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Today's passage (tomorrow's as well) is INCREDIBLY rich theologically. Jesus makes some big statements about Himself and the Father:
"The central motif in the discourse is the relation of a father and a son as it would be viewed in this culture through the trade or skill the son was learning. We can think of Jesus growing up with Joseph in the carpentry shop, obediently learning skills and later imitating them. In a similar manner, Jesus is connected to the Father. His activity is never independent or self-initiated but always dependent, deriving its purpose from his Father’s will. In this model we have to remember that there is no reciprocal relationship. “The Father initiates, sends, commands, commissions, grants; the Son responds, obeys, performs his Father’s will, receives authority.” Moreover, the Son does not simply draw inspiration from the Father, but imitates him tirelessly and successfully." [1]
So what is it that Jesus "does"? What does Jesus do in the name of the Father? The passage gives us a couple of key actions that Jesus performs:
1. Gives life (eternal life - raising those that are spiritually dead)
2. Judges (other key passages like John 3:16-18 say this as well)
Why/how does Jesus do this? Because the Father loves Him (5:20). Jesus is God the Father's image and will acting out on earth.
Hebrews 1:1-3a
Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high...
Today's passage (tomorrow's as well) is INCREDIBLY rich theologically. Jesus makes some big statements about Himself and the Father:
"The central motif in the discourse is the relation of a father and a son as it would be viewed in this culture through the trade or skill the son was learning. We can think of Jesus growing up with Joseph in the carpentry shop, obediently learning skills and later imitating them. In a similar manner, Jesus is connected to the Father. His activity is never independent or self-initiated but always dependent, deriving its purpose from his Father’s will. In this model we have to remember that there is no reciprocal relationship. “The Father initiates, sends, commands, commissions, grants; the Son responds, obeys, performs his Father’s will, receives authority.” Moreover, the Son does not simply draw inspiration from the Father, but imitates him tirelessly and successfully." [1]
So what is it that Jesus "does"? What does Jesus do in the name of the Father? The passage gives us a couple of key actions that Jesus performs:
1. Gives life (eternal life - raising those that are spiritually dead)
2. Judges (other key passages like John 3:16-18 say this as well)
Why/how does Jesus do this? Because the Father loves Him (5:20). Jesus is God the Father's image and will acting out on earth.
Hebrews 1:1-3a
Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high...
[1] Gary M. Burge, NIV Application Commentary: John (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 2000), 177.
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