The Superior Revelation - Part 2
Notes
Transcript
In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways,
but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe.
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.
* Heir
* Maker
* Radiance
* Representation
* Sustainer
* Purifier
* Exalted
Maker of Purification of Sin
Maker of Purification of Sin
Much more will be said about this in Hebrews.
We move from Creator to Sustainer to Savior.
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.
Seated at the Right Hand of the Majesty on High
Seated at the Right Hand of the Majesty on High
Seated. His work of purification is done.
He is in authority.
He is exalted.
Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
He is interceder.
Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.
So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs.
For to which of the angels did God ever say, “You are my Son; today I have become your Father”? Or again, “I will be his Father, and he will be my Son”?
And again, when God brings his firstborn into the world, he says, “Let all God’s angels worship him.”
In speaking of the angels he says, “He makes his angels spirits, and his servants flames of fire.”
But about the Son he says, “Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever; a scepter of justice will be the scepter of your kingdom.
You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy.”
He also says, “In the beginning, Lord, you laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands.
They will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment.
You 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.”
To which of the angels did God ever say, “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet”?
Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?
We must pay the most careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away.
For since the message spoken through angels was binding, and every violation and disobedience received its just punishment,
how shall we escape if we ignore so great a salvation? This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him.
God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.
Superior to Angels
Superior to Angels
Angels are mentioned a number of times throughout the scripture. Can you think of a few?
Angel guarding the way to Eden.
Angels appearing to Abraham, and going to Sodom.
Angels appearing to Jacob.
Angels guarding Elisha and the city.
Angels appearing to the prophets.
We know that the Jewish tradition was that angels were involved in the giving of the law to Moses.
“This is the Moses who told the Israelites, ‘God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your own people.’
He was in the assembly in the wilderness, with the angel who spoke to him on Mount Sinai, and with our ancestors; and he received living words to pass on to us.
Superior to Angels
Superior to Angels
The author has shown Jesus to be superior to the prophets, and now he is showing that Jesus is superior to angels.
Why is that? One commentator has suggested that the Jewish Christians were under pressure to rejoin the Jewish community. To do this, they may have been pressured to say Jesus was just an angel. In this way, they could still say they experienced change through Jesus, and that he was from heaven, but they would be accepted back into the community as they did not call him God.
To show that Jesus is superior to angels, the author uses passages from the Old Testament.
How is Jesus superior to the angels?
So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs.
For to which of the angels did God ever say, “You are my Son; today I have become your Father”? Or again, “I will be his Father, and he will be my Son”?
Superior Title - Son
Superior Title - Son
Note: Superior - Better, occurs 13 times in this letter as the author shows Jesus is better than any other.
While it is true that the angels are collectively referred to as ‘sons of God’ (you will see this in Job 1), none of them are ever called, “son.”
To support this the author uses Psalm 2.7
I will proclaim the Lord’s decree: He said to me, “You are my son; today I have become your father.
Begotten
Begotten
Does this mean that there was a time when Jesus was not the Son? That there was a day when Jesus came to be?
No. This has to do with Jewish culture. There came a time when a Father would mark a son as the heir, giving them the first-born rights. We looked at that last week when we saw that Jesus is the heir. Just like Jacob and Joseph were marked as the first-born (not born first, but given the role of heir and administrator of the family), so too, Jesus was marked as first-born, heir and administrator.
Jesus was always God the Son. We see God declaring him the Son at the baptism and the transfiguration.
And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”
While he was still speaking, a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!”
And, we see Jesus talking about how he had shared glory with the Father before his coming to Earth as man.
After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed: “Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you.
For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him.
Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.
I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do.
And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.
Jesus spoke of finishing the work he had come to do.
In Acts and in Romans, Paul speaks of Jesus being declared the Son of God by his resurrection of the dead.
“We tell you the good news: What God promised our ancestors
he has fulfilled for us, their children, by raising up Jesus. As it is written in the second Psalm: “ ‘You are my son; today I have become your father.’
and who through the Spirit of holiness was appointed the Son of God in power by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord.
Superior Title - Son
Superior Title - Son
God declared Jesus was the Son, the first-born, by resurrecting him from the dead, and seating him at the right hand of majesty. No angel has been given that title or position. Jesus alone is Son.
The author also uses 2 Samuel 7.14 to show that Jesus is Son.
I will be his father, and he will be my son. When he does wrong, I will punish him with a rod wielded by men, with floggings inflicted by human hands.
In the context, the immediate heir of David was Solomon. While Solomon fulfilled part of this prophecy, the enduring throne was yet unfulfilled. The Jews knew that God does not lie, and they saw this as a promise that would be fulfilled by the Messiah. Jesus is the promised Messiah, the Son of David, who will establish the kingdom and throne of David forever. No angel will do that. Only the Son of God.
Next, the author uses scripture to show that Jesus is superior to angels by pointing out that angels worship him.
And again, when God brings his firstborn into the world, he says, “Let all God’s angels worship him.”
This is a quote from Deuteronomy 32.43, and Psalm 97.7 in the Greek translation of the Old Testament.
While it is true that the angels worshiped when Christ was born, the wording of the verse is such that this is pointing ahead to Christ’s second coming when he establishes the kingdom, as seen in more literal translation like the LSB.
And when He again brings the firstborn into the world, He says, “And let all the angels of God worship Him.”
Worshiped by Angels
Worshiped by Angels
There are a number of verses in Revelation where the angels are worshiping the lamb who was slain.
We also see the angels often mentioned with the second coming.
The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil.
For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done.
“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne.
and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels.
Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about them: “See, the Lord is coming with thousands upon thousands of his holy ones
In speaking of the angels he says, “He makes his angels spirits, and his servants flames of fire.”
Angels are Servants...
Angels are Servants...
But about the Son he says, “Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever; a scepter of justice will be the scepter of your kingdom.
You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy.”
Quoting from Psalm 45.6-7.
The Son is Ruler
The Son is Ruler
He also says, “In the beginning, Lord, you laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands.
They will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment.
You 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.”
Psalm 102.25-27
The Son is Eternal
The Son is Eternal
To which of the angels did God ever say, “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet”?
Psalm 110.1, a Messianic Psalm
The Son will reign while the angels will serve him, and us.
Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?
Why is this important?
We must pay the most careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away.
For since the message spoken through angels was binding, and every violation and disobedience received its just punishment,
how shall we escape if we ignore so great a salvation? This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him.
God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.
Warning: Do not drift
Warning: Do not drift
Son: Heir, Maker, Radiance, Representation, Sustainer, Purifier, Exalted, Ruler
