ep. 15 - Hebrews 1:3-5 | The Radiance of God and Why Jesus Is Not an Angel

7/12/20266 min read

EPISODE OVERVIEW

We're back in Hebrews and picking up right where we left off. This week we're in verses 3 through 5 — and y'all, there is so much gold packed into just these three verses. We're talking about what it means that Jesus is the radiance of God's glory, how His sacrifice made purification for our sins, why it matters that He sat down at the right hand of the Father, and why Jesus is absolutely not an angel. If anyone has ever tried to tell you otherwise, this episode is your answer. Grab your Bible and let's get into it.

QUICK RECAP FROM EPISODE 1

(New here? Go back and listen to Episode 14 first!)

We don't know who wrote Hebrews, but the early church accepted it as divinely inspired Word of God
It was written before the destruction of the temple in 70 AD
It was written to fellow believers — addressed as brethren and beloved
The purpose: to give believers a solid doctrinal foundation so we're not tossed around by every wind of teaching

THE PASSAGE

Hebrews 1:1-5 ESV

"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, having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs. For to which of the angels did God ever say, 'You are my Son, today I have begotten you'? Or again, 'I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son'?"

UNPACKING THE PASSAGE

"He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature." — Hebrews 1:3

Think about the sun for a second. We can't look directly at it without it hurting our eyes. We can't get close enough to touch it without being consumed by it. And yet because of the light it gives off, we can see everything. The Bible calls God a consuming fire — holy, unapproachable in His fullness. In the same way we can't look directly at the sun, we can't look directly at God.

But He gave us His radiance.

Jesus is the radiance of God's glory — the light that allows us to see the Father. And when one of His disciples asked Jesus to show them the Father, Jesus responded: "Whoever has seen me has seen the Father" (John 14:9). He is the exact imprint of God's nature. Not a copy, not a lesser version — the exact imprint.

The sun parallel also gives us a beautiful picture of the Trinity:

The sun itself — God the Father, holy and unapproachable in His fullness
The light the sun gives off — Jesus, the radiance of God's glory, by whom we see everything clearly
The heat and warmth — the Holy Spirit, doing what only He can do: causing growth, bringing renewal, providing warmth, walking us through seasons

And speaking of seasons — spring brings new growth, summer things flourish, fall the dead things fall away (old theology, old habits, old ways of thinking God needs to uproot), and winter brings that holy stillness where God quiets everything down so He can get our attention. Every season has purpose.

"He upholds the universe by the word of his power." — Hebrews 1:3

This is echoed directly in Colossians 1:15-17 — all things were created through Him and for Him, and in Him all things hold together. And here's something that just wrecked me when I first learned it:

There is a protein called the cell adhesion molecule (CAM) — part of an interlocking structural network called the extracellular matrix — that literally holds cells together. When you look at a picture of it, it is shaped like a cross. Y'all. The very thing that holds creation together at a cellular level is shaped like a cross. That is the intentionality of God woven into creation itself. Creation points back to its Creator.

"After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high." — Hebrews 1:3

Think about how olive oil is made. Olives are stacked in layers in wide circular baskets and pressed down by levers until the pure oil is squeezed out. The impurities can't pass through — only the pure oil makes it. Extra virgin. Refined. Unstained.

Jesus was pressed down for us. He went through that process so that when the Father looks at us, He doesn't see our sin — He sees us through the purification that His Son made. As Psalm 64 (Isaiah 64:6) reminds us, our best is like filthy rags before a holy God. We could never do enough on our own. But Christ did what we couldn't.

And then — He sat down.

You sit down when the work is finished. The right hand has always been a position of honor, status, and authority. Even the disciples understood this — James and John tried to quietly secure the seats at Jesus' right and left hand in the kingdom (Mark 10:35-37). Jesus told them they didn't know what they were asking. But the right hand of the Father? That was always appointed for the Son. The work is done. It is finished. He sat down.

"Having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs." — Hebrews 1:4

For anyone who has ever been told that Jesus is an angel — or even just a prophet — this verse is the answer. Point blank. Full stop. He is not an angel. He is superior to the angels. The angels serve Christ.

"For to which of the angels did God ever say, 'You are my Son, today I have begotten you'?" — Hebrews 1:5

This is a quote from Psalm 2:7, which is a Messianic psalm — written about the coming Christ. And that word begotten is key. According to the original language, begotten literally means a child who shares the same nature as his father. Humans produce humans. God begets God. Jesus was not created — He proceeds from the same nature as the Father. That's what begotten means.

This is also why the Nicene Creed matters so much. It was written in direct response to Arianism — the false teaching that Jesus was not equal to God, that He was a separate and lesser being. Scripture does not support that. Hebrews does not support that. God begets God. Jesus is God.

The second half of verse 5 — "I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son" — is drawn from Psalm 89:26 and 2 Samuel 7:14, further establishing that this language of Son was always appointed for Jesus and no one else.

3 THINGS TO WALK AWAY WITH

1. Jesus is the radiance of God's glory and the exact imprint of His nature. The second person of the Trinity is fully God in essence. Don't let anyone bring you a doctrine that says otherwise. When you see Jesus, you see the Father.

2. The work is finished — and He sat down. Jesus made purification for our sins and then sat down at the right hand of the Father. There is nothing left to add to what He accomplished. It is done.

3. Jesus is not an angel — He is the begotten Son of God. Begotten means He shares the same nature as the Father. God begets God. He is superior to every created being, angels included, and He has inherited a name more excellent than all of them.

DOWNLOADABLE STUDY GUIDE

A free guide to follow along with this episode is here for you! It includes the passage, key points, word studies, reflection questions, and the closing prayer written out for you. 🤍

APPLICATION FOR ANCHORED WIVES & MOMS

You are not trying to earn access to a God who is far off and unapproachable. Jesus — the exact imprint of the Father's nature — came to you. He was pressed down so you could be purified. He sat down so you could rest. You don't have to perform. You don't have to be enough. The work is already finished.

Walk through today like a woman who knows that.

RESOURCES MENTIONED

Logos Bible Software — used for word studies and cross-referencing
The Nicene Creed — early church doctrinal statement on the nature of Christ
Commentary on Arianism and the council of Nicaea
Episode 14 (Episode 1 of the Hebrews series) — context, authorship, and Hebrews 1:1-2
Episode 8 — Who Wrote the Bible?

SCRIPTURES REFERENCED

Hebrews 1:1-5 ESV — the main passage
John 14:9 — "Whoever has seen me has seen the Father"
Colossians 1:15-17 ESV — all things created through Him and for Him; in Him all things hold together
1 Peter 2:9 — called out of darkness into His marvelous light
Isaiah 64:6 — our righteousness is like filthy rags
Psalm 2:7 — "You are my Son, today I have begotten you"
Psalm 89:26 — "I will be to him a father"
2 Samuel 7:14 — "I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son"
Mark 10:35-37 — James and John ask for the right and left hand of Jesus
Deuteronomy 4:24 / Hebrews 12:29 — God as a consuming fire

LET'S KEEP THE CONVERSATION GOING

What's one thing from today's study you didn't know before? Drop it in the comments — I genuinely want to hear it! And if this episode blessed you, share it with a friend who needs to go deeper in the Word. Reviews help this show reach more busy wives and mamas who need it. 🤍

Have a testimony to share? Send me an overview at mcgarrypodcasts@gmail.com and let's get you on the show.

This is Miki with In Case I Forget — theology and testimony for busy wives and moms. I'll catch you next Friday. Peace. ✌🏽