7. of--The Greek is rather, "In reference TO the angels."
spirits--or "winds": Who employeth His angels as the winds, His
ministers as the lightnings; or, He maketh His angelic ministers the
directing powers of winds and flames, when these latter are required to
perform His will. "Commissions them to assume the agency or form of
flames for His purposes" [ALFORD].
English Version, "maketh His angels spirits," means, He
maketh them of a subtle, incorporeal nature, swift as the wind. So
Ps 18:10,
"a cherub . . . the wings of the wind."
Heb 1:14,
"ministering spirits," favors English Version here. As
"spirits" implies the wind-like velocity and subtle nature of the
cherubim, so "flame of fire" expresses the burning devotion and
intense all-consuming zeal of the adoring seraphim (meaning
"burning),
Isa 6:1.
The translation, "maketh winds His messengers, and a flame of fire His
ministers (!)," is plainly wrong. In the
Ps 104:3, 4,
the subject in each clause comes first, and the attribute predicated of
it second; so the Greek article here marks "angels" and
"ministers" as the subjects, and "winds" and "flame of fire,"
predicates, Schemoth Rabba says, "God is called God of Zebaoth
(the heavenly hosts), because He does what He pleases with His angels.
When He pleases, He makes them to sit
(Jud 6:11);
at other times to stand
(Isa 6:2);
at times to resemble women
(Zec 5:9);
at other times to resemble men
(Ge 18:2);
at times He makes them 'spirits'; at times, fire." "Maketh" implies
that, however exalted, they are but creatures, whereas the Son is the
Creator
(Heb 1:10):
not begotten from everlasting, nor to be worshipped, as
the Son
(Re 14:7; 22:8, 9).
JFB.
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