NT for Lent 1: Hebrews 1
Here it is, the first in the NT for Lent series, Hebrews 1:
The Son Superior to Angels
1In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, 2but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe. 3The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. 4So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs.
5For to which of the angels did God ever say,
“You are my Son;
today I have become your Father[a]”[b]? Or again,
“I will be his Father,
and he will be my Son”[c]? 6And again, when God brings his firstborn into the world, he says,
“Let all God’s angels worship him.”[d] 7In speaking of the angels he says,
“He makes his angels winds,
his servants flames of fire.”[e] 8But about the Son he says,
“Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever,
and righteousness will be the scepter of your kingdom.
9You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness;
therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions
by anointing you with the oil of joy.”[f] 10He also says,
“In the beginning, O Lord, you laid the foundations of the earth,
and the heavens are the work of your hands.
11They will perish, but you remain;
they will all wear out like a garment.
12You will roll them up like a robe;
like a garment they will be changed.
But you remain the same,
and your years will never end.”[g] 13To which of the angels did God ever say,
“Sit at my right hand
until I make your enemies
a footstool for your feet”[h]? 14Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?
Comments and discussions below.
February 21st, 2007 at 9:36 pm
I love this.
It’s a verse I often use to refute JW’s who (falsely) believe that Jesus is in fact the archangel ‘Michael’.
February 21st, 2007 at 11:14 pm
7th day adventists believe the same thing.
rev
February 21st, 2007 at 11:46 pm
I did not know that!
February 22nd, 2007 at 10:17 am
I must say that I have not realy read a great deal of Hebrews (or not often, anyway). And I think that this is quite poetic. I have always had this idea of Hebrews as being very dry and precise, but I look forward to revisiting more of it.
February 22nd, 2007 at 11:04 am
“7th day adventists believe the same thing.” - not WA SDAs that I know…
They believe some other wacky stuff which makes me laugh, but they seem pretty sold on Jesus as the Son of God, and part of the Trinity…
February 22nd, 2007 at 1:11 pm
What does this text say about the trinity? Does it support it?
February 23rd, 2007 at 7:12 am
Yes.
February 23rd, 2007 at 4:34 pm
Not according to their website Rev. Maybe you met a really wacky one.
http://www.adventist.org/beliefs/index.html
“Seventh-day Adventists believe that Jesus is one of the three persons, called the Trinity, who make up our one God. The Bible describes Jesus, the Father, and the Holy Spirit as each being committed to our growth as Christians and to our salvation as their children. They made this salvation possible when Jesus came to Bethlehem as a human baby. He lived a life perfectly in accord with God’s will and then died innocently for all of our sins. He was placed in a borrowed tomb, but He came back to life three days later. Now he is in heaven interceding with the Father for us, preparing for our deliverance from sin and death.”
February 24th, 2007 at 11:17 pm
Contemporary Christology is usually done ‘top down’ (what did it mean for the divine to become human) or ‘bottom up’ (what did it mean for a human to be divine) but this one from Hebrews seems to be kind of ‘diagonal’ asking what does it mean for Christ to be greater than the angels - not a question I hear many poeple asking these days. My experince of Chirst certainly doesn’t begin with what I beleive about angels.
My favorite verse was:
“The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.”
I also noticed that the same word for our gaining salvation was used to describe Jesus gaining his name/authority - “inherit”. Not sure what that means except it seems to emphasises the initiative is God’s action in saving / giving honor.