Notes on Hebrews: Chapter 1
The best way to study any sacred scripture is to do so exhaustively however, since I have a mixed audience that may not sit through this type of study then I have to customize it somewhat and this is how I’ve decided to proceed. I will give you the highlight theme/s of our chapter, then the meaning given to it by the orthodox viewpoint followed by variant views including my own if I differ from the orthodox. You should have the Book of Hebrews open to Chapter 1. Let us proceed.
Chapter 1: Jesus is the unique and superior Son of God who has by his role of redeemer, received the position of heir of all that is. He is the means by which God speaks to us in these last days.
Luke confirms to his Hebrew reading audience that God has spoken to them throughout history (verse 1) but in these last days He has seen fit to do so by His Son. If you are the kind that is baffled by the practice of Christians since biblical times of stating that we are in the last days, rest assured that you are not alone. Many of us who study the Bible are thrown off by this since most of the New Testament writers (Luke included) mention that they are in the last days and these statements were made almost 2000 years ago! For the most part, contemporary Christians continue to repeat this mantra because of the following:
We don’t believe that this has happened yet so we continue the slogan
One generation of Christians will finally be right (the last generation)
I am of the opinion that the last days that is being referred to here in Hebrews and in many other books of the Bible is a reference to the last days in which God would be speaking to the world of men through the Jewish nation. It’s called Preterism and it is the interpretive system that states that the end of days spoken of in some of the scriptures is the culmination of the Jewish age (God dealing with them exclusively) and the beginning of the Church age (inclusive of all including Jews) A good basic read on this is The Last Days according to Jesus by R.C. Sproul.
How is Jesus the unique and superior Son of God? Well let me start by stating that the Bible calls the angels (including the bad ones) Sons of God (a Google search can lead you to the various biblical passages). The New Testament also states that those that are born again can be called Sons of God also, so Jesus is not the only Son of God however; He is unique in the following:
Luke states that all the worlds (ages or universe) were made through him. (Verse 2)
He states that Jesus is begotten of the Father (verse 5)
He states that all other Sons of God shall worship him and recognize his authority.
If Luke is to be believed (and I do), Jesus was preexistent (not as Jesus but as the Son by which all was created) and through his earthly role as Jesus the perfect lamb of God, became the exalted one who sits at the Right hand of the Father. Why does He get to sit? Because His work is done!
As a Christian, Jesus is my champion, the one that paid for my sins. I accept the myth and the legend that he is but with this qualification, I do not agree with orthodoxy that not believing these things will put a soul in danger of death. That is the work of men and their desire to establish a pecking order in an area that has no rational basis. You will find in Christianity (as in most religions) that the closer you follow the authorities the further you are from the Truth. If as a Christian you doubt me then try this experiment. Ask your authority on orthodoxy how Jesus could be fully human, like ourselves in every way, yet not have a human father? Then ask him if Jesus was fully God then how could God die on the cross? If the answers require you to just believe, then do so, but do not become a henchman for them against those that would disagree. The
Kingdom of
God is built through obedience to the Spirit of God and not by allegiance to men regardless of their good intentions.
