基督比天使更奇妙
希伯来书一章4至14节
4他所承受的名,既比天使的名更尊贵,就远超过天使。
5所有的天使,神从来对哪一个说,你是我的儿子,我今日生你?又指着那哪一个说:我要作他的父,他要作我的子?
6再者,神使长子到世上来的时候(或作:神再使长子到世上来的时候),就说:神的使者都要拜他。
7论到使者,又说:神以风为使者,以火燄为仆役;
8论到子却说:神阿,你的宝座是永永远远的;你的国权是正直的。
9你喜爱公义,恨恶罪恶;所以神,就是你的神,用喜乐油膏你,胜过膏你的同伴;
10又说:主阿,你起初立了地的根基;天也是你手所造的。
11天地都要灭没,你却要长存。天地都要像衣服渐渐旧了;
12你要将天地卷起来,像一件外衣,天地就都改变了。惟有你永不改变;你的年数没有穷尽。
13所有的天使,神从来对那一个说:你坐在我的右边,等我使你仇敌作你的脚凳?
14天使岂不都是服役的灵、奉差遣为那将要承受救恩的人效力么?
信息分享
希伯来书的作者,为何在书信的一开首便将基督与天使相比?因为作者想指出基督胜过旧约的一切,包括摩西、献祭和祭司;事实上,基督在各方面都更加优胜。
在西乃山颁布旧约的时候,天使也有份参与。旧约没有详细记载天使在这方面的工作,不过,新约的使徒行传七章38至53节、加拉太书三章19节,以及希伯来书二章2节,均有提及天使曾经传话。然而,基督却将新约亲自带给我们。
基督还在哪些方面较天使优胜呢?神从来没有对任何一个天使说:「你是我的儿子」;但神却说过「天使都要拜我的儿子」。神称天使是祂的仆役,却称基督是主和王。
留意这几节经文分别指出:
基督的神性(祂正是神) ;第8节
基督的人性;第9节
基督的永存;第10至12节
基督的主权。第13节
这些真理对我们有何意义呢?我们如何将它们落实在生命中呢?二章1节为我们提供了答案:我们既然要遵从天使所颁布的律法,那么,基督给我们的一切教导,我们便更要努力遵从了。
祷告:
主啊,求你助我明白你的话语,并遵照你的教导而行。
CHRIST, MORE WONDERFUL THAN THE ANGELS
Hebrews 1:4-14
4 having become so much better than the angels, as He has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.
5 For to which of the angels did He ever say:
“You are My Son,
Today I have begotten You”?
And again:
“I will be to Him a Father,
And He shall be to Me a Son”?
6 But when He again brings the firstborn into the world, He says:
“Let all the angels of God worship Him.”
7 And of the angels He says:
“Who makes His angels spirits
And His ministers a flame of fire.”
8 But to the Son He says:
“Your throne, O God, is forever and ever;
A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom.
9 You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness;
Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You
With the oil of gladness more than Your companions.”
10 And:“You, Lord, in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth,
And the heavens are the work of Your hands.
11 They will perish, but You remain;
And they will all grow old like a garment;
12 Like a cloak You will fold them up,
And they will be changed.
But You are the same,
And Your years will not fail.”
13 But to which of the angels has He ever said:
“Sit at My right hand,
Till I make Your enemies Your footstool”?
14 Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation?
Message
Why start the truths of this epistle with a comparison of Christ and the angels? The writer wants to show how much better Christ is than everything that happened in the Old Testament. He talks of various subjects or persons such as Moses and the sacrifices and priests of the Old Testament.
He shows how Christ is greater in every way.
The angels had a part in the giving of the Old Covenant at Mt Sinai. Just how this was done we are not clearly told, but it is mentioned in Acts 7:38-53 and in Galatians 3:19 as well as in the next chapter of Hebrews (2:2). But it was Christ who brought us the New Covenant.
In what other ways is Christ better than the angels? God never said to any angel 'You are my Son'. God did say 'Let the angels worship my Son'. God called his angels his servants, but he spoke of Christ as Lord and king.
Notice in these verses the deity of Christ-verse 8 (the fact that he is God);
The humanity of Christ-verse 9;
The eternity of Christ-verses 10-12;
The Lordship of Christ-verse 13.
What is the application of this truth? It is really found in the first verses of chapter 2. Men were required to obey the law given by angels. If Christ is greater than angels, then surely we should obey him.
A PRAYER:
Lord, help me to understand your Word and to do what you ask me to do.

