Hebrews 1:1-3: Jesus is better than the Prophets
- Thad DeBuhr
- Jul 29
- 11 min read
A few days ago, Kaila and I struck up a conversation with a man walking his dog. After some normal small talk, he noticed our RV and realized we were Christians. (It's kind of hard to miss) He then mentioned his brother-in-law was starting a YWAM base somewhere, which prompted me to ask him directly, "Are you a Christian?" His response, speaking for both himself and his wife, caught us off guard: "Yes, we believe, but we're not practicing." The conversation ended there, and he continued on his way. Kaila and I exchanged a glance as soon as he was out of earshot, simultaneously asking, "How can you be a 'non-practicing Christian'?"
Truth be told, his blunt honesty was startling. We appreciated his self-awareness that their actions didn't quite align with their stated belief. Yet, what truly hit home is how common this very issue is among Christians today. Many will readily affirm their belief in God – no one could convince them otherwise. They fully expect to join loved ones in heaven. But when it comes to truly following Jesus, something gets lost in translation. They are, in essence, "non-practicing" Christians (and yes, we question if that's even a real category, but you get the point).
The core of the problem often lies here: while they believe in God, their daily lives reveal other priorities. Careers, retirement plans, grandkids, the pursuit of "better this" or "more of that" – something or someone always seems to take precedence over personally knowing Jesus, actively learning His teachings, and then truly shaping their lives to embody those teachings as a practiced lifestyle.
This tension – between believing in God and fully embracing Jesus as the most vital way to follow Him and live out your faith – is precisely what the writer of Hebrews begins to unpack in the opening verses we're digging into today. So, let's dive in.
BE SURE TO WATCH THE VIDEO PODCAST THAT GOES DEEPER INTO THIS SECTION OF HEBREWS
Setting the Scene: Hebrews 1:1-3 Jesus is the ultimate authority.
Alright, let's get down to business with Hebrews chapter 1, focusing on just the first three verses. Right off the bat, this book declares Jesus is the ultimate authority. For ages, God spoke to humanity, revealing Himself in bits and pieces, through different channels. The writer says "many times and in various ways." Think about it: God spoke directly to Abraham, gave visions to prophets like Isaiah and Ezekiel, sent dreams to Joseph and Daniel, and delivered His Law to Moses with thunder and fire on Mount Sinai. Each of these was a vital revelation, a piece of the puzzle God was putting together for humanity. N.T. Wright often points out that these past revelations were like partial glimpses, "piecemeal" disclosures of God's plan and character.
But then, the passage shifts dramatically: God finally pulled out all the stops and spoke to us through His Son. This wasn't just another messenger; this was God Himself, making the ultimate, final, and complete statement.
Now, imagine who first read this: tough Jewish believers. Their families called them traitors, pushing them hard to go back to the old ways, the Law of Moses. For them, the prophets and the Law were God's tried-and-true, established methods. They were deeply rooted in a history where God spoke through His chosen ones.
Think of it like upgrading your trusty old wrench set for a new, universal tool. That's what Hebrews is doing. It shows these folks that while the old ways – the prophets and their messages – were good and had their purpose, Jesus is the ultimate tool, the complete package. Scholars like N.T. Wright and Craig S. Keener emphasize that Jesus isn't just a side note, but God's main event, the fulfillment of everything that came before.
Verse 2 immediately tells us this Son is the one "whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe." This is huge. Being "heir of all things" echoes Old Testament promises of dominion (like in Psalm 2 or Psalm 8), but here it's universally applied to Jesus. And the idea that God "made the universe" through Him isn't just a casual detail. It connects Jesus directly to creation itself, recalling passages like Proverbs 8, where Wisdom (often seen as a foreshadowing of Christ) was present at creation, and later solidified in New Testament teachings like John 1:3 ("Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made."). Jesus isn't just part of creation; He's central to its very existence.
Verse 3 really hammers this home. It tells us that Jesus is the "radiance of God’s glory and the exact imprint of his nature." Imagine the glorious presence of God described in the Old Testament – the Shekinah glory filling the Tabernacle and Temple (Exodus 40, 1 Kings 8), or the blinding light Moses encountered on Sinai (Exodus 34). These were moments of God's glory, but fleeting or mediated. Jesus is that glory made visible and tangible. He is the very "radiance" (the shining forth) of God's brilliance. And "exact imprint"? Think about a stamp pressing down on wax, leaving a perfect, identical copy, or a die casting a metal form. Jesus is the perfect, exact copy of God's very being, His essence, His hypostasis. He's not just like God; He is God made visible and understandable. If you want to know what God is truly like, look at Jesus.
The verse continues, saying He "upholds the universe by the word of his power." This isn't just a powerful guy who created things; this is the one who actively sustains everything, keeping the gears turning, from the galaxies to the smallest atom. His very word, His command, maintains all of creation.
And then, the big finish to His earthly work: He "made purification for sins." For the Jewish audience, this was monumental. They understood temple sacrifices – the endless cycle of animals being offered to cover sin. This verse declares that Jesus, through His own sacrifice, perfectly and completely "purified" humanity from sin. It's a definitive, once-and-for-all act that surpasses every Old Testament ritual. He then "sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high," showing His work was finished and He's now got all authority. This act of sitting signifies rest (work completed) and ultimate authority, directly fulfilling prophecies like Psalm 110:1, where the Lord invites the Messiah to sit at His right hand. Knowing all this would have been a huge shot in the arm for those who were feeling the heat and wondering if they'd made the right choice to follow Jesus.
Now, you might be thinking, "That's great for folks back then, wrestling with the Law and prophets. But I'm not being pressured to become Jewish or go back to animal sacrifices. And honestly, surveys reveal most of us modern Christians barely read the Old Testament, let alone feel a pull to live under its specific rules!"
And you'd be right. But here's where these opening verses of Hebrews hit home for us in 2025. While the specific "old ways" might look different, the human heart's struggle is still the same: what do we put above Jesus? What are the things that subtly compete for His spot as the ultimate authority, the final word, the one who holds it all together? Just like that man walking his dog, many of us, even those who claim to believe, sometimes find ourselves "non-practicing" because other "laws" or "gods" demand our ultimate allegiance. The writer of Hebrews is calling us to see Jesus as truly supreme over everything.
So, let's unpack how these ancient truths about Jesus being God's final, perfect word still cut through the noise and reshape our lives today.
Application for the Modern-Day Christian:
For us folks today, Hebrews 1:1-3 is like a solid foundation for your house – it won't let you down. It reminds us that while fads and ideas come and go, what God showed us in Jesus is the real, unchanging truth.
The pressure to sideline Jesus might look different now, but it's just as real:
Prioritizing "The American Dream": For many, the "Law" today isn't a religious code, but the unspoken rules of success, financial stability, and comfort. The pressure might come from family, friends, or even inside themselves: "You need to work more hours, take that higher-paying but soul-sucking job, sacrifice your Sundays, push your kids harder in sports, get that bigger house." The subtle message is that these things, rather than Jesus, are what truly secure your future and give you worth. It's a "gospel of prosperity" or a "gospel of personal achievement" that subtly pushes Jesus to the side, similar to how the Law was tempting the Hebrews to go back to what felt secure and familiar.
Conforming to Cultural Norms: Just as Jewish believers were seen as "disloyal" for abandoning their traditions, modern Christians can feel immense pressure to adopt prevailing cultural views on morality, relationships, identity, and truth, even if they contradict biblical teachings. The pressure comes from social media, entertainment, workplaces, and even well-meaning friends or family. Compromising on Jesus' unique claim as the ultimate truth for the sake of social acceptance or ease becomes a modern equivalent.
Diluting the Gospel: In some church circles, there's a subtle pressure to make Christianity more palatable, less demanding. This might look like downplaying sin, avoiding talk of hell, or focusing solely on self-help and positive vibes. It's a temptation to make Jesus less supreme, less absolute, so that Christianity fits more comfortably into a consumer-driven, self-focused culture. The danger is that Jesus becomes just one good teacher, one spiritual path, rather than the unique Son of God who is above all.
Trusting Systems Over Christ: While not a direct return to the Law, there can be a temptation to put more faith in political systems, economic structures, or even the church itself (as an organization) than in the living Christ. If a job, a political party, or even a particular church program becomes the ultimate source of security or identity, it can displace Jesus from His rightful place of supremacy.
So, how do we apply this?
Put Jesus First: If Jesus is truly the "radiance of God's glory and the exact imprint of his nature," then He should be front and center in your life. Are you trying to know Him better through the Bible? Are you allowing His character to shape your own, even when facing external pressures that might pull you away from Him, like the pull to chase more money or popularity?
Trust His Word: In a world full of conflicting opinions, Hebrews 1 calls us to put our faith in Jesus' ultimate authority. This means asking for His wisdom in your choices, letting Him lead, and aligning your life with His truth. He's the boss, and His way is the right way, having perfectly revealed God to us.
Rest in His Finished Work: The fact that Jesus "made purification for sins" means we don't have to work our way into God's favor or follow endless rules. His sacrifice was complete. This allows us to find peace and freedom, trusting in what He's already done, rather than trying to earn it or revert to old "laws" that offer no real solution for sin.
Questions for you to chew on and discuss:
What does it mean to you that Jesus is the "exact imprint of God's nature"? How does that change how you see Him?
The passage says God spoke in "various ways" before, but now through His Son. How does recognizing Jesus as God's ultimate message help you navigate all the conflicting messages in the world today?
Given the original audience was under pressure to go back to old ways, how might understanding Jesus as the one who "made purification for sins" once and for all give them, and us, confidence to stick with Him?
Journey Group Discussion Starter:
Think about a time when you felt like you really "got" something big about God, like a light bulb went on. How does that feeling connect with the idea of God finally speaking clearly and completely through Jesus, especially when people around you might be sticking to older traditions?
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EXCITING DREAMS TAKING SHAPE
From road life to dream home base! 🚚➡️🏡 After years of traveling, God led us to an incredible spot in Arizona to build a ministry hub & bless others. You won't believe how it happened! ✨ Watch our new video to see the first glimpse! 👇
For the past three years, Kaila and I have been living life on the road, exploring and serving wherever God leads us. It's been an incredible journey, but carrying everything we own and constantly navigating started us dreaming of something more: a home base. A place to lighten our load, simplify, and most importantly, create a space where we can truly bless others. This video is the first glimpse of that dream!
As full-time traveling missionaries and founders of YourJesusJourney.com, we live on a modest income, relying on the generosity of others to support our three-fold ministry vision: helping people understand the Bible in context, finding Christian friends, and equipping disciple makers. So, you might be wondering, how are we able to pursue something this ambitious? About a year and a half ago, Kaila’s beloved dad passed away. With his passing, Kaila inherited their expansive family home and horse property on the breathtaking North Shore of Lake Superior, in beautiful Ontario—the place she grew up, where she rode her first bike and horse, and learned to drive. After much prayer and seeking God’s guidance, we decided to sell the property. What you see here came as a result of that incredible blessing, and all the work unfolding in the next year or two will also be funded by it.
Ultimately, it’s all God’s money, God’s land, and God’s resources—we simply want to be faithful stewards, investing what He’s entrusted us with to serve our family, friends, and help countless others experience God and the lessons of the Bible in a whole new way. We prayed and searched high and low, from Texas to Idaho, and God consistently drew us back to this breathtaking location in Northwest Arizona. Imagine: a spot overlooking the world's densest Joshua Tree forest, just minutes from the Grand Canyon, with epic mountains in our backyard! Our deepest desire for this place is to be a haven for renewal. A spot where our kids can visit, Kaila's mom can stay, and friends can gather. But even bigger than that, it's a launchpad for new ministry—a place to invite people to rest, recharge, share meals, grow friendships, and truly be renewed in the desert sun. We're already dreaming of leading hikes, teaching Bible lessons, and hosting retreats.
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