“Christianity Is the Greatest” - Hebrews 1:2,3
INTRODUCTION:
Is Christianity really so different than all the other religions of the world? What makes us Christians believe that the religion of Christ is so unique? Is it not just another way to heaven? The reality is that since the Bible is the only legitimate and provable Word of God, we must look to it as our only authority. Those who look to the Koran, the book of Mormon, etc. will have no reason to accept the facts of the Bible. They are like the guy I ran into years ago, who, when talking to him about the Bible, said, “I know what I believe and you are trying to confuse me with the facts.” In his Freudian slip of the tongue he revealed what he was thinking in his heart. The facts of the Bible are these about Christianity:
A. Christianity Has The Greatest Chronicles - v.2a "has in these last days"
The word "has" is past tense. This means it is a completed action in history. What is it that is completed? The writer is getting to that.
B. Christianity Has The Greatest Communicator - v.2b "spoken to us"
Is this ongoing revelation? No, but God does still speak through his Word. Like Abel still speaks thru his blood, God still speaks to us thru what he revealed to his apostles. The point of this phrase is that the same God that spoke to the prophets of old, speaks to us today; and since that God is the same, the two revelations must harmonize.
C. Christianity Has The Greatest Commander - - v.2c "by His Son"
It literally says "in a son." You ask, what difference does it make? A lot. The word "His" (NKJ/NIV) and "the"(KJV) are not in the original languiage. They were supplied by the translators to help it be more understandable. (It is a shame when translators try to help God out, because in doing so they mess with His original intent). The word "a" should be there. Notice in verse one that the word "the" comes before the word "prophets?" This is because the article "the" always speaks of a class; whereas if the article is removed it refers to the nature or quality of that noun. The prophets are viewed as a group, while Jesus is viewed as a person of superior quality.
So, the writer’s point is that God spoke to a certain class of men called prophets, when delivering His Old Testament revelation. But, when delivering His final revelation to man, he spoke through One who was of the same nature as Himself. (John 16:13,14 gives more info.) Any further revelation must therefore be delivered by someone greater than God. All of these so-called "modern-day" revelations are an insult to God! Who could possibly listen to them!?
ILLUSTRATION: Imagine at Mt. Sinai with all the lightning, thunder, smoke and the threat of death to any person or animal that even came close to the mountain, and how the people shuddered with fear as God was soon to speak His commandments. How would it 8have been, if, after God had spoken through Moses, and Moses had come down and shown the people the tablets, that someone had stepped forward and said "Well, thank you God for the revelation of your will, now let me just add a few words. I don’t think 10 are quite enough. Here, let me add number eleven.” What would have happened to such a man? Why everyone agrees that such a man would have been swallowed up by the earth for his heresy - not to mention arrogance. No one at that point would have even, in their wildest imaginings, would dare think of doing such a thing. And that was the law through Moses! How much worse it will be, when God has spoken through Jesus, His son, who is deity, for those who have stepped forward and added such writings as, the Book of Mormon, the Koran, the Pearl of Great Price, etc., etc.
Let all the world keep our mouths shut in silence before the ultimate and final revelation from God. Jesus himself illustrated this in Mt.21 in the parable of the king who sent servants and the people killed them, and he said surely if I send my son, they will listen to him, and when the son arrived, they killed him too! The word from a servant of the king carries a lot of weight, but what about a personal word from the Kings Son? People had better listen closely to the Son.
POINT: Since the quality of the one delivering the New Testament revelation is far superior, it would follow that the revelation would also be superior. And it is. The writer is already teaching the Christians there, that if they go back to the Old Testament system, they are going back to the inferior.
D. Christianity Has The Greatest Celebrity - v.2d "has appointed"
Many times a famous celebrity will go to a city and the Mayor will give him the "key to the city." Or a celebrity will receive an "honorary degree" from a university. These are all paper honors. In reality, the celebrity cannot do as he pleases, go as he pleases, take as he pleases, just because he has received the "key to the city," and the celebrity cannot go into a college classroom and teach just because he has received an "honorary degree." These are honors to be sure, but they have limits.
God the Father honored Jesus the son in a real way, by bestowing on Him the rule over the entire universe.
"appointed" means ‘to put’; John 15:16; 1 Tim.1:12; Acts 20:28. Yet, we might ask, "How could Jesus who is by nature God, and who created the universe (Col.1:16,17), have to be APPOINTED as ruler of the universe?" As God and Creator, Jesus has the right to rule the universe. In this sense He did not have to be appointed ruler of it. However, as one who voluntarily "took on the form of a servant" (Phil.2), as one who became a human being, a man, and in human flesh obeyed, suffered, and died for the honor of Divinity and the salvation of mankind; who, in this character, voluntarily divested himself of his deity, laid it aside, and because of his tremendous exertion, was made proprietor, ruler, heir, landlord of this universe - wait for it - as a MAN! Jesus was appointed in a way that He was not before, as a human. This helps us to understand how the Devil could tempt Jesus by offering Jesus all the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them, since as a man, Jesus had yet not earned them.
POINT: We now have one of us (a human) who is in control of and owns the entire universe. As joint-heirs with Him we will inherit all he owns - everything, Doesn’t that just make you want to have this current existence all over and done with?!
E. Christianity Has The Greatest Controller - v.2e "heir of all things"
The word "heir"(KLERONOMOS) denotes "one who obtains a lot or portion." (Vine, pp.211,212). "The whole universe of creatures - material and spiritual, animate and inanimate, rational and irrational - are His properties to be managed according to His pleasure." (Brown, p.25). Some do not believe that Jesus is in complete control or they believe that He elects not to be in control. But Jesus Himself says otherwise. Listen: “And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.” Matthew 28:18. Jesus cannot NOT be in control.
POINT: Since Jesus created all things as God, and owns everything as a man, then the prophets belong to him twice over. Thus, to respect the prophets (or anyone else) over Jesus, is like respecting a servant over his king!
F. Christianity Has The Greatest Creator - v.2f "by whom also He made the worlds"
The word "worlds" is AION - or literally, "ages" - There are a number of definitions of this word:
1. A long period of time. For example, coal was once vegetation that underwent a cataclysm ages ago.
2. A long period of time bearing certain characteristics. Example: The Dark Ages; The Space Age, etc.
3. A long period of time bearing certain characteristics impressed on it by Divine control. Example: Patriarchal Age, Mosaic Age, or Christian Age.
This phrase shows that Jesus directs and controls the flow of history. Remember, that the writers point is that Jesus is far superior to the prophets. The fact that Jesus is the agent and means by which the universe was created, shows that he is in a class all by Himself. Certainly then, none of the prophets who mediated the Old Testament could match these credentials. The weak Jewish Christians who wanted to return to the Old Testament system with it’s physical priesthood and animal sacrifices, were going to return to an inferior covenant.
NOTE: Remember the purpose of the writer is to stop Jewish Christians from drifting back into the Old Testament system, Old Testament law. But wait a minute! Many have written volumes to prove that the Old Law has been done away with and everyone Christian and non-Christian alike is now under the law of Christ. Then how could these Hebrew Christians be in danger of returning to that which no longer exists? Is the Old law taken out of the way? Yes. But the question is - for whom? For those who leave it and come to Christ. Those outside of Christ live under a law of works - Jews are trying to live by the law of Moses; Muslims are trying to live by the law of the Koran; Buddhists are trying to live by the writings of Buddha; Hindus are ... well, you get the point. Even people who claim no religious affiliation live under law. The law of the conscience (Rom.2:14,15). They live under and break their own personal law and therefore are guilty of sin. What do each of these have in common? Anyone living under these laws of works, breaks them! Would the answer be to live under the law of Satan who says to always do everything wrong? Have a kind thought & you break the law! Yes, if you want to go that route.
All are lost because all sin. Period.
G. Christianity Has The Greatest Characterization- v.3a "who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person"
1. Jesus Is The Brightness of Gods Glory:
Do you see the sun? No. You never look directly at it. Then how do you know it is there? We see its radiance. The Old Testament prophets allowed mankind to see a shadow of God’s radiance and His glory, but Jesus showed us God. He was the true light, whereas the Old Testament was the shadow of what was coming!
a) Num.9:15-23, when the tabernacle was put up, a cloud covered the tabernacle by day and the appearance of fire at night. This was a manifestation of the glory of God.
b) Exodus 3:1-6, Moses approached a bush on fire and came into the presence of God only to hide his face being afraid to look upon God.
c) Rom.9:1-5, while Paul was listing some of the great Jewish privileges, he included that the nation of Israel had the privilege of "the glory." Israel had seen Gods glory in many occasions, but still only in fragments.
d) Ex.19:16-25; 20:18,19: At Mt. Sinai, Gods presence was accompained by thunders, lightenings, and a thick cloud on the mountain and then God descended on the mountain in fire. The people longed to rush at and gaze upon God, but they also feared these mighty manifestations.
e) Gal.4:4, One day when the time was exactly right, the Holy Spirit planted the Shekianah glory of God in the womb of a virgin teenager, and He, Jesus, was the very image of God’s glory and the light of the world.
f) Mt.17, on the mount of transfiguration, we see the Shekianah glory of God radiating forth for a minute. The prophets recorded the glory of God, but Jesus was/is the glory of God.
g) John 17:24, Jesus prayed that his followers would see his glory, and reflect his glory as he reflected His Fathers glory.
h) John 8:12, Jesus said, "I am the light of the world." About this verse William Barclay states: "It is very likely that the background against which he made it, made it doubly vivid and impressive. The festival with which John connects these discourses is the Festival of Tabernacles (John 7:2)...On the evening of its first day there was a ceremony called the "Illumination of the Temple." It took place in the Court of the Women. The court was surrounded with deep galleries, erected to hold spectators. In the center, four great candelabra were prepared. When the dark came, the four great candelabra were lit and, it was said, they sent such a blaze of light throughout Jerusalem that every courtyard was lit up with their brilliance. Then all night long, until the cock-crow the next morning, the greatest and the wisest and the holiest men in Israel danced before the Lord and sang psalms of joy and praise while the people watched. Jesus is saying: "You have seen the blaze of the Temple illumination piercing the darkness of the night. `I am the light of the world’, and for man who follows me there will be light, not only for one exciting night, but for all the pathway of his life. The light in the temple is a brilliant light, but in the end it flickers and dies. I am the Light which lasts forever.""
2. Jesus Is The Express Image of God’s Being:
There are two Greek words for the word "image":
1. CHARAKTER - denotes a tool for engraving or a stamp or impress, as on a coin or a seal, in which case the seal or die which makes an impression produced by it, and vise versa, all the features of the image correspond respectively with those of the instrument producing it." (Vine, p.247). As the imprint of the die perfectly represents the original design, so in Christ there is the display for those who have eyes to see of Gods very essence. ILLUSTRATION: If you are old enough to remember, or watch the old series Dragnet on the Nickelodeon channel, you will see at the end a greasy hand come out with a hammer and a die and the hammer hits the die and when the hammer and die leave, the mark ’VII’ is left in the stone. Although none of us were ever able to see the bottom side of the die, we all knew exactly what it looked like because of the exact representation or CHARAKTER it left in the stone. This is the word used here.
2. The other Greek word for ‘image’ is EIKON - and is used relative to Jesus in Col.1:15 and 2 Cor.4:4, where Jesus is called the "image of God" or the "EIKON of God." In secular use, EIKON was used several ways:
a. Of a mental picture someone would give of another.
b. As a comparison or similitude.
c. Of a reflection in a mirror.
d. As in our modern photography.
e. The regular word for the identifying description of a person which was attached to official documents.
H. Christianity Has The Greatest Containment - v.3b "upholding all things by the word of His power"
This tiny phrase has, literally and figuratively, a universe of meaning contained within it. Just think of it. One being, who holds this universe together by his word. I am the type person who often, in my Bible study, comes across a verse, phrase or word that befuzzles (that is country for confuse) me. I would often have to place it in the back of my mind and let it simmer until the answer came. Some came quicker than others, and God has graciously allowed me to understand some of them. One of these is in Colossians 1:17 with the phrase, “and by him all things consist.” The Greek word is ‘synistēmi’ and you can see the word system in it. The word is defined as “to place together, to set in the same place, to bring or band together.” Now that seems clear and I often heard preachers talk abotu Jesus being the “Galactic Glue” that holds everything together. Awesome thought is it not?! But, here was my dilemma; that is not what the verse says. So I looked at the other versions to see what they said.
KJV, NKJV, ASV - “and by him all things consist.”
NLT - “and he holds all creation together
NIV, ESV, and NASB - “and in him all things hold together.”
There is very little difference between them. But folks listen, it took me years to figure this out: Jesus does not HOLD all things together - all things hold together because he TELLS them to do so. You see the difference? It is by the word of His mouth that the molecules of this universe stay in their place. Some have the picture of God (Jesus) struggling to keep everything in it;s proper place and, like Hercules, the sweat streaming down His brow as he holds everything together. Nothing could be further from the truth. It is much more simple and much, much more thrilling than that. When the universe was created by Jesus, he commanded that every atom, particle and quark stay in it’s assigned place. From that point on, they have not and will not move until the day He commands them to fly apart.
I. Christianity Has The Greatest Cleansing - v.3c - "when he had by Himself purged our sins"
Jesus didn’t just die. He died for something. He died in order that we might be purged, cleansed of our sins. And - here is the kicker - he, did, it, by, Himself. I put commas after each word because I want you to read it that way. Slow and deliberate and let it sink in. Jesus Christ did what no other human being had done or will do. He kept the thousands of Old Testament commandments without ever missing the mark off center of any of them. I want to ask the Lord what the mathematical probabilities of that occurring. I know it is a number that would seem to us to be impossible - and yet, Jesus did it.
This brings to mind the cross, the spear and the blood. That blood that flowed was the perfect sacrifice God the Father demanded in order that our sins might be purged, cleansed. The writer of Hebrews will bring up this theme again in 2:17 and 9:26-28.
J. Christianity Has The Greatest Conclusion - v.3d "He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high"
Don’t overlook the importance of this phrase.
a. The work of Old Testament Priests
If you examine the Old Testament priests and High Priest in their duties, you will never, ever see them sitting. They performed their assigned tasks while standing. The fact that Jesus is sitting implies that His work is done. His atoning work of purging out sins allowed Him to sit down beside the Father.
b. The man on the throne
We now have one of us (human) sitting beside the God of this universe! Man that boggles the mind.
c. The act of sitting down
Sitting implies rule. Jesus rules this universe until such time the Father sends Him to get his people. Then Jesus will return all power and authority back to the Father from which it all originates.
CONCLUSION:
These verses prove that Christianity is the greatest, and these are only two verses. Imagine how much more proof is in the rest of the Bible.
