Hebrews 1:1
On many past occasions and in many different ways, God spoke to our fathers through the prophets.
On many past occasions
This phrase highlights the continuity and persistence of God's communication with humanity. The Greek word "polymerōs" suggests a variety of times and circumstances, emphasizing that God's revelation was not a one-time event but a continuous process throughout history. This reflects God's enduring patience and desire to reach His people, underscoring the importance of historical context in understanding divine revelation.

and in many different ways
The Greek term "polytropōs" indicates the diverse methods God used to communicate, such as visions, dreams, symbols, and direct speech. This diversity showcases God's creativity and adaptability in ensuring His message was understood. It also points to the richness of the Old Testament, where God's voice is heard through law, poetry, prophecy, and narrative, each serving a unique purpose in His divine plan.

God spoke
The act of speaking signifies a personal and relational God who desires to be known. The Greek "laleō" implies not just the act of speaking but communicating with intent and purpose. This underscores the belief that God is not distant or silent but actively involved in His creation, seeking to guide and instruct His people.

to our fathers
This phrase connects the audience of Hebrews to their spiritual heritage. "Fathers" refers to the patriarchs and ancestors of the Jewish faith, reminding readers of their shared history and the continuity of God's covenant. It emphasizes the communal aspect of faith, where the experiences and revelations of past generations inform and shape the present.

through the prophets
Prophets served as God's chosen vessels, delivering His messages to the people. The Greek "en tois prophētais" highlights the role of prophets as intermediaries between God and humanity. This underscores the authority and authenticity of the prophetic messages, as they were divinely inspired. It also points to the fulfillment of these messages in Christ, who is the ultimate revelation of God.

Persons / Places / Events
1. God
The supreme being who communicates with humanity. In this context, God is the initiator of revelation.

2. Our Fathers
Refers to the ancestors of the Jewish people, including the patriarchs and those who received God's messages in the past.

3. Prophets
Individuals chosen by God to deliver His messages to the people. They played a crucial role in conveying God's will and guidance.

4. Past Occasions
Refers to the various times throughout history when God communicated with His people.

5. Different Ways
Indicates the diverse methods God used to reveal His messages, such as visions, dreams, and direct speech.
Teaching Points
God's Initiative in Communication
God actively seeks to communicate with humanity, demonstrating His desire for a relationship with us.

Diversity in Revelation
God's use of various methods to communicate shows His adaptability and creativity in reaching people where they are.

Role of the Prophets
Prophets were vital in conveying God's messages, reminding us of the importance of listening to those who speak God's truth today.

Continuity and Fulfillment
The communication through prophets in the past sets the stage for the ultimate revelation through Jesus Christ, emphasizing the continuity of God's plan.

Relevance of the Old Testament
Understanding how God spoke in the past helps us appreciate the depth and richness of the Old Testament as part of God's ongoing revelation.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does understanding the various ways God communicated in the past enhance our appreciation of His messages today?

2. In what ways can we discern and recognize God's voice in our lives, similar to how the prophets did?

3. How does the role of prophets in the Old Testament inform our understanding of spiritual leadership and guidance today?

4. What are some practical ways we can apply the lessons from the prophets' messages to our current life situations?

5. How does the transition from God speaking through prophets to speaking through Jesus Christ impact our understanding of the New Testament?
Connections to Other Scriptures
2 Peter 1:21
This verse emphasizes that prophecy never had its origin in human will, but prophets spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. This connection highlights the divine origin of the messages delivered by the prophets.

Numbers 12:6-8
God explains to Aaron and Miriam that He speaks to prophets through visions and dreams, but with Moses, He speaks face to face. This illustrates the different ways God communicated with His people.

Amos 3:7
This verse states that the Sovereign Lord does nothing without revealing His plan to His servants the prophets, underscoring the role of prophets in God's communication.

John 1:1-14
While Hebrews 1:1 speaks of God speaking through prophets, John 1 introduces Jesus as the Word, the ultimate revelation of God, providing a transition from the old ways of communication to the new.
God Speaking to MenD. Young Hebrews 1:1
Messiah's ThroneGrenville KleiserHebrews 1:1
God's Revelation of Redemptive Truth to ManW.J. Jones Hebrews 1:1, 2
The Two Testaments a Progressive Revelation of GodC. New Hebrews 1:1, 2
A Revelation from God to Man Both Probable and NecessaryJ. Cumming, D. D.Hebrews 1:1-3
A Royal MediatorIllustrations of Truth.Hebrews 1:1-3
Apostolic TactW. Lindsay, D. D.Hebrews 1:1-3
Charles Kingsley's View of ChristWayland Hoyt, D. D.Hebrews 1:1-3
Christ and the ProphetsA. B. . Bruce, D. D.Hebrews 1:1-3
Christ Appointed HeirW. Gouge.Hebrews 1:1-3
Christ as Prophet of the ChurchJ.S. Bright Hebrews 1:1-3
Christ Explains Past RevelationsS. Cox, D. D.Hebrews 1:1-3
Christ Sitting in HeavenW. Jones, D. D.Hebrews 1:1-3
Christ the Brightness of God's GloryW. Gouge.Hebrews 1:1-3
Christ the Revelation of GodW. Pierce.Hebrews 1:1-3
Christ the SonF. W. . Robertson, M. A.Hebrews 1:1-3
Christ the Sunbeam of the Father's GloryT. E. Hankinson, M. A.Hebrews 1:1-3
Christ the Universal UpholderW. Jones, D. D.Hebrews 1:1-3
Christ Upholding the WorldsJ. C. Jones, D. D.Hebrews 1:1-3
Definition of GodJoseph Cook.Hebrews 1:1-3
Deity and Atonement of ChristTheological Sketch-BookHebrews 1:1-3
Difficulties in the Old Testament Do not Warrant the Rejection of ChristianityR. W. Dale, LL. D.Hebrews 1:1-3
Divine Revelation Under the Law, and Under the GospelW. Jones, D. D.Hebrews 1:1-3
Expiation in Order to ReconciliationA. S. Patterson.Hebrews 1:1-3
Express ImageJ. R. Duryea, D. D.Hebrews 1:1-3
God as LightG Lawson.Hebrews 1:1-3
God Hath Spoken by His SonArchbp. Sumner.Hebrews 1:1-3
God Revealed by ChristA. M. Fairbairn, D. D.Hebrews 1:1-3
God's Revelation of HimselfJohn Owen, D. D.Hebrews 1:1-3
God's Revelation of HimselfD. Rhys Jenkins.Hebrews 1:1-3
God's Revelation to ManHomilistHebrews 1:1-3
Heathen Anticipations of the MessiahProf. Luthardt.Hebrews 1:1-3
Heir of AllHomilistHebrews 1:1-3
Heir of All ThingsD. Rhys Jenkins.Hebrews 1:1-3
Heir of All ThingsHebrews 1:1-3
If Christianity is DivineEvangelical RepositoryHebrews 1:1-3
Jesus Heir of All ThingsJ. Trapp.Hebrews 1:1-3
Jesus the Manifestation of GodJ. Caird, D. D.Hebrews 1:1-3
Judaism and ChristianityJ. Fleming, D. D.Hebrews 1:1-3
Of Christ the HeirW. Gouge.Hebrews 1:1-3
Of the Kingdom or Lordship of ChristHebrews 1:1-3
Our Condition Under the GospelW. Jones, D. D.Hebrews 1:1-3
Personal ReserveF. Rendall, M. A.Hebrews 1:1-3
Progressive RevelationThos. Arnold, D. D.Hebrews 1:1-3
Revealed TruthW. L. Watkinson.Hebrews 1:1-3
Revelation by Jesus; its CertaintyArchibald Hadden.Hebrews 1:1-3
Revelation of GodH. W. Beecher.Hebrews 1:1-3
The .Final Revelation: its HelpfulnessC. S. Home, M. A.Hebrews 1:1-3
The Agency of the Divine Father and SonW. GougeHebrews 1:1-3
The Brightness of His GloryG. Calthrop, M. A.Hebrews 1:1-3
The Creation of the AgesF. Rendall, M. A.Hebrews 1:1-3
The Dignity of ChristF. Tucker, B. A.Hebrews 1:1-3
The Dignity of ChristT. Hughes.Hebrews 1:1-3
The Glory of ChristE. Doering, B. D.Hebrews 1:1-3
The Glory of ChristA. Saphir.Hebrews 1:1-3
The Glory of the SonHebrews 1:1-3
The Gospel of the SonD. Dickson, M. A.Hebrews 1:1-3
The Greatness and Glory of the RedeemerThomas Galland, M. A.Hebrews 1:1-3
The Heavenly VoiceJ. Gumming, D. D.Hebrews 1:1-3
The Heir of All ThingsH. Calderwood, LL. D.Hebrews 1:1-3
The Justly Awarded RemunerationAlex. Jack, D. D.Hebrews 1:1-3
The Last DaysW. Gouge.Hebrews 1:1-3
The Manner of RevelationA. A. Livermore.Hebrews 1:1-3
The Mediatorial Work, Glory, and Claims of ChristJ. Parsons.Hebrews 1:1-3
The Method of the Divine TeacherThe Metropolitan PulpitHebrews 1:1-3
The Old and New Covenants One in ChristA. Saphir.Hebrews 1:1-3
The Old and the New Testament Dispensations Compared with Respect to the Different Ways in Which the Will of God was Revealed in EachA. Grierson, M. A.Hebrews 1:1-3
The Outflashing Glory of the Son of GodJ. T. Duryea, D. D.Hebrews 1:1-3
The Progressiveness of RevelationP. M. Muir.Hebrews 1:1-3
The Prophetic Revelation Contrasted with the Filial Revelation Made by Jesus ChristE. Deering, B. D.Hebrews 1:1-3
The Reasonableness of a Divine RevelationH. Christmas, M. A.Hebrews 1:1-3
The Superiority of Christianity as Shown in the Glory of its Supreme Head as Son of GodD. C. Hughes, M. A.Hebrews 1:1-3
The Superiority of the Christian Revelation Over the PropheticJames Bromley.Hebrews 1:1-3
The Supreme Glory of ChristThe Metropolitan PulpitHebrews 1:1-3
The Variety of Prophetic RevelationH. M'Neile.Hebrews 1:1-3
The Various Classes of Prophetical AnnouncementJ. Robinson.Hebrews 1:1-3
The Word of PowerHomilistHebrews 1:1-3
The World Moderately Admired as God's WorkmanshipW. Jones, D. D.Hebrews 1:1-3
The World's SustainerA. B. Davidson, LL. D.Hebrews 1:1-3
The. Saviour is GodF. W. Farrar, D. D.Hebrews 1:1-3
People
Hebrews
Places
Jerusalem
Topics
Ago, Ancient, Different, Distinct, Divers, Fathers, Forefathers, Formerly, Manners, Messages, Methods, Past, Portions, Prophets, Spake, Spoke, Spoken, Sundry, Various
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Hebrews 1:1

     1428   prophecy, OT inspiration
     1431   prophecy, OT methods
     3212   Holy Spirit, and mission

Hebrews 1:1-2

     1441   revelation, necessity
     1443   revelation, OT
     1611   Scripture, inspiration and authority
     1615   Scripture, sufficiency
     2069   Christ, pre-eminence
     2218   Christ, Son of God
     2318   Christ, as prophet
     4963   past, the
     5204   age
     5408   messenger
     5548   speech, divine
     5627   word
     9140   last days

Hebrews 1:1-3

     1403   God, revelation
     1444   revelation, NT
     5263   communication
     5467   promises, divine
     5971   uniqueness
     7950   mission, of Christ
     8702   agnosticism

Hebrews 1:1-4

     4945   history

Library
Messiah the Son of God
For to which of the angels said He at any time, Thou art My Son, this day have I begotten Thee? T hough every part of a revelation from God must of course be equally true, there may be a considerable difference even among truths proposed by the same authority, with respect to their immediate importance. There are fundamental truths, the knowledge of which are essentially necessary to our peace and holiness: and there are others of a secondary nature, which, though very useful in their proper connection,
John Newton—Messiah Vol. 2

Messiah Worshipped by Angels
Let all the angels of God worship Him. M any of the Lord's true servants, have been in a situation so nearly similar to that of Elijah, that like him they have been tempted to think they were left to serve the Lord alone (I Kings 19:10) . But God had then a faithful people, and He has so in every age. The preaching of the Gospel may be compared to a standard erected, to which they repair, and thereby become known to each other, and more exposed to the notice and observation of the world. But we hope
John Newton—Messiah Vol. 2

December the Eleventh the Speech of the Incarnation
"He hath spoken to us in His Son." --HEBREWS i. And that blessed Son spake my language. He came into my troubled conditions and expressed Himself out of my humble lot. My surroundings afforded Him a language in which He made known His good news. The carpenter's shop, the shepherd on the hill, the ladened vine, a wayside well, common bread, a friend's sickness, the desolation of a garden, the darkness of "the last things"--these all offered Him a mode of speech in which He unveiled to me the heart
John Henry Jowett—My Daily Meditation for the Circling Year

The Friend Whose Years do not Fail. Rev. W. Arthur, M. A.
"And thy years shall not fail."--HEBREWS i. 12. You know that these words are taken from the hundred and second Psalm. There, they are addressed to God the Creator; here, to Christ the Redeemer. In both cases they express the same truths. Man finds himself here, looks out to what he can see around him, and then in thought passes on to what he cannot see. He knows that a very little while ago he was not here, he was not anywhere. He has an instinct within which tells him that though it is so short
Knowles King—The Wesleyan Methodist Pulpit in Malvern

Of Creation
Heb. xi. 3.--"Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear."--Heb. i. 14.--"Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?" There is nothing more generally known than this, that God at the beginning made the heaven and the earth, and all the host of them, the upper or the celestial, the lower or sublunary world. But yet there is nothing so little
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning

Mason -- Messiah's Throne
John Mitchell Mason, the eminent divine of the Reformed Presbyterian Church, was born in New York City in 1770. He completed his studies and took his degree at Columbia College and thence proceeded to take a theological course at Edinburgh. Ordained in 1793, he took charge of the Cedar Street Church, New York City, of which his father had been pastor. In 1807 he became editor of the Christian Herald, and in 1821 was made president of Dickinson College, Carlisle, Pennsylvania. He died in 1829. MASON
Grenville Kleiser—The world's great sermons, Volume 3

And the Fame of Antony came Even unto Kings. ...
81. And the fame of Antony came even unto kings. For Constantine Augustus, and his sons Constantius and Constans the Augusti wrote letters to him, as to a father, and begged an answer from him. But he made nothing very much of the letters, nor did he rejoice at the messages, but was the same as he had been before the Emperors wrote to him. But when they brought him the letters he called the monks and said, Do not be astonished if an emperor writes to us, for he is a man; but rather wonder that God
Athanasius—Select Works and Letters or Athanasius

Introduction to Tomus Ad Antiochenos.
The word tome' (tomos) means either a section, or, in the case of such a document as that before us, a concise statement. It is commonly applied to synodical letters (cf. the Tome' of Leo, a.d. 450, to Flavian). Upon the accession of Julian (November, 361) the Homoean ascendancy which had marked the last six years of Constantius collapsed. A few weeks after his accession (Feb. 362) an edict recalled all the exiled Bishops. On Feb. 21 Athanasius re-appeared in Alexandria. He was joined there by Lucifer
Athanasius—Select Works and Letters or Athanasius

Texts Explained; Thirdly...
Chapter XIII.--Texts Explained; Thirdly, Hebrews i. 4. Additional texts brought as objections; e.g. Heb. i. 4; vii. 22. Whether the word better' implies likeness to the Angels; and made' or become' implies creation. Necessary to consider the circumstances under which Scripture speaks. Difference between better' and greater;' texts in proof. Made' or become' a general word. Contrast in Heb. i. 4, between the Son and the Works in point of nature. The difference of the punishments under the two Covenants
Athanasius—Select Works and Letters or Athanasius

The Bible in the Days of Jesus Christ
[Illustration: (drop cap S) Reading from a Roll--old Roman Painting] Slowly but surely, as time went on, God was adding to His Book, until about four hundred years before the birth of Jesus Christ the Old Testament Scriptures, in their present shape, were completed. Many questions have been asked as to how the canon of the Old Testament was formed--that is, how and when did the Jews first begin to understand that the Books of the Old Testament were inspired by God. About the first five Books--the
Mildred Duff—The Bible in its Making

The Revelation in a Son.
"God, having of old time spoken unto the fathers in the prophets by divers portions and in divers manners, hath at the end of these days spoken unto us in His Son, Whom He appointed Heir of all things, through Whom also He made the worlds; Who being the effulgence of His glory, and the very image of His substance, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had made purification of sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high."--HEB. i. 1-3 (R.V.). "God hath spoken." The
Thomas Charles Edwards—The Expositor's Bible: The Epistle to the Hebrews

The Son and the Angels.
HEBREWS i. 4-ii. 18. The most dangerous and persistent error against which the theologians of the New Testament had to contend was the doctrine of emanations. The persistence of this error lay in its affinity with the Christian conception of mediation between God and men; its danger sprang from its complete inconsistency with the Christian idea of the person and work of the Mediator. For the Hebrew conception of God, as the "I AM," tended more and more in the lapse of ages to sever Him from all
Thomas Charles Edwards—The Expositor's Bible: The Epistle to the Hebrews

Trinity Sunday the Doctrine of the Trinity.
Second Sermon. Text: Romans 11, 33-36. THE DOCTRINE OF THE TRINITY.[1] [Footnote 1: This sermon was first printed in 1535, at Wittenberg.] 1. This festival requires us to instruct the people in the dogma of the Holy Trinity, and to strengthen both memory and faith concerning it. This is the reason why we take up the subject once more. Without proper instruction and a sound foundation in this regard, other dogmas cannot be rightly and successfully treated. The other festivals of the year present
Martin Luther—Epistle Sermons, Vol. III

'A Greater than Jonas'
'A greater than Jonas is here.'--MATT. xii. 41. There never was any man in his right mind, still more of influence on his fellows, who made such claims as to himself in such unmistakable language as Jesus Christ does. To say such things of oneself as come from His lips is a sign of a weak, foolish nature. It is fatal to all influence, to all beauty of character. It is not only that He claims official attributes as a fanatical or dishonest pretender to inspiration may do. He does that, but He does
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

The Winsome Jesus.
The Face of Jesus: Jesus drew crowds, men, women, children, bad people, enemies--His personality--face--impress of experiences--the glory of God in that face, 2 Corinthians 4:6. Hebrews 1:3. The Music of God in the Voice of Jesus: the eye--Jesus' eyes, Luke 4:16-30. John 8:59. 10:31. 7:32, 45, 46. 18:6. Mark 10:32. 9:36. 10:13-16. Luke 19:48.--His voice, Matthew 26:30. personal touch, Matthew 8:3, 15. 9:29. 17:7. 20:34. Mark 1:41. 7:33. Luke 5:13. 22:51. (John 14:16-20). His presence irresistible.
S. D. Gordon—Quiet Talks about Jesus

Meditations of the Blessed State of the Regenerate Man after Death.
This estate has three degrees:--1st, From the day of death to the resurrection; 2d, From the resurrection to the pronouncing of the sentence; 3d, After the sentence, which lasts eternally. As soon as ever the regenerate man hath yielded up his soul to Christ, the holy angels take her into their custody, and immediately carry her into heaven (Luke xvi. 22), and there present her before Christ, where she is crowned with a crown of righteousness and glory; not which she hath deserved by her good works,
Lewis Bayly—The Practice of Piety

The Revelation of the Old Testament in Writing.
"Then I said, I will not speak any more in His Name. But His word was in my heart as a burning fire, shut up in my bones: and I was weary with forbearing, but I could not."--Jer. xx. 9. Altho the miracles performed for and in the midst of Israel created a glorious life-center in the midst of the heathen world, yet they did not constitute a Holy Scripture; for this can not be created except God speak to man, even to His people Israel. "God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in times
Abraham Kuyper—The Work of the Holy Spirit

Fourthly; all the [Credenda, Or] Doctrines, which the True, Simple, and Uncorrupted Christian Religion Teaches,
(that is, not only those plain doctrines which it requires to be believed as fundamental and of necessity to eternal salvation, but even all the doctrines which it teaches as matters of truth,) are, though indeed many of them not discoverable by bare reason unassisted with revelation; yet, when discovered by revelation, apparently most agreeable to sound unprejudiced reason, have every one of them a natural tendency, and a direct and powerful influence to reform men's minds, and correct their manners,
Samuel Clarke—A Discourse Concerning the Being and Attributes of God

The Prophet of the Highest.
(LUKE I.) "Ye hermits blest, ye holy maids, The nearest heaven on earth, Who talk with God in shadowy glades, Free from rude care and mirth; To whom some viewless Teacher brings The secret love of rural things, The moral of each fleeting cloud and gale, The whispers from above, that haunt the twilight vale." KEBLE. Formative Influences--A Historical Parallel--The Burning of the Vanities--"Sent from God" "Thou, child, shalt be called the Prophet of the Most High"--thus Zacharias addressed his infant
F. B. Meyer—John the Baptist

What God is to Us.
Exod. xxxiv. 6, 7.--"The lord, the Lord God merciful and gracious, long suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands." There is nothing can separate between God and a people but iniquity, and yet he is very loath to separate even for that. He makes many shows of departing, that so we may hold him fast, and indeed he is not difficult to be holden. He threatens often to remove his presence from a person or nation, and he threatens, that he may not indeed remove, but that
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning

Of the Creation 0F Man
Gen. i. 26, 27.--"And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness, and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him, male and female created he them."--With Eph. iv. 24.--"And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness."--And Heb.
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning

John's Introduction.
^D John I. 1-18. ^d 1 In the beginning was the Word [a title for Jesus peculiar to the apostle John], and the Word was with God [not going before nor coming after God, but with Him at the beginning], and the Word was God. [Not more, not less.] 2 The same was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him [the New Testament often speaks of Christ as the Creator--see ver. 10; I. Cor. viii. 6; Col. i. 13, 17; Heb. i. 2]; and without him was not anything made that hath been made. [This
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

Introduction to Four Discourses against the Arians.
Written Between 356 And 360. There is no absolutely conclusive evidence as to the date of these Discourses, in fact they would appear from the language of ii. 1 to have been issued at intervals. The best judges, however, are agreed in assigning them to the fruitful period of the third exile.' The Discourses cannot indeed be identified with the lost account of the Arian heresy addressed to certain Egyptian monks (see Introd. to Arian Hist. supra); but the demand for such a treatise may have set Athanasius
Athanasius—Select Works and Letters or Athanasius

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