`Consider ... Christ Jesus; Who was faithful to Him that appointed Him, as also Moses was faithful in all his

house ... Moses verily was faithful ... as a servant ... But Christ as a Son over His OWN HOUSE'.

The Son is contrasted with Aaron (Hebrews 4:14; 5:4,5; 7:1,3,28).

`Seeing then that we have a great High Priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God ... And no

man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron. So also Christ glorified not

Himself to be made a High Priest; but He that said unto Him, Thou art My Son, to day have I begotten Thee'.

`Melchisedec ... made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually ... For the law maketh men high

priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, Who is

consecrated for evermore'.

This superiority of the Son is further seen by the way in which the apostle uses the comparative `better'. As a result

of His Mediatorial work, which made Him for a little lower than the angels, He is now `so much better than the

angels'. He is the `Surety of a better covenant (testament)' which is established on `better promises'. The Sacrifice

offered by the Son of God is `better' than all that were offered under the law, and His blood speaks `better' things

than that of Abel. These wondrous words as they are found in Hebrews 1, range themselves under different

dispensational categories, which it may help us to observe.

A Heb. 1:2.

The Son. Better than the prophets.

B Heb. 1:2.

Heir of all things - The Lord of time.

Ages appointed -

C Heb. 1:3. Brightness of glory - Before the world began.

Image of Person -

B Heb. 1:3. Upholding all things - The Lord of Creation.

Purged our sins - and Redemption.

A Heb. 1:4,5.  The Son. Better than the angels.

But we have no need to go further than verse 3 of chapter 1 to be faced with some of the most stupendous qualities

ever ascribed to any one since time began. Continuing from the fact that God has spoken `in Son' and so

commencing an entirely new and wondrous phase of Divine dealing, we learn that not only was this Son appointed

Heir of all things, and the One by Whom the ages were appointed, we go on to learn more of His personal attributes.

`Who being the brightness of His glory, and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the

Word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on

high' (verse 3).

The matter awaiting our immediate study is in the first half of verse 3, the glory that was His before the world

began, in contrast with that glory which was given to Him as a consequence of His Mediatorial work making Him

`better than the angels'. There is an evident distinction to be noted between the words `Who being' of verse 3 and

`being made' of verse 4. `Being' is part of the verb eimi `to be', `being made' is part of the verb ginomai `to

become'. This is no mere academic distinction, it is vital to the true understanding of these momentous verses. This

distinction is observed in John 1:1 and 3:

`In the beginning was (eimi to be) the Word'.

`All things were made (ginomai to become) by Him'.

Or in John 8:58:

`Before Abraham was (ginomai), I am (eimi)'.

The glory of Hebrews 1:3 is the glory which the Saviour had as The Word, The Image, the Form of God, before

the creation of the world, before the beginning. The glory of Hebrews 1:4 is the glory which has been given to the

Saviour as a consequence of His work of Redeeming Love. In the one glory none can share, it is `unapproachable'

(1 Tim. 6:16); in the other glory, the redeemed will share (John 17:22).

We must not translate the word `brightness' as though it were a reflection: