Eli Soriano's Misuse of Hebrews 1:7
Hebrews 1:7 in the NASB reads:
"And of the angels He says, "WHO MAKES HIS ANGELS WINDS, AND HIS MINISTERS A FLAME OF FIRE."" (Heb. 1:7, New American Standard Bible 1995)
Eli Soriano used this verse falsely when defining what an angel is while in a conversation with an INC member. i do agree that Felix Manalo is not the "last messenger of God" which is false and uses decontextualized verses but you cannot sacrifice the facts when you critic. you cannot go too far na sasabihin mo na ang mga angels ay mga "hangin" without even knowing what the phrase means in the Bible. this brought up problems in defining what an angel is among sa mga MCGI members at taking this literally without look at its intended meaning will be misleading. in here, si Apostle Paul when describing angels in sa context of making contrast between angels and Jesus Christ, sinasabi niya that God makes his angels as "winds" (πνεύματα - pneumata) and his ministers as "flames of fire" (πυρὸς φλόγα· - pyros floga) according to this verse; some bible versions will innacurately render it as "spirits" and it just really don't catch ang sense. now the Greek word πνεύμα (pneuma) is used here and it also can be translated as wind and not only as spirit (e.g Jn. 3:8; 2Ths. 2:8) and this is depends to the context of the use of the word where in other context, the Greek word is used for what is giving life to the physical body. with the correct use of the Greek word, πνεύματα here will be translated as "wind" to catch the sense of the meaning ng text together with πυρὸς φλόγα· where both of it is where it makes a comparison na kung saan ay nagde-describe ng qualities ng angels at ng mga ministers. ang flaw dito sa mga MCGI ay na they took πνεύματα literally but can't take πυρὸς φλόγα in the same manner. A Greek English Lexicon Of The New Testament And Other Early Christian Literature (BDAG) shows in its first entry para sa contextual use of the Greek word πνεύμα na kung saan sinasabi:
πνεῦμα, ατος, τό (πνέω; Aeschyl., Pre-Socr., Hdt.+. On the history of the word s. Rtzst., Mysterienrel.3 308ff).
① air in movement, blowing, breathing (even the glowing exhalations of a volcanic crater: Diod S 5, 7, 3)
ⓐ wind (Aeschyl. et al.; LXX, EpArist, Philo; Jos., Ant. 2, 343; 349; SibOr 8, 297) in wordplay τὸ πνεῦμα πνεῖ the wind blows J 3:8a (EpJer 60 πνεῦμα ἐν πάσῃ χώρᾳ πνεῖ. But s. TDonn, ET 66, ’54f, 32; JThomas, Restoration Qtrly 24, ’81, 219–24). ὀθόνη πλοίου ὑπὸ πνεύματος πληρουμένη MPol 15:2. Of God ὁ ποιῶν τοὺς ἀγγέλους αὐτοῦ πνεύματα who makes his angels winds Hb 1:7; 1 Cl 36:3 (both Ps 103:4).
ⓑ the breathing out of air, blowing, breath (Aeschyl. et al.; Pla., Tim. 79b; LXX) ὁ ἄνομος, ὅν ὁ κύριος Ἰησοῦς ἀνελεῖ τῷ πνεύματι τοῦ στόματος αὐτοῦ 2 Th 2:8 (cp. Is 11:4; Ps 32:6).
The meaning of Hebrews 1:7 is not what Eli Soriano wants it to mean. William W. Lane comments on the following in the Word Biblical Commentary na kung saan ang uses ng Greek word dito na πνεύμα being translated properly in the text as "wind" (Ὁ ποιῶν τοὺς ἀγγέλους αὐτοῦ πνεύματα - he makes his angels as winds) is to show the purpose ng mga angels as God's instruments to execute his will.:
" The quotation reflects the LXX version of Ps 104:4, with only minor variations. It offers a striking example of the writer’s dependence upon the Greek Bible, for the text was useful to him only in this form (cf. Schröger, Verfasser, 262; Kistemaker, Psalm Citations, 23–24, 27–28). The MT speaks only of wind and fire as instruments of God’s sovereign will: “who makes the winds his messengers, flames of fire his servants.” Frequently in the OT wind and fire are the divine instruments for theophany. In this form the text was cited in the rabbinic tradition as evidence of the transcendence of God who executes his will through the angels (cf. ExodRab 25.86a: “they sit and stand at his will, and appear in the form of a man or a woman, or even as wind and fire”) or as a commentary on the superior powers of the angels (cf. Tg. Ps 104:4: “who makes his angels as swift as the wind, his servants as mighty as flaming fire”). In the LXX, however, the angels are not exalted. The objects in the text were reversed, with the result that it now speaks of the unstable nature of the angels who receive from God their respective form, rank, and task: “who makes his angels wind, his servants flames of fire.” As those who belong to the created order, angels are subject to God’s creative activity and may be transformed into the elemental forces of wind and fire. The writer to the Hebrews draws upon this interpretative tradition. The ephemeral, mutable form of the angels underscores their inferiority to the Son, who stands above the created order and is not subject to change and decay (cf. Kuss, 37; Michel, 117; Thompson, CBQ 38 [1976] 357)." (William W. Lane: Word Biblical Commentary, Vol. 47a, Hebrews 1-8 [Thomas Nelson, 1991])
As Eli Soriano cannot do any meaningful exegesis, he misused Hebrews 1:7 to define what an angel is at masyadong niliteral ang passage without taking a look at what it actually means with the use of words.
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