The Epistle to the Hebrews

This is a verse by verse Commentary

by

J.W.Weeda

 

Introduction

Concerning this Epistle we must conclude that we don't know who wrote this Epistle. For sure it is God's Word so God wrote this Epistle. Some people believe that the apostle Paul wrote this Epistle to the Hebrews. It is never proved that he wrote it and why he wrote this Epistle. We can guess who wrote it. We know it is God's Word and He is the Author of this Epistle. Anyway the Epistle is written to the Hebrews and Hebrews are Jewish people. What we know is that this epistle is written for the future when the believing Jews in the Great Tribulation will live and have to read this Epistle. 

 

Hebrews Chapter 1 verse 1

God, Who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time

past unto the fathers by the prophets

Verse 1: What does this verse mean? God spoke a lot of times in time past in different manners to the fathers! Who are these fathers? The fathers of the folk Israel like Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, David and others like Salomon, Hezekiah through the prophets like Samuel, Isaiah, Jeremiah and all the other prophets from whom we can read their books in the Prophecy. 

Hebrews chapter 1 verse 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. 

Verse 2: God hath spoken to the Hebrews, the Jewish people by His Son in the last days. Which last days are spoken here? Personally I believe that these last days were the last days of Acts 2. Acts 2 verse 17 tells us the following verse: And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:  His Son Jesus Christ is appointed from God the Father heir of all things. In Ephesians 1 verse 20-21 we read:Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:  by Whom also He made the worlds. Through Christ He made the worlds or ages. Ages as Epochs of Time Both Testaments speak of "ages" as undefined periods of history over which God rules! 

Through Him everything is created/made. In Colossians 1 verse 16 we read:  For by Him 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:  And He is before all things, and by Him all things consist.

Hebrews 1 verse 3

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:

Vers 3: Who=Christ. Christ is the brightness of His glory that is one:

That means that the Lord Jesus exactly represents God for the Jews here in this verse but also for us as members of the Body of Christ. The express image of His person that is second, upholding all things by the Word of His power is three. He purged our sins. Washed away the sins. Also for these Jewish believers because the epistle is written to them. Also for us members of the Body of Christ our sins are washed away. God no longer counts our sins. We have the forgiveness of sins just like these Jewish people here in this verse. Ephesians 1:7, Colossians 1:14. He Christ after He died for mankind, was buried and rose again sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high. We can read this also in Ephesians 1: 20-21: Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come. Still today Christ is on the right hand of the Father in heaven far above all principality and power and might and dominion. 

Hebrews 1 verse 4

Being made so much better than the angels, as He hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.

Verse 4: What does this mean: Being made so much better than the angels? Answer: This description of our Lord Jesus Christ in previous verses shows us that He is far superior than any angelic being. Yet this tells us that the Lord  Jesus Christ became better than the angels. We could say that He iseternally better than the angels, but He also became better than the angels. By inheritance obtained a more excellent Name than they. He is far above all principality and power, might and dominion!  This is for us now in this Dispensation of Gods Grace! and this is also for these Hebrews in the future.  For them He is the High Priest! Ephesians 1: 20-22: Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,  Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the Church. For us Christ is our Head, the Head of the Body of Christ, the heavenly Church! 

Hebrews 1 verse 5

For unto which of the angels said He at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son?

Verse 5 Concerning Christ God the Father said: I will be to Him a Father and He shall be to me a Son. And it is said  of Christ when God bringeth His First begotten into the world, let all the angesl of God worhip HIm. All the ones who are superior to men that they be inferior to Christ in nature and power. To the angels never God said those things, only to His begotten Son. In verse 8 of this chapter 1 in Hebrews we see a very beautiful Word of God: But unto the Son He saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of thy kingdom. God the Father calls His Son God. This let us see that God the Father and the Son are One! Think about this and be still!

Hebrews 1 verse 6

And again, when He bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, He saith, And let all the angels of God worship him.

Verse 6: When God brought the firstbegotten, His Son into this world and that is the inhabitated earth! When Christ came into the world the angels worshipped Him. God commanded them to do so which proves that our Lord Jesus Christ is God; for none of God's angels would worship a mere creature. Christ is the Firstborn of all creation. We read Colossians 1 verse 15: Who is the image of the invisible God, the Firstborn fo every creature"

Hebrews 1 verse 7

And of the angels He saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and His ministers a flame of fire.

Verse 7: This verse is taken from Psalm 104 verse 1-4: Bless the Lord, O my soul. O Lord my God, thou art very great; thou art clothed with honour and majesty. Who coverest thyself with light as with a garment: who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain: Who layeth the beams of his chambers in the waters: who maketh the clouds his chariot: who walketh upon the wings of the wind: Who maketh his angels spirits; his ministers a flaming fire:  The Hebrew as the Greek word  for spirit is translated wind. Angels are created spirits. Angels have no bodies although they can take the form of a human body when they ministering on earth. They served our Lord when He was on earth. We read in Matthew 4 verse 11 the following verse: Then the devil leaveth him, and  behold angels came and ministered unto Him.  And in the garden of Gethsemanae in Luke 22 verse 43 we read: And there appeared an angel unto Him from heaven, strengthened Him. 

Hebrews 1 verse 8

But unto the Son He saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.

Verse 8: This is a very special verse special for the future. It is also for us to use against false doctrines which tells us that God the Father and God the Son are not One like the sect Jehovah Witnesses. This sect deny the Deity of our Lord Jesus Christ. They don't believe that He is God Himself. They believe God have a Son but don't believe that He is God also. In Psalm 45 verses 6 and 7 we read: Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: the sceptre of thy kingdom is a right sceptre. Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness: therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows. This verse is taken from these verses. For sure God on the throne now in heaven and His Son on the right hand of Him and in the future Christ will be King on earth in the Millenial Kingdom. Now our Lord Jesus Christ is the Head of the Body of Christ. Ephesians 1 verse 20 tells us: Which He wrought in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead, and set Him at His own right hand in the heavenly places. 

Hebrews 1 verse 9

Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.

Verse 9: God loves righteousness and hates iniquity, wickedness. That's why He came to earth because He loved this world, sinners that He gave His life for them (us included my brothers and sisters), for mankind so that men could live because He was buried and He is resurrected from the dead and now sits on the right hand of the Father. God the Father hath anointed Him with the oil of gladness above every men. This happened when Christ ascended and entered the heavenly glory. This verse refers to Psalm 16 verse 10-11: For Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt Thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. Thou wilt shew Me the path of life: in Thy presence is fulness of joy; at Thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore. So a beautiful verse my brothers and sisters to read and to study. Think about it and be still!!!

Hebrews 1 verse 10

 And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands:

Verse 10: This is speaking of our Lord Who laid the foundation of the earth. It is that all things is created by God through our Lord Jesus Christ! In Psalm 102 verses 25-27 we read the following verses: Of old hast thou laid the foundation of the earth: and the heavens are the work of thy hands. They shall perish, but thou shalt endure: yea, all of them shall wax old like a garment; as a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed. The angels who God created too didnt found the earth. He, Jesus Christ is the Creator and on one day he will do away with the old creation and bring in a new creation. 

Hebrews 1 verse 11

They shall perish; but thou remainest; and they all shall wax old as doth a garment;

Verse 11: Brothers and sisters everything around us changes. The earth perish and we see it. The earth is now warming up and we just saw on TV that on Spitsbergen the temperature is rising fast. The ice is melting at a fast pace there and that's an example that makes you to think. He Jesus Christ remains the Same. He will never change. In Hebrews 13 vers 8 is written: Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day and for ever. The creation is like a old garment which will one day be discarded in favor of a new one. God will do this through Jesus Christ my brothers and sisters. It is all in His hand! So let us not be afraid and scaring about things in this world which change. 

Hebrews 1 verse 12

 And as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed: but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail.

Verse 12: As a vesture. What does that mean? Something that covers like a garment. God fold them up. They shall be changed. God will change the heaven and the earth. There will be new heavens and a new earth. But thou. God is the same. God is eternal. He is from eternity to eternity. There is no beginning with Him and no end. His years shall not stop. What a wonderful God we have. Think about it and be still! In Revelation 21 verse 1 we read: And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.

Hebrews 1 verse 13

But to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool?

Verse 13: The writer of the epistle to the Hebrews quotes Psalm 110 verse 1 where is said: The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool. The Lord Jesus Christ is on the right hand of the Father and that is the place of honor. This is many times mentioned in the Bible. Angels are never on the right hand of the Father so He never said this to them but only to His Son.

Hebrews 1 verse 14

Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?

Angels are ministering spirits who serve our Lord Who is seated on the throne. It let us see that the Lord Jesus Christ is greater than the angels and He is also greater than the Law which was given to the people of Israel and angels helped to deliver the Law to the people of Israel.