Thesis
Application
Events
About us
home page forums

Hebrews 1:8

Hebrews 1:8 reads as follows In the English Standard Version:

  • Hebrews 1:8-9: But of the Son he says, “Your throne, O God [ho theos], is forever and ever, the scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom. 9 You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness beyond your companions.

Note that the phrase "he says" is not in the original Greek.

From Psalm 45. The author of Hebrews is here quoting from Psalm 45:6-7 which reads:

  • Psalm 45:6-7: Your throne, O God, is forever and ever. The scepter of your kingdom is a scepter of uprightness; 7 you have loved righteousness and hated wickedness. Therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness beyond your companions;

Psalm 45 is a wedding-song, but is also Messianically interpreted, even by the Jews. However, on verse 6, it is uncertain whether the phrase "Your throne, O God" is being addressed to the Divine Being (i.e. Yahweh) or a theocratic king. Those who subscribe to the Deity of Christ, of course, have no problem interpreting this as a reference to the coming Messianic King. The Targum, however, regards the words as addressed to Yahweh—"The throne of Thy majesty, O Yahweh, abides forever and ever."

We side with the Targum's translation given that the immediate context suggests it is referring to Yahweh. Note the phrase in verse 7, "Therefore God, your God..." The Hebrews were monotheistic—they had only one God, Yahweh. To the Hebrews, "God" does not have a "God." He is God alone and there is no other. To suggest otherwise would have been blasphemy. Whomever God was going to anoint, it was not going to be another God.

"Your throne, O God." It is the throne of the Father, not the Son, given that "O God" is in the Greek "ho theos" ("the God") which is used in the New Testament to reference God the Father. In reality, "O God" is a mistranslation in both Hebrews 1:8 and Psalm 45:6. It should read along the lines of, "Your throne is God forever and ever" or the preferred Targum version, "The throne of Thy majesty, O Yahweh, abides forever and ever." See REV commentary on Psalms 45:6.

One throne. There are not two thrones in Heaven, but one throne—the throne of the Father. It is at the right hand of the throne of the Father that Jesus sits—"After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high" (Hebrews 1:3) and "Looking to Jesus...who...is seated at the right hand of the throne of God" (Hebrews 12:2). The verse is not referring to Jesus as "God" sitting on a throne (i.e. "Your throne, O God") but is referring to the risen Jesus who sits at the right hand of God's throne. Again, the Father says to His Son, "Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet" (Hebrews 1:13).

References

  • REV Commentary on Hebrews 1:8. See also the commentary on verse 7 concerning the phrase "he says" which is translated "it says" in the REV. Hebrews 1:7 is quoting Psalm 104:4 where "he" is the Psalmist, not God. Hebrews 1:8 is quoting Psalm 45:6-7 and Hebrews 1:10-12 is quoting Psalm 102:25-27, and God is not the speaker in any of these verses either. Most modern translations make it out to be that it is God who is speaking in each these verses (7, 8, and 10-12), which He is not.
  • REV Commentary on Psalm 45:6. Quoted by Hebrews 1:8. REV gives a thorough analysis of the phrase, "Your throne is God forever and ever."
  • Hebrews 1:8 - Facts Trinitarian Apologists Won't Tell You. Duration 29:57. Authored by Brother Kel of The Trinity Delusion (the speaker is Unitarian). Video notes under The Trinity Delusion - Hebrews 1:8. Also see TrinityDelusion.net for easier navigation to Brother Kel's work.
  • Hebrews 1:8 - Verses used to Support the Doctrine of the Trinity. Duration 11:17. Authored by biblicalunitarian.com. Also read his article on his website here. This speaker has a different take on this verse. He believes that "ho theos" can be translated with a lower-case "g". Thus, "Your throne, O god," suggesting that it is referring to Jesus as the lesser god.