Hebrews 1:2 - Printer Friendly

ESV: 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.

NIV: but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe.

NASB: in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom He also made the world.

CSB: In these last days, he has spoken to us by his Son. God has appointed him heir of all things and made the universe through him.

NLT: And now in these final days, he has spoken to us through his Son. God promised everything to the Son as an inheritance, and through the Son he created the universe.

KJV: Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;

NKJV: has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds;

Verses 1 and 2 of Hebrews emphasize the fact that Christ is the latest part of God's continuous, consistent message. Where God had spoken through the prophets of the Old Testament, He now speaks through the person of Jesus Christ. These are not contradictory messages. Jesus is the Messiah of whom those prophets spoke. Since this is a message from God, it stands to reason that those who love God ought to listen. Knowing that Jesus is a message from God, and is God, and is the ultimate truth sets the table for this letter's many warnings against rejecting the gospel.

The end of verse 2 also introduces an idea which is fundamental to the Christian faith: Jesus Christ is God. The first four verses of this book establish that Jesus is not some created being or a higher form of angel. According to verse 3, Jesus is the "exact imprint" of the nature of God. This is the consistent teaching of the Bible, that Christ is both fully God and fully man.

The words of this verse echo the Gospel of John, which notes that "all things were made through [Christ], and without [Christ] was not any thing made that was made" (John 1:3). This establishes that Jesus is, in fact, part of the un-created and eternal God. All things which "were made" were made by God; the only thing not "made" is the eternal Creator.

Hebrews 1:1–4 summarizes the entire book of Hebrews. God has spoken to mankind in many ways, but now He speaks to us through Christ. This same man, Jesus Christ, is also God, and shares in all aspects of the divine nature. Jesus' superiority over all other things is summarized in His symbolic position, seated at the right hand of God the Father. Everything which follows in the book of Hebrews supports this same basic theme: Christ is above and beyond all other things.

Chapter 1 starts off with an immediate appeal to God's communication with mankind. It also establishes the divinity of Jesus Christ. Hebrews describes Jesus as superior to all other beings and all other claims. The first area where Jesus is elevated is with respect to angels. Using direct quotations from the Old Testament, this chapter clearly demonstrates that Jesus is above, beyond, and far more than every angel. This theme will continue through chapter 2.

The first chapter of Hebrews establishes two primary ideas used to support the rest of the book. First, that God has spoken to mankind, most recently through Jesus, so we ought to be listening to Him. Secondly, chapter 1 introduces the fact that Jesus is superior to other spiritual beings, such as angels. These concepts are used to support the superiority of faith in Christ, over the Old Testament Law, expressed in the book's later chapters.

The book of Hebrews is meant to challenge, encourage, and empower Christian believers. According to this letter, Jesus Christ is superior to all other prophets and all other claims to truth. Since God has given us Christ, we ought to listen to what He says and not move backwards. The consequences of ignoring God are dire. Hebrews is important for drawing on many portions of the Old Testament in making a case that Christ is the ultimate and perfect expression of God's plan for mankind. This book presents some tough ideas about the Christian faith, a fact the author makes specific note of.