The writer began his epistle with an affirmation of Jesus Christ's greatness to introduce his readers to his subject. This section is one sentence in the Greek text. It contrasts God's old revelation with the new, specifically by presenting God's Son as superior to all other previous modes of revelation.
"It would be misleading to think of vv. 1-4 as stating a thesis to be proved, or as giving a précis of the following argument. The author proceeds rather by an interweaving of themes, as in musical composition."20
"The literary structure of the exordium [vv. 1-4] exhibits a concentric symmetry (A [vv. 1-2a] B [v. 2b] C [v. 2c] C' [v. 3a-b] B' [v. 3c] A' [v. 4]): the conceptual correspondence of vv 1 and 4 serves to frame the several statements concerning the Son in vv 2 and 3 . . ."
"The core of the exordium (B C C' B') describes Jesus in an arresting way as the royal Son, divine Wisdom, and the royal Priest."21
1:1-2a "It is significant that the subject of the first verb is God,' for God is constantly before the author; he uses the word sixty-eight times, an average of about once every seventy-three words all through his epistle. Few NT books speak of God so often."22
God gave many revelations of Himself to Old Testament believers, "fathers"being a shorthand way of referring to them (cf. v. 2).23He did so in many periods of history. He did this by various means and in various ways ("in many portions and in many ways"). For example, His means included visions, dreams, and face to face communication (cf. Num. 12:6-8). His ways included supernatural interventions into history as well as natural phenomena such as storms, plagues, and other historical events. They also included people, namely, the prophets, through whom He spoke (cf. 2 Tim. 3:16; 2 Pet. 1:21). The writer probably used the Greek words polymeros("portions") and polytropos("ways") partially for their alliterative value.
God's most recent revelation had come through His own Son. The writer was not denying divine revelation to the apostles. He was stressing the culminating character of God's revelation in Jesus Christ compared with what He had given the Old Testament prophets. His statement establishes the fact of progressive revelation and strongly suggests the cessation of revelation in the apostolic age.24Man has not taken the initiative to discover God, but God has taken the initiative to reveal Himself to man.
The translators have supplied the word "His"(v. 2a). Its absence in the original text stresses the character of "Son"as a vehicle of revelation. God's own Son is a superior revelation compared to "the prophets"(v. 1). There are seven references to Jesus Christ as the Son in Hebrews (1:2, 5, 8; 3:6; 4:14; 5:8; 6:6; 7:28; 10:29) plus others in some of the Old Testament passages the writer quoted.25
1:2b-3 Seven facts in these verses stress the Son's unique greatness and the culminating character of His revelation. For the writer's original Jewish readers the number seven connoted a complete work of God, as in the Creation.
1. He is the "heir of all things."All things will fall under His authority. The writer introduced the concept of inheritance here and proceeded to develop it in this epistle (cf. Ps. 2:8; Heb. 2:5-9). The believer's inheritance is a major theme in Hebrews.
2. He "made the world"(Gr. aiones, lit. "ages,"i.e., the whole created universe of time and space). The Son was God's agent in creation (John 1:3; Col. 1:16). He created both matter and history; both ideas are in view here.26However the emphasis is on the various dispensations through which the world has passed, is passing, and will pass.27Jesus Christ is not a created being, as Jehovah's Witnesses and some others claim. He is the Creator of all.
3. He is "the radiance of His glory."The Greek word apaugasma, translated "radiance,"refers to what shines out from the source of light. Jesus Christ revealed the glory of God in a veiled way during His incarnation.
4. He is "the exact representation of His nature."The Greek word charakter, translated "representation,"occurs only here in the New Testament. Greek writers used it to describe the emperor's picture on Roman coins. It did not express a general likeness but an exact duplication of its die. Jesus Christ let humankind know exactly what the nature of God, whom no one has seen, is like.
5. He "upholds all things by the word of His power"(i.e., His mighty, enabling word). The idea is not so much that Jesus upholds the universe as a dead weight similar to Atlas shouldering the world. Rather He carries all things forward (Gr. pheron) on their appointed course (Col. 1:17). Jesus Christ's word has tremendous power and authority. It is the greatest force in the universe (cf. Gen. 1:3; et al.).
6. He "made purification of sins"as no one else could. He did so by His self-sacrifice as a sin and trespass offering on the Cross and by His work as the ultimate priest. The Greek word katharismos, translated "purification,"means both removal and cleansing (cf. Mark 1:44; 2 Pet. 1:9). "Sin"(hamartia) is a very common word in Hebrews occurring 25 times.28
"Hebrews views sins and their remedy in cultic terms. The purification of sins by Christ's sacrifice is related, on the one hand, to the establishment of a new order of relationships between God and mankind, and on the other hand to obedience (10:1-18, especially vv. 8-10) and moral effort (12:1-4). Apart from passing references to adultery and the love of money (13:4f.), Hebrews says little about individual sins, and contains no list of vices comparable to Rom. 1:29-31; Gal. 5:19-21; or 1 Pet. 4:3. The fundamental sin for Hebrews is that of unfaithfulness to God, which may superficially appear as neglect or lassitude (amelesantes, 2:3; or nothroi, 5:11), but which in essence is rebellion against God's will, and more specifically apostasy (2:1-4; 3:7-19; 6:4-6; 10:26-31)."29
7. He "sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high"when He returned to heaven after His ascension. He took the choice place of honor and authority in relation to God the Father (cf. Eph. 4:10; Phil. 2:9; Luke 22:69). Here the writer introduced his key text, Psalm 110, which he proceeded to elaborate on in the chapters to follow.
Note that the writer referred to the place where Jesus now sits ruling as the Father's right hand in heaven. This is not the same as the Davidic throne, which will be on earth in the future (Isa. 9:6-7; Dan. 2:44; 7:13-14; et al.). Jesus will begin His rule over Israel on earth as the Davidic Messiah after He returns to the earth at His second advent (Rev. 20:1-6). Presently He rules over the church and the angelic host in heaven (Eph. 4:15; Col. 1:18; 2:10).30
"The concept of enthronement at God's right hand would convey to contemporaries an impression of the Son's royal power and unparalleled glory."31
Each one of these seven actions points to the full deity of Jesus Christ. The original Jewish audience faced with temptation to abandon discipleship of Jesus for return to Judaism received a strong reminder of His deity at the very outset of this epistle. The writer also presented Him as Creator, Prophet, Priest, and King.
1:4 These seven facts also reveal clearly the Son's superiority to any other of God's messengers, even the angels. This superiority is clear too in the fact that His name is Son (singular) rather than sons (collectively). The Old Testament writers called angels sons of God (e.g., Job 2:1; 38:7). Jesus Christ "inherited"that name before creation (v. 2, cf. 5:8).
This is the first of the writer's 13 uses of the word "better"(Gr. kreitton) all of which contrast Jesus Christ and His order with what preceded Him (6:9; 7:7, 19, 22; 8:6 [twice]; 9:23; 10:34; 11:16, 35, 40; 12:24).32The writer used many comparatives (e.g., "more excellent,""lesser,""better,""more,""greater,"et al.) to support his argument that the new Christian order is superior to the old Jewish order.33This is also the first "signpost passage"in which a brief statement (in this case "much better than the angels") identifies a main subject the writer planned to develop (cf. 2:17; 5:9-10; 10:36-39; 12:11?).34"Angel"(Gr. angelos) is another of this writer's favorite words. It, too, appears 13 times in Hebrews.
"Opinions differ as to what is meant here by the name.' Some take this to mean that in his whole character and personality Christ was superior to any angel. Others think the reference is simply to the name Son,' which is a better name than angel' because it denotes superiority in character and personality. Either interpretation is possible."35
The writer introduced several concepts in the prologue that he developed more fully later. These include the distinctive quality of the Son's revelation, the superiority of His sacrifice, and His greatness compared with the angels.
The differences in the beginning of this epistle compared with the beginnings of other New Testament epistles are striking. There is no introduction of the writer, no mention of the original readers, and no benediction, all of which were common features of letters in the first century. These omissions make the introduction even more striking. The writer obviously wanted his readers to give their full attention to the greatness of Jesus Christ. Some students of Hebrews have concluded that the writer did not identify himself or his readers because he wanted to make Jesus Christ primary in the readers' thinking throughout this epistle. I think this is very likely.
"In 1:1-4 the writer gave christological precision to a cluster of ideas derived from hellenistic Judaism. He boldly applied the categories of Wisdom to a historical figure, Jesus. The writer to the Hebrews was a creative theologian who brought together wisdom motifs and priestly motifs in a tightly formulated statement concerning the dignity and achievement of the Son of God. The opening paragraph establishes a firm christological foundation for all that the writer has to say concerning the character and demands of the revelation mediated by the Son. The joining together of wisdom and priestly notes in the carefully orchestrated presentation of the Son provides the readers with the assurance of Jesus' sustained concern for them and his ability to strengthen and vindicate the people of God when they become objects of contempt in a hostile world."36
