Hebrews 1:1-3
Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The author deliberately uses "many portions" and "many ways" to show that God's past communication was piecemeal and varied, not a single, complete message. This isn't just a stylistic choice; it highlights the incompleteness of earlier revelations, setting the stage to reveal how the Son provides the fullness that was previously fragmented.
The author of Hebrews begins by establishing God's consistent activity throughout history, highlighting how He progressively revealed Himself to His people, the "fathers," through various prophets. This initial statement sets the stage for a significant contrast: while past revelations were partial and varied, the current revelation in God's Son is presented as the ultimate and complete message, signaling a new and final era of divine communication.
Ever feel like you're only getting part of the story? That's how God's message unfolded for a long time.
The opening of Hebrews makes a crucial point: God didn't reveal everything all at once. He spoke 'in many portions' (polumerōs) and 'in many ways' (polutrōpōs).
This 'piecemeal' and 'multi-faceted' approach to revelation wasn't a sign of weakness, but a deliberate method to prepare hearts and minds for something even greater.
Who was God speaking to back then, and who is He speaking to now? The shift is profound.
The verse sets up a clear contrast between the past recipients of God's word and the present audience.
The author of Hebrews, writing to his contemporaries, uses this historical context to introduce a significant shift. The 'long ago' and 'fathers' are contrasted with 'us' (implied by the contrast and made explicit later in the letter). The climax of God's speaking has arrived, not through more prophets, but through His Son. This transition highlights that the age of partial revelation has given way to the age of complete revelation in Christ.
Understand the original words
nāḇîʾ · Hebrew Noun
An inspired spokesperson for God who conveys divine messages to humanity, often concerning current events or future divine interventions. Prophets were the primary vehicles of revelation under the Old Covenant.
eschatos hēmera · Greek Noun Phrase
The final epoch of human history initiated by the coming of Christ, marking the inauguration of the kingdom of God and the anticipation of the age to come.
huios · Greek Noun
A title emphasizing Jesus' unique ontological relationship with God the Father, denoting his divine nature, authority, and intimacy within the Trinity.
klēronomos · Greek Noun
The legal recipient of an inheritance; in a theological context, this refers to Christ's rightful authority and sovereignty over all creation, as ordained by the Father.
The opening of Hebrews highlights God's gradual revelation throughout the Old Testament, building anticipation for the ultimate, complete revelation found in His Son, Jesus Christ. This verse sets the stage by emphasizing the long history of God's communication, underscoring the magnitude of what is to come.
c. 1400 BC
The Law Given at Sinai
God reveals Himself and His law through Moses, establishing a covenant with Israel.
c. 1000 BC
Davidic Kingdom Established
God speaks through prophets like Nathan and Gad, establishing the Davidic dynasty and promising an eternal throne.
c. 750-550 BC
Ministry of Major Prophets
Prophets like Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel deliver God's messages, including prophecies of a coming Messiah and future judgment.
c. 400 BC - c. AD 1
The Silent Centuries
A period of approximately 400 years with no new prophetic revelations recorded in Scripture, increasing expectation for God's next word.
c. 1st Century AD
This passage shows God speaking to Abraham in a unique way, revealing a part of His plan for humanity, illustrating the 'many ways' God spoke even before the formal prophetic office.
Numbers 12:6-8This passage directly contrasts God's communication with prophets versus Moses, highlighting the 'divers manners' of speaking, from dreams and visions to face-to-face encounters.
Isaiah 28:10-13This verse describes God speaking 'line upon line, precept upon precept' to Israel, demonstrating the 'many portions' of revelation given over time, rather than a single, complete message.
Jeremiah 1:4-10Jeremiah's calling as a prophet shows God directly commissioning and empowering an individual to speak His word, fitting the description of God speaking through His chosen messengers.
Matthew 3:17The voice from heaven at Jesus' baptism, declaring 'This is my beloved Son,' is a powerful, direct divine utterance that stands in contrast to the mediated messages of the prophets.
ellicottHebrews 1:1: "God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,"
(1) God, who at sundry times. . . . —The fine arrangement of the words in the Authorised version fails, it must be confessed, to convey the emphasis which is designed in the original. The writer’s object is to place the former revelation over against that which has now been given; and the remarkable words with which the chapter opens (and which might not inaptly serve as the motto…
pooleHebrews 1:1: "God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,"
Heb 1:1-3 The essential dignity of the Son, by whom God hath revealed himself in these last days. Heb 1:4-14 His pre-eminence above the angels in office. God: the apostle designing the conviction of these Hebrews by this discourse, enters on it solemnly, that if a God can awe them, the consideration of Him should gain credit to his doctrine. The God he speaks of is to be apprehende…
The author deliberately uses "many portions" and "many ways" to show that God's past communication was piecemeal and varied, not a single, complete message. This isn't just a stylistic choice; it highlights the incompleteness of earlier revelations, setting the stage to reveal how the Son provides the fullness that was previously fragmented.
The author of Hebrews begins by establishing God's consistent activity throughout history, highlighting how He progressively revealed Himself to His people, the "fathers," through various prophets. This initial statement sets the stage for a significant contrast: while past revelations were partial and varied, the current revelation in God's Son is presented as the ultimate and complete message, signaling a new and final era of divine communication.
The author of Hebrews begins by establishing God's consistent activity throughout history, highlighting how He progressively revealed Himself to His people, the "fathers," through various prophets. This initial statement sets the stage for a significant contrast: while past revelations were partial and varied, the current revelation in God's Son is presented as the ultimate and complete message, signaling a new and final era of divine communication.
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doxa · Greek Noun
The manifestation of God’s own essence and divine presence. As the 'radiance' of this glory, Christ reflects the brightness and reality of God's being.
charaktēr · Greek Noun
The exact representation or 'stamp' of God's essence; it implies that Christ possesses the same divine nature as the Father in a visible and verifiable way.
katharismos · Greek Noun
The act of cleansing away moral impurity and guilt. In the context of Christ, it refers to his once-for-all sacrificial death that deals with the penalty and power of sin.
dexios · Greek Noun
A position of supreme power, authority, and honor. To sit at the right hand is to share in the ruling reign of the King.
The Ministry of John the Baptist
John the Baptist appears as a forerunner, heralding the imminent arrival of the Messiah and calling for repentance.
c. AD 27-30— this verse
Jesus' Earthly Ministry
Jesus Christ, the Son of God, walks the earth, teaching, healing, and fulfilling Old Testament prophecies.
"Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance…" — The author deliberately uses "many portions" and "many ways" to show that God's past communication was piecemeal and varied, not a single, complete message. This isn't just a stylistic choice; it hig…
