God Who At Sundry Times And In Divers Manners Spake In Time Past Unto The Fathers By The Prophets, Hath At The End Of Th
HOMILY I
HEB. 1:1, 2.
GOD WHO AT SUNDRY TIMES AND IN DIVERS MANNERS SPAKE IN TIME PAST UNTO THE FATHERS BY THE PROPHETS, HATH AT THE END OF THE DAYS SPOKEN UNTO US BY HIS SON: WHOM HE HATH APPOINTED HEIR OF ALL THINGS, BY WHOM ALSO HE MADE THE WORLDS.
[1.] TRULY, where sin abounded, grace did much more abound This at least the blessed Paul intimates here also, in the very beginning of his Epistle to the Hebrews. For inasmuch as it was likely that they, afflicted, worn out as they had been by their evils, and judging of things thereby, would think themselves worse off than all other men,—he shews that herein they had rather been made partakers of greater grace, even very exceeding; arousing the hearer at the very opening of his discourse. Wherefore he saith, God who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in times past unto the fathers by the Prophets, hath at the end of the days spoken unto us by His Son.
Why did he [Paul] not oppose himself to the prophets? Certainly, he was much greater than they, inasmuch as a greater trust was committed to him. Yet he doth not so. What could be the reason? First, to avoid speaking great things concerning himself. Secondly, because his hearers were not yet perfect. And thirdly, because he rather wished to exalt them, and to shew that their superiority was great. As if he had said, What so great matter is it that He sent prophets to our fathers? For to us [He has sent] His own only-begotten Son Himself.
And well did he begin thus, At sundry times and in divers manners, for he points out that not even the prophets themselves saw God; nevertheless, the Son saw Him. For the expressions, at sundry times and in divers manners are the same as “in different ways.” For I (saith He) have multiplied visions, and used similitudes by the ministry of the Prophets. Wherefore the excellency consists not in this alone, that to them indeed prophets were sent, but to us the Son; but in that from among them no one saw God, but the Only-begotten Son saw Him. He doth not indeed at once assert this, but by what he saith afterwards he establishes it, when he speaks concerning His human nature; For to which of the Angels said He, Thou art My Son, and, Sit thou on My right hand?
And look thou on his great wisdom. First he shews this superiority from the prophets. Then having maintained this as an acknowledged truth, he declares that to them indeed He spake by the prophets, but to us by the Only-begotten. Then [He spake] to them by Angels, and this again he establishes, with good reason (for it is true that angels also held converse with the Jews): yet even herein we have the superiority, inasmuch as the Master [spake] to us, but to them the servants, and prophets the fellow-servants.
[2.] Well also said he, at the end of the days, for by this also he stirs them up and encourages them in their utter despondency. For as he saith also in another place, The Lord is at hand, be careful for nothing, and again, For now is our salvation nearer than when we believed: so also here. What then is it which he saith? That whoever has been exhausted in the conflict, when he hears of the end thereof, recovers his breath a little, knowing that it is the end indeed of his labours, but the beginning of his rest.
Hath in the end of the days spoken unto us in His Son. Behold again he uses the saying, in [His] Son, for through the Son, against those who assert that this phrase is proper to the Spirit. Dost thou see that the [word] in is through?
And the expression again, In times past, and this, In the end of the days, has some other hidden meaning. That when a long time had intervened, when we were on the edge of punishment, when the Gifts had failed, when there was no expectation of deliverance, when we were expecting to have less than all—then we have had more.
And see with what consideration he hath spoken it. For he said not, Christ spake (albeit it was He who did speak), but inasmuch as their souls were weak, and they were not yet able to hear the things concerning Christ, he saith, God hath spoken by Him. What meanest thou? did God speak through the Son? Yes. What then? Is it thus thou shewest the superiority? for here thou hast but pointed out that both the New and the Old [Covenants] are of One and the same: and that this superiority is not great. Wherefore he henceforth follows on upon this argument, saying, He spake unto us by His Son.
(Note, how Paul expresses it generally, and puts himself on a level with the disciples, saying, He spake to us: and yet He did not speak to him, but to the Apostles, and through them to the many. But he is lifting them [the Hebrews] up, declaring that He spake also to them. And as yet he doth not at all reflect on the Jews. For almost all to whom the prophets spake, were a kind of evil and polluted persons. But as yet the discourse is not of these: but hitherto of the gifts derived from God.)
Whom He appointed, saith he, heir of all. What means this whom He appointed heir of all? He is speaking here of the flesh [the human nature]. As He also saith in the second Psalm, Ask of Me, and I will give Thee nations for Thine inheritance. For no longer is Jacob the portion of the Lord, nor Israel His inheritance, but all men: that is to say, He hath made Him Lord of all: which thing Peter also said in the Acts, God hath made Him both Lord and Christ. But he has used the name Heir, thereby declaring two things: His proper sonship and His indefeasible sovereignty.
Heir of all, that is, of all the world.
[3.] Then again he brings back his discourse to what had gone before. By whom also He made the worlds [the ages]. (Where are those who say, There was [a time] when He was not?)
Then, using degrees of ascent, he uttered that which is far greater than all this, saying,
ver. 3, 4. 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; being made so much better than the Angels as He hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.
O! the wisdom of the Apostle! or rather, not the wisdom of Paul, but the grace of the Spirit is the thing to wonder at. For he uttered not these things surely of his own mind, and in that way find his wisdom. (For whence could it be? From the knife, and the skins, or the workshop?) But it was of a divine energy. For his own understanding did not give birth to these thoughts, which was at the time we speak of so mean and slender as in no wise to surpass the baser sort; (for how could it, seeing it spent itself wholly on bargains and skins?) but the grace of the Spirit shews forth Its strength by whomsoever It will.
For just as one, wishing to lead up a little child to some lofty place, [a place] reaching up even to the top of Heaven, does this gently and by degrees, leading him upwards by the steps from below,—then when he has set him on high, and bidden him to gaze downwards, and sees him turning giddy and confused, and dizzy, taking hold of him, he leads him down to the lower stand, managing for him to take breath, then when he hath recovered it, leads him up again, and again brings him down;—just so did the blessed Paul likewise, both with the Hebrews and every where, having learnt it from his Master. For even He also did thus; sometimes He led His hearers up on high, and sometimes He brought them down, not generally allowing them to remain long.
See him, for example in this case too—by how many steps he had led them up, and placed them near the very summit of Religion, and then or ever they grow giddy, and dizziness seize them, how he leads them again lower down, and permitting them to take breath, says, He spake unto us by His Son, whom He appointed Heir of all things. For the name of Son is so far common. For where it is understood of a true natural [Son], He is far above all things: But however that may be, for the present he establishes by argument, that He is from above.
And see in what manner he says it: Whom He appointed, saith he, heir of all things. The phrase, He appointed Heir, is humble. Then he placed them on the higher step, subjoining, by whom also He made the worlds. Then on that which is higher still, and after which there is not another, who being the brightness of His glory, and the express image of His person. Truly he has led them to unapproachable light, to the very brightness itself. And before the [dizzy] darkness came over them, see how again he gently leads them down, saying, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself effected the purifying of our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty. He does not simply say, He sat down, but after the purifying, He sat down, for he hath touched on the Incarnation, and his utterance is again lowly.
Then again having said some little by the way (for he saith, on the right hand of the Majesty on high), [he turns] again to what is lowly; being made so much better than the angels, as He hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. Henceforward then he treats in this passage of that which has respect to the flesh, since the phrase being made better doth not express His essence in respect of the Spirit (for that was begotten not made) but in respect of the flesh: for this was made.
Nevertheless the discourse here is not about the manner of existence. But just like John saying, He that cometh after me, is come to be before me, that is, higher in honour and esteem; so also in this place, being made so much better than the angels—that is, higher in esteem and better and more glorious.
By how much He hath obtained by inheritance a more excellent name than they. Seest thou that he is speaking of that which is according to the flesh? For this Name, God the Word ever had. He did not afterwards obtain it by inheritance, nor did He afterwards become better than the Angels, when He had made purification of our sins; but He was ever better, and better without all comparison. For this is spoken of Him according to the flesh.
So at least it is our way also, when we talk of man, to speak things both high and low. Thus, when we say, “Man is nothing,” “Man is earth,” “Man is ashes,” we denominate the whole from the worse part. But when we say, “Man is an immortal animal,” and “Man is rational, and of kin to those on high,” we denominate again the whole from the better part. So also, in the case of Christ, sometimes Paul discourseth from the less and sometimes from the better; willing both to establish the economy, and also to give instruction about the incorruptible nature.
[4.] Since then He hath made purification of our sins, let us continue pure; and let us admit no stain, but preserve the beauty which He hath implanted in us, and His comeliness undefiled and pure, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing. Even the smaller among sins are a spot and a wrinkle, such a thing, I mean, as Reproach, Insult, Falsehood.
Nay, rather not even are these small, but on the contrary very great: yea so great as to deprive a man of the very kingdom of Heaven. How, and in what manner? He that calleth his brother fool, is in danger (it saith) of hell-fire. But if he be so, who calls a man fool, which seems to be of all things the slightest, and rather mere children’s talk; what sentence of punishment will not he incur, who calleth him malignant and crafty and envious, and casteth at him 10,000 other reproaches? What more thrilling to think of than this?
Now endure, I beseech you, what I say. For if he that doeth aught to one of the least, doeth it to Him and he that doeth it not to one of the least doeth it not to Him, how is it not the same also in the matter of good or evil speaking? He that reviles his brother, reviles God: and he that honours his brother, honours God. Train we therefore our tongue to speak good words. For refrain, it is said, thy tongue from evil. For God gave it not to this end, that we should speak evil, that we should revile, that we should calumniate one another; but to sing hymns to God withal, to speak those things which give grace to the hearers, things for edification, things for profit.
Hast thou spoken evil of such a man? what is thy gain, entangling thyself in mischief together with him? for thou hast obtained the character of a slanderer. For there is not any, no not any evil, which stops at him that suffers it, but it includes the doer also. As for instance, the envious person seems indeed to plot against another, but himself first reaps the fruit of his sin, wasting and wearing himself away, and being hated of all men. The cheat deprives another of his money; yea and himself too of men’s good will: and causes himself to be evil spoken of by all men. Now a reputation is much better than money, for the one it is not easy to wash out, whereas it is easy to gain possession of the other. Or rather, the absence of the one doth no hurt to him that wanteth it; but the absence of the other makes you reproached and ridiculed, and an object of enmity and warfare to all.
The passionate man again first punishes and tears himself in pieces, and then him with whom he is angry.
Just so the evil speaker disgraces first himself and then him who is evil-spoken of: or, it may be, even this hath proved beyond his power, and while he departs with the credit of a foul and detestable kind of person, he doth but procure for the other more abundant love. For when a man having a bad name given him, doth not requite the giver in the same kind, but with praise and admiration, he doth not in effect praise the other, but himself. For I before observed that, as calumnies against our neighbours first touch those who devise the mischief, so also good works done towards our neighbours, gladden those who do them, before those to whom they are done, the parent either of good, or evil, justly reaping the fruit of it first himself. And just as water, whether it be brackish or sweet, whilst it fills the vessels of those who resort to it, at the same time lessens not the fountain itself which sends it forth; so surely also, both wickedness and virtue, from whatever person they proceed, prove either his joy or his ruin.
So far as to the things of this world. But the things of that world what speech may recount, either the goods or the evils? there is none. For as to the blessings, they surpass all thought, not speech only. For their opposites, they are indeed expressed in terms familiar to us. For fire, we read, is there, and darkness, and bonds, and a worm that never dieth.
But this represents not only the very things which are spoken of, but other too more intolerable. And to convince thee, consider at once this first: I mean, if it be fire, how is it also darkness? seest thou how that fire is more intolerable than this? for it hath no light. If it be fire, how is it for ever burning? Seest thou how it is more intolerable than this fire? for it is not quenched. Yea, therefore is it called unquenchable. Let us then consider how great a misery it must be, to be for ever burning, and to be in darkness, and to utter unnumbered groanings, and to gnash the teeth, and not even to be heard. For if here any one of those ingenuously brought up, should he be cast into prison, speaks of the mere ill savour, and the being laid in darkness, and the being bound with murderers, as more intolerable than any death: think what it is when we are burning with all the murderers of the whole world, neither seeing nor being seen, but in so vast a multitude thinking that we are alone. For the darkness and gloom doth not allow our distinguishing even those who are near to us, but each will feel as if he were the only person thus suffering. Moreover, if darkness of itself afflicteth and terrifieth our souls, how then will it be when together with the darkness there are likewise so great pains and burnings?
Wherefore I entreat you to be ever revolving these things with yourselves, and to submit to the pain of the words, that we may not have the things to undergo as our punishment. For assuredly, all these things shall be, and those whose doings have deserved those chambers of torture no man shall rescue, not father, nor mother, nor brother. For a brother redeemeth not, it saith, shall a man redeem? though he have much confidence, though he have great power with God, since it is He Himself who rewards every one according to his works, and upon these depends our chance of salvation or punishment.
Let us make then to ourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness, that is: Let us do works of mercy; let us exhaust our possessions upon them, that so we may exhaust that fire: that we may quench it, that we may have boldness there. For there also it is not they who receive us, but our own work: for that it is not simply our having them for friends which can save us, we may learn from what is added. For why did He not say, Make to yourselves friends, that they may receive you into their everlasting habitations, but added also the manner? in that, when He saith, of the mammon of unrighteousness, He points out that we must make friends of them by means of our possessions, shewing that friendship as such will not protect us, unless we have good works, unless we spend righteously the wealth unrighteously gathered.
Moreover, this our discourse, of Almsgiving I mean, will be suitable not for the rich only, but also for the needy. Yea even if there be any person who supporteth himself by begging, even to him this word appertains. For there is no one, so poverty-stricken, however exceeding poor he may be, as not to be able to provide two mites. It is therefore possible that a person giving a small sum from small means, should surpass those who have large possessions and give more; as that widow did. For not by the measure of what is given, but by the means and willingness of the givers is the extent of the Alms-deed estimated. In all cases the will is needed, in all, a right disposition; in all love towards God. If with this we do all things, though having little we give little, God will not turn away His face, but will receive it as great and admirable: for He regards the will, not the gifts: and if He see that to be great, He assigneth His votes and judges accordingly, and maketh them partakers of His everlasting benefits.
Which may God grant us all to obtain, by the grace and mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom to the Father together with the Holy Ghost, be glory, power, honour, now and for ever, and world without end. Amen.