Post posted:
"Not so fast buddy. To the Son the LORD says, 'oh God' proves He is the LORD." [Heb. 1:8]
.................................
Hebrews 1:8
The 'original copies' of Heb. 1:8 (P46 is the earliest - first to middle part of second century) says Ὁ θρόνος σου ὁ θεὸς εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τοῦ αἰῶνος.
(θεὸς is in its abbreviated form). Yes, literally the oldest NT Greek manuscripts read (like all others): “Toward but the son
the throne of you the god into the age of the age.”
There was no punctuation, so it is honestly translated as either: "Thy throne, O God, is forever and ever"
OR “God is thy throne for ever and ever” - Dr. James Moffatt's translation (also
AT and others).
Even the great NT grammarian A.T. Robertson wrote in his Robertson's
Word Pictures of the NT discussing Heb. 1:8:
Yes, literally the original NT Greek manuscripts read: “Toward but the son
the throne of you the god into the age of the age.”
Heb. 1:8 translated from Ps. 45:6
Psalm 45 is celebrating an
Israelite king’s marriage, and the psalmist applies the words of Ps. 45:6, 7 literally to an ancient
Israelite king. In fact, the trinitarian
New American Standard Bible (NASB), Reference Edition, explains in a footnote for Ps. 45:1, “Probably refers to
Solomon as a type of Christ.”
So, according to this trinitarian Bible, the words of Ps. 45:6, although figuratively referring to Jesus, were literally applied to an ancient Israelite king (probably King Solomon, it says).
So
if Ps. 45:6 is properly translated, “your throne, O God ...” then that ancient Israelite King (Solomon?) was
also literally called “O God” (or “O god”?). In fact, the highly trinitarian
New American Bible, St. Joseph Edition, 1970, explains in a footnote for this verse:
“The Hebrew king was called ... ‘
God,’ not in the polytheistic sense common among the ancient pagans, but as meaning ‘godlike’ or ‘taking the place of God’.”
The trinitarian
Easy-to-read-Version also says in a footnote for this passage:
“
God .... here the writer might be using the word ‘God’ as a title
for the king.” (Cf.
NIV Study Bible f.n. for Pss. 45:6 and 82:1, 6.)
If we can find even a few trinitarian-translated Bibles which translate Ps. 45:6 in a
non-trinitarian way, we really shouldn't necessarily accept it (also Heb. 1:8 - see post above) as actual trinity evidence.
The
RSV renders it as “
Your Divine throne” and a footnote provides this alternate reading: “Or ‘
your throne is a throne of God.’”
The
NEB says: “Your throne is
like God’s throne.”
The Holy Scriptures (JPS version) says: “Thy throne
given of God.”
The Bible in Living English (Byington) says: “
God is your throne.”
The
Good News Bible (GNB), a very trinitarian paraphrase Bible, renders it: “The kingdom that
God has given you will last forever and ever.”
The
REB has: “
God has enthroned you for all eternity.”
And the
NJB gives us: “your throne is
from God.”
We also see the following statement by respected
trinitarian scholars in a footnote for this passage:
“
45:6 O God. Possibly the king’s throne is called
God’s throne because he is God’s appointed regent. But it is also possible that the king himself is addressed as ‘
god.’
” - Ps. 45:6 f.n. in the
NIV Study Bible.
In addition to the above renderings by many respected translators (most of whom are trinitarian), we have the statement by perhaps the greatest scholar of Biblical Hebrew of all time, H. F. W. Gesenius. In his famous and highly respected
Hebrew and Chaldee Lexicon to the Old Testament Gesenius renders Ps. 45:6, “thy throne shall be
a divine throne.”
Why is Heb. 1:8 so often presented as proof of Jesus being God? Have so many trinitarians
really not seen the numerous alternative translations and interpretations of this scripture? At the very least these alternatives should be admitted by them (but seldom are).
Examining the Trinity: Hebrews 1:8 - “Thy Throne, O God”
