Meditationen am Gnadenstuhl: Palmarum (Palm Sunday) - Hebrews 1:1-4
Palmarum (Palm Sunday)
Daily Lectionary Readings: Exodus 8:1-32; Hebrews 1:1-14; (Psalm 118)
Hebrews 1:1-4 [1] Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, [2] 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. [3] 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, [4] having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.
Hebrews 1:1-4 is one long, beautifully constructed sentence in the original Greek. If you were a first-century Greek speaker, you would have enjoyed a wonderful listening experience when hearing these verses read aloud to you. The author employs euphony (the quality of being pleasing to the ear, especially through a harmonious combination of words), rhythm and cadence, balance and contrast, varied word order, and significant emphasis. Note that the author does not identify himself, draw attention to himself, or open with the typical salutation of, say, a Pauline Epistle (To the saints in Ohio, grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, etc.). This places emphasis on the word and on God as the speaker of that word, past and present.
We do not know who the author of the Book of Hebrews is, though there are many theories, including St. Paul. Martin Luther believed Paul was the author. Other theories include Luke and Barnabas. The theoretical author who seems best supported by all of the evidence is, in my opinion, Clement of Rome (c.35-99AD). While the author of this letter to the Jewish converts to Christianity in Rome remains unknown, it does not matter. We might even say, given what we just discussed above, that this was done on purpose because the author did not wish to emphasize his own personal authority but rather spoke God's Word as one who heard it firsthand by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.
We likewise do not know the audience of this letter, but we know what they are. They knew the author, had worked with him and looked forward to doing so again. "To those [who are] in Italy (Heb. 13:24)." They are a Christian community in Italy, most likely a Jewish-convert Christian house church in Rome.
The book of Hebrews is a single sermon written by their pastor or Bishop to instruct them and give them peace and hope in Christ Jesus. It is the only such example of a written sermon in the Bible and would be intended to be read aloud in the context of a worship service. It was written sometime between about AD50 and 90, according to internal evidence and various outside evidences. I will refer to the author as "the Preacher."
“In many ways” in verse 1 is πολυτρόπως – polytropos – in Greek, meaning "in many parts and pieces." God spoke in a fragmentary manner to the prophets without divulging everything at once, leaving some things hidden. Parallel phrasing is used to highlight the continuum of God speaking through the prophets and its full revelation in His Son:
1:1 Long ago, at many times and in many ways → 1:2 in these last days
1:1 God spoke → 1:2 he has spoken
1:1 to our fathers → 1:2 to us
1:1 by the prophets → 1:2 by [the One who is] Son
The way this introduction is constructed puts the emphasis on the speaker, who is God. The next most emphatic is the Son's taking His place at the right hand of the Father. This is a direct allusion to Psalm 110:1.
In verse 3, the verbs being, bearing, and having lead to verse 4, "having become," which brings the Son's exhalation into sharp focus. Psalm 110:1 then becomes the ket to the structure of Hebrews, alluded to here, quoted in 1:13, and alluded to again in 8:1, 10:12, and 12:2
In verse 4, "the name he has inherited is more excellent" – the name in verse 3: "Majesty." This name μεγαλωσύνη – megalosyne – is used here in 1:3 as well as 8:1 and Jude 25 and also occurs in the Septuagint (the Greek version of the Hebrew Scriptures, also called the LXX or "the Seventy") only nine times, and is always connected to the Name of God. It does not speak to the title "Son" but to an honor bestowed on the Son, the Messiah & David's heir up[on the establishment of His throne. This will become important as we continue reading and studying Hebrews. For more about this bestowed honor, see Deuteronomy 32:3; 1 Chronicles 17:19-21, 22:5, 29:11-13; and Proverbs 18:10.
The God who has spoken before in many and various ways now speaks in a new and final way. Jesus' blood speaks "the better word" and makes those sprinkled by those words holy (Cf. Hebrews 12:24, 9:14, 10:29, & 13:12). And most remarkably, God uses human pastors to speak His Word in the Divine Service (Hebrews 13:7, 2:3-5, 6:9). Jesus' act of purification cleansed God's people and consecrated them for holy work, which surpasses that of the priests and people of Israel at the tabernacle (Hebrews 9:13-14).
This is a compact confession of faith that has enriched the church since its writing. The church now sees the unveiled face of God mirrored in Jesus Christ. "So when Jesus speaks to us, he speak theophonically, so that as we hear the gracious voice of God, we see his hidden glory." - Kleinig, Concordia Commentary, Hebrews. p.61.