Within the catena of Old Testament passages in Hebrews 1 cited by the author as Scriptural proof for the Son’s preeminence, Hebrews 1:10–12 (citing Ps 102:25–27) exemplifies some of the problems in dealing with the author’s hermeneutical approach in this chapter. Described by C. F. D. Moule as the “most perplexing of all” Old Testament quotations in its application to Christ, Psalm 102:25–27 [LXX: 101:26–28] has been dealt with variously in the history of scholarship. The mere presence of an address to κύριος (‘Lord’) in the psalm is often seen as adequate justification for the author’s attribution of it to Christ. Nevertheless, a more comprehensive explanation for why the author selected this psalm for his catena, and not others, remains a desideratum.
A possible way forward may be to bring in additional texts from Isaiah. In particular, the third so-called “servant song” of Isaiah 50:4–11 offers unique language that the author of Hebrews may have had in view when he cited LXX Psalm 101. In this song, the servant of the LORD addresses his opponents as those who will “all wear out like a garment” (πάντες ὑμεῖς ὡς ἱμάτιον παλαιωθήσεσθε), strongly echoing the language of Psalm 101:27 (πάντες ὡς ἱμάτιον παλαιωθήσονται). Within the catena of Hebrews 1, the final quotation from Psalm 109:1 (Heb 1:13) immediately following Psalm 101:26–28 provides additional thematic support for the inclusion of Isaiah’s servant song, since it speaks of the ultimate triumph of the servant over his adversaries.
Further evidence for the author’s having had Isaiah in view may be found in the concluding chapter, which quotes Psalm 117: “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?” (κύριος ἐμοὶ βοηθός, καὶ οὐ φοβηθήσομαι· τί ποιήσει μοι ἄνθρωπος;). In Isaiah 50, very similar wording is found twice (v. 7: κύριος βοηθός μου ἐγενήθη; and v. 9: ἰδοὺ κύριος βοηθεῖ μοι·). In support of the servant’s confident assertion, three rhetorical questions are asked about the ability of others to do the servant harm (with an implied negative answer). These likewise mirror the language of Psalm 117:6, which is quoted in Hebrews 13:6. Although the referrent of the quotation in Hebrews 13:6 has shifted from Christ to the recipients of the letter, Hebrews itself offers a precedent for Christ as a forerunner of believers (Heb 6:20) and a model of endurance (Heb 12:1–2).