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Weekly Devotional

January 11, 2010

God’s Peace be with you all.

Hebrews 1:1-4  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 whom he also created the worlds.  ³ He is the reflection of God's glory and the exact imprint of God's very being, and he sustains all things by his powerful word. When he had made purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,  ⁴ having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.

Our text today comes from the daily scripture of the 2010 version of the Moravian Daily Texts.  I find it to be a fitting verse for us as we use this time after the Epiphany to transition from the Christmas season into the upcoming Lenten Season.  We have recently heard the text from the first chapter of John about Jesus.  The first chapter of Hebrews also reminds us that Jesus is not something new that God has created, but instead has been with God since the beginning.

Verse 3 for me is a very powerful verse.  The NRSV translates it as “He is the reflection of God’s glory and the exact imprint of God’s very being.”  I think that the NRSV makes an interpretation that is accurate, but perhaps not the best one.  There are several other ways to translate this verse that might be more meaningful or powerful to you.  Below are a few translations of that same verse

KJV:  “Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person,”

NLT: “The Son reflects God's own glory, and everything about him represents God exactly.”

NIB (and NIV): “The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being,”

New Jerusalem:  “He is the reflection of God's glory and bears the impress of God's own being,”

Young’s Literal Translation: “who being the brightness of the glory, and the impress of His subsistence,”

All of these verses basically say the same thing, but at the same time, they each say it quite differently.  To say that “the Son reflects God’s own glory” (NRSV, NLT, NJT) is different than saying that “the Son is the radiance of God’s glory.” (NIB and NIV) To me, “radiance” means giving off, that God’s glory is coming from Jesus, not just being reflected by him.  The Greek word means radiance first, and reflection as a secondary definition.  This changes the thought slightly about Jesus being from the Father, and even about Jesus being with the Father from the beginning.  If we proclaim (as the writer of Hebrew’s proclaims) that Jesus and the Father are one, then perhaps the better theological (and appropriate) translation is indeed that “the Son is the radiance of God’s glory. 

In our prayers this week:  Wendi,  Ann, Joseph, Lisa, Kim, Robert, Sharon, and Catherine

God’s Peace,

Pastor Judson