SUMMARY
The same God who spoke through Israel’s prophets speaks by means of Jesus the Son.
ANALYSIS
Hebrews begins by announcing that the God who spoke in many and various ways through the prophets has now spoken in a singular way through a Son, Jesus. These opening lines recognize that people know God because God has chosen to communicate with them. Israel’s prophets revealed God’s will through their words and actions, and this same God communicates in a new way through Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. In the verses that follow, the author quotes many passages from the various parts of the Old Testament canon (the Law, the Prophets, and the Psalms) to show the glory of the Son of God. By his suffering and death, Jesus made purification for human sin, and he has now been exalted to a position of majesty at God’s right hand. This grand opening calls readers to place their trust in the living Son of God.
