June 8, 2008

Hebrews 1: 4-8a
Christ’s Superiority Over Angels
Part 2

Last time we saw Jesus described as being better than Angels. We looked at the Jewish view of Angels so see what that meant to his listeners. What a superlative statement that is.

But , except for modern politics, to make a statement isn’t enough, one needs proof, so the author lists 5 ways in which Jesus is better than angels.

Read Hebrews1:4-14-

Now we begin to examine the writer’s evidence to these people that Jesus really is superior to angels.

The best convincer he can use to these Jewish listeners is their own scripture and he quotes 7 OT quotes here, 6 about Christ and one about angels. The point is that Christ is superior to Angels.

The first bit of evidence produced is Christ’s better name, that name is “SON”. Being made so much better than angels as he has BY INHERITANCE obtained a more excellent name than they.

Now there are some cults who come to this passage to deny the deity of Christ, saying AHA! He is not God (Emmanuel) but a created being, and they point to verse 4 where it says “being made.”

They say : Look! it says he was made so he isn’t God. But the word used here isn’t the one that means to make, but one that means to become (Poieo and ginomai). Jesus always was, but he became, in his exaltation, BETTER than angels. Which assumes that at one time he was lower than angels.

That is exactly what the writer says in 2:9, that the Son was made lower than the angels but because of his obedient life and sacrificial death he was exalted HIGH above angels, seated at God’s right hand with the more excellent name “SON.”

What does this mean? Hasn’t Christ always been the Son of God?

Tonight we will visit psalm 2 and it is a messianic psalm and look at verse 5 as it explains the Son-ship of Jesus Christ. Read Psalm 2:

This is the second most quoted psalm in the NT writings, it is used as a messianic prophecy. In Acts 4:25-26 it deals with the rebellion of the Nations who don’t want to be subject to Christ.

Acts 4 ties this in with the crucifixion , and in verses 4-6 God’s reply to these rebellious ones. He laughs, scoffs at the attempt to overthrow Christ’s rule and vents his wrath on unbelievers. IN verse 6 we see the triumph as Christ’s rule is established in Jerusalem.

Then in verse 7 we find the quote of Hebrews 1:5 and it says “you are my son THIS DAY have I begotten thee.”

First HE says. In the Old Testament that is a messianic title and in Acts 13:33, Hebrews 1:5 emphasizes Christ’s unique position and a declaration of his son-ship.

IN Hebrews 5:5 it is used to emphasize God’s choice of him as opposed to the self appointment of High priest. SON OF GOD, The Jews knew what it was because when Christ claimed it as title they tried to kill him Because when he claimed God as his father and claimed o be one wit God(John 10:30) they tried to kill him.

John 10:36 says they tried to kill him because “he said he I am the Son of God.” They knew he was claiming to be the Messiah.

Also Peter in Matthew 16 very plainly stated who he was saying “You are the Christ, the Son of The Living God.”

So “Son of God” is a title for the Christ.

Now it says in Psalm 2:6 THIS DAY have I begotten thee.” What day?

Look at Acts 13:30-34. Here is the explanation of 2:7, for the day when Christ inherited this name, came fully into his son-ship, his anointed exalted position was the day of his resurrection. “This day have I begotten thee is a declarative act of God in which Christ is designated SON, heir, firstborn..(similar as we become sons in our second birth)

Let’s look at what this recognition was in Jewish mind.

Turn to Genesis 27:-1-29. Jacob and Esau Jacob, the youngest son, always a son of Jacob, is declared to be the first born, made so by a declarative act of Isaac. So Jesus, at his resurrection, though always God’s Son, Became heir and fully the Son of God in it’s complete Messianic sense.

He had conquered death and could be recognized as having fulfilled all the prophecies concerning the Christ, the Messiah. That day he fully accepted the mantle of exaltation as the Christ, the Son of the Living God.

So verse 5 begins to back up the statement of Christ’s son-ship, making him superior to angels. Verse 6 continues the evidence quoting psalm 97:7. The OT context may be speaking of the millennial idea, But whatever the context, the point is very clear.

Jesus is Greater than angels.

He refers to the firstborn here in reference to the resurrection and bringing the firstborn into the world could mean the second coming and the writer uses “whenever” which shows he didn’t know when thins would take place.

Again the point is this: The angels worship Christ, so Christ is greater than angels.

So Jesus Christ has a better name than angels. Now in verse 7 we see this difference really contrasted (Heb 1:7 And he says of the angels, "He makes his angels spirits and his ministers a flame of fire,") He quotes Psalm 104:4 here “ Angels are MADE, messengers, servants BUT Christ is the very Son of God, The firstborn not the servant, the maker not the one made.

Note here he calls the angels “flames of fire?” The word “seraphim in Hebrew is flaming ones. So Christ is superior to angels.

Now to avoid any future misunderstanding lets just answer an hypothetical question. Some say: Jesus is son to God so he is therefore inferior, less than God. Jesus IS son but he became Son by TITLE at his birth and gained full heir-ship at his resurrection, before that he always was eternal God. He is God, no way is the son inferior to God, subservient to God but he is equal to God.

The idea of his being a son helps us understand in our pea brains the concept that God came to redeem us. Jesus is son in a human sense but also he is JHVH God.

So we see Christ is superior to angels in title “SON,” and in worship remember the angels worship the Son. Now in verse 8 we notice that the son is superior in NATURE also.(Heb 1:8 but of the Son he says, "Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, and a righteous scepter is the scepter of your kingdom. )

Here the writer clearly states who Jesus is, no wobble room there. The angels (v7) are servants but to the Son he says your throne OH GOD is forever and ever. So if anyone knocks on your door with the idea that Jesus is cool but a little god, or he is a man with a divine spark, or he is simply the first created being, point out to them that they are wrong . It says that the Son of God is GOD JHVH God.

John the Apostle describes the event when this is fully known and recognized.

Rev. 5:11 Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven saying: "The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign for ever and ever.") Christ is God and will be the ultimate ruler in the kingdom.

Is Jesus Christ greater than angels? You bet! In his very nature, his essence his substance He is God El Shaddai, the sustainer. El Elyon, the mightiest of the mighty, Elohim, the strong and mighty one that is Jesus. That is the Christ of God The creator, superior to angels.

He is El Roi, the God who sees, and when you and I are tempted to think God has forgotten us and doesn’t care remember that El-Roi, Sees, Jesus sees and cares because Jesus is God . He is Jehovah-Rohi, the Lord my shepherd, he cares and feels our troubles and pains.

Psalm 23 begins “The Lord is my Shepherd”. Not a shepherd not even THE shepherd, but MY shepherd. And it is as JHVH Rohi that we see our Lord Jesus. He is described as the good shepherd, the great shepherd in Hebrews, and in first Peter he is the chief shepherd. Jesus the Lord, God our shepherd.

I want to stop on that high note today, that Jesus is God, better than angels in title, in worship and in nature.

In our next session we will see his superiority in eternity and destiny.

Bt let’s leave today with a picture of the mighty God as our shepherd.

Years ago in London a group of prominent writers, musicians and actors had gathered in a London drawing room for an evening of mutual entertainment.

They made a purse of gold and agreed that the one voted to have done the best to entertain the group would win the gold as a prize.

The place was loaded with talent. They sang, gave monologues, quoted and played, and last of all was a prominent member of the British stage who stood before that company and recited that ancient Hebrew Poem, the 23rd Psalm.

His annunciation was perfect, his intonations thrilled them, and when he finished they all agreed that this was the greatest thing they had heard all evening and awarded him the prize of gold.

Just then someone in the back of the room spoke up and said there was a little old man there who had done nothing yet to entertain the group.

Though he protested that he was only a friend of the hostess and would rather not take a place with such illustrious people they said everybody must do something and urged him toward the front.

After a moments pause he too began “The Lord is My shepherd I shall not want...

The company was hushed as he took them through the round of the shepherd’s intimate care of the sheep and ended with a glowing face “goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”

The great actor, eyes brimming reached out and placed the gold into the little man’s hands and said simply: Sir, I know the psalm, but you know the shepherd.

Do you Know the Shepherd?

 
 
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