Speaking in Son-ish

(God) hath in these last days spoken unto us by [his] Son… Hebrews 1:2a

Son-ish

The word his (in the King James Version of the Bible) is written in italics, which means it’s not in the original text. As you may know, these italicized words were added to clarify the text, and they often do, but sometimes they also muddy the waters a tad. As a result, one Bible teacher says the Hebrews 1:2 text (above) should read “(God) hath in these last days spoken unto us by Son.”

I’m not going to be dogmatic about it, but I tend to agree.

“By Son” (without the word his) is a little confusing, thus the reason the word was added by the Bible translators of yore. But it may help us to know that the word ‘by’ (in the Greek) would be better translated to ‘in,’ so the sentence actually reads, “(God) hath in these last days spoken unto us in Son.”

That makes it a little less confusing if we  look at it in another way: God has delivered to us a wonderful message “in Son,” or in the language of the Son — Son-ish, if you will.

You know: english, spanish, Sonish!

I realize it sounds a bit silly, but it’s not really a stretch of the text when you consider this is how it was originally written and where it is we want to travel with this notion.

First, do you agree that the message Jesus ultimately brought to us was not of this earth and that it was in fact a message (or language) alien to humanity? Then we must concede that the character, tone, and substance of Christ‘s missive is divinely unique and supernaturally unparalleled. So while it’s true the Old Testament prophets foretold the message, it lacked (for a variety of reasons) the fulfillment of the revelation that only an incarnate God could deliver. So as a result, and with Christ Jesus in our very midst, we can boldly interpret the passage that God spoke both by His Son and in the Heavenly vernacular of His Son — Son-ish! 

Hath Spoken

Of course the other critical aspect of this passage is revealed in the phrase, “Hath spoken.” The tense of those two words is more than just preterite, as it doesn’t merely signify what Jesus had already said, but that when He finished saying (and doing) it was a done deal – there was nothing more to be added to it, ever.  The message Jesus brought was consummate. Most of us are aware of this, but perhaps did not know it was being proclaimed here in this text. So while in other Bible passages we have been instructed to add not to God’s word, it is here we are told why. Therefore we know if anyone (or any religion) comes along and adds to Christ’s message, it is counterfeit; a perversion of the one and only truth. The Hebrews 1:2 text declares that Jesus gave us a ‘one-of-a-kind, masterpiece message’ and just as it would be a terrific enormity to add paint to Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel, so also to annex God’s Word.

“God hath spoken in Son”

Our understanding of God’s word is affected by the simple phrase as we read the Bible (Old and New Testaments) through the lens of Jesus Christ, in Son-ish. No longer (for one example) does, the Apostle Paul interpret Jesus, but Jesus interprets what the Apostle Paul has to say about Jesus. After all, these words are God-breathed! The understanding, by means of the Holy Spirit, is unclouded as we don this holy hearing aid. It is at this juncture if anything we read contradicts the nature of Jesus found in the Gospels, we can know we have misinterpreted or misapplied the passage. If it is a non-Bible source we are reading, we can instantly know if it is flawed. The reality is that everything we need to know regarding God and His will is found in the Son of the Gospels. 

By so much more Jesus has become a surety of a better covenant. Also there were many priests, because they were prevented by death from continuing. But He, because He continues forever, has an unchangeable priesthood. Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them. For such a High Priest was fitting for us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens; who does not need daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the people’s, for this He did once for all when He offered up Himself. For the law appoints as high priests men who have weakness, but the word of the oath, which came after the law, appoints the Son who has been perfected forever. Hebrews 7:20-28 

These articles may or may not be related:

• Jesus is God (truthmattersblog.wordpress.com)
• Ruminating Romans: Proclaiming the Gospel (afkimel.wordpress.com)
• Hearers and Doers (joequatronejr.wordpress.com)
• Who do we say Jesus is? (davidcampbelljr.wordpress.com)
• LISTEN: When God Pursues You (blackchristiannews.com)
• LISTEN: Trevor Bayne: Racing for the Kingdom (blackchristiannews.com)
• Who is Melchizedek ? (taulantbytyqii.wordpress.com)
• Sunday Class Notes: June 2 (lifereference.wordpress.com)
• Why didn’t God just kill Pharaoh? (wrob77.wordpress.com)
• REDEMPTION, By Wendell Ingram (familyties8.wordpress.com)

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