Abstract
In the introduction to his sermon, the writer of Hebrews suggests that God’s revelation unfolded from his so-called ‘Old Testament’ revelation to his ‘New Testament’ revelation in his Son (Heb. 1:1–2a). By doing a thorough exegesis of Hebrews 1:1–2a, the author’s view of such an unfolding revelation is confirmed. From this conclusion, certain hermeneutical implications of the unfolding of God’s revelation are drawn for believers and scholars today. Among others, it is determined that God’s revelation is progressive, that his revelation in his Son is superior, climactic and final, and that God’s final revelation in his Son can only be understood within the context of his Old Testament revelation, and vice versa.Keywords: Hebrews; Hebrews 1:1-2a; unfolding; revelation; hermeneutics
Highlights
The writer of Hebrews starts his sermon1 by making the following statement: Πολυμερῶς καὶ πολυτρόπως πάλαι ὁ θεὸς λαλήσας τοῖς πατράσιν ἐν τοῖς προφήταις ἐπἐσχάτου τῶν ἡμερῶν τούτων ἐλάλησεν ἡμῖν ἐν υἱῷLong ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son. (Heb. 1:1–2a ESV)With these introductory words, the writer of Hebrews suggests that God’s revelation is an unfolding revelation
In the striking parallelism between Hebrews 1:1 and 1:2a, the writer emphasises that after God gave his Old Testament revelation in various parts and in various ways over a long period of time to different believers through different agents, he continued to speak: recently, in the transitional period from the old to the new era, God has spoken to the hearers through his Son
The fact that 1:1 undoubtedly refers to God’s revelation in the Old Testament, and 1:2a to his revelation in his Son, enables the exegete to conclude that the writer is convinced that God’s revelation unfolded from his so-called ‘Old Testament’ revelation to his ‘New Testament’ revelation in his Son
Summary
The writer of Hebrews starts his sermon by making the following statement: Πολυμερῶς καὶ πολυτρόπως πάλαι ὁ θεὸς λαλήσας τοῖς πατράσιν ἐν τοῖς προφήταις ἐπἐσχάτου τῶν ἡμερῶν τούτων ἐλάλησεν ἡμῖν ἐν υἱῷ. When the writer of Hebrews says that God ἐπἐσχάτου τῶν ἡμερῶν τούτων spoke through his Son, he is referring to God’s recent speech through his Son during the transitional period from the old to the new dispensation (MacLeod 2005:212). As the Son of God, Christ par excellence is suited to be God’s superior agent of revelation Many of these clauses touch on themes which the writer of Hebrews will expound on later in his sermon (cf Attridge 1989:36; Black 1987:182; Lewicki 2004:14–15)
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