The book of Hebrews isn’t easy to study, but its content is timely, as if it were written expressly for our day. Hebrews 1 answers three issues plaguing contemporary society.

Issues for Today
First, it refutes the major cults of our day. The opening declaration is that the revelation through Jesus is the epitome of God’s communication with man. In stark contrast, Islam was founded on a supposed revelation more than 600 years later. Islam would not be on the rise if people had a firm belief of Hebrews 1. Also, the religious groups most likely to knock at your door hold that Jesus was an angel rather than the divine Son of God. The Jehovah’s Witnesses teach that Jesus is the archangel Michael, while the Mormons teach that Jesus is the brother to another angel, Lucifer. Both of these heresies are rejected by Jesus’ superiority over angels.

Second, Hebrews 1 clearly describes the person and work of Jesus Christ that we might worship him in spirit and in truth. In a day when many who claim to know Jesus in reality know very little about him, Hebrews 1 offers a primer in Bible doctrine.

Third, in a day when tolerance is the chief virtue, Hebrews boldly proclaims that Jesus is better than anything else. Throughout Hebrews we are told how much better Jesus is:

He’s better than angels.

He’s a better high priest than has ever served.

He offers a better covenant than man has ever known.

He offers a better sacrifice than has ever been offered.

Jesus is better than anything else—Jesus is the best!

Without so much as the traditional greeting, the author of Hebrews launches into a declaration of the superiority of the Son as a means of revelation. Consider the variety of ways God had spoken to people in the past:

God spoke to Abraham in a vision.

God spoke to Jacob in a dream.

God spoke to Moses in a burning bush.

God spoke to Balaam through a talking donkey.

God spoke to Belshazzar by writing on the wall.

God spoke to Elijah in a still, small voice.

God is Creator and creative, so he can communicate in many different ways. But the best way possible is through his Son.

Jesus Christ is God’s best revelation because he best reveals who God is. He reveals who God is because:

He is the Son of God.

He is heir of all things.

He is Creator of the universe.

He is the radiance of God’s glory.

He is the exact representation of God’s being.

He sustains all things by his powerful word.

He has provided purification for sins.

He sits at the right hand of God.

In verse 3, Jesus is described as “the exact representation of his being.” This is like a stamp that reproduces the exact same image every time it is used. Jesus is a high-definition image of God.

“What are you drawing?” a Sunday school teacher asked a little boy.

“A picture of God,” he confidently replied.

“But no one knows what God looks like,” corrected the teacher.

“They will when I am done!” he responded.

When Jesus was finished and returned to Heaven, we knew exactly what God looked like. The apostle Paul said Jesus is “the image of the invisible God” and in him “all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form” (Colossians 1:15 and 2:9). Jesus is God in a human body. Jesus is both God and man.

Superior to the Angels
Jesus is superior to the angels for three reasons. He has a better name: Son. Jesus alone has a Father-Son relationship with God. Jesus is firstborn, not in order but in importance. The first lady is the first lady not because she is the first wife in order, but because she is first in importance. Jesus is the chief one. Colossians 1:18 says Jesus is the firstborn from the dead. Others had been raised from the dead before Jesus, but Jesus is the most important One!

Second, Jesus is superior to the angels in that he alone is to be worshiped. When angels appear to humans in the Bible, the humans often bow down in worship. Angels consistently refuse this worship, while Jesus permits it. (See Matthew 14:33; 28:9; John 9:38; 20:28).

Third, Jesus is superior because angels are ministering servants, but Jesus reigns over an eternal kingdom.

The writer of Hebrews often quotes the Old Testament to make his point. We should follow this example as we build our understanding of Jesus and share him with the world.

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION

1. What do some people believe about Jesus?

2. How would you answer a person who says all religions are basically the same, only with different names for God?

3. What is unique about Jesus Christ?

4. How is Jesus better than any of the prophets?

5. How is Jesus better than angels?

6. What does Hebrews 1:1-12 say about the person of Jesus (who he is)?

7. What does Hebrews 1:1-12 say about the work of Jesus (what he does)?

8. How is Jesus Christ different from any other religious teacher?

9. How could you share the uniqueness of Christ with an acquaintance who is not a believer?

10. How would you share the good news of Jesus with a person with a background in the Jehovah’s Witnesses? Mormonism? Islam?

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* All Scripture quotations are from the New International Version, unless otherwise indicated.