The Supremacy of God’s Son

Hebrews 1:1–4

The Prologue

Find a quiet place, alone and apart from distractions. Be comfortably alert, still and at peace. Say the Lord’s Prayer. Sing or cant the Jesus Prayer. Pray for family, friends, neighbors, and yourself. Slowly and carefully read the passages of Scripture. Reread them. From memory, determine the central points.

1.         As to the author, the date written, and to whom “Hebrews” is addressed—all questions are yet debated today. My guess is that the author is Barnabas, written between 55 and 65 CE, and to a Jewish-Christian population in Palestine, Rome, Alexandria, or Ephesus. Clement of Rome commented on it in 95CE in his letter to the Corinthian church. A clue as to the date is that the Fall of Jerusalem in 70CE is not mentioned.

2.         The reason for this sermon (it is more pulpit oratory than prose composition), which is the best Greek in the New Testament, is that some within the group written to were who were either “Christianized” thus not truly converted, or some who were disappointed that the “kingdom” had not fully come and were “tottering” due to persecution.

3.         Verses 1 to 4 consists of one long sentence. The revelation the Writer speaks of is not of two parts but one, and begins with the earliest biblical revelations in the Hebrew Bible, the Old Testament, and most concretely with “our fathers by the prophets.” This may refer to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses and Aaron, and then the great later prophets, Elijah, Isaiah, and so forth.

4.         Now the last prophet has come, the Son, who inherits all things, even through whom the universe has been created. The Son, in the economy of the Trinity, is not creator, the Father is creator, but the Son is present.

5.         The Son is of the “exact imprint of his nature.” (see John 1:1–3, 14:8–11; Galatians 4:1–7, and Colossians 1:15–20) The Son “upholds” the universe by the word of his power — a phrase that is too very grand we may never fully comprehend it.

6.         The whole of this is that the Son makes purification for sins, a very Jewish statement, and means that the Son as a sacrifice atones for sin.

7.         After having finished His work, he “sat down,” meaning having completed this greatest of all work, at the right hand of the Majesty on high, a means of declaring the deity of the Son.

8.         No angel could perform this work, only God, the Messiah, could, and did.

What Happened Following Jesus’ Birth

Luke 2:22-35

Find a quiet place, alone and apart from distractions. Be comfortably alert, still and at peace. Say the Lord’s Prayer. Sing or cant the Jesus Prayer. Pray for family, friends, neighbors, and yourself. Slowly and carefully read the passages of Scripture.

1.        Mary and Joseph presented Jesus at the Temple

according to the Law of Moses. (See Ex. 13:2 & Lev. 12:8). They offered 2 pigeons indicating that the family was poor.

2.        The obedience of Mary and Joseph indicates also that they were observant Jews as Jesus would be as He grew up.

3.        Here now the Holy Family meet Simeon, a Holy Spirit inspired prophet, who is awaiting the arrival of the Messiah.

4.        The remarkable statement about Jesus being the cause of the “fall and rising of many,” is a preparation for Mary about what was to become of her baby. The Child would be loved and hated, both at once, and so He has remained to this day, a sign that is opposed.

5.        Simeon goes even further: “And a sword will pierce through your own soul also.” Indeed, she would be present as her Son is crucified. The words may well have been meant to be comforting to Mary, by taking away any surprise or false expectation.

7.        Then Anna, another witness to Mary and Joseph, two witnesses then along with Simeon, thus meeting the Biblical requirement of Deuteronomy 17:6. Mary and Joseph would be comforted by this.

8.        Some 30 years before the cross, God brings three “old” people to the temple to announce the great event that was to come.

The Christmas Story

Genesis 3:14–16; Psalm 22:14–18; Isaiah 7:14; 9:6–7; Gal. 4:1-6

Find a quiet place, alone and apart from distractions. Be comfortably alert, still and at peace. Say the Lord’s Prayer. Sing or cant the Jesus Prayer. Pray for family, friends, neighbors, and yourself. Slowly and carefully read the passages of Scripture.

God addressing the Serpent, who had deceived Adam and Eve, states, “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head and you shall bruise his heal.”

  1. The woman’s offspring, as the historic drama in Scripture makes plain is Mary’s son Jesus, who defeats the serpent while the serpent is only able to do minor or temporary damage.
  2. In Psalm 22 then is a portrayal of the damage the serpent does, all under the authority of the Creator. The Psalmist, David depicts a man dying on a cross hundreds of years before the invention of this horrible instrument of execution is invented.
  3. Isaiah the prophet speaks of a virgin giving birth to “Immanuel” which means “God with us.” Then this virgin born son is “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” (If you look carefully you will see the Trinity.)
  4. Further along in Isaiah we find this Immanuel as the suffering servant of Israel. The prophet speaks of a person despised and rejected, but who is “wounded for our iniquities” and upon whom is laid all of our sin.
  5. Isaiah goes on to say that this despised one’s dying is an “offering for sin” yet his days will be prolonged, even that “the will of the LORD prosper in his hand.” This is clearly about Jesus’ resurrection. (see Isaiah 53)

In the first century CE a former Jewish Rabbi, the Apostle Paul, in writing to a Gentile audience, sums up the ultimate intention of God in this manner: When the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were born under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.

Galatians 4:4-5

Mary

Mark 3:31–35; Luke 1:26–55; John 2:1–11; 19:16b-27;

Acts 1:12—14

Find a quiet place, alone and apart from distractions. Be comfortably alert, still, and at peace. Recite the Lord’s Prayer. Sing or cant the Jesus Prayer. Pray for family, friends, neighbors, and yourself. Slowly and carefully read the passages of Scripture. Memorize the memory verse.

  1. Her name appears 51 times in the New Testament. It is thought the name means “bitterness” or “sorrow,” and indeed she had much sorrow as well as joy. “Dolores” a name often associated with Mary means “sorrow” in Latin.
  2. Why was Mary chosen to give birth to the Messiah? She was of no account, was poor, and lived in a small village with no reputation. Indeed, Nathaniel asked, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” (John 1:46)
  3. What a wonderful mother she was. Besides giving birth to Jesus she gave birth to four boys, two of which became authors of New Testament books, James and Jude. And she bore at least two girls as well, maybe more, and who are unnamed in Scripture.
  4. At one point her family questioned Jesus’ activities, thought He might be mad, yet she supported her son despite the opposition He faced. She was present at the crucifixion, and at one-point Jesus her son, while dying commended her to the care of Apostle John, the only disciple present at the cross. Legend has he cared for her until her death. At some point, they lived in Ephesus.
  5. Mary became a widow as Joseph disappears fairly early on in the life of Jesus. Mary then raised a rather large family and with good result.
  6. It is probable that you have at least one family member in your remembrance who has the name Mary or a derivative thereof.
  7. She will always be honored as the woman who gave birth to our Lord Jesus Christ.