---
title: "Hebrews 1 - Study King James Bible with barnes notes on the whole bible"
description: "Read Hebrews 1 with barnes notes on the whole bible commentary. 1 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, 2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son,"
image: "/_app/immutable/assets/missing.C7wGMEZ6.jpg"
url: "https://realbiblebelievers.com/study/barnes-notes-on-the-whole-bible/hebrews/1"
---

[ Read](/kjv/hebrews/1)[ Commentary](/study/hebrews/1)[ Interlinear](/interlinear/hebrews/1) Audio

 1 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,

 2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by *his* Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;

 3 Who being the brightness of *his* glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;

 4 Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.

 5 For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son?

 6 And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him.

 7 And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire.

 8 But unto the Son *he saith*, Thy throne, O God, *is* for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness *is* the sceptre of thy kingdom.

 9 Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, *even* thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.

 10 And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands:

 11 They shall perish; but thou remainest; and they all shall wax old as doth a garment;

 12 And as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed: but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail.

 13 But to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool?

 14 Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?
 
[Philemon 1](/study/philemon/1) [Hebrews 2](/study/hebrews/2)

## Commentary

 To verse 1
 
**God who at sundry times -**The commencement of this Epistle varies from all the others which Paul wrote. In every other instance he at first announces his name, and the name of the church or of the individual to whom he wrote. In regard to the reason why he here varies from that custom, see the introduction, section 3. This commences with the full acknowledgment of his belief that God had made important revelations in past times, but that now he had communicated his will in a manner that more especially claimed their attention. This announcement was of particular importance here. He was writing to those who had been trained up in the full belief of the truths taught by the prophets. As the object of the apostle was to show the superior claims of the gospel, and to lead them from putting confidence in the rites instituted in accordance with the directions of the Old Testament, it was of essential importance that he should admit that their belief of the inspiration of the prophets was well founded. 

He was not an infidel. He was not disposed to call in question the divine origin of the books which were regarded as given by inspiration. He fully admitted all that had been held by the Hebrews on that heart, and yet showed that the new revelation had more important claims to their attention. The word rendered “at sundry times” - πολυμερῶς polumerōs - means “in many parts.” It refers here to the fact that the former revelation had been given in various parts. It had not all been given at once. It had been communicated from time to time as the exigencies of the people required, and as God chose to communicate it. At one time it was by history, then by prophecy, by poetry, by proverbs, by some solemn and special message, etc. The ancient revelation was a collection of various writings, on different subjects, and given at different times; but now God had addressed us by His Son - the one great Messenger who had come to finish the divine communications, and to give a uniform and connected revelation to mankind. The contrast here is between the numerous separate parts of the revelation given by the prophets, and the oneness of that given by his Son. The word does not occur elsewhere in the New Testament. 

**And in divers manners -** - πολυτρόπως polutropōs. In many ways. It was not all in one mode. He had employed various methods in communicating his will. At one time it was by direct communication, at another by dreams, at another by visions, etc. In regard to the various methods which God employed to communicate his will, see Introduction to Isaiah, section 7. In contradistinction from these, God had now spoken by his Son. He had addressed us in one uniform manner. It was not by dreams, or visions; it was a direct communication from him. The word used here, also, occurs nowhere else in the New Testament. 

**In times past -**Formerly; in ancient times. The series of revelations began, as recorded by Moses, with Adam [Genesis 3:0](/kjv/genesis/3/0), and terminated with Malachi - a period of more than three thousand five hundred years. From Malachi to the time of the Saviour there were no recorded divine communications, and the whole period of written revelation, or when the divine communications were recorded from Moses to Malachi, was about a thousand years. 

**Unto the fathers -**To our ancestors; to the people of ancient times. 

**By the prophets -**The word “prophet” in the Scriptures is used in a wide signification. It means not only those who predict future events, but these who communicate the divine will on any subject. See [Romans 12:6](/kjv/romans/12/6) note; [1 Corinthians 14:1](/kjv/1-corinthians/14/1) note. It is used here in that large sense - as denoting all those by whom God had made communications to the Jews in former times.

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