Who sat down — The third of these glorious predicates, with which three other particulars are interwoven, which are mentioned likewise, and in the same order, Colossians 1:15, Colossians 1:17, Colossians 1:20. Who, being — The glory which he received in his exaltation at the right hand of the Father no angel was capable of; but the Son alone, who likewise enjoyed it long before. The brightness of his glory — Glory is the nature of God revealed in its brightness. The express image — Or stamp. Whatever the Father is, is exhibited in the Son, as a seal in the stamp on wax. Of his person — Or substance. The word denotes the unchangeable perpetuity of divine life and power. And sustaining all things — Visible and invisible, in being. By the word of his power — That is, by his powerful word. When he had by himself — Without any Mosaic rites or ceremonies. Purged our sins — In order to which it was necessary he should for a time divest himself of his glory. In this chapter St. Paul describes his glory chiefly as he is the Son of God; afterwards, Hebrews 2:6, &c., the glory of the man Christ Jesus. He speaks, indeed, briefly of the former before his humiliation, but copiously after his exaltation; as from hence the glory he had from eternity began to be evidently seen. Both his purging our sins, and sitting on the right hand of God, are largely treated of in the seven following chapters. Sat down — The priests stood while they ministered: sitting, therefore, denotes the consummation of his sacrifice. This word, sat down, contains the scope, the theme, and the sum, of the epistle.
Related Commentaries of Hebrews 1:3
Hebrews 1:3
3 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;