“Who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person…” (Heb. 1:3)
Jesus is the exact representation of the Father’s person (nature, substance, essence). The word image (Gk. eikon) means an exact representation.
The Father’s person points to His substance or essence (the words nature, substance, and essence were used by the early fathers in the creeds).
How can you SEE the brightness of the Father’s glory? It’s only visible through Jesus.
He is the image of the invisible God… (Col. 1:15) “…He who has seen Me has seen the Father…” (Jn. 14:9) For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily… (Col. 2:9)
He is the image of the invisible God.
Put differently: the fullness of the Father is contained and expressed through Jesus in a human body—the beauty of His love, wisdom, purity and humility is shown through the humanity of His Son.
Would you like to see the radiance of God? Do you want to behold His image? Then, turn your eyes upon Jesus, and keep turning your eyes upon Him (every day and every hour) until the radiance of His majesty shines within and the knowledge of God transforms your soul.
* Pablo Perez is the editor of Spiritual Fuel (a devotional newsletter for lovers of God) and the creator of Ablaze for Jesus (the inner life coaching program). He loves to write about the Bible and can help you encounter God.
