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Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Hebrews 1:8

Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Hebrews 1:8

But unto the Son [he saith,] Thy throne, O God, [is] forever and ever: a scepter of righteousness [is] the scepter of thy kingdom.

8. But unto the Son he saith ] Rather “But of (lit., with reference to) the Son.” The Psalm (45) from which the quotation is taken, is called in the LXX. “A song for the beloved,” and has been Messianically interpreted by Jewish as well as Christian expositors. Hence it is chosen as one of the special Psalms for Christmas Day.

Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever ] The quotation is from Psa 45:6-7 (LXX.) which in its primary and historic sense is a splendid epithalamium to Solomon, or Joram, or some theocratic king of David’s house. But in the idealism and hyperbole of its expression it pointed forward to “the King in His beauty.” “Thy throne, O Elohim,” is the rendering which seems most natural, and this at once evidences the mystic and ideal character of the language; for though judges and rulers are sometimes collectively and indirectly called Elohim (Exo 21:6; Exo 22:8; Psalms 73; Joh 10:34-36) yet nothing which approaches a title so exalted is ever given to a human person, except in this typical sense (as in Isa 9:6). The original, however, has been understood by some to mean “Thy divine throne;” and this verse maybe rendered “God is Thy throne for ever and ever.” Philo had spoken of the Logos as “the eldest Angel,” “an Archangel of many names” ( De Conf. Ling. 28), and it was most necessary for the writer to shew that the Mediator of the New Covenant was not merely an Angel like the ministers of the Old, or even an Archangel, but the Divine Pr-existent Son whose dispensation therefore supersedes that which had been administered by inferior beings. The Targum on this Psalm (45:3) renders it “Thy beauty, O King Messiah, is greater than the sons of men,” and Aben Ezra says it refers not so much to David as to his son Messiah.

a sceptre of righteousness ] Rather, “the sceptre of rectitude.” The Greek word is euthuttos not dikaiosuns, which is the word used in the next verse. “ Euthuts ” occurs here only in the N.T.

of thy kingdom ] The two oldest MSS. ( , B) read “of His kingdom.”

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

But unto the Son he saith – In Psa 45:6-7. The fact that the writer of this Epistle makes this application of the Psalm to the Messiah, proves that it was so applied in his time, or that it would be readily admitted to be applicable to him. It has been generally admitted, by both Jewish and Christian interpreters, to have such a reference. Even those who have doubted its primary applicability to the Messiah, have regarded it as referring to him in a secondary sense. Many have supposed that it referred to Solomon in the primary sense, and that it has a secondary reference to the Messiah. To me it seems most probable that it had an original and exclusive reference to the Messiah. It is to be remembered that the hope of the Messiah was the special hope of the Jewish people. The coming of the future king, so early promised, was the great event to which they all looked forward with the deepest interest.

That hope inspired their prophets and their bards, and cheered the hearts of the nation in the time of despondency. The Messiah, if I may so express it, was the hero of the Old Testament – more so than Achilles is of the Iliad, and Aeneas of the Aenead. The sacred poets were accustomed to employ all their most magnificent imagery in describing him, and to present him in every form that was beautiful in their conception, and that would be gratifying to the pride and hopes of the nation. Everything that is gorgeous and splendid in description is lavished on him, and they were never under any apprehension of attributing to him too great magnificence in his personal reign; too great beauty of moral character; or too great an extent of dominion. That which would be regarded by them as a magnificent description of a monarch, they freely applied to him; and this is evidently the case in this Psalm. That the description may have been in part derived from the view of Solomon in the magnificence of his court, is possible, but no more probable than that it was derived from the general view of the splendor of any Oriental monarch, or than that it might have been the description of a monarch which was the pure creation of inspired poetry.

Indeed, I do see not why this Psalm should ever have been supposed to be applicable to Solomon. His name is not mentioned. It has no special applicability to him. There is nothing that would apply to him which would not also apply to many an Oriental prince. There are some things in it which are much less applicable to him than to many others. The king here described is a conqueror. He girds his sword on his thigh, and his arrows are sharp in the hearts of his foes, and the people are subdued under him. This was not true of Solomon. His was a reign of peace and tranquillity, nor was he ever distinguished for war. On the whole, it seems clear to me, that this Psalm is designed to be a beautiful poetic description of the Messiah as king. The images are drawn from the usual characteristics of an Oriental prince, and there are many things in the poem – as there are in parables – for the sake of keeping, or verisimilitude, and which are not, in the interpretation, to be cut to the quick.

The writer imagined to himself a magnificent and beautiful prince; a prince riding prosperously in his conquests; swaying a permanent and wide dominion; clothed in rich and splendid vestments; eminently upright and pure; and scattering blessings everywhere – and that prince was the Messiah. The Psalm, therefore, I regard as relating originally and exclusively to Christ; and though in the interpretation, the circumstances should not be unduly pressed, nor an attempt be made to spiritualize them, yet the whole is a glowing and most beautiful description of Christ as a King. The same principles of interpretation should be applied to it which are applied to parables, and the same allowance be made for the introduction of circumstances for the sake of keeping, or for finishing the story. If this be the correct view, then Paul has quoted the Psalm in conformity exactly with its original intention, as he undoubtedly quoted it as it was understood in his time.

Thy throne. A throne is the seat on which a monarch sits, and is here the symbol of dominion, because kings when acting as rulers sit on thrones. Thus, a throne becomes the emblem of authority or empire. Here it means, that his rule or dominion would be perpetual – forever and ever – which assuredly could not be applied to Solomon. O God. This certainly could not be applied to Solomon; but applied to the Messiah it proves what the apostle is aiming to prove – that he is above the angels. The argument is, that a name is given to him which is never given to them. They are not called God in any strict and proper sense. The argument here requires us to understand this word, as used in a sense more exalted than any name which is ever given to angels, and though it may be maintained that the name elohiym, is given to magistrates or to angels, yet here the argument requires us to understand it as used in a sense superior to what it ever is when applied to an angel – or of course to any creature, since it was the express design of the argument to prove that the Messiah was superior to the angels.

The word God should be taken in its natural and obvious sense, unless there is some necessary reason for limiting it. If applied to magistrates Psa 82:6, it must be so limited. If applied to the Messiah, there is no such necessity, Joh 1:1; Isa 9:6; 1Jo 5:20; Phi 2:6, and it should be taken in its natural and proper sense. The form here – ho Theos – is in the vocative case and not the nominative. It is the usual form of the vocative in the Septuagint, and nearly the only form of it – Stuart. This then is a direct address to the Messiah, calling him God; and I see not why it is not to be used in the usual and proper sense of the word. Unitarians proposed to translate this, God is thy throne; but how can God be a throne of a creature? What is the meaning of such an expression? Where is there one parallel? And what must be the nature of that cause which renders such an argument necessary? – This refers, as it seems to me, to the Messiah as king.

It does not relate to his mode of existence before the incarnation, but to him as the magnificent monarch of his people. Still, the ground or reason why this name is given to him is that he is divine. It is language which properly expresses his nature. He must have a divine nature, or such language would be improper. I regard this passage, therefore, as full proof that the Lord Jesus is divine; nor is it possible to evade this conclusion by any fair interpretation of it. It cannot be wrong to address him as God; nor addressing him as such, not to regard him as divine. Is forever and ever. This could not in any proper sense apply to Solomon. As applied to the Messiah, it means that his essential kingdom will be perpetual, Luk 1:33. As Mediator his kingdom will be given up to the Father, or to God without reference to a mediatorial work, (1Co 15:24, 1Co 15:28 – see notes on these verses), but his reign over his people will be perpetual.

There never will come a time when they shall not obey and serve him, though the special form of his kingdom, as connected with the work of mediation, will be changed. The form of the organized church, for example, will be changed, for there shall be no necessity for it in heaven, but the essential dominion and power of the Son of God will not cease. He shall have the same dominion which he had before he entered on the work of mediation; and that will be eternal. It is also true that, compared with earthly monarchs, his kingdom shall be perpetual. They soon die. Dynasties pass away. But his empire extends from age to age, and is properly a perpetual dominion. The fair and obvious interpretation of this passage would satisfy me, were there nothing else, that this Psalm had no reference to Solomon, but was designed originally as a description of the Messiah as the expected King and Prince of his people. A scepter of righteousness.

That is, a right or just scepter. The phrase is a Hebraism. The former expression described the perpetuity of his kingdom; this describes its equable nature. It would be just and equal; see notes on Isa 11:5. A scepter is a staff or wand usually made of wood, five or six feet long, and commonly overlaid with gold, or ornamented with golden rings. Sometimes, however, the scepter was made of ivory, or wholly of gold. It was borne in the hands of kings as an emblem of authority and power. Probably it had its origin in the staff or crook of the shepherd – as kings were at first regarded as the shepherds of their people. Thus, Agamemnon is commonly called by Homer the shepherd of the people. The scepter thus becomes the emblem of kingly office and power – as when we speak of swaying a scepter; – and the idea here is, that the Messiah would be a king, and that the authority which he would wield would be equitable and just. He would not be governed, as monarchs often are, by mere caprice, or by the wishes of courtiers and flatterers; he would not be controlled by mere will and the love of arbitrary lower; but the execution of his laws would be in accordance with the principles of equity and justice. – How well this accords with the character of the Lord Jesus we need not pause to show; compare notes on Isa 11:2-5.

Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible

Verse 8. Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever] If this be said of the Son of God, i.e. Jesus Christ, then Jesus Christ must be God; and indeed the design of the apostle is to prove this. The words here quoted are taken from Ps 45:6; Ps 45:7, which the ancient Chaldee paraphrast, and the most intelligent rabbins, refer to the Messiah. On the third verse of this Psalm, Thou art fairer than the children of men, the Targum says: “Thy beauty, malca Meshicha, O King Messiah, is greater than the children of men.” Aben Ezra says: “This Psalm speaks of David, or rather of his son, the Messiah, for this is his name,” Eze 34:24: And David my servant shall be a Prince over them for ever. Other rabbins confirm this opinion.

This verse is very properly considered a proof, and indeed a strong one, of the Divinity of Christ; but some late versions of the New Testament have endeavoured to avoid the evidence of this proof by translating the words thus: God is thy throne for ever and ever; and if this version be correct, it is certain the text can be no proof of the doctrine. Mr. Wakefield vindicates this translation at large in his History of Opinions; and , being the nominative case, is supposed to be a sufficient justification of this version. In answer to this it may be stated that the nominative case is often used for the vocative, particularly by the Attics; and the whole scope of the place requires it should be so used here; and, with due deference to all of a contrary opinion, the original Hebrew cannot be consistently translated any other way, kisaca Elohim olam vaed, Thy throne, O God, is for ever, and to eternity. It is in both worlds; and extends over all time; and will exist through all endless duration. To this our Lord seems to refer, Mt 28:18: All power is given unto me, both in HEAVEN and EARTH. My throne, i.e. my dominion, extends from the creation to the consummation of all things. These I have made, and these I uphold; and from the end of the world, throughout eternity, I shall have the same glory-sovereign, unlimited power and authority, which I had with the Father before the world began; Joh 17:5. I may add that none of the ancient versions has understood it in the way contended for by those who deny the Godhead of Christ, either in the Psalm from which it is taken, or in this place where it is quoted. Aquila translates Elohim, by , O God, in the vocative case; and the Arabic adds the sign of the vocative [Arabic] ya, reading the place thus: [Arabic] korsee yallaho ila abadilabada, the same as in our version. And even allowing that here is to be used as the nominative case, it will not make the sense contended for, without adding to it, a reading which is not countenanced by any version, nor by any MS. yet discovered. Wiclif, Coverdale, and others, understood it as the nominative, and translated it so; and yet it is evident that this nominative has the power of the vocative: forsothe to the sone God thi troone into the world of world: a gerde of equite the gerde of thi reume. I give this, pointing and all, as it stands in my old MS. Bible. Wiclif is nearly the same, but is evidently of a more modern cast: but to the sone he seith, God thy trone is into the world of world, a gherd of equyte is the gherd of thi rewme. Coverdale translates it thus: But unto the sonne he sayeth, God, thi seate endureth for ever and ever: the cepter of thi kyngdome is a right cepter. Tindal and others follow in the same way, all reading it in the nominative case, with the force of the vocative; for none of them has inserted the word , is, because not authorized by the original: a word which the opposers of the Divinity of our Lord are obliged to beg, in order to support their interpretation. See some farther criticisms on this at the end of this chapter.

A sceptre of righteousness] The sceptre, which was a sort of staff or instrument of various forms, was the ensign of government, and is here used for government itself. This the ancient Jewish writers understand also of the Messiah.

Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible

In the Fathers apostrophe to the Son, he giveth him the name of God, and thereby is he proved to have a better one than angels, made by, and servants to, him; and as the great gospel Minister hath a kingdom, in which they are his ministers and servants: this proof is quoted out of Psa 45:6,7. It was not to Solomon or David, but to the Son God-man, spoken by the Father. The whole Psalm is written of him, and incompatible to any other is the matter of it. It represents him and his mystical marriage to the church; compare Eph 5:23-33; Rev 19:7,8; 22:17.

Thy throne, O God: some heretics, to elude this proof of Christs Deity, would make God the genitive case in the proposition, as: Thy throne of God, expressly contrary to the grammar, both in Hebrew and Greek: others gloss it, that is the nominative case, as, God is thy throne for ever, &c. i.e. He doth and will establish it: but this is cavilling, since it is the Fathers speech to and of his Son, describing his nature in opposition to the angels before. They were created spirits, but he was God; they were ministers and servants in his kingdom, where he was King; therefore his name and person is better than theirs.

God, in the singular, was a name never given to any creature, but is expressive of his Divine nature, and his relation in the Deity, being God the Son.

Is for ever and ever: his office as God-man, and great gospel Minister, is a royal one. He is a great King, angels are subjects of his kingdom as well as men, which royalty is set out by the ensigns of it; as here, by a throne, which is an emblem of royal authority, dominion, and power, whence he displayeth himself in his kingdom. It is a heavenly one, of a perfect constitution and administration, and of eternal continuance. His it was by natural inheritance, as God the Son; and as man united to the Godhead, he inheriteth the privileges of that person. This natural dominion over all things remaineth for ever, Col 1:16.

A sceptre of righteousness is a sceptre of thy kingdom: another ensign of his royal dominion and kingdom is his sceptre, which is his Spirit put out in his government of the world, and in his special work of grace, guiding and conforming, through his word and ordinances, the hearts of his chosen to the will of his Father. This sceptre is subjectively right in itself, and efficiently, making all under its power to be rectified according to the right and pure mind and will of God: compare Psa 110:1-3.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

8. O Godthe Greek hasthe article to mark emphasis (Psa 45:6;Psa 45:7).

for ever . . .righteousnessEverlasting duration and righteousnessgo together (Psa 45:2; Psa 89:14).

a sceptre ofrighteousnessliterally, “a rod of rectitude,” or”straightforwardness.” The oldest manuscripts prefix “and”(compare Es 4:11).

Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

But unto the Son, he saith,…. What he does not to angels, and which sets him infinitely above them; which shows him to be a Prince and King, and not a servant, or minister; and which even ascribes deity to him:

thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: this, with what follows in this verse, and the next, is taken out of Ps 45:6 which psalm is not spoken of Solomon, to whom many things in it will not agree; he was not fairer than other men; nor was he a warrior; nor was his throne for ever and ever; and much less a divine person, and the object of worship; but the Messiah, and so the ancient Jews understand it: the Targum applies it to him, and mentions him by name in Heb 1:2 and some of their modern writers z affirm it is said of the Messiah; though Aben Ezra seems doubtful about it, saying, it is spoken concerning David, or Messiah his Son, whose name is so, Eze 37:25. Deity is here ascribed to the Son of God; he is expressly called God; for the words will not bear to be rendered, “thy throne is the throne of God, or thy throne is God”; or be supplied thus, “God shall establish thy throne”: nor are the words an apostrophe to the father, but are spoken to the king, the subject of the psalm, who is distinguished from God the Father, being blessed and anointed by him; and this is put out of all doubt by the apostle, who says they are addressed “to the Son”, who is not a created God, nor God by office, but by nature; for though the word “Elohim” is sometimes used of those who are not gods by nature; yet being here used absolutely, and the attributes of eternity, and most perfect righteousness, being ascribed to the person so called, prove him to be the true God; and this is the reason why his throne is everlasting, and his sceptre righteous, and why he should be worshipped, served, and obeyed. Dominion and duration of it are given to him; his throne denotes his kingly power, and government; which is general, over angels, good and bad; over men, righteous and wicked, even the greatest among them, the kings and princes of the earth: and special, over his church and people; and which is administered by his Spirit and grace in the hearts of his saints; and by his word and ordinances in his churches; and by his powerful protection of them from their enemies; and will be in a glorious manner in the latter day, and in heaven to all eternity; for his throne is for ever, and on it he will sit for ever: his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom; he will have no successor in it, nor can his government be subverted; and though he will deliver up the kingdom to the Father, it will not cease.

A sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom; the sceptre is an ensign of royalty; and a sceptre of righteousness, or rightness, is expressive of the justice of government; the Syriac version renders it, “a sceptre stretched out”; which is a sceptre of mercy, as the instance of Ahasuerus stretching out his sceptre to Esther shows; and such is the Gospel of Christ, which holds forth and declares the mercy, grace, and love of God to men through Christ; and which may be called a sceptre of righteousness, since it reveals and directs to the righteousness of Christ, and encourages to works of righteousness; but here it designs the righteous administration of Christ’s kingly office; for just and true are, have been, and ever will be his ways, as King of saints.

z Kimchi & R. Sol. ben Melech in loc. & R. Abraham Seba, Tzeror Hammor, fol. 49. 2.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

O God ( ). This quotation (the fifth) is from Ps 45:7f. A Hebrew nuptial ode () for a king treated here as Messianic. It is not certain whether is here the vocative (address with the nominative form as in Joh 20:28 with the Messiah termed as is possible, Joh 1:18) or is nominative (subject or predicate) with (is) understood: “God is thy throne” or “Thy throne is God.” Either makes good sense.

Sceptre (). Old word for walking-stick, staff (Heb 11:21).

Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament

Fifth quotation, Psa 45:7, 8. A nuptial ode addressed to an Israelitish king. The general sense is that the Messiah ‘s kingdom is eternal and righteously administered.

Thy throne, O God [ ] . I retain the vocative, although the translation of the Hebrew is doubtful. The following renderings have been proposed : “thy throne (which is a throne) of God” : “thy throne is (a throne) of God” : “God is thy throne.” Some suspect that the Hebrew text is defective.

Forever and ever [ ] . Lit. unto the aeon of the aeon. 170 See additional note on 2Th 1:9.

A sceptre of righteousness [ ] . Rend. the sceptre. The phrase N. T. o. o LXX jEuquthv, lit. straightness, N. T. o. It occurs in LXX

Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament

1)“But unto the Son he saith,” (pros de ton huion)” But with regard to the Son, (he saith):” But with regards to the heir-Son, the inheritance Son, who is more excellent than angel servants, God speaks, commits a vow, a covenant pledge, as follows:

2) “Thy throne, 0 God,” (ho thronos sou ho theos) “Thy throne (central throne) 0 God;” historically alluding to David and Solomon’s Throne Divinely appointed, yet more specifically to that on which His Son is to preside, 2Sa 7:12-16; Isa 9:6; Luk 1:33.

3) “Is for ever and ever,” (eis ton auona tou aionos) “(exists) into the age of the age,” into eternity, without cessation, termination, or end, Dan 7:14; Dan 7:27; Rev 11:15.

4) “A sceptre of righteousness is,” (kai he hrabdos tes euthutetos) “And the rod (sceptre) of righteousness is (exists as);” The sceptre denotes administrative rule of a royal ruler, a king- – and this king-ruler is an holy and righteous being in all his character and acts, .

5) “The sceptre of thy kingdom,” (hrabdos tes basileias autou) “The rod (sceptre) of his kingdom;- As the Sceptre of Judah one, Gen 49:10, as the Lion of the tribe of Judah, and as the Lamb he shall come to rule and reign with his people over his and their joint heritage. And even upon the horses’ bells or bridle shall be written “holiness to the Lord;” Isa 9:7; Zec 14:20-21.

Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary

8. But to the Son, etc. It must indeed be allowed, that this Psalm was composed as a marriage song for Solomon; for here is celebrated his marriage with the daughter of the king of Egypt; (23) but it cannot yet be denied but that what is here related, is much too high to be applied to Solomon. The Jews, that they may not be forced to own Christ to be called God, make an evasion by saying, it at the throne of God is spoken of, or that the verb “established” is to be understood. So that, according to the first exposition, the word Elohim, God, is to be in construction with throne, “the throne of God;” and that according to the second, it is supposed to be a defective sentence. But these are mere evasions. Whosoever will read the verse, who is of a sound mind and free from the spirit of contention, cannot doubt but that the Messiah is called God. Nor is there any reason to object, that the word Elohim is sometimes given to angels and to judges; for it is never found to be given simply to one person, except to God alone. (24)

Farther, that I may not contend about a word, whose throne can be said to be established forever, except that of God only? Hence the perpetuity of his kingdom is an evidence of his divinity.

The scepter of Christ’s kingdom is afterwards called the scepter of righteousness; of this there were some, though obscure, lineaments in Solomon; he exhibited them as far as he acted as a just king and zealous for what was right. But righteousness in the kingdom of Christ has a wider meaning; for he by his gospel, which is his spiritual scepter, renews us after the righteousness of God. The same thing must be also understood of his love of righteousness; for he causes it to reign in his own people, because he loves it.

(23) It is generally admitted to be a kind of epithalamium, but not on the occasion here specified, as there was nothing in that marriage that in any degree correspond with the contents of the Psalm. Such was the opinion of Beza, Dr. Owen, Scott, and Horsley. — Ed.

(24) The Hebrew will admit of no other construction than that given in our version and by Calvin. The Greek version, the Sept., which the Apostle adopts, seems at first view to be different, as “God” is in the nominative case, ὁ Θεὸς; but the Sept. used in commonly instead of the vocative case. We meet with two instances in the seventh Psalm, Psa 7:1, and in connection with “Lord,” κύριε in the vocative case. See also Psa 10:12, etc.

The Vulgate, following literally the Sept., without regarding the preceding peculiarity, has rendered “God” in the nominative, “ Deus,” and not “ O Deus.” — Ed.

Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary

C.

Superior to angels in universal ruleHeb. 1:8 to Heb. 2:4.

1.

Because of character and creation.

Text

Heb. 1:8-12

Heb. 1:8 but of the Son He saith,

Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever;
And the sceptre of uprightness is the sceptre of Thy Kingdom.

Heb. 1:9 Thou has loved righteousness, and hated iniquity;

Therefore God, Thy God, hath anointed Thee
With the oil of gladness above Thy fellows,

Heb. 1:10 And,

Thou, Lord, in the beginning didst lay the foundation of the earth,
And the heavens are the works of Thy hands:

Heb. 1:11 They shall perish; but Thou continuest:

And they all shall wax old as doth a garment;

Heb. 1:12 And as a mantel shalt Thou roll them up,

As a garment, and they shall be changed:
But Thou art the same,

And Thy years shall not fail.

Paraphrase

Heb. 1:8 But to show that the Son is Governor of the world, He saith to Him, Psa. 45:6. Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever. And, Of this government Thou art worthy, because the sceptre of Thy kingdom is a sceptre of rectitude: Thy government is exercised for maintaining truth and righteousness in the world.

Heb. 1:9 By coming to destroy the devil and his works, Thou hast showed the greatest love of righteousness and hatred of wickedness; therefore, O God, Thy God (Joh. 20:17) hath bestowed on Thee as a king, and a priest, and a prophet, endowments whereby Thou excellest all Thy associates in these offices.

Heb. 1:10 And, still farther to display the greatness of the Son above all the angels, (see Heb. 1:14.), it is said, Psa. 102:25-27. Thou, Lord, in the beginning didst firmly build the earth, and the works of Thy power are the heavens.

Heb. 1:11 They, though firmly founded, shall perish, but Thou, their maker, possessest an endless existence; and they all, as a garment becomes useless by long wearing, shall grow old, unfit for answering the purpose of their creation;

Heb. 1:12 And then, as a worn-out upper garment, Thou wilt fold them up, and lay them aside as useless, and they shall be changed for the new heavens and the new earth to be substituted in their place: but Thou, their maker, art the same, without any change, and Thy duration shall never have an end.

Comment

Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever

This passage has various readings.

a.

The original is found in Psa. 45:6In the footnote of the A.S. version it reads, Thy throne is the throne of God.

b.

In Hebrews the footnote reads, Thy throne is God forever. This is the problem: is Christ addressed here as God?

a.

Calvin says: The Jews, in order to avoid owning Christ, make an evasion by saying that the throne of God is spoken of; whoever will read the verse who is of sound mind and free of the spirit of contention, cannot doubt, but the Messiah is called God. (p. 45)

b.

To back up Calvins position, note Heb. 1:9. Therefore God, Thy God, hath anointed Thee.

1.

The commas could be removed so it would read, God Thy God hath

2.

The Psalm is addressed to Jesus, so the commas are correctly placed.

The main point should not be lost in the above discussion:

a.

The point is the eternality of Jesus.

b.

He is not just a minister of God as are the angels, but He has an eternal throne.

and the sceptre

This is a baton or staff borne by a sovereign as an emblem of authority.

of uprightness

In a world of corruptness and graft, we need one who rules with uprightness, Psa. 37:18; Isa. 26:7.

Jesus baptism was on the basis of righteousness.

Mat. 3:15to fulfill all righteousness.

is the sceptre of Thy kingdom

Thy kingdom is also translated His kingdom.
Some make a distinction between kingdom of God and kingdom of heaven.

a.

One view: The kingdom of God includes all saints from Adam to the present, and the church is a part of it.

b.

Second view: The kingdom of heaven will be set up by Jesus when He comes, and the church is not a part of it.

SPECIAL OUTLINE

The New Testament Teaching on the Kingdom

I.

The first preaching of the kingdom.

A.

John, in Mat. 3:2 : Repent ye for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

B.

Jesus in Mat. 4:17 : From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent ye; for the kingdom of heaven it at hand.

C.

Mat. 10:7 to disciples: As ye go, preach saying the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

D.

Luk. 10:9the seventy: . . . and heal the sick that are therein, and say unto them, the kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.

E.

Two questions to be asked:

1.

Were the seventy preaching differently than the twelve? No, all eighty-four were preaching the same message.

2.

How near was the kingdom to them?

a.

This is about six months before the death of Christ.

b.

Within their lifetime: Mar. 9:1Verily I say unto you, That there be some of them that stand here, which shall not taste of death till they have seen the kingdom of God come with power.

3.

The conclusion is that the kingdom and the church are the same.

II.

The names of the kingdom

A.

His kingdom

Mat. 16:28 : Verily I say unto you, there be some standing here, which shall not taste of death till they see the Son of man coming in His kingdom.

cf. Joh. 18:36 where Jesus said to Pilate: My kingdom is not of this world; if My kingdom were of this world then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews, but now is My kingdom not from hence.

The kingdom of God in the same instance:

Mar. 9:1 Verily I say unto you that there be some of them that stand here, which shall not taste of death till they have seen the kingdom of God come with power.

Luk. 9:27 : But I tell you of a truth, there be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the kingdom of God.

We are not discussing two different kingdoms; they are the same:

B.

The kingdom of heaven

Mat. 19:23right after the rich young ruler went away sorrowing: Verily I say unto you, that a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Mat. 16:19 : And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatsoever

C.

The kingdom of God

Mar. 10:25The rich young ruler provoked this:

It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.

Joh. 3:5 : Except a man be born of the water and the spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

D.

My church

Mat. 16:18 : I say unto theeupon this rock I will build my church.

E.

The church of the firstborn

Heb. 12:22-23 : But ye are cometo the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect.

F.

A kingdom

Heb. 12:28 : Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved,let us have grace whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear.

G.

The church of God.

1Co. 1:2 Unto the church of God which is at Corinth to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours.

H.

The churches of Christ.

Rom. 16:16 The churches of Christ salute you.

Ecclesia is the Greek word here translated church, It means called out! Who are its members?

I.

Church His body.

Eph. 5:23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church and He is the Saviour of the body.

1Co. 12:13 : For by one spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.

J.

The regeneration:

Mat. 19:28 : And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, that ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of His glory, ye shall also sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

III.

The purpose of the kingdom

Luk. 22:29-30 : I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto Me; that ye may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

A.

They would rule while Christ was reigning.

B.

They would be the authoritykeys to the kingdom.

1.

Superior to angels in universal rule because of character and creation

Comment

Thou hast loved righteousness

What is righteousness?

a.

It is in the realm of good beyond that which is demanded, but that which comes with love.

b.

A man is right when he supports his family, but he is in the realm of righteousness when he goes beyond.

What evidence do we have that He loved righteousness?

a.

His teaching emphasized it.

1.

Mat. 5:20.

2.

Luke 10 : parable of the good Samaritan.

b.

It was proved by His sinless life.

1.

Luk. 23:4 : Pilate found no fault in Him.

2.

Matthew 4 : He insisted on righteousness when the devil tempted Him.

3.

Heb. 4:15 : was without sin.

c.

His obedience to the Fathers will proves His love for righteousness.

and hated iniquity

How do we know He did?

a.

By his teaching.

1.

The woes to the sinner. Mat. 11:21; Mat. 23:13-29; Luk. 6:24.

2.

His condemnation of hypocrisy. Mat. 6:16; Mat. 15:7.

b.

He proved it by His actions.

Mat. 21:12. The cleansing of the temple.

Jesus hated evil, but not the evildoer.

a.

He looked upon the rich young ruler and loved him. Mar. 10:21.

b.

He ate with publicans and sinners. Mat. 9:10.

c.

He forgave the vilest of sinners, those who crucified Him. Luk. 23:34.

d.

He came to die for sinners.

We are expected to be like Christ.

a.

Psa. 97:10 : Oh ye that love Jehovah, hate evil.

b.

Mat. 6:15; Mat. 18:35 : Forgiveness.

therefore God, Thy God hath anointed Thee

Is Christ addressed as God here?

a.

Yes, if the comma is left after God, if read as addressed to Jesus Christ.

b.

No, if the comma should be removed and placed after therefore, for it then reads, God Thy God.

1.

This means then that God is the God of Jesus.

2.

It should be remembered that commas are arbitrarily placed in the scripture by men.

3.

This is a quotation from Psa. 45:6 and appears the same in the Old Testament as in the New Testament.

c.

God is the God of Jesus.

Mat. 27:46 : My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken me

Anointing was a familiar practice in the scriptures.

a.

There were two kinds, perhaps three.

1.

The ordinary anointing of head and body, cf. Deu. 28:40; Rth. 3:3; Mic. 6:15; Psa. 23:5.

2.

The official anointings:

a)

Prophets were anointed at their inauguration to office, 1Ch. 16:22; 1Ki. 19:16; Psa. 105:15.

b)

Priests were anointed:

1)

At the institution of the Levitical priesthood, they were anointed to office. Exo. 40:15; Num. 3:3.

2)

The anointing for the high priesthood, Exo. 29:29; Lev. 16:32.

a)

Kings were anointed in a divinely appointed ceremony, 1Sa. 9:16; 1Sa. 10:1; 1Ki. 1:34; 1Ki. 1:39.

3.

The anointing of inanimate objects, Gen. 31:13Jacob anointed the pillar at Bethel, cf. Exo. 30:26-28.

Jesus was anointed, as other scriptures indicate:

a.

Act. 4:27 : Jesus whom Thou didst anoint

Act. 10:37-38 : how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit.

b.

Jesus was and is Prophet, Priest and King, so He is deserving of anointment.

1)

ProphetDeu. 18:15-18.

2)

PriestHeb. 4:14.

3)

KingRev. 17:14.

with the oil of gladness

Jesus was gladHeb. 12:2 : who for the joy that was set

God was pleased with him; thus He was glad:

Matthew 3, at His baptism: in whom I am well pleased

Matthew 17, at His transfiguration: well pleased

There are two means or materials used for anointing, one material, and one figurative:

a.

Materialoil. Luk. 7:46 : respect paid to a friend or guest. Psa. 23:5.

b.

Gods anointing for man.

2Co. 1:21 : anointed us in God.

1Jn. 2:27 : the anointing which ye received

The oil of gladness is figurative, and we may believe the Holy Spirit is referred to.

Act. 10:37-38 : anointed Him with the Holy Spirit.

above Thy fellows

Who are the fellows?

a.

Obviously the Godhead is not referred to.

b.

He is above all others:

1.

He is above man with whom He dwelt, as He took upon Himself the form of a servant, for these men must confess Him. Php. 2:9-11.

2.

He is above all rulers, for He is King of kings and Lord of lords. Rev. 17:14; Rev. 19:16.

3.

He is above all saints, for He is their priest. Heb. 4:14.

the foundation of the earth

This is a quotation from Psa. 102:25.

a.

It seems not to refer to Christ at the first reading.

b.

Christs name is not mentioned in the Psalm.

c.

Calvin says, but it is yet plain that He is so pointed out, that no one can doubt but that His kingdom is there avowedly recommended to us. (p. 47)

New Testament verses that suggest the same idea: Joh. 1:1; Col. 1:16. The eternality of Christ over the inhabited world is established.

and the heavens are the works of Thy hands

This refers to the creation above the earth.
Heavens is in the plural form. The completeness of His power is established. There is not one God who made heaven, and another God who made earth.

They shall perish

What is meant by they?

a.

Specifically, the foundations of earth and the heavens.

b.

This world will perish. See other verses: Mat. 24:35; 2Pe. 3:7-13; Rev. 21:1 : The first heaven and first earth are passed away.

c.

Other things will likewise perish:

1.

Evil angels will perish. 2Pe. 2:4; Mat. 25:41.

2.

Sinful men will perish. Joh. 3:16; Rev. 20:15; 2Pe. 3:7.

but Thou continuest

This is called immutability by the theologians. Christ is not mutablenot changing. Christ is invariableunchangeable, Note His eternality as seen by other verses. Heb. 1:8; Heb. 13:8; 2Co. 1:19.

they shall wax old as a garment

Scientists agree to the ageing of the world.
They say that the sun is losing its heat, but of course tomorrow they may change their mind. They say the soil is wearing out, so our vegetables need vitamins added.
Obviously man grows old.

James verifies thisHeb. 4:14 : Man is as a vapor.

and as a mantle shalt Thou roll them up

The mantle was a loose sleeveless garment worn over other garments. God is powerful enough to roll up the earth as easily as man cares for his coat.

and as a garment they shall be changed

Peter expresses this thought likewise in 2Pe. 3:10.

God is able to make changes quickly. 1Co. 15:52 : in a twinkling of an eye

but Thou art the same

In what ways is He the same?

a.

He is the same in dependability, so His words will abide. Mat. 24:35.

b.

He is the same in character, so His love will save us in the end.

c.

He is the same in any age, Heb. 13:8yesterday, today, yea and forever.

and Thy years shall not fail Thee

Old age is no factor with Jesus.

Time does not enter in for He is eternal, Death could not corrupt Him. Psa. 16:10 : Holy One did not see corruption. Act. 2:31 : nor did His flesh see corruption.

Study Questions

89.

What is the duration of Gods throne?

90.

How does this prove His superiority over angels?

91.

What is a sceptre?

92.

What is its significance?

93.

What is the nature of His reign? cf. Psa. 37:18; Isa. 26:7.

94.

Does Mat. 3:15 add to the idea of reign of righteousness?

95.

Does Jesus have a kingdom?

96.

What words are connected with the term, kingdom? What is the difference between the terms, kingdom of heaven, and kingdom of God?

97.

Is it possible to have a kingdom without a king?

98.

When was Jesus king?

99.

When is He your king?

100.

How did Christ feel concerning righteousness?

101.

What is righteousness?

102.

What evidence do we have that Christ loved righteousness? By His preaching? By His life?

103.

How strongly was Jesus against iniquity?

104.

Did Jesus hate the sinners?

105.

Name some times that Jesus preached against sin.

106.

Did He ever display wrath against sin?

107.

Is God the God of Christ?

108.

Is Christ spoken of as being God?

109.

Did Jesus ever call God His God? cf. Mat. 27:46.

110.

Describe the various kinds of anointing in the Old Testament.

111.

When was Christ anointed?

112.

What about Jesus caused Him to deserve anointing? (ProphetPriestKing.)

113.

What is the significance of the expression, oil of gladness?

114.

Did Jesus ever hear of an expression of gladness from God?

115.

What other means has God used to anoint people?

116.

In what way have we been anointed? cf. 2Co. 1:21; 1Jn. 2:27; Act. 10:37-38.

117.

Who are the fellows of Christ?

118.

Could fellows refer to the Godhead?

119.

Is He above man? How do we know this is true?

120.

Is He above rulers? Rev. 17:14; Rev. 19:16.

121.

Is He above priests? Heb. 4:14.

122.

And Thou LordTo whom does this refer?

123.

Read Psa. 102:25, which is quoted in Heb. 1:10.

124.

Did He make the heavens? cf. Joh. 1:1; Col. 1:16.

125.

What is the main idea established here?

126

What is meant by, they shall perish?

127.

Does the scripture back up this teaching that the worlds and heavens will perish?

128.

Will anything else perish?

1.

Evil angels; 2Pe. 2:4; Mat. 25:41.

2.

Sinful men: Joh. 3:16; Rev. 20:15; 2Pe. 3:7.

129.

But Thou continuest carries what idea?

130.

Do other verses establish His eternality?

131.

What figure of speech is used to describe the aging of the earth in Heb. 1:11?

132.

Do scientists agree?

133.

Does man grow old? cf. Jas. 4:14.

134.

What figure describes the end of the world in Heb. 1:12?

135.

What is a mantle?

136.

What other scriptures teach that God is able to change things? 2Pe. 3:10; 1Co. 15:52.

137.

In what ways are God and Christ the same?

138.

Are the Godhead members subject to failing years?

139.

Can the Godhead be corrupted by failing years? cf. Psa. 16:10; Act. 2:31.

Fuente: College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

(8) Unto.Rather, of. The connection with Heb. 1:7 is so close (Whereas of the angels He saith . . . of the Son He saith), that we must not vary the rendering of the preposition. The passage which follows is taken from Psa. 45:6-7. As the words stand in the ordinary Greek text, they agree exactly with the LXX.; but certain alterations of reading are required by the best evidence. After the words for ever and ever and must be restored, and in the following clause the and a must change places. The latter change is of moment only as it affects the former. Were the words in all other respects cited with perfect exactness, the introduction of and would probably indicate that the writer intended to split up the quotation into two parts, each significant for his purpose. (Comp. Heb. 2:13.) As, however, we note other minor changes, the insertion of the connecting word is probably accidental. A third reading is of much greater importance. At the close of the verse the two oldest of our Greek MSS. agree in reading His kingdom: to this we will return afterwards.

We have every reason to believe that the application of Psalms 45 which is here made was fully received by the ancient Jews; thus in the Targum on the Psalm Heb. 1:7 is taken as a direct address to the King Messiah. Hence the readers of this Epistle would at once recognise the argument which the words contain. It is strongly maintained by some that the Psalm (like Psalms 110, see below, on Heb. 1:13) is altogether prophetic, the promised Messiah alone being in the Psalmists thought. There appear to be insuperable objections to this view, from particular expressions used (in the later verses especially), and from the general structure and colouring of the Psalm. It is in every way more probable that the second Psalm (see Note on Heb. 1:5), rather than Psalms 110, represents the class to which Psalms 45 belongs. Originally writing in celebration of the marriage of a king of Davids line (we know not whom, but many of the arguments urged against the possible reference to Solomon have no great weight), the inspired Psalmist uses words which bear their full meaning only when applied to that Son of David of whose kingdom there shall be no end. The promises made to David (2 Samuel 7) are before the writers mind in the first verses of the Psalm. The king appointed by God is His representative to Gods people; his cause is that of truth and righteousness; his dominion will continually advance. It is at this moment that, with the promise of a divine sonship (Psalms 2) in his thought, he suddenly addresses the sing as Elohim (Heb. 1:7), a divine king who receives from God the reward of righteousness (Heb. 1:8). There are in the Old Testament examples of the use of Elohim which diminish the difficulty of its application to an earthly king (such as Psa. 82:1; Psa. 95:3; 1Sa. 28:13; Exo. 7:1); but it must still be acknowledged that the passage stands alone. This difficulty, however, relates only to the primary application. As the higher and true reference of the words became revealed, all earthly limitations disappeared; the Christian readers of the Psalm recognised in the Messiah of whom it speaks a King who is God.

The reading His kingdom has seemed to require a different rendering of the words in the first part of the verse: God is Thy throne for ever and ever. This rendering, however, will suit either reading of the Greek, and is equally admissible as a rendering of the Hebrew. Nor is it really inconsistent with the position in which the verse here stands: in contrast with the ministry of angels is set, on this view, not indeed a direct address to the Son as God, but the sovereign rule which the Son receives from God. The objections raised against it are: (1) such an expression as God is Thy throne is contrary to the analogy of Scripture language; (2) the ordinary rendering has the support of almost all ancient authority, Jewish writers and ancient versions being apparently united in its favour. The former argument is not very strong in face of Psa. 90:1, and similar passages; but the latter is so weighty that we hesitate to accept the change, helpful as it would be in making clear the original and typical reference of Heb. 1:7. It should be said that the reading His kingdom is not inconsistent with the ordinary translation of the preceding words; for a sudden transition from Thy throne, O God to His kingdom is in full accordance with the usage of Hebrew poetry. (See Psa. 43:4; Psa. 67:5-6; Psa. 104:4-6, et al.) There are other renderings which would require discussion if we were concerned with the Hebrew text of the Psalm: the two given above are the only possible translations of the Greek.

A sceptre . . .Rather, the sceptre of uprightness is a sceptre of Thy (or, His) kingdom. Righteousness itself (so to speak, the very ideal of righteous government) bears sway in Thy kingdom.

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

8. Saith Quoted from Psa 45:6-7, generally held to be a Messianic psalm. See in vol. v, O.T., of this series. It is addressed not so much to the pre-existent Word as to the incarnate Son, tracing the character of his rule in the earth, with his Messianic exaltation in consequence.

Thy throne, O God That the vocative here agrees with both Greek and Hebrew, see notes.

Sceptre of righteousness The rule of the Mediator is in itself right; it is the origin and securer of the moral quality in the progress of the world; and it is pledge that the right shall prevail in the final destinies of men. Physical nature in itself is necessitated, and destitute of justice and mercy. The normal processes of necessary causes, by the law of the Father as God of nature, are all relentless and regardless of the gracious. It is from the presence and sway of the blessed Mediator, under grace of the Father, that the power of mercy and peace is felt in earthly things.

Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

‘But of the Son he says,

“Your throne, O God, is (or ‘your throne is God’) for ever and ever.

And the sceptre of uprightness is the sceptre of your kingdom.

You have loved righteousness, and hated iniquity.

Therefore God, your God, has anointed you

With the oil of gladness above your fellows.”

This fourth quotation parallels ideas in the first. There He was crowned, here He has his everlasting throne. There He became God’s Anointed. Here He is anointed as supreme ruler. And central to the idea is His perfect righteousness and uprightness.

‘But of the Son.’ There is a direct contrast here of ‘the Son’ with the angels.

His supreme greatness is emphasised in that He Who is the Son, the Messiah, is either called ‘God’, or has ‘God as His throne’ (Psa 45:6-7). If we translate in the first way it was originally a courtesy title, flattering the Davidic king as being almost like one of the elohim (heavenly beings), or indicating his unique position as God’s prime representative and adopted son, and the description is kept in its rightful place by referring almost immediately to ‘your God’. In that case the writer has no hesitation in seeing it as an unconscious prophecy (compare Joh 11:51) concerning the greatest of the Davidic kings, and of the Messiah. The One Who is Son is described as ‘God’, as One Who will sit on an eternal throne. As such He will reign under the Heavenly Rule of God.

However the equally possible translation ‘your throne is God’ (compare ‘Yahweh is my rock’ (Psa 18:2), ‘You are my rock’ (Psa 31:3) so that they could equally well have said a parallel, ‘My rock is God’) would equally indicate the Son’s unique status. It could be seen as the equivalent of sitting at God’s right hand (Heb 1:13), but even more so, as sitting in God’s hand, so that God is giving full support to Him in his rule. He acts totally as God’s viceroy, and is seated in God as the one who is in God’s hand. In the initial Psalm it might indicate the divinity, the heavenly status, of the king’s throne as indicating that he is the favourite of Yahweh.

(It is in fact difficult to think of the Davidic king in the Psalm, who was originally an ordinary king, even though Davidic and therefore adopted by God, and in the Psalm in process of being married, being called ‘God (elohim)’. It is true that it could be seen as meaning ‘godlike’, or even ‘glorious representative of the true God’, but it is only used in this sense in the plural, and such a description in the singular would be unique in the Old Testament, and this is especially significant in the light of the fact that an alternative translation is equally possible. It is very different from the reference which Jesus does use, ‘I have said you are elohim’ (Psa 82:6) for there the plural is referring to a plurality and the use is explained and defined. The use of Mighty God in Isa 9:6 is different because it refers to a unique, miraculously born person. Had Jesus interpreted the Psalm as describing the king as elohim would He not have used that against the charges of blasphemy that were brought against Him? It would have been the perfect riposte. That being so, however, many translators and interpreters do prefer the rendering ‘O God’, and it certainly ties in with the progression ‘Son’, ‘God’, ‘Lord’ in the quotations.).

‘And the sceptre of uprightness is the sceptre of your kingdom.’ The sign of His kingly office will be uprightness, which will be the symbol of what distinguishes His kingdom, for his throne is God. That would mean that we have the parallels, ‘his throne is God’ and ‘his sceptre is uprightness’. This in direct contrast to the winds and flames of fire, where they but act as servants and ministers.

‘You have loved righteousness, and hated iniquity. Therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness above your fellows.’ And it is because of His truly righteous rule, and especially because of His love for righteousness and hatred of iniquity, that ‘God His God’ (the equivalent of ‘Yahweh your God’), has anointed Him with the oil of gladness, the special anointing that makes glad the heart because it is the anointing of the supreme king. No joy is like the joy of being supreme.

‘Above your fellows.’ In the Psalm initially this probably signifies other kings. But it possibly has in mind here both the whole of mankind and of the angels as his ‘fellows’ over whom He is set. So again He is set above the angels. (For if the king is elohim, so can be the angels, who are also elsewhere called elohim, but the overall point is rather that He is the One chosen as supreme king on the everlasting throne and above all His ‘fellows’ of whatever kind). So His deep love and concern for righteousness is what has set Him apart from all others. It is seen to exceed that of all, even that of the angels, of kings and of his fellow-men. He is uniquely the King of Righteousness, the Righteous One (Heb 7:2; 1Pe 3:18), the One Who is ‘apart from sin’ (Heb 9:28).

Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett

Heb 1:8-9 derived from Psa 45:7-8 (6, 7). The psalm is an epithalamium , a wedding-song. But even by Rabbins like Aben Esra, Kimchi, and others, it is Messianically interpreted.

Heb 1:8 . The nominative is taken by our author in the sense of the vocative (comp. e.g. Col 3:18 ff.; Luk 8:54 ; Winer, Gramm. , 7 Aufl. p. 172; Khner, II. p. 155), thus as an apostrophe to the Messiah. [38] In the Hebrew words: , is not vocative, but to be translated either after the analogy of Lev 26:42 ( , I will remember my Jacob’s-covenant, i.e. the covenant made by me with Jacob), with Bleek, de Wette, and Kurtz: “thy throne of God,” i.e. “thy divine throne;” or, with Ewald ( ad loc . and Gramm . 547): “thy throne is (throne) of God or divine.” The Greek , too, it has been thought by Grimm (Theol. Literaturbl. to the Darmstadt Allg. Kirch.-Zeit . 1857, No. 29, p. 662) and Ewald (das Sendschr. an d. Hebr. p. 55), ought not to be explained in the sense of a vocative. According to Grimm, the words are to be taken in the acceptation: “Thy throne, i.e. the foundation of Thy throne, is God;” according to Ewald, they say that “the throne of the Messiah for everlasting ages is God Himself, so that where He reigns, there God Himself is virtually ever present.” But the argument urged by Grimm in favour of this construction that, since Philo, as frequently also the Christian Alexandrians, makes a sharp distinction between (with the article) as a designation of God, and (without an article) as designation of the Logos, it is hardly to be regarded as probable that a man of Alexandrian culture, like our author, would have called Christ as to His divine nature would have had weight only if that designation, in place of being met with in a citation, had occurred in our author’s own discourse.

] sc . . So LXX., Cod. Alex.; Cod. Vatican.: . The same (merely Hellenistic) formula, strengthening the simple (Heb 5:6 , and often), also Tob. 2:18; Psa 83:18 , al . In independent discourse the author uses in place thereof . Comp. Heb 7:3 , Heb 10:1 , Heb 12:14 .

] a sceptre of uprightness, i.e. of righteousness. , in the N. T. only here; but comp. LXX. Psa 9:9 ; Psa 67:5 ; Psa 96:10 ; Psa 98:9 . Comp. also Aeschylus, Persae , ver. 1:726 f. (according to the division in Hartung’s edition, Leipzig 1853):

[38] Against the peculiar opinion of Hofmann ( Schriftbew . I. p. 168 f. 2 Aufl.), that, vv. 8, 9, it is not Christ who is addressed; that, on the contrary, the author of the epistle leaves it to the reader “to take the words: , as an address to Jehovah, or with a right understanding of the connection as an address to the king, the anointed of Jehovah,” see Riehm, Lehrbegr. des Hebrerbr. p. 286, Remark.

, .

Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary

DISCOURSE: 2270
EXCELLENCY OF CHRISTS PERSON AND GOVERNMENT

Heb 1:8. Unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.

IN the Epistle to the Hebrews, the Apostles main object is to shew, that the Jewish ritual was completely fulfilled in Christ, and was therefore superseded by the Christian dispensation. But before he comes to the argumentative part, wherein this subject is regularly discussed, he shews how great and glorious a person Christ was: for, as the Jews had a high regard for Moses, and as they had received their law from God, it was necessary that they should be informed who Christ was; that he was greater than Moses, yea, than the very angels in heaven; and that therefore he had full authority to introduce the religion which was now established amongst his followers, and which the Jews were every where called upon to embrace. This, however, he takes care to ground upon their own Scriptures. He speaks of nothing as now, for the first time, revealed to himself; but appeals to the writings of their own prophets, in proof of every thing that he asserts.
The Psalm from whence the text is cited, relates chiefly to the Messiah. Whatever relation it may have to Solomon, it confessedly cannot be altogether applied to him. The ancient Jews understood it as speaking of the Messiah: and of the propriety of applying it to him, there can be no doubt. The words before us are addressed by the Father to the Messiah: and they lead us distinctly to notice two things; namely,

I.

The dignity of his person

Many there are, both Jews and Christians, who deny that the Divinity of Christ is here asserted
[Jews have said, that the word Elohim is applied in Scripture to creatures, and therefore cannot be justly interpreted as importing the proper Deity of the person to whom it is addressed. But to this it may be observed, that though the word Elohim is applied to magistrates officially, as representatives of the Deity, it is no where applied to any individual but to Jehovah himself; and that to apply it to any individual besides Jehovah would be blasphemy.

But Christians also have attempted to invalidate the testimony of the Apostle, as the Jews have of the prophet; and for that purpose would translate the words thus; God is thy throne for ever and ever. But this is to force the words from their plain and obvious meaning: nor will it answer the end which they would endeavour to attain: for the very next quotation from the Psalms asserts the divinity of Christ, as clearly as the text itself does; speaking of him as the Creator of all things, and as continuing immutably the same for ever and ever [Note: ver. 1012.]: and just before the text, another passage is cited from the Psalms to the same purpose, saying, Let all the angels of God worship him [Note: ver. 6.]. We may safely therefore affirm, that the Messiah (who is here called the Son,) is addressed as truly and properly God.]

But the doctrine of his proper Deity, whilst it is asserted here, pervades also the whole Scriptures, both of the Old and New Testament
[The very name Emmanuel was assigned him on this account, because he was God with us. Yes, verily, he is Jehovahs fellow [Note: Zec 13:7.]: even the mighty God [Note: Isa 9:6.]; Jehovah our righteousness [Note: Jer 23:6.]. Nor does the New Testament leave this in doubt: for it asserts him to be God manifest in the flesh [Note: 1Ti 3:16.], even the great God and our Saviour [Note: Tit 2:14.], God over all, blessed for ever [Note: Rom 9:5.].]

And this doctrine lies at the root of all our hopes
[The whole scope of this epistle is to shew, that what the blood of bulls and goats could not do, the blood of Christ, as shed upon the cross, has effected; namely, that it has made a propitiation for the sins of the whole world. But is it the blood of a mere creature that could effect this? If Christ be a mere creature, what force is there in that argument of the Apostle, If the blood of bulls, &c. sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of Christ, &c. purge our conscience from dead works to serve the living God [Note: Heb 9:13-14.]? What sense would there be in this, If the blood of one creature could effect the smallest thing, how much more shall the blood of another creature effect the greatest? But if Christ be God as well as man, then is the argument clear, and worthy of an inspired Apostle. In a word, Christ be not God, he cannot be the Saviour revealed in the Old Testament: for of him it is expressly said, Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else. There is no God else beside me; a just God and a Saviour: there is none beside me [Note: Isa 45:21-22.].]

But it is not so much of the essential, as of the mediatorial, dignity of Christ that the text speaks: for it immediately proceeds to mark,

II.

The excellency of his kingdom

Earthly kingdoms are but of a limited duration: and, from the imperfection of all human institutions, there must of necessity be something in them of partiality and of comparative oppression. But Christs kingdom is perfect in every respect: it is,

1.

In its duration perpetual

[The four great monarchies all found a termination of their power [Note: Dan 2:37-41.]: but the kingdom which Christ has established, shall endure for ever [Note: Dan 2:44; Dan 7:13-14.]. True it is, that the present mode of administering it will cease, when there are no more subjects to be governed, or enemies to be subdued. When the final judgment is passed, the enemies of the Messiahs kingdom will all be shut up in the prison prepared for their reception; and his subjects be exalted to those regions, where their every want will be supplied. Then the Son will deliver up the kingdom to God, even the Father, that God may be all in all [Note: 1Co 15:24; 1Co 15:28.]. Still, however, the kingdom itself will remain: and Christ, as its glorious Head, be acknowledged by all his subjects, as the one source of their happiness, the one author of their salvation [Note: Rev 5:9-10.].]

2.

In its administration just

[His sceptre is a sceptre of righteousness. Every law that proceeds from him is holy, and just, and good. Nothing of imperfection is found in any one of them: they are alike incapable of diminution or addition. If any one law appears too strict, it is only through our own ignorance and love of sin. To the renewed soul, not one of his commandments is grievous: the only thing that is grievous to it is, that it is not able to obey them all more perfectly. The very tendency of every law is to make those happy who obey it: and were any man to obey the laws of Christ as perfectly as they do in heaven, he would already in his own soul possess a heaven upon earth. Let any one who is disposed to complain of the strictness of the Gospel, examine its laws with candour, and see which of them he can reduce: Would he love God with less than all his heart; or his neighbour less than himself? Were he to reduce any one law below its present standard, he would so far give a licence for rebellion throughout all the kingdoms of the earth, and reason for murmuring throughout all the regions of hell, since a lower standard was appointed for others than was ever allowed to them.

But this righteousness is no less visible in the administration of the King, than in the laws by which he governs: for in no one instance is his favour or his frown accorded to any one, but in a strict consistency with equity. On whom did the King ever frown but on account of his transgressions, or more than in proportion to their enormity? or on whom did he ever deign to smile, but on those who humbled themselves before him as guilty, and pleaded his perfect righteousness as the ground of all their hopes? Nay, where did he ever pardon one rebel, till that rebel had cast himself entirely on the merit of his sacrifice, whereby Divine justice had been satisfied, and the law of God magnified? In earth, in hell, in heaven, the righteousness of his sceptre is alike displayed, and to all eternity shall it be acknowledged throughout the whole extent of his dominions.]

Keeping in view the general scope of the passage, as well as our own individual benefit, we would observe by way of improvement,
1.

How clearly are the great truths of the Gospel founded on the Old Testament!

[We find nothing in the New Testament which was not predicted in the Old. Hence our blessed Lord and his Apostles continually refer to the Jewish Scriptures in confirmation of their own word. And it is worthy of particular remark, that we never so much as once hear of their enemies controverting or objecting to the construction which they put upon the Scriptures. The true import of the prophecies was, in many respects, better understood then than now; because the Jews, in order to justify their rejection of Jesus as their Messiah, have laboured to find out other interpretations of the Scriptures, different from those which their own forefathers acknowledged and approved. And I cannot but regard the very circumstance of the Apostles citing the different prophecies in the way they did, as a strong presumption, that the Scriptures were understood at that time in the very sense in which they cited them: for, had they not been so understood by the Jews of that day, the citation of them would have been nugatory: yea, worse than nugatory; it would have been absurd in the highest degree; and would have produced the directly opposite effect to that which it was intended to produce. Let any one, with this impression upon his mind, read the chapter from whence our text is taken, and he cannot for one moment doubt the divinity of Christ, or the truth of his Messiahship.]

2.

How safely may we commit ourselves into the Saviours hands!

[Were our King a man only, what confidence could we have in his protection? He could not be every where: he could not hear and aid all persons at the same moment: consequently we might be overwhelmed before he could come to our aid. But our King is the Mighty God, who has all things in heaven, and earth, and hell under his controul; and who has engaged that all his enemies, and ours, shall be put under his feet. Let none then be discouraged because of the number, power, or inveteracy of their enemies: for, if he be for us, none can succesfully be against us. Let the consideration therefore which quieted Davids mind in all his troubles, compose and quiet our minds also under every trial that can befall us: the floods have lifted, O Lord, the floods have lifted up their voice: the floods lift up their waves. The Lord on high is mightier than the noise of many waters, yea, than the mighty waves of the sea [Note: Psa 93:3-4.]: The Lord is in his holy temple; the Lords throne is in heaven [Note: Psa 11:3-4.].]

3.

How obedient should we be to his holy will!

[Were it only that we are the work of his hands, we ought to be altogether obedient to his will: but how much more, when, in addition to being our Creator, he has become our Redeemer; and has assumed our nature, in order that we, through his vicarious sufferings, may be made partakers of his kingdom and glory! We must not forget that the throne on which he sits is a mediatorial throne; and the kingdom which he governs is a mediatorial kingdom: and that he exercises his dominion not merely over us, but for us. How happy would the fallen angels be, if they could have one more offer of being received into his kingdom! But this privilege belongs to us only; and to us no longer than during the present short period of our existence upon earth. If we cast not down the weapons of our rebellion now, the day of grace will be past, and we shall hear him say, Bring hither those that were mine enemies, who would not that I should reign over them, and slay them before me. But methinks we should be constrained by love, rather than by fear. Think, my brethren, what it has cost him to establish his kingdom: what conflicts he has endured for us, that we might be made partakers of his triumphs! It was through his own death that he triumphed over him that had the power of death, and delivered us from his cruel bondage. Give ye then up yourselves to him: and though death should await you for your fidelity to him, fear it not, but rejoice that ye are counted worthy to suffer it for his sake. And know assuredly, that, if ye suffer with him, ye shall reign with him, and to all eternity be glorified together with him.]


Fuente: Charles Simeon’s Horae Homileticae (Old and New Testaments)

(8) But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is forever and ever: a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of thy kingdom. (9) Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.

What a glorious testimony is here given, to the Person of Christ, as Christ; that is, as God-Man-Mediator. True indeed, as God, one with the Father, and the Holy Ghost, his throne of Godhead is forever and ever. And Under this view, such things as ascribe eternity, glory, and all other divine attributes, are all his. But very evidently, from the quotation of this passage from the Prophet, When celebrating the glories of the Messiah, Psa 45:6-7 . As well as what follows, in what is said of his fellows; the words both in the Prophet, and in this quotation by the Apostle, are spoken of Christ, as God-Man-Mediator. And most blessed they are indeed. Christ is all this, and everything that is great, and glorious, as the Head, and Husband of his Church and people. But I need not, in this place, dwell upon the subject. All the Bible is full of Christ, and His royalty. I will rather beg, to direct the attention of the Reader to what is here said of Christ’s fellows: for some very sweet, and precious views, according to my apprehension, arise here from.

The name of fellows, according to the original, carries with it somewhat very near, and intimate. Partners, Consorts, companions; Meaning a right, in all that Christ hath, in his headship; which is communicable both here in grace, and hereafter in glory. He, the Sun to fill them with light. He, the fountain from which the streams which flow, make glad the city of God. Hence, as One, and the same anointing, which was poured by the Holy Ghost on Christ, descended to all the members of his body; they are called by the same names, as their glorious Lord. He is king in Sion. And they are made kings and priests by him unto God and the Father, Rev 1:6 . He is said to have the Spirit given unto him, without measure, Joh 3:35 . And to everyone of them is given grace, according to the measure of the gift of Christ, Eph 4:7 . And hence, the words in this verse, which are rendered above thy fellows; may be read also for thy fellows: and both are equally beautiful, and correct.

But under this view of the subject, what I would more immediately call upon the Reader to remark with me, on this fellowship, this partnership of Christ, and his Church; Christ and his members, his body is this; that the anointing, our glorious Head; this man of unction, as he is called, or this holy thing: Luk 1:35 . Was, and is, with an express eye to his body the Church. Christ, as God is called Jehovah’s fellow, Zec 13:6 . And Christ, as man, in this place, as well as elsewhere, hath his fellows, in his members, Psa 45:7 ; Zec 3:8 . It forms one of the sweetest of all subjects, the contemplation of Christ, and his Church, in this oneness, and fellowship. The whole Church in every individual member, of his mystical body, were from all eternity chosen in Christ, and set up with Christ: And the whole body, in the purpose of Jehovah, were chosen in him, and for him, as fellows, and partners, and companions; to receive from him, and to enjoy with him, all that is communicable, in name, and honor, and happiness, and affection; during the time-state of grace upon earth: and glory in heaven.

Reader! beg for grace from the Lord the Spirit, to meditate you the blissful subject; for indeed, and in truth, it is most blissful. Very certain it is, that God our Father’s choosing the Church in Christ; and adopting the Church as Sons by Christ, was for this express purpose, for the glorifying of his dear Son, in his fellows, and members. It is God’s choosing us in Christ; giving us this relationship in Christ making us one with Christ; fellows with Christ; as Christ is fellow to God which forms the foundation of all the blessedness which follows. There cannot be the shadow of a doubt, but in the very will, and purpose of Jehovah, that his dear Son should take upon him human nature; the first, the great, the ultimate end, and design of all, connected with the vast scheme, was to manifest the glory of the Son of God. everything therefore in all the subsequent events, was so ordered and arranged, as should minister best to this one purpose. The glory of Christ’s Person shall be advanced in everything. Will fellows, partners, companions, to whom Christ, by communicating of himself, contribute to this end? Jesus shall have a Church. Will the fall of this Church afford occasion to the glories of redemption? The whole events included in this high dispensation shall also follow, that Jesus shall get glory in our redemption. In short, whatever hath a tendency to magnify the personal glory of the Son of God, shall take place, for God’s design all along, and from beginning to end, is to glorify the Lord Jesus. And most blessed as it is, to know, that from everlasting, God our Father hath loved the Church with an everlasting love; and in proof hath chosen, predestinated, adopted, and accepted the Church in the Beloved, as children by Jesus Christ to himself: yet all, and every part, of this vast dispensation, in this manifold wisdom of God, is, with an eye, to the Person of Jesus. You have not chosen me (saith Christ) but I have chosen you, Joh 15:16 . God’s choice of the Church is for Christ, and his glory. And even the recovery of our nature from the Adam-fall of sin: though it hath our salvation in view, by the wonderful means adopted; yet this, is but the secondary consideration in God’s design; the first, and grand object, is, to exalt the Personal glory of his dear Son. So sweetly speaks the Lord, by the Prophet: Behold! my servant shall deal prudently; he shall be exalted, and extolled, and be very high. As many were astonished at thee, his visage was so marred more than any man; and his form more than the sons of men. So shall he sprinkle many nations; the kings shall shut their mouths at him; for that which had not been told them, shall they see; and that which they had not heard, shall they consider. Isa 52:13-15 .

Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

8 But unto the Son he saith , Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.

Ver. 8. Thy throne, O God, is for ever ] Christ is God, then, as is here set forth by many arguments. God hath laid “help on one that is mighty.” “I and the Father am one.”

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

Heb 1:8 . , the quotation being from Psa 45 in which the King in God’s kingdom is described ideally. The points in the quotation which make it relevant to the writer’s purpose are the ascription of dominion and perpetuity to the Son. The emphatic words, therefore, are , , , and . It does not matter, therefore, whether we translate “Thy throne is God” or “Thy throne, O God,” for the point here to be affirmed is not that the Messiah is Divine, but that He has a throne and everlasting dominion. Westcott adopts the rendering “God is thy throne,” and compares Psa 71:3 ; Isa 26:4 ; Psa 90:1 ; Psa 91:1-2 ; Deu 33:27 . He thinks it scarcely possible that “God” can be addressed to the King. Vaughan, on the other hand, says: “Evidently a vocative. God is thy throne might possibly have been said (Psa 46:1 ): thy throne is God seems an unnatural phrase. And even in its first (human) application the vocative would cause no difficulty (Psa 82:6 ; Joh 10:34-35 ).” Weiss strongly advocates this construction, and speaks of the other as quite given up. . f1 , “to the age of the age,” “for ever and ever,” “to all eternity.” Cf. Eph 3:21 , . . , and the frequent . . . See others in Vaughan or Concordance. “The aim of all these varieties of expression is the same; to heap up masses of time as an approximation to the conception of eternity” (Vaughan). . . The less strongly attested reading [see notes] gives the better sense: The sceptre of thy kingdom is a sceptre of uprightness. The well-attested reading gives the sense: “The sceptre of uprightness is the sceptre of thy kingdom”. The everlasting dominion affirmed in the former clause is now declared to be a righteous rule. An assurance of this is given in the the further statement.

Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson

unto. Greek. pros, as Heb 1:7.

God. App-98.

for ever, &c. App-151.

a = the.

sceptre. Compare Psa 2:9. Rev 2:27.

righteousness = Rightness. Greek. euthutes See App-191.

Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics

Heb 1:8. to the Son) by a direct speech. Comp. , to, Heb 1:7.- – ) So again, the LXX. say distinctly, Psa 45:7-8, Thy throne, O GOD, is for ever and ever: the sceptre (rod) of thy kingdom is a sceptre (rod) of righteousness. Thou hast loved righteousness, and hast hated iniquity; therefore GOD, even thy GOD, has anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows. Concerning the Throne, comp. Lam 5:19. [Government over all is indicated.-V. g.]- , O God) The vocative case with the article is in the highest degree emphatic. They clearly do violence to the text, who hold the opinion, that it is the nominative case in this passage, as Artemonius does, Part. ii. c. 2. The Throne and the Sceptre are joined; nor did God say, I will be thy throne, but, I will establish the throne of the son of David; Psa 89:5; Psa 89:30; Psa 89:37.- , for ever: of righteousness) Eternity and righteousness are attributes very closely connected, Psa 89:15, where the words and should be well considered. See also Heb 1:3 of this Psalms 45, where may be taken into consideration.

Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament

Having given an account of what the Scripture teacheth and testifieth concerning angels, in the following verses he showeth how much other things, and far more glorious, are spoken to and of the Son, by whom God revealed his will in the gospel.

Heb 1:8-9. , , v . , , , .

MS. T., : and for , . , But unto the Son. Syr., , but of the Son he saith; which is necessarily supplied as to the apostles design. In the psalm the words are spoken by way of apostrophe to the Son, and they are recited by the apostle as spoken of him; that is, so spoken to him as to contain a description of him and his state or kingdom.

, , . Psa 45:7 isthe place from whence the words are taken, . The LXX. render these words as the apostle. Aquila, , for Thy throne, O God, for ever and yet. Symmachus, Thy throne, O God, is everlasting and yet; and that because it is not said, , but , absolutely; , , as in the translation of Aquila.

is a kingly throne, nor is it ever used in Scripture for , a common seat. Metonymically it is used for power and government, and that frequently. The LXX. almost constantly render it by , and is , Athenae, lib. 5, a free open seat with a footstool. And such a throne is here properly assigned unto the Lord Christ, mention of his footstool being immediately subjoined. So God says of himself, Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool; as the heathen termed heaven, , The throne of God. Thy throne, O God, , in seculum et usque; in sempiternum et perpetuo; in seculum seculorum. The duration denoted by the conjunction of both these words is mostly an absolute perpetuity, and a certain, uninterrupted continuance, where the subject spoken of admits a limitation. Many of the Greek interpreters render by , attending to the sound rather than the use and signification of the word; so is yet in our language. This we express by, for ever and ever. . The variation of in the first place, before mentioned, takes off from the elegancy of the expression, and darkens the sense; for the article prefixed to the last declares that to be the subject of the propositon.

The words of the psalmist are, . Shebet, is virga, and sceptrum, and in this place is rendered by Aquila , a rod, a staff, a scepter; always a scepter when referred to rule, as in this place it is called the scepter of the kingdom.

A scepter, , from , rectus fuit, to be right, straight upright, principally in a moral sense. , of uprightness. is properly such a rectitude as we call straight, opposed to crooked; and metaphorically only is it used for moral uprightness, that is, equity and righteousness. Syr., . Boderianus, sceptrum erectum, a scepter lifted up, or held upright. The Paris edition, sceptrum protensum, a scepter stretched out; and the stretching out of the scepter was a sign and token of mercy, Est 5:2. Tremellius, virga recta; which answers mischor in both its acceptations. Erpenius to the same purpose, sceptrum rectum, a right sceptre.

Thou hast loved righteousness and hated , , , iniquity, unrighteousness, wickedness. , propterea, propter quod, quare, ideo, idcirco, wherefore, for which cause. Some copies of the LXX. and Aquila read , so that seems to have been taken into the LXX. from this rendering of the words by the apostle.

, , ; God, thy God, hath anointed thee The words in Greek and Hebrew are those from whence the names of Christ and Messiah are taken, which are of the same importance and signification, The anointed one. And the same by the Targumist; Aquila, .

Hath anointed thee , the instrument in doing of the thing intended, expressed by the accusative case, whereof there are other instances in that language. Of old the LXX. read , with the oil of delight, or ornament; so that came also into the Greek version from this place of the apostle, and is more proper than the old reading, the oil of rejoicing, joy or gladness.

, before, or above, those that partake with thee, thy fellows or companions. So Symmachus, . [9]

[9] VARIOUS READINGS. Lachmann, on the authority of respectable manuscripts, gives the reading, , … EXPOSITION. is the usual voc., and nearly, the only form of it,throughout the Septuagint; e.g., Psa 3:7; Psa 4:1; Psa 5:10; Psa 7:1, et passim….. Where is God ever said to be the throne of his creatures? and what could be the sense of such an expression? Stuart. All the ancient versions of the original passage in the Psalms agree in supporting the common construction, so far as their respective idioms permit a positive conclusion. Pye Smith. The attempt of Gesenius to sustain another translation of the Hebrew, The throne of God, that is, thy divine throne, is truly surprising; as he must have known, that, in such a case, the second of the two nouns, and not, as here, the first, would have had the suffix by common usage of the language. Turner TRANSLATIONS. , But respecting the Son. Stuart, De Wrette. Concerning. Boothroyd. ED.

Heb 1:8-9. But unto the Son [he saith], Thy throne, O God, is for ever; the scepter of thy kingdom is a scepter of righteousness. Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; wherefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.

This testimony is produced by the apostle in answer unto that foregoing concerning angels. Those words,saith he, were spoken by the Holy Ghost of the angels, wherein their office and employment under the providence of God is described. These are spoken by the same Spirit of the Son, or spoken to him, denoting his preexistence unto the prophecies themselves.

There is little or no difficulty to prove that this testimony belongs properly unto him to whom it is applied by the apostle. The ancient Jews granted it, and the present doctors cannot deny it. One of them says, indeed, ; This psalm is spoken of David, or the Messiah. These are the words and this is the opinion of Aben Ezra; who accordingly endeavors to give a double sense of the chief passages in this psalm, one as applied unto David, another as applied unto the Messiah, which he inclines unto. Jarchi turns it into an allegory, without any tolerable sense throughout his discourse. But though it might respect them both, yet there is no pretense to make David the subject of it, the title and whole contexture of it excluding such an application. The Targum wholly applies the psalm to the Messiah; which is a somewhat better evidence of the conception of the ancient Jews than the private opinion of any later writer can give us. And the title of the psalm in that paraphrase would make it a prophecy given out in the days of Moses for the use of the Sanhedrin; which manifests what account it had of old in their creed concerning the Messiah.

Some Christian interpreters have so far assented unto the later rabbins as to grant that Solomon was primarily intended in this psalm, as a type of Christ, and that the whole was an epithalamium or marriage-song, composed upon his nuptials with the daughter of Pharaoh. But there want not important reasons against this opinion: for,

1. It is not probable that the Holy Ghost should so celebrate that marriage, which as it was antecedently forbidden by God, so it was never consequently blessed by him, she being among the number of those strange women which turned his heart from God, and was cursed with barrenness; the first foreign breach that came upon his family and all his magnificence being also from Egypt, where his transgression began.

2. There is scarce any thing in the psalm that can with propriety of speech be applied unto Solomon. Two things are especially insisted on in the former part of the psalm, first, the righteousness of the person spoken of in all his ways and administrations, and then the perpetuity of his kingdom. How the first of these can be attributed unto him whose transgressions and sins were so public and notorious, or the latter to him who reigned but forty years, and then left his kingdom broken and divided to a wicked, foolish son, is hard to conceive.

As all, then, grant that the Messiah is principally, so there is no cogent reason to prove that he is not solely, intended in this psalm. I will not contend but that sundry things treated of in it might be obscurely typified in the kingdom and magnificence of Solomon; yet it is certain that most of the things mentioned, and expressions of them, do so immediately and directly belong unto the Lord Christ as that they can in no sense be applied unto the person of Solomon; and such are the words insisted on in this place by our apostle, as will be made evident in the ensuing explication of them.

We must, then, in the next place, consider what it is that the apostle intends to prove and confirm by this testimony, whereby we shall discover its suitableness unto his design. Now, this is not, as some have supposed, the deity of Christ; nor doth he make use of that directly in this place, though he doth in the next verse, as a medium to prove his preeminence above the angels, although the testimonies which he produceth do eminently mention his divine nature. But that which he designs to evince is this only, that he whom they saw for a time made lower than the angels, Heb 2:9, was yet in his whole person, and as he discharged the office committed unto him, so far above them as that he had power to alter and change those institutions which were given out by the ministry of angels. And this he doth undeniably by the testimonies alleged, as they are compared together: for whereas the Scripture testifies concerning angels that they are all servants, and that their chiefest glory consists in the discharge of their duty as servants, unto him a throne, rule, and everlasting dominion, administered with glory, power, righteousness, and equity, are ascribed; whence it is evident that he is exceedingly exalted above them, as is a king on his throne above the servants that attend him and do his pleasure.

And this is sufficient to manifest the design of the apostle, as also the evidence of his argument from this testimony. The exposition of the words belongs properly to the place from whence they are taken. But yet, that we may not leave the reader unsatisfied as to any particular difficulty that may seem to occur in them, this exposition shall be here also attended to.

The first thing to be attended to in them is the compellation of the person spoken unto, O God: Thy throne, O God.

Some would have Elohim ( ) to be a name common to God with others, namely, angels and judges; and in that large acceptation to be here ascribed to the Lord Christ; so that though he be expressly called Elohim, and , yet that proves him not to be God by nature, but only to be so termed in respect of his office, dignity, and authority. And this is contended for by the Socinians. But this gloss is contrary to the perpetual use of the Scripture; for no one place can be instanced in, where the name Elohim is used absolutely, and restrained unto any one person, wherein it doth not undeniably denote the true and only God. Magistrates are, indeed, said to be elohim in respect of their office, but no one magistrate was ever so called; nor can a man say without blasphemy to any of them, Thou art Elohim, or God. Moses also is said to be elohim, a god, but not absolutely, but a god to Pharaoh, and to Aaron; that is, in Gods stead, doing and performing in the name of God what he had commanded him. Which places Jarchi produceth in his comment to countenance this sense, but in vain.

It is, then, the true God that is spoken unto in this apostrophe, Elohim, O God. This being granted, Erasmus starts a new interpretation of the whole words, though he seemeth not to approve of his own invention. . It is uncertain, saith he, whether the meaning be, Thy throne, O God,or God is thy throne for ever. In the first way the word is an apostrophe to the Son, in the latter it expresseth the person of the Father. And this interpretation is embraced and improved by Grotius, who, granting that the word Elohim, used absolutely, signifieth as much as, Elohe elohim, the God of gods, would not allow that it should be spoken of Christ, and therefore renders the words, God shall be thy seat for ever, that is, shall establish thee in thy throne. And this evasion is also fixed on by Aben Ezra, from Haggaon, ;

God shall establish thy throne. May men be allowed thus to thrust in what words they please into the text, leading to another sense than what itself expresseth, there will not much be left certain in the whole book of God. However, in this present instance, we have light enough to rebuke the boldness of this attempt; for,

1. The interpretation insisted on is contrary to all old translations, whose language would bear a difference in the word, expressing it in the vocative case, O God.

2. Contrary to the received sense of Jews and Christians of old, and in especial of the Targum on the psalm, rendering the words, Thy throne, O God, is in heaven, for ever.

3. Contrary to the contexture and design of the apostles discourses, as may appear from the consideration of the preceding enarration of them.

4. Leaves no tolerable sense unto the words; neither can they who embrace it declare in what sense God is the throne of Christ.

5. Is contrary to the universally constant use of the expression in Scripture; for wherever there is mention of the throne of Christ, somewhat else, and not God, is intended thereby.

6. The word supplied by Grotius trom Saadias and Aben Ezra, to induce a sense unto his exposition shall establish, makes a new text, or leads the old utterly from the intention of the words; for whereas it cannot be said that God is the throne of Christ, nor was there any need to say that God was for ever and ever, which two things must take up the whole intendment of the words if God the Father be spoken of, the adding of, shall establish, or confirm, into the text, gives it an arbitrary sense, and such as, by the like suggestion of any other word, as shall destroy, may be rendered quite of another importance.

It is Christ, then, the Son, that is spoken to and denoted by that name, Elohim, O God, as being the true God by nature; though what is here affirmed of him be not as God, but as the king of his church and people; as in another place God is said to redeem his church with his own blood.

Secondly, We may consider what is assigned unto him, which is his kingdom; and that is described,

1. By the insignia regalia, the royal ensigns of it, namely, his throne and scepter.

2. By its duration, it is for ever.

3. His manner of administration, it is with righteousness; his scepter is a scepter of righteousness.

4. His furniture or preparation for this administration, he loved righteousness and hated iniquity.

5. By an adjunct privilege, unction with the oil of gladness; Which,

6. Is exemplified by a comparison with others, it is so with him above his fellows.

1. The first insigne regium mentioned is his throne, whereunto the attribute of perpetuity is annexed, it is for ever. And this throne denotes the kingdom itself. A throne is the seat of a king in his kingdom, and is frequently used metonymically for the kingdom itself, and that applied unto God and man. See Dan 7:9; 1Ki 8:20. Angels, indeed, are called thrones, Col 1:16; but that is either metaphorically only or else in respect of some especial service allotted unto them; as they are also called princes, Dan 10:13, yet being indeed servants,

Rev 22:9, Heb 1:14. These are nowhere said to have thrones; the kingdom is not theirs, but the Sons. And whereas our Lord Jesus Christ promiseth his apostles that they shall at the last day sit on thrones judging the tribes of Israel, as it proves their participation with Christ in his kingly power, being made kings unto God, Rev 1:5-6, and their interest in the kingdom which it is his pleasure to give them, so it proves not absolutely that the kingdom is theirs, but his on whose throne theirs do attend.

Neither doth the throne simply denote the kingdom of Christ, or his supreme rule and dominion, but the glory also of his kingdom. Being on his throne, he is in the height of his glory. And thus, because God manifests his glory in heaven, he calls that his throne, as the earth is his footstool, Isa 66:1. So that the throne of Christ is his glorious kingdom, elsewhere expressed by his sitting down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.

2. To this throne eternity is attributed. It is , for ever and ever. So is the throne of Christ said to be in opposition unto the frail, mutable kingdoms of the earth: Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth and for ever, Isa 9:7. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed, Dan 7:14; Mic 4:7; Psa 62:7; Psa 145:13. It shall neither decay of itself, nor fall through the opposition of its enemies: for he must reign until all his enemies are made his footstool, 1Co 15:24-27. Nor is it any impeachment of the perpetuity of the kingdom of Christ, that at the last day he shall deliver it up to God the Father, 1Co 15:24, seeing that then shall be an end of all rule. It is enough that it continue until all the ends of rule be perfectly accomplished, that is, until all the enemies of it be subdued, and all the church be saved, and the righteousness, grace, and patience of God be fully glorified; whereof afterwards.

3. The second insigne regium is his scepter. And this, though it sometimes also denotes the kingdom itself, Gen 49:10, Num 24:17; Isa 14:5, Zec 10:11; yet here it denotes the actual administration of rule, as is evident from the adjunct of uprightness annexed unto it, And thus the scepter denotes both the laws of the kingdom and the efficacy of the government itself. So that which we call a righteous government is here called a scepter of uprightness

Now, the means whereby Christ carrieth on his kingdom are his Word and Spirit, with a subserviency of power in the works of his providence, to make way for the progress of his word to avenge its contempt. So the gospel is called, The rod of his strength, Psa 110:2. See 2Co 10:4-6. He shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked, Isa 11:4. And these are attended with the sword of his power and providence, Psa 45:3, Rev 19:15, or his rod, Psa 2:9, or sickle, Rev 14:18. In these things consists the scepter of Christs kingdom.

4. Concerning this scepter it is affirmed that it is a scepter of uprightness. , or , denotes either the nature of the scepter, that it is straight and right, or the use of it, that it is lifted up or stretched out, as was showed in the opening of the words. In the first sense it denoteth righteousness, in the latter mercy. According to the first sense, the following words, Thou hast loved righteousness, discover the habitual root of his actual righteous administration; according to the latter, there is a progress made in them to a further qualification of the rule of Christ, or of Christ in his rule. But the former sense is rather to be embraced; the latter metaphor being more strained, and founded only in one instance that I remember in the Scripture, and that not taken from among the people of God, but strangers and oppressors, Est 5:2.

The scepter, then, of the kingdom of Christ is a scepter of righteousness, because all the laws of his gospel are righteous, holy, just, full of benignity and truth, Tit 2:11-12. And all his administrations of grace, mercy, justice, rewards, and punishments, according to the rules, promises, and threats of it, in the conversion, pardon, sanctification, trials, afflictions, chastisements, and preservation of his elect; in his convincing, hardening, and destruction of his enemies; are all righteous, holy, unblamable, and good, Isa 11:4-5; Isa 32:1, Psa 145:17, Rev 15:3-4; Rev 16:5; and as such will they be gloriously manifested at the last day, 2Th 1:10, though in this present world they are reproached and despised.

5. The habitual frame of the heart of Christ in his regal administrations: He loveth righteousness and hateth iniquity. This shows the absolute completeness of the righteousness of Gods kingdom, and of his righteousness in his kingdom. The laws of his rule are righteous, and his administrations are righteous; and they all proceed from a habitual love to righteousness and hatred of iniquity in his own person. Among the governments of this world, ofttimes the very laws are tyrannical, unjust, and oppressive; and if the laws are good and equal, yet ofttimes their administration is unjust, partial, and wicked; or when men do abstain from such exorbitancies, yet frequently they do so upon the account of some self-interest and advantage, like Jehu, and not out of a constant, equal, unchangeable love of righteousness and hatred of iniquity. But all these are absolutely complete in the kingdom of Jesus Christ: for whereas the expression, both in the Hebrew and the Greek, seems to regard the time past, Thou hast loved righteousness and hated iniquity, yet the constant present frame of the heart of Christ in his rule is denoted thereby; for the Greek translation exactly followeth and expresseth the Hebrew. Now, there being no form of verbs in that language expressing the present time, there is nothing more frequent in it than to denote that which is present and abiding by the preterperfect tense, as it doth in this place.

6. The consequence of this righteous rule in Christ is his anointing with the oil of gladness; wherein we may consider,

(1.) The author of the privilege conferred on him, that is, God, his God.

(2.) The privilege itself, unction with the oil of gladness.

(3.) The connection of the collation of this privilege with what went before, wherefore, or for which cause.

(1.) For the author of it, it is said to be God: , God, thy God. Many, both ancient and modern expositors, do suppose that in the first place, or God, is used in the same sense as in the verse foregoing, and that it ought to be rendered O God, and the words to be read, Therefore, O God, thy God hath anointed thee; but as no old translation gives countenance to this conception, so that reduplication of the name of God, by an application of it in the second place, as God, my God, God, thy God, God, the God of Israel, being frequent in the Scripture, there is no cogent reason why we should depart in this place from that sense of the expression. The name God in the first place denotes him absolutely who conferred this privilege on the Lord Christ, that is God; and in the second place a reason is intimated of the collation itself, by an appropriation of God to be his God in a peculiar manner.

God is said to be the God of the Son upon a threefold account:

[1.] In respect of his divine nature. As he is his Father, so his God; whence he is said to be God of God, as having his nature communicated unto him by virtue of his eternal generation, Joh 1:14.

[2.] In respect of his human nature, as he was made of a woman, made under the law. So God also was his God, as he is the God of all creatures, Psa 16:2; Psa 22:1.

[3.] In respect of his whole person, God and man, as he was designed by his Father to the work of mediation; in which sense he calls him his God and his Father, Joh 20:17. And in this last sense is it that God is here said to be his God, that is his God in especial covenant, as he was designed and appointed to be the head and king of his church; for therein did God the Father undertake to be with him, to stand by him, to carry him through with his work, and in the end to crown him with glory. See Isa 49:1-12; Isa 50:4-9.

(2.) For the privilege itself, it is unction with the oil of gladness. There may be a double allusion in these words:

[1.] To the common use of oil and anointing, which was to exhilarate and make the countenance appear cheerful at feasts and public solemnities, Psa 104:15; Luk 7:37.

[2.] To the especial use of it in the unction of kings, priests, and prophets, Exodus 30. That the ceremony was typical is evident from Isa 61:1-3; and it denoted the collation of the gift of the Holy Ghost, whereby the person anointed was enabled for the discharge of the office he was called unto. And in this sense there is commonly assigned a threefold unction of Christ:

1st. At his conception, when his human nature was sanctified by the Holy Spirit, Luk 1:35, and radically endowed with wisdom and grace, which he grew up in; Luk 2:40; Luk 2:52.

2dly. At his baptism and entrance into his public ministry, when he was in an especial manner furnished with those gifts of the Spirit which were needful for the discharge of his prophetical office, Mat 3:16; Joh 1:32.

3dly. At his ascension, when he received of the Father the promise of the Spirit, to pour him forth upon his disciples, Act 2:33. Now, though I acknowledge the Lord Christ to have been thus anointed, and that the communication of the gifts and graces of the Spirit unto him in fullness is called his unction, yet I cannot grant that any of them are here directly intended. But that which the apostle seems here to express with the psalmist is the glorious exaltation of Jesus Christ, when he was solemnly instated in his kingdom. This is that which is called the making of him both Lord and Christ, Act 2:36; when God raised him from the dead, and gave him glory, 1Pe 1:21. He is called Christ from the unction of the Spirit; and yet here, in his exaltation, he is said in an especial manner to be made Christ, that is, taken gloriously into the possession of all the offices, and their full administration, whereunto he was anointed and fitted by the communication of the gifts and graces of the Spirit unto him. It is, I say, the joyful, glorious unction of his exaltation, when he was signally made Lord and Christ, and declared to be the anointed one of God, that is here intended. See Php 2:9-11. Which also appears,

From the adjunct of this unction, he is anointed with the oil of gladness; which denotes triumph and exaltation, freedom from trouble and distress: whereas, after those antecedent communications of the Spirit unto the Lord Christ, he was a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief, and exposed to innumerable evils and troubles.

(3.) The relation of this privilege granted unto the Lord Christ unto what went before, He loved righteousness, and hated iniquity, expressed by and (the third thing considerable in this last clause of the testimony), doth plainly declare it. The Lord Christs love to righteousness and hatred to iniquity proceeded from his unction with the graces and gifts of the Spirit; and yet they are plainly intimated here to go before this anointing with the oil of gladness; which is therefore mentioned as the consequent of his discharge of his office in this world, in like manner as his exaltation everywhere is, Php 2:9-11; Rom 14:9. And if this anointing denote the first unction of Christ, then must he be supposed to have the love to righteousness mentioned from elsewhere, as antecedent thereunto; which is not so. Wherefore these words, and , do declare at least a relation of congruency and conveniency unto an antecedent discharge of office in the Lord Christ, and are of the same importance with , Php 2:9; and so can respect nothing but his glorious exaltation, which is thus expressed. The last thing considerable in the words is the prerogative of the Lord Christ in this privilege, he is anointed above his fellows. Now, these fellows, companions, or associates, of the Lord Christ, may be considered either generally for all those that partake with him in this unction, which are all believers, who are co-heirs with him, and thereby heirs of God, Rom 8:17; or more especially for those who were employed by God in the service, building, and rule of his church, in their subordination unto him, such as were the prophets of old, and afterwards the apostles, Eph 2:20. In respect unto both sorts, the Lord Christ is anointed with the oil of gladness above them; but the former sort are especially intended, concerning whom the apostle gives an especial instance in Moses, chapter 3, affirming the Lord Christ in his work about the church to be made partaker of more glory than he. In a word, he is incomparably exalted above angels and men.

And this is the first testimony whereby the apostle confirms his assertion of the pre-eminence of the Lord Christ above angels, in that comparison which he makes between them; which also will afford the ensuing observations :

I. The conferring and comparing of scriptures is an excellent means of coming to an acquaintance with the mind and will of God in them.

Thus dealeth the apostle in this place. He compareth what is spoken of angels in one place, and what of the Son in another, and from thence manifesteth what is the mind of God concerning them. This duty lies in the command we have to search the Scriptures, Joh 5:39, : make a diligent investigation of the mind of God in them,

comparing spiritual things with spiritual, what the Spirit hath declared of the mind of God in one place, with what in like manner he hath manifested in another. God, to try our obedience, and to exercise our diligence unto a study in his word day and night, Psa 1:2, and our continual meditation thereon, 1Ti 4:15, ( , ,) Meditate on these things, be wholly in them,) hath planted his truths with great variety up and down his word; yea, here one part, and there another of the same truth; which cannot be throughly learned unless we gather them together into one view. For instance, in one place God commands us to circumcise our hearts, and to make unto ourselves new hearts, that we may fear him; which at first consideration seems so to represent it, not only as our duty, but also within our power, as though we had no need of any help from grace for its accomplishment. In another he promiseth absolutely to circumcise our hearts, and to give us new hearts to fear him; as though it were so his work as not to be our concernment to attempt it. But now these several places being spiritually compared together, make it evident that as it is our duty to have new and circumcised hearts, so it is the effectual grace of God that must work and create them in us. And the like may be observed in all the important truths that are of divine revelation. And this,

1. Discovers the root of almost all the errors and heresies that are in the world. Men whose hearts are not subdued by faith and humility unto the obedience of the truth, lighting on some expressions in the Scripture, that, singly considered, seem to give countenance to some such opinion as they are willing to embrace, without further search they fix it on their minds and imaginations, until it is too late to oppose any thing unto it; for when they are once fixed in their persuasions, those other places of Scripture which they should with humility have compared with that whose seeming sense they cleave unto, and from thence have learned the mind of the Holy Ghost in them all, are considered by them to no other end but only how they may pervert them, and free themselves from the authority of them. This, I say, seems to be the way of the most of them who pertinaciously cleave unto false and foolish opinions. They rashly take up a seeming sense of some particular places, and then obstinately make that sense the rule of interpreting all other scriptures whatever. Thus in our own days we have many who, from the outward sound of these words, Joh 1:9, He is the true light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world, having taken up a rash, foolish, and false imagination that Christ is that light which is remaining in all men, and therein their guide and rule, do from thence either wrest the whole Scripture to make it suit and answer that supposal, or else utterly slight and despise it; when, if they had compared it with other scriptures, which clearly explain and declare the mind of God in the things which concern the person and mediation of the Lord Christ, with the nature and works of natural and saving spiritual light, and submitted to the authority and wisdom of God in them, they might have been preserved from their delusion. It shows also,

2. The danger that there is unto men unskilled and unexercised in the word of truth, when, without the advice, assistance, or direction of others who are able to guide them and instruct their inquiry after the mind of God, they hastily embrace opinions which it may be some one text or other of Scripture doth seemingly give countenance unto. By this means do men run themselves into the fore-mentioned danger every day, especially where any seducing spirit applies himself unto them with swelling words of vanity, boasting of some misunderstood word or other. Thus have we seen multitudes led, by some general expression, in two or three particular places of Scripture, into an opinion about a general redemption of all mankind and every individual thereof; when, if they had been wise, and able to have searched those other scriptures innumerable setting forth the eternal love of God to his elect, his purpose to save them by Jesus Christ, the nature and end of his oblation and ransom, and compared them with others, they would have understood the vanity of their hasty conceptions.

3. From these things it appears what diligence, patience, waiting, wisdom, are required of all men in searching of the Scriptures, who intend to come unto the acknowledgment of the truth thereby. And unto this end, and because of the greatness of our concernment therein, doth the Scripture itself abound with precepts, rules, directions, to enable us unto a right and profitable discharging of our duty. They are too many here to be inserted. I shall only add, that the diligence of heathens will rise up in judgment and condemn the sloth of many that are called Christians in this matter: for whereas they had no certain rule, way, or means to come to the knowledge of the truth, yet they ceased not with indefatigable diligence and industry to inquire after it, and to trace the obscure footsteps of what was left in their own natures or implanted on the works of creation; but many, the most of those unto whom God hath granted the inestimable benefit and privilege of his word, as a sure and infallible guide to lead them into the knowledge of all useful and saving truth, do openly neglect it, not accounting it worthy their searching, study, and diligent examination. How woefully will this rise up in judgment against them at the last day is not difficult to conceive. And how much greater will be their misery who, under various pretences, for their own corrupt ends, do deter, yea, and drive others from the study of it!

II. It is the duty of all believers to rejoice in the glory, honor, and dominion of Jesus Christ.

The church in the psalm takes by faith a prospect, at a great distance, of his coming and glory, and breaks out thereon in a way of exultation and triumph into these words, Thy throne, O God, is for ever. And if this were a matter of such joy unto them, who had only an obscure vision and representation of the glory which many ages after was to follow, 1Pe 1:11-12, what ought the full accomplishment and manifestation of it to be unto them that believe now in the days of the gospel! This made them of old rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory; even because they saw and heard the things which kings, wise men, and prophets, desired to see, and saw them not, God having provided some better things for us, that they without us should not be made perfect, Heb 11:40. For,

1. Herein God is glorified. The kingdom of Christ is the glory of God; thereby is his name and praise exalted in the world: and therefore upon the erection and setting of it up are all his people so earnestly invited to rejoice and triumph therein, Psa 94:1-3; Psa 96:1-4; Psa 97:1-2, etc. This, I say, is a cause of eternal joy unto all his saints, that God is pleased to glorify himself and all the infinite excellencies of his nature in the kingdom and rule of Jesus Christ.

2. Herein doth the honor and glory of Christ as mediator consist; which is a matter of great rejoicing unto all that love him in sincerity. He tells his disciples, Joh 14:28, that if they loved him, they would rejoice because he said he went unto the Father. They considered only their own present condition and distress, being filled with sorrow because he had told them of his departure from them. But,saith he,where is your love to me? ought you not to have that in your hearts as well as care of yourselves? For your condition I shall take care, and provide for your security; and if you love me, you cannot but rejoice because I go to my Father to receive my kingdom.That he who loved us, that gave himself for us, that underwent every thing that is reproachful or miserable for our sakes, is now exalted, glorified, enthroned in an everlasting, immovable kingdom, above all his enemies, secure from all opposition, is a matter of inexpressible joy, if we have any love unto him.

3. Our own concernment, security, safety, present and future happiness, lies herein. Our all depends upon the kingdom and throne of Christ. He is our king if we are believers; our king, to rule, govern, protect, and save us, to uphold us against opposition, to supply us with strength, to guide us with counsel, to subdue our enemies, to give us our inheritance and reward: and therefore our principal interest lies in his throne, the glory and stability thereof. Whilst he reigneth we are safe, and in our way to glory. To see by faith this king in his beauty, upon his throne, high and lifted up, and his train filling the temple; to see all power committed unto him, all things given into his hands, and him disposing of all and ruling all things for the advantage of his church; must needs cause them to rejoice whose whole interest and concernment lies therein.

4. The whole world, all the creation of God, are concerned in this kingdom of Christ. Setting aside his cursed enemies in hell, the whole creation is benefited by his rule and dominion; for as some men are made partakers of saving grace and salvation thereby, so the residue of that race, by and with them, do receive unspeakable advantages in the patience and forbearance of God, and the very creature itself is raised as it were into a hope and expectation thereby of deliverance from that state of vanity whereunto now it is subjected, Rom 8:19-21. So that if we are moved with the glory of God, the honor of Jesus Christ, our own only and eternal interest, with the advantage of the whole creation, we have cause to rejoice in this throne and kingdom of the Son.

III. It is the divine nature of the Lord Christ that gives eternity, stability, and unchangeableness to his throne and kingdom: Thy throne, O God, is for ever. Concerning this, see what hath formerly been delivered about the kingdom of Christ.

IV. All the laws, and the whole administration of the kingdom of Christ by his word and Spirit, are equal, righteous, and holy. His scepter is a scepter of righteousness. The world, indeed, likes them not; all things in his rule seem unto it weak, absurd, and foolish, 1Co 1:20-21. But they are otherwise, the Holy Ghost being judge, and such they appear unto them that do believe: yea, whatever is requisite to make laws and administrations righteous, it doth all concur in those of the Lord Jesus Christ; as,

1. Authority. A just and full authority for enacting is requisite to make laws righteous. Without this, rules and precepts may be good materially, but they cannot have the formality of law, which depends on the just authority of the legislator, without which nothing can become a righteous law. Now, the Lord Christ is vested with sufficient authority for the enacting of laws and rules of administration in his kingdom. All authority, all power in heaven and earth, is committed unto him, as we have before proved at large. And hence those that will not see the equity of his rule shall be forced at last to bow under the excellency of his authority. And it were to be wished that those who undertake to make laws and constitutions in the kingdom of Christ would look well to their warrant; for it seems that the Lord Christ, unto whom all power is committed, hath not delegated any to the sons of men, but only that whereby they may teach others to do and observe what he hath commanded, Mat 28:20. If, moreover, they shall command or appoint aught of their own, they may do well to consider by what authority they do so, seeing that is of indispensable necessity unto the righteousness of any law whatever.

2. Wisdom is required to the making of righteous laws. This is the eye of authority, without which it can act nothing rightly or equally. Effects of power without wisdom are commonly unjust and tyrannical, always useless and burdensome. The wisdom of lawmakers is that which hath principally given them their renown. So Moses tells the Israelites that all nations would admire them, when they perceived the wisdom of their laws, Deuteronomy 4. Now, the Lord Christ is abundantly furnished with wisdom for this purpose. He is the foundation-stone of the church, that hath seven eyes upon him, Zec 3:9, a perfection of wisdom and understanding in all affairs of it, being anointed with the Spirit unto that purpose, Isa 11:2-5. Yea, in him are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, Col 2:3; it having pleased the Father that in him all fullness should dwell, Col 1:19. So that there can be no defect in his laws and administrations on this account. He is wise of heart, and knows perfectly what rules and actings are suited to the glory of God and the condition of the subjects of his kingdom, and what tendeth to their spiritual and eternal advantage. He knows how to order all things unto the great end which in his government he aimeth at. And thence do all his laws and administrations become righteous. And this also well deserves their consideration who take upon them to appoint laws and rules within his dominion, unto his subjects, for the ends of his rule and substance of his worship. Have they wisdom sufficient to enable them so to do? doth the Spirit of the Lord Christ rest upon them, to make them of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord? are they acquainted with the state and condition, the weakness, temptations, graces, of all the people of Christ? If they are not, how know they but that they may command and appoint them things greatly to their disadvantage, when they think to profit them? It seems a great self-assuming, for men to suppose themselves wise enough to give laws to the subjects of Christ in things directly appertaining to his kingdom.

3. They are righteous, because they are easy, gentle, and not burdensome. The righteousness and uprightness here mentioned doth not denote strict, rigid, severe justice, extending itself unto the utmost of what can be required of the subjects to be ruled; but equity mixed with gentleness, tenderness, and condescension: which if it be absent from laws, and they breathe nothing but severity, rigor, and arbitrary impositions, though they may not be absolutely unjust, yet they are grievous and burdensome. Thus Peter calls the law of commandments contained in the ordinances of old, a yoke which neither their fathers nor themselves were able to bear, Act 15:10; that is, could never obtain rest or peace in the precise, rigid observation required of them. But now for the rule of Christ, he tells us that his yoke is easy, and his burden light, Mat 11:30; and that his commandments are not grievous, 1Jn 5:3. And this gentleness and easiness of the rule of Christ consisteth in these three things:

(1.) That his commands are all of them reasonable, and suited unto the principles of that natural obedience we owe to God; and so not grievous unto any thing in us but that principle of sin and darkness which is to be destroyed. He hath not multiplied precepts merely arbitrary, and to express his authority, but given us only such as are in themselves good, and suitable unto the principles of reason; as might be evinced by the particular consideration of his institutions. Hence our obedience unto them is called our reasonable service, Rom 12:1.

(2.) His commands are easy, because all of them are suited to that principle of the new nature or new creature which he worketh in the hearts of all his disciples. It likes them, loves them, delights in them; which makes them easy unto it. The Lord Christ rules, as we said, by his word and Spirit; these go together in the covenant of the Redeemer, Isa 59:20-21. And their work is suited and commensurate one to the other. The Spirit creates a new nature fitted for obedience according to the word, and the word gives out laws and precepts suited unto the inclination and disposition of that nature; and in these two consist the scepter and rule of Christ. This suitableness of principle and rule one to the other makes his government easy, upright, and righteous.

(3.) His commands are easy, because he continually gives out supplies of his Spirit to make his subjects to yield obedience unto them. This is that which, above all other things, sets a lustre upon his rule. The law was holy, just, and good of old; but whereas it extended not strength unto men to enable them unto obedience, it became unto them altogether useless and unprofitable, as to the end they aimed at in its observation. It is otherwise in the kingdom of Christ. Whatever he requires to have done by his subjects, he gives them strength by his Spirit and grace to perform it; which makes his rule easy, righteous, equal, and altogether lovely. Neither can any of the sons of men pretend to the least share or interest in this privilege.

(4.) This rule and administration of Christs kingdom is righteous, because useful and profitable. Then are laws good, wholesome, and equal, when they lead unto the benefit and advantage of them that do observe them. Laws about slight and trivial things, or such as men have no benefit or advantage by their observation, are justly esteemed grievous and burdensome. But now, all the laws and whole rule of the Lord Christ are every way useful and advantageous to his subjects. They make them holy, righteous, such as please God and are useful to mankind. This is their nature, this their tendency. Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report, they are all ingenerated in the soul by and in the observance of these laws of Christs rule. They free the soul from the power of lust, the service of sin, fear of death, hell, and the world, guide it in the truth, make it fruitful amongst mankind, and amiable unto God himself.

(5.) Their end manifests them to be righteous. The worth and equity of laws are taken off when low and unworthy ends are proposed unto their observation. But those of the Lord Christ direct unto the highest end, propose and promise the most glorious rewards; so that whatsoever may be done or suffered in an adherence unto them bears no proportion to that exceeding rich and eternal reward which they are attended withal; which renders them highly righteous and glorious. And many other considerations of the like nature may be added. And hence a threefold corollary may be taken:

[1.] That our submission to this scepter of the Lord Christ, our obedience to the laws of his kingdom, and the administration thereof, is very righteous, equal, and reasonable. What can be further desired to render it so, or to provoke us unto it?

[2.] That the condemnation of those that refuse the reign of Christ over them, that will not yield obedience unto his laws, is most just and righteous. On these accounts will their mouths be stopped for ever, when he comes to deal with them who know not God and obey not the gospel.

[3.] It is our wisdom to content ourselves with the laws of Christ in things that belong unto his kingdom. They alone, as we have seen, have those properties which make our obedience useful or profitable; whatever we do else, in reference unto the same end with them, is needless and fruitless drudging.

V. The righteous administrations of the Lord Christ in his government proceed all from his own habitual righteousness and love thereunto. See this declared by the prophet, Isa 11:1-9.

VI. God is a God in especial covenant with the Lord Christ, as he is the mediator: God, thy God. Of this covenant I have treated largely elsewhere, and therefore shall not here insist upon it.

VII. The collation of the Spirit on the Lord Christ, and his glorious exaltation, are the peculiar works of God the Father: God, thy God, hath anointed thee.

It was God the Father who designed and appointed him unto his work, who actually sent him, and set him forth in the fullness of time; and therefore on him was it incumbent both to furnish him unto his work, and to crown him upon its Performance. And herein these several acts, partly eternal, partly temporal, are considerable:

1. The engagement of the eternal will, wisdom, and counsel of the Father with the Son about his work, Pro 8:22-23; Pro 8:30-31; Isa 53:10-12.

2. His fore-ordination of his coming, by an eternal free act of his will, 1Pe 1:20; Act 2:23.

3. His covenant with him to abide by him in the whole course of his work, Isa 49:6-9; Isa 50:7-9.

4. His promise of him from the foundation of the world, often reiterated and repeated, Gen 3:15.

5. His actual mission and sending of him in his incarnation, Zec 2:8-10.

6. The exerting of his almighty power unto that purpose and effect, Luk 1:35.

7. His giving of him command and commission for his work, Joh 10:18; Joh 20:21.

8. Furnishing him with all the gifts and graces of his Spirit, to fit him and enable him unto his work, Isa 11:2-3; Isa 61:1-3; Mat 3:16-17; Joh 1:32-33; Col 1:19.

9. Abiding by him in care, love, power, and providence, during the whole course of his obedience and ministry, Isa 49:2; Isa 49:8.

10. Speaking in him, working by him, and in both bearing witness unto Heb 1:1-2; Joh 5:36.

11. Giving him up unto death, Rom 8:32; Act 2:23.

12. Raising him from the dead, 1Pe 1:21; Act 2:24.

13. Giving all power, authority, and judgment unto him, Joh 5:22; Mat 28:18.

14. Exalting of him by his assumption into heaven and glorious session at his right hand, Act 2:32-33; Php 2:9-10.

15. Giving him to be the head over all unto the church, and subjecting all things under his feet, Eph 1:20-22.

16. In all things crowning him with eternal glory and honor, Joh 17:5; Heb 2:9.

All these, and sundry other particulars of the like nature, are assigned unto the Father as part of his work in reference unto the mediation of the Son; and amongst them his exaltation and unction with the oil of gladness hath an eminent place. And this are we taught, that in this whole work we might see the authority, counsel, and love of the Father, that so our faith and hope through Jesus Christ might be in God, who raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory, 1Pe 1:21.

VIII. The Lord Jesus Christ is singular in this unction. This is that which the apostle proves in several instances, and by comparing him with others, who in the most eminent manner were partakers of it. And this we are in the consideration of, as the particulars of it do occur. Neither shall I at present further insist on the ensuing observations, because I will not longer detain the reader from the context, namely, that,

IX. All that serve God in the work of building the church, according to his appointment, are anointed by his Spirit, and shall be rewarded by his power, Dan 12:3.

X. The disciples of Christ, especially those who serve him in his church faithfully, are his companions in all his grace and glory.

Fuente: An Exposition of the Epistle to the Hebrews

Thy throne: Psa 45:6, Psa 45:7

O God: Heb 3:3, Heb 3:4, Isa 7:14, Isa 9:6, Isa 9:7, Isa 45:21, Isa 45:22, Isa 45:25, Jer 23:6, Hos 1:7, Zec 13:9, Mal 3:1, Mat 1:23, Luk 1:16, Luk 1:17, Joh 10:30, Joh 10:33, Joh 20:28, Rom 9:5, 1Ti 3:16, Tit 2:13, Tit 2:14, 1Jo 5:20

for: Psa 145:13, Isa 9:7, Deu 2:37, Deu 7:14, 1Co 15:25, 2Pe 1:11

a sceptre: 2Sa 23:3, Psa 72:1-4, Psa 72:7, Psa 72:11-14, Psa 99:4, Isa 9:7, Isa 32:1, Isa 32:2, Jer 23:5, Jer 38:15, Zec 9:9

righteousness: Gr. rightness, or, straightness

Reciprocal: Num 24:17 – a Sceptre Num 24:19 – Of Jacob 2Sa 7:16 – General 1Ki 10:18 – a great throne 2Ch 9:8 – to do judgment Psa 93:1 – Lord Psa 97:2 – righteousness Pro 29:14 – his throne Isa 16:5 – judging Isa 42:6 – called Isa 45:5 – the Lord Jer 33:15 – and he Lam 5:19 – thy throne Eze 1:26 – the likeness of a Dan 4:3 – his kingdom Dan 9:24 – and to anoint Zec 4:14 – These Mat 25:31 – the Son Luk 1:33 – he Luk 2:26 – the Lord’s Joh 1:1 – the Word was Joh 1:41 – Christ Eph 4:24 – righteousness Eph 5:9 – righteousness Phi 2:6 – in 1Ti 1:17 – the King Heb 1:2 – spoken Heb 4:14 – Jesus Heb 5:8 – he were 1Jo 2:29 – he is 1Jo 3:7 – even Rev 11:15 – and he Rev 14:11 – for

Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Heb 1:8. The superiority of Christ over all other beings (except his Father) is still the main subject. Thy throne 0 God. Jesus is called God because that is the family name of the Godhead. He is called God in Act 20:28, where his blood is mentioned as the purchasing price of the church. The throne of Christ is declared by his Father to be for ever and ever because He is to reign to the end of the age (1Co 15:24-26). A scepter is a rod or instrument that a ruler holds that is a token of his authority. The scepter connected with the kingdom of Christ is a righteous one, because it requires the citizens of the kingdom to live a life of righteousness only.

Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary

Heb 1:8. But whatever the difficulties in the minute interpretation of those verses, the general sense is clear. Angels are all subordinate; while to Christ are given names of a very different importGod and Lord, and highest dignitiesa sceptre and a throne, a kingdom.

A sceptre of righteousness, or rather of uprightness, as the word is translated in the Old Testament. If this change be made, it may then be said that righteous, righteousness, just, justify, justification, are throughout the New Testament forms of the same Greek word. His character befits His kingdom. His is a sceptre of uprightness. He loves righteousness and hates iniquity, showing herein the very nature of the Father.

Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament

8. This verse certifies that our Lords everlasting kingdom is an administration of righteousness. The kingdom of Christ is set up in the heart by the Holy Ghost in regeneration, confirmed and perpetuated in sanctification. Here, however, the more direct allusion is to our Lords millennial reign, which will follow the present age, and continue forever. Though the millennium will only last about a thousand years, our glorious King will encumber the throne of final judgment, and reign on forever over this world after its cremation, celestialization and readmission into the Heavenly Universe.

Fuente: William Godbey’s Commentary on the New Testament

1:8 But unto the Son [he saith], Thy {o} throne, O God, [is] for ever {p} and ever: a {q} sceptre of righteousness [is] the sceptre of thy kingdom.

(o) The throne is proper for princes and not for servants.

(p) For everlasting, for this repeating of the word increases the significance of it beyond all measure.

(q) The government of your kingdom is righteous.

Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes

By contrast, the Son’s ministry is to rule, not to serve as angels do. His throne is eternal, not ending, and immutable, not changing. This fifth quotation, from Psa 45:6-7, describes the final triumph of David’s Son, the Messiah, who is also God. The Son is superior to angels also because He is God.

"This and the following quotation (Heb 1:10-12) are used to show that the Son is addressed in scripture both as God and as Lord. . . . The point of Heb 1:8 b, for the author of Hebrews, seems to be that the Son exercises royal power, whereas the angels are mere leitourgoi (["ministers"] Heb 1:7)." [Note: Ellingworth, p. 122.]

"Jesus’ deity is more powerfully asserted in Hebrews than in any other New testament writing, with the exception of the Gospel of John." [Note: Oscar Cullmann, The Christology of the New Testament, p. 305.]

The prophets predicted that Messiah would be righteous. Jesus Christ demonstrated this quality during His earthly ministry (cf. Joh 8:46). The anointing to which the writer referred probably took place after His ascension. Messiah is God, yet God (the Father) anointed Him.

"The anointing of the Son is not to be thought of in connection with coronation rites, but as symbolizing the joy of festival occasions, when the practice of anointing was followed." [Note: Guthrie, p. 77.]

The "companions" probably include all other righteous beings, angelic and human, including faithful Christians (cf. Heb 2:10-11; Heb 3:1; Heb 3:14; Heb 12:8). Part of the quotation in this verse does not argue the superiority of Christ over the angels. The writer probably included it because it makes a statement he developed later in this epistle. The term "companions" describes those who have intimate, not just superficial, association with Jesus Christ (cf. Luk 5:7). [Note: See John Soden, "The Use of Psalms 45:7-8 (6-7) in Hebrews 1:8-9," Exegesis and Exposition 2:1 (Summer 1987):51-70.] The NASB translators rendered the Greek word, metochos, "partakers" everywhere else it occurs in Hebrews (i.e., Heb 3:1; Heb 3:14; Heb 6:4; Heb 12:8).

Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)