Christ and the Angels St. Paul continues his talk about Christ and the angels: 1. The word of the angels and Divine salvation 1-4. 2. The humility of Christ more than the angels 5-18. 1. THE WORD OF THE ANGELS AND THE DIVINE SALVATION St. Paul concluded his previous talk by saying: "Therefore, we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away" [1]. He is emphasizing that his previous talk is not a theoretical talk declaring the glories of the Son when compared to angels, but rather it is for our practical spiritual benefit. Since the Jews glory in the Law which was sent to them by the angels, and it is truly the steadfast word of God, and whoever disobeys it is punished, what about us if we neglect so great a salvation which we received not by angels, but by the Creator of the angels, the Lord Jesus, the Only- Begotten Son? He says, "For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just reward, how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him, God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will?" [2-4]. Here, the Apostle is not comparing between the word of the angels and the divine word, for the word spoken by angels is the word of God sent by angels. But the comparison here is between the word which was sent by angles through words, visions and revelations, and the Word Himself who came incarnate to reveal salvation practically in its fullness. If the divine word delivered in the Old Testament has its power and sanctity up till today and no one can disobey it, how about the divine word which came through the Logos, the Word Himself who came to save us with His blood, confirming His incarnation through miracles, wonders, different powers and gifts of the Holy Spirit. By this comparison, the Apostle wanted to drive us to be persevering in obeying the Living Word of God. 2. THE HUMILITY OF CHRISTMORE THAN THE ANGELS Since the Jews were proud of the Law being delivered to them through angels, however, the New Testament was declared through the incarnation of the Son, His suffering until death, the death of the cross. Thus, He appeared to be less than the angels, not out of weakness, but in its depth it represented the only way to sanctification, that is, to restore the fallen man to the heavenly glory. As if when Christ humiliated Himself more than the angels He gave us the way to submit to God. He submitted to the Father as our representative and our Head. Thus, the believers can rise to the heavenly level, through Him and in Him. Therefore, the Apostle says, "For He has not put the world to come, of which we speak, in subjection to angels" [5]. For though angels who were sent by God to deliver His words to His people, were highly esteemed; yet the world to come didn’t submit to them but to Jesus Christ, the Son of Man, whom God made a little lower than Chapter 1 2 the angels. What does he mean by the world to come? Nothing, but the renewed humanity in Jesus Christ, this which became a new world or “the world to come.” This world did not submit to God in complete obedience through the Law delivered by angels, but through Christ, who through Him we became obedient to the Father. If Christ is called the One to come (Rom. 5:4) by comparing Him to the first Adam, then the Church united with Him, His holy body, the world to come, submitted to God her Father. Hence, the humility of Christ more than the angels has achieved what the angels could not achieve. The world, whether Jews or Gentiles, submitted to His kingdom and all became the obedient Church of God. The words of St. Paul correspond to the Jewish thought which was prevailing at that time, that God has sent His angels to protect His people. Thus, the Archangel Michael was the one to protect the Jewish nation, and each nation had its own angel. But the Lord Jesus, through the incarnation, became as if less than the angels, He protected everyone without being prejudiced to a certain nation, not according to the level of carnal protection, or receiving an earthly blessing, but to restore the world. Thus, He made it the "world to come," offering a unique divine act. Since we became members in the world to come through our unity with the humble Son in the water of baptism, it is appropriate for us to realize that every member of us became a world to come. When the spirit, the soul, and the flesh with all their inner capabilities and feelings are united, then the person becomes a world to come, that is, he lives on a heavenly level, a bride of the Heavenly Christ! St. Paul talks more clearly about the Lord's humility as a unique road in the world's submission to God, whether on the level of all nations or individually. He says, "But one testified in a certain place saying, 'what is man that You are mindful of him, or the son of man that You take care of him? You made him a little lower than the angels; You crowned him with glory and honor. And set him over the works of Your hands. You have put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that He put all in subjection under him, He left nothing that is not put under him. But now we do not yet see all things put under him. But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone" [6-9]. St. Paul excerpted these words from the prophecy of David, the Psalmist, who said, "What is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You visit him? For You have made him a little lower than the angels, and You have crowned him with glory and honor. You have made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under his feet, all sheep and oxen, even the beasts of the field, the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea that pass through the paths of the seas" (Ps. 8: 4-8). St. Paul sees that the words of the Psalmist are prophetic words, which talks about the Incarnate Son, who was made a little lower than the angels. Through this humility, He had a spiritual dominion over the creation, which is the work of God’s hands; thus renewChapter 1 3 ing it. St. Augustine1 says that the psalm here refers to the submission of all the creation, whether in heaven or on earth, to the Incarnate Son. He agrees with Origen who says that the Lord, being humble, united the heavenly creatures with the earthly ones, the angelic host with humans, to unite all as members in the one body that is His, for He is the Head of the Church which united heaven and earth in one spirit! The Psalmist says that the sheep and oxen submitted to Him. If Adam is the lost sheep whom God left the ninety nine to search for, then the ninety nine refer to the heavenly creation which fills heaven. The Lord descended to us incarnate, leaving the righteous to seek the lost sheep and restore him to the flock. Thus, he gathers with his heavenly brothers sharing in praises and thanksgiving. Origen2, talked repeatedly about the mixing of the heavenly creatures with the believers in Christ Jesus. He says that when the believers gather in the Church of God, the angels rejoice, for they similarly meet, because the angels of the believers meet each other. Thus, there is a visible Church gathering together and an invisible Church of angels meeting together as well. We share with them their heavenly praises, and they share with us our joy with the divine salvation! The Psalmist says that the sheep, cattle, birds, and fish of the sea submit all to the One who, in His humility, became lower than the angels. What does the sheep and cattle mean except the rational flock, the old people, of whom some have submitted to the spiritual kingdom of Christ, while the rest of the flock will follow in accepting that submission. The beasts of the field refer to the groups of the Gentiles which lived as though in the wilderness, deprived of the pastures which God's people enjoyed, like the prophets, the Law, the promises, and the covenants etc. The birds of the air refer to the proud souls who seek high matters. With the spirit of love, they submit to the Lord, while the fish of the sea refer to the souls troubled with the worries of the world as one going through waves. Thus, the Word of God came incarnate to capture every one in the snare of His love; whether Jew or Gentile, the proud and the abased! What we say about the outside world is fulfilled also in the inner world. If we find inside us a herd of cattle or wild beasts, birds fly in the sky or fish which swim in the water, let us submit them to the Only One who has the authority to submit them to His kingdom, sanctifying our inner depths and our outer behavior to become all at His disposal. The humility of our Lord till the death of the cross is the road of the kingdom. As St. John Chrysostom says3, [The Son of God visited us when we were nothing. Since He carried what is ours, i.e. our humanity, and united with us, He became the greatest of all.] This is the road of our submission to His kingdom. As our representative, He submitted to the Father, by His own free will, suffering till death, thus, we submitted to the Father and to Him too. Our submission to the Father is through the submission of the Son to Him, and it is achieved through our submission also to the Son. Yet, there is a difference between our submission to the Father and the Son, and the submission of the Son Himself to His Father. It is appropriate for us to distinguish between various types of submission, especially in St. Paul's words, "Then comes the end when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power. For He must reign till 1 On Ps. 8. 2 للمؤلف: لآباء مدرسة الإسكندریة. 3 In Hebr. hom. 4:2. Chapter 1 4 He has put all enemies under His feet. The last enemy that will be destroyed is death. For, 'He has put all things under His feet.' But when He says 'all things are put under Him,' it is evident that He who put all things under Him is excepted. Now when all things are made subject to Him, then the Son Himself will also be subject to Him who puts all things under Him, that God may be all in all" (1 Cor. 15: 24-28). In these verses, the Apostle distinguishes between three types of submission, submission of complete defeat which will be fulfilled in the great Day of the Lord when Satan and death are completely defeated under the Lord's feet, submission as a kind of obedience of the creation to the Creator where it will enjoy its eternal crown, and what is greatest is the submission of the Son to the Father on a unique level! St. Ambrose4 talked about the submission of the Son to His Father, emphasizing that it is completely different from our submission to the emperor or the king or to any ordinance of man for the Lord's sake (1 Pet. 2:13), or the submission of the wife to her husband (Eph. 5:22), or our submission to the Father in fear. The Lord Christ submits to the Father from two sides: the first side, He, being the Son who is one with the Father in divinity, does not carry a different will contradicting to the Father's, but it is the same will. Thus He submits not as a slave who takes orders, but as the Only-Begotten Son who carries one and the same will with His Father. The other side, when He carried our human nature, and represented us, He submitted in complete obedience to His Father so we may be counted in Him as children of obedience, and to uproot the rebellious nature which we have inherited from the first Adam. St. Ambrose noticed that the submission of the Son to His Father will be fulfilled in the future as the Apostle says, "Then, the Son Himself will also be subject to Him who puts all things under Him" (1Cor. 15:28). Does the Son not submit to the Father now? [Christ has not submitted yet (with all His Church), for His members has not submitted yet, but when we become, not as many members, but as one spirit, then He will submit through our submission5.] The submission of the whole Church, when all her members with one spirit, as the body of Christ will submit in the great Day of the Lord to the Father through the Head, then Christ is considered submitting to His Father in us! In other words, The Lord Christ, as the Head, is submitting to His Father since eternity, before the incarnation. But when He accepted the believers to become His body, He submits to the Father in us, or we submit to the Father in the name of His Son, on His behalf and with His abilities. This is the purpose of the divine incarnation. Through it, the Son became humble as lower than the angels, so that the believers may come to the Father in submission. This was partly fulfilled, and remains active, through His redeeming act. As the Apostle says, "But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone" [9]. St. John Chrysostom comments on the previous apostolic verse by saying, [All things should submit to Him, but they did not submit yet, but do not be saddened nor worried6.] 4 On Christian Faith, Book 5, ch. 13. 5 Ibid 5:168. 6 In Hebr. hom. 4:3. Chapter 1 5 [He tasted death for everyone, not only for believers but for the whole world. Truly, He died for everyone, but what if everyone has not yet believed? He did His part!!7] [He rightly said: “He might taste death for everyone,” he did not say “die,” as if He truly taste death where He spent a short time then resurrected8.” But the reason for tasting death for everyone of us is His accepting death so we may not need to fear death. St. John Chrysostom says, [As the physician who does not need to taste the food offered to a patient, but for his concern for that patient, he may taste it, first to encourage him to eat from it. Thus all people dreaded death, but to encourage them to accept death, He tasted death, though He does not need it, for He says, "The ruler of the world is coming and he has nothing in Me" (John 14:30)9.] St. John Chrysostom comments on the words of the Apostle, "You made Him a little lower than the angels" by saying when the Lord humiliated Himself accepting death, He humiliated Himself a little, that is, for three days, where He rose declaring His glory. But we fell under the dominion of death for a long time because of sin, till He came and raised us. After he talked about the role of the Son in our salvation through His incarnation and sufferings, he clarified the role of the Father saying, "For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the author of their salvation perfect through sufferings" [10.] St. John Chrysostom comments on this verse by saying, [He does whatever is appropriate for His love to humanity, offering His Firstborn Son more glorious than everyone, for He proclaims Him as an example to others, as a honorable militant surpassing everyone. He is the Author of their salvation, that is, the Cause of their salvation. Notice the difference between Him and us, for He is the Son, and we are children, however, He saves others but we are saved through Him. See how He separates between Himself and us saying, "bringing many sons to glory10." Since the Only-begotten Son was lowered than the angels so He may be crowned with glory and honor through the salvation of everyone by His redeeming sufferings. This act does not concern the Son only, but also the Father, who offered His Son as the Leader for our salvation, giving Him to suffering until death to achieve our salvation and to grant us His adoption in His Son. As though the Father is working in us by the sufferings of His Son so we may enjoy the glory of His adoption. In other words, since the Father has created us through His Son for, "All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made" (John 1:3), the renewal of our creation and our salvation from the evil old man was achieved by His Son through His sufferings. St. John Chrysostom compares between the divine act in His creation and the divine act in our renewal by saying, [The sufferings are perfecting the salvation and its purpose... He accepted to be in the flesh to endure sufferings and this is much greater than His creation of the world from nothing. Certainly, the act of creation is the result of His compassionate love, but the other act (salvation by His sufferings) is much greater. This is what the Apostle refers to by saying, "That in the ages to come He 7 In Hebr. hom. 4:3. 8 In Hebr. hom. 4:3. 9 In Hebr. hom. 4:4. 10 In Hebr. hom. 4:4. Chapter 1 6 might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus... He raised us up together and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus" (Eph. 2: 7,6) 11.] We go back to the humility of the Son by accepting the incarnation, and sufferings for our salvation, and allowing us to enter in His kingdom to be glorified in us, that we may enjoy the fellowship of His glories. The second reason for His incarnation or His humility lower than the angels is His becoming our Firstborn Brother to dwell among us, being His young brothers. Let us be united with Him, being Holy so we may become holy. Thus, the Apostle continues by saying, "For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one, for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren saying, 'I will declare Your name to My brethren; in the midst of the congregation I will sing praise to You" [11,12]. St. John Chrysostom says, [See how He unites both the believers and the Lord Christ, honoring them, granting them rest for He made them the brethren of Christ. But He sanctifies and they are being sanctified by Him; and overwhelmingly is the difference! 12.] He is not ashamed to call them His brethren, for He, upon taking the flesh, took His brethren too13, granting them His divine capabilities to practice a holy life in Him. As St. Athanasius of Alexandria says14, [Through the divine incarnation, we resembled Him, from the standpoint of the flesh, we became branches in the Vine united with Him, enjoying His fullness. (John 1:16). Hence, our body became sanctified which was dead and corrupt before, and was granted the resurrection and the salvation through our brotherhood to the Lord Christ carrying our body!] In details, we say that the Son, the Incarnate Logos, became the Firstborn Brother to us. He is not ashamed to call us His brothers, for when He descended to us, He raised us to Him. He took our flesh, which resembles the flesh of sin. But as it was impossible for sin to come near Him, He rather raised us, the sinners, to His holiness: "For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one." We became members in His Holy Body having the fellowship of His superior traits. In other words, the humility of our Lord, lower than the angels, that is His incarnation opened for us the door of our brotherhood to Him. Through His sufferings and resurrection, we had the right of enjoying His Holy Spirit dwelling inside us, this who takes from Christ and tells us, that is, takes His holy traits to pour them on us so we may become sanctified in Him. Through this divine act, we get to know the Holy Father, being our Heavenly Father, and get to realize His incomprehensible divine mysteries hence our inner tongue will utter praises and thanksgiving. The Only-Begotten Son calls His Father saying, "I will declare Your name to My brethren; and in the midst of the congregation I will sing praise to You" [12]. He continues saying, “I will put My trust in Him. And again Here am I and the children whom God has given Me" [13]. 11 In Hebr. hom. 4:4. 12 In Hebr. hom., 4:5. 13 In Hebr. hom., 4:5. 14 De Sententia Dionysii, 11 Chapter 1 7 As a Representative of humanity, and as Firstborn Brother to the believers, the Son relied obediently on the Father, thus we are considered children of obedience to God after we were rebellious slaves. The Son takes us to the bosom of His Father through the road of obedience of the Son to His Father, the obedience of the unique love, the obedience of the one will with His Father, this matter which all creation is unable to reach without the Son. It is strange that while He presents us to His Father as children of obedience, He presents us as children of obedience to the Son Himself, because we could not obey the Father without going through the new life which we have in the Son, obeying Him. Our obedience to the Father is through our obedience to the Son opening the road of obedience! Through this obedience which we have in the Son, the Son became not only the Firstborn Brother but also a Father. For the Apostle says through the Lord, "Here I am and the children whom God has given Me." St. John Chrysostom comments saying, [Here He shows Himself as a Father as previously He showed Himself as a er15.] His Brotherhood and His Fatherhood to us declare our fellowship in Him. so we may enjoy victory over death, which dominated us, by His accepting death for us. Through His death, He mortified our death. The Apostle says, "Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil" [14]. Thus, the humility of Christ more than the angels is the road for our enjoyment of His divine kingdom. It is the road of our salvation through the Brotherhood of the Lord Christ and His Fatherhood also. Finally, this humility was the road of His entry to death so He may abolish the dominion of death, that is, the devil, thus liberating us. As St. John Chrysostom says, [Here he points out to what is marvelous, for Christ has defeated the devil by the same matter with which we were defeated, through the strong weapon against the world, that is, death. Here is manifested the greatness of the Conqueror! Do you want to find out what great goodness has death brought to us? The Apostle says, "And release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage" [15]. Why do you tremble? Why do you fear who became as nothing? Satan and death are no more fearful, but they were trodden under foot, completely despised16.] This is the purpose of the divine incarnation. He carries our body so through His death, He mortifies our death, granting us the power of salvation and eternal resurrection. St. Athanasius of Alexandria says, [He became man, carrying our human nature that needs salvation, so that He may have what to offer us, that is salvation for all17.] St. Ambrose comments on this sentence by saying, [Who is He who wants us to share in His flesh and blood? He is certainly the Son of God! How did He become a partaker with us except through the flesh, and how did He break the bonds of death, except through His physical death? The endurance of our Lord Christ to death mortified death18.] We were all under bondage, no one was able to trample death, nor be liberated from the captivity of the devil. Therefore, came the Almighty who alone can enter the 15. In Hebr. hom., 4:5. 16 In Hebr. hom., 4:6. 17 Epistle, 61:3. 18 On Christian Faith, 3:48. Chapter 1 8 way of death, rise and rise, to raise us with Him, thus liberating us from captivity. He destroyed the sentence of death, and tore it, He also ruined the dominion of Satan over us, thus, granting us the freedom of the glorious resurrection, as life which we can live every day till we meet Him in the Last Day. St. Athanasius of Alexandria says, [Let us not forget what St. Paul delivered to us, that is, the resurrection of the Lord! He says that the Lord has abolished the one who has authority of death that is, Satan, and raised us with Him. He untied the bonds of death, granting us blessing instead of curse, joy instead of sorrow, feasting instead of lamenting. He granted us the joy of the holy resurrection, the continuous feast in our hearts, so we may rejoice forever19.] He says in a different place, [He has put an end to the judgment which was against us by the Sacrifice of His body, granting us a new beginning of life in hope of the resurrection20.] St. John Chrysostom also says, [He showed not only that He conquered death, but He also nullified the devil, who was unceasingly fighting against us. Whoever is not afraid of death becomes outside the circle of the dominion of Satan... Whoever is not afraid of anyone is above all, having more freedom than anyone. When one is not concerned about his temporal life; therefore he would be rather not afraid of anything. When the devil sees such a person, he cannot do anything against him. Thus, He removes the tyranny of death over us and grants us victory over the power of the devil21.] Once more through the divine incarnation, since the Son became lower than the angels, becoming from the descendants of Abraham according to the flesh, He became a Firstborn Brother, resembling us in everything, so that He being tempted, is able to aid those who are tempted. He became like one of us, sharing our feelings, interceding for us to His Father. The Apostle says, "For indeed He does not give aid to angels, but He does give aid to the seed of Abraham. Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For in that He Himself has suffered being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted" [16,17,18]. St. John Chrysostom explains this by saying, [He did not take the nature of angels but rather the nature of man22.] Why did the Apostle say "give aid to"? Because the nature of man was away from Him, not wanting to meet Him, but He followed its traces and caught it through His incarnation! In His love and concern, He held our nature for He carried our humanity to grant us new capabilities. As St. John Chrysostom says, [As for me, when I ponder on this, I marvel and imagine great matters regarding the human race. I see great magnificent gifts, and that God has great zeal for our nature23.] He came to us as a Faithful High Priest able to liberate us from our sins by the sacrifice of the cross. He suffered and was tempted, so He may help those who are tempted, He cured our sufferings and temptations not by removing them from us, but by carrying 19 Psch. Epis., 2:7. 20 Incar. Of the Word, 10. 21 In Hebr. hom., 4:6. 22 In Hebr. hom., 5:1. 23 In Hebr. hom., 5:1. Chapter 1 9 them and sharing our sufferings. St. John Chrysostom says, [He does not ignore our sufferings, but He knows them all, not just by being God Himself, but by being Man who was tempted. He suffered much, thus He knows how to be compassionate. He knows what sufferings and temptations are, not less than we do, because He has experienced them, for He suffered too. Hence, He stretches His hand with great zeal and compassion24.] St. Athanasius of Alexandria says, [Truly, He did not take the nature of angels, but the nature of the seed of Abraham, therefore, it was appropriate that He resembles His brothers in everything, so He may be merciful and faithful High Priest in what concerns God, achieving reconciliation for the sins of the people. He suffered, being tempted so He may aid those who are tempted. Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Christ Jesus who was faithful to Him who appointed Him25.] Briefly, we can say that the divine incarnation, where the Son became lower than the angels, has achieved what no heavenly creature can achieve which are the following: 1. It opened the door of the kingdom, thus everyone submitted to the Father in His Son. 2. It granted the human race unity with the Holy One, thus, they became holy in Him. 3. It considered us His brothers, telling us about His Father's name and we practice the life of praise in the midst of the holy church. 4. He became our Father presenting us as children of obedience to His Father. 5. Through His death, He destroyed death, and liberated us from the dominion of Satan. 6. Being tempted, He can intercede for those who are tempted, so He precedes us as the High Priest and Sacrifice in the mean time. 24 In Hebr. hom., 5:2. 25 Discourses against Arians, 2:8.
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