This week I began a new memorization endeavor: the book of Hebrews. As a I seek to memorize its contents, I also want to share some of the fruit with you as I come across particular passages of interest. Is it bad to say that? It makes it sound like some passages of God's inspired Word are interesting and others are not. This is not what I mean, of course. It is only to say that as I get moved or motivated to make remarks on certain passages I will be sure to share them here. (Perhaps it'll become a Saturday/weekend kind of thing)
The beginning of Hebrews is one heck of a beginning. I mean put aside letter formalities because BANG Hebrews kicks off with a boom! The opening three verses are packed with amazing Christological teachings and volumes could be said (indeed, our Puritan friend John Owen wrote volumes on this single epistle). However, for the purposes of this blog I find two particular things of interest which I think are often neglected in the study of Jesus Christ. First, when we think of Jesus, the Son of God, we immediately think of the Incarnation, His earthly ministry, death and resurrection, and the kingdom to come. All of these things are true and accurate implications to Christ the Son. However, we rarely mention Christ as the Son before the Incarnation. If we are not careful, the way we describe Jesus as the Son can make it seem like He became the Son when He became Incarnate, which is absolutely false. Jesus has not only always existed in the Trinity and is eternal and fully God just as the Father and Spirit, but He has always existed as the Son. Now, what does that mean? Well, Jesus has always submitted Himself to the will of the Father and has always sought to glorify and magnify the Father. Thus, He has always, even before Creation was, been the Son. The author of Hebrews (from here on out designated as the A.H.) thus writes that this eternal Son was the agent of Creation, through whom everything that is, was made. Therefore, just as Jesus Christ is the Son for eternity to come, the Bible teaches He has been the Son since eternity past.
The second point worth note is the concept of Christ as the revelation of God. When we think of God making revelation we usually think in two categories (whether we use these terms or not): general and specific revelation. General revelation, or natural, encompasses things like nature and the conscience which gives all mankind a sense of God's existence and His moral will, though is insufficient for salvation. Specific revelation is nearly always referred to as Scripture. By definition, as juxtaposed with general revelation, special revelation is that which God specifically reveals to mankind about Himself making salvation and knowing Him possible. While the Bible is our primary example of special revelation, it is not the only. I believe Hebrews 1:1-3 portray Christ as the special revelation of God. The A.H. writes that whereas in the past God spoke through prophets, God now has spoken directly through His Son. In other words, when we are in Christ and we hear His call, we are hearing the direct words of the Almighty God. Moreover, in Christ we experience and see the full glory and nature of God. Faith, therefore, is not just a matter of a relationship with Christ, but truly brings a relationship with the Father as well! This passage makes me think of John 14, where Jesus tells the disciples, "if you have seen Me, you have seen the Father." This also echoes Colossians 1:15 which says that Jesus is the image of the invisible God.
Thus, when you seek Christ and you abide in Him, remember the vast nature of God which you are now exposed to and brought into reconciliation with. Our world so often seeks to minimize Christ as to this great teacher alone. Even in the church we see the gracious work of Christ on earth more prevalently then we contemplate the vast existence and nature of God which has been made apparent before us in Christ. Your Christ is God! This indeed in an incomprehensible mystery which we have the gracious pleasure of contemplating and exploring through Scripture study and prayer until we are literally face to face with this eternal and exalted God in the kingdom. May we both be continually gripped by the vast glory of Jesus Christ.
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