Has in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he has appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;
All Commentaries on Hebrews 1:2 Go To Hebrews 1
John Chrysostom
AD 407
Well also said he, at the end of the days, for by this he both stirs them up and encourages them desponding of the future. For as he says also in another place, The Lord is at hand, be careful for nothing Philippians 4:5-6, and again, For now is our salvation nearer than when we believed Romans 13:11: so also here. What then is it which he says? That whoever is spent in the conflict, when he hears of the end thereof, recovers his breath a little, knowing that it is the end indeed of his labors, 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. Do you see that the [word] in is through?
And the expression, In times past, and this, In the end of the days, shadows forth some other 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 how considerately he has spoken it. For he said not, Christ spoke (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 says, God has spoken by Him. What do you mean? did God speak through the Son? Yes. What then? Is it thus you show the superiority? For here you have 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 spoke unto us by [His] Son.
(Note, how Paul makes common cause, and puts himself on a level with the disciples, saying, He spoke to us: and yet He did not speak to him, but to the Apostles, and through them to the many. But he lifts them [the Hebrews] up, and declares that He spoke also to them. And as yet he does not at all reflect on the Jews. For almost all to whom the prophets spoke, 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, says he, heir of all. What is whom He appointed heir of all? He speaks here of the flesh [the human nature]. As He also says in the second Psalm, Ask of Me, and I will give You the heathen for Your inheritance. Psalm 2:8 For no longer is Jacob the portion of the Lord nor Israel His inheritance Deuteronomy 32:9, but all men: that is to say, He has made Him Lord of all: which Peter also said in the Acts, God has made Him both Lord and Christ. Acts 2:36 But he has used the name Heir, declaring two things: His proper sonship and His indefeasible sovereignty. Heir of all, that is, of all the world.
Then again he brings back his discourse to its former point. 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,
