Christ is Greater than the Prophets Hebrews 1

1. Christ is Greater than the ProphetsHebrews 1

2. Heb 1: 1-3 1 God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, 2 has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; 3 who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high…

3. Comparing Jesus Christ with theprophets • Why? • Moses the prophet was their leader, his brother Aaron was the high priest. • Moses represents the revelation of the divine truth, especially through the Law, • Aaron represents the practical aspects of worship and sacrifices which reconciled man with God. • The two acts accompany and compliment one another.

4. Comparing Jesus Christ with theprophets • A true believer • has to accept the truth, • through the Law, the commandments, • through a life of true worship - through the sacrifice of reconciliation

5. Comparing Jesus Christ with theprophets • Jewish priests deviated from their mission to the outward appearances • The truth was lost. • There was an enmity between the hypocrite priests and the true prophets. • “Now Pashhur the son of Immer, the priest who was also chief governor in the house of the LORD, heard that Jeremiah prophesied these things. Then Pashhur struck Jeremiah the prophet, and put him in the stocks… (Jer 20:1-2) • “And now, O priests, this commandment is for you.If you will not hear, and if you will not take it to heart, to give glory to My name,” says the LORD of hosts, “ I will send a curse upon you…” (Mal 2:1-2)

6. High Priest • The Lord Jesus alone is the complete Truth who reveals the truth, through His unique Sacrifice on the cross. • He is the Heavenly High Priest who can purge our sins, sitting at the right hand of the Father in the highest.

7. God Spoke… • God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son…

8. The Voice • The prophets delivered the divine voice to the Fathers, as channels who only deliver the message. • "Chiefly because to them were committed the oracles of God" (Rom. 3:2). • The Lord, is the Voice Himself or the Truth in Person. • "All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father. Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and he to whom the Son wills to reveal Him" (Matt. 11:27).

9. Abolisher of Enmity, Grantor of Righteousness • The prophets were instruments • Christ is the Word of God, One with the Father • He carried the cross to grant us the right to enter to Him, abolishing enmity. • Through His resurrection, we became righteous, meeting His Father as our Father too. • We become one with the Word of God and members of His Body.

10. The Joy of the Father • The Son alone is the subject of joy to His Father. • “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am wellpleased. Hear Him!” (Matt 17:5) • In Him we are the subject of His joy as well. • His commandments are no more a burden • They are an enjoyment with the Word who grants us heavenly life.

11. The True Word • The prophets offered glorious Divine messages. • But when the Father spoke to us now in His Son, He offered us His Son Himself, the Mystery of life, salvation and resurrection!

12. Our Reconciler • The Son, who is one with the Father, carries the Father and contains us in Him by sanctifying us through His blood. • We meet the Father in the Son. • It was impossible for the Father to settle in the prophets and unite. • The prophets were not able to take the people to meet the Father. • The Only-Begotten Son is the One able to reconcile us with the Father to be in Him forever.

13. Heir of All Things • Whom He has appointed heir of all things… • The Son, Creator of everything, emptied Himself and took the form of a servant. • Carrying us in Him, as He inherits everything through His righteousness, we may also inherit with Him and in Him. • The prophets were mere speakers about the inheritance which God prepared for us. • They just referred to it without being able to present it to anyone, or even obtaining it themselves. • “These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them” (Heb 11:13)

14. The Creator • through whom also He made the worlds… • The prophets were human beings who accepted the divine messages, and devoted all their lives that God may fulfill this message through them. • The Lord Jesus is the Creator, Maker of heaven and earth • "All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made" (John 1:3)

15. Eternal Light of Light • being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person • "brightness of His glory,” refers to His eternal birth, • Eternal Light cannot exist without His brightness. • The Son is the Light out of Light, or the eternal Brightness inseparable from the Light • St. Athanasius of Alexandria: • Who wouldn’t see that brightness is inseparable from light, for this is the case by nature, they exist together, and not following each other.

16. Moses’ Veil • When the prophet Moses met God, God's light was reflected on his face that the people could not look at him, so he had to cover his face with a veil whenever he spoke to them. • He removed the veil when talking to God.

17. Moses’ Veil • This was a symbol of the Lord Jesus, the Brightness of the Father • Christ put on a human body as the veil of Moses, that we may look at Him and get to know the mysteries of the Father • "With Your light we behold the light," • Through the Only-Begotten Son who is Your brightness, we may see Your mysteries, and enter into Your eternal glories.

18. Of One Essence With the Father • the express image of His person • St. John Chrysostom : • This phrase testifies to His Person that He is of the same essence as the Father

19. The Pantocrator • upholding all things by the word of His power • He is the Almighty, the Pantocrator. • He cares for, and is concerned about all even the minor ones. • “But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.” (Matt 10:30) • St. John Chrysostom: • His care is inexpressible, His compassion is incomprehensible, His goodness is unlimited, and His loveis unconditional!

20. Intercessor by Blood • He had by Himself purged our sins • After we sinned and defiled our nature, He paid the price of our sins on the cross • He sits now at the right hand of the Father as the High Priest on our behalf, not through words of intercessions but through His Self-sacrifice • He intercedes by His Holy Blood which was shed to purify us.

21. Our Exalter • sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high • When He ascends, we ascend with Him, and sit where He sits, enjoying the fellowship of His eternal glory. • The Head was exalted so that the body may remain up in spirit and heart, till the great Day of the Lord, when the body is also exalted to enjoy the glory!

22. Our Exalter • St. John Chrysostom • For your sake, O man, He prepared the kingdom! For your sake, He prepared indescribable blessings, an inheritance prepared in heaven, a unique abundant life and inexpressible joy.

23. Christ is Greater than the Prophets(Hebrews 1) • Christ is: • The High Priest • The Voice • The Abolisher of enmity and grantor of righteousness • The True Word • The Joy of the Father • Our Reconciler • Heir of All Things • The Creator • Eternal Light of Light • Of One Essence With the Father • The Pantocrator • The Intercessor • Our Exalter