Hebrews

Chapter 1
 Hebrews
Chapter 1

Jesus Christ Is Superior To The Prophets

And Angels In Both Natures.
 Hebrews 1:
1 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time
past unto the fathers by the prophets,
2 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;
3 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;
 Hebrews 1:
4 Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by
inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.
5 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?
6 And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world,
he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him.
 Hebrews 1:
7 And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his
ministers a flame of fire.
8 But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever:
a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.
9 Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God,
even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy
fellows.
 Hebrews 1:
10 And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of
the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands:
11 They shall perish; but thou remainest; and they all shall wax old
as doth a garment;
12 And as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be
changed: but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail.
 Hebrews 1:
13 But to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right
hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool?
14 Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for
them who shall be heirs of salvation?
 Introduction

Gospel preaching by Apostles brought lots of Jewish converts.


Zeal for OT religion competed with the knowledge of Christ.


Persecution by their countrymen almost caused some to recant.


Jews knew God gave OT laws & ordinances to Moses and the Prophets.


But reformation by the John, Christ and Apostles puzzled their minds.
 Acts 5:
14 And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both
of men and women.)
 Acts 6:
7 And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples
multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests
were obedient to the faith.
 Acts 21:
18 And the day following Paul went in with us unto James; and all
the elders were present.
19 And when he had saluted them, he declared particularly what
things God had wrought among the Gentiles by his ministry.
20 And when they heard it, they glorified the Lord, and said unto
him, Thou seest, brother, how many thousands of Jews there are
which believe; and they are all zealous of the law:
21 And they are informed of thee, that thou teachest all the Jews
which are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, saying that they
ought not to circumcise their children, neither to walk after the
customs.
 Introduction

Apostolic reformation diametrical opposed chore elements of Judaism.


To demolish their OT relics, Paul wrote this epistle to Jewish converts.


Gospel preaching is war against contrary imaginations and thoughts of hearers.


This epistle is Paul pulling down strongholds in the minds of Jewish converts.


His method is simple: demolish any opposition to the knowledge of Christ.
 Introduction

If Jews think Moses was great, Paul demolished Moses and exalted Christ!


Some hate our criticism of Rome, her Popes and her Sacraments.


But the Pope is Paul's man of sin and John's great whore. Think!


They are opposed to any criticism of false prophets and doctrines.


We can only wonder if these "Christians" have truly known Christ.
 Introduction

In Hebrews 1 Paul demolishes OT prophets and holy angels to exalt Christ.


If you love the Preeminence of Christ, you will love Hebrews One.
 Hebrews
Chapter 1

Jesus Christ Is Superior To The Prophets

And Angels In Both Natures.

Hebrews 1 has two lessons.


Each lesson is about the superiority of Christ


Lesson #1: Jesus Christ is superior to the prophets in both natures .


Lesson #2 : Jesus Christ is superior to the angels in both natures.
 Lesson #1:
(Verses 1–3)
Jesus Christ is superior to
the prophets in both
natures.
 Hebrews 1:
1 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time
past unto the fathers by the prophets,


God spoke to the Jewish fathers at sundry times and by divers manners.


Sundry: Separate, distinct; individually separate; different. A number of several.


Divers: Different; not of the same kind; various, sundry, several; more than one.


God spoke to the fathers at different times and by various means of revelation.
 Hebrews 1:
1 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time
past unto the fathers by the prophets,


Consider "sundry times": Gen 3:15; 12:3; 49:10; Ex 3:14; 6:3; II Sam 7:12; Job 19:25; Psalm
2:12; 22:1; Isaiah 7:14; 9:6; Daniel 9:25; Micah 5:2; Mal 3:1.


Consider "divers manners": Gen 15:12; 18:1; 22:15; 28:12; 32:24; 41:25; Ex 3:4; 24:12; 33:9;
33:23; Num 12:6-8; 27:21; I Sam 3:4; I Kgs 19:12; Ps 45:1.


Old Testament revelation was partial and progressive. It gave a little at a time.
 Hebrews 1:
1 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time
past unto the fathers by the prophets,


God used the ministry of the prophets to reveal His will "in time past" to the Jews.


The law and prophets were until John; after that things changed (Luke 16:16).


The prophets were the heroes of the Hebrews: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Samuel,
David, Elijah, Elisha, Micaiah, Isaiah, Daniel, Haggai, Malachi, etc.


The "time past" the Hebrews knew was 4000 years from Adam to Jesus Christ.
 Hebrews 1:
1 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time
past unto the fathers by the prophets,


"In time past" puts the ministry of the prophets in the past. Read it!


"In time past" is opposed to "in these last days" of verse 2


God speaks in these last days by someone far superior to the prophets and fathers.


The opening verse of Hebrews is a deathblow to all brands of Continuationists.


Prophets coming after the "time past" are dangerous wolves to avoid.
In Time Past!
In Time Past!
In Time Past!
In Time Past!
In Time Past!
In Time Past!
In Time Past!
In Time Past!
In Time Past!
Dangerous
wolf!
Dangerous
wolf!
Dangerous
wolf!
Dangerous
wolf!
Dangerous
wolf!
Dangerous
wolf!
 Hebrews 1:
2 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;

 The "last days" may refer to the last days before Israel's destruction, the New Testament
age, or the last days of the world's existence, as we now know it.

 We must emphasize Israel's last days (Dan 9:27) and the last dispensation (Heb 12:28).

 Paul tells the Hebrews that the Son is superior to all the prophets and fathers!

 The superiority of the last days is found in the messenger - the Son of God.
 Hebrews 1:
2 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;

 We are privileged in these last days to have Jehovah speak to us by his Son.

 Who wants to hear a prophet when the Son is speaking?

 With the Son speaking today, we must give more attention and heed (Heb 2:1).

 With the Son speaking today, more shall be required of us (Luke 12:48).

 With the Son speaking, rebels are in greater danger (Heb 2:2-3; 10:28-29; 12:25)!
 Hebrews 1:
2 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;

 Paul gives the Hebrews seven particulars of Christ's superiority over the prophets.

 #1) Christ as the Son of God is the heir of all things for his humiliation and death.

 #2) the Son created the universe in his divine nature as God.

 This is very plain. Before he became Son, he preexisted as Creator God (Jon 1:1-3,14)
 Hebrews 1:
3 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;

 #3) The Incarnate Son is the bright glory of the eternal God.

 #4) the incarnate Son expresses the personal image of the eternal God.

 The invisible eternal God became visible in the incarnate Son.

 Jesus body contained the full brightness, glory, and person of the Eternal God (Col 2:9)
 Hebrews 1:
3 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;

 #5) Jesus, in his nature as God, upholds, the universe by his powerful word.

 He created and sustains all thins. Indeed he is greater than the prophets!

 #6), Jesus purged our sins, thereby securing our salvation from damnation.

 He did this all by himself – By himself alone.

 Hebrews 1:
3 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;

 The reflexive pronoun himself is an emphasis to exclude any and all others!

 Angels, prophets nor the fathers had any role nor part in the purging our of sins.

 There is only one Saviour – Jesus the son of God, and prophets do not share his glory!

 #7) Jesus is highly exalted on God's right in his human nature.

 Now seated, for the work is finished, accepted, effectual and secure.
 Hebrews 1:
3 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;

 These seven qualities of the Son puts him far above the fathers and the prophets.

 In the presence of Moses and Elijah, the father commanded to hear only the Son!

 The Son told the Jews, A greater than Solomon and Jonah is here!

 With the Son in these last days, let us not be distracted by modern cheap-jack prophets.
 Lesson #2:
(Verses 4–14)
Jesus Christ is superior to
the angels in both natures.
 Hebrews 1:
4 Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by
inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.

 Having exalted Christ over the prophets, Paul moves to exalt him over angels.

 Jews had high esteem of angels which interfered with their knowledge of Christ.

 Jews did not doubt angels were superior to the prophets (II Pet 2:11).

 Since angels were so high, any Being higher than angels must be God.

 Paul now shows them by various arguments that Christ is superior to the angels.
 Hebrews 1:
4 Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by
inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.

 Jesus was made better than the angels by having a name superior to theirs.

 The superior name which Jesus received by inheritance is "Son" (Heb 1:5).

 The name "Jesus" is above other names but "Son" is the name considered here.

 This poses no problem since Jesus is the Son of God.

 "Being made" better than the angels describes His exaltation after the ascension.
 Hebrews 1:
5 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?

 Paul quotes two prophecies of Christ to prove his point (Psalm 2:7; II Sam 7:14).

 There has never been an angel ("which of the angels") that God called His Son.

 They are called the sons of God only as considered together (Job 1:6; 38:7).

 Otherwise they have names such as Gabriel and titles as servant (Re 22:8-9).

 Paul's argument also destroys the lies of JW which reduces Christ to an angel.
 Hebrews 1:
5 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?

 Observe the force and frequency of Paul's rhetorical questions ere.


Rhetorical question is a question not intended to receive an answer but asked to enforce a
point because the answer is already obvious (e.g "Who does not love his mother?")


Four times Paul makes a strong point using rhetorical questions (1:5, 5, 13, 14).


Inspired rhetorical questions are seen frequently in this epistle (Hebrews 2:3-4; 3:17; 3:18;
7:11; 9:13-14; 10:2; 10:28-29; 12:9).
 Hebrews 1:
6 And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world,
he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him.

 Jesus is superior to the angels in that they were commanded to worship Him (Heb 1:6).

 The quotation is taken from Psalm 97:7 where the angels are called "gods" by God.

 The angels worshiped Him at His birth (Luke 9:9-14) and ascension (Rev 5:11-12).

 The force of Paul's argument is: worshipers are inferior to the worshiped.

 Modern versions pervert the use of "again" to have Jesus coming to earth again.
 Hebrews 1:
7 And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his
ministers a flame of fire.

 Jesus is superior to the angels in that they are creatures that He created (Heb 1-7).

 The quotation is from Psalm 104:4 where the creation of all things is considered.

 The Creator under consideration is obviously Jesus the Son of God (John 1:3 cp Heb 1:3).
 Hebrews 1:
8 But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and
ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.
9 Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God,
even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy
fellows.

 Jesus is superior to the angels in that He is God and on a throne above them (Heb 1:8-9)

 The quotation is from Psalm 45:6-7, where the Psalmist describes Christ's glory.

 This application is one of the strongest arguments for the full Deity of Jesus.
 Hebrews 1:
8 But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and
ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.
9 Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God,
even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy
fellows.

 God the Father speaks; the Son is directly addressed; Deity is clearly stated.

 Consider how some great enemies of God - the Russellites - corrupt the text.
 Hebrews 1:
8 But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and
ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.
9 Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God,
even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy
fellows.

 The great force of the verse compares the servant role of angels to Christ (Heb 1:7).

 The Son's reign is also described by a righteous scepter, as is meet (II Sam 23:3).

 Christ's love of righteousness and hatred of iniquity is the grounds of reward.

 Hebrews 1:
8 But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and
ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.
9 Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God,
even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy
fellows.

 God rewarded the obedience of Christ with the Holy Spirit above all the angels.

 God gave the Spirit to Jesus above measure because He loved Him (Jn 3:34).

 God gave the Spirit to Jesus as Victor to distribute as spoil (Acts 2:33).

 Both gifts of the Holy Ghost to Christ exceeded any such gift to the angels.
 Hebrews 1:
8 But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and
ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.
9 Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God,
even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy
fellows.

 Note how Paul moves from Christ's Deity (as God) to Humanity (as under God).

 This is the great mystery of godliness - God manifest in the flesh (I Tim 3:16).

 Jesus is Jehovah God manifest in the flesh (John 1:14).

 Hebrews 1:
10 And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth;
and the heavens are the works of thine hands:
11 They shall perish; but thou remainest; and they all shall wax old as doth
a garment;
12 And as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed:
but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail.

 Jesus is superior to the angels in that He is Creator of all things and immutable.

 The quotation is from Psalm 102:25-27 where Christ's humiliation is described.

 The word "and" connects this quotation firmly to his argument regarding angels
 Hebrews 1:
13 But to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand,
until I make thine enemies thy footstool?
14 Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who
shall be heirs of salvation?

 Jesus is superior to the angels in that He is on His throne with them as servants.

 The quotation is from Psalm l10:1 where Jesus is prophesied as King and Priest.

 Sitting describes rest and honor, but the angels are sent forth to minister.
 Hebrews 1:
13 But to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand,
until I make thine enemies thy footstool?
14 Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who
shall be heirs of salvation?

 Jesus Christ has been exalted high above all angels and powers (I Peter 3:22).

 We should not neglect the importance of angelic service for us (Ps 34:7; 91:9-12).

 The idea of a guardian angel for each man is pagan fable.

 Angels minister for the heirs of salvation which limits their service to the elect.
 Hebrews 1:
13 But to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand,
until I make thine enemies thy footstool?
14 Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who
shall be heirs of salvation?

 Did Esau get a guardian angel? Pharaoh? Nebuchadnezzar?

 God's good providence extends to all men (Matt 5:45), but that is not in view here.

 God's angels are around you, but don’t be infatuated with these servants.
 Hebrews 1:
13 But to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand,
until I make thine enemies thy footstool?
14 Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who
shall be heirs of salvation?

 Christ is superior to the angels, and this fact should fill us with awe for him.

 The Superiority of Christ over prophets and angels demands your full attention.

 Rebels against prophets did not escape, neither will you against the Son?
 Matthew 17:5
While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud
overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the
cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom
I am well pleased; hear ye him.
 Matthew 17:5
While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud
overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the
cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom
I am well pleased; hear ye him.