ADVENT 9 ~ The DIVINE CHARACTER of The FATHER and HIS SON+

OUR FATHER’S CHARACTER

[ YES . . . it is in the GREEK ! ]

Advent # 9

 The Greek word “charactAr” is only used ONE TIME in Scripture . . .  in Hebrews 1:3. 
( Can you guess the English word derived from this Greek Word ? )

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and The WORD was [ continuously being] GOD. John 1:1

The SAME+ was [ continuously being ] in the beginning with GOD.

John 1:2

This same LOGOS+, The WORD+, was continuously being WITH GOD, even as early as “the beginning” or “at the first.” 

WITH ~ That All-Important "with" 

“WITH” indicates there is one , in addition to ANOTHER or more. 

At the least, there must be two SEPARATE persons or items indicated when WITH is used as a preposition.

The SAME one, The LOGOS+, that was introduced in verse 1 is pronounced as a definite SEPARATE BEING in verse 2, a separate BEING Who+ was accompanying GOD His+ FATHER . . . 

Everywhere . At all times.  And in all places.

Scripture tells us this fact: 

All things were made by HIM+;

and without HIM+ was not any thing made that was made.

John 1:3

The entire account of the Creation in Genesis chapter 1 records that THE ELOHIM is the “GOD” in the Hebrew text of every verse where GOD is mentioned in chapter 1.   

The Collective “HE”, the Divine ECHAD, The United Plural ONE , The ELOHIM: FATHER, SON+, and HOLY SPIRIT , created this world , together. 

“ . . . And without HIM+ was not any thing made that was made”

John 1:3 tells us once again that The LORD JESUS CHRIST was present  AND ACTIVE  in the Creation.  

The anointed writer of the book of Hebrews confirms the same Truth to us in Hebrews 1:1-3.

GOD, WHO at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days

spoken unto us by HIS SON+, 

Whom+ HE has appointed Heir of all things,

by Whom+ also HE made the worlds; 

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:

+  +  +

Interestingly, the phrase “express image of HIS Person” in the Greek text uses a couple of peculiar Greek words.

The  word for “express image” is : CharactAr. [ Carakthr ] Strong’s 5481.

Joseph Thayer gives the expanded meanings for “charactAr” in Greek, originating from the basic meaning of TO ENGRAVE ~ a stamp or an imprinted mark; most properly the INSTRUMENT used in engraving or stamping, the “die”. 

That is expanded to mean the MARK ITSELF, which in turn is expanded to mean a precise reproduction in every respect.  

[ See  on page 665, second column, coded to Strong’s 5481, Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, coded to Strong’s Numbering System,  Hendrickson’s Publishers, 6^th printing, 2003. ]

Also interesting is the fact that the Greek word “charactAr” is only used ONE TIME in Scripture . . . here, in this verse in Hebrews 1:3. 

[ See The Englishman’s Greek Concordance of the New Testament, coded with Strong’s Concordance Numbers, by George V. Wigram, page 796, for # 5481. ]

 

From this Greek word, we receive the English word “character.” 

One of the meanings includes this: “main or essential nature, especially as strongly marked and serving to distinguish” ( 2d). 

 [ See Webster’s  Ninth Collegiate Dictionary, 1991, page 227.]

Thus, “express image” is an accurate translation of the character of GOD. 

The other interesting Greek word in this phrase, “express image of HIS Person”, is “hupostaseOs”,[ υποστασεως ], Strong’s # 5287,  translated in KJV English  as “person.”  

We might recognize this in the English word as “hypostasis”, taken from the Greek, meaning support, foundation, substance, sediment. 

It is translated as “person” and defined as the “substance or ESSENTIAL NATURE of an individual.” [ See page 594, Webster’s Ninth. ]

 In the context of Hebrews 1:3 it means ESSENCE or the REAL SUBSTANCE.  This Greek word is found only 5 times in Scripture. [ See page 779, Wigram’s Englishman’s Concordance etc. ]

The LORD JESUS, The LOGOS+, then is:

The EXPRESS IMAGE , the  “character”, 

of the ESSENCE, the real SUBSTANCE ,  

of GOD The FATHER.

Again then, we see in Scripture TWO distinct DIVINE Beings yet who are in ESSENCE and in CHARACTER, the SAME.  

John 10:30

I+ and My+ FATHER are ONE.

Furthermore, the TWO have been united in this sameness from before Creation, from before time began, time as we know it. 

Are we UNITED to CHRIST ,

as closely as HE+ is UNITED

to Our Heavenly FATHER ?

When The LORD JESUS became man, born  of a woman, born under the Law, HE+ never broke that unity HE+ had with The FATHER. 

As a man of human flesh, The LORD JESUS chose constantly and continuously to maintain His+ Heavenly FATHER’S character. 

HE+ chose to reflect Our FATHER’S ESSENCE. 

DO WE ?

Let us Pray: 

O Holy FATHER, in the Name of Your ever-obedient SON+ JESUS CHRIST, I come before YOU. 

I confess my ever-present Self-indulgence, expressing my own Self, my own Adamic nature. 

I confess my intense propensity to have my own way, instead of yielding to Yours. 

YOU sent Your SON+ JESUS to show me HOW to reflect YOU, how to share the Divine, Heavenly character which is identical between YOU, O FATHER, and Our LORD JESUS. 

I am so sorry, O FATHER, that I still struggle with my own fleshly, Self-centered ways; I ought by this time to be an example .  I ought by this time to be reflecting Your ESSENCE at all times. 

Help me, O LORD, to keep ever before my eyes Your character, expressed in my LORD and SAVIOR+ JESUS CHRIST, Who+ came to save me from the devil and . . .

. . . Who+ came to save me from myself. 

I offer YOU these my imperfect prayers in the Name of Your Unblemished SON+, JESUS CHRIST our LORD. Amen.