It is interesting that, after the writer points out the superiority of Jesus over the prophets, he turns at once to prove that He was even better than angels. The word "angel" also means "messenger," but the angels are celestial beings, not subject to human limitations. There are seven reasons assigned to prove that Jesus is better than the angels, and the question naturally arises as to why the writer spends so much time and effort upon the matter. Why did he not merely state it as a fact and proceed with his theme?
The answer can be found in the attitude of the Hebrews toward angels at the time. Because of that attitude, nothing could be more important than to show that the Son was superior to these heavenly messengers. It was believed that there were millions of angels surrounding the throne of God. All of these were ready to do divine bidding in a moment. They went forth from the throne and returned to it like flashes of light. They were regarded as intermediaries between Heaven and earth. Anything that affected the world of mankind was directed by angels.
An angel supervised the seasons, regulating the coming of spring and winter. Another had charge of the sea and its waves. Another ruled over the trees, granting or withholding fruits according to whether or not the populace was deserving. There were angels of rain, hail, thunder, lightnings and earthquakes.
What the Jews had done, of course, was to take the ancestral record of appearances by angels and elaborate upon them, until they had worked out an intricate system through speculation. This had been handed down from one generation to another until it had been accepted with confidence and unquestioning submission. It is interesting that the writer to the Hebrews did not take time to correct all of the errors. That was not the author's purpose in writing, and he adhered steadfastly to his purpose.
The Jews believed the angels were intermediaries between God and men. They were celestial bridges across the chasm between divine and human. This is why the Jews readily accepted the idea that the law was given by the disposition of angels (Acts 7:53; Galatians 3:19). Since that law was the covenant engraved upon stones, it was surmised that God was too majestic and glorious to contact the hands of a man directly, even when that man was Moses. It was believed that had He done so, Moses would have died upon the spot because of the magnitude of the glory He would have faced. Angels were employed to give him the tablets of stone. Even then his face glistened with such brilliance that he had to cover it so the Israelites could look at him.
If it could be proven that there was one superior to angels, one who was personally "the covenant" of God, this would forever establish the supremacy of that one. To reject Him and return to a system inaugurated by angels would be the height of folly. Angels merely carried the words of God. Jesus was the Word of God. Angels bore two tablets of stone hewn out of a mountain. The Word had spoken the very mountain into existence. Angels conveyed the law to man. Jesus fulfilled that law as a man. Seven proofs of the superiority of Jesus over angels are given. As we note these arguments, let us investigate them through the Hebrews' eyes, as far as possible.
1. A name. By inheritance, Jesus has obtained a more excellent name than the angels (1:4, 5). The context shows that the name referred to is Son of God: "For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee?" The word "inheritance" employed in verse 4 has to do with rank or place, and it is because of His superior position in the universe that Jesus is recognized by the Father as "my Son." We use the word "name" as a person's designation, but here it implies much more. Involved in a name are all of the characteristics, attributes, and functions that are associated with the person who is receiving the designation.
It is true that angels were called "sons of God," and saints are also said to be sons and daughters of the Lord Almighty. "My Son," however, belongs to only one person in the universe. It is His in a particular and peculiar sense, and it exalts Him to a rank and dignity above that of all created beings, whether in Heaven or on earth.
2. An exalted position. Jesus has, by divine decree, a position of worship from angels (v. 6). Nothing demonstrates the exalted state of the Son more than that the angels have been placed under a divine fiat to bow the knee, or prostrate themselves, before Jesus as their sovereign. The expression of adoration and the recognition of reverence demonstrate the subjection of the angels, while proving the superior dignity of the Son. The lesser worships the greater.
3. A throne. The Son occupies a throne that is forever and ever (v. 8). Angels are spirits, serving the bidding of the monarch of the universe. The throne is the symbol of rule. It indicates a reign over a dominion. In this case the dominion includes the whole created spectrum of which the angels are a part.
4. A scepter. The Son wields a scepter of righteousness (v. 8). A scepter was generally a rod or wand held in the hand of a king while administering the affairs of government. It was a badge of authority and a visible symbol of the power vested in the one who held it. With the scepter the king could bestow honor upon worthy subjects by touching them with it. By a simple gesture with it he could decree the death of those who had disgraced themselves or offended his dignity. It was an instrument of life and death.
Angels have no such power. They may carry out the wishes of Him who wields the scepter, but may not impose their will in opposition to His will. The scepter of Jesus is one of absolute authority. Even the angels are subject to the power of Jesus.
5. A superior anointing. The Son has been anointed with the oil of gladness above His companions (v. 9). Under the Old Covenant, the prophets, priests, and kings were anointed as a ceremony of induction into office. Oil was poured upon the head as a public certification that the one so anointed was given full power to carry out a special function. The "oil of gladness" is an allusion to the perfumed oil that was used in the inauguration ceremony. It is a symbol of the joy and exultation of the universe at the consecration and coronation of the Son.
There are many and varied views as to the identity of the "fellows" associated with Him. Because of the whole tenor of the reasoning, however, I conclude that it refers to the angels. Certainly there is no question that they were His associates in Heaven, and superior anointing would indicate a function above or beyond their own. While some expositors conjecture that the passage means the Son was given a superior anointing to other kings, the term "oil of gladness" indicates to me an anointing above that of other celestial beings as well.
6. A special place. The Son is to sit at the right hand of God until His enemies are all conquered (v. 13). The question is raised as to when God ever invited an angel to occupy the place at His right hand until all of his enemies were subdued. No angel was ever accorded such an honor or position of preferment. Jesus will rule until the final enemy is dethroned and destroyed, and the last such enemy to be vanquished is death.
7. Service of angels. The angels are simply ministering spirits sent forth to serve the heirs of salvation (v. 14). Although we are in the flesh, the angels have been assigned to serve our needs, and to carry out the will of God in our behalf. It is possible that they do much more for us than we realize, and a great deal that we may credit to other agencies. One who denies that angels assist in his life thereby denies that he is an heir of salvation. But the point the writer is making here is that the Son is seated at God's right hand receiving all homage, while angels are busy in the universe as servants and assistants to human beings.
He does not depreciate what angels spoke. Indeed, he declares that it was so authoritative that every violation or deviation was properly punished. His point is clear. If God would not tolerate disregard for the message of angels, who act as mere servants of transmission, He surely will not permit us to slight, ignore, or neglect the great salvation that was first announced by the Lord himself. Let us read the admonition and warning: "Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip" (2:1).
Apparently this is intended to point up a great danger. Merely hearing or receiving the things God has revealed is not enough. We must heed them and diligently attend to them. If we do not, we may let them slip. What does this mean? To me, it is one of the most intriguing terms I have ever studied. The original word means "to flow by" "to run as a stream," "to slip away," "to glide past." Let me tell you about some of the interesting usages of the word in the days of the apostles.
Your center reference reads "to run out like leaky vessels." I know what that means. I grew up on a farm where we had to carry water from a spring. The house was on top of a hill, and the spring was at the foot. As a lad I always wondered why they could not be reversed. I do not recall that we ever had a bucket without a hole in the bottom. We generally plugged the hole with a rag, but when we filled the bucket the rag came out, and it was a race to get back up the hill and in the house before the water ran out.
Something like this happens with the truths we have heard from God's revelation. We do not need to make an effort to erase them from memory. All it takes is to neglect them, and soon we find that "our skimmer is leaking." Not long ago I met a man who had been a Bible Bowl winner a few years ago. He won contests for his memory of Bible facts, but now he hardly remembers a thing he once knew. It had run out as from a leaky vessel. It is to avoid such a disastrous consequence that we should give the more earnest attention to the gospel truths we have heard.
The Greeks used the original word for "slip" to describe many things. If a woman was washing dishes or clothes, and her ring slipped from her finger, this word was used to describe what happened. It was also used when a particle of food "slipped" into the esophagus in the act of swallowing. Neither of these was the result of a purposeful action. We do not plan to forget the Word of God. We do not chart a course of forgetfulness. We do not deliberately erase truths that have been inscribed upon the blackboard of consciousness. They simply fade away, or slip into the limbo of forgetfulness because of neglect.
But there is another usage of the word. I want to mention this because it may well have been the very thought intended by the writer. It was employed to describe what happened when a ship was carried by the current past the wharf and out to sea, or when such a vessel slipped its hawser and was carried by the wind away from the harbor without the captain's being aware of it. One factor that makes this explanation appealing is that the word translated "more earnest heed" also had a maritime significance. It was used to describe tying a ship securely to the dock. Perhaps the writer is saying that we need to be certain that we are properly tied and anchored, so we will not allow ourselves to be swept away and out into the spiritual deep through carelessness and indifference.
This is one of our greatest problems! There are not many of us who become involved in what the world regards as grave sins. Many of us merely forget to feed our spirits. The inner man fails because of malnutrition. The Hebrews were defecting from the faith because of lack of patience. They did not have the strength to hold on. For this reason they were exhorted to "hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end" (3:14). Because of this they were told to be careful, to follow the example of those who inherit the promise through faith and patience (6:12).
In view of the purpose of the letter to the Hebrews, I would like to suggest four essentials in obeying that charge. These commend themselves as being worthy of our attention, if we would preserve our conviction and "lay hold upon the hope set before us" (6:18). Since this letter of warning and encouragement was intended to stimulate constancy among the Hebrews, it seems appropriate to draw from its depths those things we need to emphasize.
1. The word preached must be mixed with faith. The writer specifically says, "The word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it" (4:2). My faith must be limited only by the testimony of the gospel. I cannot be selective with God's revelation. I cannot choose to believe what seems reasonable and reject what I cannot validate by my own rational powers. As a human being my mind is not always accurate in its deductions. If I am persuaded that a thing declared by the Spirit is a fact or a truth (and there is a difference), I am obligated to accept it in faith. If I do not, my problem is not with the declaration, but with my concept of God.
The ancients heard the word of God, but it produced no profit because they did not match it with faith. The Word is divine. There is no weakness in it. It is thoroughly adapted to accomplish the divine pleasure. But not until the thing proclaimed or the thing heard is believed will it profit us. The Word must become our flesh. It must be translated into personal conviction and acceptance. One may starve to death in the presence of food. Not the food served, but the food eaten and assimilated, maintains life.
2. We must come boldly to the throne of grace. This is essential for one to "find grace to help in time of need" (4:16). Many of us are still living under the spirit of the written code given at Sinai. We are living B.C. lives in an A.D. world. We have allowed ourselves to think a great chasm separates us from our High Priest, while no such chasm exists, He is near to us. He does not separate himself from us by the dignity of His office. He is not a sacerdotal specialist who alone can enter precincts that are off limits to the rest of us. He is not aloof!
Our High Priest is not cold and calculating. You do not have to write Him for an appointment. You do not have to ring the bell, and wait for the secretary to admit you. Actually, He is the door! The writer tells us He can be touched with the feeling of our weakness. He understands the temptation syndrome because He was in all points tempted just as we are. He did not give up, give out, or give in. He was without sin!
It is upon this basis we are invited, and even urged, not only to come to the throne of grace, but to come boldly. We do not need to come cringing, as though expecting a blow. We do not need to come with reticence, as if expecting a rebuke. The very fact that the throne is one of grace should encourage us. The very word means "undeserved kindness," so we need not be concerned as to whether or not we are worthy. We can assume that we are not, but it is precisely for such persons as ourselves that the throne is designed. We furnish the need. He furnishes the grace to help, and no need can be greater than His grace.
3. We must exhort one another daily. There is little hope that any of us will make it alone. When a single coal of fire pops out of the fireplace, it glows brightly for a few minutes on the hearth, then turns into gray ash. God drew the called-out ones into a fellowship, not for His benefit, but for ours. We stimulate and inspire one another. The word "exhort" means to encourage another to do what he already knows is right. Sometimes it becomes a little difficult to hold on. It seems as if it would be easier to simply let go and fall away.
We are to exhort each other daily because of the "deceitfulness of sin" (3:13). The word "deceit" means "mirage," which leads one on, promising something it cannot deliver. It may appear as an imaginary oasis in the desert, leading a weary and famishing traveler on to his death. Others may be able to see when we are following a will-o-the-wisp, a figment of the imagination, and they can direct us back to the path of reality. Note that we are to exhort one another. This is an expression for mutual sharing. It is not a one-way street. We should encourage each other, and we should do it daily. When we meet on the street, or in a place of business, we should not take leave of one another without speaking a word of comfort and strength. By such a means we can help each other to give more earnest heed to the things we have heard.
4. We must cultivate a spirit of diligence. This enables us to place all of life in a proper frame of reference. Suffering will not overcome us but will be recognized as a constructive tool to develop obedience. We will realize that even Jesus, "though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered" (5:8). Instead of becoming depressed by suffering, we will seek to know what facet of obedience we need to learn. Thus suffering becomes a learning experience, not a damaging or destructive force.
We will not be inclined to lapse into slothfulness. We will remain alert, not become apathetic. The instructions given to the Hebrews, as they faced the temptation to conform to the social culture about them, are as relevant today as the editorials in the morning newspaper. For the child of God, they are even more relevant!