1God, having in the past spoken to the fathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, 2has at the end of these days spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom also he made the worlds. 3His Son is the radiance of his glory, the very image of his substance, and upholding all things by the word of his power, who, when he had by himself purified us of our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high, 4having become as much better than the angels as the more excellent name he has inherited is better than theirs. 5For to which of the angels did he say at any time,
“You are my Son.
Today I have become your father?”
and again,
“I will be to him a Father,
and he will be to me a Son?”
6When he again brings in the firstborn into the world he says, “Let all the angels of God worship him.” 7Of the angels he says,
“He makes his angels winds,
and his servants a flame of fire.”
8But of the Son he says,
“Your throne, O God, is forever and ever.
The scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your Kingdom.
9You have loved righteousness and hated iniquity;
therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness above your fellows.”
10And,
“You, Lord, in the beginning, laid the foundation of the earth.
The heavens are the works of your hands.
11They will perish, but you continue.
They all will grow old like a garment does.
12You will roll them up like a mantle,
and they will be changed;
but you are the same.
Your years won’t fail.”
13But which of the angels has he told at any time,
“Sit at my right hand,
until I make your enemies the footstool of your feet?”
14Aren’t they all serving spirits, sent out to do service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation?
This passage marks a significant shift in divine revelation: whereas God previously spoke through prophets in various ways, He now speaks definitively through His Son (Hebrews 1:1-2).
The phrase “last days” refers to the Messianic era, signifying the transformation of the Jewish covenant into its fulfillment in Christ (2 Timothy 3:1). The New Testament does not suggest that the Gentile Church replaced Israel as God’s chosen people. Rather, as Romans 11 demonstrates, God brought together believing Jews and Gentiles into a fulfilled Chosen People, not a replaced one.
Thus, unbelieving Jews like Annas and Caiaphas and unbelieving Gentiles like Nero were outside the Ekklesia—the called-out community of the New Covenant or “Church.” Membership in this covenant was open to all, requiring only that they confess Jesus as Lord and believe in His resurrection (Romans 10:9-10).
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus declared, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly, I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not a single jot, not a stroke of a pen, will disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished” (Matt 5:17-18, emphasis added).
Jesus did not say the Law would never pass away—He set two conditions for its fulfillment, each marked by the word “until”:
The end of the world (heaven and earth pass away).
The completion of His mission (everything is accomplished).
The second “until” came before the first. Jesus signaled this fulfillment on the Cross when He proclaimed, “It is finished” (John 19:30). Later, at the dawn of the New Heaven and New Earth, He reaffirmed, “It is finished. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end.” (Revelation 21:6).
Thus, Mosaic Law ceased to be in force after Christ’s mission was completed—even during the apostolic age (Acts 10:9-16, 28; 15:28-29; Romans 6:14; 10:4; 2 Corinthians 3:7-11; Galatians 3:10, 13, 24-25; 5:18; Colossians 2:14-17; Hebrews 8:13).
“By His Son”—Unlike prophets and angels, Christ is the ultimate revelation of God’s will, speaking directly and fully as the One eternally in the Father’s presence (John 1:18).
A Greater Revelation—The gospel surpasses all prior revelations, offering a clearer understanding of:
“Heir of all things”—Christ’s divine authority extends over all creation, fulfilling Psalm 2:8.
“Through whom He made the worlds”—As the eternal Word, Christ was instrumental in creation (John 1:3; Col 1:16; Heb 1:10), proving His preexistence and divinity.
Since Christ is both Creator and ultimate Judge, believers find complete assurance in His authority. The apostle’s argument in Hebrews hinges on Christ’s supremacy, demonstrating that the New Covenant is greater, final, and complete.