Hebrews 1:4-14

 Hebrews 1:4-14

The Jewish fascination with angels during the first century was extensive. The Jews came to think of angels as intermediaries between God and His chosen people. Angels were seen as presiding over the destiny of Israel, moving the stars, and being in charge of snow, rain, frost, hail, lightning, and thunder. In Jewish thought, the role of the angels was vast, critical, and powerful. It seems at times that Israel’s concepts of angelic activity drew dangerously close to becoming animistic. The incomparable superiority of Christ over angels is presented in two ways. First, “who Christ is” as seen in verses 1-8, and second, a direct contrast in comparison between Christ and the angels. The author of Hebrews points out seven direct contrasts between Christ and angels. 

• First, Christ has a more excellent name than angels (vv. 4-5). 

• Second, angels adore Christ (v. 6). 

• Third, He created the angels, v. 7.

• Fourth, even while being a man, Christ was given greater gifts than angels (v. 8-9). 

• Fifth, Christ is eternal, but angels aren’t (vv. 10-11). 

• Sixth, Christ is more highly exalted than angels (v. 13). 

• Seventh angels are only servants, while Christ is the Son (v. 14).

While expressing the superiority of Christ over angels, the author asserts that Christ is in fact God. The deity of Jesus Christ is expressed by applying to Christ psalms that are clearly and recognizably about God. In verses 8-9 the author quotes from Psalm 45:6-7. These verses are specifically about God, and in the psalm we see a prophecy of the coming Christ. The author of Hebrews applies that prophecy and contrasts God, in the person of Jesus, as superior to the angels.

While it is clear that angels perform an important role in God’s economy, we must not say more than we know. Angels in some ways perform service to God by working on behalf of Christians. But since scripture does not give us a definitive list of what they do, apparently it’s not important for us to know all that they do. We must never pray to angels for them to act on our behalf. We are to pray to God, and He will intervene, if He so chooses, in the ways that are best. It is worth noting that once the Church began, the activity of angels seems to have diminished into the background. God’s person filled with God’s Spirit is apparently the preferred method of God working in the world. Consider that there is no record of any angel preaching the gospel or making a disciple.

“Lord, help me never be distracted by Your created being no matter how grand they may be. AMEN

Hebrews 1:1-8

 Hebrews 1:1-8

The book of Hebrews is written to Jewish Christians who were under considerable pressure to walk away from being a disciple and return to Judaism. The theme of the whole book is the un-surpassing greatness of Christ. In numerous ways the author will compare and contrast Christ to the heroes in high points of Judaism and demonstrate Christ is vastly and incomparably superior. The author, using some of the most eloquent Greek in the New Testament, begins by describing the incredible person of Christ. If we have a small and failed understanding of Christ, we will end up with a false, deviant form of Christianity.

Consider the excellent characteristics and credentials of Jesus Christ. In verse 2 we see: 

First in the incarnation Jesus is appointed the heir of all things; this is a reference to Psalm 2.8. He is the King of kings and the Lord of all lords, not just on earth but also in the whole universe. 

Second, the Son is the agency by which God made all things. He is the creator.

Third, beginning in verse three, we see the superiority of Jesus is the brightness or radiance of God‘s glory. 

Fourth, and here English fails as a language, he is the exact character of God’s nature. A literal translation of this phrase is “the exact expression of His underlying.” We might say, “He is God of God” or “He is a perfect expression of He whose underlying nature is beyond expression.” 

Fifth, Jesus upholds all things by the power of His word. The whole operation of all the forces of the cosmos is driven by the dynamic of the word of Jesus. Rather than use the word ‘logos,’ as in John 1, the author uses the word ‘rhema, which specifically means a spoken word. The universe works because Jesus says so. 

Sixth, Jesus made purification for sin by His blood. The ruin of humanity by sin doesn’t need to continue. Jesus, unlike any other being, has by His self-willed sacrifice, paid the price of redemption. 

Seventh, Jesus has taken the seat of honor by the Father. The ministry of Christ at the right hand of God is too little studied and considered. But a note about grammar is worth making. The verb in this phrase is not middle or passive but active. Who has the right to ascend to the throne of God and take a seat? Only Jesus!

People are often fascinated with angels, some to the point of obsession. But the author of Hebrews is clear: compared to the Son, angels are at best bit players in the cosmic drama of God‘s plan to rescue man. Jewish people had a long list of angels and their roles. But we see here in the comparison of the Son His superiority over the angels.

“Thank you Jesus for who You are and what You have done. AMEN”