God's Son Supreme + Salvation (Hebrews 1+2)
Jesus, the Heir of All Things
According to the author of Hebrews, long ago, at many times & in many ways, God spoke to the fathers by the prophets, but in these last days He has spoken to Christians by His Son, whom He appointed the heir of all things, through whom also He created the world. An heir is one who receives something as a possession & so Jesus Christ received possession of all things.
Jesus, the Radiance of God's Glory & Exact Imprint
Jesus is the radiance of the glory of God & the exact imprint of His nature, meaning He is the brightness of God's glory & an exact representation of God's real being. Christ also upholds (sustains) the universe by the word of His power.
After Making Purification for Sins
After making purification for sins (which means cleansing from inward pollution), He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much superior to angels as the name He has inherited (acquired) is more excellent than theirs.
Which of the Angels Did God Say...
Hebrews's author then questions to which of the angels did God ever say that Jesus is His Son & today He has begotten Him (the answer is none). This references Psalm 2:7 which states, "I will tell of the decree: The Lord said to me, 'You are my Son; today I have begotten you.'" In other words, God is the Father of Jesus & God's exercising the role of a parental figure.
The author also does this with God being a Father & Jesus being His Son. This is cited from 2 Samuel, which states, "I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. When he commits iniquity, I will discipline him with the rod of men, with the stripes of the sons of men, but my steadfast love will not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away from before you" (2 Samuel 7:14-15).
In Psalms, it states, "He shall cry to me, ‘You are my Father, my God, & the Rock of my salvation. I will establish his offspring forever and his throne as the days of the heavens. If his children forsake my law and do not walk according to my rules, if they violate my statutes & do not keep my commandments, then I will punish their transgression with the rod & their iniquity with stripes" (Psalm 86:26, 29-32).
The author of Hebrews uses the words that were spoken to King David. When the passage talks about committing iniquity, it talks about the generation that endured the destruction of Jerusalem. They suffered a blow & suffered affliction during this time. The author of Lamentations writes, "I am the man who has seen affliction under the rod of his wrath" (Lamentations 3:1).
Hebrews applies this committing iniquity to Christ's death where He was crushed for our iniquities on the cross. Isaiah writes, "Surely He has borne our griefs & carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God & afflicted. But He was pierced for our transgressions; He was crushed for our iniquities; upon Him was the chastisement that brought us peace, & with His wounds we are healed" (Isaiah 53:4-5). By doing this & rising again, Jesus made purification for sins as stated earlier.
Bringing the Firstborn into the World
The author of Hebrews then mentions bringing the firstborn into the world & letting all of God's angels worship Him. He quotes a passage from the Septuagint (Greek) version of Deuteronomy that states, "Delight, O heavens, with Him & worship Him, you sons of God. Delight, O nations, with His people & prevail with Him, all you angels of God. For He will avenge the blood of His sons, & He will avenge & He will repay the enemies with vengeance, & he will repay those who hate, & the Lord will cleanse out the land of his people" (Deuteronomy 32:43).
What God Makes Angels
Hebrews's author states that God says He makes His angels winds & His ministers a flame of fire. He quotes Psalms which states, "He makes His messengers winds, His ministers a flaming fire" (Psalm 104:4).
What God Says About the Son
Hebrews goes on to state what God says about His Son. It says that God's throne is forever & the scepter (which is a ruler's staff) of uprightness is the scepter of His kingdom. It states that the Lord Jesus has loved righteousness & hated wickedness; therefore, God has anointed Him with the oil of gladness (exultation) beyond His companions.
The author quotes Psalms, which states, "Your throne, O God, is forever & ever. The scepter of your kingdom is a scepter of uprightness; you have loved righteousness & hated wickedness. Therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness beyond your companions" (Psalm 45:6-7).
Hebrews then states that the Lord laid the foundation of the earth in the beginning & that the heavens are the work of His hands. He then says they will perish but He remains; they will all wear out like a garment & like a robe He will roll them up & like a garment they will be changed.
This will be the change wrought by Christ in the heavens when the world is destroyed. However, He is the same & His years will have no end. The author quotes Psalm again, which states, "Of old you laid the foundation of the earth, & the heavens are the work of your hands. They will perish, but you will remain; they will all wear out like a garment. You will change them like a robe, & they will pass away, but you are the same, & your years have no end" (Psalm 102:25-27).
Back to Which of the Angels Did God Say...
The author questions to which of the angels has God said to sit at His right hand until He makes Jesus' enemies a footstool for His feet (the answer is none). This is from Psalm, which states, "The Lord says to my Lord: 'Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool'" (Psalm 110:1).
A footstool represents the subjection of one person to another so that the other can put a foot on the subject's neck. The feet represent the one who's vanquished lying beneath the victor's feet (i.e., Christ over Satan).
Angels in Special Service to God
Hebrews states that all the ministering spirits (angels in special service to God) are sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation.
Warning Against Neglecting Salvation
As a result, Hebrews states that the Christians he is writing to must pay much closer attention to what they've heard lest they drift away from it.
The message declared by the angels proved to be reliable. In other words, it was confirmed as to having validity over a period of time & the word was in force. Also, every transgression or disobedience received a just retribution (a just penalty). Since these things are true, the author questions how they could escape such as great salvation.
This was declared first by the Lord, & it was attested to those who heard. The saving message was guaranteed to the Christians.
God also bore witness (testified at the same time) by signs-events that are indication or confirmation of intervention by a transcendent (in this case God)-which also can be known as miracles. The wonders astounded because of God's association. The various miracles included deeds that exhibits the ability to function powerfully. There were also gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to His will.
Founder of Salvation
It was not to angels that God subjected the world to come, of which the author was speaking. The author said that it has been testified somewhere of being mindful of man or the Son of Man that He would care for Him. It says that He made Him for a little while lower than the angels & that He has crowned Him with glory & honor, putting everything in subjection under his feet.
This was cited from Psalm 8:4-6 which stated the following: "What is man that you are mindful of him, & the Son of Man that you care for Him? Yet you have made Him a little lower than the heavenly beings (Septuagint - than the angels) & crowned Him with glory & honor. You have given Him dominion over the works of your hands; you have put all things under His feet." A dominion is something that someone is lord over, so Jesus is lord over the works of God's hands.
Hebrews's states that in putting everything in subjection to Him, He left nothing outside his control. In other words, He caused everything to be in a submissive relationship, has withheld nothing from His sovereignty, & left nothing that was not made subject to Him.
Jesus Experienced Death for Everyone
The Christians didn't yet see everything in subjection to Him. However, they saw Him who was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory & honor because of the suffering of death (as a penalty), so that by God's grace He would taste death for everyone. Jesus basically experienced & came to know death & experienced it cognitively & emotionally for everyone.
It was fitting that He, for whom & by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, would make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering. He who sanctifies (Jesus) & those who were sanctified (the sons of glory/Christians) are all of one.
Not Ashamed to Call Brothers
The Scripture says that Jesus isn't ashamed to call them brothers (those in spiritual communion, viewed as brother in terms of close affinity). The author states that Jesus said He would tell of the Lord's name to His brothers; in the midst of the congregation, He would sing the Lord's praise. This was cited from Psalm 22:22, which states, "I will tell of your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation, I will praise you."
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