How recognizing Christ's superior position can help us better understand scripture and His call on our lives.
"And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high..." – Hebrews 1:3
An essential endeavor in good Bible study is learning as much as possible about the context of the Bible book or passage you are studying. The context refers to the text's surrounding circumstances, events, cultural norms, linguistic nuances, and historical background. Understanding the context helps uncover the true meaning of scripture and how it applies to you.
One of the first things we have learned about the context of Hebrews is that the Temple in Jerusalem was destroyed in AD 70, just a few short years after the circulation of this letter. This means the Jewish believers of that time would face a total disruption to their traditions and religious practices. In this context, the author writes to establish their faith in Jesus Christ and discourage them from turning back.
Warren Wiersbe sums it up this way,
Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the author argues why Jewish Christians should be fully confident in Jesus as their Lord and Savior.
The author argues that Christ is Superior in his position.
"And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high..." – Hebrews 1:3
In verse three there is one clause with one subject and one main verb. Everything else serves to shed light on that one central assertion.
The subject is "He" (or "who" in the original) — that is, the Son of God, Jesus Christ. The one main verb is "sat down." So, the one main clause of the verse is: "He sat down at the right hand of Majesty."
So we can read it like this…
"He . . . being the radiance of God's glory ... sat down at the right hand of Majesty..."
"He . . . being the exact representation of God's nature ... sat down at the right hand of Majesty..."
"He ... upholding all things by the word of His power ... sat down at the right hand of Majesty..."
"He ... having made purification of sins sat down at the right hand of Majesty..."
Understanding this central truth (Jesus is in a position of superiority) can guard our hearts against discouragement, deception, and spiritual defeat.
The author highlights three critical truths about the Superiority of Jesus.
1. Jesus made purification for our Sins.
Heb 1:3c "When He had made purification of sins,..."
First, consider the connection between Christ's work in making purification for sins and his sitting down at the right hand of God.
Heb 10:12 "...But He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, SAT DOWN AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD, waiting from that time onward UNTIL HIS ENEMIES BE MADE A FOOTSTOOL FOR HIS FEET. For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified."
If you trust Jesus Christ, the Son of God, as your Savior and Lord, you are made a partaker of his divine nature. You are given His Spirit, who starts a lifelong work of "sanctifying" you, bringing your mind, heart, and life more and more into conformity to Christ. Jesus is in the position of honor and glory because his sin-bearing work was perfect.
2. Jesus preserves all things
Heb 1:3b "...And upholds all things by the word of His power."
We live in a culture absorbed in a worldview that treats material existence and human existence as the foundational reality in the universe. What we can see, touch, and smell is real and is the measure of what else is real. The author of Hebrews calls that whole approach into question. He says the foundational reality in the universe is not us or material things you can see and touch; Christ and His Word are the foundational reality.
One word from Christ and it goes out of existence—or one word unspoken by Christ and we go out of existence. When we acknowledge his place at the right hand
of the Majesty, it is not only to honor the work of his purification in saving us but also to honor the word of His power in preserving us. We owe our purification to Him and our existence to Him.
3. Jesus is the exact representation of God’s nature.
Heb 1:3a "And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature,..."
Jesus said,"If you have seen me, you have seen the Father" (John 14:9).
Colossians 1:15 says, "He is the image of the invisible God."
The enemy can wear us down if we take this biblical reasoning lightly: Christ reigns today in heaven because he made purification of sins, once and for all. He reigns today because he upholds all things by the word of his power. Jesus reigns because He is God!
Let us go into this next week exalting Jesus in His rightful position in our hearts and lives by reflecting upon His superior position and His perfect nature.
Until next time, stay strong in the Lord!
Pastor Bob
About Pastor Bob Moya
Pastor Bob Moya has served as the lead pastor with his wife Candace at City Chapel in Arlington, Texas for over 22+ years. He is currently wrapping up his dissertation at Regent University and will graduate in the spring of 2024 with a doctorate degree in Spiritual Renewal and Leadership. When not serving at the church, you'll find Bob enjoying a good read at Barnes & Noble, sipping a nitro cold brew or black coffee at Starbucks, or spending time with his family.
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