AND HE IS THE RADIANCE OF HIS
GLORY: hos on (PAPMSN) apaugasma tes doxes: (Torrey's
topic
Excellency and Glory of Christ)
(Jn 1:14; 14:9;14:10 2Co 4:6)
HEBREWS 1:4-14
JESUS IS
BETTER THAN THE ANGELS:
AS DEMONSTRATED
BY
SEVEN OT QUOTATIONS
(All taken
from the
Septuagint - LXX) |
|
HEBREWS |
OT QUOTE |
PROVES THAT... |
|
Hebrews 1:5 |
Psalms 2:7 |
Jesus is God's only begotten Son |
Hebrews 1:5
|
2Samuel 7:14 |
God is His Father
Jesus is the Son |
Hebrews 1:6
|
Psalms 97:7* |
Jesus is to be worshipped by
angels |
|
Hebrews 1:7 |
Psalms 104:4 |
Angels are His
Ministers |
|
Hebrews 1:8, 1:9 |
Psalms 45:6-7 |
Jesus Christ is God
Forever and ever |
|
Hebrews 1:10, 11,12 |
Psalms 102:25-27 |
Jesus is
Immutable and Eternal |
|
Hebrews 1:13 |
Psalms 110:1 |
Jesus is
Honored as
Victor over All |
|
*Psalm 97:7 - Some scholars favor this quotation as from Deut 32:43
which in the Greek (LXX)
reads "Rejoice, ye heavens, with him, and let all the angels
of God worship him". Either quote substantiates the writer's
main premise. |
the
Son reflects (see discussion below) the glory of God (ICB)
being
the brightness of his glory (KJV)
being [the] outshining of His
glory (ALT)
God’s Son
shines out with God’s glory (TLB)
Who is the refulgence of his
glory (NAB)
The Son
reflects God’s own glory (NLT)
He is the sole expression of the
glory of God [the Light-being, the out-raying or radiance of the divine]
(Amp)
He brightly reflects
God’s glory (WNT)
the outraying of divine glory (Vincent)
The Son is superior to
the prophets because He is the radiance of God’s glory. He is
is more literally "who being" this participle denoting what the Son
is continually (present tense) in Himself essentially and independently of
His manifestation in time. This transcendent (meaning being beyond our
ability to comprehend) idea is conveyed by two metaphorical expressions.
Radiance (541)
(apaugasma from apaugázo = emit light or
splendor in turn derived from apó = from + augázo
= shine) literally means "off-flashing" and then the brightness beamed
forth which describes the effulgence (from Latin effulgere = to shine
forth and thus radiant splendor or brilliance emanating from an original
light body), splendor or light emitted or issuing from a luminous body. It
can mean either reflected brightness, refulgence (Calvin,
Thayer) or effulgence as the Greek fathers hold. It is
not preceded by the definite article, which makes the term highly
descriptive of character or nature.
The Pulpit
Commentary writes that apaugasma
is, so to speak, begotten of the
source, and of one substance with it, and yet distinguishable from it;
being that through which its glory is made manifest, and through which it
enlightens all things. The Person of the Son is thus represented, not as
of one apart from God, irradiated by His glory, but as Himself the sheen
of his glory." (The
Pulpit Commentary: New Testament;
Old Testament; Ages Software
or
Logos)
Wuest
adds that
The word apaugasma is not preceded by the definite article,
which fact makes the term highly descriptive of character or nature."
(Wuest,
K. S. Wuest's Word Studies from the Greek New Testament: Eerdmans
or
Logos)
Expositor's
comments on radiance
that
"In the Arian controversy (Ed
note: Arius taught that the Son was a created being, inferior to God the
father in nature and dignity though the first and noblest of all created
beings) this
designation of the Son was appealed to as proving that He is
eternally
generated and exists not by an act of the Father’s will but essentially…
As the sun cannot exist or a lamp burn without radiating light, so God is
essentially Father and Son.” (Gaebelein,
F, Editor: Expositor's Bible Commentary 6-Volume New Testament. Zondervan
Publishing)
Glory (1391)
(doxa from dokeo = to think) means to give a
proper opinion or estimate of something and thus the glory
of God expresses all that He is in His Being and in His nature, character,
power and acts. Doxa is used repeatedly in the Greek
Septuagint (LXX) to describe the (Shekinah) glory of God.
For example at
Mt Sinai
the appearance of the
glory (
LXX
= doxa) of Jehovah was like a
consuming fire on the mountain top" (Ex 24:17)
It was there that
God showed them
"His glory (LXX
= doxa) and His greatness" (Dt 5:24).
Moses
records that upon completion of the tabernacle,
the cloud
covered the tent of meeting, and the glory (LXX
= doxa)
of the LORD filled the tabernacle." (Ex 40:34 see also Nu 14:10,
16:19 16:42).
The prophet Ezekiel described the departure (Ezekiel
10:4)
and then foretold of the future return (Ezek 43:4, 43:5)
of the glory
(doxa) of Jehovah from the Temple in Jerusalem.
In Exodus 33
Moses asks God
"I pray Thee show me Thy glory (LXX
= doxa)!"
And He said, "I Myself will make all My goodness pass before
you...but..."You cannot see My face, for no man can see Me and live!" Then
the LORD said, "Behold, there is a place by Me, and you shall stand there
on the rock and it will come about, while My glory
is passing by, that I will put you in the cleft of the rock and cover you
with My hand until I have passed by. Then I will take My hand away and you
shall see My back, but My face shall not be seen."
(Ex 33:18; 19; 20; 21; 22; 23)
Jewish readers who would be very familiar with these OT descriptions of
the glory
(doxa) of Jehovah would have a clear understanding of the
intent of the author's description of Jesus as
the
radiance of His glory but
unlike Moses could look at the glorious face of God for
"the
glory
of God" is "in the face
of Christ." (2Cor 4:6)
Jesus gives a correct opinion of all that God is, so that to see Jesus is
to see God, for in Jesus Himself
is the out shining of the majesty of the Father. The Son, being one with
the Father (Jn 10:30),
is in Himself, and ever was, the shining forth of the glory,
manifesting in Himself all that God is and does.
Jesus' Own testimony was
that
"he who beholds Me beholds the One who sent Me." (Jn
12:45)
Phillip queried
Jesus
show us the Father and it is enough for us (Jn
14:8)
Jesus
replied that
He who has seen Me has seen the Father" (Jn14:9)
Explaining that "the Father is in Me" and "the words that I say
to you I do not speak on My own initiative, but the Father abiding in Me
does His works." (Jn 14:10)
John gives us the marvelous description of Jesus as
"the Word (Who) became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory
as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth"
(Jn 1:14).
John
went on to say that
No man has seen God at any time; the only
begotten God, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained
Him." (Jn 1:18)
Comment: The Greek word for explained is exegeomai [ek
= out + hegéomai = tell, lead forward] means that
Jesus as the God Man leads out or provides detailed information in a
systematic manner of the
glory of the Father.
This word exegeomai gives us our English word "exegesis"
which describes the exposition of God's word, unfolding the interpretation
through teaching. Jesus then is the preeminent "Expositor"
declaring the Father's
glory thoroughly and
particularly. "O come let us adore Him" "fixing our eyes on
Jesus" (Heb 12:2-note)
Want to
know what God says? Listen to Jesus. Want to know what God does? Watch
Jesus. He is God incarnate in man.
Let's give an
analogy realizing that it will be imperfect and can even distort the truth of
the radiance of His glory
if pressed too far. Jesus relates to God the way the rays of sunlight
relate to the sun. There is no time that the sun exists without the
beams of radiance. They cannot be separated. If you put a solar-activated
calculator in the sunlight, numbers appear on the face of the calculator.
These are energized by the sun's radiance, but they are not what the sun
is. The rays of the sun however are an extension of the sun. We see the
sun by means of seeing the rays of the sun. So too we see God the Father
by seeing Jesus for they are one God.
AND THE EXACT REPRESENTATION OF
HIS NATURE: kai charakter tes hupostaseos autou: (2Co
4:4; Col 1:15, 16)
flawless expression of the nature of God (Phillips)
the
express image of His person (KJV, NKJV)
the very image of His substance
(ASV)
the
impress of His subsistence (YLT)
[the] exact expression of His
essence (ALT)
the true image of his substance
(BBE)
He
is an exact copy of God's nature. (ICB)
the exact reproduction
of His essence (Wuest)
all that
God’s Son is and does marks him as God (TLB)
the very imprint of his
being (NAB)
the
exact imprint of God’s very being (NRSV)
everything
about Him represents God exactly (NLT)
He is the perfect imprint
and very image of [God’s] nature (Amp)
stamped with God's Own
character (Moffatt)
the very image (impress) of His substance
(Vincent)
the very
representation of the divine essence (Vine)
Exact representation
(5481) (charakter from charasso
= to engrave and source of our English word character which
describes one of the attributes or features that make up and distinguish
an individual)
was used in classical Greek of an engraver who mints coins or an
engraving tool, a die, a stamp, a branding iron, a mark engraved, an
impress or a stamp on coins and seals. Later it came to mean the
impression itself, usually engraved, cut in, or stamped on in the form of
a character, a letter, a mark or a sign. This impression or mark with its
particular features was considered to be the exact representation
of the object whose image it bore.
Charakter
is a die made by an impress, like on a signet ring, the impression being
identical although they are two separate entities. As a figure of
speech charakter described a distinctive mark "impressed" on
a person, by which he is distinguished from others. It is thus a characteristic of that person and was a Greek idiom for a person’s
features. The author is saying that whatever the Divine essence is, Jesus
is the perfect expression and thus affirms the deity of Jesus Christ and
alludes to the the plurality of God. Jesus is distinct from God the Father
and yet identical with Him. Charakter
conveys the idea
of exact correspondence as when Jesus said that
"He who has seen Me has
seen the Father" (Jn 14:9)
He who had seen Jesus had seen the Father because Jesus is the exact representation,
the exact expression of the Father's attributes, nature, etc so that all
that God is, Jesus is, and yet two distinct Persons of the Godhood. Jesus
is all that God is, not has been given what He is! God hasn't given Jesus
something. He already is! Paul concurs that Jesus "is the image of
the invisible God" (see note
Col 1:15)
Nature
(5287)
(hupostasis
[word study]
from hupo = under + histemi = stand,
referring to a
foundation, ground on which something is built)
is literally that
which stands under anything (e.g., the foundation of a building).
Hupostasis is setting under and
thus describes a support, a confidence, a steadiness, a foundation (refers
to ground on which something is built = e.g., the foundation of things for
which we hope in Heb 11:1
[note]).
Stated
another way hupostasis is that which underlies the apparent and
which therefore is the reality, the essence or the substance. It came to
denote essence, substance or the inner nature and as discussed below is
used with that meaning in here in Hebrews 1:3.
The author is conveying the truth that whatever the
divine essence is, Jesus is said to be its perfect expression and in so
doing affirms the deity of Jesus Christ. The etymological equivalent of
hupostasis in English is substance or that
which stands under a thing and which makes it what it is. The Son is such
a revelation of the Father that when we see Jesus, we see what God's real
being is.
Hupostasis is
a very common word from Aristotle on and was used in Greek to describe
that which stands under anything such as a building, a contract, a
promise. It is common in the papyri in business documents as the
basis or guarantee of transactions or with the meaning of a title deed.
Hupostasis is
used 19 times in the
Septuagint (LXX)
and 5 times in the NT...
2Cor 9:4 (3 But I have sent the
brethren, that our boasting about you may not be made empty in this case,
that, as I was saying, you may be prepared) 4 lest if any Macedonians come
with me and find you unprepared, we (not to speak of you) should be put to
shame by this confidence.
2Cor 11:17 That which I am
speaking, I am not speaking as the Lord would, but as in foolishness, in
this confidence of boasting.
Hebrews 1:3 And He is
the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature
(hupostasis, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had
made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on
high;
Hebrews 3:14
For we have become partakers of
Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm until
the end;
Hebrews 11:1
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of
things not seen.
Considering these
meanings of hupostasis in Hebrews 11:1 one could paraphrase this
verse as follows...
Faith is the title-deed of things hoped
for.
Faith is the foundation, the quality of
confidence which leads one to stand under, endure, or undertake anything.
Faith involves the most solid possible
conviction, the God-given present assurance of a future reality.
Robertson
commenting on the use of hupostasis in
Hebrews 1:3 writes that...
The word hupostasis for the being or
essence of God “is a philosophical rather than a religious term”
(Moffatt). Etymologically it is the sediment or foundation under a
building (for instance). In Hebrews 11:1 hupostasis is like the
“title-deed” idea found in the papyri. Athanasius rightly used Heb 1:1-4
in his controversy with Arius. (Robertson, A. Word Pictures in the New
Testament)
Wuest writes
that...
The word substance deserves
careful treatment. It is hupostasis, made up of stasis “to stand,” and
hupo “under,” thus “that which stands under, a foundation.” Thus it speaks
of the ground on which one builds a hope. Moulton and Milligan
report its use as a legal term. They say that it stands for “the whole
body of documents bearing on the ownership of a person’s property,
deposited in archives, and forming the evidence of ownership.” They
suggest the translation, “Faith is the title-deed of things hoped for.”
The Holy Spirit energized act of faith which a believer exercises in the
Lord Jesus is the title-deed which God puts in his hand, guaranteeing to
him the possession of the thing for which he trusted Him. In the case of
this first-century Jew, his act of faith in Messiah as High Priest would
be the title-deed which God would give him, guaranteeing to him the
possession of the salvation for which he trusted God. Thus, he would have
assurance. Vincent translates, “Faith is the assurance of things hoped
for.” He says that “It is the firm grasp of faith on unseen fact.” (Wuest,
K. S. Wuest's Word Studies from the Greek New Testament: Eerdmans
or
Logos)
Vincent
commenting on hupostasis in
Hebrews 1:3 notes that...
The primary sense of hupostasis
or substance is something which stands underneath; foundation,
ground of hope or confidence, and so, assurance itself. In a philosophical
sense, substantial nature; the real nature of anything which underlies and
supports its outward form and properties. In N. T., 2Cor. 9:4; 11:17;
Heb 3:14; 11:1, signifying in every instance ground of confidence or
confidence.
In
LXX,
it represents fifteen different words, and, in some cases, it is hard to
understand its meaning, notably 1Sa 13:21. In Ruth 1:12 ("Return, my
daughters! Go, for I am too old to have a husband. If I said I have hope,
if I should even have a husband tonight and also bear sons"); Ps. 39:7
("And now, Lord, for what do I wait? My hope [my ground, my
foundation...for hope] is in Thee."); Ezek. 19:5, it means
ground of hope: in Jdg. 6:4 ("So they would camp against them and
destroy the produce of the earth as far as Gaza, and leave no sustenance
[Lxx - hupostasis + zoe ~ no support or foundation of life] in
Israel as well as no sheep, ox, or donkey."); Wisd. 16:21, sustenance:
in Ps. 39:5 ("Behold, Thou hast made my days as handbreadths, And my
lifetime [Lxx = hupostasis ~ my existence] as nothing in Thy sight,
Surely every man at his best is a mere breath. Selah."); Ps 139:15,
the substance or material of the human frame: in 1Sa 13:23 ("and the
garrison of the Philistines"); Ezek. 26:11, an outpost or
garrison: in Deut. 11:6; Job 22:20 ("and their abundance the
fire has consumed"), possessions.
The theological sense, person, is later
than the apostolic age. In
Hebrews 1:3, substantial
nature, essence. (Adapted and amplified from Vincent, M. R. Word Studies
in the New Testament 4:382-383)
In summary, the radiance of His glory
speaks of Jesus' oneness or identity with God the Father whereas the exact representation of His
nature speaks of Jesus'
distinctness and thus of the plurality of the Godhead.
Vine adds
that the essence of this phrase is to explain that
the Son of God is a distinct Person from the Father
and yet One with Him in the Godhead. He is His equal, as being the perfect
representation of His essence.
AND UPHOLDS ALL THINGS
BY THE WORD OF HIS POWER: pherôn (PAP) te
ta panta tôi rhêmati tês dunameôs
autou: (Ps 75:3; Jn 1:4; Col 1:17; Rev 4:11) (Eccl 8:4; Ro
1:16; 2Cor 4:7)
bearing up also the all things by the saying of his might (YLT)
sustaining all the
[things] by the word of His power (ALT)
supporting all
things by the word of his power (BBE)
He holds everything
together with his powerful word (ICB)
sustaining, guiding,
and propelling all things by the word of His power (Wuest)
He regulates the universe by the mighty power of his command (TLB)
He sustains
the universe by the mighty power of His command (NLT)
He
holds everything together through his powerful words (GWT)
upholding and
maintaining and guiding and propelling the universe by His mighty word of
power (Amp)
sustains
the universe with His word of power (Moffatt)
bearing up all
things by the utterance of His power (Rotherham)
the utterance
of Divine power (Pulpit Commentary)
Upholds (5342)
(phero) means to bear or carry and wa s used to describe a ship
being carried along, borne or driven along by the
wind (Acts 27:15)
or of the men who wrote Scripture as being "moved by the Holy
Spirit" (2Pe 1:21-note).
An illustration of this use of phero
is found in the Septuagint (LXX) where Moses says,
I alone am not able to carry
(phero) all this people, because it is too burdensome
for me,” (Nu 11:14)
(Comment: Here phero has in it the idea of the
responsibility of the government and guidance of Israel)
The author does not see Christ's work
in sustaining creation as if He were an "Atlas-like" figure holding up the
universe as a dead weight and otherwise doing nothing. To the contrary
upholds
indicates that He is carrying it along, bearing it toward its final
consummation. The picture is that of continuous (present
tense)
active and dynamic involvement by the Creator with His creation, not a
passive and static (deistic) involvement. The Lord Jesus holds all things
together and in their proper relationship to each other by His own power.
The oceans are held in their beds. The rivers run down into the sea. The
heavenly bodies are held in their orbits.
Vincent says that this phrase
is
concerned, not only with sustaining the weight of the universe, but also
with maintaining its coherence and carrying on its development..." and
adds that "the Logos is called by Philo the bond of the universe; but
the maintenance of the coherence implies the guidance and propulsion of
all the parts to a definite end."
The Psalmist quotes God as saying
It is I Who have firmly set (the
earth's) pillars. Selah." (Ps 75:3).
Paul adds that Jesus
"is before all things and in Him all things
hold together." (Col 1:17-note)
The things created by Christ are now being sustained, or conserved, or
held together by Him.
In Him we live, and move, and have our
being (exist)" (Acts 17:28).
By Him all things were created in the past, by Him all things consist in
the present and by Him all things are to be reconciled in the future
for
from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory
forever. Amen." (Ro 11:36-note)
All
things (3956) (pas) refers to the totality, the universe
considered as one whole. Nothing is excluded from the scope of the Son's
sustaining, supporting, upholding activity. The author pictures the Son as
not only active in creation but then as bearing the all time and space
towards the fulfillment of the divine plan.
What an awesome truth that the whole universe hangs on the word of Christ
for its moment by moment existence! How this flies in the face of the
modern teaching on self-sufficiency. We must see that Christ upholds all
things by the word of His power and that all
things includes the preservation of even our very spirit, soul and
body. Our daily existence depends solely upon the word of Christ's power!
Therefore as the writer of proverbs exhorts us:
Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not
lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He
will make your paths straight" (Pr 3:5, 3:6)
Why? Because He
upholds all things by the Word of His power.
Worship Him today for Who He is, God
Himself, and for the profound truth that the Word of His power preserves
and assures our very existence.
The
word of His power -- In other words Christ's spoken word is that by
which the Son's power is manifest (click
for one manifestation of this power!).
And remember beloved, this is the same "word" He speaks to those who are
"His own possession". What has He spoken to you this week in and through
His Word? O how we need to remember that it is not just any word but is
the word of His power, the very word by which His omnipotent power
is manifest in and through our life! "He who has an ear, let him hear what
the Spirit" of Christ would say to us today!
Word
(4487)
(rhema
[word study]
from
verb rheo = to speak - to say, speak or utter definite words) refers to the spoken word, especially a word as uttered by a living voice.
Laleo is another word translated speak but it refers only to
uttering a sound whereas rheo refers to uttering a definite intelligible
word. Rhema refers to any sound produced by the voice which has a
definite meaning. It focuses upon the content of the communication. For
example in Luke we read...
And they understood none of these
things, and this saying (rhema) was hidden from them, and they did
not comprehend the things that were said. (Luke 18:34)
In the plural rhema ("words"), means saying, speech or discourse.
Rhema is used
to refer to "the thing spoken of", an object, a matter, an affair or an
event. For example we read in Luke 1:65
And fear came on all those living
around them; and all these matters [rhema] were being talked about
in all the hill country of Judea.
(Compare to) But Mary treasured up all
these things (rhema), pondering them in her heart. (Luke 2:19)
Rhema in the
NT can exhibit several nuances of meaning depending on the context --
a prophecy ("that you should
remember the words -
rhema
- spoken beforehand by the holy prophets
and the commandment of the Lord and Savior spoken by your apostles."
see note
2 Peter 3:2),
a charge against one (Mt 27:14
Jesus "did not answer him with regard to even a single charge"
- rhema), a message (Ro 10:8 "But what does it say? "THE WORD -
rhema - IS NEAR YOU, IN YOUR MOUTH AND IN YOUR HEART"-- that is, the
word - rhema - of faith which we are preaching,"),
a promise (Lk 2:29 "Now Lord,
Thou dost let Thy bond-servant depart In peace, according to Thy word",
Lk 1:38 And Mary said, "Behold, the bondslave of the Lord; be it done
to me according to your word." And the angel departed from her.),
a command (Mt 4:4 "Man shall
not live on bread alone, but on every word - rhema - that proceeds
from the mouth of God"; Luke 5:5 And Simon answered and said, "Master,
we worked hard all night and caught nothing, but at Your bidding -
rhema - I will let down the nets.")
Rhema as used here in
Hebrews 1:3 to refer to active and powerful word.
r
Rhema is the same word
that spoke all that did not exist into existence...
By faith we understand that the worlds
were prepared by the word (rhema)
of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible. (see note
Hebrews 11:3).
God the Son spoke and created but He still speaks and sustains. As we
listen and obey what God says in His Son (in His Word, the Scripture), He
will sustain us through any trial, bringing us to the desired end He has
for us --to be conformed to the image of Jesus Christ. The "word" is
not empty. It has force. It does things.
Power (1411)
(dunamis
from dunamai = to be able) refers to inherent power residing
in something by virtue of its nature.
Click
word study of
dunamis.
Luke gives us a correct sense of the power
of God's word declaring that
No
(absolute negation) word
(rhema - spoken word) from God shall be void of power.
" (Lk 1:37ASV, Lk 1:37KJV)
An illustration of
this principle is found in Romans where Paul explains that
the gospel...is the
power (dunamis) of God
for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the
Greek." (Ro 1:16-note)
Thus the Son's Word, the Word of God, is unlike any other word for it has
an inherent power
because it is God speaking. Are you listening?
Jesus sustains all
things by His Word,
and that Word
has a divine power. The various parts of the physical universe are
not held together and regulated merely by laws of nature but these very
laws are His laws, and operate by His decree. He can interfere with them
at any time, and will do so in the way appointed by Him. Are you trusting
in the word
of His power to uphold
you in whatever difficult circumstance or affliction you are currently
experiencing?
><> ><> ><>
Our Daily Bread -
Unlimited Power
Why don't the stars fall
down?" A child may ask that question, but so does an astronomer. And they both
get essentially the same answer: A mysterious power or energy upholds
everything and prevents our cosmos from collapsing into chaos.
Hebrews 1:3 tells us that it is Jesus who upholds all things by the word of
His power. He is the source of all the energy there is, whether the explosive
potential packed inside an atom or the steaming kettle on the kitchen stove.
That energy is not simply a mindless force. No, God is the personal power who
created everything out of nothing, including the stars (Genesis 1; Isaiah
40:26); who divided the Red Sea and delivered the Israelites from Egyptian
bondage (Exodus 14:21, 22); who brought to pass the virgin birth of Jesus (Luke
1:34, 35); and who raised Him from the dead and conquered death (2Timothy
1:10). Our God, the one and only true God, has the power to answer prayer,
meet our needs, and change our lives.
So when life's problems are baffling, when you face some Red Sea
impossibility, call upon the wonder-working God who upholds all things. And
remember that with our almighty God, nothing is impossible.—Vernon C Grounds
(Our
Daily Bread, Copyright RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI. Reprinted by
permission. All rights reserved)
Thou art coming to a King—
Large petitions with thee bring;
For His grace and power are such
None can ever ask too much. —Newton
God is greater than our greatest problem
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WHEN HE HAD MADE PURIFICATION
OF SINS: poiesamenos (AMPMSN) katharismon tôn hamartiôn: (Heb
7:27; 9:12; 13, 14, 16, 26, Jn 1:29; 1Jn 1:7; 3:5)
through himself having made a
cleansing of our sins (YLT)
when He had by
Himself purged our sins (KJV)
having given Himself as
an offering making clean from sins (BBE)
The
Son made people clean from their sins (ICB)
effected in person
the reconciliation between God and man (Phillips)
He is the one
who died to cleanse us and clear our record of all sin (TLB)
After he died to cleanse
us from the stain of sin (NLT),
After
achieving forgiveness for human sins
(TEV)
When He had by
offering Himself accomplished our cleansing of sins and riddance of guilt
(Amp)
As Matthew Henry
so eloquently puts it
From the glory of the person of Christ he proceeds to mention the glory of
his grace.
Had
made (4160) (poieo) can be translated make, produce, bring about
or cause, referring to any external act as manifested in the production of
something tangible or obvious to the senses. Poieo is
aorist tense
which indicates a once-for-all-time, past
completed and effective action (cf
Christ's triumphant cry from the Cross "It is finished" Jn 19:30).
The author amplifies on this truth writing that Jesus functioned as both
the Sacrifice (Offering) and the Sacrificer ("Offerer" or High Priest),
Who
"does not need daily, like those high priests (Levitical
priests under the Old Covenant), to offer up sacrifices, first for His
own sins, and then for the sins of the people, because this He did
once for all
when He offered up
Himself." (see notes
Hebrews 7:27;
9:25;
9:26)
Poieo is in the
middle voice which signifies that the
subject either acts upon himself or in his own interest and thus it
conveys a reflexive sense (often translated by adding the reflexive
English pronoun "himself").
The
phrase can thus be translated He
Himself
had made indicating
that when the Son of God made
purification of
sins, He did so by Himself, acting upon Himself, offering Himself as the
Sacrifice for sin (Heb 9:26-note;
He 10:12-note),
and for Himself, acting in His own interest. To say it another way the
work of purification
was done by Christ personally, and was not something which He designated
to be done by some other agent. The author emphasizes this truth later
writing that "now once at the consummation of the ages He has been
manifested to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself." (He
9:26-note
cf other uses in
Hebrews of this key idea of "Himself" = Heb 2:14, 9:14,
9:25, 26-
see notes
He 2:14,
9:14;
9:25;
26)
Vincent
notes that
In
carrying on all things toward their destined end of conformity to the
divine archetype, the Son must confront and deal with the fact of sin,
which had thrown the world into disorder, and drawn it out of God’s order.
In the thought of
making purification of sins
is already foreshadowed the work of Christ as High Priest, which plays so
prominent a part in the epistle."
Purification
(2512)
(katharismos from katharizo = to cleanse and
our English word catharsis which Webster's defines
as purification or purgation that brings about spiritual renewal or
release from tension) describes the process of making clean, cleansing,
purifying, freeing from filth. Although the cleansing could refer to
cleansing from physical stain or contamination, by far the most important
aspect is cleansing from the "stain" of sin. This picture and the use of
this word katharismos would not be lost on the Jewish
readers, all of whom would be very familiar with the cleansing ritual on
the Day of Atonement as described in
Leviticus 16
(Lev 16:29)
which concludes with the statement that
on this day that atonement
shall be made for you to cleanse (or purify) (LXX uses katharizo the root of katharismos) you You shall
be clean (LXX = katharizo ) from all your sins
before the LORD. (Lev 16:30)
Katharismos -
7x in 7v - Mark 1:44; Luke 2:22; 5:14; John 2:6; 3:25; Heb 1:3; 2 Pet 1:9.
NAS = cleansing(2), purification(5).
Sins
(266)
brought death to man and separation from fellowship and communion with
God. Sinful man needed purification of sins
which in the Old Testament system required a priest to carry out the
purification ritual. Thus the author adroitly introduces the idea of
the Son, Christ Jesus, as the High Priest Who effects
purification of sins
by offering up the Sacrifice of His body on the Cross as a payment for
man's sin. In the Old Testament the priests had to make sacrifices day
after day and year after year not only for the purification
of the people but also for themselves. Jesus made but one sacrifice when
He offered Himself and because His sacrifice is unblemished and
spotless (1Pe 1:18, 19-notes),
He can purify our sins, something that all the Old Testament sacrifices
together could never accomplish
The writer of
Hebrews goes to great lengths to explain Christ's sacrificial role and how
His sacrifice made the Old Covenant sacrifices obsolete...
For it is impossible for the blood of
bulls and goats to take away sins" (He 10:4-note),
"but
when Christ appeared as a High Priest...He entered through the greater and
more perfect tabernacle (in contrast to the earthly tabernacle and the
Holy of holies that the Levitical priests entered once a year on the Day
of Atonement)
and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own
blood... (into) the holy place once for all, having obtained
eternal redemption. For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a
heifer sprinkling those who have been defiled, sanctify for the cleansing
of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the
eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse
(or "purify" - katharizo) your conscience from dead works to
serve the living God? … but now once at the consummation of the ages He
has been manifested to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself."
(see notes
Hebrews 9:12;
9:13;
9:14;
9:26).
MacArthur
notes that
This truth must have
seemed especially remarkable to those to whom the book of Hebrews was
first written. The cross was a stumbling block to Jews, but the writer
does not apologize for it. Instead, he shows it to be one of the seven
excellent glories of Christ.
(MacArthur,
John: Hebrews. Moody Press
or
Logos)
MacDonald
nicely summarizes the purifying work of the Son writing that
he
Creator and the Sustainer became the Sin-bearer. In order to create the
universe, He only had to speak. In order to maintain and guide the
universe, He only has to speak...but in order to put away our sin once for
all, He had to die on the cross of Calvary. It is staggering to think that
the sovereign Lord would stoop to become the sacrificial Lamb. “Love so
amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all,” as Isaac Watts’
hymn says." (MacDonald,
W & Farstad, A. Believer's Bible Commentary: Thomas Nelson
or
Logos)
HE
SAT DOWN AT THE RIGHT HAND OF THE
MAJESTY ON HIGH: ekathisen (3SAAI) en dexia tes megalosunes en hupselois:
(Hebrews 4:14; 8:1; 10:12; 12:2; Ps 110:1; Mk 16:19; Lk 20:42;43 Acts
2:33; 7:56; Ro 8:34; Ep 1:20;21, 22, Col 3:1; 1Pe1:21; 3:22; Rev 3:21)
(Majesty 1Chr 29:11; Job 37:22; Mic 5:4; 2Pe 1:16; Jude 1:25)
sat down at the right hand of the greatness in the highest
(YLT)
Then he sat down at the
right side of God, the Great One in heaven (ICB)
then sat down in highest honor beside the great God of heaven
(TLB)
He sat down
in the place of honor at the right hand of the majestic God of heaven.
(NLT)
He received the
highest position, the one next to the Father in heaven
(GWT)
He sat down in heaven
at the right-hand side of God, the Supreme Power
(TEV)
Matthew Henry
again puts it eloquently writing that
From the glory of his sufferings we are at length led to consider the
glory of his exaltation...Having assumed our nature, and suffered in it on
earth, He has taken it up with Him to heaven, and there it has the high
honor to be next to God, and this was the reward of His humiliation.
He sat down (2523) (kathizo)
represents a a formal and dignified act and is a
reference is to the Son’s glorification and ascension and His regal
position as King. The Son
seated at the right hand is never used of Christ's pre-existing state
co-equal with the Father, but always of His exalted state as Son of man
after His sufferings. Now as our Mediator He "intercedes for us" in
the presence of God. (see note
Romans 8:34).
Hughes remarks
that this
"thought is utterly sublime but true—this glorious Cosmic
Being at the apex of His splendor is praying for you and me! Can it really
be? Yes! God’s Word says it is so. Wonder of wonders!"
(Hughes,
R. K. Hebrews: An Anchor for the Soul. Volume 1. Crossway Books;
Volume 2 or
Logos)
Vine
adds that
"this position was
a ratification of the perfect fulfillment of all that He had accomplished
in His expiatory (making atonement) sacrifice for sins." (Vine,
W. Collected writings of W. E. Vine. Nashville: Thomas Nelson
or
Logos
The
seated posture is one of of rest and yet in His exalted state Jesus is
still bearing on all things toward their destined consummation, and is
still dealing with sin as the Great High Priest, saving believing sinners
in His precious blood and cleansing saints from the daily defilement of
sin. This is not the rest following toil, but the rest of satisfaction in
a finished work (cf "once
for all" or "for all time" in the following verses - Heb
7:27-note;
He 9:12-note,
He 10:10-note,
He 10:12-note;
He 10:14-note
John 19:30)
This
posture indicates that the work of redemption has been completed. The
seated posture of the High Priest Jesus Christ is in contrast to the
Levitical priests who never sat down so far as their tabernacle work was
concerned because their work was never finished, because
the Law,
since it has only a shadow of the good things to come and not the very
form of things, can never by the same sacrifices year by year, which they
offer continually, make perfect those who draw near" (see note
Hebrews 10:1)
Why? Because
it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away
sins." (see note
Hebrews 10:4)
In
the OT David prophesies and quotes the Father inviting the Son to
Sit
at My right hand until I make Thy enemies a footstool for Thy feet."
(Ps 110:1)
While on earth our Lord
applied the Psalm to Himself stating that
from now on THE SON
OF MAN WILL BE SEATED AT
THE RIGHT HAND of the power OF GOD.”
(Lk 22:69).
We
see the fulfillment in Hebrews where the author says that
"the
main point in what has been said is this: we have such a high priest, who
has taken His seat at the
right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens"
(see notes
Hebrews 8:1;
Hebrews 10:12;
Hebrews 12:2)
Paul explains the significance of Jesus' present Kingly and Priestly
position writing that God
raised Him from the dead, and seated Him at His right hand in the
heavenly places, far above
all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is
named, not only in this age, but also in the one to come. And He put
all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over
all things to the church"
(see notes
Ephesians 1:20;
1:21;
1:22)
Peter adds
that Jesus is
at the right hand of God, having gone into heaven, after
angels and authorities and powers had been subjected to Him."
(see note
1 Peter 3:22)
Luke tells us that after Jesus had
"been exalted to the right hand of God,
and (had) received from
the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He has poured forth this which
you both see and hear (the Spirit at Pentecost)" (Acts 2:33)
Finally John offers this encouragement to all believers quoting Jesus Who
is presently seated
"at
the right hand of the majesty on high"
promising that to Him "who
overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne,
as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His
throne."
(see note
Revelation 3:21)
And in one of the most incredible invitation every given, we as believers
have been given the awesome invitation to
"draw near with confidence to
the throne of grace,
that we may receive mercy and may find grace to help in time of need."
(see note
Hebrews 4:16)
Do you
need grace to make it today? I do. Let us draw near with holy boldness.
Majesty (3172) (megalosune from mégas = great, strong)
refers to a state of greatness, importance, prominence and specifically as
here is a title for God Who is characterized by majesty and greatness. The
use of Majesty
as a title for God may be rendered in some languages as `the one who is
truly great' or ` truly important.'
Right (1188) (dexios) as opposed to left and when giving or receiving,
preference is given to right hand (Christ is God's literal "Right hand
Man") and so the right-hand position is the place of honor. It was the
custom of ancient kings in the East to place at their right hand the son
whom they associated with themselves in the prerogatives of royalty. It is
also a place of delight for the psalmist says
In Thy right hand there are pleasures forever."
(Ps 16:11-note).
Clearly this is also the position of privilege for the author of Hebrews
asks in this same chapter
"which of the angels has He ever said, "SIT
AT MY RIGHT HAND, UNTIL I
MAKE THINE ENEMIES A FOOTSTOOL FOR THY FEET"?
(see note
Hebrews 1:13)
This Old
Testament quotation in the preceding verse is from
Ps110:1
which reads
(A Psalm of David.) The LORD (Jehovah) says to my Lord (Adonai): "Sit at My right hand,
Until I make Thine enemies a footstool
for Thy feet.
Jesus taking His seat
at the right hand of God is taken from Ps 110:1-note where David writes...
The LORD (God the Father) says to my Lord
(God the Son): "Sit at My right hand, until I make Thine enemies a footstool
for Thy feet." (Comment: Literally this begins "Jehovah said to
Adonai". David records a remarkable conversation between two Persons of
the Godhead. This Messianic psalm is quoted as such at least 12 times in the
NT. In Mt 22:43, 44, 45 Christ specifically applies Psalm 110:1 to Himself
claiming that He is not just the son of David but David's Lord. In short,
Psalm 110 pictures the Messiah as King, Priest and victorious Warrior.
Psalm 110:1 is quoted 5 times in
the NT -- Mk 12:36, Lk 20:42; Acts 2:34, Heb 1:13 and Heb
10:12. There are 15 other Scriptural references to Christ seated at the
right hand of God:
Ps 16:11 [KJV "at Thy right hand"], Mt 26:64; Mk 14:62; 16:19; Lk 22:69;
Acts 7:55,56,
Ro 8:34 [note];
Eph 1:20 [note];
Col 3:1 [note];
1 Pet 3:22 [note]
and the 4 verses in Hebrews - see below.)
The writer of Hebrews
obviously considers this teaching about the position of Christ Jesus
our Great High Priest at the right hand of His Father as very important for
he records this truth four times, at the beginning, in the middle and toward
the end of his epistle...
Hebrews 1:3 And He is the
radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and
upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification
of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high
Hebrews 1:13
But to which of the angels has He
ever said, "SIT AT MY RIGHT HAND, UNTIL I MAKE THINE ENEMIES A
FOOTSTOOL FOR THY FEET"?
Hebrews 8:1
Now the main point in what has
been said is this: we have such a High Priest, Who has taken His seat at
the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens
Hebrews 12:2
fixing our eyes on Jesus,
the Author and Perfecter of faith, Who for the joy set before Him endured
the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of
the throne of God.
Marvin
Vincent paraphrases this verse as