Hebrews: A Portrait of Christ

Hebrews 1:1-3 (ESV)

All books in the New Testament point to Christ. In fact all books in the Bible does. There is no single book in the Bible which points away from Christ. But one book, in my opinion, where Christ is so glorified in the Bible, is in Hebrews. Though an epistle, the book begins in an unusual way without salutations or pleasantries characteristic of an epistle. The author goes straight into his subject. No introduction of himself. Perhaps his subject matter was too weighty to even speak about himself. So rightly, Hebrews is an anonymous letter; we don’t know who wrote it.

It is believed to have been written to Hebrew believers with a mixture of unbelievers. The believers were still holding to Levitical temple worship rites and this epistle proves the Superiority of Christ from what they were familiar with. As has already been said, the author goes straight into his subject; the Superiority of Christ.  He begins with familiar subject to his recipients: Angels and Prophets.

In the history of the Jews, angels and prophets hold a unique place for these have been the agents of God’s revelation. So the author draws a contrast between how God has spoken in time past to the Patriachs by Prophets and how he has spoken now.  “Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created  the world.”(1:1-2).

These last days… The Jews rightly understood this to be the coming of the Messiah. So the point is, the Messiah has come and he is Jesus. Remember the conversation between Jesus and the Samaritan woman? “The woman said to him, “I know that Messiah is coming (he who is called Christ ). When he comes, he will tell us all things.” Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am he.” (John 4:25-26). From this conversation, we can deduce the Jews expected the Messiah to tell them all things. That points to the full revelation of God. And indeed Christ is the full revelation of God.

Again, He is the heir of all things. Another reference to the Superiority of Christ. In Jewish culture, the first Son inherits all of the father’s estate. And hence the picture of Christ as an heir of all things points to his authority. Further on, Christ is described as “the radiance of the glory of God and  the exact imprint of his nature” (v.3). Simply, Christ is God. He reflects who God is. He points us to God. John speaks of Christ glory as “glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. ( John 1:14) Christ reflects who God is. He told Philip if you have seen me, you have seen the Father (John 14:9). Paul tells us Jesus Christ is the full embodiment of the Godhead: “For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily”(Colossians 2:9).

Consistent with biblical revelation, the Hebrews writer points to Jesus as the Creator: “through whom also he created  the world”. This theme is further developed. Not only did He create the world, he continues to sustain it (v.3). He still has authority over the world he created. Of importance in all of these is the atoning work of Christ. You can’t speak about who Christ is without speaking of his work. The author therefore properly points us to the atoning work of Christ. He made purification for sin (v.3). That’s another familiar subject the recipients of the letter will understand because they understand the place of sacrifices for sin in temple worship.

Finally, Angels are brought into the picture and these also, the writer says Christ is superior than them (v.4). No angel has the relationship Christ has with the Father. Christ is above them all. Christ indeed is glorious and the focal point of our faith. And as is the main feature of Hebrews,the author draws heavily on the Old Testament. So he quotes a Psalm (Psalm 2:7) to make his point about angels and the Superiority of Christ.

This is just Chapter One; and there are more glorious truths about Christ in Hebrews one will experience as they read on. If you have never read Hebrews or paid much attention to what it teaches, head there and see the glory of Christ beautifully revealed.