Jesus Christ: the Radiance of God's Glory

September 11th, 2025
by Lance Waldie

Hebrews 1:3 [Jesus Christ] is the radiance of [God’s] glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.

As the Creator of all things, Jesus is therefore the heir of all things (Heb. 1:2). In addition, we note a few more traits in Hebrews 1:3 that are unique to Jesus Christ, the Son of God through whom God has spoken in these “last days” (Heb. 1:1). Through Christ’s traits, God speaks.

Firstly, Jesus is the light, or “the radiance” (Gr. apaugasma) “of [God’s] glory.” He is not a reflection of God’s glory; rather, Jesus “radiates God’s glory” (NLT)—sending out rays of light. Whereas the moon reflects light, the sun radiates, emits, and diffuses it. Clearly, Jesus, as God, is “the light of the world” (John 8:12; cf. 9:5; 12:35). So when God said in the beginning, “Let there be light” (Gen. 1:3), it was the light of the Son of God that shone on the darkness!

How can Jesus do this? Because Jesus is, secondly, the “exact representation” (Gr. charaktēr)—a stamp or impress—of God’s “nature” (Gr. hupostasis), or substance. Jesus is God in flesh, the flawless expression of God’s being—the precise reproduction, in flesh, in every respect of Almighty God. What a powerful passage for preaching the deity of Jesus Christ!

Thirdly, Jesus is the Sustainer of all things, for He “upholds” (Gr. pherō) “all things by the word of His power.” Not only did Jesus create all things (v. 2), against Deism, Jesus upholds that which He created, being intricately involved in His creation. How does Jesus do this? “By the word of His power.” The term for “word” here is not logos, indicating revelation; instead, it is rhema—the spoken word. So, as the universe and its contents were called into being by the word of God, that same word of God also continually sustains, or upholds, the universe and its contents. Truly, Jesus “is before all things, and in Him all things hold together” (Col. 1:17).

Fourthly, Jesus “made purification for sins,” the sole work of Israel’s priests. Elsewhere in Hebrews, this act of Jesus is said to have occurred in His once-for-all death on the cross (7:27; 10:12; 12:2), His atoning sacrifice (2 Pet. 1:9). The term “purification” (Gr. katharismos) stems from mankind’s need to be cleansed from sin’s defilement. Since man cannot cleanse himself, Jesus died for mankind, paying the penalty for sin (death) with His own death (Rom. 3:23; 5:8; 6:23), a priestly function. P.T. O’Brien says, “By making purification for sins the Son accomplished something which no one else could achieve. The forgiveness He has won is permanent, and, because the barrier between God and humanity has been removed, it results in entry into the presence of God himself. Such a provision on our behalf, which has perfectly dealt with the defilement of sin, calls forth from us a response of wholehearted gratitude.”

Fifthly, Jesus “sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.” After His purification work was complete, in His priestly function, Jesus “sat down.” This is significant because Israel’s priests never sat! They were constantly sacrificing animals to atone for the unending sins of the people. But since Jesus’ sacrifice was a once-for-all sacrifice, after He made purification for sins, He sat down—His work was complete. No wonder Jesus cried out just prior to His death, saying, “It is finished” (tetelestai)—the sinner’s redemption paid in full (John 19:30).

We note also that Jesus sat down at “the right hand of Majesty on high,” God the Father whose rank and rule are not compromised by Christ’s actions in any way. We must note Psalm 110:1: “Yahweh says to my Lord: ‘Sit at My right hand until I put Your enemies as a footstool for Your feet’ ” (LSB). Jesus claimed these words for Himself when He was brought before the Sanhedrin (Matt. 26:64; Mark 12:36; Luke 20:41-44). Paul likewise asserted that Christ has “ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things” (Eph. 4:10), and that “God has highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name that is above every name” (Phil. 2:9).

Food For Thought
As Christians, we note that Jesus is our Prophet, Priest, and King. He is our Prophet in that He speaks to us, giving us the words of life. He is our Priest in that He is the one Mediator between God and man (1 Tim. 2:5) who intercedes for us (Rom. 8:34) at the right hand of the Father. Of course Jesus is also our King, for He sits on the heavenly throne next to God the Father. No one else compares to Jesus. Who else has inherited all things, created all things, upholds all things by the power of His word? Who else radiates the light of God and His glory, is the exact representation of God’s nature, who made purification for our sins, and sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high? Mohammed? Joseph Smith? I can’t think of anyone except Jesus of Nazareth. He, and He alone, is the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Jesus Christ (John 14:6). Christ alone!