Hebrews 1:7 kjv

And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire.

Hebrews 1:7 nkjv

And of the angels He says: "Who makes His angels spirits And His ministers a flame of fire."

Hebrews 1:7 niv

In speaking of the angels he says, "He makes his angels spirits, and his servants flames of fire."

Hebrews 1:7 esv

Of the angels he says, "He makes his angels winds, and his ministers a flame of fire."

Hebrews 1:7 nlt

Regarding the angels, he says, "He sends his angels like the winds,
his servants like flames of fire."

Hebrews 1 verses

Hebrews 1 7 Meaning

Hebrews 1:7, quoting from Psalm 104:4 (Septuagint translation), states that God defines His angels as swift, non-physical agents and as intensely powerful enforcers of His will. This verse emphasizes the created nature and functional role of angels as servants and instruments under God's ultimate authority. It presents them as beings that are made by God for specific purposes, distinct from the Son, Jesus Christ, who is eternally begotten, uncreated, and Himself divine. The verse serves to illustrate the hierarchical distinction between angels, who are sent as messengers and ministers, and the Son, who is sovereign.

Hebrews 1 7 Context

Hebrews 1:7 is embedded within the opening verses of the Epistle to the Hebrews, which is a powerful exposition on the absolute supremacy of Jesus Christ over all creation, specifically contrasting Him with angels. The chapter begins by establishing Christ's unique identity as God's Son, the heir of all things, the Creator and upholder of the universe, and the exact imprint of God's nature. Following this grand introduction to Christ, the author systematically proves Christ's superiority over angels through a series of Old Testament quotations.

Verse 7 directly contrasts with previous verses that declare Christ's eternal Sonship and worship from angels. While Christ "inherited a more excellent name than they" (v. 4) and is the one whom angels worship (v. 6), verse 7 describes angels as created and appointed beings. This emphasizes their subordinate status. The verse combats any contemporary Jewish tendency to venerate angels or ascribe them a higher mediating role than the Son of God, affirming that angels, though powerful, are merely servants, subject to God's will and purpose. The historical and cultural context suggests a potential over-reverence for angels in some Jewish communities, making the author's emphasis on Christ's unassailable preeminence crucial.

Hebrews 1 7 Word analysis

• And of the angels he saith: This phrase immediately sets the angels apart from the Son, establishing a clear contrast that is central to the argument of Hebrews 1. The subject "he saith" refers to God, indicating divine pronouncements regarding the nature and function of angels.

• Who maketh: The Greek word is ποιῶν (poiōn), which means "making" or "causing to be." This active verb highlights God's sovereign creative power. Angels are not eternal or uncreated beings like the Son; they are made, thus dependent on their Creator. This underscores their creatureliness.

• his angels: The possessive "his" denotes ownership and authority. Angels belong to God; they are His personal servants, utterly subject to His command and will.

• spirits: The Greek word is πνεύματα (pneumata), plural of pneuma. This term can mean "wind," "breath," or "spirit." In this context, reflecting the Septuagint translation of Psalm 104:4, it describes the nature or form of angels. It implies their non-corporeal existence, their swiftness like the wind, their elusive nature, and their essential essence as spiritual beings. Their very being is determined by God; they are not inherently possessing such forms but are "made" this way.

• and his ministers: The Greek is λειτουργούς (leitourgous), meaning "public servants," "ministers," or "those who perform sacred duties." This is a parallel descriptor to "his angels," reinforcing their role as active, serving agents. The term highlights their assigned duties and functions in God's service.

• a flame of fire: The Greek is φλόγα πυρός (phloga pyros), "flame of fire." This descriptor further illustrates the nature and function of angels as instruments of God's power. Fire is often associated with divine presence, purity, judgment, consuming power, and zealous execution of will in the Old Testament. Angels, when acting as God's ministers, embody these characteristics—they are swift, awe-inspiring, and sometimes destructive, executing God's purposes with intensity and zeal. This indicates not merely that they can appear as fire, but that their very nature or the form God makes them to take can be intensely powerful, purificatory, or judicial.

• Words-group by words-group analysis:

  • "Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire": This phrase directly describes God's absolute sovereignty over His angelic creation. He not only created them, but He also defines their very being and function. They are His tools, assigned to carry out specific, dynamic tasks, sometimes involving elemental force or appearances. This power of God over His angelic servants is presented in direct contrast to the eternal, unchanging nature of the Son, emphasizing that angels are fundamentally created, adaptable agents of the divine will, not beings to be worshipped or elevated to the status of Christ.

Hebrews 1 7 Bonus section

The Septuagint (LXX) translation of Psalm 104:4 differs from the Masoretic Text (MT) of Psalm 104:4 in a way crucial for Hebrews 1:7. The MT says "He makes winds His messengers, flames His ministers," implying God uses natural elements as His servants. The LXX, however, translates it as "He makes His angels spirits and His ministers a flame of fire." This rendition, which the author of Hebrews directly quotes, is pivotal for the chapter's argument. It changes the focus from God using natural elements as messengers to God making His angelic beings into the nature of "spirits" (swift, non-corporeal) and "flames of fire" (powerful, purificatory, destructive). This LXX reading directly supports the Hebrews author's emphasis on the created nature of angels ("maketh his angels"), contrasting them with the uncreated and eternal Son, thus bolstering the Son's supremacy in the most direct way possible within the textual evidence available to him.

Hebrews 1 7 Commentary

Hebrews 1:7 functions as a pivotal declaration in the author's argument for the superiority of Christ. By quoting Psalm 104:4, the author deliberately chooses a Septuagint rendition which portrays God actively "making" angels into dynamic, non-physical, and fiery entities. This is significant because the original Hebrew of Psalm 104:4 states that God "makes winds his messengers and flaming fire his ministers," implying He uses these elements as His servants. The Septuagint, and by extension Hebrews, emphasizes that angels themselves are created and given these natures—swift as winds/spirits, powerful and awe-inspiring as flames of fire.

This portrayal underlines several key points: Firstly, angels are creatures, highlighting their absolute dependency on God for their existence and nature, contrasting sharply with the eternal Son. Secondly, their very essence is functional—they are made to be servants, whether as swift messengers or agents of divine power and judgment. Their role is always subordinate and instrumental, never divine. The powerful imagery of "flame of fire" speaks to the purity, swiftness, and destructive power often associated with divine judgment that angels can embody when God commissions them. This verse subtly, yet firmly, corrects any potential misunderstanding or veneration of angels by firmly rooting their existence and purpose in God's creative and appointing power, thus preserving the unparalleled glory and unique identity of Jesus Christ as God's Son.