The Relationship of Jewish and Gentile Believers to the Law Between A.D. 30 and 70 in the Scripture

A o 8Eoc; Aa.t.tjaac; . . . f.v TOL<; npo<j>tjTat<; . . . EACXAf'IOEV .. . f.v ul4l God spoke to the fathers . . . through the prophets . . . he has spoken . B ov £8f'IKEV KAflpovoµov TTCXVTWV Whom he appointed heir of everything C Cl' 00 Kat E.TTOlf'IOEV TOU<; alwvac; and who is the one through whom he created the world 10 (1-2a) . by a Son (2b) (2c) ci oc; WV dnauyaaµa . . . Kat xapaKT~P . . . q,tpwv TE Ta TTCXVTa (3a-b) who is the radiance . . . and exact representation . . and sustains the universe B 1 Ka8aptaµov ... TTOl riaaµEvoc;, E.Ka8taEV f.v CE~l~ (3c) having made purification for sins, sat down at the right hand A I TOOOUT4) KpdTTWY yEvoµEvoc; TWV dyyt).wv 004) 8ta<j>opwTEpov nap ' mhouc; KEKAT)pOYOµT)KEY ovoµa . (4) having become as much greater than the angels as the name which he has inherited is superior to theirs. The section begins (1:1-2a) and ends (1:4) by affirming the superior nature of God 's final revelation in contrast to old revelation. The revelation of God in the Old Testament may be described by referring to the human messengers, the prophets (1: 1), or the divine messengers, the angels (1:4). Thus the transition to angels in verse four is not really a transition to a new subject but simply a different perspective of the same subject. It is therefore not as abrupt a one not familiar with the role of angels as intermediaries of divine revelation might suppose. The Old Testament dispensation can be characterized as either prophetic (with reference to human messengers) or as angelic (with reference to the divine messenger ) .. Thus, the fulfillment of the prophetic word in the Son, and the excellence of hi name over that of the angels, are parallel concepts. 8 The second level of the chiasm make u e of two cla ic Old Te tament ref r n - e in describing Jesus as the royal son and royal prie t. 9 The affirmation of Je u a th appointed heir of all things in 1:2b (' whom he appointed h ir f everything") refl t th 8 Robin on , 'The Lit rary tructure of Hebrew 1:1-4 ," 1 0- 1. and th c n rnin Willi m L ur nthr n m nt mm nt r , 1. 7 (D 11 11 kn n, 1),