Jesus' Superiority

Title: Jesus' Superiority
Text: Hebrews 1:1-14

Book Background
The authorship of the book of Hebrews is unknown. Though some scholars have suggested several people to be the author of the book like Paul, Barnabas, Silas, Apollos, Luke, Philip and Priscilla. However, the epistle's vocabulary, style and various literary characteristics do not clearly support the claim.

It is significant though that the writer includes himself among those who have received confirmation of Christ's message from others (2:3).This means that he is one of those people who were discipled by Christ's disciples, thus, making this epistle authoritative and one of the reasons why this epistle was included in the Bible Canon.

This book was intended mainly for the Jewish Christian communities, explaining to them about Jesus Christ as their long awaited Messiah. Writer also made comparisons between Christ and the Mosaic Law which also showed that Christ is more superior than the imposing authority of culture in the Jewish community.

Christ In Relation To The Past

Christ is the one whom the Israelite's forefathers and prophets talk about (v.1).
Even the ancient Scriptures that the Israelites recognizes tells us of the harmony that these scriptures tells about Jesus Christ. The passage tells us that He has been revealed in various ways, in various times.

As far as we can remember, the Old Testament is composed of 39 books, and all of them were written in different historical times, cultures, locations and situations, yet they points out to a common end point, Jesus Christ. This what makes the Bible more reliable because the fact that it was written by different people in different time, cultures, location and situations, no other book that was ever written that could match the credibility of the Bible.

The credibility of the Bible and its teachings about Jesus Christ is truly indisputable. Though there are many people who questions the authority of the Bible, they did it out of ignorance and without knowing what they are asking. They are doing it because they are blind to see the truths that lies even in the history of the Bible.

The most amazing thing that we can see in the passage that we are reading is the mode of revelation of God about Jesus Christ. The passage says, God revealed himself to humanity in “various ways.”

Starting in the book of Genesis, God revealed himself to Adam and Eve, though it did not literally mentioned how He revealed himself to them, but one thing is clear, Adam used to hear God. Adam, the first human can talk to God directly.

God also revealed Himself to Moses through the burning bush. To the Israelites, by pillar of cloud, fire, thunder, and even through the rock that gave them water to drink. God also revealed Himself through the Judges of Israel, and through prophets. And even through the Holy Scriptures that has been the guide of the Israelites all through out their lives.

Christ is the reflection of God's glory and the exact likeness of His being (v.3).
We have been talking about God's revelation to mankind, here is how God revealed Himself ultimately so that man can relate to what God wants to happen, it is through Jesus Christ.

Verse three is a very nice verse to quote: “Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power...” Here we can see how wonderful our God is. God did all things He could in order to reveal Himself to humanity, to reach us even as we have been proven to be disobedient.

Many people asks how does God look like? The Bible gave us clear message that Jesus is the express image of his person. This does not only concern the physical appearance of Jesus and God, but also the inner nature and attributes of being like a God.

Sometimes, we humans with our “very limited” knowledge, we try to rationalize God and His capabilities which really falls short to what He can do. Some people really disagrees to the idea that God is there while Jesus was on earth. For them that is too impossible to happen. But the longer that we study and stare upon the Scriptures, we can see how the impossible things are just simple and very possible to the God of gods, and Lord of lords.

Christ is the foundation of the world (v.10).
The clearest passage that I can quote in relation to this passage is in John 1:1-3

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.”

We can see many things in here including Christ's deity and his existence before time. And one of the clearest things that has been stated here is Him being the foundation of the creation of the earth. This is the main reason why I wonder why the Big Church over emphasize the role of Mary in the Bible. They attributed things that Mary did not do, and it include “Mary being the Mother of God.”

This statement is very dangerous since it implies that Mary is divine and belongs to the family of God, which is completely a blasphemy. The Bible only recorded the essence of three deities, the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit. If Mary also posses such deity, then it cannot be called Trinity anymore. This why we always have to be careful in what other people teaches. We have to be vigilant in things that we learn and not just simply accepting like an edible food but once you ate it, it will poison you.

Christ In Relation To The Present and The Future

Christ's Superiority
Over the Earthly Creation
Christ is undoubtedly superior over all creation. All authority has been given to Him (Matthew 28:18), thus, possessing the authority to say that “I will be with you always until the very ends of the age”, the only person who is capable of putting it into fulfillment.

All creation was made through Him, and without Him, not anything made that was made. It is like cooking a particular dish. Each dish have its very essential ingredient. And without it, it is like not cooking it at all. This is exactly the role of Christ over earthly creation, without Him, nothing was made into existence.

This also re-strengthen the deity of Christ. Being co-existent with God at the very beginning as form of the Word, shows his attribute of omnipresence, an attribute that only a God can possess. He is indeed the God of all creation.

Another point that is very important to see here is that Christ was the heir of the kingdom of the heavens; “But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of thy kingdom.”

Over the Angels
Angels belong to the fairest among all God's creation at least in the human point of view. But starting in verse 4, of our passage, we can see that Christ was so much better than the angels and that by inheritance He obtained a more excellent name than they. Verse 6 says that God commanded the angels to worship Him. Thus, we all know that worshiping someone is only allowed and is given to God, a persona who posses deity.

One of the most amazing verses that I can see here is in verse 8 which says; “ 8 But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.” This passage was quoted from the book of Psalms 45:6-7 and the writer of this passage is attributing these words to the Messiah. It's amazing because He called the Messiah as “God” who possess deity.
If the Messiah was God, then certainly, He is above the angels.

Conclusion
In our own personal lives, do we really know whom we believe as our personal Lord and Savior? The world today literally discredited Jesus on the things that He has done for us. Is He just someone that we know that we have to believe? Is He someone that we accepts and then deny Him when the need arises?

Matthew 10:33 “But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.”

How about in situations where there exists a temptation? Should we just deny Him and put Him aside and after we feel guilty, then it's the time to call Him?

Are we giving full honor to Jesus?