§ 29. But we have farther expositions of this first promise, and farther confirmations of this grace in the Scripture itself. For in process of time, it was renewed unto Abraham, and the accomplishment of it confined unto his family. For his gratuitous call from superstition and idolatry, with the separation of him and his posterity from all the families of the earth, was subservient only unto the fulfilling of the promise before treated of, The first mention of it, we haye Gen. xii, 1—3. ‘ Now the Lord had said unto Abraham, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will show thee, And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great, and thou shalt be a blessing. And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee; and in thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed,’ And this is again expressed, chap. xviii. 18, * All the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him.’ And chap. xxii, 18. “ And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed.’ And when he doubted of the accomplishment of this promise, because he was childless, and said, ‘ Behold unto me thou hast given no seed,’ as knowing that therein lay the promise, chap. xv. 3, God tells him, that he who should come forth out of his own bowels, should be his heir, ver. 4, which was afterwards restrained unto Isaac, chap. xyii.21. Thus he is called and separated, as from his own family and kindred, so from all other nations, and a peculiar portion of the earth, assigned unto him and his, for their habitation. Now the especial end of this divine aneenes of this eall and separation of Abraham, was to be a means of accomplishing the former promise, or the bringing forth of him, who was to be the deliverer of mankind from the curse that was come upon them for their sin. For,
First, It is said that Abraham hereupon should be a blessing. 7272 TT, *‘ And thou shalt be a blessing ἡ not only blessed thyself, which is expressed in the former words, I will bless thee; but the means of conveying blessings, the great blessing unto others; and how was this done in and by Abraham? In his own person he conversed but with few of them, unto some whereof through their own sins he was an occasion of punishment; as to the Egyptians, chap. xii. 17, and to the Philistines, chap. xx. 4, 7. Some he destroyed with the sword, chap. xiv. 15, and was not in any thing signally a blessing unto any of them. So his posterity extirpated: sundry nations from the face of the earth, were a scourge unto others, and occasioned the ruin of many more. He must needs then be made a blessing unto the world on some other account. And this can be nothing, but that he was separated to be the peculiar channel, by which the promised blessed seed should be brought forth into the world.
Secondly, It is said, that all the families of the earth should be blessed in him,’ chap. xii. 3, that is, not in his person, but in his seed, as it is expounded, chap. xxii. 18, that is in the promised seed that should come of him, chap. xii. 3. 12922 shall be blessed, in the passive conjugation of -Niphal; referring solely unto the grace and favour of God in giving the seed, chap. xxii. 18, ἸΞΊΞΠΙΤ, in Hithpael, so blessed in the seed when exhibited, as that they shall come for the blessing by faith, and so in him obtaining it, bless themselves. And this is spoken of all nations, all families, the posterity of Adam in general. They were all cursed in Adam as hath been declared; and God here promiseth, that they shall be blessed in the seed of Abraham; and by him the seed of the woman. And this blessing must enwrap in it all the good things whereof by the curse they were deprived, or it will be of no use or benefit unto them; a blessing indeed it will not be. He intended to leave mankind for a while to walk in theix own ways; partly that he might show his severity against sin; partly that he might evidence the sovereignty and undeserved freeness of that grace wherein he had provided a deliverer; and partly, that they might try their own wisdom and strength in searching after a way of deliverance. But in this promise was the ore laid up, which after many generations was brought forth and stamped with the image of God.
Thirdly, The curse upon Satan is here again renewed, ‘ I will bless them that bless thee, and I will curse nr that curseth thee.’ The blessing is to many; but the curse respecteth one principally, that is Satan, as the Scripture generally expresseth the apostate power under that name. Neither is there any just cause of the variation of the number, unless we look on the word as an unfoldling of the first promise, which was accompanied with a special malediction on Satan, who shows his enmity in all obloquy and cursing against the blessed seed, and those that are blessed therein. And this change of the number in these words is observed by Aben Ezra: TT opm Dean P5757 ‘ they that bless thee, many; he that curseth, one;’ as though many should bless, and few curse, the contrary whereof is true. And BaalHatturim Tm pwd 7>>pn ὈΣΞῚ pws 72727 ‘ they that bless thee in the plural number; he that curseth thee in the singular; and an interpretation is given of the last word, becoming those annotations which are 1mmeasurably Judaical, that is, sottish and superstitious. ΝΟΣ INN D>pn oa 45p> xan pyda: ‘He that that curseth thee I will curse; that is, by Gematry, ‘ Balaam that cometh to curse thy sons; the numeral letters of each making up 422, of which fantastical work amongst some of them there is no end. But one single person, in which way Satan is usually spoken of, they saw to be intended; which is passed over, as faras I have observed, by Christian expositors.
§ 30. After the giving of this promise, the whole Old Testament beareth witness, that a person was to be born of the posterity of Abraham, in and by whom the nations of the earth should be saved, that is delivered from sin and curse, and made eternally happy. Abraham himself died without one foot of an inheritance in this world, nor did he concern himself personally in the nations of the earth beyond his own family. Another therefore is to be looked after in whom they may be blessed. And this we must further demonstrate, to evince the perverseness of the Jews, who exclude all others beside themselves from an interest in these promises made to Abraham, at least unless they will come into subjection unto them, and dependance upon them. So high conceits have they of themselves even in their low and miserable condition. The next time therefore that he is mentioned in th@Scripttire, it is said D*ay nap) 1, to him shall be the gathering of the peoples. Gen. xlix. 10, concerning which place we must treat afterwards at large. The people of the world, distinct from Judah, shall gather themselves unto him; that is, for safety and deliverance, or to be made partakers of the promised blessing.
Hence Balaam among the Gentiles prophesied of him, Num. xxiv. 17, 19. And Job among the children of the east that were not of the posterity of Isaac, professed his faith in him, chap. xix. 25, poms) NA NYT ὩΝῚ Dip. Ἔν dy. And ‘I know that my Redeemer liveth, (or is living,) and afterwards he shall stand on the earth, or rise on the dust.’ He believeth that there was a 282 a Redeemer promised, one that should free him from sin _and misery. Aben Ezra, by my Redeemer, understandeth a man that would assist him, or judge more favourably of his cause than his friends at that time did; 210 sssawa jaw. And his comment on ἽΤ and JINN 15 very fond; 753 TNS TT ἽΝ ONT DT NT, ‘He is at present living, or he shall be born hereafter.’ But is this 1 5x2 a living Redeemer 7 ὙΤ, ὁ ζων, the living one, is a property of God; he is Θεὸς wy, the living God, 1 Tim. iv. 10, ὁ μονος ἐχων αθανασιαν, 1 Tim. vi. 16, who alone hath immortality. A mortal man is not rightly called a living Redeemer, one that hath life in his power. Besides, Job met with no such Redeemer out of his troubles; and therefore R. Levi Ben Gershom confesseth that it is God who is intended; τὰ) Op) ὙΤ NIT WR ‘ who is the living one and liveth to eternity’ Of this Redeemer, Job saith, he shall stand on the earth, or arise on the dust; if the words be taken in the former sense, (as they will bear either,) his incarnation and coming into the world, is intended; if in the latter his resurrection out of the dust, is intended. ‘The former seems most probable, and the earth is expressed by 15, the dust, to denote the infinite condescension of this Redeemer, in coming to converse on this dust on which we live. And this he shalldo ἡ Ἴπν. The word is used to express the eternity of God, JINN “ax PWS ὋΝ, Isa. xliv. 6. ‘I am the first, and I am the last;’ so chap. xlviii. 11. Whence Ralbag, before mentioned, interprets this expression, with respect to the works that God shall do in the earth in the latter days. ᾿ And in this respect our Goel is said to be Alpha and Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the ending. He that abides thus the same after all, shall stand on the earth. But the word also is often joined with "7, a generation, a time, a season, Ps. xlviii. 4, 6,14. Ps. cii. 19, and denotes the futurition of it; that it is to come, and shall come. So also with DY, a day; as Isa. xxx. 8, pointing out some signal latter day. And here it is used absolutely for Da M82, in the latter days, which is the ordinary description and designation of the days of the Messiah in the Old Testament. This is that which Job expected, which he believed. Though he was among the Gentiles, yet he believed the promise, and expected his own personal redemption by the blessed seed. And thus although God confined the posterity of Abraham after the flesh to the land of Canaan, yet because in the promised seed he was to be heir of the world, he gives unto the Messiah the heathen to be his inheritance, and the utmost parts of the earth for his possesion, Ps. u. 8. And upon the accomplishment of the work assigned unto him, he promiseth that all the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the Lord, and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before him, Ps. xxii. 27, a plain declaration of the Gentiles coming in for their share and interest in the redemption wrought by him. See Ps. xlv. 16. For these rebellious ones was he to receive gifts that the Lord God might dwell among them, Ps. Ixyiii. 18. So that by him Egypt and Ethiopia were to stretch forth their hands unto God, ver. 31. Yea, all kings were to bow down to him, and all nations to serve him, Ps. Ixxii. 11—17.
§ 31. These poor Gentiles were the little sister of the Judaical church, which were to be provided for in the love of her spouse, the Messiah, Cant. vil. 8, 9. For in the last days, the days of the Messiah, many people, yea, all nations, are to be brought into the house of the Lord, and to worship him acceptably, Isa. ii. 2, 3, 4. And expressly, chap. xi. 10. The root of Jesse, which,the Jews grant to be the Messiah, is to stand for an ensign unto the people, to it shall the Gentiles seek; even for that salvation and deliverance which he had wrought; and they are preferred therein before Israel and Judah, ver. 12. Egypt and Assyria, that is, the other nations of the world, are to be brought into the same covenant of the Messiah with Israel, chap. xix. 25. For all flesh was to see the glory of God, and not the Jews only, ch. xl. 5. And the isles, or uttermost parts of the earth, were to wait for the law of the promised Messiah, chap. xlii. 4. And the whole of what we assert is summed up, chap. xlix. 6, where God speaks unto the promised seed, and says, ‘It is a light thing that thou shouldst be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel; I will also give thee for a light unto the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the ends of the earth; where he is as fully promised unto the Gentiles to be their salvation, as ever he was unto Abraham or his posterity. See chap. li. 5, iii. 12. And on this account doth God call unto men in general to come into his covenant; promising unto them an interest in the mercies of David, and that because he hath given this seed as a witness unto them, as a leader and commander, or the captain of their salvation, ch. li 1—4. The effect of which call in the faith of the Gentiles, and their gathering unto the promised seed is expressed, ver. 5. he like prophecies and predictions of the Gentiles partaking in the redemption to be wrought, occur in all the prophets, especially Ezekiel, Micah, Zechariah, and Malachi, but the instances already produced are sufficient unto our purpose.
§ 32. Yet there seems to be somewhat inconsistent with what we have declared in the words of the apostle, Eph. iii. 5, 6. ‘God by revelation made known unto me the mystery which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; that the Gentiles should be fellow-heirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel.’ The apostle seems to deny that this mystery of the participation of the Gentiles in the blessing by the promised seed was revealed or made known, before the time of its discovery in and by the gospel, and therefore could not be so declared by the prophets under the Old Testament, as we have evinced. But indeed he doth not absolutely deny what is asserted, only he prefers the excellency of the revelation then made, above all the discoveries that were before made of the same thing. The mystery of it was intimated in many prophecies and predictions, though before their accomplishment they were attended with great obscurity, which now is wholl taken away. In former ages, ove εἐγνωρισϑη, it was not, saith he, fully, clearly, manifestly knonn, rove υἱοις τῶν ανθρωπων, DIN ὭΣ, to the sons of men, in common and promiscuously, though it was intimated unto the prophets, and by them obscurely represented unto the church; but it was not made known, ὡς νυν, with that clearness, evidence, and perspicuity, as it is now by the apostles, and preached unto all. It is only then the degrees of the manifestation of this mystery, as to openness, plainness, and evidence, that are asserted by the apostle, above all of the same kind that went before, but the discovery of it is not absolutely denied. And this much was necessary in our passage to secure our own interest in the mercy treated about.
§ 33. We may now return a little again to the promise given unto Abraham. In consequence of this promise, his posterity was separated to be a peculiar people unto God. Their church-state, the whole constitution of their worship, their temple, and sacrifices, were all of them assigned and appointed for the confirmation of the promise, and to the explanation of the way. whereby the blessed seed should be brought forth, and of the work that he should perform for the removal of sin and the curse, and for the bringing in of everlasting righteousness, as shall elsewhere be manifested. Moreover, unto this deliverer, and deliverance to be wrought by him, with the nature of it, and the means of its accomplishment, by what he was to do and suffer, do all the prophets bear witness. The full manifestation hereof, seeing it requires an explication of the whole doctrine of the Messiah, concerning his person, grace, and mediation, his offices, life, death, and intercession, the justification of sinners through his blood, and sanctification by his Spirit; with all other articles of our Christian faith, all which are taught and revealed, though obscurely in the Old Testament, would take up an entire volume, and be unsuitable unto our present design. But by three things in general the prophets give testimony unto him. First, by preferring the promised relief and remedy above all the present glory and worship of the church; directing it to look above all its enjoyments unto that which in all things was to have the preeminence. See Isa. ii. 2, iv. 2—5, vil. 13—15, ix. 6, 7, xi. 1—10, &c., xxxii. 1—4, xxxyv. 1—10, xl. 1—o, 9, 10, 11, xlii. 1—4, xlix. 18, 19, li. 47, lix. 20, 21, Ix. lxi.. 1, 2, 3, &c., Ixv. 17,18; Jer. xxiii. 5, 6, xxx. 9, xxxi. 31—34, xxxii. 40, 41, 42; Ezek. xl., &c.; Dan. vii. 27, ix. 24, xii. 1,2; Hos. ii. 5; Joel πὶ. 18; Amos ix. 1I—15; Obad. 21; Micah iv. 1—4,v. 1—4; Hab. 11.14; Hag. ii. 6—9; Zech. ii. 8B—12, iii. 8, 9, 10, vis 2p ES) 1:9, 10, 11, xiv. 3,4, 20; Mal. i. 11, iii. 1, 2, 3, ἔνι Which places, although but a few of those that occur in the prophets, are yet too many to be particularly insisted on. But this they all teach with one consent, that there was in the promise which they assert and confirm, an excellency of blessings, far exceeding in glory and worth, and in advantage unto believers, all that which they outwardly enjoyed, in their peace, prosperity, kingdom, and temple worship. “Now this can be nothing but the spiritual and eternal deliverance of their persons, from sin, curse, and misery, with the enjoyment of the favour of God in this life, and blessed-_ ness hereafter in his presence for evermore. And this in particular is _expressed and declared in many of the promises directed unto, especially those which concern the making and establishing of the new covenant, which is that we are in the demonstration of.
Secondly. They do the same in the description which they give of the person that was to be this remedy or relief, and of the work that he was to accomplish for that end. For the former, they declare that he was to be the Son of God, God and man in one person, Ps. ii. 7, cx. 1; Isa.ix. 6, 7; Jer. xxiil. 5, 6; Zech. ii. 8, 9, 10; and in sundry other places is the same mystery intimated, whereby the church was farther instructed how God would join with the nature of man in the seed of the woman, for the conquest of the old serpent, and the destruction of his works. And for the latter, they declare his sufferings in an especial manner, even what and how he was to suffer in the bruising of his heel, or bearing the effect of sin, and punishment due to it, Ps. xxii; Isa. liti; Dan. ix. 24, 25. And his teaching, ruling, and governing of his people, in their obedience unto God, until they are saved unto the uttermost by him, as the great prophet and king of his church, is by them fully manifested, Ps. ii., xxii. 25, xlv. 2—17, Ixviii. 17, 18, Ixxii., lxxxix. 9—13, xevi., xevii., xcviii., xcix., cx.; Isa. xi. 1—5, ix. 6, 7, xxxii. 1, 2, xxxv., xl. 11, 12, xlii. 1—4, xlv. 22—-25, ἘΠῚ 1—12, 1. 4, lix. 16,17, Ixi. 1, 2, 3, lxili. 1—6; Jer. xxiii. 5, 6; Micah iv. 2, 3, v. 1—4; Zech. ii. 8; Mal. iii. 1—4, as in sundry other places. Yea, herein all the prophets greatly abound, it being the principal work for which God raised them up, and inspired them by his Holy Spirit in their several generations, as Peter declared; 1 Epist. i. 10—12.
Thirdly. They did also bear testimony to Messiah by taking off the expectations of men from looking after relief and deliverance by any other Way or means whatsoever, Psal. xl. 8,9. Add hereunto that the whole fabric of the tabernacle and temple-worship, was contrived, appointed, and designed in infinite wisdom, unto no other end, but to instruct and direct the church unto this promised deliverer, and to the salvation to be wrought by him; as, God assisting, shall be abundantly manifested in our exposition of the Epistle to the Hebrews.
§ 34. Thus, do both the law aud and prophets bear witness unto this _ promised deliverer, and to the deliverance to be wrought by him. And this is he whom the Jews and Christians call the Messiah. Mw is from MWD to ‘anoint’ with oil. Those who were peculiarly of old consecrated unto God in the great offices of kings, priests, and prophets, were by his appointment so to be anointed; at least, some of them on special occasions were so. Thence were they called Dw ‘anointed ones.’ And because this anointing with oil was not appointed for its own sake, but for somewhat signified thereby; those who received the thing so signified, although not actually anointed with oil, are called anointed ones also, Ps. ev. 15. Now, this promised seed, this Saviour or deliverer, being appointed of God to perform his work in the discharge of the triple office of King, Priest, and Prophet unto his sacred people, and being furnished with those gifts and endowments which were signified by the anointing oil, is by an antonomasia called the Messiah. Or mwrrn 75% ‘Messiah the king,’ Dan. ix. 25. a) τ, ‘ Messiah the prince; ruler, or leader; and ver. 26, Tw, ‘Messiah’ absolutely. The Greeks render this name μέσσιας, which twice occurs in the New Testament, where persons of the Jewish faith and church are introduced speaking of the Saviour for whom they looked, John i. 41, iy. 25. In all the other Scriptures the holy penmen constantly call the same person by another name of the same signification in the language wherein they wrote, with Tw’ in the Hebrew, namely Χριστος, ‘the anointed one, Christ. The Greek μεσσιας and the Latin Messiah, seem rather to be taken immediately from the Chaldee ἈΝΤ) Messicha, than from the Hebrew Mw? ‘ Messiach,’ and to come nearer unto it in sound and pronunciation. It is true, that the name is sometimes applied unto profane and wicked men with respect unto the office or work to which they were of God designed; as to Saul, 1 Sam. xxiv. 7; and to Cyrus, Isa. xlv.1. And the Jews call the priest who was to sound the trumpet when the people went forth to battle, Deut. xx. 8, Tvam>” mw, the ‘anointed unto the war.’ But as was said, it is applied by the way of eminency unto the promised seed, and unto others by way of allusion, and with respect unto their office and present work. |
§ 1. The first promise explained in the subsequent. § 2. The name Messiah seldom used
§ 1. We have considered the first great promise concerning the Messiah, and evinced from thence the nature of his work and office, as also shown in general how testimony is given to hin throughout the Old Testament, and whence his name is derived. We shall now, moreover, inquire in particular into some of those places where he is expressly foretold, promised, or prophesied of, that we may thence gather what farther light concerning his person and natures, and his employment, was granted unto the church of old, which the present Jews wilfully reject. And herein, as I aim not to collect all the prophecies and promises which God gave concerning him, by the mouth of his holy prophets from the foundation of the world, but only to single out some of the most eminent that give us a direct description of his person or his grace, in conformity to, or in confirmation of what hath been already discoursed about them; so 1 shall have an especial respect unto those prophecies which the Jews themselves do acknowledge to belong unto him. ‘There is a book written by Abarbinel which he calls Ty Ww yawn, wherein he undertakes to explain all those texts of Scripture or prophecies, which cannot be understood either spiritually, or of the second temple, but of their redemption by the Messiah. This at present, among others, I am forbidden the use of, which might have been of advantage in the present design. I shall, therefore, principally insist on those places which are applied unto him in the Targums, the most authentic writings amongst them, whereunto some others shall be added, which J have observed. to be interpreted to the same purpose in the best of their commentators.
§ 2. The name Messiah is but twice or thrice at most used in the Old Testament, directly and immediately to denote the promised seed; namely, Dan. ix. 25, 26, whereunto Ps. ii. 2, may be added. But this name, for the reasons before given, prevailing in the Judaical church, it is frequently made use of, and inserted in the Targums, where he is treated of, although he be not expressly named in the original. lias, in his Methurgeman, reckons up fifty of those places, whereunto one and twenty more are added by Buxtorfius. The principal of these deserve our consideration, considering that some of the most eminent of them are denied by the latter Jews, to belong unto him, especially those which give testimony unto that part of the faith of Christians concerning his person and office, which by them is opposed or denied. And this consent of the Targums is of great weight against them, as containing an evidence of what persuasion prevailed amongst themselves, before they suited all their expositions of Scripture, unto their own infidelity in opposition to the gospel and its doctrines. And unto these, as was said, such others shall be added, as their chief masters do yet acknowledge directly to belong unto him.
§ 3. The first of this sort that occurs, is the first promise before insisted on and vindicated, Gen. iii. 15. It (the seed of the woman) shall bruise thy head, the head of the serpent. Mention is made here expressly of the Messiah in the Targums of Jonathan and Jerusalem; and this promise is applied unto him after their manner. The seed of the woman shall bruise the head of the serpent, and they shall obtain, ay. NAPYA ΝΠ ΒΔ ΝΠ ΝΟΣ, < healing, or a plaster for the heel, (the hurt received by the serpent) ‘in the days of Messiah the king; so Jonathan; and Targ. Hierusal. useth words to the same purpose. Both of them expressly refer the promise to the days of the Messiah; that is, to himself, or the work that he was to do, whence they insert his name into the text. And this is perfectly destructive unto the present pretensions of the Jews. The work here assigned unto him, of recovering the evil of sin and misery brought on the world through the temptation of the serpent, is that wherewith they would have him to have nothing to do.
Besides, his suffering is intimated in the foregoing expression, that the serpent should bruise his heel, from which they much desire to free their Messiah. But that which principally lies against them in this testimony is, that whereas they appropriate the promise of the Messiah unto themselves, and make the doctrine concerning him to belong unto the law of Moses, whereof say some, (those that follow Maimonides) it is one of the fundamentals, others (as Josephus Albo) that it is a branch of the fundamental concerning rewards and punishments, it is here given out by the testimony of their Targums, unto the posterity of Adam indefinitely, two thousand years before the call and separation of Abraham, from whom they pretend to derive their privilege, and much longer before the giving of their law, whereof they would have it to be a part; which is diligently to be heeded against them.
§ 4. Concerning the promises made unto Abraham we have spoken before; the next mention of the Messiah in the Targum, is on Gen. xxxv. 21, where occasion is taken to bring him into the text. For unto those words, and ‘Israel journeyed and spread his tent, 17y ΣΝ unto, or ‘beyond the tower of Edar,’ Jonathan adds, »S:nN7 ny yann7T NNN dP IDA Nw xd, ‘ which is the place from whence the king Messiah shall be revealed in the end of the days.’ And this tradition is taken from Micah iy. 8. Wy D721 ΠΙΝῚ, ‘And thou tower of Edar,’ or of the flock, ‘unto thee shall it come, the first dominion.’ Now, this tower of Edar was a place in, or near to Bethlehem, as is manifest from the place in Genesis. For, whereas Jacob is said to. stay at Eprah, that is, Bethlehem, where he set up a pillar on the grave of Rachel, ver. 19, 20; upon his next removal, he spread his tent beyond the tower of Edar, which must therefore needs be a place near unto Bethlehem. And the prophet assigning the rise of the kingdom of the Messiah unto that place, because he was to be born at Bethlehem; the paraphrast took occasion to make mention of him here, where that place is first spoken of, declaring their expectation of his being born there, which accordingly had long before come to pass.
§5. Gen. xlix. 1. ‘And Jacob called unto his sons, and said, Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you what shall befal you, Da‘ ΠΝ, in the latter days, or the last days, or end of the days. Jonathan paraphraseth thus on these words; ‘after that, or although the glory of the divine majesty was revealed unto him, ‘O2NN ‘mind Nw ΝΘ ΤΩΣ ΝῈΡ m7, the time, (that is the express time,) wherein the king Messias was to come, was hid from him, and therefore he said, ‘come and I will declare unto you what shall befall you in the end of the days. This expression of DT Mam, the end or last of the days, is an usual periphrasis for the days of the Messiah in the Old Testament. To that purpose it is used, Numb. xxiv. 14; Deut. iv. 30; Isa. ii. 2; Hos. iii. 5; Micah iv. 1, and our apostle expressly refers unto it, Heb. i. 1. Now this expression denotes no certain season of time, but only indefinitely directs to the last days of the posterity of Jacob, continuing a distinct church and people, for those ends for which they were originally separated from all others. And this being the first place wherein it is used, and which “all the rest refer unto, the paraphrast here took occasion both to mention the Messiah of whose time of coming this was to be the constant description, as also to intimate the reason of the frequent use of this expression; which was θ6- cause the precise time of his coming was hidden even from the best of the prophets, unto whom the glory of the divine{Majesty was in other things revealed. Besides the ensuing predictions in the chapter do sufficiently secure the application of the days mentioned, unto the time of the Messiah.
§6. Gen. xlix. 10. >. N2°°D ἫΝ, wntil Shiloh come. All the three Targums agree in the application of these words unto the Messiah. Onkelos; ΝΙΤ 5 SN TTY, until Messiah comes. Jonathan and Jerusalem use the same words; NT ND ST POI TY “ unto the time wherein the king Messiah shall come.’ An illustrious prophecy this is concerning him; the first that limits the time of his coming, with an express circumstance, and which must therefore afterwards be at large insisted on. At present it may suffice to remark the suffrage of these Targums against the perverseness of their later masters, who contend by all artifices imaginable, to pervert this text unto other purposes; who are therefore to be pressed with the authority of the Targumists, which with none of their cavilling exceptions they can evade. The following words, also, ver. 11, 12, are applied by Jonathan unto the Messiah in the pursuit of the former prediction, and that not unfitly, as hath been shown by others already. See Ainsworth on the place.
§ 7. Exod. xii. 42. ‘It is a night much to be observed.’ Hierusal. Targ. ‘This is the fourth night, (it had mentioned three before,) when the end of this present world shall be accomplished to be dissolved, and the cords of impiety shall be wasted, and the iron yoke shall be broken;’ that is, the people of God shall be delivered; whereunto is added, piD. ΤῸ ΝΟΥ 29 PO Nw Nd NAM Ἵ 1.2, ‘ Moses shall come forth from the midst of the wilderness, and the king Messiah from the midst of Rome. That of the Messiah coming out of Rome is Talmudical, depending on a fable which we shall afterwards give an account of. And we may here ~ once for all observe, that although they believe that their Messiah is to bea mere man, born after the manner of all other men, yet they never speak of his birth or nativity as a thing that they looked for; only they speak of his coming, but most commonly of his being revealed, and their great expectation is, when he shall be discovered and revealed. And this proceeds from a secret conviction, that he was born long since, even at the time promised and appointed; only that he is hidden from them, as indeed he is, though not in the sense by them imagined. But what makes the application of the night of the passover to be the coming of the Messiah? They cannot imagine that he shall come unto them whilst they are celebrating that ordinance; for that is not lawful for them, unless they were at Jerusalem, whither they believe they shall never return until he come and go before them. It is then some tradition amongst them, that their deliverance out of Egypt was a type of the deliverance by the Messiah, whose sacrifice and suffering was represented in the Paschal Lamb, which gave occasion unto this gloss.
§ 8. Exod. xl. 9. Targum of Jonathan; ‘Thou shalt sanctify it for the crown of the kingdom of the house of Judah; pipm> Tnyt ΝΠ ΝΟΣ δ}. FDI Saw’ ms, and the king Messiah who shall deliver Israel in the end of the days.’ ‘The end of the unction there mentioned in the text, is that the things anointed might be DIP WIP, holiness of holinesses, unto the Lord. Now it was the Messiah alone who truly and really was this most holy one, Dan. ix. 24. DWP W 7p mw, to anoint, or to make Messiah, of the holiness of holinesses, the Most Holy One, as he is called in the New Testament, ὁ ἅγιος, the Holy One, κατ᾽ εἕοχην, Acts ii. 14, iv. 30; 1 John 11. 20; Rev. 11. 7. And hence, as it should seem, is this place applied unto him by the Targumist; and an intimation given, that in all their holy things, their tabernacle, sanctuary, and altar, he was represented; for as he was the most holy, and his body the temple wherein