John Calvin Commentary Hebrews 1:2

"hath at the end of these days spoken unto us in [his] Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom also he made the worlds;" — Hebrews 1:2 (ASV)

God formerly, etc. This beginning is to commend the doctrine taught by Christ, for it shows that we ought not only reverently to receive it but also to be satisfied with it alone. To understand this more clearly, we must observe the contrast between each of the clauses.

First, the Son of God is set in opposition to the prophets; then we to the fathers; and thirdly, the various and manifold modes of speaking which God employed with the fathers, as opposed to the final revelation brought to us by Christ. But in this diversity, he still presents to us only one God, so that no one might think that the Law conflicts with the Gospel, or that the author of one is not the author of the other.

Therefore, so that you may understand the full meaning of this passage, the following arrangement will be given—

This foundation being laid, the agreement between the Law and the Gospel is established; for God, who is always like himself, and whose word is the same, and whose truth is unchangeable, has spoken concerning both in common.

But we must notice the difference between us and the fathers, for God formerly addressed them in a way different from that which he adopts toward us now. And first, indeed, in their case, he employed the prophets, but he has appointed his Son to be an ambassador to us.

Our condition, then, in this respect, is superior to that of the fathers. Even Moses is also to be classed among the prophets, as he is one of those who are inferior to the Son.

In the manner also in which revelation was made, we have an advantage over them. For the diversity of visions and other means adopted under the Old Testament was an indication that it was not yet a settled state of things, as when matters are put completely in order.

Hence he says, multifariously and in many ways. God would indeed have followed the same mode perpetually to the end, had that mode been perfect and complete. It therefore follows that this variety was an evidence of imperfection.

I understand the two words thus: I refer multifariously to a diversity in times, for the Greek word πολυμερῶς, which we may render “in many parts,” as is usually the case when we intend to speak more fully later; but πολυτροπῶς points out a diversity, as I think, in the very manner itself.

And when he speaks of the last times, he implies that there is no longer any reason to expect any new revelation, for it was not a word in part that Christ brought, but the final conclusion.

It is in this sense that the Apostles understand the last times and the last days. And Paul means the same when he says, “Upon whom the ends of the world are come.” (1 Corinthians 10:11).

If God then has now spoken for the last time, it is right to advance this far; so also when you come to Christ, you ought not to go further. And it is very necessary for us to know these two things.

For it was a great hindrance to the Jews that they did not consider that God had postponed a fuller revelation to a later time; therefore, being satisfied with their own Law, they did not hasten forward to the goal.

But since Christ has appeared, an opposite evil began to prevail in the world, for men wished to advance beyond Christ. What else indeed is the whole system of Popery but the overleaping of the boundary which the Apostle has fixed?

So then, as the Spirit of God in this passage invites all to come as far as Christ, he also forbids them to go beyond the last time which he mentions. In short, the Gospel is here made the limit of our wisdom.

Whom he has appointed, heir, etc. He honors Christ with high commendations to lead us to show him reverence; for since the Father has subjected all things to him, we are all under his authority.

He also implies that no good can be found apart from him, as he is the heir of all things. It therefore follows that we must be very miserable and destitute of all good things unless he supplies us with his treasures.

He further adds that this honor of possessing all things belongs by right to the Son, because all things have been created by him. At the same time, these two things are ascribed to Christ for different reasons.

The world was created by him, as he is the eternal wisdom of God, which is said to have been the director of all God’s works from the beginning. And hence the eternity of Christ is proved, for he must have existed before the world was created by him. If, then, we inquire into his duration, it will be found that it has no beginning.

Nor does it detract from his power that he is said to have created the world, as though he did not create it by himself. According to the most usual way of speaking in Scripture, the Father is called the Creator; and it is added in some places that the world was created by wisdom, by the word, by the Son, as though wisdom itself had been the creator [or the word, or the Son]. But still we must observe that there is a difference of persons between the Father and the Son, not only with regard to humanity, but with regard to God himself.

But the unity of essence requires that whatever is peculiar to Deity should belong to the Son as well as to the Father, and also that whatever is attributed to God alone should belong to both. And yet there is nothing in this to prevent each Person from having His own peculiar properties.

But the word heir is ascribed to Christ as manifested in the flesh; for being made man, he put on our nature, and as such received this heirship, so that he might restore to us what we had lost in Adam.

For God had at the beginning constituted man, as his son, the heir of all good things; but through sin the first man became alienated from God and deprived himself and his posterity of all good things, as well as of the favor of God.

We therefore only then begin to enjoy by right the good things of God when Christ, the universal heir, admits us to a union with himself; for he is an heir so that he may endow us with his riches.

But the Apostle now adorns him with this title so that we may know that without him we are destitute of all good things.

If you take all in the masculine gender, the meaning is that we ought all to be subject to Christ, because we have been given to him by the Father. But I prefer reading it in the neuter gender; then it means that we are driven from the legitimate possession of all things, both in heaven and on earth, unless we are united to Christ.