eyes that he may see.” And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw that the hills were full of horses and…

    it leads to

    • Hebrews 1:14

      Are not the angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?

      Reached by 4 separate paths from here.

    • Psalms 68:17

      The chariots of God are tens of thousands— thousands of thousands are they; the Lord is in His sanctuary as He was at Sinai.

      Reached by 2 separate paths from here.

    • Zechariah 6:1–7

      And again I lifted up my eyes and saw four chariots coming out from between two mountains—mountains of bronze.

  • Through

    Hebrews 1:14

    Are not the angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?

    it leads to

    • Psalms 34:7

      The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear Him, and he delivers them.

      Reached by 2 separate paths from here.

    • Psalms 103:20–21

      Bless the LORD, all His angels mighty in strength who carry out His word, who hearken to the voice of His command.

    • Psalms 91:11–12

      For He will command His angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways.

    • Daniel 6:22

      My God sent His angel and shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, for I was found innocent in His sight, and I have done no wrong against you, O…

    • Matthew 18:10

      See that you do not look down on any of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of My Father in heaven.

Where this verse is studied

About Hebrews

The Meeting of Abraham and Melchizedek, Dieric Bouts, 1464 to 1467. Public domain.
The Meeting of Abraham and Melchizedek, Dieric Bouts, 1464 to 1467. Public domain.
This page draws on 18 works. Open the list of works

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Clement of Rome, 1 CLEMENT 36.1-6; Ephrem the Syrian, COMMENTARY ON THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS; Gregory of Nazianzus, ON THEOLOGY, THEOLOGICAL ORATION 2(28).31; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Calvin, Commentary on Hebrews; John Chrysostom, Homily on Hebrews 3; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Lucius Caecilius Firmianus Lactantius, The Divine Institutes Book 4, Chapter VIII; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Michael S. Heiser, "Naked Bible Podcast Episode 176: Hebrews 1:5-14" show notes (drmsh.com); Oecumenius, The Pseudo-Oecumenian Catena on Hebrews; Severian of Gabala, FRAGMENTS ON THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS 1.7-8; Theodore of Mopsuestia, FRAGMENTS ON THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS 1.7-8; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Hebrews and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Hebrews.