The Book of Hebrews
1/8/25
The book of Hebrews was written before the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple in 70 A.D. When Hebrews was written, only the Jews were acquainted with the Mosaic law, their traditions, and the oral law.
The Book of Hebrews was written to the Jews, had it been written to the Gentiles, not one in ten thousand could have comprehended it because of their unfamiliarity with the Jewish system.
Jesus of Nazareth is the True God: To convince the Jews, of the truth of this proposition, the writer of the book uses three arguments:
1. Christ is superior to the angels.
2. He is superior to Moses.
3. He is superior to Aaron.
Isaiah 52:13, “Behold, my servant shall deal prudently, he shall be exalted and extolled (lifted up), and be very high.”
Christ: King of the Jews, elevated above Abraham, Moses; and the angels, all fulfilled in the Jewish Messiah. And because Christ was greater than these, he must be greater than every created being. If understood in this light, according to Jewish phraseology, Jesus is an uncreated Being, infinitely greater than all others, whether earthly or heavenly. For as the Jews allowed the greatest eminence to angels (next to the Father) the writer concludes, “That he who is greater than the angels is truly God:
Hebrews 1:6, “And let all the angels of God worship him.” This would include Lucifer, also called the devil, or Satan.
This is the point of the writer of Hebrews, be it Paul or Luke. His epistles were clear, and his proof lies in the following.
Jesus has a more excellent name than angels, including Michael and Gabriel. Hebrews 1:4, “He has by inheritance (from his Father) obtained a more excellent name than they.”
Jesus is adored by the angels Hebrews 1:6, because he created them, verse 7, “Who made his angels spirits,”
In his human nature, he was endowed with greater gifts than they. Hebrews 1:8-9.
Because Jesus is eternal: Verses 10-11: He laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of his hands: They shall perish; but he will remain.
Jesus is more highly exalted, Hebrews 1:13, the Father said to him, “Sit at my right hand,”
Angels are the servants of God, but Jesus is the Son of God. Verse 14.
The Jews were warned not to neglect Christ. Hebrews 2:1, “Give heed to the things which we (the apostles) have heard,”
A negative argument is given by Divine Revelations.
Jesus is a man, less than the angels. Hebrew 2:6. Therefore, he cannot be superior to them.
How to answer this argument: Jesus, as a mortal, by his death and resurrection, overcame all his enemies, and subdued all things to himself; therefore, he must be greater than the angels, Hebrews 2:9, “Jesus who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor: that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.”
Though Jesus died as a man, and was in respect, inferior to the angels; it was necessary to take on to himself the form of a man and be of the same nature as those he was to redeem; a thing he did without prejudice to his Divinity, read Hebrews 2:10-18.
He is the author and finisher of our faith and of our salvation