Jesus is God - Hebrews 1:3

[Wootah]

Hebrews 1:3 says that Jesus is:

"the radiance of God's glory and the exact imprint of His nature."

My question is not about whether Jesus is an image of God. Humans are also said to be made in God's image (Genesis 1:27).

Instead, I'm interested in the phrase "exact imprint of His nature."

If Jesus is a created being, how can He be the exact imprint of God's nature while possessing a different kind of nature from God?

If God's nature is uncreated and Christ's nature is created, what makes the imprint "exact"?

Conversely, if Christ possesses everything necessary to be the exact imprint of God's nature, does that imply He shares that nature?

How do Trinitarians and non-Trinitarians understand Hebrews 1:3?

[Bible_Student]

I do not read in Hebrews 1:3 that Jesus is God Himself; rather, it is quite the opposite. By stating that Jesus is the *charaktēr tēs hypostaseōs* (χαρακτὴρ τῆς ὑποστάσεως) of God, Paul is emphasizing that Jesus is the Son of God—the one through whom God speaks to Christians, just as He had spoken in times past through His prophets.

There are many ways in which translators have rendered this phrase from Paul, and depending on which version you read or cite, your understanding of its meaning may be affected. So, what is the best way to understand it?

The correct way to understand a biblical text is to read it within its own context. What does the context of Hebrews 1:3 say? It states:

Heb. 1:1 God, who long ago spoke on many occasions and in many ways to our forefathers by means of the prophets, 2 has at the end of these days spoken to us by means of a Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, and through whom He made the systems of things. 3 He is the reflection of [His] glory and the exact representation of His very being, and He sustains all things by the word of His power; and after He had made a purification for our sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in the heights. 4 Thus, He has become superior to the angels, to the extent that He has inherited a name more excellent than theirs.

Do you believe that the context of Hebrews 1:3 identifies Jesus as God Himself, or is it quite the opposite?

[tygger too]

Notice how this poorly-understood and much-debated passage has been translated in trinitarian Bibles:

KJV - "Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person."

RSV - "He reflects the glory of God and bears the very stamp of his nature."

MLB - "As the reflection of God's glory and the true expression of His being."

Moffatt - "He, reflecting God's bright glory and stamped with God's own character."

Weymouth - "... brightly reflects God's glory...."

Even most trinitarian translations use "reflection" in their renderings of this verse since apaugasma is usually considered to have the meaning of reflected brightness (e.g. Thayer, p. 55). We also can see that "reflection" is more parallel to the second half of this passage: "the express image of his person" - "the very stamp of his nature."

Nevertheless, some trinitarian translators prefer, for obvious reasons, to render this word as "brightness" or "effulgence." But even if we consider this to be a proper alternate rendering, just the fact that the more likely "reflection" meaning could have been intended by the NT writer destroys any trinitarian "evidence" that might possibly be found. Yes, it is incredibly obvious that any person or object that is the "image" or "reflection" of something or someone else cannot possibly be that person or object.

Also, when we examine the word hupostaseos [or upostaseos], we find "a word very com[mon]" in ancient Greek and used "in widely different senses" - Thayer, p. 644.

For example, hupostaseos can mean a "substructure, foundation" or "the substantial quality, nature, of any pers[on] or thing," or "firmness, courage, resolution," or "confidence, firm trust, assurance" - Thayer's, p. 645 (also see The New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology, Vol. 1, pp. 712-713.) From this we can see that Heb. 1:3 certainly does not even have to be speaking of an image of the "nature" of God. Certainly it speaks of Jesus bearing a very accurate image of some quality of God, but it is not certain just what quality!

Therefore, this passage could honestly be saying that Jesus reflects the glory of God and bears the image of (or "reflects") God's character (see Moffatt translation above). Or, Jesus perfectly shows God's qualities. Or even, Jesus reflects God's resolution or God's assurance, etc.

[NeutralZone]

Hebrews 1:3 says that Jesus is:

"the radiance of God's glory and the exact imprint of His nature."

My question is not about whether Jesus is an image of God. Humans are also said to be made in God's image (Genesis 1:27).

Instead, I'm interested in the phrase "exact imprint of His nature."

If Jesus is a created being, how can He be the exact imprint of God's nature while possessing a different kind of nature from God?

If God's nature is uncreated and Christ's nature is created, what makes the imprint "exact"?

Conversely, if Christ possesses everything necessary to be the exact imprint of God's nature, does that imply He shares that nature?

How do Trinitarians and non-Trinitarians understand Hebrews 1:3?

Wootah, one of several verses within the book of Colossians makes it clear that Jesus is a created being.

Berean Annotated Bible -- Colossians 1:15
"The Son is the image of the invisible God {Theou}, the firstborn over all creation."

Not only that, throughout the Christian Greek Scriptures aka New Testament, Jesus is referred to as "begotten" of the Father (Jehovah). Below is a very familiar verse of scripture along that line.


King James Bible -- John 3:16
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."


Definition of begotten:
adjective
: brought into existence by or as if by a parent
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/begotten



NeutralZone


________________
". . . be swift about hearing, slow about speaking, slow about wrath. . . . " (James 1:19-20)

[1213]

Hebrews 1:3 says that Jesus is:

"the radiance of God's glory and the exact imprint of His nature."
...
How do Trinitarians and non-Trinitarians understand Hebrews 1:3?

I understand it means, Jesus has the same will and does what God has commanded him to do.

I can of myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is righteous; because I don’t seek my own will, but the will of my Father who sent me.
John 5:30
Jesus therefore answered them, “Most certainly, I tell you, the Son can do nothing of himself, but what he sees the Father doing. For whatever things he does, these the Son also does like-wise.
John 5:19
For I spoke not from myself, but the Father who sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak. I know that his commandment is eternal life. The things therefore which I speak, even as the Father has said to me, so I speak.
John 12:49-50
Jesus therefore said to them, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he, and I do nothing of myself, but as my Father taught me, I say these things. He who sent me is with me. The Father hasn’t left me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to him.”
John 8:28-29