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12.10.2010

Hebrews 1:5-14

For NIV reading, click here Hebrews 1:5-14

The rest of Hebrews 1 is a group of OT texts woven into the author's argument for the Son being superior.

Just a couple of questions to get us going on this:
(1) what exactly is the author emphasizing in these verses?
(2) how does he do this?
(3) why do you think this is so important?

Comments...
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3 comments:

  1. DocDecember 10, 2010 at 6:19 PM

    1. The author is trying to tell the Hebrews that Jesus is not just another angel .
    2. He does this by quoting OT .
    3. It's important to the Jews because they can't fathom another part to God .

    I always thought the " shema" was cool because it
    kind of explained the trinity to me . " the Lord your God is one " .End of story . That's how I think of the Trinity . Oneness , wholeness.
    I still have trouble praying to Jesus , however . The language does not fit somehow .I can't , as much as I would like to , substitute Jesus for Father .

    OK , what's up with 1:14 ? What does that mean , why would the author put that in here ?

    ReplyDelete
  2. MattDecember 12, 2010 at 9:56 PM

    First, regarding angels, there are several possibilities for why the author is making such a point to claim Christ's superiority over them. Could be there was a bit of angel-worship going on (Colossians 2:18). Or it could simply be that the naturally high view of angels was a perfect springboard to talk about how great Christ is - even better than angels!

    Second, the author is clear that all through their sacred texts, the angels have served God for His purposes, and so he can claim in v. 14 that angels are ministering spirits charged with the overall task of serving in honor of God's plan of salvation. That's what they've always done.

    Third, notice the specific ways in which the Son is contrasted to angels throughout the Old Testament texts. We'll come back to this.

    Fourth, I see some irony in the reflection that OT texts included were understood to have been declared by angels, and the these very OT texts are used to point to the Son's superiority over the angeles:)

    Other thoughts...

    ReplyDelete
  3. MattDecember 15, 2010 at 8:43 PM

    Just a few final thoughts about the particular ways the author of Hebrews sees Jesus as being set apart and superior to even angels:
    (1) in terms of relationship to God, the angels are part of creation, that is, they are created beings, whereas Jesus is Son
    (2) in terms of status and the world's posture toward the Son (worship) whereas angels are servants
    (3) in terms of authority, the Son has the throne eternally
    (4) in terms of permanence, creation has no inherent permanence, only what is given by God
    (5) and in terms of the finished work of salvation which the Son is promised, whereas the angels are servants of God's salvation

    So...in all these ways, the Son is superior...and therefore, as we'll see in 2:1-4, there is a certain kind of response we are called to.

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