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Heb 1:1. Πολυμερῶς καὶ πολυτρόπως) God spoke πολυμερῶς, in many portions. The creation was revealed in the time of Adam; the last judgment in the time of Enoch; and so from time to time knowledge was given more fully unfolded. He also spoke πολυτρόπως, in divers modes of revelation, in dreams and visions. Therefore πολυμερῶς refers to the matter, πολυτρόπως to the form. In both there is an antithesis to one total and most perfect communication of GOD to us in Jesus Christ. The very multitude of prophets shows, that they “prophesied in part;” therefore, says he, you ought not to be frightened at the novelty of Christianity.-πάλαι, in time past) For a very considerable space of time there had arisen no prophets, in order that the Son might be the more an object of expectation. [Malachi, the last of the prophets of the Old Testament, prophesied at the interval of some ages before the birth of Christ.-V. g.]-ὁ Θεὸς, God) The apostle treats of GOD in this passage; of Christ, ch. Heb 2:3; of the Holy Ghost, ch. Heb 3:7.-λαλήσας, having spoken) A Synecdoche[1] for every sort of communication, as Psa 2:5. So דבר ῬῆΜΑ, a word, is used in a wide sense.-ἐν, in) [Not as Engl. Vers. by] Therefore God Himself was in the prophets, as also especially in the Son. A mortal king speaks by his ambassador, not, however, in his ambassador. If the apostle had not used the ἐν, in, with a view to what follows, in order that it might apply to the Son, he would doubtless have put διὰ τῶν προφητῶν, by the prophets. For this reason it is not inconsistent to urge the use of the ἘΝ, in.-ἐν τοῖς προφήταις, in the prophets) Artemonius, Part I., cap. 43, contends that Luke wrote ἘΝ ΤΟῖς ἈΓΓΈΛΟΙς; for he is of opinion, that Luke wrote this epistle, p. 98; and this opinion is not inconsistent with Clem. Alex. adumbr. on 1Pe 5:13, where Luke is said to have translated the Epistle of Paul to the Hebrews, although we have proved above that it was written in Greek by Paul himself. All the copies[2] have ἐν τοῖς προφήταις; and the epistle, showing the excellence of Christ by using so many comparisons, certainly prefers Him to the prophets also, and to them all: Mat 11:13; Mat 12:41; Joh 8:53. But it prefers Him to the prophets, if not in this passage, then nowhere else; and here, indeed, it touches upon it, as it were by the way, at the very beginning, as this comparison is immediately after swallowed up by others more illustrious. In the mean time, this mention of the prophets summarily, made at the very beginning of the epistle, admirably anticipates objections, and presents a conciliatory argument; so that the apostle hereby declares, that he embraces the whole scripture of the Old Testament, and asserts nothing contrary to it. Wolfius has more on this passage.
[1] A part for the whole. See Append.
[2] The original word, monumenta, does not only refer to the MS. copies of this Epistle, but to any writing in after times, in which this passage may be quoted.-TR.
Moses occupies the first place among the prophets, of whom Paul afterwards speaks separately. The antithesis of the prophets and the Son is the same as in Mat 21:34; Mat 21:37, and the very appellation, Son, indicates His excellence above the prophets: and whatever is presently said of the angels [as to their inferiority to the Son] is intended to be understood as holding good much more of the prophets.-ἐπʼ ἐσχάτου τῶν ἡμέρων τούτων, in the last of these days) There is a similar expression in Num 24:14, באחרית הימים, LXX., ἐπʼ ἐσχάτου τῶν ἡμερῶν; in like manner, 1Pe 1:5; 1Pe 1:20, and in a different sense 2Ti 3:1, note. The antithesis is πάλαι, in time past. The apostle intimates, that no further speaking was afterwards to be expected. This whole epistle, concerning which comp. 2Pe 3:15, sets before us the end of all things as at hand: ch. Heb 2:8, Heb 9:26; Heb 9:28, Heb 10:13; Heb 10:25; Heb 10:37, Heb 11:40, Heb 12:23, Heb 13:4.-ἐλάλησεν, hath spoken) all things, in one most perfect way [as contrasted with the many ways of revealing Himself formerly].-ἡμῖν, to us) The antithesis is τοῖς πατράσιν, unto the fathers.-ἐν Υἱῷ, in the Son) Ἐν often denotes by, but here it has a higher meaning; comp. Joh 14:10. How great a prophet is the very Son of God! The name, Son, is put here by Antonomasia,[3] as equivalent to a proper name; but a proper name in Hebrew is without the article; and so in the present case the article is omitted. It is also omitted in Heb 1:5; Heb 3:6; Heb 5:8; Heb 7:28. So בר, Psa 2:12. God hath spoken to us in the Son alone. The apostles were also spoken to; who themselves also are considered in the light of persons to whom the word was spoken, before that they could speak the word to others: they were ὙΠΗΡΈΤΑΙ ΤΟῦ ΛΌΓΟΥ, ministers of the word; but the apostles taught nothing new after Christ, and as the Father spoke in the Son, so the Son spoke in the apostles. The Son also spoke by the prophets in the Old Testament: but in a different manner. The majesty of this Son is SET FORTH, I. Absolutely,-Α) by the very name of Son, Heb 1:1; β) by three glorious predicates, expressed by as many finite verbs along with the pronoun who: Whom He has appointed, by Whom He made, Who sat down; and in this way His course, as it were, is described from the beginning of all things till He reached the goal, Heb 1:2-3. II. In comparison with the angels, Heb 1:4. The CONFIRMATION presently after corresponds to this proposition, and the very name of Son is presently proved at Heb 1:5; as also the inheritance, at Heb 1:6-9; the making of the worlds, Heb 1:10-12; the sitting on the right hand, at Heb 1:13-14. Let us consider them one by one.
[3] See Append.