Evangel Everywhere (Hebrews 1:1-2)

Two of the first three Greek words in the letter to the Hebrews appear nowhere else in the New Testament. “At many times” and “in many ways” describe how God “spoke to our fathers by the prophets” (1:1). “At many times” could be rendered “in many parts/portions,” giving the idea that the divine revelation through the prophets of old came about a little at a time, over the course of a long period of time.

This opening statement connects with what follows in a way that suggests both continuation but also contrast. I have separated the phrases to show their correspondence.

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. (ESV)

Lines 1 and 3 relate to one another in the way they speak about time. Lines 2 and 4 relate to one another in the way they speak about manner. In other words, lines 1 and 3 are about when certain things happened, and lines 2 and 4 are about what happened and how it happened.

All told, lines 1-2 explain a former way of speaking in the past, and lines 3-4 explain a current way of speaking in the present. There are differences, but there are also similarities. Let’s notice some of them.

1. There is a contrast in time (long ago vs. last days).
2. There is a contrast in source (prophets vs. Son).
3. There is a contrast in audience (our fathers vs. us).
4. There is a continuation in the fact that God still speaks. There is nothing to indicate that his latter speaking is lesser than his former speaking. In fact, as the rest of the book of Hebrews will show, God’s working through his Son is superior to his working through the prophets.
5. God’s revelation through his Son takes place “in these last days,” which means the author understands that the incarnation ushered in a new age (see also 1 Cor 10:11; 1 Tim 4:1; 2 Tim 3:1; Heb 9:26; James 5:3; 1 Pet 1:20; 2 Peter 3:3; 1 John 2:18; Jude 18).

The point at the outset of the letter is that God has revealed himself through his Son, and that revelation is not less than, but on par with what he formerly revealed by the prophets. The point of the rest of the letter is that the person of Jesus is superior to what has formerly been revealed as only pointing the way to him.