Hebrews 1:1

Introduction:

About a year and a half ago Broadway Christian Church started the Pastoral Training Institute. Myself and several other have been meeting Sundays nights to better prepare ourselves to faithfully handle the word of God. You are probably aware that Broadway uses expository preaching. Expository preaching in a nutshell is a type of preaching where you take a specific passage of the Bible and allow it to determine what should be preached. There are other ways to preach, such as topical where you allow the events of the day to determine what you preach.

Now, there are 3 things that every good expository sermon needs: Those three things are.

What does the Bible say, What does it mean, Application.

We are going to use that same theme as we examine the first sentence of Hebrews. The first sentence is actually broken into four different verses.

So, the base for our text today is going to be Hebrews 1:1-4 Go ahead and turn there now.

What does it say

God, having spoken long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, 2 a in these last days spoke to us in His son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds, 3 who is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power; who, having accomplished cleansing for sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, 4 having become so much better than the angels, as He has inherited a more excellent name than they.

What does it mean?

Why might meaning be difficult?

Although there are several theories on who wrote the book of Hebrews we don’t know for certain. Hebrews is a book rich and deep in its understand of God the Father and the significance of the person of Jesus. My part in this awesome passage is to try and present it to you in a way the author wanted the original readers of Hebrews to understand it. The difficulty in doing this is that we live in a different culture, use a different language, and are separated by some 2000 years of history.

Let’s start off with a bit of history,

The Romans army, (who spoke Latin) conquered the Greeks (who spoke Greek) and adopted much of their culture. They also conquered Jerusalem (who spoke Hebrew and Aramaic), but they really weren’t much of a threat so they figured they would pick a Jewish ruler to put over them and they would fall in line. They choose Herod the great and made him king of Judea. So you probably knew 2 or 3 languages as a Jew at the time, Greek was the language of commerce (kind of like English is today), Latin was the language of the roman army, Aramaic the common language of the Jews and Hebrew was Jewish religious language, similar to how German is religious language to some Amish, and Latin is to some Catholics

Lives of the Hebrew readers

So, let me set the scene a little. You are a Jew. Almost everyone you know is Jewish. You know the scriptures. You celebrate all of the Jewish Holidays. Your life is defined by your Jewishness. You have been waiting on the Messiah your whole life and now he is here. You are convinced he is the Messiah!

But now you have been kicked out of the temple, you can’t join in on the holidays, you’re being persecuted by not only the roman occupiers, but by people who were once you friends, your family. You may have lost your husband, your wife , your children, you job. This Messiah didn’t rescue you from the Romans as you had been taught. Have you made a mistake in believing in this Jesus?

I’m sure some of you can relate to this. You finally found the messiah and instead of people being happy for you they turn on you.

So, this is where the original readers of Hebrew are, under persecution from all sides and thinking maybe they should abandon their new beliefs and go back to way things were.

Some friends, fellow believers, get a copy of a scroll and begin to read it.

Verse 1: “God, having spoken long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways”

So, what does this verse mean?

In this first verse the writer of Hebrews is going to use a common tactic of calling them to remember something. Here he is getting them to remember one of the main tenants of the Bible ‘God speaks’ and he speaks in lots of different ways

Verse 1: “God, having spoken long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways”

Remember Isaiah: Prophesied the coming Messiah (Isaiah 7:14, 9:6-7, 53).

Remember Jeremiah Gave hope of restoration and God’s ultimate kingdom (Isaiah 40–66).

Remember Ezekiel :promised a new heart and spirit (Ezekiel 36:26).

Remember Daniel :Prophesied about future kingdoms and the end times (Daniel 9–12).

Remember the many portions and many ways that God as spoken?

Visions

Genesis 15:1 – God gives Abram a vision about his descendants.

Ezekiel 1:1 – Ezekiel’s vision of God’s glory.

Daniel 7:1-2 – Daniel’s visions of beasts and kingdoms.

Isaiah 6:1-4 – Isaiah’s vision of God on His throne.

Dreams

Genesis 20:3-6 – God warns Abimelech in a dream about Sarah.

Genesis 41:1-7 – Pharaoh’s dreams interpreted by Joseph.

Daniel 2:19 – Daniel receives the interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream.

Signs and Wonders

Exodus 3:2-4 – The burning bush as a sign to Moses.

Exodus 13:21 – The pillar of cloud and fire to guide Israel.

Judges 6:36-40 – Gideon’s fleece as a sign.

Healing

Genesis 20:17 – God heals Abimelech and his household after Abraham prays.

2 Kings 5:10-14 – Naaman is healed of leprosy after washing in the Jordan River.

1 Kings 17:17-24 – Elijah raises the widow’s son from death.

2 Kings 20:5-6 – God heals King Hezekiah and adds 15 years to his life.

So, the writer of Hebrews is saying remembers all of that? God has always been speaking to us, but now …..

Now comes Verse 2

Hebrews 1:2 in these last days spoke to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the f worlds,

The Last days is a reference to the time after the Messiah comes.

What is a Son?

Here is where our different cultures and languages butt heads.

Our culture has a slightly different take on the word ‘son’ that the original readers of Hebrews. When we hear the word son we typically think of a male offspring and yes, this is true to a point, the word son is actually more of a title than it is of being simply offspring.

But son even in our culture is more of a legal term. The rights of sonship can be given to someone through adoption. Some of you have adopted children and I do as well. They are treated no differently than any of your other children In fact you see adoptions and adoption language in the Bible in several places.

Moses and Jesus were both adopted.

Rm 8:15 For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons by whom we cry out, “Abba! Father!” [i]

You probably think of adoption as more of a parental responsibility but to be a son, adopted or otherwise, means you had a role to fulfill. You had both responsibilities and rights.

Can someone be a ‘bad ‘ son? If so, then there must be some standard by which we judge that. There is some underlying responsibility or role you have as a Son in our society today even though we don’t think about it very much.

We expect sons to be like their father

You know the saying ‘the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.’ There is a built in notion that the son will be like the father.

Have you ever expected a kid to be good at sports because his father was? Even in the Bible there is an underlying theme that the son will be like the father

John 8:39 “Abraham is our father,” they answered. “If you were Abraham’s children,” said Jesus, “then you would do what Abraham did.”

John 8:44 “You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires.

There was also an expectation that the son will share or inherit his fathers authority.

We see this in the Bible in several places but let’s look at the Herod family.

Herod the Great (37–4 BC) Matthew 2:1-19; Luke 1:5: King of Judea under Roman authority. Ordered the Massacre of the Innocents—the killing of ale babies in Bethlehem to eliminate Jesus (Matthew 2:16-18). Rebuilt the Temple in Jerusalem (Herod’s Temple).

Herod Antipas (4 BC–AD 39) Son Matthew 14:1-12; Luke 23:6-12; Mark 6:14-29 Role: Tetrarch (ruler) of Galilee and Perea; Ordered the beheading of John the Baptist at the request of Herodias and her daughter Salome (Mark 6:17-29). Mocked Jesus during His trial before Pontius Pilate (Luke 23:6-12).

Herod Agrippa I (AD 37–44) Grandson of Herod the Great Acts 12:1-23 Role:; king of Judea. Persecuted Christians and ordered the execution of James the apostle (Acts 12:1-2). Imprisoned Peter, but Peter was miraculously freed (Acts 12:6-11). Died suddenly, struck by an angel for accepting worship as a god (Acts 12:21-23).

Herod Agrippa II (AD 50–92) Great-grandson of Herod the Great: Acts 25:13–26:32 Role:; last king of the Herodian dynasty. Heard Paul’s defense when he was on trial before being sent to Rome (Acts 26). Told Paul, “Do you think that in such a short time you can persuade me to be a Christian?” (Acts 26:28).

So the word son here, and it is used specifically to show the Jesus had the role, rights and responsibilities of a son.

The rights duties and responsibilities of a son are found throughout the old testament but I want to focus on just a few of them.

Sons had rights

Sons inherited their father’s property (Numbers 27:8-11)

and carried on the family name (Deuteronomy 25:6).

The firstborn son had a double portion of inheritance and leadership responsibility (Deuteronomy 21:17).

Good fathers also included their daughters in the inheritance. ‘Now in all the land no women were found so beautiful as Job’s daughters; and their father gave them inheritance among their brothers.’ Job 42:15. God is a good father.

Sons had responsibilities

Jews Exodus 21:15, 17 "Anyone who attacks their father or mother is to be put to death."

"Anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put to death."

Deuteronomy 21:18-21 – The Rebellious Son If the son persisted in rebellion, he could be brought before the elders of the city and face death by stoning to purge the evil from the community.

Sons were expected to honor and care for their parents (Exodus 20:12).

Sons were expected to show obedience and respect to their fathers (Proverbs 4:1-4).

‘In these last days spoke to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things,’

Jesus took on the ‘role’ of son. He was the perfect son. He became like the father, in every way because he did what a perfect son would do and was submissive to His father. Consider these verses.

Philippians 2:8 – “And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!”

Matthew 26:39 – “Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, ‘My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.’”

John 10:18 – “No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.”

John 5:19 – “Jesus gave them this answer: ‘Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.’”

John 8:28-29 – “I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me. The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him.”

John 14:31 – “But he comes so that the world may learn that I love the Father and do exactly what my Father has commanded me.”

John 10:30 – “I and the Father are one.”

John 17:21 – “That all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you.”

Having the role as son has massive implications. A perfect son would be like his father, inherit all of his father’s things, carry his father’s name, and even have his father’s authority.

· Back to our scripture. God, having spoken long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, 2 ain these last days spoke to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds,

‘World’ here can also be translated as ‘ages’ but it echoes what John said in

John 1: 3 All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.

Heb. 1:3 who is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power; who, having accomplished cleansing for sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,

‘who is the radiance of His glory’ – not the reflection but the actual essence of Gods glory is being radiated from Jesus.

‘and the exact representation of His nature’, This term is the same as is used for stamping coins. Jesus isn’t a copy of God the Father, he is the exact same image.

‘and upholds all things by the word of His power; who, having accomplished cleansing for sins,’

I used to think that Jesus died so my sins could be forgiven, but one day I realized that that simply wasn’t true. There were sacrifices that cleansed the people from sin. If forgiveness was what God wanted we could have just kept offering them. Jesus himself forgave people often when he healed them, no sacrifice needed and Jesus didn’t need to die.

Luke 5:20: "And when he saw their faith, he said, 'Man, your sins are forgiven you'"

Luke 7:47-48: "I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.' And he said to her, 'Your sins are forgiven'"

Mark 2:5: "Jesus told the paralytic, 'Child, your sins are forgiven'"

The Greek words for having accomplished cleansing for sin doesn’t mean forgiveness, it means become purified. Jesus died so that we could become sinless. It also doesn’t mean instantly purified, it means undergo the process of purification.

Jesus is the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power; who, having accomplished cleansing for sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,

4 ‘having become so much better than the angels’,

The word angel is Greek is Angelon and means messenger in this case Gods messenger. Not some pudgy faced baby with wings.

‘as He has inherited a more excellent name than they.’

We typically understand our ‘name’ to Michael or John or Betty, but in that culture name was also your title. Think General Patton, President Eisenhower, Dr. Katt, Reverend Martin Luther King, coach Lockett, Your name was your reputation and authority.

Having become much better than just a messenger, because he was given the title of Son.

What is the application

The writer of Hebrews actually give us the application in Hebrews 2:1.

Heb 2:1 For this reason we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away. 2 For if the word spoken through angels proved unalterable, and every trespass and disobedience received a just penalty, 3 how will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation? That salvation, first spoken by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard, 4 God also testifying with them, both by signs and wonders and by various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit according to His own will.

The application for us today is the same.

What is wrong with you? How can you drift away from the truth? God has been trying to talk to you from the beginning. He has used every way possible way to communicate; angels, prophets, dreams, vision, miracles, He has offered to adopt you! To share in everything, He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore,." To be sinless, painless, sorrow-less, If we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him, he also will deny us; (2 Tim 2:12, Rev 3:21) 1 Cor 2 says You can’t even conceive of the things he has prepared for you. He sent his Son, the very creator of the world, to offer this great salvation He healed people, fed multitudes, raised the dead, and even dies on a cross so you will take notice and listen . If people that didn’t listen to the mere servants the angels were left without excuse, how do you think the Father will react you didn’t listen to his Son?