And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power …
One of the grandest, most exalting texts of Scripture, this passage presents the deity of Christ in all its glory. God in the flesh, perfectly representing, magnificently reflecting, exaltation exhibiting, gloriously exuding deity—Jesus is the glory of God. Meditating on this description of the Lord Jesus Christ is the only way to appreciate its import.
Jesus is the “radiance” of God’s glory. Imagine the disciples on the road to Emmaus, as the Lord spoke with them through the night “until daybreak” (Acts 20:11). The root word there for “daybreak” is the same as for “radiance” here. It began to dawn on them who this “stranger” was who had joined them on their journey. He was the glorious One, the “bright morning star” (Rev 22:16).
This passage is one of the strongest statements of Jesus’ divinity in Scripture. Isaiah 42:8 makes it clear, “I am the Lord, that is My name; I will not give My glory to another…” If Jesus were not God, then such a statement as Hebrews 1:3 would be blasphemous and would incur God’s censure. Notice the wording, “He IS the radiance of His glory” (emphasis mine). Actually, this is a participial construction, so that some translations render this, “He, being the radiance of His glory…” It is taken as a given. Clearly, the identification is too close to escape the implications. Jesus is God.
The apostle John wrote of Him, “And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory …” (John 1:14). In fact, in his prologue to the gospel, John identified this glory with “light” (John 1:1-18), so here too, the writer of Hebrews uses a term which speaks of brilliant light, a radiance. The metaphor, apt as it is, strains to express the idea. The true, profound knowledge of God (that itself stretches human understanding) bursts forth like brilliant sunlight in the person of Jesus Christ. To know Him is to know God (John 14:9).
It follows therefore, that Jesus Christ is the “exact representation” of God’s “nature.” We could use words like precise, exacting, thorough, exhaustive, comprehensive. In other words, whatever is true of God, in His essential nature, is also true of Christ. It is hard to image how using earthly language, one could any more clearly state the deity of Christ. This bodes even more convincingly than simply saying, “Jesus is God,” which theologians would infinitely dissect. However, Jesus is described here in terms that are unmistakable. He is the Creator God (“who upholds all things…”). The One, and only!
Lord, God of the Universe, thank You for revealing Yourself in the Lord Jesus Christ. I confess You, through Him, as my Lord and as my God.
The exactness of the cut of ever “facet” lines up perfectly in an “ideal cut diamond” to which the results seen by the careful observer are a prismatic reflection of light (radiance) like no other diamond.
Do you remember from physics class “Roy g. Biv”?
Red orange yellow green blue indigo violet ?
Yes indeed Chuck “the colors of the rainbow” seen in a demonstration of amazing brilliance like none other, superior to any other “cut” of diamond!
Hope this makes sense?
He is above all things and of course His beauty is All Together Lovely.
David, Thanks for your comments. Coming from a jeweler as you are, that gives great insight to “radiance” of Christ. Thanks for sharing that.