Page 21 - Hebrews- Student Textbook

was heavy was valuable or had intrinsic worth. Often the concept of brightness was added to the word
to express God's majesty during the Wilderness Wandering Period (Shekinah Cloud of Glory). He alone is
worthy and honorable. He is too brilliant for fallen mankind to behold. God can only be truly known
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through Christ (cf. Matt. 17:2; Heb. 1:3; James 2:1).”

The term "glory" is somewhat ambiguous:

1. It may be "the righteousness of God";
2. It may refer to the "holiness" or "perfection" of God;
3. It could refer to the image of God in which mankind was created (cf. Gen. 1:26-27; 5:1; 9:6), but
which was later marred through rebellion (cf. Gen. 3:1-22).

NASB "the exact representation of His nature"
NKJV "the express image of His person"
NRSV "the exact imprint of God's very being"
TEV "the exact likeness of God's own being"
NJB "bears the imprint of God's own being"

This phrase is found only here in the New Testament but is found often in the writings of Philo, who
completes and adds to the previous characterization. This Greek term was originally used of an
engraving tool, but it came to represent the mark it made. Jesus not only reflects deity, He bears the
unique stamp of deity (cf. John 14:9).

There are two Greek terms used to describe Christ's relationship to the Father:

1. eikon, which means image (cf. 2 Cor. 4:4; Col. 1:15)
2. charakt ēr (cf. Heb. 1:3). The former is the more common in the New Testament but the latter
term is stronger in meaning (cf. KJV "the exact image").

What is God like? He is exactly like Jesus of Nazareth, who is the full and complete revelation of the
invisible God!

"upholds all things" This is the common term "to bear or carry" (pher ō), but in this context it has the
connotation of "to uphold," "to maintain," "to sustain." This conveys the theological concept of
"Providence" (cf. Col. 1:17 and another possible allusion to Wisdom of Solomon 8:1). Not only did Jesus
create the universe (another possible meaning of pher ō) by the spoken word (cf. Gen. 1), but He
sustains it by the spoken word!
"by the word of His power" In Jewish thought God's power was presented by the spoken word. Elohim
creates by the spoken word (cf. Gen. 1:3,6,9,14,20,24). YHWH's word had an independent force to
accomplish His will (cf. Isa. 55:11). It is not by accident that the Christ is called "the Word" in John 1:1

"He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high" This is a figurative way of stating Jesus' finished
work and exaltation (cf. Ps. 110:1; Luke 22:69). God does not have a right hand. This is a biblical
metaphor (anthropomorphic) of power, authority, and preeminence. No OT priest ever sat down!
Jesus' earthly work is finished. In a sense this is a kingly, royal metaphor (cf. Ps. 2; 45; and 110:1-3)
linked to a priestly function (cf. Ps. 110:4 and Zechariah 4). The Dead Sea community expected two

22 Ibid
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