as we look intently at the Chief Agent and Perfecter of our faith, Jesus. . . .

Heb. 12:1-3.

11, 12. (a) On what occasions was Jesus referred to as “Chief Agent”? (b) How do these references help us respecting our salvation and true worship?

¹¹ This title, “Chief Agent,” (Greek: arkhegós) well describes the position given to Christ Jesus by God. It occurs four times in the Christian Greek Scriptures. In the first instance, Peter used it when, shortly after Pentecost, 33 C.E., he told the Jews that “God . . . has glorified his Servant, Jesus.” He then said: “You disowned that holy and righteous one, and . . . you killed the Chief Agent of life. But God raised him up from the dead.” Later, when the apostles were forbidden by the Sanhedrin to teach on the basis of Jesus’ name, Peter replied: “We must obey God as ruler rather than men.” After telling them that they were responsible for slaying Jesus, “hanging him upon a stake,” Peter continued: “God exalted this one as Chief Agent and Savior to his right hand,” and concluded: “And we are witnesses of these matters, and so is the holy spirit, which God has given to those obeying him as ruler.” Lastly, besides the reference at Hebrews 12:1-3, Paul earlier says in that same letter regarding Jesus that “it was fitting . . . in bringing many sons to glory, to make the Chief Agent of their salvation perfect through sufferings.”​—Acts 3:13-15; 5:27-32; Heb. 2:10.

¹² From these passages alone how clearly the way of salvation and acceptable worship is marked out for us! How obvious it is that we cannot obey God as ruler and have his favor unless we recognize the appointment of Jesus as his “Chief Agent,” who has been invested with ‘all authority in heaven and on the earth’! (Matt. 28:18) How important it is that we view this one through Jehovah’s eyes, and not through Satan’s eyes as did those religious leaders who “killed the Chief Agent of life.” These two opposite viewpoints are still possible, and both in fact are in active operation in our day.

13. (a) What is the root meaning of the Greek word arkhegós? (b) How is this true of Christ Jesus, in contrast with the trinitarian view?

¹³ Other translations, including the Authorized Version, render the Greek word arkhegós as “author,” instead of “Chief Agent,” at Hebrews 12:2, but this is neither accurate nor in harmony with other scriptures. The derivationa of this word has the thought of being chief or first in order of time or rank. That is true of Christ Jesus, but it does not make him the author or originator of life or of salvation. He was not, as trinitarians believe, the author or beginner of creation, but, as stated at Revelation 3:14, he was “the beginning of the creation by God,” that is, the first one to be created by God, the Creator. This is in harmony with the clear expression of the relative positions of Jehovah and Christ Jesus as we read at 1 Corinthians 8:6: “There is actually to us one God the Father, out of whom all things are, . . . and there is one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things are.” In other words, there is the one Source, Jehovah, who uses many agents, but who has made his beloved Son, Christ Jesus, his Chief Agent.