Nielsen’s Nook

Commentary

[1] Hebrews 1:3 continues the sentence begun in v 1 with the present active participle ὢν. As most other English translations do, I begin a new sentence here for readability; however, in doing so this participle is masked as an present active indicative verb. Consequently, the ongoing or continuous aspect of what is attributed to the Son in vv 4-5 is obscured.

[2] ἀπαύγασμα τῆς δόξης is a phrase found in the Deuterocanonical book, Wisdom of Solomon (7:26), speaking of the nature of wisdom. ἀπαύγασμα γάρ ἐστιν φωτὸς ἀιδίου καὶ ἔσοπτρον ἀκηλίδωτον τῆς τοῦ θεοῦ ἐνεργείας καὶ εἰκὼν τῆς ἀγαθότητος αὐτοῦ. For [Wisdom] is the radiance of eternal light, a spotless mirror of the working of God and an image of His goodness (author’s translation). It is worth noting that the Son is the active demonstration of these things, not a mere reflection, but the actively radiant representation of the divine glory.

[3] ὑποστάσεως (ὑπόστασις) is of course the creedal word relating Christ’s undivided dual natured singular person to us.

[4] Byzantine scribes out of concern for clearly communicating the unblemished nature of the Lord Jesus seem to have inserted ἡμῶν to clarify whose sins were purified. Metzger gives a brief discussion to the textual variations concerning τῆς δυνάμεως αὐτοῦ, καθαρισμὸν. This is also the case, of course, in the Textus Receptus.

[5] The Byzantine text adds the reflexive ἑαυτοῦ (Himself) for clarification here. This is also the case, of course, in the Textus Receptus.

[6] τοσούτῳ κρείττων γενόμενος prominence here assumes a hierarchy. The rank of the Incarnate Son is above all created things. While the second person of the Trinity was always the Eternal Son, Creator and Sustainer of the world, He of course as uncreated is superior to all created beings such as angels. However, he became the Incarnate Son. His incarnate nature was created and fallen (i.e. under the curse), yet without sin. Jesus, the Incarnate Son, was raised to a position of prominence relative to all other creation because he alone had been the apex of creation that Humanity had been intended to be. As such, the undivided Son takes his place next to the resplendent Majesty and sits down, standing only when his beloved is persecuted and martyred (Acts 7:56).