Hebrews 1:1-2

Big Idea: Since God has spoken to us finally by His Son, you must accept that He is far superior to God’s former ways of revealing Himself.

Intro

We agonize and wordsmith our bios, since that is how we reveal to the world who we are.

How can you find out about somebody?

You can watch what they do (Event-revelation). Hear what they say (Word-revelation). And spend time with them (Personal Presence).

The same can be said of God. And in fact, God’s speaking is His acting, and His word is also His personal presence.

Summary of Hebrews

A Homily written by a Pauline associate (13:24) to predominately Jewish-Christians, in or around Rome (13:25) circa AD 65-69, exhorting them to “persevere in Christ and in the Christian faith.”

They had a high view of the OT scriptures (LXX).

Facing persecution (plundering of property, imprisonment, poverty) they were tempted to return to Judaism.

Author is unknowable, but likely an associate of Paul’s. Some have suggested Luke, Barnabas, Apollos, Clement. I will use the generic Author of Hebrews.

Most dispute Pauline authorship based on Heb 2:3.

No one disputes its canonicity, affirming that it is the Word of God.

1 Clement, written in AD 96, quotes from the Letter to the Hebrews.

References to the temple seem to suggest it is still operating so pre-AD70

Continuity–God Speaks

Dominate theme in Hebrews: Contrast within Continuity

First, what is the same (continuity)?

The same God speaks, and He speaks the same message of Salvation.

God speaks

This has reference to God’s self-revelation.

As the confessions says:

Although the light of nature, and the works of creation and providence do so far manifest the goodness, wisdom, and power of God, as to leave men inexcusable; yet they are not sufficient to give that knowledge of God, and of his will, which is necessary unto salvation. Therefore it pleased the Lord, at sundry times, and in divers manner, to reveal Himself, and to declare that His will unto His Church; (Heb. 1:1) and afterwards, for the better preserving and propagating of the truth, and for the more sure establishment and comfort of the Church against the corruption of the flesh, and the malice of Satan and of the world, to commit the same wholly unto writing: which maketh the Holy Scripture to be most necessary; those former ways of God’s revealing His will unto His people being now ceased. (WCF, 1.1).

God’s speaks in word and deed, by what he says and what he does. In fact, God’s speaking is His doing.

For his redemptive acts, these are recorded for us in scripture.

God continues to reveal himself in nature, but the AH is primarily referring to Scripture.

And the message he speaks is the same message of salvation. Only more and more of the specifics of that message are revealed over time.

Contrast–By the Prophets then, now by His Son

In these last days, is eschatological phrase from the OT but clearly the AH believes we are in them.

What’s contrasted is then God spoke through the prophets but now he has spoken in His Son.

The Son, as the whole book of Hebrews, will spell out in exhaustive detail, is far superior to all that came before.

Including as Revelation.

Three ways the Son is Superior to Prophets.

Because of who it is that does the speaking.

Because of the finality of His Speaking

Because the Word He speaks is better, because it is accomplished.

So what…

Several things are important for us to consider:

First God speaks, he has revealed himself to us through His word.

This is important because unless God reveals Himself to us, we could not know Him.

1 Pe 1:16-21

Interestingly, when the AH quotes scripture, he never credits the human author but only the divine.

Scripture is the inspired, inerrant, infallible Word of God.

And if it is God speaking in His word, then it comes backed with His authority and therefore should be obeyed.

The church the AH is preaching to has a high-view of the OT scriptures, of how the prophets spoke, but they’re unsure about Jesus.

The temptation they are facing is to go backwards, but as the AH will make abundantly clear, you can’t go back.

Since God has spoken to us finally by His Son, you must accept that He is far superior to God’s former ways of revealing Himself.