Mistaken Identity: Looking at Hebrews 1:1-3.
written by Collin Haddock.
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The name Jesus is common place in our culture, especially in the South. It’s everywhere, from shirts to posters to bumper stickers. Yet the identity of Jesus is misunderstood to a great many. It’s a case of mistaken identity. We hear a great deal of information about Jesus that is mistaken or just patently untrue. Unfortunately, that stuff seeps in and the identity of Jesus we often have in our head is one that looks a lot like us. The identity of Jesus is a foundational anchor of the Christian faith, and it defines clearly what we believe. It’s important. Every thing is impacted by it. Our very Hope depends on who Jesus is. Thankfully, the author of Hebrews gives us a clear look in his opening statement of the epistle: “Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high” (Hebrews 1:1-3.) There are two qualities we can find from this passage that serve as a clear and good reminder of who Jesus is:
Jesus is the ultimate answer.
“Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son.”
Jesus is the ultimate answer from God. All through the Old Testament, God spoke through differing means: Prophets, kings, and in one place, a talking donkey. Each of these means ultimately points to one person in history: Jesus. Jesus is pointed to constantly in the Old Testament, both by prophecy and by archetypes. Jesus is the true and better Adam, who took the blame and took our just punishment. Jesus is the true and better Moses who leads his people out of a hostile nation into a better Kingdom. Jesus is the true and better Joshua, who has conquered and established an eternal Kingdom. Jesus is the true and better David who sits on the throne of the Kingdom eternally, never failing. Jesus is the true and better Solomon, both a true source of wisdom and the builder of a better temple. Jesus is the true and better Esther, who exchanges His life for His people. All of these (and more) point to the person of Jesus, who is the perfect revelation of the Father. These accounts, however, do not exist just to tell us what good morals are, but instead point us to the only good one: God the Son Himself, Jesus of Nazareth. The Old Testament is not learning to be David, it’s seeing the one who is greater than David.
Jesus is the perfect display of God. “He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.”
Jesus is God the Son, the Second Person of the Trinity. When we see Jesus, we see God, as Dr. Albert Mohler, Jr., writes: “Christ is the exact expression of the Father’s nature. Christ shares the divine nature with the Father as the Second Person of the Trinity. This is where the divine Son is different from a human son. No human son is the exact representation of his father. There is a close relation, but not an exact representation. Christ, however, is an ‘exact representation.’ He and God are of the same divine essence.” Jesus Himself states this plainly in John 10:30, “I and the Father are one.” This should be an exciting and joy-sparking passage for the Christian to read. Why? Because it means our hope, my hope, your hope in Christ has legs to stand on. Jesus was not simply a wise teacher who said good things, He was and is God. He is powerful. That’s how and why we can trust that His promises will come true. That’s why He could make purification for sin. That’s how He can hold up the universe by His very word. That’s how He can reign right now.
These two points are not the only theological tidbits we can draw from this passage, but they matter. You may think, “Cool, this is a lot of head knowledge, we need heart knowledge.” We need both. This is both. In the times we’re in now, we need to understand exactly who Jesus is. He’s not a heavenly ATM, He’s not merely a wise teacher, but He is the reigning and victorious King, the great high priest who intercedes for His people, and is God with us.
Be encouraged, Christian. He still reigns. He still intercedes. He still loves and takes care of His people. And He always will.