THE EPISTLE OF PAUL THE APOSTLE TO THE HEBREWS…3

“Attention is focused on the One in whom and through whom God has spoken in the “last days.” Three things in v. 2 concerning Christ: first, we have His person—He is the “Son”; second, His dignity and dominion—He is the “Heir of all things”; third, His work—He has “made the worlds,” heaven and earth.” Pink Arthur W.  Heb. 1:3

  1. ‘Who being the brightness of his glory’ Jn. 1:14; 14:9, 10, 2Cor. 4:6 “The brightness issuing from the sun is the same nature that the sun is—cf. John 10:30. All the glory of the sun is this brightness—cf. John 17:5; 2 Corinthians 4:6. The light which the sun giveth the world is by this brightness—cf. John 14:9 … Thus, the Son is no whit inferior to the Father, but every way His equal. Glory sets out excellency; brightness of glory, the excellency of excellency.” Christ is the irradiation of God’s glory. The Mediator’s relation to the Godhead is like that of the rays to the sun itself… So, apart from Christ, the brightness of God’s “glory” could not be perceived by us. Without Christ, man is in the dark, utterly in the dark concerning God. It is in Christ that God is revealed.” Pink Arthur W.
  2. ‘The express image of his person’ 2Cor. 4:4, Col. 1:15, 16. “The Old Testament saints did not perfectly “express” God, nor can angels, for they are but finite creatures; but Christ, being Himself God, could, and did. All that God is, in His nature and character, is expressed and manifested, absolutely and perfectly, by the incarnate Son. “And the very impress of His substance.” Compare 1Tim. 6:16 with Col 1:15: “Dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see,” “Who is the image of the invisible God.”…for we cannot by “reaching” find Him out. He approaches us through “the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, He hath declared Him” (John 1:18). Christ was, ever was, the “very impress of His substance,” “for in Him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily” (Col. 2:9).
  3. ‘Upholding all things by the word of his power’ Ps. 75:3, Jn. 1:4, Col. 1:17, Re. 4:11. the word. Ec. 8:4, Rom. 1:16, 2Cor. 4:7. “The whole universe hangs on His arm; His unsearchable wisdom and boundless power are manifested in governing and directing the complicated movements of animate and inanimate, rational, and irrational beings, to the attainment of His own great and holy purposes; and He does this by the word of His power, or by His powerful word. All this is done without effort or difficulty. He speaks, and it is done; He commands, and it stands fast” (Dr. J. Brown).He is the Sustainer of the universe. He is Lord overall. He has been given “power over all flesh” (John 17:2).
  4. when he had by himself purged our sins, ch. 7:27; 9:12–14, 16, 26, Jn. 1:29. By Himself; the Son of God, in humanity. Himself: the priest, who is sacrifice, yea, altar, and everything that is needed for full and real expiation and reconciliation. Thus our great High Priest saith unto us, Ye are clean this day before God from all your sins. He is the fulfillment and the reality (1 John 1:7). The church is purchased by the blood of Him who is God (Acts 20:28, with His own blood). Behold,… Sin is taken away. Oh, what a wonderful thing is this!” (Saphir).