The Letter to the
Hebrews
Chapter 1, Part & 2
Winter 2014 FXCC
Hebrews 1:1-4
1
After God spoke long ago in various portions and in
various ways to our ancestors through the prophets,
2 in these last days he has spoken to us in a son,
whom he appointed heir of all things, and through
whom he created the world. 3 The Son is the
radiance of his glory and the representation of his
essence, and he sustains all things by his powerful
word, and so when he had accomplished cleansing
for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty
on high. 4 Thus he became so far better than the
angels as he has inherited a name superior to theirs.
Hebrews
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There’s a new sheriff new town!
God is not subject to our norms
There is a God and we are not Him
This is My Son…HEAR Him
– To a Jew “hear” is more than perceiving sound
waves
– It includes the concept of OBEY!
Hebrews
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The Hebrews author has a point to make
He wastes no time in making it
Vss 1-4 summarize the entire letter
God’s final revelation is His BEST
Hebrews
• The recipients (and the author) of the letter
had never seen Jesus nor a miracle
– The “world” seems to be thriving
– They (Christians) are suffering
– Their faith cuts them out of the world’s riches and
social standing
– Why not just chuck it all in? Toss in the towel?
• The letter declares that God is still with them
(and us)
Hebrews
• The recipients are being told they must
choose
– Jesus
– Or going back to the old way
– In 10:39 the writer will declare “But we are not
among those who shrink back and thus perish, but
are among those who have faith and preserve
their souls.”
– The choice is CLEAR!
Hebrews
• The recipients
– Life was hard
– Their faith was being challenged
– They were thinking of giving up and going back
• But
– God really does love them
– There is a point to their struggle
– They can find the strength to go on
– There is reason to hope
Hebrews 1:1-4
• FYI
– The first 4 verses make use of alliteration
• The Greek words for many times, many ways, past,
fathers and prophets
• All begin with π (in Greek pi, in English p)
– The first 4 verses are one sentence in Greek
– These 4 verses are almost like a song
Hebrews 1:1
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Thru the ages God has spoken
God took the initiative!
He has revealed Himself
He was not silent
God used a variety of ways to speak
– “…in various portions and in various ways...”
– Prophets were a primary way
Hebrews 1:1
• What are some other ways God has “spoken”?
– Creation (Rom 1, Psalm 19)
– Dreams (Joseph, Daniel, Ezekiel,…)
– Fulfilled prophecy
– Angel of the Lord (Moses, Jacob, Abraham,…)
– Sinai’s thunder and lightening (Israel)
– Elijah and a still small voice
– Miracles (Egypt, Red Sea, manna, water, etc)
Hebrews 1:1-2
• Vs 1 tells us that those past communications
from God were only part of the story,
fragments – “…various portions…”, “…divers
ways…”, etc
• That is in contrast to the Son
Hebrews 1:2
• Heir/Son/Messiah
– “a son” meaning God chose to use His Son, vice a
human prophet
– Heir (of all things) is from Psalm 2:8
• “…I will give you the nations as your inheritance, the
ends of the earth as your personal property.”
– Son as in the parable in Matt 21:33-41
– Matt 28:18, “…all authority…has been given to
Me.”
Hebrews 1:2
• The agent, i.e. created the world
– This vs declares Christ to be the agent of creation
– John 1:3 also says the same thing “All things were
created by him, and apart from him not one thing
was created that has been created.”
– Heb 1:10 ditto ““You founded the earth in the
beginning, Lord, and the heavens are the works of
your hands.”
Hebrews 1:2
• The agent, i.e. created the world
– Col 1:16 “for all things in heaven and on earth
were created by him – all things, whether visible
or invisible, whether thrones or dominions,
whether principalities or powers – all things were
created through him and for him.”
– Christ is declared to be preexistent, fully divine,
having authority and having power
Hebrews 1:3
• Radiance
– Jesus is the glory of God
• KJV word is “effulgence” (radiant splendor, the radiance
shining forth from a light source)
– Exodus 34, Moses’ face shone from being in God’s
presence
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II Cor 3:7-4:6, Paul notes
That shining would fade, unless renewed
We (Christians) reflect the glory of God (3:18)
God’s Spirit lives in us
Hebrews 1:3
• Radiance
– John 1:14 (Jesus’ glory is the same as God’s)
• “We saw his glory – the glory of the one and only, full
of grace and truth, who came from the Father.”
– In Christ the glorious light of God shines into the
hearts of people
Hebrews 1:3
• Representation
– Exact imprint/representation/very image – like an
image on a coin
• The Greek word is charakter (used only here in the NT)
– In 2 Cor 4:4 and Col 1:15, Paul also calls Jesus the
image of God (uses the Greek word eikon)
• 2 Cor 4:4 “of Christ, who is the image of God.”
• Col 1:15 “He is the image of the invisible God, the
firstborn over all creation,”
Hebrews 1:3
• Representation
– Jesus is the essence of God, the embodiment of
God
– When you see Jesus, you see God
– What God is, is made manifest (revealed, seen) in
Christ
Hebrews 1:3
• Sustainer
– The Hebrews author declares that all creation is
sustained (upheld) by Jesus’ powerful word
• His mighty word, his enabling word
– He did not just create the world and sit back
• He is still involved/active/working!
– Gen 1, God created by His word
• In Hebrews Jesus sustains/maintains by His word
Hebrews 1:3
• Sustainer
– Col 1:17 “He himself is before all things and all
things are held together in him.”
– John 1:1-3, Jesus’ word (Jesus as the Word) is also
divine “…and the Word was fully God.”
Hebrews 1:3
• Savior
– The word Savior is not used in the text
– He accomplished the cleansing of our sins
• We will see more of this later in the letter with Jesus as
High Priest
– This makes Him our Savior
– We will see that Jesus is the best and final sacrifice
– His sacrifice was once and for all (all people, all
time)
Hebrews 1:3
• Savior
– Jesus’ sacrifice allows us to enter into God’s
presence
– Only Jesus could have done this, i.e. no human
could have accomplished this
Hebrews 1:3
• King
– Jesus is the King sitting at God’s (the Majesty on
High) right hand
– Psalm 110:1 “…Sit down at my right hand until I
make your enemies your footstool!”
– Jesus quotes Psalm 110, referring to Himself,
• In Matt 26:64, Mk 12:36, Luke 20:41-44, 22:69
– Being at the “right hand” is a place/position of
favor
Hebrews 1:3
• King
– Paul uses different language to say the same thing
in
• Eph 4:10 “He, the very one who descended, is also the
one who ascended above all the heavens, in order to
fill all things.”
• Phil 2:9-11 “As a result God exalted him and gave him
the name that is above every name, so that at the
name of Jesus every knee will bow – in heaven and on
earth and under the earth – and every tongue confess
that Jesus Christ is Lord…”
Hebrews 1:3
• King
– Being at the “right hand” is a place/position
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of favor (Ps 80:18, Jer 22:24)
of victory (Ps 20:6, 44:3, Isa 41:10)
of power (Ex 15:6, Ps 89:13, Isa 48:13)
of sharing God’s throne (Rev 3:21)
– Jesus sat down, meaning His work is done
• Aaronic priests never sat down while working as
priests(more in Chapter 10 on this)
• Their work was never done
Hebrews 1:3
• King
– Thus in Christ three roles are embodied
• Prophet – last, final, best
• Priest – able to do what no human Aaronic priest could
do
• King – sovereign, descendant of David, fulfillment of
God’s promise to David (and to Abraham)
• No one else could accomplish this
Hebrews 1:4
• Superior
– Superior to angels
– Before Jesus, God used prophets, who were
believed to speak as prompted by angels (2:2)
• Ex 3:2 (angel of the Lord in burning bush)
• Isa 63:9 (the angel from His presence…)
• Acts 7:38-39 referring to Moses (…with the angel who
spoke to him at Mt Sinai…)
• Gal 3:19 (…It was administered through angels by an
intermediary.)
Hebrews 1:4
• Superior
– His name, Son, also declares Him as superior to
the angels
– Before God used prophets/servants
– Now His Son!
Hebrews 1
• Hebrews will declare Jesus to be “better” that
what went before 13 times
• The next verses build the case for Christ’s
superiority to angels
• The recipients of the letter must have been
infatuated with angels
– There is some of that going on today too
Hebrews 1:5-14
5
For to which of the angels did God ever say, “You are
my son! Today I have fathered you”? And in another
place he says, “I will be his father and he will be my
son.” 6 But when he again brings his firstborn into the
world, he says, “Let all the angels of God worship
him!” 7 And he says of the angels, “He makes his
angels spirits and his ministers a flame of fire,” 8 but
of the Son he says, “Your throne, O God, is forever
and ever, and a righteous scepter is the scepter of
your kingdom.
Hebrews 1:5-14
9
You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness.
So God, your God, has anointed you over your
companions with the oil of rejoicing.” 10 And, “You
founded the earth in the beginning, Lord, and the
heavens are the works of your hands. 11 They will
perish, but you continue. And they will all grow old
like a garment, 12 and like a robe you will fold them
up and like a garment they will be changed, but you
are the same and your years will never run out.”
Hebrews 1:5-14
13
But to which of the angels has he ever said,
“Sit at my right hand until I make your
enemies a footstool for your feet”? 14 Are they
not all ministering spirits, sent out to serve
those who will inherit salvation?
Hebrews 1:5-14
• He said it in vs 4 and now proclaims is again
and again w/OT quotes
– Psalm 2:7 (my son)
– II Sam 7:14 and I Chron 17:13 (father and son)
– Psalm 97:7, 89:7 (angels worship)
– Psalm 104:4 (angels spirits, ministers of fire)
– Psalm 45:6-7 (forever, scepter, anointed,…)
– Psalm 102:25-27 (founded, continue, the same,…)
– Psalm 110:1 (footstool)
Hebrews 1:5-14
• Jesus is GREATER than the angels
– Hands down
– No doubt
– Slam dunk
– PERIOD
• Again how is Jesus better?
Hebrews 1:5-14
• Greater/better
– He is the Son, they are not
– He is the Firstborn, they worship Him
– He is God (enthroned, anointed), angels are
merely servants
– He is LORD, i.e. YHWH, eternal Creator
– He is sovereign seated at God’s right hand, they
are ministering spirits
Why Angels?
• What’s with all this focus on angels?
– Were they tempted to worship angels?
– Did they obsess over angels (books, chats, TV
programs, etc)
– Did they believe Jesus was some kind of an angel?
– All the above?
– None of the above?
– WE DON’T KNOW
Why Angels?
• Remember we noted that the Jews held to a
belief about the use of angels in bringing
God’s message to them in the past (2:2).
• Whatever the reason, the author is making it
CLEAR – JEUS IS BETTER, BEST
• They considered God’s message as brought by
angels to be authoritative
• WELL JESUS’ MESSAGE IS MORE
AUTHORITATIVE!
Why Angels?
• They were aware of the punishment for
ignoring the message brought by angels
• Well how much more dangerous will it be to
ignore the message brought by Jesus?!
• The author uses scripture to make his points
• The quotes all seem to come from the LXX,
Septuagint, the Greek translation of the OT
Hebrews 1:5
• Jesus is the Son, in name and title and
relationship
– Psalm 2:7 “…He said to me: ‘You are my son! This
very day I have become your father!”
– II Sam 7:14 “I will become his father and he will
become my son. …”
– I Chron 17:13 “I will become his father and he will
become my son. …”
Hebrews 1:5
• Jesus is the Son, in name and title and
relationship
– The author is interested in this name, Son
– The Jews considered Ps 2 and II Sam 7 as
Messianic
– The author’s point is that Jesus IS the Son, the
angels are NOT
– The Son was/is pre-existent
– He is son because of divine nature and obedience
Hebrews 1:5
• Angels (and even people) might be called sons
of God,
• BUT only Jesus is THE Son
• Paul in Rom 1:3-4 “…concerning his Son who
was a descendant of David with reference to
the flesh, who was appointed (declared) the
Son-of-God-in-power according to the Holy
Spirit by the resurrection from the dead, Jesus
Christ our Lord.”
Hebrews 1:5
• The fulfillment of God’s promise to David in
Samuel and Chronicles is declared in Luke
1:68-69
– “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, because he has
come to help and has redeemed his people. For
he has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the
house of his servant David,”
Hebrews 1:5
• The fulfillment of God’s promise to David in
Samuel and Chronicles is also declared in Rom
1:2-3
– “…This gospel he promised beforehand through
his prophets in the holy scriptures, concerning his
Son who was a descendant of David with
reference to the flesh,”
Hebrews 1:6
• Jesus is the one who is worshipped and
firstborn
– Psalm 97:7 “All who worship idols are ashamed,
those who boast about worthless idols. All the
gods (in the LXX this is angels) bow down before
him.”
– Psalm 89:27 “I will appoint him to be my firstborn
son, the most exalted of the earth’s kings.”
Hebrews 1:6
• Jesus is the one who is worshipped and
firstborn
– Deut 32:43 in the LXX “Rejoice, ye heavens, along
with him, and let the sons of God worship him;
Rejoice, O ye nations, with his people, and let all
the angels of God ascribe strength to him; …”
Hebrews 1:6
• Psalm 97 and the LXX Deut passage clearly
have the angels worshipping God, thus our
author is clearly equating Jesus with God.
– Worthy of receiving the worship of angels
Hebrews 1:6
• All of this is language to proclaim Jesus as
– Worthy of worship
– Having rank and honor
– Related to the covenant with David
References
• F.F. Bruce, “The Epistle to the Hebrews”, The
New International Commentary on the New
Testament, Eerdmans, 1967
• Edward Fudge, “Our Man in Heaven: An
Exposition of the Epistle to the Hebrews”,,
Baker, 1974
– Available on-line for free
– http://www.edwardfudge.com/written/omihtext.
html
References
• Edward Fudge, “Hebrews: Ancient
Encouragement for Believers Today”,
Leafwood Publishers, 2009
• John Mark Hicks, Hebrews, Word Doc
– http://johnmarkhicks.com/wpcontent/uploads/sites/10/2009/03/hebrewsedited.doc
References
• Bobby Valentine’s “Stoned-Campbell Disciple”
blog
– http://stonedcampbelldisciple.com/2013/08/20/p
aul-and-the-unquestioned-authority-of-the-oldtestament/