Are they not all ministering spirits
Servants to God, to Christ, and to his people, and therefore must
be inferior to the Son of God. The phrase is Rabbinical; frequent
mention is made in Jewish writings F1 of (trvh ykalm) , "the angels of
ministry", or "the ministering angels"; this is their common
appellation with the Jews; and the apostle writing to such, uses
a like phrase, well known to them, and appeals to them, if the
angels were not such spirits.
Sent forth to minister for them who shall be the heirs of
salvation?
the persons they minister to, and for, are those, who shall be
the heirs of salvation; that is, of eternal glory, which will be
possessed by the saints, as an inheritance: hence it belongs to
children, being bequeathed to them by their Father, and comes to
them through the death of Christ, of which the Spirit is the
earnest; and this shows that it is not of works, and that it is
of an eternal duration, and takes in all kind of happiness: and
of this the saints are heirs now; and so the Ethiopic version
renders it, "who are heirs of salvation"; nor should it be
rendered, "who shall be heirs", but rather, "who shall inherit
salvation"; for this character respects not their heirship, but
their actual inheriting of salvation: and the ministry of angels
to, and for them, lies in things temporal and spiritual, or what
concern both their bodies and their souls; in things temporal, in
which they have often been assisting, as in providing food for
their bodies, in curing their diseases, in directing and
preserving them in journeys, in saving and delivering them from
outward calamities, in restraining things hurtful from hurting
them, and in destroying their enemies; in things spiritual, as in
making known the mind and will of God to them, in comforting
them, and suggesting good things to them, and in helping and
assisting them against Satan's temptations; and they are present
with their departing souls at death, and carry them to heaven,
and will gather the elect together at the last day. And they are
"sent forth" to minister to them in such a way; they are sent
forth by Christ, the Lord and Creator of them, who therefore must
be superior to them; they do not take this office upon
themselves, though, being put into they faithfully and diligently
execute it, according to the will of Christ: and this shows the
care of Christ over his people, and his kindness to them, and the
great honour he puts upon them, to appoint such to minister to
them; and since they are of so much use and service, they ought
to be respected and esteemed, though not worshipped.