Hebrews 1:1-4

Hebrews 1:1-4

[1] God,  who at sundry times  and  in divers manners  spake  in time past  unto the fathers  by  the prophets,  [2] in  last  days  spoken  by  his Son,  whom  he hath appointed  heir  of all things,  by  whom  also  he made  the worlds;  [3] Who  the brightness  of his glory,  and  the express image  of his  person,  and  upholding  all things  by the word  of his  power,  by  purged  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. 

What does Hebrews 1:1-4 Mean?

Contextual Meaning

The writer began his epistle with an affirmation of Jesus Christ"s greatness to introduce his readers to his subject. This section is one sentence in the Greek text. It contrasts God"s old revelation with the new, specifically by presenting God"s Son as superior to all other previous modes of revelation.
"It would be misleading to think of Hebrews 1:1-4 as stating a thesis to be proved, or as giving a prcis of the following argument. The author proceeds rather by an interweaving of themes, as in musical composition." [1]
"The literary structure of the exordium [2] exhibits a concentric symmetry (A [3] B [4] C [5] C" [6] B" [7] A" [8]): the conceptual correspondence of Hebrews 1:1; Hebrews 1:4 serves to frame the several statements concerning the Son in Hebrews 1:2-3 ..."
"The core of the exordium (B C C" B") describes Jesus in an arresting way as the royal Song of Solomon , divine Wisdom of Solomon , and the royal Priest." [9]