In his NIV Application commentary on Hebrews, George Guthrie offers this chiastic outline for Hebrews 1:2b-4:
A. God appointed Christ as heir
B. Through him he created the world
C. He is the radiance of God’s glory
C’. He bears God’s stamp
B’. He governs universe
(having made purification for sin)
A’. He sat down at God’s right hand
This works very neatly, apart from that parenthetical reference to purification.
But if we assume that the chiasm holds, then the reference to purification would seem to belong with the B’ section. That would suggest that the purification of sins is linked with His government of the universe (a sort of governmental atonement, though not in the Grotian sense), and, since that reference to government links back to the declaration that the Son is the agent of the creation, the purification for sin is connected with the work of recreation. Purification from sin rectifies, puts things back the way they ought to be.
Alternatively, the reference to purification could be taken with the A’ section, as the prerequisite for the Son’s session at the right hand of the Father. Through His cross, He was qualified to be raised to rule, and, given the chiastic link back to A, qualified as heir of all things. If this is right, the link of purification with recreation is not direct, but it still seems to be there. Purification by blood leads to rule, and through His rule the one whose word upholds all things is, by His word, renewing all things.
Dear Reader,
Can I be direct with you?
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