seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
Hebrews 1:1 In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, 2 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. 3 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. 4 So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs.
5 For to which of the angels did God ever say,
“You are my Son;
today I have become your Father”[a]?
today I have become your Father”[a]?
Or again,
“I will be his Father,
and he will be my Son”[b]?
and he will be my Son”[b]?
6 And again, when God brings his firstborn into the world, he says,
“Let all God’s angels worship him.”[c]
7 In speaking of the angels he says,
“He makes his angels spirits,
and his servants flames of fire.”[d]
and his servants flames of fire.”[d]
8 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.
9 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.”[e]
a scepter of justice will be the scepter of your kingdom.
9 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.”[e]
10 He also says,
“In the beginning, Lord, you laid the foundations of the earth,
and the heavens are the work of your hands.
11 They will perish, but you remain;
they will all wear out like a garment.
12 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.”[f]
and the heavens are the work of your hands.
11 They will perish, but you remain;
they will all wear out like a garment.
12 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.”[f]
13 To which of the angels did God ever say,
14 Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?
a. Hebrews 1:5 Psalm 2:7
b. Hebrews 1:5 2 Samuel 7:14; 1 Chron. 17:13
c. Hebrews 1:6 Deut. 32:43 (see Dead Sea Scrolls and Septuagint)
d. Hebrews 1:7 Psalm 104:4
e. Hebrews 1:9 Psalm 45:6,7
f. Hebrews 1:12 Psalm 102:25-27
g. Hebrews 1:13 Psalm 110:1
This is from the easy English site.
The author of this book does not tell us his name. There is nothing in the book to say who wrote it. For centuries the church thought that the author was the apostle Paul. But Paul always begins his letters with his name. The way that the author uses Greek words is unlike the way Paul uses them. There have been many suggestions, but nobody knows who wrote this book. All that we know is that Timothy was a friend of both the writer and the readers.
The first readers were probably Christian Jews. The author did not write for all Jews. He wrote to a group, whom he knew well, that had become Christian. The book shows that they were not strong in their belief. They were in danger of going back to their old religion. The writer argues from the Old Testament to keep them trusting in Jesus
From early times the church believed that the readers lived in Jerusalem. The title, the letter to the Hebrews, could show that they were Jews in Israel who spoke Hebrew. Many Jews who did not live in Israel spoke Greek. Another suggestion is that the readers lived in Rome. There is in fact so little evidence in the book itself that we have to say that we do not know where the readers were living.
A bishop of Rome named Clement knew this letter and used it in his own writing. He wrote in about AD 96. The author of the letter to the Hebrews wrote his letter before then. From what is in the book we could argue that the Jews were still carrying on the temple ceremonies in Jerusalem. We know that the Romans destroyed the temple in AD 70. If the date of writing was later, the author would have noted that event. So the date of the letter was probably before AD 70. (The ceremonies that he speaks about did not take place in fact from the temple. They refer to the special tent that was in use before the Jews built the temple).
These Christian Jews had to make a choice. They could not continue in Judaism and be Christians. They must decide which way to go. It was either to go back to being Jews or to go on to be Christians. It seems that their nation had now turned against Christians. They could not now go to the Temple as the Jews would not let them. The writer tries to show his readers that the right choice was to continue to trust in Jesus. That was much better than all the ceremonies of their former religion, which Jesus had replaced.
The way he writes is almost like a speech or a lesson. He cares about his friends and wants to advise them in the choices they have to make.
The phrase ‘in the last days’ often meant the time of the Messiah. The writer uses it here to show that the Messiah has come. The Hebrews were always expecting this person to come. He will bring a new age to them. He will be their king and he will overcome all their enemies. The Hebrews did not understand the real nature of the Messiah. He is the Son of God, Jesus Christ. The time had come for Jesus to do his work on earth. In the past God told people something about himself. But now he has spoken in Jesus. He shows us what God is really like. God’s Son Jesus became a human being to show God to us. Jesus is just like God and so we can know God. What God had shown in the past prepared the way for Jesus and what he would say and do.
The writer gives 7 facts to show how great God’s Son Jesus is:
1. God appointed his Son to own everything.
2. God created all that there is in space and time by his Son.
3. The Son shines with God’s light.
4. The Son shows us what God is like. When we come to know Jesus, then we also come to know God. Jesus said, ‘Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father’ (John 14:19), and ‘I and my Father are one’ (John 10:30). God is the Father.
5. The Son Jesus maintains all things (Colossians 1:17). Having made the worlds and all things, Jesus Christ is still in control of them. His word of power maintains all things in their proper place. He has control of time and directs the future. He will cause all things to complete his plan. He made all things and he owns all things in heaven and on earth.
6. The Son Jesus gave his life to make us clean from all sin. All men and women have done wrong. There is not one person who is right in God's sight (Romans 3:23). God is so holy that nothing that is wrong can live with him. This means that no person can live with God. Jesus the Son of God came and was a perfect human being. At the same time he was God in a human body. Jesus had two purposes in coming into this world as a human being. The first was to show us what God is like. The second was to take away all our sins (that is, all wrong doing in our lives). He took away all our sins and accepted the punishment for them by dying on the cross. Jesus proved that he has done this by coming back to life from the dead. Now, if we believe in him, he will make us clean from all wrong. In that way Jesus makes us fit to live with God.
7. Jesus the Son is now at God’s right hand. After Jesus had made the way for us to be clean from sin, he went back to heaven. He sat down at the right hand of God. The right hand is a picture of the place of greatest honour. Now Jesus is the ruler over all of creation.
To the Hebrews angels were very important. Angels are powerful agents of God. It was by them that God spoke of himself in the old times. The Hebrews believe that the law from God came by angels. When Jesus came into this world, he became for a little time lower than the angels. As a human being, Jesus was the Son of God. God gave his name great honour when he raised him from the dead. In this, Jesus is superior to the angels. They have never become sons of God. They could not show us God as Jesus has done. They could not take our sins away and make us clean as Jesus did. God gave Jesus a better name than he has given to angels. Jesus alone was the Son of God.
God the Father has said to God the Son, ‘Sit at my right hand’. He goes on to say, ‘while I make all your enemies a place to rest your feet’ (Psalm 110:1). God did not say these things to any angel. Angels stand before God as his servants. Jesus now sits with God, and so is much greater than the angels. This means that Jesus is equal with God. He always was equal with God before he came to earth. Now as a human being he again sits in his place next to God. That is the most powerful place that there is. Jesus still has lots of enemies, but with God he will overcome them all. In the old days the soldier who won a battle put his feet on the neck of the defeated king (Joshua 10:24). This is the picture of the enemies as a place to rest his feet. Jesus will be the master of all.
What is the role of angels? Angels do not rule. Their task is to serve. They are servants of God. God also sends them to help the people who trust in Jesus. Believers are those who accept salvation. They will one day live in heaven with God.
OK... if this was written about 69AD.... the people reading it were still thinking Jesus the Messiah was going to come back any minute now with a great army and run the Romans right out of town. They were putting off their wedding plans. Big affairs like that had to be set aside for now unless they just couldn't keep their hands off each other. They were training for a war. The Romans didn't like them... they hunted them down at every turn. They had to hide out when they worshipped.
There were some Jews in this chapter who just gave up. They decided that the whole Messiah is here stuff was tripe.... and they went back to the Temple. They went back to following the hundreds of laws, orders, rules, regulations, policies and procedures the Pharisees and the Sadducees came up with. Their hope was shoved way down deep in their guts and they went back to the rituals of sacrifice.
The Christian Jews were trying to figure out how they made their mistake. While trying to figure out why Jesus, the Messiah, hadn't returned with His army of Angels might have been that Jesus, the one who they saw, was really just an Angel Himself. They might have even been thinking they backed the wrong guy. They figured he was like Michael or Gabriel. This chapter shows just how Jesus fit the predictions and Jesus is the Son of God.... Everything belongs to Him so He'll be back to clean it up and claim it.
It just occurred to me... maybe this chapter is a warning... rather than a comparison or a study of hierarchy. Maybe the words have a different meaning. Maybe the author was saying.... "this guy who is coming back is not just an Angel.... He's the Son of God and they hung Him on a Cross and then lied about His conquest of death.... and He's coming back to kick some human butt." After all, God does tell His Son that He's going to make His Son's enemies into a footstool. A human footstool..... what a concept... but God is God and He can do or make anything He desires.
These Jews were debating. They thought Jesus the Messiah was going to come back right away. The longer they waited, the more hope they lost. They were stuck with making a decision..... keep waiting... working in the church.... waiting..... or they could "admit defeat" and go back to the Temple. I wonder, was it better to face the "I told you so" from their neighbors.... or to be persecuted and face brutal beatings by the Roman soldiers? That was the decision they had to make.... Jesus wasn't just an Angel.
It wasn't too good to be true.... He is coming back... when He's ready.
Social media is heavy with people who are leaving their church because of political differences. Some complain that members of the church are demanding that a good "Christian" will vote for a particular candidate. Some complain that their candidate is "chosen" by God. While others feel that their candidate is more Christlike. Some are leaving their church because when they go to Bible Study.... members sit around a table in a closed rooms without masks. Some are afraid to pull out a mask.... some are of the opinion wearing a mask is somehow shunning God.
That's kind of what was going on back when this chapter was written. Some were sure Jesus was coming right back and they were doing everything they could to stay ready. Others were giving up.... saying "it is what it is"... I'm going back to Temple.
Jesus is the Son of God. His birth was heralded by Angels.
Some people think that being Christlike means being a little Angel. I keep saying "I'm no Angel" I've done a lot of things I shouldn't have. But when I say "I'm not an Angel" it it means that I didn't always behave. When Jesus says "I'm no Angel" it means He was there when God decided to make Angels.... and He was there when God handed out the assignments to the Angels..... but Jesus owns the Angels...
When Jesus says "I'm no Angel" He's saying He out-classes the Angels.... He's the Son of God.
