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Bible Dictionaries
Throne
Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament
or (θρόνος)
‘Throne’ in the NT always implies a seat of office (cf. Acts 2:30). Metaphorically it is used of God’s sovereignty in Heb. and Rev. (cf. Revelation 4:2-6; Revelation 4:9-10) and of Christ’s (Hebrews 1:8, Revelation 3:21; Revelation 20:11). In Revelation 20:4 there are thrones for the judges, where ‘the plural is perhaps meant to include Christ and His assessors, the Apostles (Matthew 19:28) and Saints (1 Corinthians 6:3)’ (H. B. Swete, The Apocalypse of St. John2, 1907, p. 261). In Revelation 4:4; Revelation 11:16 Revised Version the elders are on thrones round about the throne of God. We also read of ‘Satan’s throne’ (Revelation 2:13 Revised Version ) established at Pergamum, which is probably explained by the fact that Pergamum was the chief seat of Caesar-worship, and the first city in Asia to erect a temple to Augustus; others connect it with the worship of aesculapius, for which the city was also famous (cf. Revelation 13:2 Revised Version : ‘the dragon gave him his throne,’ and Revelation 16:10 Revised Version : ‘the throne of the beast’). In Colossians 1:16 ‘thrones’ form one of the classes of angels-the term occurs only here in the NT-but in systems of angelology ‘thrones’ belong to the highest grade. These angels may be so called as sitting on thrones round the throne of God, the imagery expressing their conspicuous and serene dignity (so Origen, Lightfoot, Meyer, Abbott, etc.). Clement of Alexandria thought that they were so called because they form or support the throne of God, like the cherubim (Ezekiel 10:1; Ezekiel 11:22, Psalms 99:1), with which several of the Fathers identified them (Gregory of Nyssa, Chrysostom, Theodoret, Augustine). See Principality.
W. H. Dundas.
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Hastings, James. Entry for 'Throne'. Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament. https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/eng/hdn/t/throne.html. 1906-1918.
