GOD, are the sons of GOD, that the Only begotten is here called, the First-begotten.

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

By "ministers" here the angels are meant; and in allusion probably to their being such ready and quick executors of GOD'S will, they are called "a flame." The words are derived from Ps, ciii. 20-22. GOD may mean us to gather from this verse, as from other parts of Holy Scripture, that what we call "the powers of nature," are really the ministrations of angels. See note on ch. xi. 2.

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.

The "oil of gladness" is the HOLY GHOST, "Who descended in bodily shape like a dove upon Him." See S. Mark i. 10.

The "fellows" spoken of are all those who have been anointed by GoD's ordinance, prophets, priests, and kings. Immeasurably above them, in each office, is our LORD JESU CHRIST, as Man. The word may also mean all Christians who "have an unction from the Holy One," of whom also our Redeemer is the Head. The words are from Ps. xlv. 6, 7.

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.

These words are from Ps. cii. 25-27.

13 But to which of the angels said He at any time, Sit on My right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool?

These words, we may observe, taken from Ps. cx., were applied by our LORD to Himself. See S. Matt. xxii. 44.

14 Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?

Great indeed are the angels, but they are servants; great in their majesty, purity, and might, yet must they veil their faces before Him Who is GOD for ever and ever, though Man also, around Whose throne they were heard to say, "Worthy is the Lamb That was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.'

O Everlasting GOD, Who hast ordained and constituted the services of angels and men in a wonderful order, mercifully grant, that as Thy holy angels always do Thee service in heaven, so by Thy appointment they may succour and defend us on earth; through JESUS CHRIST Our LORD. Amen.

CHAPTER II.

1 Therefore

That is, Because God hath made known His will to us, not by the ministry of men and angels, as He did to our fathers, but by His Son, of one nature with Himself, yet "made flesh.”

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 For if the word spoken by angels

That is, by the ministry of angels. It may be observed that there is no mention of angels as taking part in the giving of the law in the Book of Exodus, but from this passage, and from Deut.

xxxiii. 2; Ps. lxviii. 17; Acts vii. 53; Gal. iii. 19, it is manifest that it was given through their ministry. Hence it is reasonable to suppose, especially when we remember what was said in chap. i. 7, that the "thunders and lightnings," and the "thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud" were angelic ministrations.

was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward,

By "transgression," we may understand sins committed: by "disobedience," duties omitted: with this agrees the daily confession of the Church, "We have left undone those things which we ought to have done, and we have done those things which we ought not to have done."

3 How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation ;

Such salvation, eternal, and full of all godly blessedness, as the Gospel promises to all who obey it.

which at the first began to be spoken by the LORD,

This means, which was first preached by the very mouth of GOD Himself, "face to face" with men.

and was confirmed unto us by them that heard Him;

4 GOD also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the HOLY GHOST, according to His own will?

That is, according to the will of the HOLY GHOST: He it is, "Who divideth to every man severally as He will.”

Having thus shown the immeasurable superiority of the LORD JESUS in His sacred Humanity to all the heavenly beings, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers, and consequently the extreme danger of neglecting the Gospel whereby He, after His Incarnation, "brought life and immortality to light," the Apostle goes on to answer some thoughts which would very naturally arise in the mind of the Hebrews: they would say, "GOD bath made the angels rulers, guardians and watchers in

and over the mighty empires of the world.1 How can a man be of higher power?"

5 For unto the angels hath He not put in subjection the world to come, whereof we speak.

Here is S. Paul's answer: "I am not speaking of this world, but of that for which our fathers have been looking, which they were wont to call 'the times of the Messiah;' I am speaking of the Church, which God hath not put into subjection to angels, as He has earthly kingdoms; of the Body of CHRIST,''the kingdom which shall never be destroyed:' He Who is the Head of that kingdom must needs be above the princes of any earthly kingdom.”2 That He, Who has been made the Head of the Church is a Human Being, is One, Who, though from everlasting, and One with GOD, yet was made Man," and as such is high above ali angels, the HOLY SPIRIT now proceeds to show.

6 But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man, that Thou art mindful of him? or the son of man, that Thou visitest him?

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:

8 Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that He put all in subjection under him, He left nothing that is not put under him.

The argument of the Apostle may be thus understood: "Here are the words of God spoken by the Prophet David: they most surely refer to a man; but it is equally certain that it is no mere man to whom they refer; they speak therefore of Him, Who is as truly Man as He is truly GOD, our LORD JESUS, for to no other man has all power in heaven and earth ever been delivered.” Here one might object and say:

But now we see not yet all things put under Him.

The objection is: "The words in the Psalm were indeed spoken of man, and of no mere man; yet we do not see them fulfilled in 'the Man CHRIST JESUS.' He has many enemies not in subjec

tion to Him, nay, in very active and sometimes triumphant, warfare against Him.

9 But we see JESUS, Who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour;

The Apostle seems to answer, "I allow the prophecy has not yet been wholly and perfectly fulfilled; it has however, as all may see, been fulfilled in part. We see the LORD GOD made lower than the angels, for He became Man; we see Him then as Man crowned with honour, by His glorious Resurrection, and Ascension, and session at the everlasting right hand; and this partial fulfilment is an earnest that one day the whole will be actually accomplished."

And yet in some sense we may say the whole has been accomplished, for that it is certain to be accomplished; and Thy children, O GOD, now see by faith what they will one day behold in very deed, Thy blessed SoN, their adorable SAVIOUR, LORD and King supreme, His enemies all put under His feet: "We give Thee thanks, O LORD GOD Almighty, Which art and wast and art to come, because Thou hast taken to Thee Thy great power and hast reigned."

The Apostle now proceeds to say why He Who being from everlasting, humbled Himself to become Man, humbled Himself yet further to death, and to such a death, even the death of the Cross.

that He by the grace of GoD should taste death for every man.

"For every man," that is, instead of, and on behalf of, every man. Oh, marvellous winning proof of the love of the Everlasting for fallen men: "Unto Him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own Blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto GOD and His FATHER; to Him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen." "We love Him because He first loved us."

10 For it became Him, for Whom are all things, and by Whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the Captain of their salvation. perfect through sufferings.