Austin Bible Church
Jesus Christ is heir of all things. God the Father appointed Jesus Christ in eternity past as the heir of all things. God the Father exalted the name of Jesus Christ above all names. Jesus Christ is heir of all believers in all dispensations. Believers of the Church Age are joint heirs with Jesus Christ. Hebrews makes Jesus Christ the focal point of all history. Heb. 1:1-2; Phil. 2:9-11.
“God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world.” (Hebrews 1:1-2, NASB)
“For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:9-11, NASB)
Jesus Christ is the creator of all things that exist. John 1:1-3; Heb. 1:10; Col. 1:15-16.
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.” (John 1:1-3, NASB)
“And, “YOU, LORD, IN THE BEGINNING LAID THE FOUNDATION OF THE EARTH, AND THE HEAVENS ARE THE WORKS OF YOUR HANDS;” (Hebrews 1:10, NASB)
“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him.” (Colossians 1:15-16, NASB)
Jesus Christ is the only revealed member of the Godhead. Jesus Christ is the radiance of His glory. Glory refers to the essence of God. Heb. 1:3; John 1:18; John 6:46; 1 Tim. 6:16; 1 John 4:12.
“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, NASB)
“No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him.” (John 1:18, NASB)
““Not that anyone has seen the Father, except the One who is from God; He has seen the Father.” (John 6:46, NASB)
“who alone possesses immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see. To Him be honor and eternal dominion! Amen.” (1 Timothy 6:16, NASB)
“No one has seen God at any time; if we love one another, God abides in us, and His love is perfected in us.” (1 John 4:12, NASB)
Jesus Christ is co-equal to God the Father. He has the same essence. In Hebrews 1:3, “the exact representation of His nature” means the essence of Jesus is exactly the same as the Father. God the Father and God the Son have identical attributes and essence. God is one in essence. Jesus Christ is not only perfect man, but perfect God in one person forever. Phil. 2:6.
“who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.” (Philippians 2:6-7, NASB)
Jesus Christ is the sustainer of the universe. In Hebrews 1:3, “upholds all things by the word of His power” means that He sustains all things that exist. The present active tense and voice in the Greek means He always has and always will. Jesus Christ created the universe and sustains it. Col. 1:17.
“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, NASB)
“He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.” (Colossians 1:17, NASB)
Jesus Christ is the Savior of mankind. In Hebrews 1:3, “When He had made purification of sins” refers to Jesus Christ’s payment for all sins by Himself. Only the enabling power of the Holy Spirit sustained Jesus Christ while on the Cross. He accomplished the work of our salvation in a point of time once and for all. Before Jesus Christ could sit down, He had to complete the substitutionary spiritual death for all of the sins of mankind. Jesus Christ won the Angelic Conflict. Jesus Christ sat down on the right hand of God - the position of honor. Now all believers can go to Heaven. “Majesty” refers to God the Father. “On high” refers to the third heaven.
“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, NASB)
Positionally, we are higher than the angels. Heb 1:4.
“having become as much better than the angels, as He has inherited a more excellent name than they.” (Hebrews 1:4, NASB)