The Pulpit Commentary — Hebrews — Section 35

III. IN THE DIVINITY OF ms DEING. ",vho bemg the Brightno~s or his glory, ond the express Image of his person;" Revised Version," the effulgence of his glory, and the very I_rnage of his substance." These words suggest: 1. That the Son is of one essence with the Father. Canon Liddon: "That he is one with God as having streamed forth eternally from the Father's essence, like a ray of light from the parent fire with which it is unbrokenly joined, is implied in the expression il,rao')'Ca-µ11 ..-.;s l>o{71s." Let us not think of this glory as a material thing. It is moral and spiritual. Moses prayed," I beseech thee, show me thy glory. And he said,! will make all my good- ness pass before thee," etc. (Exod. xxxiii. 18-23). Beyond this, perhaps, it becomes us not to speak of the glory of the Divine essence; it is mysterious, ineffable. Jehovah said to Moses, " While my glory passeth by, I will put thee in a cleft of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by," etc. (cf. 1 Tim. vi. 16). 2. That the Son is the perfect revelation of the Father. He is " the very Image of his substance," or essential being. The word xa;pa,c.-¾p signifies the impression produced by a stamp, a seal, or a die. As the impression on the wax corresponds with the engraving on the seal, so the Divine Son is the perfect likeness of the essence of the Father. Hence he said, " He that beholdeth me beholdeth him that sent me." "He that bath seen me hath seen the Father." And St. Paul, "He is the Image of the invisible God." 3. That the Son is personally distinct from the Father. As the impression on the wax is quite distinct from the seal by which it was made, so the figure suggests that our Lord is "personally distinct from him of whose essence he is the adequate imprint." IV. IN THE EXALTATION OF ms POSITION. "Sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high." 1. Here is a glori= position. "At the right hand of the Majesty on high." This is spoken of his exaltation as the :Messiah and in his human nature, after the completion of his work upon earth and his ascension into heaven. ".!:<'or the joy that was set before him, he endured the cross," etc. (eh. xii. 2). "Being in the form of God, he counted it not a prize to be of an equality with God," etc. (Phil. ii. 6-11). 2. Here is the highest realm. "On high ; " i.e. in heaven. "Christ entered •.. into heaven itself" ( eh. ix. 24). "Heaven, in Holy Scripture, signifies . . . usually, that sphere of the created world of space and time, where the union of God with the personal creature is not severed by sin, where no death reigns, where the glorification of the body is not a mere hope of the future" (Ebrard). Into that sphere our Lord in his crucified but now risen and glorified humanity has entered, and is enthroned "on the right hand of God, angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him " (1 Pet. iii. 22). 3. Here is a waiting attitude. "Sat down." "Sit thou on my right hand until I make thine enemies thy footstool." He is waiting for all things to be subjected unto him, "in the majestic certainty of his triumph over all who shall oppose the advance of his kingdom." CoNcLus10:s. 1. In him who" made purification of sins" let us trust as our Saviour. 2. Unto him who is essentially Divine let us render the full homage of our heart and life.-W. J. Vers. 4, 5.-The exaltation of the Son of God above the angels of God. "Being made so much better than the an"'els,'' etc. The n.ngels of God are great and exalted beings. Our Lord spake of them "as "holy angels" (Matt. xxv. 31). David said they "excel in strength" (Ps. ciii. 20). St. Paul designates them " his mighty angels " (2 These. i. 7). Deeds involving stupendous power are nscribed to them (Isa. xxxvii. <JG; Acts x.ii. 7-11). 'l'hey are said to be "full of eye~," to indicate their gr~9:t intel- ligence (Rev. i!· 6, 8). Th~y are repr?sented as occupy1_ng a most exal~ed pos1t1on and offering the highest worship (Isa. v1. 1-3). In their ranks the. highest order of created beings is to be found (Eph. i. 21 ; Col. i. 16). But our Lord 1s greater than the angels. I. IN THE PRE-EMINENCE CF BIB NAME. "He hath inherited a more excellent name than they." 1. The pre-eminent name-the Son of G?d· . '!'his a~pe.~rs fr?m ver. 5, "For unto which of the angels," etc. ? The first quotation 1s from 1 s. 11., which is generally regarded as Messianic. 'l'he second is from 2 Sam. vii. 14, which is applic- able primarily to Solomon, but principally to him who is both "the Root and the UJfapring of David." Angels are called" sons of God" in the sacred Scriptures (Job i. (;; ii. 1; xxxviii. 7); su also arc true Christians (Juhn i. 12; 1 John iii.1, 2). Ilut to OB. I. 1-14.] TUE EPISTLE 'l'O THE HEBREWS. 25