By BRUCE GREEN
RELIGION —
The writer of Hebrews employed a cold opening long before anyone had any idea what that was. Whoever wrote Hebrews wanted to get right to his message, so he does so without identifying himself or giving any kind of greeting. Perhaps this reflects the urgency he felt about what he had to say.
What is it he wants to talk about?
In a word, it’s Jesus. He launches into a Christ-centric opening. Jesus is:
• the One God has spoken through (v. 2),
• the “heir of all things” (v. 2),
• the One through whom God created the universe (v. 2),
• the reflection of God (v. 3),
• the sustainer of all things (v. 3),
• the One who provided “purification for sins” (v. 4),
• superior to the angels (v. 4).
What does this mean to us today?
For some, this might mean being reminded that Jesus is the voice we need to hear today. After all, there are many, many voices competing for our attention. There are the voices of family, friends, peers, culture — the list is endless. All these voices can be confusing, even overwhelming when they point us in different directions. To recognize that Jesus is the voice of God brings immediate clarity and a basis for understanding and evaluating all other voices. Everything starts with hearing Him.
Others may have a pressing need to be reminded about how Jesus is our high priest — the One through whom God made “purification for sins” (v. 3). We all need to know that of course, but there are some who are especially sensitive in this area and need regular reminders of the atonement God accomplished in Christ. The good news is Hebrews majors in its presentation of Christ as our high priest. All this brings us “confidence” (a word used seven times in the letter) regarding our relationship with God.
For others, the challenge might be developing intimacy with God. He seems remote and far off to them. The Hebrews writer’s presentation of Jesus as “the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His being” helps us to understand that God has not only come close to us in Jesus — He became one of us. We can “draw near” to Him (7:19, 10:1, 22).
Still, there are others who struggle with anxiety. We seem to have reached a point in our culture where we are now anxious about being anxious. Newsfeeds and headlines push more and more bad news. A steady diet of this is difficult for anyone. Hebrews lets us know the One who conquered death is also the very One who sustains “all things by His powerful word” (1:3).
I remember seeing something many years ago that said, “Jesus is the answer — what is your question?” I think that speaks to Hebrews’ value for us. We may not be first-century Jewish disciples, but it makes no difference. The writer’s presentation of Jesus will benefit anyone. The letter invites us to deepen our education concerning Christ.
When was the last time you took a good, long look at Jesus?
You can find more of Green’s writings at his website: a-taste-of-grace-with-bruce-green.com.