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Hebrews 1:3

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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;

Who {G3739} being {G5607} the brightness {G541} of his glory {G1391}, and {G2532} the express image {G5481} of his {G846} person {G5287}, and {G5037} upholding {G5342} all things {G3956} by the word {G4487} of his {G846} power {G1411}, when he had {G4160}{G2512} by {G1223} himself {G1438} purged {G4160}{G2512} our {G2257} sins {G266}, sat down {G2523} on {G1722} the right hand {G1188} of the Majesty {G3172} on {G1722} high {G5308};

This Son is the radiance of the Sh’khinah, the very expression of God’s essence, upholding all that exists by his powerful word; and after he had, through himself, made purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of HaG’dulah BaM’romim.

The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His nature, upholding all things by His powerful word. After He had provided purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.

who being the effulgence of his glory, and the very image of his substance, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had made purification of sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;

Commentary

Hebrews 1:3 (KJV): "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;"

This powerful verse presents a profound summary of the nature, work, and position of Jesus Christ, establishing His ultimate superiority over all creation, including angels, which is a central theme of the book of Hebrews.

Context

The Book of Hebrews is written to Jewish Christians who were perhaps considering reverting to Judaism due to persecution or misunderstanding of the relationship between the old covenant and the new. Chapter 1 begins by declaring that God, who formerly spoke through prophets, has now spoken definitively through His Son (Hebrews 1:1-2). Verse 3 immediately follows, describing the Son's divine essence and His completed work, setting the stage for demonstrating His supremacy over all things, including the Levitical priesthood and the Mosaic Law.

Key Themes

  • The Divine Nature of Christ: The verse declares Christ is the "brightness of his glory" and the "express image of his person." This speaks to His essential deity and perfect representation of God the Father.
  • Christ's Sustaining Power: He is "upholding all things by the word of his power." This highlights His active role not just in creation but in maintaining the cosmos moment by moment.
  • The Atoning Work of Christ: Having "by himself purged our sins," the verse points directly to the finished work of the cross, where Christ alone provided the necessary purification for humanity's sin.
  • Christ's Exalted Position: The statement "sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high" signifies His finished work, His authority, and His reign at God's side.

Linguistic Insights

The phrase "brightness of his glory" uses the Greek word apaugasma (ἀπαύγασμα), which can mean either "radiance" (that which shines forth from a source) or "reflection" (that which reflects the source). Both meanings affirm Christ's intimate connection and likeness to God's glory. The "express image of his person" uses the Greek word charaktēr (χαρακτήρ), which refers to an exact imprint, like the mark on a coin or a seal. It emphasizes that Christ is the perfect and precise representation of God's essential being or "person" (hypostasis).

Reflection

Hebrews 1:3 offers a magnificent portrait of Jesus. It assures believers that the one through whom God has now spoken is not merely a prophet or an angel, but God Himself, fully capable of revealing God's glory and perfectly representing His nature. His power is not just historical (creation) but ongoing (upholding all things). His work of sin purification is uniquely His own ("by himself") and decisively complete, as evidenced by His being seated at God's right hand (Hebrews 10:12). This provides immense confidence in the sufficiency of Christ for salvation and the security of those who trust in Him.

Understanding that Jesus is the very image of the invisible God and the one who has purged our sins gives us a firm foundation for faith and worship. His seated position signifies rest from the work of atonement, but also active rule and intercession.

Note: If the commentary doesn’t appear instantly, please allow 2–5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash (May 20, 2025) using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated — the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Colossians 1:15 (63 votes)

    Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:

  • Colossians 1:17 (63 votes)

    And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.

  • Revelation 4:11 (34 votes)

    Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.

  • John 14:9 (23 votes)

    Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou [then], Shew us the Father?

  • John 14:10 (23 votes)

    Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.

  • John 1:14 (21 votes)

    And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

  • 2 Corinthians 4:4 (18 votes)

    In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.