K E V I N DAV I S

WHO IS JESUS CHRIST?A SURVEY OF HEBREWS

A NOTE ON TRANSLATIONS

• NIV (New International Version)• Our primary version• More “dynamic equivalence”• Revised in 2011

• ESV (English Standard Version)• Evangelical revision of the RSV (Revised Standard Version)• More “formal equivalence”

• NRSV (New Revised Standard Version)• The mainline Protestant favorite and academic favorite• Somewhere between NIV and ESV (dynamic/formal)

CHRIST AS THE WORD

• Hebrews 1:1-2, In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe.

• πατράσιν, patrasin = “fathers” or “forefathers”• “ancestors” in NIV-2011

• πάντων, pantōn = “all,” “everything,” “all things”

CHRIST AS THE WORD

Hebrews 1:1-2• In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the

prophets at many times and in various ways,  

• but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe.

• What is the same? God speaks to his people.• What is the contrast? How God speaks to his

people.

CHRIST AS THE WORD

Hebrews 1:1-2• In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the

prophets at many times and in various ways,  

• but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe.

• Prophets: varied and therefore incomplete• Christ: once and for all• “these last days” = definitive and final

CHRIST AS THE WORD

Hebrews 1:1-2

• The point: Jesus is not a merely a prophet. All things are made through him (by the Father), and he is going to receive back all things, which are properly his.

• “…whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe.”• John 1:3, Through him all things were made;

without him nothing was made that has been made.• Col. 1:16, all things were created by him and for

him

CHRIST AS THE FIRST OF ALL

• “…whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe.”

• “The irony is that the Son, who is heir of all things, also created all things. Jesus, who is the ‘last word,’ is also the ‘first word.’” (Thomas Long)

• The pre-existence of Christ• Jesus Christ existed (as the Son) before his earthly

existence.• Jesus did not become God. God became Jesus.

CHRIST AS HEIR OF ALL

• “…whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe.”

• “In the beginning God has established man as his son to be the heir of all good things; but the first man by his sin alienated from God both himself and his posterity, and deprived them both of the blessing of God and of all good things. We begin to enjoy the good things of God by right only when Christ, who is the Heir of all things, admits us to His fellowship.” (John Calvin)

THE “IMPRINT” OF GOD

• Hebrews 1:3, The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.

• χαρακτὴρ τῆς ὑποστάσεως αὐτοῦ• “the exact representation of his being” (NIV)• Or, “the representation of the essence of him”• “essence” = “being”

• Or, “the exact imprint of God’s very being” (NRSV)

THE “IMPRINT” OF GOD

• “When you hear that the Son is the glory of the Father’s glory, bear in mind that the glory of the Father is invisible to you until it shines forth in Christ….God is revealed to us in no other way than in Christ.” (John Calvin)

• How do you know God?

Calvin

THE “IMPRINT” OF GOD

Hebrews 1:2-3a • The Son is • the heir of all things• the creator of the universe• the radiance of God’s glory• the exact representation [imprint] of God’s

being• sustainer of all things by his powerful word.

• Is Jesus identified as God?

THE EXALTATION OF THE SON

Hebrews 1:3b, After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.

• This divine figure, Jesus, “provided purification for sins” (lit., “made purification for sins”) and is now exalted to where God, the Father, is in heaven.

Mosaic in Florence, c. 1300

SUMMARY OF HEB. 1:1-3

• “The purpose of this introduction is to commend the doctrine of Christ. It teaches that we are not only to receive this doctrine with reverence, but we are to rest in it alone.” (John Calvin)

• “Moses is included in the ranks of the prophets, as being one of those who are far inferior to the Son. …it was a great drawback on the part of the Jews that they did not reckon with the possibility that God had postponed a fuller teaching to another time. They were content with their own law, and did not hurry on to the goal.” (John Calvin)

JESUS AIN’T NO ANGEL

• NIV division of chapter 1:• God’s Final Word: His Son (1:1-4)• The Son Superior to Angels (1:5-14, end of chapter)

• Hebrews 1:4, So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs.

“Song of the Angels,”Adolphe-William Bouguereau (1881)

WHY THE ANGELS?

• Why is the author concerned about emphasizing the superiority of Jesus Christ over the angels?

• Answer: The angels were revered by the Israelites. They were mediators through whom God revealed the law to Moses (Deut. 33:2, Acts 7:53, Gal 3:19), and nothing was more important than the law.• Note: The “law” includes all of God’s ordinances, not just the

Ten Commandments.

• Also, the average Jew was fascinated by the angels, with some believing that they would be central figures in the last days.• Especially, the archangel Michael

WHY THE ANGELS?

• Is Jesus an angel?

• Apparently, some in the early churches, including the original audience of Hebrews, believed that Jesus was not quite God but more than human.• Hence, Jesus is an exalted angel.

• The author of Hebrews combats this view with seven citations from the Hebrew Bible (Protestant OT).

DOES JESUS NEED TO BE GOD?

Before looking at the passages, ponder this question:• Why is it necessary that Jesus not be an

“angel,” i.e., an exalted supernatural being but not strictly identified as God?

• According to Thomas Long, the real problem was not that they thought too highly of the angels but that they thought too lowly of Christ.

• Why does this matter, practically-speaking?

THE SUFFERING SERVANT AND EXALTED LORD

• “The weary congregation of Hebrews longed for a gospel without a cross, a redemption without sacrifice, a faith without pain – something pristine and holy, something that does not exhaust the faithful….Anything but a weeping, suffering Jesus marching through tragic history with his head bowed and his face bloodied.” (Long)

• The author of Hebrews connects the suffering Son and the triumphant Son.• The crosses of the congregation lead to glory!

THE SUPERIOR NAME

• Hebrews 1:4-5, So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs. 5 For to which of the angels did God ever say,

“You are my Son;     today I have become your Father”? [Psalm 2:7] Or again, “I will be his Father,      and he will be my Son”? [2 Sam. 7:14]

Note: “I have become your Father” (NIV) is literally, “I have begotten you” (ESV/NRSV).

THE SUPERIOR NAME

“You are my Son;     today I have become your Father” [Psalm 2:7]• Lit., “begotten you”

• In the OT, the throne of David is promised to the Messiah. Jesus inherits this throne.

• Why the image of “begetting”?

THE SUPERIOR NAME

Acts 13:32-3432 “We tell you the good news: What God promised our ancestors 33 he has fulfilled for us, their children, by raising up Jesus. As it is written in the second Psalm:“‘You are my son;    today I have become your father.’34 God raised him from the dead so that he will never be subject to decay.

• The author (Luke) uses Psalm 2:7 as a prophecy of Christ. The resurrection is the “begetting” of the Son in his exaltation.

THE SUPERIOR NAME

“I will be his Father,      and he will be my Son” [2 Sam. 7:14]

• 2 Sam. 7:14 is a promise from God to David, that He will be the God of his descendants. • The promise is that God will, in reference to a

descendent, “establish the throne of his kingdom forever” (7:13). The NT authors saw this as a prophecy of Christ and fulfilled by Christ.

• Both Psalm 2:7 and 2 Sam. 7:14 indicate that the Messiah is given the name, “Son,” unlike the angels.

THE SON IS WORSHIPPED

• Hebrews 1:6, And again, when God brings his firstborn into the world, he says,

“Let all God’s angels worship him.” (Psalm 97:7)

Note: “angels” is often translated “gods” in Ps. 97:7 (NIV, ESV, NRSV), as also in Deut. 32:43 (ESV, NRSV).

Angels are the worshippers; Jesus is the one worshipped. Angels are the same status as mere humans in this regard.

THE SON IS EXALTED

Hebrews 1:7-9, In speaking of the angels he says,“He makes his angels spirits [winds],

     and his servants flames of fire.” [Psalm 104:4]8 But about the Son he says,

“Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever;     a scepter of justice will be the scepter of your kingdom.

9 You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy.” [Psalm 45:6-7]The contrast: The angels are servants/messengers. Christ sits on the throne of God, promised to David’s lineage. Christ is the Servant who is now King.

THE SON AS CREATOR

Hebrews 1:10-12, 10 He also says,“In the beginning, Lord, you laid the foundations of the earth,    and the heavens are the work of your hands.11 They will perish, but you remain;    they will all wear out like a garment.12 You will roll them up like a robe;    like a garment they will be changed.But you remain the same,    and your years will never end.” [Psalm 102:25-27]

This passage is applied to Yahweh (Lord) in the OT. Now it is applied to the Son. Hence, the Son is God.

THE FINAL CONTRAST

Hebrews 1:13-14, 13 To which of the angels did God ever say,

“Sit at my right hand     until I make your enemies     a footstool for your feet”? [Psalm 110:1]14 Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?

The contrast: The royal status of the Son versus the servant status of the angels. In fact, the angels are sent to serve us!

“RIGHT HAND OF GOD”

• “It is a metaphor which means that He is the Father’s Representative and His chief Lieutenant in the exercise of His power, so that the Father reigns through Him. There is no angel who holds such exalted rank; therefore Christ far excels them all.” (John Calvin)

• And what is the application for us?

THE BANISHMENT OF FEAR

• “So long as there is never any lack of enemies of Christ who attack His kingdom, it would not seem possible to be out of danger, especially when those who try to overturn it are strong and powerful….Certainly if we are to believe what our eyes see, then the kingdom of Christ seems to be on the verge of ruin. Thus this promise that Christ will never be dragged from His throne but rather that He will lay low all His enemies, banishes from us all fear.” (John Calvin)

NEXT WEEK

• Reading Assignment: Hebrews 2:1-3:6

• Website! Each week’s lesson will be posted at westminsterschool.wordpress.com