We began our journey into the Book of Hebrews last time by outlining its purpose… that it’s a book addressed to a second generation church that was becoming lukewarm in its faith. We saw that the author’s solution to the problem is not to dumb down the faith, but to dig deeper into our roots. The Book opens with a magnificent prologue, comparable with the opening of John’s gospel that not only covers a vast scope of Christian doctrine and history but also underlines the uniqueness of Jesus Christ.
The author now begins his teaching about how much greater in significance was Jesus Christ than any of those who had come before him… in heaven or on earth. In this first section he tells us: Jesus Is Greater Than the Angels (1:5-2:18)
Angels are a part of the biblical story of both Old and New Testaments. But they are always an aside concern, not at the heart of things. The word ‘angel’ in Greek simply meant, "Messengers". But for some within the church at the time Hebrews was written, angels had moved from the outfield to the center. They seem to be paying more attention to 'the messengers' than 'the message'. This wasn't something unique to the church addressed in Hebrews. Paul, in Colossians 2:18, speaks of those who had given up on Christianity in favor of the 'worship of angels'.
Angels sound great. But Jesus is greater. Simply stated … in declaring Jesus greater than angels the author is saying, ‘Don’t spiritually speaking ‘short change’ yourself. Fix your eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith”, whom in the words of Hebrews 12:12 “for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
Jesus Christ is superior to angels for the following reasons.
1. Because Jesus is the Son whilst the Angels are the Servants (1:5-7)
Hebrews 1:5-7 5 For to which of the angels did God ever say, "You are my Son; today I have begotten you"? Or again, "I will be his Father, and he will be my Son"? 6 And again, when he brings the firstborn into the world, he says, "Let all God's angels worship him." 7 Of the angels he says, "He makes his angels winds, and his servants flames of fire."
‘Son’ imagery was very important to the Jewish audience who first heard this teaching. In the Jewish household… as in many households up until our modern age of appliances and time saving gadgets… there were servants and there were sons. Although the servants were often a close part of the family, only the sons were the heirs to the father’s estate.
I’m reminded of a scene from a Monty Python film (Holy Grail) where the Father of the Castle takes his son to the window, pulls back the curtains and showing him the countryside sprawling out as far as the eye can see, says “One day son all this will be yours!” The son looks at him and says, “What the curtains”?
The writer is telling his readers that they suffered from having a near-sighted view of Jesus. Only He was the son. He was the only heir to God’s throne. Christ is superior to angels because, while the angels were servants of God, He was the Son of God. There is a quote here from Psalm 2, which is a Psalm all about royal enthronement.
Psalm 2:6-12 "I have set my king on Zion, my holy hill." 7 I will tell of the decree of the LORD: He said to me, "You are my son; today I have begotten you. 8 Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession. 9 You shall break them with a rod of iron, and dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel." 10 Now therefore, O kings, be wise; be warned, O rulers of the earth. 11 Serve the LORD with fear, with trembling 12 kiss his feet, or he will be angry, and you will perish in the way; for his wrath is quickly kindled. Happy are all who take refuge in him.
2. Because He Is Worshipped by the Angels (1:6)
A second contrast, which proves Christ’s superiority, is the fact that He is worshipped by the angels. Another quote from, from another enthronement Psalm, Psalm 97 supports the author’s point. It follows that if Jesus is worshiped by the angels, He must be superior to them. He’s the heir to the throne, the angels serve before the throne. The angels worship Him… He doesn’t worship the angels.
So the argument continues; Christ is also superior to angels;-
3. Because He Is Sovereign - The ‘Anointed One of God’ (1:8-14)
Hebrews 1:8-14 8 But of the Son he says, "Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, and the righteous scepter is the scepter of your kingdom. 9 You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness beyond your companions." 10 And, "In the beginning, Lord, you founded the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands; 11 they will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like clothing; 12 like a cloak you will roll them up, and like clothing they will be changed. But you are the same, and your years will never end." 13 But to which of the angels has he ever said, "Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet"? 14 Are not all angels spirits in the divine service, sent to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation?
This passage is a series of ‘Old Testament proof-texts’ that point to the divinity, Lordship and creative power of Jesus Christ. Again the passage hits home the authors point, angels are servants but Christ is the Son. God never said to any angel, “Sit here whilst I make your enemies a footstool”. That’s such a powerful image! The Son laying back in ease whilst all those who sought to bring Him down are captive beneath his feet, something He, the Son, can rest easy about!
Never are angels mentioned as being associated with the creation of the earth and the heavens. But in this passage the role of the Son is spoken of as a creative one. John’s gospel prologue regarding the creative ‘Word of God’ is here lifted up. ‘And the Word became flesh and dwelt amongst us!”
Jesus is the One ‘anointed with the oil of gladness beyond all companions’. Anointing was an Old Testament image of both blessing and authority. David was anointed as King. Levitical Priests were anointed for holy service… set apart by being marked with the anointing oil for specific tasks related to Gods Kingdom. And this oil is no ordinary oil but ‘the oil of gladness’.
The phrase has an interesting background. It is first used in Psalm 45, which is a love song to the King. A ‘Maskil’.
Psalm 45:2-8 2 You are the most handsome of men; grace is poured upon your lips; therefore God has blessed you forever. 3 Gird your sword on your thigh, O mighty one, in your glory and majesty. 4 In your majesty ride on victoriously for the cause of truth and to defend the right; let your right hand teach you dread deeds. 5 Your arrows are sharp in the heart of the king's enemies; the peoples fall under you. 6 Your throne, O God, endures forever and ever. Your royal scepter is a scepter of equity; 7 you love righteousness and hate wickedness. Therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness beyond your companions; 8 your robes are all fragrant with myrrh and aloes and cassia. From ivory palaces stringed instruments make you glad.
The next time the phrase ‘Oil of Gladness’ appears in scripture is in the book of the prophet Isaiah, words to the Hebrew people at a time when they were being trodden down. You may remember the story of when Jesus goes to the temple and is asked to read from the scroll the lesson of the day he reads a verse from Isaiah and then rolls up the scroll and tells them, Luke 4:21 “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing." The phrase ‘oil of gladness’ comes in the verse after the one Jesus reads in the synagogue.
Isaiah 61:1 The spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me; he has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed, to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and release to the prisoners; 2 to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn; 3 to provide for those who mourn in Zion-- to give them a garland instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the mantle of praise instead of a faint spirit. They will be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, to display his glory.
These two instances of the phrase point us to Jesus not only being the loved One of God, but also are indicative of the ministry He had brought to the world, a ministry that transformed situations of hopelessness into places of new possibility. “a garland instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the mantle of praise instead of a faint spirit”.
Jesus is the Son, the angels are servants. Jesus is the one worshiped by angels.
Jesus is the sovereign, the anointed one of God. He is greater than angels.
The Contemporary Significance
Now why is this idea of Jesus being greater than angels important for us who don’t spend a whole lot of time wondering about such things? Well, we may not contemplate ‘angels’ in the same way as previous generations, but when you consider that an angel was considered to be a ‘messenger’ that revealed the ‘secrets of God’, we do on a daily basis encounter those who will assure us that our belief in Jesus Christ as the greatest revelation of God’s purpose and will for the world is nothing more than mumbo jumbo.
Those of other religious traditions may claim that their ‘prophet’ or ‘guru’ is a greater ‘messenger’ of God’s truth than the Savior we claim. Psychologist Sigmund Freud claimed that our religion was nothing more than a neurosis. Karl Marx that it was part of the oppressive economic system that held us down. Various sociologists make the claim that we create gods in our own image to order society after our own needs and desires.
Voices such as those of atheist author Richard Dawkins tell us ‘There is no God!” All these voices claim to reveal ‘life as it really is’… they claim… if you like to be the ‘true messengers’ amidst the confusing voices of religious darkness.
Angels in the ancient world were the carriers of truth bearing secret knowledge that the rest of us have missed. So the author of Hebrews is anxious to tell us that whilst angels have a message, their message is to be evaluated in the light of the greater truth and reality of Jesus Christ, the Son of God through whom all creation came into being, and before whom angels bowed down and worshiped.
So we today need to evaluate the many different voices that claim to give us ‘the true picture of what life is all about’ in the light of our Christian faith. We claim that Jesus is the truth by which all other truths are compared.
One thing we’ll see a number of times in Hebrews is how the flow of the argument is interrupted by a series of warnings. We’re given three reasons why Jesus is greater than angels…but, before we get to the fourth… hold on…
WARNING 1 But hold on!
Hebrews 2:1 Therefore we must pay greater attention to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away from it. 2 For if the message declared through angels was valid, and every transgression or disobedience received a just penalty, 3 how can we escape if we neglect so great a salvation? It was declared at first through the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard him, 4 while God added his testimony by signs and wonders and various miracles, and by gifts of the Holy Spirit, distributed according to his will.
Before putting the angels aside, the author tells us… the thing about angels is this. They had a message that needed to be listened to. And if folk didn’t listen, then they paid the consequences. How much more then do we need to pay attention to the message of Jesus Christ. Because He is greater than angels we should pay greater attention to what He has to teach us!
If the law (“the message spoken by angels”) was binding, then certainly the superior revelation of Jesus Christ was also binding and the readers should not neglect it. He gives them further motivation to pay attention by telling them the results of neglecting this final revelation.
In the same way that there was discipline for disobedience under the law of Moses, the readers could expect discipline for disobedience to the message being proclaimed through the newly emerging church, the message about Jesus Christ that was being authenticated amongst them by signs, wonders and gifts of the Holy Spirit.
Having given his warning the writer has one last reason why Jesus was greater than angels.
4. Because of His Humanity (2:5-18)
Hebrews 2:5-18 5 Now God did not subject the coming world, about which we are speaking, to angels. 6 But someone has testified somewhere, "What are human beings that you are mindful of them, or mortals, that you care for them? 7 You have made them for a little while lower than the angels; you have crowned them with glory and honor, 8 subjecting all things under their feet." Now in subjecting all things to them, God left nothing outside their control. As it is, we do not yet see everything in subjection to them, 9 but we do see Jesus, who for a little while was made lower than the angels, now crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone. 10 It was fitting that God, for whom and through whom all things exist, in bringing many children to glory, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through sufferings. 11 For the one who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one Father. For this reason Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters, 12 saying, "I will proclaim your name to my brothers and sisters, in the midst of the congregation I will praise you." 13 And again, "I will put my trust in him." And again, "Here am I and the children whom God has given me." 14 Since, therefore, the children share flesh and blood, he himself likewise shared the same things, so that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by the fear of death. 16 For it is clear that he did not come to help angels, but the descendants of Abraham. 17 Therefore he had to become like his brothers and sisters in every respect, so that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make a sacrifice of atonement for the sins of the people. 18 Because he himself was tested by what he suffered, he is able to help those who are being tested.
Having firstly emphasized the divinity of Jesus, now we see emphasized the humanity of Jesus. To the Hebrew mind humankind was considered only a small step below the angels. “7 You have made them for a little while lower than the angels; you have crowned them with glory and honor, subjecting all things under their feet.”
Echoes are heard here of the original Creation story where man gives names to all the animals and together with his wife they are to rule and have dominion over Eden’s Garden. A lie breaks the stillness and death enters the story. But Jesus comes as a conqueror of death and the ancient curse is reversed, Jesus tastes death in order that His ‘brothers and sisters’ do not need to travel that road.
Verse 9 “So that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone. “ Jesus came to save humankind, not angels! He comes, in verse 15 -16 to ‘free those who all their lives were held in slavery by the fear of death. For it is clear that He did not come to help angels, but the descendants of Abraham.’
This for us should be a tremendous encouragement. Christ died for us. He went through depths of suffering we do not face. He was tested almost beyond endurance. Yet He endured. And because He endured He can help us face the trials that life will bring our way. We can face them in the knowledge that He’s been there, He knows how it feels.
Because He cried out on the Cross “My God, my God, why hast though forsaken me’ we can know that there is no God-forsaken place in this world that the love of God cannot reach. Crucifixion and abandonment were turned by God’s power to Resurrection and hope.
So the author writes ‘Therefore He had to become like His brothers and sisters in every respect, so that He might be a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make a sacrifice of atonement for the sins of the people. 18 Because He himself was tested by what He suffered, he is able to help those who are being tested.’
No angelic messenger ever went through what Jesus went through, only the Son, God incarnate, clothed in our flesh, can save us and help us. Jesus is greater than angels! So let’s remind ourselves of the four reasons given in Hebrews.
Jesus is superior to angels because;
• Jesus is the Son whilst the Angels are the Servants
• Because He Is Worshiped by the Angels
• Because He Is Sovereign - The ‘Anointed One of God’
• Because of His humanity