Hebrews 1:2Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

The words "of old" and "in the last days" also signify something else. What is that? After a long time had passed, when we were being punished, when spiritual gifts had grown scarce, when there was no hope of salvation, and when from every side we expected worse things, then we received the better things.

See how wisely he expressed this. He did not say, "Christ spoke," although He was the one speaking. Since the souls of the hearers were still weak and could not hear about Christ, he says, "He has spoken to us in the Son."

What are you saying? God spoke through the Son? Yes. Then where is the superiority? Here you show that both the New and the Old Testaments belong to one and the same God. Therefore there is no great superiority between them.

For this reason he goes on to explain these words, saying, "He has spoken to us in the Son." Notice how Paul includes all and places himself on the same level as the disciples. "He has spoken," he says, "to us."

Although He did not speak to him, but to the apostles and through them to the rest, Paul elevates the Jews and suggests that God spoke also to them. At the same time, he in some way reproaches them, because almost all those to whom the prophets spoke were wicked and corrupt.

Yet he does not yet enlarge on this. First he speaks of the gifts sent down from God. Therefore he continues, "whom He appointed heir of all things." Here he points to Christ's Incarnation, just as David says in the second psalm: "Ask of Me, and I will give You the nations as Your inheritance" (Ps 2:8).

Now Jacob is no longer the Lord's portion, and Israel is no longer His inheritance, but all things. What does "whom He appointed heir of all things" mean? It means that He made Him Lord of all, as Peter also said in Acts: "God has made this Jesus both Lord and Christ" (Acts 2:36).

The Apostle uses the title "heir" in order to express two ideas: the truth of His Sonship and the unalienable character of His dominion. "Heir of all things" means of the whole world.

Then he again turns the discourse back to what existed before: "through whom also He made the ages." Where are those who say that there was a time when He was not? Next the Apostle gradually utters concerning Him what is far greater than this.

"He," he says, "being the radiance of His glory and the image of His hypostasis, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had made purification of our sins by Himself. Sat down at the right hand of the throne of Majesty on high, having become so much better than the angels as He has inherited a more excellent name than they" (Heb 1:3, 4).

O apostolic wisdom. Or rather, we must marvel here not at Paul's wisdom, but at the grace of the Spirit. He did not utter this from his own reasoning, nor did he pronounce such wisdom from himself. How could one expect this from an awl, from leather, from a workshop?

Such sayings came from divine power. Indeed, such thoughts did not come from his own mind. His mind had formerly been so small and weak that it did not surpass the mind of common people. How could one expect otherwise from a man devoted to concerns about buying and leather?

They came from the grace of the Spirit, which manifests its power through whomever it wills. If someone wishes to lift a little child to some high place reaching to the very height of heaven, he does it gradually. Little by little he raises him from the lower steps to the higher.

Then, when he has placed him above and ordered him to look down, if he sees that the child is troubled, afraid, and dizzy, he takes him and brings him down again to a lower place, giving him the chance to rest. After he has rested, he raises him again, and then lowers him again.

Blessed Paul acts in exactly this way with the Hebrews, and everywhere else, having learned this from his Teacher. For Christ Himself acted in the same way, at times raising His hearers to the height, and at times bringing them down. He did not allow them to remain long on one and the same level.

Look, then, how here the Apostle leads his hearers through several steps and places them at the very height of piety. Before they are troubled and become dizzy, he brings them down again and gives them rest. "He has spoken," he continues, "to us in the Son," and then, "whom He appointed heir of all things."

The name "Son" is a common name. Yet when the true Son of God is meant, it is above all. However that may be, here the Apostle suggests and proves that He is exalted.

See how he first places them on a lower step, saying, "whom He appointed heir of all things." For "appointed heir" does not signify a lofty matter. Then he places them on a higher step, adding, "through whom also He made the ages."

Then he places them on the very highest step, after which there is no other: "He, being the radiance of His glory and the image of His hypostasis."

See how here also he opens two paths. He warns us against the novelties of Sabellius and Arius. The first denied the remaining distinction of persons in the essence of God. The second tore the one essence apart by making the Son unequal to the Father.

He powerfully refutes both. How does he do this? He speaks alternately in both ways, so that they may not think that the Son is without beginning, or that He is alien to God.

Do not be surprised at what has been said, beloved. Even after such proofs, there are people who consider the Son alien to the Father, give Him another father, and even say that He opposes the Father. What would they not have said if he had not said this?

When it is necessary to heal those in error, he finds it necessary to say something lowly. Thus he says, "whom He appointed heir of all things," and again, "through whom also He made the ages."

Then, so as not to cause harm in another respect, he passes from expressions that signify condescension to expressions that signify authority. He shows that the Son is equal in honor to the Father, and so equal in honor that many regarded Him as the Father.

See the Apostle's great wisdom. First he sets forth the former point and firmly proves it. Once he has proved that He is the Son of God and not alien to the Father, then without danger he presents all the exalted things he wished to present.

Since, by presenting exalted things about Him, he could lead many to the thought just mentioned, the Apostle first sets forth what is lowly. Then, without danger, he ascends to the height he wished.

After saying, "whom He appointed heir of all things," and, "through whom also He made the ages," he then adds, "upholding all things by the word of His power." He who governs all things by one word cannot need anyone in order to produce all things.

That this is really so, see how in the following words the Apostle ascribes authority to Him and no longer says, "through whom." Having said that God made what He wished through Him, he then leaves this expression and says, "In the beginning, You, Lord, founded the earth, and the heavens are the work of Your hands" (Heb 1:10).

He no longer says, "through whom," that is, that He made the ages through Him. But how then? Were they not made by Him? Certainly, but not as you say, not as you imagine. Not as through an instrument, and not as though He would not have made them unless the Father had lent Him a helping hand.

Just as "the Father judges no one," but is said to judge through the Son (Jn 5:22), because He begot Him as Judge, so also He creates through Him, because He begot Him as Creator. If the Father is His beginning, then much more is He the beginning of what was created by Him.

Therefore, when the Apostle wishes to show that the Son is from Him, he necessarily speaks in lowly terms. But when he wishes to speak loftily, a blow is dealt to Marcellus and Sabellius.

The Church has escaped the extremes of both groups and walks the middle way. It does not stop at the lowly expressions, lest Paul of Samosata find refuge. Nor is it limited only to the lofty expressions. At the same time it shows the Son's great nearness to the Father, so that Sabellius may not object.

When he said "Son," Paul of Samosata immediately rises up and says that He is a son like many others. But the Apostle inflicted a mortal wound on him by adding, "heir of all things."

Yet he still acts shamelessly together with Arius. The words "whom He appointed heir of all things" are accepted by both of them. The first asserts that these words signify weakness. The second tries to reinterpret even the words that follow.

Paul said, "through whom also He made the ages," and by this he decisively overthrew the shameless Paul of Samosata. Yet Arius still seems to hold his ground. See then how the Apostle overthrew him also, saying next, "He, being the radiance of glory."

Notice also the word “to us.” Here he unites and compares both them and himself with the disciples.

Though He did not speak to them directly, but to the apostles and through them to the rest, nevertheless he exalts the matter.

He shows that He spoke also to them, and this is for consolation.

“Whom He appointed heir of all things.” That is, He made Him Lord of the whole world.

No longer is Jacob the Lord’s portion, but all things are.

He said “heir,” showing both the truth of His sonship and the inalienability of His lordship.

How, then, did He make Him Lord? According to His humanity, as He also says in the second Psalm: “Ask of Me, and I will give Thee the nations for Thine inheritance” (Ps 2:8).

Of what lordship does he speak here? Of lordship over those who submit voluntarily, that is, freely.

For this lordship was given to the Son as man when He was acknowledged by all.

But He had authority by nature, and authority over those who submit unwillingly, before all ages.

As it is said: “All things serve Thee” (Ps 118:91).

“Through Whom also He made the ages.” Having spoken of the Son’s flesh, which was formed in time, the Apostle at last raises you to the height of His pre-eternal Godhead.

Where are those who say, “There was a time when He was not”? He Himself created the ages.

How, then, were there ages when He was not?

Since the Father is the cause of the Son, it is just that He is also the cause of everything that came to be through the Son.

Therefore the Apostle says, “through Him.”

For the Father is shown to be the One acting because He begot the Son, the Creator.

Here Sabellius too is struck down, since two persons are spoken of.

Paul of Samosata also receives a mortal blow, for he says that the Son is not eternal, but began from Mary.

Arius is also struck down by this passage, though not too strongly.

He gives the phrase “through Whom” the meaning of some assistance, calling the Son the Father’s helper.

But the words that follow in order strike Arius down as well.

For at the end of the ages the Son Himself spoke with us through Himself, so that a prophet or the voice of the saints was no longer an intermediary. The Only-begotten, having become like us, addressed the word to us through Himself. We say that the Father spoke in the Son not as through some separate man, who is an intermediary and transmits to us not his own words, but another’s. Rather, He spoke by His own voice, through the body of the Son who was speaking to us. For this flesh belonged to the Only-begotten Himself, and not to someone else. For, being God by nature, He became man while remaining God. He then revealed the hidden counsel of God the Father. Therefore “His name is the Angel of great counsel” (Isa 9:5).

Thus Paul rightly says that God the Father spoke to us “in the last days” (Heb 1:2a) in the Son. For he knew that Emmanuel is God, and that the Word from the Father became, in His humanity, one of us. He recognized the Free One in the form of a servant (cf. Phil 2:7). He confessed the fullness of Him who emptied Himself for our sake (cf. Phil 2:7). He contemplated the height of glory of Him who brought Himself down into humiliation for our sake (cf. Phil 2:8). For this reason also, it is said, He was appointed “Heir of all things” (Heb 1:2b), although He possesses the universe, since He is God in thought and reality. Indeed, He ascends again into His own wealth even with the flesh, for He in no way remained in poverty as we do. He did not become flesh in order to remain poor with us, having rejected His own wealth proper to God. Rather, He did so that we, who suffer from the lack of divine grace, might become rich through His poverty (cf. 2 Cor 8:9).

The inheritance of Christ (Ps 2:8; Heb 1:2b)

Therefore, as man, according to the divine economy, He was appointed “Heir of all things” (Heb 1:2b), so that He might then save, as His own rightful inheritance, those on earth who were criminally torn apart by the devil and the evil powers with him. Therefore God the Father says to Him, “Ask of Me, and I will give Thee the nations for Thine inheritance” (Ps 2:8), and what follows. When His end drew near, He said to His Father concerning us, “Those whom Thou gavest Me out of the world were Thine, and Thou gavest them to Me” (Jn 17:6).

Notice, then, how He ascends even with His flesh to the wealth that is His by nature. Indeed, if those who were in the world belonged to the Father, how can they not be considered also to belong to the Word who reigns with Him? Therefore He also said, “All Mine are Thine, and Thine are Mine, and I am glorified in them” (Jn 17:10). How, then, is He commanded to ask, and how does He receive the nations as His inheritance, although He possesses the ends of the earth? The Creator of all and Father, wishing to save man, who senselessly turned aside from obedient service to God, sent into this world His Only-begotten God the Word. He did this so that the Word, having become flesh and dwelling among men as man, might proclaim release to captives, sight to the blind, and the acceptable year of the Lord (cf. Isa 61:1-2).

The divinity of Christ (Heb 1:2c)

Therefore, even if it can be said that He received the inheritance and that He was appointed Heir (cf. Heb 1:2b) because of His humanity, we recognize in this the divine economy. For how did He become altogether poor (cf. 2 Cor 8:9), unless He became like us, that is, man, while remaining God? The divine Paul, persuading us to think in this way, necessarily added, “through whom also He made the ages” (Heb 1:2c).

How can this also be true? If the Holy Virgin bore Emmanuel for us in the last times of the age, how can it be said that the ages were created through Him? With full reason. For the Word from God the Father, begotten before every age and time, is said to have been born according to the flesh from a woman “at the end of these days” (Heb 1:2a). The newness of the divine economy in no way diminishes Him who is such by nature with respect to His antiquity proper to God. Nor does the antiquity of His existence destroy His own glory. For it is written that “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and unto the ages” (Heb 13:8).

When He appeared in the flesh, He testified to His antiquity in the divine nature. He confirmed this by saying to the Jews, “Amen, amen, I say to you: before Abraham was born, I am” (Jn 8:58). The divine Evangelist John also said, “He who comes after me has come before me, because He was before me” (Jn 1:15). For Christ is rich (cf. 2 Cor 8:9) and has preeminence (cf. Col 1:18) in all things.

But the monks presented the matter to him by saying that these kings were Christians and could be scandalized if the letters were rejected.

Therefore Antony allowed them to be read and answered these messages.

He praised the kings because they worshiped Christ and gave them saving counsels not to value the present highly.

Rather, they should remember the future judgment and know that Christ is the one true and eternal King.

He also asked the kings to be humane, to care for justice and for the poor.

They received the answer with joy. Thus he was beloved by all, and thus all wished to have him as father.

An “age” is not some essence, but something without independent existence, accompanying what has a created nature.

The span from the foundation of the world to its consummation is called an age.

So also the Lord said: “Lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age” (Mt 28:20).

Divine David also called the time of each of our lives an age, for he says: “Our age is in the light of Thy countenance” (Ps 89:8).

The divine Apostle called the state of the future life an age, for he says: “not only in this age, but also in the one to come” (Eph 1:21).

And again: “that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us” (Eph 2:7).

Therefore an “age” is a span of time joined to created nature.

The Apostle called the Son Creator of the ages, teaching and instructing us that He is eternal.

For He has always been above every span of time whatsoever.

Thus the Old Testament Scripture says of God the Father: “He Who is before the ages” (Ps 54:20), that is, He Who always is.

Then, since by calling Him Son he declared Him eternal, this seemed incredible to those uninitiated in the divine mysteries.

It seemed that the Son could not be later in time than Him Who begot Him.

Therefore the Apostle proves the truth of theology through a visible likeness.

For what time is to that which depends on time, the age is to the eternal.

Thus people speak of seven ages of this world, from the creation of heaven and earth to the common end of human existence and the Resurrection.

For on the one hand there is a particular end, the death of each person.

On the other hand there is also a common and perfect end, when the General Resurrection of mankind will take place.

The eighth age is the Age to Come.

Before the ordering of the world, when there was no sun dividing day from night, there was no age that could be measured.

Rather, there was a kind of temporal motion and extension that ran beside and together with what is eternal.

In this sense, of course, there is one age, since God too is called Eternal.

But He is also called Pre-eternal, for He made the age itself.

For God alone, Who alone is without beginning, is Himself the Creator of all things, both of the ages and of all that exists.

It is clear that when I speak of God, I mean the Father, His Only-begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, and His All-holy Spirit, our one God.

People also speak of “ages of ages,” since the seven ages of the present world embrace many ages, that is, human lives.

They also speak of one age that contains all ages.

The present age and the Age to Come are called the age of the age.

Eternal Life and eternal punishment indicate the endlessness of the Age to Come.

For after the Resurrection, time will no longer be counted by days and nights.

Rather, there will be one day without evening, since the Sun of Righteousness will shine brightly upon the righteous.

For sinners there will be a deep and endless night.

Therefore God, Who created absolutely everything and exists before the ages, is the one Creator of all ages.

“Through Whom also,” he says, “He made the ages.” That is, the ages are the common work of Him and the Father.

If the ages are the common work of the Father and the Son, then likewise what is in the ages is certainly the common possession of the Father and the Son.

And if what is in the ages is common, then much more what is after the ages, namely the world and what is in it.

“Through Whom also He made the ages.” Where are those who say, “There was a time when the Son was not”?

For the Creator of the ages is not under time.

Since the Father is the Cause of the Son, He is, of course, the Cause also of what came from Him.

Therefore he says, “through Whom.” For the Father, Who begot the Son, the Creator, is understood to create.

According to them, the Apostle tried to prove that Christ is higher than they because He is their Creator.

But this would mean that the Apostle admitted the existence of aeons and acknowledged only their subordination to Christ.

He could not have done this.

Therefore here one must understand by “ages” either the world or the time of the world’s existence.

The Apostle shows the creation of the ages by Christ not without purpose.

He does so to show His eternity, and at the same time the dependence of Old Testament teaching on Him.

He Who spoke to us in the last days existed eternally.

The same One Who gave being to all things also proclaimed through the ancient prophets.

This thought immediately raised the apostolic word to a considerable height in their eyes. In the believer it enlivened and exalted faith. In the unbeliever it stirred attention and summoned him to examine what this word truly is and how it is.

“In the last of these days” means in these last days, recently, not long before this, in our own memory. One may even add, “we heard with our ears” (1 Jn 1:1), as Saint John the Theologian begins his first epistle.

These last days are last in relation to those preceding them. From Adam onward God began to speak to men, and He passed over no generation without speaking. At last He spoke also in our time, the last time.

This word “last” gives two thoughts. The end of the promises has come, and the revelation given to us is final. Among the prophets such expressions are often heard: the last end of days, the last days. Almost all of them indicate the time appointed for the coming of the promised Deliverer.

By using this expression, the Apostle expressly teaches that the last days of which the prophets speak have already taken place in the course of time and its events. Therefore, give heed.

“He who spoke in the prophets has spoken in the Son.” The Son is placed beside the prophets as God’s instrument in declaring the will of God. Yet from the very word and manner of expression it is clear that the prophets cannot be compared with Him.

It was not yet time for the Apostle to explain what the Son is. He will explain this afterward. Here he gives only a hint that He is Someone higher, and this was enough for the beginning.

Blessed Theodoret writes: “The Apostle clearly showed the difference between Christ the Master and the prophets, for he called Him alone Son.”

Those who had already received the Gospel could not fail to recall the words of Saint John the Theologian: “No one has ever seen God; the Only-begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him” (Jn 1:18).

They could only conclude that the word of the Son possesses a superiority which not only the prophets, but none even of the most perfect spirits, can possess.

Saint Chrysostom draws from this: “The superiority of the new revelation lies not only in this, that prophets were sent to them, while the Son was sent to us. It lies also in this, that none of them saw God, but the Only-begotten Son saw Him.”

“Whom He appointed heir of all things.” Saint Paul begins to show what the Son is. The first thing is that He is the heir. The name Son called forth the designation heir, for a son is naturally an heir (Gal 4:7).

God appointed Him heir. “Appointed” may mean that from eternity He determined Him to be heir, in the pre-eternal Trinitarian counsel. Or it may mean that He has now made Him heir, brought Him into the inheritance, and placed the inheritance in His hands.

Both may be joined thus: He who was appointed heir from eternity has now been brought into the inheritance and has received it. Yet the Apostle had chiefly the latter in view.

This is clear because he speaks of the Lord and Savior as the One who declared the Father’s will to men. He did this in the incarnate divine economy.

While He lived among men, He told men what He had heard from the Father. But when, after His Passion, He rose, ascended into heaven, and sat at the right hand of the Father, then He became heir of all things.

Panton means of all things. Of what, then, is He heir? A son ordinarily inherits his father’s possession. Of what possession is Christ the Lord heir? Of the whole possession of the Father.

Is it the divine nature? No. The divine nature is not inherited by Him, but is His in the very begetting. The Lord and Savior, as God the Son, possesses all that is divine by nature. He does not inherit it according to the divine economy.

Saint Chrysostom says: “What does ‘He appointed Him heir’ mean? That He made Him Lord of all. The Apostle uses the title ‘Heir’ to express two ideas: the truth of the Sonship and the inalienability of the dominion.”

It is evident that this is said in relation to the incarnate divine economy. By His divine nature the Son of God is Lord of all, and is not brought into this lordship. If He is brought into it, this is according to His humanity.

He Himself said this after the Resurrection: “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth” (Mt 28:18). This is the same as saying: I have now been brought into dominion over all things.

Blessed Theodoret writes: “Christ the Master is heir of all things, not as God, but as man. As God, He is the Creator of all things. The Maker of all is by nature Master of all. But an heir becomes master over what he did not formerly rule.”

All things have been given into the hands of the Lord and Savior for the fulfillment of the purpose of the incarnate divine economy. Thus He directs all the heavenly and earthly powers, and every creature, toward this one end, and gathers around Himself all who are being saved.

On the other hand, it is also so that through human nature, which in the body contains all the powers and elements of the world, He may bring restorative powers into the world.

Thus, above its coarse visible form, He invisibly builds within it a better world, which will appear in all its majesty on the last day.

In the Epistle to the Ephesians Saint Paul had already written that God “in Christ Jesus summed up all things, things in heaven and things on earth” (Eph 1:10).

Through the Resurrection and His sitting at the right hand of the Father, He became “far above every principality and authority” and “every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.”

God put all things under His feet. “He gave Him as head over all things” (Eph 1:20-22). Or, as in the Epistle to the Philippians: “He highly exalted Him and gave Him the name which is above every name.”

This was “that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and on earth, and under the earth” (Phil 2:9-10).

Under the inheritance one may understand more particularly all mankind. This is in distinction from the Old Testament divine economy. Then only Israel was God’s portion and His possession. Now all nations are His, as was foretold through the prophet David: “I will give Thee the nations for Thy inheritance” (Ps 2:8).

Blessed Theophylact writes: “Whom He appointed heir of all things,” that is, He made Him Lord of the whole world. It is no longer Jacob alone who is the Lord’s portion, but all.

Of what dominion, then, does the Apostle speak here? He speaks of dominion over those who would willingly and freely submit to Him. It is a moral dominion, for He always possessed natural dominion, even over those unwilling toward Him, as it is said: “All things are Thy servants” (Ps 118:91).

After this, it is understandable what superiority there is in this, that God spoke to us in the Son, “whom He appointed heir of all things.” He spoke through such a person, above whom there is no one.

Therefore, if there were any need for men to have something further spoken to them, there would be no one through whom to speak. The last word has been spoken. Either listen and be saved, or perish if you will not listen.

“Through whom also He made the ages.” That the Savior was appointed heir may seem to be the fruit of the completion of the divine economy of salvation. But that “through Him also He made the ages” cannot be a gift. It belongs to His nature.

Therefore the Apostle here leads us up to the vision of the Godhead in the person of the Savior. The Apostle speaks as though saying: God made Him heir, but He Himself is also God.

He gradually raises the mind. First he indicates that in Christ Jesus God spoke. Then he says that, after this speaking was completed, He was set over all things and received all into His hands.

Now he indicates God in Him, but not directly. He does so by ascribing creation to Him: “Through Him God made the ages.” Creation already pointed directly to the Godhead, for to create belongs to God alone.

Yet the Apostle refrains from such a proclamation and leaves it so that in the souls of the readers it may of itself be proclaimed: therefore He is God. The Apostle sets forth only the foundation for this confession.

“By these words the Apostle indicated the Godhead” (Theodoret).

If the Apostle had limited himself only to indicating that He is heir of all things, someone might have thought that this was a gift of grace or of God’s mercy. But by indicating creation, he directly prepares the way for confessing Him also as God (Photius and Oecumenius).

“An age is not some substance, but something without independent existence, accompanying that which has a created nature. It is a product of time, joined to created natures” (Theodoret).

Because of this inseparability of the age, or time, from created things, the creation of the age is inseparable from the creation of things. To say “the ages were made” is the same as saying that all creatures were made.

Yet one may also fix attention on the age, or time, abstractly, and draw a separate conclusion from this. The ages were made by the Lord Jesus. Therefore He is before all ages, that is, eternal.

This is a new indication of the Godhead, for eternity has place only in God.

Blessed Theodoret writes: “The Apostle called the Son the Creator of the ages, teaching and instructing that He is eternal, because He was always above every temporal extension whatsoever. Thus the Old Testament Scripture says of God, ‘He who is before the ages’ (Ps 54:20), that is, He who always is.”

“Where are you, who say that there was a time when He was not?” (Chrysostom). “He Himself created the ages. How then were there ages when He was not?” (Theophylact).

Thus, by speaking of the creation wrought by the Son, the Apostle removed every low conception from His appointment as heir. At the same time, he gave us to understand that this last thing is not an addition to His nature.

It is a natural property of the Son as God, which remains unchangeable even after the Incarnation, which did not diminish it in the least.