WHO HE WAS; IS; AND WILL BE, GOD THE SON....Understanding important truths from the Bible….

Hebrews 1:8-9  NIV

⁸ But about the Son he says,

“Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever;
    a scepter of justice will be the scepter of your kingdom.
⁹ You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness;
    therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions
    by anointing you with the oil of joy.”

A Psalm is guaranteed to be Messianic when it is quoted with Messianic intent in the New Testament.  In Hebrews 1:8-9 the subject of Psalm 45 is identified as the Messiah and all the description of Him in Hebrews 1:5-13 is applied to this same person.  The quote in Hebrews one is very close to being exact with that in Psalm 45-6-7.

There are three features in these two verses which are of great interest.  The first is the title given to Him, “O God”, the second is the nature of His kingdom, “justice and righteousness”, the third is exaltation above all humanity, “God…has set you above your companions.”

1.       Whoever doubts the deity of Christ must deal with Psalm 45:6 and Hebrews 1:8.  The subject of this context is found in both the Old and New Testament.  We can find help from both sides of Biblical Study; from the Old Testament we shall use James May, a contemporary who was a professor at Union Theological Seminary in Va. who was a Moderate Presbyterian.  For the New Testament we use the study written by Phillipe Hughes who was teaching at Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, PA, and is a Conservative Anglican.  Both of these men are excellent teachers.  I use both of their books extensively.  Mays with some caution, Hughes with confidence.  Hughes has contributed extensively to Church literature.  Whatever his subject, you will find it both interesting and a valuable help.

A.     Mays states the following on the Vocative, O God.  The Psalm is not only an unusual and extravagant complement; it is unique in addressing the king with the title “god.”  After some discussion of how this designation can be understood to avoid deity he concludes, “But ‘elohim’ does seem to be the limits of adoration of a human king in a religion by the principle of “no other god.”  Interpretation Psalms, Luther James Mays, pg 181.

If this was all we know about the statement in VS 6 we might well accept May’s conclusion.  But it

is not.  We have the Inspired New Testament author of Hebrews in 1:8 who interprets it for us. 

B.      Now let us look at Hughes speaking of the contrast between the preceding verses and VS 8, he writes “The former describes the subservient position of the angels, whereas here the everlasting sovereignty of the Son is declared in words taken from Psalm 45.”  Hebrews Phillip Edgcumbe  Hughes, pg 63.

2.       The nature of His Kingdom is to be justice and righteousness.

Mays:  The king is a mighty warrior who defends the cause of truth and right and defeats his enemies.”  He is “dedicated to the support of righteousness and opposition to wickedness.”  Ibid, pg 180

Hughes:  These and the other messianic passages that we have cited indicate also how appropriately the declaration, the righteous scepter is the scepter of thy kingdom, is applied to the incarnate and exalted Son.  The everlasting rule of the son is marked by absolute justice and equity, whereas even in the best of human dominions there is some admixture of injustice and discrimination

3.       The third truth of this text is His exaltation above all humanity.  Mays:  He by and large passes over this truth in the Psalm.  But he does write:  “The writer of the letter to the Hebrews found in the worrisome lines of verses 6-7 precisely the language to speak of the person and office of the Son of God (Heb. 1:8-9)  Guided by these directives, Christians have traditionally understood the psalm as a song of the love between Christ and his church.  This interpretation is also a safeguard against attributing the divine right of rule to any other save Christ, in whose hands it is utterly safe.” Ibid. pg 182

Hughes:

“The main reason for the introduction of this quotation here is to underline the contrast between the royal and eternal office of the divine Son and subservient function of the angels.”

If above the angels which I must agree is the intent of the text, then it is certainly above all humanity.

Fairest Lord Jesus, Ruler of all nature,
O Thou of God and man the Son,
Thee will I cherish, Thee will I honor,
Thou, my soul’s glory, joy and crown.

Fair are the meadows, fairer still the woodlands,
Robed in the blooming garb of spring;
Jesus is fairer, Jesus is purer,
Who makes the woeful heart to sing.

Fair is the sunshine,
Fairer still the moonlight,
And all the twinkling starry host;
Jesus shines brighter, Jesus shines purer
Than all the angels heaven can boast.

All fairest beauty, heavenly and earthly,
Wondrously, Jesus, is found in Thee;
None can be nearer, fairer or dearer,
Than Thou, my Savior, art to me.

Beautiful Savior! Lord of all the nations!
Son of God and Son of Man!
Glory and honor, praise, adoration,
Now and forever more be Thine.

Munster Gesangbuch, 1677