The sons of God spoken of in Psalm 82:6 are the sons of God through justification and the holy spirit to whom the Word of God came, bringing the powers of the age to come, especially to those who received special power through the holy spirit to perform healings, casting out demons, etc. (Matthew 10:1; Mark 6:7; Luke 6:35; 9:1; 10:19; John 1:12; 10:35; Acts 1:8; 2:41; 4:4; 17:11,13; Romans 5:1; 8:11,14; 15:18,19; 1 Corinthians 2:4,8-10; 14:36; Galatians 3:26; 1 Thessalonians 1:5,6; Hebrews 2:4; 6:5) The judges of Israel were never called "sons of God", although, the judges of Israel are also referred to as "ha elohim" -- as a body of judges. (Exodus 21:6; 22:8,9,28 [See Acts 23:5]) Thus they serve as a type of the spirit-begotten sons of God, who are also to judge (Daniel 7:22; Matthew 19:28; Luke 22:30; 1 Corinthians 6:1-4; Revelation 20:4) Many of these spirit-begotten ones are not only heirs of God, but also become joint-heirs with Jesus. (Romans 8:17) Their reward is in joint-relationship with Jesus in the Kingdom. The only difference is that Jesus has been the Son of God since his creation, whereas the joint-heirs (as well as all the heirs) become "sons" through faith in Jesus for justification and through the holy spriit. (Romans 5:1; 8:11,14) Additonally, Jesus is anointed over his fellows, and therefore the joint-heirs with Christ are still in subjection to their head. -- Hebrews 2:9.

"God [elohim] stands in the congregation of the mighty [el - god]; he judges among the Gods [elohim]." Here the first word, God [Elohim} could refer to Jesus, as the one appointed by Yahweh over his fellows (Psalm 45:6,7); however, its usuage here implies that it is referring to Yahweh.

The other elohim refer to other mighty ones -- the church, the sons of God, of whom Jesus is the head or chief, as anointed by Yahweh. See Reprints 1410:3; 296:3; 338:2; 421:3

As the sons of God receive the holy spirit, they are anointed to be judges. -- 1 Corinthians 6:2,3; 1 John 2:27.

Yet in this world their judgements are often still not what they should be. (James 2:4; 1 Corinthians 3:3,4: 4:6) "How long will you judge unjustly (Romans 2:1; 14:10), and show partiality to the wicked?" (verse 2).

"Do what is right toward the poor (see Galatians 2:10; James 2:1-13) and the fatherless (James 1:27); maintain what is right for the afflicted (Galatians 6:2; Romans 15:1; James 1:27); and the destitute."(James 2:15,16; 1 John 3:17,18) (verse 3).

"Rescue the weak (Romans 14:1; 1 Thessalonians 5:14) and the needy; save them from the hand of the wicked."(Romans 15:30,31; Galatians 6:1; 2 Thessalonians 3:1,2) (verse 4).

The wicked do not understand (1 Corinthians 1:8; John 1:10; 8:43); they walk about in darkness (Isaiah 50:10; 60:2; Ephesians 4:18; Revelation 12:9) as all the foundations of the earth are unstable. -- Isaiah 13:13; 24:18; Hebrews 12:26; Revelation 21:1.

"I have said you are Gods [elohim]; and all of you are children of the Most High [el eon, the highest God], yet you will all die like men." They, now, though sons of the Most High, die and appear to men nothing more than the others. -- John 3:8; 1 John 3:1. See Studies in the Scriptures, Volume 5, page 68; Volume 6, page 444

If the "elohim" referred to in Psalm 82 were false gods, as some have claimed, then Jesus' appeal to this scripture in John 10:34 would have been meaningless.

Yours in the Master's service,
Ronald R. Day
January 23, 1999
Updated: December 1, 2002

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