The Grandkids are coming! The Grandkids are coming!

Unable/unwilling to travel up there, we are so glad firstborn's wife and kids are flying down here from Alaska.  yay!  Firstborn graduates from captains school the end of July, so this way, firstborn's wife and kids can visit friends in Houston, see a new baby born to a bridesmaid, see the other set of grandparents and great grands...then come back here and we will watch the kids whilst firstborn's wife goes to see her husband graduate.  No children allowed.  so sad. 

I really need to write a thank you to the Air Force for being anti-children so we get to watch them!  ha. 

Carseats are installed.  A chore we tackle early in the morning down here in Texas!  The toddler bed is re-assembled.  I even found the little "L" wrench and did it myself.  Thanks to how well our youngest son took it apart and taped the screws and bolts to the frame so they did not get lost.  yay. 

I found a "Cars" themed stroller at Walmart.  $14.  what a deal.  the umbrella-fold kind that fits nicely in the trunk area.  And I already had "Cars" themed sheets on the toddler bed.  Baby David likes cars.  I have a "Mighty Machine" DVD for him that he might like.  Purchased it many moon ago for just a time like this.

And Walmart had these cute pink tees with flags on them for $2 !!!  I should have bought more. 

I am excited.  Anything we can do to help our military folk.  We just want the trip/flights to go smoothly.  And for them to have a good trip.  They move to Florida in September, and things will be hectic then---to hectic for much of a visit, if they even get to come through here.  If it were me, I'd have the cars shipped, and fly directly to Florida.  It is just toooo long a drive for kids. 

But, however we can help.  Bob is saving vacation days.  Soon we will find out where the middle captain and family go next.  They move one more time this year, too.

I still have their high chair from last summer, too.  yay.  Glad I hung on to it.  I figure with three grands under age 2, we will still use it for years to come.  And the pink queen sized sheets were a good investment, as granddaughter loves pink.  I even have some pink towels just for her.  Am I a crazy grannie or what. 

And our youngest son moves back here from Austin July 20th.  yay.  He is an electrician.  I have a list of things that need fixed---the garage light, install a new dishwasher.  He says he will be working at the airport.  The company he has been with for a year now allows transfers and he jumped at it.  His friends are here, and it will be so good to have him back!

He will get to see his niece and nephew and be closer to help out when Cam is in the hospital, too.

Cam was suppose to come this weekend for another round of chemo, but some numbers were not right, so next weekend.  

and today--Saturday, July 7th is lima day at Cracker Barrel.

Birthday 2012

Dreaming:  I awoke in Alaska to the sound of my grandchildren laughing and giggling.  The cool mountain air ...  

Hey, I warned you it was a dream.  If I were thinner...in shape...if I could fit in an airline seat...

Dream Two:  to actually visit Iceland and see these places they feature live on live cams.  Looks so nice and cold.  Anything cold in July and August in Texas is a daydream.

Reality:  woke up listening to the radio, as Bob was getting up, getting showered and ready to go to work.  Our plan is for me to take him to the train, then pick him up after work at the train station and motor up to Carrabbas for some veal piccatta and garlic mashed potatoes.  Yummy.  I live a blessed life.  That was the plan.  anyhoo...

Gross out alert.  You might want to stop reading now if you would care to dwell on everything pure, gentle, beautiful and poop free.  You have been warned.  here is where I dump stuff.  Bob has no time to read my crap at work, so I dump it here.  Kinda an online journal.  A place where I dump crap and then turn and count my blessings.  For I am truly blessed.

This is 2012.  I was born in 1956 and I turn 56 this day.  Fun with numbers.

Now for the crap:  For the past few years, my periods have become irregular.  A few years ago, they got strangely heavy, so I went to my regular doctor, who sent me to a gnocologist and failing to make it through that visit due to bleeding everywhere and making a mess, and losing it, I sought another opinion from another gynocologist who reccommended lots of tests, one of which went awry and is already documented on this blog.  That gynocologists solution was to recommend a hysterectomy.  I wanted to wait and see if I was indeed in menopause.  Last year, I got five months "off".  Not consecutive, but, hey.  Heavy bleeding in Sept of '11, but heavy spotting and blood clots started up in January of this year, 2012.  I got March "off" but I have experienced heavy bleeding almost 24/7 except for the month of March.  Feeling tired, at times constipated, sitting on towells, taking showers, has been my life.  Washing underware, sheets, pants...soaking towels in the "soak" cycle of the washer for hours on end...laundry today is lined up for their turn.  I see three loads. 

The stores have been plentiful with ripe fruit:  strawberries, cherries, watermelon...

And I am an impulse buyer.  Walmart had this huge bag of natural almonds.  Bob loves cherries, and I bought two bags so we'd have plenty for the 4th of July.  Well, eating a handful of almonds, and then lots of cherries---and maybe something we ate on Sunday at Mexican Inn---I have not had to worry about constipation.  Blowouts, more like. 

I dropped Bob off at the train station.  And treated myself to a trip to Walmart.  They are not crowded at all early in the morning.  In fact, you have to go in the west door, as it is the only one open 24/7. 

I looked at the clothes, admired the baby clothing.  Cute slogans on little kid shirts.  Tempted to buy the one with an arrow that said, "my brother did it".  But, it was way too big for Baby James.

I got some yarn.  Fun colors.  They stock was low, but fun to look.  1.77 a skein nowadays. 

By the time I felt the urge, it was too late.  Just pulling down my pants smeared it everywhere.  Thankfully, I carry wet wipes.  But, I could not wait to get home and take a shower, then a bath.  Yikes.  What a mess.  Blowout on my birthday.  That oughta make it memorable.  Just like the day I was born.

while typing this--our local WBAP had this adventure.  Steve Lamb drove to a northern county to purchase fireworks.  they featured his purchases live online, which were funny to hear--like a kid in a candy shop.  But, ran into a snag wanting to drive them back to Dallas/Tarrant counties.  afraid of being arrested, he arranged to donate the firworks to a local church.  But, on-air kept saying things like he did not have them, he'd dumped them, he was someone else, etc... what a hoot.
 

Now for the blessings:  Count your blessings, name them one by one...

I am thankful for God's Perfect Plan.

Crime Scene

I feel like going to the police station and filling out a pre-crime scene report.  This pre-menopausal heavy bleeding is ridiculous.  I am doing sometimes two and three showers a day.  And at my size and girth...cleaning the bathroom after each visit means I am going through cases of wet wipes. 

I am thankful for the washer "soaker" cycle.  The only way to get blood out of towels and clothing.  And I am wearing out towels and clothing out by washing everything twice just to get the soap out. 

I have no desire to travel far.  And no way dare I sit in anyone else's house or car...  and if I do, I am nervous the whole time and check the chair when I get up.  Had to scrub a seat at church with a wet wipe. 

I don't think the evening primrose oil is doing anything.

I try to remember to take my iron tablet each day.

I can barely stay awake for late baseball games. 

Sure wish I had a clue as to how long this is going to go on. 

But, if anything happens to me, there is a record in my checkbook register.  Just say, "look, officer, her husband is innocent."  

I am thankful for wet wipes, extra long pads, pad with wings, and a working washer and dryer.   This must have been so vexing for women a hundred years ago.  

Prayer List

Supper was ready, and the table set with our two lonely plates...

I pulled the two quart round cassarole dish out of the microwave with a flourish...

Time to pray.  I had re-written the list, as it is getting longer by the day.  Bob looked it over, and started in. 

Bob chose some colorful words in his prayer this evening.  Do those get editted out in heaven?  They struck me as kinda funny, and then when I tried to stiffle me laugh, it made it worse.  So, here is Bob cursing away in the throne room, and I am giggling.  And he stops to ask me a name he forgot.  I managed to whisper it. 

Suppose our prayers are going higher than the ceiling?

Suppose God honors the behind-the-words intent? 

Pray without ceasing, the Bible says.  We need a verse in there about pray without laughing.  I remember Sarah got in big trouble for laughing behind the tent and then denying it...nine months later she gave birth to Laughter.  (Hebrew meaning for Isaac)

Passwords

I am thinking something naughty.  Passwords Crasswords!  oh, my.

Had to reset the password again.  Seems all the changing-of-the passwords over the weekend toggled some alert over at a.t.and t.  They threw Bob under the bus with the screen that said the owner (and his email address) had denied me access.  Sure.  I saved the screen and showed Bob once he got home from work.  He had to punch and click and poke around to figure it out, but he released me.  And my email is back up again.  Supposidly. 

We pay a.t.and t. over a hundred dollars a month for a land line and dsl.  What are we paying them for?  Don't call in for help.  I kept getting the wrong department, even though the number was from the computer screen!   a.t. and t. you are losing me.  I hate your name, I hate your poor service.  I hate your fix-it-yourself attitude.  And then sit and do a survey?  Are you crazy?

New password.  oh. my. 

Lovely.

Even twitter is fussing at me about not being about to send out emails.  Each time you get a new follower, they like to let you know.  Oh, well. 

the irony?  a. t. and t. wants you to connect facebook to your email.  Can you imagine me spamming and sending a worm to everyone I know?  Good grief. 

On another subject:  The Burger King sweet potato fries are good!  And I did not have to heat up the house using the oven.  Sadly, the service at Burger King is terrible to the point of non-existent.  We have been spoiled by going to McDonalds and Whataburger---they bring out your tray to your table!   Why don't the Burger King people send their workers over to a McDonalds or a Whataburger to see what service means??  The Whataburger people not only bring you your tray, but will offer you ketchup and sauce and napkins and straws--or whatever else you forgot.  

Yes, I'd use the Burger King drive through for a small sweet potato fries.  But, skip the smoothies.  McDonald's are tastier.   Fancy new chairs and tables and decorations inside the Burger King---but bring your wet wipes to wash your own table. 

We see these ads on the tv waiting for the Ranger game to continue.  That is how I learned about the sweet potato fries.   They are slender, tasty, and filling. 

It's a Fine Life

My dear, sweet husband is an excellent Sunday School teacher.  He does not think he is, but in my opinion, he is the best.  And I am so blessed to get a good Sunday School lesson each week.  He dutifully researches, writes, edits---going back over and over his notes.  I was a little suprised Saturday afternoon to hear him print out a copy, and make noises about any good movies in town. 

I saw him make more changes, and half-listen during the Ranger game.  And make yet another copy which involves emailing it to my big desk top computer, and then getting up out of his chair and getting into this desk chair to direct the printer to copy out pages 14-19 for example. 

Sunday morning, he was still editing, and I was not suprised.  I am used to his habits.  Sometimes he reads aloud his latest edition...so I try and get bathed and ready as to be an attentive audience.  It does not hurt me to hear it a couple of times.  Some of the concepts are so deep, and so carefully/expertly worded, that I miss things the first few times through. 

Last weeks lesson had brought out such howls from the listeners, revealing their deep misunderstanding on the subject of subordination.   Jesus is equal with God, Jesus IS God, and even though HE chose to to subordinate Himself to the Father's plan, never was He inferior.  Never was He less than God.  He is God, always has been God, and when He took on man, becoming a little lower than the angels, He became a unique Being.  The God-Man.  Equal with God and able to be our perfect substitute on the Cross, which was His mission.  He modeled for us serving.  Serving does not imply inferior either.  To think otherwise is to adopt satan's thinking. 

This was a hard one for the class for some reason.  Many are successful salesmen who somehow thing they are superior to their own wives---wives absent even---giving fuel to their superiority thought of having even done "church" somehow better or more faithfully. 

But, getting back to Bob's prep.  Sunday morning, he asked me politely to step aside so he could print out one more copy.  the most correct/edited version of his lesson.  I opened the email window, which contained earlier versions of his lesson attached to previous emails, and stepped aside.  Bob had to shower and shave---and he saves Sunday morning to shave his whole head, so it was getting close to 9:15am and time to get in the car and drive the one mile to the church.   I did not touch his lesson, and when he came out ready to go, I handed him what the printer had spit out.  I was tempted to ask if he wanted to double check if this was the right one, as there have been a few times where we got to church and Bob would discover he had printed the wrong one.  and older version.  Upon discussion later, Bob said he would have answered, yes.  So, good thing I did not question.

I was already guilty of covering his keys on the dresser with folded laundry.  Having to use my keys to get to church was unsettling, as we now had the mystery of where Bob's keys were.  We got to church in plenty of time for Bob to look over his notes and discover that it was an "old" version.  He ran out the door, nearly knocking late-comers over, and drove home and reprinted the lesson.  I doubt any of us could spot the differences in the old and new versions.  But, it was important for Bob, and I know not to argue.  He seemed sweaty during the deliverance of the lesson, and yet hit the points I think he was wanting to get out there.  

I don't know how to make Sunday morning any smoother---how to keep the house calmer, or how to not distract him while he prepares.   But, I try.  It is like a quest.  To serve.  Encourage.  Stay out of the way.  Hope I do not become a Sunday School lesson example.  ha.   But, part of me enjoys the predictable spectacle that is Sunday morning.  It is a fine life.  Fine life. 

We went to big church after Bob's lesson, and endured some questionable songs, but good sermon.  A sermon on the fruit of the Spirit---kindness, in particular.   We need reminders to be kind.  It does not come naturally.   the Holy Spirit produces it in us.  And makes us look marvelous.  attractive.

We got in our car to go home, oblivious of the darkly shaded-window tinting in the little black car behind us---who then tried to go around us on either side before we recognized our youngest: BEN!  Suprised his Dad for Father's Day!  (just like he had done for Mother's day last month).  We enjoyed a quick lunch at Whataburger---their taco fajitas are so good.  Then he drove back to Austin.  Ben is moving back here next month.  yay.   Transferring with his company.   His pilonidal sinus --- another on in a little different spot, is acting up.  all infected.  He got it lanced in Austin and had to stay home from work for a week taking antibiotics.  He needs it surgically removed, and they recommended laser surgery to remove hair on his lower back that get infected.  Maybe we can help him with that, too.  Whatever it takes---he is so hairy, and the hair folicles get infected.  I wonder if he will want to go back to the surgeon he had last time. 

A wonderful Father's Day---good lesson, drama, excitement, got to see Ben, lunch, (did not have to cook) and a fun Ranger game after a nap!  What more could I ask?   These baseball games are long so that means two and three washrags knitted!

I don't know if other pastor's wives or Sunday School teachers wives experience it--but there is a battle raging on Sunday morning.  I am pulled to pray--for peace to reign because the unseen powers do not want these lessons taught.  I have requested we give up when relatives are here---grandbabies do not understand why GrandDad is hiding behind the computer laptop 24/7. 

One God, three Persons

One God, Three Persons.

God the Father is not superior or better than God the Son or God the Holy Spirt.  They all existed and share the same essence, characteristics, in complete Love and Harmony. 

Yesterday, Bob taught on the seven times God the Father speaks to God the Son in the Scripture and the Greek and Hebrew and parts of language issues.  It was like pulling a rock off a spot of ground and revealing the light of day to errors in thinking.  Some in the class revealed their hazy view of God as just manifestations of father, son, spirit...  Some revealed their problems with authority as in thinking subordinate infers inferior. 

It was and is a very complicated concept, and I am still wrapping my head around it, but I wanted to capture part and park it here to mull over it some more.  To think that Jesus is less than or not as smart or powerful or something as God the Father is error.  Jesus submitted to His Father's authority, but each had a role, each had a job to execute.

Bob put it more eloquently, and I am paraphrasing here, but to think Jesus was less than is Satan's thinking. 

The salesmen in the room, some very rich men, had trouble with the concept of Jesus equal with the Father.  They see themselves superior to everyone around them in the area of finance, deals, competition.  They probably see themselves superior to their wives.  sad.  God's example of "...wives submit" is the marriage covenant---where a man and woman are one before God.  Only God can empower us to love, honor, respect, submit to our husband.  And as a wife, I do so acknowledging God is over my husband and will be a much bigger, harsher, powerful judge.  I do not submit to illegal behavior---that would be criminal.  I submit because we each have roles, and my husband answers to God. 

Bob is smarter, especially in the area of math, grammar, etc.  I have been given gifts and talents, too. I am a very inferior example, as sometimes my obedience is not given joyfully.  But, it is a choice.  God tells us to submit because it is hard for us to do.  Our desire is to rule over our husbands, but there we are not happy, but tyrants. 

Jesus came to serve.  Jesus encouraged us to serve one another.  You cannot serve and entertain satanic thinking of superiority. 

I do not have permission to share Bob's lesson---but for any who would rather read it themselves--I will load it here.  Like I said, this journal is selfishly for me to remember and wrap my head around some deep truths.  Jesus willingly set aside His diety to show us how to live leaning on the Holy Spirit.  Jesus submitted to the Father's plan, humbled Himself, as He was the only one qualified to be the Lamb, the Sacrifice, go to the cross and take our place.   Here is Bob's lesson:

Lesson 2: Jesus is God Almighty

June 10, 2012

Studying the Bible as preparation for teaching it is both good and bad.  On the good side: Putting together a lesson forces you to be prepared with something that’s worth the time investment of your listeners.  When you’re teaching the Bible, coming unprepared dishonors God and does injury to the body of Christ.

But there’s also a down side to studying the Bible solely to teach it: When you’re preparing a lesson, you have to stay focused on the needs of the class.  You’re forced to filter out technical material that doesn’t contribute to the message.  If coming unprepared is a Bible teacher’s worst sin, then coming prepared with tons of extraneous detail is his second worst sin.  But (because so many people are at camp and I don’t want them to miss the flow of this series) today I’m going to commit that second worst sin; I’m going to tell you more than you ever wanted to know about verses eight and nine of Hebrews chapter one.

First, let me explain why I’ve focused on these two particular verses.

Q: We believe that there is only one God and that Jesus is God incarnate.  And we believe in the deity of Jesus Christ because the Bible says so.  So where in the Bible do we find the statement: “Jesus is God”?

A: There are at least seven passages in the New Testament that clearly state that Jesus is God (John 1:1; 1:18; 20:28; Romans 9:5; Titus 2:13; Hebrews 1:8; 2 Peter 1:1).  One of those passages is right here in Hebrews chapter one.  Hebrews 1:8-9 states:

Hebrews 1:8-9 But of the Son He says, “YOUR THRONE, O GOD, IS FOREVER AND EVER, AND THE RIGHTEOUS SCEPTER IS THE SCEPTER OF HIS [better: “your”] KINGDOM.

v9 “YOU HAVE LOVED RIGHTEOUSNESS AND HATED LAWLESSNESS; THEREFORE GOD, YOUR GOD, HAS ANOINTED YOU WITH THE OIL OF GLADNESS ABOVE YOUR COMPANIONS.”

Hebrews 1:8-9 is a direct quote from Psalm 45:6-7.  Thus, the task before us is to consider the equivalent Greek and Hebrew texts and, if the two texts are in accord, to determine an equivalent English translation of both.  Where either the Old Testament or New Testament text is ambiguous, we may use the other to clarify.  If the New Testament writer has intentionally modified the meaning of the sentence, we have to consider this as new revelation and give precedence the Greek text of Hebrews 1:8-9.  Fortunately, the Greek does not present us with this dilemma; the Greek of Hebrews 1:8-9 is lifted almost word for word from the primitive Septuagint text of Psalm 45:6-7.[1]  But unfortunately, the Greek of Hebrews 1:8,9 reproduces the ambiguities of the Psalm 45:6-7 Hebrew text.

The New American Standard Bible translates Psalm 45:6-7:

Psalm 45:6-7 Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; a scepter of uprightness is the scepter of Your kingdom.

v7 You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, Your God, has anointed You with the oil of joy above Your fellows.

Psalm 45:6a – The opening phrase: “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever” is literally just the words: Your throne God perpetual and eternal.

There are five possible ways to translate the Hebrew text:

“Your divine throne is forever and ever”

“Your throne is God [or ‘God is your throne’] forever and ever”

“Your throne is God’s throne forever and ever”

“Your throne is like God’s throne forever and ever”

“Your throne, O God, is forever and ever”

The first possible translation: “Your divine throne is forever and ever,” has been popularized by the Revised Standard Version.  This translation takes the word “God” ELOHIM as genitive ¾that is, “your throne of God is forever and ever.”  If ELOHIM here is understood as a genitive, then this is a double genitive: “throne” being the possession of both “you” (the Israelite king) and “God”.  Such a construction is found nowhere else in the Old Testament.  So, it’s very unlikely that ELOHIM here is a genitive, and so this is an improbable translation.

The second possible translation: “Your throne is God [or ‘God is your throne’] forever and ever” (which is adopted by the New World Translation published by Jehovah’s Witnesses) views ELOHIM as either the subject or a predicate nominative.  Grammatically no objection can be raised to this interpretation, but conceptually, this understanding is very difficult.  The concepts of “God” and “throne” are too dissimilar for a direct analogy.  A human king (as in Isaiah 22:23) might be called a throne, i.e., the preeminent monarch of a dynasty.  But we can hardly say that God Almighty is a preeminent monarch of a human dynasty―unless, of course, we’re saying that the preeminent monarch of David’s dynasty [Jesus Christ] is in fact God Almighty.

The only Old Testament parallels to such a statement would be: “You are my Rock and my Fortress” (Psalm 71:3; 91:2; Isaiah 26:4) and “You have been our dwelling place in all generations” (Deuteronomy 33:27; Psalm 90:1).  Since according to 1 Corinthians 10:4 Jesus Christ is “the Rock”, and since Matthew 1:23 says Jesus Christ is “Immanuel” (the God with whom the people of Israel dwelt), unless ELOHIM in Psalm 45:6 is Jesus Christ whose dynasty is forever and ever, then the metaphor just doesn’t work.

So, the translation “God is your throne forever and ever” is possible only if we understand it to mean “God [Jesus Christ as the eternal Davidic king] is your throne forever and ever.”

The third possible translation: “Your throne is God’s throne forever and ever” is a smoother rendering of the grammatical interpretation “Your throne, namely God, is forever and ever”, which (if taken literally) means God is a throne, specifically the throne belonging to the Israelite king who is being addressed in the 45^th Psalm.

This interpretation takes “God” and “throne” as equivalent terms.  There’s no grammatical reason to argue with this, but conceptually this is even more difficult than the second possible translation.  Rather than saying there is a similarity between “God” and “the throne of the king” this rendering asserts that “throne” and “God” are the same thing.  Parallels to such a grammatical construction may be found in:

            Genesis 11:1                           “The whole earth [was] one language”

            Exodus 9:31                            “The barley [was] ear and the flax [was] flower”

            Deuteronomy 33:25                “Your bars [shall be] iron and bronze”

            Ezra 10:13                              “The season [is] heavy showers”

            Psalm 45:8                              “All your robes [are] myrrh and aloes and cassia”

            Song of Solomon 2:15            “Our vineyards [are] blossom”

            Jeremiah 24:2                         “One basket [was] very good figs”

            Jeremiah 49:23                       “Hamath and Arpad [are] confusion”

            Ezekiel 41:22                          “Its walls [were] wood”

But note that in each of these appositional phrases, the ellipsis is better supplied with phrases such as “consists of,” “is made of,” “contains,” “is filled with,” or “is characterized by”.

But “God” is neither the material out of which a throne is made, nor a characteristic quality which a throne might possess.  “God” and a “throne” might share characteristics (e.g., both can be said to be eternal), but “God” and “the throne” cannot be said to be identical to the throne of an Israelite king.

The fourth possible translation: “Your throne is like God’s throne” presupposes that the comparative Hebrew preposition, the letter qoph (which is translated as “like”) was omitted and that the repetition of the word “throne” is implied.  A parallel for an omitted qoph is found in Song of Solomon 1:15 and 4:1 in the phrase “your eyes are [like] doves.”  The implied repetition of a word can be found in Psalm 80:10 “... And the boughs thereof were like [the boughs of] cedars of God.”  So there are Old Testament examples of an omitted qoph and there are also examples of the implied repetition of a noun, the combination of both within the same sentence is unprecedented (or at least without unambiguous parallel) in the Old Testament.  So it is extremely unlikely that this is the meaning which the writer of Psalm 45:6 intended.

The fifth possible translation: “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever” is the most common one [KJV, RV, ASV, Berkeley, NASB, JB, NAB, NIV, NRSV].  This translation considers ELOHIM to be a vocative.  ELOHIM then is addressed to the Israelite king in Psalm 45 whose marriage is being celebrated.  The implication of this phrase being quoted in Hebrews 1:8-9 is that Psalm 45 is a messianic psalm addressed to Jesus Christ.

The translators of the Septuagint clearly interpreted ELOHIM in Psalm 45:6 as a vocative, accepting ELOHIM as a title addressed to the human king.  Thus, the most common translation of Psalm 45:6 is the best one.

Translation of Hebrews 1:8-9: Now that we’ve looked at all possible translations of the Hebrew text (Psalm 45:6) that’s being quoted in Hebrews 1:8, let’s look at the Greek of Hebrews 1:8.

There are two textual variants of Hebrews 1:8.  The last word of Hebrews 1:8 is either “AUTOU” (“his”) or “SOU” (“your”).  The supporting texts for “SOU” are both more ancient and more widely distributed geographically.  Further, it agrees with both the Masoretic Text (Hebrew) and with the Septuagint (Greek) text which is being quoted.  The reading “The righteous scepter is the scepter of his kingdom” presents us with an interpretational problem; it’s unclear who is the antecedent of AUTOU (“his”).

Hebrews 1:8 directly quotes the Septuagint of Psalm 45:6, only adding the words, KAI HE (“and the”) to connect the first and second phrases of the Septuagint rendering.

Psalm 45:6a       HO  THRONOS  SOU      HO  THEOS  EIS  TON  AIONA      TOU  AIONOS

Hebrews 1:8a     HO  THRONOS  SOU      HO  THEOS  EIS  TON  AIONA      TOU  AIONOS

Translation -      The     throne       of you     the   God        into the      age          of the  ages

Psalm 45:6b                     RABDOS          EUTHUTETOS  RABDOS  TES  BASILEIAS  SOU

Hebrews 1:8b     KAI  HE RABDOS  TES  EUTHUTETOS  RABDOS  TES  BASILEIAS  SOU

Translation -      and  the   scepter   of the       rectitude       scepter    of the    kingdom    of you

There are only two ways to interpret the Greek of Hebrews 1:8, both of which are equally acceptable grammatically:

“Your throne is God forever, and the scepter of your kingdom is the scepter of rectitude” (which has been adopted by the Jehovah’s Witnesses’ New World Translation), or

“Your throne, O God, is forever, and the scepter of your kingdom is the scepter of rectitude” (which has been adopted by virtually all other translations).

The first translation: “Your throne is God forever” considers HO THEOS (“the God”) a nominative, either as the subject of the sentence or as a predicate noun.  Whether one renders the translation as “Your throne is God” or “God is your throne” the sentence equates HO THEOS (“the God”) with HO THRONOS SOU (“your throne”).  There is very little to recommend this translation over the interpretation of HO THEOS as a vocative.  Calling “God” the throne of a human monarch seems odd to say the least.  The concepts of “God” and “throne” are just too discordant to be equated.

The second translation: “Your throne, O God, is forever” considers, the words HO THEOS (“the God”) a vocative which refers to “the Son”.  The arguments in favor of this translation are:

     1)    The Septuagint translators clearly interpreted ELOHIM (“God”) in Psalm 45:6 as a vocative.  The use of the Septuagint translation by the writer of Hebrews supports this interpretation.

     2)    If one considered HO THEOS the subject of the sentence, the translation “God is your throne,” would have been better expressed by the word order: HO THEOS HO THRONOS SOU (“God [is] your throne forever”).  Alternatively, if one considers HO THEOS the predicate nominative (“Your throne [is] God forever”), then it would be better expressed by omitting the definite article for “God”.  But for a vocative the word order is perfectly consistent.

     3)    The opening words of verse 8, PROS DE TON HUION should be translated as: “But to the Son [He (God the Father) says]…”.  If God the Father is speaking to the Son, then why would He say: “God is your throne” instead of “I am your throne”?

     4)    Finally, the context itself argues for a superlative title for Jesus Christ.  In the first chapter of Hebrews, the writer is making the point that Jesus is superior to all the angels.  God’s calling Himself the throne of a mere creature denigrates God.  Whereas God’s calling His Son “God” glorifies the Son.

Thus, we are forced to conclude that the correct translation of Hebrews 1:8 is:

But to the Son [He says], “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever,” and “the scepter of your kingdom is the scepter of rectitude.”

Hebrews 1:9 

In Hebrews 1:9 the first occurrence of HO THEOS might be considered a vocative, and would thus be translated: “Therefore, O God (the Son), your God (the Father) has appointed you ...”  Although that interpretation raises no theological issues for us who believe in the deity of Christ, the first occurrence of HO THEOS should probably be considered appositional and rendered as, “Therefore God, your God, has anointed you ...”  Then the second occurrence of HO THEOS is merely a clarification, a further specification of “the God” as “Your God”, the God of the Son.

Note verse nine asserts:

1.     That God the Father is the God of the Son, and

2.     That God the Father has anointed the Son (“Therefore God, your God, has anointed you ...”).

So the Son (whom God the Father called “God” in verse eight) is both subordinate to and commissioned by God [the Father].

Q: So does this imply that Jesus Christ (the one whom God the Father calls “God” in verse eight) is inferior to God the Father?

A: No!  It means the Son is subordinate to the Father―subordination is not the same thing as inferiority.

However, subordination does indicate distinctiveness; you can’t be subordinate to yourself.  The fact that God the Son was commissioned by and has obeyed God the Father implies that the Son is not the same person as the Father.

In the New Testament wherever writers refer to Jesus Christ as “God”, they’re always very careful to distinguish Jesus Christ from His Father. 

Q: Why?  Why did all the New Testament writers always mention God the Father wherever they call Jesus “God”?

A: To make sure that we don’t come away with the misimpression that they’re saying that Jesus is the same person as “God the Father”.  In every passage where Jesus is called “God”, God the Son is always clearly distinct from and subordinate to God the Father.  But the Son is never said to be inferior to God the Father.

In John 1:1-18 (as in Hebrews 1:8-9) the Apostle John juxtaposed “God” (whom the Word was with) and “God” (who the Word was).  The point John was making in the prologue of his Gospel is: Jesus Christ is uniquely qualified to be the mediator between God and man.  And that’s a major theme in the Book of Hebrews: Jesus Christ is uniquely qualified to be great high priest of a new covenant (Hebrews 2:17-3:1; 4:14-16; 5:1‑10; 6:20; 7:1‑28; 8:1‑13; 9:11; 10:21).

So just as did the Apostle John in the fourth Gospel, so the writer of Hebrews begins his dissertation on Jesus Christ’s qualification to mediate between God and man by affirming that Jesus Christ is fully divine, superior to Moses, the prophets and even the angels in every respect.  (Corollary: If Jesus Christ is superior to all angels, including the archangel Michael, then He is not the same person as the archangel Michael as Jehovah’s Witnesses wrongly teach.)

Then (just a John did in Gospel) the writer of Hebrews also proves that Jesus is fully human ¾ “He entered ... with his own blood, once for all time into the holy place ...” (Hebrews 9:12).  Jesus, as the mediator between God and man, is equal to both parties of the covenant: He is both God and man.

Every week in Jewish synagogues the congregation recites the words of Deuteronomy 6:4: ADONAI ELOHENU; ADONAI ECHAD! ― which they translate as: “The LORD is our God; the LORD is one.”  But the better rendering is: “The LORD is our God; the LORD is the unique ― the LORD Jehovah is the unique God-man!”

If there’s time remaining, continue with Hebrews 1:10:

And [regarding the Son, God the Father says], “YOU, LORD, IN THE BEGINNING LAID THE FOUNDATION OF THE EARTH, AND THE HEAVENS ARE THE WORKS OF YOUR HANDS.”

(which is a direct quotation from the Septuagint translation of Psalm 102:25)

Psalm 102:24-27 I say, “O, my God, do not take me away in the midst of my days, Your years are throughout all generations.

v25 “Of old, You founded the earth, and the heavens are the work of Your hands.

v26 “Even they will perish, but You endure; and all of them will wear out like a garment; like clothing You will change them and they will be changed.

v27 “But You are the same, and Your years will not come to an end.”

Q: When the writer of Hebrews says that God the Father was addressing the Son as the Lord of Psalm 102, who is God the Father saying Jesus is?

A: The “Lord” in Psalm 102 is the LORD, Jehovah.  So the writer of Hebrews doesn’t merely call our Lord Jesus Christ “God” in Hebrews 1:8; he calls Him “God Almighty”, “Jehovah Himself”, in Hebrews 1:10.

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[1]Due to the variation in the ordering of the Psalms and the numbering of the verses, the pertinent verses are Psalm 44:7-8 of the LXX.