One of the great truths of the Book of Hebrews is the fact that God the Father has spoken to us through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. This was important for the Hebrew Christians to remember. They were undergoing much persecution, and some had begun to wonder whether they had lost everything. The writer sought to encourage them by telling them that they had received the substance which fulfilled the shadow. In this lesson, the writer emphasized the fact that Jesus Christ is better than the angels.
THE GLORY OF THE SON OF GOD
In relation to God the Father
He is the Son of God. It is not merely a title. It is a designation of the natural and eternal relation of the Second Person of the Godhead to the First Person. The only begotten Son of God—the sameness of essence with the Father.
He is the manifestation of God. Verse 3.
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John 1:14, "And the Word was made (became) flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we
beheld His glory, the glory of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and
truth."
Philippians 2:5-6: 5Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6Who,
being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
Colossians 1:14-15: 14In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the
forgiveness of sins: 15Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every
creature:
He is the very image of God's person (Hebrews 1:3 and Colossians 1:14-15). The Shekinah glory in the Tabernacle had not the personal form of God, but the Son bears His real and perfect likeness.
John 10:30, "I and My Father are one."
The Son so perfectly bears the impress, the exact expression of God, that Jesus could say, "He
that hath seen Me hath seen the Father." John 14:9.
Colossians 2:9, "For in Him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily."
In relation to the universe
He is its Creator.
Hebrews 1:2: 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;
Colossians 1:14-17: 14In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the
forgiveness of sins: 15Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every
creature: 16For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are
in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or
principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: 17And he
is before all things, and by him all things consist.
He is the Sustainer of all things. Hebrews 1:3, "...upholding all things by the word of His
power...."
He is its Possessor. Hebrews 1:2, "...Whom He appointed Heir of all things." As the Son of God, He received this appointment and gift before the foundation of the earth. His position as Heir has to do with the incarnate Son, Jesus, the Son of man.
John 17:9-10: 9I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou
hast given me; for they are thine. 10And all mine are thine, and thine are mine;
and I am glorified in them.
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Matthew 21:33-38: 33Hear another parable: There was a certain householder,
which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in
it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country:
34And when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the
husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits of it. 35And the husbandmen took
his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another. 36Again, he
sent other servants more than the first: and they did unto them likewise. 37But
last of all he sent unto them his son, saying, They will reverence my son. 38But
when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir;
come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance.
He is Lord of all. He has all authority.
Matthew 28:18: 18And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is
given unto me in heaven and in earth.
He has the keys of death and hell. He has power over all flesh.
Revelation 1:18 : I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for
evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.
In relation to the Church
He is her Prophet, Hebrews 1:2, Teacher. He is her Priest, Hebrews 1:3, "...He had by Himself
purged our sins." Jesus sacrificed Himself as the Lamb of God. The sacrifice He made on the Cross was for the remission of sins. The Son by Himself, as our High Priest, purged (made atonement for) our sins. This aspect of His ministry will be explained in detail in Hebrews 7-10.
When God saves a sinner, He breaks the power of the indwelling sinful nature at the moment the sinner places his faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, Romans 6. When the believer dies. He loses the sinful nature and in his glorified body has only the divine nature.
God also removes the guilt and penalty of sin and gives the believer a righteous standing. The Son of God make all this possible when He died on the cross. His blood delivers the believers from the power of sin in this present life and from the presence of sin in the future life. His blood removes the guilt and penalty of sin and cleanses the believer from its defilement. That is what is included in the act of our Lord's making purification for sin. (Wuest).
He is her King, Hebrews 1:3 , ".. .sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high." The seated posture indicates that His work as our High Priest was finished. This was in contrast to the Levitical Priests who never sat down so far as their tabernacle work was concerned. The reason was that the work of the Levitical Priests was never finished, and the blood of bulls and goats could not pay for sin.
The verb "sat down" (ekathisen) denotes a solemn, formal act. It speaks of the assumption of a position of dignity and authority. The reference is to the Son's glorification and ascension.
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Philippians 2:6: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal
with God:
1 Peter 3:22: Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels
and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.
In His exalted position, He is still bearing all things toward their destined consummation and is still dealing with sin as the Great High Priest, saving sinners by His precious blood and cleansing saints from the defilement of sin that at times enters their lives. (Wuest).
The fact that Jesus has sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high, the place of honor, proves that He is equal with God the Father, for no mere created being could ever sit on God's right hand.
Creator, Prophet, Priest, King—Jesus Christ is superior to ah the prophets and servants of God who have ever appeared on the sacred pages of Scriptures. It is no wonder that the Father said at the hour of Christ's Transfiguration, "This is My beloved Son, in Whom I am well pleased; hear
ye Him" (Matthew 17:5). Two of the greatest prophets were there with Jesus—Moses and Elijah; but Christ is superior to them.
CHRIST AS SON OF GOD BETTER THAN THE ANGELS Verses 4-14.
His was a better name: SON. Verses 4-5 testifies that He is in A better position than the angels.
The writer sets forth the fact that the SON through Whom God has spoken to us is better than the angels.
These Jewish Christians were familiar with the important part the angels played in the Old Testament. "Being made so much better than the angels, as He hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. The writer was speaking of His glorification which was conditioned upon His fulfillment of the requirements of His human state, which He emphasizes. After He had passed through the experience described in Philippians 2:6-8, he sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high as Messianic sovereign, and there became and was proven to be that which in reality He always was, superior to the angels.
Philippians 2:6-8: 6Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be
equal with God: 7But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form
of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8And being found in fashion
as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death
of the cross.
He became superior to the angels when He resumed His pre-incarnate dignity at His resurrection.
The writer tells us in Hebrews 2:7-9 that for a little time, i.e., during His incarnation previous to His glorification, He was made a little lower than the angels.
Hebrews 2:7-9: 7Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst
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HEBREWS GOD’S PLAN FOR SPIRITUAL MATURITY
him with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands: 8Thou
hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection
under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all
things put under him. 9But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the
angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the
grace of God should taste death for every man.
He has a better name or a more excellent name because of His relationship to the Father, Verse 5.
Consider a few quotations in regard to this truth. First, note the rhetorical question quoted in Psalm 2:7. The word "begotten" in the context refers to the act of God the Father establishing in an official sonship relation, His Son at the resurrection. The idea in the words, "I have begotten thee"
are "I have begotten thee to kingly dignity." The reference is not to entrance into life, but to entrance to an office. The writer reminded his readers that such statements were never made of the angels.
Psalm 2:7: I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my
Son; this day have I begotten thee.
Second, consider a quotation from 2 Samuel 7:14. While it is concluded that the primary reference to Solomon is found in 2 Samuel 7:12-16, yet the clear and final reference is to the Son of God.
Solomon's kingdom was not established but divided, whereas the Son's kingdom wilt be eternal.
Solomon built a temple for God, but the Son will build the Millennial Temple.
2 Samuel 7:12-16: 12And they mourned, and wept, and fasted until even, for Saul,
and for Jonathan his son, and for the people of the LORD, and for the house of
Israel; because they were fallen by the sword.13And David said unto the young
man that told him, Whence art thou? And he answered, I am the son of a
stranger, an Amalekite. 14And David said unto him, How wast thou not afraid to
stretch forth thine hand to destroy the LORD'S anointed? 15And David called
one of the young men, and said, Go near, and fall upon him. And he smote him
that he died. 16And David said unto him, Thy blood be upon thy head; for thy
mouth hath testified against thee, saying, I have slain the LORD'S anointed.
Third consider the Hebrew writer as he applies these words, "I will be to Him a Father, and He
shall be to Me a Son," directly to the Lord Jesus. This was never said of the angels.
The Son is worshipped by angels, Verse 6. A fourth quotation is noted with the word "Again" in verst 6. It denotes a different quotation from the previous ones. The word "first begotten" is the translation of "prototokos", a term used by the Apostle Paul in Colossians 1:15 and by the writer to the Hebrews to refer to the Son of God. Christ is the "firstborn of all creation" (Colossians 1:15), because He created all things, and He is the highest of all who came back from the dead (Colossians 1:18). When He came into the world, the angels worshipped Him. God commanded them to do so, which proves that Jesus Christ is God. None of God's angels would worship a mere creature.
Colossians 1:15, 18: 15Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of
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every creature:… 18And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the
beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the
preeminence.
He is Creator and Master of the angels, and they serve Him, Verse 7. This is a quotation from Psalm 104:4. Angels are created spirits; they have no bodies, although they can assume human forms when ministering on earth. Angels sometimes ministered to or served our Lord when He was here on earth (Matthew 4:11; Luke 22:43). They serve Him and us now.
Psalm 104:4: Who maketh his angels spirits; his ministers a flaming fire:
Matthew 4:11 : Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and
ministered unto him.
Luke 22:43 : And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening
him.
The Son is God, has an eternal throne, and is anointed with the Holy Spirit. Verses 8-9. This brings us to a fifth quotation found in Psalm 45:6, 7. Angels minister before the throne, but they DO NOT
sit upon the throne. One of the main teachings of Psalm 110 is that Jesus Christ, God's Anointed is now enthroned in glory. Jesus referred to this Psalm in Mark 12:35-37 and Mark 14:62. Peter used it on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:34-36). Our Lord Jesus has not yet entered into His earthly Kingdom, but He has been enthroned in glory (Ephesians 1:20-21).
Psalm 45:6, 7: 6Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: the sceptre of thy
kingdom is a right sceptre. 7Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness:
therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy
fellows.
Mark 12:35-37: 35And Jesus answered and said, while he taught in the temple,
How say the scribes that Christ is the Son of David? 36For David himself said by
the Holy Ghost, The LORD said to my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make
thine enemies thy footstool. 37David therefore himself calleth him Lord; and
whence is he then his son? And the common people heard him gladly.
Mark 14:62: And Jesus said, I am: and ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the
right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.
Acts 2:34-36: 34For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself,
The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, 35Until I make thy
foes thy footstool. 36Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that
God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.
Ephesians 1:20, 21: 20Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the
dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, 21Far above all
principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named,
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not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:
"Anointed" is the translation of "chrio" which is always used in the New Testament of the anointing with the Holy Spirit. Here the oil of gladness refers to the Holy Spirit Who bestows joy. Kings were anointed in Israel with oil when they ascended to the throne. The high priest was anointed with oil as he entered the office. Our Lord was anointed with the Holy Spirit for His threefold office of prophet, priest, and king at the time of His baptism and entrance into His earthly ministry.
The Son is unchangeable, the eternal Creator, Verses l0-12. In the support of his argument that the Son is better than the angels, the writer quotes Psalm 102:25-27. The unchangeable and eternal power and majesty of the Son, spoken of in Verses l0-12, find their basis in the fact that He is the ONE who laid the foundation of the earth and fashioned the heavens.
Psalm 102:25-27: 25Of old hast thou laid the foundation of the earth: and the
heavens are the work of thy hands. 26They shall perish, but thou shalt endure:
yea, all of them shall wax old like a garment; as a vesture shalt thou change them,
and they shall be changed: 27But thou art the same, and thy years shall have no
end.
The Son is seated at God's right hand, Verses l3-14. This last quotation in Chapter 1 comes from Psalm 110:1. The fact that Jesus Christ is now at the Father's right hand, the place of honor, is mentioned many times in the New Testament (Matthew 22:43-44; 26:64; Mark 16:9; Acts 2:33-34; Romans 8:34; Colossians 3:1; 1 Peter 3:22).
Psalm 110:1: (A Psalm of David.) The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my
right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.
Matthew 22:43, 44: 43He saith unto them, How then doth David in spirit call him
Lord, saying, 44The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I
make thine enemies thy footstool?
Matthew 26:64: Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto
you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and
coming in the clouds of heaven.
Mark 16:9: Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared
first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils.
Acts 2:33, 34: 33Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having
received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this,
which ye now see and hear. 34For David is not ascended into the heavens: but
he saith himself, The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand,
Romans 8:34: Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that
is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession
for us.
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Colossians 3:1: If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above,
where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
1 Peter 3:22: Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels
and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.
CONCLUSION
The glory of Jesus is greater than the glory of the angels. The angels are created spirits, but the Son is the Creator of all things. The angels worship Jesus Christ. The angels are ministering spirits and serve the Lord Jesus Christ Who is seated on the Throne. Jesus Christ is so much better than the angels and has a more excellent name than they have. Jesus is the anointed High Priest and the Saviour of sinners.
Do you know Jesus Christ as your Saviour?
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