The Theory of Everything
‘The Theory of Everything’ is the current film telling the story of the relationship between theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking and his first wife Jane Wilde. I presume it takes its title from Hawking’s search – shared with other physicists – for a single unified theory to explain the essential workings of the universe. I am hardly qualified to comment on Hawking’s ideas, and it would be foolhardy to try, especially with so many talented physicists in the congregation.
But I can’t help noticing that the Bible has its own ‘theory of everything’, and it centres on God’s Son Jesus Christ. The writer of Hebrews tells us that it is the Son whom God “appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God’s glory … sustaining all things by his powerful word”. Paul similarly says that the Son is “the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created … all things were created by him and for him … and in him all things hold together” (Hebrews 1:2,3; Colossians 1:15-17; NIV, my italics throughout). In other words, the Son of God stands at the beginning of everything, and will be there at the end of everything, and is the one who keeps everything going in between. Those are staggering claims! It is all too easy to think too little of Jesus; it is almost impossible to think too highly of him. Quite simply, without him, there would be no universe.