Hebrews

1:1-4

Introduction, 1:1-4

God speaks to us through his Son

In this opening passage of Hebrews our author "shows that Jesus is greater than the prophets and that he has a special relationship to God. He took part in creation and in due course he accomplished the purification of men from their sins. He is greater by far than any angel", Morris.

The message of this passage is simple, but powerful. The God who has actively revealed his mind to humanity from the earliest of days, v1, has now chosen to reveal himself in and through his Son, v2a. Of the Son our writer says: i] he is the owner of everything, v2b; ii] the creator of everything, v2c; iii] the evident presence of divine glory, v3a; iv] the exact representation of divine being, v3b; v] God the Father's agent in sustaining the creation, v3c; vi] the means of human purification from sin, v3d; vii] God the Father's right-hand man in glory, v3e; viii] and a being superior to angels, v4. In fact, this prologue to Hebrews virtually "sums up a good part of the kerygma (the apostolic gospel message)", Bruce.

Barclay says of the Greek in this passage that the writer "felt that, since he was going to speak of the supreme revelation of God to men, he must clothe his thoughts in the noblest language that it was possible to find." The passage consists of one sentence in the Greek and is nicely parsed by Ellingworth: The sentences commences with "a participial phrase (v1), the main clause (v2a), and two subordinate clauses (v3, 4) having the Son as subject, and each including further participial phrases."

Although this verse is subordinate to v2a, the movement from what was to what is serves to emphasize the superiority of God's revelation in Christ. In v1-2a the writer establishes both continuity and discontinuity between the old and the new, cf. Hughes.

palai adv. "in the past" - long ago. Of something completed in the past, ie. Old Testament revelation.

lalhsaV (lalew) aor. part. "[God] spoke" - having spoken. Aorist expressing completed action. Attendant circumstance participle expressing action accompanying the main verb "he spoke", v2, "he spoke to us, having spoken long ago to .." Other possibilities exist, eg. concessive, "although God spoke to ....", even temporal, "after God spoke to ..."

toiV patrasin (hr roV) dat. "to our forefathers" - to the fathers, ancestors. Dative of direct object. Variant "our" is probably not original as it disturbs the alliteration (so Attridge), but is certainly implied. Is the article specifying, or is a general "ancestors", or even just "a previous generation", intended?

en + dat. "through [the prophets]" - in, on, by. Here obviously instrumental; "by the prophets", NRSV, but a local "in the prophets" = "in the writings of the prophets" may be intended (the presence of the article certainly serves to specify). A broad sense is probably intended for the prophets, ie. "the patriarchs", Attridge.

polumerwV kai polutropwV adv. "at many times and in various ways" - The position of these two modal (expressing manner) adverbs is emphatic in the Gk. and the use of alliteration indicates a single idea is in mind, namely the multiplicity of God's revelation as contrasted with the singularity of God's revelation in the Son, so Ellingworth, although Attridge draws some distinction between the two ("polumerwV suggests that God's speech of old was disjointed, coming in multiple segments or portions, polutropwV suggests the formal diversity of God's word"); "Many were the forms and fashions in which God spoke to our fathers", Moffatt; "The revelation which was given through them was fragmentary and varied", Barclay.

epi + gen. "but in" - in the time of, during. Temporal.

ep escatou twn hJmerwn "these last days" - end, last of these days. "Last" being singular; "at the close of these days of ours", Cassirer, although "days" plural probably means simply "time", so "in the end time", Ellingworth. The eschatological sense "end of the age" probably shapes the intended sense.

elalhsen (lalew) aor. "he has spoken" - he spoke. Aorist again indicating completed action such that even God's revelation through the Son is complete (or more specifically his speaking to humanity is complete), although in a "culminative sense", Kistemaker.

hJmin dat. "to us" - Dative of indirect object. Obviously all believers in Christ; "members of the Christian church", Westcott.

en + dat. "by [his Son]" - in, by. An instrumental sense seems best, so "by / through", but both locative ("in") and instrumental ("by") may be intended.

uiJw/ (oV) dat. "his son" - son. "Son" is anarthrous, as in 1:5, 3:6, 5:8, 7:28, although an article may be intended because it can be omitted in a prepositional phrase, especially when referring to unique persons, cf. BDF #254/5. Obviously not "a son", as if there were many sons, rather "it highlights the singularity of God's Son", Koester. Westcott argues that the lack of the article "fixes attention upon the nature and not upon the personality of the Mediator of the new revelation." So, "in a son" = "One who is Son". This Son, the Christ, "seated at God's right hand, is superior to all other agents through whom God's word has come", Attridge. "One who is a Son", Moffatt.

In v2b-3 the focus is on the status of the Son. The statements concerning Jesus may form a chiastic structure, cf. Ellingworth:

God has appointed Christ as heir (enthronement)

Through him he created the world (action in the universe)

    He reflects God's glory (relation to God)

    He bears God's stamp (relation to God)

He upholds the universe (action in the universe)

He sat down at God's right hand (enthronement). His enthronement right is confirmed in the comment "when he had made purification."

eqhken (tiqhmi) aor. "he appointed" - he made, appointed (to a position). God the Father appoints the Son as the heir of the estate, although the Son does not gain the estate through the Father's death, but rather through his own death. Grammatically, the subject, "God", is replaced in v3 by the "Son", but the passage itself is concerned with the Son's exaltation, preexistence, relationship with the Father, providential care, [his death] and exaltation.

klhronomon (oV) "heir" - Christ has received what was promised, the "all things" being the "universe" rather than humanity.

dia + gen. "through [whom]" - through, by means of. Instrumental.

epoihsen (poiew) aor. "he made" - he created, made. With the force of a pluperfect following "appointed", cf. Ellingworth.

touV aiwnaV (wn wnoV) "the universe" - the ages. Possibly in time terms, so "ages", but better spacial, "the spheres that comprise the universe", Attridge.

It is argued by some commentators that this verse is sourced from a hymn. This may be the case, although the writer is quite capable of constructing participle style balanced clauses.

o}V "the Son" - who. "This Son".

w]n (eimi) pres. part. "is" - being. Serving as the first of three participles found in this verse: "being", "sustaining" and "having made (provided)". Their relationship to the main verb "he sat down" is a matter of debate. Lane suggests that the first two are concessive, "the Son, although the radiance of God's glory .... and although sustaining the universe .... yet made purification for sins." Yet, it is more likely that they are temporal, so Kistemaker, Koester. The tense of participles is always a problem since the time of the action plays a part along with aspect. A present participle expresses action contemporaneous to the main verb, while an aorist participle expresses action prior to the main verb. So, the first two participles, taking a present tense, indicate a contemporaneous state, (present action better than "timeless eternity", Andriessen), namely Christ's enthronement, his exaltation and active providential care. The third participle, being aorist, indicates action prior to Christ's enthronement (expressed in the verb "he sat down", aorist = completed action), and best treated as forming an adverbial clause, temporal, as NIV, "after he had provided".

apaugasma (a) "radiance" - brightness. Referencing the shekinah glory, the divine radiance of God's being.

thV doxhV (a) gen. "of God's glory" - of glory. The genitive is most likely adjectival, limiting "radiance", it is the "glory" type of radiance, ie. divine, being that element of God's person which he reveals to humanity.

carakthr (hr hroV) "the exact representation" - exact reproduction of a particular form or structure*. As of an image on a coin, expressing the idea that God the Father and the Son are alike and that this likeness (the image of divinity) is evident in Christ. "Describing the essential unity and exact resemblance between God (the Father) and his Son", Ellingworth. "Who is the precise counterpart of his very being", Cassirer.

uJpostasewV (iV ewV) "of [his] being" - of the essence, substance, reality, being [of him]. The exact sense here is unclear since it is only in later years that the Christian church used the term to define the common being of the three persons of the trinity. Koester suggests two meanings here: i] essential reality - "Jesus is the hidden reality of God .. brought within the realm of human experience"; ii] Steadfastness - "God is unwavering in his purposes and his faithfulness."

ferwn (ferw) pres. part. "upholding" - carrying, sustaining, upholding. See above. The actual meaning of the word here is unclear. Ellingworth offers five possibilities: i] "bear" in the sense of "prevent from falling", "sustains", REB; ii] "bear along" in the sense of "guide / rule"; iii] "bear patiently" in the sense of "endure"; iv] "bear" in the sense of "produce", "create"; v] "bear" as in "bearing the sins of the world". The NIV "sustaining" seems best, ie. option [i]. "He holds the universe together", CEV.

te "-" - and. The writer to Hebrews uses this conjunction as a variant for kai.

ta panta "all things" - The created universe. The presence of the article gives the sense "all things in their unity", Westcott, ie. expressing the all-inclusive nature of Christ's sustaining role.

tw/ rJhmati (a atoV) "by [his powerful] word" - by word. Instrumental dative.

thV dunamewV (iV ewV) gen. "powerful" - [his word] of power. The genitive is possibly objective, "the message about Christ", although more likely adjectival, limiting "word", "his mighty word", Cassirer.

poihsamenoV (poiew) aor. part. "after he had provided" - having made. See above. As already noted, the clause "having made purification of sins" serves as an explanatory note which gives the ground for Christ's enthronement. Attridge argues it is an addition to the hymn, but source issues are of little importance; content is what matters.

kaqarismon (oV) "purification" - cleansing, purification. Note variant "Christ made purification through himself". Certainly a true statement expressing the idea that "Jesus' sacrifice cleanses the sins of humanity as a whole", Ellingworth.

ekaqisen (kaqizw) aor. "he sat down" - As in taking his seat/throne at "the right hand" of God, ie. the place of authority and power, cf. Ps.110.1. Here of Christ's exaltation and enthronement.

thV megalwsunhV (h) "the Majesty [in heaven]" - the majesty [on high]. Obviously a title for God, cf. 8:1, "the Majesty", as NIV, with "on high" = "in heaven".

This verse seems to expand on the statement "he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven", noting that the position of the Son is greater than the angels. None-the-less, Christ's superiority over angels is expanded in chapter 1 through to 2:16 indicating that this verse is both "a conclusion and transition", Grasser.

genomenoV (ginomai) aor. part. "so he became" - having become. The participle is adverbial, probably consecutive, expressing result, "and as a result he became ..."; "and thus he is superior to the angels", Moffatt. Also possibly causal, "for he is as much superior to the angels ...", Barclay, even temporal.

tosoutw/ dat. pro. "as much [superior]" - so much, so great. Possibly an instrumental dative, "by", but more likely dative of degree of difference, cf. Kistemaker. The construction tosoutw/ ....... o{sw/, "so much ..... as", which serves to establish a comparison, is a common construction, but only used once more in the NT in Heb.10:25; "being made so much better than the angels as ....", AV.

kreittwn (agaqoV) comp. adj. "superior" - better. Comparative of "good"; "having been made mightier than the angels", Zerwick. The superiority of Christ, as God's messenger, over the many other messengers from God, does not invalidate their message, but "it does indicate that confidence is misplaced if it (that confidence) rests on something other than Christ", Koester. We should also note that the emphasis in Hebrews "is not on the inauguration of Christ's position ("became", "inherited"), but on the fact of its superiority", Attridge.

twn aggelwn (oV) gen. "the angels" - of the angels, messengers. Genitive of comparison, "better than the angels." Only in the opening chapters of Hebrews does our writer focus on angels. From what is known of the intertestamental period in Jewish history, there was intense speculation about the role of angels. In Hebrews they function as mediators between God and his human messengers (eg. Moses), conveying the covenant to God's people. Our writer is making the point that a new messenger has appeared on the scene who is far superior to the many human messengers of the past, as well as their angelic mediators.

o{sw/ "as" - as great, how great, as much, how much. Serving to establish a comparison, see above. Literally: "as he has inherited a name more excellent than them."

onoma (a atoV) "the name" - a name. "Name" in the sense of personal identity and presumably here that name/identity is "the Son of God", ie. Christ's acclamation name is "my son", Ps.2:7, cf. Lane.

keklhronomhken (klhronomew) perf. "he has inherited" - The perfect expresses the idea that "the inheritance has been, is, and will be in effect", Kistemaker.

diaforwteron (diaforoV) comp. adj. "superior" - more excellent, superior, distinguished. "A more excellent name than they", AV.

para + acc. "to [theirs]" - Zerwick suggests that this construction here may express comparison here; "in comparison to / than [theirs]."

Hebrews Introduction

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