Proclamation and Praise
 | Worship Articles
by Ron Man
Pastor of Music and Worship, EXW Contributor
April 20, 2006
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Hebrews 2:12 and the Role of Christ in Worship
Jesus Christ in His incarnation was “made for a little while lower than the angels” (Heb. 2:9), subjected Himself to death on a cross (Phil. 2:8), and has therefore been exalted to the Father’s right hand (Phil. 2:9; Heb. 1:3—now exalted over the angels once again!) and “crowned with glory and honor (Heb. 2:9). This was all done as the supreme expression of the grace of God, in order that Jesus “might taste death for everyone” and bring “many sons to glory” (Heb. 2:9-10).
God the Son willingly submitted Himself to the Father in an unfathomable covenant of voluntary subordination in eternity past; the Father then sent the Son (John 20:21; though Paul tells us that the Son “emptied Himself,” Phil. 2:7); and the Son fulfilled the Father’s will perfectly (John 17:4), even to the point of being perfected “through sufferings” (Heb. 2:10).
Even in His glorified state, there is a sense in which Jesus Christ remains (willingly) in a subordinate position in relation to the Father; for instance, Jesus explained to His disciples that even in His exaltation He would still ask the Father to send the Holy Spirit (John 14:16). We often tend to think that Jesus’ representative and mediatory work was pretty much completed at the cross; and that now, having received back the full expression of His glory as God (John 17:5; Phil. 2:9), He relates to us solely as God to man; and that His intercession for us before the Father (Heb. 7:25) is pretty much conducted as a divine transaction between two members of the Trinity.
But it is a wondrous fact that Jesus Christ is still fully human as well as fully divine even in His exalted position with the Father, and continues to play a unique role in mediating between God and man. Christ mediates our ongoing relationship with our heavenly Father, which is to say He mediates our life of worship (which sums up all that we are to be and do as we live under grace before Him-- cf. John 4:23; Rom. 12:1; 1 Cor. 10:31).
The writer of Hebrews portrays this ongoing relationship between God and believer, and Christ’s role in that relationship, in a wonderful way in 2:12.
The Context of Hebrews 2:12
Having described the self-humbling of Christ and subsequent exaltation in 2:9-10, as we have seen, the author goes on in verse 11 to make an amazing statement: that Christ in His self-emptying has so subordinated Himself to the Father and so identified Himself with us that it can be said that Jesus Christ (“He who sanctifies”) and believers (“those who are sanctified”) can both be said to come “from one Father.” And not only that, but Christ’s identification with us finds its most profound fulfillment in the fact that “He is not ashamed to call [us] His brethren”! This is a profound truth, to be sure: that He who the Father has “appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world” (Heb. 1:2), and who is “the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature” (1:3), should be willing to call us brethren!
The Content of Hebrews 2:12
God to Man
Having made that astonishing statement, the writer goes in 2:12 to describe Christ’s ongoing mediating role, in Messianic words quoted from Psalm 22:22. First Christ says (through the Psalmist),
“I will proclaim Your name to my brethren.”
As in His earthly ministry, Jesus’ first concern is the glory of the Father; and His role is that of mediating the truth about God to us, of lifting up the reputation of God and extolling His character before His people.
Worship involves the declaration of God's revelation and the grateful response of God's people. The Scriptures are the record of God's revelation to men; and Jesus Christ thus proclaims the Father's glory as He mediates the communication of biblical truth to the hearts of the people. In this way, with the aid of the Holy Spirit who has been sent to guide us into understanding the truth about God (John 16:13), Christ indeed proclaims to us the name (the sum total of the glorious attributes and character) of the Father.
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This is the debut album by EXW friend Paul Langford. Paul is a Chicago based singer, arranger, keyboardist, producer and conductor. Paul has a career that spans 14 years. Paul's work includes arranging for groups like GLAD, Voices of Liberty, VoiceTrek, The Chicago based "Caroling Party" and Day of Discovery Singers. His arranging has appeared on recordings side by side with greats like Gene Puerling and David Maddux, and he has sung with Don Shelton, Bonnie Herman and Bob Bowker, among others.