What is the key verse(s) of this chapter? Verses 3 and 4.
And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much better than the angels, as He has inherited a more excellent name than they.
What can I apply to my life from this chapter (things to do/avoid)? None that I can think of at the moment.
Additional observations/questions:
Observation and question: The Lord sat down when His work on the cross was completed (Heb 1:3;10:12) and yet we see Him standing again in Acts 7:51-55 and James 5:9. Why did He stand up again?
Possible answer: He stood up to fulfill those many prophecies yet waiting — judgment (the Tribulation) and His return to earth and set up His Kingdom. But as Jesus stood there in heaven, He watched Israel "resist the Holy Spirit" just as their fathers had done (Acts 7:51), and still He didn't commence judgment. Instead, He sent Paul with the message of total grace. Jesus did not come back to earth from His standing position, but did He sit back down? Some say yes and some say no.
Question: In what way do angels render service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation? What exactly does this mean?
Possible answer: This must refer to the Hebrews who, because of the promise to their fathers (making them heirs), will pass from the Tribulation into the Kingdom. The Hebrew people enduring the Tribulation can expect to benefit from the ministry of angels. No angel can deliver us from anything today because we are already complete in Christ (See also Wuest's comments here), "and He is the head over all rule and authority" (Col 2:10).
"Imagine knowing that there is "one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus" and thinking that you need an angel. God has placed you in Christ (1 Corinthians 12:13) and Christ in you (Colossians 1:27); and so your looking for help from an angel would be rather like climbing out of your Rolls Royce to go dumpster diving." (T. D. McLean in Hebrews)
And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much better than the angels, as He has inherited a more excellent name than they.
What can I apply to my life from this chapter (things to do/avoid)? None that I can think of at the moment.
Additional observations/questions:
Observation and question: The Lord sat down when His work on the cross was completed (Heb 1:3;10:12) and yet we see Him standing again in Acts 7:51-55 and James 5:9. Why did He stand up again?
Possible answer: He stood up to fulfill those many prophecies yet waiting — judgment (the Tribulation) and His return to earth and set up His Kingdom. But as Jesus stood there in heaven, He watched Israel "resist the Holy Spirit" just as their fathers had done (Acts 7:51), and still He didn't commence judgment. Instead, He sent Paul with the message of total grace. Jesus did not come back to earth from His standing position, but did He sit back down? Some say yes and some say no.
Question: In what way do angels render service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation? What exactly does this mean?
Possible answer: This must refer to the Hebrews who, because of the promise to their fathers (making them heirs), will pass from the Tribulation into the Kingdom. The Hebrew people enduring the Tribulation can expect to benefit from the ministry of angels. No angel can deliver us from anything today because we are already complete in Christ (See also Wuest's comments here), "and He is the head over all rule and authority" (Col 2:10).
"Imagine knowing that there is "one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus" and thinking that you need an angel. God has placed you in Christ (1 Corinthians 12:13) and Christ in you (Colossians 1:27); and so your looking for help from an angel would be rather like climbing out of your Rolls Royce to go dumpster diving." (T. D. McLean in Hebrews)
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