Hebrews: Christ Is Greater (Part Three)

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Hebrews: Christ Is Greater (Part Three)

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In the last part of our study on Hebrews, we saw that “in these last days” God has spoken to use “by His Son.” God had spoken previously through the ancient prophets.

We learn three important things about Jesus Christ in Hebrews 1:2. God speaking to us through His Son is the first thing. We’ll look now at the second and third.

Hebrew 1:2

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 … KJV

has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds … NKJV

in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom He also made the world … NASB

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 … ESV

but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe … NIV

ον εθηκεν κληρονομον παντων δι ου και τους αιωνας εποιησεν … 1550 Stephanus New Testament

in last days these has spoken to us in [His] Son whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the ages … Literal

Heir of All Things

That is an amazing statement! God “appointed” His Son “heir” of all things. What does that mean?

The terms “Son” and “heir” point to a relationship. Jesus Christ has a unique relationship with God the Father. Jesus relates to God as the Son of God and as “heir of all things.” Ancient Jewish Law included instructions about inheritances. We first see the mention of an inheritance in Genesis 15:7 when God spoke to Abram:

Then He said to him, ‘I am the Lord, who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans, to give you this land to inherit it.’

Abram asked God how he would know that he would inherit the land and God made an ‘unconditional’ covenant with Abram. You can read the details in Genesis 15. Keep in mind that Abram had no relationship with God when he was worshipping pagan gods in Ur. God chose Abram as part of His eternal plan, then revealed that plan to Abram when He called him:

Get out of your country, From your family And from your father’s house, To a land that I will show you. I will make you a great nation; I will bless you And make your name great; And you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed. Genesis 12:1-3

As with Noah before Abram, God chooses humans for His purposes, then reveals His purpose to them at the appointed time.

God continued to remind Abraham’s descendants about the promised inheritance of land. Jesus told the crowds that followed Him that the meek would inherit the earth and the saved would inherit eternal life. The apostles also emphasized the special inheritance that Christians have in Jesus Christ:

In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself, that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him. In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory. Ephesians 1:7-12

The word “appointed” is ethēken and means “placed, set, established, appointed.” It is an aorist, indicative, active verb in third person singular. When did this “appointment” occur? God’s “appointing” of the Son to be “heir of all things” occurred in eternity rather than inside time.

We know this from many Scriptures that tell us about God’s appointment of His Son “before time began,” “before the foundation of the world” (e.g. 2 Timothy 1:9; Titus 1:2; 1 Peter 1:20; Ephesians 1:4). God’s plans are eternal and not subject to the whims of time, men or demons.

For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil. 1 John 3:8b

The word “heir” is klēronomon and means “an inheritor, someone who inherits.”

… in Messianic usage, one who receives his allotted possession by right of sonship: so of Christ, as κληρονόμος πάντων, all things being subjected to his sway, Hebrews 1:2. Thayer’s Greek Lexicon

Jesus, God’s Son, is heir of “all things.” The Greek word is pantōn and means “of every kind, the whole.” Jesus is heir of every kind of thing, all things. I’m reminded of what Paul wrote in Colossians:

For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. Colossians 1:16-17

This ‘inheritance’ is the full extension of the authority which the Father has given to the Son (cf. Dan. 7:13, 14; Matt. 28:18), as the ‘firstborn.’ The MacArthur Study Bible, Second Edition, Thomas Nelson, 2019

He Made The Worlds

The Bible is clear that Jesus Christ, God’s Son, created all things. We see that in Hebrew 1:2, Colossians 1:16-17 and also in John 1 and 1 Corinthians 8.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. John 1:1-3

… yet for us there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we for Him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and through whom we live. 1 Corinthians 8:6

When we read the first verse in the Bible, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth,” we know from other verses in the Bible that God appointed His Son to create all things.

The Greek word translated “worlds” in Hebrews 1:2 is aiōnas, which translates as “a space of time, an age.” Most English translations use the word “world” or “worlds.” The NIV uses “universe.” The Greek word refers to “everything,” including time and space, matter and energy. There is nothing in existence, seen and unseen, that Jesus Christ did not make — “without Him nothing was made that was made.”

We also know from Colossians 1:17 that all things “consist” in Jesus Christ. The Greek word is sunestēken and means “hold together, stand together.” It is the idea of establishing and supporting something. That’s what Jesus Christ did and does. He created all things (time, space, energy and matter) and supports all things. All things hold together (consist) in Christ.

In Summary

Jesus Christ, God’s Eternal Son, relates to God the Father as both Creator and Inheritor. Jesus created all things and inherits all things based on that eternal relationship. As Jesus told His disciples before He ascended back to Heaven — “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.” Who gave Jesus Christ “all authority” in heaven and on earth? God the Father gave Him that authority.

God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds. Hebrews 1:1-2

Jesus, our Lord and Savior, is greater than all others because God the Father appointed Him as “heir of all things” and “made the worlds” through Him.

Next Time

We will study Hebrews 1:3 in the next part of our new series, Hebrews: Christ Is Greater.

Book of HebrewsChristianityGod the FatherJesus Christ Hebrews: Christ Is Greater (Part Three)

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Hebrews: Christ Is Greater (Part Three)