SEV Biblia, Chapter 1:7
Y ciertamente de los ngeles dice: El que hace a sus ngeles espíritus, y a sus ministros llama de fuego.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Hebrew 1:7
Verse 7. 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, a l y[n 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; Judg. vi. 11: And the angel of the Lord came, and sat under a tree. When he pleases, he causes them to stand; Isa. vi. 2: The seraphim stood. Sometimes he makes them like women; Zech. v. i10: Behold there came two women, and the wind was in their wings. Sometimes he makes them like men; Gen. xviii. 2: And, lo, three men stood by him. Sometimes he makes them spirits; Psa. civ. i5: 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.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 4-14 - Many Jews had a superstitious or idolatrous respect for angels, becaus they had received the law and other tidings of the Divine will by their ministry. They looked upon them as mediators between God and men, an some went so far as to pay them a kind of religious homage or worship Thus it was necessary that the apostle should insist, not only of Christ's being the Creator of all things, and therefore of angel themselves, but as being the risen and exalted Messiah in human nature to whom angels, authorities, and powers are made subject. To prove this, several passages are brought from the Old Testament. On comparin what God there says of the angels, with what he says to Christ, the inferiority of the angels to Christ plainly appears. Here is the offic of the angels; they are God's ministers or servants, to do his pleasure. But, how much greater things are said of Christ by the Father! And let us own and honour him as God; for if he had not bee God, he had never done the Mediator's work, and had never worn the Mediator's crown. It is declared how Christ was qualified for the office of Mediator, and how he was confirmed in it: he has the nam Messiah from his being anointed. Only as Man he has his fellows, and a anointed with the Holy Spirit; but he is above all prophets, priests and kings, that ever were employed in the service of God on earth Another passage of Scripture, Ps 102:25-27, is recited, in which the Almighty power of the Lord Jesus Christ is declared, both in creatin the world and in changing it. Christ will fold up this world as garment, not to be abused any longer, not to be used as it has been. A a sovereign, when his garments of state are folded and put away, is sovereign still, so our Lord, when he has laid aside the earth an heavens like a vesture, shall be still the same. Let us not then se our hearts upon that which is not what we take it to be, and will no be what it now is. Sin has made a great change in the world for the worse, and Christ will make a great change in it for the better. Le the thoughts of this make us watchful, diligent, and desirous of tha better world. The Saviour has done much to make all men his friends yet he has enemies. But they shall be made his footstool, by humbl submission, or by utter destruction. Christ shall go on conquering an to conquer. The most exalted angels are but ministering spirits, mer servants of Christ, to execute his commands. The saints, at present are heirs, not yet come into possession. The angels minister to them in opposing the malice and power of evil spirits, in protecting an keeping their bodies, instructing and comforting their souls, unde Christ and the Holy Ghost. Angels shall gather all the saints togethe at the last day, when all whose hearts and hopes are set upon perishin treasures and fading glories, will be driven from Christ's presenc into everlasting misery __________________________________________________________________
Greek Textus Receptus
και 2532 προς 4314 μεν 3303 τους 3588 αγγελους 32 λεγει 3004 5719 ο 3588 ποιων 4160 5723 τους 3588 αγγελους 32 αυτου 846 πνευματα 4151 και 2532 τους 3588 λειτουργους 3011 αυτου 846 πυρος 4442 φλογα 5395
Vincent's NT Word Studies
7. Fourth quotation, Psalm ciii. 4, varies slightly from LXX in substituting a flame of fire for flaming fire.
Who maketh his angels spirits (o poiwn touv aggelouv autou pneumata). For spirits rend. winds 169 This meaning is supported by the context of the Psalm, and by John iii. 8. Pneuma often in this sense in Class. In LXX, 1 Kings xviii. 45; xix. 11; 2 Kings iii. 17; Job i. 19. Of breath in N.T., 2 Thess. ii. 8; Apoc. xi. 11. In Hebrew, spirit and wind are synonymous. The thought is according to the rabbinical idea of the variableness of the angelic nature. Angels were supposed to live only as they ministered. Thus it was said: "God does with his angels whatever he will. When he wishes he makes them sitting: sometimes he makes them standing: sometimes he makes them winds, sometimes fire." "The subjection of the angels is such that they must submit even to be changed into elements." "The angel said to Manoah, 'I know not to the image of what I am made; for God changes us each hour: wherefore then dost thou ask my name? Sometimes he makes us fire, sometimes wind."' The emphasis, therefore, is not on the fact that the angels are merely servants, but that their being is such that they are only what God makes them according to the needs of their service, and are, therefore, changeable, in contrast with the Son, who is ruler and unchangeable. There would be no pertinency in the statement that God makes his angels spirits, which goes without saying. The Rabbis conceived the angels as perishable. One of them is cited as saying, "Day by day the angels of service are created out of the fire. stream, and sing a song, and disappear, as is said in Lam. iii. 23, 'they are new every morning.'" For leitourgouv ministers, see on ministration, Luke i. 23, and ministered, Acts xiii. 2.
