Trinitarian Claim
The Trinitarian claim is that God is speaking to the Son at 1:8-9 and God is then saying a second thing to the son at 1:10-12 where God the Father is indicating the Son is the Creator of all things.
Examination of the Claim
1. An Assumption By Design
The Trinitarian must assume that God the Father is speaking to the Son and referring to him as the Lord Creator. Without substantiating this presumption this is the practice of eisegesis - reading a notion into the text which is not expressed by the text itself.
2. The Antecedent to "He" at Verse 13
Observe the inconsistency of Trinitarians concerning antecedents. At 1 John 5:20 they wish to claim the nearest preceding word is the antecedent. But here in this context they wish to say otherwise. Their very own nearest-word-antecedent argument which they claim at 1 John 5:20, is now ignored and contradicted for the sake of Trinitarian doctrine. Here at Hebrews 1:13, the Trinitarian must travel back way beyond verse 10 to verse 1 in order to find the antecedent to the personal pronoun "He" in verse 13.
The most natural antecedent for the pronoun "He" at verse 13 is "the Lord" of verse 10. Since the "He" in verse 13 is obviously the Father this means "the Lord" of verse 10 is also the Father.
(v.10) And, "You, Lord, did found the earth in the beginning....
(v.13) But to what angel has HE ever said, "Sit at my right hand till I make your enemies a stool for your feet"?
The "He" in verse 13 is obviously God the Father who asks the Son to sit at his right hand.
3. The Undoing of the Trinitarian Claim: The Speaker at Psalm 102
Hebrews 1:10-12 is a quotation from Psalm 102:25ff. The Trinitarian claim is shown to be obviously false when it is realized they are interpreting the speaker in verse 10 as God the Father. However, if we just go back and actually read Psalm 102, it is clearly evident that God is NOT the one speaking these words. The human Psalmist is saying these words to God and about God. The speaker is not God but a human being. The point here is that Psalm 102 shows us that God IS NOT the one saying these words but the Psalmist is, while the Trinitarian interpretation of Hebrews 1:10 necessary claims God IS saying these words in direct contradiction to Psalm 102 itself.
In fact, Trinitarians interpret God as the speaker of all four Psalms which the Hebrews writer quotes between verse 6 and 12 when in fact God is not the speaker in ANY of these four Psalms. This problem begins in verse 6 and 7 where they translate the Greek verb legei as "HE says" to make God the speaker of the two Psalms quoted in verses 6 and 7. And then they infer that verses 8 and 10 are to be read as if God is still the speaker (the Greek does not say "God says" or "He says" for either of these two verses). But God did not speak the words in any of these Psalms. The Greek verb legei is often used to refer to what Scripture says, that is, what "IT says." Moreover, when God IS indeed the speaker at verses 5 and 13, the writer uses the Greek verb eipon (vv. 5, 13) and not legei. It is quite clear that the translation "HE says" at verse 7 is a mistranslation since makes it appear God is the speaker when a cursory examination of each Psalm quoted plainly shows that God is not the speaker. And so Trinitarians are basing their entire interpretation of verse 10 on an obvious mistranslation.
Analysis of the Evidence
1. The Speaker: Assumptions vs. Facts
Trinitarians read Hebrews 1:10 as if the Father is speaking to the Son. They do this by first presuming the Father is speaking to the Son in verse 8 and then read verse 10 as if the Father is saying a second thing to the Son. However, there is a very serious problem with this approach.
Neither Hebrews 1:8 or Hebrews 1:10 say that God is speaking to the Son in the Greek text. Trinitarians interpret both of these verses as if God the Father is speaking to "God the Son." The NIV goes even further and adds this notion to the text even though it is not there in the original Greek text.
At Hebrews 1:5 and Hebrews 1:13, the writer quotes from the Old Testament where God the Father is obviously the speaker in each of these two quotations. The Greek verb used in these two Old Testament quotations is eipon, "He says." However, when the writer is quoting the two Psalms at Hebrews 1:6 and Hebrews 1:7, the writer changes and uses a different Greek verb, the verb legei. The Greek verb legei is variously translated as "He says" or "It says" in the New Testament.
The writer quotes four different Psalms between Hebrews 1:6 and Hebrews 1:12. If we turn back the pages of the Bible and actually read these four different Psalms, we will find that God is not the speaker in ANY of them. However, Trinitarian translations have God as the speaker at Hebrews 1:6 and Hebrews 1:7 even though God was not the one speaking these words. And since they read those two verses as if God is the speaker, they proceed to read verse 8 as if God is the speaker in this verse as well. And since they have went that far, they continue their error into verse 10.
The Greek verb legei is translated as "IT says" in the New Testament when this verb is used to refer to what Scripture says. Since God was not the one speaking in any of these four Psalms, it is ridiculous to translate legei as "He says" and make God the speaker of things He did not say. The writer is obviously referring to what SCRIPTURE says in all four Psalms quoted between verse 6 and 12. Let the reader compare various translations of Romans 5:10; Ephesians 4:8; 5:14 and James 4:5-6 to see how translators sometimes translate legei as "He says" and sometimes as "it says" when the same verb refers to what Scripture says.
Trinitarian translations of verses 6 and 7 which read, "HE says" are obviously wrong. Even on the surface it should be apparent that something is wrong in verse 6 and 7 where Trinitarian translations have God speaking about Himself in the third person. If God was the speaker in verse 6, you would not expect God to say, "Let all God's angels worship him" but "Let all MY angels worship him." And in verse 7, if God was indeed the speaker, you would not expect God to say, "He makes his ministers flames of fire" but "I make my ministers a flame of fire." A simple examination of the grammar of these two Psalms show that God was not speaking these words without even turn back to the pages to read these Psalms. Now add to this the fact that an examination of these Psalms themselves show that God is not the speaker.
Therefore, we cannot then assume God is continuing to speak at verse 8 because He was never the speaker in the first place. And God is not the speaker in the two Psalms quoted at verses 8-9 and 10-12 either. Furthermore, the writer uses the verb eipon when God is obviously the speaker of the quotations at verse 5 and the writer returns to using eipon only when God is obviously the speaker again in verse 13. The evidence shows us forcefully that verses 6 and 7 are mistranslated as "HE says" by Trinitarians. They have the Hebrews writer informing us that God said things which He simply did not say when there is no need to translate the verb legei to make God the speaker when He is not. Hence, the verb legei should be translated as "IT says" just as it is elsewhere in the New Testament when this word is used to refer to what Scripture says. It is reckless or dishonest to have God speaking in these Psalms when He is not the speaker and saying things He did not say.
2. The Writer's Point
The writer's point throughout the chapter is that Jesus is better and superior to the angels. In this chapter he contrasts Jesus and the angels several times.
1. When he had made purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high. v. 3
having become as much superior to angels as the name he has obtained is more excellent than theirs. v.4
2. For to what angel did God ever say? v. 5
Thou art my Son, today I have begotten thee"? Or again, "I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son"? v.5
3. And again, when he brings the first-born into the world. v.6
he says, "Let all God's angels worship him. v.6
4. And of the angels he says, "Who makes his angels winds, and his servants flames of fire. v.7
But of the Son, "Your throne ho theos to the age of the age. v. 8
5. And, "You Lord did found the earth in the beginning, and the heavens are the work of Your hands v. 10.
But to what angel has he ever said.... v. 13
3. Context Shifting
Essentially, what Trinitarians are attempting to do, is take the passage out of its context and shift it to another context in the following manner:
But to the Son [God says].... God your God has anointed you to be above your fellows...... And "You Lord in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth."
However, verses 8 through 12 are not to be read as a unit. Verses 7 through 9 are to be read as a unit, an argument, and then verses 10 through 13 are to be read as a unit, another argument.
Argument: And of the angels he says, "Who makes his angels winds, and his servants flames of fire. v.7
But of the Son, "Your throne ho theos to the age of the age. v. 8
Next Argument: You Lord in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth....
But to which of the angels has He ever said..."
Notice how the contrast argument in verse 13 sounds very odd unless it is read in this manner. The word "He" requires an antecedent and that antecedent is obviously the Lord of verse 10.
4. Kai vs. De: The Writer's Method of Argumentation
The Hebrew's writer uses one word to introduce another "Jesus vs. the Angels" argument and that is the word kai ("and"). However, when he wants to make the contrast he uses the word de ("but").
Carefully observe how the writer uses the word kai to introduce another argument and uses the word de to make the contrast between Jesus and the angels for each particular argument:
Writer's First Contrast Argument
For to which of the angels did He ever say,..... v. 5
The word "BUT" makes the contrast.
BUT
(de) when He again brings the firstborn into the world......" v.6
Writer's Second Contrast Argument
The word "AND" introduces a NEW argument
AND
(kai) of the angels it says (legei... v. 7
The word "BUT" makes the contrast.
BUT
(de) of the Son, "Your throne ho theos to the age of the age. v.8
Writer's Third Contrast Argument
And again, the word "AND" introduces a NEW argument
AND
(kai), "You Lord, in the beginning laid the foundation..... v.10
The word "BUT" makes the contrast.
BUT
(de) to which of the angels did He ever say v.13
The above observations make it absolutely clear that the Greek conjunction kai is being used to introduce a NEW argument and the Greek word de is being used to mark the contrast.
5. The Work of Whose Hands?
The Hebrew's writer leaves us no doubt who he has in mind Hebrews 1:10. Notice what is said in verse 10:
You Lord in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth
The Heavens are the works of Your hands....
But to which of the angels did He ever say, "Sit at My right hand until I make your enemies your footstool?" (1:10-13)
The idea at verses 10-13 is that God has placed Jesus over all His creation.
Now notice what he says immediately after this:
For God did not subject to angels the world to come...
You have appointed him over the works of Your hands.
You have placed all in subjection under his feet (2:5-8).
Observe carefully how the writer is reasserting the same message. In chapter one he refers to the works of God's hands and then asks to which angel has God ever asked to sit at His right hand. To sit at God's right hand is to have authority over all heaven and earth (see Matthew 28:18). Now observe how he says the same thing again in chapter 2. God placed all His creation under Jesus' feet, all the works of His hands. BOTH passages are about God giving Jesus authority over all His creation.
1:10 You Lord in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth. The heaves are the WORKS OF YOUR HANDS
2:8 You have appointed him (Jesus) over THE WORKS OF YOUR HANDS
It is abundantly clear who the writer had in mind in verse 10, the Father, and the works of the Father's hands, the Father who asked Jesus to sit at His right hand (v.13) thereby appointing Jesus over the works of His hands.
Conclusion
The Trinitarian claim is based on a wishful assumption that God is saying a second thing to the Son when he sees the word "AND" at the beginning of verse 10. However, the evidence forcefully shows that God is not the speaker at verse 6 or verse 7 or verse 8. The writer uses the Greek verb legei at verses 6 and 7 which must be translated as "IT says" since God did not say these words. The writer's style is also to use kai ("and") to introduce a new argument. Hebrews 1:10-12 is not to be read as a unit with Hebrews 1:8-9 but to be read as a unit with verse 13. Moreover, we have several contrasts in this chapter between what God does for Jesus vs. what God does for the angels. In verse 13, we find that HE asks Jesus to sit at his right hand, something he has never asked an angel to do. Who is this HE but the Lord of verse 10? And that is very the point of Hebrews 1:10-12, that is, in all the history of creation, from beginning to end, God the Father has never ever asked, and never will ask, an angel to sit at His right hand. The heavens are the works of the Father's hands and He has not appointed an angel (see 2:5) but He has appointed a man, the son of man, Jesus, over all the works of His hands by seating Jesus at His right hand crowning him with glory and honor. The writer's words at verses 2:5-8 leave absolutely no doubt who he had in mind at verse 1:10ff. The Father in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth; the heavens are "the works of His hands" (v. 1:10) and He has now appointed Jesus over these "works of His hands" (2:7).
Last Updated: June 22, 2014
