Post 5 of study: Hebrews 1:3-4

Verse 1:3 could be split into two parts: identity of Christ and work of Christ. First we read, “who being the brightness of his glory and the express image of His person.” These are words describing the relationship of Christ to the Father. They are poetic in phrasing but not metaphorical, and by “metaphorical” I mean “not to be taken literally.” They ARE to be taken literally, to the extent we can understand them.

Three of the disciples (John being one of them, so I’m back to John as a possible author) saw the brightness of His glory on the Mount of Transfiguration. “Express image” reminds one that humans were originally created in the image of God, but Jesus Christ is the perfect image of His person, untainted by the willfulness and sin that is embedded in our natures. That Jesus was obedient, a main point in Hebrews, contrasts Him with the human race from the beginning. There is more to “express image” than obedience and sinlessness, of course. I’m not up to putting it into words, but I think it explains 1. Christ as the perfection and the true representation of the human race, and 2. Christ as the perfect and true representation of God on earth.

The challenge of the incarnation is to keep these two in balance, something we’ve never done that well. My theological training emphasized #2; later in life I learned to appreciate, if not understand, #1. I still struggle with them both, of course, which brings us to the issue of faith. We mistakenly think of faith as “my convictions, thinking, and understanding are all settled, I’ll never waiver, I’ll never question or doubt,” which is nonsense. All that teaching does is cause more doubt and discouragement. If we understand faith as an ongoing, integrated (in terms of mind, heart, and will), practical struggle, we will recognize that doubt will come and it can and should be addressed. We will not see doubt as a reason to give up or doubt God’s love for us in the struggle. Jesus Himself expressed doubt about the will and plan of God. Are we better than He? As the perfect representation of the human race, He shows us that doubt will come but there is an answer.

I think all people who strive to address Scripture do so with their own experience in mind, and I’ve heard so much bad teaching and clichéd Christianity that I wish to confront it. The difference is I understand that confronting people about such beliefs is painful. It’s not a matter of: Hey, I’m right, you’re wrong. Don’t you see that? It’s always “speaking the truth in love.”

Which brings me to a peevishness I feel this morning. On YouTube, which can be the greatest tool of our generation for learning or the biggest mess on the planet, there are a lot of “preachers” who have a camera, a microphone, and a website, and who post their version of reality. One I listened to last night, actually more than one, was attacking good ol’ Beth Moore. Someone can address her teaching in the sense that her hermeneutical approach is more subjective than objective (there’s a lot we could say here).  They can take issue with some of her doctrines, I suppose. I’ve listened to her studies as much as anyone, so I know whereof I speak. But I can’t help but feel that these men are a bit insecure in their manhood because their attacks are personal rather substantive. I think they would be better off to let God take care of her rather than to make snarky comments. There are a lot more insidious enemies of the gospel than Beth Moore.

I am not going to let men tell me not to teach the Word if that is my gift. I am also not going to usurp anyone’s authority or claim a position in the church that is not mine. We could all do better to let God promote us in His time.