Hebrews 1:4-14 Being made so much better than the angels, as he has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.… Jesus as mediator is advanced by God, not only above all men, but also above all angels. In handling of this point — I shall speak of the holiness of Christ; His unction, which is the consequent and fruit of it. I. THE HOLINESS OF CHRIST, BOTH AS TO HIS PERSON AND OFFICE. 1. AS to His person. There we must consider the original holiness of His natures, Divine and human. Divine; He is called " A just God and a Saviour" (Isaiah 45:21). Human; He was wholly free from that original contagion wherewith others that come of Adam are defiled (Luke 1:35). Now add to this His perfect actual obedience to God both in heart and life, and this either to the common law of duty that lieth upon all mankind, for it " became Him to fulfil all righteousness" (Matthew 3:15), or that particular law of mediation which was proper to Himself (Hebrews 5:8), "Though He were a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things He suffered"; by which He answered the end of the law which we have broken, and was also the meritorious cause of the covenant of grace, by which all blessings are conveyed to us (2 Corinthians 5:21). Well, then, His personal holiness did make Him acceptable to God, and should make Him amiable to us. 2. Now let us see how He showeth this love to holiness and hatred to iniquity in His office as well as in His person. The general term whereby this office is expressed is mediator. The three particular functions are those of prophet, priest, and king. (1) As to the general term mediator, whose work it is to make peace between God and man, all that He did therein was out of His love to righteousness and hatred of iniquity. So much we are told (Daniel 9:24). Now, because His heart was so much set upon this, God "anointed Him with the oil of gladness above His fellows."(2) Come we to those three particular functions wherein this office is exercised, those of prophet, priest, and king. (a) As a Prophet, by His doctrine He showeth that He loveth righteousness and hateth iniquity, for the whole frame of it diseovereth and breatheth out nothing else but a hatred against sin and a love to holiness (John 17:17; Psalm 119:140). All the histories, mysteries, precepts, promises, threatenings, aim at this one business, that ,in may be subdued in us, and brought into disrepute in the world. (b) His priestly office consists in His oblation and intercession, as the High Priest under the law did both offer sacrifice and intercede for the people. Now what was the intent of Christ's sacrifice but to put away sin? (Hebrews 9:26). (3) The next thing is a King. He is one whose heart was so set upon the love of righteousness, and the hatred of all iniquity, that He would come ,s a prophet Himself to teach the lost world how to become holy again. And as a priest to die for the guilty world to reconcile them to God. Surely He was fit also to rule the world. There are two parts of government — laws and actual administration. His laws are all good and equal, the same with His doctrine. As He giveth notice of these things as a Prophet, so He giveth charge about them as a King. Now in the righteous ordering the affairs of His kingdom He showeth Himself to be one that loveth righteousness and hateth iniquity. As the laws are good and equal, so the administration is right and just. Well, then, we must neither rebel against His government nor distrust His defence; for Christ administereth justice in His kingdom, defending the good, and destroying the wicked, and He will in time earnestly espouse the cause of all holiness and righteousness. II. THE UNCTION OF CHRIST, which is the consequent fruit of the former. 1. The author of this unction — "God, even Thy God." Is this spoken to Him as God or man? It may be true in both senses. But especially is this spoken of Him as Mediator, so Christ is one of God's confederates. The redemption of sinners is not a work of yesterday nor a business of chance, but well advised, and in infinite wisdom contrived. There was a preparatory agreement to that great work before it was gone about, and therefore it should not be slighted by us, nor lightly passed over. 2. The privilege itself; to be anointed with the of gladness. It noteth His solemn exaltation and admission to the exercise of His office. By oil all agree is meant the Spirit, by which Christ was anointed. "The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me because He hath anointed Me" (Luke 4:18). (1) Christ was anointed at His conception in His mother's womb, when He was sanctified by the Holy Spirit. (2) Again, Christ may be said to be anointed at His baptism, which was the visible consecration to His office, when the Holy Ghost descended upon Him "in the form of a dove" (Matthew 3:16, 17; John 1:33). (3) He may be said to be anointed at His ascension, when he received of the Father the promise of the Spirit to pour Him forth upon His disciples (Acts 2:33). This I take to be the sense here, His glorious exaltation at the right hand of God, where, being possessed of all power, He joyfully expecteth and accomplisheth the fruits of His redemption. I am the more confirmed in this — (a) Because the exaltation of Christ, is as it were His welcome to heaven after all the sorrows of His humiliation. (b) The term, "the oil of gladness," implieth it; for that was the entertainment of honourable guests invited to a feast. 3. The persons anointed. (1) One singular in this unction, the Lord Jesus Christ. There are two sorts of privileges — (a) Some things only given to Christ, not to us; as the name above all names to be adored (Philippians 2:9); to be the Head of the renewed State (Ephesians 1:21), the Saviour of the. body (Ephesians 5:23); to have power to dispense the Spirit, to administer providences, etc. All this is proper to Christ; neither men nor angels share with Him in these honours. (b) There are other things given to Christ and His people; as the sanctifying and comforting Spirit, the heavenly inheritance, victory over our spiritual enemies, the devil, the world, and the flesh; these are given to us and Him; only God doth grace His Son above His fellows. "That He might be the firstborn among many brethren" (Romans 8:29). (2) Others are admitted to be partakers of this grace in a lower degree, called "His fellows." They are also dignified and graced by God above the rest of the world, but not as Christ was. Two things I will observe here — (a) They must be His consorts and fellows. Sometimes they are called "His brethren" (Hebrews 2:11); sometimes members of His mystical body) Ephesians 1:22, 23), sometimes joint-heirs with Christ" (Romans 8:17); meaning thereby all believers, who are companions with Him both in grace and glory. (b) That all these may have somewhat of this unction according to their measure and part which they sustain in the body (1 John 2:20).I shall exhort you to two things. 1. To holiness. If there were no more than that it is pleasing to Christ, and visibly exemplified in His own person, this should induce us. It was love to holiness and hatred of sin that brought Him out of heaven, and put Him on the work of our redemption. Nothing doth more urge us to do a thing than love, or to forbear it than hatred. These were Christ's motives to undertake the redemption of sinners. Now we should love what He loveth, and hate what He hateth. 2. To look after more of this unction. He is Christ the anointed of God; we must be Christians. "The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch" (Acts 11:26); anointed with the Holy Ghost and with power, that we may understand the mind of God, consecrate ourselves to Him, work His work, and engage in His warfare, fighting against the devil, the world, and the flesh, till we triumph with Christ in heaven. All must be anointed. (1) This is the fruit of Christ's exaltation, to send and shed abroad the Spirit. (2) Consider the necessity of this grace. Our love to righteousness and hatred of iniquity is the fruit of this unction, for affections follow the nature. (3) Consider the utility and profit. It is for our comfort. The Spirit is called "the oil of gladness," because the benefits whereof we are partakers are matters of great joy (Acts 13:52). (T. Manton, D. D.) Parallel Verses KJV: Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. |
    |