"God, who at sundry
times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers
by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by
his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by
whom also he made the worlds; Who being the brightness of his
glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding
all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself
purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on
high; Being made so much better than the angels, as he
hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they."
Hebrews 1:1-4
LESSON 1 ...
What would
you say if I told you Jesus was a Prophet? Well, He is!
He is the
Prefect Prophet! He is the Prophet of Whom God spoke in
Deuteronomy 18:18 --- "I will raise them
up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee (Moses),
and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them
all that I shall command him."
I believe
Jesus is the greatest Prophet/Preacher Who ever lived!
In fact, part of His Ministry as a Prophet is described in
Hebrews 1:1-2. Note this passage with me:
"God,
who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past
unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken
unto us by his Son."
In the past ... many prophets!
In the present ... One, the very Son of God!
See that God in the past ("palai" in Greek and meaning
ancient) spoke to the people "in divers manners." The word
is "polutropos" and combines "polus" which means much or many
and "tropos" which means turns or styles or modes! For
example, God spoke through a burning bush to Moses and a still
small voice to Elijah and a vision to Isaiah and a wife to Hosea
and a basket of fruit to Amos! God at times in the Old
Testament used dreams and angels and Urim and Thummim and
pillars of fire and smoke and earthquakes too! He could
speak in Egypt, Canaan, Babylon, or even heathen Ur! These
certainly qualify as divers (diverse) manners!
But God also spoke at "sundry times." As in the Garden
of Eden, aboard the Ark of Noah, during the life of Abraham
(already 2,000 years have been covered)! Not counting the life
of David (1,000 years later again)! Or during the
ministries of the Minor Prophets (600 more years)! I'd say
"sundry times" all right! "Polumeros" means in ("polus")
many ("meros") portions (of time in this context)!
To whom did He speak? The "fathers." This noun "pater"
is in the dative case (the preposition is therefore implied) and
means "to" or "for" the fathers! Those long since dead
heard the voice of God!
How did He speak? Through the prophets! "Through"
translates the little Greek word "en." It literally says
IN the prophets! Talk about indwelling!
The word prophet is "prophetes" ("pro" means in front of,
fore and "phemi" means to speak or say or even to show)!
The prophet could do two things. He could foretell (via
God's inspiration) events not yet here (like the Cross or the
Day of the Lord). Also he could forth tell (preach) the
Word of God!
This gives us a very quick view of God's using the prophets
in the Old Testament days!
BUT NOW Jesus has come! And God is speaking through
Him!
Notice that since Jesus came (New Testament era) time has
been labeled by the Holy Spirit as the "last days." "Eschatos"
means last or final! (In Theology the study of eschatology
means analyzing the events of Bible prophecy!) We've been
in the last days for over 2,000 years now! (We may be in
the last minutes by God's time clock today!)
"Spoken" translates "laleo." It means to talk or utter
words. (It is translated "preach" 6 times in the King James
Version!) Laleo emphasizes the WORDS being declared!
The verb lego emphasizes the meaning or the substance of the
communication. I believe then we are to study Jesus' very
words! (Like His great "Sermon on the Mount!")
Lastly the preposition "by" is again "en!" God spoke to
us IN His Son! Jesus is God ... but here we're told that
God was In Jesus! He certainly was! Via the Holy
Spirit!
I have an opinion I'd like to express! I believe Jesus
was the greatest and most powerful Preacher Who ever lived on
this earth! No wonder they declared
"Never man spake like this Man." John 7:46
Jesus is the Fulfillment of ALL the prophets represented.
He is the very fullness of prophecy! Let's let John on
Patmos word it for us: "Worship God:
for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy." Revelation
19:10
What a Saviour!
Listen! God is still speaking through Jesus (via the
precious Word of God)!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
LESSON 2 ...
One of the most "Jesus" centered Books of the
Bible is Paul's Epistle to the Hebrews.
Its opening paragraph proves the point. It
gives us eight (8) facts about our Lord and Saviour!
Let me today show you just one of them!
Hebrews 1:2 speaks of the Son of God and says
of Jesus:
"...His Son, Whom He hath appointed Heir
of all things."
Jesus is the "HEIR OF
ALL THINGS!"
The Greek word for "heir" is "kleronomos."
This word combines "kleros" which means a "portion" of something
and "nomos" (from "nemo") which means to parcel out, to
possess! It speaks of One Who receives what God has promised to
Him! This word occurs 15 times in 14 different verses in the
New Testament. It (through those different "appearances") gives
us a pretty good history of its development. At first (in
parable form) it speaks of Jesus alone. The soon we are
involved as "joint-heirs" with Christ! (When we are saved ...
we are "joined" unto Christ Jesus our Head ... and become
partakers in His blessings!) Briefly, here are the references
where you will find the word: Matt. 21:38, Mk. 12:7, Lk. 20:14,
Rom. 4:13, Rom. 4:14, Rom. 8:17, Gal. 3:29, Gal. 4:1, Gal. 4:7,
Tit. 3:7, Heb. 1:2, Heb. 6:17, Heb. 11:7 and Jas. 2:5.
God the Father has "appointed" Jesus Heir of
all things! "Tithemi" means to place, to appoint, even to
ordain! (No doubt Jesus as very God has been "Heir of all
things" for eternity past. BUT He willingly humbled Himself and
came to earth to die for sinners like you and me!) Therefore I
believe this particular action occurred when the glorified and
ascended Jesus was welcomed back "home" by His Father and
invited to sit at His Right Hand for evermore! It may have
been part of the "joy" that Jesus kept seeing while on the
Cross! (Hebrews 12:2) It's an aorist verb ... the action is
already completed now.
"All things" translates the little Greek
pronoun "pas." It means every (thing) or the whole (thing)!
Jesus is the Owner of it all!
Maybe this is what Paul had in mind in 1
Corinthians 3:21-23 when he said:
"Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours;
Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or
death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours; And
ye are Christ's; and Christ is God's." All things
are ours ... because we are HIS ... and He's the Heir of all
things!
Or even in Ephesians 1:10-11 where we are
told of God: "That in the dispensation of
the fulness of times he might
gather together in one
all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which
are on earth; even in him: In whom also we have obtained
an inheritance."
In Israel inheritance was the right of the
Firstborn Son! This is rightly so with Jesus here. No one is
before Him! He is the eternal Son of God! Because of HIM we
are also made Sons through His shed Blood.
Watch Colossians 1:16 ---
"For by him (Jesus) were all things
created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and
invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or
principalities, or powers:
all things were created
by him, and for him." All things were made FOR
Him!
Romans 11:36 applies here too I believe.
"For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to
whom be glory for ever. Amen." Glory to God!
Listen to Psalm 2 a minute. There (in verses
7 and 8) God and Jesus are talking: "I
will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art
my Son; this day have I begotten thee.
Ask of me, and I shall
give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost
parts of the earth for thy possession." Again
remember the words "Heir of all things!"
The One Who "had
nowhere to lay His Head" (Luke 9:58) is now "Heir of all
things!" I am thrilled just thinking about it.
In Revelation chapter 6 that "seven sealed
book" is probably the "title deed" to this whole earth. And
Jesus possesses it! "The earth is the
Lord's and the fulness thereof!" (Psalm 24:1 and 1
Corinthians 10:26 and 28!)
Believer friend, we can't imagine the glory
this is His and that we shall behold some day when we see Him
face to face!
Today while you drive and work and interact
with those around you ... occasionally let your thoughts be
redirected to our verse! Jesus ... Heir of all things! And He
has made us partaker of that blessing! What glory awaits!
Praise the dear Lord!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
LESSON 3 ...
I am a creationist!
I believe God created the
heaven and the earth.
The opening paragraph of
Paul's letter to the Hebrews gives eight great facts about our
Lord Jesus Christ.
One of those deals with this
matter of creation.
Speaking of Jesus, Hebrews 1:2
says that God ... "Hath in these last days
spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all
things, by whom also he
made the worlds."
Notice especially the words "BY WHOM ALSO
HE MADE THE WORLDS."
Those words make it rather clear! Jesus is the Creator!
(Of course in Genesis 1:1 God the Father is said to create!
And in Genesis 1:2 the Holy Spirit is seen "moving" upon
creation! Yet unmistakably Scriptures declares Jesus as
Creator too!)
Now that still proclaims that our God is Creator. The
three Persons of the Trinity are One in Essence! We
worship and serve one almighty God.
The preposition "by" is the Greek term "dia" which means "by
means of." It denotes the "channel" of an act.
The verb "made" translates the Greek "poieo," meaning to do or
to cause or to bring about! (To accomplish, to perform!)
It gives us our English word "poem." (I guess that which
God does is poetic and lovely!) The verb also is an aorist
... action completed in the past. God is making no more
worlds.
The noun "worlds" translates the Greek "aion," meaning a period
of time or an age. However of its 128 uses in the New Testament,
38 of them are translated "world." ("Evermore" is the rendering
4 times and "eternal" 2 times!) The world does appear here
in the plural number.
Jesus created eternity! He created the ages of time
(dispensations)! He created the worlds! (The whole
universe of space and time is included here no doubt!)
Listen to Colossians 1:16 --- "For by him
(Jesus) were all things created, that are in heaven, and that
are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be
thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things
were created by him, and for him."
Still with Jesus in mind ... John 1:3 declares:
"All things were made by him; and
without him was not any thing made that was made."
By the way, if Jesus is the Creator ... He is not a created
Being, is He? He is God eternal!
Listen to what this means.
Jesus my Saviour is also Jesus my Creator!
And just as Jesus created this physical earth ... so He creates
spiritually each time someone gets "saved!" They become
"new creatures" according to Paul in 2 Corinthians 5:17.
Now, don't get confused about all this.
You can believe in Jesus as Creator and still die without
Christ!
But if you believe in Him as Redeemer and are saved by His
marvelous Grace ... you will go to Heaven ... there to meet your
Creator face-to-face!
Friend, just think how very "blessed" you are! Being
intimately acquainted with the Lord Jesus bring showers of
abundant goodness again and again!
Today, thank Him for making the earth and its inhabitants.
Then add another "Thank You" for His dying on Calvary to save
sinners like us!
Glory to His Name!
Be sure and read the personal prayer request on the "Standing
with the Bagwells" Page. Many of you pray for my safety as
I travel. I'm grateful to you.
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
LESSON 4 ...
The Lord Jesus Christ is described in Song of Solomon as being
"altogether lovely!"
"His mouth is most sweet: yea, he
is altogether
lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my
friend, O daughters of Jerusalem." Song of Solomon 5:16
I have found that Hebrews 1:1-4 also describes Him in some
mighty ways! For example, He ("God's Son") is ...
"Who being the brightness of his glory."
The possessive Pronoun "His" means God the Father.
Jesus is the BRIGHTNESS OF THE GLORY OF GOD THE FATHER!
The verb "being" is the present participle of "eimi." It
indicates that Jesus goes on and on being the Brightness of the
Father! (Continuous action!) This is not teaching us
that Jesus is merely the "reflection" of God's Brightness!
No! It is telling us that Jesus also IS the Brightness of
God's Glory!
The noun "brightness" translates "apaugasma," meaning "shining
forth" or "off-flash" or effulgence! "Augazo" means
to beam forth light. 'Auge" in Greek is a ray of light, or
the dawn (by implication). Now again, some of the Bible
teachers say this means that Jesus simply reflects the Father's
Glory. I do NOT believe that's what the word implies. It
seems to be saying that Jesus radiates inner Glory,
His Glory as that
of the majestic Godhead. (Jesus is not a reflector.
He, as a Member of the Godhead, is the Generator!) This
particular word is not used anywhere else in the Bible.
Here are some lexicon definitions: radiance, efflux of
light, outshining! This must be some kind of unique Brightness!
(On the Mount of Transfiguration you will remember that Jesus
began to shine with inner glory! Here's how Mark put it:
"And his raiment became shining,
exceeding white as snow; so as no fuller on earth can white
them." Mark 9:3) And when Paul saw the Glory of the
resurrected Lord Jesus on the Damascus road, He described it as
being "above the brightness of the sun!" Acts 26:13
What's the source of this brightness? Our verse tells us.
It is the very Glory of God! The noun "glory" here translates
the Greek word "doxa." This comes from "dokeo," to think
(or the textbooks say ... to seem). Then it comes to mean
an estimate, an evaluation." In this sense the "glory" of
a person is the value, the "weight," the appraisal of that one
(in your sight). Your estimate of Jesus' Worth constitutes
how much you ponder His Glory!
However I believe His "Glory" goes much deeper than that!
His Glory is not just His ineffable (indescribable) Brightness
or His priceless value ... also it is His total Essence as very
God. ("Essence" is from the Latin verb "esse," to be.)
What makes up God's ESSENCE ... all God is! The essence of
God ... therefore the GLORY of God is ALL God is in the sum
total of His beautiful attributes! Jesus is the FULNESS OF
THE GODHEAD! Again, listen to Paul in Colossians 2:9 ---
"For in him (Jesus) dwelleth all the
fulness of the Godhead bodily." Wow!
Just as the radiance of the sun reaches the earth and gives
warmth and life ... so Jesus is the radiance of God come to
earth to give eternal life!
No wonder Jesus said in John 8:4 "I AM THE
LIGHT OF THE WORLD!"
Paul reminds us that the devil wants to keep people blinded to
the light of the glory of our Saviour too! (2 Corinthians 4:4)
Dear friends, let's bask in that loveliness of the light of the
glory of God (as seen only in Jesus) all this day long!
Praise His dear Name!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
LESSON 5 ...
Hebrews 1:3 tells us something lovely about
Jesus. It declares to us that our Lord is ...
"the express image of his person." Jesus is the
"Express Image" of His Father!
What does that term mean?
First of all let me remind you that we have a
verb implied here. One has to read the earlier part of verse 3
to see it. "Who (Jesus) being the
brightness of his glory, and the express image of his
person." (The little word "His", occurring twice here as
a personal pronoun, refers to God the Father.)
The implied verb is "being." It is a form of
the main Greek verb "eimi," meaning a state of existence. Here
we have it expressed as a present participle. That means Jesus
is constantly (habitually, perpetually) being ... at least up to
this present moment ... the "Express Image" of His Father! And
we Christians know that He will be so eternally. He will never
die (again)!
The noun "express image" translates the Greek
word "charakter." We know that expression in English. Look at it
again. CHARACTER! Jesus is the very Character of His Father! The
word originally meant an instrument used for carving or
engraving. Then it came to mean the impression of an instrument
on the item it struck. (Like a rubber stamp pressed against an
ink pad will leave its exact impression on a blank piece of
paper!) Jesus is the exact likeness of His Father! (It comes
from a root verb that means "to sharpen to a point!" For
engraving purposes!) The impress of a die. It was often used in
Greek of the impression (of an emperor, etc.) made on coins. Our
word is only used here in all of Scripture.
But our short little part of a verse even
adds more information!
The exact image of the Father’s PERSON.
What does that mean?
It’s the word "hupostasis," and usually means
substructure. The word combines "hupo" (under) and "stasis"
(standing). To know the Father ... we can only look at Jesus,
Who stands under the Father and illustrates His very Person to
our hearts and souls. I personally believe this may be the very
highest compliment paid to Jesus in all the Word of God!
The Son bears the very stamp of the Father’s
Nature! Jesus is the Essence of God the Father! (This is not
talking about a physical image either. What color eyes, etc.!
It’s the very spirit and nature of God that is also Jesus. I
guess He and His Father ARE One! John 10:30 No wonder He told
Philip in John 14:9 --- "Jesus saith unto
him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not
known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and
how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?"
Jesus is the "Embodiment" of God!
Elsewhere Paul says nearly the same thing,
but with a different Greek word, "eikon." Everyone now knows
what an "icon" looks like on a computer screen. Click on a
specific "icon," and you will get exactly what that icon
represents! (2 Corinthians 4:4 and Colossians 1:15)
Jesus in not ONLY God manifest! He is God in
substance. In fact, the precise English equivalent for the Greek
word "hupostasis" (God’s PERSON) is sub (under) + stance (to
stand)! Jesus is the very SUBSTANCE of God the Father!
Let me pause this Saturday morning (even if
at this moment I am flying home from Illinois at 32,000 feet)
and worship the Saviour!
He is so much MORE than I have ever realized!
Don’t you just love Him?
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
LESSON 6 ...
Just how GREAT is our Lord
Jesus Christ?
To what extent does He have
any influence in today's world?
There is a clause in Hebrews
1:3 that helps to answer that question.
Let me show you what I mean.
The Subject of the whole verse is our dear Saviour!
"Who being the
brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person,
and
upholding all things by the word of his power,
when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right
hand of the Majesty on high."
Hebrews 1:3
Notice the part of the verse that is
"highlighted" in red.
It says Jesus upholds all things by the Word
of His Power!
The little verb "upholding" is spelled "phero"
in Greek. It literally means "carrying." Or to bring, to
bring along, to guide, to lead, to support! (Amazing!)
In its exact "form" here the verb is a present participle.
That suggests on-going action. This is not something Jesus
did just in the past. It continues! (I just saw this
interesting little "note." In John 20:27 Jesus, talking to
Thomas, told him to "reach" thither his finger and touch Jesus'
wounded Hands! Then to "reach" thither his hand and push
it into Jesus open pierced side! In both cases the verb
translated "reach" is "phero!" Our dear Lord can "reach" all
things by the Word of His Power!)
The word tells us that Jesus not only holds
(upholds, sustains) this world and all that's in it ... but He
additionally carries it along until it reaches some point of
destiny determined by our Almighty God! (Heaven or Hell!)
Jesus did not just die for the world then go
back to heaven as a detached God! No! No! He
lives and intercedes and guides in the affairs of men day by
day! (Glory to His Name!)
Here's how Paul put in to the Colossians:
"And he (JESUS) is before all things, and by him all things
consist." Colossians 1:17 (That little
verb "consist" means "to stand together, to stick together!"
Jesus "holds" creation intact by His very existence!)
Jesus our Lord is the GLUE that holds creation together and the
POWER that motivates it also!
"All things" translates in Greek the
expression "ta panta" which is "all the (things)." As best I can
determine that includes everything ever made. (All the
"universe!")
"By" is expressed via the dative case being
used for "word." The dative case can indicate
"instrumental" usage. Jesus upholds all things through the
instrument of the Word of His Power!
"Word" in Greek is "rhema" and means "an
utterance." It seems to emphasize not the act of saying
something ... but that
which is said! The implication is that Jesus' very
words have POWER! They do!
Listen to Paul in Hebrews 11:3 as he explains
how the Lord created: "Through faith
we understand that the worlds were framed by
the word of God,
so that things which are seen were not made of things which do
appear."
This particular noun "rhema" can even support
life Jesus says in Matthew 4:4! "But
he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread
alone, but by every word
that proceedeth out of the mouth of God."
In Luke 5:5 "rhema" can catch fish!
Luke 5:5 --- "And Simon answering said
unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken
nothing: nevertheless at thy
word I will let
down the net."
It can sanctify and cleanse in Ephesians 5:26
--- "That he might sanctify and cleanse it
with the washing of water by the
word."
Listen to how the Virgin Mary used the word
in Luke 1:38 --- "And Mary said, Behold
the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to
thy word. And the
angel departed from her."
Rhema has force! It does things!
So much so that Paul calls it here the word of His POWER!
This translates "dunamis," which means "miraculous power!"
(It is derived from a verb that means "to be able or to be
possible!") W. E. Vine says that "dunamis" in the New
Testament expresses "inherent" power. Power stored within
the Lord Jesus and His Word! (Potential power ... all of
which is not yet ... and never can be ... expended!)
In this short Hebrews paragraph we have seen
Jesus both as Creator ("He made the
worlds." Hebrews 1:2) and as Sustainer. (Past
and Present!)
I have a conviction that Jesus never begins
anything that He does not also finish! This is even true with
our very salvation! (And for that matter it is an accurate
statement regarding our sanctification too!) Here's a
verse to prove it. In Philippians 1:6 Paul says:
"Being confident of this very thing, that
he which hath begun a good work in you will perform
it until the day of Jesus Christ."
Brothers and Sisters, it sounds to me like
our dear Lord Jesus is running things in this day and hour!
Paul was exactly right when he extolled in Romans 11:36 ---
"For of him, and through him, and to him,
are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen."
Glory!
Every one of us ought to go off for a while
and WORSHIP HIM!!!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
LESSON 7 ...
In one of Paul's greatest
Christ-honoring Passages ever he says that Jesus
"by Himself purged our sins!"
This little statement contains
the HEART of the Gospel!
And with these words we are
introduced to the over-all theme of the whole Epistle of Hebrews
too!
We are here
told just that Jesus "purged" our sins! We are NOT yet
told HOW He did so! That comes later in the Book.
Let me show
you the clause in its proper context:
"Who (Jesus) being the brightness of
his (The Father's) glory, and the express image of
his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power,
when he had by himself purged our sins,
sat down on the right hand
of the Majesty on high." Hebrews 1:3
The phrase "by Himself" has invited my
attention today! What does it mean? In Greek it is
spelled: "dia autou." The preposition "dia" means
"through the channel of" or at times "by means of." And "autou"
is a reflexive pronoun (masculine gender here) meaning
"Himself." It literally says that Jesus did something here
that no one else could possibly achieve! And He did it
alone! (There was a point on the Cross when He was
"forsaken" by His Father! And by the Holy Spirit I believe.)
The verb "purged" translates two Greek words:
"poieo katharismos." It says in exact grammatical context:
He made our cleansing! "Poieo" means to do or to make.
From it we get such words as "poem!" A poem is something
an author made ... doing so beautifully and harmoniously! Jesus
did a beautiful thing on Calvary! He provided for the
salvation of our souls! The noun "katharismos" means
removing dirt ... then removing moral defilement ... and here
cleansing sin itself! (First used as a term for cleaning
one's house ... then one's life ... then finally one's very
soul!) It gives us our word catharsis, a medical term used for
the purgation of one's digestive system. The action here
is "aorist," completed in the past and not to be repeated!
Glory to God!
The noun "sins" is "hamartia" and means "a"
(no, not) and "meros" (a share or portion)! Sin keeps one
from enjoying a share of the glory (Heaven) of God!
See Romans 6:23 for the source of my definition here. Sin robs
one of the true goodness (salvation) God has provided for him or
her! (The old definition "to miss the mark" fits well
here.)
Why don't we just pause a bit this Monday and
thank the Lord (worship our Saviour) for all He's done in our
salvation! Indeed He is wonderful!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
LESSON 8 ...
When Hebrews 1:3 tells us (in its opening paragraph) that Jesus
"by Himself purged our sins" it introduces its
main theme! (Hebrews mentions "sin" or sins" at least 26
times according to my count!)
Jesus, our great High Priest, in Hebrews deals completely and
finally with the issue of our iniquity!
The verb "purged" in Hebrews 1:3 meant first of all to clean
one's house, removing dirt and grime in any form. Then it
came to mean ritual cleansing. Like taking a bath before
going to the Tabernacle to offer sacrifice! Lastly it was
adopted into the spiritual world of the Believer to mean the
cleansing from actual sin itself! This can of course only
be done by the Blood of Jesus!
Next Hebrews 2:17 tells us that Jesus came
"to make reconciliation for the sins of the people."
The verb here means to please the wrath of God the
Father! To propitiate! It could even be rendered:
"to mercy seat the sins of the people!" Jesus IS God's
Mercy Seat! (It ultimately comes from the verb "airo," to
lift up and take away!) Glory to God!
Then in Hebrews He fixes sin to be remembered no more!
"Their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more."
Hebrews 8:12! And then
"And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more."
Hebrews 10:17! What a blessing!
In Hebrews 9:28 He was
"offered to bear the sins of many!"
The verb "bear" translates "anaphero," meaning to
carry ("phero") up ("ana")! He took the load of our sins
and lifted them up off of us! Do you remember when the
"load" was lifted! I do! Wonderful!
In Hebrews 10:12 Jesus
"offered one sacrifice for sins for ever!"
This verb is "prosphero" and means "to lead to!" Jesus
picked us up and took us to the father Who accepts us "in the
Beloved" Son! We've been washed in His Blood! These
are glorious words!
And in Hebrews 10:18 Jesus brought about the
"remission" of sin! The word is "aphesis"
and combines "apo" and "heimi" meaning to "send away!" It
implies "freedom!" He grabbed my sins and sent them away!
Here's another one. Hebrews 9:26 says Jesus
"appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself!"
The verb "put away" is "athetesis" meaning ("a" =
away! and "tithemi" = to put, to place!) to place them far off!
("To set aside" one source says!) The verb is only used one
other time in the New Testament and there it's translated
"disannul!" It is a common term in old Greek legal papers
for "making void" a debt, etc.! Wow! Note the
expression "by the sacrifice of Himself!" Here Jesus is
not only the offering, the Lamb of God ... He is also the Priest
giving that offering! (The great High Priest!)
And in Hebrews 9:15 Jesus brought about our
"redemption of the transgressions!" The noun
for "redemption" is great! It translates "apolutrosis"
which comes from "apo" (from or away from) and "luo" (to loose)!
Jesus set us loose from the binding sins that had held us so
long! We're free indeed!
What a theology textbook Hebrews is! Especially in the
areas of hamartiology and soteriology (doctrines of sin and
salvation)!
I would say Jesus adequately dealt with our sins on the Cross!
Praise His good and holy Name!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
LESSON 9 ...
In Hebrews 1:1-4 the true Christian sees eight great facts about
our dear Lord Jesus Christ. He is the "Heir of all things!" Then
also "He made the worlds!" He is the "Brightness of the Glory"
of God the Father! Not only that, also concerning the Father ...
Jesus is the "Express Image of His Person!" Then we are told
that Jesus is presently "Upholding all things by the Word of His
Power!" Additionally, "He by Himself purged our sins!" And He is
"so much better than the angels!"
BUT there is one more fact! Our Lord is "Sat
down on the Right Hand of the Majesty on High!"
Let me show it to you in Scripture:
"God ... hath in these last days
spoken unto us by his Son ... Who ... sat down on the right
hand of the Majesty on high." Hebrews 1:1-3
The verb "sat down" in Greek is "kathizo,"
which fuses two little words ("kata" meaning down and "hezomai"
meaning to sit). It is an aorist active verb. It happened in
time past. It is a completed act. Jesus is no longer in the act
of being seated. (He now sits and intercedes on our behalf!) No
one seated Him either. He did so under His Own Power! He had
earned the Right to sit by His Father! After His death on
Calvary the Father highly exalted Him! (Philippians 2:9) However
I need to tell you that in Ephesians 1:20 we are told that God
the Father ... "Raised him from the dead,
and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly
places." There God the Father is in charge of Jesus’
Session (sitting down)! As you are aware, Jesus’ sitting down
has great significance! He, as our great High Priest, now
sitting in Heaven with His Father tells us that His WORK of
propitiation is done! The Blood has been shed! Sin has been
forgiven! He now prays for His own! (No Old Testament priest
could sit in the Tabernacle or Temple! In fact, there is no
record of any chair even being in those holy places!)
"The Right Hand" in the Bible is a picture of
the place of power! One’s "right hand" was generally his hand of
strength! Three times in the New Testament I find the expression
"the right hand of His power!" (Matthew 26:64, Mark 14:62 and
Luke 22:69) Plus Exodus 15:6 adds: "Thy
right hand, O LORD, is become glorious in power: thy right hand,
O LORD, hath dashed in pieces the enemy." The noun "dexios"
(right hand) means (middle voice of the verb dechomai --- "to
receive") the place of favor. The place from which one can
receive gracious things from another! Jesus at God’s Right Hand
has procured many a blessing for you and me! Beginning with the
sending of the Holy Spirit! (John 15:26 ---
"But when the Comforter is come, whom I
will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of
truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of
me.") Watch this verse! In Psalm 68:18 we are told:
"Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led
captivity captive: thou hast received gifts for men; yea, for
the rebellious also, that the LORD God might dwell among
them." Jesus ascended and has received gifts ...
for men! Paul quotes and applies this in Ephesians 4:8 ---
"Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led
captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men." What a
Saviour!
The noun "Majesty" is next. It’s Greek "megalosune"
and is the basic word "megas" which means BIG or GREAT! God is
called the "Majesty" again in Hebrews 8:1! The third Bible use
of the word is in Jude 1:25 --- "To the
only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion
and power, both now and ever. Amen." Then add 2 Peter
1:16 --- "For we have not followed
cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power
and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of
his majesty." Now you’ve seen every Greek use of the
word! He is a big God!
Where is He? He is "on high." This translates
the phrase "en hupselos." The noun "hupsos" means heights or
elevation. It is from "huper" (our word "hyper") which means
over and above! Our God is over us! Above us! IN the Heights! IN
the Heavenlies!
And there He is still ministering to His
children and their needs!
In fact Paul goes so far as to say this:
Romans 5:10 --- "For if, when we were
enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much
more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life."
We are "saved" by His life ... His ongoing intercessory High
Priestly Ministry in Heaven right now! And read Hebrews 7:25 ---
"Wherefore he is able also to save them to
the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth
to make intercession for them." And look at what Jesus
has promised to those who are "overcomers." Revelation 3:21 ---
"To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my
throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father
in his throne."
Jesus sits in the greatest position of
honor in Heaven today! And rightly so!
What should that cause us to do?
Many things (worship, for example)!
BUT especially ... note Hebrews 4:15-16 where
we are told: "For we have not an high
priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our
infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are,
yet without sin. Let
us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may
obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need."
Praise His dear Name!
Pray! Christian, pray! Come before that
precious Throne! Pray to your great seated High Priest! He
will give you grace! He will give you help in time of need!
Again I must say it: Glory to God!
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your hand!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
LESSON 10 ...
Listen to what Hebrews 1:4
tells us about Jesus! This fact is a real "key" to the whole
Book of Hebrews!
"Being made
so much better
than the angels, as He hath by inheritance obtained a more
excellent name than they."
Jesus is
BETTER than the angels!
The world of the early church (the setting
for Hebrews) placed great emphasis on angels! Colossians
2:18 even mentions some who were guilty of
"worshipping of angels!" A false belief system
knows as "Gnosticism" even taught that angels helped in one's
very salvation! Overall the Jewish people held
angels in very high regard!
Our text says Jesus is BETTER than angels!
"Kreitton" means stronger, nobler, or greater! (It comes
from "kratos," a fundamental word for power or might!) It
is used 13 times in Hebrews that I can find. "Kratos" in
Greek is a word that suggests manifested power (not stored power
for some future use)! It is even taught in Vines'
Dictionary of New Testament Words that "kratos" may give us our
word "creator!" The root idea is "to perfect or to complete!"
Jesus is BETTER!
In Hebrews ... Jesus is not only better than
the angels! He is better than Moses or Aaron. He is
a better Priest! He has provided us with a better Covenant
too! He has provided His children a "more excellent"
(better) ministry! He has given better promises! He
is a better Sacrifice than anything the Old Testament could have
ever delivered! He has made possible for us a better
Heaven! Even a better resurrection is ours because of Him!
And, of course, His Blood is better Blood than that of Abel!
The noun "angels" translates "aggelos,"
meaning messengers. In the King James Version the word
occurs 186 times and is rendered "angel" or "angels" 179 of
those times and "messenger" 7 times.
"By inheritance obtained" is a Greek word (kleronomeo")
that means He was given (of His Father) a reward, an award, an
inheritance better than the angels. The verb obtained an
inheritance is a "perfect" ... meaning that it describes action
that began in the past ... but its results continue to the very
present moment! Jesus is still enjoying His inheritance
from the Father!
"More excellent" is in Greek "diaphoros."
It means to carry "phero" and through (dia). Something
that has been set apart as different! Nothing can compare
to Jesus' Name! It is different and unique!
The NAME of our Lord is "Jesus" and that
means Saviour, Deliverer! The name angels is simply one
which means errand runner, messenger! Plus the fact that
Scripture tells us that the Father has given Jesus a
"Name which is above every name!" Philippians
2:9
Today let us thank God that our Lord and
Saviour Jesus Christ is BETTER than anyone and anything
(including angels)! He is God's very Son! In fact,
He is God in human flesh! More ... He is God crucified,
buried, resurrected, ascended and mediating (interceding) for
His own this very hour! (He is also God coming back to
this old earth some day!)
Praise Him!
Praise Him!
Praise Him!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
LESSON 11 ...
In Hebrews 1:1-4 we have now been given eight beautiful facts about
our Lord. He is:
* Heir of all things!
* He made the worlds!
* He is the
brightness of the glory of the Father!
* He is the express
image of His Father too!
* He upholds all
things by the word of His power!
* He has by Himself
purged our sins!
* He has now sat down
on the right hand of the Majesty on high!
* And ... He is so
much better than the angels!
What a Saviour!
These great facts portray Jesus as Prophet, Priest and King!
(The three Old Testament Offices that received the Anointing of
Holy Oil from God!)
The Prophet is seen in verses 1 and 2.
"God, who at sundry times and in divers
manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,
Hath in these last days
spoken unto us by his Son." Jesus, the
Speaker, is the Prophet! God promised Moses that in some
future day He would ... "raise them up a
Prophet from
among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in
his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command
him." That's Jesus! (Deuteronomy 18:18)
Jesus as Priest is seen in His purging our sins! In fact,
that activity of our Lord's is one of the key themes in Hebrews!
It gives (in detail) His activity in forgiving sins!
And then Jesus as King is seen in His sitting at the right hand
of God the Father! At the Throne of Heaven!
These eight phrases describing our Lord Jesus are like eight
facets of a diamond, reflecting brilliantly the morning light!
Truly Jesus is "altogether lovely!" (Song of Solomon 5:16)
I somehow believe that we shall spend much of eternity admiring
(and worshipping) Him in His beauty and glory! Don't you
agree?
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
