Breathingbook

In continuing with the Hebrews bible study, I’d like to step back a bit into Heb 1:2 to note a point I didn’t make in my last post.

Heb 1:1,2 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, 2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by His Son, whom He hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also He made the worlds.

The last two posts (Heb 1:1,2) carried forth the idea that God had spoken in many ways in the past, but never had He revealed Himself to mankind in the manner which He did when He came as Jesus Christ, the Son of God, by whom God the Father also made the worlds.

by whom also He made the worlds The Greek word for “worlds” is “aion” and can mean ages, worlds, or perpetuity (lasting for eternity). Since this Gk word is also plural, the scripture also suggests that God used Jesus to make more than one world, age or eternity.

Heb 1:3 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 on the right hand of the Majesty on high.

1:3 being the brightness of His glory The word ‘brightness” comes from the Gk word “apaugasma” which means “off-flash” which suggests a beaming forth that comes “away” or “off” of something. I.e., Christ is the bright beaming off-flash of the Glory of God. The Gk word for “glory” is “doxa” and describes a dignity and honor that results in praise and worship.

the express image As noted in Heb 1:1 God Spoke Time Past God had spoken at many different times and in many different ways to the fathers, but He had never revealed Himself to mankind in the manner which He did through Jesus Christ.

Jesus Christ is God’s Word (Jn 1:1). He is also God’s Son. The Gk word used for “express image” is “charakter” and means an engraving or exact copy. Think of Jesus as a physical photo-copy or replica of God. He is the exact representation of God Almighty – as best we can perceive this side of the veil (1 Cor 13:12).

Again, Jesus being the express image of the Father also indicates the Father, in many ways, in turn describes the character of Jesus. Namely, God as Mighty, Awesome, Conquering Lord God of the OT represents the aspect of Jesus described in (Rev 19:11-21) where we see Jesus returning as the Conquering Messiah in judgment in the book of Revelation. Jesus is the same, yesterday, today and forever (Heb 13:8). See Heb 1:1 God Spoke Time Past for more.

of His person The Gk word here for “person” is “hupostasis” means a “firm foundation” – the assurance of God’s essence; His “nature or quality.” In other word”s, Jesus’ nature assures us of the Father’s nature, because Jesus and the Father are “one” (Jn 10:30).

Jn 10:30 I and My Father are one.

Therefore, the incomprehensible vastness of the Father’s nature also indicates that same incomprehensible vastness in the nature of Jesus Christ. Yes, Jesus came as the Suffering Servant Messiah, but He is also the Conquering King Messiah. That God would reveal Himself throughout the Old Testament as the Conquering God Almighty and then come to us first as the Suffering Servant is indicative of the great wisdom which God has. Knowing certainly the opportunistic nature of evil would treat the Suffering Servant with injustice in order to gain an upper hand, God positioned Himself perfectly to secure the kingdom from unrighteous satan (Jn 14:29-31). When Jesus returns again in judgement (Rev 19:11-21) as the Conquering Messiah God Almighty, He will not be suddenly changing His nature. For He has always been both the Suffering Servant and the Conquering Messiah God Almighty “King.”

His nature is sovereign and is the same, yesterday, today, and tomorrow (Heb 13:8), thus, whenever you see Him doing anything, you are seeing the Father (Jn 1:18; 8:58; 10:30; 12:44; 14:7-11; 17:22; Col 1:18,19; 2:9).

Heb 1:3 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 on the right hand of the Majesty on high.

upholding This Gk word “phero” and is in the active, present tense and means that Jesus is currently and actively bearing or keeping things held together by His power, which He enacts by “word.”

the Word Jesus is the Word of God. This simple statement means The Word of God speaks for God. Most of the time the Gk word for “word” will be logos, which means “a saying”. However, the Gk. word used here for “word” is rhema. “Rhema” means a series of words, as in an utterance or sentence. This goes together with Jesus’ currently and actively bearing or keeping things held together by His Word. I.e., He’s actively speaking utterances – even now – which keep all of creation in active play.

Jesus’ rhemas are spiritual in nature and life producing. In Jn 6:63 the Gk word word “rhema” is used when it says, It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words (rhemas) that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.

His power The Gk word for “power” is “dunamis” and means mighty, miraculous power. To paraphrase, Jesus is actively, in the present, keeping all things together, through His utterances and His miraculous power.

Heb 1:3 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 on the right hand of the Majesty on high.

by Himself That is, by the sacrificial offering of Himself upon the Cross, Jesus Christ has taken away the sins of whosoever believes in Him, that they/we may be made righteous through His blood in God’s eyes.

Heb 10:10 By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

purged our sins Jesus went to the cross of His own free will to die as a substitute for the punishment we all deserve to receive for our sins. Other than our day to day repentance for our sins through prayer, all of our past sins are wiped away by the blood of Jesus.

the right hand of the Majesty on high To sit at the right hand is a position of authority and honor. Jesus sits at the right hand of God high in the heavens.

Heb 10:12-22 says this very clearly:

Heb 10:12-22 But this man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; 13 From henceforth expecting till His enemies be made His footstool. 14 For by one offering He hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. 15 Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that He had said before, 16 This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; 17 And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. 18 Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin. 19 Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, 20 By a new and living way, which He hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, His flesh; 21 And having an high priest over the house of God; 22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.

Peace out!

Loris Anne James