By: Eric Chang
Hebrews chapter 1 is what I used to call the third pillar of trinitarianism. Woven into the fabric of the chapter is a catena of quotations from the Old Testament which take up more than half the chapter and are called up for the purpose of demonstrating that Yeshua is the promised Messianic king of Israel. No Old Testament text ever speaks of the Messiah as divine, nor is this the intention of Hebrews. Here is Hebrews chapter 1 in full:
Hebrews 1: 1 Long ago, at many times and in many ways, Elohim spoke to our fathers by the prophets, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. 3 He is the radiance of the glory of Elohim and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, 4 having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs. 5 For to which of the Messengers did Elohim ever say, “You are my Son, today I have begotten you”? Or again, “I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son”? 6 And again, when he brings the firstborn into the world, he says, “Let all Elohim’s Messengers worship him.” 7 Of the Messengers he says, “He makes his Messengers winds, and his ministers a flame of fire.” 8 But of the Son he says, “Your throne, O Elohim, is forever and ever, the scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom. 9 You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore Elohim, your Elohim, has anointed you with the oil of gladness beyond your companions.” 10 And, “You, Lord, laid the foundation of the earth in the beginning, and the heavens are the work of your hands; 11 they will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment, 12 like a robe you will roll them up, like a garment they will be changed. But you are the same, and your years will have no end.” 13 And to which of the Messengers has he ever said, “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet”? 14 Are they not all ministering spirits sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation? (ESV)
Hebrews 1:2
To prove the deity of Yeshua, trinitarians need to find a verse that speaks of him as the creator of the world. If Yeshua is the creator or a co-creator or even an agent of creation, then he is evidently preexistent and divine. The scarcity of such verses in the Bible drives trinitarians towards a search for one. And since such a verse cannot be found, why not just make one up? This statement is not meant as a joke but a point to be taken in all seriousness.
In the last chapter we have seen that “through whom also he created the world” in Hebrews 1:2 can also mean “because of whom also he created the world,” a reading that offers no support for Messiah’s preexistence. We now revisit this verse from a different angle and note the four places in ESV’s rendering of this verse that deviate from the Greek text.
We now quote Heb.1:2 twice, the first time from ESV and the second time also from ESV but with its four deviations from the Greek text shown in boldface and marked with superscript numbers 1,2,3,4 for reference:
Hebrews 1:2 in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.
Hebrews 1:2 in these last days he has spoken to us by his 1 Son, whom he appointed the 2 heir of all things, through whom also he created 3 the world 4. (ESV)
The last few words of this verse, “through whom also he created the world,” are precisely the reading desired by trinitarianism because it implies that Yeshua played a role in the Genesis creation. Yet alarm bells are set off when New Jerusalem Bible says something different: “through whom he made the ages”. Which translation is correct? Here is the verse as it stands in NJB and in the Greek text:
Hebrews 1:2 NJB … in our time, the final days, he (Elohim) has spoken to us in the person of his 1 Son, whom he appointed heir of all things and through whom he made the ages.
Hebrews 1:2 NA28 … ἐλάλησεν ἡμῖν ἐν υἱῷ, ὃν ἔθηκεν κληρονόμον πάντων, δι᾽ οὗ καὶ ἐποίησεν τοὺς αἰῶνας [aiōnas]
Anyone who can read Greek would immediately know that it is NJB, not ESV, which has the correct translation. In the Greek, the crucial word is the very last one in the verse, namely, aiōnas, a plural of aiōn. [1] In fact the English word “eon” (an age) comes from Greek aiōn via the Latin aeōn.
Whereas ESV has made four alterations to Hebrews 1:2 with respect to the Greek, NJB has made only one. We now list out the four ESV alterations marked above by the four superscript numbers; this will be followed by a more detailed discussion of the fourth alteration.
Alteration #1: In the term “his Son” of Hebrews 1:2, the word “his” is not found in the Greek, so why does ESV add it in? The inclusion of “his” does not make the statement doctrinally incorrect, but why introduce a word into the text which is not there, thereby limiting the meaning of “son”? The fact is that the Scriptures teach that Elohim is “bringing many sons to glory” (Heb. 2:10), not just one son.
Alteration #2: Similarly, the word “the” in “the heir” is not in the Greek, so why does ESV add it in? What does “the heir” imply but that Yeshua is the only heir? What is the reason for imposing on “heir” a limit that is not found in the Bible? Paul says that believers are also heirs: “if children, then heirs—heirs of Elohim and fellow heirs with Messiah” (Rom.8:17).
Alteration #3: The word “made” (which is correctly preserved in NJB) has been changed by ESV to “created”. The reason for the change is obvious: man can “make” things but only Elohim can “create” things. Changing “made” to “created” is a fundamental alteration that implies Yeshua is Elohim. The difference in meaning between “make” and “create” is not as pronounced in English as in Greek; but even in English, the statement “I made this bread” (perhaps by baking) would be understood differently from “I created this bread” (which could take one of several meanings, including creating bread by a miracle).[2]
Alteration #4: This is a huge alteration which is reflected in the contradictory renderings of NJB (“through whom he made the ages”) and ESV (“through whom also he created the world”). NJB correctly translates tous aiōnas as “the ages” (which is the exact literal translation[3]) whereas ESV changes it to “the world” to imply that the world was created through Yeshua. Interestingly, the exact construction tous aiōnas occurs 29 times in the Greek New Testament, yet ESV never translates it as “the world” except in Hebrews 1:2!
Lexically, tous aiōnas in Hebrews 1:2 does not mean “the world” but “the ages”. It comes from the plural of aiōn which means “age” (hence the plural “ages”). For English-speaking people, this point is easy to grasp because the English word “eon” is derived from aiōn. That aiōn carries the sense of time and ages (as does “eon” in English) is further seen in the fact that eis ton aiōna (or eis tous aiōnas) is the standard Greek expression for “forever” (it occurs 54 times, e.g., 2 John 1:2).
An attempt to circumvent Hebrews 1:2
[Note: Some readers may wish to skip this section]
Thayer and other Greek-English lexicons acknowledge that aiōn carries the sense of time and ages, yet Thayer tries hard to find a trinitarian circumvention of this fact in Hebrews 1:2, through a supposed metonymy.
The word “metonymy” may seem arcane but its concept is easy to grasp. American Heritage Dictionary says that a metonymy is a figure of speech in which a word is substituted for another with which it is closely associated. AHD gives two examples of metonymy: “Washington” stands for the United States government, and “sword” stands for military power.
Thayer’s lexicon (p.19) brings up a non-existent metonymy to say that aiōn means “the worlds, the universe” by metonymy. This lexicon seems to be the only one in which this contrived metonymy is found. Its definition of aiōn is correct up to a point by focusing on “age” rather than “world,” that is, until it brings up the metonymy in the last sentence:
1. age, a human lifetime, life itself
2. an unbroken age, perpetuity of time, eternity
1a. universally, forever, Jn.6:51,58; 14:16; Heb.5:6; 6:20, etc.
2. by metonymy of the container for the contained, hoi aiōnes denotes the worlds, the universe, i.e., the aggregate of things contained in time: Heb.1:2; 11:3
Contrary to what Thayer says in the last statement, aiōn is never by metonymy the “container” of the created material universe. There is simply no biblical evidence for this alleged metonymy. Not surprisingly, Thayer cites no literary precedent for this unusual meaning. This so-called metonymy was evidently fabricated for trinitarian use. Is this “rightly handling the word of truth” (2Tim.2:15) or is it “distorting the word of Elohim” (2Cor.4:2)?
By contrast, the unabridged 1973 edition of the standard Liddell-Scott-Jones (LSJ) Greek-English lexicon makes no mention of “world” or “universe” in its definition of aiōn (contra ESV), much less say that aiōn is a container of the world or universe (contra Thayer). The first edition of LSJ was published in 1843, 46 years before the publication of Thayer’s lexicon in 1889. So why did Thayer give an unprecedented definition of aiōn not found in LSJ—which in Thayer’s time was an established and authoritative lexicon as it is to this day—without providing any literary evidence for it?
The following is the definition of aiōn (with the Greek transliterated) in the 1996 9th edition of LSJ. It gives no such meaning as “world” or “worlds” (contra ESV), much less any suggestion of an alleged metonymy.
aiōn, ōnos, ho:-a period of existence:
1. one’s lifetime, life,
2. an age, generation,
3. a long space of time, an age, ap’ aiōnos of old, for ages, N.T.; ton di’ aiōnos chronon, for ever,
4. a definite space of time, an era, epoch, age, period, ho aiōn houtos this present world, opp. to ho mellōn, N.T.:- hence its usage in pl., eis tous aiōnas for ever.
A third Greek-English lexicon, BDAG, on aiōn, classifies Hebrews 1:2 under heading 3 with the definition, “the world as a spatial concept”. But BDAG is unsure of this classification, and admits that “many of these passages (i.e., those just cited by BDAG, including Heb.1:2) may belong under 2”. Heading 2 gives the definition, “a segment of time as a particular unit of history, age,” which agrees with the literal and fundamental meaning of aiōn. In any case, the world created in Genesis is not just “a spatial concept” but also a spiritual concept that points to the new creation. The new creation is vital for understanding Hebrews 1:2 and other verses in Hebrews (e.g. Heb.11:3).
In the Bible, aiōn never refers to the material creation of Genesis. Hence Hebrews 1:2 does not speak of any involvement on Yeshua’ part in the Genesis creation of the world. On the contrary, Yehovah’s purpose for His creation is that Messiah should be heir of all creation, with his brothers becoming joint heirs with him. That is why the same verse, Heb.1:2, speaks of the Son as the one whom Elohim “appointed heir of all things,” and then goes on to say that it is through Messiah that Elohim established the ages (NJB “through whom he made the ages”; ITNT “around him he also formulated the epochs”).
In summary, aiōn does not refer to the material world or universe but to the ages or epochs of human history from Genesis to the end of this age. As we have seen, the English eon comes from Greek aiōn via Latin aeōn.
The two principal ages in salvation history
In what way then is Messiah central to the ages? What Hebrews is concerned with is “salvation history”. In the New Testament and in Judaism, salvation history is divided into two principal ages: “this age” and “the age to come”. The two converge on Yeshua the Messiah and are mentioned together in Mt. 12:32 (“whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come”) and in Eph.1:21 (Elohim placed Messiah “above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the age to come”). Yehovah has made Messiah the center of the epochs, for Yehovah is the eternal King of “the Ages” (1Tim.1:17, which has the same plural aiōn), fulfilling His plan of salvation for mankind through Messiah.
The present age began with Abraham and continues to the present. The age to come began with Yeshua the Messiah and will continue up to the fulfillment of all that Elohim has promised. This means an overlap of the two ages, and they will continue to overlap until Yeshua comes again (Acts 1:11; Mark 13:26). The overlap of the ages is what makes it possible for us to experience “the powers of the age to come” right now (Heb.6:5). Although “this present age” can be said to have commenced with Abraham, it is equally valid to say that it commenced with Adam’s disobedience. Whichever is the case, this present age will continue “to the end of the age” (Mt.28:20, tēs sunteleias tou aiōnos), concluding with the general resurrection—an awesome display of Yehovah’s life-giving power—and with the final judgment.
In this present age, Elohim performs many wonders such as: the revealing of His Name Yehovah; the deliverance of Israel out of Egypt; the giving of the Ten Commandments to Moses; and above all, the miraculous birth of Yeshua, followed by his perfection (achieved through suffering), his death, and his resurrection for the salvation of the world.
In Hebrews, the two ages or epochs (this age and the one to come) correspond to the two covenants: the “first covenant” and the “new covenant” (Heb.8:7-8). Hebrews says of the first covenant that “what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away” (8:13). The new covenant is a “better covenant” (7:22) and spiritual in nature, involving the heart and mind: “I will put my laws into their minds, and write them on their hearts, and I will be their Elohim, and they shall be my people” (8:10; 10:16). Yeshua accordingly “has been given a ministry as far superior as is the covenant of which he is the mediator, which is founded on better promises” (Heb.8:6, NJB). Hence the new covenant is called the “eternal covenant” (13:20).
“Covenant” (diathēkē) is a key word in Hebrews, and occurs far more frequently in Hebrews (14 times) than in any other NT book (the next highest is Galatians, 3 times). The earliest recorded covenant between Elohim and man is the one that Elohim made with Noah, by which He promised never again to afflict the world with a flood (Gen.9:9-17).
Of the early covenants, a significant one was the one that Yehovah made with Abraham when he was still called Abram (Gen.15:18); it defined the boundaries of the land which will be given to Israel. Circumcision was the sign of this covenant (Gen.17:10) as it is to this day among the Jews. This covenant later became the basis of Elohim’s covenant with Israel through Moses: “And Elohim heard their groaning, and Elohim remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob” (Ex.2:24; 6:5ff).
The verse we are discussing, Heb.1:2, says that Messiah was “appointed heir of all things” by Elohim. Here “all things” means much more than the sun and moon and stars, for Messiah will reign as Lord over all living things, including and especially men and Messengers. The term “all things” directs our attention not to the past (the Genesis creation) but to the future (cf. the forward-looking word “heir”).
But before an inheritance can be bestowed in the spiritual realm, the reality of sin, which has put men and Messengers under bondage, must be dealt with. The sins of the present “evil generation” (Mt.12:45; Lk.11:29) must be atoned for—and reconciliation with Yehovah must be achieved—before one could speak of the Son’s inheritance. By definition, a son inherits from his father what belongs to the father; hence whatever Messiah inherits from the Father must, on account of Elohim’s holiness, be pure and holy. Hence the necessity of atoning for man’s sins and his being reconciled with the Father.
Elohim made these ages through Messiah and with Messiah in view. Like the mighty works, wonders and signs that Elohim did “through” Yeshua (Acts 2:22), the ages are Elohim’s work through Yeshua. [4] The ages are not random or incidental periods of time, for in them Elohim works out His eternal plan of salvation through Messiah, just as the signs and wonders which Elohim did through him had the purpose of pointing us to salvation in Messiah.
Though man has some degree of freedom to maneuver within segments of time, he cannot control time, and is under time’s control. But it is the opposite with Elohim the Almighty, the Eternal, for He “creates” time (cf. “he made the ages,” Heb.1:2, NJB) and marks out its ages according to His eternal purposes.[5]
The word aiōn has to do with time (cf. eon). To translate it as “world” or “universe” is misleading because “world” has meanings unrelated to time, as can be seen in any Greek or English dictionary. Yet some translations render aiōn in Heb.1:2 as “world” rather than “age” to say that Elohim created the material world through Yeshua, thereby implying Yeshua’ preexistence.
Hebrews 1:3
Hebrews 1:3 The Son is the radiance of Elohim’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. (NIV)
We compare the first part of this verse with two verses from 2 Corinthians 4:
Heb.1:3a The Son is the radiance of Elohim’s glory and the exact representation of his being
2Cor.4:6b the glory of Elohim in the face of Yeshua Messiah.
2Cor.4:4b the light of the glory of Messiah, who is the image of Elohim.
The latter two verses come from the same Bible passage and are separated by only one verse (v.5). When viewed as a unit, the two verses have clear parallels with Hebrews 1:3a. Because Yeshua Messiah is “the image of Elohim,” he is “the radiance of Elohim’s glory” that is seen “in the face of Yeshua Messiah”. See the words in boldface.
But if Yeshua is Elohim as he is in trinitarianism, Hebrews 1:3 would make no sense because the glory he reveals would be his own divine glory. By contrast, the glory that shines through the biblical Yeshua is Elohim’s glory.
The Greek word charaktēr, translated in Hebrews 1:3 as “representation” (NIV) or “imprint” (ESV), refers to outward, visible form. BDAG defines the word as “an impression that is made, outward aspect, outward appearance, form”. The word form in this definition aligns with the fact that Messiah is the “image of Elohim” (2Cor.4:4).[6] Because “representation” and “image” are used of Yeshua the perfect man, something significant is revealed: Because of his perfection, Yeshua is uniquely the visible image of the invisible Elohim and the exact (perfect) representation of Elohim. The fact that Yeshua makes visible the invisible Elohim is the most powerful fulfillment of Elohim’s purpose in creating man, namely, to reveal Himself to man and all creation. Elohim’s self-revelation is the vital first step in communicating with the sentient beings in His creation.
Referring to Messiah, Hebrews 1:3 speaks of “sustaining all things by his powerful word,” where “sustaining” translates pherō, a verb with various meanings: lead, bring forward, bear, endure, uphold, carry (e.g., it is used of Yeshua carrying the cross, Lk.23:26).
In Hebrews, Yeshua and Moses are compared but also contrasted (e.g., Heb.3:3, “Yeshua has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses”). Not surprisingly, this word pherō is used in the Bible of both Moses and Yeshua: Moses “carried” (led, bore with) the people of Israel,[7] and similarly Yeshua “carries” the world by “sustaining all things by his powerful word” (Heb. 1:3). In Heb.1:3, pherō is a present participle, indicating that Yeshua is doing the sustaining now and will continue to do so into the eschatological future. His sustaining of all things does not look back to the distant past or to preexistence or to the material creation, but to the power and authority that come with his exaltation to the highest place at Elohim’s right hand (Heb.1:3). This is not just a seat of honor for Yeshua to “rest on his laurels,” sitting back and relishing the greatness of his achievements. With his exaltation comes the authority to rule as Yehovah’s plenipotentiary over His universe, to command “all things” (1:3). Because Yeshua has been exalted by Elohim and given a name above every name (Phil.2:9), he is now the “Lord of all” (Acts 10:36), having been given authority over everyone and everything in heaven and on earth with the exception of Elohim Himself (1Cor.15:27), at whose right hand Yeshua sits. In this verse, Hebrews 1:3, Yehovah is referred to by the metonym “the Majesty in heaven” (as also in 8:1).
Hebrews 1:4-5
Hebrews 1:4 … having become as much superior to Messengers as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.
The words “having become as much superior to Messengers” would make no sense if they are applied to the trinitarian Elohim the Son, for if Yeshua is Elohim as he is in trinitarianism, then he would be inherently superior to Messengers. He cannot “become” superior, that is, elevated to superiority over Messengers, for that would imply prior inferiority. That the writer to the Hebrews could so easily and casually speak of Messiah’s “becoming” superior to Messengers clearly shows that he doesn’t think of Messiah as Elohim.
Hebrews 1:5 For to which of the Messengers did Elohim ever say, “You are my Son, today I have begotten you”? Or again, “I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son”? (ESV)
The Father-Son relationship was not granted to Messengers but to the Messianic king (“you are my Son, today I have become your Father,” Ps.2:7); to Solomon (“I have chosen him to be my son,” 1Chr.28:6); and to those in Messiah (“in Messiah Yeshua you are all sons of Elohim,” Gal.3:26). Here are some relevant verses:
Psalm 2:7 I will proclaim the decree of Yehovah: He said to me, “You are my Son; today I have become your Father.”
1 Chronicles 22:10 [Solomon] shall be my son, and I will be his father, and I will establish his royal throne in Israel forever (also 17:3; 28:6)
Psalm 89:26 [David] shall cry to me, “You are my Father, my Elohim, and the Rock of my salvation.”
Hebrews 1:6 When he brings the firstborn into the world, he says, “Let all Elohim’s Messengers worship him.” (ESV)
Hebrews 1:6
Hebrews 1:6 is probably a concatenation of two OT verses, Ps.97:7 (Ps.96:7 in LXX) and Dt.32:43, in the form as they appear in the LXX (the Greek OT) rather than the Hebrew Scriptures.[8] The exact nature of the concatenation cannot be established with certainty since Heb.1:6 is a free concatenation of a few words from one of the verses, and a few words from the other.
Yet we cannot fail to notice the similarity in wording between Heb.1:6 and these two OT verses as they stand in the LXX. We now put Hebrews 1:6 together with its probable LXX parallels, Ps.96:7 (Ps.97:7 in most Bibles) and Dt.32:43:
Hebrews 1:6 When he brings the firstborn into the world, he says, “Let all Elohim’s Messengers worship* him.” (ESV)
Psalm 96:7 LXX “Do obeisance* to him, all his Messengers!” (New English Translation of the Septuagint [9])
Deuteronomy 32:43a “Rejoice with him, O heavens; bow down* to him, all gods” (ESV; LXX has “sons of elohim”)
The asterisk * indicates that the Greek word so marked, whether in the NT or LXX, is proskyneō (which has several meanings, fundamentally “bow down to” or “pay homage to” but sometimes “worship”). The two OT texts from which Hebrews 1:6 is derived—Ps.96:7 (LXX) and Dt.32:43—both refer to Yehovah.[10] Hence proskyneō—which in Hebrews 1:6 is rendered “worship” (ESV) or “pay him homage” (NJB, REB) or “reverence” (ITNT)—is in the Old Testament applied to Yehovah, the one and only Elohim.
Why does Heb.1:6 say, “Let all Elohim’s Messengers worship him”? If this verse is indeed derived from Ps.97:7 (LXX 96:7) and Dt.32:43—despite some uncertainty about this (Clarke’s Commentary, on Heb.1:6)—it would be a merging of a few words from one verse and a few from the other. The concatenation may be free yet the overall message is unmistakable: the Messiah is the firstborn, hence Elohim’s Messengers must “worship him” (ESV) or “pay him homage” (NJB, REB) or “revere him” (ITNT) or “adore him” (Douay-Rheims).
Messiah has been granted the honor and privileges as the firstborn who is superior to Messengers. His superiority over Messengers is brought out in the immediate context of Heb.1:6 in no less than three statements: Messiah is superior to Messengers (v.4); Messiah is the Son of Elohim in a way that Messengers are not (v.5); Messiah sits at Elohim’s right hand as angels do not (v.3). Because Heb.1:6 comes right after these three verses (3,4,5), it is a continuation of their train of thought, namely, that Messiah is superior to Messengers. Hence all Messengers must “worship him” or “pay him homage”.
The exaltation of Messiah is seen in the gospels and in Paul’s letters, and expressed by men and Messengers. In Matthew 2:11, the magi fell before the infant Yeshua and “worshipped him” (ESV) or “did him homage” (NJB, REB) or “adored him” (Douay-Rheims). Years later, Elohim exalted him such that “at the name of Yeshua every knee should bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth” (Phil.2:10). The words “in heaven” are eminently applicable to Elohim’s Messengers and therefore to Hebrews 1:6 (“Let all Elohim’s Messengers worship [or reverence] him”), with the difference being that Philippians is describing a post-resurrection scenario.
When we examine the NT data on proskyneō and discover that when the word is used of Yeshua, it means “to pay homage to” rather than divine worship.
The fact that proskyneō means “pay homage to” rather than “worship” when it is used of Yeshua (as will be demonstrated in chapter 8) also comes out in the context of Hebrews 1:6 which declares two things: (i) Messiah is the firstborn; (ii) Messiah is superior to Elohim’s Messengers. Concerning (i), nowhere in Scripture is the firstborn ever worshipped as Elohim, as can be verified by combing through the more than 100 verses in the Old and New Testaments that refer to a firstborn. To the contrary, Yeshua the firstborn Son declares that his Father is “the only true Elohim” (Jn.17:3). Using “reverence” rather than “worship” in Hebrews 1:6 would align with this truth and with the affirmation that Messiah is superior to Messengers. Messengers are to pay homage to Messiah, the one who is superior to them, and at whose name all must bow their knees (Phil.2:10).
Hebrews 1:8
Hebrews 1:8 But of the Son he says, “Your throne, O Elohim, is forever and ever, the scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom.” (ESV)
Psalm 45:6 Your throne, O Elohim, is forever and ever. The scepter of your kingdom is a scepter of uprightness. (ESV)
Hebrews 1:8 is a quotation of Psalm 45:6. It is crucial to note that Psalm 45 is an enthronement psalm: “I address my verses to the king” (v.1). This person has become the king of Israel through an anointing (v.7, “Elohim, your Elohim, has anointed you with the oil of gladness”) which reminds us that the kings of Israel are anointed. Psalm 45 is announcing the anointing of a human king at his ascension to the throne of Israel. The king is clearly human rather than divine because v.2 says that he comes from “the sons of men”.
On the one hand the king is human, yet on the other he is addressed “O Elohim”. This would make sense only if “Elohim” is understood in the same way as in Yeshua’ statement, “I said you are Elohims” (Jn.10:34), a quotation of Psalm 82:6 (“you are Elohims”).
Among scholars who have studied Psalm 45:6, it is universally acknowledged that although the king is called “Elohim” or “Elohim” in this verse, he is still human. This is seen in the following trinitarian authorities:
The writer addressed his human king as “Elohim” (Elohim). He did not mean that the king was Elohim but that he stood in the place of Elohim and represented Him. (Dr. Constable’s Expository Notes, on Psalm 45:6)
Because the Davidic king is Elohim’s vice-regent on earth, the psalmist addresses him as if he were Elohim incarnate. A similar use of hyperbole appears in Isa.9:6, where the ideal Davidic king of the eschaton is given the title “Mighty Elohim”. (NET Bible, on Psalm 45:6)
In what sense can the king be called “Elohim”? By virtue of his divine appointment, the king in the ancient Near East stood before his subjects as a representative of the divine realm. (Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary: Old Testament, vol.5, on Psalm 45:6)
Although the Israelite king was not regarded as divine (as the kings of Egypt were), it is possible that he could be addressed as “Elohim” either in a form of Oriental hyperbolic language or as a representative of Elohim (cf. Ex.21:6; 22:8,9,28; Ps.82:6). (Zondervan Bible Commentary, F.F. Bruce ed., on Psalm 45:6)
The simple and natural sense is that Solomon reigns not tyrannically, as most of the kings do, but by just and equal laws, and that, therefore, his throne shall be established forever. Although he is called Elohim, because Elohim has imprinted some mark of his glory in the person of kings … It is true, indeed, that Messengers as well as judges are called collectively “elohim,” “gods” (John Calvin’s Commentary, on Psalm 45:6)
If, however, the king is addressed as Elohim, we should note that he is still reminded that it is “Elohim, your Elohim,” who “has set you above your companions.” The Hebrew term Elohim has a wider range of meaning than our terms “Elohim” and “gods.” In Ex.21:6 and 22:8-9,28 (possibly 1Sam.2:25), it appears to be applied to human judges (see also Ex.4:16; 7:1). (Understanding the Bible Commentary, Psalm 45:6)
Since Elohim is the ultimate king of Israel (“Yehovah, the King of Israel,” Isa.44:6; cf. Zeph.3:15), the throne of Israel is Elohim’s throne. Every king of Israel who occupied that throne did so as Yehovah’s regent and representative.
In any case, what is the point of the trinitarian assertion that Yeshua is Elohim on account of Hebrews 1:8 (“Your throne, O Elohim, is forever and ever”) since this would make “Elohim” lower than the Messengers for a while (2:7)? Psalm 45:7 (quoted in Hebrews 1:9) says that Elohim is the Elohim of the anointed king even though the latter is addressed “O Elohim”. Hence there is still a distinction of persons between Elohim and the anointed king. If we identify “O Elohim” with a divine Yeshua, this would make Elohim the Elohim of Elohim.
The focus in Hebrews 1:8 is not on “O Elohim” but “Your throne is forever and ever”. The Son’s throne is eternal because it is Yehovah’s. The heavens and the earth, though created by Yehovah (Heb.1:10, quoting Psalm 102:25 which refers to Yehovah), will perish (Heb.1:11,12). But it is said of Yehovah, “you remain the same, and your years will have no end” (v.12).
Because of the eternal nature of Elohim and His throne, the Jews in Yeshua’ day knew that the “Messiah will remain forever” (Jn.12:34), a confidence that is strengthened by Elohim’s promise to David, “His offspring shall endure forever, his throne as long as the sun before me” (Ps.89:36; cf. Isa.9:7; Ezek. 37:24-25; Dan.7:14).
But trinitarians will argue that the writer to the Hebrews knowingly and intentionally took Psalm 45:6 with the explicit words, “Your throne, O Elohim, is forever and ever,” and applied it to the Son. Several observations can be made in response to this, and these complement each other.
Firstly, the main Bible available to the Greek-speaking Jews in New Testament times was the Septuagint (LXX). Unlike what we can do today, namely, choose a Bible that reads Psalm 45:6 as “Your divine throne” (RSV), or another Bible that has “Your throne is from Elohim” (NJB), or yet another that has “Your throne, O Elohim” (NIV), the writer to the Hebrews had no choice but to quote the LXX as it stood, because he would never take the liberty to delete the words “O Elohim” from the version of Scripture (the LXX) that was available to him, even if all he wanted to say was that the throne is eternal. In using a few words of Psalm 45:6, he would quote the whole sentence.
Secondly, the Jews as a whole do not believe that the Messiah is Elohim, and would not think of Psalm 45:6 as evidence for his deity. Picking out this one verse from the Old Testament to prove that the Messiah is Elohim would be absurd to most religious Jews.
Thirdly, many biblical scholars are aware of an important way of reading Psalm 45:6 that heightens its message for those who are waiting for the coming of the Messiah who will reign over all nations in Elohim’s name. In Exodus 4:16, Yehovah told Moses that Moses will “be as Elohim” to Aaron. Three chapters later, in Exodus 7:1, Yehovah said to Moses, “See, I have made you like Elohim to Pharaoh”. If Elohim made Moses “as Elohim” to Aaron and “like Elohim” to Pharaoh, how much more will He make Messiah “like Elohim” to the world, the visible image of the invisible Elohim (cf. Col.1:15)?
Fourthly, among scholars who have studied Psalm 45:6a (“Your throne, O Elohim, is forever and ever”)—whether they are trinitarian (John Calvin) or non-trinitarian (Michael Servetus), whether they are Christian (Craig Broyles) or Jewish (Robert Alter), whether they are Protestant (Peter Craigie) or Catholic (Father Mitchell Dahood)—it is universally acknowledged that although the king in Psalm 45:6 is called “Elohim” or “Elohim,” he is not divine but is the human representative of Elohim. I have checked over a dozen authorities, both ancient and modern, and none has expressed any opinion contrary to this.
We can be sure that the writer to the Hebrews, who is thoroughly steeped in the Hebrew Scriptures and in the ways of his forefathers, would be fully aware that in Psalm 45:6, the king who is addressed “O Elohim” is not divine but human (in fact he would have to be human because he comes from the ranks of “the sons of men,” v.2). So if the writer to the Hebrews could apply the same verse, Psalm 45:6, to Yeshua purposefully and with a heightened awareness of its Scriptural continuity, would he not also think of Yeshua in similar terms, that Yeshua is called “O Elohim” not because he is divine but because he is the human representative of Elohim? Why would the writer to the Hebrews understand Hebrews 1:8 in a way that contradicts his understanding of Psalm 45:6? And what about his audience, the recipients of his letter to the Hebrews, who are after all called the Hebrews? Would they not also be aware that in Psalm 45:6, the king who is addressed “O Elohim” is not divine but human?
All in all, Hebrews 1:8 offers no evidence for the deity of Messiah. Ironically, Hebrews 1:8 would be of greater help to trinitarians if it were not linked so closely to Psalm 45:6!
It is the exactness of the quotation of Psalm 45:6 in Hebrews 1:8 that causes Christopher M. Tuckett (Lecturer in NT Studies at Oxford) to be cautious about ascribing deity to Yeshua from Hebrews 1:8:
One should, however, perhaps be a little cautious. The quotation of Psalm 45 is an exact repetition of the words of the psalm which are there addressed to the king. There is presumably no idea of ascribing divinity to the Israelite king in such language when used in the Old Testament, and hence one should be wary of assuming that such an idea is present in Hebrews 1. In any case the dominant thought seems to be not so much that the Son can be called ‘Elohim’; rather it is that the throne of the Son is ‘for ever and ever’ and that, as he has loved righteousness and hated wickedness, Elohim has anointed him above his fellows. His position is above that of the Messengers because, due to his ethical stance, he has been appointed by Elohim to a position on a ‘throne’ which will be for ever. (Christology and the New Testament, pp.96-97).
Hebrews 1:10
Hebrews 1:10 You, Lord, laid the foundation of the earth in the beginning, and the heavens are the work of your hands. (ESV)
Psalm 102:25 Of old you laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands. (ESV)
Hebrews 1:10 is a quotation of Psalm 102:25. Other verses in the OT that use similar imagery to describe Yehovah’s creation of the heavens and the earth are Isaiah 42:5; 48:13; 51:13; Jeremiah 32:17; Zechariah 12:1.
The “you” in Psalm 102:25 refers to Yehovah on account of v.22 (“worship Yehovah”); hence it is Yehovah Elohim who is spoken of in Psalm 102:25 as the creator of the heavens and the earth. This identification is seen also in the several OT verses just listed and in the book of Hebrews as a whole. For example, Hebrews 2:10 (cf. 3:4; 11:3) says of Elohim: “For it was fitting that He, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering”. This verse makes a distinction of persons: On the one hand there is Elohim by whom all things exist; on the other there is Yeshua who was perfected by Elohim. This corresponds with the overall teaching that Yehovah is the only creator.
Irrespective of how we read Hebrews 1:10, it would be erroneous to take it as an exception to, or a contradiction of, the entrenched biblical fact that Yehovah Elohim is the only creator. This indicates that Hebrews 1:10—and more broadly verses 10 to 12—refers to Yehovah rather than Yeshua.
Only one verse separates Hebrews 1:10 from 1:8 (“your throne, O Elohim, is forever and ever”). The combination of these two verses shows that Yehovah the Creator has granted the Son and his throne to remain forever. As Yehovah will remain forever (“you are the same, and your years have no end,” 1:12), so the throne of Messiah will remain forever. In Hebrews 1:10-12, Elohim’s immortality is seen in the three phrases shown in italics:
Hebrews 1:10-12 You, Lord, laid the foundation of the earth in the beginning, and the heavens are the work of your hands; they will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment, like a robe you will roll them up, like a garment they will be changed. But you are the same, and your years will have no end. (ESV)
This passage, a quotation of Psalm 102:25-27, speaks of Yehovah’s immortality: His years will have no end, and He remains even if the heavens and the earth perish. But the trinitarian “Elohim the Son” is capable of dying and does not have the immortality mentioned in this passage. Hebrews 1:10-12 cannot be literally true of the Lamb of Elohim who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29).
Regarding the use of Psalm 102:25 in Hebrews 1:10, and more generally the use of OT passages in Hebrews, either the writer to the Hebrews is indiscriminately applying to Yeshua verses from the OT that refer to Yehovah (despite the Jewish belief that the Messiah, the Son of Elohim, is human and not divine) or there is an important reason for making the connection. What reason can there be but that Yeshua is the one who represents Yehovah perfectly and who literally embodies Yehovah such that Elohim lives in him bodily (“in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily,” Col.2:9)?
The letter to the Hebrews was written by a Jew to fellow Jewish believers. Would anyone doubt that these Jews were committed monotheists? Even Philo, a Hellenized Jew steeped in Greek philosophy, was a committed monotheist. It defies reason to extract proto-trinitarianism from Hebrews 1.
There is no doubt that the writer to the Hebrews, who was steeped in the Hebrew Scriptures, was aware that the OT verses he was quoting referred to Yehovah. Why then would he quote them in relation to the Son?
Did the writer to the Hebrews think that the Son was Yehovah Himself? If he did, then Yehovah would be the “firstborn” who was brought “into the world” by Yehovah (Heb.1:6)! This answer does not work. The problem with our inquiry lies in the way we framed our question, that is, with the assumption that the OT verses quoted in Hebrews are applied to the Son rather than to his coming or his appearing or his manifestation in the world. The OT verses quoted in Hebrews are applied to the coming of the Son, that is, to his having been “brought into the world” (Heb.1:6). And the coming of the Son into the world also involves the coming of Elohim into the world. Only with this understanding would the catena or chain of OT verses on Yehovah make sense in the book of Hebrews. Then we will see that Hebrews 1 echoes the message proclaimed in John’s Prologue that Elohim came into the world and dwelled in Yeshua.
From the train of thought presented in Hebrews 1, it is clear that if Yeshua is Elohim, then the whole catena of OT quotations would be redundant because they would be making statements that are self-evident. If Yeshua is Elohim, it goes without saying that his throne will be “forever and ever” (v.8) and that he is superior to Messengers. In fact, trinitarianism faces the conundrum that Yeshua, who is supposedly Elohim, was made lower than the Messengers (2:9) but then “became” superior to Messengers (1:4), implying prior inferiority. For similar reasons, it is problematic to say that a divine Yeshua has “inherited” a more excellent name than the Messengers (v.4). Hebrews 1, far from supporting the trinitarian idea of “Elohim the Son,” effectively serves to undermine it.
But if Yeshua the Son of Elohim is truly human like the rest of humanity, then all that is written about him in Hebrews 1 would be of the highest significance. It is utterly astonishing that Yehovah would exalt man to such heights of glory. Mortal man is made immortal, and the gift of eternal life is given to all who are in Messiah. “For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality” (1Cor.15:53). Elohim’s people, the saints, will even reign with Messiah in glory and power:
The kingdom and the dominion and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High; their kingdom shall be an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey them. (Daniel 7:27; cf. Rev.1.6; 5:10)
The great blessings conferred on Yeshua the Messiah-King will be shared with his people. Yeshua is the head of the body, and the blessings poured on the head are also for the benefit of the body. Such is Elohim’s boundless love and generosity bestowed on man in Messiah. In fact Hebrews writes more about Yeshua’ humanity than does any other New Testament letter.
With Yeshua’ exaltation to the heavenly heights “far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named” (Eph.1:21), and with Yeshua’ place at “the right hand of the Majesty on high” (Heb.1:3), one might think that Yeshua is now beyond the reach of humankind in their pitiful and needy situations. Yet Elohim and His Son Yeshua Messiah have put us in their view, extending to us the eternal blessings in Messiah, including that of eternal life!
Hebrews 2: A spiritual reflection
Although the third pillar of trinitarianism is Hebrews chapter 1, we will say a few things about chapter 2 by way of spiritual reflection. This chapter, like chapter 1, brings in a catena of Old Testament verses that place strong emphasis on Yeshua’ humanity:
Hebrews 2:6 It has been testified somewhere, “What is man, that you are mindful of him, or the son of man, that you care for him?”
Again we see the important place of man in Elohim’s eternal plan and outlook. Hebrews 2:6 is a quotation of several Old Testament verses:
Psalm 8:4 …what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?
Psalm 144:3 O Yehovah, what is man that you regard him, or the son of man that you think of him?
Job 7:17 What is man, that you make so much of him, and that you set your heart on him?
Hebrews continues:
Hebrews 2:7-8 You made him for a little while lower than the Messengers; you have crowned him with glory and honor, putting everything in subjection under his feet. (ESV)
This is a quotation of Psalm 8:5-6 in which we see something striking when quoted from NASB and NIV (note the italics):
NASB Yet You have made him a little lower than Elohim, and You crown him with glory and majesty! You make him to rule over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under his feet.
NIV You have made them a little lower than the Messengers and crowned them with glory and honor. You made them rulers over the works of your hands; you put everything under their feet.
These two renderings are startlingly different in their first sentences: “a little lower than Elohim” (NASB) versus “a little lower than the Messengers” (NIV). The discrepancy arises from the fact that in Psalm 8:5, the Hebrew Bible has Elohim (Elohim) whereas the Greek LXX has angelos (angel or Messenger).
The next two verses in Hebrews repeat the point that Yeshua was for a while made lower than the Messengers:
Hebrews 2:8-9 At present, we do not yet see everything in subjection to him. But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the Messengers, namely Yeshua, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death … (ESV)
In all the verses cited, we see not only the focus on man, but also the fact that the writer to the Hebrews takes for granted that Yeshua is human (“What is man, that you are mindful of him, or the son of man, that you care for him?”) with no explanation given or required, and with no hint of any alleged deity or preexistence.
The next verse, Hebrews 2:10, makes a distinction between the One by whom all things exist (Elohim) and the one who was made perfect through suffering (Yeshua). These are two distinct persons, with the former making the latter perfect:
For it was fitting that he (Elohim), for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation (Yeshua) perfect through suffering. (Heb.2:10)
The next four verses, Hebrews 2:11-14, have some striking words:
2:11 For, indeed, he who makes holy and those made holy are all from one (Elohim). This explains why he is not ashamed to identify with them as brothers. (ITNT)
2.12 “I shall proclaim your name to my brothers. Within the congregation I shall sing hymns to you.” (ITNT)
2.13 And again, “I will put my trust in him.” And again, “Behold, I and the children Elohim has given me.” (ESV)
2.14 Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things (ESV)
The first of these verses, 2:11, says that the one who makes holy (Yeshua) and those who have been made holy (the believers) are all from one Elohim. Yeshua, the one who is perfect, is not ashamed to accept as his brothers those who are not perfect at the present time. The word “brothers” appears also in the second of these verses, 2:12, which is a quotation of Psalm 22:22 (21:23 in LXX) which says: “I will tell of your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will praise you”.
Since Yeshua is true man, he is our brother. But trinitarians say that Yeshua is also Elohim, thereby allowing for the possibility of Elohim being our brother! Because this is theologically problematic and a uniquely trinitarian dilemma, trinitarians tend to underemphasize the biblical fact that Yeshua is our brother.
In the fourth verse, 2:14, the words “share” and “partook” are translated, respectively, from koinōneō and metechō, these two words being “practically synonymous” (Moulton & Milligan, Vocabulary of the Greek NT, koinōneō). Because Yeshua shares our humanity, he shares the “flesh and blood” of “the children” (the believers), indeed the flesh and blood of all humanity.
The third of these verses, 2:13, carries echoes of Psalm 16:1: “Keep me safe, my Elohim, for in you I take refuge”. The LXX (15:1) has, “Guard me, O Lord, because in you I hoped” (ANETS). Similar sentiments of taking refuge in Elohim are seen in Psalm 18:2 (“my Elohim, my rock, in whom I take refuge); Psalm 36:7 (“the children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of your wings”); and Psalm 91:2 (“I will say to Yahweh: my refuge and my fortress, my Elohim, in whom I trust”). Why would Hebrews refer to these statements in the Psalms but to show that Yeshua shared the same kind of trust in Elohim as do “the children” (his disciples, cf. Isaiah 8:18)?
There is also Isaiah 12:2 (“Elohim is my salvation: I will trust and will not be afraid”) which carries overtones of the words used for mocking Yeshua at his crucifixion: “He trusts in Elohim; let Elohim deliver him now, if he desires him” (Mt.27:43). These were the hostile words of the religious leaders who nonetheless acknowledged Yeshua’ trust in Elohim. What is striking is their reason for acknowledging his trust in Elohim: “For he said, ‘I am the Son of Elohim’” (v.43).
In our trinitarian days, we understood the claim to be the Son of Elohim as a claim to deity. In John’s Gospel, some have used this unfounded connection to hurl an accusation at Yeshua (Jn.10:33-36; 19:7). But surprisingly or perhaps not, the leaders of Israel did not recognize that connection (as we shall see in a later chapter), but understood Yeshua’ claim to be “Son of Elohim” as expressing his trust in Elohim as his Father (Mt.27:43; cf. Heb.2:13). Their understanding is correct, for Yeshua the Son of Elohim addressed Elohim as “Abba” (Mk.14:36) like a child trusting in his father. Yeshua taught his disciples to address Elohim as Father, and to trust Him completely as he did.
Footnotes:
[1] On the plural of aiōn (“the ages”), Thayer’s lexicon makes the rather picturesque comment, “the plural denotes the individual ages whose sum is eternity”.
[2] The Chinese language also makes a distinction between make (做 or 造 or 制造) and create (创造).
[3] As seen also in Marshall’s Greek-English interlinear which gives the literal rendering “the ages” rather than “the world,” as also the interlinear by Brown/Comfort.
[4] A connection between Hebrews 1:2 and Acts 2:22 is seen by comparing δι᾽ οὗ καὶ ἐποίησεν τοὺς αἰῶνας (“through whom he made the ages”) in Hebrews 1:2 with δυνάμεσι καὶ τέρασι καὶ σημείοις οἷς ἐποίησεν δι᾽ αὐτοῦ ὁ θεὸς (“mighty works and wonders and signs that Elohim did through him”) in Acts 2:22, noting the correspondence of the words in boldface.
[5] In Heb.1:2 (“through whom he made the ages,” NJB), the Greek for “made” is poieō (ποιέω). Here it does not mean “created the world” (ESV) but “made (marked out, appointed) the ages”. The sense of appointment in poieō is seen in: Heb.3:2 (“who appointed him”); Acts 2:36 (“Elohim has appointed him both Lord and Messiah”); Rev.5:10 (“you have appointed them a kingdom and priests to our Elohim”); Mk.3:14 (“he appointed the twelve”); and so on.
[6] This will be discussed more fully in chapter 10 of the present book.
[7] In the LXX, pherō is used of Moses as the one who “carried” the people of Israel, e.g., Num.11:14 (“I am unable to carry all this people alone,” cf. vv.11,17) and Deut.1:9 (“I am not able to bear you [the Israelites] by myself”).
[8] In translating Dt.32:43, some Bibles (ESV, NJB, NRSV) follow the LXX, and some (NASB, HCSB, NIV) follow the Hebrew Bible.
[9] The New English Translation of the Septuagint is a scholarly translation of the major critical edition of the LXX, the Göttingen Septuaginta editio maior.
[10] That is because Psalm 97 (96 in LXX) refers to Yehovah six times (vv.1,5,8,9, 10,12). As for Dt.32:43, a reference to Yehovah is found a few verses earlier, in v.39.