Hebrews 1:1-5

Hebrews 1:1-5

Introduction
The book of Hebrews has no official author tied to it although it is believed very highly that the Apostle Paul is the author of it. The book was definitely written before the destruction of the Temple in 70 A.D. This book could be one of the earliest of the New Testament based upon Hebrews 12:4. (Heb 12:4 KJV) Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin. It states that they, the new Christians, have not yet resisted unto blood against sin. The first martyr of the church was Stephen but we know that it could not have been written back then but the next major martyr of the church was James. (Acts 12:1-2 KJV) Now about that time Herod the king stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church. {2} And he killed James the brother of John with the sword. This was Herod Agrippa 1 who was the nephew of Herod Antipas who had a part in the trial of Jesus. He ruled from 41 A.D and died in 44 A.D. which means that Hebrews may have been written around that time since the persecutions did not start yet. The main theme of Hebrews is to show the superiority of the Son to prophets, priests, angels and the superiority of the New Covenant over the old. This Epistle speaks of the heavenly ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ as our mediator and Intercessor. It shows how the New Covenant supersedes the Old Covenant and how the Old Covenant can not save anyone. The early Hebrew Christians were under tremendous pressure to revert to Judaism and there are warnings to the Hebrew Christians that they must not even consider going back under the law after they have been saved. The book shows the fact that Christianity can never be supplanted because it is the only way open to Heaven and to God. Christianity is the gate whereby people can come to God through the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ and there is no other way to become saved other than through Christ.

Heb 1:1 (KJB)
God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,

Who at sundry times - Many parts or portions of the whole
In divers manner - In various ways
The opening of the book literally sets the tone of the entire epistle. From 1447 B.C. to about 445 B.C., over a period of about 1000 years God spoke in parts to different prophets. The earliest was Moses and the latest in the Old Testament was Nehemiah and Malachi, as they were contemporaries. God spoke through the prophets during that 1000 years and it was not a steady revelation. The book of Job is dated about the time of Abraham which would put it about 2100 B.C. During the time of the Old testament, God spoke through visions: (Gen 46:2 KJV) And God spake unto Israel in the visions of the night, and said, Jacob, Jacob. And he said, Here am I.
Heb 1:2 (KJB)
Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;
Last - The final or uttermost days
He hath appointed - Set, place, or to put
Verse 2 shows a continuation from the time of the Old Testament. The revelation of Jesus Christ started back in the Old Testament by means of the prophets but now in these last days, since the Lord Jesus Christ has come and went back to Heaven, God now speaks through Him. The word “last” as it is in the Greek means that these are the final days of earth’s history. The last days began at the cross and will end on judgment day on the last day. The term “last days” does not mean a short period before the return of Christ. (Rev 22:10 KJV) And he saith unto me, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand. In Revelation 22:10, we read the time was already at hand and that was speaking of the beginning of the last days. Through the entire New Testament period, up to the last day, we no longer look to the Old Testament dispensation of ceremonial laws. We are now in the age of the free grace of God whereby people can only become saved through Christ and nothing else. This is why we are to listen only to the Son, that is, we seek Him and nothing or no one else for salvation.
Christ was also made the heir of all things. He is the Son of God and as with men Sons become inheritors. Of course, this is only figurative because God cannot die and only upon death does an estate pass to the sons. The inheritance came from the fact that the Lord Jesus Christ died upon Calvary for the sins of the Elect resulting in Him becoming the Savior of millions. (Psa 2:8 KJV) Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. Millions of Gentiles have become saved and they are from all around the world as this passage teaches. There is not a nation on earth where the Elect of God cannot be found. The Son is the agent whereby God has created the world and the universe. (Col 1:16 KJV) For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
Heb 1:3 (KJB)
Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;
Brightness - Radiance, reflected brightness, or effulgence
Express image - Exact likeness or exact expression
Upholding - Carrying or bearing
Purged - Cleansed or purified
This verse teaches us many truths in a small space. First, we are told that Christ is the radiance or the brightness of God’s glory. We see this in His creative ability such as the fishes and loaves. He holds the same glorious names such as “I Am” as Christ was the great I Am of Sinai. He reveals all the perfections of God plus He is worshipped just as God the Father is worshipped. Next, we are told that He is the exact likeness of God the Father. (Col 1:15 KJV) Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: Every characteristic the father possesses, the Son also possesses. (John 14:9 KJV) Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Show us the Father? Jesus told Philip, that by looking at Him, he was looking at the Father. We are told next that it is the Son who upholds all things by His power. (Col 1:17 KJV) And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. He causes the plants to grow for food, He raises and brings down kings, He governs in the affairs of men, and He will bring this present universe and world to its appointed end. Then we are told that Christ Himself was the one who died for the sins of His people and it was not through a vicarious sacrifice. Christ was the sacrifice for sins and after He had successfully cleansed the Elect of sins, He went back to Heaven and sat down on the right hand of God the Father. (Mark 14:62 KJV) And Jesus said, I am: and ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. Jesus sits on the right Hand of God ruling and reigning and interceding until the time appointed when He will return to earth to bring all His children home to glory and then begin the final judgment of the unsaved.
Heb 1:4 (KJB)
Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.
Better - Superior
He hath by inheritance obtained - Acquired, received, or obtained
Angels are brought into the picture because in ancient Israel, angels had so much involvement that there was almost a temptation to worship them. In fact the Apostle Paul had warned the Colossians against any form of angel worship. The angels were dispatched by God to do certain tasks and then they disappeared and went back to Heaven. When it states here that Christ was made better than the angels, this is in no way speaking of Christ being created. It had to do with His incarnation when He came to die for the sins of His people. (Gal 4:4 KJV) But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, Christ was already God the Son before He came to earth through the birth channel. The inheritance, through which He received a better name, was the inheritance of the people He came to save. (Psa 33:12 KJV) Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance. The reason that Christ received a more excellent name was because He did something the angels could not do and that was become a sacrifice for His people thus becoming their Savior. Since the Elect angels (1 Tim. 5:21) had not sinned, they did not have any conception about being redeemed. (1 Pet 1:12 KJV) Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into. Then angels had desired to understand the things of salvation because they are intelligent beings but they will never have a name greater than that of Christ.
Heb 1:5 (KJB)
For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son?
God the Father at no time ever said to an angel that he was His Son. (Psa 2:7 KJV) I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee. Psalm 2:7 declares that God stated to the Lord Jesus that He was begotten of Him. While the angels hold an exalted position, it is never higher than being servants of the Lord who created them. The word “begotten” in the Greek is in the perfect tense which means that Christ was “begotten” and it is a final, completed action. Christ is the Son of God by nature and not by any type of action. This means that He was distinct in character and deity from the angels. Even though the angels were called “sons of God” it did not mean they held the same position or relationship to God that Jesus did. (Job 2:1 KJV) Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them to present himself before the LORD. God repeats, that only the Lord Jesus Christ will be His only begotten Son and He will be a Father to Him. “Begotten” carries with it the idea of having a unique relationship. (1 John 4:9 KJV) In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. That unique relationship goes back into eternity.

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