PROMISES OF THE MESSIAH VINDICATED.
§9. Numb. xi. 26. ‘ But there remained two of the men in the camp, the name of the one was Eldad, and the name of the other was Medad, and the Spirit rested upon them (and they were of the men that were written, but went not out unto the tabernacle) and they prophesied in the camp.’ Here seemeth not to be any thing immediately relating unto the Messiah, yet two of the Targums have brought him into this place, but attended with such a story, as I should not mention, were it not to give a signal instance how they raise their traditions. Eldad and Medad prophesied in the camp, as the text assures us. What they prophesied about is not declared. ‘This the Targumists pretend to acquaint us with. Eldad they say prophesied of the death of Moses, the succession of Joshua, and their entrance into Canaan under his conduct. This caused one to run and inform Moses, which gave occasion to those words of his, ver. 29.‘ Envyiest thou for my sake;’ for what if he do prophesy that I shall die? and thereon he would not rebuke them. Medad prophesied of the coming of the quails to feed them. But both pf them prophesied and said, 31273) 22 Na) ὨῚΌΞ POD. POX gmmwn ΝΞΘῚ yar pdwred ppdo ΤΠ ri ‘In the latter days Gog and Magog shall ascend with their host against Jerusalem, and they shall fall by the hand of the Messiah; whereon in Jonathan there followeth a story of the delicious fare and dainties, which they fancy unto themselves in those days. But what is the reason that Eldad and -Medad must be thought to prophesy thus concerning Gog? Ezek. xxxvitli. 17, we have these words; ‘ Thus saith the Lord God, (unto Gog) art not thou he of whom I have spoken in old time by my servants the prophets of Israel, which prophesied in those days and years, that I would bring thee against them?’ Not finding any express prophecy in the Scripture, as they suppose, concerning Gog, because that name is not elsewhere used, they could not fasten these words any where better than on Eldad and Medad, concerning whom it is said that they prophesied, but nothing is recorded of what is spoken by them, therefore they think that they may assign unto them what they please; although there is not the least reason to suppose that their prophesying consisted in predictions of things to come. Speaking of the things of God, and praising him in an extraordinary manner, is called prophesying in the Scripture. So those words of the children of the prophets who came down from the high place with psalteries and harps, 0°832N79 77277), 1Sam.x.5, ‘and they are prophesying,’ is rendered in the Targum, 2 PIN), and they are praising, or singing praises unto God; which both their company and their instruments declare to have been their employment. But such occasions as these, do they lay hold of, for the raising of their figments which in process of time grow to be traditions.
§ 10. Numb. xxiii. 21, chap. xxiv. 7, 17, 20,24. All the Targums agree, that the Messiah is intended in these prophecies of Balaam. Especially on those words, chap. xxiv. 17, ‘ There shall come a star out of Jacob, and a sceptre out of Israel.’ ‘A King,’ say they jointly, ‘shall arise out of Jacob, ΝΙΤ Ὁ ΝΞ ΠΣ, and the Messiah shall be anointed’ And an illustrious prophecy it is, no doubt, concerning his coming and dominion, who is the root and the offspring of David, the bright and morning star. Rashi interprets the place of David, who smote the corners of Moab, as he was in many things a type of Christ. Aben Ezra confesseth that many interpret the words concerning the Messiah; and Maimonides distributes the prophecy between David and the Messiah, assigning some things unto one, some to another: Tractat. de Regib. in DUT by3 also, they grant it to be the prophecy of the Messiah. And there is no doubt of the sense of their ancient masters, from the story of Bar Coziba, whom, after they had accepted of for their Messiah, from this place they called Bar Cocheba; Akiba applying this prediction of 3395, or the star unto him. And Fagius on the Targum in this place, observes, that in the naine 3312, chochab, applied unto the Messiah, the Cabalists observe two things: First, That the two first letters signify the same number with the letters of mm the name of God, that is twenty-six; and the two latter twenty-two, the number of the letters of the law. The observation is sufficiently Talmudical; but the intention of it, that the Messiah hath in him the name of God, and shall fulfil the whole law, is a blessed truth. This Fagius, and Munster before him, observed out of WaT WN3, a bundle of myrrh, a Cabalistical comment on the Pentateuch, by R. Abraham. But they all contend against the application of this prediction unto our Lord Jesus Christ; for when, say they, did he smite the corners of Moab? when did he destroy all the children of Seth? and how were those words, ver. 18, 1 my S370), which they interpret, ‘and Israel shall gather wealth or substance,’ fulfilled? But we have sufficiently proved the Messiah to be a spiritual Redeemer; and therefore, however his kingdom may be expressed, in words signifying literally outward and temporal things, yet things spiritual and eternal are to be understood as figuratively set out by the other. Neither can these words be absolutely understood according to the letter. For whereas Seth was the son given unto Adam, in the room of Abel, and all the posterity of Cain was cut off at the flood, if the Messiah destroy literally all the children of Seth, he must not leave any,one man alive in the world, which certainly is not the work he was promised for..
Besides, the Lord Christ hath partly already, and in due time will utterly destroy, all the stubborn enemies of his kingdom. Neither can the Jews press the instance of Moab literally, seeing by. Edom they constantly understand Rome, or the Roman empire,
§ 11. Deut. xviii. 15—19. This place is an eminent prophecy concerning the Messiah, and concerning his prophetical office, which had not till now been mentioned. But the law being now given, which was to continue inviolably unto his coming, Mal. iv. 4, when it was to be changed, and taken away; this part of his work, that he was to make the last, full, perfect declaration of the will of God, is now declared.
The Targums are here silent respecting him, for they principally attend unto those places which make mention of his kingdom. Rashi refers the words unto the series of prophets, which were afterwards raised up; Aben Ezra to Joshua; others to Jeremiah, upon the rejection of whose warnings the people were carried into captivity, which they collect from ver. 19. Whatever now they pretend, of old they looked for some one signal prophet from this place, which should immediately come before the Messiah himself. Thence was that question in their examination of John Baptist, ‘Art thou that prophet?’ John i. 21, namely, whom they looked for from this prediction of Moses. But it is the Messiah himself, and none other, that is intended. For, first, none other ever arose like unto Moses. This is twice repeated: in the words of Moses unto the people, ver. 15, ‘ God will raise thee up a prophet (02123) like unto me;’ and in the words of God to Moses, ver. 18, ‘ I will raise them up a prophet (7123) like unto thee, as thouart. Lipman, ἃ blasphemous Jew, in his Nizzachon, contends that Jesus cannot be intended, because he was not like Moses; for Moses was a man only, Jesus declared himself to be God; Moses had father and mother, Jesus had not as we say. But the comparison intended, doth not at all respect their persons or their natures, but their office. It was in the prophetical office, that the prophet foretold was to be like unto Moses. It is a lawgiver, one that should institute new ordinances of worship by the authority of God for the use and observance of the whole church, as Moses did; one that should reveal the whole will of God, as Moses did, as to that season wherein God employed him. That this could not be Joshua, nor any of the prophets that ensued, is evident from that testimony of the Holy Ghost, Deut. xxxiv.10. ‘There arose not since a prophet in Israel like unto Moses.’ This must. therefore be referred unto some singular prophet, who was then to come, or there is an express contradiction in the text. And this is none other but the Messiah, concerning whom they acknowledge that he shall be a prophet above Moses. Secondly, The extermination threatened unto the people, upon _ their disobedience unto this prophet, here promised, ver. 19, never befel them, until they had rejected the Lord Jesus, the true and only Messiah. ‘Wherefore this place is rightly applied unto him in the New Testament, Acts ili. 22, 23, vii. 57. And we have hence a farther discovery of the nature of the Deliverer, and deliverance promised of old, and therein of the faith of the ancient church. He was to be a blessed prophet to reveal the mind and will of God; which also he hath done unto the utmost. And from this place it is that the Jews themselves, in Midrash Coheleth, cap. 1, say, PAT ΣΝῚΣ JD PWN DN, «The latter Redeemer is to be like the former,’
§ 12. Deut. xxv. 19. ‘Thou shalt blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven, thou shalt not forget it, Jonathan Targum, ‘wann xd ΝΟ ΝΟΣ ad 1d°pNi,—* And also in the days of the Messiah, the king, thou shalt not forget it. But as this savours too much of those revengeful thoughts with which they frequently discover themselves to be filled; so all these apprehensions proceed from the old tradition, that by the Messiah we should be delivered from the hands of all our enemies, which they being carnal and earthly, do wrest to give countenance unto their own desires and imaginations.
§ 13. Deut. xxx. 4. “If any of thine be driven out unto the utmost parts of heaven, from thence will the Lord thy God gather thee, and from thence will he fetch thee.” Jonathan Targum, “7 ΝΥ) JIDN* WII» yan now NDT TS by pom ΞΡ. ranma) 829 ND WP SNT re by pormds ‘from thence will the word of the Lord gather thee by the hand of Elijah the great priest, and from thence will he bring thee by the hand of Messiah the king.’ The place is not amiss applied unto the deliverance which they shall one day have by the Messiah; for it is to happen after the whole curse of the law is come upon them for their disobedience, and after that they shall turn again unto the Lord by repentance, ver. ], 2, And whereas the words are doubled, they suppose them to imitate a double work of deliverance; one whereof they have committed to Elias from Mal. iy. 5, who was to be, and who was the forerunner of the Messiah.
And these are places in the books of Moses, wherein they acknowledge that mention is made of the Messiah; for as to that way whereby the church of old was principally instructed in his work and office, namely in the sacrifices and ceremonies of the law, they know nothing of it; nor shall it here be insisted on, seeing it must have so large a place in the exposition of the Epistle itself.
§ 14. 1 Sam. ii. 10. ‘He shall give strength unto his king, and exalt the horn of his anointed.’ Targ. ΓΤ ΓΞ "3 5, and he shall exalt the kingdom of his Messiah.’ In Midrash Tillim also, on Ps. lxxv., they ascribe this place unto the Messiah, and reckon his horn as the tenth horn of strength granted unto Israel. R. Levi Ben Gershom understands by the king, in the first place, (He shall give strength unto his king,) Saul, and by Messiah in the close of the words, David, who was to be anointed by Samuel, the son of Hannah, whose words these are. Kimchi applies the words to the Messiah, whom, as he says, she intended by the spirit of prophecy, or spoke of from tradition. And indeed the words seem directly to intend him. For by him alone doth the Lord judge the ends of the earth, and he was the Anointed, whose power he would signally exalt. And I mention this place only as an instance of the faith of the church of old, who, in all their mercies, still had a regard unto the great promise of the Messiah, which was the fountain of them all. And therefore Hannah here closeth her prophetical eulogy with her acknowledgment thereof, and faith therein.
§ 15. 2Sam. xxii. 3, ods ma Sw pets oa Sw, ‘He that ruleth in man, just, ruler, (in or of,) the fear of the Lord: Targ. ‘> ΤΊΝΟΣ ἼΩΝ “tT mbt wbw DPT Tyr xmmwn ΝῪΤ x25, ‘He said he would appoint unto me a king, which is the Messiah, who shall arise and rule in the fear of the Lord.’ And it refers this whole last prophecy of David, or his last words that he spake by the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, unto the days of the Messiah: whence it gives this preface unto them: ‘These are the words of the prophecy of David, which he prophesied concerning the end of the world, (or for the end of the world, xa>y 41D,) and the days of consolation that were to come.’ Rab. Isaiah, and Rashi, interpret the words of David himself; and Kimchi also, but he mentions the application of it unto the Messiah, who was to come of David, whom God would raise up unto him, which he approyeth of. Christian expositors who follow the Jews, interpret those words, 727 »d, ‘the Rock of Israel spake to me,’ by ‘dy, or “NAYA 737, ‘spake concerning me; that is by Samuel, who anointed me to be King. Some, he spake to me by Nathan.
Our translators keep to the letter, “he spake unto me.’ And that alone answers unto the words of the verse foregoing, ‘The Spirit of the Lord, ‘A ἽΞΤ, spake in me, or to me;’ so are the revelations of God expressed, see Zech. iy. 1,4, and it expresseth the communication of the mind of God unto the prophet, θεοπνευστια, and not his speaking by him unto others. And from these very words, ‘2 ὝΞΤ MTT, ‘the Spirit of the Lord spake in me, do the Jews take occasion to cast the writings of David amongst those which they assign unto that kind of revelation which they call WIP rm, or DANS, ‘books written by inspiration of the Holy Ghost.’ The other words also, ὩΣ dy ΠΣ), ‘his word was in my tongue, manifest that it is David himself that is spoken unto, and not of, in the third verse: and therefore it is some other who is prophesied of by him, namely the Messiah.
And this the words whereby he is described do also manifest: DIN2 Sw, ruling in man; that is, saith Jarchi, DON DIN WNW DIN ἽΝ Ip ἘΝ ΘΝ, ‘over Israel, who is called man; as it is said, and ye the flock of my pasture are men: ΠΝ DIN, you are man, Ezek. xxxiv. 1. But where the word Adam is used with this prefix 3, as here, it no where signifies Israel, but is expressly used in a contradistinction from them; as Jer. xxxii. 20, ‘ which hast set signs and wonders in the land of Egypt, even unto this day, ὈΤΝΞῚ ΣΝ) ΞῚ, ‘and in Israel and in Adam,’ that is, as we render it, ‘amongst other men that are not Israel.’ So that, if any special sort of men are intended in this expression, it is not Israel, but other men. And, indeed, this word is commonly used to denote mankind in general; as Gen. vi. 3, ix. 6; Exod. viii. 18, ix. 10, xiii. 2, and universally, wherever it is used, it signifies either all mankind, or human nature. So that DIN2 dwn is he who is the ruler over all mankind, which is the Messiah alone. Unless we shall interpret this expression by that of Ps. Ixvi. 19, ‘Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive, DTN2 Mam np, accepisti dona in homine, and thou hast received gifts in man;’ that is, in the human nature exalted, whereof the Psalmist treats in that place. For whereas the apostle, Eph. iv. 8, renders these words, δωκε δοματα τοις ανθρωποις, ‘he gave gifts unto men,’ it is manifest that he expresseth the end and effect of that which is spoken in the Psalm; for the Lord Christ received gifts in his own human nature, that he might give and bestow them on others, as Peter declareth, Acts ii. 33. The remainder also of the words contain a description of,the Messiah. He is ΟΣ, ὁ dueacoc, ‘the just and righteous One,’ Acts iii. 14: and He alone is ΤΟΝ nN Sw, ‘he that rules in the things that concern the fear and worship of God, Isa. xi. 2, 3. So that this place doth indeed belong unto the faith of the ancient church concerning the Messiah.
§ 16. 1 Kings iv. 33. Instead of those words concerning Solomon, “He spake of trees from the cedar tree that is in Lebanon, unto the hyssop that springeth out of the wall;” the Targum reads, 77 ma ‘2d ὃν “ΞΟΓΝῚ NIpwaT ΠΝ Nadya pT Nadya wdwnd pony, “And he prophesied of the kings of the house of David in this world, (the duration of time and state of things under the Old Testament,) and of the Messiah in the world to come; so they call the days of the Messiah. I know of none who have considered what occasion the Targumists could take from the words of the text, to mention this matter in this place. I will not say, that he doth not intend the Book of Canticles, wherein, under an allegory of trees, herbs, and spices, Solomon prophesieth of, and sets forth the grace and love of Christ towards his church, and wherein many things are by the latter Targumist applied unto the Messiah also, as we shall see.
§ 17. There is mention likewise made of the Messiah in the Targum, by an addition unto the text, Ruth iii. 15. ‘It was said in the prophecy, that six righteous persons should come of Ruth, David, and Daniel, with his companions, and the king Messiah.’ The general end of the writing of this Book of Ruth, was to declare the providence of God about the genealogy of the Messiah. And this seems to have been kept in tradition amongst them. And for this cause doth Matthew expressly mention her name in his rehearsal of the genealogy of Christ, Matt.i.5. For it being a tradition amongst the Jews, that this was the end of the writing of her story, whereon they add that consideration unto the text in their Targum, it was remembered by the evangelist in a compliance therewith.
§ 18. The place of Job, whegein he expresseth his faith in him, and expectation of redemption by him, hath been already explicated and vindicated, so that we shall not need here to insist upon it again. The Psalms next occur. In David, the light and faith of the church began to be greatly enlarged. The renovation of the promise unto him, the confirmation of it by an oath, the confinement of the promised seed unto his posterity, the establishment of his throne and kingdom as a type of the dominion and rule _ of the Messiah, with the especial revelations made unto him, as one that signally longed for his coming, and rejoiced in the prospect which he had of it in the spirit of prophecy, did greatly further the faith and knowledge of the whole church. Henceforward, therefore, the mention of him is multiplied, so that it would be impossible to insist on all the particular instances of it. I shall, therefore, notice only some of the most eminent, with an especial respect unto the concurrence of the persuasion and expectation of the Jews.
§19. Ps. ii. 2, ‘The rulers take counsel together against the Lord and against his Anointed:’ his Messiah, as the word should be left uninterpreted. Targum, 73 DS) 238 against his Messiah.’ The Talmudists, in several places, acknowledge this Psalm to be a prophecy of the Messiah, and apply sundry passages thereof unto him. And those words, “Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee,” are not amiss expounded by them in Tract. Succah. 6. 5, 22 MAW mad mbox on, ‘I will this day reveal unto men that thou art my Son; for so are they applied by our apostle dealing with the Jews, Acts xiii. 33; Heb. i. 5, namely, unto his resurrection from the dead, whereby he was declared to be the Son of God with power, Rom. i. 4. All the principal expositors amongst them, as Rashi, Kimchi, Aben Ezra, Bartenora, or Rab. Obodia, acknowledge, that their ancient doctors and masters expounded this Psalm concerning the Messiah. Of their more modern teachers, some of them apply it unto David, and say it was composed by some of the singers concerning him, when he was anointed king, of which the Philistines hearing, prepared to fight against him, 2 Sam. y. 17. This is the conceit of Rashi, who therein is followed by sundry Christian expositors, with no advantage to the faith. And I presume they observed not the reason he gives for his exposition, ‘Our masters,’ saith he, ‘of blessed memory, interpret this Psalm of the King Messiah; 1ymwn ~Dd mit Sy ww Υ13) ΤΙ nawnbd», but as the words sound, and to answer the heretics, it is meet or right to expound it of David. Those words, pom nayonds, ‘and that we may answer the heretics, or Christians, are left out in the Venice and Basil editions of his comments, but were in the old copies of them. And this is the plain reason why they would apply this Psalm to David, of whom not one verse of it can be truly and rightly expounded, as shall be manifested elsewhere. And it is a wise answer which they give in Midrash Tehillim, unto that testimony of ver. 7, where God calls the Messiah his Son, to prove him to be the natural son of God. wx Tnx % 13 n> ani ΤΙΝῚ ΓΒ ΤΟ ja we PoE pw Prd mawn jRan Tins 22 Ndyg aa; ‘And hence we may have an answer for the heretics, who say that the holy blessed God hath a Son. But do thou answer, He says not thou art a Son to me; but thou art my Son.’ As though ‘22 ΤΙΝ, ‘thou art my Son,’ did not more directly express the filiation of the person spoken of, than mmx 55 ja would do. 22, my Son, is more emphatically expressive of a natural relation, than *> 13, α Son to me; see Gen. xxvii. 21. And in this Psalm, we have a good part of the creed of the ancient church concerning the Messiah, as may be learned from the exposition of it.
§ 20. Ps. xviii. 32. Targum, ‘Because of the miracles and redemption which thou shalt work for thy Messiah.’ I mention this place only, that it may appear that the Jews had a tradition amongst them, that David in this Psalm bare the person of the Messiah, and was considered as his type. And hence our apostle applies those words, ver. 3. 12 MOMs, ‘TI will put my trust in him,’ unto the Lord Jesus Christ, Heb. ii. 13. See also Ps. 22. ee
§ 21. Ps. xxi. 1, “The King shall joy in thy strength, O Lord.” Targum, Nw ΝΘ, ‘the King Messiah shall rejoice.’ Ver. 7, “For the King trusteth in the Lord.” Targum, ‘Messiah the King. And in Midrash Tehillim, those words of ver. 3, ‘Thou settest a crown of pure gold on his head,’ are also applied unto him. There is no mention of him in the Targum on Ps. xxu., nor in the Midrash; but we shall afterwards prove at large that whole Psalm to belong unto him, and to have been so acknowledged by some of their ancient masters, against the oppositions and cavils of their later seducers.
§ 22. Ps. xly. The Targum hath given an especial title unto this Psalm, Mvmt PTO wan by ΝΠΖῸΣ, ‘a Psalm of praise for the elders (assessors) of the sanhedrim of Moses: intimating, that something eminent is contained in it. And those words, ver. 2, “Thou art fairer than the children of men:” are rendered in it, NW) 72279 PTY Nw NDd JID W, ‘Thy beauty, O King Messiah, is more excellent than that of the sons of men.’ And grace, in the next words, is interpreted by ΤΙΝῚ) 1, the spirit of prophecy, not amiss. And those words, ver. 7, “Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever,” are retained with little alteration: DYP δ᾽ TAP. Ὁ 9 ἸῺ» “maby, ‘The seat of thy glory, Ὁ God, remaineth for ever and ever? applying it unto the Messiah, which illustrious testimony given unto his deity, shall be vindicated in our exposition of the words, as cited by our apostle, Heb. viii. Kimchi expounds this Psalm of the Messiah. Aben Ezra says, it is spoken of David, ΝΣ *T3yY TIT Vow jaw ἼΞ mw dy ἽΝ odyyd ond, ‘or concerning Messiah his Son, who is likewise called David; as, David, my servant, shall be their Prince. for ever; Ezek. xxxvii. 25.
§ 23. Psa. Ixviii. and Ixix., are illustrious prophecies of the Messiah, though the Jews take little notice of them, and that because they treat of two things which they will not acknowledge concerning him: the former expresseth him to be God, ver. 17, 18, and the other his sufferings from God and men, ver. 26, both which they deny and oppose. But in Shemoth Rabba, sect. 35, they say of the D°272'pM, ver. 32, ‘The princes that shall come out of Egypt, mwa 7) prt ΝΌΣΤΟΣ pony nw 55, all nations shall bring gifts to the King Messiah,’ referring the Psalm to his days and work. The same exposition is given of the place in Midrash Esther i. 1, and by R. Obodia Haggaon on the place.
δ 24. Ps. Ixxii. 1, “Give the King thy judgments, O God.” ° Targ. am ΝΙΤ x2d:d Pt 257, ‘Give the sentence of thy judgment unto the King Messiah. And herein they generally agree. Midrash on the title, ὟΣ YI WITT NB TaN w mwyrt 7d 17, ‘This is the King Messiah, as it is said, A rod shall come forth from the stem of Jesse, Isa. xi. 1. And Aben Ezra on the same title, mon Sy ἽΝ ΤΩΡ by OWT INN ἽΝ TIT N123, ‘A prophecy of David, or one of the singers, concerning Solomon, or concerning the Messiah. And Kimchi acknowledgeth that this Psalm is expounded by many of them concerning the Messiah. Rashi applies it unto Solomon, as a prayer of David for him; whereof he gives this as the occasion: aw? Panmd a> n’an ΓΝῚ ΣΊΝῸΣ ny mw “pr ΤῚΣ Tp|yw wpwra, he prayed this prayer for his son Solomon, ‘ because he saw by the Holy Ghost that he would ask of God an heart to understand, and keep or do judgment.’ And although he endeavours vainly to apply ver. 5 unto his days, “ They shall fear thee as long as the sun and moon endure;” τὰς ver. K
7, “In his days shall the righteous flourish, and abundance of peace, my Ὁ ty, until there be no moon;” yet when he cometh unto those words, ver. 16, pana Ja nop ὙΠ), “There shall be an handful of corn in the earth,” he adds, ‘Our masters interpret this of the cates, or dainties, in the days of the Messiah, and expound the whole Psalm concerning Messiah the King’ And this he was forced unto, lest he should appear too openly to contradict the Talmudists, who frequently apply this Psalm unto him, and have long discourses about some passages in it, especially this 92 NDD, ver. 16, and WOW Pr τ 97, ver. 17, which are much insisted on by Martinus Raymundus, Petrus Galatinus, and. others.
The vulgar Latin for 72 ND, reads, erit firmamentum in terra, which I should suppose to be corrupted from frumentum; but that the LXX. who are followed also by other translations, as the Arabic and Ethiopic, read στηριγμα, firmamentum. And this some think to be corrupted from otrov dpaypa, ‘a handful of corn, which is very probable. Neither is the word nop any where else used in the Scripture, and may as well have something foreign in it, as come from DD* DOD. So also, ver. 17,2) is nowhere else used for sobolescet, or filiabit, as it is here rendered, from 12, ὦ son, which is but thrice used in that signification. In Gen. xxi. 23, by Abimelech, who was a Philistine, and in Job xvii. 19, by Bildad the Shuhite, an Arabian; and in Isa. xiv. 22, it is used concerning a son among the Chaldeans. These passages would argue it to be a foreign word: it is, therefore, properly used in a prophecy of the calling of the Gentiles, as this is. So, on the same subject, it is said, D’272T, chasmannim shall come to the Messiah, Ps. Ixviii. 32, which we render princes, and it may be such were intended; but the word seems to be Egyptian, for Hebrew it is not, though afterwards it was used among the Jews; whence the family of Mattathias were called Hasmoneans. But, to return, it is evident that in this Psalm, much light | was communicated unto the church of old, respecting the office, work, grace, compassion, and rule of the Messiah, with the calling and glorious access of the Gentiles unto him.
§ 25. There is mention, likewise, made of him in the Targum on Psa. Ixxx. 16, ‘The vineyard which thy right hand hath planted, 75 70378 ja-5y}, and on the branch thou hast made strong for thyself; so our translation. But all old translations, as the LX X. vulgar Latin, Syriac, interpret }2 not in analogy unto the preceding allegory of the vine, but from DIN"jA, ver 18, and render it, ἐπὶ vioy ἀνθρωπον, super filium hominis, ‘and upon the Son of man, whom thou madest strong for thyself’ Targum, Nmwa Nob Dy) 7 nn>rm, ‘and for the King Messiah whom thou hast strengthened, or fortified, for thyself. And we know how signally in the gospel he calls himself the Son of man; and among other names ascribed unto him, the Talmudists say, he is called jznnon, trom 1.2, a son. And ver. 18, he is expressly called DTN"jA2, the Son of man, whom thou madest strong for thyself. And hereunto doth Aben Ezra refer the j2 in the foregoing verse. And for that expression, 72° WN">Y TPN, ‘let thy hand be upon the man of thy right hand,’ he observes, ‘8229 ΠῪΞ YANN TP 55, ‘whenever Jad, the hand, that is the hand of God, hath Beth following it, it is for reproach or punishment unto them whom it respects; as Exod. ix. 3. ΡΞ TMT MAD NT, ‘Behold the hand of the Lord is upon thy cattle,’ that is, for their destruetion. And maw> sw nan 728 DN}, if Beth follow not, it is for praise or help; as Psa. exix. 173. ΠΡ JT “TN, ‘let thine hand help me, or be for my help. So that the words are a prayer for the Son of man; and as our Lord Christ was the Son of man, so he was the true vine, whereof the
Father is the husbandman, and his disciples the branches, John xv. 1—5. And he himself also was called out of Egypt, Matt. ii. 15, as was the vine spoken of in this Psalm; so that he who is afflicted in all the afflictions of his people, is principally intended in this prophetical Psalm. Aben Ezra would have the Son of man to be Israel; but not seeing how it can be well accommodated unto them, he adds, ‘The words may respect Messiah Ben Ephraim,’ an idol of their own setting up. But the Targum acknowledgeth the true Messiah here; for whose sake the church is blessed, and by whom it is delivered.
§ 26. The exth Psalm is a signal prophecy of him, describing his person, kingdom, priesthood, and the work of redemption wrought by him. But whereas sundry things in this Psalm are interpreted and applied unto the Lord Christ by our apostle in this Epistle unto the Hebrews, where they fall directly under our consideration, I shall here only briefly reflect on some of their own confessions; although it be a signal declaration of the faith of the church of old scarcely to be paralleled in any other place. Their more modern masters, indeed, observing how directly and openly this Psalm is applied unto the Lord Christ in the New Testament, and how plainly all the passages of it are accommodated unto the faith of Christians, concerning the office and work of Messiah, do endeavour their utmost to wrest it unto any other, as shall elsewhere be manifested. Yea, the Targum itself is here silent respecting the Messiah, for the very same reason, and perverts the whole Psalm to apply it unto David; and yet it is forced on ver. 4, to refer the things spoken of unto the world to come, or days of the Messiah. And the most of their masters, when they mention this Psalm occasionally, and mind not the controversy they have about it with Christians, do apply it unto him. So doth the Midrash Tehillim on Psa. 11. 7, and also on this Psalm, ver. 1, though they do endeavour there foolishly to wrest it unto Abraham. Ra. Saadias Gaon, on Dan. vii. 13, whose words are reported by Solomon Jarchi on Gen. xxxy. 8.—Ra. Arama on Gen. xy. as he is at large cited by Munster on this Psalm—Moses Haddarshan on Gen. xviil. 1.—Ra. Obediah on the place—all whose words it would be tedious here to report. It is sufficiently manifest, that they have an open conviction that this Psalm contains a prophecy concerning the Messiah; and what excellent things are revealed therein concerning his person and offices, we shall have occasion to declare in the exposition of the epistle itself, in which the most material passages of it are applied unto our Lord Jesus Christ.
§ 27. In the Targum on the Canticles also, there is frequent mention of the Messiah; as ch. 1. 8; iv. 5; vii. 14; vii. 1—4. But because the Jews are utterly ignorant of the true spiritual sense of that divine Song, and the Targum of it is a confused miscellany of things sufficiently heterogeneous, being a much later compilation than the most of those on the other books, I shall not particularly insist on the places cited, but content myself with directing the reader unto them. The like also may be said of Eceles. i. 11; vii. 25, where, without any occasion from the text, the mention of Messiah is importunely introduced by the 'Targumists.
§ 28. We are now entering on the prophets, of some of whom it was the principal work, to testify beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that was to follow, 1 Pet. i. 11. Ido not at all design to collect all that is foretold, promised, declared, and taught concerning him in them. Such a work would require more peace, leisure, and ability, than what in any kind IT enjoy. My intention is only to report some of the most eminent places,
concerning which we have the common suffrage of the J ews, in their general ‘application unto the Messiah. Among these, that of Isaiah, ch. il. 94, occurreth in the first place. ‘And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted in the top of the hills, and ali nations shall flow unto it: and many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob, and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths; for out οἵ Sion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people, and they shall beat their swords into ploughshares.’
The same prophecy is given out by Micah, in the same words, ch. iv. I—3. And by the common consent of the Jews, the Messiah is here intended, although he be not mentioned in the Targum. The Talmudical fable also, of the lifting up of Jerusalem three leagues high, and of the setting of Mount Moriah, on the top of Sinai, Carmel, and Tabor, which shall be brought together for that purpose, (mentioned in Midrash Tehillim, and in Baba Bathra; distinc. Hammocher,) is wrested from these words. But those also of them, who pretend to more sobriety, do generally apply them to the promised Messiah. Kimchi gives it fora rule, that that expression, ΠΡ ΤΙΝ Dar, ‘in the latter days, doth always denote the times of the Messiah, which I suppose, is not liable unto any exception. And as he giveth a tolerable exposition of the establishing of the mountain of the Lord on the top of the mountains, understanding by it that the glory of the worship of God should be exalted above all the false and idolatrous worship of the Gentiles, which they observed on mountains and high places; so concerning those words, ver. 4, D277 PA waw*, “He shall judge among the nations,” he saith, Mw 7> NIT vow, ‘ This Judge, or he that judgeth, is the King Messiah.’ The like also saith Aben Ezra on the same place, and Jarchi on the same words in the prophecy of Micah. And as this is true, so whereas Jehovah alone is mentioned in the foregoing verses, unto whom, and to no other, this expression can relate, how it is possible for them to deny that Messiah is the Lord the God of Jacob also; for undeniably it is he, concerning whom it is said, “that he shall judge among the nations:” and by their confession, that it is the Messiah who is the Shophet the Judge here intended, they are plainly convicted out of their own mouths, and their infidelity is condemned by themselves.
Abarbinel seems to have been aware of this entanglement, and therefore as he wrests the prophecy (by his own confession contrary to the sense of all other expositors) unto the times of the building of the second temple; so because he could not but see that one is spoken of who should judge among the nations, he makes it to be the house itself, wherein, as he says, ‘Thrones for judgment were to be erected; the vanity of which figment secures it from any further confutation. We have then evidently in these words, three articles of the faith of the ancient church concerning the Messiah; as, first, That as to his person, he should be God and man; the God of Jacob, who should in a bodily presence judge the people, and send forth the law among the nations, ver. 4. Secondly, That the Gentiles should be called unto faith in him, and to the obedience of his law, ver. 3. Thirdly, That the worship of the Lord in the days of the Messiah, should ἢ be far more glorious than at any time while the first temple was standing, for so it is foretold, ver. 2, and so our apostle proves it to be in his Epistle to the Hebrews. And this whole prophecy is not a little perverted by them, who apply it to the defeat of Resin and Pekah, when they came against Jerusalem; and who, in their annotations on the Scripture, whereby they have won to themselves a great reputation in the world, seldom depart from the sense of the Jews, unless it be where the Jews are in the right.
§ 29. Isa. iv. 2. “In that day shall the branch of the Lord be beauty and glory.” Targ., 7p->) TTD ST NT WN STP NTT NW, ‘at that time shall the Messiah of the Lord be for joy and honour.’ And this prophecy also is, by the most learned of the rabbins, applied unto the Messiah. Kimchi interprets T1728, the branch, by that of Jer. xxiii. 5. “I will raise up unto Dayid a righteous branch, a king shall reign and prosper.” Aben Ezra inclines unto them who would have Hezekiah to be intended; a Christian expositor refers the words to Ezra and Nehemiah upon the return from the captivity, on what grounds he doth not declare. Abarbinel having, as is his manner, always repeated the various expositions and opinions of others, adds at last, m>3 mT WTB Mw dy OMN WTP DANN, ‘others expound the words of the Messiah our righteousness: let him be speedily revealed.’ But they may also do well to consider, that the person here promised to be the beauty and glory of the church, by whom the remnant of Israel which are written in the book of life shall be saved, is the BRANCH of the Lord, and the fruit of the earth; which better expresseth his two natures in one person, than that he should be for a while a barren branch, and afterwards bear fruit in the destruction of Gog and Magog, which is their gloss on the words.
The illustrious prophecies concerning the name of the Messiah, Immanuel, and his being born of a virgin, ch. vii. & viii. must be handled apart afterwards, and vindicated from the exceptions of the Jews, and are therefore here omitted.
§ 30. Isaiah ix. 6. “ And his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, the mighty God, the everlasting Father, the prince of peace.” Targ. nix muy ΝΞΟ DIp yo mew “pny. And his name is called of old, Dp yo is the same with opt, Micah v. 2. Targ. jwaTp>; that is, as in the next words, from everlasting, from the days of eternity. For although Dp 719 be frequently used for ‘255%, from before the face or sight, as these words of the Targumist are vulgularly translated*, yet it is also used absolutely with reference unto time, and so there is no need that the following words should be regulated thereby. So is it twice used, as Prov. viii. 22. “ITD DIP 7), and before his works, that were wrought; that is, from eternity. And yer. 23, ΝΣ DIP 1}, and before the world. And in that sense is poipa always used; as Isa. xxiii. 7. Pesal. Ixxxyii. 2. Isa. xlvi. 10. And thus the words will yield a better sense than a facie admirabilis Consiliit Deus; or that which they are cast into by Seb. Munster, mirificantis consilium Deo fortissimo qui manet in secula. For there is no need, as we have seen, that the words should be cast into the Genitive case, by D1p 132. And although the Targumist rendereth yRY the participle, cownsellor, by the substantive MY, counsel, yet this hinders not but that it may express one of his names, ‘ Wonderful, Counsel, God; or, mirificans consilium Deus; or, ‘the God of wonderful coun- 561. One, from some of the Jews, takes another way to pervert these words. ‘ Consiliarius, Deus fortis, imo,’ saith he, ‘Consultator Dei fortis; 1. 6. Qui a See the translation in the Polyglott Bibles, where these words are rendered, A facie admirabilis Consilit Deus, which is blamed by Cartwright in his Mellificium, for not putting Deus in the Genitive case, as well as admirabilis, which indeed were rational, if D7p 12 were necessarily a facie.
in omnibus negotiis consilia a Deo poscet, per prophetas scilicet; whereby this clear and honourable testimony given unto the Deity of our Lord Jesus Christ, is weakened and impaired.
Again, the Targumist renders Np, be called, by pn, in a passive sense, which obviates the principal exception of the modern Jews, who interpret it actively, that it may be referred to God, the wonderful Counsellor, who shall call him the Prince of Peace. But as this is contrary to the Targum, so also to the use of the word in like cases, For this declaration of - the name of the child promised, answers the proclamation made of the name of God, Exod. xxxiv. 6, where ΝΡ is well rendered by ours and proclaimed, or, and there was proclaimed; the name following was sounded in his ears. Where the vulgar Latin translates the word actively, and applies it unto Moses: ‘Stetit Moses cum eo invocans nomen Domini, quo transeunte coram eo ait, Dominator Domine Deus: ‘ Moses stood with him calling on the name of the Lord, who passing by, he said, O mighty Ruler, Lord God.’ This translation both corrupts the proper sense of the words, and gives us that which is directly untrue; for it was not Moses, but God himself, who proclaimed that name, as it is said expressly that he would do, eh. xxxilii. 19, and as Moses himself afterwards pleaded that he had done, Numb. xiv. 17, 18. But this by the way, to obviate the Judaical sophism, that would make all the names in the text, unless it be the Prince of Peace, to precede the verb, and the verb to be actively understood.
§ 31. It follows in the Targum, *20% nodwt xmwn xvadyd mp ΝῚΞΣ mana Νοῦν. The words are variously rendered. Some refer N72 to ΝΙΝ, that goes before; so expressing them by Deus fortis, or fortissimus, ‘the mighty God.’ Others, as the translation in the Biblia Regia, and Londin. refer it to the words following, Νῦν orp, and render it by cir,
‘the man: vir permanens in wternum, ‘the man abiding for ever; but it doth not seem that this sense will hold, for although 8722 do signify a man, the same with the Hebrew 123, yet N723 is not so used, but only for fortis or fortissimus. 12>, the word used in the original, is applied to God and men; but here it seems to be joined with bx, and to signify, as by us translated, the mighty God, which the Targumist endeayoured also to express; and so by ΝΌΣΟΝ DYp, permanens in secula, abiding for ever, he rendereth yn, ‘the Father of eternity, significantly enough. Also ΝΙΤ is joined by some with ΝΘ, and rendered Messia Pacis, for pidw Ww, ‘the Prince of Peace; but this connexion of the words, those that follow will not well bear; wherefore, they place the name Messiah absolutely, and render the following words, ‘ whose peace shall be multiplied unto us in his days.’
§ 32. And with this testimony of their Targum, the present Jews ought to be pressed; for there are not many with which they find themselves more perplexed. And it would at the same time move compassion at their blindness, and indignation against their obstinacy, for any one seriously to consider how woefully they wrest the words, to make a tolerable application of them unto Hezekiah, to whom they would apply this prophecy. And on the occasion given us by the Targum, I shall take a little view of their sentiments on this place of the prophet. That of old they esteemed it a prophecy of the Messiah, not only the Targum, as we have seen, but the Talmud also doth acknowledge. Besides also, they manifest the same conviction in their futile traditions. In Tractat. Saned. Distine. Chelek, they have a tradition,’ that God thought to have made Hezekiah to be the Messiah, and Sennacherib to haye been Gog and Magog; but
ὙΠ ΠΤ, ‘the property of judgment, interposed, and asked why David rather was not made the Messiah, who had made so many songs to the praise of God? And Rabbi Hillel, as we shall see afterwards, contended that Israel was not any more to look for a Messiah, seeing they enjoyed him in Hezekiah. Now these vain traditions arose merely from the concessions of their old masters, granting the Messiah to be here spoken of, and from the craft of their later ones, wresting the words unto Hezekiah, thus casting them into such confusion, that they knew not what to say, nor believe; but let us see how they acquit themselves at last in this matter.
§ 33. Four things are here promised concerning this child, or son that should be given unto the church. 1. That the government should be on his shoulder. 2. That his name should be called Wonderful, Counsellor, the mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. 3. That of the increase of his government there should be no end. 4. That he should sit on the throne of Dayid to order it for ever. And we may see how well they accommodate these things unto Hezekiah, their endeavours being evidently against the faith of the ancient church, the traditions of their fathers, and, it may be feared, their own light and conviction.
First, The government shall be on his shoulder, saith Sol. Jarchi, because the rule and yoke of God shall be upon him in the study of the law. This pleaseth not Kimchi, as it is indeed ridiculous; and therefore he observeth, that mention is not made of the shoulder, but-with reference unto burden and weight: whence he gives this interpretation of the words, 7MNw ‘Dd may on sda ΠῚ 5 “ax yaw by aba “mm wr ἼΣΩΣ Jay mn mown xds wow ὃν, ‘Because Ahaz served the king of Assyria, and his burden was on his shoulder, he says of this child, he shall not be a servant with his shoulder, but the government shall be on him.’ And this, it seems, is all that is here promised, and this is all the concern of the church in this promise—Hezekiah shall not serve the king of Assyria. Neither is it true, that Ahaz served the king of Assyria under tribute; and it may seem rather that Hezekiah did so for a season, seeing it is expressly said, that he rebelled against him, and served him no more, 2 Chron. xviii. 7. Yea, he plainly did so, and paid him by way of tribute, three hundred talents of silver, and thirty talents of gold, 2 Kings xvii. 14. Aben Ezra passeth over this expression, without taking notice of it.
§ 34. Secondly, As to the name ascribed unto him, they are for the most part agreed, and unless that one evasion which they have fixed on will relieve them, they are utterly silent. Now this is, as was before declared, that the words are to be read, ‘ the Wonderful, Counsellor, the mighty God, the everlasting Father, shall call his name the Prince of Peace; so that the Prince of Peace only is the name of the promised child, all the rest are the name of God. But, 1. If words may be so transposed and shuffled together, as these are, in order to produce this sense, there will nothing be left certain in the Scripture; nor can they give any one instance of such a disposal of words as they fancy in this place. 2. The very reading of the words rejects this gloss, “‘ He shall call his name Wonderful.” 3. It is the name of the child, and not of God giving it to him, which is expressed for the comfort of the church. 4. What tolerable reason can be given for such an accumulation of names unto God in this place? 5. There is nothing in the least, not, any distinctive accent, to separate between the Prince of Peace, and the expressions foregoing, but the same person is intended by them all; so that it was not Hezekiah, but the mighty God himself, who in the Person of the Son was to be incarnate, that is here spoken of.
§ 35. Besides, on what account should Hezekiah so eminently be called the Prince of Peace? Ὁ Ww. A prince is never used in the Scripture, but he that is so called hath chief power and authority over that whereof he is the 1, prince, chief, or captain; as NAY W, is the general, or chief commander of the army, under whose command, and at whose disposal it is. By the Greeks it-is rendered, apxwv and ἀρχηγος; as the apostle calls our Lord Jesus Christ, ἀρχηγον τῆς ζωης, Acts xiii. 15, the Prince of Life; and apxnyov τῆς σωτήριας, Heb. ii. 10, ‘the Prince or Captain of salvation.’ Nor is the word once in the Old Testament applied unto any, but to one that had power and authority over that of which he was the WW, or prince, to give, grant, or dispose of it, as he thought meet. In what sense then can Hezekiah be called the Prince of Peace? ad he the power of peace of any sort in his hand? Was he the Lord of it? Was it at his disposal? The most of his reign was spent in war, first with his neighbours the Philistines, 2 Kings xviii. 8, and afterwards with the king of Assyria, who took all the cities of Judah, one or two only excepted, 2 Kings xviii. 13. And in: what sense shall he be called the Prince of Peace? The Rabbins, after their wonted manner of fetching any thing out of a word, whether it be aught to their purpose or no, answer, that it was because of that saying, Isa. xxxix. 8. “ For there shall be peace and truth in my days.” But this being spoken with respect unto the concluding part of his reign, and that only with reference unto the Babylonian captivity which was afterwards to ensue, is a sorry foundation to entitle him unto this illustrious name, the Captain, Prince, or Lord of Peace; which bespeaks one that had all peace in his power, and at his disposal. And peace, in the Scripture language, is all that is good or prosperous, both temporal and spiritual, in reference unto God and man. And yet this is the utmost that any of them pretend to give countenance unto this appellation.
§ 36. Abarninel, who heaps together the interpretations, conjectures and traditions of most that went before him, seems to agree with Kimchi in that of the government being upon his shoulder, because his father Ahaz sent M727, ὦ present unto the king of Assyria, but he did not; whereas, it is expressly said, that Hezekiah paid him tribute of three hundred talents of silver and thirty talents of gold, for the raising whereof he emptied his own treasures, and the treasures of the house of God, yea, and cut off the gold from the doors and pillars of the temple, 2 Kings xvii. 15, 16. He mentions also that other fancy of Rashi about the study of the law, and so leaves it. But in this of the name ascribed unto him, he would take another course; for finding Hezekiah in their Talmud. Tract. Saned. Perek Chelek, called by his masters, Maw ΤΙΣ bya, he who had eight names, as Sennacherib is also childishly there said to have had, he would in the first place ascribe all these names unto Hezekiah, giving withal such reasons of them, as I dare not be so importune on the reader’s patience as to transcribe; and then after he had ascribed this opinion to Jonathan the Targumist, and Rashi, he embraceth the other of Kimchi, before confuted. And yet he knows not how to abide by that either.
§ 37. Thirdly, How can it be said of Hezekiah, that of the increase of his government there should be no end; seeing he lived but four and fifty years, and reigned but twenty-five. And his own son Manasseh, who succeeded him, was carried captive into Babylon? But as unto this question, and that which follows, about his sitting upon the throne of David for ever, after they have puzzled themselves with the great mystery of Mem Clausum in 7125 05, they would have us to suppose that these words respect only the duration of the life of Hezekiah, though it be not possible that any other word should be used more significantly expressive of perpetuity.
Of the increase of his government, ΚΓ Ν no end, it shall be endless; and he shall rule DY“) ΠΙΠΡ 2, from hence, or now, and, unto for ever, for evermore.;
And thus by the vindication of this place from the Rabbinical exceptions, we have not only obtained our principal intention, about the promise of a deliverer, but also showed who, and what manner of person he was to be, even a child that was to be born, who should also be the mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace, whose rule and dominion was to endure for ever.
§ 38. Isaiah x. 27, ‘The yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing. Targum, STW DIP ja vay pan, ‘and the people shall be broken before the Messiah.’ And it may be some respect may be had in these words unto the promised seed, upon whose account the yoke of the oppressors of the church shall be broken; but the words are variously interpreted, and I shall not contend.
§ 39. Isaiah χὶ. 1. ‘And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots. Targum, nada pin SatNy “TIA 12279 NTPw) wT TID; ‘And a king shall come forth from the sons of Jesse, and Messiah shall be anointed from the sons of his sons;’ or from his posterity.
Ver. 6. ‘The wolf shall dwell with the Lamb. Targum, ‘my. ΝΝ ΝΞ Naw ΟΣ ἘΝ NIT wt, ‘In the days of the Messiah of Israel, peace shall be multiplied in the earth,—and the wolf shall dwell with the lamb.’ That this chapter contains a prophecy of the Messiah and his kingdom, and that immediately and directly, all the Jews confess; hence is that part of their usual song in the evening of the Sabbath.