GOD AFTER HE SPOKE LONG AGO TO THE FATHERS: polumerous kai polutropos palai o theos:lalesas (AAPMSN) en tois prophetais: (Ge 3:15; 6:3; 6:13-22, 8:15-19; 9:1-17; 12:1-3, 12:2; 12:3, 26:2, 3, 4, 5; 28:12, 13, 14, 15; Ge 32:24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30; 46:2, 3, 4; Ex 3:1; Ex 3:2-22 Lk 24:27; Lk 24:44 Acts 28:23; 1Pe 1:10;1Pe 1:11 1Pe 1:12 2Pe 1:20, 21)

In the past God spoke to our forefathers (NIV),

in time past (NKJV)

to our ancestors (NLT)

in ancient days (WNT)

in olden times (Williams)

Referring to Hebrews it has said that

There is no portion of Scripture whose authorship is more disputed, nor any of which the inspiration is more indisputable.

Irving Jensen says that...

The main theme of Hebrews may be stated thus: The knowledge and assurance of how great this High Priest Jesus is should lift the drifting believer from spiritual lethargy to vital Christian maturity. Stated another way: The antidote for backsliding is a growing personal knowledge of Jesus. (Jensen, I. L. Jensen's Survey of the New Testament: Search and discover. Chicago: Moody Press)

KEY WORDS
IN HEBREWS

Key Words (see notes on key words) in Hebrews:

Angel - 13x in 12v - Heb 1:4, 5, 6, 7, (2x), He 1:13; 2:2, 5, 7, 9, 16; 12:22; 13:2

Better - 13x in 12v - Heb 1:4; 6:9; 7:19, 22; 8:6 (2x); He 9:23; 10:34; 11:4, 16, 35, 40; 12:24
 

Blood -  23x in 20v - Heb 2:14; 9:7, He 9:12 (2x), He 9:13, 14, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22 (2x), He 9:25; 10:4, 19, 29; 11:28; 12:4, 24 (2x); He 13:11, 12, 20

Covenant - 21x in 18v - Heb 7:22; 8:6, 7, 8, 9 (2x),  He 8:13; 9:1, 4 (2x), He 9:15 (2x), He 9:16, 17, 20; 10:16, 29; 12:24; 13:20
 

Eternal - 6x in 6v - Heb 5:9; 6:2; 9:12, 14, 13:20

Faith - 33x in 31v - Heb 4:2; 6:1, 12; 10:22, 38, 39; 11:1, 3, 4 (2x), He 11:5, 6, 7 (2x), He 11:8, 9, 11, 13, 17, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 33, 39; 12:2; 13:7

Faithful - 6x in 6v - Heb 2:17; 3:2, 5, 6; 10:23; 11:11

Heaven - 5x in 5v - Heb 9:24; 11:12; 12:23, 25, 26
Heavenly - 6x n 6v - Heb 3:1; 6:4; 8:5; 9:23; 11:16; 12:22

God - 71x in 66v - Heb 1:1, 6, 8, 9; 2:4, 9, 13, 17; 3:4, 12; 4:4, 9, 10, 12, 14; 5:1, 4, 10, 12; 6:1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 10, 13, 17, 18; 7:1, 3, 19, 25; 8:5, 10; 9:14, 20, 24; 10:7, 12, 21, 29, 31, 36; 11:3, 4, 5, 10, 16, 19, 25, 40; 12:2, 7, 15, 16, 22, 23, 28, 29; 13:4, 7, 15, 16, 20

Great - 8x in 8v - Heb 2:3; 4:14; 7:4; 10:21, 32, 35; 12:1; 13:20
Greater - 6x in 6v - Heb 6:13, 16; 7:7, 23; 9:11; 11:26
 

Jesus - 14x in 14v  (see also Son) - Heb 2:9; 3:1; 4:14; 6:20; 7:22, 24; 10:10, 19; 12:2, 24; 13:8, 12, 20, 21

Let us - 13x in 12v - Heb 4:1, 11, 14, 16; 6:1; 10:22, 23, 24; 12:1 (2x), He 12:28; 13:13, 15
 

Perfect - 9x in 9v - Heb 2:10; 5:9; 7:19, 28; 9:9, 11; 10:1; 11:40; 12:23

Priest (High priest, priesthood) - 36x in 33v - Heb 2:17; 3:1; 4:14, 15; 5:1, 5, 6, 10; 6:20; 7:1, 3, 5, 11, (2x), He 7:12, 14, 15, 17, 21 (2x), He 7:23, 24, 26, 27, 28; 8:1, 3, 4; 9:6, 7, 11, 25; 10:11, 21; 13:11

Sacrifice - 19x in 18v - Heb 5:1, 3; 7:27; 8:3; 9:9, 23, 26; 10:1, 3, 5, 6, 8 (2x), He 10:11, 12, 26; 11:4; 13:15, 16

Sin (Sinners) - 54x in 49v - Heb 1:3; 2:12, 14, 17, 18; 3:13, 17; 4:6, 14, 15; 5:1, 2, 3, 11; 6:6, 13; 7:25, 26, 27 (2x), He 8:4, 12; 9:7, 10, 15, 26 (2x), He 9:28 (2x); He 10:1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 11, 12, 17, 18, 19, 21, 22, 26 (2x); Heb 11:11, 25; 12:1 (2x), He 12:3, 4, 16, 28; 13:3, 11

Son - 25x in 22v (not all refer to God's Son) - Heb 1:2, 5 (2x), He 1:8; 2:6, 10; 3:6; 4:14; 5:5, 8; 6:6; 7:3, 5, 28; 10:29; 11:17, 21, 22, 24; 12:5 (2x), He 12:6, 7, (2x), He 12:8

Therefore - 24x in 24v - Heb 1:9; 2:14, 17; 3:1, 7, 10; 4:1, 6, 11, 14, 16; 6:1; 7:25; 9:18, 23; 10:5, 19, 35; 11:12, 16; 12:1, 12, 28; 13:12

The Verse by Verse Notes will take the position that Paul cannot be established as the author and thus the author is treated as unknown to all except God. This is the only New Testament epistle that does not begin like a first-century letter, with a formal salutation and prayer. It does have an epistolatory ending. The Greek translation of the Hebrew OT, the Septuagint (usually abbreviated LXX) is the source of all the OT quotations from the Old Testament, except two (He 10:30-note; Heb 13:5-note). 

Respected Christian theologian R C Sproul once said that

If I were cast into prison and allowed but one book, it would be the Bible. If I were allowed only one book of the Bible, it would be the Epistle to the Hebrews...because it contains our most comprehensive discussion of the redemption wrought for us in the sacrifice of Jesus.

Stedman comments that

The epistle to the Hebrews begins as dramatically as a rocket shot to the moon. In one paragraph, the writer breathtakingly transports his readers from the familiar ground of Old Testament prophetic writings, through the incarnation of the Son (who is at once creator, heir and sustainer of all things and the fullest possible manifestation of deity), past the purifying sacrifice of the cross to the exaltation of Jesus on the ultimate seat of power in the universe. It is a paragraph daring in its claims and clearly designed to arrest the reader's attention and compel a further hearing. (Hebrews 1:1-3 Greater Than the Prophets)

God (2316) (Theos) No other NT Epistle comes to the point as quickly as this one. There is no attempt to prove God’s existence. It is simply a self-evident given. Without benefit of salutation or introduction, the writer plunges into setting forth the superlative glories of the Lord Jesus Christ. These first four verses comprise one majestic sentence in the Greek text and read like the opening of a formal Greek oration rather than the customary "greetings" of a letter and are among the four most important Christological passages in Scripture (cf. Jn 1:1; , 2:7, 2:8, 2:9, 2:10, 2:11; Col 1:15, 16, 17, 19, 19, 20- see notes Co 1:15; 16; 17; 18; 19 20; Php 2:6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11-see notes Philippians 2:6; 2:7; 2:8; 2:9; 2:10; 2:11)

Hebrews begins like Genesis and John with God. It is significant that the subject of the first verb is God, for God is constantly before us in this epistle, used some 68 times or an average of about once every 73 words throughout the epistle and few NT books speak of God so often. Right at the beginning, then, we are confronted with the reality of God and the fact that he has been active in man's story. How deftly the author unveils the Trinity as active in the revelation of Scripture, here God the Father introduced as having spoken in time past, later noting God the Son (He 2:3-note) and finally God the Holy Spirit (He 3:7-note)  After this long opening Greek sentence, the author immediately begins quoting Scripture in the remainder of this chapter.

Spoke (2980) (laleo [word study]) which originally referred to the chattering of birds or prattling of children and evolved in use to the highest form of speech, the thrice holy God choosing language as His primary medium of communication to fallen, sinful mankind. 

As Francis Schaeffer's book puts it

He Is There And He Is Not Silent.

Pink comments that

Deity is not speechless. The true and living God, unlike the idols of the heathen, is no dumb Being. The God of Scripture, unlike that absolute and impersonal "first Cause" of philosophers and evolutionists, is not silent.

Speak (spoke, spoken, speaking) is clearly a key word in Hebrews (Click 18 occurrences in Hebrews in NAS). Note that God took the initiative to speak in the past and at the last!

This "special revelation" contrasts with "natural revelation" described by Paul as

that which is known about God is evident within (all men) for God made it evident to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse." (Ro 1:19, 20-see notes Ro 1:19; 20)

David parallels this thought in Psalm 19 writing that

the heavens are telling of the glory of God and their expanse is declaring the work of His hands. Day to day pours forth speech, and night to night reveals knowledge." (Ps 19:1, 2-note)

Long ago (3819) (palai) means in the past, of olden times, long before now or of old. "Long ago" is a time phrase which in context refers to the time prior to Messiah's first coming and contrasts to the "last days" inaugurated at His incarnation. The OT revelation is thus no novelty but has its roots deep in the past.

Guzik notes that

Hebrews has 29 quotations and 53 allusions to the Old Testament, for a total of 82 references.  Significantly, Hebrews does not refer even once to the books of the Apocrypha. (Hebrews 1)

The writer's emphasis on the Old Testament at the inception of this epistle would be especially meaningful to a Jewish audience trained up in the truths taught by the Law and the prophets.

Paul reminded Timothy to

continue in the things you have learned...from childhood you have known the sacred writings (Old Testament Scriptures) which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus." (see notes 2Ti 3:14; 15)

Barnes adds that since

the object of the (author of Hebrews) was to show the superior claims of the gospel, and to lead them from putting confidence in the rites instituted in accordance with the directions of the Old Testament, it was of essential importance that he should admit that their belief of the inspiration of the prophets was well founded.

The fathers (3962) (pater) refers to the Old Testament forefathers and is contrast to us in the next verse.

The fathers would have been a term familiar to Jewish reader as illustrated by Paul's address to the synagogue in Perga where he said

we preach to you the good news of the promise made to the fathers that God has fulfilled this promise to our children in that He raised up Jesus, as it is also written in the second Psalm, 'THOU ART MY SON; TODAY I HAVE BEGOTTEN THEE." (Acts 13:32 33).

Later to the Romans Paul writes

Christ has become a servant to the circumcision (Jews) on behalf of the truth of God to confirm the promises given to the fathers" (Ro 15:8) (The 9 other similar uses of the phrase the fathers in the NT - Luke 1:17; John 6:58; 7:22; Acts 13:32; Ro 9:5; 11:28; 15:8; Heb 1:1; 2Pet 3:4)

IN THE PROPHETS IN MANY PORTIONS AND IN MANY WAYS: en tois prophetais polumeros kai polutropos: (Nu 12:6, 7, 8;12:7, 12:8 Joel 2:28) (Lk 1:55;Lk 1:72 Jn 7:22; Acts 13:32)

through the prophets at many times and in various ways," (NIV)

at sundry times and in divers manners" (KJV)

God spoke in partial and various ways" (NAB)

gave our forefathers many different glimpses of the truth in the words of the prophets" (Phillips)

In many parts and in different ways" (Wuest)

At many moments in the past and by many means," (NJB)

in many separate revelations [ each of which set forth a portion of the Truth] and in different ways" (Amp)

in many distinct messages and by various methods" (WNT)

in fragmentary and varied fashion" (ISV)

by divers portions and in divers manners" (ASV)

In many parts [or, Bit by bit] and in various ways " (ALT)

it was bit by bit and in many different ways" (Williams)

By scattered bits and pieces!" (College Press NIV Commentary)

in many fragments and in many fashions" (K Hughes)

The author in this statement sets his seal upon the Divine inspiration and authority of the Old Testament Scriptures.

Stedman provides an excellent overview writing that

The author intends to present a series of arguments for the superiority of Jesus over all rival claims to allegiance which his readers were feeling and hearing. Their attention was easily diverted off in other directions, just as our attention is easily distracted today. They, like us, were being tempted, frightened or pressured into following other voices and serving other masters. In Hebrews 1-7, he examines these rival authorities and reveals their inadequacies. None was, in itself, a false or fraudulent voice. Each was ordained by God and proper in its intended place. Each had served the people of God well in the past, and no teaching or expectation was wrong at the time it was given. But now the final word, the ultimate revelation from God toward which all the other voices had pointed, had come. To this supreme voice the author directs his readers' attention, and ours, by contrasting this final word with the past utterances.

First, there were the prophets, God's ancient spokesmen (Hebrews 1:1-3); then the angels, Israel's guardians (Hebrews 1:4-2:18); then Israel's great leader, Moses (Hebrews 3:1-4:7); Israel's godly general, Joshua (Hebrews 4:8-13); and finally the founder of Israel's priesthood, Aaron (Hebrews 4:14-7:28). Each was a voice from Israel's past that needed to be heard but that was woefully inadequate if followed alone. It was clearly a case of the good being the enemy of the best. Eclipsing all these, as the rising sun eclipses the light of the stars, is the figure of Jesus, God's Son, creator and heir of all things." (Hebrews 1:1-3 Greater Than the Prophets) (bolding added)

In the prophets (4396) (prophetes from pró = before or forth + phemí = tell) is literally one who speaks forth and as used in Scripture refers to one who is divinely inspired to communicate God’s will to His people and to disclose the future to them (Dt 18:18).

MacArthur adds that

A prophet is one who speaks to men for God; a priest is one who speaks to God for men. The priest takes man’s problems to God; the prophet takes God’s message to men. Both, if they are true, are commissioned by God, but their ministries are quite different. The book of Hebrews has a great deal to say about priests, but its opening verse speaks of prophets. The Holy Spirit establishes the divine authorship of the Old Testament, its accuracy and its authority, through the fact that it was given to and delivered by God’s prophets." For example the "LORD said to Moses, "See, I make you as God to Pharaoh, and your brother Aaron shall be your prophet." (Ex 7:1) (MacArthur, John: Hebrews. Moody Press or Logos)

Thus, the prophets were the mouthpieces of God and their words were not the production of their own spirit, but came from the Holy Spirit as emphasized by Peter who wrote that

"no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God." (see note 1 Peter 1:21)

The prophet John the Baptist quoting another prophet Isaiah explaining  that he was but

a voice of One who is crying out in the wilderness (Jn 1:23)

The One giving the message was God, John being His voice,

a vessel for honor, sanctified, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work. (see note 2 Timothy 2:21)

The prophets received their call or appointment directly from God, and some like Jeremiah (Jer 1:5) or John the Baptist (Jn 1:13 14 15), were called before birth. Although not all that God had spoken through the prophets was predictive prophecy, this aspect of God's revelation is one of the strongest evidences that the Bible is divinely inspired.

Barclay adds that

it is no part of the purpose of the writer to the Hebrews to belittle the prophets; it is his aim to establish the supremacy of Jesus Christ. He is not saying that there is a break between the Old Testament revelation and that of the New Testament; he is stressing the fact that there is continuity , but continuity that ends in consummation."

The KJV translates this phrase as by the prophets but the Greek is literally in the prophets.

Kenneth Wuest explains that in is

"the preposition en - Used here in the locative case...the locative of sphere. That is, the writers of the First Testament constituted the sphere within which God spoke. He spoke exclusively through them and through no other men, so far as the written revelation is concerned. This preposition is used also in the instrumental case. Then the writers would be looked upon as the instruments in God’s hands by which the First Testament Scriptures were written down." (Wuest, K. S. Wuest's Word Studies from the Greek New Testament: Eerdmans or Logos) (Bolding added)

OT Scriptures documenting that God spoke long ago...

God spoke to Adam and told him that the Savior would come from the Seed of the woman (Ge 3:15).

God spoke to Abraham and told him that the Savior would come from his Seed (Ge 12:3, 18:18, 22:18).

God spoke to Jacob and told him that the Savior would come through the tribe of Judah (Gen 49:10).

God spoke to David and told him that the Savior would be born of his house (2Sam 7:16).

God spoke to Micah and told him that the Savior would be born at Bethlehem (Mic 5:2).

God spoke to Isaiah and told him that the Savior would be born of a virgin (Isa 7:14).

See also topic - Messianic Prophecies

John Calvin writes

That you may, therefore, understand the full import of this passage, the following arrangement shall be given —

GOD SPAKE
Formerly by the Prophets
Now by the Son;
Then to the Fathers
But now to us;
Then at various times
Now as at the end of the times.

Many portions (4181) (polumeros from polús = many + méros = part) is literally "many parts". It means part by part, fragmentarily. In context means that God spoke a word here and there, now and then, some at one time, some at another, to some a few words, to others many.

The speech of God is not unbroken chatter but episodes of speech punctuating seasons of silence. This phrase is first in the Greek construction for emphasis (emphatic position) and refers to the incremental and progressive revelation (Genesis gives some truth, Exodus some more truth, etc) in which God disclosed Himself in portions of truth at different times until the appearance of the Son, Who Himself is the consummation of Truth (Jn 1:17, 14:6), the fulfillment of the Law and Prophets (Mt 5:17-note).

The prophetic revelation was fragmentary, piece by piece in 39 OT books delivered over some 1500 years by forty-plus writers, each contributing "portions" of divine revelation, none in themselves complete.

Pink adds that 

The Old Testament revelation was but the refracted rays, not the light unbroken and complete. As illustrations of this we may refer to the gradual making known of the Divine character through His different titles (Click Names of God), or to the prophesies concerning the coming Messiah. It was 'here a little and there a little.'"

If is as if God had spoken in a spectrum of pure variegated lights in the Old Testament and that the arrival of Jesus was like a "prism" Who collects all these bands of pure light and focuses them into one final, perfect and pure beam.

Peter alludes to the fragmentary nature of the OT revelation adding that even the

prophets who prophesied of the grace that would come...made careful search and inquiry, seeking to know what person or time the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating as He predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories to follow." (see notes 1 Peter 1:10; 1:11)

Jamieson comments

All was not revealed to each one prophet; but one received one portion of revelation, and another another. To Noah the quarter of the world to which Messiah should belong was revealed; to Abraham, the nation; to Jacob, the tribe; to David and Isaiah, the family; to Micah, the town of nativity; to Daniel, the exact time; to Malachi, the coming of His forerunner, and His second advent; through Jonah, His burial and resurrection; through Isaiah and Hosea, His resurrection. Each only knew in part; but when that which was perfect came in Messiah, that which was in part was done away" (1Cor 13:12).

F B Meyer puts it this way

No one prophet could speak out all the truth. Each was entrusted with one or two syllables in the mighty sentences of God's speech. At the best the view caught of God, and given to men through the prophets, though true, was partial and limited. But in Jesus there is nothing of this piecemeal revelation. "In Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily." He hath revealed the Father. Whosoever hath seen him hath seen God; and to hear his words is to get the full-orbed revelation of the Infinite. (Hebrews 1:3-4: The Dignity of Christ)

In many ways (4187) (polutropos from polús = many + trópos = a manner) points to the different media and modes through which God disclosed His word, including dream, direct voice, signs, angelic visitations and even in different ways to different men. He spoke to Moses in the burning bush (Ex 3:2ff), to Elijah in a still, small voice (1Ki 19:12), to Isaiah in a vision in the temple (Isa 6:1ff), to Hosea in his family circumstances (Hos 1:2), and to Amos in a basket of summer fruit (Am 8:1).

Many ways also alludes to the different OT literary types including law, history, poetry, allegory, prophecy, etc. The writer's main point in this section is to emphasize that all OT revelation was God speaking to man, albeit in a manner that was fragmentary and occasional, lacking fullness and finality.

Pink observes that

we may see here an illustration of the sovereignty of God: He did not act uniformly or confine Himself to any one method of speaking to the fathers. He spake by way of promise and prediction, by types and symbols, by commandments and precepts, by warnings and exhortations." Expositor’s adds that the people of Israel “were like men listening to a clock striking the hour, always getting nearer the truth but obliged to wait till the whole is heard.”

MacArthur adds that

We must, of course, clearly understand that the Old Testament was not in any way erroneous (2Ti 3:16, 17- note). But there was in it a development, of spiritual light and of moral standards, until God’s truth was refined and finalized in the New Testament. The distinction is not in the validity of the revelation—its rightness or wrongness—but in the completeness of it and the time of it. Just as children are first taught letters, then words, and then sentences, so God gave His revelation. It began with the “picture book” of types and ceremonies and prophecies and progressed to final completion in Jesus Christ and His New Testament...The Old Testament is only a part of God’s truth, but it is not partially His truth. It is not His complete truth, but it is completely His truth. It is God’s revelation, His progressive revelation preparing His people for the coming of His Son, Jesus Christ.  (MacArthur, John: Hebrews. Moody Press or Logos)