The Pre-eminence of Christ

Jesus is not ashamed of the incarnation, or calling the saints His brethren. Why should He be ashamed of being made like the ones He makes like Himself by His sacrifice and mighty resurrection power!

It was necessary that Christ rise again to secure all the blessings to be found in His risen body.

It was also necessary that Christ rise again to vindicate His claims, and shut the foul mouths of His murderers.

When His enemies plotted to kill Him because He healed on the Sabbath, He made it clear that He is equal with the Father, and that the Father authorized all His great works.

Indeed, whoever doesn't honor the Son isn't honoring the Father. There is salvation and eternal life to all those who trust in Jesus, and honor Him as the Father directs.

The Father has appointed to His Beloved Son the power of life and the right to judge the world.

The reason Jesus gives for the Father's two-fold grant of power to save and power to judge is astounding: because Jesus is the Son of Man!

God thought it fitting and proper that the world be saved and judged by His Own Son, the Second Person of the Godhead, incarnate in human flesh.

God has appointed Jesus as the Principle Man to save and to judge the physical world. Since judgment must fall against man for sin, the incarnate, risen Son of Man is the only Person qualified to save His people, and to judge the wicked.

God's appointment of Christ as savior and judge necessitates the resurrection of Jesus, to undertake and fulfill these appointments.

In Hebrews, Jesus is confirmed to be the Image of God, the Creator of the world, the King appointed over, and the Inheritor of, all things from the Father.