Hebrews Segment 1

Son of God, Greater than the Angels (Heb 1:All)

Structural Laws

Important repetitions in this segment:

• God, Father
• Son (of God), Firstborn
• Angels

Structure: This segment has a lot of contrasts, but not very much substantiation (the next segment is heavy on substantiation). In particular, most of the contrasts are between Jesus and the Angels.

Making a case for Jesus

The big picture in this segment is making a case for the authority of Jesus in areas that were previously assigned to prophets, kings and priests. Jesus is the son of God, and that he is greater than the angels (who, mind you, were highly revered in Jewish culture).

"A prophet is God’s representative to the people. He proclaims, he foretells, he exhorts, he presents God to the people."
"A priest presents the people to God. He is a people’s representative before the Father. Today our priest is Jesus Christ."

Greater than the Prophets

(1:1) The fathers/patriarchs included Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, David, etc. The prophets included Isaiah, Jeremiah, John the Baptist, etc. Some of the many ways God spoke to them were: visions, dreams, the burning bush, speaking, etc. Now God speaks to us through his Son; he is stepping in the place of these people who are highly revered by Jews, like Moses and Elijah.

Who decides how God speaks to us? God is the one who decides how he speaks to us.

"All the prophets, and all the writings and all the revelations up til now, have all been but shadows and hints at the aspects of Jesus Christ. (Contrast 1 Tim 6:16 with Col 1:15.)" -Chuck Missler

Heir of All Things

Jesus is the “heir of all things” (1:2). When we think of inheritance we tend to think about material possessions, but, in addition, inheritance can also include position, like the authority of a King is traditionally inherited.

Jesus is inheriting God’s power and authority.

So what does this mean to me as a "Child of God"?
Being a child of God means we have an inheritance of Jesus Christ, we are joint heirs, not some sort of lesser heirs. If we suffer with him, we will inherit with him.

Maker of the Worlds

God “made the world(s)” through his son (1:2). The greek word translated world(s) is indicative of spanning time and space. Christ was there before time began. This verse is telling us Jesus = the creator.

A King and Priest in the Image of God

“He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature” (1:3) Jesus is the radiance of God’s glory. Jesus is a representation of the nature of God, the essence of God.

“Upholds all things by the word of His power” (1:3) Jesus’ word has power. Even going back to John 1:1, God has so much power that the mere act of speaking creates, this is the kind of power Jesus has also.

“He had by Himself purged our sins” (1:3) Purification of Sins was something that was done by priests. Implication: Jesus is a priest.

Jesus is a Priest and a King.

“Sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high” (1:3)

“Majesty on high” (1:3) implicates a high king. Not just any king, but a high one, one of authority who “upholds all things by the word of His power” (1:3). Notice also that he sat down (1:3). When do you sit down? When you’re done working. “It is finished.” (Jn. 19:30)

• A position of honor
• Something seniors do in front of juniors
• Implies continuance, abiding
• A contrast to the tabernacle.

“Sitting is a position of honor. Job 29:7-8, Daniel 7:9,10; Revelation 5:13 - sitting is something that seniors do in front of juniors. It also implies continuance (Gen 49:24; Lev 8:35 = abode), it isn’t temporary; it implies abiding. There is no chair in the Tabernacle, because the priest’s work was never done (10:1, 3) versus John 19:30. But today, Jesus Christ is sitting.” -Chuck Missler

“Right hand” - This is a position of power according to Exodus 15:6, and a position of honor according to 1 Kings 2. (Missler)

Greater than the Angels (Heb 1:4-14)

Angels were important beings from a Jewish perspective, because among other things angels were intimately involved in the giving of the law to Moses. Angels can have an inconspicuous appearance like that of a man (such as the angels Lot entertained in Genesis 19), but are also capable of some pretty unusual form and appearance (eg. in Mt. 28:3 an angel is described as having an “appearance like lightening” and “clothing as white as snow”) and sometimes are not visible to us unless God opens our eyes to their presence (2 Kings 6:17). .

Jesus is greater than the angels

The home of Angels is Heaven. They are strong, God’s ministers, holy, and surround God’s throne. They do battle on our behalf. They have a lot of power—look throughout the bible at what just one or two angels can do.

If you look up those verses, you will find the context of these verses provides even more support, they are not quoted out of context.

“Let all the angels of God worship Him” (1:6). If even the angels worship Jesus, why would you worship an angel?

“Your throne, oh God, …” (1:8) Notice that God, the father, is speaking to the Son, and addressing him as “oh God”.

“A scepter of righteousness” (1:8) Scepter = a staff a king holds, a symbol of authority, but is also a weapon of war. Consider how righteousness can be both a symbol of authority and a weapon of war.

Living a righteous life has the potential to bring your foes to their knees.

“You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness” (1:9) Jesus loves righteousness. Jesus hates lawlessness. Mind you its breaking the law he hates, not you.

“Your God has anointed you with the oil of Gladness” (1:9) The word anointing used here has the connotation of smearing, not dotting lightly. Be drenched, not dotted, with this anointing.

“You, Lord, in the beginning” (1:10) Again this is the Father speaking to the Son.

“the heavens are the works of your hands” (1:10) Note the different “levels” of heavens—the atmosphere/sky, the place where the starts hang, and the Heaven where God resides…They all use the same Greek word, but the meaning may be different in different cases.

“they all will become old like a garment” (1:11) Imagine a tattered childhood blanket. Even the heavens become old and worn out and torn up (eg. ozone depletion?) and in need of making new. But God will “roll them up” like a cloak or outer garment.

“Sit at My right hand, until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet” (1:13). Do you have a mental picture of an old “Uncle Sam” political cartoon with his feet resting on an enemy country like Japan or somewhere?

Two teenage girls, Tara & Melissa reenact what an enemy becoming your footstool might look like

Ministering spirits (1:14) It appears as though God is clarifying the purpose of the angels, spirits to minister to those who will inherit salvation. Who is it that will inherit salvation? Us, the children of God, who are being made joint heirs. The angels purpose to serve God is another sign of God's superiority over the angels. "Ministering spirits" also translated as "the angels of Ministry" or "the ministering angels" was a common rabinnical phrase that would have been familiar to the audience receiving this letter.

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