“…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 at the right hand of the Majesty on high.” Heb1.3 NKJV
No one summary could capture all that is said about Christ in these words. But it would be correct to say that Christ Himself, is the one true summary of God. All that the Father is to us, is revealed in Him. What is God like? Look no further than Jesus. He is the exact representation of His “hupostasis,“ --a word which transliterates the Greek and is used only two times in the New Testament, both of which are in this epistle. Hupostasis refers to the substance of something. Christ is the substance of God. He is the ray of God’s light, and the Word of God’s mouth and all other realities exist and are held together by Him. It is no wonder that Christian’s worship in the wonder of Christ.
After the resurrection, one disciple refused to believe until he could actually touch the nail prints in Christ’s hand. For doubting Thomas, touching the nail print would be the substance which would substantiate the resurrection. When Jesus did in fact appear to Thomas, He offered His hand and said, "Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing." Is it any wonder that Thomas, coming face to face with this substance, would state what could be the only substantial conclusion. "My Lord and my God!" 4/9/07 ts
