KASUMIGAOKA
2017/11/12
SERMON: “The Glory of God’s Son” 「神の御子のご栄光」
TEXT: Hebrews 1:1-14
I. INTRODUCTION
There are many unanswered questions concerning the Epistle to the Hebrews, but there is no question about the value of its testimony concerning Christ’s ministry and its powerful exhortation to faithful Christian living. The letter itself offers few clues about its author, though some early church leaders believed that it originated with the apostle Paul. At the beginning of the 3rd century Origen of Caesarea, while accepting the canonicity of Hebrews, declared “But who wrote the Epistle God only knows certainly.” Compared to the NT letters of Paul, Hebrews is written in far more elegant and carefully organized Greek. Not only the author, but even the original recipients of this letter are not clearly identified. There is no “greeting” to open the letter, but the last chapter ends like many of Paul’s letters. After mentioning some personal matters, requesting prayer, and exchanging greetings, it closes with the benediction: “Grace be with you all.”
The title “Epistle to the Hebrews” was first clearly mentioned by Tertullian toward the end of the 2nd century. It is easy to understand why it has this title, because there are so many references to the Old Testament, to Jewish ceremonies and sacrifices, and to the duties of the Jewish priests. Yet, it is not clear that it was written primarily for Jewish Christians. It was originally written in graceful Greek, not translated from an original Hebrew or Aramaic. Also, the Old Testament quotations are all taken from the Greek OT (Septuagint). And in several places, Hebrew words and Jewish customs are translated or explained (e.g., 7:2; 9:2, 3) to the readers. So it is possible that a Gentile church may have been the first to receive this letter. Nevertheless, this letter is full of encouragement for Christians of all backgrounds who are being tempted to give up the “fight” for Christ’s kingdom and to drop out of the “race that is set before us” (12:1). As the writer says in 13:22, “Brothers and sisters, I urge you to bear with my word of exhortation, for in fact I have written to you quite briefly.” The letter encourages Christians to persevere in their faith and obedience to Christ, holding fast to their confident hope. The Epistle to the Hebrews has given hope and encouragement to many generations of “weary and burdened” (Matt. 11:28) Christians down through the centuries. Let’s look at the opening chapter of Hebrews to discover why this letter has been so effective in encouraging believers to persevere.
II. THE GLORY OF THE SON OF GOD (Whom we serve!)
In accord with the earliest Gospel witnesses, this epistle declares with absolute confidence the unique power and glory of the Lord Jesus Christ, God’s only-begotten Son. The aim of the apostolic witness was, as John declared in John 20:31, “that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name.” In the same way, the Epistle to the Hebrews opens with a triumphant declaration of the majestic glory of the Son of God. This is the message of the first chapter. It is perhaps surprising that the name of Jesus is not found in chapter 1, but there is no doubt that only one Person can possibly fit the exalted description given in these verses. It is also worth noticing that there is no mention of Christ’s suffering and death. Verse 3 says that He “made purification of sins,” and v. 6 mentions that God sent “His firstborn into the world.” But there is not a hint of Christ’s “humiliation” to dim the glory of God’s Son as He is described in these opening verses! Hebrews explains the glory of the Son in three specific connections: first, the writer declares the glory of God’s Son as God’s final prophetic voice to mankind; second, he declares the Son’s glory as the “exact representation of God’s being”; and third, he shows how much greater is the glory of the Son than the angels of heaven–God’s most glorious creatures. Let’s consider each of these descriptions in turn.
A.) God’s Final Prophetic Voice in the Son.
The prophets of the OT were highly revered by serious Jews. There is no possessive pronoun “our” before “ancestors” (though the English translation wrongly adds it in the NIV), so this is not evidence that the writer and the readers of this letter were all Jews. The main point is not a shared ancestry, but simply the fact that God who spoke to the people of Israel long ago through the prophets Elijah, Elisha, Isaiah, Jeremiah, etc., has now after a long silence of some 400 years spoken again! “In these last days, He has spoken to us by means of the Son” (1:2). Without regard for nationality, anyone who had “ears to hear”—whether Jew or Gentile —could hear the Word that God has now spoken to us through the Son.
Long ago the OT prophets could say with authority, “Thus says the Lord your God!” But now, God has spoken to us by His Son. Whenever Jesus spoke or taught, He spoke with God’s authority. He sometimes quoted the OT Scriptures as God’s unbreakable word which “must be fulfilled.” But He also spoke by His own authority. In the Sermon on the Mount, for example, He said to the crowd, “You have heard that it was said, “Love your neighbor and hate your enemy, but I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matt. 5:43). The crowds were “amazed at his teaching, because he taught as one who had authority” (Matt. 7:29). The OT prophets spoke from God when the Spirit of God came upon them, from time to time. But the Son of God spoke God’s word every time He taught, for the Spirit of God dwelt with Him continually.
The words of the Son of God are the final Word of God’s revelation to mankind, “at the end of these days,” the Greek says. And in contrast to the old manner in which God revealed His will through the prophets “at many times and in various ways”—that is, in “bits and pieces,” now, through the Son, God has spoken a single, unified, and clear message. It is this same Son who has been declared “Heir of all things,” and who also has been companion and co-worker with God the Father from before the creation of the world. This is the Son of God who has now brought His Father’s final Word to us.
B.) God’s Glory in the Person/ Character of the Son.
Secondly, the writer of Hebrews tells us that the Son of God has not only revealed His Father’s will to us by word, but has also shown us God’s glory in His own physical and spiritual Presence. “The Son is the radiance of God’s glory.” Both His words and His actions display the meaning of the ancient name “Immanuel”–a Hebrew expression, meaning “God is with us.” The Son of God is “Immanuel” in human form. Hebrews tells us that the Son of God displays the glory of God in two ways. In Him we see the glory of God’s perfect character, as well as God’s sustaining power.
Verse 3 says, “The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His being.” We may think of the shining “glory” of God’s Presence that appeared visibly to Moses on Mt. Sinai, in the tabernacle, and that led the people of Israel through the wilderness long ago. This same glory was briefly revealed by the Son of God to three of Jesus’ disciples when Jesus was “transfigured before them,” according to the record in Matthew 17. Matthew 17:2 says that “His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light.” But the way the Son of God usually showed the glory of God was not by means of a brilliant “shining light.” John describes the more “characteristic” glory of the Son in John 1:14: “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” The Son showed God’s glory by means of a human life “filled with grace and truth.” With these words John identifies Jesus with Jehovah who appeared to Moses on Mt. Sinai. When Moses asked God in Exodus 33:18, “Now show me Your glory,” God revealed Himself to Moses in the following way. “And He passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, ‘The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in grace and truth!” (Exod. 34:6) The glory of God is displayed in Jesus’ ministry that abounded in “grace and truth.” Thus, “the Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His nature.”
But Hebrews also tells us that the Son displays God’s power. He is “sustaining all things by His powerful word.” Genesis 1:1 says that “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” God merely “spoke” and it was done. So Hebrews tells us that “through the Son He [God] made the universe” (v. 2). And in verse 3 it says that the “powerful word” of the Son “sustains” all things. In other words, everything in heaven and on earth depends upon the absolute, sovereign power of the Son of God. Day by day, everything continues to exist as it does only by His permission! If the Son of God should will it, the universe would end this instant! It is by His powerful word that we continue to live and take each breath. In Colossians 1:16-17 the apostle Paul writes, “For in [the Son] all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.” The Son of God displays the fullness of God’s glory by His powerful word that sustains the universe.
C.) Son’s Glory Far Surpasses the Glory of God’s Angels.
The third way the writer of Hebrews testifies to the glory of the Son of God is by comparing Him to the most glorious of all God’s creatures—the angels of heaven. But because we don’t have much time left today, I think we will save this part until next week.
III. CONCLUSION
So, who is this “Son of God” who bears God’s final message to our world? Who is this “Son of God” who bears God’s perfect image, displays the fullness of God’s awesome majesty and acts with the full power of the Creator God Himself? Jesus’ personal name does not appear until the second chapter of Hebrews. The writer of Hebrews wants us to first grasp the greatness and the glory of God’s eternal Son. Only then will he tell us the identity of this glorious Son. Of course, Christians should already know that this awesome Son of God is Jesus—the “Word of God” who “became flesh and dwelt among us.” Peter confessed the truth when he said to Jesus, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matt. 16:16).
I think that Hebrews begins as it does so that we who believe in the name of Jesus Christ do not fall into the same “snare” that caught Peter. For, as soon as he had declared his faith in Jesus Christ, God’s Son, Peter rose up to challenge the word of his Lord. Let’s not make the same mistake that Peter did! We must understand that JesusChrist, our Savior, really is the one and only Son of God, supreme in might, in splendor, in perfect wisdom and holiness. He is the Son of God whose word is absolutely sure! No one can oppose Him! He has trampled down Satan, the great adversary of man, and He has won the great victory that assures the salvation of all who will follow Him.
If Jesus of Nazareth really IS the Son of God, as Hebrews says so plainly, what must you do? There is only one suitable response. You must worship Him. That is why we have gathered here today, isn’t it? We have come in response to God’s command to assemble together on His holy day to worship the living God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. And you must serve Him. We worship God today so that we may prepare to serve Him with all our strength and our minds during the rest of the week. And as we worship and serve the Son of the living God, we learn how to enjoy Him forever. We enjoy the blessing of His fellowship and protection. We come to Him when we are “weary and burdened,” and He gives us rest for our souls. He has taken us to be His own people and the “sheep of His pasture.” And He will guard us and provide for us forever. This is the comfort and encouragement that Hebrews offers, through Jesus Christ, God’s Son. He has “made purification for our sins” and has “sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.” So, “Come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the LORD our Maker. For He is our God, and we are the people of His pasture, and the sheep of His hand” (Psalm 95:6-7a).