Angels and Their Alliance with Nature
A. B. Davidson, LL. D. Hebrews 1:4-14 Being made so much better than the angels, as he has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.… His angels spirits; better, His angels winds. The quotation is from Psalm 104:4, according to the Greek translation. Two things are expressed: first, the service of the angels; and second, their alliance in this service to the material elements; under God's transforming hand they suffer a change into winds and a flame of fire. This idea is not to be pressed so far as to imply that the angelic essence undergoes a transformation into material substance, but only that the angels are clothed with this material form, and in their service assume this shape to men. Illustrations of the idea from the Rabbinical writers are not wanting. "The angel said unto Manoah, I know not after what image I am made, for God changes us every hour; why, therefore, dost thou ask after my name? Sometimes He makes us fire, at other times wind; sometimes men, at other times again angels." God is named God of hosts because He does with His angels as He pleases; He makes them sometimes sitting (Judges 6:11), sometimes standing (Isaiah 6:2), sometimes to resemble women (Zechariah 5:9), sometimes men (Genesis 18:2), &c. "When His angels are sent forth as messengers they are made winds (Psalm 104:4), when they minister before the throne of His glory they are flames of fire" (cf. Exodus 3:2). (A. B. Davidson, LL. D.) Parallel Verses KJV: Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. WEB: having become so much better than the angels, as he has inherited a more excellent name than they have.