part0012

Chapter 3

Jesus Christ:

The Purpose of the Ages

Having established the direct correlation between the First Adam and the Last Adam, we now want to establish another aspect of our cornerstone: the biblical truth that Jesus Christ is the purpose, or the “diameter,” of the ages. Perhaps the greatest purpose of Christ was the redemption of mankind , which he accomplished by his death on the Cross, as the following Scripture says:

Ephesians 1:7 (NRSV)

In him [Jesus Christ] we have redemption through his blood , the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace.

Redemption is one of the central themes of the Bible, so it is vital that we understand what it is. Redemption is the entire process of redeeming, or literally “buying back” or “releasing on receipt of a ransom.” This word “ransom” evokes images of a kidnapping, which is quite accurate, and leads to the question, who kidnapped what or whom ? In a manner of speaking, Satan “kidnapped” God’s creation by introducing iniquity into it. By tricking Adam, he plunged mankind into captivity through sin, death and the fear of death (Heb. 2:14 and 15). Although he is not big enough to hold creation for ransom in a literal sense, he has continually hindered (but not stopped) God’s purposes, and he continues to exercise the authority he usurped. It was this authority that he offered to share with Jesus when he tempted him in the wilderness.

Luke 4:5–8 (NRSV)

(5) Then the devil led him [Jesus] up and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world.

(6) And the devil said to him, “To you I will give their glory and all this authority; for it has been given over to me, and I give it to anyone I please .

(7) If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours.”

(8) Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.’ ”

There are two questions raised by the Devil’s assertion that he has authority and power to bequeath on whomever he will, and the answers to them help us understand why a complete redemption of creation has become necessary. The first question is: who “gave” Satan authority over “…all the kingdoms of the world” so he could offer it to Jesus?[1] The answer to this takes us back again to Genesis 3. To whom had God given “dominion” over all the world? Adam. Who entered the picture to cause Adam’s fall? Satan. So let’s put two and two together. What was Satan’s motivation to deceive Adam and Eve and cause their fall? Obviously, there had to be something in it for him. He was not just out for a cosmic stroll, playing little tricks on whomever he happened upon. Genesis 3:1 tells us that the serpent was “more crafty” than any other created being. His deliberate purpose was to trip up Adam and usurp his rulership by getting him to default on his responsibility and therefore forfeit his dominion and authority. Satan gambled that after Adam fell from grace, he would become the “top dog,” since he was still an “angel of light” (even though a fallen one), and hence “superior” to Adam in spiritual ability.[2]

The testimony of the Bible is that he succeeded, creating a need for the redemption of God’s entire creation. This would require someone to “crush” the serpent’s head. Though God is his superior, and could have immediately made him dust, He chose only to make Satan “eat dust” (Gen. 3:14) until the day that he would be made ashes.[3] God chose to delegate the task of destroying His enemy, Satan, to His Son, the Redeemer and the Purpose of the Ages. The grand purpose of Jesus Christ’s life is understandable only in relationship to Satan’s rebellion and its consequences in heaven and on earth. As we have already seen, the scope of redemption would require both his suffering and glory, for Christ would not be equal to the task of crushing the Serpent’s head until he entered his “glory.” Not even the archangel Michael, the captain of the army of the host of the Lord, goes head-to-head with his former peer (see Jude 9 and Appendix F).

Though Satan’s presence and influence are almost totally veiled in the Old Testament, he is described in the New Testament as a “prince” having a “kingdom,” accompanied by “rulers,” “authorities,” “powers”, and “spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (Eph. 6:12). Jesus Christ totally exposed his kingdom and its effect on people (Luke 10:17–24), and is in the process of “bringing him to ashes” (Ezek. 28:18). Though Satan knows his days are numbered, he is insanely committed to hindering God’s purposes and delaying the day of his doom, if he can. He is also trying to deceive as many people as he can so they do not believe in Christ and receive everlasting life in Paradise. As the father of pride and envy, he apparently reasons that if he is going to be destroyed, he will take as many people down with him as possible.

The second question in regard to Satan’s authority is: was this authority that he offered to Jesus legitimately his to give, or was he lying? He is, after all, the “father of lies” (John 8:44). The most compelling answer to this question is the way Jesus answered the Devil. He did not question the fact that the Devil was making a legitimate offer. He simply recognized that there was too high a price to pay for what he was offering. We have no doubt that the Devil is still in the empire-building business, enrolling everyone he can in the pursuit of worldly fame, fortune, and self-promotion. And those he cannot lure into that trap he discourages and humiliates by setting before them unattainable ideals for “beauty, brains, and bucks.” In case those traps fail, he provides counterfeit religious systems for “escaping the world,” and persecution of those who choose to resist. He has all the bases covered, because he is the “systematizer” of error.[4] Surveying the state of the world since the time of Adam’s fall, we would have to say that there is an invisible conductor orchestrating evil and masterminding events of nature and human history in a manner contrary to the will of God. But we do not have to rely on our experience for an accurate assessment, because God’s Word says that this is precisely what is happening behind the scenes:

1 John 5:19 (NRSV)

We know that we are God’s children, and that the whole world lies under the power of the evil one.

So we see that the Redeemer still has a lot of work to do, and that redemption is still being accomplished. This is because not only did Jesus come to redeem mankind by giving his life as a sacrifice, God sent him to redeem all of His creation .[5] In the first part of his job, his enemy was sin and death, and Jesus’ orders were to endure suffering and death caused by the sin of Adam. In the latter part of his assignment, Christ’s enemy is Satan (and his demons), and his orders are to rise up in his glory and vanquish all the enemies of God.

This latter aspect of his job description requires that he deal directly with the one responsible for the introduction of sin and death into God’s creation. Remember that the first time the coming Redeemer is mentioned in Scripture was when God prophesied to Satan in Genesis 3:15 that he would eventually be destroyed, not by God Himself, but by the offspring of the woman. This conflict and parallelism between Christ and the Devil is another aspect of the cornerstone of the Christian faith that must be cut correctly. When we consider this head-to-head fight-to-the-finish, we are struck with an insight concerning God’s righteousness. As God could not legally or righteously be the Redeemer of mankind because He could not die, He would not be the destroyer of Satan because His righteousness is so pure that it extends even to being fair and just to His archenemy. Though He could destroy Satan as easily as He had drop-kicked him from heaven, God delegated the destruction of Satan to one who would earn the right and the moral authority to do so—Jesus Christ! Though we cannot possibly know all that was in the Father’s heart, we know from Philippians 2:8–11 that His plan of redemption is to His glory, and His plan involved delegating the complete process of redemption to Christ . God is there to help, guide, and direct as always, but He has invested in Christ all authority in heaven and earth (Matt. 28:18), more than enough to get the job done.

Our God is not as interested in getting the job done quickly and efficiently as He is in having it done right , as in righteously . There is also a majestic poetic justice involved in allowing Christ to be Satan’s destroyer, because as Jesus walked the same path of temptation in the flesh that Adam walked, without sinning, so in his glorified position as Lord he is standing where Lucifer once stood, only without iniquity or pride being found in him. Hence, he is uniquely qualified to undo what Lucifer did when he scorned his privileged anointing at God’s right hand as “the guardian cherub” in “the holy mount of God” (Ezek. 28:14).

Satan Started as a Star

Let us now look at the privileged position in which Lucifer began his existence, because understanding his relationship with God and the manner in which he lost it will help us appreciate Jesus Christ and his road to glory. Where Jesus began his earthly life in humility and ended it in ignominy, Satan began in glory and will end in ashes. His downfall was his fatally flawed decision to attempt to exalt himself to an even higher position than he was already given, to a position just like God .

The following account in Ezekiel 28 is the most detailed reference in the entire Bible to Satan’s original state, his decision to leave it and his eventual complete annihilation. Note the use of language in verse 12, making it appear that this passage is addressed only to a particular “King of Tyre.” It is evident, however, that though this king may have had a few faults of his own, they pale in comparison to the criminal antics of the one this passage is really being addressed to—the Cosmic Criminal, Satan, the crafty old “Serpent.” Note also that God says here that He will be the one to destroy Satan, but this is not a contradiction of Genesis 3:15, which says that the promised seed would crush his head. There is a common Hebrew idiom being employed here in which the one whose plan it is can speak of doing the work, although he has actually delegated it to an agent.[6]

Ezekiel 28:12–19 (NASB)

(12) “Son of man, take up a lamention over the king of Tyre, and say to him: ‘Thus says the Lord God, “You had the seal [i.e., you were the model] of perfection, Full of wisdom and perfect in beauty .

(13) “You were in Eden, the garden of God; Every precious stone was your covering: The ruby, the topaz, and the diamond; The beryl, the onyx, and the jasper; The lapis lazuli, the turquoise and the emerald; And the gold, the workmanship of your settings and sockets, Was in you. On the day that you were created They were prepared.

(14) “You were the anointed cherub who covers, And I placed you there . You were on the holy mountain of God; You walked in the midst of the stones of fire.

(15) “You were blameless in your ways From the day you were created, Until unrighteousness was found in you .

(16) “By the abundance of your trade You were internally filled with violence, And you sinned; Therefore I have cast you as profane From the mountain of God. And I have destroyed you, O covering cherub, From the midst of the stones of fire.

(17) “Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty ; You corrupted your wisdom by reason of your splendor. I cast you to the ground; I put you before kings [this will happen in the future], That they may see you.

(18) “By the multitude of your iniquities, In the unrighteousness of your trade, You profaned your sanctuaries. Therefore I have brought fire from the midst of you; It has consumed you, And I have turned you to ashes on the earth In the eyes of all who see you [also future, spoken of as past for the certitude of the event—“the lake of fire”—Rev. 19:20, et al. ].

(19) “All who know you among the peoples Are appalled at you; You have become terrified, And you will be no more.”

So we see that the present Adversary of God and His Christ began as “the model of perfection,” beautiful and wise beyond comparison. From this description, he seems to have been the most graciously favored of all God’s created beings. Would it be going too far to assert that God had given him everything he could give a created being without making him identical to Himself? We think this is what the above Scriptures are communicating. So it is all the more reprehensible that Lucifer became discontent, actually thinking that he deserved to be even more than he already was. Lucifer’s pathetic example proves that it is always possible to be unthankful, no matter how much one has been given.

At this point let us turn to the description of Lucifer’s fall as found in Isaiah. We have highlighted his five “I will” statements to accentuate the deliberate choice he made to reject God’s grace (biblically, the number five indicates “grace”). Note that this passage ends with a revealing statement from God’s perspective about who Satan really is when stripped of all his lies and pretensions. He is very small indeed, apart from what God has given him through His grace and generosity. When he is finally revealed for who he is, and judged in righteousness by the Son of Righteousness, all will marvel at what a pretender he really is, and how unworthy of notice.

Isaiah 14:12–17 (NASB)

(12) “How you have fallen from heaven, O star of the morning, son of the dawn! [KJV—”Lucifer”[7] ] You have been cut down to the earth, You who have weakened the nations!

(13) “But you said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God, And I will sit on the mount of assembly In the recesses of the north.

(14) ‘I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.’

(15) “Nevertheless, you will be thrust down to Sheol, To the recesses of the pit.

(16) “Those who see you will gaze at you, They will ponder over you, saying , ‘Is this the man who made the earth tremble, Who shook kingdoms,

(17) Who made the world like a wilderness And overthrew its cities, Who did not allow his prisoners to go home?’

Remember that in Ezekiel 28 Satan was described as being “full of wisdom,” until that wisdom was “corrupted…by reason of [his] splendor.” Satan was, therefore, the original embodiment of God’s wisdom in a created being, and it is not too big a stretch to imagine that he was God’s companion in some aspects of creation. But instead of being blessed to participate with God in His divine functions, Satan desired personal “equality” with God, meaning that he would have the same powers and abilities as his Creator. He was apparently close enough to God to “taste” what it would be like to be Him, and considered such “equality” enough of a possibility that he thought he could get away with grasping for it. Instead, he lost his relationship with his Creator (because he apparently overlooked the fact that he was created ), and to this day uses the awesome ability that God gave him to hinder His purposes, promote lies concerning the integrity of God’s Word and bombard mankind with a plethora of possibilities for errant belief and worship. His demented goal is to make good look evil, and evil good, and the true God and His Christ look bad in any way he can. But like the primitive man who throws mud at the sun to dim its light, so all his centuries-worth of effort to obscure God and Christ from mankind will be to no avail, for one day “…every tongue [shall] confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Phil. 2:11).

The fall of Lucifer left a big hole in heaven, so to speak, as he vacated his position of authority and power as one of three archangels (along with Gabriel and Michael). He also persuaded one-third of the angels to leave with him in his descent to oblivion. This caused a radical restructuring of heavenly authority, the faithful angels having to fill the void left in the rebels’ wake. The position Satan left was not easily filled, for he was “the finished pattern” (mold) when God created him to be his “right hand man.”[8] Christ is the new mold, patterning himself exactly after his Father, as Hebrews 1:3 communicates. God had given the position to Lucifer as his “birthright,” so to speak, since he just “woke up” one day as a created being equipped to the max. It is clear that God had already formulated a plan for filling this position with another exalted being. But we can surmise that He purposed in His heart that the next time it would be by someone earning the right to it , someone who would not try to grasp at equality with Him. The following passage highlights Christ’s humility in contrast to Satan’s prideful power-grab:

Philippians 2:5–11

(5) Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:

(6) Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped ,

(7) but made himself nothing [KJV—“of no reputation”], taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.

(8) And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross!

(9) Therefore, God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name,

(10) that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

(11) and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Clearly, God has exalted His wonderful Son to “the highest place,” a place that is “just like God,” or functionally equal with God. This is the very place that Lucifer wanted to be , but because he grabbed for it, he was cast out of heaven. In contrast, Jesus is not concerned with having personal equality with God as Lucifer was. He is content to serve God in whatever way and in whatever role God gives him. Because of this humility, God has exalted him as high as He can exalt someone—to His own right hand, equal in authority, power and dominion with Himself. As Jesus said in Matthew 28:18, “…All authority in heaven and earth has been given to me.” The delegation of this authority occurred right after his resurrection, but was realized when he was seated at the right hand of God after his Ascension.

The authority God has given Christ has placed him in a position of functional equality with God . Let’s look again at 1 Corinthians 15:24–28, paying particular attention to the highlighted phrase in the last verse.

1 Corinthians 15:24–28 (NASB)

(24) then comes the end, when He (Christ ) delivers up the kingdom to the God and Father, when He (Christ ) has abolished all rule and all authority and power [by exercising his own].

(25) For He (Christ ) must reign until He (Christ ) has put all His (Christ’s ) enemies under His (Christ’s ) feet.

(26) The last enemy that will be abolished is death.

(27) For HE (Christ ) HAS PUT ALL THINGS IN SUBJECTION UNDER HIS (Christ’s ) FEET . But when He (Christ ) says,[9] “All things are put in subjection,” it is evident that He (God ) is excepted who put all things in subjection to Him (Christ ).

(28) And when all things are subjected to Him (Christ ), then [in the future, not now] the Son Himself also will be subjected to the One (God ) who subjected[10] all things to Him (Christ ), that God may be all in all.

If the Son will be subject to God in the future at the end of his Millennial reign on the earth, the time to which this is referring, then what does that say about his present relationship with God, his Father? It says that presently Christ is fully authorized as God’s appointed agent of redemption, not subordinate to His Father, but in a functionally equal position. He is in a relationship with God like the relationship that Joseph had with Pharaoh, personally distinct from Him but reigning with all His authority (we will explore this more fully in the next chapter). As the result of his resurrection and ascension, Jesus Christ has the privilege to share with God in the dominion of all His Creation, not only in this, the Church Age, but in the coming ages as well.[11]

In reference to his original splendor, Lucifer was called a “morning star,” which actually means “shining star.” But he became too bright for his britches. Jesus Christ is referred to in Revelation 22:16 as the “bright morning star,” indicating that he now exceeds Lucifer’s original brilliance because of his virtuous character. By never trying to shine in his own light, but being content to reflect the Father’s brilliance, Jesus has now been blessed by God to be a luminary of luminaries, shining alongside God at His right hand. God “broke the mold” when He created Lucifer, but Jesus Christ is patterning himself after his Father, as we will see later, in Hebrews 1:3. What Lucifer sought for and even grabbed at—equality with God—Jesus never even considered for a moment that it could be his. But since Lucifer’s rebellion, God has longed for one to be His companion and share with Him in His many divine functions. Jesus Christ is now such a one, a glorious Lord not in any way competing with the Father, but cooperating with Him to His glory.

The question naturally arises at this point in our discussion: how can Jesus function in this exalted manner, considering that he is still a man ? (1 Tim. 2:5). To answer that, we have to know something about his new body, and this is what we will explore next.

Two Jobs, Two Bodies

Christ’s first body was perfectly suited for carrying out the first aspect of the job of “Redeemer.” It was not stained with sin nature and yet it could die. Hebrews speaks of this body.

Hebrews 10:5–7 (NRSV)

(5) Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he said, “Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired, but a body you have prepared for me ;

(6) in burnt offerings and sin offerings you have taken no pleasure.

(7) Then I said, ‘See, God, I have come to do your will, O God ’ (in the scroll of the books it is written about me).”[12]

The “will of God” for Jesus Christ in the “suffering” part of his calling was for him to live an obedient life and then lay down his life for mankind. His body was therefore prepared as the perfect sacrifice. What was the will of God for Jesus Christ after his resurrection? It was for him to be highly exalted and actually reign with God on high, as King David, the Psalmist, had prophesied.

Psalm 110:1 and 2 (NRSV)

(1) The LORD says to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies [especially Satan] your footstool.”

(2) The LORD sends out from Zion your mighty scepter. Rule in the midst of your foes .

The Jews had rightly expected that the Messiah would sit on the throne of David in Jerusalem and rule the earth in righteousness. It was this session on the Davidic throne that the Jews were avidly anticipating at the time of Christ’s earthly ministry. But Psalm 110 referred to a time of an even greater exaltation—literally sitting at the right hand of God .

Clearly, to be able to perform in this exalted capacity, he would need to have a correspondingly exalted body. Reading between the lines of Psalm 110:1 and 2, we see that part of Christ’s job is to subdue his “enemies” with God’s help, but he did not subdue his enemies when he came the first time. In fact, his enemies subdued him, at least that is how it looked. In his resurrected glorification, however, he is able to subdue all things to himself (Phil. 3:21). He is presently working to destroy the works of his chief enemy, Satan, even as Genesis 3:15 had prophesied. Furthermore, he is empowering his people against the enemy as well. Ephesians 6:10ff indicates that there is a spiritual war raging all about us, and to successfully stand we must be “strong in the Lord,” that is, rely on his strength in us.

So it stands to reason that part of what would equip Christ for his next assignment, ruling and reigning with God in heaven itself, was his having a body equal to the task. To begin with, this body would have to be equipped with the ability to transcend the physical limitations of earthbound existence. Five verses in Hebrews and one in Ephesians point to Christ’s passage through “the heavens,” or the physical universe, into “heaven itself ,” a spiritual place where God and angels dwell.[13]

Hebrews 1:3b (NRSV)

…When he had made purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high [i.e., in heaven ],

Hebrews 4:14 (NRSV)

Since, then, we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens , Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession.

Hebrews 7:26 (NRSV)

For it was fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, blameless, undefiled, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens .

Hebrews 8:1 (NRSV)

Now the main point in what we are saying is this: we have such a high priest, one who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens .

Hebrews 9:24 (NRSV)

For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made by human hands, a mere copy of the true one, but he entered into heaven itself , now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf .

Ephesians 4:8–10 (NRSV)

(8) Therefore it is said, “When he ascended on high , he made captivity itself a captive; he gave gifts to his people.”

(9) (When it says, “He ascended,” what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower parts of the earth?

(10) He who descended is the same one who ascended far above all the heavens, so that he might fill all things [NIV “the whole universe” ]).

So Christ now reigns in heaven in his resurrected body, which has been perfectly designed for him to function as God’s right-hand man. He “fills” the hole in heaven left by the departing Serpent and his brood of vipers. He also now reigns over the Church as its Head, and he will appear again from heaven to literally rule the earth from Jerusalem for 1000 years. At the end of that time, he will destroy Satan and his associates, cast death and hell into the lake of fire and, having vanquished all enemies, enjoy the Final Paradise that is his reward. Amazingly, we who have believed in him will enjoy it along with him, our wonderful Redeemer.

Jesus Christ: The Dia meter of the Ages

The first three verses in the book of Hebrews clearly define the greatness of Jesus Christ as the “purpose of the ages.” They are a kind of capsulation of most of the Old Testament and the Four Gospels, summarizing God’s communication to mankind from His calling of the nation of Israel to His exaltation of Jesus Christ as Lord. They provide a fitting introduction to our examination of Jesus Christ as he is revealed in the Old Testament and the Four Gospels, as well as in the book of Acts and the Church Epistles. Let us begin with the first two verses:

Hebrews 1:1 and 2 (NRSV)

(1) Long ago God spoke to our ancestors in many and various ways by the prophets,

(2) but in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through [dia ] whom he also created the worlds [ages].[14]

Clearly, the essence of these verses is that God has communicated to man by the spoken Word, by the written Word and finally by the created and living Word, His Son Jesus Christ. Verse two is sometimes used to attempt to prove that Jesus is the Creator, but a closer look at it in its context reveals the error of this assumption.[15]

Critical to this examination is the key Greek preposition, dia , of which E. W. Bullinger states:

The word “through” is the Greek word dia , which when used with the genitive case: “…has the general sense of through …From the ideas of space and time, dia …denotes any cause by means of which an action passes to its accomplishment…hence, it denotes the passing through whatever is interposed between the beginning and end of such action.[16]

Jesus Christ is the “diameter of the ages,” the golden thread woven throughout the royal tapestry of truth. He was in the mind and plan of God when Satan rebelled, when the First Adam sinned and all throughout the Old Testament as God patiently worked to preserve and protect his line of descent, the Christ line. Finally, the Redeemer was born and then lived his life flawlessly. As the exalted Lord, he will eventually bring to pass the complete redemption of Creation. Jesus Christ is the fulcrum and focus of history, which is really “His-story.” In commissioning His Son as the Redeemer of mankind, God “put all His eggs in one basket,” so to speak. Only Jesus Christ, the Last Adam, could do His will of redeeming Creation, and it would require the “ages” to consummate this master plan. As the focal point of the ages, Jesus Christ is the cause or the “means” through (dia = by means of) which God’s plan is being accomplished.

Regarding God’s plan of redemption through Jesus Christ, Hebrews 1:3 magnificently sets forth vital information concerning who, how and what. To see the depth of redemption relative to this entire study, a number of words in verse 3 must be examined. First, we will look at five words in the first sentence:

Hebrews 1:3

The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being , sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.

In the above verse, the word “radiance” is translated from the Greek word apaugasma , which Thayer translates as “reflected brightness.” Thayer goes on to say that Christ is called this because “he perfectly reflects the majesty of God.”[17]

The word “glory” is defined as referring to “not the object itself, but the appearance of the object that attracts attention.”[18] An apple may be nothing special, but a highly polished, glistening apple would stand out in a bowl of other apples and attract attention. A man may be nothing special, but The Man Jesus Christ shined among other men and attracted much attention.

“Exact representation” is charakter , which is found only in Hebrews 1:3. The word is derived from the verb charasso , meaning “to cut in; to engrave.” The word means the exact impression as when metal is pressed into a die, or as a seal upon wax.[19] Charakter is “a distinctive sign, trait, type, or form, the image impressed as corresponding exactly with the original or pattern.”[20] Jesus Christ has earned and been given the distinction of being the perfect representative of Almighty God. As we saw in Chapter 2 in connection with the Greek word eikon , Adam was designed to be the image, or the representative of God, but in large part disqualified himself by his disobedience. In contrast, Christ has, by virtue of his faithful obedience, continued to pattern himself after his Father.

“Being” is translated from the Greek word hupostasis , which appears four other places (2 Cor. 9:4, 11:17; Heb. 3:14, 11:1). It means “a substructure, what really exists under or out of sight, the essence of a matter in contrast to its appearance.”[21] Its use in Greek literature supports this definition, as it indicates “the reality behind appearances.” Its use in the Septuagint (a Greek translation of the Hebrew Old Testament) gives it the essence of a “plan” or “purpose.”[22] This is added support for the idea that Jesus Christ is the “purpose of the ages.”

The first part of Hebrews 1:3 may then be paraphrased as follows:

Jesus Christ is the reflection of God’s power. He is the extraordinary Man whose appearance attracts attention. He radiates the character of God to the world, being the exact impression of God’s heart. The invisible God is the unseen foundation upon which Jesus Christ built his life. God is the Author of the master plan of salvation, and Jesus Christ is the Agent who is carrying it out.

The remainder of verse 3 illustrates how he does so, and what he is accomplishing for mankind. The next clause to consider is, “…sustaining all things by his [Jesus Christ’s] powerful word….” Jesus Christ is bringing to pass God’s plan by his steadfast adherence to God’s Word. He continues to adhere faithfully to God’s plan for the Church Age. A mirror turned toward the sun will reflect its light very brightly, but if the mirror is turned away from the source of light, there will be no reflection, even though the sun is still shining. Even at the right hand of God, Jesus Christ keeps the countenance of his life fixed upon his heavenly Father, and always reflects God’s light.

The next clause in Hebrews 1:3 “…After he had provided purification for sins…” shows what the Redeemer brought to pass by his faithfulness in acting upon the Word of God. When mankind’s potential purification was complete, Jesus Christ sat down at the right hand of God. The purification of man’s sins, and Jesus Christ taking his seat of authority on high, were completed once and for all. What this action accomplished for those who believe on him will be fully known only at his appearing.

While accomplishing the everlasting redemption of people who choose to believe on his name, Jesus Christ set a unique example of victorious day-by-day living. In so doing, he declared God to the world. Today, Jesus Christ is no longer on the earth, but those who are born again have “Christ” in them by way of holy spirit, his divine nature, and they can by Christlike faithfulness to God’s Word manifest a similar attractive radiance. Each believer today can rise above the mediocrity of worldly men and shine extraordinarily to the end that his life is also a glory to God.

It is in the “face” of our Lord Jesus that we most clearly see the glory of God. Though we do not have a physical image of his “face,” we are able to study his life and attributes in God’s Word and get to know him in that way. We are also able to have a personal relationship with him via the gift of holy spirit. This is why, for successful Christian living, it is absolutely imperative that we dwell in the heart of our wonderful Savior day by day, making his attitude our attitude. The more we know and love the Lord Jesus, the more we know, love and glorify God, our Father.

One God & One Lord

Let us now cite another key passage of Scripture that corroborates the truths we just saw in Hebrews 1:1–3, and which also contains the thesis verse of this book.

1 Corinthians 8:4–6

(4) So then, about eating food sacrificed to idols: We know that an idol is nothing at all in the world and that there is no God but one.

(5) For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”),

(6) Yet for us there is but one God , the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live ; and there is but one Lord , Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live .

Notice that the context in which verse 6 is found is specifically regarding the worshipping of idols, that is, false gods. Paul states that among the polytheistic heathen there are many gods and many lords, and he then draws a clear contrast between pagan polytheism and Christian monotheism [belief in only one God]. This expression of monotheism involves an absolute distinction between “God” and Jesus Christ, precluding the idea that Jesus Christ could be “God” in the same sense that the Father is “God.”[23] In one of many clear identity statements that define who “God” is, verse 6 clearly says that the only true “God” is “the Father.”[24] John 17:3 also teaches this truth by recording the words of Jesus himself when he referred to God, his Father, as “the only true God.” In light of the clarity of these verses, we marvel that so many Christians can accept the orthodox teaching that Jesus is “true God from true God” as the Nicene Creed propounds. Verse 6 is, in reality, a classic summation of the heart of true Christianity. Let us look at it again, this time in more detail.

1 Corinthians 8:6

Yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from [ek = “out from”] whom all things came and for [eis = “unto”] whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through [dia ] whom all things came and through [dia ] whom we live.

Please bear with us as we review a bit of basic grammar and parts of speech, carefully noticing the precise use of the prepositions in this verse. Prepositions are like signposts that direct the meaning of a passage. Notice the distinct and separate use of the Greek prepositions ek in relation to God and dia in relation to Christ. This should arrest our attention and keep us from speeding past these important signs on our way to a preconceived idea (and maybe getting a ticket for violating the laws of logic). The preposition ek in this context means “from” or “out from,” while the preposition dia in this context means “through.” The lesson of the verse is simple and clear. All things came from God, through Jesus to the Church.[25]

The NIV translation of the next clause related to God “…and for whom we live…” contains a fabulous truth. In the Greek text, there is no word for “live,” and the word “for” is the word eis , usually translated “unto.” When used with the accusative case, eis means “into, unto, to, implying motion to the interior.”[26] It is saying, in essence, that “we were evicted, but He let us move back in.” We are reconciled to God. How? Through (dia ) the agency of Christ. Jesus is like a rental agent who paid our back rent and restored our relationship with the landlord. Or he is like the sports agent who wins a fabulous contract for us even after we’ve had a terrible year.

In John 14:6, Jesus said: “…I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes unto the Father except through [dia ] me,” i.e., through my agency. In other words, the Holy God is on the other side of an immense chasm separating Him from sinful man. Without the agency of Jesus Christ, the Messiah, spanning the chasm by means of his atoning sacrifice and resurrection, we would be forever consigned to falling short of reaching God with our pathetic religious works and good intentions.

As we have now seen several times, the preposition associated with the Lord Jesus Christ is dia , meaning “through.” Are we seeing a pattern here? A dia meter is a straight line running all the way from a point on one side of the circle through the center to a point on the other side of the circle. God is the point on one side and man is the point on the other. The Man Jesus Christ is the Mediator, the straight line, between God and men (1 Tim. 2:5). He is “the bridge over troubled waters.” He is The Way all the way unto the Father. Lo and behold, that is what the last part of 1 Corinthians 8:6 says, that through (dia ) the one Lord, Jesus Christ, all things come from God to us, and through him we come unto God. How could God make any plainer the truth that He, the Father, is the one true God , and that His Son Jesus Christ is the Lord through whom He worked to accomplish the redemption of mankind? The Lord Jesus is the one and only agent of redemption, and the one “basket” in which God put all His “eggs.”

The “Dynamic Duo”

Since God and Christ are working together so intimately, we have taken the liberty of calling them “the Dynamic Duo.” This phrase communicates to us the fact that both God and Jesus Christ are involved in our lives and the process of redemption. Building upon the foundation we have laid from 1 Corinthians 8:6, let us see further biblical evidence of this One God, One Lord paradigm.

Ephesians 4:4–6 (NRSV)

(4) There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling,

(5) one Lord , one faith, one baptism,

(6) one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all.

This section also marks out a distinct separation between the one Lord, Jesus Christ, and the one God, the Father. We also see the elevation of the Father as the one to whom all glory is due as the Source of “all,” and Who is over , through and in “all.” Note also the precise identity established between “God” and “the Father.” There is no other true God beside “the Father.” And the Son is not “God,” but he is “Lord.”

Every one of the Church Epistles begins with the salutation, “Grace and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” This fits with 1 Corinthians 8:6, which states that there is “one God the Father, and one Lord Jesus Christ.” One plus one equals two. In Scripture, the number two denotes either division and distinction or establishment and confirmation.[27] In fact, without a distinction between two things, there could be no confirmation of one by the other. Regarding the relationship between God and Christ, the number two indicates both a separation and connection. The connecting word, “and,” in itself indicates the distinction between God and Christ.

It is very important for us to see clearly the relationship between the one God, the Father, the Author of salvation, and the one Lord, Jesus Christ, the Agent of salvation.

Romans 15:8 (NRSV)

For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the circumcised [i.e., Jews] on behalf of truth of God in order that he might confirm the promises [that God has] given to the patriarchs,

This verse says that Jesus Christ came to confirm God’s promises to Israel, coming along as Number Two behind God, who is “Numero Uno,” and who made the original promises to Israel.

What other verses can we find to clarify the distinction and the cohesion of “the Dynamic Duo?”

1 Timothy 2:5 (NRSV)

For there is one God ; there is also one mediator between God and humankind, Christ Jesus, himself human,

By definition, a “mediator” is a separate person from each of the two parties between whom he mediates (Gal. 3:20). Jesus Christ is separate from God because he is a man , and he is separate from sinful mankind because he is God’s only-begotten Son who had no sin nature and lived a sinless life. If Adam and his descendants had remained sinless, they would have had no need for a mediator. The introduction of sin into the life of mankind necessitated the mediation of a sinless man. Of course, Jesus knew this, as evidenced by what he prayed shortly before his death:

John 17:3 (NRSV)

And this is eternal life [life in the coming age], that they may know you, the only true God , and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.

Jesus referred to his Father as the only true God , and understood that God commissioned him as the agent of salvation. As the Head of the Church, the Lord Jesus works with our heavenly Father to direct the functions of its members and to help us carry them out, as the following verses make clear:

2 Thessalonians 2:16 and 17 (NRSV)

(16) Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father , who loved us and through grace gave us eternal comfort and good hope,

(17) comfort your hearts and strengthen them in every good work and word.

Another verse, perhaps somewhat “obscure” but nonetheless relevant to our context here, clearly illustrates the distinction and cohesion between God and His Son, as well as the conspicuous absence of a “third person.”

2 John 9 (NRSV)

Everyone who does not abide in the teaching of Christ, but goes beyond it, does not have God; whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son.

Another passage that makes the distinction between God and Christ is 1 Corinthians 15:24–28. The distinction between God and Christ in this section is so abundantly plain that even in the text itself it is called “clear.” Here the Word of God vividly declares the relationship between God and Jesus Christ as it relates to Christ having accomplished all the work God sent him to do and finally being made subject to God as His co-ruler on the new earth. We will now quote this passage again from the perspective of the clear separation between the two , identifying to whom each pronoun is referring. The way to determine the referent of the pronouns is to remember from Psalm 110:1 and 2 that God is the one who puts everything under Christ’s feet, including his enemies. He gives Christ the authority to reign for a time, until his enemies are subdued.

1 Corinthians 15:24–28 (NASB)

(24) then comes the end, when He (Christ ) delivers up the kingdom to the God and Father, when He (Christ ) has abolished all rule and all authority and power.

(25) For He (Christ ) must reign until He (Christ ) has put all His (Christ’s ) enemies under His (Christ’s ) feet.

(26) The last enemy that will be abolished is death.

(27) For HE (Christ ) HAS PUT ALL THINGS IN SUBJECTION UNDER HIS (Christ’s ) FEET . But when He (Christ ) says, “All things are put in subjection,” it is evident that He (God ) is excepted who put all things in subjection to Him (Christ ).

(28) And when all things are subjected to Him (Christ ), then the Son Himself also will be subjected to the One (God ) who subjected all things to Him (Christ ), that God may be all in all.[28]

This passage contains echoes of another passage of Scripture that we looked at in the previous chapter in connection with the privilege extended to mankind. The language is applied to Christ, who, as we have discussed, is fulfilling mankind’s destiny and privilege.

Psalm 8:3–8 (NASB)

(3) When I consider Thy heavens, the work of Thy fingers, The moon and the stars, which Thou hast ordained;

(4) What is man, that Thou dost take thought of him? And the son of man, that Thou dost care for him?

(5) Yet Thou hast made him a little lower than God, And dost crown him with glory and majesty!

(6) Thou dost make him to rule over the works of Thy hands; Thou hast put all things under his feet,

(7) All sheep and oxen, And also the beasts of the field,

(8) The birds of the heavens, and the fish of the sea, Whatever passes through the paths of the seas.

A verse in the last chapter of the Bible corresponds with the Corinthians verses, and forever fixes the relationship of the “Dynamic Duo.”

Revelation 22:3

No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him.[29]

Hebrews 1: Christ’s Superiority Over the Angels

Another important aspect of Christ as the cornerstone of our faith is his supremacy in heaven since his resurrection. This idea naturally and logically follows from the idea that Christ is functionally equal to God, because since God is obviously the highest authority in heaven, if He delegates that authority to someone, that person will share supremacy with God and reign over everyone else. Because Christ has been resurrected and has ascended into heaven, he now has authority and supremacy over the angels, as the following verses makes clear:

1 Peter 3:21b and 22

(21b) …It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ,

(22) who has gone into heaven and is at God’s right hand—with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him.

Christ’s present superiority over the angels is also the subject of a detailed argument found in Hebrews 1:4–9 and 13, which we will now go through, visiting other corroborating parts of Scripture as appropriate.

Hebrews 1:4 (NRSV)

having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.

We know that Christ became superior to the angels after his resurrection , because of what is written in the very next chapter of Hebrews:

Hebrews 2:9

But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower [30] than the angels , now [i.e., since his resurrection] crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.

If he was to perform his earthly ministry as God desired, Jesus had to be made a man and not an angel. But, as he was made “a little lower” than the angels before his resurrection, he was made “a little higher” than they after it. As spirit beings, angels are not subject to the laws of physics. They fly without wings, appear and disappear at will, speak from the center of burning shrubs, comfort heroic believers thrown into giant furnaces, and often minister miraculously to those who “will inherit salvation” (Heb. 1:14).[31]

In contrast to angels, the first body that Jesus had was a distinctly physical body, and therefore subject to the laws of physics. He was subject to gravity because his body had real mass, hunger because his body burned food for energy, and physical exhaustion because, due to the law of inertia, energy must be continually applied to keep any physical object moving in space. When he wanted to go somewhere, he had to walk, and he got tired from journeying. His body needed rest, food and sleep as any human being’s body does. When he got a splinter in his finger while working in his carpentry shop, it hurt, and it bled. When he was beaten and crucified, his body went into shock and he finally died like any other human body.

But, when Christ was raised from the dead, he was given a glorious body that enabled him to do everything that angels do and more. He is apparently no longer limited to the laws of physics as we understand them. He “passed through” the heavens in an instant, rather than at the speed of light. If he were a true “physical” being, as defined by the present laws of physics, he could travel no faster than the speed of light, and would just now be approaching the galaxies that are relatively close to the earth—a mere 2000 light years away! He passed through locked doors to greet the disciples who were huddled there in fear. He transformed his appearance so he would be recognizable or unrecognizable. In short, it appears that he can now do everything that angels do.

Yet, his body retains some kind of physicality, for Jesus specifically said that he is not “a spirit” (NIV—“ghost”): For “…a ghost [i.e., a true spirit being] does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have” (Luke 24:39). Besides having flesh and bones, he also has a digestive system, because he ate fish with the disciples, and as he stated, he will eat and drink with them again in the future kingdom. He encouraged Thomas to actually touch him to prove to himself that it was really he. And a particularly intriguing aspect of his new, glorious body is that it still bears the wounds of his injuries on the Cross—the nailprints in his hands and feet and the hole in his side, yet without blood.[32]

The first stage of Christ’s “glory” was his resurrection from the dead, which represented a qualitative new beginning of his life. Every other person who had ever been raised from the dead, like Lazarus in John 11, got up with the same body. Jesus is the only person who got up with a wholly different body. It is highly noteworthy to us that although Jesus had been conceived divinely and born of Mary more than 30 years earlier through the normal processes (her pregnancy, grunting, labor pains, etc.) his resurrection is also spoken of as a birthday! [33] This we can see from the next verse in the first chapter of Hebrews:

Hebrews 1:5 (NRSV)

For to which of the angels did God ever say, “You are my Son; today I have begotten you”? Or again, “I will be his Father, and he will be my Son ”?

The phrase, “…today I have begotten you” is a citation of a phrase that first appeared in the second Psalm, in connection with the Messiah’s future rulership of the earth.

Psalm 2:7–9 (NRSV)

(7) I will tell of the decree of the LORD : He said to me, “You are my son; today I have begotten you.

(8) Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession.

(9) You shall break them with a rod of iron, and dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.”

Though the Jewish commentators at that time would have been hardpressed to see any connection between this phrase and the resurrection of the Messiah, it was clearly referring to it, as is seen in the Apostle Paul’s use of it in his discourse to the Jews in Antioch of Pisidia.

Acts 13:32 and 33 (NRSV)

(32)And we bring you the good news that what God promised to our ancestors

(33) he has fulfilled for us, their children, by raising Jesus [from the dead]; as also it is written in the second Psalm, ‘You are my Son; today I have begotten you.’

What do we have here but the exulting of a Father at the “birth” of His Son (“Gabriel, Michael, have a cigar!”). Only this time His Son was not “begotten” to be sacrificed —he was raised from the dead to reign . That was something for the Father to shout about! We will now see from the next verse in Hebrews 1 that the term “firstborn” occurs in connection with his resurrection:

Hebrews 1:6 (NRSV)

And again, when he [God] brings the firstborn into the world, he says, “Let all God’s angels worship him.”

How do we know that this particular “birth” is referring to his resurrection? By the overall context, and because Hebrews 1:5 speaks of Christ’s “birth” being his resurrection. This sets the context of verse 6, which also speaks of Christ being brought into the world. Also, at his first birth, the angels did not worship the baby. They worshiped God who brought him forth! This is evident in the only record in the Four Gospels where angels appeared at Christ’s birth.

Luke 2:13 and 14 (NRSV)

(13) And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying,

(14) “Glory to God in the highest heaven , and on earth peace among those whom he favors!”

The “birth” that is spoken of in Hebrews 1:5 and 6 is referring to the resurrection of God’s son from the dead. At his first birth, Christ was inferior to angels, whom God made to be glorious messengers and divine representatives:

Hebrews 1:7 (NRSV)

Of the angels he says, “He makes his angels winds, and his servants flames of fire.”

Though angels are glorious, Jesus Christ’s glory has exceeded theirs ever since he took his place at the right hand of God after his resurrection. As the Son of God , he has the rights and privileges of the firstborn, something never offered to the angels, as verse 5 above makes plain. And since, by grace, we believers in Christ are “joint-heirs ” with him (Rom. 8:17 (KJV); Eph. 3:6), we are therefore entitled to the same rights and privileges— including having the same kind of glorious body in the future—as the following verses indicate:

Philippians 3:20 and 21 (NRSV)

(20) But our citizenship is in heaven , and it is from there that we are expecting a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.

(21) He will transform the body of our humiliation that it may be conformed to the body of his glory, by the power that also enables him to make all things subject to himself.

Thus, we also share in the benefits of the heavenly citizenship that is now ours because we are members of Christ’s figurative “body,” the Christian Church (Eph. 1:22 and 23). 1 Corinthians 15:45-49 also speaks of the “splendor” of the heavenly body that Christ received at his resurrection, and which we will receive also. It is a “spiritual” body that is in some ways physical, but nevertheless imperishable—meaning not subject to physical decay.

1 Corinthians 15:40–49 (NRSV)

(40) There are both heavenly bodies and earthly bodies, but the glory of the heavenly is one thing, and that of the earthly is another.

(41) There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; indeed, star differs from star in glory.

(42) So it is with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable, what is raised is imperishable ,

(43) It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory . It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power .

(44) It is sown a physical body, it is raised a spiritual body . If there is a physical body, there is also a spiritual body.

(45) Thus it is written, “The first man, Adam, became a living being”; the Last Adam became a life-giving spirit .

(46) But it is not the spiritual that is first, but the physical, and then the spiritual.

(47) The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man is from heaven.

(48) As was the man of dust, so are those who are of the dust; and as is the man from heaven, so are those who are of heaven.

(49) Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we will also bear the image of the man of heaven.

We assume from this passage that in the new heaven and earth, God is going to change the very laws of physics, based upon the prototype of Christ’s new body. This new body is based upon new principles and physical laws that are well above our limited capacity to understand in our present bodies. But someday in the future we will know fully even as we are fully known (1 Cor. 13:12).

Hebrews 1 continues to assert the superiority of the Son over angels:

Hebrews 1:8 and 9 (NRSV)

(8) But of the Son he says: “Your throne, O God,[34] is forever and ever [i.e., for a long time], and the righteous scepter is the scepter of your kingdom.

(9) You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God , has anointed you with the oil of gladness beyond your companions .”

Christ’s “companions” in this context include angels , who are subordinate to him and yet dwell with him in heaven in the presence of God. Because he is superior to them, everything that an angel can do, Jesus can do in his new body, and more. But because they are on the same spiritual plane of existence, the idea of companionship is appropriate.

Hebrews 1:13 (NRSV)

But to which of the angels has he [God] ever said, “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet”?

Finally, verse 13 lays the capstone on this magnificent section of Scripture that has by this time firmly established two facts. First, Christ is superior to the angels, and second, this superiority occurred after his resurrection, ascension and exaltation. From this exalted position, he is currently in the process of completing the redemption prophesied in Genesis 3:15, wherein we find the purpose for which the Redeemer would come, a purpose of the ages . This purpose encompasses the entire redemption of heaven and earth, fills the vacuum in heaven created by the loss of an archangel and one third of the angels, and involves Christ sitting in a place that Lucifer could conceive of but did not have the humility to be exalted to—functional equality with God!

These truths are corroborated in Colossians 1 in a section of Scripture that also speaks of the supremacy of Christ, and one to which we will be returning often in this book. This magnificent passage will harmonize with the many verses that we have examined in this chapter, elevate Christ and thus glorify God, his Father.

Colossians 1:15–19 (NRSV)

(15) He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn [by resurrection] of all creation [i.e., the prototype of the new creation, the new heaven and earth];

(16) for in [dia ] him all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible, whether [angelic] thrones or dominions or rulers or powers—all things have been created through [dia ] him [i.e., through his obedient agency] and for him [i.e., with him in mind].

(17) He himself is before all things [in priority], and in him all things hold together [he sustains all things, as Heb. 1:3 says].

(18) He is the head of the body [of Christ], the church; he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead , so that he might come to have first place in everything [i.e., he is over the angels and functionally equal to God].

(19) For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell,

Psalms 8 and 110 prophesied of this culminating glorification of the Son of God, the Messiah. In the next two chapters, we will examine the other Messianic prophecies contained in the Old Testament in order to understand what could and could not be searched out about the Coming One.

Endnotes [ next chapter ]

[1 ]. Theologian John Calvin proposed the idea that God is the one who gave Satan this power in order to glorify Himself and demonstrate His superiority. The Bible never says this, and we believe such a notion seriously compromises God’s righteousness.

[2 ]. See E. W. Bullinger, The Companion Bible, (reprinted; Zondervan, Grand Rapids, MI, 1974), Appendix 19, for an interesting etymological study of the word “serpent,” showing that Satan appeared to Eve as an “enlightened one,” spewing out his demented “brilliance.” 2 Corinthians 11:14 corroborates this truth: Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light .

[3 ]. See our book, op. cit., Is There Death After Life, Chapter 4.

[4 ]. Satan uses strategy and systematizes error such that it continues generation after generation. The Apostle Paul wrote in Ephesians about people blown about by “craftiness in deceitful scheming” (Eph. 4:14 - NASB). “Craftiness” is from the Greek panourgia , and means “craftiness, cunning, unscrupulousness, false wisdom.” It is the word used about someone who will use any and all means to achieve an end. The words “deceitful scheming” are translated from the Greek word methodeia (from which we get “method”) and it means “deceit, craft or trickery” that has a plan or method behind it. Thus, the Adversary has an evil plan and method, and will use any and all means at his disposal to reach his sinister goals.

[5 ]. Romans 8:19–21 clearly says that the entire creation awaits the day when it will “…be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.”

[6 ]. The Jewish rule of “agency” is explained in Appendices A (Gen. 16:7–13) and D.

[7 ]. The Hebrew word translated “Lucifer” in Isaiah 14:12 (KJV) actually means “shining star.” The Latin Vulgate translated the Hebrew as “Lucifer,” which made its way into the Roman Catholic Douay-Rheims Version and into the King James Version.

[8 ]. Bullinger, op. cit., Companion, text note on Ezekiel 28:12, p. 1145.

[9 ]. God says this in Psalm 8:6. However, in Psalm 8:6 God is not speaking in first person, rather Psalm 8:6 is the narration of the Bible, so it would be more natural for us to say, “it says,” which is also a legitimate way to translate the Greek text.

[10 ]. The form of the Greek verb hupotagēsetai is used for both the passive and middle voice (R. C. H. Lenski, The Interpretation of 1 and II Corinthians , Augsburg Publishing House, Minneapolis, MN, 1963, p. 683). In the passive voice, Jesus would “be subjected” to God. In the context, all the enemies are subjected (passive voice) to God and Jesus whether they wanted to be subject or not. They had no choice. That is not the sense of Jesus being subjected to God, however. God will not use force, or the threat of force, to subject Jesus to Himself. Rather, the context and scope of Scripture show us the middle voice proper here: Jesus will voluntarily “subject himself” to God. Thus, verse 28 should read, “And when all things have been subjected to him (Christ ), then the Son will subject himself to him (God ) who subjected all things to him (Christ ), that God may be all in all.”

[11 ]. Ephesians 1:21 says that Christ has been given authority “…not only in the present age but also in the one to come.”

[12 ]. Note that the Messiah speaks of “God” in verse 7 as one wholly other to himself, and the One whose will he came to do. This is the same truth communicated in Heb. 1:9 (KJV), when it says “thy God,” meaning that even in the Messiah’s exalted position, he is to recognize God’s personal superiority. His position involves only functional equality with God. When speaking to Mary Magdalene in one of his post-resurrection appearances, he said, “…I ascend to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God” (John 20:17 - NRSV).

[13 ]. In Scripture, both the words “heaven” and the plural form, “heavens,” can refer to the atmosphere above the earth or to the dwelling place of God and angels. Verses showing that heaven refers to the atmosphere include those that have references to “…the birds of the air…” (2 Sam. 21:10; the word “air” is shamayim , literally, “heavens”), the wind blows in heaven (Ps. 78:26 - KJV), the clouds are in heaven (Ps. 147:8 - KJV), the snow comes from heaven (Isa. 55:10), or, the “rain from heaven” (Acts 14:17). The words “heaven” or “heavens” can also refer to the dwelling place of God, as many verses make plain.

[14 ]. It is unfortunate that the King James Version usually renders the Greek word aion as “world,” because it leaves the reader with the idea of place instead of time. The word aion generally refers to an age or a period of time (as does our English word, eon, which comes from the Greek aion , via Latin). This can be seen quite clearly in the New Testament itself, where aion occurs more than 120 times. In all but about a dozen of those, a literal version such as the NASB translates it by “age” or some other word indicating a period of time. About a dozen times “world” is used, but even some of those could be properly understood as referring to a time period, such as Matthew 13:22, which the NASB translates as “…the worry of the world…,” but the NIV has as “…the worries of this life….” Galatians 1:4 speaks of Jesus rescuing us from “this present evil age.” This brings up two questions: what is the duration of this present age and why is it evil? The answers are closely related. In Luke 4:6 (KJV), while the Devil was tempting Jesus, he told Jesus that all the kingdoms of the world were his to give because they had been “delivered unto him.” Jesus did not dispute this claim because he knew it was true. Had it not been true, Satan’s offer would not have been a temptation to Christ. When the First Adam originally disobeyed God, he lost his God-given dominion and authority over the Earth. Thus began the “present evil age,” and it will not end until the Last Adam comes again and takes back this dominion and authority by force. In the meantime, Satan is referred to as the “god of this age” (2 Cor. 4:4). While living in this present evil age, each Christian is encouraged not to be “conformed to this world [age]” (Rom. 12:2), but to be transformed by the renewing of his mind. In Hebrews 1:2, the NIV mistranslates the Greek word aion as “universe,” and many other versions mistranslate it as “world.” They do that because it agrees with their theology that Jesus is God and He created the world, but the Greek does not have to be translated, or understood, in that way. For a thorough explanation of this verse, see Appendix A.

[15 ]. The phrase “…through whom he made the universe” (NIV) has been repeatedly used to support the doctrine of the Trinity, when it actually does not. The points made by J. S. Hyndman in 1824 are still valid today:

“Through whom he made the worlds.” It is really curious to observe the confidence with which this passage is brought forward in support of the idea that Jesus not only existed before he appeared as a man, but also that he created the material universe. The preposition which is here used in connection with epoisen [“he made”] is dia , which universally denotes instrumental agency, by way of distinction from hypo , which is almost universally used to signify primary or original causation. Supposing, then, that the notion of creation is conveyed by the original of the word translated “made,” and supposing also that “world” is a correct translation of the Greek noun which occurs in the passage, what, I ask, would be the doctrine of the words? Would it be that the Son created the world as an original artificer? Surely not; but that God created it by the agency or means of Jesus Christ.

This verse is parallel in the mode of its phraseology to the first verse. Now, as when it is said, “God spake through the Son,” the universal doctrine of the New Testament is expressed respecting the source of our Savior’s knowledge, viz ., that it was derived from Him who was greater than he, and that he was not the original fountain of his communications. So when it is said, “God made the worlds through his Son,” it is no less clear and no less incontrovertible that all that is attributed to Jesus in the passage is an agency that is secondary and subordinate to that of the Supreme. Indeed, as in the former sentence, so in this, the very form and structure of the phraseology are more than sufficient to determine this point…

Not in fact to admit that the words, “through whom also he made the world,” convey the idea of instrumental agency in the Son, is either to make the sentence perfectly unintelligible or absurd…

The proper and literal rendering of aiones , translated “worlds,” is ages or dispensations . This is its natural and only proper meaning. It is so translated in almost all its occurrences in the New Testament, and in many instances must be so as to make sense and coherency in the sentences with which it stands connected.

J. S. Hyndman, Lectures on the Principles of Unitarianism (Alnwick, 1824. Reprinted by: Spirit & Truth Fellowship International, Martinsville, IN, 1994), pp. 125–127. (For more information on Hebrews 1:2, see Appendix A).

[16 ]. Bullinger, op. cit., Companion, Appendix 104.

[17 ]. Thayer, op. cit., Thayer’s , p. 55.

[18 ]. Bullinger, op. cit., Lexicon , p. 323.

[19 ]. Ibid ., p. 401.

[20 ]. Ibid ., p. 401.

[21 ]. Ibid ., p. 582.

[22 ]. Kittel, op. cit., Theological Dictionary , Vol. VIII, pp. 578–582.

[23 ]. Of course we do not dispute the fact that theos is apparently used in relation to Christ in a few verses of Scripture, most notably John 1:1, 20:28 and Hebrews 1:8 (for more information on these verses see Appendix A). As Jesus himself acknowledged, in John 10:34 and 35, Scripture employs a usage of “god” that is equivalent to “God’s human representative.” What we object to is the way many Trinitarians equivocate the term “God” to mean “God the Father as distinct from God the Son.” In the vast majority of the cases, the word “God” is used of the one-and-only true God who is also the Father of Jesus Christ. Understood without the equivocation, the term “God” logically excludes “the Son of God,” Jesus Christ. Without equivocating the term “God,” how can anyone argue that anyone can be both “God” and “the Son of God” at the same time? See Appendix K.

[24 ]. See also Rom. 1:7; 1 Cor. 1:3, 15:24; 2 Cor. 1:2 and 3, 11:31; Gal. 1:1, 3 and 4; Eph. 1:2, 3 and 17, 4:6, 5:20, 6:23; Phil. 1:2; 1 Thess. 1:1 and 3; James 3:9, et al .

[25 ]. For a much more complete explanation of 1 Corinthians 8:6, see Appendix A.

[26 ]. Bullinger, op. cit., Lexicon, p. 403.

[27 ]. E. W. Bullinger discusses the significance of the number two in his classic work on numbers in Scripture:

We now come to the spiritual significance of the number Two. We have seen that One excludes all difference, and denotes that which is sovereign. But Two affirms that there is a difference—there is another ; while ONE affirms that there is not another! This difference may be for good or for evil…The number Two takes a two-fold colouring, according to the context. It is the first number by which we can divide another, and therefore in all its uses we may trace this fundamental idea of division or difference . The two may be, though different in character, yet one as to testimony and friendship.”

Number In Scripture, Its Supernatural Design And Spiritual Significance , (Kregel Publications, Grand Rapids, MI, 1971), pp. 92–106.

[28 ]. One of the reasons we quote this passage repeatedly is that it so clearly defines the relationship between God and Christ in both person and function. As such, it is very difficult for Trinitarian theologians to interpret in a way that is honest to the text. A stunning example of how a Trinitarian bias can color what would otherwise be an obvious interpretation of a passage is found in the NIV Study Bible note on the phrase “…the Son himself will be made subject to him…” (1 Cor. 15:28). The NIV editors attempt to elevate the Son with a distinction between person and function that, in effect, demeans the personal superiority of the Father:

…The Son will be made subject to the Father in the sense that administratively [i.e., functionally], after he subjects all things to his power, he will then turn it all over to God the Father, the administrative head. This is not to suggest that the Son is in any way inferior to the Father. All three persons of the Trinity are equal in deity and in dignity [i.e., they have personal equality]. The subordination referred to is one of function. The Father is supreme in the Trinity [but only in a functional sense]; the Son carries out the Father’s will (e.g., in creation, redemption); the Spirit is sent by the Father and the Son to vitalize life, communicate God’s truth, apply his salvation to people and enable them to obey God’s will (or word)….

This explanation is arbitrary. There is no mention of “equality in deity but difference in function” in these verses. The text is clear as it stands—the Son will be subject to “God” (not “the Father”). Simply reading the verses reveals the separation between “God” and Christ, and also reveals the superiority of God over Christ. The editorial bias of the NIV editors is further revealed when, after the passage in 1 Corinthians 15:24–28 has clearly separated “God” from “Christ,” with no mention of “the Holy Spirit,” they equivocate the term “God” to mean “the Triune God,” instead of the God whose identity is “the Father of Jesus Christ,” who is clearly the one in view. They then comment on the phrase “so that God may be all in all,” as follows: “The triune God will be shown to be supreme and sovereign in all things.”

[29 ]. Certainly, if there were any such thing as a “Trinity,” then all three persons should be present on this august occasion. “God the Holy Spirit” would also be included in all of the above verses we have considered, such as greeting the churches, etc. But, absolutely, “He” would have to be there on the final throne, or the “Godhead” would be incomplete. The truth is that there is but ONE GOD and ONE LORD , and they will together rule over a literal and physical “new creation,” in fulfillment of God’s original dream and plan.

[30 ]. Although the KJV and NIV say that Jesus was a “little lower” than angels, that is not the best translation. First of all, what does it mean to be a “little” lower than angels? The Greek is better translated as it is in the RSV, NRSV, NASB. These say Jesus was “lower” than the angels for a “little while,” but is now crowned with glory and honor, and is thus now “higher” than them.

[31 ]. Despite their various mysterious aspects, we do know one thing about angels biblically—they are not dead humans! See our book: op. cit., Is There Death After Life? , and our audio teaching: The Ministry of Angels to Believers, available to listen to free at: www.TLTF.org under Bible Teachings/audio/TLTF Audio Pod Cast.

[32 ]. It is a matter of intriguing speculation as to what animates his new body. We see a connection with 1 Corinthians 15:45 which calls the Last Adam a “life-giving spirit.” It appears that he has “life in himself” (John 5:26), instead of having life “in his blood,” which is characteristic of human and animal life in this present heaven and earth.

[33 ]. Trinitarian theologians who stress the “incarnation” of Christ as the cornerstone of Christianity cannot truly explain why Scripture would place such a high value on his resurrection, new body, seating at the right hand of God and being given “all authority” in heaven. To them, his incarnation represents the defining event of his life in eternity, when he divested himself of his pre-incarnate divinity and took on human flesh for a time. According to this thinking, his resurrection should then be the moment when he returns to the glory he had before his incarnation, including the authority that he had in heaven over angels as a co-equal member of the Trinity. We believe that the fact that Scripture places great emphasis on his resurrection is wonderful proof that he did not pre-exist his birth.

[34 ]. Hebrews 1:8 is often used to attempt to prove that Jesus is “God” in some intrinsic sense, equal to God by virtue of his “incarnation.” But the context is clearly his post-resurrection “Sonship” and exaltation to the right hand of God, where he is granted the privilege to rule and reign alongside God. As God’s representative and empowered agent, he is spoken of as “God,” following an established biblical pattern. Notice in verse 9 that though Christ is a kind of “God,” (meaning “God-like”) he still has a God to whom he is accountable, namely the one true God, his Father. See Appendix A (Hebrews 1:8).