There are at least six (depending on one’s breakdown) descriptions of the person and work of Jesus given in Hebrews 1:2-4.[1] The first three descriptions begin with a relative pronoun and the last three begin with a participle / participial phrase. I have listed them below, highlighting the indicators.
whom he [God] appointed heir of all things,
through whom he [God] made the worlds,
who is the radiance of his [God’s] glory and the exact imprint of his nature,
upholding all things by the word of his [own] power;
having cleansed our sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,
having become superior to the angels as he has inherited a more excellent name.
These six realities can be turned into six statements regarding Christ’s superiority.
- He owns all things.
- He created all things.
- He is equal with God.
- He sustains all things.
- He interceded for man and reigns with God.
- He is greater than angels.
Additionally, I think the identification of six statements allows each of the first three to correspond to each of the last three. That is to say, number 1 connects with number 4, 2 with 5, and 3 with 6, as seen below.
- Jesus owns (as the appointed heir) and sustains all things.
- Jesus began his work with creation and “finished” his work of redemption (new creation) by sitting down at the Father’s right hand.
- Jesus possesses the glory and name of God, a greater glory and name than even the angels possess.
There is much more that could be said about Jesus (even from these verses), but these act as a kind of starting point for the rest of the book of Hebrews, which goes on to elaborate Jesus’ superiority in these ways and in many more.
[1]For a different, but also helpful, breakdown of the statements and their relation to one another, see Thomas R. Schreiner, Commentary on Hebrews (Nashville, TN: B&H Publishing, 2015), 52.
Prairie Quests 