In the upcoming months Titto, Angie, and I will be teaching on the book of Galatians, Colossians, and Hebrews, respectively. We are expecting the Lord to do great things through the course of these teachings. Our approach in these teaching sessions will predominantly be inductive in nature (For more information about “Inductive Bible Study” Click Here)
Before we move onto the book of Hebrews today, I want you to be aware of the importance of studying Scripture in its context - in the context of its surrounding Scriptures and in the context of the original setting.
I hope you are ready with your Bibles, pen and paper, so that we can study these books together, and allow the Holy Spirit to write His truths into the tablets of our hearts. Ready? Let’s go!
Let’s start off by asking ourselves this question: Why was the book of Hebrews written? To answer this question, we must first of all ask ourselves to whom the letter was written? The book of Hebrews was written to Jewish believers. As a result of following Christ, Messianic Jews were facing severe persecution from Jewish and secular communities, and in order to avoid persecution these followers were “shrinking back” from the true faith and returning to observing the sacrifices required by Mosaic Law. This was indeed a big crisis in the first century. In fact, Paul and Barnabas got into a sharp dispute with a group of people who were trying to infiltrate the Gospel with the Law (Acts 15:2). With this background in mind, let’s start with the first four verses in the book of Hebrews.
Remember, in the inductive approach, we study Scripture in three different levels: Observation, Understanding, and Personal Application.
Observation Level
I encourage you at this point to read the passage a number of times:
1Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, 2but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. 3He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, 4having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs. –Hebrews 1:1-4 ESV
Take time to observe all the details the author is relating in this passage. Don’t interpret the message, just observe.
Do you see any outline or structure within the passage? Here’s the structure that I have come up with:
Now write down questions you may have in the context of this passage. If they are not answered in the course of this teaching, please feel free to ask them in the comments section.
Understanding Level
By using the various techniques of emphasis, I have observed the following:
From the emphasis, we can clearly see the author declaring to his writers the supremacy of the Son over the prophets and angels.
I will stop here for the time being as it would take hours to explain each and every aspect in this passage. Feel free to build on this discussion by asking questions, so we can understand the passage better.
But one thing we see clearly is that the author in this passage is seeking to establish to his readers the superiority of Jesus.
Look forward to understanding the message within the book of Hebrews with you!
Awesome thought-provoker Sid! I do have a few questions, and I’m not sure but I think you wanted me to ask them here:
1. Is that same word “in” used to describe God’s snippets of revelation through the prophets, or is that exclusively for the Son?
2. What does it mean when it says these things:
- “heir of all things?”
- “through whom He created the world?”
- “radiance of His glory?”
- “exact imprint of His nature?”
- “the word of his power?”
I ask this because some of them do not make any sense to me at all just reading them and others probably don’t make the correct kind of sense to me as they should.
3. What is the significance of a right hand seat next to God, and why is He called “Majesty?”
4. What do the angels’ names mean that is so inferior to the name of the Son?
Very good questions Paul!
1. No, it is the same word used for both. According to a friend of mine who teaches Greek, the Greek word “en” used there in “in His Son” is a qualitative preposition. It is defining the quality or nature of that which it’s connected to. My friend said, it is important to realize that the usage “en” varies with it’s context. This is why you find the ERV, AMP, NASB, Darbys, Young’s translations have translated this as “in” than “by” or “through”. As I have explained above, the “in” used there makes a big difference in the understanding of this Scripture.
2. -The word meaning for “heir of all things” (Gk: Kleronomos), is “one who receives his allotted possession by right of sonship“. Notice, He was “appointed” (Gk: tithemi – “placed”). One thing you will find as we continue in Hebrews is the full humanity of Christ being expressed again and again. Later on in Hebrews 5:8-9 We read a very interesting phrase: “He learned obedience through suffering”. He had to learn obedience. It is important to know that when Jesus lived on earth, He did not live on earth with the privileges of His divinity, He forfeited the advantages He had as being fully God, and started off from scratch right from where Adam messed up. He had to regain all that was lost by Adam’s disobedience, through His obedience as a MAN. It is through His obedience that He inherited all things. (Ref. Philippians 2:6-11).
- “through whom He created the world”. “To create” here can mean “to construct, to build, to be author of, arrange in order” etc. I believe the purpose the author mentions this is to show the equality Christ shares with the Father in the Creation. Let me know if you understand it any other way.
- “radiance of God’s glory”. The AMP translates it as the “sole expression of God’s glory” (Ref. Heb 1:3). The picture I see here is of light beaming out of the sun. The light expresses its source. In the same way, the Son expresses the Father.
-“exact imprint of His nature”. NIV translates this as “exact representation of His being”. AMP translates it as “perfect imprint and very image of [God's] nature”. In other words, whoever has seen Jesus has seen the Father. Whatever Jesus did or said represented the Father’s nature fully. Jesus revealed the Father’s true nature and character to us, and made the Father more tangible.
- “the word of His power”. I believe, here again we have the author attributing the Creative Power to the Son. The Jewish audience connected Elohim creating all things by His word. So the author here is trying to establish the supreme authority and power at Christ’s command. (The power behind a persons word reflects on the position of the person.)
3. “Right hand” in the Jewish thought refers to complete strength and authority. “Son of my right hand” (Benjamin), refers to the son who has just as much as authority as his Father.
“Majesty”, here is the word “megalosune” in Greek, meaning “greatness” literally. It is used 3 times in the New Testament, out of which, twice it appears in the book of Hebrews. Both in connection to the throne. Let me know if you find out more.
4. Now it is important to understand why author of Hebrews is bringing in “angels” here. If you read on you will see that the author continues to compare Jesus with the angels (Ref. Hebrews 1:5-14). Angels are mentioned again in Hebrews 2. Why? This is because the Law was put into effect through angels (Ref. Galatians 3:19). The writers main purpose throughout the book of Hebrews is to proclaim the superiority of the Gospel (Jesus) above the Law. Later in Hebrews 2:2-3, he again compares the message that came through angels (Law), and the Gospel.
Hope I have answered your questions.
1, 3, and 4. These were answered and I understand and/or agree. (:
2. Meanings:
- “heir of all things.” That is such an interesting concept, the idea that Christ received something rather than just being born as it. Thanks for explaining that, it makes much more sense!
- “through whom He created the world.” Honestly, I had always thought of it the way that you just described it. Recently, however, I was introduced to another idea behind Christ being “God’s vehicle of creation:” These words connect to the idea of us being a “new creation” in Christ, meaning that Christ is the way through which God “creates” pure, new, born-again men, rather than God’s vehicle for literal creation of the universe at the beginning. It seemed to make more sense to me that way, but I can’t be sure if its legitimate yet. Also, when I looked up the word for “world” here, the Strong’s concordance said it was “aion.” Doesn’t aion have more meanings than just “the world?”
- “by the word of His power.” I looked up the word “upholds” that comes before this in Strong’s also, and it said “to keep from falling.” So, to make sure I’m understanding this, Christ keeps all things from falling, or bears them, by “the word of His power,” or by his words that have godly power? This was one of the least understandable parts for me, and I’m pretty sure my lack of Jewishness is attributing to that. (:
Thanks so much Sid!
The interpretation of “through whom He created the world” being related to the “new creation” in Christ, is not in line with the context of the Scripture . Remember the author is speaking to the Jewish mindset that is familiar with the Torah.
(1) They knew that God/Elohim spoke His message through His prophets.
(2) They knew that Elohim created all things by His words.
(3) They knew Elohim administered His law through His angels
The author brings in Christ to the center of all this, by saying (1) Christ was/is the message, (2) Christ was involved in the creative process, and (3) Christ is superior to the angels through whom the Law was administered.
Great thoughts. I just completed reading Hebrews and can’t wait to add to the discussion.
Thank you for stating this bible study series . I am a very immature christian in terms of not having read the bible completely, still scratches my head when i am asked to turn to the book of Nahum. But, i love my Father & Lord so much & hope to steady my walk with Him.
Forgive me for my silly doubt , but i keep wondering why our heavenly father didn’t bring Jesus to the world from the beginning? when the verse says through whom he created the world , i wonder if Christ was always there , why didn’t the Heavenly Father reveal Christ? & reveled the supremacy of Christ from the beginning, then we wouldn’t have had so many different divisions in Christianity!..
Dear Sid, Thanks for the message. Have been blessed. Had one genuine doubt. When the initial Biblical transalators say in KJV / or Scofield or other versions translated the verse 2 as ” by His son …. whom He made the worlds” were they not being truthful or was it that their interpretation was wrong. Over the years I have headr many scriptures being interpreted differently to get the meaning across. I am not passing any judgement here, but want to be sure of what the author of Hebrews really wanted to convey, Was it by Christ or “in Christ’ as the context changes significantly. God bless. Am really looking forward to this Bible study.
Elizabeth,
That is a very good question.
God could have sent Christ as soon as Adam and Eve sinned, He could have sent Christ after what happened in Sodom and Gomorrah, He could have sent Christ when Babylon invaded Israel….but He didn’t. Why? Scripture says,“But when the fullness of time came, God sent forth his son, born of a woman, born under the law” (Galatians 4:4). We can rest in the fact that He has the bigger picture, and He decides everything in His perfect wisdom.
Hope that answers your question.
/Sidharth
Harish,
Your question is a very good and genuine one.
Down through the ages there have been various translations in English. Unbiased Scholars consider few more accurate than the others. There is a whole field of study and analysis related to this question of yours. It is called Textual Criticism. Older translations like KJV were translated from smaller and limited resources. It is only in the 1900s that a lot of the manuscripts were discovered. Today we have about 6000 manuscripts in Koine Greek (the language Scripture was written in), and scholars who have more understanding of the language than during KJV era. The translators then were truthful to the information they had from the resources that were available back then. But we have the Bible revised every year as textual critics work on giving us a more wholesome work.
There are various accurate translations out there like NASB, AMP, NRSV etc. Personally, I do not stick to one translation, I use all the reliable translations I can.
Hope this answered your question.
/Sidharth
[...] In our previous study, we came to understand that the author of Hebrews was trying to establish the supremacy of the Son above the prophets and the angels. We understood that Christ is the ultimate, supreme…the final and full expression of the Father! (If you have missed the previous teaching, please click here.) [...]
Thank you so much for helping us/me to grow in the knowledge of the Truth and love for His word and Him.
I would like to ask about the meaning of ”through Him created worlds” (verse 2). It seems in different translations are written differently ”world” or ”worlds”…in the different place I could read to Worlds as plural…..if it is pl. could you explain more the meaning of this.
thank you.
Jolita
Greetings from Mexico
Hello Jolita,
That is a very good observation. Paul had asked this earlier, and I just realized that I hadn’t answered him.
The Greek word used for “worlds” is “aions”, which originally and literally means “life” or “unbroken age”/”forever”. It can also be translated as “universe” or “worlds”. Whichever way you translate it, it is reference to all of that was created, every world, every realm, every age, every thing seen and unseen…. However, what you need to realize is that the emphasis in this scriptural text is on the creative nature of the Son. And thus the author purposes to reveal the superiority of the Christ.
Hope this helps
Sidharth
thank you, yes it helps