Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath inherited a more excellent name than they.

“This is the way, dear friends, in which we found our salvation, Jesus Christ, the high priest of our offerings, the protector and helper of our weakness. Through him we fix our gaze on the heights of heaven. In him we see mirrored God's pure and transcendent face. Through him the eyes of our hearts have been opened. Through him our foolish and darkened understanding springs up to the light. Through him the Master has willed that we should taste immortal knowledge. For, since "he reflects the glory of God," "he is as much superior to the angels as the name he has obtained is more excellent than theirs." For thus it is written: "He makes his angels winds, and his servants flames of fire." But of his Son this is what the Master said: "You are my son, today I have begotten you. Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession." And again he says to him, "Sit at my right hand till I make your enemies your footstool." Who are meant by "enemies"? Those who are wicked and resist his will.”

“Both in the verse before us then and throughout he ascribes the word "better" to the Lord, who is better and other than originated things. For better is the sacrifice through him, better the hope in him, and also the promises through him, not merely great as compared with small, but the one differing from the other in nature, because he who conducts this economy is "better" than things originated.”

“Then again having said a little by the way (for he says, "on the right hand of the Majesty on high"), [he turns] again to what is lowly; "being made so much better than the angels, as He hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they." Henceforward then he treats here of that which is according to the flesh, since the phrase "being made better" doth not express His essence according to the Spirit, (for that was not "made" but "begotten,") but according to the flesh: for this was "made." Nevertheless the discourse here is not about being called into existence. But just as John says, "He that cometh after me, is preferred before me," that is, higher in honor and esteem; so also here, "being made so much better than the angels," that is, higher in esteem and better and more glorious, "by how much He hath obtained by inheritance a more excellent name than they." Seest thou that he is speaking of that which is according to the flesh? For this Name, God the Word ever had; He did not afterwards "obtain it by inheritance"; nor did He afterwards become "better than the Angels, when He had purged our sins"; but He was always "better," and better without all comparison. For this is spoken of Him according to the flesh. So truly it is our way also, when we talk of man, to speak things both high and low. Thus, when we say, "Man is nothing," "Man is earth," "Man is ashes," we call the whole by the worse part. But when we say, "Man is an immortal animal," and "Man is rational, and of kin to those on high," we call again the whole by the better part. So also, in the case of Christ, sometimes Paul discourseth from the less and sometimes from the better; wishing both to establish the economy, and also to teach about the incorruptible nature.”

“As was said above, the Apostle throughout the whole chapter intends to set Christ before the Angels as to excellence, and so he has set down four things pertaining to the excellence of Christ: namely as to origin, because he is Son; as to lordship, because he is heir; as to operation, because he himself made the ages; as to honor, because he sits at the right hand of majesty. Now the Apostle in this part shows that Christ, as to these four things, surpasses the Angels; and first as to sonship; second as to lordship, where he says and again when he brings in; third as to the operation of creation, where he says and thou, Lord, in the beginning hast founded the earth; fourth as to the Father's confession, where he says but to which of the Angels. Concerning the first he does two things, for first he sets forth what he intends; second he proves what he has proposed, where he says for to which. He says therefore so much better than the Angels, that is, holier, and therefore closer, in which he sets forth the excellence of Christ over the Angels. Eph. 1:20: setting him on his right hand in the heavenly places, above all principality and power. But then a question arises how the Apostle understands this, whether according to the divine nature or the human, since according to the divine it does not seem true, because according to that he was begotten, not made; but according to the human he is not better than the Angels, as below, chapter 2: but him who by a little than the Angels, and so on. But it must be said that Christ according to human nature had two things in this life, namely the infirmity of the flesh, and thus he was made lower than the Angels — below, chapter 2: him who by a little, and so on. Likewise he had the fullness of grace, and thus also in his humanity he was greater than the Angels in grace and glory. Jn. 1:14: we saw him as it were the only-begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. But this is not the understanding meant here. For the Apostle does not understand that he was made better as to grace, but on account of the union of the human nature to the divine; and thus he is said to have been made, insofar as through the accomplishing of that union he came to this, that he should be better than the Angels, and should be called and should be the Son of God. And therefore he adds as he hath inherited a more excellent name than they. And as to this name, he shows the difference as to three things: namely as to the signification of the name, because the proper name of the Angels is that they are called Angels, which is the name of a minister — for Angel is the same as messenger — but the proper name of Christ is that he is called the Son of God. And this name is very much more different from that one, because however much difference you posit, there is still a greater one to be given, since they differ infinitely. Prov. 30:4: what is his name, and what is the name of his son, if thou knowest? For the name of his son, like that of the Father, is incomprehensible. Phil. 2:9: and gave him a name which is above every name. But perhaps you will say that the Angels too are called sons of God. Job 1:6 and 2:1: when the sons of God stood before the Lord, and so on. It must be said that if they are called sons of God, this is not essentially and by nature, but by a certain participation. But he himself is essentially the Son of God, and therefore has a name more different than theirs; and this is the second point, for they differ as to the manner. Ps. 88:7: who among the sons of God is like to God? As if to say: none, by nature. As to the third he says that he inherited that name. For an inheritance follows upon origin. Hence Christ has it that he is Son from his origin, and by nature; but the Angels have it from the gift of grace. Matt. 21:38: this is the heir. Hence he inherited the name, but not the Angels, and this is the third difference. Then when he says for to which of the Angels said he at any time, he proves what he said; and first he treats of the name as it belongs to Christ according to divinity; second according to humanity, where he says and again, I will be, and so on. As to the first he brings in the authority of Ps. 2:7: the Lord hath said to me, and so on. And this is for to which of the Angels, etc., as if to say: to none of the Angels were these words spoken, but only to Christ. Where three things can be noted. First, the manner of origin, in the word said; second, the singularity of the sonship, where he says thou art my son; third, his authority, where he says I this day. This manner is not carnal but spiritual and intellectual. For God is spirit, Jn. 4:24, and therefore he does not beget carnally, but spiritually and intellectually. Now the intellect, in speaking, begets a word, which is its concept, and therefore he pointedly said that the Lord said to me, that is, the Father said to the Son. For the Father's intellect to speak, then, is nothing other than to conceive a word in the heart. Ps. 44:2: my heart hath uttered a good word. Job 33:14: he speaketh once, and repeateth not the same thing a second time. Ecclus. 24:5: I came out of the mouth of the most High. But as to the second, this generation is singular, for he says thou art my son, as if to say: although many others are called sons, yet to be a natural son belongs to him alone; the others are called sons of God because they are participants of the Word of God. Jn. 10:35: he called them gods to whom the word of God was made; but Christ is the very Word. Matt. 17:5: this is my beloved son. But as to the third, this generation is not temporal but eternal, for this day have I begotten thee. Now time differs from eternity, because time varies as motion does, whose measure lies in variation and succession, and therefore it is named by the succession of past and future. But eternity is the measure of a thing immovable, and therefore there is no variation there by succession, but it is always present; and therefore it is denoted by the adverb of present time, namely today, that is, in eternity. But because that which is coming to be, since it is not yet, is on that account incomplete, whereas that which has been made is complete, and thus perfect; therefore he does not say I beget thee but I have begotten, because he is perfect. Yet lest his generation be thought to be entirely in the past, and consequently in defect, he adds today. And he joins the past to the present, namely today and I have begotten, that you may know that this generation always is, and is perfect, and thus in today its permanence, and in I have begotten its perfection, is designated. So that the sense is: thou art perfect, O Son, and yet thy generation is eternal, and thou art always begotten of me; just as light in the air is perfect, and yet always proceeds from the sun. Mic. 5:2: his going forth is from the beginning, from the days of eternity. Ps. 109:3: from the womb before the day-star I begot thee. This could also be expounded of a temporal generation, so that he says today, that is, in time, I have begotten thee. Next, when he says and again: I will be to him a father, etc., he shows what he has proposed, according as it belongs to Christ according to his humanity, and this by another authority. According to the Gloss, this is said in Isaiah, I will be to him a father, yet nothing quite like this is found in Isaiah except this: and a son is given to us. But in 2 Kings 7:14 and 1 Chron. 22:10 these same words of the Lord are found, spoken to David concerning Solomon, by whom Christ was prefigured. Now it should be known that in the Old Testament certain things are said of one who is a figure, not insofar as he is a certain thing, but insofar as he is a figure, and then it is not to be expounded of him except insofar as it is referred to the thing figured. For example, in Ps. 71 certain things are said of David, or of Solomon, only insofar as they prefigured Christ. But certain things are said of them also according as they are certain men, and these sayings about them can be expounded also of Christ; as this: give to the king thy judgment, O God, since that can apply to Solomon. But those things that are said of them insofar as they are a figure can never be expounded of them, as this: and he shall rule from sea to sea, etc., because this can in no way be verified of Solomon. So too in the case before us, although these words were said of Solomon, yet they can be expounded of Christ, who was prefigured by him. He says therefore I will be, which is of future time, to denote that the incarnation of the Son was to be in time. Gal. 4:4: but when the fullness of time was come, and so on. Above, however, when he was speaking of the eternal generation, he said thou art, as it were without motion; but here, when he speaks of the temporal, he says into a son, which denotes the terminus of some motion. For assumption implies motion into sonship. And since every motion comes about through the operation of someone, terminated at some effect, therefore he first sets down the operation of the one acting, because the assumption was made not by the power of the humanity, but of the divinity, when he says I will be to him a father, that is, I will assume him to the union of the person of the Son. And he adds the effect that follows, namely that, because he has been received into the personal unity of the Son, he shall be to me a son. Of the first it is said, Lk. 1:35: the power of the Most High, namely that which makes the assumption, shall overshadow thee. Of the second, Rom. 1:3: who was made to him of the seed of David according to the flesh. Again, I will be to him, that is, unto his honor and benefit I will glorify him. Jn. 17:5: glorify me, Father. And he shall be to me, that is, unto my honor, by manifesting my name to men. Jn. 17:6: I have manifested thy name, and so on. Then when he says and again, etc., he treats of the lordship of Christ, by which he is heir of all things. Where he does three things: first he shows his lordship, and especially over the Angels; second he sets down the reason for that lordship on the part of the Angels, where he says and to the angels; third on the part of Christ, where he says but to the son. As to the first he brings in the authority of Ps. 96:7, when he says: adore him, all his angels; this is found in Ps. 96:1: the Lord hath reigned, let there be rejoicing, and so on. For adoration is not paid except to a lord; therefore if the Angels adore him, he is their lord. The Apostle, wishing to bring in this authority, first touches upon the intention of the Psalmist, when he says and when again he bringeth in, etc., that the Psalmist speaks of the coming of Christ into the world. And therefore he says: and when Scripture bringeth in, that is, is about to bring in, it saith firstborn, etc.; as if to say: it has already been said that Christ is Son above the Angels; therefore he is principally begotten from the Father. He is therefore to be called firstborn. Rom. 8:29: that he might be the firstborn amongst many brethren. Now this firstborn was to be brought into the world, and so on. And see how orderly the Apostle speaks. For first he says that he himself is from the Father, where he says I will be to him a father; second, that he was assumed into the unity of the person, where he says and he shall be to me a son; but now he sets him forth into the knowledge of men. Now he calls the incarnation a bringing in unto the world. But against this: Christ himself calls it a going out. Jn. 16:28: I came out from the Father, and am come into the world. And it must be said that a going out is also a bringing in. Just as, if someone is to be reconciled to a prince, first a mediator goes out to him and afterward brings him in. A similar thing is found in 1 Kings 20:5 and following, concerning David toward Jonathan. So Christ, the mediator of God and men, first went out to men, and afterward brought them back in reconciled. Below, 2:10: who had brought many sons into glory, and so on. Or he bringeth in, that is, leads him even into the hearts of men, because Scripture, speaking of the coming of Christ, says that he is to be received within the hearts of men. Now this reception comes about through faith. Eph. 3:17: Christ to dwell by faith in your hearts. Ps. 95:3: declare his glory among the nations. For when Scripture says that the nations ought to believe, it says that Christ is about to enter into their heart. Now this word again, which he uses, is expounded in many ways. For Chrysostom says that concerning the incarnation of the Word, which is called a bringing in, Scripture does not speak once, but again and again. Or otherwise, because he himself was first in the world through the power of his divinity invisibly, but again he is brought into the world according to the presence of his humanity, visibly. Or otherwise, because above he had said I will be to him a father, that is, I will assume him into personal unity with myself. And when again he bringeth in him, namely this firstborn one, assumed to the unity of the person: because it would not suffice to say that he is brought in, unless it were said how he is brought in, namely that it is not as one of the world, nor as the Angels, but above all. Therefore he says let all the angels adore him. Neh. 9:6: the host of heaven adoreth thee. Apoc. 7:11: all the angels stood round about the throne, and they fell down, and adored, and so on. Then when he says and to the angels, etc., the reason is set down on the part of the Angels why they adore him, as if to say: it is just that they should adore him, because they are ministers. Hence he says who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire. For God sometimes operates by illuminating the intellect. Jn. 1:9: he enlighteneth every man, and so on. But sometimes he moves to a work. Is. 26:12: thou hast wrought all our works in us. And the first, God does in us by the mediation of the Angels. Ps. 75:5: thou enlightenest wonderfully from the everlasting hills. The second also he does in us, they themselves being the intermediaries, as Dionysius says in chapter 4 of the Celestial Hierarchy. Insofar, therefore, as he enlightens through them, they are called messengers, for it belongs to messengers to announce those things that are in the heart of their lord. But insofar as they are the intermediaries of divine works, they are called ministers. Ps. 102:21: his ministers, that do his will. They are therefore both messengers and ministers. But of what sort they are, he describes them by two corporeal things most fitting for this. One is air, whose property greatly suits a messenger, while the property of fire suits a minister. For air is receptive of light and of impressions; likewise it renders very well what it has received; likewise it has swift motion. Now a good messenger ought to have these qualities, namely that he receive well what is said, report well what he has received, and do both swiftly. These things fit the Angels well. For they receive divine illuminations most excellently. For the Angels are clean mirrors, according to Dionysius. Matt. 18:10: and their angels in heaven, and so on. Likewise they render most excellently, which is signified in Apoc. 1:1: God signified the things which must shortly come to pass, speaking by his angel to his servant John, and so on. Likewise they are swift. Is. 18:2: go, ye swift angels, and so on. Now these are called spirits, because every invisible substance is called spirit; hence also air is called spirit. Likewise they are fire, insofar as ministers. Now fire, among all the elements, is most active and efficacious for acting. Hence in Ps. 103:4, concerning the Angels, where they are called his ministers, there it is added and thy ministers a burning fire. Likewise fire causes heat, by which charity is designated. Cant. 8:6: lamps of fire and flames. Hence they are described in fire, and are called Seraphim, Is. 6:2. Likewise fire always moves upward; so the Angels and good ministers, whatever they do, always refer it to the glory of God, as is clear of the Angel, Tob. 12:6: bless ye the God of heaven, and so on. He does not say: bless me, but the God of heaven. Not so of the evil angel, who says, Matt. 4:9: if falling down thou wilt adore me. But the good Angel, as a good minister, says, Apoc. last: see thou do it not, and there follows: adore God.”

“The apostle, having proved the pre-eminence of the gospel above the law from the pre-eminence of the Lord Jesus Christ above the prophets, now proceeds to show that he is much superior not only to the prophets, but to the angels themselves. In this he obviates an objection that the Jewish zealots would be ready to make, that the law was not only delivered by men, but ordained by angels (Gal 3:19), who attended at the giving forth of the law, the hosts of heaven being drawn forth to attend the Lord Jehovah on that awful occasion. Now the angels are very glorious beings, far more glorious and excellent than men; the scripture always represents them as the most excellent of all creatures, and we know of no being but God himself that is higher than the angels; and therefore that law that was ordained by angels ought to be held in great esteem. To take off the force of this argument, the penman of this epistle proceeds to state the comparison between Jesus Christ and the holy angels, both in nature and office, and to prove that Christ is vastly superior to the angels themselves: Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. Here observe, I. The superior nature of Christ is proved from his superior name. The scripture does not give high and glorious titles without a real foundation and reason in nature; nor would such great things have been said of our Lord Jesus Christ if he had not been as great and excellent as those words import. When it is said that Christ was made so much better than the angels, we are not to imagine that he was a mere creature, as the angels are; the word genomenos, when joined with an adjective, is nowhere to be rendered created, and here may very well be read, being more excellent, as the Syriac version hath it. We read ginesthē ho Theos alēthēs - let God be true, not made so, but acknowledged to be so. II. The superiority of the name and nature of Christ above the angels is declared in the holy scriptures, and to be deduced thence. We should have known little or nothing either of Christ or of the angels, without the scriptures; and we must therefore be determined by them in our conceptions of the one and the other. Now here are several passages of scripture cited, in which those things are said of Christ that were never said of the angels. 1. It was said of Christ, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee (Psa 2:7), which may refer to his eternal generation, or to his resurrection, or to his solemn inauguration into his glorious kingdom at his ascension and session at the right hand of the Father. Now this was never said concerning the angels, and therefore by inheritance he has a more excellent nature and name than they. 2. It was said concerning Christ, but never concerning the angels, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son; taken from Sa2 7:14. Not only, "I am his Father, and he is my Son, by nature and eternal promanation;" but, "I will be his Father, and he shall be my Son, by wonderful conception, and this his son-ship shall be the fountain and foundation of every gracious relation between me and fallen man." 3. It is said of Christ, When God bringeth his First-begotten into the world, let all the angels of God worship him; that is, when he is brought into this lower world, at his nativity, let the angels attend and honour him; or when he is brought into the world above, at his ascension, to enter upon his mediatorial kingdom, or when he shall bring him again into the world, to judge the world, then let the highest creatures worship him. God will not suffer an angel to continue in heaven who will not be in subjection to Christ, and pay adoration to him; and he will at last make the fallen angels and wicked men to confess his divine power and authority and to fall before him. Those who would not have him to reign must then be brought forth and slain before him. The proof of this is taken out of Psa 97:7, Worship him, all you gods, that is, "All you that are superior to men, own yourselves to be inferior to Christ in nature and power." 4. God has said concerning Christ, Thy throne, O God, is forever and ever, etc., Heb 1:8-12. But of the angels he has only said that he hath made them spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire, Heb 1:7. Now, upon comparing what he here says of the angels with what he says to Christ, the vast inferiority of the angels to Christ will plainly appear. (1.) What does God say here of the angels? He maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire. This we have in Psa 104:4, where it seems to be more immediately spoken of the winds and lightning, but is here applied to the angels, whose agency the divine Providences makes use of in the winds, and in thunder and lightnings. Observe, [1.] The office of the angels: they are God's ministers, or servants, to do his pleasure. It is the glory of God that he has such servants; it is yet more so that he does not need them. [2.] How the angels are qualified for this service; he makes them spirits and a flame of fire, that is, he endows them with light and zeal, with activity and ability, readiness and resolution to do his pleasure: they are no more than what God has made them to be, and they are servants to the Son as well as to the Father. But observe, (2.) How much greater things are said of Christ by the Father. Here two passages of scripture are quoted. [1.] One of these is out of Psa 45:6, Psa 45:7, where God declares of Christ, First, His true and real divinity, and that with much pleasure and affection, not grudging him that glory: Thy throne, O God. Here one person calls another person God, O God. And, if God the Father declares him to be so, he must be really and truly so; for God calls persons and things as they are. And now let who will deny him to be essentially God at their peril, but let us own and honour him as God; for, if he had not been God, he had never been fit to have done the Mediator's work nor to have worn the Mediator's crown. Secondly, God declares his dignity and dominion, as having a throne, a kingdom, and a sceptre of that kingdom. He has all right, rule, authority, and power, both as the God of nature, grace, and glory, and as Mediator; and so he is fully adequate to all the intents and purposes of his mediatorial kingdom. Thirdly, God declares the eternal duration of the dominion and dignity of Christ, founded upon the divinity of his person: Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever, from everlasting to everlasting, through all the ages of time, maugre all the attempts of earth and hell to undermine and overthrow it, and through all the endless ages of eternity, when time shall be no more. This distinguishes Christ's throne from all earthly thrones, which are tottering, and will at length tumble down; but the throne of Christ shall be as the days of heaven. Fourthly, God declares of Christ the perfect equity of his administration, and of the execution of his power, through all the parts of his government: A sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom, Heb 1:8. He came righteously to the sceptre, and he uses it in perfect righteousness; the righteousness of his government proceeds from the righteousness of his person, from an essential eternal love of righteousness and hatred of iniquity, not merely from considerations of prudence or interest, but from an inward and immovable principle: Thou lovest righteousness and hatest iniquity, Heb 1:9. Christ came to fulfil all righteousness, to bring in an everlasting righteousness; and he was righteous in all his ways and holy in all his works. He has recommended righteousness to men, and restored it among them, as a most excellent and amiable thing. He came to finish transgression, and to make an end of sin as a hateful as well as hurtful thing. Fifthly, God declares of Christ how he was qualified for the office of Mediator, and how he was installed and confirmed in it (Heb 1:9): Therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows. 1. Christ has the name Messiah from his being anointed. God's anointing of Christ signifies both his qualifying him for the office of the Mediator with the Holy Spirit and all his graces, and likewise his inauguration of him into the office, as prophets, priests, and kings, were by anointing. God, even thy God, imports the confirmation of Christ in the office of Mediator by the covenant of redemption and peace, that was between the Father and the Son. God is the God of Christ, as Christ is man and Mediator. 2. This anointing of Christ was with the oil of gladness, which signifies both the gladness and cheerfulness with which Christ undertook and went through the office of Mediator (finding himself so absolutely sufficient for it), and also that joy which was set before him as the reward of his service and sufferings, that crown of glory and gladness which he should wear for ever after the suffering of death. 3. This anointing of Christ was above the anointing of his fellows: God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows. Who are Christ's fellows? Has he any equals? Not as God, except the Father and Spirit, but these are not here meant. As man, however, he has his fellows, and as an anointed person; but his unction is beyond all theirs. (1.) Above the angels, who may be said to be his fellows, as they are the sons of God by creation, and God's messengers, whom he employs in his service. (2.) Above all prophets, priests, and kings, that ever were anointed with oil, to be employed in the service of God on earth. (3.) Above all the saints, who are his brethren, children of the same father, as he was a partaker with them of flesh and blood. (4.) Above all those who were related to him as man, above all the house of David, all the tribe of Judah, all his brethren and kinsmen in the flesh. All God's other anointed ones had only the Spirit in a certain measure; Christ had the Spirit above measure, without any limitation. None therefore goes through his work as Christ did, none takes so much pleasure in it as Christ does; for he was anointed with the oil of gladness above his fellows. [2.] The other passage of scripture in which is the superior excellence of Christ to the angels is taken out of Psa 102:25-27, and is recited in Heb 1:10-12, where the omnipotence of the Lord Jesus Christ is declared as it appears both in creating the world and in changing it. First, In creating the world (Heb 1:10): And thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of thy hands. The Lord Christ had the original right to govern the world, because he made the world in the beginning. His right, as Mediator, was by commission from the Father. His right, as God with the Father, was absolute, resulting from his creating power. This power he had before the beginning of the world, and he exerted it in giving a beginning and being to the world. He must therefore be no part of the world himself, for then he must give himself a beginning. He was pro pantōn - before all things, and by him all things consist, Col 1:17. He was not only above all things in condition, but before all things in existence; and therefore must be God, and self-existent. He laid the foundations of the earth, did not only introduce new forms into pre-existent matter, but made out of nothing the foundations of the earth, the primordia rerum - the first principles of things; he not only founded the earth, but the heavens too are the work of his hands, both the habitation and the inhabitants, the hosts of heaven, the angels themselves; and therefore he must needs be infinitely superior to them. Secondly, In changing the world that he has made; and here the mutability of this world is brought in to illustrate the immutability of Christ. Observe, 1. This world is mutable, all created nature is so; this world has passed through many changes, and shall pass through more; all these changes are by the permission and under the direction of Christ, who made the world (Heb 1:11, Heb 1:12): They shall perish, they shall all wax old as doth a garment; as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed. This our visible world (both the earth and visible heavens) is growing old. Not only men and beasts and trees grow old, but this world itself grows old, and is hastening to its dissolution; it changes like a garment, has lost much of its beauty and strength; it grew old betimes on the first apostasy, and it has been waxing older and growing weaker ever since; it bears the symptoms of a dying world. But then its dissolution will not be its utter destruction, but its change. Christ will fold up this world as a garment not to be abused any longer, not to be any longer so used as it has been. Let us not then set our hearts upon that which is not what we take it to be, and will not 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. We look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. Let the consideration of this wean us from the present world, and make us watchful, diligent, and desirous of that better world, and let us wait on Christ to change us into a meetness for that new world that is approaching; we cannot enter into it till we be new creatures. 2. Christ is immutable. Thus the Father testifies of him, Thou remainest, thy years shall not fail. Christ is the same in himself, the same yesterday, and today, and for ever, and the same to his people in all the changes of time. This may well support all who have an interest in Christ under all the changes they meet with in the world, and under all they feel in themselves. Christ is immutable and immortal: his years shall not fail. This may comfort us under all decays of nature that we may observe in ourselves or in our friends, though our flesh and heart fail and our days are hastening to an end. Christ lives to take care of us while we live, and of ours when we are gone, and this should quicken us all to make our interest in him clear and sure, that our spiritual and eternal life may be hid with Christ in God. III. The superiority of Christ to the angels appears in this that God never said to the angels what he has said to Christ, Heb 1:13, Heb 1:14. 1. What has God said to Christ? He has said, "Sit thou at my right hand, till I make thy enemies thy footstool, Psa 110:1. Receive thou glory, dominion, and rest; and remain in the administration of thy mediatorial kingdom until all thy enemies shall either be made thy friends by conversion or thy footstool." Note, (1.) Christ Jesus has his enemies (would one think it?), enemies even among men - enemies to his sovereignty, to his cause, to his people; such as will not have him to reign over them. Let us not think it strange then if we have our enemies. Christ never did any thing to make men his enemies; he has done a great deal to make them all his friends and his Father's friends, and yet he has his enemies. (2.) All the enemies of Christ shall be made his footstool, either by humble submission and entire subjection to his will casting themselves down at his feet, or by utter destruction; he shall trample upon those who continue obstinate, and shall trample over them. (3.) God the Father has undertaken for this, and he will see it done, yea, he will himself do it; and, though it be not done presently, it shall certainly be done, and Christ waits for it,; and so must Christians wait till God has wrought all their works in them, for them, and by them. (4.) Christ shall go on to rule and reign till this be done; he shall not leave any of his great designs unfinished, he shall go on conquering and to conquer. And it becomes his people to go on in their duty, being what he would have them to be, doing what he would have them to do, avoiding what he would have them to avoid, bearing what he would have them to bear, till he make them conquerors and more than conquerors over all their spiritual enemies. 2. What has God said to the angels? He never said to them, as he said to Christ, Sit you at my right hand; but he has said of them here that they are ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for those who shall be heirs of salvation. Note, (1.) What the angels are as to their nature: they are spirits, without bodies or inclination to bodies, and yet they can assume bodies, and appear in them, when God pleases. They are spirits, incorporeal, intelligent, active, substances; they excel in wisdom and strength. (2.) What the angels are as to their office: they are ministering spirits. Christ, as Mediator, is the great minister of God in the great work of redemption. The Holy Spirit is the great minister of God and Christ in the application of this redemption. Angels are ministering spirits under the blessed Trinity, to execute the divine will and pleasure; they are the ministers of divine Providence. (3.) The angels are sent forth for this end - to minister to those who shall be the heirs of salvation. Here observe, [1.] The description given of the saints - they are heirs of salvation; at present they are under age, heirs, not inheritors. They are heirs because they are children of God; if children, then heirs. Let us make sure that we are children by adoption and regeneration, having made a covenant-resignation of ourselves to God, and walking before him in a gospel-conversation, and then we are heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ. [2.] The dignity and privilege of the saints - the angels are sent forth to minister for them. Thus they have done in attending and acting at the giving forth of the law, in fighting the battles of the saints, in destroying their enemies. They still minister for them in opposing the malice and power of evil spirits, in protecting and keeping their bodies, pitching their tents about theirs, instructing, quickening, and comforting their souls under Christ and the Holy Ghost; and thus they shall do in gathering all the saints together at the last day. Bless God for the ministration of angels, keep in God's way, and take the comfort of this promise, that he will give his angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways. They shall bear you up in their hands, lest you dash your feet against a stone, Psa 91:11, Psa 91:12.”

“Being made so much better than the angels,.... Christ is so much better than the angels, as the Creator, than the creature; as an independent being, than a dependent one; as he that blesses, than he that is blessed; as he that is worshipped, than he that worships: as a king, than his subjects; as a master, than his servants; and as he that sends, than he that is sent: and Christ may be said to be "made so", when he was manifested and declared to be so; and he was actually preferred to them, and exalted above them in human nature, after he had expiated the sins of his people, and when he was set down at the right hand of God, as in the latter part of the preceding verse, with which these words stand connected; for in his state of humiliation, and through his sufferings and death, he was made lower than they; but when he was risen from the dead, and ascended to heaven, he was placed at the right hand of God, where none of them ever was, or ever will be: besides, the phrase, "being made", signifies no more than that "he was"; and so the Syriac version renders it, "and he was so much better than the angels"; and so the Ethiopic version, "he is so much better": and this is observed, to prove him to be more excellent than any creature, since he is preferred to the most excellent of creatures; and to show, that the Gospel dispensation is superior to the legal dispensation, which was introduced by the ministration of angels; and to take off the Jews from the worship of angels, to which they were prone: and this doctrine of his could not be well denied by them, since it was the faith of the Jewish church, that the Messiah should be preferred to the angels: for in their ancient writings they say of him, he shall be exalted above Abraham, he shall be lifted up above Moses, and be higher than the ministering angels (s); and that he is above them, appears from what follows, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they; which is that of the Son of God, a name peculiar to him; and which belongs to him in such a sense as it does not to angels, as is evident from the following verse: and though this name is not founded on his office, as Mediator, but arises from his nature and relation to God; yet he was declared to be the Son of God, and it was made manifest, that this name of right belonged to him, upon the discharge of his office, at his resurrection and ascension to heaven; and therefore he is said to obtain it by inheritance; or he appeared to inherit it of right, and that it was his possession for evermore. (s) Tanchuma spud Huls. p. 321.”

“So much better than the angels - Another argument in favor of the Divinity of our Lord. The Jews had the highest opinion of the transcendent excellence of angels, they even associate them with God in the creation of the world, and suppose them to be of the privy council of the Most High; and thus they understand Gen 1:26 : Let us make man in our own image, in our own likeness; "And the Lord said to the ministering angels that stood before him, and who were created the second day, Let us make man," etc. See the Targum of Jonathan ben Uzziel. And they even allow them to be worshipped for the sake of their Creator, and as his representatives; though they will not allow them to be worshipped for their own sake. As, therefore, the Jews considered them next to God, and none entitled to their adoration but God; on their own ground the apostle proves Jesus Christ to be God, because God commanded all the angels of heaven to worship him. He, therefore, who is greater than the angels, and is the object of their adoration, is God. But Jesus Christ is greater than the angels, and the object of their adoration; therefore Jesus Christ must be God. By inheritance obtained - Κεκληρονομηκεν ονομα. The verb κληρονομειν signifies generally to participate, possess, obtain, or acquire; and is so used by the purest Greek writers: Kypke has produced several examples of it from Demosthenes. It is not by inheritance that Christ possesses a more excellent name than angels, but as God: he has it naturally and essentially; and, as God manifested in the flesh, he has it in consequence of his humiliation, sufferings, and meritorious death. See Phi 2:9.”

“Being made so much better, &c. The Arians pretended from hence that Christ was made, or created. But the apostle speaks of Christ as man, and tells us that Christ, even as man, by his ascension was exalted above the Angels. — As he hath inherited a more excellent name. That is, both the dignity and name of the Son of God, of his only Son, and of his true Son. See 1 John v. 20. (Witham)”

“Being made . . . better--by His exaltation by the Father (Heb 1:3, Heb 1:13): in contrast to His being "made lower than the angels" (Heb 2:9). "Better," that is, superior to. As "being" (Heb 1:3) expresses His essential being so "being made" (Heb 7:26) marks what He became in His assumed manhood (Phi 2:6-9). Paul shows that His humbled form (at which the Jews might stumble) is no objection to His divine Messiahship. As the law was given by the ministration of angels and Moses, it was inferior to the Gospel given by the divine Son, who both is (Heb 1:4-14) as God, and has been made, as the exalted Son of man (Heb 2:5-18), much better than the angels. The manifestations of God by angels (and even by the angel of the covenant) at different times in the Old Testament, did not bring man and God into personal union, as the manifestation of God in human flesh does. by inheritance obtained--He always had the thing itself, namely, Sonship; but He "obtained by inheritance," according to the promise of the Father, the name "Son," whereby He is made known to men and angels. He is "the Son of God" is a sense far exalted above that in which angels are called "sons of God" (Job 1:6; Job 38:7). "The fulness of the glory of the peculiar name "the Son of God," is unattainable by human speech or thought. All appellations are but fragments of its glory beams united in it as in a central sun, Rev 19:12. A name that no than knew but He Himself."”