3. Their execution of their office in their actual employment is here also expressed. They are “ministering spirits, ¢is dianoviaw amrooreAroucva, —“ sent out unto a ministry.” “Sent out,”’—that is, they are daily so, continually so, the word denoting the present time, which is always. They stand be- fore the presence of God, and are continually sent out by him, some- times some, sometimes others,—always those that are sufficient for his work. |
Els diaxoviay AGOTTiAAOMEVEL
240 AN EXPOSITION OF THE [CHAP. I.
Now, as we observed before that Aroupyia denotes the whole family service of God, which in general is ascribed unto these chil- dren and servants of his in the upper part thereof, they being av<i- pare Aeroupyiné, “ministering spirits;” so here the execution of their work is expressed by two words, which comprise the whole ministry of the church, éroorory and di:anovia,— apostleship” and “ labouring ministry ;” and therein the harmony is still preserved that is between both parts of the family of God. And as in the service of the church, the ministers thereof do not minister unto men, but unto the Lord for and in the behalf of men, Acts xiii. 2; so is it with these spirits also.—they are sent out to minister for the good of men, but it is the Lord unto whom they minister; his ministers they are, not ours, Ps. ciii, 21, though in their ministry, belonging unto the same family with believers, they are their fellow-servants: as all the servants of a king, though otherwise greatly differenced, agree in this, that they are all servants unto the same person. And these two words express both their honour, that they are immedi- ately sent out from the presence of God, they are his apostles, as also their obedience and diligence, they undertake dsaxoviay, a “minis- try,” to be discharged with care and due observance of him by whom they are sent.
4, There is expressed the restriction of their ministry unto the
Aid rode pia. Special object of their work and employment. It is aovres xanpovo- “ for them that shall be heirs of salvation.” Ard& rodg mer~ piv curnplar > oye qe xAnpovowely owrnpiav,— for them,” for their sakes, for their good, in their behalf, “ who shall inherit salvation.” Heirs they are at present, and hereafter shall inherit, or actually obtain salvation, by virtue of their heirship; that is, elect believers. Yet the apostle speaketh not of them as elect, nor yet absolutely as believers, but as heirs; which they obtain by the privilege of adoption. This gives them heirship and an interest in the family of God. And the ministry of the superior part of the family in behalf of the lower respects them as such; that is, as adopted, as children, as heirs, as co-heirs with Christ, Rom. viii.16,17. This privilege, I say, amongst others innumerable and inexpressible, we have by our adoption, that being admitted into the family of God, those blessed angels whose special ministry respects that family, have us under their constant care.
It is true, that the ministry of angels is not always absolutely re- strained unto the church or family of God; they are employed also in the government of the world. So the angel that was sent unto Daniel affirms, “that in the first year of Darius he stood to confirm and strengthen him,” Dan. xi. 1; that is, to assist him in the wield- ing of his new-gotten empire: as also chap. x. 13, 20, 21, he declares how he acted in opposition to the prince of Persia, and stirred up
VER. 14.] EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 241
the prince of Grecia; that is, how he should do so in the appointed time. And so also, doubtless, are they employed about other affairs in the world, from whence much good redounds unto many who yet belong not unto the family of God. But yet two things we may here observe:—First, That though this ministry of theirs was not emmediately, yet it was ultimately for the church. For their sake were those mighty empires first raised, and afterwards razed to the ground. And this is that which they consider in their ministry. See Zech. i. 8-12. And thence it appears that the prince of the kingdom of Persia, who withstood the angel, was not any angel of God, but the king of Persia himself, who laboured to obstruct the work committed unto him. Secondly, That the apostle treats in this place of that immediate respect which the ministry of the angels had unto the church, because in that regard alone he carries on his comparison between them and the Son, that only being unto his purpose in hand.
But it may be objected that this their minzstry will not clearly evince their inferiority and subordination unto Christ, seeing he himself also was sent, and that for the good of them who shall in- herit salvation, and is thence called “The apostle of our profession.” But the differences between him and them in their being sent are so great and manifest, that his superiority unto them and pre-emi- nence above them is not in the least thereby impeached. He was sent by his own voluntary previous choice and condescension; they are so in pursuit of the state and condition of their creation. He was sent to minister in the “form of a servant” only for a short season, in the days of his flesh; they continue to be so from the beginning to the end of the world. He was sent unto that great and mighty work of mediation which none was worthy to under- take, none able to go through withal but himself alone, the only begotten Son of God; they are sent about the ordinary concern- ments of the saints: he as the Son; they as servants: he as the author of the whole work of redemption and salvation of the church; they as subordinate assistants in the particular promotion of it. The general agreement, then, of his and their being sent for the good of the church, hath so many and so great differences, in the manner, causes, and ends of it, that it no way takes off from the evidence of their subordination and subjection unto him. And with this demonstration the apostle closeth the argument he hath so long insisted on.