Comments on Hebrews
Introduction and Chapter 1
By Jonathan Mitchell

This letter was written circa A.D. 67, according to the critical analysis of John A.T. Robinson (ibid.). It is not known who wrote it. From around AD 400 to 1600 it was considered by the western church to be one of Paul's letters. Traditions of Pauline authorship in the eastern church go back as far as the second century (Warren A. Quanbeck, The Interpreter's One-Volume Commentary on the Bible, Ed. by Charles Laymon, Abingdon Press, 1971, p 897). Some scholars today think that the author may have been Apollos, others have thought it was Priscilla (and if so, then this was why it is anonymous), still others suggest it was possibly written by Priscilla and Aquila. Tertullian, in De Pudicitia 20 (circa AD 200), ascribed the book to Barnabas (a close friend of Paul) and asserted this to be "the common belief of the time" (Dr. Ann Nyland, The Source New Testament, Smith and Stirling Publishing, 2004 p 435). But there are also those today who regard this work to have come from the mind and spirit of Paul.

It is widely presumed that this was written to a group of Christian Jews (and/or proselytes) whom the author knew well, and who would have been familiar with the OT and the cultus of Israel's ceremonies and rituals. Harvey suggests that the recipients would also have needed to be familiar "with current Jewish techniques of interpreting the OT" (The New English Bible Companion to the New Testament, A.E. Harvey, Oxford University Press, Cambridge, 1970, p 686). However, Quanbeck notes that most scholars of his day saw "the arguments of the book as aimed at Gentile Christians, or at Christians in general, who are well acquainted with LXX, which was the Bible of the early church, but know little or nothing of contemporary Judaism" (ibid. p 898).

Presenting us with an early, non-orthodox interpretation, Elaine Pagels informs us that "Valentinian theologians [second-century Gnostic Christians] give close attention to this treatise they know as Paul's letter to the Hebrews.... [and] read its theme - the superiority [which] the covenant Christ gives over Israel's covenant - as a clear exposition of the contrast between the pneumatic [i.e., spiritual] and the psychic [i.e., soulish] relationship to God" (ibid. p 141; bracketed additions mine). This is interesting, considering Quanbeck's statement of his era's majority view that this work was "aimed at Gentile Christians." The Gnostic exegetes regarded Paul's use of the term "Gentile" to signify "the elect," or "the pneumatics," and "that the terms ('Jew/Gentile') are not to be taken literally" - citing Rom. 2:28f, that "He is not a Jew, who is one outwardly... he is a Jew who is one inwardly" (Pagels, ibid. p 6, 7).

We will consider the central theme as being the supremacy of the new arrangement under the Priesthood of the Messiah. The idea of "better," or "superior," (expressed 15 times in the letter) ranges from the manner through which God's Word comes to humanity (1:1-4), to contrast with the agents used in the past and with the Aaronic priesthood (1:5-7:28), to the superior work of the new Chief Priest (under the better covenant - chapter 8, better sanctuary - 9:1-12, and better sacrifice - 9:13-10:18). The writer's arguments are grounded on references to the OT throughout this work. A treatise on "faith" is given in 11-12. Exhortations and encouragements are sprinkled from 10, on, with 13 addressing practical issues, then ending with a benediction and personal remarks.

Barclay points out that "The community to whom it was written was not new to the Christian faith; they ought to have been mature (5:12) ..." (The Daily Study Bible Series, The Letter to the Hebrews, Revised Ed., William Barclay, The Westmister Press, 1976, p 5). He further comments that "Hebrews demands such a knowledge of the OT that it must always have been a book written by a scholar for scholars" (ibid. p 7). "His combination of literary skill and pastoral concern has produced some of the most eloquent and moving passages in the NT" (Quanbeck, ibid. p 897). "In form the epistle appears more like a sermon than a letter. The style is oratorical, the argumentation logical, the literary structure elaborate" (A.M. Stibbs, The New Bible Commentary: Revised, Ed. by D. Guthrie, J.A. Motyer, A.M. Stibbs, D.J. Wiseman, WM. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., Grand Rapids, 1970, p 1192).

With the historical context in mind, and an open mind in regard to the opinions, speculations and traditions of the scholars, let us eagerly unpack this marvelous letter to a first century called-out community.

Chapter 1

1. Long ago (or: In the old days), in many parts (or: fragments; divided portions; = bit by bit) and in much-traveled ways consisting of many turns and directions, God, having spoken to (or: by; in; with) the fathers - in (= through; in [the words of]) the prophets -

Our author begins by immediately accessing Israel's history and the writings which are commonly called the Old Testament, or the Hebrew Bible. We see that even in the first century folks did not consider this to be monolithic literature or tradition. It was recorded in "fragments; divided portions," or, "in many parts," or as my paraphrase indicates: "bit by bit." By reading this corpus we find that it is attributed to many writers, as well. God spoke to, and in, a variety of people that came from a variety of backgrounds in Israel's society, and the messages were for a variety of periods in their history and spoke to a variety of situations.

The "much-traveled ways" refers to the long history which consisted of the many lives (figured by the term "ways") that were walked out. Those lives, and the life of Israel as a whole, had "many turns and directions" - it was not a straight path from point A to point B. As the mountains and hills turn the direction of a river, so the surrounding nations often directed the flow of Israel's life. Still, "all rivers run to the (or: a) sea" and the path of Israel ended up in the sea of humanity.

God (Yahweh) spoke to, by, and with the fathers (Israel's ancestors) in, or through, the prophets, and the OT records their words. But with the coming of the Messiah, this all changed:

2. upon [the] last of these days spoke to us in a Son whom He placed (or: sets) [as; to be] Heir of all (or: One who receives all humanity as an allotment; or: heir of all things; or: One who received everything as his allotted inheritance) through Whom He also made the ages (or: formed and constructed the various designated periods of time [which compose existence, as well as God's influence and activities]);

Notice the phrase "[the] last of these days" - it was the last days of the history of Israel, the last days of the old arrangement (or: covenant), the last days of the old "creation," the last days of that particular age. During these days, Jesus was born and in the last years of His life He became Israel's Messiah, in Greek called "the Christ (or, literally: Anointed One)." God, His Father, "placed" His Son as

"Heir of all (One who receives all humanity as an allotment; heir of all things)."

The word "all" (panton) is both masculine and neuter, so the parenthetical expansion gives both renderings: "all humanity" and "all things." All means all. Sadly, traditional Christianity has missed this fact. It picked up the idea of exclusiveness which Israel had adopted for itself, and made this view its own.

And in those days of Jesus, and later through His anointed sent-forth representatives, God "spoke" into existence a new arrangement (or: covenant) "in a Son." It is thus that Paul so frequently uses the phrase "in Christ," for as the old creation came about by the Word (Logos) of God so this new one came about through the Words of His Son. And with this, everything changed. The old passed away, and the new (the creation, age and economy in the Spirit - or, in Christ) came into existence (2 Cor. 5:17; Rev. 21:5).

It was through His Son that God "made... the ages; formed and constructed the various designated periods of time." We see a more inclusive view in John 1:3, where this Son is identified as God's Logos: His Thought, Reason, Idea, Word, Message, and

"All things (or: All humanity; [The] whole) come to be (or: was at some time birthed; occur; or: came to be; were birthed; or: suddenly happened) through and by means of It (i.e., the Word; or: Him)."

Note the verb "come to be" and the alternative rendering: this is the timeless fact tense, the indefinite aorist.

3. Who, continuously being an effect of the radiance from
(or: a result from a dawning and breaking forth of the bright light of the Day which is; a result of the outshining which is; an effulgence from; an effect of an off-shining [light]-beam belonging to;
or: a result of a reflection of) the Glory and Splendor as well as an exact impress (or: exact likeness as from a stamp or a die; or: a carving) of His substructure
(or: of His substance [that is] standing under as a foundation; which is the underlying support of His outward form and properties; from His sub-placing;
or: from His assumed groundwork of the full expression [of His idea]) - besides continuously bearing
(or: and while progressively carrying; and then repeatedly bringing) the whole (all things; everything and all existence) by the gush-effect which is His power
(or: in the result of the flow from the power which is Him;
or: with the saying pertaining to His ability; in the spoken declaration of, and which has the character of and its source in, His power and ability) through and by means of Himself - in producing a cleansing of (or: after making a ritual purification in regard to) the failures (the misses of the target; the mistakes and errors;
or: a clearing by pruning which pertains to the sins) He at once seated Himself within [the] right part
(or: hand; = in union with the receiving aspect, honored position and place of power) of the Greatness centered and resident within high places.

This verse presents a very high view of the Son. Here He is not the peasant Jewish rabbi of Bruce Chilton's Rabbi Jesus (Image Books, 2000). The writer of Hebrews differentiates Him from the prophets of Israel's history, but immediately shows Him to be an eschatological part of their story - its consummation. I will unpack the phrases and clauses of this verse and lay out the pieces so that we can drink long from them:

1) I rendered the predicate nominative ap-augas-ma in six different ways. The elements of this word (used but once in the NT) are ap: separation off, motion away from; augas: shining, radiance, beam of light, rays, a dawn or daybreak, light of the sun, or reflection; ma: effect or result. From this collected semantic range we have:
a) an effect of the radiance from the Glory and Splendor
b) a result from a dawning and breaking forth of the bright light of the Day which is the Glory and Splendor
c) a result of the outshining which is the Glory...
d) an effulgence from the Glory...
e) an effect of an off-shining light-beam belonging to the Glory...
f ) a result of a reflection from the Glory...

In a) we see that the Son is the Effect of the radiance from the Glory (rendering tes doxes as an ablative) of God. In b) we see the reference as to the creation: the sunrise of a new day; an eschatological meaning can be taken as this being the dawning of the new creation and the Day of the Messiah - the new age. In c) we see the Son as the result of the outshining (movement; action; radiance) of God, and the Son IS the glory (rendering tes doxes in apposition). In d) the Son is an effulgence that comes from the Glory. In e) the Son is the Glory's effect of an off-shining - a light-beam of and from the Glory. In f) the Son is a result of a reflection of the Glory: the Glory reflects and produces the Son. There is much to ponder here.

2) The Glory and Splendor is a manifestation which calls forth praise to God.

3) The exact impress takes us back to the creation of humanity in God's image. Here, we have an exact impress - a likeness as from a stamp or a die (this latter being made with a blow - symbolic of what Jesus went through for humanity, an echo of Isa. 53:5, 10). The Son is what a human should look like, and this is the likeness of God's "substructure." This word is hupo-staseos, and literally means "a standing-under" or, "a sub-standing" or, "a sub-placing" of Him. In Nahum 2:7 (LXX) it is used of the foundation of either the temple of Nineveh or of that city, and so I have the rendering, "of His substance [which is] standing under as a foundation." A related rendering, as apposition, is, "which is the underlying support of His outward form and properties," or we might paraphrase this, "His founding essence, the ground of Being." The last two options each present a different perspective of what our author is saying:

Taking the noun as an ablative, it can read, "from His sub-placing." This can be understood from the action of the blow which created the impress, or it could refer to His humbling and taking the form of a Servant (Phil. 2:7).

One of the meanings of hupo-staseos comes from its use in rhetoric (a well-know communication skill in that time and area), and from this usage our phrase can be rendered, "from His assumed groundwork of the full expression [of His idea]," i.e., from what is taken for granted as the basis from what is being said. The Concordant Version renders this word "assumption."

Each of these renderings presents a different picture. Here our preconceptions may play a role in our interpretation of what this phrase is saying, or the Spirit may open up new vistas for us.

4) "continuously bearing (or: progressively carrying; repeatedly bringing) the whole (all things; everything and all existence)" speaks to His mission and goal. He is progressively carrying mankind to its purposed destiny. He is repeatedly bringing everything and all existence into balance and into alignment with His design and intent (working all things according to the counsel of His will - Eph. 1:11). He is constantly bearing the burden of the whole, all things - the entire cosmos - supporting everything, and carrying the sparrow. This may shed light on the previous picture of "His sub-standing" or "sub-placing" as He "bore our illnesses and was burdened with our pains" (Isa. 53:4) and "carried the failures and sins" (Heb. 9:28). Or, it could refer to His "remaining under to give support" (hupo-meno) to humanity.

Taken as referring to "carrying all things," Quanbeck comments, "Upholding the universe expresses the OT idea of creation as that of continuous work of God. He has not only made the world; he supports and sustains it" (ibid. p 900; emphasis original).

5) The next compound phrase begins with a dative noun, and ends with a noun in the genitive modified by the personal pronoun (Him/His) in the genitive. This presents the options of the following combinations:
a) "by the gush-effect which is His power." The word "gush-effect" is the Greek rhema. Again, the -ma ending means the results or effects of rhe- which speaks of a spring gushing forth from the ground, or something coming forth with force. I rendered "power" in apposition ("which is") and "His" as a possessive genitive of autou. I rendered the dative as an instrumental ("by") indicating that it is the effect of the gushing forth (which is an expression of His power) which is constantly "bearing the whole."
b) "in the result of the flow from the power which is Him." Here I rendered rhe- in another of its meanings: flow. I rendered "power" as an ablative ("from") and autou as in apposition ("which is Him"). I gave the dative a locative meaning ("in") designating the location (or realm) in which the bearing was taking place - in the result of the flow, from the power which is Him.
c) "with the saying pertaining to His ability." These last two options express the secondary, derived meaning of rhema (saying) that you find in the common translations. Dunamis in its genitive form is rendered "pertaining to... ability" with autou as a possessive "His."
d) "in the spoken declaration of, and which has the character of and its source in, His power and ability." Here I expanded the dative noun again as a locative, showing the realm of the carrying (in the spoken declaration) and gave both meanings of dunamis (power and ability), expressing its genitive form to show that the declaration has the character power as well as having its source in His power and ability.

6) "through and by means of Himself" is not found in all Greek MSS, but it is in p46, D2 and many other witnesses and is included in the Majority Text and Vulgate, so I have included it. The bearing, carrying and bringing is all done through the cross of Jesus Christ and the work of the Son as He is joined to the new creation.

7) As I read the text, it seems appropriate to read the next participle clause with the main verb: "in producing a cleansing of (or: after making a ritual purification in regard to) the failures (the misses of the target; the mistakes and errors; or: a clearing by pruning which pertains to the sins) He at once seated Himself." It was in His producing a cleansing of the world from the failures (the mistakes, errors and sins) that He at once seated Himself as Lord of all. As Paul puts it in Phil. 2:

9. For this reason, God also lifts Him up above (or: highly exalted Him; elevates Him over) and by grace gives to Him (or: joyously favors on Him) the Name - the one over and above every name! -

10. to the end that within The Name: Jesus! (or: in union with the name of Jesus; in the midst of the Name belonging to [Yahweh-the-Savior]), every knee (= person) - of the folks upon the heaven (of those belonging to the super-heaven, or [situated] upon the atmosphere) and of the people existing upon the earth and of the folks dwelling down under the ground (or: on the level of or pertaining to subterranean ones; [comment: note the ancient science of the day - a three-tiered universe]) - may bend (or: would bow) in worship, prayer or allegiance,

11. and every tongue (= person) may speak out the same thing (should and would openly agree, confess and acclaim) that Jesus Christ [is] Lord (Master; Owner) - [leading] into [the] glory of Father God (or: unto Father God's good reputation; [progressing] into a manifestation which calls forth praise unto God [the] Father)!

And so, Paul's description of this event in human history (and in the history of God, for God entered into history with the Incarnation) gives a reference point to the following phrases,

"within [the] right part (or: hand; = in union with the receiving aspect, honored position and place of power) of the Greatness centered and resident within high places."

The "Greatness" is a symbolic reference to the "realm of God" (often called "heaven," which is a figure for the realm of spirit) and the figurative "throne" of His kingdom.

The sacrificial act of "producing a cleansing of sins" is a reference to the Messiah performing as the Chief Priest on the Day of Atonement (cf Heb. 9). Here, "The author seeks to show how Jesus Christ fulfills the Levitical priesthood, thus bringing to light the reality which the priesthood symbolizes or foreshadows" (Quanbeck, ibid. p 900).

4. Coming to be in a so much stronger and better (or: Being born to a so much more excellent) [station; position; calling; relationship] than agents (or: messengers; or: folks who had a message), He has come by inheritance to, and enjoys the allotment in, a so much different Name (= designation) which has been carried through the midst, beside them.

The phrase "in a so much" is in the dative case, the preposition "in" seeming to be the most appropriate for the participle "Coming to be." Rendering 'genomenos' "Being born" seemed to call for rendering the dative "to a so much." Either accurately carries the sense of the Greek phrase. In an earlier edition I had followed the lead of most other translators and simply ignored the force of the dative here, but now I see that it has an important place in understanding the text.

However, by expressing the dative here, from the text we are led to ask "in or to a so much stronger and better" what? Nyland solves this by bringing the word "Name" into an earlier place in the sentence, and gives a more idiomatic rendering,

"He became so much superior to the Messengers as the Name he has inherited is more distinguished than theirs" (ibid. p 436).

This presents the core idea of the verse, but omits the sense of being "coming to be in" or "born to." To keep this sense, I have inserted some suggested objects for these prepositions - in answering the question, better "what?". The emphasis is not His "being" but on His "coming to be," as we see in the following verses and as we have seen elsewhere in His coming to be the Messiah, the King. The verb of this clause belongs to the word-family that carries the connotation of "being born," but its use has often prompted translators to render it "happen; occur." The root idea is to come into a different existence than before. We see this in Jesus speaking of Israel needing to be "born back up again from above" (John 3:7, where Jesus uses the plural pronoun, "you folks"), and He was not speaking of their physical existence. We see this in the Holy Spirit coming upon Him at His baptism by John when Jesus was anointed for His ministry.

He "came to be in a so much stronger and better" ministry than the fathers and prophets through whom God spoke in the past: He came to be Israel's Messiah and Lord of All. He came as the Branch from the root of David, birthed from Israel's olive tree (Rom. 11:17-18). This exalted place was a stronger and better place than that of the messengers that came before Him. He carried the Name Savior and Son. He "enjoys the allotment" of the Promise which He inherited from Abraham and for which Israel had looked for millennia. He was the promised Seed of the Woman (Gen. 3:15). He came to be the Elder Brother that would ransom His younger brothers (humanity) from their slavery.

A word about my rendering "agents/messengers" seems appropriate. These are the translated meanings of the Greek 'angelos,' which unfortunately has been traditionally transliterated (i.e., a "letter-for-letter" bringing of the Greek word into English, without translating it) as "angel." From the context, beginning in vs. 1 and carrying on throughout this chapter, I submit that this word refers to God's agents, from Adam and Eve on through the prophets (who brought God's "messages" to Israel) and even David and Solomon who are referenced below. All of the OT came through His human messengers and agents. See this article

John Gavazzoni comments, "And I would add that, following the writer's line of thought: His much more excellent position compared to the messengers, is that of being the very Word within/of their message. They were spokesmen; He was what was spoken."

5. For you see, to a certain one of the agents He once said (or: as an interrogative: in which one of the messengers - the folks having the message - did He once say?), "You are my son: I have given birth to you today!" [Ps. 110:1] And again, "I will continue being to him for a Father, and he will continue being to Me for a son."
(or: "I will continually exist being in him, [proceeding] into a Father, and he himself will exist being in Me, [proceeding] into a son!”) [2 Sam. 7:14; 1 Chron. 17:13]

The earliest manuscripts (MSS) had no punctuation or diacritical marks, such as accent marks. Later folks who copied the MSS put them in where they felt they should be. Whether the word 'tini' (a dative) means "to a certain" or "in which ...?" depends upon which syllable the scribe put the accent mark, when making a copy of the early MSS which did not have it. We know from these OT references that this was indeed said to one of His agents (not to some "angel"). As a question it would have been calling to mind the incident, asking, "in which [passage of Scripture] did He once say?" I have given both options, but I see the bold rendering as the correct one.

Now note the word "today." This is speaking to an earthly experience, not to an "eternal" experience within the Godhead. The second quote speaks of a new relationship - one that originally had the context of Yahweh speaking to David about Solomon becoming king over Israel. And notice the durative future, "I will continue being..." This was not an ontological statement, for God was always Solomon's Father. It was an affirming statement that God would be with Solomon in his upcoming position as the king of Israel, and of God's new relationship to him through his becoming the anointed king. So, I suggest that the author of Hebrews is here bringing Christ into the story of Israel, showing that Jesus is the One of whom David and Solomon were types. He is the long-expected Messiah.

The parenthetical, alternate rendering prophesies a growing relationship between Yahweh and Solomon as he matures into being a mature son (the significance of 'huios' over 'teknon' - a child).

Ps. 110 was referenced by Jesus in Matt. 22:42-45. Scholars normally see this psalm as being entirely prophetic about the coming Messiah. However, as with most of the OT prophesies, and considering that this was written as a poem, the writer may have been speaking about David (as his lord) and about his time. The psalm is attributed to David, but this is an assumption. In interpreting the Matthew account, Jesus ends the discourse with a question. He was challenging their traditions. It may well be that He is now calling us to re-examine our own traditions.

6. Now again, when He brought the Firstborn into the habitable world He is saying, "And so, let all God's agents (or: people with the message) give homage to Him (or: worship and reverence Him; kiss toward and do obeisance to Him; = show respect and give honor to Him)." [Ps. 97:7b]

There can be a tendency to read over these quotes and just move on, without considering the context from which they were taken. The first five verses are apocalyptic (a type of Jewish writing: figurative; symbolic; [note: based upon Lawrence Garcia's review of the following, I would recommend Frederick J. Murphy's Apocalypticism in the Bible and Its World, A comprehensive Introduction, Baker Academic, 2012]) in nature, describing the activities of Yahweh in the earth. In vs. 6 the psalmist says that in response to His presence (vs. 5),

"The heavens tell of His righteousness, and all the peoples (plural) see His glory."

Then vs. 7 reads

"May all the servants of a carving be ashamed, the ones boasting in useless idols (or: things). Bow down to Him, all [you] elohim" (CVOT).

Note that the quote of this verse in our text is from the LXX (Greek version of the OT), which regularly translates elohim with the word angelos, and thus our rendering here in vs. 6, above. Jesus used theoi ("gods," the actual Greek equivalent of the Hebrew elohim) in reference to people in John 10:34, where He quotes Ps. 82:6. The translators of the LXX apparently understood angelos to often refer to people, so they made this substitution when they understood the OT text as referring to humans.

So now look as Ps. 97:8,

"Zion hears and is rejoicing..." and then in vs. 9, "For You, O Yahweh are supreme over all the earth [where He had just brought judgment: vs. 5], You are exceedingly ascendant over all elohim" (CVOT).

In vs. 6 the context is "all the peoples" seeing Yahweh's work (in fact, vs. 1 says, "let the earth exult; let the many coastlands rejoice"); vs. 7a refers to people worshiping idols, then advises all elohim/agents to bow down, instead, to Yahweh; vs. 8 has Zion as the context; vs. 9 refers to the setting of "the earth." In conclusion I suggest that when we find the Greek word "angelos" in this letter that we think "human agent or messenger."

Now back to our verse here: notice the context, "brought the Firstborn into the habitable world." I suggest that the folks (the agents, the messengers) that are called to give homage are first of all His people Israel, whose story has been referenced by this quote from the OT. And now it is the followers of Jesus who recognize Him as "the Firstborn." This could also be a code word for His role as the Adam of the new creation (1 Cor. 15:45-47), or the Firstborn among many brothers (Rom. 8:29).

7. And then, on the one hand, to the agents (messengers; folks with the message) He is saying,"He is the One making His agents (messengers; folks with the message) spirits (or: Breath-effects), and His public servants a flame of fire." [Ps. 104:4]

[comment: this is an example of Hebrew parallelism - the second line being a restatement of the first, but in a different figure; the figure is a reference both to the priests, as "public servants," and to the called-out community, figured as the lampstand in the Tabernacle in Rev. 1:20, and referencing Acts 2:3 - there being "tongues as if of fire" burning on the lamps in the one case, and upon the people in the second case; the agents speak a message of words that are "spirit," the effect of the Breath]

The comment that I inserted into my translation, above, will serve here as well to suggest insights into this verse. The psalm quoted is also set in apocalyptic language to describe the majesty of His works in the earth, so should be interpreted via its figures. Its use here should be understood in the context of this letter. For further insights into who are included as "His agents," see vss. 12 & 14, below, with the comments on each verse.

8. Yet, on the other hand, to the Son,"God [is] Your throne, on into the age of the Age, and the scepter of straightness [is] a scepter of His kingdom and sovereign activity. (variant rendering, with other MSS: "Your throne, O God, and the staff of uprightness, [is the] staff of Your reign, unto the chief time period of the Age.)

This and the next verse are from Ps. 45. These two verses are considered by most (and probably by the author of our letter, here) to be prophetic of the Messiah. However, most of the 17 verses can be read as applying first of all to Israel's king, as well as speaking of the "daughters of kings" and "honored women" (vs. 9), and of "the daughter of Tyre" (vs. 12), and then of "the king's daughter" (vs. 13-14).

With this in mind, let us ponder the two renderings on offer in my translation. Is the parenthetical rendering making the statement that the Son is God? It can be read that way. Note that there is no joining verb, and that I supplied "[is]" to make this quote a sentence, in English. It is the same case with the Hebrew text of the psalm. What we have here are two nouns, both with definite articles, in the nominative case. One is the subject; the other is the predicate nominative. The problem is that the spelling of the Greek words can also be vocative (from which we get the "O" before "God" in the parenthetical rendering). The question becomes, "Where do we insert the connecting verb?" And behind this question, "What did our authors mean?" The second half of vs. 9 argues for the first reading: still addressing the same one, it says "God - Your God - anointed You." Recall that Jesus said to His disciples in John 20:17,

'I am progressively stepping back up again (or: now ascending) toward My Father - even the Father of you folks - and My God: even [the] God of you people!'

I think that what needs to be kept in mind is the context of this chapter: the Son becoming the Messiah, rather than it being an ontological statement about the Son - regardless of our personal understanding about the Son.

9."You love fairness and equity in rightwised [covenant] relationships within the Way pointed out (or: justice; righteousness) and yet you hate lawlessness. Because of this, God - Your God - anointed You with olive oil of extreme joy, at the side of (or: = more than; = rather than) Your partners (or: associates; fellows). [Ps. 45:6-7]

The first statement would of course apply to God, but also to His Son, the Anointed One, who is made in His Father's image, as vs. 3, above, well instructs us. This is a clear picture of the "horizontal" aspect of the message of goodness, ease and well-being (literal meaning of 'euangelia' - also called "Gospel"). It is the message that Jesus preached, and that Paul took to the non-Jewish ethnic multitudes. It refers to how folks treat one another.

And so here we see the reference to the human (in this case Jesus) being anointed by God's Spirit, as the Gospels tell us. His partners are people, and I suggest that this partnership and association is speaking of His followers, His called-out covenant communities. But He is our Lord; He is our King; He is our Chief Priest.

My first (the bold) rendering in the final phrase is the literal and the core meaning of para: at the side of; beside. But scholars suggest that it also has the semantic range of "more than" or "rather than."

10. And further,"O Lord [= Yahweh], down from beginnings (or: in accord with ruling [principle]s), You founded (or: laid the foundations of) the earth (or: land), and the works of Your hands are the heavens (or: skies; atmospheres).

11."They shall progressively destroy themselves (or: ruin, or lose, themselves) - but You continue remaining throughout.

12."And all people, as a garment, shall progressively be made (or: grow) old. Then like that which is thrown around [as a cloak], You will roll or wrap them up as a garment, and so they (or: the same people) will progressively be made another (be altered; be changed; be transformed), yet You are the same, and Your years will not fail." [Ps. 102:25-28]

These verses are quoted from the LXX (Greek OT). By citing this psalm, the author uses verse 10 to access the creation story, recalling for the readers that the story of the Messiah in this letter had its roots in the very creation itself, and in Yahweh (in the Heb. version), the Creator. In vs. 19 of this Psalm, just before this quote, it is stated that Yahweh will look from the heavens,

"To hear the groaning of the prisoner, to unloose the sons of death, [so] that the Name of Yahweh [would be] recounted in Zion, and His praise in Jerusalem, when the peoples are convened together and the kingdoms come to serve Yahweh" (vs. 20-22, CVOT).

The recipients of this letter must have had a considerable length of time being Christians, for the author calls them to consider the former times,

"days in which, being enlightened (illuminated), you at one point remained under (patiently endured while giving support in) a great conflict (contest or athletic combat) of the effects of sense-experiences (results of emotions, passions, sufferings and things that happened to you)" (Heb. 10:32).

I bring this up again to point out that these folks would most likely have been quite familiar with the immediate context in Ps. 102 (vs. 19-22) which led up to vss. 25-28, quoted here. It was the context of the mission of the Messiah. Verses 23-24 can be viewed as a foreshadowing of the cross.

In vs. 11, above, can be seen first a contrast between the impermanence observed in creation, and the fact that He "continue[s] remaining throughout." He can be depended upon, and looks from the heavens with the intent to send a Deliverer.

Verse 12 is a restatement of vs. 11, except that the subject has changed from "the earth" (or: "land") - which throughout the OT was a symbol for the people of Israel (cf Walter Brueggemann, The Land, Place as Gift, Promise, and Challenge in Biblical Faith, 2nd Ed., Fortress Press, 2002) - to "all people" ('pantes': masculine, plural, nominative). ALL people!

"He will roll (or: wrap) them up as a garment, and so they (or: the same people) will progressively be made another (be altered; be changed; be transformed)!"

This was more than the psalmist could see. It is God's new thing. This is humanity's destiny, because He is "the same" - cf Heb. 13:8.

Dan Kaplan (in a phone conversation) pointed me to some OT passages about Yahweh's dealings with Israel that shed light on verses 11 and 12, above: Isa., chapter 24, speaks of His judgments upon the land (= people) of Israel -
1. Behold Yahweh making the land void and evacuating it...
3. That land shall be voided, yes voided...
4. The land is mournful, it decays; the habitance is wasted away, it decays;
12. There remains for the city, desolation, and the gate shall be pounded to decimation.
18. ... And the foundations of the earth (land) shall quake,
19. The earth (land) will be smashed, yes smashed...
21. ... And for many days they shall be called to account.
23. ... For Yahweh of host will reign in Mt. Zion and in Jerusalem, and in front of His elders will He be glorified.

This is an example of apocalyptic descriptions of the use of the word "land (earth)" as a figure for people, and in this case God's judgment upon His people. Dan points us to another example of symbolic language in Isa. 34 that echoes the language of vs. 12, above:

4. And the vales shall be putrefied; all the host of the heavens shall decay, and the heavens will be rolled up like a scroll. All their host shall decay as a leaf decays from the vine...

5. When My sword has been satiated in the heavens, behold, on Edom it shall descend...

This is all history and judgments of people surrounding Israel in OT times. Jamieson Fausset and Brown refer to this as "Judgment on Idumea." Of vs. 4 they say, "Violent convulsions of nature are in Scripture made the images of great changes in the human world..." (Commentary on the Whole Bible, Zondervan Publishing House, 1961, p 550, emphasis original). Next Dan leads us to places where "garments" are used symbolically of people. Isa. 50:9b speaks of the rebellious (vs. 5) and that,

"... all of them shall wear out like a cloak; the moth shall devour them."

And then there is Job 13:28,

"A man, like a rotten thing, he is disintegrating like a cloak when a moth has eaten it."

Garments are also used metaphorically in the following verses to which Dan leads us:

Isa. 59:17b "He shall put on garments of vengeance for clothing and shall muffle Himself with jealousy as a robe." (note: all OT quotes are from the CVOT)

1 Pet. 2:16 "continually holding (or: having) the freedom as a covering (or: a veil) of worthlessness (bad quality; evil; poorness of situation)..."

1 Thes. 2:5 " For neither did we at any time come to be flattering in word, according as you saw and are aware, neither within pretense (a held-forward specious cloak) from greed: God is witness!"

John 15:22 "But now (at this time) they continue holding nothing which like a specious and deceptive cloak appears in front around their sin
(or: they are not continuing to hold that which is put forward to hide the situation concerning their failure; they are not habitually having an excuse or pretense about their deviation, error and miss of the target)."

"Jesus was wrapped up in the Law (His grave clothes, the wrapping, were the preparation for burial which was according to their custom - or, law). It was the Law that killed Him. But when He was raised from the dead, those grave clothes (figure of the Law) remained in the tomb, buried. After His resurrection, the stone (figure of the tablets of the Law and the stony heart of the old covenant) was rolled away" - paraphrase of Dan Kaplan.

In considering the clause, above, "shall be made (or: grow) old," Heb. 8:13, comes to mind, in regard to the old covenant and the Law which bound folks up,

"In thus to be saying "new," He has made the first (or: former) "old," and that [which is] progressively growing old and obsolete (failing of age), [is] near its disappearing (vanishing away)."

It was the old relationships, the old way of living and thinking, the old heart and the old "dead" existence under the Law that was wrapped about humanity in the body of Jesus, and was then buried with Him to rise no more. The grave clothes remained behind. It was a new humanity, a new creation that,

"He jointly roused and raised (or: suddenly awakens and raises) up, and caused [us] to sit (or: seats [us]) together within the things situated upon [thus, above] the heavens (or: in union with the full, perfected heavenlies; or, although neuter: among those comprising the complete and perfected heavenlies; among the ones [residing] upon the atmospheres; in union with the celestials) within and in union with Christ Jesus." (Eph. 2:6)

13. Now to a certain one (or, as in vs. 5: Now in which one …?) of the agents (or: folks with a message) He once said,"Sit at (or: out of [the authority of]) My right [hand; side] until I may place your foes (or: hostile ones) a footstool of your feet (or: = turn your enemies into your footstool [= a supportive role])." [Ps. 110:1]

This is the seventh quotation, which for a book filled with symbols may be significant. Seven was the Hebrew symbol for completion, and rest. So the Messiah now sits enthroned, His work finished and He has entered into His rest. But the Father keeps on working. There are many "hostile folks" that will each in his own class and order be brought to the place of support for the Messiah's feet. It is a picture of victory for the work of the cross. Also, keep in mind that a footstool is positioned right before the throne: in His immediate presence and now made useful to Him.

The whole of Ps. 110 is seen as Messianic, and gives a variety of pictures of the successful reign of the King, the willingness of His people, and declares Him a priest, of the order of Melchizedek - of whom we will read more in chapters to come.

14. Are not all people public-serving Breath-effects (or: spirits; winds), being sent forth unto attending service because of those folks being about to progressively inherit deliverance (or: receive the allotment of salvation, health and wholeness)?

We again have our word 'pantes' as the subject: all people. He makes even the wrath of humans to praise Him (Ps. 76:10). As Ray Prinzing so often said, "He uses the interplay of good and evil for His purposes" (my paraphrase). God raised up Pharaoh to show forth His glory. He used Nebuchadnezzar to discipline Israel, and later called Cyrus His "anointed" (Isa. 45:1).

John Gavazzoni has made these insightful comments (in a private email):

"In verse 12, 'they' (the 'all people') clearly refers to the whole of humanity growing old as a garment to be rolled up and transformed. So rather than the 'all people' of verse 14 referring to that particularity of chosen agents back in verse 7, the writer expands the concept of divine agency, affirming that, though those of verse 7 are undeniably quite particularly chosen agents, in fact 'all people' are also. If the whole context is read out loud, with when coming to 'all people' we emphasize (as I think the writer intends) 'ALL,' we get the expansiveness of his thought. What I think I'm hearing is that while of course the few called-out agents and/or called-out community serve the whole of humanity, in turn, 'all people' inescapably, even though negatively, are instrumental in/toward the transformation of the called-out. This seems to fit that note that the Spirit has over and over sounded to me of the interdependent factor of our deliverance. Not only are we interdependent within the body of Christ (the present, believing representation of the whole of humanity's like-destiny), but our interdependence extends to all 'our brethren in the world' (If that's the right phrase to distinguish between the presently believing community, and the not-yet-believing, but destined-to-be community)."

With the coming of the Reformation and the teaching on "the priesthood of the believer," everyone was seen to have an important vocation ("calling") within the communities. The farmer, the carpenter, the baker, etc., all had important "callings" from God - all were necessary to support society and were a part of God's kingdom. But specifically in this verse, the whole body of Christ is seen - the partners of Jesus - who are "being sent forth unto attending service" to the called-out folks, and to the world.

We read in 1 Pet. 1 what the prophets (vs. 10) - the messengers of the old covenant - realized in regard to their messages,

"to which folks (or: in which ones) it was unveiled (revealed; disclosed) that not to or for themselves, but to and for you people, they had been progressively dispensing and serving them - which things are now announced (or: which tidings were brought back) to you through those announcing (proclaiming; bringing and communicating) the message of well-being and goodness (or: good news) to you within [or, with other MSS: by] a set-apart Breath-effect (or: [the] Holy Spirit; or: sacred spirit) being sent forth from [the] atmosphere (or: heaven) - into which things agents (or: messengers) are habitually and earnestly desiring (are constantly in full passion and craving) to stoop down beside and look inside, so as to obtain a clearer and more accurate view." (vs. 12)

And the agents referred to here, by Peter, refers to those such as Matthew, who brought in so many references from the OT that showed how Jesus was fulfilling Scripture. And even like Jesus with the disciples on the road to Emmaus, showing them all the things from Moses and the prophets that spoke about Him. All the writers of the NT, such as our author here, had undoubtedly pondered and perhaps even reviewed many of the writings before writing these letters to the covenant communities. Likewise, before going out themselves to tell others, the recipients of these letters may well have been like the Bereans (Acts 17:10-11).

Jonathan

Return To Jonathan Mitchell's Page