4. Use of the Plural, "Heavens"
The Hebrew plural "heavens" is represented in
the great majority of instances by the singular in the
Septuagint, this number being found
also in the Apocrypha, except in the
Wisdom of
Solomon ix. 10, 16, xviii.
15. In Matthew, Paul, Hebrews, and
II Peter the plural is more frequent
than the singular; but in Mark the plural is found
'only in i. 10-11; xi. 25-26; xiii. 25; in Luke only
in
Acts ii. 34, vii. 56,
and probably
Luke x. 20, xxi. 26;
John avoids the plural altogether in the
Gospel and the Epistles, and uses it in the Apocalypse only in
xii.
12. There is no
distinction in
meaning between the singular and plural, except in
II Cor. xii. 2,
where a "third heaven" is mentioned, this being glossed in xii. 4 as " paradise."
This statement evidently rests upon a threefold
division of heaven, into the sky, heaven in the reiig-
ious sense, and the dwelling-place of God. The
distinction between the physical heaven and the
abode of the blessed is self-evident, and
Heb. ix. 11
(R.V.) expressly states that the latter is " not of
this creation." It is necessary, moreover, to dis
tinguish between this heaven, where the majesty
and goodness of God are manifested, and the abso
lute divine supremacy, " ° dwelling in the light which
no man can approach unto; whom no man hath
seen, nor can see "
(
I Tim. vi. 16).
In the Epistle
to the Hebrews, in like manner, no stress can be laid
on the variation between the singular and plural
(ix. 24, xi. 12, xii. 26 as contrasted with
i. 10,
iv. 14, vii. 26, viii. 1, ix. 23, xii. 23, 25), nor does
the author distinguish between the "heavens" and
"heaven itself" (ix. 24), except in so far as the
latter corresponds to the Holy of Holies in the
Tabernacle (comp. x. 19-23). Jesus is accordingly
described as "higher than the heavens"
(vii. 26)
and as having "passed through the heavens" (iv.
14,
RX.),
and thus as being exalted above all who
are in heaven or who await admission there (xii. 23),
therefore implying a distinction between God and
heaven, but not between the "heavens." The
parousia
will shake heaven and earth, and crate
a new cosmos, which will be " a kingdom which
can not be moved " (xii. 27-28).
The fact that Satan and evil spirits appear in the
presence of God in heaven according to
I Kings xxii. 19-22;
Job i. 6
sqq.;
Zech. iii. 1
sqq.; and
Rev. xii. 7-8
merely implies that they work only
with the permission of God. The statement that
the heavens are unclean in the sight of God
(Job xv. 15),
moreover, must be regarded as a
hyperbole
of Eliphaz the Temanite to bring Job to a realization
of his sinfulness. This can not be paralleled with
such passages as
Heb. ix. 23,
especially as the
heavenly world is represented as "true"
(Luke xvi. 11;
Heb. viii. 2, ix. 24).
It may also be noted
that the view that "heaven" occasionally connotes
"God," as in
Luke xv. 18, 21,
is clearly untenable
from
Matt. v. 34, vi. 10.
(H. Cremer†.)
Bibliography:
H. Schultz,
Afttestamentliche Theologie, 2
vols., Göttingen. 1888, Eng. transl., Old
Testament The
ology. Edinburgh, 1892;
W. Beyschlag,
Neutestamenlliiche
Theoogie,
2 vole Halle
1895; Eng transl.,
New Testament Theology,
Edinburgh,1896; the lmdoons of Cremer and
Thayer, s.v. bvpav6vy C Craddock,
The Heaven of
as
Bible,
hiladelphia, 1897; R. Winterbotham,
The Kingdom
of Heaven here and hereafter,
New York, 1898; and of. the
sections in the works on systematic theology.
