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Hebrews 1:1. God, who spoke many times and in various ways of old to the fathers in the prophets, Since they, that is, the Jews, were exhausted by disasters and considered themselves abandoned by God and not worthy of the care from Him that their fathers were worthy of, the apostle shows the opposite: you, he says, have received greater grace than those. To them he sent prophets, and to you his Son. What do his words mean: “many times and in many ways”? This is instead: various and in many forms. “I,” said God, “speaked to the prophets and multiplied the visions” (Hos. 12:10). Why should you be indignant and faint-hearted if you have been awarded incomparably more? Hebrews 1:2. in these last days he spoke to us in the Son, And with this he further encourages them, saying: the end is near. For the one who is exhausted by the feat rests a little when he hears about the end of the feat. He also makes something else clear with the words “in the last days.” When, he says, there was no time left for correction, when we were punished, when we despaired, when spiritual gifts became impoverished, then we received more. “In the Son” - instead of: through the Son. Note that this is against those who say that the preposition “in” is applied only to the Holy Spirit. Why didn’t he say: “Christ spoke” to us? partly because they were weak and could not yet hear about Christ; partly showing by this that the Old and New Testaments are the work of one and the same God. Pay attention to the word “us”. Here he unites and compares both them and himself with his students. Although he did not speak to them, but to the apostles, and through them to others, he nevertheless exalts the matter and shows that he also spoke to them, and this is for consolation. Hebrews 1:2. whom he appointed heir of all, That is, he made Him Lord of the whole world. Jacob is no longer a part of the Lord, but everything. He said: “heir,” thereby showing both the truth of sonship and the inalienability of dominion. How did He make Him Lord? According to humanity, as in the second psalm he says: “Ask of Me, and I will give the nations as an inheritance to You” (Ps. 2:8). What domination is he talking about here? About domination over those who submit voluntarily, that is, freely. For this dominion was given to the Son as a man when He was recognized by all. He had power by nature and power over those who reluctantly obey before all ages, as it is said: “all things serve You” (Ps. 119:91). Hebrews 1:2. through whom also he created the eyelids. Having spoken about the flesh of the Son, formed in time, the apostle finally raises you to the height of His eternal Divinity. Where are those who say: there was a time when He was not? He Himself created the ages; How were there centuries when He was not? Since the Father is the author of the Son, it is fair that He is the author of everything that came from the Son. Therefore the apostle says: through Him. For the Father appears to be the worker because He begat the Creator Son. Here Sabellius is also amazed, since two persons are spoken of. Paul of Samosata also receives a mortal blow, who calls the Son not eternal, but having received his beginning from Mary. Arius is also beaten by this passage, although not too strongly: he attributes to the expression “through whom” the meaning of some kind of help, calling the Son an assistant to the Father. But the words that follow in order also strike Aria. Hebrews 1:3. This being the radiance of glory He ascended to the very height of eulogy about the Son, and calls Him “the radiance of glory,” so that you know that He is from Him, dispassionately, without diminishing or humiliating, one and the same being, that is, Light from Light. For He enlightened our souls and He Himself showed the Father. That is why he said: “I am the light of the world” (John 8:12), because together with Him I have been shining from eternity; for the radiance shines at the same time as the shining one. And the sun is never visible apart from the radiance, and the Father is unthinkable without the Son. Therefore, when you hear the Arians saying that if the Son is from the Father, it means after Him, then tell them that the radiance is from the sun, but not after it, for at one time both the sun and the radiance. Having said: “radiance,” and through this showing the consubstantiality and co-eternity of the Son with the Father, again, since radiance is not independent, the apostle removes from this example an inappropriate thought, so that you do not take the side of Marcellus and Sabellius, who say that the Son cannot be in his own hypostasis with the Father. Therefore, he says: “and the image (χαρακτήρ) of His hypostasis”; this means: just as the Father is independent and does not need anyone for perfection, so is the Son. After showing the perfect similarity in everything, with these words the apostle also shows a special image (χαρακτήρα) of the prototype. For the image is something different when compared with the prototype, as existing in itself, although indifferently similar to the first. Gregory of Nyssa says: just as through the “radiance” he showed the commonality of the Son with the Father, so through the “image” - their equality. For the mind, having comprehended the greatness of the hypostasis, through a visible image can, in any case, measure the hypostasis. For the image does not exceed the hypostasis, so as not to be hypostatic to the extent that it exceeds; and the hypostasis is not greater than the image: otherwise that part was not reflected. Having said in a similar way and in another place that the Son exists “in the image (ἐν μορφῇ) of God” (Phil. 2:6), the apostle makes us understand the same thing, namely, that μορφή means hypostasis, and χαρακτήρ means the Lord, contemplated in this image (ἐν μορφῄ). In any case, the apostle shows the equality of the Son with the Father. For in the image of μορφή the greatness of the Father is seen, which does not in any way exceed this image, since, in fact, it would be ugly and ugly that would appear from the image, which is inappropriate to think about the Father, as is the image. μορφή, and the image - χαρακτήρ is equal to the image - μορφή, then image 1 - χαρακτήρ has the same greatness as is seen in the image - μορφή - of God. and upholding all things by the word of His power, Previously, you stopped at the expression “through whom” (δι᾿ οὗ) and considered the Son as a helper to the Father; listen now, if you can understand, how Paul here ascribes authority to the Son. He did not say: “holding by force,” but “by the word of power,” that is, a word full of power, showing His power. For as you say, the Father said: “Let there be light.” And there was light" (Gen. 1:3); So the Son holds everything by his word, that is, he controls everything and contains everything. Much more important than bringing everything into being is the preservation of what is warring with each other and striving to turn into non-existence. He didn’t say: controlling, but: “holding” - this metaphor is borrowed from those who move something and turn it with one finger. He bears such a great and extraordinary burden of creation as if it were nothing, with just one omnipotent word. For the word is not powerless with God as it is with us. After so many heresies have been refuted at the very beginning of the epistle, how dare some to reject it as not belonging to Paul, on the ground that its style differs from that of other epistles? They need to be convinced that the height of thoughts and their irresistible power belong to none other than Paul, who has within himself the speaking Christ. If they are offended by the style of speech, then let them know that Paul wrote the epistle in the Hebrew language, since he spoke to the Jews; it was translated into Greek, as some think, by Luke, or, as others believe, by Clement, whose style it actually preserves more. Therefore, those who take away this epistle from Paul make, so to speak, the same mistake as if they took Paul away from Christ. Hebrews 1:3. having accomplished the cleansing of our sins, Having spoken about the greatness of the Divinity of the Word, he also speaks about His care for people through the incarnation, which is much more important than holding everything. Here he presents two proofs: one is that He cleansed our sins, the other is that He did it “by Himself.” And in many places the apostle admires what was accomplished by the Son Himself. For through the cross and the death that He lifted up, He cleansed us, not only as a sinless one, who died for our sin, who suffered punishment to which He Himself was not subject, and who freed nature in general from the condemnation for the sin of Adam, but also as He gave us baptism, the likeness of His death, through which we, the baptized, each time receive remission of sins passed down to us from our ancestors, and the strength not to succumb easily the rest of the time. sin. Hebrews 1:3. sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, Recalling the cross, he talks about the resurrection and ascension of the Lord. He did not say: He was commanded to sit down, but “sat down” both “at the right hand” and “on high.” This does not mean that God is limited to place, but it is said to show His equality with the Father. For He has reached the very throne of the Father, and just as the Father is “on high,” so is He. If someone says: however, it is written: “The Lord said to my Lord: Sit at my right hand” (Ps. 109:1); then let us say to this, firstly, that he did not say: commanded, but: “said.” Then, so that you do not think that He has no beginning and cause in God the Father, this is why the speech is expressed in such a figurative manner. Hebrews 1:4. being as much superior to the Angels as he inherited the most glorious name before them. At the beginning of the message he compared Him with the prophets due to the weakness of the listeners; now, continuing, he places Him above the angels, little by little leading the listeners to the truth. The word “being” is used instead of: having appeared, just as John says: “He who came after me stood before me” (John 1:15), that is, he appeared more honorably than me. After all, he is not speaking here about His essentially nature. According to the flesh, without a doubt, it is said: “inherited,” because as God the Word He always had this name. In the same way, we talk about a person both low and high, as for example, if we say: a great thing is a person, we name everything that is best in him; if we say; man - earth and ashes - let's name all the worst. Likewise, about the Lord, sometimes we say everything that relates to the properties of the Divine, and sometimes – to the properties of the flesh. Hebrews 1:5. For to which of the Angels did God ever say: You are My Son, today I have begotten You? (cf. Ps. 2:7) Where, he says, is it clear that He is better than the angels? From His name: the name Son means true birth, that is, that He is from Him. If He is the Son by grace, then he is lower than the angels. The expression “Today I have begotten Thee” means nothing more than that He is from the beginning, from whom also the Father. Just as the expression: “this” (“existent”) is used about God in the present tense, because it is most fitting for Him: so is the expression: “now.” However, some believed that the words “Today I have begotten You” were spoken not about the pre-eternal birth, but about His birth according to the flesh. For it was from above: from the Holy Spirit, with the blessing of the Father. Hebrews 1:5. And again: I will be His Father, and He will be My Son? (cf. 2 Samuel 7:14) This is obviously said in reference to the flesh. For when He accepted it, then all such things are said about Him without fear. So, the assumed nature inherited the true name of the Son, which the Word had, uniting with it, since it is hypostatic in Him, just as the angel said: “And the Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God” (Luke 1:35), and again: “He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High” (Luke 1:32). None of the angels received this. If some of the righteous are called sons of God, it is by grace; But with Christ it is not so: He has sonship by hypostatic identity with the human flesh He assumed. Hebrews 1:6. Also, when he introduces the Firstborn into the universe, he says: Christ calls His coming in the flesh an exodus, for example, when He says: “A sower went out to sow” (Matthew 13:3), and again: “I came forth from the Father” (John 16:28). And rightly so, for we were outside of God, and He, coming to us as a messenger, living with us and cleansing us, reconciled us with the King. And Paul now calls His coming an entrance, taking this figurative expression from the example of heirs receiving some property as an inheritance. For this is what the expression means: “introduces” when the Father handed over the universe to the Son; For then He accepted her, who voluntarily submitted, into his possession, when he was known. It is not introduced except in the flesh. For He, as God the Word, “was in the world, and through Him the world began to be” (John 1:10). He represents the Father introducing the Son, in order to make the speech pleasant. Gregory of Nyssa and Saint Cyril understood the expression “introduces” in such a way that before the incarnation He had nothing in common with creation, being like God incorporeal; when He became incarnate, then, having joined the creation, since He united the created in Himself, He, as they say, was introduced into creation. and may all the Angels of God worship Him. (cf. Ps.97:7) Obviously, they will worship the One who took on flesh. Here He also shows that He is as much superior to the angels as the ruler is superior to the slaves, just as if someone, leading someone into a house, commanded those present there to immediately worship him. Hebrews 1:7. About the Angels it is said: You create flaming fire with Your Angels and Your servants. (cf. Ps. 103:4) This is the greatest difference between them: they are created, and He is not created. The expression “You create” means bringing from non-existence into existence. He has superiority not only over the angels, but also over all the ministering powers. He did not say: he created, but “you create,” that is, preserving by the Word by which they were created. The same expression is in the Gospel: “My Father is working until now” (John 5:17), that is, he contains everything that has already been created and completed, and preserves it in order to bring it to perfection. Hebrews 1:8. And about the Son: Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever; (cf. Ps.44:7) Angels, he says, are creatures and creations, for it is said about them: “You create.” But the Son is not a creation: it is not said about Him: “You create”; but the King, the Lord, the God, the Throne is appropriated to Him, which serves as a sign of the Kingdom, and the throne is eternal. This is against Paul of Samosata, who represents the true God and eternal King as a simple man; and against Arius. The scepter of Your kingdom is the scepter of righteousness. Here is another sign of the kingdom. Hebrews 1:9. You loved righteousness and hated iniquity, These words refer to Him as God the Word incarnate, since with the taking on of flesh He emptied Himself. Therefore, O God, Your God has anointed You with the oil of joy more than Your fellows. This is against the Jews, and Sabellius, and Marcellus, since it points to two persons, saying: God and God. And against the Marcionites, who think that the Son did not take flesh, because it is not the deity that is anointed, but humanity. Therefore he says: “O God, God has anointed You,” that is, Your Father according to Divinity, and God according to the flesh. “The oil of joy,” that is, by the Holy Spirit, preferably before other people. For “without measure” Christ received the “Spirit” (John 3:34), not as one who was powerless, but was anointed with all the fullness of both the anointing and the Anointing One. His partakers are all spiritual, as sanctified by the same sacrament. And those who, being perfect in the law and spiritual, received the Spirit through faith in Christ. This is why they are called anointed, as for example: “touch not My anointed” (Ps. 104:15). Much better known are those partakers of Christ by grace who participated in His death in baptism and were anointed with the Spirit, which is called the “oil of joy.” Who freed us from sorrow due to sins and did for us that we are consoled by the hope of future blessings. That the name “God” stands instead of: Oh, God! (ώ θεέ), - the enemy Symmachus serves as a reliable witness, who published this: “For this reason, O God, Thy God has anointed Thee with the oil of joy more than Thy friends.” Note that the word “God”, with an article, is spoken of the Son for the sake of those who say that the expression “and the Word was God” (John 1:1), in which the word “God” without an article, represents Him not actually as God 2. Hebrews 1:10. And: in the beginning You, Lord, founded the earth, and the heavens are the work of Your hands; (cf. Ps. 101:26) So that you, hearing the words: “when He introduces the Firstborn into the universe,” do not think that this is a gift given to Him subsequently from the Father, now showing that He is the Creator of the universe, not in recent times, but from ancient times. This is also against Paul of Samosata, and asserts that Christ is before Mary, since He is the Creator of creation. And against Arius, who considers Him an assistant, or better yet, an instrument, since it was said above: “through whom He also created the worlds” (Heb. 1:2). This is where He introduces himself as the Creator. See how the doctrine of the uncreated being and the doctrine of the economy are combined together, and sometimes because of the first it is high, and sometimes because of the second it is low. Hebrews 1:11. they will perish, but You remain; and everything will decay, Hebrews 1:12. You will roll them up like a robe and like a garment, and they will be changed; but You are the same, and Your years will not end. (cf. Ps. 101:27–28) Inspires something more important than creation, namely, changing the world. Everything will change from corruption to incorruption, and as easily as if someone rolled up his clothes. If He so easily accomplishes the change and transformation of the world into the better, then could He, during the initial formation of the world, have needed someone else? There is no small consolation here for distressed believers to know that things will not remain in this state, but will receive a transformation, that He Whom they worship lives and will always live. For “Your years will not end.” Hebrews 1:13. To which of the Angels did God say, Sit at My right hand, until I make Your enemies Your footstool? (cf. Ps. 109:1) Here he is again encouraging them; and truly, will not their enemies be defeated, and their enemies will also be the enemies of Christ. It is not because the Son is powerless that the Father is said to subdue the enemies, for the Son, who will judge there, could much more repay them here, but to show with what honor the Father honored the Son. That the Father is angry with the enemies of the Son, is this not a sign of honor? Isn't this a sign of great love for the Son? This is also discussed at greater length in the First Epistle to the Corinthians. Hebrews 1:14. Are they not all ministering spirits sent to serve those who are to inherit salvation? It elevates the minds of the listeners, showing God’s great care for us, even if He appointed angels superior to us to serve our salvation. It also seems to attack some who pay excessive veneration to the angels, and especially all Jews in general who are devoted to the law given through the angels and their service in it, even preferring them to Christ. So, he says, do not serve them, for they are our fellow servants. Look what a small difference he believes between creatures; although there is a great distance between angels and people, he placed them close to us, for creatures do not rise much above creatures. The angels served a lot both in the Old and New Testaments: when they helped Joseph with advice (Matthew 1:24), when they preached the gospel to the shepherds, when they sat at the tomb and proclaimed the resurrection of Christ, and when they taught that He would come in the same way as He ascended. An angel appeared to Cornelius (Acts 11:13), Philip (Acts 8:26), Peter in prison (Acts 12:7), and in general there are countless such examples. Note that the angelic work is to serve the salvation of people, but more so the work of Christ Himself. Therefore, such service should not be neglected. Can be translated as fingerprint. – Approx. ed. The comments refer to the original Greek. – Approx. ed. You might be interested in: