The Better Covenant part 7 – Jesus vs. Moses
The Better Covenant
Revelation of Christ: Jesus vs. Moses
Hebrews 3:1-6
Hebrews 3:1-6
1 Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus;
2 Who was faithful to him that appointed him, as also Moses was faithful in all his house.
3 For this man was counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as he who hath builded the house hath more honour than the house.
4 For every house is builded by some man; but he that built all things is God.
5 And Moses verily was faithful in all his house, as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after;
6 But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.
(A) Who was faithful?
(1) God was faithful
- He has loved us unconditionally
(2) Moses was faithful
- He led God people
- He was both pastor and prophet
- He built the tabernacle
(3) Jesus was faithful
- He was obedient all the way to the cross
- He was obedient and qualified Himself to be our perfect sacrifice
- He was obedient and became our High Priest
(B) Whose house are we?
(1) Our House?
- You are in control
(2) Moses’ House?
- Others are in control of your life
- You allow things to control you
(3) Jesus’ House?
- You surrender your entire life to Him
- You completely relinquish control into His hands
- You become obedient in all things
The Better Covenant part 6 – Bringing Many Sons to God
The Better Covenant
Bringing Many Sons to Glory
Hebrews 2:10-18
Hebrews 2:10
10 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 captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.
- The only way do discover what is fitting (worthy) for God to do is to look at what He has already done.
- All the God does is fitting!
- God made Jesus, through His suffering, perfectly qualified to be the Savior of His people.
2 Corinthians 5:17-21
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
18 Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation,
19 that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.
20 Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God.
21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
- Man, created for His glory, was prevented by sin from attaining that glory until the Son of Man came and opened up by His death a new way by which man may reach the goal for which he was created.
- In order to be a perfect High Priest:
- He must sympathize with those on whose behalf he acts
- He must learn the lesson of obedience to God
- without these two things the priest would be entering the presence of God for himself instead of his people.
Hebrews 2:11
11 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,
- He who sanctifies is the Son of God, and those who are sanctified are all the sons of God
- Sanctification is glory begun, glory is sanctification completed.
Hebrews 2:12-13
12 saying: “I will declare Your name to My brethren; In the midst of the assembly I will sing praise to You.”
13 And again: “I will put My trust in Him.” And again: “Here am I and the children whom God has given Me.”
- Three Old Testament Quotes:
(1) I will declare Your name to My brethren; In the midst of the assembly I will sing praise to You.” Is from Psalm 22:22
Psalm 22:1
“My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? Why are You so far from helping Me, and from the words of My groaning?”
- This first portion of this psalm was used often in the New Testament church as a way of remembering the crucifixion.
(2) “I will put My trust in Him.” &
(3) “Here am I and the children whom God has given Me.”
Again from Psalm 22
Psalms 22:2-21
2 O My God, I cry in the daytime, but You do not hear; And in the night season, and am not silent.
3 But You are holy, Enthroned in the praises of Israel.
4 Our fathers trusted in You; They trusted, and You delivered them.
5 They cried to You, and were delivered; They trusted in You, and were not ashamed.
6 But I am a worm, and no man; A reproach of men, and despised by the people.
7 All those who see Me ridicule Me; They shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying,
8 “He trusted in the Lord, let Him rescue Him; Let Him deliver Him, since He delights in Him!”
9 But You are He who took Me out of the womb; You made Me trust while on My mother’s breasts.
10 I was cast upon You from birth. From My mother’s womb You have been My God.
11 Be not far from Me, For trouble is near; For there is none to help.
12 Many bulls have surrounded Me; Strong bulls of Bashan have encircled Me.
13 They gape at Me with their mouths, Like a raging and roaring lion.
14 I am poured out like water, And all My bones are out of joint; My heart is like wax; It has melted within Me.
15 My strength is dried up like a potsherd, And My tongue clings to My jaws; You have brought Me to the dust of death.
16 For dogs have surrounded Me; The congregation of the wicked has enclosed Me. They pierced My hands and My feet;
17 I can count all My bones. They look and stare at Me.
18 They divide My garments among them, And for My clothing they cast lots.
19 But You, O Lord, do not be far from Me; O My Strength, hasten to help Me!
20 Deliver Me from the sword, My precious life from the power of the dog.
21 Save Me from the lion’s mouth And from the horns of the wild oxen! You have answered Me.
- There is a pattern of Trouble/Trust and God’s Faithfulness/Glad Acknowledgement in the Old testament
- With Isaiah this message turns to the trouble of the nation as a whole and the deliverance through the Messiah
Hebrews 2:14-15
14 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,
15 and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
- There is no other that can satisfy man’s need of a Savior except Jesus and no other God which is so determined to supply that answer.
- The very purpose of Jesus birth is that He might die – that takes the sting out of death for mankind.
- If death has ever appeared triumphant, it was when Jesus disowned by His own people, abandoned by His disciples, executed by the Romans, died on the cross.
- If ever a cause was lost it was then.
- If ever the powers of evil appeared to be victorious, it was then.
- and yet – within a short period of time He has followers surrounding the known world proclaiming the victory through all of these events.
- Only through His death was He able to enter the strongman’s house, take the keys of death, hell, and the grave – He invaded his house, disarmed him, bound him, spoiled him, and now firmly holds the keys in His powerful hands.
1 John 3:7-8
7 Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous.
8 He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.
The Book of Wisdom 1:13
“God did not make death, and does not delight in the death of the living. For He created all things that they might exist. . .and the dominion of Hades is not on earth.”
The Book of Wisdom 2:23
“God created man for incorruption, and made him in the image of His own eternity, but through the devil’s envy death entered the world, and those who belong to his party experience it.”
S.W. Gandy –
“He hell in hell laid low,
Made sin, He sin o’rethrew,
Bowed to the grave, destroyed it so,
And death, by dying slew.”
- Only by becoming man could He conquer death, which is something man could have never done – until then death seems to have the final word.
2 Timothy 1:10
“But has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel,”
- through the fear of death men will do things that they would not normally do – death can be an extremely evil tyrant.
- But through the death of the Sanctifier death has been forever changed.
- Now it does not mean judgment and bondage – but – blessing and freedom.
Hebrews 2:16
16 For indeed He does not give aid to angels, but He does give aid to the seed of Abraham.
- By becoming man He made it possible for all who are the sons of Abraham to be redeemed.
Galatians 3:6-9
6 just as Abraham “believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.”
7 Therefore know that only those who are of faith are sons of Abraham.
8 And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, “In you all the nations shall be blessed.”
9 So then those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham.
Hebrews 2:17-18
17 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.
18 For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted.
- Now the position of High Priest.
- A priest must become one with those he serves – which Jesus did, but without sin.
- He suffered with and for them and through His sufferings was made perfect/qualified in every way to be their priest.
- Only two methods for man to approach God:
- Personally
- Through a mediator
- Man can now come to God boldly because of all that Christ did for us.
- Now Christians can find strength in the fact that Jesus was tempted like them (even worse) and stood fast – so then they are strengthened to not turn away from God even in the most difficult of circumstances.
Hebrews 2:14-18
Christ must be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to the justice and honour of God and to the support and comfort of his people. He must be faithful to God and merciful to men. (1.) In things pertaining to God, to his justice, and to his honour—to make reconciliation for the sins of the people, to make all the attributes of divine nature, and all the persons subsisting therein, harmonize in man’s recovery, and fully to reconcile God and man. Observe, There was a great breach and quarrel between God and man, by reason of sin; but Christ, by becoming man and dying, has taken up the quarrel, and made reconciliation so far that God is ready to receive all into favour and friendship who come to him through Christ. (2.) In things pertaining to his people, to their support and comfort: In that he suffered, being tempted, he is able to succour those that are tempted, v. 18. Here observe, [1.] Christ’s passion: He suffered being tempted; and his temptations were not the least part of his sufferings. He was in all things tempted as we are, yet without sin, ch. 4:15. [2.] Christ’s compassion: He is able to succour those that are tempted. He is touched with a feeling of our infirmities, a sympathizing physician, tender and skilful; he knows how to deal with tempted sorrowful souls, because he has been himself sick of the same disease, not of sin, but of temptation and trouble of soul. The remembrance of his own sorrows and temptations makes him mindful of the trials of his people, and ready to help them. Here observe, First, The best of Christians are subject to temptations, to many temptations, while in this world; let us never count upon an absolute freedom from temptations in this world. Secondly, Temptations bring our souls into such distress and danger that they need support and succour. Thirdly, Christ is ready and willing to succour those who under their temptations apply to him; and he became man, and was tempted, that he might be every way qualified to succour his people.
(from Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible, PC Study Bible Formatted Electronic Database Copyright © 2006 by Biblesoft, Inc. All Rights reserved.)
Question:
Do you believe?
How firm is your belief?
How firm is your relationship with Jesus?
The Better Covenant part 5 – Jesus Made Lower Than The Angels
The Better Covenant
Jesus Made Lower Than the Angels
Hebrews 2:5-9
(Introduction) The World to Come
5 For He has not put the world to come, of which we speak, in subjection to angels.
- Old world was subject to angels
- Eternity will be subject to Christ
(1) Jesus – Made Lower Than the Angels
6 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?
7 You have made him a little lower than the angels; You have crowned him with glory and honor, And set him over the works of Your hands.
- for a little while – not a little bit – temporary
(2) Jesus – Ruler of the World
8 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.
(3) Jesus – Crowned With Glory
9 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.
What does this mean for you?
(1) Things are not always as they seem
(2) Jesus is in control
(3) Jesus suffered and died for you
(4) Jesus is now sitting at the right hand of God
The Better Covenant part 4 – The Danger of Neglect
The Better Covenant part 4
The Danger of Neglect
Hebrews 2:1-4
“Therefore” – because of all of the preceding statements / arguments.
Hebrews 2:1-4
1Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away.
The importance of the Word of God cannot be downplayed.
The teachings in the Word are matters of life and death.
The dangers of drifting away from them are too grave.
Authorized Version: “lest at any time we let them slip” = allowing a ring to slip off our finger and thus losing it.
Hebrews 2:1-4
2 For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just reward,
The Law, when it was given included with it swift and sure penatalities for each breech of the law.
For many of the laws the penalty for willful disobedience was death.
All of this was spoken by the angels – or carried to man by the angels.
The blessing of Moses:
Deuteronomy 33:1-3
1 Now this is the blessing with which Moses the man of God blessed the children of Israel before his death.
2 And he said: “The Lord came from Sinai, And dawned on them from Seir; He shone forth from Mount Paran, And He came with ten thousands of saints; From His right hand Came a fiery law for them.
3 Yes, He loves the people; All His saints are in Your hand; They sit down at Your feet; everyone receives Your words.
In the Septuagint that last line in verse 2 is rendered – “At His right hand were angels with Him.”
In the New Testament:
Galatians 3:19
“What purpose then does the law serve? It was added because of transgressions, till the Seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was appointed through angels by the hand of a mediator.”
Acts 7:51-53
51 “You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did, so do you.
52 Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who foretold the coming of the Just One, of whom you now have become the betrayers and murderers,
53 who have received the law by the direction of angels and have not kept it.”
The ritual law was treated as a means as access to God rather than a moral Law which is a way of life.
Hebrews 2:1-4
3 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,
This is the first of many warnings of this same kind.
Through the coming of Christ the Word is now fulfilled – although it had been spoken or delivered earlier by the prophets.
Jesus coming into Galilee after John’s imprisonment:
Mark 1:14-15
14 Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God,
15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.”
Jesus in the Synagogue quotes Isaiah then follows with:
Luke 4:18-22
18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed;
19 To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.”
20 Then He closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on Him.
21 And He began to say to them, “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”
Hebrews 2:1-4
4 God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will?
The witness of the Word was and is followed by the miraculous.
(1) Realize the importance of the Word
(2) Check ourselves for areas of neglect
(3) Repent of areas of neglect
(4) Live so as to bear witness to Christ
Jesus Verses the Angels message 3
The Revelation of Christ: Jesus vs. the Angels
Hebrews 1:3b – 14
Hebrews 1:3-14
3b …when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,
4 having become so much better than the angels, as He has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.
5 For to which of the angels did He ever say: “You are My Son,Today I have begotten You”? And again: “I will be to Him a Father,And He shall be to Me a Son”?
6 But when He again brings the firstborn into the world, He says: “Let all the angels of God worship Him.”
7 And of the angels He says: “Who makes His angels spirits And His ministers a flame of fire.”
8 But to the Son He says: “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom.
9 You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness; Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You With the oil of gladness more than Your companions.”
10 And: “You, Lord, in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth, And the heavens are the work of Your hands.
11 They will perish, but You remain; And they will all grow old like a garment;
12 Like a cloak You will fold them up, And they will be changed. But You are the same, And Your years will not fail.”
13 But to which of the angels has He ever said: “Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool”?
14 Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation?
In these ten verses the author uses seven Old Testament passages to back-up his argument that Jesus, the Son of God, is better than the angels.
Of these seven:
- 5 are from the Psalms
- 1 is from the Major Prophets
- 1 is from the Torah
(1) He has the Position
“You are My Son, Today I have begotten You”?
Psalms 2:7-9
7 “I will declare the decree: The Lord has said to Me, ‘You are My Son, Today I have begotten You.
8 Ask of Me, and I will give You The nations for Your inheritance, And the ends of the earth for Your possession.
9 You shall break them with a rod of iron; You shall dash them to pieces like a potter’s vessel.’”
None of the angels have ever been addressed like this.
Luke 1:32-33
Gabriel speaking to Mary – “He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.”
Mark 1:9-11
9 It came to pass in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized by John in the Jordan.
10 And immediately, coming up from the water, He saw the heavens parting and the Spirit descending upon Him like a dove.
11 Then a voice came from heaven, “You are My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
Peter & John speaking after they had been released from prison:
Acts 4:23-31
23 And being let go, they went to their own companions and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them.
24 So when they heard that, they raised their voice to God with one accord and said: “Lord, You are God, who made heaven and earth and the sea, and all that is in them,
25 who by the mouth of Your servant David have said: ‘Why did the nations rage, And the people plot vain things?
26 The kings of the earth took their stand, And the rulers were gathered together Against the Lord and against His Christ.’
27 “For truly against Your holy Servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together
28 to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose determined before to be done.
29 Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word,
30 by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus.”
31 And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.
After Jesus had proved His obedience through His suffering He was then raised to the position of power at the right hand of the Father.
- Jesus’ position as Son of God gives Him and thus us unlimited power
(2) He has the Perfect Relationship
“I will be to Him a Father, And He shall be to Me a Son”?
The prophet Nathan speaking to David:
2 Samuel 7:11-13
11 since the time that I commanded judges to be over My people Israel, and have caused you to rest from all your enemies. Also the Lord tells you that He will make you a house.
12 “When your days are fulfilled and you rest with your fathers, I will set up your seed after you, who will come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom.
13 He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.
- Jesus is forever
(3) He has the Preeminence
“Let all the angels of God worship Him.”
The first two quotes set Jesus out as the Son of God – this one sets His out as the one who is to be worshipped by the angels.
Psalms 97:7
“Let all be put to shame who serve carved images, Who boast of idols. Worship Him, all you gods.”
The ending of the Song of Moses just before his death:
Deuteronomy 32:43 NKJV
“Rejoice, O Gentiles, with His people; For He will avenge the blood of His servants, And render vengeance to His adversaries; He will provide atonement for His land and His people.”
The same passage found on the scrolls found in the Cave of Qumram, which the writer of Hebrews should have been familiar with:
“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;
For he avenges the blood of his sons, and will avenge it,
And will recompense punishment to his adversaries;
Even to those who hate him will he recompense it,
And the Lord will cleanse His people’s land.”
Jesus has been brought to the earth and should be acknowledged & worshipped.
- Jesus is worthy to be worshipped
(4) He has the Pertinence (relevancy to the subject)
“Who makes His angels spirits And His ministers a flame of fire.”
Psalm 104 sets up a quick snapshot of the splendor of God/Jesus and sets the angels in their order:
Psalms 104:1-5
1 Bless the Lord, O my soul! O Lord my God, You are very great: You are clothed with honor and majesty,
2 Who cover Yourself with light as with a garment, Who stretch out the heavens like a curtain.
3 He lays the beams of His upper chambers in the waters, Who makes the clouds His chariot, Who walks on the wings of the wind,
4 Who makes His angels spirits, His ministers a flame of fire.
5 You who laid the foundations of the earth, So that it should not be moved forever,
Some versions render verse 4 as: “before whom the hosts of angels stand trembling and at whose command they are changed to wind and fire.”
Making the ministry of the angels to be an absolute following of the will of God and at His command they become for him wind and fire.
- Even the angels are subject to His will and will carry out His commands
(5) He has the Power
“Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom. You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness; Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You With the oil of gladness more than Your companions.”
Psalms 45:6-7
6 Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom.
7 You love righteousness and hate wickedness; Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You With the oil of gladness more than Your companions.
David’s throne had a defined beginning and a defined end – Jesus’ throne through David’s line will go on forever because of the authority given to Him by the Father.
- There will be no ending of the kingdom and authority of Jesus.
(6) He has the Permanence
“You, Lord, in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth, And the heavens are the work of Your hands. They will perish, but You remain; And they will all grow old like a garment; Like a cloak You will fold them up, And they will be changed. But You are the same, And Your years will not fail.”
This Psalm has this inscription: “A prayer of the afflicted, when he is overwhelmed and poureth out his complaint before Jehovah.”
Psalms 102:1
“Hear my prayer, O Lord, And let my cry come to You.”
Psalms 102:25-27
25 Of old You laid the foundation of the earth, And the heavens are the work of Your hands.
26 They will perish, but You will endure; Yes, they will all grow old like a garment; Like a cloak You will change them, And they will be changed.
27 But You are the same, And Your years will have no end.
- The staying power of God
(7) He has the Placement
“Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool”?
This is from the opening words of:
Psalms 110:1-2
1 The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.”
2 The Lord shall send the rod of Your strength out of Zion. Rule in the midst of Your enemies!
This again refers to the enthronement of Christ and carries with it the promise of victory over all of the enemies.
- Jesus ultimate triumph over all evil.
(1) He has the Position
“You are My Son, Today I have begotten You”?
- Jesus’ position as Son of God gives Him and thus us unlimited power
(2) He has the Perfect Relationship
“I will be to Him a Father, And He shall be to Me a Son”?
- Jesus is forever
(3) He has the Preeminence
“Let all the angels of God worship Him.”
- Jesus is worthy to be worshipped
(4) He has the Pertinence (relevancy to the subject)
“Who makes His angels spirits And His ministers a flame of fire.”
- Even the angels are subject to His will and will carry out His commands
(5) He has the Power
“Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom. You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness; Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You With the oil of gladness more than Your companions.”
- There will be no ending of the kingdom and authority of Jesus.
(6) He has the Permanence
“You, Lord, in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth, And the heavens are the work of Your hands. They will perish, but You remain; And they will all grow old like a garment; Like a cloak You will fold them up, And they will be changed. But You are the same, And Your years will not fail.”
- The staying power of God
(7) He has the Placement
“Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool”?
- Jesus ultimate triumph over all evil.
The Revelation of Christ
The Revelation of Christ: Jesus vs. the Prophets
Hebrews 1:1-3
Hebrews 1:1-3
1 God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets,
2 has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds;
3 who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high
“God has spoken”
This initial affirmation is basic to the whole argument of Hebrews. Had God remained silent the plight of mankind would have been overwhelmingly desperate. He has spoken His redeeming, revealing, and life-giving Word.
The revelation of Christ was given in two stages:
(1) To the fathers through the prophets
(2) In God’s Son, Jesus
- This is not from the less true to the more true, but from the less-worthy to the more-worthy, from the less-mature to the more-mature.
- The first stage was given in a variety of ways:
- mighty works of mercy & judgment
- works through the prophets & servants
- storm & thunder
- still small voice
- floods & “natural” disasters
- But His Word was not complete until Christ came
2 Corinthians 1:20
“For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us”
Seven facts about Christ:
(1) God has appointed Him heir of all things.
Psalms 2:8
“Ask of Me, and I will give You The nations for Your inheritance, And the ends of the earth for Your possession.”
Hebrews 2:5-9
5 For He has not put the world to come, of which we speak, in subjection to angels.
6 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?
7 You have made him a little lower than the angels; You have crowned him with glory and honor, And set him over the works of Your hands.
8 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.
9 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.
(2) It was through Him that God made the worlds.
Greek for worlds = “aiones” which means “ages” – the whole created universe including space and time.
John 1:1-5
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 He was in the beginning with God.
3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.
4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.
5 And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.
Colossians 1:15-18
15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.
16 For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.
17 And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.
(3) He is the brightness of God’s glory.
Some translations use “effulgence” for brightness or radiance – a shining forth
Alexandrian Book of Wisdom
“…a breath of the power of God,
And a clear effulgence of the glory of the Almighty;
… an effulgence from everlasting light,
And an unspotted mirror of the working of God,
And an image of His goodness.”
Just as the radiance of the sun reaches the earth so the brightness of Jesus reaches into the soul of mankind.
(4) He is the express image of the substance of God.
Like the image stamped on a coin.
RSV – “bears the very stamp of His nature.”
- Just as the glory is in the radiance so the substance is in the image.
- What God is – is manifest in Christ
(5) He upholds all things by the Word of His power.
- His mighty word or His enabling Word
- His creative not only caused the world but causes it to maintain its being
(6) He has made purification of sins.
- Now the word changes from cosmic functions to personal relations
- The role of High Priest will be seen throughout the Book
- This speaks of the wonder of grace which is the only answer for our sins.
- Something only Jesus could do.
(7) He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.
- Shows the exaltation and supremacy of Christ
Ephesians 4:10
“He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.”
Philippians 2:9-11
9 Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth,
11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Christ is the only one who is qualified to be the mediator between God and Man:
- He is the Prophet through which God has spoken His final Word to man
- He is the Priest who has accomplished the perfect work of cleansing for mankind’s sins
- He is the King who sits enthroned in the place of honor alongside the Majesty on High.
The Better Covenant
The Better Covenant
Hebrews 1:1a
“Pro Ebraious” = “To Hebrews”
To whom was the Book of Hebrews written?
There is, as in the question which follows concerning the writer of the book, some degree of uncertainty about exactly whom the recipients of the Book of Hebrews were to be. Many scholars maintain that it was addressed to Gentile Christians, who were in danger of committing what could be considered apostasy and renouncing their faith and the true religion. This can be seen in the use of phrases such as, (ch. 3:12) “falling away from the living God.” The argument can be made here that that statement alone cannot definitely indicate the original hearers were only Gentile. If it were to be Jewish converts to Christ then them falling away should not really be termed apostasy since they would only be returning to service to Jehovah under Moses’ Law and not a complete falling away into godlessness (re. 6:16 & 9:14).
The writer of the Book of Hebrews has and still remains a great mystery.
Many of the converted had been turning back to Judaism.
As to the scope and design of this epistle, it is very evident that it was clearly to inform the minds, and strongly to confirm the judgment, of the Hebrews in the Excellency of the Gospel above the law, and so to take them off from the ceremonies of the law, to which they were so committed, of which they were so fond, that they even doted on them, and those of them who were Christians retained too much of the old leaven, and needed to be purged from it.
The design of this epistle was to persuade and press the believing Hebrews to a constant adherence to the Christian faith, and perseverance in it, notwithstanding all the sufferings they might meet with in so doing. In order to this, the apostle speaks much of the Excellency of the author of the gospel, the glorious Jesus, whose honor he advances, and whom he justly prefers before all others, showing him to be all in all, and this in lofty strains of holy rhetoric. It must be acknowledged that there are many things in this epistle hard to be understood, but the sweetness we shall find therein will make us abundant amends for all the pains we take to understand it. And indeed, if we compare all the epistles of the New Testament, we shall not find any of them more replenished with divine, heavenly matter than this to the Hebrews.
Hebrews 1:1a KJV
“God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake…”
Hebrews 1:1a NKJ
“God, who at various times and in various ways spoke…”
(1) Your Relationship to the Law
God has always expected complete compliance to His law – We all have failed!
The Law only has death in it for us.
(2) Your Relationship to Christ
Jesus is our answer to the death found in the Law.
Our relationship to Him will be the determining factor in our eternity.
(3) Your Relationship to Faith
Our faith is more than the ability to believe the impossible – it encompasses our entire religious system.
It is the motivating factor for all of your deeds.
Your faith system is what binds you into your relationship with Christ.
(4) Your Relationship to Life
All of the first three points collide here at your life.
What you do, who you are and how you act, in other words your whole life, are a collection of your relationships.
Question: Are you where you should be in your relationship with Christ?
Question: Are you progressing in your Christian life?
If the answer to either one of these questions is “no” then why not start today to move closer to Him and improve your relationship to Him?
