V;

THE MESSIAH

THE GOSPELS

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THE MESSIAH

OF

THE GOSPELS

BY

CHARLES AUGUSTUS BRIGGS, D.D.
Io
EDWARD ROBINSON PROFESSOR OF BIBLICAL THEOLOGY IN THE
UNION 1HE0LOGICAL SEMINARY, NEW YORK

NEW YORK
CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS
1894

Copyright, 1894, by
CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS.

PRESS OF
EDWARD O, JENKINS' SON,
NEW YORK.

TO
HENRY PRESERVED SMITH, D.D.
TRUE SCHOLAR
FAITHFUL FRIEND
ANI)
BRAVE COMPANION IN HOLY WARFARE
(El)is Jjooli
IS DEDICATED IN SYMPATHY AND LOVE

PREFACE.
In the autumn of 1886 the volume entitled Messianic
Prophecy was published as the first of a series of volumes
upon the Messianic Ideal. As was stated in the Preface
to that volume : " It treats of Prophecy in general, of
Messianic Prophecy in particular, and then traces the
development of the Messianic idea in the Old Testa
ment, concluding with a summary of the ideal therein
unfolded. It will remain for a second volume to show
how far this ideal has been fulfilled by the first advent
of the Messiah, and how far it remained unfulfilled and
was taken up into New Testament Prophecy and carried
on to a higher stage of development, A third volume
should trace the history of the Messianic ideal in the
Christian Church, and show its importance in the de
velopment of Christian doctrine."
It was my intention at that time to publish the second
volume of the series a short time after the first. The
material had already been gathered and it was put in
the form of a volume in the summer of 1888. But the
Revision movement in the Presbyterian Church in the U.
S. A. made it a duty to take my share in that great
ecclesiastical struggle. Some of the fruits of these
labors appeared in the volumes, Whither, 1889 ; and How
Shall We Revise, 1890. The Revision movement had as
its sequel a long struggle against ecclesiastical domina
tion and in behalf of the right of Biblical Criticism and
of the fountains of authority in Religion. The fruits
(vii)

VII l PREFACE
of my labors during this period will be found in several
volumes: The Authority of Holy Scripture, 1891 ; The
Bible, the Church, and the Reason, 1892 ; The Higher
Criticism of the Hexateuch, 1893 ; The Defence of Prof .
Briggs before the Presbytery of New York, 1893 ; The
Case against Dr. Briggs, Parts I. — III., 1 892-1 893.
I now return with gladness to the more important and
more profitable task which was undertaken prior to these
ecclesiastical controversies. In the meanwhile my work
on the Messianic ideal of the New Testament has not
been neglected. I have gone over the field with many suc
cessive classes of theological students, and have so
greatly increased my own knowledge of the subject that
I am thankful that the publication of the work has been
so long delayed. On the one hand I feel that my
knowledge would be greatly enriched by still further de
lay. On the other hand I have a contribution to make
to a better understanding of the subject, and it seems
to me that the time has come for me to make it.
The work will appear in two volumes. These will be
published separately, and they may be used apart, al
though the one is a sequel to the other and both of
them sequels to the volume on Messianic Prophecy.
The first of these volumes, which is now offered to the
public, treats of the Messianic ideas of pre-Christian
Judaism, and of the Messiah of the Gospels. The second
volume, to be published early in 1895, will discuss the
Messianic ideas of the Jews of the New Testament times
and the Messiah of the Epistles and the Apocalypse.
No one can feel more deeply than the author how far
short he falls of his own ideals and how many mysteries
still envelop the person and work of our Lord and Sav
iour to him as to others; but he is assured that, guided
by the teachings of Christ and His apostles, he has caught

PREFACE ix
glimpses of the Christ of the throne and of the Second
Advent, which he did not learn from his theological
teachers or from the writings of his predecessors or con
temporaries. He is convinced that the faith of the
Church of the day is defective in its lack of apprehen
sion of the reigning Christ and in its neglect of the Second
Advent of our Lord.
The Catholic faith of Christ's Church is expressed in
the earliest of the creeds, that which bears the name of
the Apostles. The proportions of that faith have been
destroyed in most of the modern systems of dogmatic
theology, which exaggerate one third of its clauses
and depreciate or neglect two-thirds of them. This
creed is Christological. It gave me great pleasure, after
I had completed my work, to find that every one of the
clauses of the Catholic creed is included in the matters
that must be discussed in the study of the Messiah of
the New Testament.
The faith of the Apostolic Church was fixed upon the
Messiah enthroned at the right hand of God, ruling over
the Church, and soon to come in visible presence to re
ward the faithful and to condemn and punish the un
faithful and the wicked. This is the normal Christian
attitude at all times, looking upward to the enthroned
Christ and looking forward to His Parousia.
The Christian Church of Western Europe, under the
influence of the Augustian theology, has been looking
backward and downward instead of upward and forward.
In the doctrine of God it has been grubbing in the
eternal Decree. In the doctrine of man it has been dis
secting the corpse of the first Adam and searching for
the germs of the disease of original sin which slew him
and all our race. Accordingly, religion has been sad,
gloomy, and sour. In the doctrine of Christ it has been

x PREFACE
living in Passion week, following the stations of the
cross, and bowing in penitence before the crucifix. This
is a very inadequate and one-sided Christianity. This
is not the Christian faith of the Apostles. It is not that
form of Christian theology which is to transform the
world. There is an eternal Decree, yes, but its essential
content for us is its final aim, that we may be conformed
to the image of God's Son that '' He might be the first
born among many brethren." There is original sin in
the first Adam. It is a terrible reality. But it has
been annulled and destroyed once for all and forever
in the Second Adam. " For as through the one man's
disobedience the many were made sinners, even so
through the obedience of the One shall the many be
made righteous."
We must be buried by baptism into the death of the
crucified, but the burial for the Messiah and His people
alike does not accomplish its purpose until God has
quickened us together with Christ and raised us up with
Him and made us to sit with Him in the heaven
ly places in Christ Jesus. As Bishop Westcott well
says : " The crucifix with the dead Christ obscures
our faith. Our thoughts rest not upon a dead,
but upon a living Christ." And so the late Prof. Milligan
says: "No doubt the crucifix is to thousands upon
thousands a spiritual help, and the figure of our Lord
upon the cross preaches to them of the love of God with
a power which the words of men can rarely, if ever,
equal. Yet the empty cross is to be preferred as being
a symbol, not a representation ; as symbolizing, more
over, the resurrection as well as the death of the Re
deemer. He has borne the cross and passed from it for
ever." With these eminent representatives of the
modern Anglican and Presbyterian communions I must

PREFACE xj
express my entire agreement as the result of my study
of the Christ of the Gospels and the Christ of the
Apostles. The cross stained with the blood drops of our Re
deemer is the most sacred symbol of our holy religion.
Let it crown all our churches ! Let it lead all our pro
cessions ! Let it be worn on the hearts of all Christian
people ! But it is precious not because it points
downward to death and the grave, but because it ever
points upward to the living Christ who was lifted on
that cross in order to be lifted thereby higher to His
heavenly throne, to reign there as the one Mediator be
tween God and man, whose pierced hands and feet and
side, the scars of that cross, are the eternal pledges of
His victory over Law and Sin and Death, and of the jus
tification, sanctification, and glorification which He has
won for our race and which He is graciously bestowing
upon His kingdom.

CONTENTS. I.
The Messianic Idea in Pre-Christian Judaism, p. i.
(i) The Palestinian Messianic idea, p. 4 ; (2) The Advent of the
Apocalypse of Enoch, p. 9 ; (3) The Seventy Shepherds, p. 1 2 ;
(4) The Ten Ages, p. 14; (5) The Earliest Sibylline Oracle,
p. 16 ; (6) The Son of Man of the Similitudes of Enoch,
p. 23 ; (7) The Messiah of the Psalter of Solomon, p. 31 ; (8)
The Hellenistic Messianic idea, p. 36 ; (9) The Messianic
ideas of the Jewish sects, p. 38.
II.
The Messianic Idea of the Forerunners of Jesus, p. 41.
(10) The Songs of Annunciation, p/43 ; (11) The Songs of the
Mothers, p. 54; (12) The Songs of the Fathers, p. 56 ; (13)
The Herald of the Messiah, p. 63.
III.
The Messiah of Mark, p. 70.
(14) The Son of God, p. 75; (1 5) The Kingdom at hand, p. 78 ; (16)
The Authority of the Son of Man, p. 80 ; (17) The Parables
of the Kingdom, p. 87 ; (18) Jesus recognized as Messiah,
p. 92 ; (19) The Resurrection and the Second Advent,
p. 94; (20) The Transfiguration, p. 100; (21) The Kingdom
of the Childlike, p. 101 ; (22) The Son of Man is a Ransom,
p. 107 ; (23) The Messiah claims His Own, p. 112 ; (24) The
Rejected Corner-Stone, p. 114; (25) The Lord of David,
p. 118; (26) Ere another Communion Meal, p. 120 ; (27) The
Rejected Shepherd, p. 125; (28) The Rejected Messiah,
p. 126 ; (29) The Messiah's Death and Resurrection, p. 128.
(xiii)

xiv THE MESSIAHIV.
The Apocalypse of Jesus, p. 132.
(30) The Prelude, p. 136; The Inquiry, p. 137; The Negative
Answer as to the Time, p. 140 ; The Positive Answer as to
the Time, p. 143 ; The Sign of the Destruction of Jerusalem
and the Temple, p. 147 ; The Sign of the Second Advent,
p. 151; The Relation of the Signs to the Advent, p. 156;
Exhortation to Watch, p. 163. V.
The Messiah of Matthew, p. 166.
(31) Jesus superior to Temptation, p. 166 ; (32) The Righteous
ness of the Kingdom, p. 171; (33) The Messiah's Credentials,
p. 176 ; (34) The Kingdom which had come upon them,
P-J79! (35) The Kingdom Nigh, p. 181 ; (36) The Sign of the
Prophet Jonah, p. 186 ; (37) The Rock Peter, p. 189 ; (38)
The disciple like the Master, p. 195 ; (39) The Kingdom
the Supreme Quest, p. 202 ; (40) The Judgment of the
Kingdom, p. 206 ; (41) The Obstructions to the Kingdom,
p. 211 ; (42) The Head of the Corner, p. 21 5 ; (43) Watching,
p. 218; (44) The Royal Judgment, p. 221; (45) The Re
wards of the Kingdom, p. 227 ; (46) The Great Commission,
p. 228.
VI.
The Messiah of Luke, p. 233.
(47) The Son of God, p. 233 ; (48) The Rejected Prophet, p. 236 ;
(49) The Guilt of rejecting the Gospel, p. 238 ; (50) The In
visible Kingdom, p. 244; (51) The Lesser Apocalypse of
Jesus, p. 246 ; (52) The Shining forth of the Kingdom,
p. 249 ; (53) The Woes of Jerusalem, p. 251 ; (54) The Risen
Messiah, p. 252 ; (55) The Power from on High, p. 254.

CONTENTS xv
VII.
The Messiah of John, p. 257.
(56) The Messiah in Glory, p. 257 ; (57) The Sign of the New-
Temple, p. 259 ; (58) The Kingdom of the Heaven-born,
p. 261 ; (59) The Exalted Messiah, p. 266 ; (60) Universal
Worship, p. 271 ; (61) The Father's own Son, p. 273 ; (62)
The Bread from Heaven, p. 277 ; (63) Rivers of Living
Water, p. 281 ; (64) The Light of the World, p. 282; (65)
The Good Shepherd, p. 284 ; (66) The Seed and the Fruit,
p. 287; (67) The Paraclete, p. 288; (68) The Kingdom of
the Truth, p. 304 ; (69) Lord and God, p. 306 ; (70) The
Martyrdom of Simon, p. 307.
VIII.
The Messiah of the Gospels, p. 309.
The Day of Yahweh, p. 310; The Advent of Yahweh, p. 313;
The Father and the Shepherd, p. 314; The Promised Land,
p. 315 ; The Messianic King, p. 316 ; The Kingdom of God,
p. 324; The Holy Priesthood, p. 328; The Ideal Man,
p. 328 , Victory over Evil, p. 329 ; The Faithful Prophet,
p. 329; The New Covenant, p. 332; The Second Advent,
P- 333-

THE MESSIAH OF THE GOSPELS.

CHAPTER I.
THE MESSIANIC IDEA IN PRE-CHRISTIAN JUDAISM.
The Jewish people did not cease to produce a rich
and varied religious literature, consisting of history,
poetry, wisdom, and prophecy, during their subjection
to the Greek and Roman yoke. The various types of
character and schools of thought, which are represented
in the sacred writings of the Jewish canon of the Old
Testament, did not cease with the prophet Malachi in
the Persian period, as the uncritical traditional opinion
of former times supposed. These types and schools
perpetuated themselves in numerous writings deep down
into the Greek period, and even into the Roman period
and the times of the New Testament. After the fixing
of the canon of the Pentateuch by the priestly lawyers
and narrators, who were especially active during the
exile and the early years of the Restoration, the priestly
school produced the memorials of Ezra and Nehemiah
in the Persian period, and the work of the chronicler in
the Greek period. The priestly tendency passed over

2 THE MESSIAH
into the schools of the scribes and renewed its life in
oral traditional instruction, which found little expression
in literature until the second century of the Christian
era. The prophetic tendency, after the fixing of the
canon of the former and latter prophets, was active in
pseudepigrapha and in historical didactic stories such
as the books of Daniel, Esther, and Ruth, which found
their way into the third canon ; and in a great number
of other pseudepigrapha and didactic stories, some of
which were taken up into the apocryphal books of the
Hellenistic canon, a still larger number remaining in an
uncertain condition outside the collection of sacred
books of the Hebrew and Hellenistic Scriptures, but
making their way, in part, into the Ethiopic and other
ancient versions of the Old Testament Scriptures, and,
in part, into canonical recognition in the private opinion
of certain early Christian writers.
The writings of the third Hebrew canon also repre
sent the lyric type of the Psalter and Lamentations, and
the type of Wisdom in the books of Proverbs, Job, Song
of Songs, and Ecclesiastes. Both of these types had a
long literary development. The Psalter embraces many
psalms from the Greek period, and a considerable num
ber of Maccabean psalms. The Wisdom Literature
includes Ecclesiastes, which belongs to the Greek period.
These were taken up into the third canon. But other
writings of the same types were subsequently composed,
some of which appear in the Apocrypha, others among
the Pseudepigrapha. The lines between the canonical
and the extra-canonical writings were drawn by the
pious judgment of those who fixed the several success
ive canons. The judgment of later ages has in the
main confirmed these lines, although there are some
writings with regard to which opinion has fluctuated.

OF PRE-CHRISTIAN JUDAISM 3
In general it may be said that the extra-canonical writ
ings do not exhibit the pure Biblical types. The
writers, unrestrained by divine inspiration, were de
flected from the normal lines of Biblical development
by various influences bearing upon them, either from
internal weaknesses and defects of Jewish disposition
and character, or from the religious ideas of the Per
sians or the Greeks, which became the historical environ
ment of their thinking and of their life.
Hellenistic culture was spread over the Orient by the
conquests of Alexander and propagated in the king
doms of his successors by Greek officials and colonists.
This culture attracted not a few of the Jews in Syria,
Palestine, and especially in Egypt, by its wealth of
beauty and richness of thought. The two centuries
divided by the advent of the Messiah are those in which
this type of thought became powerful. It idealized the
Messianic promise, and resolved the person of the Mes
siah and His kingdom into the mystic and hazy hope of
a better and more ethical future.
Persian religious ideas seem to have had little influence
during the period of the Persian domination ; but in the
Greek period these made their influence felt in a direction
contrary to that of the Greek culture, especially among the
Jews remaining on the east of the Euphrates and in its
broad valley. The prophetic times were reduced to
definite numbers, and the person of the Messiah was
resolved into a series of human saviours. These ideas
came into Palestine in connection with the Maccabean
revolution, and subsequently in the rise and predomi
nance of the zealots among the Jews.
The internal weakness of Jewish character disclosed
itself in the tendency to overlook the spiritual ele
ments of the Messianic idea and to hope for the restora-

4 THE MESSIAH
tion of the kingdom to Israel, with all the worldly pros
perity that seemed involved therein. The Messiah, the
Son of David, who is not so prominent in the last period
of the Messianic promise of the Old Testament as He
was during the existence of the Hebrew monarchy, was
crowded into the background or else forgotten, and the
common desire of the nation, especially in times undis
turbed by revolutionary efforts on the one hand or of
persecution on the other, was for the judicial interposi
tion of God Himself.
The Biblical Messianic idea was not altogether forgot
ten. It was retained, and found expression in several
writings which adhered closely to the Biblical models.
But these were overwhelmed by the mass of literature
and the weight of opinion, which were constantly lead
ing the nation away from the pure Messianic ideals of
the Old Testament. THE PALESTINIAN MESSIANIC IDEA.
§ I. The stricter Palestinian Judaism fixed its hopes
upon the triumph of Israel through divine intervention
and judgment. Elijah was to return and restore the
tribes of Israel. The kingdom of David was" to be revived.
Jerusalem was to be rebuilt of precious stones and become
the everlasting abode of God and His people. All nations
would become tributary. There would be an everlasting
covenant. One of the latest writings of the Old Testament
was doubtless the book of Ecclesiastes, a product of
the type of Hebrew wisdom, written by an unknown
author of the Greek epoch. The first writing of
the apocryphal literature was of the same type. It
is called the book of Ecclesiasticus, or the Wisdom of

OF PRE-CHRISTIAN JUDAISM 5
Sirach.1 There is no Messianic prophecy in the book
of Ecclesiastes. We could hardly expect any in Eccle-
siasticus. " It represents an orthodox but moderate and
cold Judaism, before there were either Pharisees or
Sadducees." 2
There are, however, in the section on the ancient
worthies, several passages referring to the ancient cove
nants with their Messianic ideals. Those mentioned
are the covenants with Noah,3 Abraham,4 Aaron,' Phine-
has,6 David.' And there is an important passage which
seems to set forth the author's own Messianic ideal.
In a long eulogy of Elijah he refers to the prediction of
Malachi respecting Elijah, which he paraphrases :
Who wast written of in reproofs for set times,
To pacify wrath before rage,
To turn the heart of father to son,
And to restore the tribes of Jacob.
Blessed is he that hath seen thee and died.
Yet he will not die, he will fully live.8 (xlviii. io-n.)
The Syriac paraphrases the first line " who is destined
to come before the day of the Lord cometh," and gives
the correct interpretation. Elijah was to come before

i The book was composed in Hebrew and translated into Greek by the grand
son of the author. There is also a Syriac version from a Hebrew original, and
many other versions have been translated from these. The translations only
have been preserved, but these help to restore the Hebrew original. Authori
ties differ as to the time of composition of the book. It is assigned to 180 B.C.
by De Wette, Ewald, Dillmann, Drummond, and Cheyne. But Scholtz, Vai-
hinger, and Keil place it as early as 260 B.C. Edersheim conjectures that the
original work was written about 235 B.C., Schiirerputs it between 190 and 170 B.C.
3 Edersheim, Ecclesiasticus in Apocrypha, ii. , p. 2. London, 1888.
3 xliv. 18. 4 xliv. 21-23. 6 x'v- 7- ° x'v- 24- ' xlv- 25 I x'v"- IT-
s I agree with Edersheim in preference for the Syriac text of lines 5 and 6,
which is more consistent than the Greek, and which gives better rhythm and fine
antithesis.

6 THE MESSIAH
the day of the Lord, the judgment day. He was taken
up in a chariot and whirlwind of fire to heaven. He
will return to accomplish his predicted mission, and that
man will be happy who has the privilege of seeing him
before he dies. He will enjoy the fulness of life.
The first book of Maccabees ' knows nothing more of
the Messianic idea than the ancient promises of the
everlasting priesthood of Phinehas and the everlasting
kingdom of David.2 The story of Judith3 brings into
prominence the day of judgment. In her song of thanks
giving Judith concludes with these words :
Woe to the nations that rise up against my kindred !
The Lord Almighty will take vengeance on them in the day of
judgment,
Putting fire and worms into their flesh
And they will feel them and weep forever.4
It is evident that the author has in mind the judgment
scene of the great prophet of the exile,5 the rotting, burn
ing carcasses of the wicked outside the holy city in the
valley of Hinnom."
The second book of Maccabees ' has no trace of the
Messianic idea except in the expectation of the fulfilment

1 The first book of Maccabees was written in Hebrew and translated into
Greek. It is assigned by Ewald to 105 B.C., by Grimm to 105-64 B.C., by West
cott to 120-100 B.C., by Rawlinson to 116-106 B.C.
2 "• 54, 57-
a The book of Judith was written by a Palestinian Jew in Hebrew and was
translated into Greek. The translation only has been preserved. The date is
uncertain. It is assigned to 79-70 B.C. by Ball, to 131-129 B.C. by Ewald.
* xvi. 17. s Isaiah lxvi. 24.
o Ball renders the last line on the partial authority of Vulgate and Syriac,
" burn in evil forever."
' This is an epitome of a larger work written in Greek by Jason of Cyrene
not long after 160 B.C. This work was also written in Greek not much later
than the original. It is assigned by critics to the latter part of the second cen
tury or the first half of the first century B.C.

OF PRE-CHRISTIAN JUDAISM >7
of the promise : " He will shortly have mercy upon us,
and gather us together out of every land under heaven
into the holy place." ]
Tobit,' in his prayer, praises the Lord in His prom
ises respecting the glorious future of Jerusalem :
O Jerusalem ! city of the Holy One,3
He will scourge thee for thy children's works,
And will have mercy again on the sons of the just.
Praise the Lord aright,4
And bless the king of the ages,
In order that his tabernacle may be built in thee again with joy,
And to make joyful the captives in thee.
And to love the miserable in thee,
Unto all generations of the age.
Many nations from afar will come
Unto the name of the Lord God,
Having gifts in their hands,
Even gifts to the king of heaven.
Generations of generations will give thee great joy.
Cursed will be all who hate thee ;
Blessed will be all who love thee (for ever).
Rejoice and be glad for the sons of the just,
Fer they will be gathered together and bless the Lord of the
just.
O blessed are those who love thee,
They will rejoice in thy peace.
Blessed are they who have been sorrowful for all thy scourges ;

i ii. iS.
' The book of Tobit was written by a Palestinian Jew in Hebrew. The
original has been lost and only translations are preserved. Great differences
exist among critics as to its time of composition. Graetz, Neubauer, and Rosen
thal ascribe it to the time of Hadrian. It is assigned by Ewald to the fourth
century B.C., by Fuller to the second century B.C., by Vaihinger to the first cen
tury B.C. It may be appropriately used in this place so far as the Messianic idea
is concerned.3 The LXX. Trdlig aylov sustained by the Vulgate civitas Dei is better than
the " holy city" of A. V. after the Itala.
* dyadag of the LXX. is sustained by the Vulgate in bonis tuis, and the Itala
in bono, and is preferable to the variant b-i ayaSdc.

3 THE MESSIAH
For they will rejoice in thee when they have seen all thy glory,
And my soul will be glad forever.1
Let it bless God the great king.
For Jerusalem will be built (up) with sapphires and emeralds,
And thy walls with precious stones,
And thy towers and battlements with pure gold,
And the streets of Jerusalem with beryl and carbuncle,
And with stone of Ophir they will be paved ;
And all her streets will say Alleluia,
And will praise, saying, Blessed be God,
Who hath exalted her for all ages. (xiii. 9-18.)
This prayer of Tobit combines elements from the
Old Testament prophets, especially from the great
prophet of the exile.2
Tobit on the bed of death encourages his son with
the Messianic promise :
And again God will have mercy upon them.
And bring them again into the land ;
And they will build the house, not as the former, •
Until the times of the ages be fulfilled ;
And afterward they will return from their captivities,
And will build Jerusalem gloriously;
And the house of God in it will be built gloriously.
As the prophets have spoken thereof ;
And all nations will turn
To truly fear the Lord God,
And they will bury their idols ;
And all nations will bless the Lord,
And his people will confess God ;
And the Lord will exalt his people,
And all who love the Lord God
Will rejoice in truth and righteousness,
Shewing mercy to their brethren, (xiv. 5-7.)
This passage does not go beyond the predictions of

1 V i>vxfl pov belongs with this line rather than the following, and the singular
ifpaM/aerai of several codices is preferable.
2 Isaiah liv. 11-12 ; Ix. 1-3.

OF THE APOCALYPSE OF ENOCH 9
the prophets as to the restoration of Israel and Jerusa
lem. It distinguishes, however, between a partial return
and an inferior temple, and a complete return and a glo
rious temple such as the prophets have predicted. The
author clearly saw that the temple of Zerubbabel and
the return in the times of the Persians did not corre
spond with the ideals of the prophets.
THE ADVENT OF THE APOCALYPSE OF ENOCH.
§ 2. God comes to Mount Sinai with myriads of holy
ones to hold judgment. The earth will be transformed,
the wicked destroyed, the righteous blessed. The righteous
will eat and drink and beget each a thousand children.
The earth will become exceedingly fruitful and will be
free from -misery.
The book of Enoch was written originally in Hebrew.
It has been preserved in part in a Greek revision, but
chiefly in an Ethiopic version, which was first given to
the modern world by Laurence. It has an original
nucleus about which several writings have clustered, the
remnants of a larger literature assigned to. Enoch. The
two chief parts are the Similitudes, ch. xxxvii.-lxxi., and
the Apocalypse, ch. i.-xxxvi., lxxii.-civ., by different au
thors. Ewald and Dillmann give the priority to the Sim
ilitudes, placing them in the second century B.C., and
assigning the Apocalypse to the latter part of the same
century, or the earlier part of the first century B.C.
But Langen, Schiirer, and most critics assign the Simili
tudes to the close of the first century B.C., and regard
the Apocalypse as older.1

1 Vernes, however, places them in the Christian era, and thinks the Apoca
lypse belongs to the time of John Hyrcanus, no B.C. Schodde assigns the
Apocalypse to a time prior to 160 B.C., and the Similitudes to the reign of
Herod.

10 THE MESSIAH
Charles ' analyzes as follows : I. Chaps, i.-xxxvi. writ
ten prior to 170 B.C., on the basis of Is. lxv.-lxvi., the
oldest section. 2. Chaps. Ixxxiii.-xc. written between
166-161 B.C., mainly from the same standpoint as Daniel.
3. Chaps, xci.-civ. written between 134-94 B.C., or pos
sibly, 104-94 B.C. 4. The Similitudes, chaps, xxxvii-
lxx., written between 94-79 or 70-64 B.C. 5. The book
of Celestial Physics, chaps. Ixxii.-lxxviii., Ixxxii., lxxix.,
date unknown. 6. Noachian and other interpolations,
before the Christian era, chiefly from an older Noachian
apocalypse.2 We cannot go into the details of the
criticism. It is sufficient for our purpose to distinguish
the parts containing the Messianic material. It seems
to be evident that the Similitudes were earlier than the
Psalter of Solomon, and that they were later than the
other sections of the book.
The Apocalypse opens with a judgment scene which is
based on the. theophany described in the Blessing of
Moses.3 Concerning the elect I spake, and uttered a parable concern
ing them. The Holy and Great One, the God of the world, will
come from His abode. And from there He will step on Mount
Sinai and appear with His hosts, and, appear in the strength of
His power from heaven. And all will fear and the watchers will
tremble, and great fear and terror will seize them unto the ends
of the earth. And the lofty mountains will be shaken and the
high hills will sink down, and will melt like wax before the
flame. And the earth will sink down and everything that is on
the earth will be destroyed, and there will be a judgment upon
everything, and upon all the righteous. But to the righteous
He will give peace and will protect the elect, and mercy will abide
1 Book of Enoch, p. 26 seq. 1893.
2 vi. 3-8 ; viii 1-3 ; ix. 7 ; a. 1-3,11 ; xvii.-xx. ; xxxix. 1, 2a ; xii. 3-8 ; xliii.-
xliv.; liv. 7-lv. 2; Ivi. 5-lvii. 3a; 1., lix.-lx.; lxv.-lxix. 25 ; Ixxi.; lxxx.-lxxxi. ;
xc. 15 ; xci. n | xciii. n-14 ; xcvi. 2 ; cv.-cvii.
» Deut. xxxiii. 2.

OF THE APOCALYPSE OF ENOCH \\
over them, and they will all belong to God, and will be prosperous
and blessed, and the light of God will shine upon them. And
behold, He comes with myriads of His holy ones to hold judg
ment upon them, and He will destroy the ungodly, and will
call all flesh to account for everything the sinners and ungodly
have done and ungodly committed against Him.1 (i. 3-9.)
The judgment is a theophany of God which throws all
nature into convulsions, and mankind and angels into
terror. Mount Sinai is the place of judgment. The
earth will be transformed at the advent. All will be
judged, the righteous will be rewarded, and the wicked
will be destroyed.
The Apocalypse also gives an account of the judg
ment of the angels who seduced the daughters of men.2
They are bound under the earth for seventy genera
tions until the day of their final judgment, the last judg
ment for all eternity. In those days they will be led
away into the fiery abyss. In misery and prison they
will be shut up for all eternity.3
And then will all the righteous escape and remain in life until
they beget a thousand children, and all the days of their youth
and their sabbath will they accomplish in peace. And in those
days the entire earth will be cultivated in righteousness and will
all be planted with trees, and will be full of blessings. And all
the trees of pleasure will be planted on it, and vines will be
planted on it. The vine planted on it will bear fruit in abun
dance, and from all the seeds sown thereon, one measure will
give ten thousand, and one measure of olives will give ten presses
of oil.4 And cleanse thou the earth from all oppression, and from
all unrighteousness, and from all sin, and from all godlessness,
and from all uncleanness which is wrought upon the earth :
destroy them from off the earth. And all the children of men
will become righteous, and all nations will offer me adoration and
praise, and all will worship me. And the earth will be cleansed

1 Quoted Jude 14-15. * Gen- vi- I_4.
3 Enoch x. 12, 13; cf. Is. xxiv. 21, 22. * cf. Is. lxv. 20-25.

12 THE MESSIAH
from all corruption and from all sin and from all punishment
and all misery,1 and I will never again send a deluge upon it
from generation to generation for ever. (x. 17-22.)
The author connects the judgment of the deluge with
the ultimate judgment after the manner of the ancient
prophets. Charles thinks that the reference to the deluge
comes from a corrupt MS., but he does not present suffi
cient evidence for his opinion. The doctrine of future
blessedness is based on the representation of Isaiah and
the great prophet of the exile, but is less refined and less
spiritual in conception.
This is all that we have of the Messianic idea in this
earliest section of the Apocalypse, and it is essentially
true to the Old Testament idea. A later section of the
Apocalypse is richer in material.
THE SEVENTY SHEPHERDS.
§ 3. God will set up His throne in Jerusalem and judge
evil angels and wicked men, casting them successively into
the abyss of fire. The Messiah appears at the head of
His people. They are white sheep ; he a white bull. The
old temple is removed and a new and more glorious one
put in its place. The sheep are transformed into cattle
and the Messiah into a gigantic yore ox. Israel will be
honored and obeyed by all nations.
Seventy shepherds have charge of the flock of Israel
from the destruction of Jerusalem until the judgment,
when they are cast into the abyss of fire. These are
subdivided into 12 + 23 + 23 + 12,2 after the model of the
seventy weeks of Daniel 7 + 62 + 1.8 They are regarded
by Ewald and others as representing heathen monarchs
who held Israel under their dominion. But Hoffman
1 Is. xi. 6-9. ¦' Chap. Ixxxix. 59 seg. Dan. ix. 25-27.

OF THE APOCALYPSE OF ENOCH 13
Schurer, Charles, and others rightly hold that they are
angel princes, after the method of the angel princes of
Daniel ' and the Septuagint version of the Song of Moses,2
because the heathen monarchs are represented as beasts
in the context. The judgment is described as follows.
A throne was set up in the lovely land and the Lord
of the sheep sat down thereon, and all the sealed books
were opened before the Lord of the sheep. The judg
ment was first upon the stars [the evil angels] ; they are
found guilty and are sent unto the place of punishment,
and are cast into a deep place full of flaming fire and
pillars of fire. Then the seventy shepherds (the evil
angel princes) are judged and found guilty, and also cast
into that fiery abyss. Then a similar deep place in the
middle of the earth was opened full of fire, and the
blinded sheep (wicked men) were brought together and
all judged and found guilty and cast into that fiery abyss
and burned.3 This abyss was at the right of the house
(the temple), just as in the great prophet of the exile
Gehenna is the place of refuse outside the city.4
And I saw the sheep burning and their bones burning. And
I stood up in order to see until he wrapt up that old house, and
removed all its pillars ; and all its beams and decorations were
at once rolled up with it, and it was taken away and put in a
place in the south of the land. And I saw the lord of the sheep
until he brought a new house greater and higher than that first
one, and put it in the place of the first that had been rolled up.
All its pillars were new, and its decorations were new and larger
than those of the first house which he had taken away, and the
lord of the sheep was therein. And I saw all the sheep that re
mained over, and all the beasts of the earth, and all the birds of
heaven, how they fell down and sought the favour of those
sheep and supplicated them and obeyed them in everything.
(xc. 27-30.)

1 Dan. xii. 1. 2 Deut. xxxii. 8. 3 ::c. 20-26. *ls. lxvi. 24.

14 THE MESSIAH
Those sheep were all white and th&ir wool large and
pure. The Messiah now appears.1 He was born a white
bull with great horns, and all the beasts of the field and
all the birds of heaven fear and supplicate him at all
times. All the sheep are at last transformed into white
oxen, and the first of them becomes a great animal,
probably a gigantic bull 2 having large black horns upon
his head, and the lord of the sheep rejoices over them.
The Messiah has little place in this prediction and little
to do. The Messianic idea is more external and carnal
than in the Similitudes. This is still more the case in
the sections relating to the corruption of the earth
through the intercourse of fallen angels with the daugh
ters of mankind now to be considered.3
THE TEN AGES.
§ 4. The duration of the world is divided into ten peri
ods of sevens, the last three of which are times of advanc
ing judgment. In the first of these the wicked are given
into the hands of the righteous, in the second there is a
righteous judgment of the entire world and the banish
ment of evil from the earth. In the tenth week the evil
angels are judged with the judgment for eternity ; the
old heavens vanish and new heavens appear with lumina
ries shining with sevenfold brilliancy. Then will follow
innumerable periods of righteousness.
The book of Enoch contains a little apocalypse, xci.-
xciv., that has been interpolated by a later writer or
editor in the original apocalypse. The editor has de-

1 Chap. xc. 32 seq.
2 The Greek pfjfia is certainly alien to the context. It would introduce a het
erogeneous and later conception. It is probably a translation of the Hebrew
DSO the gigantic bull of the Old Testament, the yore ox.
8 Charles puts this with the earlier apocalypse.

OF THE APOCALYPSE OF ENOCH 15
tached xci. 12-17 from its proper place after xciii. and
attached it to xci. 1-11. The author of this apocalypse,
assigned by Charles to 104-95 B.C., differs from the
earlier authors in his more comprehensive view of human
history and its close in a series of judgments. He divides
the duration of the world into ten weeks of seven gen
erations each, seven of these weeks belonging to the past
and three to the future. These three weeks of judgment
are thus described :
And afterwards will be another week, the eighth, that of
righteousness, and there will be given a sword in order that with
it judgment and justice may be executed on those who act vio
lently, and sinners will be given over into the hands of the right
eous. And at its close they will acquire houses by their right
eousness, and the house of the great king will be built in glory
forever and ever. And afterwards in the ninth week will be
revealed the righteous judgment of the entire world, and all the
works of the ungodly will vanish away from the entire earth, and
the world will be written down for destruction, and all men will
seek the way of righteousness. And after this, in the tenth
week, in the seventh part, there will be the great judgment for
eternity, which will be held over the watchers. And the former
heaven will vanish and pass away and a new heaven will appear,
and all the powers of heaven will shine forever with sevenfold
brilliancy. And afterwards there will be many weeks without
number forever in goodness and righteousness, and sin will be
no more named forever, (xci. 12-17.)
We notice in this author the absence of the Messiah.
He makes the distinction of three judgments, the first
of wicked men, the second of the entire world, and the
third of angels. The seventy sacred times are viewed
as embracing the whole course of the world. This differs
from the sacred times of Daniel and the earlier Enoch,1
and is more in accord with Persian religious ideas.

1 lxxxix. 59 seq.

Ig THE MESSIAH
The Persians divided the course of the world into
twelve thousand years, arranged in four periods of three
thousand years each. The first three millenniums were
given to the creation, so that but nine thousand years
belong to the course of the world proper. After the
expiration of the nine thousand years evil would be en
tirely conquered. Three thousand of these belonged to
the golden time, three thousand to the great struggle
with evil, lasting until the time of Zoroaster and his rev
elation. Three thousand years, or the last quarter, is
the time of redemption. The final redeemer, Sosiosh,
at the close of the nine thousand years has two prede
cessors, one the prophet Hushedar coming in the sev
enth millennium, the other the prophet Hushedarmah
coming in the eighth millennium to destroy idolatry and
reform the world, so that Sosiosh may at last come for
the universal resurrection and judgment.1
Our author's conception of the last three times is very
much like these last three times of the Persians, except
that the redemptive persons are not brought in.
THE EARLIEST SIBYLLINE ORACLE.
§ 5- The kings of the nations will come up with great
masses against Jerusalem, but a judgment from God, zvith
fiery swords and great torches falling from heaven and
great earthquakes, will come upon them and destroy them.
Afterwards there will be everlasting peace and felicity.
The earth will become very fruitful and enmity between
men and animals will cease.
The Sibylline oracles are a collection of oracles of dif
ferent periods ; but it is agreed that the body of the
1 Hulschmann, Die Parsische Lehre von Jenzeits J. Prot. Theo., 1879, II.
H. Spiegel Parsimus in Herzog, Real Ency. IJ. Aufl,

OP THE EARLIEST SIBYLLINE ORACLE If
third book is the earliest of all. It gives an apocalypse
of the second century B.C.1
The passage first to be considered is doubtful as to its
Messianic bearings :
Therefore seven decades shall thy fruitful land
And the wonders of the temple be a waste.
And yet for thee a goodly end remains,
And highest glory from the immortal God.
But wait thou, and confide in God's pure laws,
When to the light he lifts thy wearied knee.
And then will God send out of heaven a king
To judge each man in blood and light of fire.
There is a royal tribe, whose progeny
Shall be unfailing, and in course of time
Will it rule, and God's temple build anew.
And all the kings of Persia will assist
With gold and brass and well-wrought iron, and God
Himself will give by night the holy dream,
And then the temple shall be as of old.2 (331-345).
This passage is referred by Hilgenfeld, Vernes, Schiirer,
and Terry to Cyrus, on account of the mention of the
temple and the Persian kings ; but it is difficult to see
the propriety of representing Cyrus as a king from
heaven and as executing judgment by fire. This repre-

1 It is admitted that this third book belongs to the second century B.C. Hilgen
feld, Schiirer, Vernes, assign it to 140 B.C.; Bleek and Friedlieb give it the ear
lier date of 170-160 B.C.; Ewald 124 B.C.; Alexandre finds the date 168 for the
section iii. 97-294, 489-817, but assigns the middle section 295-488 to a Christian
author. The middle section is a collection of miscellaneous oracles, but Schiirer
sees no reason for a different author. There is no Messianic passage in them,
and therefore we have no occasion to discuss this question. The oracle was
composed by an Alexandrine Jew, who puts the prediction in the mouth of the
Erythrjean sibyl. See Alexandre, Oracula Sibyllina, Paris, 1841 ; Friedlieb,
Oracula Sibyllina, Leipsic, 1852 ; Terry, The Sibylline Oracles, N. Y., 1890.
* The translation of Terry is so good that I prefer to use it, especially as it
gives the English reader some conception of the poetry of the original. The
lines of Terry differ so slightly from the original that it seems unnecessary to
give both. As I use Terry's lines I shall use also his numbers.

18 THE MESSIAH
sentation is only in part justified by the exilic Isaiah.1
The seventy times may be referred to the sacred weeks
of Daniel,2 or to the years of Jeremiah.3 The king from
heaven, if not Cyrus and if Messianic,4 would be the Son
of Man from heaven of Daniel.6
Woes are pronounced upon all nations in turn after
the manner of the great prophets. The woes come upon
Babylon, Egypt, Gog and Magog of the older prophecy;
and also upon various cities of Asia Minor, Greece, and
Italy, even Troy; and upon Homer, "the writer of lies,"
who is accused of appropriating the verses of the sibyl.
A great passionate king like an eagle, doubtless An-
tiochus Epiphanes, will come out of Asia, lay waste
the holy land, overthrow Egypt, and even cross the sea.
All the works of men's hands will fall by the flame of
fire. And then great joy will God bestow on men.
For land and trees, and countless flocks of sheep
Will yield mankind the genuine fruit of wine,
And of sweet honey, and white milk, and wheat,
Which is for men the very best of all. (738-743.)
The future blessedness subsequent to judgment is
connected with Antiochus very much as in Daniel.'
Then will God send a king from the sun, who will
make the entire earth still from wicked war, will slay
some and make a true covenant with others.
But again the people
Of the great God with wealth will be weighed down,
With gold and silver and purple ornament,
And of good things will earth and sea be full. (782-784.)
This king from the sunrise resembles the king from

1 Is. xliv. 28; xiv. 1-4. a Dan. ix. 24-27. " Jer. xxv. 9-12.
* The Messianic reference attracted me for many years. But it now seems to
me that the context favors reference to Cyrus.
s Dan. vii. 13. • Dan. ix. 26, 27 ; xii. n-13.

OF THE EARLIEST SIBYLLINE ORACLE 19
heaven already considered, and seems to be Cyrus like
wise.1 The prosperity here is similar to the prosperity
described there.
This is followed by a description of the kings of the
nations coming up with great masses against the temple
of God and the holy land, when a judgment from the
great God comes upon them and they are destroyed.
And fiery swords
Shall fall from heaven on earth, and mighty lights
Shall come down flaming in the midst of men.
And mother earth shall be tossed in those days
By an immortal hand, and fish of the sea,
And all earth's beasts, and countless flocks of birds,
And all the souls of men, and all the sea
Shall shudder at the face of the Immortal,
And there shall be dismay. High mountain peaks
And huge hills He will rend, and Erebus
The dark and dismal will appear to all ;
A.nd misty gorges in the lofty hill
Shall be full of the dead ; the rocks shall stream
With blood, and every torrent fill the plain.
And well-built walls shall all fall to the earth
By hostile men, for they knew not the law,
Neither God's judgment, but with senseless soul,
All rushing to the temple, lifted spears.
God judges all by war, and sword, and fire,
And overwhelming flood ; and there shall be
Brimstone from heaven, and stones and grievous hail ;a
And death shall come upon the quadrupeds.
Then shall men come to know the immortal God
Who judges these things. Lamentation too,
And uproar shall come on the boundless earth,
Because men perish, and in speechless woe
Shall all be bathed in blood, and earth herself
Shall drink the blood of them that are destroyed,
And the wild beasts will glut themselves with flesh.
 (800-828.)

» Lines 331-345. a Ezek. xxxviii. 22.

20 THE MESSIAH
Again the children of the mighty God
Shall all about the temple live in peace,
Delighting in those things which He shall give
Who is Creator, righteous Judge, and King.
For He alone, and standing wondrous near,
Can shelter as a wall of flaming fire l
From all around. And there shall be no wars
In cities or in country ; not the hand
Of cruel war,2 but rather there shall be
With them the immortal Champion Himself,
And the hand of the Holy One. And then the isles
And cities all shall speak, and tell how much
The Immortal loves those men, for He with them
Shares in all conflict and delivers them.
And heaven, and sun divinely formed, and moon,
And mother earth shall tremble in those days.
And a sweet word shall they lead forth in hymns :
" Come, falling on the earth let us all pray
To the immortal King, great God, most high.
Let us send to the temple, since sole Lord
He is, and let us all observe the law
Of God most high, who above all on earth
Is the most Righteous One. For we have strayed
Far from the path of the Immortal One,
And have done reverence with a senseless soul
To works of human hands, to images
Carved out of wood, and of departed men."
These things souls of the faithful cry aloud :
" Come, let us with God's people, falling down
Upon our faces, gladden in our homes
With hymns God the Creator, and procure
The weapons of our foes in every land
For seven lengths of the revolving years — s
Even shields and helmets and all sorts of arms,
And a great store of bows and harmful arrows,
For forest wood shall not be cut for fire " (834-869).
For earth, all-mother, shall to mortals yield
The best fruit, boundless store of wheat,

1 Zee. ii. 5. » Mic. iv. 3. a Ezek.

xxxix. 9, 10.

OF THE EARLIEST SIBYLLINE ORACLE 21
And wine and oil. And from the heaven a drink,
Delightful of sweet honey there shall be,
And trees, and fruits of trees, and fatted sheep,
And oxen, and young lambs, and kids of goats.
And forth shall burst sweet fountains of white milk,
And of good things the cities shall be full,
And fat the fields, and there shall not be sword
Nor uproar on the earth, nor shall the earth
Groan heavily and tremble any more.
Nor war nor drought shall longer be on earth,
Nor famine, nor the fruit-destroying hail,
But great peace shall be upon all the earth.1
King will be friend to king until the end
Of time, and a new law on all the earth
Will the Immortal in the starry heaven
Perfect for men, touching whatever things
Have been by miserable mortals done.
For He alone is God, no other is,
And He will burn with fire man's grievous power.
(885-905).
And then will He a kingdom for all time
Raise up for all men, and a holy law
Give to the pious to whom He has pledged
To open up the land, and the wide world.
And portals of the blessed, and all joys,
And mind immortal, and eternal bliss.
And out of every land unto the house
Of the great God will they bring frankincense 5
And gifts, and there shall be no other house
To be inquired of by men yet to be ;
But whom God gave to honor faithful men,
Him mortals shall call Son of the great God.
And all paths of the field and rough hills,
And lofty mountains, and the sea's wild waves,
Shall in those days be easy to pass over,
For all peace of the good shall come on earth.
And the sword shall God's prophets take away,
For they shall be the judges of mankind,

Ps. xlvi. 9. * Ps. lxviii. 29 ; Is. lxvi. 20 ; Zeph. iii. 9-10.

22 THE MESSIAH
And righteous kings ; for of the mighty God
This is the judgment and the sovereignty.
Be of good cheer, O maiden, and exult,1
For the Eternal, who made heaven and earth,
Has given thee joy, and He will dwell in thee.
And for thee shall be an immortal light.2
And wolves and lambs promiscuously shall eat
Grass in the mountains, and among the kids
Shall leopards graze, and wandering bears shall lodge
Among the calves, and the carnivorous lion
Shall eat straw in the manger like the ox,
And little children lead them with a band.
For tame will be on earth the beasts He made,
And with young babes will dragons fall asleep,
And no harm, for God's hand will be on them.3
Now tell I thee a sign exceeding clear,
That thou mayst know when of all things on earth
The end shall be. When in the starry heaven
Swords shall be seen by night toward west or east,
Straightway shall there be a dark cloud of dust,
Borne downward from the heaven o'er all the earth,
And the sun's brightness in the midst of heaven
Shall be eclipsed, and the moon's beams appear
And come again on earth, and there shall be
The sign of blood-drops issuing from the stones,
And ye shall see a war of foot and horse
In a cloud, like a hunting of wild beasts,
Like a dark mist. This is the end of war
Which God who dwells in heaven shall bring to pass.
But all must sacrifice to the great King. (913-959.)
These representations are based upon many different
prophetic passages of the Old Testament ; but they are
combined and developed in a manner foreign to the con
ceptions of genuine Biblical prophecy. The ethical and
spiritual elements, which in the canonical prophets ever
predominate, here retire into the background and are
1 Zech. ii. 10. 2 Is. Ix. i, 1, 19, 20. s Is. xi. 6-9 ; lxv. 25.

OF THE SIMILITUDES OF ENOCH 23
overshadowed by the sensuous and carnal elements
which are richly unfolded in the foreground of the
poet's imagination and fancy. There is no clear refer
ence to a Messianic king or prophet to introduce this
golden age of sensuous pleasure. God Himself is the
judge and the king, who destroys all enemies and rewards
His people with felicity. The author was an Alexan
drian Jew who wrote his poem in Hellenistic Greek, but
he is not a Hellenist in his type of thought. He is a
Palestinian Jew who is hostile to all that is Greek, and
who looks forward with delight and ardent longing for
the triumph of the Jew over the world.
THE SON OF MAN OF THE SIMILITUDES OF ENOCH.
§ 6. The Similitudes of the Book of Enoch present the
Messiah as the Elect, the Son of Man, full of grace as a
holy angel, the righteous possessor of the treasures of
wisdom. He was named before the sun and stars were
made, and was concealed before God ere the world was
created, and he will abide before Him forever. He will
sit enthroned at His side in judgment. The dead will rise
to be judged, and he will select the righteous to be saved
and to dwell upon the earth with joy ; but the wicked will
be forced from his presence into shame and darkness, and
will be committed to the angels of punishment.
The Similitudes of the Book of Enoch differ from the
other parts of the Book of Enoch in the prominence
given to the person of the Son of Man and in the com
parative purity of the Messianic idea. We shall first
consider chap. xiv. 3-6.
On that day Mine Elect One will sit on the throne of glory
and make selection among their deeds and their mansions will
be innumerable, and their souls will grow strong within them
when they see Mine Elect One and those who call upon my

24 THE MESSIAH
glorious name. And on that day will I cause Mine Elect One
to dwell among them and I will transform the heaven and make
it an everlasting blessing and light. And I will transform the
earth and make it a blessing, and cause mine elect ones to
dwell on it. But the sinners and evil doers will not tread it.
For I have seen and satisfied my righteous ones with peace, and
have caused them to dwell before me ; but for sinners there
awaits a judgment with me that I may destroy them from the
face of the earth.
This passage brings to mind the prediction of the
great prophet of the exile.1 The Elect One sits on the
judgment throne in the day of judgment. The heavens
and the earth are transformed and give place to new
heavens and a new earth of blessedness and light, the
everlasting abode of the righteous. The wicked are
driven from the face of this new earth upon which there
will be no more sin. The Elect One is the first and the
chief of all the elect from among men. He is the judge
and the king by divine choice and selection, the Elect
Head of an elect kingdom of the redeemed. The term
elect, chosen, is applied to the servant of Yahweh, the
one anointed with the divine Spirit, the covenant of the
people and the light of the Gentiles, the gentle re
deemer, of the great prophet of the exile.2 The author
of the Similitudes probably derived the term Elect One
from that passage, as he shows great familiarity with and
preference for this prophet.
The next passage is an unfolding of the judgment
scene of the Apocalypse of Daniel.
And there I saw one who had a Head of Days, and his head
was white as wool, and with Him another whose face was as the
appearance of a man, and his face was full of grace like one of
the holy angels. And I asked the angel who went with me and
showed me all the hidden things, concerning that Son of Man,
' Is. lxv.-vi. = Is. xiii. i seq.

OF THE SIMILITUDES OF ENOCH 25
who he was, and whence he was, and why he went with the Head
of Days ? And he answered and said unto me : This is the Son
of Man who has righteousness, with whom righteousness dwells,
and who reveals all the treasures of that which is hidden ; for
the Lord of Spirits has chosen him, and his lot hath surpassed
all things before the Lord of Spirits in rectitude forever. And
this Son of Man whom thou hast seen will arouse the kings and
mighty ones from their beds and the powerful from their thrones,
and will loose the bands of the powerful and crush the teeth of
sinners. And he will cast the kings out from their thrones and
kingdoms, because they exalt him not and praise him not, and
do not thankfully acknowledge whence the kingdom was given
them. And the face of the powerful will be cast away and
shame will cover them ; darkness will be their dwelling and
worms their couch, and they will have no hope of rising from
their couches because they did not exalt the name of the Lord
of Spirits, (xlvi. 1-6.)
The Head of Days is the Ancient of Days of Daniel
and is the God of judgment. The Son of Man is the
Son of Man of Daniel.1 This name is here given to a
righteous man and not to Israel. The terms of the pun
ishment are derived from the great prophet of the exile
as well as from Daniel, for shame2 and darkness and
worms3 are used, and not the river of fire. The use of
the Elect One, the Servant of Yahweh of the exilic
Isaiah, and of the Son of Man of Daniel and their refer
ence to the same Messianic person enthroned with the
Head of Days for judgment, involves a combination of
these two Messianic ideals. This combination was not
made in the Old Testament. It is a genuine combina
tion first made by these Similitudes of Enoch and after
wards recognized in the New Testament. It may be
that this combination influenced Jesus in His use of the
Son of Man for Himself/

1 Dan. vii. 13. ! Dan. xii. a. a Is. lxvi. 24.
4 See Charles, Book of Enoch, pp. 312 seq.

26 THE MESSIAH
The next passage follows Daniel more closely :
And in those days I saw the Head of Days, as He seated Him
self on the throne of His glory, and the books of the living were
opened before Him,1 and His entire host above in heaven and
round about Him, stood before Him. And the hearts of the
holy ones were full of joy that the number of righteousness
was fulfilled, and the prayer of the righteous was heard and
the blood of the righteous demanded before the Lord of
Spirits. And in that place I saw an inexhaustible fountain
of righteousness, round about it many fountains of wisdom,
and all the thirsty drank of them2 and were filled with wisdom,
and had their dwellings among the righteous and holy and
elect. And at that hour that Son of Man was named in the
presence of the Lord of Spirits and his name before the
Head of Days. And ere the sun and signs were created,
ere the stars of heaven were made, was his name named
before the Lord of Spirits. He will be a staff to the righteous
that they may lean on him and not fall, and he will be the light
of the peoples and the hope of those who are troubled in their
hearts.3 There will fall down and worship before him all who
dwell on earth, and will praise and glorify and sing to the name
of the Lord of Spirits. And for this was he elected and con
cealed before Him ere the world was created, and unto eternity
will he be before Him. (xlvii. 3 — xlviii. 6.)
In this passage the author dwells on the judgment
throne, the books of judgment and the person of the
Son of Man. The doctrine of the naming of the con
cealed Son of Man before the creation is new to the
Messianic idea, but it is based on a combination of the
Son of Man coming from heaven of Daniel,4 and the
ruler from Bethlehem whose going forth was from
ancient times of Micah.5
The naming of the Son of Man before the heavenly
hosts is an unfolding of the doctrine of his election, and
does not imply any more than an ideal pre-existence in
1 Dan. vii. 9-10 ; xii. 1. a Is. Iv. ... s Is. xiii. 6 ; xlix. 6.
4 Dan. vii. 13. s Mic. v. 2.

OF THE SIMILITUDES OF ENOCH 27
the plan or the decree of God. This would be only a
strengthened statement of the doctrine of Micah. But
the concealment of the Son of Man is stronger than this.
It implies some sort of pre-existence of the Son of Man
with God and the angels before the creation of the
world. The conception of Daniel that the Son of Man
comes from heaven on the clouds implies his pre-exist
ence in heaven prior to his advent. But that is entirely
consistent with a prior earthly life. This conception,
however, is capable of a development, either in the
direction of the New Testament, implying a previous
earthly life, death, resurrection and ascension, or of the
extra-Biblical Judaism, implying a pre-existence of the
Messiah in heaven before his advent to judgment.
The author of the Similitudes adheres to the stand
point of extra-Biblical Judaism, and carries back that
pre-existence to the time before the creation of the
world. This is an important advance in the Messianic
idea beyond the Old Testament. It is the highest stage
reached before the advent of the Messiah. But it is not
yet a Christian conception, and it might easily become
anti-Christian. There is no trace of the doctrine of the
divinity of the Messiah, or of his exaltation to an equal
ity of rank with God or of a prior advent.1
The next passage that we shall consider is an unfold
ing of the scene of the resurrection of Daniel.2
In those days will the earth give back that intrusted to it, and
Sheol wdl give back that intrusted to it which it has received,
and Abaddon will give back what it owes.3 And he will select
i See Dillmann in /. c. p. xxiv., and Charles, p. 134. 2 Dan. xii.
3 Haguel is here the equivalent of the Hebrew jiT3N and the Greek awMeia
the prison of the lost in the Middle State. The Book of Enoch agrees with
the Eschatology of the New Testament and the Jewish Literature of that time,
that the wicked are not consigned to the fires of Gehenna until the day of judg
ment. For the use of ttWR with 7IXC' see Job xxvi. 6; xxviii. 22; Prov. xv. n.

28 THE MESSIAH
the righteous and holy among them, for the day has come that
they should be saved. And the Elect One will in those days sit
on his throne and all the mysteries of wisdom will flow forth
from the thoughts of his mouth ; for the Lord of Spirits has
given it to him and glorified him. And in those days will the
mountains leap like rams and the hills skip like lambs1 satisfied
with milk, and they all will become angels in heaven. Their
faces will shine with joy, because in those days the Elect One has
appeared, and the earth will rejoice and the righteous will dwell
on it, and the elect ones will go to and fro upon it. (Ii.)
This passage extends the general resurrection of
Daniel to a universal resurrection. It then considers
the rewards of the righteous. The fate of the wicked is
described in chap. Ixii. The three places, earth, Sheol,
and Abaddon, hold all those who are to rise to the
judgment, both the righteous and the wicked. The
author conceives of the earth as the place of the bodies
of men, Sheol as the abode of the elect, and Abaddon
as the prison of the lost. The elect rise from the dead,
come forth from Sheol and receive their bodies from the
earth in order to dwell on the earth, which has been
transformed for them and which rejoices with them.
And the Lord of Spirits seated him on the throne of His glory,
and the spirit of righteousness was poured out over him, and the
word of his mouth slew all sinners, and all the unrighteous before
his face were destroyed.2 And there will stand up in that day
all the kings and the mighty, and the exalted, and those who
hold the earth, and they will see and recognize him how he sits
on the throne of his glory, and righteousness is judged before
him, and no lying word is spoken before him. Then will pain
come upon them as on a woman in travail, who finds it grievous
to bring forth when her son enters the mouth of the womb and
she has pain in bringing forth. And one portion of them will
look on the other, and they will be terrified, and their counten
ance will fall, and pain will seize them when they see that Son
1 Ps. cxiv. 4-6. ais, xi. 4.

OF THE SIMILITUDES OF ENOCH 29
of Man sitting on the throne of his glory.' And the kings, the
mighty ones and all who are lords of the earth will honor and
bless and exalt him who was concealed, who rules over all. For
the Son of Man was concealed before Him and the Most High
preserved him before His power, and revealed him to the elect.
And the congregation of the holy and elect will be planted and
all the elect will stand before him in that day. And all the kings
and the mighty, and the exalted and rulers of the earth will fall
on their faces before him and supplicate him, and set their hopes
on that Son of Man, and pray to him and implore mercy from
him. Nevertheless, that Lord of Spirits will now force them to
hastily depart from His face, and their faces will be filled with
shame, and darkness will be heaped thereon. And the angels
of punishment will receive them to take vengeance on them,
because they abused His children and His elect. And they will
be a spectacle for the righteous and for His elect. These will
rejoice over them because the wrath of the Lord of Spirits rests
upon them, and the sword of the Lord of Spirits is drunk with
their blood ; and the righteous and elect will be saved in that
day, and will henceforth never more see the face of the sinners
and the unrighteous. And the Lord of Spirits will dwell over
them, and they will dwell with that Son of Man, and eat and lie
down and rise up to all eternity. And the righteous and elect
will have risen up from the ground, and cease having downcast
looks, and will be clothed with the garments of glory ; and these
will be your garments, garments of life with the Lord of Spirits,
and your garments will never grow old,2 and your glory will
never decrease before the Lord of Spirits, (lxii. 2-16.)
The Son of Man, in one passage, according to most
MSS. gives place to the Son of the Woman. Tnis seems
to be nothing more than an unconscious substitution of
a Christian copyist. But if the reading should be cor
rect, in the context it can only be a synonym of Son of

1 Charles seems to be right in preferring the reading of an earlier MS. to the
great number of later MSS. followed by Dillmann and other writers. His expla
nation of the unconscious change to Son of lite Woman, by Christian scribes,
is reasonable. See his valuable notes, Book of Enoch, pp. 128, 164.
2 Deut. viii. 4.

30 THE MESSIAH
Man. The Messiah was not conceived as God or as
angel, but as man, as woman-born. It is not likely that
the author is thinking of the mother of Emmanuel.1 It
is impossible that he should have given that passage the
interpretation of the evangelist Matthew.3 It is possible
that the writer had in mind the mother of the ruler from
Bethlehem,3 because he had this passage in mind in his
reference to the pre-existence of the Messiah. But that
passage gives us nothing more than a ruler woman-born.
There is nothing in the text or context to imply the
virgin birth of this Son of Man. The joy of the redeemed
at the wrath of the Messiah against the wicked is cer
tainly not a Christian doctrine. It can hardly be found
in the Old Testament. But even our writer does not
dwell upon these woes; he leaves them, after a moment,
to set forth again the blessedness of the redeemed.
The Messianic idea of these Similitudes is remarkably
pure and of the genuine Biblical type. It is based
chiefly on the Apocalypse of Daniel and on the great
prophet of the exile, with occasional references to Isaiah
and Micah. God is the judge, but the Son of Man takes
part in the judgment. The resurrection seems to be
universal, and in this respect there is an advance upon
Daniel. The rewards and punishments are in accord
ance with character and endure forever. The most im
portant feature for our consideration is the new element
introduced into the Messianic idea in the doctrine of the
concealment of the Son of Man before his manifestation,
and of his naming before the creation of the sun and the
stars, teaching the pre-existence of the Son of Man be
fore his manifestation. This is a closer approximation
to the doctrine of the New Testament than anything

' Is. vii. 14. 2 Matth. i. 22-25. * Micah v. *, 3.

OF THE PSALTER OF SOLOMON 31
we have seen in the Old Testament. This has led some
scholars to think of Christian influence. But the doc
trine is really intermediate between the Old Testament
and the New Testament. It is only a legitimate un
folding of the ideal pre-existence of the ruler from Beth
lehem given in Micah. There reference was made to
the ancient promises. Here reference is made further
back to the design of God. He was elected and named.
The author advances another step on the basis of Daniel.
The Son of Man came from heaven. He was concealed
there until the time for his manifestation. The author
thinks of this pre-existence and concealment as prior to
the creation of the world. The manifestation of this
concealed Son of Man is not for redemption, as a Chris
tian would have conceived, but for the judgment of the
world at the universal resurrection, as Daniel predicts ;
and so the point of view of the old covenant is not
abandoned. THE MESSIAH OF THE PSALTER OF SOLOMON.
§ 7. God will visit His people in glory, and gather Is
rael from all lands. Jerusalem will become glorious and
holy. The Messiah, the son of David, is the hope of
Israel. He will be lord and king, sinless and free from
sickness, and endowed with wisdom, prudence, power, and
righteousness. He will judge and will purify Jerusalem,
and all nations will come to see His glory.
The Psalter of Solomon ' has a more spiritual concep-

' The Psalter of Solomon is assigned by Ewald and Weiffenbach to the 2d
century B.C., and by Langen, Hausrath, Vernes, and Schurer to the time of
Pompey (63-48 B.C.), by Ryle to 70-40 B.C. These eighteen Psalms, originally
written in Hebrew, have been preserved only in the Greek version. See article
by B. Pick on the Psalter of Solomon, in Presbyterian Review, 1883, pp. 775
seq.; H. E. Ryle, The Psalms of Solomon, 1891.

32 THE MESSIAH
tion of the Messianic idea than the writings thus far
considered. It moves in the lines of the ancient psalms
and prophets. We have first to consider especially
Ps. xi.
Blow ye the trumpet in Sion, the holy trumpet of Jubilee.1
Proclaim ye in Jerusalem with the voice of him that bringeth
good tidings ; 2
That God hath had mercy upon Israel in his visitation of them.
Stand up on high, O Jerusalem, and behold thy children
Gathered from the East and the West together by the Lord.
From the North they come in the gladness of their God,
From distant isles, God gathered them,
High mountains He made low unto a plain to them.
The hills fled before their entering in,
The woods gave them shade as they passed by,
Every tree of sweet savour God made to sprinp- up for them
That Israel might pass by in the visitation oi the glory of their
God.3
Put on, O Jerusalem, the garments of thy glory,
Prepare the robe of thy holiness, 4
For God hath spoken good to Israel forever and ever.
May the Lord do what He has spoken concerning Israel and in
Jerusalem,
May the Lord raise up Israel in the name of His glory.
The Lord's mercy be upon Israel forever and ever.
This beautiful piece of poetry is on the divine side of
the Messianic idea, and is after the style of the great
prophet of the exile. It shows no advance in concep
tion and no departure from the Biblical ideals.
The Messiah, the son of David, is predicted in Ps. xvii.
The Psalmist represents that God is the eternal king
of Israel. The Lord is reminded of the promise to David
respecting the everlasting dominion of his seed, in the
style of the older Psalter."

J Cf. Joel ii. i. " Cf. Is. xl. 9. 3 Cf. Is. xl. 5. « Cf. Is. Iii. 1.
»Pss. lxxxij. 19^.; cxxxii. 11-18.

OF THE PSALTER OF SOLOMON 33
Behold, O Lord, and raise up for them their king,
A son of David for the time which thou knowest, O God,
To reign over Israel thy servant ;
And gird him with strength to crush unjust rulers.
Purge Jerusalem from nations who are trampling her in ruin.
In wisdom, in righteousness, cast out sinners from the inherit
ance.
Grind to powder the pride of sinners as a potter's vessel,1
With a rod of iron break in pieces all their substance.
Destroy lawless nations with the word of his mouth;2
So that at his threatening nations may flee from his face,
And convict sinners with the word of their heart.
And he will assemble a holy people whom he will lead in right
eousness,
And will judge the tribes of a people sanctified by the Lord his
God,
And he will not suffer unrighteousness to dwell in the midst of
them.
And no man will dwell among them who knows evil.
For he will know them that they are all sons of their God,
And he will portion them out in their tribes upon the land.
And stranger and foreigner will not dwell with them any more.
He will judge peoples and nations in the wisdom of his right
eousness.
And he will bring peoples of nations to serve him under his
yoke;
And he will glorify the Lord in a place to be seen of all the
earth,
And he will purify Jerusalem in sanctification as also it was from
the beginning,
That nations may come from the end of the earth to see his
glory,
Bearing as gifts her wearied sons,3
And to see the glory of the Lord with which God glorified
her.4
And he himself a just king taught of God will be over them ;
And there will be no unrighteousness in his days in the midst of
them,

s Cf . Ps. ii. 9. ! Cf. Is. xi. 4. s Cf. Is. lxvi. 18-20. * Cf. Is. 60.

34: THE MESSIAH
For all will be saints and their king the Lord Messiah,1
For he will not trust in horse, and chariot and bow,
Neither will he multiply for himself silver and gold for war.
And from his army " he will not gather hopes for the day of
war.
The Lord, himself, his king is the hope of him that is strong in
the hope of God.
And he will set all the nations before him in fear ;
For he will smite the earth with the word of his mouth forever.3
He will bless the people of the Lord in wisdom with gladness,
And he himself will be pure from sin to rule over a great people,
To correct rulers and to remove sinners by strength of word.
And he will not be weak in his days because of his God ;
For God made him capable by the Holy Spirit,4
And wise in counsel of prudence with strength and righteous
ness.
And the blessing of the Lord is with him in strength,
And he will not be weak, his hope is in the Lord.
And who can do anything against him ?
He will be mighty in his doings and strong in the fear of God,
Feeding the flock of the Lord 5 in faith and righteousness ;
And he will not suffer any to be weak among them in their
pasture.
In holiness he will lead them all,
And there will be not among them haughtiness to exercise
oppression among them.
This is the beauty of the king of Israel, which God knew,
To raise him over Israel, to train him.
His words are refined above the most precious gold.

i xpwTbs Kvpwc is probably on the basis of TIN of Ps. ex. i (wpioc Ty
Kvpiu finv Ixx.) ; so apparently Ryle, who gives an admirable discussion of the
several explanations. Schiirer follows Ewald, Hilgenfeld, Wellhausen W.
Robertson Smith and others in regarding it as a mistranslation of iTllV ITtJ'O
and renders The Lord's Anointed. There is no justification for the theory that
it is a Christian interpolation. See Luke ii. n and p. 52.
2 The MSS. have noWXoic which seems to give no good sense. Hilgenfeld
and Kritzsche conjecture okTmic; ¦ Ryle, -irtoioic,
a Cf . Is. xi. 4.
* Cf. Is. xi. 2 ; lxiii. 10.
» Cf. Mic. v. 4 ; Ezek. xxxiv. 23 seq.

OF THE PSALTER OF SOLOMON 35
In the assemblies he will judge peoples, the tribes of the sancti
fied.
His words are as words of holy ones in the m idst of sanctified
peoples.
Blessed are they who shall be born in those days,
To see the good things of Israel which God will accomplish in
the assembly of the tribes.
May God hasten his mercy toward Israel !
Deliver us from the defilement of profane foes !
The Lord Himself is our king for ever and ever. (xvii. 23-51).
Psalm xviii. also briefly utters the Messianic petition :
May God purify Israel for the day of mercy in blessing,
For the day of election in the bringing up of His anointed.
Blessed are they who shall be born in those days,
To see the good things of the Lord which he will do for the
generation to come, (xviii. 6-7).
These psalms present the pure and genuine faith of
Israel, mingling the Biblical elements without the intru
sion of foreign ingredients, and entirely in the spirit of
the ancient psalter and the prophets.1

1 Ryle, Psalms of Solomon, pp.lvi, lvii, says that "the picture of the Messiah in
our xviith Psalm marks the most notable advance in the conception of the Mes
sianic expectation. Here for the first time in Palestinian literature, the idea of
a personal Messiah is unequivocally stated." "In this representation of the
human Messiah, perfect in holiness and taught of God, free from sin and wield
ing only the weapons of spiritual power, we find ourselves brought more nearly
than in any other extant pre-Christian writing to the idealization of the ' Christ,'
who was born into the world not half a century later than the time at which
these psalms were written." This advance seems to me to be imaginary. Ryle
apparently does not do justice to the Messianic ideals of the Old Testament.
This psalm of Solomon combines a number of different conceptions of several
prophets and psalmists : Pss. ii. 9 ; lxxxix. 19 seq. ; ex. 1 ; exxxii. 11-18 ; Is. xi.
2-4 ; lx.; lxvi. 18-20 ; Ezek. xxxiv. 23 seq.; Mic. v. 4 ; but so far as I can see it
does not develop them ; it makes no advance on them by the combinations ; it
does not give a single new feature to the Messianic king. The personal Messiah
is as unequivocally stated in several of these passages upon which this Ps. xvii. is
built, as in this psalm itself. It is just as easy to idealize the king of Ps. xvii. into
a dynasty as it is to do so in these passages of the older psalmists and prophets.
See Briggs' Mess. Proph., pp. 42-46, 55, 59-61, 73, no, 492 seq.

3fJ THE MESSIAH
THE HELLENISTIC MESSIANIC IDEA.
§ 8. The Hellenistic spirit idealized the Messianic
promise into the hope of better and holier times to be ac
complished by God, in which righteousness will triumph,
wickedness be destroyed, and the righteous receive their
reward. The chief writing of the Hellenistic group is the Book
of Wisdom.1 We should not expect the Messianic idea
in a writing of this class any more than in the Book of
Proverbs after which it was modelled. However, there
are two passages.
For God created man to be immortal,
And made him to be an image of his own eternity.
Nevertheless through envy of the devil came death into the
world :
And they that are of his side do find it.
But the souls of the righteous are in the hand of God,
And there shall no torment touch them.
In the sight of the unwise they seemed to die :
And their departure is taken for misery,
And their going from us to be utter destruction ;
But they are in peace.
For though they be punished in the sight of men,
Yet is their hope full of immortality.
And having keen a little chastised, they shall be greatly re
warded :
For God proved them, and found them worthy for himself.
As gold in the furnace hath he tried them,
And received them as a burnt offering.

1 The Book of Wisdom is a pscudepigraph bearing the name of Solomon ;
the name of Solomon being used because he was regarded as the great master of
Hebrew wisdom. Solomon and wisdom had become synonymous terms, just as
was the case with David and Psalms, and Moses and Laws. It was composed
in the Greek language by an unknown author at an unknown date. It is usually
assigned to the 2d century B.C.: (so, Deane and Bissell). But Gratz, Kuenen,
Plumptre, and Farrar assign it to 38-40 a.d. SchQrer puts it between Sirach
and Philo.

OF THE HELLENISTS 37
And in the time of their visitation they shall shine,
And run to and fro like sparks among the stubble.
They shall judge the nations, and have dominion over the
people.
And their Lord shall reign for ever.
They that put their trust in him shall understand the truth :
And such as be faithful in love shall abide with him :
For grace and mercy are to his saints, and he hath care for his
elect.
But the ungodly shall be punished according to their own
imaginations,
Which have neglected the righteous and forsaken the Lord.
(ii. 23 — iii. 10).
For the hope of the ungodly is like dust that is blown away with
the wind,
Like a thin froth that is driven away with the storm ;
Like as the smoke which is dispersed here and there with a
tempest,
And passeth away as the remembrance of a guest that tarrieth
but a day —
But the righteous live for evermore ;
Their reward also is with the Lord, and the care of them is with
the Most High.
Therefore shall they receive a glorious kingdom,
And a beautiful crown from the Lord's hand :
For with his right hand shall he cover them,
And with his arm shall he protect them (v. 14-16).
These passages bring out the Greek conception of the
immortality of the soul and attach to it the Hebrew
conception of the blessedness of the righteous dead.
They are in the hand of God, where no torment can
touch them. They only seemed to die ; they have a
hope full of immortality ; they live forevermore. They
will be greatly rewarded, they will abide with the Lord
forever. They will receive a glorious kingdom and a
beautiful crown, and will judge the nations. The Lord
will reign forever.

38 TEE MESSIAH
The Jewish philosopher Philo has no conception of a
personal Messiah. He expects a restoration of Israel
ites to the holy land. They will be led by an appear
ance only visible to the redeemed.1 This is thought of
as a second Exodus in which they will be conducted by
a theophany like the pillar of fire and cloud of the earlier
Exodus. Philo also describes " a man coming forth lead
ing a host and warring furiously. He will subdue great
and populous nations, God sending that assistance which
is suitable for pious men."2 This passage seems to point
to a personal Messiah, a victorious chieftain. But this
interpretation is against the context ; for Philo adds
that " this assistance is an intrepid hardihood of soul
and an irresistible strength of body, either of which
things is formidable to the enemy, and if both qualities
are united they are completely invincible." Philo is
idealizing and thinking of the supremacy of true man
hood, after the Greek fashion, and has no thought of a
personal Messiah.
The Hellenistic Jewish Literature gives no trace of a
personal Messiah ; but represents merely the hope of
the prevalence of righteousness in a more ethical and
prosperous future.
THE MESSIANIC IDEAS OF THE JEWISH SECTS.
§ 9. The Sadducees had no other Messianic idea than the
hope of the perpetuity of the temple and the nation. The
Essenes sought to realize the kingdom of God in a commu
nity of saints by withdrawal from the world and purifi
cation of the flesh. The Pharisees of the School of Hillel
were devout and ethical, and nearer the genuine Old Tes
tament type. The School of Shammai looked for the res-

1 De execrationibus, %% 8-9. s De praemis et poem's, §§ 15-20.

OF THE JEWISH SECTS 39
toration of the kingdom to Israel through divine interven
tion. The Zealots perpetuated the heroic spirit of the
Maccabees and longed for a Messianic hero.
The literature already considered reflects to a consid
erable extent the doctrines of the Jewish sects. But we
have other sources of information to guide us in the in
terpretation of their doctrines.
The Sadducees were a priestly and an aristocratic
party with little faith and less hope. It does not appear
that they cherished the Messianic ideas of the ancient
psalmists and prophets. Denying angels and spirits, the
resurrection and the future life, they had no conception
of a divine judgment at the end of the world or of a Mes
sianic deliverer. They studied to maintain the temple-
worship in its integrity, and to live on good terms with
the Roman Empire.
The Essenes were a mystical sect. They had no hope
of reform in public life. They sought communion with
God by retirement from the world, and they strove for
victory over evil by the purification of the flesh. They
endeavored to prepare for the kingdom of God by the
organization of a community of saints. It does not ap
pear that they had any other Messianic idea.
The Messianic idea lived and was fruitful among the
sects of the Pharisees. The School of Hillel was learned
and moderate, pious and ethical in its tendencies. It
troubled itself but little with political affairs. It was
ever opposed to the rebellions against the Roman Em
pire. To this tendency in Israel we may ascribe such
productions as the Psalter of Solomon and the Simili
tudes of the Book of Enoch.
The School of Shammai was stern, severe, exclusive,
and scholastic in tendency. Dogmatic rules prevailed

40 THE MESSIAH
over ethical principles. They ever indulged in political
scheming, although hesitating to put their principles in
practice. To men of this school we may attribute much
of the Palestinian literature that expresses its Messianic
hopes for a more glorious future for Israel in the Holy
Land, with little or no thought of a Messiah.
The party of the Zealots was a more popular sect of
the Pharisees. These perpetuated the spirit of the Mac-
cabean times. They were dissatisfied with the foreign
yoke and were ever ripe for rebellion in order to bring in
the kingdom of God. Whenever we see this party in
action we find alongside of it Pharisees of the school
of Shammai. To this party of the people a personal
Messiah, a Son of David, a heroic king, was essential,
and they were ever ready to follow any one claiming to
be a prophet or a Messiah of their sort. Judas, the
Gaulonite, in his early rebellion was supported by
Zadok, of the School of Shammai.

CHAPTER II.
THE MESSIANIC IDEA OF THE FORERUNNERS
OF JESUS.
Notwithstanding the Messianic idea had been so
generally deflected from its normal course of develop
ment by the various religious parties in Israel subsequent
to the Maccabean revolution, there were yet not a few
pious souls, both among the learned of the school of
Hillel and among the people, who clung with compara
tive simplicity and purity to the hope of a personal
Messiah and of a moral and spiritual redemption through
him. A number of these are brought into view who
were waiting and looking for the consolation of Israel —
such as Zachariah the priest, Joseph and Mary, Simeon
and Anna.
These appear in the earlier chapters of the Gospel of
Luke. A single incident is reported in the first chapter
of the Gospel of Matthew. The Gospel of Mark, which,
apart from a few later additions, is the earliest of our
gospels, and which presents the earliest account of the
life of Jesus, knows nothing of them. The original Ara
maic Gospel of Matthew, the Logia,1 did not include
them ; for they are not in those portions of the present
Gospel of Matthew and the Gospel of Luke, which
derived their material from the Logia. They are in

1 McGiffert's Eusebius, pp. 152, 153, 173. (41)

42 THE MESSIAH
those portions of Luke and Matthew which were derived
from other sources than the originals of Mark and Mat
thew. This material is also in the form of poetry em
bedded in prose narrative. This poetry is of the same
kind as the poetry of the Old Testament. It has the
same principles of parallelism and measurement of the
lines by the beats of the accent, or by the number of
separate words. Early Syriac poetry conformed to the
same principles.1 This poetry was translated from Ara
maic originals, and was doubtless written when trans
lated by Luke. The Greek translation in some cases
destroys the symmetry of the lines of Aramaic poetry,
obscures their measurement, and mars their parallelism.5
It is probable that the prose which encompasses this
poetry comes from the authors of the Gospels, the po
etry from other and probably several different authors.3
Therefore we are not to look for an earlier written Gos
pel of the Infancy of Jesus, but are to think of a num
ber of early Christian poems with reference to that in
fancy from which the author of our Gospel made a selec
tion. There are many other stories of the infancy of
Jesus in the apocryphal gospels, some of which may be
genuine, but the most of them appear to be legendary.
These songs, which have been selected for use in the
Gospel of Luke, doubtless represent reflection upon
these events by Christian poets, who put in the mouths
of the angels, the mothers and the fathers, the poems
which they composed.4 But the inspired author of the

i Grimme, Z. D. M. G., xlvii. s. 276 .«?.
2 The same characteristics appear in the translations of the poetry of the Old
Testament which frequently occur in the writings of the New Testament.
3 The poetry has indeed different measurement of lines. See pp. 47, 57.
1 It could not have been otherwise unless there had been a stenographer or
reporter at hand on each occasion, which the circumstances narrated in the con
text make impossible. Whether the original authors were guided by divine

OF THE FORERUNNERS 43
Gospel vouches for their propriety and for their essential
conformity to truth and fact. We may divide this ma
terial into three sections: i. The Songs of Annuncia
tion. 2. The Songs of the Mothers. 3. The Songs of
the Fathers. THE SONGS OF ANNUNCIATION.
§ 10. John will be born of Elizabeth and be filled with the
Holy Spirit from his birth. As a second Elijah he will
prepare a people for the Lord. Jesus will be conceived and
born of the Virgin Mary in theophanies. He will be called
the Son of God. He will be the Messiah, and will reign on
the throne of his father David forever ; and as Saviour
he will save his people from their sins.
The new dispensation was introduced, according to
the Gospel of Luke, by angelic appearances making an
nunciations. The Annunciation to Zacharias.
Gabriel the archangel comes first to Zacharias the
priest, and brings him a divine message while he is min
istering in the holy place of the temple, at the golden
altar of incense. He was alone in that darkened room,
lighted only by the holy lamps, enveloped in the clouds
of incense that he was offering to give efficacy to the
prayers of the people worshipping in the courts without.
In that solemn hour of mediation the angel Gabriel
comes from the immediate presence of God to bring
him the glad tidings of the birth and ministry of the

inspiration or not it matters little. If the author of the canonical Luke was
inspired, he is responsible for what he used as well as what he composed, and
his inspiration covers their selection as appropriate and as sufficiently accurate for
the purpose.

44 THE MESSIAH
herald of the Messiah. The promise assumes the tri
meter movement of Hebrew poetry.
i.
Fear not, Zacharias :
Because thy supplication is heard,
And thy wife Elizabeth shall bear thee a son,1
And thou shalt call his name John.
And thou shalt have joy and gladness ;
And many shall rejoice at his birth.
For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord,
He shall drink no wine nor strong drink ;
And he shall be filled with the Holy Spirit,
Even from his mother's womb.

And many of the children of Israel
Shall he turn unto the Lord their God.
And he shall go before His face
In the spirit and power of Elijah,
To turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,
And the disobedient to walk in the wisdom of the just ;
To make ready for the Lord a people prepared [for him],
(Luke i. 13-17).
The fear that sprang up in the heart of Zacharias
when Gabriel appeared was stilled by the first word.
The supplication that was heard was not the public
prayer that he was now bringing before God with the
efficacious incense, but his private prayers for a child,
and possibly also for the advent of the Messiah. The
child is to fulfil the prophecy of Malachi : * " Behold,
I am about to send you Elijah the prophet, before the
coming of the great and terrible day of Yahweh.- And

> Such lines in -the Greek betray an Aramaic original.
a We must interpret Kvpio; in accordance with the prediction in Malachi as
referring to God.

OF THE FORERUNNERS 45
he will turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and
the heart of the children to their fathers ; lest I come
and smite the earth with a ban." : John is to become a
second Elijah. As such he is to be a Nazarite 2 like
Samuel, the founder of the prophetic order. He is to
live a life of severity and austerity, in keeping with a
ministry whose aim was to call Israel to repentance and
prepare thereby for the advent of God. For this pur
pose he is to be endowed with the Holy Spirit. The
Holy Spirit is not to come down upon him and take vio
lent possession of him, as he did in the case of the an
cient judges, the saviours of God's people. The Holy
Spirit is to enter into him and dwell in him, — fill him
and fill all his ministry. He is to be filled with the
Spirit even from his mother's womb, — from the moment
of birth on through all his life and activity as the herald
of God. This will make him great, — the greatest of those
born under the Old Testament,3 and successful in his
work of making the last preparation as the immediate
precursor of the Messiah.
The Annunciation to Mary.
Gabriel also announces to Mary the birth of the Mes
siah. The Blessed Virgin was residing in Nazareth of
Galilee, betrothed to Joseph of the royal line of David,
the heir of the Messianic promises of the Old Testa
ment. The time for marriage had not yet come.
God had a higher appointment for her to fulfil as the
virgin mother of the Messiah. The annunciation is
made by the angel in three little pieces of trimeter
poetry, which have become somewhat obscured by
the Greek translation. At first Gabriel comes with

1 Mal. iv. s, 6. 2 Num. vi. 1-21. » Luke vii. 28.

46 THE MESSIAH
a salutation (the Ave Maria) in the form of a dis-
Hail, thou that art endued with grace,
The Lord is with thee.1 (Luke i. 28).
Mary seems to have been disturbed by the coming of
the angel. His salutation and its mysterious language
must have filled her with surprise and excited her emo
tions to the utmost. The angel in his second piece
soothes her fears, and delivers the message from God in
a piece of ten lines.
Fear not, Mary :
For thou hast found grace2 with God.
And behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a
son,3
And shalt call his name Jesus.
He shall be great,
And shall be called the Son of the Most High :
And the Lord God shall give unto him
The throne of his father David :
And he will reign over the house of Jacob for ever ;
And of his kingdom there will be no end. (Luke i. 30-33.)
This annunciation contains two references to predic
tions of the Old Testament. The name of the child,
" Son of the Most High," which reappears as " Son of
God " in the third word (v. 35), brings to mind :
Let me tell of a decree of Yahweh.
He said unto me, " Thou art my son,
I, to-day, have begotten thee." (Ps. ii. 7.)
1 The rendering of the margin " endued with grace " is preferable to the text
of the Revised Version, " highly favoured "; for it brings out the full import as
well as the usual meaning of the word. The phrase " the Lord is with thee " is
a familiar one in the prophetic historians of the Old Testament.
- We should give x&PlS and >ts vert> their technical meaning, of grace, as in
R. V. margin, and not obscure their full significance by "favour " and " highly
favoured " of the A. V.
3 The length of the third line is due to the Greek translation. It would be
in better proportion in Aramaic.

OF THE FORERUNNERS 47
The promise that he will be enthroned on the throne
of David, have an everlasting kingdom, and reign over
the house of Jacob forever, distinctly presents him as
the Messianic King of the Old Testament. The prom
ise of an everlasting kingdom was made to David in the
prophecy of Nathan.1 This Messianic King is described
in Isaiah.
For a child is born to us, a son is given to us ; and the rule is
upon his shoulder,
And his name is called Wonderful Counsellor, Divine Hero, Dis
tributor of Spoils, Prince of Peace ;
For the increase of his rule and for peace without end upon the
throne of David and over his kingdom,
To establish it, and to confirm it in justice and righteousness,
from henceforth, even for ever.2 (Isaiah ix. 6-7.)
This passage was, doubtless, in the mind of the
angel, and underlies the thought of the song. The
name " Jesus " is not explained in the context of
Luke. The explanation is given in the annunciation to
Joseph.
Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy
wife ;
For that which is begotten 8 in her is of the Holy Spirit.
And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name
Jesus ;"
For it is he that shall save his people from their sins.
(Matt. i. 20-21.)
The annunciation fills the Virgin with surprise and
amazement. She was not married. How could she
have a son at all, not to speak of giving birth to the heir

' 2 Sam. vii. n-16.
* See Briggs' Messianic Prophecy, p. 200.
3 The R. V. margin is to be preferred.
* )!r\\UW="Lrioov<;=Yahii>eh is salvation.

48 THE MESSIAH
of David ? The angel explains the mystery of the
Divine purpose in a third word.
The Holy Spirit shall come upon thee,
And the power of the Most High shall overshadow thee :
Wherefore also that holy thing that is to be born,
Shall be called the Son of God : '
And behold Elizabeth thy kinswoman,
She also hath conceived a son in her old age :
And this is the sixth month with her that was called barren ;
For no word from God shall be void of power. (Luke i. 35-37.)
This song of the angel begins with the promise of the
Holy Spirit, concludes with the assurance that the
divine word is all-powerful, and in the midst points to
Elizabeth as a sign of the power of God. Elizabeth, the
aged and barren wife of Zacharias, has already conceived
by the power of God. As in the history of Sarah the
wife of Abraham, the barrenness of Elizabeth has been
transformed by the power of God into fertility. This
will be a sign that God will use the almighty power of
his Spirit in enabling Mary to give birth to the Messiah.
That which is to be born of her is called holy, because
it was to be born of the Holy Spirit. This word of the
angel may be regarded as in accord with the prediction
of Isaiah :
And a twig will come forth from the stump of Jesse,
And a shoot from his roots will be fruitful ;
And the spirit of Yahweh will rest upon him,
The spirit of wisdom and understanding,
The spirit of counsel and might,
The spirit of knowledge and the fear of Yahweh. (Isa. xi. 1-2.)

1 The poetical structure decides in favor of the A. V. and against R. V.
In the third and fourth lines, the Revised Version renders one way in the
text and another way in the margin. The rendering I have given is inter
mediate between them.

OF THE FORERUNNERS 49
The Messianic King was to be endowed with the ful
ness of the Divine Spirit. This third word of the angel
carries the endowment with the Spirit back of the offi
cial life into the origin of life itself. It proclaims that
the Spirit of God will take possession of the mother of
the Messiah, so that she will become a mother by the
power of God and the energy of his Spirit. The Mes
siah will enter the world conceived by the power of the
Holy Spirit and born of the Holy Spirit. He will be
holy from his conception onwards. Therefore he will
be called the Son of God, because of his native holiness,
and because of the divine life that begot him as the
Messiah. The virgin conception of Jesus, as here announced by
the archangel, is not to be interpreted as if it were a
miracle in violation of the laws of nature ; but rather as
brought about by God Himself present in theophany.
The conception of Jesus in the womb of the Virgin Mary
differs from all other conceptions of children by their
mothers in that there was no human father. The place
of the human father was taken by God Himself; not
that God appeared in theophany in human form to beget
the child after the analogy of the mythologies of the
ethnic religions; but that God in a theophany in an
extraordinary way, unrevealed to us, and without viola
tion of the laws of maternity, impregnates the Virgin
Mary with the holy seed. The words of the angel imply
a theophanic presence ; for though it might be urged
that the coming of the Spirit upon her was an invisible
coming after the analogy of many passages of the Old
Testament ; yet the parallel statement that the divine
power overshadowed her cannot be so interpreted. For
it not only in itself represents that the divine power
covered her with a shadow ; but this is to be thought of

50 THE MESSIAH
after the uniform usage of Scripture as a bright cloud of
glory, hovering over her, resting upon her, or envelop
ing her with a halo of divinity, in the moment when the
divine energy enabled her to conceive the child Jesus.1
This representation is based upon the well-known pillar
of cloud lighted with divine glory, of the story of the
Exodus,3 and of the erection of Solomon's temple.3 The
entrance of God into his tabernacle and temple to dwell
there in a theophanic cloud would naturally suggest that
the entrance of the divine life into the virgin's womb to
dwell there, would be in the same form of theophanic
cloud. The earthly origin of Jesus in the virgin's womb
would thus begin with a theophany, just as a theophany
accompanies his birth,4 his baptism," his transfiguration,"
his crucifixion/ and his resurrection."
This annunciation represents the conception of Jesus
as due to a theophany. It does not state the doctrine
of his pre-existence ; although that doctrine is a legiti
mate inference. It represents an early stage of New
Testament Christology. It does not go a step beyond
the Paulinism of the epistles to the Corinthians." It

i The same verb kmcKid^u is used in the LXX. of Ex. xl. 35, with reference to
the cloud of glory of the Tabernacle, and also to the theophanic cloud of the
Transfiguration in Matth. xvii. 5 ; Mark ix. 7 ; Luke ix. 34. The cloud of glory
is always connected with God, and implies more than the agency of the divine
Spirit. 2 Ex. xl. 34-35 ; Nu. ix. 15. s 1 K. viii. 10.
4 See p. 51. 5 See p. 75. ° See p. 100. 7 See p. 128. 8 See p. 130.
8 This annunciation knows nothing of the incarnation of the Logos, of the pro
logue of the Gospel of John, i. 14 ; or of the Son of Man from heaven, of the
Gospel itself, John iii. 13 ; or of the effulgence of the glory of God, of Heb. i. 3 ;
or of the first-born of all creation of Col. i. 15 ; or of the epiphany of the Messiah
of -2 Tim. i. 10 : or of the Kenosis of Phil. ii. 6 ; but represents an earlier Chris
tology than any of these writings. Holzmann, Die Synoptiker, s. 532, truly states
that Rom. i. 3, viii. 3, Gal. iv. 4, do not imply a virgin birth, but may be inter
preted of a birth of Joseph and Maiy, in accordance with the reference to Joseph
as the father of Jesus in the primitive gospels. But as Schmiedel shows (Die

OF THE FORERUNNERS 51
implies nothing more than the sending in birth taught
by the epistles to the Galatians and to the Romans. It
is really a more primitive and more simple christological
conception. The Virgin, in meekness and humility, yields to the
heavenly message in a word that assumes the poetic
form as a responsive echo from her heart.
Behold, the handmaid of the Lord ;
Be it unto me according to thy word. (Luke i. 38.)
The Annunciation to the Shepherds.
A third annunciation is reported in the Gospel of
Luke. Shepherds were watching their flocks at night
on the hillsides near Bethlehem. " The glory of the
Lord shone round about them."1 This glory is the light
in which the Lord manifests himself in theophany. It
is a theophany to attend the birth of the Messiah, as we
have already had a theophany at his conception in the
womb of the Virgin. Such theophanies are frequently
mentioned in the story of the Exodus.2 Out of the
midst of the heavenly light an angel of the Lord ap-

Briefe an die Thess. und an die Korinther, ». 168) the epistles to the Corinthians
teach an early stage of the doctrine of the pre-existence of Jesus in the second
Adam from heaven, 1 Cor. xv. 45-47 ; the head of humanity, 1 Cor. xi. 3 ; and es
pecially in the self-impoverishment of the rich Messiah, 2 Cor. viii. 9. This more
primitive form of the doctrine of the pre-existence of the Messiah is still in ad
vance of the doctrine of this annunciation. This annunciation of a theophanic
birth is really a simpler conception and one more in accordance with the represen
tations of the Old Testament, than the sending of- the Son of God when born of
a. woman, of Rom. viii. 3 ; Gal. iv. 4. It is true that none of these passages
teach a virgin conception and birth ; but they teach or imply more than the
virgin birth, namely, the pre-existence of the Messiah before his entrance into the
world. All these will come into consideration in their proper place in this
work. 1 Luke ii. 9.
a Exod. xvi. 10 ; xxiv. 16-17 ; Lev. ix. 23 ; Num. xiv. 10 ; xvi. 19.

52 THE MESSIAH
peared and stood by them. He made the annunciation
of the birth of the Messiah.
Be not afraid,
For behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy
Which shall be to all the people :
For a Saviour ' is born unto you to-day,
Who is Messiah, Lord,2 in the city of David : 3
And this is the sign unto you ;
Ye shall find a babe wrapped in swaddling clothes,
And lying in a manger. (Luke ii. 10-12.)
This song of the angel is immediately followed by a
refrain in two lines sung by a heavenly choir, " a multi
tude of the heavenly host."
Glory to God in the highest,
And en earth, peace among men in whom he is well
pleased.4 (Luke ii. 14.)
This song of the angel begins, as the other songs,
with calming the fears of the agitated shepherds. The
message is for them as representatives of Bethlehem, the
ancient shepherd city whence David had gone forth to
be the shepherd of Israel. But the glad tidings were
for all the people ; and it was their high calling to take
up the angelic message and proclaim it as the first mes
sengers, to Bethlehem, Jerusalem, and the cities of
Judah, that the Messiah had come. The Messiah now
born in Bethlehem, lying as a babe in the manger,
1 ua)r^p=J)it»>lD cf. JWliT above.
2 ^pwrroc Kvpioe cf . Psalter of Solomon, xvii. 4, see p. 34 ; XP"TT°1' BaatKta,
Luke xxiii. 2 ; Kvptov ml xptcrbv, Acts ii. 36.
a The order of the Greek and the structure of the lines of the poem force to
this rendering. The R. V. disregards both of these guides.
<£i(5o/cia=liV*l acceptance with God. Jesus at his baptism was the Son of
God in whom He was well-pleased evfidKijca, Matt. iii. 17 :. Luke iii. 22.

OF THE FORERUNNERS 53
wrapped in swaddling clothes, was Lord and Saviour.
The Messiah was Lord, in accordance with the Psalter :
Utterance of Yahweh to my Lord : Sit enthroned at my right
hand
Till I make thine enemies a stool for thy feet :
The rod of thy strength Yahweh sendeth out of Zion :
Rule in the midst of thine enemies. (Ps. ex. i, 2.)
The Messiah was born in the city of David, but not in
the palace of David. He was born of the royal line, but
of a house that had been dethroned, and that had now
so long lived in obscurity that the heir attracted little, if
any, attention. But the promises of God are sure, even
if long delayed as to their realization. This babe is the
son and heir of David, and a heavenly proclamation and
chorus of angels assure them that he is the Lord, the
long expected Messiah. He is to be a Saviour. This
is an attribute of the Messiah throughout. He was
usually looked for as a national Saviour, to subdue all
enemies, and reign on the throne of David as King and
Lord. The deeper meaning of Saviour these shepherds
could hardly understand as yet. The chorus is a proc
lamation of peace to the world. It was one of the chief
features of the Messiah's work, to establish peace, ac
cording to the Prophets.
And I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim,
And the horse from Jerusalem,
And the battle-bow will be cut off ;
And he will speak peace to the nations :
And his rule will be from sea to sea,
And from the river unto the ends of the earth. (Zech. ix. 10.)
Isaiah names the Messianic King " Prince of Peace." '
1 Is. ix. 6.

54 THE MESSIAH
But probably it is the prediction of Micah which is
chiefly in mind here.
And thou Bethlehem Ephrathah,
Little to be among the thousands of Judah,
Out of thee will come forth for me
One who is to become ruler in Israel,
Whose goings forth are from of old, from ancient days.
And he will stand and act as shepherd in the strength of Yahweh,
In the majesty of the name of Yahweh his God ,
And they will abide ; for now he will become great
Unto the ends of the earth.
And this one will be Peace. (Micah v. 2, 4.)
The Messiah is the Saviour, and his mission is one of
peace. But there can be no peace to the wicked. Peace
is for those who recognize Jesus as the Messiah, accept
his salvation, and gladly submit in love to his heavenly
dominion. All who- enter the kingdom of the Messiah,
and love and serve him as King, Saviour, and Lord, are
well pleasing to God, and enjoy the beatitude of heav
enly peace. THE SONGS OF THE MOTHERS.
§ 1 1. The Virgin Mary is to be the mother of the Lord,
Messiah, and is to be pronounced blessed bv all nations.
God remembers the mercy promised to the seed of the
patriarchs. The spirit of prophecy entered into the mothers of the
Messianic babes, and prophecy in the form of sacred
song burst from their lips. The first to sing the songs
of the new covenant was the mother of the herald.
The Song of Elizabeth.
The Virgin Mary, in response to the angelic message,
departed from Nazareth of Galilee and went to visit her
kinswoman Elizabeth in the hill country of Judah. The

OF THE FORERUNNERS 55
meeting of the mothers was enveloped in a halo of sanc
tity and glory by the presence and power of the Holy
Spirit, who took possession of both of them, filled their
hearts with joy, and gave them utterance in sacred song.
Elizabeth lifted up her voice with a loud cry, and said :
Blessed art thou among women,
And blessed is the fruit of thy womb.
And whence is this to me,
That the mother of my Lord ' should come to me ?
For behold, when the voice of thy salutation
Came into mine ears,
The babe leaped for joy in my womb.
And blessed is she who believed
That there will be a fulfillment
To those things spoken to her from the Lord.2 (Luke i. 42-45.)
Elizabeth, under the influence of the Divine Spirit,
here sees the Virgin already the mother of the Messiah,
and on that account the mother of the lord and king
of her babe and of herself. The mother of the Messiah
now in her presence is a pledge of his advent and all the
joy and blessedness involved therein. The faith of the
Virgin is praised, assurance is given her that the word of
the angel will be fulfilled, and, in view of that fulfillment,
she is recognized as the most blessed among women.
The Song of the Virgin.
Under the influence of the Divine Spirit the Virgin
at once responds to the song of Elizabeth.3

1 This as the nvpioc above is in the sense of the 'JTK Ps. ex. 1.
* The lines of this piece of poetry are more obscure than usual in the Greek.
A re-translation into the original removes the difficulties for the most part and
makes the poetry evident.
s This song has ever been used in the Christian Church. It is called in the
Latin Church the Magnificat, in accordance with the custom to name pieces after
the word that begins them. Magnificat was the first word of the piece in the
ancient Latin version of it.

56 THE MESSIAH
This song of the Virgin is full of the spirit and lan
guage of the song of Hannah,1 the mother of Samuel.
It must have been a favorite hymn with Mary. Doubt
less the similarity of situation and circumstance recalled
its language to her mind and heart.2
My soul magnifieth the Lord,
And my spirit doth rejoice in God my Saviour.
For he looked upon the low estate of his handmaiden :
For behold from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.
For the Almighty doth great things for me ;
And Holy is his name.
And his mercy is unto generations of generations
On them that fear him.
He doth work strength with his arm ;
He doth scatter the proud in the imagination of their heart.
He doth put down princes from thrones,
And doth exalt the lowly.
The hungry he doth fill with good things,
And the rich he doth send empty away.
He doth help Israel his servant,
That he might remember mercy,
As he spake unto our fathers,
Toward Abraham and his seed forever. (Luke i. 46-55.)
Mary conceives of redemption after the more ethical
manner of the song of Hannah and the more personal
relations of the Psalmists.
THE SONGS OF THE FATHERS.
§ 12. God remembers his holy covenant, visits and works
redemption, and raises up a horn of salvation in the house
of David. John is the prophet to prepare the way of
the Lord, who will come as a day-spring to guide in the

Sam. ii. 1-10.
• See Briggs' Messianic Prophecy, pp. 124, 125, for a translation of the song of

Hannah,

OF THE FORERUNNERS 57
way of peace. Jesus will be for the rise and fall of many,
a sign to be spoken against.
The priest Zacharias had remained dumb from the time
of the annunciation in the temple until the birth of his
son. On the day of the circumcision of the child who was
to herald the Advent, and in connection with giving the
name of the boy, " his mouth was opened immediately,
and his tongue loosed, and he spake, blessing God." !
The Song of Zacharias.
The Holy Spirit entered into Zacharias and filled him
with the spirit of prophecy.3 I.
Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,
For he doth visit, and work redemption for his people,
And raise up a horn of salvation for us, in the house of his serv
ant David.
As he spake by the mouth of the holy ones, his prophets, of old f
Salvation from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate
us;
To show mercy toward our fathers, and to remember his holy
covenant ;
The oath which he sware, unto Abraham our father,

¦ Luke i. 64.
2 He gave utterance to a hymn which has been ever used in the Christian
Church as the Benedictus. This hymn is difficult to arrange in its lines and
strophes because of the changes that have been made in translation, and authori
ties are somewhat divided. It seems to me that the original was a poem of the
pentameter movement. The lines are longer than those in the songs of the angels
and the songs of the mothers, and are like the pentameter pieces of the Old Tes
tament, each line having a caesura, so that the second half of the line is comple
mentary to the first half. Some divide this into five stropes, e. g., vers. 68,
69 ; 70-72 ; 73-75 ; 76, 77 ; 78, 79. See Holzmann, Die Synoptiker, a. 36.
But it seems better to divide it into two strophes.
* The line is not clear in the Greek. There must have been an Aramaic
original,

58 THE MESSIAH
To grant unto us to be without fear, being delivered out of the
hand of our enemies,
To serve him in holiness and righteousness before him all our
days.1 II.
And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Most High ;
For thou shalt go before the face of the Lord, to make ready his
ways;
To give knowledge of salvation unto his people, in the remis
sion of their sins,
Because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the day-spring
from on high hath visited us,
To shine upon them that sit in darkness, and in the shadow of
death ;
To guide our feet into the way of peace. (Luke i. 68-79.)
The first strophe blesses God for the fulfilment of the
promise to David, and looks for the fulfilment of the
Abrahamic covenant ; and the second strophe predicts
the ministry of his son John as the herald of the Messiah.
Zacharias weaves together the predictions of a number
of the psalms and prophets.
In the first strophe 2 Zacharias begins with a line from
the doxologies of the Psalter. He then, thinking of the
covenant with David, uses the language of the Psalmist :
There will I cause a horn to sprout for David,
I have prepared a lamp for mine anointed
His enemies will I clothe with shame ;
But upon him his crown will be brilliant.
 (Ps. cxxxii. 17, 18)

1 The arrangement of lines in this strophe differs somewhat from that given in
the Revised Version. The Revised Version breaks up several pentameters into
two lines each. The chief difference is that the Revised Version gives three lines
for lines 5 and 6 of this strophe. It attaches the adverb " without fear" to the
verb "serve." But the Greek text of Westcott and Hort, which I follow, gives
this adverb in the midst of the previous line. This gives a better poetical move
ment, and makes the caesuras evident in both lines.
2 Pss. lxxii. 18 ; cvi. 48.

OF THE FORERUNNERS 59
The visitation is in answer to the prayer :
O God, Sabaoth turn now, look from heaven,
See and visit this vine ;
And protect that which thy right hand planted,
And be over the branch thou hast strengthened for thyself.
(Ps. lxxx. 14, 15.)
He then sees the fulfilment of the Abrahamic cove
nant, which pervades the Old Testament like a golden
thread upon which many promises and predictions are
hung. The promise was made to Abraham before he
migrated to the promised land. It was the charter of
his inheritance.
And I will make thee a great nation.
And I will bless thee and make thy name great ;
Therefore be thou a blessing,
And I will bless those blessing thee ;
And those making light of thee shall I curse :
And all the clans of the earth will bless themselves with thee.
(Gen. xii. 1-3.)
This promise was taken up into a covenant, and sealed
with the sign of circumcision,1 and finally confirmed by
a divine oath.
The second strophe is a prediction of the work of his
child as a herald of the Messiah. Several passages of the
Old Testament give him the basis for his hopes. As the
prophet of the Most High, going before the face of the
Lord, and preparing his way, he is to fulfil the predic
tions of Isaiah and Malachi :
Hark! one proclaiming, in the wilderness, Clear the way of
Yahweh,
Level in the desert a highway for our God.

1 Gen. xvii.; xxii. 15-18.

gO THE MESSIAH
Let every valley be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be de
pressed,
And the crooked place become straight, and the rugged place a
plain,
And the glory of Yahweh will be revealed, and all flesh will see
it together. (Is. xl. 3-5.) '
The day-spring has been referred by some to the
branch 2 of Old Testament prophecy, because branch is
rendered in the LXX. Version by the same Greek word
that is given in our text and translated here " day-
spring." But the original of our song was in the Ara
maic language, and the subsequent context favors the
more natural reference to the springing up of the light
of the sun.3 The last two lines, referring to the Messiah
as the great light, are based upon Isaiah :
The people that walk in darkness do see a great light ;
Those dwelling in a land of dense darkness, light doth shine
upon them. (Isa. ix. 2.)
In the context of Isaiah the great light comes from
the person of the Messiah — the Prince of Peace — and so,
in the song of Zacharias, the shining of the light guides
into the way of peace. The Song of Simeon.
In accordance with the Mosaic law, Jesus, as the first
born son, was presented before God in the temple at
Jerusalem.' An aged father in Israel is awaiting the
advent of the Messiah, having the witness of the Divine
Spirit that he will see him before departing this life.
The aged Simeon, representing the best type of Old
Testament piety, standing on the heights of Messianic
' Comp. Mal. iii. i-iv. 5. •> Jer. xxiii. 5 ; xxxiii. 15 ; Zech. iii. 8.
3 As in Mal. iv. 2 ; comp. Is. Ix. 1.
* Ex. xiii. 12 ; xxii. 29 ; Num. xviii. 15, 16.

OF THE FORERUNNERS 61
expectation, receives the child Jesus into his arms, in the
court of the temple, and, under the inspiration of proph
ecy, sings a song of praise and a song of sorrow.1
I.
Now lettest thou thy servant depart, O Lord,
According to thy word, in peace ;
For mine eyes have seen thy salvation,
Which thou hast prepared before the face of all peoples ;
A light for revelation to the Gentiles,
And the glory of thy people Israel.
II.
Behold this one is set for the falling,
And the rising of many in Israel ;
And for a sign which is spoken against ;
Yea, and a sword shall pierce through thine own soul ;
That thoughts out of many hearts may be revealed.
(Luke ii. 29-35.)
The Messianic salvation is the theme of the first
strophe. This is seen in its double aspect, a light for
revelation to the nations of the world, and the glory of
Israel. Simeon doubtless had in mind the prophecies
of the second Isaiah.
I, Yahweh, have called thee in righteousness,
In order to hold thine hand and to keep thee,
And to give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the
nations, (xiii. 6.)
It is too light a thing that thou shouldest be my servant
To raise up the tribes of Jacob,
And to restore the preserved of Israel ;
I will therefore give thee for a light to the nations,
To become my salvation unto the end of the earth, (xlix. 6.)

1 The first part of his song is the Nunc Dimittis, so called from the first words
of the Latin translation. This has ever been used in the liturgical service of the
Christian Church. The second part of the song is usually given as prose in the
versions :

62 THE MESSIAH
I will greatly rejoice in Yahweh,
Let my soul be joyful in my God ;
For he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation,
He hath covered me with the robe of righteousness,
As a bridegroom putteth on a priest's turban,
And as a bride adorned herself with her jewels.
For as the earth bringeth forth her increase,
And as a garden causeth that which is planted in it to spring
forth,
So will Yahweh cause righteousness to spring forth,
And praise before all nations, (lxi. io, n.)
The second strophe unfolds the salvation of the Mes
siah in the testing that it makes, and in the sorrow that
will be involved, especially to the mother. Here Simeon
catches a glimpse of the suffering Messiah as the one
who takes away the sin of the world. It was indeed only
natural that the predictions of the second Isaiah as to
the salvation of the Messianic servant, which were at the
bases of his song, should lead the mind up to the suffer
ing Messiah who was the centre of them all. The sword
that pierces the Virgin's soul was the agony that she
was to experience in the passion of our Lord when she
saw him
Despised, and forsaken of men ;
A man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief ;
And as one before whom there is a hiding of the face,
Despised, and we regarded him not !
But he was one pierced because of our transgressions,
Crushed because of our iniquities ;
The chastisement for our peace was upon him ;
And by his stripes there is healing for us.
And among his contemporaries who was considering,
That he was cut off from the land of the living,
Because of the transgression of my people he had the blow?

OF THE FORERUNNERS gg
With the wicked his grave was assigned,
And with the rich in his martyr death ;
Although he had done no violence,
And there was no deceit in his mouth. (Is. liii. 3, 5, 8-9.)
It seems also that Simeon had in mind the test stone
of the first Isaiah.1
Thus a strain of sorrow mingles with the thanksgiving
of the departing saint who represents so well the depart
ing dispensation of the old covenant. It is said that
Anna also praised God and spoke of the child Jesus to
all who were looking for redemption in Jerusalem.8
THE HERALD OF THE MESSIAH.
§ 13. John the Baptist heralded the advent of God and
his kingdom. He taught that Jesus was mightier than
himself ; that he would baptize with the Holy Spirit and
with fire, and would wield the fan of judgment on his
threshing floor. Jesus was the lamb of God that taketh
away the sin of the world.
Some thirty years after the events underlying these
songs, John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness of
Judea declaring that the kingdom of God was at hand,
that he was the herald of the Messiah, and instituting
the baptism of repentance unto the remission of sins.
The four evangelists agree in giving an account of this
introductory ministry of the Baptist. It belongs to the
earliest Christian tradition and the earliest Gospels.
Their reports are essentially the same as to the main
features, but each of them has material not contained in
the others. The new institution of the baptism of re
pentance is common to them all. The preacher called
the people to repentance as the true preparation for

1 Is. xxviii. 16. ' Luke ii.38.

64 THE MESSIAH
their God ; he baptized them with water as a public
solemn testimony and seal of this repentance, and he set
before them the remission of sins as the aim of the re
pentance and the baptism. John the Baptist conceives
of the advent as an advent in judgment, for which re
pentance and remission are the necessary preparations.
Hence it is that the Baptist appears as the herald of the
divine advent predicted in Malachi and in the great
prophet of the exile.
Behold I send my messenger before thy face, who shall pre
pare thy way. The voice of one crying in the wilderness, make
ye ready the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. Every
valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought
low ; and the crooked shall become straight, and the rough ways
smooth : and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.1
These translations differ from the original text in sev
eral important particulars,2 but not so as in any way to
dull the points of the citations. The advent is the ad
vent of Yahweh ; it is an advent in the glory of redemp
tion and of judgment. It is an advent of judgment for
the wicked, and of redemption for the righteous people.
God is to lead them into the holy land, and before him
all nature is transformed. This advent is heralded by a

i These passages are a mosaic from the three evangelists, Matth. iii. 3 ; Lk. i.
¦2, 3 ; Lk. iii. 4, 5 ; John i. 23. The first sentence is given only by Mark, who
cites it from Isaiah. The evangelist, however, mistakes his reference, for it is
from Malachi iii. 1. The citation is free, for it differs from the LXX. as well as
the Hebrew. It was made probably from an oral Aramaic targum. The second
sentence is given by the three synoptists. It is nearer to the LXX. than the
Hebrew. John's Gospel condenses this sentence. The last sentence is given only
by Luke. It also is closer to the LXX. than to the Hebrew. The two extracts
were probably from an Aramaic original. The movement of the Hebrew poetry
of the original was destroyed by these translations, and the R. V. is incorrect in
its arrangement of the lines which do not correspond with Uie rhythm of Isaiah
xl. 3-5. See Briggs' Messianic Prophecy, pp 375, 473.
2 See Toy, Quotations in the New Testament, p. 16.

OF THE FORERUNNERS 65
special messenger, whose office is to prepare the way, to
proclaim the approach of the great king. John the
Baptist was this herald, and it is a divine advent that
he has in view, an advent chiefly in judgment, but a
judgment that implies redemption to the people of
God. In accordance with this conception of his mission, the
few discourses of the Baptist that have been preserved
in the three synoptic evangelists are words of warning.
They assume the poetic form, as was usual with the
prophets of the Old Testament :
Ye offspring of vipers, who warned you
To flee from the wrath to come ?
Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance ;
And think not to say within yourselves,
We have Abraham to our father :
For I say unto you, that God is able
Of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.
And even now is the axe laid unto the root of the trees :
Every tree therefore that bringeth not forth good fruit
Is hewn down, and cast into the fire.1
This passage of Matthew and Luke had a common
source in the original Aramaic Gospel of Matthew. It
has all the features of a trimeter poem. Matthew ap
plies it to the Pharisees and Sadducees, to whom, in
deed, it seems most appropriate. But Luke gives it a
more general reference to the multitudes. This is all
the more striking in view of his specification of publi
cans and soldiers in the warnings of the Baptist pre
served by him alone. It seems most probable that
the original source contained only the sayings of the

1 Matth. iii. 7-10 is identical with Luke iii. 7-9 with the exception of mp-rrbv
&t;iov for aap-jroiig a!;iovQ and dofj/re for apiade ver. 8, and that Luke inserts
ical in ver. 9. Matthew's text is preferable.

66 THE MESSIAH
Baptist without the explanatory remarks. The addi
tional sentences given by Luke are :
He that hath two coats,
Let him impart to him that hath none ;
And he that hath food,
Let him do likewise. (Luke iii. ii.)
To the publicans he said :
Extort no more than that which is appointed you. (Luke iii. 13.)
To the soldiers he said :
Extort from no man by violence, neither accuse any one wrong
fully ;
And be content with your wages. (Luke iii. 14.)
These sayings were probably derived from another
source than the Aramaic Matthew. Luke represents in
his introduction that he used many sources.1 These
are specimens given by the Baptist of the fruits of
repentance such as were required in preparation for
the advent of God in judgment. He sees that the axe is
already lying at the root of the dead trees, and is about
to cut them down. The fire is ready to consume them.
The true children of Abraham, the heirs of the promises
of God, will abide ; God will provide for that. Even
the stones of the wilderness are more likely to produce
living children of Abraham than such fruitless trees and
venomous serpents as the Pharisees and their disciples.
The day of wrath, the Day of Yahweh, predicted by the
prophets of the Old Testament, is at hand ; and those
who do not prepare themselves for it by true repentance
have every reason to dread it, and flee away from it.
Matthew,1 in accordance with his custom, adds anoth
er discourse of the Baptist to the previous one with-
1 Luke i. 1-4. 3 Matt. iii. n, 12.

OF THE FORERUNNERS 67
out comment or mark of separation. Luke ' gives it on
another occasion in response to the people, who inquired
whether John was the Messiah. Mark2 gives it in an
abridged form, as the theme of his preaching. John 3
also gives it in a shortened form, in response to an
inquiry of the Pharisees whether he was Elijah, the
Messiah, or the expected prophet. A careful study of
these four parallel passages makes it probable that the
original Aramaic discourse would be as follows :
I indeed baptize you with water ;
But he that is mightier than I cometh after me,
Whose shoes I am unworthy to untie :
He will baptize you with fire.
Whose fan is in his hand,
Thoroughly to cleanse his threshing-floor;
And to gather the wheat into his garner ;
But the chaff he will burn up with unquenchable fire.4
In this discourse the Baptist looks again at the judg
ment of fire. The chaff will be consumed here, as the

i Luke iii. i6, 17. 2 Mark i. 7, 8. ? John i. 26, 27.
4 The first four lines are common to the four evangelists. Disregarding the
differences in order of words in the sentences, Matthew alone gives " unto re
pentance." Matthew and John use the preposition "in " before " water." Mark
alone uses the aorist " baptized." Luke's text is to be preferred in the first
line. In the second line, Matthew and John use the participle "coming," Mark
and Luke the present "cometh." All use "after me "but Luke. In the third
line, the text of Luke is best. John uses a final clause for the infinitive of Mark
and Luke. Mark inserts "stoop down," and Matthew substitutes "to bear."
' ' Latchet ' ' is given by all but Matth ew ; it is an amplification for greater distinct
ness. John uses " worthy " for " sufficient" of the three others. Mark and John
do not give " and with fire " of Matthew and Luke. " Fire " is best suited to
the context. ' ' Holy Spirit " was probably an explanation of the fire, in two of
the evangelists substituted for it, in the other two inserted before it. This was
due to reflection upon these words in connection with the descent of the Spirit
on the day of Pentecost. The last four lines are given by Matthew and Luke.
The only differences are in the use of infinitives of Luke for futures of Matthew.
We prefer to follow Luke. This difference, as well as differences in order of
words, is due to a different translation of the Aramaic original.

68 THE MESSIAH
dead wood was to be consumed in the previous passage.
As the true children of Abraham were to abide there, so
the wheat is to be gathered into the garner here. The
fan of the threshing-floor takes the place of the axe of
the woodman, in the figure of the act of judgment.
The last four lines harmonize with the previous dis
course ; but the first four lines bring into view the con
ception of two baptisms : the one with water, the other
with fire. The Baptist connects the baptism with fire
and the judgment of fire without discrimination in time,
just as the Old Testament prophets were accustomed to
do.1 In this particular he seems not to have advanced
beyond them. The judgment of fire, with its redemp
tion of the people of God, is the theme of his preaching.
Repentance and baptism with water are its preparations.
The advent of God is connected, in the mind of the
Baptist, with the advent of the Messiah. The Messiah
comes to bestow this baptism of fire, and to exercise
judgment. The Baptist seems to have in mind the ad
vent of the Son of Man in the cloud with the Ancient
of Days and the fiery stream of the apocalypse of
Daniel.2 The evangelists after the day of Pentecost see
in the fire the fiery tongues of the Holy Spirit as well as
the fiery flame of the lake of fire of the judgment day.
The Gospel of John tells of a closer recognition of
Jesus by the Baptist :
And John bare witness, saying, I have beheld the Spirit de
scending as a dove out of heaven ; and it abode upon him. And
I knew him not : but he that sent me to baptize with water, he
said unto me, Upon whomsoever thou shalt see the Spirit de
scending, and abiding upon him, the same is he that baptizeth
with the Holy Spirit. And I have seen, and have borne witness

1 Cf. Joel iii.; E?ek. xxxix. Briggs' Messianic Prophecy, p. 488.
2 Dan. vn. 9-12.

OF THE FORERUNNERS 69
that this is the Son of God. [And so the Baptist transfers his
own disciples to Jesus with the words] : Behold, the Lamb of
God, which taketh away the sin of the world ! (John i. 29-34.)
The two sides of the work of the Advent were dis
tinctly foretold by the Baptist ; namely, the judgment
and the redemption. He reiterates the ancient proph
ecies with reference to the judgment.1 But in the doc
trine of redemption he advances in the line of the an
nunciations, and of his father Zachariah, and of Simeon,
to a still more vivid conception of the Messiah as the
victim, the sin-bearing and suffering Lamb of the great
prophet of the exile.2 Here the Baptist combines
the judging Son of Man with the rejected prophetic
servant. These two Messianic ideas, kept apart in the
Old Testament, converge in his representation. His
language is brief, enigmatic, and gives no explanation of
the remarkable combination in his mind. This concep
tion of the Baptist is given only by the Gospel of John,
preserved in the memory of the apostle who had heard
it from the lips of the Baptist himself.
These enigmatic words had pointed him to Jesus as
in some way both the Messianic servant and the Son of
Man, the mediator of the Day of the Lord, of the divine
judgment, and of the redemption of the world.
John the Baptist gives to his disciples a final testi
mony :
Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Mes
siah, but that I am sent before him. He that hath the bride is
the bridegroom ; but the friend of the bridegroom, who standeth
and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's
voice ; this my joy therefore is made full. He must increase,
but I must decrease. (John iii. 28-30.)

> Isa. xii. 3-11 ; Mal. iii. 2 Isa. liii.

CHAPTER III.
THE MESSIAH OF MARK.
The Gospels give glimpses of the life and teaching of
Jesus from four different points of view. Mark is the
simplest and the earliest in composition. Almost all
that is given in Mark reappears in Matthew and Luke ;
both of these Gospels using the earlier Mark. Matthew
is distinguished by long discourses of Jesus upon several
great themes. We find very much the same matter in
other connections in Luke ; but only a limited portion
of it in Mark. It is evident that the Gospel of Matthew
has grouped the words of Jesus about several themes.
As it depended chiefly upon Mark for the historical ma
terial, it also depended on the Logia of Matthew for
these discourses. The Logia of Matthew is the collec
tion chiefly of the sayings of Jesus made by the apostle
Matthew in the Aramaic language, according to the testi
mony of Papias.1 This Logia was lost at an early date,
but the most if not all of its contents are in the Gospels
of Matthew and Luke. Luke gives them more in the
circumstances of their utterance. The Gospel of Mat
thew arranged them in a topical order without regard to
these circumstances. These discourses of Jesus from
the Logia of Matthew are rich and pregnant with Mes-

1 See p. 41. (70)

OF MARK 71
sianic material. The Gospel of Matthew gives other say
ings of Jesus and reports other acts of Jesus, which were
taken probably from other sources, written or oral. The
Gospel of Luke uses the historical material of Mark,
gives the sayings from the Logia of Matthew their orig
inal setting, but it also gives original matter not found
in the other evangelists. It is probable that this mate
rial was chiefly derived from a third written source. It
is evident that Luke seeks historic connection for the
life and words of Jesus. He arranges in an orderly chron
ological and geographical method, distinguishing the
ministry in Galilee, in Samaria, in Perea, and in Jeru
salem. The Gospel of John is different from the other three,
in that the material is chiefly new. It gives us more the
esoteric teaching of Jesus and events of a more private
and personal character, all bearing the marks of deep
and thorough reflection upon the person and life of
Jesus. In the study of the gospels there is a constant ad
vance in conception, in the order, Mark, Matthew, Luke,
John. But the advance from Luke to John is much
greater than that between the three other evangelists,
so much so that the three are grouped by scholars as
the synoptics over against John, which stands apart by
itself. The different methods of composition of the evangel
ists, their difference in conception, and their difference
in the order and grouping of material, are not favorable
to a systematic study of the Messianic idea of Jesus.
There are several methods that might be pursued in
dealing with it.
(i). We might inquire how far the Jesus of the Gospels
was the Messiah of the Old Testament, and then study

72 THE MESSIAH
his predictions on the basis of that inquiry. The diffi
culty in this method is that his predictions relate to his
own sufferings, death, and resurrection which are included
in the evidences of the Messiahship.
(2). We might group the whole question of the Messi
anic predictions of Jesus and the Messianic fulfilment
of Jesus about the Messianic ideals of the Old Testa
ment. This is a tempting method, but in its use there
are several disadvantages. The chief of these is that the
Messianic idea of Jesus would be dominated by the re
sults of the synthesis of the Old Testament. The Messi
anic idea of Jesus is so original, extensive, and profound,
that it should be studied by itself and shaped by its own
internal principles.
(3). We might first study the Messianic idea of Jesus,
as it is given in the Gospels, and then in this light in
quire how far the Messiah of the Gospels is the Messiah
of the Old Testament. We shall construct our material
in accordance with this method. But this method might
be used in several ways. The material given in the dis
courses of Jesus in the form of prediction is greater than
we find in any prophet of the Old Testament. It is so
great in amount and so various in form that it is neces
sary to divide it into several chapters.
(a). We would prefer some chronological scheme.
But such a chronological scheme is sufficiently difficult
in the study of the life of the Messiah. It is still more
difficult when we have to put his discourses in their his
torical relations. Any attempt to do this burdens us
with numberless questions of historical criticism where
it is impossible at present to attain definite results in
some of the most important passages. Many attempts
have been made to trace a development in the Messianic
consciousness of Jesus and in his doctrine of the king-

OF MARK 73
dom of God, but none of these have found favor. It
seems impracticable in the present stage of the criticism
of the Gospels to give an accurate and comprehensive
statement of such a development. It is sufficiently diffi
cult if the study is limited to the synoptics. It is at
present impossible if the Gospel of John is included in
the study.1 The Gospel of Luke seems to have tried
the chronological method and to have succeeded only in
part. We are not likely to be more successful.
(b). An effort might be made to group the Messianic
material about several great themes, such as the King
dom of God, the Rejected Messiah, the Messianic Judg
ment, and the Messiah from Heaven. But this method
has its difficulties. These topics cannot be so distinctly
separated without injury to the unity of many of the
themes. A considerable amount of repetition is una
voidable under the several heads. Omissions and reser
vations constantly occur. This indeed is the method
pursued in the Gospel of Matthew in his use of the say
ings of Jesus. But even Matthew did not consistently
use it. The other evangelists used other methods. How
then can we reduce them all to Matthew's method ?
(c). The simplest and easiest method seems on the
whole to be the best, at least for the purpose of this
volume. We shall follow the method of the Gospels
themselves and give the Messiah of each by itself. The
Messianic idea of the Gospel of Mark will be first studied
in Chapter III. This is for the most part the earliest
Christian tradition, and it is found likewise in the paral
lel passages of Matthew and Luke. These parallel pas
sages have been derived by our Matthew and Luke from
the original Mark, and have been edited in their larger

i Wendt, Lehre Jesu, ii. s. 318, 319.

74 THE MESSIAH
gospels, sometimes in new relations and with variations
due to explication, or to abridgment, or to subsequent
reflection in the light of other circumstances and events.
In some cases a Messianic reference is found in one of
the parallels that is absent from Mark. In such a case
the Messianic reference is probably due to later reflec
tion, or other sources of information. Inasmuch as our
purpose at present is to consider the Messianic idea, we
propose to use such parallels under the head of that
gospel in which the Messianic reference appears. The
Apocalypse of Jesus stands out so prominently by itself
in Mark and its parallels in Matthew and Luke, and is
so important in its exposition, that we shall treat it in
Chapter IV. The Messianic idea of Jesus presented in
the Gospel of Matthew, so far as it is not included in
Mark, will next be considered in Chapter V. This ma
terial, not given by Mark, but added by Matthew to the
common tradition in Mark, was derived for the most
part from the Aramaic Logia of Matthew, and appears
with historical setting in the Gospel of Luke. This ma
terial has variations in language due in part to different
translations of the same Aramaic original, and in part to
different conceptions of the meaning and use of the ma
terial in these evangelists and to editorial modification
of various kinds. It will be convenient to use in this
same chapter the Messianic material peculiar to Mat
thew, for it is not certain how much of it was derived
from the Logia and how much of it from other sources.
The sixth chapter will be given to the Messianic mate
rial peculiar to the Gospel of Luke and derived by him
from other sources. A seventh chapter will conclude
with the Messiah of the Gospel of John. The mate
rial in the Gospels which may be regarded as giving the
Messianic ideas of the authors of the Gospels, rather than

OF MARK 75
those of Jesus, will be considered in the eighth chapter,
where the question will be determined whether and how
far the Jesus of the Gospels fulfilled the Messianic ideals
of the Old Testament. THE SON OF GOD.
§ 14. Jesus was recognized at his baptism as the beloved
and accepted son of God, the Messiah, by a theophany of
the voice of God, and by the descent of the Holy Spirit
from heaven in the form of a dove to abide with him.
The Gospel of Mark begins the life of Jesus with the
story of his baptism by John the Baptist, his forerunner
and herald. This fundamental event is described in the
four evangelists, each one giving additional information,
rising from the simpler story of Mark to the fuller story
of John. We give them in parallelism for comparison
(see p. 76).
The baptism of Jesus with the Holy Spirit was in ac
cordance with the prophet Isaiah, who predicts that the
Divine Spirit will rest upon the Messianic king.1 The
great prophecy of the exile also predicts that the Mes
sianic servant will be anointed by the Spirit for his
preaching.2 But the coming of the Spirit upon Jesus
was something more than these predictions. It was a
coming of the Spirit in theophany, in the form of a dove.
This is unique in the history of divine revelation. The
dove, as a symbol of peace, was an appropriate form for
the Spirit in the consecration of a prophet whose mes
sage was a gospel of peace, and of a king whose reign
was to result in everlasting peace.
Besides this consecration by the theophany of the
dove, there was also a heavenly recognition by the the-
1 Is. xi. 2. 2Is. lxi. 1.

76 THE MESSIAH
ophany of a voice. This voice was the voice of God
claiming Jesus as his son, his beloved son, the son with
whom he was well pleased. This theophanic recogni
tion is beyond anything predicted in the Old Testament.
Nowhere is it said that the Messiah would be claimed
by a divine voice. It is commonly supposed that the
Son of God is here to be understood in the theological
sense of the second person of the Trinity, but this is ex-
A. Mark i. 9-17.
And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus came from
Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized of John in the Jordan.
And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens
rent asunder, and the Spirit as a dove descending upon him :
and a voice came out of the heavens, Thou art my beloved
Son, in thee I am well pleased.
B. Luke iii. 21-22.
Now it came to pass, when all the people were baptized, that,
Jesus also having been baptized, and praying, the heaven was
opened, and the Holy Spirit descended in a bodily form, as a
dove, upon him, and a voice came out of heaven, Thou art my
beloved Son ; in thee I am well pleased.
C. Matth. iii. 13-17.
Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to the Jordan unto John, to
be baptized of him. But John would have hindered him, saying,
I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me ?
But Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it now ; for thus it
becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffereth
him. And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway
from the water : and lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and
he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove, and coming upon
him ; and lo, a voice out of the heavens, saying, This is my be
loved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
D. John i. 32-34.
And John bare witness, saying, I have beheld the Spirit de
scending as a dove out of heaven ; and it abode upon him. And
I knew him not : but he that sent me to baptize in water, he
said unto me, Upon whomsoever thou shalt see the Spirit' de
scending, and abiding upon him, the same is he that baptizeth in
theHolv Spirit. And I have seen, and have borne witness that
this is the Son of God.

OF MARK 77
tremely improbable. It is more probable that the Son
of God is here used in the well-known Messianic sense,
of the seed of David, and that the theophanic voice
attests the Messiahship of Jesus, rather than his divinity.
It is improbable that the divinity of Jesus was made
known by a divine voice at the beginning of his ministry,
to remain unknown during the greater part of his minis
try, and only gradually to be manifested toward the close
of his life. It is true that we have the voice, the dove,
and the son distinguished in this theophany, but this
does not imply the divinity of the three. The divinity
of the Son may be proven elsewhere ; it is not evident
here. The Divine Spirit now appears for the first time
in the development of divine revelation in a distinct
theophanic individuality. In the Old Testament and in
the revelations to the Forerunners the Divine Spirit was
an energy of God, a mode of divine manifestation. Here
the Divine Spirit is theophanic ; it has a distinct embod
iment in the form of a dove. This heavenly recognition
of Jesus by the theophany sets him at once in a unique
position as the Son of God, the significance of which
will be disclosed in the development of the Messianic
idea of Jesus and his apostles. We notice, however, that
the relation here emphasized is an ethical relation and
not a theocratic one. This then becomes the character
istic feature of the Messianic idea of Jesus. It is essen
tially ethical throughout. As Wendt well says : " Ac
cording- to the conception of the Jews the Messianic
king was also ' Son of God '; according to the conception
of Jesus the ' Son of God ' was as such the Messianic
king." '
Matthew answers a later objection to the baptism of

• Lehre Jesu, ii. s. 436.

78 THE MESSIAH
the Messiah by John, when he tells us of the hesitancy of
John to baptize Jesus on account of his recognition of
him as the Messiah. The Gospel of John tells us that
the theophany of the Spirit was the sign, given John
the Baptist by God, which would assure him that Jesus
was indeed the Son of God. The reason for the bap
tism, as given by Matthew, was that the Messiah might
" fulfil all righteousness "; that is, the highest of the
divine requirements in preparation for the kingdom.
The King would lead his people through the preparatory
waters of baptism. Standing thus at the highest point
of the righteousness of preparation, Jesus receives the
recognition of the heavenly Father, and the baptism of
the Divine Spirit, which endow him, as the Messiah,
with the authority to baptize his disciples with the Holy
Spirit. According to the Gospel of the Infancy, the immacu
late conception of Jesus and his birth at Bethlehem
were both accompanied by theophanies.1 We would
expect a theophany to inaugurate his public ministry
also. THE KINGDOM AT HAND.
§ 15. Jesus declared that the time was fulfilled, and that
the kingdom of God was at hand.
Jesus began his public ministry by declaring the glad
tidings already heralded by the Baptist.
The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand : repent
ye, and believe in the gospel. (Mark i. 15.)
The report of Mark is fuller than Matthew 2 for it as
sociates faith with repentance and the fulfilment of the
time with the kingdom. Matthew here, and elsewhere

1 See pp. 49, 51. 2 iv. 17.

OF MARK 79
in his report of the discourses of Jesus, uses the term
kingdom of heaven. From this we might infer that
Jesus was in the habit of using both of these terms,
kingdom of God and kingdom of heaven, as synonyms.
The kingdom of heaven means, in the usage of Matthew,
the kingdom that is heavenly in origin and in its seat of
dominion. It is synonymous with the kingdom of God
whose origin and dominion are in God. Heaven is the
seat of the throne, and God is enthroned over this king
dom. It is probable, however, that Matthew is responsi
ble for the variation, and that he either unconsciously or
designedly substituted the one for the other, because of
his own preference, or because he thought that the king
dom of heaven was a more suitable term for his purpose
in setting forth Jesus as the Messiah."
We are not surprised that the terms kingdom of the
Messiah or kingdom of David are absent, for the king
dom of God is a larger and more comprehensive term
than the others. It was fitting that Jesus should declare
the kingdom of God rather than the kingdom of the
Messiah, since in the usage of Old Testament prophecy
the kingdom of the Son of God is the kingdom of God.
Jesus declares that the kingdom of God is at hand. In
this term, at hand, he takes up the preaching of the Old
Testament prophets whose constant refrain is the near
ness of the day of Yahweh.2 This term, in itself, would

1 It is claimed by Schiirer, Gesch. jild. Volkes, II. 5,. 454 ; Wendt, Lehre Jesu,
ii. s. 299, et al , that the phrase " kingdom of heaven " in Matthew's usage was a
substitution by Matthew of " heaven " for " God " after the Jewish fashion in those
times, in accordance with the general reluctance to use divine names. Bey
schlag, Neu. Test. Theologie, I. s. 41, rightly holds that it is the heavenly origin
of the kingdom that is thought of in accordance with Dan. ii. 44, vii. 13, 14, but
Beyschlag is probably wrong in ascribing the phrase to the words of Jesus in the
Logia. It seems improbable that the other gospels and the epistles would uni
formly use kingdom of God, if the original words of Jesus in the Logia were
kingdom of heaven. ' Briggs' Messianic Prophecy, p. 53.

80

THE MESSIAH

not imply any immediateness in the advent of the king
dom, measured in chronological numbers. But the par
allel expression given by Mark is more significant, for
when Jesus said, the time is fulfilled, he means that the
time prior to the advent of the kingdom has been filled
out and is about to reach its end. The theme of the
discourse is therefore the immediate advent of the king
dom. In view of this advent the people of Israel are to
repent and have faith in the gospel, the message of the
kingdom.1

THE AUTHORITY OF THE SON OF MAN.
§ 1 6. Jesus had unique authority as the Son of Man,
in his words and deeds, over man, nature, and demons.
The Gospel of Mark calls attention to the authority of
Jesus in connection with his first preaching.

Mark i. 22.
And they were as-
t o n i s h e d at his
teaching : for he was
teaching them 4 as
having authority,
and not as the
scribes.

Luke iv. 31-32.
And he came down
to Capernaum, a city
of Galilee, and he
was teaching them
on the Sabbath day :
and they were aston
ished at his teach
ing ; for his word
was with authority.

Matth. vii. 28-29.
And it came to
pass, when Jesus
ended these words,
the multitudes were
astonished at his
teaching : for he was
teaching them as
having authority,
and not as their
scribes.

Mark i. 23-27.
And straightway there was in
their synagogue a man with an
unclean spirit ; and he cried
out, saying, What have we to

Luke iv. 33-36.
And in the synagogue there
was a man that had a spirit of
an unclean demon, and he cried
out with a loud voice, Ah !

> Wendt, Lehre Jesu, ii. s. 307.
a r)v 8i6dcicuv. The three narratives use the same expression. It is correctly
given in the Revised Version of Luke, but neglected in the Revised Version of
Mark and Matthew.

OF MARK

81

do with thee, thou Jesus of
Nazareth ? Art thou come to
destroy us ? I know thee who
thou art, the Holy One of God.
And Jesus rebuked him, saying,
Hold thy peace and come out
of him. And the unclean spirit,
tearing him and crying with a
loud voice, came out of him.
And they were all amazed, in
somuch that they questioned
among themselves, saying :
What is this ? a new teaching !
With authority he command-
eth even the unclean spirits,
and they obey him.

what have we to do with thee,
thou Jesus of Nazareth ? Art
thou come to destroy us? I
know thee who thou art, the
Holy One of God. And Jesus
rebuked him, saying, Hold thy
peace, and come out of him.
And when the demon had
thrown him down in the midst,
he came out of him, having
done him no hurt. And amaze
ment came upon all, and they
spake together, one with ano
ther, saying, What is this word ?
For with authority and power
he commandeth the unclean
spirits, and they come out.

The people were at the outset impressed by the teach
ing of Jesus. He taught with authority. He did not
appeal to ancient authorities as was the custom of the
rabbis in his time,1 but he spake on his own authority.
Mark and Luke call attention to it in connection with
the discourse at Capernaum ; Matthew after his collec
tion of the teachings of Jesus in the Sermon on the
Mount. With the same authority Jesus wrought his miracles,
in this respect differing from Moses and Elijah, who ap
pealed to God or used means appointed by God. The
authority of Jesus was especially manifested in his cast
ing out of demons as at Capernaum, and at a later date
in raising the dead. He needed not to call to God for
help, or to use appointed instruments. His word of
command was sufficient. The demons came forth from
their wretched victims at the word of one whom they
knew to be the Holy One of God.
Jesus still further manifested his authority in granting
absolution from sin, which no prophet had ever done

> Matt. v. 21 seq.

82

THE MESSIAH

before him. This wonderful exhibition of authority is
described by Mark in connection with another discourse
at Capernaum.

Mark ii. 1-12.
And when he en
tered again into Ca
pernaum after some
days, it was noised
that he was in the
house. And many
were gathered toge
ther, so that there
was no longer room
for them, no, not even
about the door: and
he spake the word
unto them. And they
come, bringing unto
him a man sick of
the palsy, borne of
four. And when
they could not come
nigh unto him for
the crowd, they un
covered the roof
where he was : and
when they had
broken it up, they
let down the bed
whereon the sick
of the palsy lay.
And Jesus seeing
their faith saith unto
the sick of the palsy,
Son, thy sins are for
given. But there
were certain of the
scribes sitting there,
and reasoning i n
their hearts, Why
doth this man thus
speak? heblasphem-
eth : who can forgive
sins but one, even
God ? And straight-

Luke v. 17-26.
And it came to
pass on one of those
days, that he was
teaching; and there
were Pharisees and
doctors of the law
sitting by, who were
come out of every
village of Galilee and
Judaea and Jerusa
lem : and the power
of the Lord was with
him to heal. And
behold, men bring
on a bed a man that
was palsied: and they
sought to bring him
in, and to lay him
before him. And
not finding by what
way they might bring
him in because of
the multitude, they
went up to the
housetop and let him
down through the
tiles with his coach
into the midst before
Jesus. And seeing
their faith, he said,
Man, thy sins are
forgiven thee. And
the scribes and the
Pharisees began to
reason, saying, Who
is this that speaketh
blasphemies ? Who
can forgive sins, but
God alone? But
Jesus percei ving
their reasonings, an
swered and said unto

Matthew ix. 1-8.
And he entered
into a boat, and
crossed over, and
came into his own
city. And behold,
they brought to him
a man sick of the
palsy, lying on abed:

and Jesus seeing
their faith said unto
the sick of the palsy,
Son, be of good
cheer ; thy sins are
forgiven. And be
hold, certain of the
scribes 'said within
themselves.This man
blasphemeth. And
Jesus knowing their
thoughts, said,
Wherefore think ye
evil in your hearts?

OF MARK

83

way Jesus, perceiving
in his spirit that they
so reasoned within
themselves, s a i t h
unto them, Why rea
son ye these things
in your hearts?
Whether is easier,
to say to the sick of
the palsy, Thy sins
are forgiven ; or to
say, Arise, and take
up thy bed, and
walk ? But that ye
may know that the
Son of Man hath au
thority on earth to
forgive sins (he saith
to the sick of the
palsy), I say unto
thee, Arise, take' up
thy bed, and go unto
thy house. And he
arose, and straight
way took up the bed,
and went forth be
fore them all ; inso
much that they were
all amazed, and glo
rified God, saying,
We never saw it on
this fashion,

them, What reason
ye in your hearts ?
Whether is easier, to
say, Thy sins are for
given thee ; or to
say, Arise and walk ?
But that ye may
know that the Son
of Man hath author
ity on earth to for
give sins (he said
unto him that was
palsied), I say unto
thee, Arise, and take
up thy couch, and
go unto thy house.
And immediately he
rose up before them,
and took up that
whereon he lay, and
departed to his
house, glorifying
God. And amaze
ment took hold on
all, and they glori
fied God ; and they
were filled with fear,
saying, We have
seen strange things
to-day.

For whether is
easier, to say, Thy
sins are forgiven ; or
to say, Arise, and
walk ? But that ye
may know that the
Son of Man hath au
thority on earth to
forgive sins (then
saith he to the sick
of the palsy), Arise,
and take up thy bed,
and go unto thy
house. And he
arose, and departed
to his house. But
when the multitudes
saw it, they were
afraid, and glorified
God, who had given
such authority unto
men.

This assumption of the divine prerogative of forgive
ness of sins was blasphemous in the eyes of the Phari
sees. They could not deny the miracle, but they could
refuse the miracle worker as a blasphemer working his
miracles through evil supernatural influences. The
authority to forgive sins, as here claimed and exercised
by Jesus, must have struck the common people unpleas
antly. It was an authority which no one but God
could exercise. Even the Messianic prediction of the
Old Testament did not ascribe to the Messiah such
authority. The Messianic King judges and punishes

84 THE MESSIAH
the wicked,1 but nowhere does he forgive sins. The
Messianic prophet is a sin-bearer, a trespass-offering,1
the means of forgiveness ; but the authority of forgive
ness is ever retained by God. The Son of Man of
Daniel comes on the clouds of heaven to receive the
kingdom from the Ancient of Days, but he has no
earthly ministry.3 The Son of Man of the Similitudes
of Enoch has a heavenly pre-existence, but there is
nothing to suggest a previous earthly life.4 But Jesus
here claims for the Son of Man an earthly ministry, and
in that ministry the authority to forgive sins. Here for
the first time, according to Mark, Jesus names himself
the Son of Man. There can be little doubt that he used
the name as a Messianic title, and that that title is based
on its use in the Apocalypse of Daniel and probably
also in the Apocalypse of Enoch. Jesus uses the term
as his own familiar Messianic title, partly because it
did not necessarily imply a Messianic meaning, and
therefore was less likely to arouse prematurely opposi
tion against his ministry,6 but chiefly because it was the
term most suited to his earthly ministry. He used it
with a new meaning, but that meaning easily attached
itself to the Apocalyptic meaning which Jesus also uses
later on in his ministry. Jesus indeed carries out the
idea of the pre-existent Son of Man implied in Daniel ;
but instead of teaching a heavenly pre-existence as in the
Apocalypse of Enoch, he shows in his life and teachings
a pre-existence in an earthly life, prior to his advent on
the clouds of heaven. The advent on the clouds he
subsequently referred to a second advent — the pre-exist
ent Son of Man he unfolds in his own life on earth.

' Is. xi. 3, 4. a Is. liii. 3 Dan. vii. 13. ' See p. 27
» "An incognito," Bruce, Kingdom of God, p. 177. See also Wendt, Lehre
Jesu, ii. ». 450 ; Adeney, Theology of the New Testament, p. 32.

OP MARK 85
Such authority to forgive sins either makes Jesus a
blasphemer, as the Pharisees claimed, or else he was a
Messiah of even greater authority than any presented
in the Messianic ideals of the Old Testament. The
Messianic Son of Man has an earthly ministry prior
to his advent on the clouds, and an earthly ministry
transcending all Messianic ideals of the Old Testa
ment. Jesus himself knew that it was as easy to forgive sins
as to heal the paralytic, and that the authority to do the
one involved the authority to do the other. It was not
so much the healing as the authority with which it was
accomplished. This witnessed to an authority which
might even forgive sins also. It was the authority given
in Daniel and Enoch to the enthroned Messiah, exer
cised in miracle-working, in teaching, and in forgiveness
of sins by the Son of Man on earth, in the form of a
meek and gentle prophet.
The synoptists agree in another saying of Jesus re
specting the authority of the Son of Man in connection
with the narrative of the disciples plucking grain on
the Sabbath.1 " The Son of Man is Lord of the Sab
bath." The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath because he
has authority over the Sabbath. This authority is, from
the context of Mark, an authority to determine how the
law of the Sabbath is to be interpreted in particular
cases, and how it must yield to the higher law of the
welfare of man. The authority of the Son of Man is
thus exalted above the authority of the doctors of the
law and of the traditional teaching of the rabbinical
schools, because he was the Son of Man with divine

1 Mark ii. 23-28 ; Matthew xii. 1-8 ; Luke vi. 1-3.

86

THE MESSIAH

authority over the institutions and laws of the people of
God.1 It was just this authority of Jesus in word and deed
that troubled the Pharisees and stirred them up against
him. In his last days in Jerusalem they demanded of
him his warrant.

Mark xi. 27-33.
And they come
again to Jerusalem ;
and as hewas walking
in the temple, there
come to him the chief
priests, and the
scribes, and the el
ders ; and they said
unto him, By what
authority doest thou
these things ? or who
gave thee this au
thority to do these
things ? And Jesus
said unto them, I
will ask of you one
question, and answer
me, and I will tell
you by what author
ity 1 do these things.
The baptism of John,
was it from heaven,
or from men ? an-

MATT. xxi. 23-27.
And when he was
come into the tem
ple, the chief priests
and the elders of the
people came unto
him as he was teach
ing, and said, By
what authority doest
thou these things ?
and who gave thee
this authority ? And
Jesus answered and
said unto them, I
also will ask you
one question, which
if ye tell me, I like
wise will tell you by
what authority I do
these things. The
baptism of John,
whence was it ? from
heaven or from men ?
And they reasoned

Luke xx. 1-8.
And it came to
pass, on one of the
days, as he was teach
ing the people in the
temple, and preach
ing the gospel, there
came upon him the
chief priests and the
scribes with the el
ders ; and they spake,
sayingunto him, Tell
us : By what author
ity doest thou these
things ? or who is he
that gave thee this
authority ? And he
answered and said
unto them, I also will
ask you a question;
and tell me : The
baptism of John, was
it from heaven or
from men ? And

1 It is urged by Baldensperger (Das Selbstbewusstsein Jesu, s. 179 seq.) that
these passages in which Jesus claims to be the Son of Man and asserts his author
ity as such, must be later than the confession of Peter. He thinks that Jesus
would not have distinctly claimed to be the Messiah so long before the aposUes
recognized him as such. Accordingly, Baldensperger thinks the evangelists have
put these incidents too early in the life of Jesus. There is no other evidence of
such displacement than the theory which Baldensperger proposes. The title Son
of Man was a Messianic title ; but it was not so clearly such as the Son of God,
the Messiah ; and it was difficult for any one to associate the Son of Man of
Daniel with an earthly life. Therefore Jesus used this Messianic term in the
training of the twelve, to lead them up to the ultimate combination of the Son of
Man with the Son of God, the Messiah. Until they made that combination they
could hardly make the confession he desired from them.

OF MARK

87

swer me. And they
reasoned with them
selves, saying, If we
shall say, From
heaven ; he will say,
Why then did ye not
believe him ? But
should we say, From
men — they feared
the people ; for all
verily held John to
be a prophet. And
they answered Jesus
and say, We know
not. And Jesus saith
unto them, Neither
tell I you by what
authority I do these
things.

with themselves, say
ing, If we shall say,
From heaven ; he
will say unto us,
Why then did ye
not believe him ?
But if we shall say,
From men ; we fear
the multitude ; for
all hold John as a
prophet. And they
answered Jesus, and
said, We know not.
He also said unto
them, Neither tell I
you by what author
ity I do these things.

they reasoned with
themselves, saying,
If we shall say, From
heaven ; he will say,
Why did ye not be
lieve him? But if
we shall say, From
men ; all the people
will stone us : for
they are persuaded
that John was a pro
phet. And they an
swered, that they
knew not whence
it was. And Jesus
said unto them,
Neither tell I you by
what authority I do
these things.

The insincerity of the question of the Pharisees was
developed by a counter question. Such insincerity re
ceives no answer. Jesus' authority might be questioned
by the insincere and the enemies of the truth, but it
needed no other warrant than its own exercise in words
of blessing and deeds of mercy. Such warrant Jesus had
given every day of his ministry. Such authority had
its own credentials wrapped up in itself. It had been
observed early in His ministry. It was a constant fea
ture of his ministry. Any sincere inquirer would re
ceive ample illustrations of it. Any sincere doubter
would be overcome by invincible evidence. But for the
insincere and the hostile no evidence is so convincing as
to convict them of their insincerity, hostility, and incon
sistency. This Jesus does, and the very authority they
question is discovered in the ease and grace with which
he overcomes them.
THE PARABLES OF THE KINGDOM.
§ 1 7. The kingdom is good seed sown in the field of the
world by the preaching of the Gospel. It grows in a secret,

gg THE MESSIAH
gradual, and orderly manner from planting to harvest.
It has the smallest beginnings, but an abundant harvest.
Mark gives three parables of the kingdom — those of
the sower, the seed growing secretly, and the grain of
mustard seed ; the middle one being peculiar to his gos
pel.1 Luke gives the sower alone in this connection,2
but the grain of mustard seed in another connection.3
Matthew gives the two in a larger group of nine, seven
of which we shall consider in Chapter V."
The parable of the sower is essentially the same in the
three evangelists, only the details differ in their reports.
This parable was interpreted to them by Jesus, and his
interpretation of this parable is a model for the interpre
tation of others.

Mark iv. 14-20.
The sower soweth
the word. And these
are they by the way
side, where the word
is sown ; and when
they have heard,
straightway cometh
Satan, and taketh
away the word which
hath been sown in
them. And these
in like manner are
they that are sown
upon the rocky
places, who, when
they have heard the
word, straightway
receive it with joy ;
and they have no root
in themselves, but
endure for a while :

Matt. xiii. 19-23.
When any one
heareth the word of
the kingdom, and un-
derstandeth it
not, then cometh
the evil one, and
snatcheth away that
which hath been
sown in his heart.
This is he that was
sown by the wayside.
And he that was
sown upon the rocky
places, this is he that
heareth the word,
and straightway with
joy receiveth it;
yet hath he not root
in himself, but en-
dureth for a while ;
and when tribulation

Luke viii. 11-15.
Now the parable
is this : The seed is
the word of God.
And those by the
wayside are they that
have heard ; then
cometh the devil,
and taketh away the
word from their
heart, that they may
not believe and be
saved. And those
on the rock are
they who, when they
have heard, receive
the word with joy ;
and these have no
root, who for a while
believe, and in time
of temptation fall
away. And that

1 iv. 1-32. 2 viii. 4-1S. s xiii. 18-19.
* xiii. 1-52. See A. B. Bruce, Tarabclic Teaching of Christ, for an admirable
study of this group of parables.

OF MARK

89

then, when tribula
tion or persecution
ariseth because of
the word, straight
way they stumble.
And others are they
that are sown among
the thorns ; these
are they that have
heard the word, and
the cares of the age
and the deceitful-
ness of riches, and
the lust of other
things entering in,
choke the word, and
it becometh unfruit
ful. And these are
they that were sown
upon the good
ground ; such as
hear the word, and
accept it, and bear
fruit thirtyfold, and
sixtyfold, and a hun
dredfold.

or persecution aris
eth because of the
word, straightway he
stumbleth. And he
that was sown among
the thorns, this is he
that heareth the
word ; and the care
of the age, and the
deceitfulness of
riches, choke the
word, and he becom
eth unfruitful. And
he that was sown
upon the good
ground, this is he
that heareth the
word, and under-
standeth it ; who
verily beareth fruit,
and bringeth forth,
some a hundredfold,
some sixty, some
thirty.

which fell among
the thorns, these are
they that have heard,
and as they go on
their way they are
choked with cares
and riches and pleas
ures of this life, and
bring no fruit to per
fection. And that
in the good ground,
these are such as in
an honest and good
heart, having heard
the word, hold it fast,
and bring forth fruit
with patience.

The kingdom of God is here conceived as a grain field.
The seed is the word of the kingdom. The field con
sists of the hearers of the Gospel, men differing as a field
differs to the sower. These different classes deal with
the word in various manners. The superficial, the ob
durate, the preoccupied — these are the three classes
with whom the word of the kingdom is not fruitful.
There is, however, a class of men who are attentive, re
ceive the word, and are exceedingly fruitful.
This parable teaches that the kingdom is to be estab
lished by means of preaching the Gospel, and that it
is composed of men of various kinds, who receive it,
although only one kind of men really gain the benefits
of it. These benefits are benefits of character, and not
of carnal possession and temporal advantages. The

90 THE MESSIAH
kingdom is a spiritual kingdom, which grows from seed
to fruit ; a kingdom of grace and not a kingdom of mere
sovereignty ; a kingdom of truth and not a kingdom of
physical force.
Mark gives us a parable which is a suitable companion
to that of the Sower :
And he said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should
cast seed upon the earth ; and should sleep and rise night and
day, and the seed should spring up and grow, he knoweth not
how. The earth beareth fruit of herself ; first the blade, then
the ear, then the full corn in the ear. But when the fruit is
ripe, straightway he putteth forth the sickle, because the harvest
is come. (Mark iv. 26-29.)
The parable takes up the fruitful seed of the previous
parable and sets forth its gradual, silent, and sure growth.
There are successive stages — sowing, the blade, the ear,
the full grain in the ear, the harvest. This is the growth
of the fruitful members of the kingdom ; and the growth
of the kingdom itself as made of such members. This
parable teaches us to distinguish several stages in the
growth and development of the kingdom. At its origin
it is planted. Some considerable time elapses before
the blade becomes visible. Then it has to grow until it
reaches its maturity. Growth gradual, secret, and cer
tain is the law of the kingdom of God. It is not a king
dom of armies, but of truth ; its victories are not by vio
lence, but by persuasion. It advances by growth in the
apprehension and practice of the truth of God. Patient
waiting is needed in that long interval between the Sow
ing and the Reaping.
Matthew and Mark attach to this group of parables
the parable of the Grain of Mustard Seed, which is given
by Luke in another connection. It may be appropriately
considered here.

OF MARK

91

Matt. xiii. 31, 32.
Another parable
set he before them,
saying, The ki ng-
dom of heaven is
like unto a grain of
mustard seed, which
a man took, and
sowed in his field :
which indeed is less
than all seeds ; but
when it is grown, it
is greater than the
herbs, and becometh
a tree, so that the
birds of the heaven
come and lodge in
the branches thereof.

Luke xiii. 18, 19.
He said therefore,
Unto what is the
kingdom of God
like ? and whereunto
shall I liken it ? It
is like unto a grain
of mustard seed,
which a man took,
and cast into his own
garden : and it grew,
and became a tree ;
and the birds of the
heaven lodged in the
branches thereof.

Mark iv. 30-32.
And he said, How
shall we liken the
kingdom of God ? or
in what parable shall
we set it forth ? It
is like a grain of
mustard seed, which,
when it is sown
upon the earth,
though it be less
than all the seeds
that are upon the
earth, yet when it is
sown, groweth up,
and becometh great
er than all the herbs,
and putteth out
great branches ; so
that the birds of the
heaven can lodge
under the shadow
thereof. The parable of the Sower brought out the darker side
of the fortunes of the kingdom. This parable confines
itself to the brighter side. It contrasts the smallness of
the kingdom in its origin with the greatness of its frui
tion. It takes up the doctrine of the growth of the
kingdom set forth in the parable of the growing seed.
The good seed here is not a grain seed, but a mustard
seed, exceedingly small. The seed does not here repre
sent the members of the kingdom, but the kingdom
itself. The parable reminds us of the cedar twig of
Ezekiel and its marvelous growth,1 and of the spreading
vine of Asaph.2
The contrast between the origin of the kingdom and
its fruition is very striking. In its origin it is a very
small seed. Its planting and its early development will

> Ezek. xvii. 22-24.

2 Ps. ixxx.

92 THE MESSIAH
not attract attention. But when it is rapidly reaching
its maturity then it will attract the attention of all.
JESUS RECOGNIZED AS MESSIAH.
§ 1 8. Jesus was recognized as the Messiah, the Son of
God, on several occasions by demons and at last by his own
apostles. The Gospel of Mark gives an account of a recognition
of the Messiahship of Jesus by a demon in connection
with his first miracle of casting out demons in Caper
naum. What have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth ? Art
thou come to destroy us ? I know thee who thou art, the Holy
One of God. (Mark i. 24.) '
Jesus is here declared to be " the holy one of God,"
holy not so much in contrast with the unclean spirit, but
in the sense that he was the one consecrated by God as
the Messiah, he was anointed with the Holy Spirit of
God. At a later period Mark reports :
And the unclean spirits, whensoever they beheld him, fell down
before him, and cried, saying, Thou art the Son of God. (Mark
iii. 11.)
The Son of God is here the epithet of Jesus as the
Messiah, in accordance with Messianic usage.
At another time, in the country of the Gerasenes, we
have a similar recognition by demons.

Mark v. 6, 7.
And when he saw
Jesus from afar, he
ran and worshipped

Matth. viii. 29.
And behold, they
cried out, saying,
What have we to do

Luke viii. 28.
And when he saw
Jesus, he cried out,
and fell down before

1 The report of Luke iv. 34 is the same.

OF MARK

93

him ; and crying out
with a loud voice, he
saith, What have I
to do with thee, Je
sus, thou Son of the
Most High God ? I
adjure thee by God,
torment me not.

with thee, thou Son
of God ? Art thou
come hither to tor
ment us before the
time?

him, and with a loud
voice said, What
have I to do with
thee, Jesus, thou Son
of the Most High
God ? I beseech
thee, torment me
not.

Here Jesus is recognized by the demons as " the Son
of the Most High God," according to Mark and Luke,
and as " the Son of God," according to Matthew. The
thought of God as " the Most High " was possibly sug
gested by the demons' fear of the depths of the abyss.
In the meanwhile the people were disputing among
themselves, who Jesus might be, and even Herod was
disturbed. The people doubted whether he was Elijah,
the herald of the prophecy of Malachi, or a prophet like
one of the prophets of the Old Testament. Herod's
guilty conscience led him to fear in Jesus the risen John
the Baptist.1 In all these conjectures they were erring,
for they did not understand that John the Baptist was
the second Elijah, the herald of Jesus the Messiah. The
faith of the apostles was tested by a direct question of
Jesus in the region of Caesarea Philippi.

Matt. xvi. 13-16,20.
Now when Jesus
came into the parts
of Caesarea Philippi,
he asked his disci
ples, saying, Who do
men say that the Son
of Man2 is? And
they said, Some say
John the Baptist ;

Mark viii. 27-30.
And Jesus went
forth, and his disci
ples, into the villages
of Caesarea Philip
pi : and in the way
he asked his disci
ples, saying unto
them, Who do men
say that I am ? And
1 Mark vi. 14-16 ; Matth. xiv. 1, 2 ; Luke ix. 7-9.
a Matthew's " Son of Man " seems inappropriate here. The text of Mark and
Luke is to be preferred. It is not likely that Jesus would have asserted that he
was the Messianic Son of Man when he was asking his disciples what they thought
of him.

Luke ix. 18-21.
And it came to
pass, as he was pray
ing alone, the disci
ples were with him :
and he asked them,
saying, Who do the
multitudes say that I
am ? And they an
swering said, John

94

THE MESSIAH

they told him, say
ing, John the Bap
tist : and others, Eli
jah ; but others, One
of the prophets. And
he asked them, But
who say ye that I
am? Peter answer-
eth and saith unto
him, Thou art the
Messiah. And he
charged them that
they should tell no
man of him.

some Elijah: and
others, Jeremiah, or
one of the prophets.
He saith unto them,
But who say ye that
I am ? And Simon
Peter answered and
said, Thou art the
Messiah, the Son of
the living God. . . .
Then charged he
the disciples that
they should tell no
man that he was the
Messiah.

the Baptist ; but
others say, Elijah ;
and others, that one
of the old prophets
is risen again. And
he said unto them,
But who say ye that
I am ? And Peter
answering said. The
Messiah of God. But
he charged them,
and commanded
them to tell this to

The people were confounding Jesus with the prophetic
herald of Malachi and of the great prophet of the exile,1
but the apostles had now learned that Jesus himself was
the Messiah, and they express their faith in him through
their spokesman Peter.
The term, the Christ, is equivalent to the Messiah."
Mark reports this simple word, " the Messiah "; Luke,
" the Messiah of God "; Matthew, " the Messiah, the son
of the living God." It is clear that Jesus here accepted
the recognition of himself as the Messiah by his apostles,
and that he claimed to be the Son of God, the Messianic
king of the Old Testament.
THE RESURRECTION AND THE SECOND ADVENT.
§ 19. Jesus will be rejected by the rulers, and put to
death. He will rise again after three days. His disci
ples must follow him in self-denial and cross-bearing. He
will come in his kingdom in the lifetime of some of his
hearers. He will also come in the glory of his Father to
reward every one according to his works.
After the profession of faith on the part of Peter and

1 Is. xl. 3 ; Mal. iii. 1 ; iv. 5.

" 7(pusrk=Tp^a. See pp. 34, 52.

OF MARK

95

the other apostles, Jesus taught them very distinctly
that he must die and rise again.

Mark viii. 31.
And he began to
teach them, that the
Son of Man must
suffer many things,
and be rejected by
the elders, and the
chief priests, and the
scribes, and be
killed, and after
three days rise again.

Matthew xvi. 21.
From that time
began Jesus to show
unto his disciples,
how that he must go
unto Jerusalem, and
suffer many things
of the elders and
chief priests and
scribes.and be killed,
and the third day be
raised up.

Luke ix. 22.
The Son of Man
must suffer many
things, and be re
jected of the elders
and chief priests and
scribes.and be killed,
and the third day be
raised up.

Jesus now for the first time, according to Mark, tells
his apostles of his impending passion. He is a suffering
Messiah. He has not come to reign, but first to suffer
and die and rise again in order to come a second time to
set up his kingdom and reign over it. He is to be per
secuted by the rulers at Jerusalem and to be put to
death. But he will rise again on the third day after a
brief abode in the grave. This conception of the suffer
ing Messiah is based on the predictions of the suffering
prophet of the great prophet of the exile.1 Jesus saw
therein the way of the cross to the throne. He com
bines with the faithful prophet of the second Isaiah, the
Son of Man of Daniel. As in a previous passage he had
set forth the authority of the Son of Man to forgive sins
on earth during an earthly ministry, he here advances to
the conception that the Son of Man must suffer and die
and rise again. He is to rise again to be the Son of
Man on the clouds, of Daniel. His earthly life is a life
prior to that advent. The three days here are doubtless
a symbolic number to represent a short time, and are not

1 Is. liii.

96 THE MESSIAH
a precise and definite prediction of the time spent by
Jesus in the abode of the dead. Furthermore the resur
rection is here not so much the manifestation to his
apostles, as the resurrection in all its fulness to be the
Son of Man on the clouds.1
This prediction of the death and resurrection was a
great disappointment to the apostles. They saw the
near future, and that obscured the remote future. They
caught at Jesus' prediction of his sufferings and death ;
they seem not to have understood the prediction of his
resurrection. And yet that resurrection was to be the
great Messianic testing to that generation and to all
generations. It is not strange that Peter stumbled at
these words of Jesus, and presumed to rebel against
such an outcome of his Messianic hopes.
The spokesman of the apostles did not apprehend the
rashness of his interference. He did not know that he
was tempting Jesus to abandon his Messianic calling and
cease to be the Messiah of prophecy in order to become
the Messiah of the vain hopes and fanciful conceits of
the zealots of his time. The Messiah rebukes his hasty
disciple with stern words which set him right. Peter
had forsaken his true position as a disciple to become a
stumbling-block in the way of his Master. He had as
sumed the attitude of Satan, the great adversary of
Jesus and his kingdom.
The Messiah soon after gives his disciples in general
a lesson based upon his prediction. Not only is the Son
of Man to undertake a work of suffering and humiliation
unto death, but his disciples must follow him in the
same path.

' Wendt, Lehre Jesu, ii. s. 545.

OF MARK

97

Mark viii. 34— ix. 1.
And he called
unto him the multi
tude with his disci
ples, and said unto
them, If any man
would come after
me, let him deny
himself, and take up
his cross, ard follow
me. For whosoever
would save his self1
shall lose it ; and
whosoever shall lose
his self for my sake
and the gospel's,
shall save it. For
what doth it profit a
man, to gain the
whole world, and
forfeit his self ? For
what should a man
give in exchange for
his self ? For who
soever shall be
ashamed of me and
of my words in this
adulterous and sin
ful generation, the
Son of Man also
shall be ashamed of
him, when he com-

Matt. xvi. 24-28.
Then said Jesus
unto his disciples,
If any man would
come after me, let
him deny himself,
and take up his cross,
and follow me. For
whosoever would
save his self1 shall
lose it : and whoso
ever shall lose his
self for my sake shall
find it. For what
shall a man be prof
ited, if he shall gain
the whole world, and
forfeit himself? or
what shall a man
give in exchange for
himself ? For the
Son of Man shall
come in the glory
of his Father with
his angels ; and then
shall he render unto
every man accord
ing to his deeds.
Verily, I say unto
you, There be some
of them that stand
here, which shall in

Luke ix. 23-27.
And he said unto
all, If any man
would come after
me, let him deny
himself, and take up
his cross daily, and
follow me. For who
soever would save
his self1 shall lose
it ; but whosoever
shall lose his self for
my sake, the same
shall save it. For
what is a man profit
ed if he gain the
whole world, and
lose or forfeit h i s
own self ? For who
soever shall be
ashamed of me and
of my words, of him
shall the Son of Man
be ashamed, when
he cometh in his
own glory, and the
glory of the Father
and of the holy
angels. But I tell
you of a truth, There
be some of them
that stand here,

1 The interpretation of this passage depends in a measure upon the meaning
of the Greek ipvxy here. The Greek term ipvxv like B*SJ of the Old Testa
ment has a variety of meanings. The versions differ in their rendering here.
Some take the meaning life, others the meaning soul. Whichever of these mean
ings is accepted should be uniformly used. But neither of these renderings
seems to be correct. The contrast is not between body and soul. Jesus is not
thinking of the loss of the soul as distinguished from the death of the body, as if
he would save the soul at the risk of the body. The contrast is not between life
and death, as if Jesus meant to teach the paradox that the sacrifice of life is the
only way to gain life, which would then be explained by the contrast between life
in this world and life in the world to come. It seems better to use the meaning
self which is common to ijwxv in the New Testament and EJ>3J in the Old
Testament-

98

THE MESSIAH

which shall in no
wise taste of death,
till they see the
kingdom of God.

eth in the glory of no wise taste of
his Father with the death, till they see
holy angels. And the Son of Man
he said unto them, coming in his king-
Verily, I say unto dom
you, There be some
here of them that
stand by, which shall
in no wise taste of
death, till they see
the kingdom of God
come with power.
The contrast is between the man himself and the
world about him. His aim should not be circumscribed
by this world ; he should fix his attention upon himself
as outlasting all temporal things. It is the man himself
who is to account to the Son of Man in the day of judg
ment, and it is of supreme importance that he should
attach himself to the Son of Man as soon as possible ere
that day. He must be one with the Son of Man and
follow him in his humiliation unto death in order to
share with him in the glory of his kingdom. Self-
denial, cross-bearing, following the Son of Man, are in
dispensable for discipleship. They must so deny them
selves that they follow their Master in humiliation and
shame even to the malefactor's death. The life of self-
denial and cross-bearing on the part of the disciple, in
imitation of the Son of Man, will ultimately gain its
reward. The Son of Man will go on to a malefactor's
death, and they must follow him, if need be, to the
gallows. But he will not abide in a malefactor's tomb.
He will rise and come again as the Son of Man of
prophecy to set up his kingdom and reward the faithful.
Hence it is that the prediction of the resurrection of the
Son of Man now passes over into a prediction of a
second Advent of the Son of Man.
The terms used by the evangelists referring to the

OF MARK 99
Advent are somewhat different, and on this account give
great difficulty in their interpretation and reconciliation.
The three agree in telling us of the coming of the Son
of Man in the glory of his Father with the holy angels
to reward the faithful and shame the unfaithful, every
man according to his works. This evidently is the Ad
vent in glory and judgment at the close of the dis
pensation, and gives no difficulty, for it is the final
scene of Old Testament prophecy. It is the Son
of Man on the clouds of Daniel. The difficulty
arises in connection with the closing words, that some
of his hearers who were standing by him on that
occasion would not taste of death until they saw
" the kingdom of God," according to Luke ; " the
kingdom of God coming with power," according to
Mark ; and " the Son of Man coming in his kingdom,"
according to Matthew. In these words it is definitely
taught that within the lifetime of some of his hearers
the kingdom of God would come, the Son of Man would
come in it, and they would see its power. Is this
coming in the kingdom the same as the coming in the
glory of the Father of the previous context, or is it a
different coming ? There is nothing in the text or con
text to distinguish them. And yet they might be dif
ferent events if evidence were produced from other pre
dictions of Jesus. Indeed there is nothing in the con
text to show what is the relation between the resurrec
tion of the Son of Man and these advents, whether these
are all one and the same event or two different events,
or three stages in the Messianic work of Jesus. If there
is the mingling in the same picture of different events
far apart in time, Jesus is simply following the method
of the predictions of the Old Testament. We are
guided to separate the advent to establish the kingdom

100 THE MESSIAH
from the Advent in glory to reward the faithful disciples,
by the parables of the kingdom already considered.
These teach us that the kingdom was to be established
in the world as good seed and to grow in several stages
from a small beginning until it attained a great and glo
rious fruition. Accordingly the advent of the Son of
Man in his kingdom during the lifetime of his hearers
may refer to the setting up of his kingdom in the world,
an advent to be carefully distinguished from his Advent
in glory and in judgment, which cannot take place until
the kingdom is ripe for judgment and glory. The pre
diction of the resurrection of the Son of Man is a third
event, distinct from the other two, as will appear in the
prophecies that follow. We accordingly have here three
distinct Messianic events predicted by Jesus — (i) the
resurrection of the Son of Man ; (2) his advent to set up
his kingdom in the lifetime of his hearers ; and (3) his
Advent in glory for judgment.
THE TRANSFIGURATION.
§ 20. Jesus manifests his glory in the Christophany of
the Transfiguration which is connected with the theophanic
voice claiming him, as the beloved and accepted Son of God,
and is associated with the witness of Moses and Elijah.
In the midst of the earthly life of Jesus, a theophany
marks the second stage of his Messianic career. This
event is reported by the synoptists, and is also men
tioned in the epistle of Peter.1
And after six days Jesus taketh with him Peter, and James,
and John, and bringeth them up into a high mountain apart by
themselves : and he was transfigured before them : and his gar
ments became glistering, exceeding white ; so as no fuller on
earth can whiten them. And there appeared unto them Elijah

' Mark ix. 2-8 ; Matt. xvii. 1-8 ; Luke ix. 28-36 ; 1 Peter i. 16-18.

OF MARK 101
with Moses : and they were talking with Jesus. And Peter an-
swereth and saith to Jesus, Rabbi, it is good for us to be here :
and let us make three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for
Moses, and one for Elijah. For he knew not what to answer ;
for they became sore afraid. And there came a cloud over
shadowing them : and there came a voice out of the cloud, This
is my beloved Son : hear ye him. And suddenly looking round
about, thev saw no one any more, save Jesus only with themselves.
(Mark ix. 2-8.)
There are three things that demand our attention in
this central event. (1) The Theophany is essentially the
same as that at the Baptism. The voice of God claims
Jesus as the Son of God, beloved and well-pleasing to
Him. This puts the seal of divine approval upon the
first part of the ministry of Jesus as the Messianic Son
of God, and expresses confidence in its future. (2) The
place of the Theophany of the dove at the Baptism is
taken by the manifestation of Moses and Elijah. These
two representatives of the old dispensation come forth
from their abode in the world of the departed to bear
witness to Jesus. Luke tells us that they spake of the
departure which Jesus was about to make in Jerusalem.
Their witness to his Messiahship and their testimony as
to his work, strengthened Jesus for the passion which he
was henceforth to face. (3) But the most important thing
was the transfiguration of Jesus himself. Here for the
first time the immanent glory of the Messiah shines
forth in Christophany. This sign he grants his three
favored apostles, and this comfort he takes to himself
ere he sets his face towards the cross.
THE KINGDOM OF THE CHILDLIKE.
§ 21. The kingdom is open to the childlike and the peni
tent but difficult of access by the rich. Those who have giv
en up all for the Messiah will be rewarded a hundredfold.
There are several discourses that set forth a kingdom

102

THE MESSIAH

into which there is immediate access by those who have
the proper qualifications.

Matt, xviii. 1-5.
In that hour came
the disciples unto
Jesus, saying, Who
then is greatest in
the kingdom of
heaven ? And he
called to him a little
child, and set him
in the midst of tbem,
and said, Verily I
say unto you, ex
cept ye turn, and
become as little chil
dren, ye shall in no
wise enter into the
kingdom of heaven.
Whosoever there
fore shall humble
himself as this little
child, the same is the
greatest in the king
dom of heaven. And
whoso shall receive
one such little child
in my name receiv-
eth me.

Mark ix. 33-37.
And they came to
Capernaum : and
when he was in the
house he asked them,
What were ye rea
soning in the way?
But they held their
peace : for they had
disputed one with
another in the way,
who was the great
est. And he sat
down, and called the
twelve ; and he saith
unto them, If any
man would be first,
he shall be last of
all, and minister of
all. And he took a
little child, and set
him in the midst of
them: and taking
him in his arms, he
said unto them,
Whosoever shall re
ceive one of such
little children in my
name, receiveth me :
and whosoever re
ceiveth me, receiv
eth not me, but him
that sent me.

Luke ix. 46-48.
And there arose a
reasoning among
them which of them
was the greatest.
But when Jesus saw
the reasoning o f
their heart, he took
a little child, and set
him by his side,
and said unto them,
Whosoever shall re
ceive this little
child in my name
receiveth me : and
whosoever shall re
ceive me receiveth
him that sent me :
for he that is least
among you all, the
same is great.

The parallels in Mark and Luke make no mention of
the kingdom, but in other respects are essentially the
same as Matthew. This discourse was held in Caper
naum, the scene of so much of the activity of Jesus.
The kingdom of the Messiah was the great object of
their anxieties and hopes. The question of rank in the
kingdom was one that would naturally arise in the minds

OF MARK

103

of the apostles, for they could not get beyond the con
ception of a kingdom of power and rank in the land of
Palestine. Jesus gives them a lesson that was most
striking in its contrasts. The little child is the model
of the great in the kingdom of the Messiah, and child-
likeness the measure of excellence. Men must put aside
all questions of rank and power in order to enter the
kingdom and share its blessings. They must turn
about and become transformed into little children ere
they can enter into the kingdom of the Messiah, and
then after they have entered it, their growth must still
be in the direction of childlikeness in order to the attain
ment of higher degrees of excellence and rank in the
kingdom. The apostles could not understand this strange doc
trine. Jesus soon afterwards repeats it with slight dif
ferences :

Mark x. 13-15.
And they were
bringing unto him
little children, that
he should touch
them : and the dis
ciples rebuked them.
But when Jesus saw
it he was moved with
indignation, and said
unto them, Suffer
the little children to
come unto me ; for
bid them not ; for
to such belongeth
the kingdom of God.
Verily I say unto
you, whosoever shall
not receive the king
dom of God as a lit
tle child, he shall in
nowiseentertherein.

Matt. xix. 13, 14.
Then were there
brought unto him
little children, that
he should lay his
hands on them, and
pray : and the disci
ples rebuked them.
But Jesus said, Suf
fer the little chil
dren, and forbid
them not, to come
unto me : for to such
belongeth the king
dom of heaven.

Luke xviii. 15-17.
And they were
bringing unto him
also their babes,
that he should touch
them : but when the
disciples saw it, they
rebuked them. But
Jesus called them
unto him, saying,
Suffer the little chil
dren to come unto
me, and forbid them
not : for to such be
longeth the king
dom of God. Ver
ily I say unto you,
Whosoever shall not
receive the kingdom
of God as a little
child, he shall in no
wise enter therein.

104: THE MESSIAH
Jesus here teaches his disciples that the kingdom be
longs to little children. They have a title to it, not in
deed by birthright, but because of the appropriateness
of their childlike natures for the life of the kingdom.
In the previous discourse only the childlike could enter
the kingdom. Here they are conceived as already in it
and as entitled to its privileges. Accordingly all who
would enter the kingdom must be childlike.
In the previous discourse men were to be transformed
into children in order to enter the kingdom. Here the
kingdom is represented as coming to them, as being
offered to them, and they are privileged to receive it in
a childlike spirit. This doctrine of the kingdom is in
accordance with the lessons of the parables of the king
dom. The good seed are the attentive, receptive hear
ers. Such are the childlike. These are the true mem
bers of the kingdom, the heirs of its rights and privi
leges. Its growth is in the development of such child
like characters.
This doctrine is enforced by the experiment with the
rich young ruler, who is taught that something more
than scrupulous obedience to the moral law is required.
The high standard of Christlike perfection is held up to
him. A counsel of Christian perfection is given by Jesus.
This man is called to sacrifice his property and wealth,
to make himself poor, and to follow Jesus in his life of
poverty and self-sacrifice for the good of men. The rich
young man cannot rise to this call of Jesus, which might
have made him another apostle. He is hindered by his
riches from learning the lesson of Jesus. He thus
affords a striking contrast between the rich and strong
of the world and the childlike poor of the kingdom.
This is given by the three synoptists in essentially the
same report, with the single exception that Matthew in-

OF MARK 105
serfs a word of Jesus, verse 28, which is given by Luke
in a later and better historical connection.1

Mark x. 23-31.

And Jesus looked
round about, and
saith unto his disci
ples, How hardly
shall they that have
riches enter into the
kingdom of God!
And the disciples
were amazed at his
words. But Jesus
an swereth again,
and saith unto them,
Children, how hard
is it for them that
trust in riches to
enter into the king
dom of God ! It is
easier for a camel to
go through a nee
dle's eye, than for a
rich man to enter
into the kingdom of
God. And they
were astonished ex
ceedingly, saying
unto him, Then who
can be saved ? Jesus
looking upon them
saith, With men it
is impossible, but
not with God : for
all things are possi
ble with God. Peter
began to say unto
him, Lo, we have
left all, and have fol
lowed thee. Jesus
said, Verily I say
unto you, There is
no man that hath

Matth. xix. 23-27,
29, 30.
And Jesus said
junto his disciples,
Verily I say unto
you, It is hard for a
rich man to enter
into the kingdom of
lieaven. And again,
I say unto you, It is
jeasier for a camel to
go through a nee
dle's eye, than for a
rich man to enter
into the kingdom of
God. And when the
disciples heard it,
they were astonished
exceedingly, saying,
Who then can be
saved ? And Jesus
looking upon them
said to them,
With men this is
impossible ; but with
God all things are
possible. Then an
swered Peter and
said unto him, Lo,
we have left all, and
followed thee ; what
then shall we have ?
And Jesus said unto
them :
And every one that
hath left houses, or
brethren, or sisters,
or father, or mother,
or children, or lands,
for my name's sake,
shall receive a hun-

Luke xviii. 24-30.
And Jesus seeing
him said, How
hardly shall they
that have riches
enter into the king
dom of God ! For it
is easier for a camel
to enter in through
a needle's eye, than
for a rich man to
enter into the king
dom of God. And
they that heard it
said, Then who can
be saved ? But he
said, The things
which are impossi
ble with men are
possible with God.
And Peter said, Lo,
we have left ourown,
and followed thee.
And he said unto
them, Verily I say
unto you, There is no
man that hath left
house, or wife, or
brethren, or parents,
or children, for the
kingdom of God's
sake, who shall not
receive manifold
more in this time,

1 Luke xxii. 30.

106

THE MESSIAH

left house, or breth
ren, or sisters, or
mother, or father, or
children, or lands,
for my sake, and for
the gospel's sake,
but he shall receive
a hundredfold now
in this time, houses,
and brethren, and
sisters, and mothers,
and children, and
lands, with persecu
tions ; and in the
world to come eter
nal life. But many
that are first shall
be last ; and the last
first.

dredfold, and shall
inherit eternal life.
But many shall be
last that are first ;
and first that are
last.

and in the world to
come eternal life.

The doctrine of this passage is sufficiently clear. The
contrast is here between the rich and the poor, as in pre
vious discourses it had been between men and children.
The Master does not contrast the rich and poor as such,
but the rich as seeking and trusting in riches, with the poor
as giving up riches in houses and lands, in relations and
friends, for the sake of the Messiah. Such rich men can
no more enter the kingdom of the Messiah than a camel
can pass through the needle's eye. It is impossible.
And yet the kingdom of the Messiah has an entrance
through which men can pass. As in the previous dis
course men must become children, so in this discourse
the rich must become poor by divesting themselves of
their riches. Only in this way can they enter through
the needle's eye of the kingdom. Our Saviour does not
mean to teach that all men must become poor in order
to enter his kingdom in any mechanical or external sense
any more than he meant in the previous discourse that
men must be transformed in their bodies into boys. But
men must become childlike in their dispositions and

OF MARK

107

characters. Men must give up their trust in riches and
use them as the riches of God for the sake of the king
dom of God. They must become poor in their disposi
tions and characters, poor in spirit. Thus the kingdom
of heaven is a kingdom of the childlike and the poor,
and in this respect entirely different from the kingdom
of the world, where manly strength, and power, and
riches have the highest places of rank and glory.
THE SON OF MAN IS A RANSOM.
§ 22. The Son of Man will be betrayed, cruelly abused
and delivered by the rulers of the Jews to the Gentiles to
be crucified. He will rise again after three days. The
apostles must follozv the Master in sufferings, and will be
rewarded in the kingdom ; but the highest places will be
assigned by the Father. The Son of Man is a ransom.
Jesus gave his disciples a second prediction of his
death and resurrection.

Mark ix. 30-32.
And they went
forth from thence,
and passed through
Galilee ; and he
would not that any
man should know it.
For he taught his
disciples, and said
unto them, The
Son of Man is deliv
ered up into the
hands of men, and
they shall kill him ;
and when he is
killed, after three
days he shall rise
again. Bat they un
derstood not the
saying, and were
afraid to ask him.

Matt. xvii. 22, 23.
And while they
abode in Galilee,
Jesus said unto
them, The Son of
Man shall be deliv
ered up into the
hands of men ; and
they shall kill him,
and the third day he
shall be raised up.
And they were ex
ceeding sorry.

Luke ix. 43-45.
But while all were
marvelling at all the
things which he did,
he said unto his dis
ciples, Let these
words sink into your
ears ; for the Son of
Man shall be deliv
ered up into the
hands of men. But
they understood not
this saying, and it
was concealed from
them, that they
should not perceive
it : and they were
afraid to ask h i m
about this saying.

108

THE MESSIAH

In this discourse Jesus renews the prediction of the
death of the Son of Man and his resurrection after three
days, and adds that he would be betrayed. This troubles
his disciples, for they cannot understand it.
The third prediction of his death and resurrection re
ported by Mark was in connection with his last journey
to Jerusalem with the apostles. It seems to have been
occasioned by the request of the mother of James and
John, that her sons might occupy the two highest places
in the kingdom, nearest the Master. This request
showed on the one side great faith in the Messiahship
of Jesus and in the advent of his kingdom ; but on the
other side a great ignorance of the doctrine of the king
dom he had been teaching them. A kingdom of service
and grace must precede the kingdom of reward and
glory. The incident gives occasion for once more teach
ing the disciples that their Master must soon be put to
death, and that they must share in his sufferings. It is
true that the evangelists give the prediction before the
request. But it is probable that this is a logical rather
than a chronological order.

Mark x. 32-34.
And they were in
the way, going up to
Jerusalem; and
Jesus was going
before them : and
they were amazed ;
and they that fol
lowed were afraid.
And he took again
the twelve, and
began to tell them
the things that were
to happen unto him,
saying, Behold, we
go up to Jerusalem ;

Matt. xx. 17-19.
And as Jesus was
going up to Jerusa
lem, he took the
twelve disciples
apart, and in the
way he said unto
them, Behold, w e
go up to Jerusalem ;
and the Son of Man
shall be delivered
unto the chief priests
and scribes ; and
they shall condemn
him to death, and
shall deliver h i m

Luke xviii. 31-34.
And he took unto
him the twelve, and
said unto them, Be
hold, we go up to
Jerusalem, and all
the things that are
written by the pro
phets shall be ac
complished unto the
Son of Man. For
he shall be delivered
up unto the Gentiles,
and shall be mocked,
and shamefully en
treated, and spit

OF MARK

109

unto the Gentiles to
mock, and to
scourge, and to cru
cify : and the third
day he shall be raised
up.

upon : and they shall
scourge and kill him:
and the third day he
shall rise again.
And they under
stood none of these
things ; and this say
ing was hid from
them, and they per
ceived not the things
that were said.

and the Son of Man
shall be delivered
unto the chief priests
and the scribes ; and
they shall condemn
him to death, and
shall deliver h i m
unto the Gentiles :
and they shall mock
him, and shall spit
upon him, and shall
scourge him, and
shall kill him ; and
after three days he
shall rise again.

This prediction differs from the previous two in its
detailed statement of the sufferings of the Son of Man.
Jesus is first to be delivered to the chief priests and
scribes. These in council assembled are to condemn
him to death. They are then to deliver him into the
hands of the Gentiles. He is to be mocked, spit upon,
scourged, and finally crucified. Thus Jesus clearly told
his disciples that he was to die as a malefactor, an out
cast from the nation. His sufferings were to be the
greatest conceivable. His death was to be a shameful
one. This hard fact, this stern event, confronts them.
The only relief is the promise of the resurrection on the
third day. This emphasis upon the sufferings of the
Son of Man is a fitting prelude to the prediction of the
sufferings of the apostles.

Mark x. 35-45.
And there came near unto
him James and John, the sons
of Zebedee, saying unto him,
Master, we would that thou
shouldest do for us whatsoever
we shall ask of thee. And he
said unto them, What would ye
that I should do for you ? And

Matth. xx. 20-28.
Then came to him the
mother of the sons of Zebedee
with her sons, worshipping him,
and asking a certain thing of
him. And he said unto her,
What wouldest thou ? She
saith unto him, Command
that these my two sons may

110

THE MESSIAH

they said unto him, Grant unto
us that we may sit, one on thy
right hand, and one on thy left
hand, in thy glory. But Jesus
said unto them, Ye know not
what ye ask. Are ye able to
drink the cup that I drink ? or
to be baptized with the baptism
that I am baptized with ? And
they said unto him, We are able.
And Jesus said unto them, The
cup that I drink ye shall drink;
and with the baptism that I am
baptized withal shall ye be bap
tized : but to sit on my right
hand or on my left hand, is not
mine to give : but it is for them
for whom it hath been pre
pared. And when the ten heard
it, they began to be moved with
indignation concerning James
and John. And Jesus called
them to him, and saith unto
them, Ye know that they who
are accounted td rule over the
Gentiles lord it over them ; and
their great ones exercise autho
rity over them. But it is not so
among you : but whosoever
would become great among
you, shall be your minister:
and whosoever would be first
among you, shall be servant of
all. For the Son of Man also
came not to be ministered unto,
but to minister, and to give his
self a ransom for many.
The report of Mark is fullest here. Luke does not
mention this incident. Jesus sets forth his sufferings as
a bitter cup and a baptism of suffering. The apostles
will have to share in them. Jesus came at this time to
minister and not to reign. They, like their master, are
first to minister ; those who become great must excel in
service. The Son of Man came to give his life, or rather his
self, a ransom for many. And the disciples are to follow

sit, one on thy right hand,
and one on thy left hand, in
thy kingdom. But Jesus an
swered and said, Ye know not
what ye ask. Are ye able to
drink the cup that I am about
to drink ? They say unto him,
We are able. He saith unto
them, My cup indeed ye shall
drink : but to sit on my right
hand, and on my left hand, is
not mine to give, but it is for
them for whom it hath been
prepared of my Father. And
when the ten heard it, they
were moved with indignation
concerning the two brethren.
But Jesus called them unto
him, and said, Ye know that the
rulers of the Gentiles lord it
over them, and their great ones
exercise authority over them.
Not so shall it be among you :
but whosoever would become
great among you shall be your
minister ; and whosoever would
be first among you shall be
your servant : even as the Son
of Man came not to be minis
tered unto, but to minister, and
to give his self a ransom for
many.

OF MARK HI
his example. It is well for them that they learn their
duty of service. They will not go unrewarded. They
will receive the rank due to sufferings and service. But
the highest places in the kingdom are so high that they
are beyond the gift of the Son of Man himself. They
are the award of the Father who gives the Son of Man
his reward, and associates the most deserving with him.
In this passage Jesus teaches his disciples the redemp
tive meaning of his self-sacrifice. His life, which he
gives up in death, or rather his self, his entire person
and service which he gives in ministry, is a ransom for
many. Ransom l may be interpreted of the redemp
tive covering price of the Old Testament usage which
purchases freedom from bondage. So Wendt thinks of
the bondage to death 2 and Beyschlag of the bondage to
sin, from which the Son of Man delivers the disciples by
his self-sacrificing death.3 Although Jesus uses the term
Son of Man, he is thinking of the prophetic servant of
the second Isaiah here as in the previous passages. The
term itself was probably derived from the second Isaiah :
I have given Egypt as thy ransom,
Cush and Seba in thy stead.
Since thou art precious in mine eyes ;
Thou art honoured, and I love thee ;
And I will give mankind in thy stead,
And peoples instead of thy life. (Is. xliii. 3, 4).
Egypt, Cush, and Seba are heathen ransom prices for
Israel. They are given to the conqueror of Babylon to
induce him to restore Israel to his land. Israel is re
deemed from bondage by this ransom price.*
As these nations are the ransom price there, so Jesus,
the Son of Man, is the ransom price here. This concep-
1 Tivrpov. 2 Lehre Jesu, s. 516.
' Neutest. Theologie, s. 149. * Briggs' Messianic Prophecy, p. 350.

112 THE MESSIAH
tion of the Son of Man as the ransom price is based on
another passage of the same prophet.
The servant of Yahweh interposed as a mediator for
his people ; he himself made the trespass-offering. He
justified many.1 So the son of Man here interposes as a
ministering servant between his disciples and their ene
mies. He takes upon himself the sin, the evil, and the
death which were threatening them. He paid the ran
som price by offering himself as victim instead of them.
Jesus does not intimate to whom the price was paid, nor
from what the ransom was made. He makes a compre
hensive statement which we should beware of limiting."
He not only gives his life up in death, but he gives him
self in his entire ministry prior to death and subsequent
to death. He is to be the ransom, not only on the
cross, but during his life of interposition, which leads to
the cross, and in his mediatorial life, which was subse
quent to the cross. He interposes and gives himself as
the ransom, in that he is and continues to be the Son of
Man, the mediating, interposing servant of God, until his
entire redemptive work has been accomplished. The
ransom price was not paid to God, who claimed no such
ransom. The Son of God was on a mission from God.
It was not paid to the devil, because the devil was not
entitled to it and his authority was never recognized by
Jesus. It was paid to sin and evil as their ransom price,
in order to deliver his disciples from the penalty of sin
and evil, which threatened them from the whole order
of nature and the whole constitution of human affairs.
THE MESSIAH CLAIMS HIS OWN.
§23. Jesus enters Jerusalem as the king of peace. He is
recognized by the multitudes, but is rejected by the Pharisees.

Is. liii. a Adeney, Theology cf the A'ew Testament, p. 66.

OF MARK H3
As the time for his passion draws nigh, Jesus departs
from his previous custom and makes a public entry into
Jerusalem and claims recognition as the Messiah.
A. Mark xi. 7-10.
And they bring the colt unto Jesus, and cast on him their gar
ments ; and he sat upon him. And many spread their garments
upon the way ; and others branches, which they had cut from the
fields. And they that went before, and they that followed, cried,
Hosanna ; Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord :
Blessed is the kingdom that cometh, the kingdom of our father
David : Hosanna in the highest.
B. Matthew xxi. 7-1 1, 15, 16
And brought the ass, and the colt, and put on them their gar
ments ; and he sat thereon. And the most part of the multitude
spread their garments in the way; and others cut branches from
the trees, and spread them in the way. And the multitudes that
went before him, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the
Son of David : Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord ;
Hosanna in the highest. And when he was come into Jerusalem,
all the city was stirred, saying, Who is this ? And the multitudes
said, This is the prophet, Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee 
But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonderful things
that he did, and the children that were crying in the temple and
saying, Hosanna to the Son of David ; they were moved with
indignation, and said unto him, Hearest thou what these are
saying ? And Jesus saith unto them, Yea : did ye never read, Out
of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise ?
C. Luke xix. 35-40.
And they brought him to Jesus : and they threw their gar
ments upon the colt, and set Jesus thereon. And as he went,
they spread their garments in tbe way. And as he was now draw
ing nigh, even at the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole
multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a
loud voice for all the mighty works which they had seen ; saying,
Blessed is the King that cometh in the name of the Lord : peace
in heaven, and glory in the highest. And some of the Pharisees
from the multitude said unto him, Master, rebuke thy disciples.
And he answered and said, I tell you that, if these shall hold
their peace, the stones will cry out.
D. John xii. 12, 13.
On the morrow a great multitude that had come to the feast,
when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, took the
branches of the palm-trees, and went forth to meet him, and cried
out, Hosanna : Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the
Lord, even the King of Israel.

114 THE MESSIAH
This public entry into Jerusalem and the temple is so
different from his ordinary methods that it marks a
crisis in the life of Jesus. He allows his Messianic dig
nity to shine forth upon the nation, and for a few
moments, possibly for a few hours, is recognized by the
people as the Messiah. The multitude heap up Messi
anic terms in their acclamations. " The kingdom that
cometh, that of our father David " is the acclaim reported
by Mark. It seemed as if the kingdom of David of the
prophets was now to be inaugurated. " The son of
David " is the word preserved by Matthew ; " The king
of Israel," by John. These are titles of the Messianic
king whom they see in Jesus. Luke reports the words,
"The king that cometh in the name of the Lord."
They see in Jesus the king predicted in the prophecies
of the Old Testament. This public recognition of the
Messiah by the multitudes is displeasing to the Phari
sees, who would have Jesus command their silence. But
Jesus does not refuse the recognition he has for once
courted. He replies that the multitude could not do
otherwise. His Messianic dignity was so transparent
that even the stones would cry out if the multitude were
silent. THE REJECTED CORNER-STONE.
§ 24. The rulers of Israel have rejected the prophets a?id
they are about to reject the Messiah, the corner-stone of
the kingdom.. The kingdom will be taken from them and
given to a faithful nation.
During his last week in Jerusalem Jesus contends
with the Pharisees who are seeking to entrap him and
put him to death. Mark reports a parable which Jesus
gives them, in which he sets forth that his rejection is
but the culmination of their rejection of all the prophets.

OF MARK

115

And on this basis he claims to be the corner stone, of
the prophecy of the Old Testament.

Mark xii. i-ii.
A man planted a
vineyard, and set a
hedge about it, and
digged a pit for the
winepress, and built
a tower, and let it
out to husbandmen,
and went into ano
ther country. And
at the season he sent
to the husbandmen
a servant, that he
might receive from
the husbandmen of
the fruits of the vine
yard. And they took
him, and beat him,
and sent him away
empty. And again
he sent unto them
another servant; and
him they wounded
in the head, and
handled shamefully.
And he sent another;
and him they killed :
and many others ;
beating some, and
killing some. He
had yet one, a be
loved son : he sent
him last unto them,
saying, They will
reverence my son.
But those husband
men said among
themselves, This is
the heir; come, let
us kill him, and the
inheritance shall be
ours. And they took
him, and killed him,
and cast him forth

Matt. xxi. 33-42.
There was a man
that was a house
holder, which plant
ed a vineyard, and
set a hedge about it,
and digged a wine
press in it, and built
a tower, and let it
out to husbandmen,
and went into ano
ther country. And
when the season of
the fruits drew near,
he sent his servants
to the husbandmen,
to receive his fruits.
And tbe husband
men took his ser
vants, and beat one,
and killed another,
and stoned another.
Again he sent other
servants more than
the first : and they
did unto them in
like manner. But
afterward he sent
unto them his son,
saying, They will
reverence my son.
But the husband
men, when they saw
the son, said among
themselves, This is
the heir ; come, let
us kill him, and take
his inheritance. And
they took him, and
cast him forth out of
the vineyard, and
killed him. When
therefore the lord of
the vineyard shall

Luke xx. 9-17.
A man planted a
vineyard, and let it
out to husbandmen,
and went into ano
ther country for a
long time. And at
the season he sent
unto the husband
men a servant, that
they should give him
of the fruit of the
vineyard : but the
husbandmen beat
him, and sent him
away empty. And
he sent yet another
servant : and h i m
also they beat, and
handled him shame
fully, and sent him
away empty. And
he sent yet a third :
and him also they
wounded, and cast
him forth. And the
lord of the vineyard
said, What shall I
do ? I will send my
beloved son ¦. it may
be they will rever
ence him. But when
the husbandmen saw
him, they reasoned
one with another,
saying, This is the
heir : let us kill him,
that the inheritance
may be ours. And
they cast him forth
out of the vineyard
and killed him
What therefore wil.
the lord of the vine-

116

THE MESSIAH

out of the vineyard.
What therefore will
the lord of the vine
yard do ? he will
come and destroy
the husbandmen,
and will give the
vineyard unto
others. Have ye
not read even this
scripture ;
The stone which the
builders rejected,
The same was made
the head of the
corner :
This was from the
Lord,
And it is marvellous
in our eyes ?

yard do unto them ?
He will come and
destroy these hus
bandmen, and will
give the vineyard
unto others. And
when they heard it,
they said, God for
bid. But he looked
upon them, and said,
What then is this
that is written,
The stone which the
builders rejected,
The same was made
the head of the
corner ?

come, what will he
do unto those hus
bandmen ? They
say unto him, He
will miserably de
stroy those miser
able men, and will
let out the vineyard
unto other husband
men, which shall
render him the fruits
in their seasons.
Jesus saith unto
them, Did ye never
read in the Scrip
tures,The stone which the
builders rejected,
The same was made
the head of the
corner :
This was from the
Lord,
And it is marvellous
in our eyes ?
In the parable of the wicked husbandmen Jesus takes
up the figure of the vineyard which is familiar in the
usage of the Old Testament l as a representation of the
kingdom of God. God made Israel his kingdom and
gave it in charge of rulers who were in covenant to yield
the fruits to their Lord. They were unfaithful to their
covenant. The servants, sent from time to time remind
ing them of their obligations and demanding fruits, are
the prophets calling to repentance. These they perse
cute and slay. At last the Son, the Messianic prophet,
is sent with the same prophetic call, and he is slain.
This is the last hour of waiting on the part of God. The
climax of guilt has been reached. The doom of the
rulers of Israel has come. The vineyard, the kingdom

> Isa. v.

OF MARK 11 7
of God, will be taken from them, and will be given to a
nation who will yield the fruits of repentance and good
works. This parable is the basis upon which Jesus puts
forth his claim to be the corner-stone of the kingdom in
the representations of the prophecy of the Old Testa
ment.1 They are about to reject the precious corner
stone of God. But their rejection will not avail. That
stone will become the head of the corner. Here the re
jection of the Messiah is represented as the casting away
of the corner-stone, and the resurrection as the lifting
of the corner-stone to its place in the building. In this
parable Jesus shows the relation of the kingdom of the
Messiah to the kingdom of God in the Old Testament.
The kingdom of the Messiah is a continuation of the
kingdom of God under the Old Testament. Then God
had ruled through kings and priests. These had proved
unfaithful to him. The rule of God was still carried on
through the priests and scribes who had control of the
religion of Israel. These were unfaithful as their pred
ecessors had been. They had rejected the warnings of
the prophets ; they now reject the Messiah himself.
This rejection of the Messiah brings the kingdom of
God under the Old Testament to an end. It is to die
with its Messiah. But a new kingdom is to rise up in
its place with the resurrection of the Messiah. He is to
be the corner-stone of the new kingdom of God, in
which Israel, as a nation, and the rulers, as descendants
of the ancient authorities appointed of God, will have no
place ; but a new and spiritual Israel with new and spir
itual rulers, will occupy the vineyard and constitute the
kingdom under the sway of the Messiah.

1 Isa. xxviii. 14-18 ; Ps. cxviii. 22, 23. See Briggs' Messianic Prophecy, p.
208.

118

THE MESSIAH

THE LORD OF DAVID.
§ 25. Jesus is the Messianic king, the son of David and
his Lord.
Jesus in his contest with the Pharisees and rulers, in
the last week of his ministry, presses upon them his
claims to be the Messiah. The Synoptists unite in an
account of the words of Jesus claiming to be the Mes
siah of Psalm ex.

Matt. xxii. 41-45.
Now while the
Pharisees were gath
ered together, Jesus
asked them a ques
tion, saying, What
think ye of the
Messiah? Whose son
is he? They say
unto him, The son
of David. He saith
unto them, How then
doth David in the
Spirit call him Lord,
saying, The Lord
said unto my Lord,
Sit thou on my right
hand, till I put thine
enemies underneath
thy feet? If David
then calleth him
Lord, how is he his
son ?
Jesus here cites a Messianic passage from Ps. ex.1 in
which the poet describes the conquering king after the
order of Melchizedek. If David be the author of this
psalm, as the Pharisees supposed,2 this conquering king

Mark xii. 35-37.
And Jesus an
swered and said, as
he taught in the
temple, How say the
scribes that the
Massiah is the son of
David? David him
self said in the Holy
Spirit, The Lord
said unto my Lord,
Sit thou on my right
hand, till I make
thine enemies the
footstool of thy feet.
David himself call
eth him Lord ; and
whence is he his
son?

Luke xx. 41-44.
And he said unto
them, How say they
that the Messiah is
David's son? For
David himself saith
in the book of
Psalms, The Lord
said unto my Lord,
Sit thou on my right
hand, till I make
thine enemies the
footstool of thy feet.
David therefore call
eth him Lord, and
how is he his son ?

1 See Brigps' Messianic Prophecy, p. 132.
2 It does not follow fiom this that Jesus held to the Davidic authorship of the
psalm. He was arguing; from the position of his opponents, not from his own ;
he was pressing them with an apparent inconsistency in their position which they
could not explain or remove . He was not called upon to state his own views
of the authorship of this psalm.

OF MARK H9
is his son and at the same time his lord. This seems to
be contrary to nature. It raises the question whether
the Messiah may not be something more than the son
and heir of David. He must be not only a greater
monarch, but greater in office and in dignity than David
in order to fulfil the ideal. This was indicated in the
psalm so far as the Messiah was a king after the order
of Melchizedek. That was something more than the
dynasty of David ; for it involved the priestly as well as
the royal office, and it suggested the thought that as
Melchisedek was higher in office than Abraham, so the
Messiah was to be higher in office than David, — his lord
as well as his son. The priests and scribes were not
prepared to explain this mystery. They could not
answer the inquiry of Jesus. Their inability to answer
this question ought to have opened their minds to see
and to admit that the Messiah when he came would be
something different from what they expected, and that
they ought not to stumble at Messianic attributes that
seemed to them strange and difficult to understand.
Jesus was himself this priest-king and lord of the psalm
ist, but he was also something more, namely, the suffer
ing prophet, and the rejected corner-stone. The recon
ciliation of all these apparent inconsistencies could not
be made to them by Jesus at that time, but only by the
progress of events when history would be the true inter
preter of prophecy. These Pharisees were silenced by
the words of Jesus. They would have acted wisely if
they had awaited in silence the unfolding of the life of
Jesus, which would gradually have unveiled his Messiah-
ship and set forth his reconciliation of the varying feat
ures of Old Testament prophecy in the higher harmo
nies of its historic fulfilment.

120 THE MESSIAH
ERE ANOTHER COMMUNION-MEAL.
§ 26. Jesus instituted the Lord's Supper as the sacrifi
cial meal of the new covenant, and promised that the king
dom of God would come ere another communion-meal.
Jesus in his earlier ministry preached the speedy ad
vent of the kingdom. He again took up this subject
when he instituted the Lord's supper.
There are two important sayings of Jesus on this
occasion which are pregnant with Messianic meaning.
The first of these is the saying of Jesus when he gave
the cup to his disciples :
This is my blood of the covenant which is shed for many.1
(Mark xiv. 22-25.)
It is clear that Jesus represents here that his blood,
which was about to be shed on the cross, was blood
shed for his disciples for the purpose of establishing a new
covenant relation. Jesus was doubtless thinking of the
new covenant of Jeremiah2 and Ezekiel," and especially
of the second Isaiah, where the new covenant is connect-

1 See also Matt. xxvi. 26-29 \ Luke xxii. 18-20 ; 1 Cor. xi. 23-26. This
simple saying of Jesus, as reported in Mark, is explained in Matthew by
the addition " unto remission of sins." That was one of the aims of tie
shedding of the blood of the Messiah. This is a correct statement, as is clear
from other passages of the New Testament, but it is not probable that Jesus
uttered these words, for Matthew alone gives them. Luke and Paul add ' ' new "
to covenant. This also is explanatory, to bring out clearly the antithesis between
the old covenant sacrifice at Horeb and the new covenant sacrifice at Calvary.
But this antithesis is really implied in the simple statement that the blood was
blood of the covenant. Luke and Paul use the explanatory " this cup " for
"this" of Matthew and Mark, and change "my blood of the covenant " into
" covenant in my blood " which do not change the meaning. See Julicher, Zur
Geschichte der Abcndmahlsfeier in der a.'testen Kirche, in the Theo/ogische
Alhandlungen Weizsacker gewidnu-t, 1832, ». 237 seq., and Spitta, Vrchristen-
t/ium, I., s. 31S seq.
2 Jeremiah xxxi. 31-37. 3 Ezekiel xxxiv. 25-31 ; xxxvii. 26-28.

OF MARK 121
ed with the servant of Yahweh.1 It is this connection
of the new covenant with the suffering and dying servant
which leads to the thought of the covenant sacrifice.
This covenant sacrifice is an antithesis to the covenant
sacrifice of Horeb.2 The blood of the covenant was in
the old covenant sprinkled upon those who entered into
covenant relations. Here the blood was shed for many,
but it was to be drunk in a cup under the form of wine.
Participation by drinking is more expressive than par
ticipation by sprinkling. The flesh of the victim was
eaten in the sacrifice of the old covenant ; the flesh of
Jesus was eaten in the form of bread in the new cove
nant. Here Jesus plainly teaches that his impending
death is the death of a sacrificial victim ; that it is to be
of the nature of a peace-offering, and especially a sacri
fice instituting the new covenant, which was to take the
place of the initial sacrifice of the old covenant with all
that was involved therein. In accordance with the pre
dictions of the prophets, the suffering servant was to
introduce a new dispensation based on a covenant sacri
fice, which was to take the place of the old dispensation
with all its institutions of law and prophecy which were
based upon the covenant sacrifice at Horeb. 3
The report of Mark and Matthew would give us noth
ing more than the institution of a covenant in which
those who partook of the victim would represent all
their successors. But Luke gives the additional words,
" This do in remembrance of me," which seem to imply

1 Isaiah xiii. 6 ; liv. 10-17 ; Iv. 3 ; l'x. 21 ; lxi. 8, 9. See Briggs' Messianic
Prophecy, pp. 496, 497.
2 Exodus xxiv. 1-12.
3 This sacrifice is specifically a covenant sacrifice which belongs to the class of
peace offerings. It is incorrect to think of a sin-offering here, which is of an en
tirely different class, and where the blood is never applied to persons, but always
to altars. See Wendt, Lehre Jesu, s. 586.

122 THE MESSIAH
a command to repeat the celebration as a memorial meal
and also the substitution of a Christian Passover for a
Jewish Passover.1 Paul not only gives this sentence of
Jesus, but also adds another more explicit, " This do, as
oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me." Jesus, ac
cording to Paul, looked forward to constant and oft-
repeated observances of the Lord's supper as a Christian
Passover. If it was to be oft repeated, it implied some
thing more than the covenant sacrifice of Horeb. That
sacrifice was the only covenant sacrifice for the Old
Testament dispensation and needed no renewal. It
was partaken of by the people for themselves and all
their successors. But it was also at the foundation
of all the sacrificial system of the old covenant legis
lation and history. The oft-repeated participation in
the Lord's supper, however, carried with it the concep
tion of a continuous sacrifice. The death of the victim
was but once, but the provision of flesh and blood eaten
and drunk, in which the entire meaning of the covenant
sacrifice is always found, implied a continual provision
of the sacrificial victim.
Paul adds an explanatory word of his own :
For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink the cup, ye pro
claim the Lord's death till he come, (i Cor. xi. 26.)
According to this teaching the Lord's supper is to be
celebrated until the Advent of the Lord, until the close
of the dispensation. This implies that Jesus remains
the sacrificial victim throughout the entire period be
tween his death and his second Advent — ever present on
the altar-table of his Church. This is an elaboration of
the conception of the covenant sacrifice of Jesus by the

1 Ex . xii. 14. See Spitta, /. c. , 3. 232.

OF MARK 123
apostle Paul, and is not contained in the words of insti
tution.1 It may be doubted how far these supplementary words
of Jesus given by Luke and Paul, and the interpretation
of them by Paul, have been influenced by the second
saying of Jesus reported by the synoptists.
I will no more'' drink of the3 fruit of the vine, until that

i Julicher, /. c, s. 238 seq., and Spitta, /. «., 5. 238^?., are doubtless correct
in their opinion that the earliest Christian tradition represented by Mark and
Matthew, knew nothing of an institution of the Lord's supper by Jesus on the
night of his betrayal, as a sacrament to be observed continuously in the future.
But they admit that Paul and Luke are sustained by the earliest Christian usage
in representing it as a permanent institution. Julicher explains this change from
the facts that the apostles and earliest disciples when they met at their Christian
meals were reminded of their last meal with their Lord, and that Jesus seems to
have manifested himself to them after his resurrection at such meals. Spitta
maintains that Jesus did not eat the passover with his discip'es, but that he was
crucified on Passover day, and that therefore his disciples could not eat the pass-
over until the next month, and he suggests that Jesus appeared to them at that
secondary passover meal and thereby associated himself with the passover in
their minds. If we are to go so far with Julicher and Spitta, it is easier to sup
pose thatthe-risen Lord in connection with these manifestations commanded the
perpetual observance of the holy supper just as he gave the apostles their commis
sion to preach and baptize, and explained 'the mystery of his life and death (Luke
xxiv. 25-49). Paul and Luke would then combine the words of Jesus on two
different occasions, just as Paul did in his discourse in the book of Acts (xxvi.
15-18). All such explanations, however, are conjectural. It must be recognized
that the covenant sacrifice of the New Testament of Mark and Matthew would
not of itself need repeated eating and drinking any more than the covenant sac
rifice of the Old Testament, which was partaken of, once for all, on the day of
its institution (Ex. xxiv. 6-n). The combination of the annual passover meal
with the initial meal of the covenant, such as we find in Paul and Luke (cf. 1 Cor.
v. 7, 8, with xi. 23 seq.) would make an annual celebration appropriate. But it
is necessary to go further and connect these with the love-feasts of the early
Christians, and see in them the continuation of the sacrificial meals of the ordi
nary peace offerings of the Jews and Gentiles alike. This combination is given
in the antithesis between the communion-meals of Christians and the communion-
meals of idols (1 Cor. x. 14-22), and in the joint celebration of the Lord's supper
and the love-feast in the apostolic church. Thus the Lord's supper is also the
fulfilment of the thank-offerings and free-will offerings of the Old Testament.
"Matthew and Luke substitute "henceforth," which maybe only a different
translation of the same Aramaic original.
3 Matthew is more specific by substituting " this " for "the."

124 THE MESSIAH
day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.1 (Mark
xiv. 25.)
This is a prediction of a return of Jesus subsequent
to his death. The return and the drinking of the cup are
to be in the kingdom of God. Most interpreters think
of the kingdom here as the kingdom of glory of the sec
ond Advent,2 or of the heavenly reunion with the Messiah.
This would be favored by the fact that Paul may have
made his reference to the second Advent on the basis of
these words. But it does not appear that Paul had these
words in mind. He is rather expounding the words " as
oft as ye drink it " in order to teach an oft-repeated ob
servance of the supper until the second Advent. The
evangelists, however, emphasize the drinking from the
cup. There are two drinkings in antithesis, the one at
present at the institution of the supper, the other in the
kingdom of God. They teach not the absence of the Lord
during an indefinite number of feasts or an indefinite
number of Lord's suppers until the Advent in glory; but
a speedy advent of the kingdom, such as we have seen
in previous predictions. At first the kingdom was pro
claimed as at hand, then as planted in the ministry of
our Lord as good seed springing up and growing secretly,
then as coming in the lifetime of some of his hearers,
then as open to the childlike and the poor in spirit. All
this reaches its culmination in the prediction that ere
another communion-meal came, before there was another
opportunity to partake of the wine cup, the kingdom
of God would be set up. The next feast would be
celebrated by Jesus and his apostles within the Messianic
kingdom, in a communion feast which would be no more

1 Matthew adds " with you " and substitutes " in my Father's kingdom." Luke
condenses the clause into "until the kingdom of God shall come."
2 Weiss, Marcuscvangclium, s. 452 ; Wendt, Lehre Jesu, ii., s. 170.

OF MARK 125
predictive of his covenant sacrifice, but would be based
upon it as an historical event, the turning-point of a new
age of the world. THE REJECTED SHEPHERD.
§ 27. Jesus as the Messianic shepherd was rejected and
his flock was scattered.
The doctrine of the rejected Messiah reaches its cul
mination in the words of Jesus on the way to Gethsemane.
And Jesus saith unto them, All ye shall be offended : for it is
written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scat
tered abroad. Howbeit, after I am raised up, I will go before you
into Galilee.1 (Mark xiv. 27-28.)
The crisis of the Messiah is now at hand. The pre
dictions of his sufferings and death have now reached
their climax as the events are about to fulfil them.
Here Jesus definitely represents himself as the Mes
sianic shepherd of the prophecy of Zechariah,2 and warns
his disciples of his impending death. He tells them that
they will be scattered abroad. But he comforts them
with the promise that he will not only rise again, but
that he will meet them in Galilee.
The apostles ought now to be prepared for the sad
events that await them, by the interpretation given to
them by Jesus of the neglected prophet, of the rejected
corner-stone, and of the rejected shepherd,* as well as by
his own thrice repeated prediction that his death would
be followed by a speedy resurrection and the establish
ment of his kingdom.*

1 Matthew xxvi. 31-32 is essentially the same. The differences are that Mat
thew adds for explanation to " offended " " in me this night," and to " sheep,"
" of the flock," and uses Se for the stronger aAAa. In all these respects Mark is
nearer the Aramaic original.
a Zechariah xiii. 7. s See pp. 112, 114. * See pp. 95 seq., 107 seq.

126

THE MESSIAH

THE REJECTED MESSIAH.
§ 28. The Messiah takes the oath before the Sanhedrin
that he is the Messiah and predicts his Advent on his
throne. He is mocked and crucified as the Messiah.
The arrest of Jesus and his trial give occasion for
solemn inquiry before the Sanhedrin, the highest tribu
nal of the nation, where he was called upon to take the
oath by the high priest, whether he was the Messiah or
not.

Mark xiv. 61-64.
Again the high
priest asked him, and
saith unto him, Art
thou the Messiah, the
Son of the Blessed ?
And Jesus said, I
am : and ye shall see
the Son of Man sit
ting at the right
hand of power, and
coming with the
clouds of heaven.
And the high priest
rent his clothes, and
saith. What further
need have we of wit
nesses ? Ye have
heard the blasphe
my : what think ye ?
And they all con
demned him to be
worthy of death.

Matt. xxvi. 63-66.
And the high
priest said unto him,
1 adjure thee by the
living God, that thou
tell us whether thou
be the Messiah, the
Son of God. Jesus
saith unto him, Thou
hast said : neverthe
less I say unto you,
Henceforth ye shall
see the Son of Man
sitting at the right
hand of power, and
coming on the clouds
of heaven. Then the
high priest rent his
garments, saying, He
hath spoken bias-
phemy : what fur
ther need have we
of witnesses ? be
hold, now ye have
heard the blasphe
my : what think ye ?
They answered and
said, He is worthy of
death.

Luke xxii. 66-71.
And as soon as it
was day, the assem
bly of the elders of
the people was gath
ered together, both
chief priests and
scribes ; and they led
him away into their
council, saying. If
thou art the Messiah,
tell us. But he said
unto them, If I tell
you, ye will not be
lieve : and if I ask
you, ye will not an
swer. But from
henceforth shall the
Son of Man be seated
at the right hand of
the power of God.
And they all said,
Art thou then the
Son of God ? And
he said unto them,
Ye say it, for I am.
And they said, What
further need have
we of witness ? for
we ourselves have
heard from his own
mouth.

OF MARK 127
The official claim of Jesus to be the Messiah was re
jected by the Sanhedrin as blasphemous and he was
condemned to death for making the claim. Jesus not
only makes the claim to be the Messiah, but he pre
dicts that the Sanhedrin will see the enthronement of
the Son of Man. He has not come at present with
power, authority, and dominion. He has not been en
throned. His throne is not an earthly throne, but a
heavenly throne. His second Advent will be from
heaven upon the clouds as his chariot of power and
victory. His claim to be at once the Messianic king and the
Messianic Son of Man, thus becomes the ground for his
persecution and death. Jesus is mocked by Pilate, Herod,
and their soldiery as the Messiah.1 Pilate presents him
to the Pharisees and the people as their Messiah,
crowned with thorns, with a reed sceptre and with royal
attire, and they reject him and demand his crucifixion.2
Jesus is then crucified with the title on his cross, " The
King of the Jews." 3 He is mocked by Pharisees and
people, and even one of the crucified robbers, as the
false Messiah.'
There can be no doubt, therefore, that Jesus claimed
to be the Messianic king, and that he was rejected as a
false Messiah by the Jews and crucified as such by the
Romans at the solicitation of the Jews.

1 Mark xv. 16-19 \ Matth. xxvii. 27-30 ; Luke xxiii. 11 ; John xix. 2, 3.
2 Mark xv. 6-15 ; Matth. xxvii. 15-26 ; Luke xxiii. 13-25 ; John xviii. 39, 40,
xix. 4-16.
3 Mark xv. 26. This is Jesus, the King of the Jews, Matth. xxvii. 37. This
is the King of the Jews, Luke xxiii. 38. Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the
Jews, John xix. 19-22.
* Mark xv. 31, 32 ; Matth. xxvii. 41-43; Luke xxiii. 35-37.

128

THE MESSIAH

THE MESSIAH'S DEATH AND RESURRECTION.
§ 29. The theophanies that accompany the crucifixion of
Jesus and his own resurrection in fulfilment of his pre
dictions show him to be the everliving Messianic Son of
God.

The crucifixion of Jesus was accompanied with the
ophanic signs.

Mark xv. 33-39.
And when the
sixth hour was come,
there was darkness
over the whole land
until the ninth hour.
And at the ninth
hour Jesus cried with
a loud voice, Eloi,
Eloi, lama sabach-
thanif which is, be
ing interpreted, My
God, my God, why
hast thou forsaken
me? And some of
them that stood by,
when they heard it,
said, Behold, he call-
eth Elijah. And one
ran, and filling a
sponge full of vine
gar, put it on a reed,
and gave him to
drink, saying, Let be;
let us see whether
Elijah cometh to
take him down. And
Jesus uttered a loud
voice, and gave up
the ghost. And the
veil of the temple
was rent in twain
from the top to the
bottom.

Matt, xxvii. 45-54.
Now from the sixth
hour there was dark
ness over all the land
until the ninth hour.
And about the ninth
hour Jesus cried with
a loud voice, saying,
Eli, Eli, lama sabach-
thani? that is, My
God, my God, why
hast thou forsaken
me? And some of
them that stood
there, when they
heard it, said, This
man calleth Elijah.
And straightway one
of them ran, and took
a sponge, and filled it
with vinegar, and put
it on a reed, and gave
him to drink. And
the rest said, Let be;
let us see whether
Elijah cometh to
save him. And Jesus
cried again with a
loud voice, and yield
ed up his spirit. And
behold.the veil of the
temple was rent in
twain from the top
to the bottom ; and
the earth did quake ;

Luke xxiii. 44-47.
And it was now
about the sixth
hour, and a darkness
came over the whole
land until the ninth
hour, the sun's light
failing: and the veil
of the temple was
rent in the midst.
And when Jesus had
cried with a loud
voice, he said, Fath
er, into thy hands I
commend my spirit:
and having said this,
he gave up the ghost.

OF MARK

129

And when the cen
turion, which stood
by over against him,
saw that he so gave
up the ghost, he said,
Truly this man was
the Son of God.

and the rocks were
rent ; and the tombs
were opened ; and
many bodies of the
saints that had fallen
asleep were raised ;
and coming forth
out of the tombs
after his resurrection
they entered into the
holy city and ap
peared unto many.
Now the centurion
and they that were
with him watching
Jesus, when they saw
the earth quake, and
the things that were
done, feared exceed
ingly, saying, Truly
this was the Son of
God.

And when the cen
turion saw what was
done, he glorified
God, saying. Cer
tainly this was a
pghteous man.

The three evangelists unite in reporting the darkness
and the earthquake. The darkness at midday, from
noon until three o'clock in the afternoon, or total eclipse
of the sun, was followed by an earthquake, that rent the
rocks and tombs and the veil of the temple. Such trans
formations of nature are the usual accompaniment of
theophanies. They are predicted in the Old Testament
as accompaniments of the divine advent. They indicate
the presence and power of God in nature. The presence
and power of God were nowhere more to be expected
than at the crucifixion of the Messiah. The rending of
the veil of the temple was a sign that the temple at
Jesusalem was rejected by God. His people had re
jected their Messiah. God had likewise rejected them
and theirs.
The three evangelists also agree in the following ac
count of the resurrection of Jesus :

130

THE MESSIAH

Mark xvi. 1-8.
And when the Sab
bath was past, Mary
Magdalene, and Ma
ry the mother of
James, and Salome,
bought spices, that
they might come and
anoint him. And
very early on the
first day of the week,
they come to the
tomb when the sun
was risen. And they
were saying among
themselves, Who
shall roll us away
the stone from the
door of the tomb?
and looking up, they
see that the stone
is rolled back: for
it was exceeding
great. And entering
into the tomb, they
saw a young man
sitting on the right
side, arrayed in a
white robe ; and they
wereamazed. Andhe
saith unto them, Be
not amazed : ye seek
Jesus, the Nazarene,
which hath been cru
cified : he is risen ;
he is not here : be
hold, the place where
they laid him ! But
go, tell his disciples
and Peter, He goeth
before you into Gal
ilee : there shall ye
see him, as he said
unto you. And they
went out, and fled
from the tomb ; for
trembling and aston
ishment had come
upon them.

Matt, xxviii. 1-8.
Now late on the
sabbath day, as it be
gan to dawn toward
the first day of the
week, came Mary
Magdalene and the
other Mary to see the
sepulchre. And be
hold, there was a
great earth quake ;
for an angel of the
Lord descended from
heaven, and came
and rolled away
the stone, and sat
upon it. His ap
pearance was as
lightning, and his
raiment white as
snow : and for fear
of him the watch
ers did quake, and
became as dead men.
And the angel an
swered and said unto
the women, Fear not
ye : for I know that
ye seek Jesus, which
hath been crucified.
He is not here ; for
he is risen, even as
he said. Come, see
the place where the
Lord lay. And go
quickly, and tell his
disciples, He is risen
from the dead ; and
lo, he goeth before
you into Galilee ;
there shall ye see
him : lo, I have told
you. And they de
parted quickly from
the tomb with fear
and great joy, and
ran to bring his dis
ciples word.

Luke xxiv. 1-9.
And on the sabbath
they rested accord
ing to the command
ment. But on the
first day of the week,
at early dawn, they
came unto the tomb,
bringing the spices
which they had pre
pared. And they
found the stone
rolled away from the
tomb. And they en
tered in, and found
not the body of the
Lord Jesus. And it
came to pass, while
they were perplexed
thereabout, behold,
two men stood by
them in dazzling ap
parel : and as they
were affrighted, and
bowed down their
faces to the earth,
they said unto them,
Why seek ye the liv
ing among the dead ?
He is not here, but is
risen: remember how
he spake unto you
when he was yet in
Galilee, saying that
the Son of Man must
be delivered up into
the hands of sinful
men, and be cruci
fied, and the third
day rise again. And
they remembered his
words, and returned
from the tomb, and
told all these things
to the eleven, and to
all the rest.

OF MARK 131
Mark and Luke tell us that the women found the
stone door rolled away from the entrance of the tomb
of Jesus.
Matthew tells us that this was accomplished by a great
earthquake and the descent of an angel from heaven,
filling the watch with terror. The three agree in a re
port that an angel announced to the women the resurrec
tion of Jesus. Matthew and Mark state that he showed
them that the tomb was vacant, and told them to report
to the disciples that they were to meet Jesus in Galilee.
With this brief witness to the resurrection the Gospel of
Mark comes to an end.1

1 The remaining verses of the sixteenth chapter are a later addition to the orig
inal Gospel, as critics agree. They are separated in the Revised Version by a
space with a note stating that they are not found in the two oldest MSS. We
shall compare them in a subsequent chapter in their parallelism with Matthew
and Luke.

CHAPTER IV.
THE APOCALYPSE OF JESUS.
The discourse of Jesus, given by the Synoptists in
Matt, xxiv., Mark xiii., and Luke xxi., is an Apocalypse.
It is intermediate between the Apocalypse of Daniel
and the Apocalypse of John. As it depends upon the
former and advances upon the Messianic idea contained
therein, so it is the prelude to the latter and the key to
its interpretation.
The discourse is enlarged in Matt. xxiv. by the inser
tion of two sections : vers. 26-28, 37-41, that belong to
another discourse given in a different connection in
Luke,1 and by the use of two parables, vers. 43-51, that
are given by Luke2 at an earlier date. Furthermore,
Matthew adds chap, xxv., which contains two parables
and a judgment scene which have no exact parallels in
the other evangelists, although there are similar para
bles in Luke.3
These sections have all been added by Matthew in
accordance with his custom to group the words of Jesus
spoken at different times and under various circum
stances, about a central theme. That which remains
after the elimination of these sections is, with few excep
tions, essentially the same in the three Synoptists, and
is a discourse complete in itself, a real apocalypse.

¦ xvii. 22-37. " xii. 39-46. ' xii. 35, 36, xix. 11-27.
(132)

OF THE APOCALYPSE OF JESUS 133
This apocalypse resembles in many respects the Jew
ish pseudepigraphical apocalypses. This resemblance
and the method of Matthew raise the question whether
the critical knife should not go deeper and eliminate also
the lesser sections that are peculiar to Mark and Luke,
and even dissect the material that is common to the
three evangelists. Accordingly, Colani ' proposed the
theory that the apocalypse of Jesus contained a Jewish-
Christian apocalypse which was used by Mark in con
nection with genuine words of Jesus, and probably was
the same as the oracle mentioned by Eusebius, s which
warned Christians to leave the doomed city of Jerusa
lem. This opinion was adopted by Weizsacker,3 with
the modifications that it was a Jewish apocalypse and
that it had been taken from a lost section of the apoca
lypse of Enoch, in accordance with the citation in Bar
nabas." Pfleiderer 6 and Keim " held that it was a Jew
ish-Christian apocalypse. Weiffenbach ' gave the whole
subject a more elaborate treatment, and by a very care
ful analysis distinguished three parts of this original
Jewish- Christian apocalypse : (1) Mark xiii. 7-8, «=Matt.
xxiv. 6-8=Luke xxi. 9-1 1, giving the do%i] ibdivcov ;
(2) Mark xiii. i4-20=Matt. xxiv. 15-22, giving the
dXi^ez; (3) Mark xiii. 24~27=Matt. xxiv. 29~3i=Luke
xxi. 25-27, giving the napouoia. Wendt8 and Vis-
cher' have also given their adhesion to the theory.

1 Jesus Christ et les croyances messianiques de sen temp, 2 ed. , 1864.
-' Hist, Eccl. iii 5, 3.
3 Untersuchungen, 1864, a. 121-26.
* Barnabas, c. iv.
e Jahrb. f d. Theologie, xiii., 1868, S. 134, 149.
« Jesu v. Naz., iii., s. 200-206.
* Wiederkunftsgedanke Jesu, 1873.
» Lehre Jesu, 1&86, ». 161.
9 Die Offenbarung Johannis, 1886. See also The Presbyterian Review, 1888,
p. 112.

134 THE MESSIAH
It is true that these three sections which have been
separated by Weiffenbach are apocalyptic in character.
They resemble in many respects the Jewish pseudepi-
graphical apocalypses. But this is because they all
depend on the apocalypse of Daniel, and use the lan
guage of the judgment scenes of the Old Testament
Prophets. There is no sufficient reason why Jesus him
self should not have used the Old Testament in the
same manner. We ought to expect that Jesus in his
predictions would bridge the time between the apoca
lypse of Daniel and the apocalypse of John, and give an
intermediate stage in the development of the apocalyp
tic prophecy, if, as we believe, these apocalypses give us
genuine prediction. Weiffenbach's elimination of this
older apocalypse from the discourse of Jesus enabled
him to propose the theory that Jesus' prediction of his
second Advent was only another phase of his prediction
of his resurrection, and that anything in the gospels that
teaches a different doctrine does not belong to Jesus,
but to the misconceptions of his disciples.
The apocalypse of Jesus has been much discussed in
recent years. J. S. Russell, ' an English scholar, in
1878 proposed the theory that our Lord's predictions as
to his Parousia were fulfilled in connection with the
destruction of Jerusalem. Israel P. Warren, 3 an
American divine, maintained that the Parousia is not an
event, but a dispensation, embracing the spiritual pres
ence of Jesus during the entire period from the estab
lishment of the kingdom at Pentecost until the transfor
mation of nature at the end of the world. Professor
Willibald Beyschlag, of Halle, thinks that our Lord
embraces in his conception of his advent the reunion

1 The Parousia, 2d ed., 1887. ' The Parousia, ad ed., 1884.

OF THE APOCALYPSE OF JESUS 135
with his disciples begun at the resurrection, renewed at
Pentecost, and maintained in spiritual presence during
the entire period of the world, yes, even to eternity.1
These recent theories have greatly enlarged and im
proved the discussion, for they have been based upon a
comprehensive study of New Testament prophecy.
They have all been defective in their apprehension of
the fundamental importance of the Old Testament proph
ecy. The theory of Weiffenbach and his associates
removes the apocalyptic features from the discourse of
Jesus and attaches them to a Jewish-Christian apoca
lypse. The theories of Russell, Warren, and Beyschlag
agree in making them symbolical, the drapery or the
scenery of the prediction.
§ 30. Jerusalem is to be destroyed after a siege and
trodden under foot of the Gentiles. The temple is to be
destroyed and there will be a short time of extraordinary
distress. The signs of these events are armies laying siege
and a desecration of the temple. False Messiahs and
prophets will arise, and there will be wars, rumors of
wars, insurrections, famines, pestilences, earthquakes, ter
rors, and great signs from heaven ; the beginnings of the
birth-throes of the End of the Age. There will be signs
of the Advent of the Son of Man in the darkening of the
sun, moon, and stars; the shaking of earth, heaven, and sea;
distress of nations, perplexity, and fear. All these will
transpire in the generation of Jesus and show that the End
is near. There will be a Gospel Age for the preaching of
the gospel to the nations. This will be accompanied by
persecutions and false prophets and apostacy. Patience
and perseverance will be required until the End. There
will be a Gentile Age during which Jerusalem will be held

' Das Leben Jesu, i., ». 357-64.

136

THE MESSIAH

in subjection. The Son of Man will come on the clouds with
the holy angels and the trumpet blast for the redemption of
the elect, who will be gathered by angels from all parts.
It will be for the completion of the age and the establish
ment of the kingdom of glory. The time of the Advent is
not known even to the Son, but to the Father only. It may
be early or late. It is near and impending, sure to come,
but uncertain as to time, requiring all to watch and pray.
(i) The Prelude.
Mark xiii. i, 2. Matt. xxiv. 1, 2. Luke xxi. 5, 6.

And as he went
forth out of the tem
ple, one of his disci
ples saith unto him,
Master, behold, what
manner of stones
and what manner of
buildings! And
Jesus said unto him,
Seest thou these
great buildings?
there shall not be
left here one stone
upon another, which
shall not be thrown
down.

And Jesus went
out from the temple,
and was going on
his way ; and his dis
ciples came to him
to show him the
buildings of the tem
ple. But he an
swered and said unto
them, See ye not
all these things?
verily I say unto you,
There shall not be
left here one stone
upon another, that
shall not be thrown
down.

And as some spake
of the temple, how it
was adorned with
goodly stones and
offerings, he said, As
for these things
which ye behold, the
days will come, in
which there shall not
be left here one stone
upon another, that
shall not be thrown
down.

The Synoptists agree closely in the prelude which
gives the circumstances under which the Apocalypse
was uttered. The temple which the disciples so greatly
admired for its magnificence and beauty, was to be de
stroyed so utterly that there would not be left one stone
upon another. This prediction of the destruction of the
temple is similar to the prediction with reference to the
city of Jerusalem — " The days shall come upon thee,
when thine enemies shall cast up a bank about thee, and
compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side,

OF THE APOCALYPSE OF JESUS

137

and shall dash thee to the ground, and thy children
within thee ; and they shall not leave in thee one stone
upon another." x The destruction of the temple here is to
be as the destruction of the city there — total.

Mark xiii. 3, 4.
And as he sat on
the mount of Olives
over against the tem
ple, Peter and James
and John and An
drew asked him pri
vately, Tell us, when
shall these things be?
and what shall be the
sign when these
things are all about
to be accomplished ?

(2) The Inquiry.
Matt. xxiv. 3.
And as he sat on
the mount of Olives,
the disciples came
unto him privately,
saying, Tell us, when
shall these things
be? and what shall
be the sign of thy
coming, and of the
End of the Age ?

Luke xxi. 7.
And they asked
him, saying, Master,
when therefore shall
these things be ? and
what shall be the sign
when these things
are about to come
to pass ?

The disciples have been deeply impressed by the pre
diction with respect to the destruction of the temple.
They take advantage of their being apart on the Mount
of Olives to inquire more deeply into this matter. Ac
cording to Mark, the question seems to have been asked
by four apostles only. We have first to inquire as to
the scope and matter of their question. According to
Mark, it is simply as to " these things " which the con
text refers to the destruction of the temple. The same
is true of Luke, save that the phrase, " There shall not
be left here one stone upon another," used with refer
ence to the temple, would remind them of the same pre
diction made a few days before in the vicinity overlook
ing Jerusalem, with reference to the city ; and the sub
sequent context of Luke evidently includes the destruc-

1 Luke xix. 43, 44.

138 THE MESSIAH
tion of the city in the answer to the questions. It is,
therefore, probable that it was included in the inquiry,
in the minds of the apostles as well as of Jesus. Further
more, as Weiss ' says : " The raura refers primarily to
the destruction of the temple, but the plural would not
have been used if it had not been regarded as including
a series of decisive events whose final accomplishment
was comprehended in the ndvra." When now we look
to Matthew we find that he represents the inquiry as
more specific — " thy coming" and " the End of the Age."
He gives us two technical terms of New Testament
prophecy, the napoooia and the auvzeXtia zou aiaivos.
It is necessary for us to determine their meaning, and
also to learn how these events come to be included in
the question according to Matthew. These questions
are entwined to some extent. It seems that, in the
mind of the Evangelist Matthew, Jesus has been lead
ing his apostles through the events and discourses of
the week in Jerusalem to the climax of this discourse.
He had already predicted that the nation, with its holy
city and temple, would be destroyed by armies, that all
the woes for the rejected prophets and the Messiah would
come upon that generation, and that the Messiah would
come again and be greeted with hosannas. It also seems
likely that it was in the mind of the evangelist that Jesus
would now give his chosen apostles an esoteric key to
the mysteries of his Messianic future, as the culmination
of all his discourses on the subject, and from this point of
view Matthew does not hesitate to combine other dis
courses of Jesus with this main one, and to gather a
group of parables about the central theme.
The napouoia is the technical term for the second

1 Marcusevangelium, s. 411, 412.

OF THE APOCALYPSE OF JESUS 139
Advent of Jesus himself.1 Ivvreheia too aicovoz is " com
pletion of the age." We might think of the age of the
Old Testament dispensation coming to completion in
the age of the Messiah.2 This would be proper from the
point of view of the Old Testament itself, and possibly
of the apostles also. It is usually rendered " comple
tion of the age of the world " or " End of the world."
But this involves the theory that Jesus is here predict
ing events at the end of the world. This may be so, but
it is hardly proper to put this theory into the translation
of a phrase which does not in itself have so definite a
meaning. It seems clear from the context and the
parallelism of the question that the disciples and Jesus
understood in this phrase the age that would be com
pleted by the Parousia, so that everything depends
upon our interpretation of the latter. The additional
feature of Matthew is an inquiry as to the second Advent
of the Messiah. With regard to the matter of the in
quiry, there are two events which differ in form, if not
in substance. The one is common to the three evan
gelists, and relates to the destruction of the temple ; the
other is peculiar to Matthew, and relates to the second
Advent of the Messiah.
There are two distinct questions as to these events
given by the three evangelists: (1) "When shall these

1 I do not see that it makes any very important difference whether we trans
late it " coming," as in the text of the R. V., or "presence," as in the margin of
the R. V., and I think that the polemic of Dr. Warren (Parousia, p. 25) against
the former, and the term " second advent," is without justification ; for it still
remains to determine what is the nature of that "coming" or "presence" or
" advent " which is here predicted. Even a " presence " must have its point of
beginning, and that is the real question, after all. It is not denied that the
advent is followed by a long-continued presence of the Messiah with his people,
and even if we lay the stress on the presence, we must distinguish between it and
the earthly life of Jesus, and use the term second presence.
' Russell, Parousia, p. 59.

140

THE MESSIAH

things be ? " 2 (2) What shall be the sign ? * The sign
of what ? Mark gives " when these things are all about
to be accomplished "; Luke, " when these things are about
to come to pass." This is most naturally to be inter
preted of the same things as the previous question —
namely, the destruction of the temple, with the other
events that clustered about it in the mind of Jesus and
his apostles. Matthew specifies the second Advent.
This raises the question whether Matthew regarded the
second Advent and the judgment of Jerusalem as the
same,3 or whether he designs to lay stress upon the
second Advent as an altogether different event. This
question will be determined as we proceed. It is suf
ficient here to remark that the prediction of Jesus in
the prelude favors the form of the question in Mark and
Luke ; but the answer of Jesus to the question in the sub
sequent context favors the form of the question given
by Matthew.
There are two questions which determine the answers
of Jesus and the analysis of the discourse ; (1) the time,
(2) the signs. (3) The Negative Answer as to the Time.
Mark xiii. 5-8. Matt. xxiv. 4-8. Luke xxi. 8-1 1.

And Jesus
to say unto

began them,
Take heed that no
man lead you astray.
Many shall come in
my name, saying, I
am he ; and shall
lead many astray.
[And when ye shall
hear of wars and ru
mors of wars, be not

And Jesus an
swered and said unto
them, Take heed
that no man lead you
astray. For many
shall come in my
name.saying.IamtheMessiah ; and shall
lead many astray.
[And ye shall hear
of wars and rumors

And he said, Take
heed that ye be not
led astray : for many
shall come in my
name, saying, I am
he ; and The time is
at hand : go ye not
after them. [And
when ye shall hear
of wars and tumults,
be not terrified : for

1 izdre Tama iarai.

* Tl TO OTj/ltiOV.

s Russell, Parousia, p. 82.

OF THE APOCALYPSE OF JESUS

141

troubled: these
things must needs
come to pass ; but
the End is not yet.
For nation shall rise
against nation, and
kingdom against
kingdom; there shall
be earthquakes in di
vers places ; there
shall be famines :
these things are the
beginning of travail.]

of wars : see that ye
be not troubled ; for
these things must
needs come to pass ;
but the End is not
yet. For nation shall
rise against nation,
and kingdom against
kingdom : and there
shall be famines and
earthquakes in di
vers places. But all
these things are the
beginning of travail.J

these things must
needs come to pass
first ; but the End
is not immediately.
Then said he unto
them, Nation shall
rise against nation,
and kingdom against
kingdom : and there
shall be great earth
quakes, and in divers
places famines and
pestilences; and
there shall be ter
rors and great signs
from heaven. J

Jesus answers the first question as to the time when,
and, first of all, negatively, (a) They are in peril of
being led astray by false Messiahs. Men will come
claiming to be the Messiah, and they will have follow
ers. These will come with the words, " I am the Mes
siah " (Matthew) and " the time is at hand " (Luke). In
this respect they will repeat the message of Jesus and
John the Baptist. This will happen in the interval
prior to the time of the apostles' question. It is clear, then,
that Jesus has here chiefly in mind his rzapouoia, and
not the destruction of the city and temple. He warns
his disciples that they be not deceived by false Messiahs
who will come, and may mislead them to think that the
Parousia of Jesus is in them.1
(b) There will be wars (Mark, Matthew, Luke) and
rumors of wars (Mark and Matthew) and tumults (Luke).
It is necessary that these should occur in the interval.

i Weiss (Marcusevangelium, s. 413) thinks that it is incredible that Jesus
should have begun his answer to the question of the disciples in this way, and
draws the inference that the entire introduction, with the exception of vers. 6, 8,
9, did not belong to the Apocalypse itself, which was originally a discourse to the
apostles.

142 THE MESSIAH
They will precede the End : " The End is not yet " * (Mat
thew and Mark); "The End is not immediately""
(Luke). The End is the equivalent of the End or
completion of the age. This term used by the three
evangelists shows that Matthew's specification of this
event in the question was involved in the more general
terms used by the other evangelists. The time of the
second advent of Jesus is therefore subsequent to these
false Messiahs and wars. It cannot take place until these
events have happened ; it is not immediate (Luke) ; it is
not yet (Mark and Matthew).
(c) There will be not only wars widespread and gen
eral, but also earthquakes and famines. These are rep
resented as " the beginning of travail," dpyrj wbivcov
(Mark and Matthew). The time or age is conceived as
a woman in the pangs of child-birth, who is to bring
forth the end. These distresses are the beginnings of
the birth throes ; others are to follow before the birth
of the last hour, in which the Messiah will come.
(d) In addition to the distresses already referred to,
Luke mentions pestilences, terrors, and great signs from
heaven. By great signs from heaven he probably means
commotions in the heavenly bodies, comets, eclipses,
and the like.
All these things must come to pass, and after they
have transpired it will appear that the End, the comple
tion of the age, the Advent of the Messiah are not imme
diate, are not yet. There are other birth throes to fol
low. Thus we have a definite answer to the question as
to the time of the Advent from the negative side.
Jesus tells them when it is not to be.3

1 oilJTU (tOTlv) TO T&2.0Z. 2 OVK ElJ^UC TO T&OC,
i It is urged by Weiffenbach that *, c, d, enclosed in parentheses above, con
stitute the first section of the Jewish Christian Apocalypse. The disturbances

OF THE APOCALYPSE OF JESUS

143

(4) The Positive Answer as to the Time.

Mark xiii. 9-13.
But take ye heed
to yourselves : for
they shall deliver
you up to councils ;
and in synagogues
shall ye be beaten ;
and before governors
and kings shall ye
stand for my sake,
for a testimony unto
them. And the gos
pel must first be
preached unto all

Matt. xxiv. 9-14.1
Then shall they
deliver you up unto
tribulation, and shall
kill you : and ye shall
be hated of all the na
tions for my name's
sake. And then shall
many s';umble, and
shall deliver up one
another, and shall
hate one another.
And many false
prophets shall arise,

Luke xxi. 12-19.
But before all these
things, they shall lay
their hands on you,
and shall persecute
you, delivering you
up to the synagogues
and prisons, bring
ing you before kings
and governors for
my name's sake. It
shall turn unto you
for a testimony. Set
tle it therefore in

here described are such as we would expect to find in such a writing, but they are
also such as we might expect to find in an apocalypse of Jesus, and they are not
at all discordant with a, but rather harmonious with the coming of the false
Messiahs. All these are woes, birth throes. That this idea is found in Jewish
pseudepigrapha amounts to nothing. It was derived by them from the Old Tes
tament, the common source of the Christian apocalypses as well as the Jewish,
the canonical and uncanonical as well, and there is no sufficient reason why Jesus
should not have used it. (Comp. Isa. xiii. 8, xxvi. 18 ; Jer. xiii. 21, xxii. 23 ;
Hos. xiii. 13 ; Mic. iv. 9, 10.)
1 Matthew here differs from Mark and Luke, because he has already used Mark
xiii. 11-13 in connection with the sending forth of the twelve (x. 17-22). The
passage very much resembles this section of the Apocalypse in Mark. It is given
here for comparison.
" But beware of men : for they will deliver you up to councils, and in their
synagogues they will scourge you ; yea and before governors and kings shall
ye be brought for my sake, for => testimony to them and to the Gentiles. But
when they deliver you up, be not anxious how or what ye shall speak : for it shall
be given you in that hour what ye shall speak. For it is not ye that speak, but
the Spirit of your Father that speaketh in you. And brother shall deliver up
brother to death, and the father his child : and children shall rise up against
parents, and cause them to be put to death. And ye shall be hated of all men
for my name's sake : but he that endureth to the End, the same shall be saved."
It would appear that the author of Matthew has confounded this extract with a
sentence of Jesus spoken on another occasion in Luke xii. 11, 12. This is replaced
by brief or general statements of a more comprehensive character relating to
the preaching of the gospel to the nations. Weiss thinks that this was an inde
pendent prediction of the apostles' work that is not in its correct place in any of
the evangelists, but belonged to the close of the life of Jesus. (Marcusevang.,
s. 416.)

144

THE MESSIAH

the nations. And
when they lead you
to judgment, and de
liver you up, be not
anxious beforehand
what ye shall speak ;
but whatsoever shall
be given you in that
hour, that speak ye :
for it is not ye that
speak, but ¦ the Holy
Spirit. And brother
shall deliver up
brother to death,
and the father his
child ; and children
shall rise up against
parents, and cause
them to be put to
death. And ye shall
be hated of all men
for my name's sake :
but he that endureth
to the End, the same
shall be saved.

and shall lead many
astray. And b e -
cause iniquity shall
be multiplied, the
love of the many
shall wax cold. But
he that endureth to
the End, the same
shall be saved. And
this gospel of the
kingdom shall be
preached in the
whole world for a
testimony unto all
the nations ; and
then shall the End
come.

your hearts, not to
meditate beforehand
how to answer : for I
will give you amouth
and wisdom, which
all your adversaries
shall not be able to
withstand or to gain
say. But ye shall be
delivered up even by
parents, and breth
ren, and kinsfolk,
and friends ; and
some of you shall
they cause to be put
to death. And ye
shall be hated of all
men for my name's
sake. And not a hair
of your head shall
perish. In your pa
tience ye shall win
your souls.

The evangelists differ somewhat in their statements as
to time. Mark begins with the positive statement : " And
the gospel must first be preached unto all the nations,"
and closes with : " He that endureth to the End, the
same shall be saved." Matthew brings both of these
statements to the close of the section, and changes their
order — " But he that endureth to the End, the same
shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom shall
be preached in the whole world for a testimony unto all
the nations ; and then shall the End come." These are
positive statements that the End, the completion of the
age, the second Advent, will come after the accomplish
ment of the preaching of the gospel to the world. The
End (rb re^oc) is the time when the endurance of the
preachers will be completed, when their ministry will
have been accomplished. The gospel must first be

OF THE APOCALYPSE OF JESUS 145
preached to all the nations is the statement of Mark.
After this preaching of the gospel has been accomplished
" then shall the End come " is the statement of Matthew.
Luke's language is different in form, but the same in
substance. He represents Jesus as saying, "Before all
these things." This cannot refer to the immediate con
text, but goes back upon the original question, and
affirms that before all these things relating to the Advent
of the Messiah, the preaching of the gospel to the world
must take place. It is similar, therefore, to Mark. The
teaching of this section is that the age prior to the
second Advent is an age of the preaching of the gospel.
The circumstances of this preaching are given with con
siderable detail.
(a) There is the commission to preach the gospel "unto
all the nations" (Mark); "to all the nations"; "in the
whole world " (Matthew). These terms are general, if not
universal. There is nothing in the text or context to limit
them even to the Roman Empire.1 It is not necessary
to suppose that they are so universal as to include every
nation without exception, or the entire extent of the
habitable globe, without the omission of any part what
ever. But the language is as general and universal as
possible. The gospel was to be preached to the nations
and to the whole habitable globe, that the nations and
the world might be saved and not be condemned in the
judgment of the world. This is the scope of the preach
ing of the gospel. Until this has been accomplished,
the second Advent cannot come. So soon as this has
been accomplished the second Advent will come.2
1 So Russell would have it, relying upon Col. i. 6, 23 (in 1. c, p. 70 seq.).
a Weiffenbach thinks that this verse was inserted from another connection, and
finds a discrepancy between the thought of a speedy advent and an age of the
world-wide preaching of the gospel (in 1. c, s. 138 seq.). This discrepancy is
evident if we fail to make the proper discriminations.

146 THE MESSIAH
(b) This preaching of the gospel is " for a testimony,"
etc; ptapzupcov — not that all the nations will be saved, or
that all the world and every person will embrace the gos
pel, but that the gospel may be offered to the world, and
so be the test of the world in the judgment of the world.
(c) The promise is made of the presence and power
of the Holy Spirit to direct them in their testimony.
They are not to be anxious in preparation of what they
are to say, but to trust in the Holy Spirit and utter
what he speaks through them. This is a promise of the
immanent presence and power of the Holy Spirit,
made to the apostles during their ministry of preaching
the gospel to the world.
(d) The apostles will preach in synagogues, before the
Sanhedrin, and before governors and kings, and will
suffer persecution (Mark and Luke).
(e) Relatives and friends will turn against them (Mark
and Luke).
(f) False prophets will, arise to counteract their influ
ence (Matthew).
(g) Lukewarmness and apostasy will be found among
the disciples (Matthew).
(h) They will be hated by all men (Mark, Matthew,
and Luke).
(i) They will require endurance and patience (Mark,
Matthew, and Luke).
Many of these circumstances were peculiar to the
work of the apostles. The most of them represent very
well the condition of the preachers during the martyr
age. But there are several features that have always
accompanied the preaching of the gospel, even until the
present time. And we can hardly say that the preach
ing of the gospel to the whole world has yet been ac
complished.

OF THE APOCALYPSE OF JESUS I47
Jesus in this section teaches that the napouma is to be
preceded by a gospel age, and that the whole time pre
vious to it is occupied by the preaching of his gospel.
Inasmuch as this preaching is to be accompanied by the
presence and power of the Holy Spirit, it is evident that
the napouffia of this discourse is something different
from the gift of the Holy Spirit, and that it is an advent
that brings to an end a period which has been charac
terized by the presence and power of the Holy Spirit in
the preaching of the gospel.
Jesus thus far has answered the question as to the
time. He answered it negatively, that there would be
false Messiahs, wars, earthquakes, famines, pestilences,
terrors, and signs from heaven, the first of the birth
throes of the End, but that the End was not imme
diate, was not yet. He then answered the question posi
tively, and said that the End would come after the gos
pel had been preached to all nations, to the habitable
globe. It is noteworthy that in these answers Jesus makes
no reference whatever to the destruction of the temple,
—the chief thing apparently in the form of the ques
tion according to Mark and Luke ; but he refers entirely
to the End, the completion of the age, in the form of
the question given by Matthew.
(5) The Sign of the Destruction of Jerusalem and the
Temple.
Mark xiii. 14-20. ' Matt. xxiv. 15-22. Luke xxi. 20-24.

But when ye see
the abomination of
desolation standing

When therefore ye
see the abomination
of desolation, which

But when ye see
Jerusalem com
passed with armies,

• This section, as given by Mark and Matthew, is regarded by Weiffenbach as
the second section of the original Jewish-Christian apocalypse which has been
used by the Evangelist Mark and taken from him by Matthew.

148

THE MESSIAH

where it ought not
(let him that readeth
understand), then let
them that are in
Judaea flee unto the
mountains : and let
him that is on the
housetop not go
down, nor enter in,
to take anything out
of his house : and
let him that is in the
field not return back
to take his cloke.
But woe unto them
that are with child
and to them that
give suck in those
days ! And pray ye
that it be not in the
winter. For those
days shall be tribu
lation, such as there
hath not been the
like from the begin
ning of the creation
which God created
until now, and never
shall be. And ex
cept the Lord had
shortened the days,
no flesh would have
been saved : but for
the elect's sake,
whom he chose, he
shortened the days

was spoken of
through Daniel the
prophet, standing in
the holy place (let
him that readeth un
derstand), then 1 e t
them that are in
Judaea flee unto the
mountains : let him
that is on the house
top not go down to
take out the things
that are in his house :
and let him that 'is in
the field not return
back to take his
cloke. But woe unto
them that are with
child and to them
that give suck in
those days ! And
pray ye that your
flight be not in the
winter, neither on
a sabbath : for then
shall be great tribu
lation, such as hath
not been from the
beginning of the
world until now, no,
nor ever shall be.
And except those
days had been short
ened, no flesh would
have been saved : but
for the elect's sake
those days shall be
shortened.

then know that her
desolation is at hand.
Then let them that
are in Judaea* flee
unto the mountains ;
and let them that are
in the midst of her
depart out ; and let
not them that are in
the country enter
therein. For these
are days of ven
geance, that all
things which are
written, may be ful
filled. Woe unto
them that are with
child and to them
that give suck in
those days ! for there
shall be great dis
tress upon the land,
and wrath unto this
people. And they
shall fall by the edge
of the sword, and
shall be led captive
into all the nations :
and Jerusalem shall
be trodden down of
the Gentiles, until
the times of the Gen
tiles be fulfilled.

Our Saviour now directs the attention of his apostles
to the signs.
According to Mark and Matthew, he refers to the
" abomination of desolation." ' Mark gives " standing

1 rb i3d£2,vy/ia ttjc eprijiiioeac. This is represented by Matthew as the
DDtJ* ppSJ* of Daniel xii. ii, cf. ix. 27, xi. 31.

OF THE APOCALYPSE OF JESUS 149
where it ought not." ' Matthew is more explicit, " stand
ing in the holy place." 2 Here Jesus gives the sign pre
dicted by Daniel as the sign heralding the destruction of
the temple. The holy place is the holy place of the temple
which was to be desecrated by this abomination of deso
lation standing there where it ought not to be. Daniel rep
resents the desolator as a gigantic vulture, a bird of prey
who comes down with his foul and abominable wings to de
file and destroy the sacred places; andpredictstheremoval
of the continual burnt-offering and the setting up of the
abomination that maketh desolate in its place. Jesus
uses this prediction of Daniel, and points to its fulfilment
as a sign of warning, giving little time for escape from
ruin. Accordingly, the view of Weiss 3 that the abom
ination of desolation is the Roman army, and that the
holy place is the holy land, though it brings Matthew and
Mark into closer connection with Luke, is to be rejected
as not in accordance with the specific reference to Daniel
and the most natural interpretation of the passage.
Pfleiderer'1 rightly insists that the passages in Daniel and
1 Maccabees i. 54 force to the conclusion that it was a
desecration of the temple while it was still in existence.
The days are days of extraordinary affliction,6 so un
precedented, and so unique for future time that, in order
to the salvation of the elect, God shortened them. This
shortening of the days in connection with the abomina
tion of desolation of Daniel, reminds us of the statement
of Daniel : " And he will confirm the covenant with
many for one week ; and in the middle of the week he
will cause peace offering and vegetable offering to cease ;
and upon the wing of abomination will be a desolator." "

1 b-jrov ov del. 2 eotos ev Td-RCf) dyiu.
3 Marcusevangclium, s. 421. 4 Jahr.f. d. T., 1868, s. 137
s QXiipic fieyd7.-n. ' ix. 27.

150 THE MESSIAH
" And from the time that the continual burnt offering
shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh
desolate set up, there will be 1,290 days. Blessed is he
that waiteth, and cometh to the 1,335 days."1 There is
a week at the end of the Old Testament dispensation, in
the middle of which the affliction culminates, the holy
place is desecrated, and the holy city and its institutions
destroyed.2 Luke is so different here that it looks like part of ano
ther discourse, save that the movement of thought is
essentially the same as in the discourse given in Mark
and Matthew. We have already noticed that the ques
tion of the disciples seems to have the temple chiefly in
view. Accordingly, Matthew and Mark give words of
Jesus that have to do with a sign in the temple. But
Luke gives a sign that has to do with the city — " When
ye see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that
her desolation is at hand." This preparation to lay siege
to Jerusalem is a sign already referred to : " Thine ene
mies will cast up a bank about thee, and compass thee
round, and keep thee in on every side." '
Accordingly, Jesus predicts the destruction of the
city, and warns Christians to flee from it and not enter
it. All that has been written will be fulfilled upon her,
in Luke, takes the place of the prediction of Daniel, in
Mark and Matthew. The land and people are to suffer
great distress, the people are to be put to the sword and
carried away into captivity, and Jerusalem will be trod
den down by the nations.
In place of the shortened time of Matthew and Mark,
Luke mentions the times of the Gentiles. The latter is
much more comprehensive than the former. It is no
shortened time, but a time during which the Gentiles
1 xii. 11, 12. a Briggs' Messianic Prophecy, pp. 424 seq. a Luke xix. 43.

OF THE APOCALYPSE OF JESUS 151
keep Jerusalem in subjection. It corresponds with the
times of the gospel of the previous context, for the times
of the Gentiles are the times of their supremacy until
the judgment upon the Gentiles. The destruction of
Jerusalem and the Jewish nation was a judgment upon
the Jews inflicted by the Gentiles. The Gentiles were
now to have their time until their judgment came. The
discourse in Luke is here much wider in its sweep and
longer in its outlook than in the parallel passages of
Matthew and Mark. Luke has essentially the same
thing, but he presents it from the point of view of the
Gentiles ; while Mark and Matthew give it from the
Jewish-Christian point of view. The latter give us a
short time, a broken week of tribulation, which carries on
the thought of the beginning of the birth throes in section
(3). The former gives us a time of the Gentiles which cor
responds with the preaching of the gospel to the Gentiles
in section (4). Taking the two representations together,
we are taught that the time of the beginning of the birth
throes will be followed by a short time of tribulation and
the destruction of the city and temple; and that there is
also a period of the preaching of the gospel to the Gen
tiles and of the supremacy of the Gentiles, that will
extend until the time of the Gentiles has reached its
end, and the time for the Parousia has come.1
(6) The Sign of the Second Advent?

Matt. xxiv. 29-31.
But immediately,
after the tribulation

Luke xxi. 25-27.
And there shall be
signs in sun and

Mark xiii. 24-27.
But in those days,
after that tribula-
1 The section that follows in Mark (xiii. 21-23) and Matthew (xxiv. 23-28) does
not belong to the apocalypse. It is given by Luke (xvii. 22-37) 'n connection with
another discourse respecting the Advent, where it is more appropriate. (Weiss,
Marcusevangelium, s. 424.)
3 This section is the third section of the original Jewish apocalypse, according
to the theory of Weiffenbach.

152

THE MESSIAH

tion, the sun shall be
darkened, and the
moon shall not give
her light, and the
stars shall be. falling
from heaven, and the
powers that are in
the heavens shall be
shaken. And then
shall they see the
Son of Man coming
in clouds with great
power and glory.
And then shall he
send forth the
angels, and shall
gather together his
elect from the four
winds, from the ut
termost part of the
earth to the utter
most part of heaven.

moon and stars ; and
upon the earth dis
tress of nations, in
perplexity for the
roaring of the sea
and the billows ; men
fainting for fear, and
for expectation of
the things which are
coming on the world:
for the powers of
the heavens shall be
shaken And then
shall they see the
Son of Man coming
in a cloud with
power and great
glory.

of those days, the
sun shall be dark
ened, and the moon
shall not give her
light, and the stars
shall fall from
heaven, and the
powers of the heav
ens shall be shaken :
and then shall ap
pear the sign of the
Son of Man in heav
en : and then shall
all the tribes of the
earth mourn, and
they shall see the
Son of Man coming
on the clouds of
heaven with power
and great glory. And
he shall send forth
his angels w i t h a
great sound of a
trumpet, and they
shall gather together
his elect from the
four winds, from one
end of heaven to the
other.
We now have a second answer to the question as to
the sign. As the previous section answers the question
so far as to give the sign of the destruction of the tem
ple and Jerusalem, this section gives the signs of the
Advent of the Messiah. These signs are the usual ones
of Old Testament prophecy.
(i) The sun shall be darkened ; (2) the moon shall not
give her light ; (3) the stars shall fall from heaven ;
(4) the powers of the heavens shall be shaken (Matthew,
Mark, Luke) ; (5) upon the earth distress of nations ;
(6) roaring of the sea and the billows ; (7) men fainting for
fear and expectation of what is coming (Luke) ; (8)thesign
of the Son of Man in heaven ; (9) all the tribes of the
earth mourning (Matthew).

OF THE APOCALYPSE OF JESUS 153
Joel uses I, 2, 3, and 4 with reference to the judgment
of the nations in the vale of Jehoshaphat,1 and with refer
ence to the day of Yahweh, which he represents as near.3
Another prophet b declares that the day of Yahweh is
near, with special mention of the judgment of Babylon,
and uses signs 1, 2, 3, 4, and 7, and adds, 10 : "The
earth will be shaken out of her place." A prophet of the
exile4 refers to the judgment of the earth, and uses 1, 2,
and 10. Another prophecy6 uses similar language with
reference to the judgment of the nations :
And all the host of heaven will consume away,
And the heavens will be rolled together as a scroll :
And all their host will fade away,
As the leaf fadeth from off the vine,
And as a fading leaf from the fig-tree.'
Thus these are the familiar theophanic signs that
accompany the Day of Yahweh and the Advent of Yah
weh, which the prophets ever represent as near.
Matthew differs from the other evangelists in giving
the sign of the Son of Man in heaven, and the mourning
of all the tribes of the earth. There is here a reference
to the prediction in Zechariah 7 which represents Israel
as bitterly wailing because of their rejected Messiah.
Herein Jesus shows that he himself is that rejected
Shepherd. The Evangelist Matthew probably refers to
some special sign of the second Advent in the clouds
that would bring the nations to mourning over the great
sin of the rejection of the Messiah. The original pas
sage has in view only the house of David and inhabit
ants of Jerusalem. It is possible that the " tribes of the
earth " also refers to Israel alone," but it is probable that

1 iii. 15, 16. s ii. 1, 10. 3 Isa. xiii. 6 seq. 4 Isa. xxiv. 18 seq.
' Isa. xxxiv. « Briggs' Messianic Prophecy, pp. 311, 312.
7 xii. 10-14. " Russell, in /. c, p. 77.

154 THE MESSIAH
with the broader conception of the gospel the tribes are
those of the earth who have become equally guilty with
Israel in the rejection of their common Messiah. The
context has to do with the nations, and not with Israel
alone. Having considered the signs of the Advent and found
them to be the usual theophanic signs, we are now pre
pared to look at the Advent itself. It is here given in
the style of Daniel : " The Son of Man coming on the
clouds of heaven with great power and glory." The
three evangelists agree essentially in these words. Jesus
here distinctly makes himself the " Son of Man " of
Daniel, and proclaims that he will come in the same
manner, enthroned upon the clouds. This advent is
here conceived, as in Daniel, as an advent not for Israel
alone, but also for the nations. The angels are sent
forth to gather the elect from all parts of the earth
(Mark and Matthew). The redemption of the elect is
in the mind of Jesus here. He passes over the con
demnation of the nations, which is the prominent fea
ture in Daniel.
Many scholars regard these signs and the advent in
the clouds as purely symbolical, and of the nature of
drapery or scenery to set forth more distinctly and
graphically an advent which is essentially not visible
and physical, but spiritual. Russell says : " The moral
grandeur of the events which such symbols represent
may be most fitly set forth by convulsions and cata
clysms in the natural world." [ Warren says : " It was
in terms thus hallowed by association with the founding
of their own divine monarchy, and familiarized to the
Jews as the technical phraseology denoting the accession
1 In /. c, p. 81.

OF THE APOCALYPSE OF JESUS 155
of kings to their thrones — the court language of inaugu
ration, so to speak, that Christ described his coming to
men in his kingdom." 2 Beyschlag recognizes that Jesus
had in mind the renovation of heaven and earth, but
he also insists that Jesus thought also of the spiritual
renovation of humanity,2 and that the cosmical features
are the dress of the spiritual substance, and that both
the spiritual and the cosmical find their fulfilment in
their order, although they were not discriminated in the
mind of Jesus.
This combination of the cosmical and the spiritual in
the representation of Beyschlag is tempting in some re
spects, but not satisfying. These cosmical disturbances
belong not only to the theophanies and the Christopha-
nies of prophecy, but also to the theophanies and Chris-
tophanies of history in both the Old Testament and the
New. They represent the response of the creature to
the presence of the Creator. They cannot be symboli
cal in the prophecy without destroying their force in
the history. These signs are theophanic signs, and they
show that a Christophany or Advent of the Messiah is
impending. We are now prepared to consider the question of time.
Lukegivesusnothingonthissubject. Marksays: "Inthose
days, after that tribulation." Matthew is more definite :
" But immediately after the tribulation of those days."
The statement is that immediately after that shortened
time of tribulation the signs heralding the advent appear.
What meaning are we to ascribe to ebdecoc; ? It is cer
tainly no stronger than the illp of Old Testament proph
ecy used in connection with similar advents to judg
ment. It represents that to the mind of the prophet

• Parousia, p. 127. * Leben Jesu, ii. s. 312 seq.

156 THE MESSIAH
Jesus, as to the prophets that preceded him, the Advent
was near. It was near in the prophetic sense — that is,
the event was certain, but the time uncertain.
It is noteworthy that Mark and Matthew have now
given us in their orderthe birth throes, the tribulation and
theParousia with its signs, which iseu#e«c to the tribulation.
These are the three sections of the original Jewish-Chris
tian Apocalypse, according to Weiffenbach. It is also
manifest that the period of the preaching of the gospel
to the nations of the three Synoptists, and the times of
the Gentiles, of Luke, are not in the same order of events
as these. If they are to be brought into chronological
relation with the other series, it would seem that while
the preaching of the gospel may be to some extent par
allel with the tribulation.it cannot belimited by that short
ened time, but must extend beyond it and be parallel
with the times of the Gentiles, which were certainly
subsequent to the destruction of the holy city, and
therefore intervene between the tribulation and the Pa
rousia, and must be covered by the expression euffeco; of
Matthew. To take the eudscu; strictly, or in any other
way than the apocalyptic sense of the Old Testament
advent scenes, is to introduce a glaring inconsistency
between the two representations.1
(7) The Relation of the Signs to the Advent.

Mark xiii. 28-32.
Now from the fig
tree learn her para-
ble: when her ble: when her branch
branch is now be- , is now become ten

Matt. xxiv. 32-36.
Now from the fig
tree learn her para-

come tender, and
putteth forth i t s
leaves, ye know that

der, and putteth
forth its leaves, ye
know that the sum-

Luke xxi. 28-33.
But when these
things begin to come
to pass, look up, and
lift up your heads ;
because your re
demption draweth
nigh. And he spake

Briggs' Messianic Prophecy, pp. 52 s'q.

OF THE APOCALYPSE OF JEsUS

15V

the summer is nigh ;
even so ye also, when
ye see these things
coming to pass, know
ye that he is nigh,
even at the doors.
[Verily I say unto
you, This generation
shall not pass away,
until all these things
b e accomplished.
Heaven and earth
shall pass away : but
my words shall not
pass away.] ' But of
that day or that hour
knoweth no one, not
even the angels in
heaven, neither the
Son, but the Father.

mer is nigh ; even
so ye also, when ye
see all these things,
know ye that he is
nigh, even at the
doors. [Verily I say
unto you, This gen
eration shall not pass
away, till all these
things be accom
plished. Heaven and
earth shall pass
away, but my words
shall not pass away.]
But of that day and
hour knoweth no
one, not even the
angels of heaven,
neither the Son, but
the Father only.

to them a para
ble : Behold the fig
tree, and all the
trees : when they
now shoot forth, ye
see it and know of
your own selves that
the summer is now
nigh. Even so ye
also, when ye see
these things coming
to pass, know ye that
the kingdom of God
is nigh. [Verily I
say unto you, This
generation shall not
pass away, till all
things be accom
plished. Heaven
and earth shall pass
away : but my words
I shall not pass away.]

Having given the signs of the destruction of Jerusalem
and the temple, and then of the Advent, in their order,
Jesus now answers the question in the form of showing
the inter-relation of the two questions as to the time and
the signs, or of the relation of the signs to the End in
the matter of time. He uses the symbol of the fig tree
(Matthew, Mark) and trees in general (Luke). The put
ting forth of leaves shows that summer is nigh. As the
leaves of the tree are to the summer, so are the signs to
the Advent of the Messiah.
I. " When ye see these things coming to pass, know
ye that he is nigh, even at the doors " (Mark).
2. " When ye see all these things, know ye that he is
nigh, even at the doors " (Matthew).
3. " But when these things begin to come to pass,
look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption

1 The parts of this section enclosed in brackets are regarded by Weiffenbach
as the close of the original Jewish-Christian Apocalypse.

158 THE MESSIAH
draweth nigh  Even so, ye also, when ye see
these things coming to pass, know ye that the kingdom
of God is nigh " (Luke).
Luke is much fuller and more definite here than Mark
or Matthew. There are two questions : (i) the reference
of " these things " of Mark and Luke, and " all these
things " of Matthew. The context and the parable
make it clear that they are the signs of the Advent, which
are like the putting forth of leaves by the trees. " When
these things begin to come to pass " (Luke) — that is, in
their order from the beginning ; or " when ye see these
things coming to pass " (Mark) — that is, during their
progress ; or " when ye see all these things," when they
have transpired (Matthew) — that is, all these signs from
beginning to end ; then it may be known that the great
event is " nigh " (Mark, Matthew, Luke), " at the doors "
(Mark, Matthew). (2) This great event is left indef
inite in the statement of Matthew and Mark, so that
interpreters differ whether it is the Messiah himself, or the
Parousia, or " the completion of the age," depending upon
the question whether we are to look to the Son of Man
of the immediate context, which is most natural, or go
back to the original question in Matthew. Luke states
definitely what it is. He gives two clauses of explana
tion, which enclose the symbol of the trees. The former
represents that redemption draweth nigh, the latter
that it is the kingdom of God that is nigh. These are
parallel expressions, and must refer to the same event.
The redemption of the disciples is that which they are
to expect at the end of their labors in preaching the
gospel. They are exhorted, having this end in view :
" In your patience ye shall win your souls " ; ' " But he
1 Luke xxi. 19.

OF THE APOCALYPSE OF JESUS 159
that endureth to the End, the same shall be saved." ' It
is the salvation at the completion of the age, and not the
salvation of believers by faith ; for it could not be said
of that " it draweth nigh," inasmuch as it was already in
their possession. Accordingly the kingdom of God is
not the kingdom that cometh without observation,
and that was already among them," or the kingdom
in any of its stages of growth ; but it was the king
dom of glory, the fruition of the kingdom at the
completion of the age. The expressions given in Luke,
redemption and kingdom of God, are really equivalent to
Matthew's Parousia and completion of the age, and the
Son of Man coming in the clouds, which is essen
tially common to the three evangelists. Accordingly
the statement is, that all these closing events are near
and at the doors when the signs appear.
The next sentence, which is common to the three
evangelists, is of great difficulty in its context — "This
generation shall not pass away until all (these) things be
accomplished." The question again arises as to the
reference of " all these things." Shall we give to them the
same reference as to the same expression in the previous
verse — namely, to the signs ; or shall we refer them to
the Parousia as well as the signs ? It is not easy to
decide from the context. It seems to me that the former
interpretation is the most natural one, and that " all
these things " should have the same reference in both
verses, if they are regarded as parts of the same section.
This is strengthened by the fact that the terms "that
day, or that hour " of Mark and Matthew clearly refer
to the day of the Advent and the closing events of the
previous context ; and it would seem that we have a

1 Matt. xxiv. 13. * Luke xvii. 20, 21.

160 THE MESSIAH
parallel statement to that of the previous verses, so that
the two things, the signs and the Advent, are distin
guished here as there. We have thus an advance in the
three parallel statements, (i) It is said with reference
to the signs : (a) The tree "putteth forth its leaves";
(b) " When ye see these things coming tc oass "; (c) " This
generation shall not pass away until all these things be
accomplished." (2) And with reference to the Advent :
(a) " Summer is nigh"; (b) "he (your redemption, the
kingdom of God) is nigh (at the doors)"; (c) "but of
that day or that hour knoweth no one, not even the
angels in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father."
The signs would all transpire in that generation ; but
the event itself, although near and at the doors of that
generation, could not be determined as to the day or
the hour, even by the Messiah himself. With regard to
that, he could only say what all prophets before him had
said, It is near, evdecoz, jITD-
The most natural interpretation of ytvzci is genera
tion, the duration of human life, the lifetime of those
then living, which would not extend beyond the first
Christian century. Dr. Edward Robinson ' urges that
it is here used for one hundred years, and thinks
that the time should then be extended to the war of
Hadrian. He bases his interpretation on his exegesis
of Gen. xv. 13. Accordingly, he sees the Advent of Jesus
in his kingdom in the establishment of Christianity on
the ruins of Judaism.2
Dorner, in an early writing on this discourse of Jesus,

1 Bibliotheca Sacra, 1843, iii., pp. 540 seq.
* "Jesus first points out what was to happen after his departure, the trials and
dangers to which his followers would be exposed. Then comes the ' abomina
tion of desolation'; Jerusalem is ' compassed by armies,' and is 'trodden down
of the Gentiles'; all this referring to its desolation by Titus in a.d. 70. Imme-

OF THE APOCALYPSE OF JESUS Igl
reminds us that Jesus used an Aramaic word,1 and thinks
of a lengthened period or age.2 But we have no suf
ficient reason for departing from the ordinary meaning
of the Greek terms.
The closing statement of this section is very import
ant. It limits the knowledge of the time of the Advent
to God the Father. It expressly excludes the knowl
edge of it from the Messiah. He could not give his dis
ciples the knowledge of the day or the hour ; he did not
know it himself. This reacts upon the interpretation of
the previous context. He who knew not the day or the
hour could hardly say that it would be in his own gen
eration, for that would be a knowledge of the day and
hour within quite narrow limits.3 It would amount to
saying, It will be in this generation, before all of you
have passed away ; but I cannot give you the precise day
or hour. It seems to me that such an interpretation
greatly weakens the words of Jesus. He certainly did
not mean to say: I know not the day or hour, but I do
know the time in other respects. I can give you the
week, month, year, and I choose to give you the genera
tion or the time within thirty or forty years. On the
other hand, the statement is very strong. It amounts
to this : He did not know the day or hour at all. He
makes no restrictions to himself. He could not say,
therefore, that it would be in one of the days and hours
of the lifetime of some of his hearers. There seems to
be such an inconsistency here, if we think that Jesus

diately afterward the Lord would come and establish more fully his spiritual
kingdom, by crushing in terrible destruction the last remnants of the power and
name of Judaism, and this within the general limits of a generation of a hundred
years from the time when he was speaking." (Bib. Sac, 1843, p. 532.)
"in
s Or at. Chr. Eschat., p. 8i.
a Beyschlag, Leben Jesu, i , s. 353.

162 THE MESSIAH
represented that he knew not the day and hour, and yet
said that it would be within thirty or forty years, that
Weiffenbach,1 and those who hold to the same theory,
feel justified in ascribing the former statement of Mark
to Jesus, and the latter to the Jewish-Christian apoca
lypse, these two pieces having different events in view.
There can be no doubt that the former statement accords
with the representation of Mark and Matthew, that after
the beginning of birth throes and the tribulation, the
Parousia was evdscoq, and if we had only these passages
to deal with, it would remove all difficulty ; for the things
happening in that generation would be the beginning of
birth throe } and the tribulation, and the Parousia
would then be at the doors in the apocalyptic sense
here as in the evOecoc; there. On the other hand,
it seems impossible to limit the gospel age and the
timesof theGentiles to that generation. And the parable,
and the closing words as to the ignorance of the time
on the part of the Messiah, seem to accord quite well
with this larger conception. Accordingly, we cannot
yield to Russell,' who presses the theory that the second
Advent must have occurred in connection with the de
struction of Jerusalem, or else Jesus made a false pre
diction. We are compelled by the context to make cer
tain discriminations. There cannot be glaring incon
sistencies in such close juxtaposition as we have here.
The authors of the gospels would have seen them, and
would not have left them unguarded. The indefinite
terms need qualification from the larger context and the
general teaching of Jesus. We must first distinguish
between the events and their signs, and then consider
that, in the combination of the signs and the time, Jesus

1 In /. c, s. 152. = In /. c, pp. 544 seg.

OF THE APOCALYPSE OF JESUS

163

is summing up and giving his final answer to the ques
tion of his disciples. The events have been discriminated
as two : (i) the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple
with its signs, and (2) the Parousia with its signs. The
parable suits both events in their relation to the signs.
As the leaves of the tree indicate the approach of sum
mer, these signs herald, each series of them, the nearness
of the great event which they precede. The last half of
the section now returns to the answer as to the time.
There was, first, the negative answer that it was not im
mediate afterthebeginning of birth throes, and that it was
immediate after the tribulation. Now, it is just these two
things that are connected with the signs, and it is likely
that these things were in the mind of Jesus in these words;
whereas the time of the preaching of the gospel and the
times of the Gentiles that follow the tribulation were in
the mind of Jesus as the basis of his statement as to the
Parousia itself, that " of that day or that hour knoweth
no one, not even the angels of heaven, neither the Son,
but the Father."

(8) Exhortation to Watch.
Mark xiii. 33-37. Matt. xxiv. 42. Luke xxi. 34-36.

Take ye heed,
watch and pray : for
ye know not when
the time is. It is as
when a man, sojourn
ing in another coun
try, having left his
house, and given au
thority to his ser
vants, to each one
his work, command
ed also the porter to
watch. Watch there
fore : for ye know
not when the lord of

Watch therefore :
for ye know not on
what day your Lord
cometh.

But take heed to
yourselves, lest haply
your hearts be over
charged with surfeit
ing, and drunken
ness, and cares of
this life, and that day
come on you sud
denly as a snare : for
so shall it come upon
all them that dwell
on the face of all the
earth. But watch ye
at every season,
making supplica-

164

THE MESSIAH

the house cometh, whether at tion, that ye may prevail to
even, or at midnight, or at escape all these things that shall
cockcrowing, or in the morn- come to pass, and to stand be
ing ; lest coming suddenly he fore the Son of Man.
find you sleeping. And what
I say unto you I say unto all,
Watch }
Matthew gives us a brief closing statement based upon
the previous verse — " Ye know not on what day your
Lord cometh." He knows not, he cannot tell you, you
cannot know ; therefore watch. He then adds several
parables2 which are given by Luke" more fully in an
other connection. Matthew then gives a chapter of para
bles and a concluding discourse. They seem not to
have been a part of the apocalypse of Jesus, but to in
troduce other, though kindred matters.
Luke gives us a general exhortation to watchfulness,
with a warning that the " day " will come suddenly as a
snare. They are, therefore, to watch " at every season,"
and not only to watch, but to pray that they may escape
the signs, " all these things that shall come to pass," and
come to the Advent, and " stand before the Son of Man."
This is appropriate to the discourse, but seems to have
been an independent discourse originally given under
other circumstances.
Mark gives a closing exhortation which has essen
tially the material of Luke and Matthew. The exhor
tation : " Take ye heed, watch and pray : for ye know
not when the time is," includes the watching of Mat-

1 Matthew now inserts vers. 38-41, which are given by Luke (xvii. 26-37) more
fully in another connection where they belong. They are appropriate here for
giving a fuller statement of the words of Jesus on this theme, but they do not
belong to the apocalypse itself. Weiss thinks that the closing parable of Mark
is abrief form of the parable of the talents in Matt, xxv., mixed with the parable
of Luke xii. 36-38 ; but Weiffenbach correctly thinks that it was the orig-
' inal close of the apocalypse of Jesus.
2 xxiv. 43-51. J xii. 39-48.

OF THE APOCALYPSE OF JESUS 165
thew and the watching and praying of Luke. The little
parable of Mark ' enforces it. We there have a warning :
" Watch therefore : for ye know not when the lord of
the house cometh, whether at even, or at midnight, or
at cockcrowing, or in the morning." Here the night is
divided into four watches, from the earliest at even to
the break of day. The time of the Advent is so un
certain that it may take place at any hour of the
night ; it may be early or it may be late. The night
prior to the Advent may be a very short one, a
moderate one, a long one, or the Advent may be
postponed till the very last moment. These are forci
ble words, and exceedingly appropriate to the statement
that no one knows the advent day but God the Father.
They certainly do not mean to imply that Jesus knew
the night, but not the watch of the night ; they cor
respond with the previous statement that he knew not
the day or the hour, and they imply that the time was
as uncertain in the length of the interval to the Advent
as the uncertainty whether a master will come in the
first hours of the night, or at any time during its inter
val, or not till its closing moments. This reacts upon
all the previous statements as to time, and shows that
the eudecoz must be flexible enough to comprehend all this
enormous uncertainty. And if our Lord has delayed his
Advent until the closing hours of a long night of history,
and has not come in its early hours, as his disciples hoped,
this is not against the warning of the Lord that they
should watch or that his Advent is zbdeax; ; for he warned
them of the uncertainty, and we are to do as all who
have gone before us — remain in the like uncertainty and
WATCH. ' xiii. 34-36.

CHAPTER V.
THE MESSIAH OF MATTHEW.
WE have considered in the previous chapters the Mes
siah of the Gospel of Matthew so far as the report is in
accord with Mark. We have now to consider the Mes
sianic idea of the Gospel of Matthew so far as it depends
upon other sources than Mark. The chief of these
sources is the Aramaic Logia of Matthew. Luke gives
us a large proportion of this material. These two evan
gelists differ, in that Matthew prefers topical arrange-
ment, whereas Luke prefers a geographical and chrono
logical order. It is best therefore to follow Luke's
order, while we use Matthew's words as the basis of our
study. JESUS SUPERIOR TO TEMPTATION.
§ 3 1. Jesus was tempted by the devil to assume his Mes
sianic authority and dominion at once ; but he declines to
do anything more than to serve God as a pious man.
The synoptists report that the official anointing of the
Messiah was followed by a conflict with the devil. This
conflict Jesus undertakes under the influence of the
divine Spirit, who abode with him. The temptation in
the wilderness is conceived as the counterpart of the
temptation of our first parents in the garden of Eden.
This is true not by mere coincidence or from a literary
(166)

OF MATTHEW

167

point of view, but by design, by necessity and in fact.
If the Messiah was to accomplish the Messianic predic
tions of the Old Testament he could not neglect the fun
damental one of the protevangelium.1 As the son and
heir of Adam, the woman's seed, he must conquer the
serpent and overcome all the forces of evil. The three
synoptists unite in making this the first act of the Mes
siah after his baptism. But Mark merely mentions it as
an event without bringing out its Messianic significance.
Accordingly we have reserved it for treatment here in
connection with the Messianic idea of Matthew.

Matt. iv. i-ii.
Then was Jesus led
up of the Spirit into
the wilderness to be
tempted of the devil.
And when he had
fasted forty days and
forty n ights, he after
ward hungered. And
the tempter came
and said unto him,
If thou art the Son
of God, command
that these stones be
come bread. But he
answered and said,
It is written, Man
shall not live by
bread alone, but by
every word that pro
ceedeth out of the
mouth of God. Then
the devil taketh him
into the holy city ;
and he set him on
the pinnacle v>i the
temple, and saith
unto him, If thou art
the Son of God, cast
thy self down : for it

Mark i. 12, 13.
And straightway
the Spirit driveth
him forth into the
wilderness. And he
was in the wilder
ness forty days
tempted of Satan ;
and he was with the
wild beasts ; and the
angels ministered
unto him.

Luke iv. 1-13.
And Jesus, full of
the Holy Spirit, re
turned from the Jor
dan, and was led in
the Spirit in the wil
derness during forty
days, being tempted
of the devil. And he
did eat nothing in
those days: and
when they were com
pleted, he hungered.
And the devil said
unto him, If thou art
the Son of God, com
mand this stone that
it become bread.
And Jesus answered
unto him, It is writ
ten, Man shall not
live by bread alone.
And he led him up,
and shewed him all
the kingdoms of the
world in a moment
of time. And the
devil said unto him,
To thee will I give
all this authority,

See Briggs' Messianic Prophecy, p. 71,

168

THE MESSIAH

is written. He shall give his
angels charge concerning thee :
and on their hands they shall
bear thee up, lest haply thou
dash thy foot against a stone.
Jesus said unto him, Again it is
written, Thou shalt not tempt
the Lord thy God. Again, the
devil taketh him unto an ex
ceeding high mountain, and
showeth him all the kingdoms
of the world, and the glory of
them ; and he said unto him,
All these things will I give thee,
if thou wilt fall down and wor
ship me. Then saith Jesus unto
him, Get thee hence, Satan : for
it is written, Thou shalt wor
ship the Lord thy God, and him
only shalt thou serve. Then
the devil leaveth him ; and be
hold, angels came and minister
ed unto him.

and the glory of them : for it
hath been delivered unto me ;
and to whomsoever I will I
give it. If thou therefore wilt
worship before me, it shall all
be thine. And Jesus answered
and said unto him. It is writ
ten, Thou shalt worship the
Lord thy God, and him only
shalt thou serve. And he led
him to Jerusalem, and set him
on the pinnacle of the temple,
and said unto him, If thou art
the Son of God, cast thyself
down from hence : for it is writ
ten, He shall give his an
gels charge concerning thee, to
guard thee : and, On their hands
they shall bear thee up, lest
haply thou dash thy foot against
a stone. And Jesus answering
said unto him, It is said, Thou
shalt not tempt the Lord thy
God. And when the devil had
completed every temptation, he
departed from him for a sea
son.

This temptation is not only the counterpart of the
temptation of our first parents in the garden of Eden ; but
it presents many contrasts with the temptation of Israel
in the wilderness. The temptations of the devil all aim
to induce Jesus to claim his Messianic dominion and ex
ercise his Messianic authority at once. The devil assumes
that Jesus is the Messiah and argues from it. Jesus
seems, on this occasion, to ignore his Messiahship alto
gether. He declines to act as the prophet of Deuteron
omy,1 or the Son of Man of Daniel,2 or as the Messianic
king of Isaiah.3 He acts as the pious man of the Law
and the Psalter. He thus asserts, not indeed in words,
but still more forcibly in deeds, a more fundamental

1 Deut. xviii. 18-20.

a Dan. vii. 13, 14.

• Isa. xi.

OF MATTHEW 169
Messiahship than any recognized by the devil, namely,
that he was the second Adam, the ideal man, the seed
of the woman, the conqueror of the serpent.
Why should he fast in the wilderness, is the sugges
tion of the devil, when he had authority to transform
stones into bread. Even if he would be the Messianic
prophet rather than the Messianic king, Moses gave the
people of Israel, in the wilderness, manna from heaven,
why should not the Messianic prophet, in the wilderness,
provide himself with nourishment. Jesus declines the
temptation. He thinks of the teaching of Moses rather
than of his example. The Messiah's time for miracle-
working has not come. He declines the nourishment of
miraculous bread and prefers the spiritual nourishment
afforded to every man by the word of God. He came
into the wilderness, not to work miracles, but to prepare
for his work on earth. He came there not to feast, but
to fast ; not to nourish his body, but to invigorate his
spirit by communion with God.
If Jesus will not exercise his Messianic authority in
miracle-working, suggests the devil, why not show his
confidence in God by assuming that God will fulfil His
promises; and so cast himself upon Him for support?
As the Son of Man well-pleasing to God, he was assured
of the support of angels. An ancient psalmist had sung
that the pious man who is in communion with God will
be delivered from all evil :
For he will give his angels charge over thee,
To keep thee in all thy ways ;
Upon their palms they will bear thee up,
Lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.1
Why not put this promise to the test, descend from

1 Ps. xci. Briggs' Messianic Prophecy, p. 460,

170 THE MESSIAH
the pinnacle of the temple as if from the clouds of
heaven, and so display his glory as the Son of Man, and
receive the homage of the people as the Son of Man
from heaven. Thus he would throw upon God the re
sponsibility of his Messianic manifestation. Jesus, know
ing that the Pharisees and the people expected just such
a Son of Man from heaven in accordance with the predic
tion of Daniel,1 declines to transfer his own Messianic
responsibility, given him by God, back again to God.
He refuses to tempt God. He has entire confidence in
God. He is assured that he is the Messianic Son of
Man, why then should he put it to the test ? The time
has not yet come for him to come on the clouds. He
has other work to do prior to that time.2
If now Jesus declines to use his Messianic authority
as the Messianic Prophet and the Messianic Son of Man,
why not as the Messianic King receive the kingdom of
the world from the prince of the world ? This is the
third and last temptation. The devil will renounce his
dominion, give it all over to the Messiah, if he will do
obeisance to him. Why battle for a throne when it may
be received as a gift ? This generous offer of the devil
was at once declined. Jesus will be a pious man, and in
accordance with the divine law will worship and serve
God alone. He came to be well-pleasing to God in his
life and character as a holy man. He has not come at
present to reign, but to serve. He will live as a man
well-pleasing to God and undergo all the hardships of
human life. This decision meant conflict with the devil
throughout his life. The devil offered him dominion
and peace at the price of recognition. Jesus chose
1 Dan. vii. See Briggs' Messianic Prophecy, p. 420.
2 Luke inverts the order of the second and third temptations, The order
matters little, but Matthew's seems to be preferable.

OF MATTHEW Ifl
battle and suffering, and undertook the Messianic
war. THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF THE KINGDOM.
§ 32. The heirs of the kingdom are the poor in spirit,
the persecuted, those whose righteousness exceeds that of
the Pharisees, those who do the least commands, and the
godlike. Early in his ministry Jesus delivered a discourse, which
is usually called the Sermon on the Mount, in which he
set forth some of the features of the kingdom. The
main stock of the discourse is found in Luke. Matthew,
in accordance with his custom, gathers about it say
ings of Jesus which are scattered in other passages in
Luke. This discourse begins with the Beatitudes. Luke
seems to give the original form in which Jesus delivered
them. Matthew adds other Beatitudes, and puts them
all in the third person, with explanatory and generaliz
ing additions.' We shall follow Luke in our efforts to
find the original words of Jesus.
The Four Beatitudes.
Blessed are ye poor ; * for yours 3 is the kingdom of God.4
Blessed are ye that hunger » ; s for ye 3 shall be filled.
Blessed are ye that weep ; 5 for ye 3 shall laugh.

1 See Wendt, Lehre Jesu, i. 535 seq.
Matthew adds ru m>ei<ftaTi. This is explanatory, and doubtless a true ex
planation. It is not probable that it was original.
a Matthew changes to the third person the original direct address in order to
generalize and make all the Beatitudes harmonious in form.
* Matthew, as usual, changes kingdom of God into kingdom of heaven.
6 Luke inserts "now" in several places. It is not given by Matthew. It
merely intensifies the simple antithesis of the original. See Wendt, Lehre
Jesu, i., s. 56.
"Matthew adds "and thirst after righteousness." This is explanatory and
not original. It destroys the measure of the line.

172 THE MESSIAH
Blessed are ye ' when men shall hate you,
And when they shall separate you from their company,2 and re
proach you,
And cast out your name as evil.3
Rejoice in that day and leap for joy : 4
For behold, your reward is great in heaven :
For in the same manner did their fathers unto the prophets.5
(Luke vi. 20-23.)
The Four Woes.
Woe unto you rich ! for ye have received your consolation.6
Woe unto you that are full ! ' for ye shall hunger.
Woe, ye that laugh ! ' for ye shall mourn and weep.
Woe, when all men shall speak well of you,
For in the same manner did their fathers to the false prophets.
(Luke vi. 24-26.)
Matthew adds five other Beatitudes. These were
either from other discourses in the Logia or from other
sources than the Logia. Their gnomic form favors
their original place in the Logia :
Blessed are the meek : for they shall inherit the land.8
Blessed are the merciful : for they shall obtain mercy.9
Blessed are the pure in heart : for they shall see God.9

1 Here Matthew retains the original second person and agrees with Luke.
2 Matthew omits " hate you " of previous line, and " separate you from their
company " of this line.
3 Matthew substitutes" say all manner of evil against you," and prefixes "per
secute you." It also adds an explanatory "falsely, for my sake." Luke also
explains here " for the Son of Man's sake."
* Matthew substitutes " be exceeding glad," which is less graphic.
8 The two are, apart from slight variations, the same in these two lines, save
that Matthew substitutes the more specific " persecuted " for the " did unto " of
Luke. * These antithetical woes are not given in Matthew. They seem to be original
from the natural antithesis of the four Woes to the four Beatitudes.
' See note (') on page 171.
B Ps. xxxvii. 11. It is probable that there is here, as in the psalm, a reference
to the land of blessing, the holy land, rather than to the earth.
• Comp. Ps. xxiv. 4 ; lxxiii. ±.

OF MATTHEW 173
Blessed are the peacemakers : for they shall be called sons of God.
Blessed are the persecuted : for theirs is the kingdom of God.1
(Matt. v. 5, 7-10.)
In this discourse Jesus is giving the character of those
who will be members of the kingdom and enjoy its re
wards. The rewards are suited to the characters. Both
alike are spiritual and not carnal or temporal. Luke
gives us the frame which Matthew fills up with material
from other sources, and with qualifying words. The
poor, the hungry, the weeping, and the hated disciples
of Jesus, those who like their Master are in this condi
tion because they have followed in the footsteps of the
ancient prophets, will eventually rejoice when they re
ceive their reward in the kingdom of God. It is reserved
in heaven for them. They are not to expect it apart
from the kingdom of God or from other than a heavenly
source. Matthewaddsto these four beatitudes other five
which give qualifications of a more positive kind. The
meek, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemakers and
the persecuted imply qualifications, which, with the prom
ises that accompany them, look more decidedly toward
a kingdom, future to the disciples, to be entered after
the attainment of meritorious character and a judgment
of approval. The persecuted have a right to the king
dom. It is theirs because they suffer for it as a part of
the kingdom of grace, and they will eventually enter into
the kingdom of glory.
The peacemakers will be recognized as children of
God in their work on earth, but more effectually by the
Messiah at the gate of the kingdom of glory. The pure
in heart will see God in the beatific vision of the reason,

1 Matthew explains as usual " for righteousness' sake," and uses " kingdom of
heaven " for the original " kingdom of God."

1Y4 THE MESSIAH
in this life, but face to face only in the kingdom of glory.
The merciful will obtain mercy in the beginnings of their
redemption in the kingdom of grace, but finally in the
judgment when the doors of the kingdom of glory are
opened. The meek cannot inherit the land, the land
of promise, the holy land, the fruition of the land of
Canaan, until the inheritance is bestowed in the king
dom of glory. Thus these beatitudes, in part may be
referred to the kingdom of grace and its privileges ; but
they cannot be fully realized until the advent of the
kingdom of glory.
These nine beatitudes are the beatitudes of the king
dom, and set forth the character of its citizens. It is
evident therefore that Jesus had in view a very different
kind of kingdom from that of temporal dominion and
civil administration. And he had no thought of realiz
ing such a kingdom in a very short time.
Besides the five additional beatitudes, Matthew gives,
in a long discourse, other features of these citizens of the
kingdom. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least command
ments,
And shall teach men so,
He shall be called least in the kingdom of God : '
But whosoever shall do and teach them,
He shall be called great in the kingdom of God.1
For I say unto you,
That except your righteousness shall exceed that of the scribes
and Pharisees,
Ye shall in no wise enter into the kingdom of God.' (Matth. v. 19, 20.)
The kingdom of God as here conceived is a king-

1 As usual, Matthew substitutes "kingdom of heaven" for an original "king
dom of God."

OF MATTHEW

175

dom that is inherited by those who have a righteousness
that exceeds that of the legal requirements of the Phari
see. Jesus explains this righteousness in expounding
three of the ten commandments. He shows that Phari
saic obedience to the external requirements in conduct
must be exceeded by conformity in speech and also in
heart ; that something more than justice is required ;
even the heathen are equal to that. The law of the
kingdom requires self-sacrifice, love, mercy, and indeed,
likeness to God. Such a righteousness cannot be gained
in a moment. Greater devotion to the will of God and
personal service are necessary. Jesus has not come to
destroy the law and the prophets, but to fulfil them in a
righteousness which is the higher, holier, and more god
like life of himself and his disciples. The preparation
for the kingdom required by the Pharisees was exact
conformity to legal righteousness. This is insufficient.
The disciples of Jesus must be conformed to the personal
righteousness of God. They must be godlike in order
to be thought worthy of entrance into the kingdom
of God. Those who do not exceed the Pharisees in
righteousness will gain no entrance into it.
The righteousness which is to inherit the kingdom is
not to be like that of the Pharisees, ostentatious in the
presence of men, but likeness to God, and therefore before
the eyes of God, having God only in view. Prayer,
fasting, almsgiving, and all the exercises of practical re
ligion are to be done in the eyes of God. Such right
eousness will be rewarded in the kingdom of God.1 The
true disciple obeys the words of the Master, and in this
way erects his building on the sure foundation of a rock
that will abide the storms of judgment.*

1 Matt. vi. 1-18. 5 Matt. vii. 24-27.

176

THE MESSIAH

In this discourse Jesus had in view a kingdom into
which there is no entrance except after an act of judg
ment, and into which only the truly righteous and god
like can enter.- This kingdom therefore is not the king
dom of grace which extends until the day of judgment,
but the kingdom of glory which follows the day of judg
ment.

THE MESSIAH'S CREDENTIALS.
§ 33. His miracles of mercy and his preaching to the
poor were evidences that Jesus was the Messianic servant
of God.
Jesus began his official life as the Messiah by miracles.
His miracles accompanied his preaching and had the
same character. They were both with wonderful au
thority, but they lacked the marvellous display of divine
power which is so characteristic of the miracles of the
Old Testament. They were not therefore such striking
evidences of the Messiahship of Jesus as were expected.
It would seem that even John the Baptist was somewhat
disappointed. He did not falter in his faith in Jesus as
a prophet of God, but he seems to have been in doubt
whether Jesus was the expected Messiah or another
herald of the Messiah like himself. Accordingly he
sends to Jesus for information on this point. The reply
of Jesus and his discourse on the occasion give us the
best interpretation of the evidential character of his
preaching and miracle-working.

Matt. xi. 2-14.
Now when John heard in the
prison the works of the Messiah,
he sent by his disciples, and said
unto him, Art thou he that
cometh, or look we for another ?
And Jesus answered and said

Luke vii. 18-28.
And the disciples of John told
him of all these things. And
John calling unto him two of
his disciples sent them to the
Lord, saying, Art thou he that
cometh, or look we for another?

OF MATTHEW

177

unto them, Go your way and
tell John the things which ye do
hear and see : the blind receive
their sight, and the lame walk,
the lepers are cleansed, and the
deaf hear, and the dead are
raised up, and the poor have
good tidings preached to them.
And blessed is he whosoever
shall find none occasion of
stumbling in me. And as these
went their way, Jesus began to
say unto the multitudes con
cerning John, What went ye out
into the wilderness to behold ?
a reed shaken with the wind ?
But what went ye out for to see?
a man clothed in soft raiment?
Behold, they that wear soft rai
ment are in kings' houses. But
wherefore went ye out ? to see a
prophet ? Yea, I say unto you,
and much more than a prophet.
This is he, of whom it is writ
ten, Behold, I send my mes
senger before thy race, who shall
prepare thy way before thee.
Verily I say unto you. Among
them that are born of women,
there hath not arisen a greater
than John the Baptist : yet he
that is but little in the king
dom of heaven is greater than
he. And from the days of John
the Baptist until now the king
dom of heaven suffereth vio
lence, and men of violence take
it by force. For all the proph
ets and the law prophesied un
til John. And if ye are willing
to receive it this is Elijah,
which is to come.

And when the men were come
unto him, they said, John the
Baptist hath sent us unto thee,
saying, Art thou he that com
eth, or look we for another ? In
that hour he cured many of dis
eases and plagues and evil spir
its; and on many that were blind
he bestowed sight. And he an
swered and said unto them, Go
your way, and tell John what
things ye have seen and heard ;
the blind receive their sight,
the lame walk, the lepers are
cleansed, and the deaf hear, the
dead are raised up, the poor have
good tidings preached to them.
And blessed is he, whosoever
shall find none occasion of
stumbling in me. And when
the messengers of John were
departed, he began to say unto
the multitudes concerning John,
What went ye out into the wil
derness to behold ? a reed shak
en with the wind? But what
went ye out to see? a man
clothed in soft raiment ? Be
hold, they which are gorgeously
apparelled, and live delicately;
are in kings' courts. But what
went ye out to see ? a prophet ?
Yea, I say unto you, and much
more than a prophet. This is
he of whom it is written, Be
hold, I send my messenger be
fore thy face, who shall prepare
thy way before thee. I say unto
you, Among them that are born
of women there is none greater
than John : yet he that is but
little in the kingdom of God is
greater than he.
The evidences of his Messiahship given by Jesus to
the messengers of the Baptist are not marvels of miracle-
working, displaying power ; but miracles of mercy — the
healing of the sick, the lame, the blind, the lepers, the

178 THE MESSIAH
deaf, and the raising of the dead. A few such miracles
of mercy are found in the Old Testament, but they are
occasional and not characteristic of the Old Testament.
Miracles of mercy are characteristic of the preaching of
Jesus, and it is this characteristic that is the evidence of
his Messiahship. For Jesus equally with Moses recog
nized that false prophets might work miracles, and warns
his disciples not to be deceived. Miracles of power may
excite the wonder and the credence of marvel-loving
men. But miracles of mercy are the true credentials of
the Messiah, for they express the redemptive love of his
nature. Associated with the miracles of mercy is preach
ing to the poor. Preaching is a work of prophets as a
class. But preaching to the poor is a special work of
the Messiah. In this passage Jesus doubtless has in
mind and refers John to the gentle preacher of the great
prophecy of the exile.1
The inquiry of John affords Jesus an opportunity to
give his testimony respecting John. Jesus declares that
the Baptist was the herald predicted in the prophecies
of Malachi and of the great prophet of the exile.2 John
was the greatest who had appeared in the old dispensa
tion, a second Elijah, the herald of the Messiah. But
the least in the kingdom of the Messiah will be greater
than John, because he is in the kingdom of the Messiah,
which is the culmination of the kingdom of God of the
Old Covenant. John is the last of the entire dispensa
tion of the prophets, but they all prepared for the Ad
vent of the Messiah. The kingdom of God suffered
violence during the time beginning with the Baptist.
Bold, zealous men think that they can bring the king
dom by violence, by rebellion and deeds of arms. It is

1 Isaiah xiii., lxi. See Briggs' Messianic Prophecy, pp. 343, 369.
' Isaiah xl. 1-11 ; Mal. iii. See Briggs' Messianic Prophecy, pp. 375, 473.

OF MATTHEW

179

at hand, but it cannot be established in this way. The
Messianic prophet is laying its foundations in peace, in
quietness, in righteousness by his prophetic ministry,
and by transformations of the life and character of men.
These words to the messengers of the Baptist show
that Jesus regarded himself as the Messianic servant of
the great prophet of the exile.

THE KINGDOM WHICH HAD COME UPON THEM.
§ 34. The kingdom of God had come upon the Jews in
the war of the Son of Man against the kingdom of Satan.
In the Messianic age all other sins may be forgiven. But
the blasphemy of the Spirit of God is an everlasting sin
not to be forgiven in either age.
Matt. xii. 22-32. Mark iii. 22-30. Luke xi. 14-23.

Then was brought
unto him one pos
sessed with a demon,
blind and dumb:
and he healed him,
insomuch that the
dumb man spake and
saw. And all the
multitudes were
amazed, and said, Is
this the son of
David? But when
the Pharisees heard
it, they said, This
man doth not cast
out demons, but by
Beelzebub the prince
of the demons. And
knowing their
thoughts he said
unto them, Every
kingdom divided
against itself is
brought to desola
tion ; and every city
or house divided
against itself shall

And the scribes
which came down
from Jerusalem said,
He hath Beelzebub,
and, By the prince of
the demons casteth
he out the demons.
And he called them
unto him, and said
unto them in par
ables, How can Satan
cast out Satan ? And
if a kingdom be divi
ded against itself,
that kingdom cannot
stand. And if a
house be divided
against itself, that
house will not be
able to stand. And
if Satan hath risen
up against himself,
and- is divided, he
cannot stand, but
hath an end. But
no one can enter into
the house of the

And he was casting
out a demon which
was dumb. And it
came to pass, when
the demon was gone
out, the dumb man
spake ; and the mul
titudes marvelled.
But some of them
said, By Beelzebub
the prince of the de
mons casteth he out
demons. And others,
tempting ^zVrc .sought
of him a sign from
heaven. But he,
knowing their
thoughts, said unto
them, Every king
dom divided against
itself is brought to
desolation ; and a
house divided
against a house fall-
eth. And if Satan
also is divided
against himself, how

180

THE MESSIAH

not stand : and if
Satan casteth out
Satan, he is divided
against himself;
how then shall his
kingdom stand?
And if I by Beelze
bub cast out demons,
by whom do your
sons cast them out ?
therefore shall they
be your judges. But
if I by the Spirit of
God cast out demons,
then is the kingdom
of God come upon
you. Or how can
one enter into the
house of the strong
man, and spoil his
goods, except he first
bind the strong man?
and then he will
spoil his house. He
that is not with me
is against me ; and
he that gathereth
not with me scatter-
eth. Therefore I say
unto you, Every sin
and blasphemy shall
be forgiven unto
men ; but the blas
phemy against the
Spirit shall not be
forgiven. And who
soever shall speak a
word against the Son
of man, it shall be
forgiven him ; but
whosoever shall
speak against the
Holy Spirit, it shall
not be forgiven him,
neither in this world,
nor in that which
is to come.

strong man, and
spoil his goods, ex
cept he first bind the
strong man ; and
then he will spoil his
house. Verily I say
unto you, All their
sins shall be forgiven
unto the sons of
men, and their blas
phemies wherewith
soever they shall
blaspheme: but who
soever shall blas
pheme against the
Holy Spirit hath
never forgiveness,
but is guilty of an
eternal sin : because
they said, He hath
an unclean spirit.

shall his kingdom
stand ? because ye
say that I cast out de
mons by Beelzebub.
And if I by Beelze
bub cast out demons,
by whom do your
sons cast them out ?
therefore shall they
be your judges. But
if I by the finger of
God cast out demons,
then is the kingdom
of God come upon
you. When the
strong man fully
armed guardeth his
own court, his goods
are in peace : but
when a stronger than
he shall come upon
him, and overcome
him, he taketh from
him his whole ar
mour wherein he
trusted, and divideth
his spoils. He that
is not with me is
against me ; and he
that gathereth not
with me scattereth.

The kingdom of Satan and the kingdom of God are at

OF MATTHEW 181
war. Satan will not war against himself and divide his
own kingdom into warring factions. If war is carried
on against the kingdom of Satan that war must be waged
by the kingdom of God. The casting out of demons is
an attack upon the kingdom of Satan. He who makes
the attack represents the kingdom of God. His warfare
is an evidence that the kingdom of God has come in
him. The kingdom of God was therefore present with
the Messiah in his war with Satan.
The Pharisees might be excused and forgiven for not
recognizing Jesus as the Messiah and for speaking
against him. But to attribute to the devil, what was
really an attack on the devil by the power of the divine
Spirit, was a more serious matter. It was a denial of the
work of the Spirit, a blasphemy against God. Such a
sin was unpardonable. It would not be forgiven either
in this age of the world or in the age that was to come
— it would have no forgiveness forever — for it was an
everlasting sin, a sin going on forever. The antithesis
between the two ages is a Messianic antithesis between
the age prior to the Messianic reign and the age of his
reign. In neither of these ages could the blasphemy
against the divine Spirit be forgiven. Whether other
sins might be forgiven in the coming age which are not
forgiven in this, whether there is only one sin that is an
everlasting sin, and so the only one unpardonable in the
Messianic age, we are not told ; but the antithesis be
tween the one sin and all others is very suggestive of such
possibilities. THE KINGDOM NIGH.
§ 35. The twelve were commissioned to preach that the
kingdom of heaven was nigh. The Messiah was to come ere
they could complete the cities of Israel in their ministry.
The Synoptists agree in a report of the commission of

182

THE MESSIAH

the twelve. Mark does not attach it to the doctrine of
the kingdom, and accordingly we have reserved it from
his Messianic idea to treat it here. Matthew mingles
with the commission of the twelve, sayings of Jesus given
by Luke in the commission of the seventy and also on
other occasions. We shall endeavor to separate them,
giving first the parallel reports of Mark and Luke, and
then the report of Matthew so far as it can be deter
mined in the parallelism of the poetry of the Aramaic
Logia. The twelve are commissioned to preach the same doc
trine as that of the Baptist and Jesus.
Matt. x. i, 5.

Mark vi. 7-8**.
And he called unto
him the twelve, and
began to send them
forth by two and two;
and he gave them
authority over the
unclean spirits ; and
he charged them —

And he called unto
him his twelve disci
ples, and gave them
authority over un
clean spirits, to cast
them out, and to heal
all manner of disease
and all manner of
sickness.

Luke ix. 1-30.
And he called the
twelve together, and
gave them power
and authority over all
demons, and to cure
diseases. And he sent
them forth to preach
the kingdom of God,
and to heal the sick.
And he said unto
them,

These twelve Jesus
sent forth, and
charged them, say
ing.
The words of Jesus commissioning the twelve are
given in Luke, in a fragmentary form, from the Logia,
and in Mark from his own independent source. The
report of Matthew is fuller, and is really a series of sen
tences of the Wisdom of Jesus. We shall follow Mat
thew in the main ; but shall use the other gospels in
order to aid in the reconstruction of the original sen
tences of the Wisdom of Jesus.1

1 It is evident that if we desire to know the original words of Jesus, the only
way is to study the three reports of them, and from the three discern the original
which underlies them all. The only way possible is the path of criticism.

OF MATTHEW 183
Go not into [any] way of the Gentiles. (Matt. x. 5-8.)
And enter not into [any] city of the Samaritans :
But go rather to the sheep,
The lost of the house of Israel.
And as ye go, preach, saying,
The kingdom of God is at hand.
Heal the sick, raise the dead,
Cleanse the lepers, cast out demons :
Freely ye received, freely give.1
Take nothing for your journey2 (Luke ix. 3^.)
Save a staff only.3 (Mark vi. 8b.)
Get you no gold nor silver, (Matt. x. 9.)
Nor brass in your girdles,
No wallet for your journey, (Matt. x. 10a.)
Neither have two coats ;4 (Luke ix. 3d.)
But be shod with sandals : 5 (Mark vi ga.)
For the laborer is worthy of his food. (Matt. x. lod.)
And into whatsoever city ye enter,6 (Matt. x. 11.)
Search out who in it is worthy ;
And there abide till ye go forth.
And whosoever shall not receive you, (Matt. x. 14.)
Nor hear your words,

1 These nine lines are given only in Matthew. Here as elsewhere he uses
"kingdom of heaven" for an original "kingdom of God."
'' This line is from Luke. It has been omitted by Matthew. In Mark it is in
a clause with Iva which is clearly not so original as the imperative.
s This clause is doubtless original. Matthew, verse 10, gives a reverse state
ment that they were not to take a staff. M^rfe pdjiSov, is appended to plurals,
and is obscure. In Luke, verse 3, the staff is prohibited, and begins the list of
prohibited objects, fiijTE pajidov. The statement of Mark comes from the orig
inal Mark ; those of Matthew and Luke from the Logia, but in an incorrect form,
because the words of Mark give a true line of poetry appropriate in this place— the
words in Matthew and Luke mar the line of poetry to which they are at
tached. ' Mark has, verse gb, fir/ hSvoaoBai, Matthew only, fajdi (dio xiTavac), verse
lob. s Matthew, verse 10c, has only /ir/6s virod^/iara ; it is absent altogether from
Luke. 8 Matthew, verse na, adds village, which is an enlargement by explanation ;
it did not belong to the original. The house of Mark and Luke is due to an ab
breviation of the two lines of Matthew.

1P4 THE MESSIAH
As ye go forth out of that city l
Shake off the dust of your feet,
For a testimony against them. (Luke ix. 5^.)
But when they persecute you in this city, (Matt. x. 23.)
Flee unto the next :
For verily I say unto you,
Ye shall not have gone through the cities of Israel,
Till the Son of Man be come.
These words of Jesus give the commission of the
twelve for their first missionary journey in Palestine.
The only one of these sayings which is not altogether
harmonious, is Matthew x. 23. These words are so
well suited to the words with which Matthew begins the
commission, limitingtheir ministry to Israel, thatit seems
likely that they were spoken at this time rather than in
connection with the words which immediately precede
them in Matthew, but which are given elsewhere in Luke.
Moreover, they disclose an early stage in the teaching
of Jesus respecting the second Advent.
A study of this commission of the twelve makes it clear
that the theme of their preaching was the same as that
of the Master itself. The kingdom of God was at hand.
This was to be proclaimed everywhere among the Jews.
The nation of Israel was called to repent and to prepare
for the kingdom by repentance. The preachers were
endowed with miraculous energy to do the same mira
cles as Jesus himself did. They were assured that they
must limit their labors to Israel, for the time would be
insufficient to herald the glad tidings even to all Israel.
The Messiah would come before they could complete
the list of the cities of Israel in their ministry. This
coming of the Son of Man is a coming, future to the

1 Matthew prefixes house to city, but this is only an explanatory addition to the
original city as given in Luke, verse 5*, and inciSev, Mark, verse n<:.

OF MATTHEW 185
first coming. It is probably to be conceived as his com
ing to establish the kingdom of God, and not as his
coming to judgment. To his hearers, at the time when
it was spoken, it had an indefinite meaning which could
only be cleared up through subsequent teachings of
Jesus or by the events themselves. These two comings
had not yet been distinguished. Two things are, how
ever, clearly taught — (i) the speedy coming of the Son of
Man, and (2) the nearness of the kingdom ; however
these events might be related to one another.
The words of Jesus which Matthew has inserted here,
according to his custom, about the main stock of the
commission of the twelve, are scattered in Luke and be
long to several different occasions, as the parallels show.
(1) Matt.

X.

12,

13

=

Luke x.

5,6.

X.

15

=

" X.

12.

X.

16

=

" X.

3-

X.

40

=

" X.

16.

" x. 41, 42.
These saying are given their historical setting in the
commission of the Seventy in Luke. They may be bet
ter understood in that connection. They are reserved
for treatment there, although they were taken from the
Logia.1 (2) Matt. x. 17-22 = Markxiii.9-13 = Luke xxi. 12-17.
These were taken from the Apocalypse of Jesus and
have already been considered.2
(3) Matt. x. 24, 25 = Luke vi. 40.
" x. 26-33 = Luke xii. 2-9.
" x. 34-36 = " xii. 5 1-53.
" x. 37, 38 = " xiv. 26, 27.
1 See p. 238. a See p. 143.

186 THE MESSIAH
These sayings belong to several occasions in connec
tion with the Perean ministry, and may be appropri
ately considered later.1
(4) Matt. x. 39 = Luke xvii. 33.
This sentence belongs to the lesser Apocalypse of
Jesus as given in Luke, where it will be considered.2
THE SIGN OF THE PROPHET JONAH.
§ 36. The story of Jonah is the symbol of the Son of
Man. His preaching, like that of Jonah, calls for repent
ance, and if rejected will receive severer condemnation.
He is to remain three days in the grave.
The time when Jesus began to predict his death and re
surrection is not altogether certain. The transfiguration
is the great event opening the second stage of his
career. Luke reports in connection with that event that
Moses and Elijah, who appeared in the Glory, spake of
his decease, which he was to accomplish at Jerusalem.3
But a week before, the confession of the apostles is fol
lowed by a prediction of his death and resurrection.*
This confession is due to a crisis which follows the miracle
of the loaves and fishes, the death of John the Baptist,
and the return of the apostles. It is in connection with
this crisis that we meet with the demand for a sign and
the prediction of his death, in the gospel of John. The
gospel of Mark gives at the same time a Pharisaic
demand for a sign which appears in the parallels of Mat
thew and Luke, in different connections. Mark does
not report the sign that was predicted, and therefore we
have reserved the matter for consideration here. But a
careful study of the whole subject makes it probable that
this prediction of his death and resurrection is really based

1 See p. 196. - Gee p. 246. • ix. 31. See p. 100. 4 See p. 94.

OF MATTHEW

187

upon a demand for a sign, and is presented for the first
time, in the order of the Synoptists, in the sign of Jonah.

Mark viii. 10-13.
And straightway
he entered into the
boat with his disci
ples, and came into
the parts of Dalma-
nutha. And the
Pharisees came
forth, and began to
question with him,
seeking of him a
sign from heaven,
tempting him. And
he sighed deeply in
his spirit, and saith,
Why doth this gen
eration seek a sign ?
verily I say unto
you, There shall no
sign be given unto
this generation.
And he left them,
and again entering
into the boat de
parted to the other
side.

Matt. xii. 38-42.
Then certain of
the scribes and Phari
sees answered him,
saying, Master, we
would see a sign
from thee. But he
answered and said
unto them, An evil
and adulterous gen
eration seeketh after
a sign ; and there
shall no sign be
given to it but the
sign of Jonah the
prophet : for as Jo
nah was three days
and three nights in
the belly of the
whale ; so shall the
Son of Man be three
days and three
nights in the heart
of the earth. The
men of Nineveh
shall stand up in
the judgment with
this generation, and
shall condemn it :
for they repented at
the preaching of Jo
nah ; and behold, a
greater than Jonah
is here. The queen
of the south shall
rise up in the judg
ment with this gen
eration, and shall
condemn it : for she
came from the ends
of the earth to hear
the wisdom of Solo
mon ; and behold, a
greater than Solo
mon is here.

Luke xi. 29-32.
And when the mul
titudes were gath
ering together unto
him, he began to say,
This generation is
an evil generation :
it seeketh after a
sign ; and there shall
no sign be given to
it but the sign of
Jonah. For even as
Jonah became a sign
unto the Ninevites,
so shall also the Son
of Man be to this
generation. The
queen of the south
shall rise up in the
judgment with the
men of this genera
tion, and shall con
demn them : for she
came from the ends
of the earth to hear
the wisdom of Solo
mon ; and behold,
a greater than Solo
mon is here. The
men of Nineveh
shall stand up in the
judgment with this
generation, and shall
condemn it : for they
repented at the
preaching of Jonah ;
and behold, a greater
than Jonah is here.

183 THE MESSIAH
The Pharisees were not convinced by the miracles of
mercy which Jesus wrought, or the gospel to the poor
that Jesus preached. They demanded a Messianic sign.
There was some propriety in this request when the Mes
sianic idea was conceived in the lines of the king and
the kingdom, or of the Son of Man of the Apocalypse
of Daniel. But Jesus was at present fulfilling rather the
ideal of the Messianic servant, which, to the Jews of the
time, was in the background and not understood. He
was indeed the Son of Man, but engaged in a work
prior to the advent in the clouds. Jesus refuses to give
them a sign at present. But at the same time he refers
them to the future, when a sign would be given. The
story of Jonah is the symbol of the sign, both in his
abode in the belly of the fish and in his preaching, only
the order of the story is reversed. The preacher is now
in their presence, he is calling them to repentance. Nine
veh repented at the preaching of Jonah. The queen of
the south came to learn from the wisdom of Solomon.
Jesus is a greater preacher and offers them surpassing
wisdom. Those who do not repent will be more severely
condemned in the judgment.
But Jonah is especially the symbol of the sign of the
Son of Man in his abiding in the belly of the fish. The
Son of Man is also to spend three days in the grave.
It is not said here that he will be put to death, but it is
implied that he will die. It is not said that he will rise
again ; but the limit of three days implies it. This
brief form of the prediction is an evidence that it is prior
to all others relating to his death. It not only gives a
sign, but interprets it in part by predicting the abode in
the grave and the serious consequences of rejecting the
gospel. Thus Jesus points to his death and resurrec
tion as the sign of the Son of Man, the sign which is to

OF MATTHEW 189
give to men the divine testimony of his Messiahship.
But that sign could not be given until the event itself.
It could only be given in the form of prediction prior to
the event.1 THE ROCK PETER.
§ 37. Peter is the rock upon which the Church will be
built. He will have the keys of the kingdom, and his dis
cipline will be ratified in heaven. Jesus will be present in
the assembly of his disciples during their exercise of dis
cipline. The four evangelists unite in giving the confession of
Peter in the region of Caesarea Philippi and his recogni
tion of Jesus as the Messiah ; 2 but Matthew alone gives
the prediction respecting Peter as the rock.3 This pre-

1 The story of Jonah as here used by Jesus is not thereby accredited as history.
Jesus uses fiction of his own composition in his beautiful parables. Why should
he not use, for purposes of illustration, fiction from the Old Testament likewise ?
Paul uses the story of Jannes and Jambres (2 Tim. iii. 8), and Jude (verse 9) the
story of the contest of Michael with the devil over the body of Moses, both from
legends of Jewish Haggada. If the modern critical theory of Jonah be correct,
that the story of Jonah was designedly written as historic fiction to set forth in a
symbol the resurrection of Israel in order to renew his prophetic calling to minister
salvation to the Gentiles, then the use which Jesus makes of it is not only appro
priate in itself, but closely allied to its original meaning.
a See p. 94.
s This passage was originally in Aramaic and in the measures of poetry, the
parallelism of which appears in the Greek ; but the present mode of expression
in the Greek shows a later stage of reflection than the discourses of the Logia.
If this passage had been in the Logia, it would not have been omitted by Luke ;
for though of the school of Paul, it is not probable that Luke would have omitted
a passage so highly honorable to Peter and so important for Peter's position and
authority in the Church, all the more that Luke ascribes to Peter a prominence
in the founding of the Church which seems to be a fulfilment of the prediction
of this passage. Matthew must have derived this saying of Jesus from a tradi
tional source, which had moulded the words of Jesus into a cast of language
suited to a later stage of the history of the apostolic church. The history of the
earlier chapters of the book of Acts seems to be behind the present form of this
word of Jesus.

190 THE MESSIAH
diction has been the theme of much discussion, espe
cially in the controversy between the Roman Catholics
and the Protestants. But a scientific exegesis finds a
meaning which is above the strife of sects, and which
gives an important development of the Messianic idea.
And Jesus answered and said unto him,
Blessed art thou, Simon bar-Jonah :
For flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee,
But my Father which is in heaven.
And I also say unto thee, that thou art Peter,
And upon this rock I will build my church ;
And the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.
I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of God.1
And whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth,
Shall be bound in heaven :
And whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth,
Shall be loosed in heaven. (Matt. xvi. 17-19.)
It is clear that Peter is the rock upon which the Church
is built, as the Roman Catholics and the best modern
Protestant interpreters, following the ancient church,
teach.2 The efforts of the older Protestant interpreters
to overcome this by making the confession of Peter, or
the person to whom he confesses, the Messiah, the rock
of the Church, are shattered on the plain statements of
the text. There are two parallel figures of speech. In
the one the Church s is compared to a great building

1 The original was doubtless kingdom of God. See p. 79.
2 See Weiss, Matthausevangelium, s. 393 ; Holtzmann, Die Synoptiker, s.
193. As Weiss says, the Aramaic original used ND'S in the place rendered
in the Greek irerpof, as well as in that rendered wtrpa. The gospel of John
briefly refers to this meaning when Jesus said, ' ' Thou art Simon, the son of
John : thou shalt be called Cephas, [which is by interpretation, Peter] " (John i.
42). There is a word-play which in Aramaic was made by the use of the one
word, but which had to be given in the Greek idiom by two words.
a It is probable that in the original Aramaic words of this saying, kingdom was
used, and that EKnAyala was unconsciously substituted for it in the tradition, in

OF MATTHEW 191
erected on a rock ; in the other the kingdom is a city
with gates of which Peter has the keys. The figure of
a church built on a rock is similar to the kingdom of
God in the Old Testament, which is built on the rock
Yahweh, whose corner-stone is laid in Zion,1 and whose
corner-stone and cap-stone are the Messiah.2 We should
doubtless expect that God or the Messiah would be the
rock of the kingdom (church) here, as He is elsewhere in
the New Testament, the foundation ; 3 but Christ is here
the builder, and therefore cannot be at the same time
the rock of the kingdom (the church). The prediction
that Peter will be the rock does not contradict the more
important doctrine that God and his Messiah are the
rock of the Church. But there is a propriety in the pre
diction that Peter will be the rock, for here, as else
where, the kingdom (the church) is made up of persons,
and not of doctrines and laws.' Peter is the rock upon

accordance with the usage of the early Christians as reflected in the Epistles.
They interpreted the kingdom of grace of the gospels as the Church, and for
the most part limited the use of the kingdom of God to the kingdom of glory of
the second Advent. Jesus uses kingdom for both of these stages of his king
dom. The only exception to his usage in the gospels is here. In the corre
sponding passage, also peculiar to Matthew and also from a traditional source,
Matthew xviii. 15-20, kiuOiTioia is used. But in that passage church is used for a
congregation, as we shall see — here, however, for the whole body of Christians.
The Aramaic Kpflp is used in theTargums for Israel as a whole, and this usage
is justified by the use of pnp in the Old Testament. There is no reason to
doubt that Jesus was familiar with the expression. But why did he avoid it in
every passage but this ? Is it probable that he would use it here alone ? The
answer to this question does not in any way modify our interpretation of the
kingdom. The question is simply whether this use of the term K?np, iniik-qo'ia.
Church, began with Jesus or with his apostles. There can be no doubt that
kingdom and Church are identified in this passage. See Weiss, Matthaus-
evangelium, s. 394.
1 Isaiah xxviii. 16. See Briggs' Messianic Prophecy, p. 208 seq.
2 Zechariah iii. 9.
3 1 Cor. iii. 10, n.
* 1 Peter ii. 4 seq.; Eph. ii. 19-22 ; 1 Cor. iii. 12-13.

192 THE MESSIAH
which all the other members of the kingdom rest, be
cause he was the first to enter the kingdom, by first con
fessing the Messiah and by first speaking at Pentecost
the word of the Holy Spirit, constituting the Church.
All others are his successors, built upon him, upon his
teaching and his example. So afterwards he and other
apostles are the pillars of the Church,' and the twelve
foundations of the temple and city of God.a But Peter
is also the porter of the city of God. Elsewhere
the Messiah himself keeps the gate and has the keys."
Here he gives them to Peter. In other places they
are given to the apostles and to an assembly of Chris
tians.* They are here given to Peter first because he
was first, the spokesman of the apostolic body and of
the kingdom (church) in its recognition of the Messiah.
He has the keys to admit into the kingdom and to ex
clude from the kingdom. This government is not an
arbitrary government of Peter, but it is a government
that is ratified in heaven and is therefore in accordance
with instruction from heaven, for Peter acts as the
representative and mouthpiece of the Messiah him
self. The connection of the kingdom with Peter is
of great importance in the development of the Messianic
idea. The kingdom and the Church are synonymous expres
sions. The figures of speech employed in their explica
tion give two other parallel and synonymous expressions
which recur in the epistles, namely, the temple of God
and the city of God. These four phases of the same
thing, these synonymous conceptions of the kingdom of

i Gal. ii. 9.
1 Eph. ii. 20 ; Rev. xxi. 14.
3 Rev. iii. 7.
4 Matt, xviii. 15-20 ; xxviii. 19, 20 ; Mark xvi. 15.

OF MATTHEW I93
God, are all to come into existence in connection with
the ministry of Peter. The doctrine that the kingdom
was near and that it would be established during the
ministry of the disciples is now made more definite by
the prediction that it would be established during the
ministry of Peter. Peter was to be the foremost in
establishing it. It was to be built on him and he was to
open its gates to those who followed him. The kingdom
of God was thus to be a considerable time prior to the
death of Peter, for Peter was to be the chief agent among
the apostles in establishing it.
The authority of the keys, given into the hands of
Peter in the passage just considered, was in another pass
age given to the church.
And if thy brother sin against thee,
Go, shew him his fault between thee and him alone :
If he hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.
But if he hear thee not, take with thee one or two more,
That at the mouth of two witnesses or three every word may be
established.
And if he refuse to hear them, tell it unto the church ;
And if he refuse to hear the church also,
Let him be unto thee as the Gentile and the publican.
Verily I say unto you,
What things soever ye shall bind on earth
Shall be bound in heaven :
And what things soever ye shall loose on earth
Shall be loosed in heaven.
Again I say unto you,
That if two of you shall agree on earth
As touching anything that they shall ask,
It shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.
For where two or three are gathered together in my name,
There am I in the midst of them. (Matthew xviii. 1 5-20.)
The church, as here used, is the assembly of brethren,

194 THE MESSIAH
the congregation of disciples.' The one, the two or
three, the brotherhood represent the three steps for the
recovery of the sinner. This is doubtless the earliest
law of discipline for the Church. It directs the three
stages of process — (i) the private, the fraternal visit;
(2) the fraternal admonition in the presence of witnesses ;
(3) the appeal to the congregation. The decision is
made by the voice of the congregation, which is really
the voice of the Messiah who is with them in spiritual
invisible presence. They act in his authority as Peter
did and their discipline will be ratified in heaven as his
was. There is, however, a difference in conception between
the discipline of Peter and that of the congregation.
The discipline of Peter is a discipline at the gates of the
kingdom to admit or exclude those who would enter the
Church. He is the porter to keep the door and decide
finally who may enter the Church. The discipline of
the congregation is an internal discipline of those already
within the church, and has to do with the recovery of
sinning Christians or the exclusion of the unworthy from
the kingdom.

1 '~EKKAyaia is used twice in this passage, which like the previous one bears
traces of the gnomic style of the sayings of Jesus and yet was probably not de
rived from the Logia, at least in its present form. 'EKKArjoia here alone in the
gospels is used apparently of a local congregation, as frequently in the epistles,
and yet there is nothing to suggest a plurality of congregations such as we find
in the epistles. The congregation is here conceived of as one assembly. There
is nothing to suggest official members of the congregation. The congregation
seem to act as a whole. All this favors the primitive origin of this saying.
'~E,KKf[7icla is a familiar word in the LXX. It is there used 56 times for the He
brew pnp, which is thus translated everywhere in the Old Testament apart from
the Pentateuch, and in Deuteronomy with the exception of v. 22. The other
Pentateuchal examples are rendered cvvayuyq. As Hatch says: "It is rea
sonable to infer a close similarity of meaning between cvvayuyij and EKK'Ajjaia "
(Essays on Biblical Greek, p. 21).

OF MATTHEW 195
It is not certain whether the last of these sayings of
Jesus is in its original place. It is in some respects more
important than those which precede it. It promises a real
but spiritual presence of the Messiah with his assembled
disciples even when they were no more than two or three
in number. This promise of the presence of the Mes
siah is the guarantee of the granting of their petitions.
But they must agree in their asking. No promise of
ratification is given to a disagreeing or a divided
congregation. The doctrine of the kingdom receives an important
advance in this discourse. As the previous passage has
shown that the Church and the kingdom are synony
mous terms, and there the Church was compared to a
city with gates, and a building erected on a rock, so here
the Church is a congregation assembled together in the
name of Jesus, in the midst of which he himself is ever
present to preside and to direct its discipline and govern
ment. The promise of the presence of Jesus is here so
comprehensive that it is impossible to think of a bodily
or visible presence. He promises his spiritual presence,
real though unseen, powerful though insensible. This
doctrine of the spiritual presence of the Messiah with
the congregation of his Church or kingdom is to be
carefully distinguished from his advent to establish his
kingdom on the one side, and his Advent to judge the
kingdom on the other.
THE DISCIPLE LIKE THE MASTER.
§ 38. Jesus came to cast fire and sword upon the earth.
There will be divisions among the most intimate relatives.
Jesus has a baptism of suffering to undergo, and the disci
ples will be treated as their Master. When called they
should separate themselves from all other ties, abstain

196 TBE MESSIAH
from marriage, hate all relatives who interpose between
them and the Messiah, bear his cross and follow him in a
homeless life, to a shameful death. They have nothing to
fear; God values them so highly that they will be carefully
guarded. Whosoever confesses Jesus before men will be
confessed before the Father in heaven. Those who deny
the Messiah will be denied before the Father in heaven.
He is to be feared who may destroy soul and body in
Gehenna. Matthew, as we have seen, inserts some sentences of
Jesus in the commission of the twelve which are given
by Luke very properly in connection with the Perean
ministry.1 There are two sets of these. We shall try to
give the original sentences from a comparative study of
the two evangelists. Luke begins with the historical
introduction, In the meantime, when the many thousands of the multitude
were gathered together, insomuch that they trode one upon
another, he began to say unto his disciples first of all,
Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees,2 (Luke xii. I.)
A disciple is not above his master, (Matth. x. 24-26.)
Nor a servant above his lord.
It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master.
And the servant as his lord.
If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub,
How much more them of his household !
Fear them not therefore : 3
For there is nothing covered,4 that shall not be revealed ;
And hid, that shall not be known.

1 See p. 186.
a " Which is hypocrisy," is an explanatory addition of Luke.
3 These lines of Matthew are prefixed to the same lines as those which follow
in Luke, and they seem appropriate in this setting.
4 Matthew's KEKaAvjipivov — Luke's avyKeicaAvfifit'vov.

OF MATTHEW 197
Wherefore1 whatsoever ye have said in the darkness (Luke
xii. 3 )
Shall be heard in the light ;
And what in the ear in the inner chambers
Shall be proclaimed upon the housetops.2
And I say unto you my friends,3 (Luke xii. 4«, b.)
Be not afraid of them which kill the body,
But are not able to kill the soul :" (Matt. x. 28b.)
But I will warn you whom ye shall fear : (Luke xii. 5a.)
Fear him, who after he hath killed, is able
To destroy both soul and body in Gehenna.5 (Matt. x. 28d.)
Are not two sparrows sold for a penny (Matt. x. 29-31.)
And not one of them shall fall on the ground
Without your Father :
But the very hairs of your head,
All are numbered,
Fear not therefore ;
Ye are of more value than many sparrows.6
And I say unto you,7 (Luke xii. 8a.)
Every one who shall confess me before men. (Matt. x. 32, 33.)

1 Matthew's 3 Atyu ifilv is a modification of Luke's dvB uv baa ElwaTE to suit
the use of the saying in the commission.
a The iAaAficsaTt of Luke is unnecessary and it makes the Une too long. The
antithesis of inner chambers to housetops is in its favor. Ear is common to
Matthew and Luke. Matthew inserts ukovete for the reason given above.
The change of a^pvxO^aeTai into nripv£aTe had the same motive.
3 This Une is given only in Luke.
* This of Matthew is simpler than Luke " after that have no more that they
can do," which seems more comprehensive and a later enlargement of the
thought. 5 The original lies back of both Matthew and Luke, each having made modifi
cations ; Luke's tov ixovra i^ovaiav being a different translation of the original
from Matthew's tov dwdfievov, which latter is given above. Matthew omits
fiETa to d-KOKTelvai, because of his retaining of " soul and body " in the next line.
The antithesis of soul and body is important as it appears above. Luke gener
alizes when he substitutes "cast into Gehenna."
' Matthew is to be preferred throughout to Luke xii. 6, 7. Luke has abbrevi
ated and generalized, and injured the measurement of the lines.
7 This line introducing another saying is given only by Luke. Because of its
omission Matthew uses the particle ovv.

198 THE MESSIAH
Him will I confess before my Father.1
But whosoever shall deny me before men,
Him will 1 also deny before my Father.
The disciples are warned to beware of the leaven of
the Pharisees, which is defined by Luke as hypocrisy,
and to keep in view the final clearing up of all things.
They are to have no fear of men, but to fear God alone,
who pronounces the final doom of the judgment day,
and who will deal with men with the greatest interest
and paternal care. The most important thing to do is
to confess the Messiah. Upon this everything depends.
Those who confess him before men will be confessed by
him before the Father. But those who deny him be
fore men will be denied by him before the Messiah's
Father. In other words, the life of the disciple and his
preaching of the gospel are to be conducted in view of
the presence of God, before whom he will ultimately
stand for judgment. That judgment is either a con
fession and recognition, or a denial and rejection which
results in the destruction of soul and body in Gehenna.
On a later occasion the following sentences were
spoken by Jesus :
I came to cast fire upon the earth ; (Luke xii. 49, 50.)
And what do I desire, if it is already kindled ?
But I have a baptism to be baptized with ;
And how am I straitened till it be accomplished !
Think not that I came (Matthew x. 34.)
To cast peace upon the earth ; 2

' The " angels of God " of Luke, instead of " Father who is in heaven" in
Matthew, seems to be a later and less simple conception, not so natural in the
discourse of Jesus. It is also probable that "who is in heaven " is an am
plification of Matthew. The verses which follow in Luke xii. 10 = Matthew
xii. 31, 32 ; and Luke xii. n, 12 = Matthew x. 19, 20 seem to belong elsewhere
(see pp. t8c, 144). They seem not quite in harmony with the sayings given above.
3 Matt., ver. 34a, is closer to Luke xii. 49, and is simpler and more graphic
than Luke xii. 51a.

OF MATTHEW I99
Not to cast peace, but a sword.1
For there shall be from henceforth divided, (Luke xii. 52, 53.)
Five in one house ;
Three against two, and two against three ;
Father against son, and son against father ; *
Mother against daughter, and daughter against her mother ;
Mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law, and daughter-in-law
against her mother-in-law,3
And a man's foes shall be they of his own household.4 (Matt.
x. 36.)
The results of the first advent of Jesus are not peace
and the kingdom of glory, but strife, warfare, and suffer
ing. The Messiah is hastening on to the climax of his
sufferings, and these will be followed by the sufferings
of his disciples. Families will be divided and intimate
relationships broken up.
We may appropriately consider here another lesson
of discipleship spoken on a different and probably a later
occasion. If any man cometh to me
And hateth not his own father, and his mother,6
And his wife, and his son and his daughter,6
And his brothers and his sisters,

1 Both Matt., ver. 34*, and Luke, ver. 51b, have changed the original to make
it clearer. The sword of Matthew is doubtless original. Luke changed it to
suit the subsequent context.
a Matt., vers. 35, 36, is greatly abbreviated. Luke, ver. 53, inserts the verb
for explication.
'.These lines vary in length because of the English words. In Hebrew or Ara
maic they would be tetrameters or four separate words each.
4 This line is given only by Matthew,
6 Matt. x. 37-39 softens the " hateth " of the original into a comparative ¦' love."
This is of the nature of interpretation. He also softens " cannot be my dis
ciple " into " is not worthy of me."
* It is probable that "son or daughter" of Matthew is nearer the original than
the compressed "children " of Luke. It is most probable that the original words
were as given above.

200

THE MESSIAH

Yea, and his own self also,1
He cannot be my disciple.
Whosoever doth not bear his own cross,
And come after me,
Cannot be my disciple.2 (Luke xiv. 26, 27.)
The disciples of Jesus are required to follow him with
the renunciation of every other tie that will hinder the
claims of discipleship. Even the most sacred claims of
father and mother, wife and children, which no one ex
alts higher than Jesus, must not restrain the disciple.
He is not only to love the Messiah above his parents,
but he is so to love him as to hate whatever relatives
obstruct this love. The disciple is to hazard his life for
the Master, and to hate himself in order to love the
Master supremely. Only by entire self-renunciation and
cross-bearing can he attain the prize of his own higher self.
There are two other sayings of Jesus which were prob
ably taken from the Logia relating to this subject, the
one reported by Matthew, the other by Luke. Their
historical occasion is doubtful. Luke reports the one
saying just before the sending forth of the seventy. He
attaches it to the words reported also by Matthew which
are cognate. It is improbable that Matthew would have
omitted it, if it was connected in the original. These
sayings are loosely attached.

Matthew viii. 19, 20.
A certain man said unto him,
I will follow thee whithersoever
thou goest. And Jesus said
unto him :

Luke ix. 57, 58.
And there came a scribe, and
said unto him, Master, I will fol
low thee whithersoever thou go
est. And Jesus saith unto him :

1 ipvxv is self here and not life, see p. 97.
2 The cross-bearing of the disciple is involved in the cross-bearing of Jesus.
Matt., ver. 39, adds a word suggested by ver. 38 from an earlier connection.
Mark viii. 34, 35 — Matt. xvi. 24, 25 — Luke ix. 23, 24. See p. 98.

OF MATTHEW

201

The foxes have holes,
And the birds of the heaven nests ;
But the Son of Man hath not where to lay his head.1
No greater contrast is conceivable than that between
the Son of Man enthroned in the clouds, of Daniel, and
the homeless Son of Man, of the Logia. This was a pre-
existence on earth not thought of in the Apocalypses
of Daniel and of Enoch. Such a homeless life does the
prophet Jesus hold out to the man who would follow him
in his mission in Palestine.

Matthew viii. 21, 22.
And another of the disciples
said unto him, Lord, suffer me
first to go and bury my father.
But Jesus saith unto him,

Luke ix. 59, 60.
And he said unto another,
Follow me. But he said, Lord,
suffer me first to go and bury
my father. But he said unto
him,

Leave the dead to bury their own dead ;
But go thou and publish abroad the kingdom of God.3
The proclamation of the kingdom of God was so im
portant that even the most sacred duty of burial of the
dead must not impede it.
Luke now gives a third incident :
And another also said, I will follow thee, Lord ; but first suffer
me to bid farewell to them that are at my house. But Jesus said
unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough,
And looking back,
Is fit for the kingdom of God. (Luke ix. 61, 62).
The service of the kingdom demands a faithful disci
ple who will go straight forward without regrets and

1 Matthew and Luke are exactly the same in these three lines.
a Matthew transposes the lines and reduces the last to the simple " Follow
me," which was suggested by the previous context. It destroys the measure of
the line as preserved by Luke.

202 THE MESSIAH
without leave-takings, in spite of every difficulty, in the
work of the kingdom.
Matthew appends a saying of Jesus, doubtless from
the Logia, to a discourse of Jesus respecting divorce.
This was probably not its original place ; as it is not in
the gospel of Mark, or in the corresponding passage of
Luke.
All men cannot receive this saying, but they to whom it is given.
For there are eunuchs, which were so born from their mother's
womb :
And there are eunuchs, which were made eunuchs by men :
And there are eunuchs, which made themselves eunuchs for the
sake of the kingdom of God.
He that is able to receive it, let him receive it.
(Matthew xix. ii, 12.)
This passage clearly teaches that there are some men
who are to abstain from marriage for the sake of the
kingdom of God ; that is, in order that they may do the
work of the kingdom without hindrances from the state
of matrimony with its wife and children. It is not a
universal precept ; but it is a counsel of perfection to
those who are able to receive it and to do it. It is of the
same nature as the advice given above, that the disciple
must give up all earthly ties of family, or property, or
self-indulgence, in order to consecrate himself absolutely
and entirely to the work of the kingdom.1
THE KINGDOM THE SUPREME QUEST.
§ 39. The kingdom is the supreme object of the disciples'
pursuit. It is the great pleasure of God to give it to them.
They are to strive to enter its gates, for it is guarded by
an act of judgment. Many will be excluded who have
enjoyed great privileges ; but multitudes from all parts of
1 See p. 104.

OF MATTHEW

203

the earth will sit down with the patriarchs and prophets
in the kingdom of God. The kingdom is one of the objects
of prayer.Matthew in his report of the Sermon on the Mount
has given portions of two discourses which are in a more
appropriate connection in the gospel of Luke. The
first of these is as follows :
Be not therefore anxious, saying,1 (Matt. vi. 31, 32.)
What shall we eat ? or, What shall we drink ? or, Wherewithal
shall we be clothed ? -
For after all these things do the nations " seek,
And your Father knoweth that ye have need 4 of these things.
(Luke xii. 30^-32.)
But seek ye first his kingdom,5
And these things6 shall be added unto you.
Fear not, little flock,'
For it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.
There is a great contrast between the things of this
life about which we are not to be anxious, and the king
dom about which we are to be so anxious that we are
to make it our supreme quest. The kingdom has as its
parallel in Matthew righteousness. This righteousness is
the righteousness of God, the righteousness of the king
dom. The kingdom to be thus sought is not the king
dom of grace as it exists in this world, which is not

1 Luke xii. 29 transposes this line with the foUowing, and modifies it.
2 Luke xii. 29 prefixes " seek not ye," and therefore changes the first person of
Matthew to the second person. He also omits the reference to clothing. That
makes the line long in English, but in Aramaic it would not be too long.
3 Luke adds " of the world " to the nations.
* Luke xii. 30 preserves the original line which has been enlarged by Matthew,
who adds " heavenly " to Father, and " all " to these things.
s Matthew adds "righteousness," in accordance with the leading idea of the
Sermon on the Mount. Luke weakens -np&TOV to tt/.t^v.
8 Matthew adds itavra.
1 This saying is given by Luke alone.

204

THE MESSIAH

guarded by an act of judgment, and which requires
simply faith and repentance for entrance. It is the
kingdom of glory that Jesus has in view. This kingdom
may well excite anxiety on the part of man for its attain
ment. Accordingly Luke gives a word of encourage
ment on the part of Jesus. The seeking disciples are
assured that God is willing to bestow it upon them even
though they be a little flock.
This encouragement is followed by several parables
exhorting to watchfulness, some of which are given by
Matthew in another connection. They seem appro
priate in their connection in Luke. But as it is proba
ble that both of the evangelists use them apart from
their historical connection, we shall use them under
another head.
The second of these passages exhorts to earnest striv
ing to enter into the kingdom.

Luke xiii. 23-30.
And one said unto him, Lord,
are they few that be saved ?
And he said unto them, Strive
to enter in by the narrow door :
for many, I say unto you, shall
seek to enter in, and shall not
be able. When once the master
of the house is risen up, and
hath shut to the door, and ye
begin to stand without, and to
knock at the door, saying, Lord,
open to us ; and he shall an
swer and say to you, I know
you not whence ye are ; then
shall ye begin to say, We did
eat and drink in thy presence,
and thou didst teach in our
streets ; and he shall say, I tell
you, I know not whence ye are ;
depart from me, all ye workers
of iniquity. There shall be the

Matt. vii. 13-14, 21-23.
Enter ye in by the narrow
gate : for wide is the gate, and
broad is the way, that leadeth
to destruction, and many be
they that enter in thereby. For
narrow is the gate, and strait
ened the way, that leadeth unto
life, and few be they that find
it.Not every one that saith unto
me, Lord. Lord, shall enter into
the kingdom of heaven ; but he
that doeth the will of my Father
which is in heaven. Many will
say to me in that day, Lord,
Lord, did we not prophesy by
thy name, and by thy name cast
out demons, and by thy name do
many mighty works ? And then
will I profess unto them, I never

OF MATTHEW

205

weeping and gnashing of teeth, | knew you : depart from me, ye
when ye shall see Abraham, and that work iniquity.
Isaac, and Jacob, and all the
prophets, in the kingdom of
God, and yourselves cast forth
without. And they shall come
from the east and west, and
from the north and south, and
shall sit down in the kingdom
of God. And behold, there are
last which shall be first, and
there are first which shall be last.
The narrow door of Luke is the door of the kingdom
of glory at the advent of the Messiah. But the mean
ing of the narrow gate of Matthew is not plain. Meyer,
Bengel, Schaff, Vincent, and others, take it as the gate
at the beginning of the Christian life, the gate of regen
eration, or repentance ; but De Wette, Tholuck, Stier,
and others, think of the gate at the end of the way. If
it is parallel with Luke it is certainly the latter.1
Holtzmann and others think that the way is not before
the gate or behind the gate, but between the posts
of the gate. The parallels favor this interpretation.
There would then be a broad way leading to Apoleia,
and many entering Apoleia by means of it ; and a
narrow gateway leading unto life and few finding it.
The way to Apoleia would be the way to the Middle
State of the lost ; the gate to life would be the gate into
the kingdom of glory, which few find because they know
not the righteousness which is required to sustain the
judgment at the gate.

i The dc t?/v aTruAeiav of Matthew seems to refer to a place and not a
condition. It is the Apoleia of the HeUenistic Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha
(see p. 27) and the Abaddcn of the Old Testament, the piace of ruin in the
state immediately after death. If that be so, then the way of Matthew would
seem to be a way through which the multitudes go when entering the Middle
State, whereas the door of Luke, which conceives ot a Messianic judgment clos
ing the door, is the door into the ultimate state.

206 THE MESSIAH
This discourse teaches us the difficulty of access to
the kingdom of God and the necessity of striving in
order to enter it. The kingdom is here conceived as a
kingdom whose entrance is guarded by the Lord, and an
act of judgment decides the entrance. It is therefore
the kingdom of glory. The title to entrance is not con
ditioned upon earthly knowledge of Jesus, is not limited
to those who met him in Palestine, is not determined
by professions or by public ministry or miracle-working;
but entirely by good works in a good life. Many will
be excluded who offer claims of birth, or of knowledge,
or of service. All workers of iniquity will be cast forth,
no matter how great their privileges have been. The
patriarchs and prophets will be there, and many from all
parts of the earth, for it is a universal kingdom for which
we pray: "Thy Kingdom come." (Matt. vi. 10.)
THE JUDGMENT OF THE KINGDOM.
§ 40. The kingdom of God is the most precious treas
ure, worth all things else. In its growth it is entangled
with evil men and evil influences. These cannot be sepa
rated from it until the judgment at the End of the Age,
when the angels will gather out the wicked from the king
dom and cast them into the furnace of fire. Then will
the righteous shine forth in the kingdom of glory.
Matthew gives a group of Parables of the Kingdom
which he appends to the Parable of the Sower which we
have already studied in the Gospel of Mark.1
Another parable set he before them, saying, The kingdom of
heaven is likened unto a man that sowed good seed in his field ;
but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares also among
the wheat, and went away. But when the blade sprang up, and
' See p. 88.

OF MATTHEW 207
brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. And the serv
ants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst thou
not sow good seed in thy field ? whence then hath it tares ? And
he said unto them. An enemy hath done this. And the servants
say unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up ?
But he saith. Nay; lest haply while ye gather up the tares, ye
root up the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the
harvest : and in the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers,
Gather up first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them :
but gather the wheat into my barn. (Matt. xiii. 24-30.)
This parable describes several difficulties in the growth
of the kingdom of God. In the parable of the sower,
the evil one [Satan, the Devil] overcame the good in the
hearts of the superficial hearers. But in this parable the
enemy takes a more aggressive part. He sows tares or
bad seed in the midst of the wheat. These tares are not
noticed when planted, for the enemy has worked in se
cret. They do not disclose themselves when first they
appear above the ground. It is not until the third stage
when the ear begins to form into fruit, that the differ
ence appears. It is now too late to remove the tares.
The separation must wait until the harvest. This para
ble teaches that it is impossible to prevent evil men from
entering into the kingdom of grace and mingling with
its true members. The difference between counterfeit
Christians and real Christians will appear only in the
kind of fruit they produce. The kingdom in its external
form, as it appears to men, will be mixed. This doctrine
seems to contradict the doctrine of the kingdom that we
have learned from other discourses. But the contradic
tion is only apparent. The kingdom of those sections is
the kingdom of God in its purity and integrity in the
eyes of God. Into that kingdom none but the childlike
and the godlike can enter. That is the kingdom of
glory. But the kingdom of our parables is the kingdom

208 THE MESSIAH
as it appears in the field of the world, where the gospei
is preached, and where the good and the bad mingle.
Into this kingdom not only the true members enter, but
there are several other classes, including not only the
three unfruitful classes of the parable of the sower, but
also the class producing evil fruit of the parable of the
tares. All these are counterfeit Christians and not world
lings. The harvest alone will separate them completely.
Jesus accordingly explains this parable :
And he answered and said, He that soweth the good seed is
the Son of Man ; and the field is the world ; and the good seed,
these are the sons of the kingdom ; and the tares are the sons of
the evil one ; and the enemy that sowed them :s the devil : and
the harvest is the End of the Age ; and the reapers are angels.
As therefore the tares are gathered up and burned with fire ; so
shall it be in the End of the Age. The Son of Man shall send
forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all
things that cause stumbling, and them that do iniquity, and shall
cast them into the furnace of fire : there shall be the weeping
and gnashing of teeth. Then shall the righteous shine forth as
the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He that hath ears, let
him hear. (Matt. xiii. 37-43.)
The parable of the tares lays stress upon the con
summation of the kingdom, the xpiotz ; as the parable
of the sower laid stress upon its origin, and the parable
of the growing seed upon its gradual growth.1 The
Son of Man and the Evil One are contrasted, the
one the sower of the good seed, the other of the evil
seed. The good seed are the sons of the kingdom, those
who really belong to it, have a right in it, and are des
tined to possess it. The evil seed are the sons of the
Evil One, who have intruded into the kingdom, have no
rights in it, and are destined to be excluded from it.
1 See p. 90.

OF MATTHEW 209
But during the entire course of the development of the
kingdom they cannot be excluded. The separation
comes first at the harvest at the End of the Age. Then
the Son of Man will employ his angels in the judgment
and the kingdom will be purified. The evil will be cast
into the furnace of fire, the Gehenna of weeping and
wailing. The righteous, no longer hindered by the
presence of the wicked and conflict with them, will shine
as the sun in the kingdom.
This parable teaches us to distinguish (i) the kingdom
as established, (2) the kingdom in its growth and struggles
with evil, or the kingdom of grace, and (3) the kingdom
of glory. In the growing kingdom we distinguish between
the real kingdom composed only of the children of the
kingdom, and the apparent kingdom in which several
classes are mingled.
Matthew associates with these parables five others
that have their propriety here.
The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman
took and hid in three measures of meal, till it was all leavened.
(Matt. xiii. 33.)
The kingdom of heaven is like unto a treasure hidden in the
field ; which a man found, and hid ; and in his joy he goeth and
selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is a
merchant seeking goodly pearls : and having found one pearl of
great price, he went and sold all that he had, and bought it.
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast
into the sea, and gathered of every kind : which, when it was
filled, they drew up on the beach ; and they sat down, and gath
ered the good into vessels, but the bad they cast away. So
shall it be in the End of the Age : the angels shall come forth,
and sever the wicked from among the righteous, and shall cast
them into the furnace of fire : there shall be the weeping and
gnashing of teeth.
Have ye understood all these things ? They say unto him,

210 THE MESSIAH
Yea. And he said unto them, Therefore every scribe who hath
been made a disciple to the kingdom of heaven is like unto a
man that is a householder, who bringeth forth out of his treasure
things new and old. (Matt. xiii. 44-52.)
Two of these parables set forth the preciousness of
the kingdom as the supreme object of human pursuit.
They take up the thought of the wonderful virtue wrapt
up in the mustard seed and in the leaven, in order to make
the kingdom the most valuable possession that man can
have. A treasure worth all other possessions, a pearl price
less and alone above the sum of all other values — such is
the worth of the kingdom of God and as such men are to
seek it. These parables recall the exhortation, " Seek ye
first his kingdom." ' We return by these parables to the
origin of the kingdom as set forth in the parable of the
sower." There it was good seed planted, to grow in
grace unto glory as its final aim. Here it is a priceless
treasure sought by man as the supreme and final object
of his ambition. There it was the kingdom of grace,
here it is the kingdom of glory. It is the Father's good
pleasure to give it; men will not seek in vain. They
must learn the word and through it become godlike.
The third parable returns to the theme of the parable
of the tares, the fruition of the kingdom. There the
End of the Age was a harvest field and the angels were
reapers. Here it is a drag-net full of fishes and the
angels are fishermen. There the harvest field was cov
ered with bundles of grain and tares. Here the net is
full of fishes good and bad. The separation in both is
made by the angels, who alone can make the discrimi
nation under the eyes of the judge. The fish cannot be
distinguished whether they are good or bad till they
1 See p. 203. a See p. 88.

OF MATTHEW 211
are landed on the shore, as the wheat and tares could
not be separated till they were ripe. In the parable of
the tares the stress is laid upon the blessedness of the
righteous, but in this parable of the drag-net only the
fate of the wicked is brought into view.
Matthew concludes this series with the parable of the
householder, which returns to the doctrine of the devel
opment of the kingdom. The sons of the kingdom were
fruitful grain ; here they are in possession of varied treas
ures. The hidden treasure has been taken possession
of, the choice pearl has been won. The disciple of the
kingdom has untold wealth, and he bringeth from his
treasure things new and old as he may need them in the
work of the kingdom.
Taking these nine parables together, great light is cast
upon the doctrine of the kingdom. The kingdom that
was nigh was the kingdom in its modest, secret, and in
significant origin, composed of a few men who had re
ceived the word and taken it into their hearts and lives,
who had become poor and childlike. Such was the
kingdom in its origin. When it comes into manifesta
tion in the world as a kingdom of grace it will be min
gled with forces of evil, and the good and bad will re
main in its visible forms until the End of the Age, when
the kingdom of glory appears.
THE OBSTRUCTIONS TO THE KINGDOM.
§41. The Pharisees will not enter the kingdom them
selves, nor suffer those who are entering to enter. All the
guilt of the historic rejection of the prophets will come
upon the generation of Jesus. The temple will be left
desolate, but eventually Jesus will be welcomed as the Mes
siah.

212

THE MESSIAH

Matthew gives a collection of seven woes pronounced
by Jesus upon the Pharisees, the most of which are
given by Luke on an earlier occasion. There is also a
prologue and an epilogue made up of sayings gathered
from different places :

Prologue.

f Matt, xxiii. 1-3.
" " 4=Luke xi. 45-46.
" " 5-7= Mark xii. 38-40 ; Luke xi. 43 ; xx.
45^47-
" " 8-12. Parenetic words of evangelist.

Woes.

Epilogue. )

1. Matt. tt

xxiii.

i3=Luke xi. 52.
14. Not in best MSS., omitted
by R. V., assimilated from
Mark xii. 40 ; Luke xx. 47.

2. "

i<

15-

3- "

"

16-22.

4- "

"

23-24=Luke xi. 42.

5- "

tt

25-26= " 37-41.

6. •¦

"

27-28= " 44.

7. "

"

29-33= " 47-48.

Matt, xxiii.

34-36= Luke xi. 49~5i-

The Messianic material is limited to the Epilogue and
the first Woe, which in Luke is interposed between the
two parts of the Epilogue of Matthew. We follow the
order of Luke.

Lukexi. 49-51.
Therefore also said the Wis
dom of God, I will send unto
them prophets and apostles ;
and some of them they shall
kill and persecute ; that the
blood of all the prophets, which
was shed from the foundation
of the world, may be required
of this generation ; from the
blood of Abel unto the blood of

Matt, xxiii. 34-36.
Therefore, behold, I send
unto you prophets, and wise
men, and scribes : some of them
shall ye kill and crucify ; and
some of them shall ye scourge
in your synagogues, and perse
cute from city to city : that upon
you may come all the righteous
blood shed on the earth, from
the blood of Abel the righteous

OF MATTHEW

213

Zachariah, who perished be
tween the altar and the sanc
tuary. Yea, I say unto you,
it shall be required of this gen
eration.

Luke xi. 52.
Woe unto you lawyers ! for
ye took away the key of knowl
edge : ye entered not in your
selves, and them that were en
tering in ye hindered.

unto the blood of Zachariah
son of Barachiah, whom ye slew
between the sanctuary and the
altar. Verily I say unto you,
All these things shall come up
on this generation. Matt, xxiii. 13.
But woe unto you, scribes
and Pharisees, hypocrites ! be
cause ye shut the kingdom of
heaven against men : for ye en
ter not in yourselves, neither
suffer ye them that are entering
in to enter.

The first part of the Epilogue of Matthew, which is
really in Luke a part of the woe upon the Pharisee law
yers, is connected by Luke with a feast at which Jesus was
invited, and where the Pharisees sought to entrap him.
He charges them with a guilt greater than that of
their fathers, who rejected and slew the prophets. This
rejection of the prophets is enforced by a citation which
Jesus makes from a lost writing entitled " The Wisdom of
God," which was probably another example of the Wisdom
Literature of the Pseudepigrapha. This rejection was
a blood-red record of guilt from Abel to Zechariah. All
has come down as an inheritance of woe to the genera
tion that has rejected the Baptist and is about to reject
the Messiah and put him to death. But the full meas
ure of iniquity has been reached. It will all be required
of this generation in the judgment that is impending
over them. The general character of this warning of
impending judgment favors its earlier date.
The first woe of Matthew, which is the last woe of
Luke, represents the Pharisees as interposing themselves
between the entrance to the kingdom, and those who
have accepted the Messiah's invitation and are entering

214

THE MESSIAH

it. Luke represents them as lawyers. They themselves
will not enter, and they will not permit others to enter.
The kingdom is here again conceived as present, with
gates open to those who accept the invitation of the
gospel. The second part of the Epilogue of Matthew is given
at a later date in Luke, who connects it with a warn
ing against Herod given by the Pharisees while he was
on his way to Jerusalem.

Luke xiii. 31-35.
In that very hour there came
certain Pharisees, saying to
him, Get thee out, and go
hence : for Herod would fain
kill thee. And he said unto
them, Go and say to that fox,
Behold, I cast out demons and
perform cures to-day and to
morrow, and the third day I
am perfected. Howbeit I must
go on my way to-day and to
morrow and the day following :
for it cannot be that a prophet
perish out of Jerusalem. O
Jerusalem, Jerusalem, that kill-
eth the prophets, and stoneth
them that are sent unto her !
how often would I have gath
ered thy children together, even
as a hen gathereth her own
brood under her wings, and ye
would not ! Behold, your house
is left unto you desolate : and I
say tinto you, Ye shall not see
me, until ye shall say, Blessed
is he that cometh in the name
of the Lord.

Matt, xxiii. 37-39.

O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, that
killeth the prophets, and ston
eth them that are sent unto
her! how often would I have
gathered thy children together,
even as a hen gathereth her
chickens under her wings, and
ye would not ! Behold, your
house is left unto you desolate.
For I say unto you, Ye shall
not see me henceforth, till ye
shall say, Blessed is he that
cometh in the name of the
Lord.

Jesus in enigmatic language predicts that he has three
days to work, and on the third day he will be perfected,
and his work will be accomplished. It cannot be that
he thinks of three actual days of labor to be followed by

OF MATTHEW 215
his departure, but of a brief period which was to close
with his passion in Jerusalem.1 He had nothing to fear
from Herod in Galilee either as to time or place ; for his
time was not yet complete, and he was not in the place
where he was to die. This thought occasions the lament
over Jerusalem. The Messiah would gladly have taken
the children of his people under the wings of his protec
tion, but they refused to come to him. The time is
well-nigh elapsed. Their doom is sure. Their home,
their temple, the symbol and pledge of the divine pro
tection, is to be destroyed ; and they will no more see
Jesus until he comes with such evidence of glory and
power that they will pronounce him blessed. It is evi
dent that this passage, even in Luke, cannot refer to his
subsequent entry into Jerusalem ; for the context has in
mind the death of Jesus and the desolation of the tem
ple ; and this advent must be subsequent to these events.
It is the Messiah's Advent in judgment and in glory,
which we have seen in so many passages.'
THE HEAD OF THE CORNER.
§ 42. The Pharisees reject the Messiah, the corner-stone
of the kingdom, and refuse the invitation to the marriage
feast. The kingdom will be taken from them and given
to others. Publicans and sinners accept the Messiah's in
vitation, enter the kingdom, and are welcomed and honored
guests. The corner-stone will destroy all who come in col
lision with it, and will marvellously become the head of
the corner.
Matthew gives two parables of Jesus and attaches them
to his ministry in Jerusalem, in the closing week. It

1 Three days was the time of the abode in the grave. See p. 95.
« See pp. 99, 127, 153.

216 THE MESSIAH
matters little whether they were uttered at this time or
not. They have no parallel in the Synoptists, and may
have been derived from another source than the Logia.
The first of these is the parable of the marriage feast ; the
second, the parable of the two sons. It is sufficient to
refer to the Messianic elements in these parables.
In the parable of the marriage feast,1 those who have
been invited to the marriage of the king's son, reject and
slay the messengers. The king sends his armies, de
stroys the murderers and burns their city. This parable
sets forth the guilt of the Pharisees and their predeces
sors in rejecting and slaying the prophets, and predicts
their ruin in the burning of Jerusalem. But the mar
riage will not lack guests. The servants, the disciples of
Jesus, go out into the highways and hedges, to the poor,
the suffering, the outcast, the publicans and sinners ;
and bring them in, and the wedding is filled with guests.
The wedding will not lack decorum and dignity even
with these guests. They are provided with appropriate
garments, and only the churl will refuse to put them
on. There are some among these who will share the
fate of the Pharisees ; but the larger proportion of them
will not only come to the feast, but will be so providtd
for that they will be the most suitable guests. This
parable clearly teaches the rejection of the Pharisees and
the ruin of Jerusalem, but also the preaching of the
gospel and the gathering in of a multitude who will
abide the judgment.
The parable of the two sons presents the other side
of the case." The Pharisees promise to enter the king
dom, but enter it not. They profess to prepare for the
kingdom by legal righteousness, and to be eager for the
1 xxii. 1-14. 3 xxi. 28-32.

OF MATTHEW 217
coming of the kingdom and for entrance into it. But
when the kingdom comes and the Messiah invites them,
they decline his invitation. The publicans and sinners,
on the other hand, refuse to enter the kingdom, but
subsequently repent and enter. They refuse the invita
tion because they refuse to prepare themselves for the
kingdom by righteousness ; they persist in evil lives,
they give no promise of repentance. But when the
Messiah's invitation comes to them, they repent and
precede the Pharisees into the kingdom. This teaches
that the kingdom is present, and that its gates are open
to those who will accept the invitation of the gospel of
the kingdom.
Between these two parables Matthew inserts the para
ble of the wicked husbandmen which we have already
seen and studied in the gospel of Mark.1 It is probable
that this parable was in both sources, all the more that
Matthew and Luke give additional material to that of
Mark. It is doubtful whether this material comes from
the Logia. At all events it is in the poetic form which is
usual in the Logia. Matthew gives it more completely :
Did ye never read in the Scriptures,9
The stone which the builders rejected,
The same was made the head of the corner :
This was from the Lord,
And it is marvellous in our eyes ?
Therefore say I unto you,3
The kingdom of God shall be taken away from you,
And shall be given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.
Every one that 4 falleth on that stone will be broken to pieces :
But on whomsoever it shall fall, it will scatter him as dust.
(Matthew xxi. 42-44; Luke xx. 17, 18.)
1 See p. ir6. 2 Luke substitutes " What then is this that is written."
3 Luke omits lines 4-8.
* Matthew gives " And he that falleth on this stone." But these two lines are
bracketed by Westcott and Hort,

218 THE MESSIAH
Jesus, the corner-stone of the kingdom, is to be reject
ed by the rulers of Israel ; but the kingdom will be taken
from them and given to other rulers, who will be fruit
ful in good works. The corner-stone will then be made
the head of the corner. But, as a living stone, it will
fall on the enemies and scatter them as dust ; or it will
break in pieces all who stumble and fall on it. All the
enemies of the kingdom of God will eventually be
destroyed. WATCHING.
§ 43. The Son of Man may delay his coming. It may
not be for a long time. Great patience and watchfulness
will be required. When he comes he will reward the
faithful. Matthew appends to the great apocalypse of Jesus1
several parables and a judgment scene, some of which
we have already considered in another connection.2
Some of these parables are given by Luke at an earlier
period and in better connections. But the topical ar
rangement of Matthew is more suited to our present
purpose. It is doubtful whether Luke xii. 35-38 is another form
of the parable of the virgins in Matthew xxv. 1— 13.
Critics differ in their opinion. Whatever the case may
be, there are so many differences that it seems best not
to place them in parallelism, but to let the richer para
ble of Matthew follow the simpler parable of Luke.
There can be no doubt, however, that Matthew xxiv. 45-
51 is parallel with Luke xii. 41-46, and that the order of
topics in Luke is preferable. Luke's parable is as follows :

> See Chap. IV. » See p. 164.

OF MATTHEW 219
Let your loins be girded about, and your lamps burning ; and
be ye yourselves like unto men looking for their lord, when he
shall return from the marriage feast ; that, when he cometh and
knocketh, they may straightway open unto him. Blessed are
those servants whom the lord when he cometh shall find watch
ing: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make
them sit down to meat, and shall come and serve them. And if
he shall come in the second watch, and if in the third, and find
them so, blessed are those servants. (Luke xii. 35-38.)
This parable teaches the duty of waiting and watch
ing for the Advent, without any hint as to the time. It
also sets forth the great rewards that will be given to
those servants who are ready when the Lord returns.
Matthew's parable is much fuller.
Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins,
which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.
And five of them were foolish, and five were wise. For the fool
ish, when they took their lamps, took no oil with them : but the
wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. Now while the
bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. But at mid
night there is a cry, Behold, the bridegroom ! Come ye forth to
meet him. Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their
lamps. And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil ;
for our lamps are going out. But the wise answered, saying,
Peradventure there will not be enough for us and you : go ye
rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. And while they
went away to buy, the bridegroom came ; and they that were
ready went in with him to the marriage feast : and the door was
shut. Afterward come also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord,
open to us. But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I
know you not. Watch therefore, for ye know not the day nor
the hour. (Matthew xxv. 1-1 3.)
This parable has the same essential idea as the one
just considered, but it distinguishes two classes of vir
gins, the one waiting and watching, ready for the bride
groom, the other unready. The element of time is in-

220 THE MESSIAH
troduced into this parable. The advent tarries, is de
layed, it is not till midnight. The parable concludes
with the rewards of the wise virgins, but lays great stress
upon the exclusion of the foolish virgins from the mar
riage feast. It enforces the exhortation to watchfulness ;
for the day and the hour of the Advent of the Messiah
are altogether unknown.
These two parables are exceedingly appropriate to
emphasize the duty of being watchful and ready to meet
the Messiah on his return. They serve to introduce the
stronger lessons of the parable that follows :
But know this, that if the master of the house had known in
what watch ' the thief was coming, he would have watched, and
would not have suffered 2 his house to be broken through.
Therefore 3 be ye also ready ; for in an hour that ye think not
the Son of Man cometh. (Matt. xxiv. 43, 44.)
The teaching of these parables and their introduction,
is that the kingdom of God is to be the supreme object
of pursuit. The hearts of men are to be fixed upon it,
and they are to seek it. Their lamps are to be burning
and their loins girded as men waiting for the marriage
procession of the bridegroom, and as the householder
expecting the thief. The Lord will come unexpectedly
and reward the faithful servant. The Advent is sure,
but the time of it uncertain. He may not come in the
first watch, and his servants may think he delays his com
ing. He may not come in the second watch. He may
wait until the third watch and so try the faith of his
servants, and test the unfaithful. Blessed are they who
are faithful till the Advent of the Messiah.

1 Luke xii. 39 has " hour " for " watch " of Matthew.
2 Luke xii. 39 has " left " for " suffered " of Matthew.
" Therefore " is omitted by Luke xii. 40.

OF MATTHEW 221
THE ROYAL JUDGMENT.
§ 44. The Messiah may be long absent. During his
absence his servants have sacred trusts, and will be dealt
with on his return in accordance with their fidelity to
their trusts and their mercy to the suffering, with whom
the Messiah identifies himself. The Messiah comes on his
throne of glory with attending angels. All nations are
assembled Jor judgment and are separated into two great
classes. On the right hand are the blessed. These have
been faithful and merciful. They inherit the kingdom
and everlasting life. On the left hand are the accursed.
They have been unfaithful and unmerciful. They are
doomed to outer darkness, the everlasting fire of Gehenna
and torment. But there are degrees of guilt. The careless
and unthinking are beaten with few stripes, the wilful
transgressor with many stripes. The unmerciful receive
no mercy.
Matthew gives the final scene of the royal judgment
in connection with the Apocalypse of Jesus, and com
bines them by parables teaching the lessons of watchful
ness and the principles of the judgment.
We have already considered some of these as appro
priate to the previous topics, but others now come into
view. We shall first consider the parable of the waiting
servants, which makes the transition.1
And Peter said, Lord, speakest thou this parable unto us, or
even unto all ? '2 And the Lord said. Who then is the faithful
and wise steward,3 whom his lord hath set 4 over his house-

1 Matt. xxiv. 45-51 ; Luke xii. 41-46.
2 Luke, only, has this historical occasion of the parable.
3 It is probable that "steward" was the original reading rather than "servant"
of Matthew.
• The aorist of Matthew seems more original than the future of Luke.

222 THE MESSIAH
hold, to give them their portion ' of food in due season ? Blessed
is that servant whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.
Verily 2 1 say unto you, that he will set him over all that he hath.
But if that servant 3 shall say in his heart, my lord tarrieth ; 4 and
shall begin to beat the men servants and the maid servants,5 and
shall eat and drink, with the drunken ; 6 the lord of that servant
shall come in a day when he expecteth not, and in an hour when
he knoweth not, and shall cut him asunder, and appoint his por
tion with the unfaithful.' (Luke xii. 41-46.)
Luke's version is fuller and richer and more original
than Matthew's. Little is said of the wise and faith
ful steward. He is approved and exalted to a high
rank in the household. The parable deals with the
foolish and unfaithful steward. He prefers evil con
duct to the good pleasure of his lord. He presumes
upon his long absence. He becomes an unmerciful
tyrant to his fellow servants. At the sudden and unex
pected advent he is doomed, is cut asunder, and is
given his portion with the unfaithful.
Luke appends to this parable a saying of Jesus which
seems appropriate here, but which may have been ut
tered on another occasion, as Wendt supposes.8 It mat-

* owETEia of Matthew and Bepaneia of Luke may be due to difference in trans
lation of the original Aramaic word of Jesus, as also Tpocj)?; of Matthew and
atTO/iETpiov of Luke.
2 The d/if/v of Matthew is to be preferred to the a'kr)6ac of Luke.
8 Matthew inserts " evil" before " servant," which is merely explanatory.
4 Luke inserts " his coming " after " delayeth " for explanation.
6 Matthew condenses into " his fellow servants."
8 Matthew's phrase is better here than the three infinitives of Luke.
7 Matthew gives " hypocrites " instead of " unfaithful," which is not so suited
to the context and involves a covert application to the Pharisees. The addition
of "there shall be the weeping and gnashing of teeth" is not original, but an
explanation of the portion of the unfaithful.
8 Lehre Jesu, i., s. 148. Wendt attaches it to Luke xvi. 10-12 in his reconstruc
tion of the Logia.

OF MATTHEW 223
ters little for our purpose. We shall use it here where
Luke uses it for lack of a better place :
And that servant, who knew his lord's will, and made not ready,
nor did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes ;
but he that knew not, and did things worthy of stripes, shall
be beaten with few stripes. And to whomsoever much is
given, of him shall much be required : and to whom they
commit much, of him will they ask the more. (Luke xii.
47. 48.)
In Luke it is conceived that there may be two classes
of unfaithful stewards — one who did not know his lord's
will and another who did know. They both sin in the
same way and do things worthy of stripes. The wilful
transgressor receives many stripes, the ignorant trans
gressor few stripes. Of each one is exacted punishment
in accordance with the trust committed to him. The
significance of the passage lies in this. The parable has
in view the Messianic judgment at the End of the Age.
This difference of punishment, involved between many
stripes and few, is not a difference of punishment in the
Middle State after death : it is a difference of degree of
punishment in the Day of judgment, and in the age that
follows that judgment in the Final State. How are we
to conceive these few stripes as compared with the
many ? In Gehenna, are the stripes few in character, or
of less degree of punishment, everlasting in duration
but less intensive in degree of suffering ; or less in the
number of the blows, so that the punishment of the less
guilty comes to an end before the punishment of the
more guilty? This opens up a field for speculation
where we can only say that all everlasting duration is
subject to such limitations as God in his sovereign re
served right may deem best to put upon it.

224 THE MESSIAH
The parable of the talents ' enlarges upon the rewards
and punishments of the servants. It represents that the
lord is absent a long time. During his absence the ser
vants are engaged with their talents, each according to
his several ability, having difference of trusts. There
are the same three classes as in the parable of the
pounds, in Luke.2 There the trusts are the same ; here
the trusts are different. There the grades of service in
the use of the same trust were different. Here the differ
ence in grade is in the ability, and in the amount of the
trusts, but the proportion is the same and the reward
seems to be the same. The unfaithful servant is very
much alike in both parables. He is deprived of his trust
and is punished.
The parable of the talents represents that he is cast
into the outer darkness and the weeping and gnashing
of teeth in Gehenna. This parable is an appropriate
introduction to the judgment scene that closes the chap
ter. But before considering this, it will be best to bring
into view two other parables of Matthew setting forth
the principles of the royal judgment. These are the
parable of the debtors 3 and the parable of the laborers
in the vineyard.4 It is doubtful whether they are given
in their proper historical connection by Matthew. We
follow his example and use them where they are appro
priate to the topic in hand.
The first of these parables represents the king reckon
ing with his servants. There are several scenes. The
first represents the mercy of the king to his unprofitable
servant. Thus the king deals with the penitent when
he admits them into his kingdom of grace. He assigns
a term of grace and service. The next scene shows the

1 Matt. xxv. 14-30. * Luke xix. iT-27. See p. 249.
3 Matt, xviii. 21-35. * Matt. xx. 1-16.

OF MATTHEW 225
miserable man unmerciful to his creditors. The third
scene gives the complaint of his fellow servants. The
last scene gives the judgment of the unmerciful man by
the just monarch. We are taught that the king is mer
ciful in his judgment, but only to those who have
learned from him the law of mercy. The law of mercy
requires forgiveness to an indefinite extent, even beyond
the fiftieth time. It is the same doctrine as that taught
in one of the petitions of the Lord's prayer and in the
Beatitude of the merciful. The term of grace is to be
used in becoming godlike.
The second of these parables sets forth the doctrine
that the householder gives every one beyond his deserts,
and that no one should complain at the extent of his
kindness to others even if it exceed his apparent kind
ness to him. It seems unjust to give one servant as
much for short service as another for much longer ser
vice ; but when the whole service is a matter not of debt
but of favour, the measurement is not by the scales of
justice, but by the breadths of mercy. And it is in
accordance with the nature of mercy that it should
expand to greater breadths when it has to do with
greater need. The same doctrine is taught in the para
ble of the prodigal.'
These four parables are the most suitable introduction
to the judgment scene.
But when the Son of Man shall come in his glory, and all the
angels with him, then shall he sit on the throne of his glory :
and before him shall be gathered all the nations : and he shall
separate them one from another, as the shepherd separateth the
sheep from the goats : and he shall set the sheep on his right
hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the King say unto
1 Luke xv. 11-32.

226 THE MESSIAH
them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit
the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world :
for I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat : I was thirsty, and
ye gave me drink : I was a stranger, and ye took me in ; naked,
and ye clothed me : I was sick, and ye visited me : I was in
prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer
him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungered, and fed thee ?
or athirst, and gave thee drink ? And when saw we thee a
stranger, and took thee in ? or naked, and clothed thee ? And
when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? And
the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you.
Inasmuch as ye did it unto one of these my brethren, even these
least, ye did it unto me. Then shall he say also unto them on
the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into the eternal fire
which is prepared for the devil and his angels : for I was an hun
gered, and ye gave me no meat : I was thirsty, and ye gave me
no drink : I was a stranger, and ye took me not in ; naked, and
ye clothed me not ; sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.
Then shall they also answer, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an
hungered, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison,
and did not minister unto thee ? Then shall he answer them,
saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not unto
one of these least, ye did it not unto me. And these shall go
away into eternal punishment : but the righteous into eternal
life. (Matthew xxv. 31-46.)
This is the royal judgment scene. The Messiah is
enthroned on his glorious throne with the angels minis
tering about him. First, he rewards his sheep. They
receive their inheritance in the kingdom of glory and
enter into everlasting life. Then he condemns the goats
•and assigns them to everlasting punishment, in the ever
lasting fires of Gehenna. The rule of judgment is the
same that we have found in the parable of the debtors.
The merciful are rewarded with the inheritance of the
kingdom, but the unmerciful are cast into Gehenna.
The judgment is in accordance with works.

OF MATTHEW

227

THE REWARDS OF THE KINGDOM.
§ 45. The rezvards of the kingdom will be in proportion
to service. The greatest rewards will be seats at the table
of the Messiah and enthronement with him.
Matthew and Luke report a sentence of Jesus promis
ing rewards to his faithful disciples. Luke gives it its
historical place in the midst of the discourses at the last
Passover :
And there arose also a contention among them, which of them
is accounted to be greatest. And he said unto them, The kings
of the Gentiles have lordship over them ; and they that have
authority over them are called Benefactors. But ye shall not be
so : but he that is the greater among you, let him become as the
younger ; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve. For
whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth ?
is not he that sitteth at meat ? but I am in the midst of you as
he that serveth. (Luke xxii. 24-27.)
This is introductory to the word that is common to
the two evangelists.

Luke xxii. 28-30.
But ye are they that have
continued with me in my trials ;
and I appoint unto you a king
dom, even as my Father ap
pointed unto me, that ye may
eat and drink at my table in my
kingdom : and ye shall sit on
thrones judging the twelve
tribes of Israel.

Matt. xix. 28.
And Jesus said unto them,
Verily I say unto you that ye
who have followed me, in the
regeneration when the Son of
Man shall sit on the throne of
his glory, ye also shall sit upon
twelve thrones, judging the
twelve tribes of Israel.

Jesus here teaches his disciples that rewards in the
kingdom will be proportionate to the magnitude of ser
vice. These rewards will be surely gained. Luke reports
the reward of eating and drinking at the table of the
Messiah. This was appropriate to the occasion of the
Lord's Supper. They would have the privilege of the

228 THE MESSIAH
royal table in the kingdom. This reward was omitted
by Matthew as not appropriate to the context of the
passage in which he used this word of Jesus. Both evan
gelists report the second reward, enthronement. Luke's
report gives no statement of the time except as the time
of reward after a period of service in the kingdom, and
accordingly he gives " appoint unto you a kingdom."
But Matthew gives two very important statements as to
the time when the apostles would attain these rewards.
It would be when the Son of Man should sit on the throne
of his glory. It was not, therefore, to be at the founda
tion of the kingdom of grace in this world, or at any
time during their ministry in the kingdom of grace in
its period of development and persecution. It was to
be at the time of the culmination of the kingdom of
grace in the kingdom of glory. This general statement
is introduced by the term ! regeneration, which is a second
indication as to time. The regeneration here is a general
regeneration which concerns not merely the individual,
but the whole body of the redeemed. It is that regenera
tion of the world that introduces the kingdom of glory.
It is the period of transition to the new age of the world
in which the Messiah will reign on his throne of glory
over all things. This passage enlarges the scope of the
doctrine of the kingdom, as it opens our eyes to see be
yond the judgment into the glory of the kingdom that
follows the judgment, in which the apostles share with
their Lord in a glorious reign.
THE GREAT COMMISSION.
§ 46. Jesus rose from the dead and manifested himself
unto his disciples, giving them the commission to preach
the gospel to the world and to baptize believers, and prom-
1 kv Tfj TraAtvyEvso'ia.

OF MATTHEW 229
istng them his presence with them until the End of the
Age. The gospel of Matthew reports two manifestations of
Jesus after his resurrection, (i) He appears to the two
Marys in the morning at the tomb. They recognize him
and worship him. He commands them to tell the brethren
to meet him in Galilee.1 (2) The eleven disciples meet the
risen Lord at the aforesaid place on a mountain in
Galilee and he there gave them their commission.'
There is great difficulty in dealing with this commission,
for it is apparently assigned by the supplement to Mark 3
and by Luke* to Jerusalem. On the whole it is best to
deal with Matthew and Mark together, and with Luke
in a separate section.

Matt, xxviii. 16-20.
But the eleven disciples went
into Galilee, unto the mountain
where Jesus had appointed
them. And when they saw him,
they worshipped him : but some
doubted. And Jesus came to
them and spake unto them, say
ing, All authority hath been
given unto me in heaven and

Mark xvi. 15-18.
And he said unto them, Go
ye into all the world, and preach
the gospel to the whole crea
tion. He that believeth and is
baptized shall be saved ; but he
that disbelieveth shall be con
demned. And these signs shall
follow them that believe : in my
name shall they cast out de-

on earth. Go ye therefore, and mons ; they shall speak with new
make disciples of all the na- tongues ; they shall take up ser-
tions, baptizing them into the pents, and if they drink any
name of the Father and of the deadly thing, it shall in no wise
Son and of the Holy Spirit : hurt them ; they shall lay hands
teaching them to observe all on the sick, and they shall re-
things whatsoever I commanded cover.
you : and lo, I am with you
alway, even unto the End of
the Age. |
The commission given by Mark does not belong to

1 Matthew xxviii. 1-10 = Mark xvi. 1-8. 2 Matthew xxviii. 16-20.
3 Mark xvi. 14-18. * Luke xxiv. 36-49.

230 THE MESSIAH
the original Mark, but is a later appendix to the gospel.
However, it is a report that comes from an early date.
It is simpler than the report of Matthew. It gives the
command to preach the gospel to the whole world, the
whole creation. This takes a most complete view of the
universality of the gospel message. It is true that the
apostles did not understand the extent of their commis
sion until a long time afterwards ; but this does not
show that the commission itself, as given by Jesus, was
limited to their understanding of it, still less to the land
of Palestine as Russel argues.1 The preaching of the
gospel divides the hearers into two classes, the believing
and the disbelieving. The former will be saved, the lat
ter will be condemned ; for the gospel has judgment in
itself. We are not to suppose that the condemnation
here refers to the final condemnation of the day of judg
ment, as the " damned " of the A. V. might seem to
suggest ; any more than that the salvation, spoken of
here, is postponed till doomsday ; but the antithesis is
between a salvation which is received by believing and
being baptized — that is, the salvation which is enjoyed
in the kingdom of grace;, and a condemnation which
comes whenever and wherever the gospel is rejected,
namely, a condemnation which abides in this life upon
all who do not believe, are not baptized, and do not by
faith and baptism become incorporated into the kingdom
of grace. The commission in Mark lays stress upon the
miracle-working that would attend the ministry of the
apostles. The report of Matthew enlarges the commission.
(i) They are to make disciples of all nations. This im
plies their organization into a body of disciples, a

1 Parousia, p. 121.

OF MATTHEW 231
kingdom, or Church. (2) They are to baptize them into
the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
This baptism into the name of the Son, the Messiah, as
well as into the name of God the Father and of the
Spirit of God, implies the organization of a separate
body of the baptized as the kingdom of the Messiah.
(3) They are to teach all the commands of the Messiah.
The new kingdom is to be an organized body, and is
therefore to have its rules and laws.
In place of the promise of miracle-working given by
Mark, a more important promise is given by Matthew ;
namely, the abiding presence of the Messiah himself,
with the apostles, in the exercise of their ministry. We
have already studied this abiding presence as promised
by Jesus to those who assemble in his name and agree in
supplication.1 This presence of Jesus is the spiritual, dy
namic presence of the Messiah. It is to be distinguished
from the presence for the forty days subsequent to the
resurrection enjoyed by the apostles, as well as from the
presence to establish the kingdom in the world, and also
from the presence at the Advent for judgment at the
End of the Age. This latter is not explicitly referred
to in the commission, but it is implied in the term " End
of the Age," which is elsewhere connected with the Ad
vent to judgment." The spiritual presence of the Mes
siah is to abide with the apostles in their ministry until
the Age has been completed and the Advent for judg
ment has arrived. This commission was given to the
eleven apostles, but it was given them for a world-wide
ministry and a world-long ministry. The commission
does not in itself contemplate a ministry other than
apostolic. It could not do so without transcending the
1 See p. 195. ' See p. 138.

232 THE MESSIAH
sphere of prophecy and entering into the field of history,
If in the development of the world-wide and world-long
ministry it would appear that the apostles must have
successors to carry on their ministry and complete it, the
Messiah, whose presence was promised to them, would
provide for whatever emergency might arise.

CHAPTER VI.
THE MESSIAH OF LUKE.
We have already considered in the previous chapters
the larger portion of the material that we would treat
under this head, if we had to discuss the Messiah of
Luke alone. We have found that Luke has used the
Messianic material of Mark as his principal source. This
material is not original with Luke, it does not belong to
him. He merely used it and edited it for the purposes
of his narrative. All of this material was therefore con
sidered in Chapters III. and IV. under the Messiah of
Mark. We have also seen that Luke used the Messianic
idea of the Aramaic Logia of Matthew. He used the
material and put it in a different form from that in
which it appears in Matthew. He used it for the pur
pose of his narrative. But the material was not original
to Luke. It was Matthew's. Accordingly we have
treated it in Chapter V. in the Messiah of Matthew.
We have left, therefore, only that portion of the Mes
sianic idea of Luke which he derived from other sources
than Mark and the Aramaic Matthew. This is not
great in amount, but it is of considerable importance.
THE SON OF GOD.
§ 47. Jesus in boyhood was conscious of his Messianic
calling as the Son of God, and he made it his aim to do
his Father's will. As he grew in years, he grew in his ap-
(233)

234 THE MESSIAH
prehension of his Messianic calling and in devotion to
it. The story of the boyhood of Jesus reported by Luke
alone, is of great importance for the development of the
Messianic consciousness of Jesus.
And the child grew, and waxed strong, filled with wisdom :
and the grace of God was upon him. And his parents went
every year to Jerusalem at the feast of the passover. And when
he was twelve years old, they went up after the custom of the
feast ; and when they had fulfilled the days, as they were return
ing, the boy Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem ; and his parents
knew it not ; but supposing him to be in the company, they went
a day's journey ; and they sought for him among their kinsfolk
and acquaintance : and when they found him not, they returned
to Jerusalem, seeking for him. And it came to pass, after three
days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the
doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions : and all
that heard him were amazed at his understanding and his an
swers. And when they saw him, they were astonished : and his
mother said unto him, Son, why hast thou thus dealt with usC
behold, thy father and I sought thee sorrowing. And he said
unto them, How is it that ye sought me? knew ye not that I
must be about my Father's business ? And they understood not
the saying which he spake unto them. And he went down with
them, and came to Nazareth ; and he was subject unto them : and
his mother kept all these sayings in her heart. And Jesus ad
vanced in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.
(Luke ii. 40-52.)
There is some difference of opinion as to the render
ing and interpretation of the words of Jesus in this
story. The A. V. renders "about my Father s business,"
which then is to be interpreted as follows. Jesus claims
that he is the son of God, and that he must be about
the work of his Father. This cannot mean that he was
a child of God in the sense that every true Christian is
a child of God ; because that doctrine was revealed for

OF LUKE 235
the first time by Jesus himself subsequent to this event,
and it is based on the doctrine of his Messiahship. It
could hardly mean that he was the son of God in the
theological sense as the second person of the Trinity ;
for that doctrine was not yet revealed, and there is
nothing in the context to suggest it. It means that
Jesus was the Son of God as the Messiah, for the term
Son of God is a well-known name of the Messiah alter
nating with the son of David.1 Jesus here at twelve
years of age makes it known to his parents that he is
assured of his Messianic calling. They knew it, accord
ing to the stories of the infancy of Jesus reported by
Luke, through the testimonies they had received.'1 At
the legal age for his appearance in the temple according
to the traditional Jewish custom, he likewise was con
scious of his Messiahship. As the Messiah he had the
Father's work to do, and what should his parents find
him doing but that work. It was for the present learn
ing from the teachers of Israel what they had to give
him. The R. V., however, renders " in my Father's house!'
This rendering does not change the interpretation so far
as his Messiahship is concerned. In either case he is
the Messianic Son of God. But it modifies the interpre
tation as to the work. According to this translation he
points to the place of his activity rather than to his
work. What place was so appropriate to the Messiah
as the temple of God, where the ministry of Israel cen
tred? This rendering is not suited to the context or
the circumstances. For Jesus asks his parents why they
sought him, and not why they did not seek him there.
It was not a question of place, but a question of seeking
1 See pp. 46, 76. J See pp. 45, seq.

236 THE MESSIAH
him at all, when they ought to have had confidence in
him that he was about his Father's work, wherever he
might be. Furthermore, the temple was the centre of
the priestly ministry. It was also the centre of the Rab
binical education. But it was not on that account the
place where a prophet or the Messiah would necessarily
carry on his ministry. In fact the ministry of the proph
ets was usually apart from the temple. The subse
quent ministry of John the forerunner was in the wil
derness of Judsea and in the valley of the Jordan. The
ministry of Jesus was, according to Luke, chiefly in Gali
lee and Perea. Why then such a stress on the temple
here, so different from the method of Jesus elsewhere in
Luke? The work of the Father in heaven, the business
the Messiah had to do for the Father : that was the ideal
that was now pressing upon the mind of the boy Jesus
and making him such a wonderful pupil of the doctors
of the law.

THE REJECTED PROPHET.
§ 48. Jesus declares himself to be the prophet of the
great prophecy of the exile and is rejected by his townsmen
of Nazareth.
Jesus early in his ministry delivers a discourse in the
synagogue at Nazareth, which is preserved only in the
gospel of Luke. In this he definitely claims to be the
gentle preacher described in the great prophecy of the
exile.1 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up :
and he entered, as his custom was, into the synagogue on the
1 Isa. lxi.

OF LUKE 237
Sabbath day, and stood up to read. And there was delivered
unto him the book of the prophet Isaiah. And he opened the
book, and found the place where it was written, The Spirit of
the Lord is upon me, because he anointed me to preach good
tidings to the poor : he hath sent me to proclaim release to the
captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty
them that are bruised, to proclaim the acceptable year of the
Lord.1 And he closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant,
and sat down : and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fas
tened on him. And he began to say unto them, To-day hath this
scripture been fulfilled in your ears. And all bare him witness,
and wondered at the words of grace which proceeded out of his
mouth. (Luke iv. 16-22.)
This passage from the great prophet of the exile2
graphically describes the work of Jesus. He had been
anointed at his baptism for his public ministry when the
divine Spirit came upon him in the form of a dove to
abide with him.3 His ministry was the preaching of the
gospel of the kingdom to the poor, and the doing mira
cles of mercy. Thus Jesus describes his own ministry,
and these he gave as his credentials to the messenger of
John the Baptist.4 The acceptable year of the Lord
which he proclaimed, was the year of the Advent, the
establishment of the kingdom of God by the Messiah.
Rightly, therefore, Jesus tells the men of Nazareth,
" To-day hath this Scripture been fulfilled in your ears."

1 Isa. Ixi. 1-2. See Briggs' Messianic Prothecy, p. 370 seq. The text has im
portant variations from the LXX. as well as from the Hebrew, due doubtless to
an Aramaic Targum used by Jesus in the synagogue. The people could not
understand the original Hebrew. The passage was first read in Hebrew and
then translated into Aramaic. There was a common traditional rendering
which was followed and which is translated into Greek here.
1 Isa. Ixi. 1-3.
3 See p. 75.
4 See p. 176.

238 THE MESSIAH
THE GUILT OF REJECTING THE GOSPEL.
§ 49. The seventy were commissioned to preach the near
ness of the kingdom. It will be more tolerable for Sodom
and the ancient cities than for those who reject the gospel.
The Holy Spirit will guide the disciples in their ministry,
and they will be successful notwithstanding persecution.
Even Satan will fall as lightning from heaven. All
things have been given by the Father into the hands of the
Messiah who will rtveal the Father to babes. The Mes
siah will acknowledge in the judgment all who confess
him, and will deny these who reject him.
The commission of the seventy and their return, with
its mingled success and failure, give occasion for the
discourse of Jesus in which he sets forth the ministry of
the gospel and the great guilt of rejecting it.
The report of the mission of the seventy is given only
by Luke. But Matthew gives so much of it in connec
tion with the mission of the Twelve and in the subse
quent discourses that it is necessary to compare the two
reports and, so far as possible, ascertain the original say
ings of Jesus.
Now after these things the Lord appointed seventy others, and
sent them two and two before his face into every city and place,
whither he himself was about to come. And he said unto them,
(Luke x. 1.)
The harvest is plenteous, (Luke x. 2, 3.)
But the laborers are few :
Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest,
That he send forth laborers into his harvest.'
Go your ways : behold, I send you forth 8

1 These four lines are given by Luke here. Matt. ix. 37, 38, gives them as a
prelude to the call of the Twelve.
2 Matt. x. 16a, abbreviates by leaving off virdysTE of Luke : it is graphic and
doubtless original.

OF LUKE 239
As lambs in the midst of wolves : '
Be ye therefore wise as serpents, (Matt. x. 16 c, d.)
And harmless as doves.2
Carry no purse, no wallet, no shoes ; (Luke x. 4.)
And salute no man on the way.3
And into whatsoever house ye shall enter, (Luke x. 5, 6.)
First say, Peace to this house.4
And if a son of peace be there,6
Your peace shall rest upon him : 6
But if it be not worthy, (Matt. x. 13 .c, d.)
Your peace shall turn to you again.1
And in that same house remain, (Luke x. 7_II0
Eating and drinking such things as they give :
For the labourer is worthy of his hire.
Go not from house to house.8
And into whatsoever city ye enter,
And they receive you,
Eat such things as are set before you :
And heal the sick that are therein,
And say unto them,
The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.
But into whatsoever city ye shall enter,
And they receive you not,
Go out into the streets thereof and say,
Even the dust which cleaveth on us from your city.

1 In Luke, verse 3*, "lambs" is preferable to the "sheep" of Matt., verse
iba. > These two lines only in Matthew.
3 These two lines in Luke. But see Matt. *. 9, 10, p. 183.
* These two lines of Luke have been contracted in Matt., verse 12.
» This orientalism of Luke has been weakened into q oinia df la in Matthew
13a, possibly in antithesis to verse 13c
• Matthew, verse 13*, gives eWotu for E-Kavairar]CETai of Luke.
' Luke, verse 6c, is evidently a contraction of two lines in antithesis to the pre
vious couplet. We use Matthew's couplet for lack of a better, save tha* for
consistency we use the dvaKa/iipEi. of Luke in preference to the Eiaarpa^Tu of
Matthew. 8 These four lines are given only by Luke.

240 THE MESSIAH
That which cleaveth to our feet we do wipe off against
you : '
Howbeit know this,
That the kingdom of God is come nigh.
Verily I say unto you,2 (Matt. x. 15.)
It will be more tolerable in that day
For the land of Sodom and Gomorrah than for that city.3
Woe unto thee, Chorazin ! 4 (Luke x. 13.)
Woe unto thee, Bethsaida !
For if in Tyre and Sidon had been done,
The mighty works which were done in you,
Long ago would they have repented,
Sitting in sackcloth and ashes.
Howbeit I say unto you,5 (Matt. xi. 22a.)
It will be more tolerable in the judgment,6 (Luke x. 14, 1 5.)
For Tyre and Sidon than for you.1
And thou, Capernaum,
Shalt thou be exalted unto heaven ?
Thou shalt be brought down unto Hades.8

1 The best MSS. followed by the R. V. give Fir rove irbSac before the verb.
It is impossible to attach this to the previous line. It makes it too long. It is
needed with the verb to make up the couplet. I render it as I think it stood
originally in the Aramaic. The translation into Greek has here, and not unfre
quently elsewhere, obscured the poetry and made a single sentence out of tie
two of the original poetry.
s Matthew's complete line, verse 15a, is preferable to the shortened phrase of
Luke, verse 12a.
' The fuller " land of Sodom and Gomorrah " of Matthew is preferable to the
shortened " Sodom" of Luke, verse 12b. The arrangement of words differs in
the evangelists. I arrange them as the parallelism of the poetry would probably
be in the original. It is doubtful whether " that day " of Luke, referring to the
day of the kingdom, is to be preferred to " day of judgment " of Matthew.
* Matthew gives an explanatory statement here.
" Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works were
done because they repented not." (xi. 20.)
» Matthew gives a complete line; Luke, verse 14a, only wAijv.
•It is probable that " judgment " of Luke, verse 14b, is to be preferred to
" day of judgment" of Matthew. See above note (s).
7 There is a remarkable closeness in agreement between the evangelists in these
nine lines.
9 Matthew, verse 23, is the same in these three lines.

OF LUKE 241
For if in Sodom had been done, (Matt. xi. 2$d, 24.)
The mighty works which were done in thee,
It would have remained until this day.
Howbeit I say unto you,
It will be more tolerable in the judgment,1
For the land of Sodom than for thee.2
He that receiveth you receiveth me,3 (Matt. x. 40a.)
And he that rejecteth you rejecteth me ; (Luke x. 16b)
And he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me,
(Matt. x. 40*.)
And he that rejecteth me rejecteth him that sent me.4
(Luke x. 1 6c.)
He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet
Shall receive a prophet's reward ; (Matt. x. 41, 42.)
And he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a
righteous man
Shall receive a righteous man's reward.
And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these
little ones
A cup of cold water only, in the name of a disciple,
Verily I say unto you,
He shall in no wise lose his reward.5
It is uncertain whether the sentences peculiar to
Matthew have not been added because of the simi
larity of topic from a different occasion. But if this be
so we have no means of determining the occasion when
they were delivered. The evangelist gives them an ap
propriate topical place and we may consider them here.
This section of the discourse pronounces woes upon
Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum, the favoured cities
of Palestine, for their rejection of the Messiah, and de-

> Luke has not this line, but consistency requires that "judgment" should be
here for the " day of judgment " which Matthew uses throughout.
1 These six lines are given only by Matthew.
3 The " receiveth " of Matthew is more suited to the context than the " heareth"
of Luke, verse 163.
4 Luke, verse 16b, c, has lines 2 and 4 : Matthew x. 40, lines 1 and 3.
6 These eight lines are given only by Matthew.

242 THE MESSIAH
clares that it will be more tolerable for Tyre, Sidon, and
Sodom in the judgment day than for them. There are
degrees of guilt and of condemnation even in the final
?Messianic judgment. The worst guilt is the guilt of
rejecting the gospel.
The Seventy go forth with this commission, knowing
that they bear with them the presence of the Messiah
and the power of God. Those who reject them reject
the Messiah and also reject the God of Israel.
Luke alone gives an account of the return of the Sev
enty and their joy in their victory over the demons.
This rejoices the heart of Jesus, and he sees before him
his great enemy Satan, the prince of the demons, no
longer in his authority over the host of evil, but falling
like a thunderbolt from heaven.
And the seventy returned with joy, saying, Lord, even the
demons are subject unto us in thy name. And he said unto them,
I beheld Satan fallen as lightning from heaven. Behold, I have
given you authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and
over all the power of the enemy : and nothing shall in any wise
hurt you. Howbeit in this rejoice not, that the spirits are sub
ject unto you ; but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.
(Luke x. 17-20.)
Jesus here thinks of Satan as having access to heaven ; '
but that privilege is about to be taken from him. He
is to be defeated and cast down from heaven. The suc
cess of his ministers rejoices the Messiah. Luke and
Matthew give essentially the same additional sayings of
Jesus in this connection.2 In that same hour Jesus said,3
I thank thee, O Father,
1 So Job i.-ii. 3 Matthew xi. 25-27 ; Luke x. 21, 22.
• Luke inserts, according to his conception of the Holy Spirit abiding with
Jesus, " he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and " before "said" Matthew prefixes
"answered." Matthew uses "season" for the more graphic "hour" of the
original as given in Luke.

OF LUKE 243
Lord of heaven and earth,
That thou didst hide these things from the wise and
understanding,
And didst reveal them unto babes : £
Yea, Father,
For so it was well pleasing in thy sight.
All things have been delivered unto me of my Father :
And no one knoweth the Son,1 save the Father ;
Neither doth any know the Father, save the Son,
And he to whomsoever the Son willeth to reveal him.
In this passage the Messiah tells his disciples that the
Father had given all things into his hands. The Father
can only be known through the revelation made of him
by the Son. The Son is the revealer of the Father.
The wise and understanding, the scribes and Pharisees,
do not understand this. But the babes, who desire to
learn, receive the revelation of the Father through the
Son. Jesus is here thinking of his sonship as the Messianic
king ; but he advances in his consciousness of sonship
far beyond anything given in the Old Testament proph
ecy as to the Son of God, the king. He conceives of an
intimacy with God which is unique, and which has to do
not only with the dominion of the king and the revela
tion by the prophet, but also with a personal acquaint
ance with God in this relation of sonship, which is the
synthesis of prophecy and royalty in a more fundamental
personal relation.2
The day ' Dng waited for by the prophets and kings of
the Old Testament has come. The Messiah has ap-

1 The reading of Matthew is simpler and to be preferred. Luke's tIc ebtiv
6 vibe ; tic ebtiv 6 7rari7p— limits and explains the meaning of Jesus here.
3 Wendt, Lehre Jesu, ii., s. 429 ; Beyschlag, Neutestamentliche Theologie,
i., s. 75.

244 THE MESSIAH
peared, to be rejected by the sages of Israel, but to be
received by the babes.
And turning to the disciples, he said privately,
Blessed are the eyes which see the things that ye see :
For I say unto you, that many prophets and kings desired,
To see the things which ye see, and saw them not ;
And to hear the things which ye hear, and heard them not.1
(Luke x. 23, 24 )
Luke has used this saying here because it was appro
priate to his topic, and we may do the same. It is a
brief but strong statement of the exceeding great privi
leges of the Messianic age and of the presence of the
Messiah. The humblest hearers of the Messiah were to
be envied by prophets and kings of the old dispensation.
THE INVISIBLE KINGDOM.
§ 50. The kingdom came without being observed. It
was already among the people of Israel in the times of
Jesus, in the Messiah and his disciples.
The gospel of Luke gives a discourse of Jesus that
emphasizes the inner spiritual nature of the kingdom
with more plainness than any we have found in Mark or
Matthew, and distinguishes a kingdom as actually pres
ent during the ministry of the Lord himself.
And being asked by the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God
cometh, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God
cometh not with observation : neither shall they say, Lo, here !
or There ! for lo, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you.
(Luke xvii. 20, 21.)
This passage teaches the Pharisees that the kingdom

1 Matt. xiii. 16-17 gives essentially these words on another occasion in con
nection with the parable of the sower.

OF LUKE 245
of God comes without those external, visible, and extra
ordinary signs which they were expecting and craving.
It was not a kingdom to be seen or to be detected by
the closest external watching and scrutiny. In its origin
and in its progress it would be invisible. The invisibil
ity of the kingdom is brought out in the contrast of the
words " in the midst of you." It is thought by many
that this teaches that the kingdom of God is " within
you "; that is, in vour hearts, in the secret recesses of
your spiritual nature. This is in accord with the teach
ing of Jesus as to the spiritual nature of his kingdom in
the parables of the kingdom. But it does not seem ap
propriate to the context. Jesus would hardly say to his
Pharisaic questioners and tempters, " The kingdom of
God is within you." Pfleiderer and Weiffenbach, who
accept that explanation, think that he was speaking to
his disciples and not to the Pharisees ; but there is no
evidence of a change of address. It is better therefore
to follow the margin of the R. V. and think of the king
dom of God as " in the midst of you "; that is, in the un
recognized Messianic king and in his believing disciples
who have entered the kingdom by their childlike faith
in him.1 The kingdom was already among them in the
land of Israel; in an unorganized condition, it is true,
because the Messiah had not yet ascended his throne,
and his apostles had not yet been installed in their
offices ; but the essential elements of the kingdom were
there in its Messianic king and in the foundations, the
apostles, upon which it was soon to be built.

1 See Vincent, Word Studies, I., p. 40T, who cites with approval Trench after
Meyer, " The whole language of the kingdom of heaven being within men, rather
than men being within the kingdom, is modern." Also Weiss, Bib. Theologie
N. T., s. 49 ; Wendt, Lehre Jesu, ii. 295 ; Beyschlag, Neutest. Theologie, i.,
s. 48 ; Adeney, Theology of New Test., p. 23.

246

THE MESSIAH

THE LESSER APOCALYPSE OF JESUS.
§ 51. The Advent of the Messiah for judgment will be
like a flash of lightning, as unexpected as the deluge and
the destruction of Sodom, when there will be a separation of
the closest relatives.
The gospel of Matthew ' combines material which is
separated by Luke and assigned to two different occa
sions. It is evident that Luke is correct, for the separa
tion makes the discourses much more intelligible, and
the one becomes a preparation for the other. Mark
gives only a little bit of the first discourse of Luke and
agrees with Matthew in combining it with the second.
The separation enables us to distinguish two apoca
lypses of Jesus, the lesser and the greater. In both
of these Jesus builds on the discourses already consid
ered and on the Apocalypses of the Old Testament.

(a) Mark xiii. 21-23.
And then if any man shall
say unto you, Lo, here is the
Messiah ; or Lo, there ; believe
it not : for there shall arise
false Messiahs and false proph
ets, and shall shew signs and
wonders, that they may lead
astray, if possible, the elect.
But take ye heed : behold, I
have told you all things before
hand.3 (b) Luke xvii. 22-25.
And he said unto the disci
ples, The days will come, when
ye shall desire to see one of the

Matt. xxiv. 23-25.
Then if any man shall say
unto you, Lo, here is the Mes
siah, or Here; believe it not.
For there shall arise false Mes
siahs, and false prophets, and
shall shew great signs and won
ders ; so as to lead astray, if
possible, even the elect. Be
hold, I have told you befoie-
hand.

Matt. xxiv. 26, 27.
If therefore they shall say
unto you, Behold, he is in the
wilderness ; go not forth : Be-

1 xxiv.
3 It would appear that a is only a variation of b. Mark has attached it to the
Apocalypse of Jesus. Luke derived his version from the Logia of Matthew. Our
Matthew then using both sources combines the two versions and uses them both.

OF LUKE

247

days of the Son of Man, and ye
shall not see it. And they shall
say to you, Lo, there ! Lo,
here ! go not away, nor follow
after them : for as the lightning,
when it lighteneth out of the
one part under the heaven,
shineth unto the other part
under heaven ; so shall the
Son of Man be in his day.
But first must he suffer many
things and be rejected of this
generation. Luke xvii. 26-37.
And as it came to pass in thr
days of Noah, even so shall it
be also in the days of the Son
of Man. They ate, they drank,
they married, they were given
in marriage, until the day that
Noah entered into the ark, and
the flood came, and destroyed
them all. Likewise even as it
came to pass in the days of Lot ;
they ate, they drank, they
bought, they sold, they planted,
they builded ; but in the day
that Lot went out from Sodom
it rained fire and brimstone
from heaven, and destroyed
them all : after the same man
ner shall it be in the day that
the Son of Man is revealed.
In that day, he who shall be
on the housetop, and his goods
in the house, let him not go
down to take them away : and
let him that is in the field like
wise not return back. Remem
ber Lot's wife. Whosoever
shall seek to gain his life shall
Jose it: but whosoever shall
lose his life shall preserve it.
I say unto you, In that night
there shall be two men on one
bed ; the one shall be taken,
and the other shall be left.

hold, he is in the inner cham
bers ; believe it not. For as
the lightning cometh forth
from the east, and is seen even
unto the west ; so shall be the
coming of the Son of Man.

Matt. xxiv. 37-39.
And as were the days of
Noah, so shall be the coming
of the Son of Man. For as in
those days which were before
the flood they were eating and
drinking, marrying and giving
in marriage, until the day that
Noah entered into the ark, and
they knew not until the flood
came, and took them all away ;
so shall be the coming of the
Son of Man.

Matt. xxiv. 40, 41.
Then shall two men be in the
field ; one is. taken, and one is
left : two women shall be grind-

248 THE MESSIAH

There shall be two women
grinding together; the one
shall be taken, and the other
shall be left.
And they answering say unto
him, Where, Lord ? And he
said unto them, Where the
body is, thither will the vul
tures also be gathered together.

ing at the mill ; one is taken
and one is left.

Matt. xxiv. 28.
Wheresoever the carcass is,
there will the vultures be gath
ered together.
The introduction to the discourse, given by Luke
only, is an appropriate one. It would be omitted from
necessity in the combination of this apocalypse with the
other in Matthew and Mark. The Son of Man is soon
to leave his disciples and remain absent from them for a
season. In the time of his absence and his expected
return there will be grave peril from false Messiahs.
These will, as the false prophets predicted in Deuteron
omy,1 work miracles, so as to deceive even the elect.
They will appear in the wilderness as Moses and Elias,
with the claim that they will, in the same manner, lead
Israel to the conquest of the land. They will appear in
a secret place in the house as a sort of sanctum sancto
rum. The Messiah is not to appear in any such fashion.
His first advent was in secret, and the kingdom came
without observation ; but the second Advent is to be of
an entirely different character. It is to be with obser
vation, so that all may see it. It will be like a flash of
lightning, lighting up the whole face of the heaven.
In view of such an advent as this the disciples need
never be deceived.
The first advent is to end with the sufferings and re
jection of the Messiah by the generation to which he
came. The second Advent is to be an advent in judg
ment like the deluge and the destruction of Sodom ; in
which there will be a selection of the elect and a separa-
1 Deut. xiii. 1-5.

OF LUKE 249
tion of the most intimate relatives. And this will be in
the most open and visible manner, in a blaze of light
ning. THE SHINING FORTH OF THE KINGDOM.
§ 52. The kingdom is not immediately to shine forth.
The king is to go into a far country to take the kingdom
to himself and to return. Then he will reward the faith
ful in accordance with the measure of their fidelity, and
destroy the unfaithful.
Luke gives the historical occasion for the prophecy
respecting the departure and return of Jesus. He illus
trates it by a parable. The parable of the Pounds' re
sembles the parable of the Talents given by Matthew,2
in many respects, so that some critics think they are two
versions of the same parable. But there are also strik
ing differences, which seem to require that they should
receive different treatment.
And as they heard these things, he added and spake a parable,
because he was nigh to Jerusalem, and because they supposed
that the kingdom of God was immediately to appear. He said
therefore, A certain nobleman went into a far country, to receive
for himself a kingdom, and to return. And he called ten ser
vants of his, and gave them ten pounds, and said unto them,
Trade ye here with till I come. But his citizens hated him, and
sent an ambassage after him, saying, We will not that this man
reign over us. And it came to pass, when he was come back
again, having received the kingdom, that he commanded these
servants, unto whom he had given the money, to be called to
him, that he might know what they had gained by trading. And
the first came before him, saying, Lord, thy pound hath made
ten pounds more. And he said unto him, Well done, thou good
servant: because thou wast found faithful in a very little, have

1 xix. 11-27. 3 xxv., see p. 224.

250 THE MESSIAH
thou authority over ten cities. And the second came, saying,
Thy pound, Lord, hath made five pounds. And he said unto
him also, Be thou also over five cities. And another came, say
ing, Lord, behold, here is thy pound, which I kept laid up in a
napkin : for I feared thee, because thou art an austere man : thou
takest up that thou layedst not down, and reapest that thou didst
not sow. He saith unto him, Out of thine own mouth will I
judge thee, thou wicked servant. Thou knewest that I am an
austere man, taking up that I laid not down, and reaping that I
did not sow ; then wherefore gavest thou not my money into the
bank, and I at my coming should have required it with interest ?
And he said unto them that stood by, Take away from him the
pound, and give it unto him that hath the ten pounds. And
they said unto him. Lord, he hath ten pounds. I say unto you,
that unto every one that hath shall be given ; but from him that
hath not, even that which he hath shall be taken away from
him. Howbeit these mine enemies, which would not that I
should reign over them, bring hither, and slay them before me.
(Luke xix. 1 1-27.)
In this parable Jesus corrects his disciples who had
the opinion, based on several of his discourses, that the
kingdom of God was immediately to shine forth. The
manifestation, or shining forth of the kingdom of glory,
was not at hand, as they supposed. The kingdom that
was at hand, that was among them, was a kingdom of
grace, a kingdom without external marks of observa
tion. This distinction the disciples had not yet learned.
The kingdom of glory was the culmination and resultant
of the kingdom of grace, as was taught in the parables
of the kingdom. Jesus here points to the distant future
for the realization of the kingdom of glory. The king
is not yet enthroned. He is to go into a far country to
take to himself the kingdom. There he is to be en
throned. This far country, as the subsequent events
show, is heaven, the presence of the Father, who is to
enthrone the Messiah at his right hand. But the Mes-

OF LUKE 251
siah is to return for judgment. During his absence his
servants, in his kingdom of grace, have their respective
trusts. They will be judged at his advent in accordance
with their fidelity to these trusts. There are two classes
of subjects that are brought out by the tests of the judg
ment, the faithful and the unfaithful. There are also
two classes of the faithful who receive their rewards in
proportion to their fidelity and gains. The one unfaith
ful and rebellious man represents the rebellious citizens
who are deprived of all their trusts and slain.
THE WOES OF JERUSALEM.
§ S3- Jerusalem will be besieged and utterly destroyed,
because she did not know the time of her visitation by
the Messiah. Then will woes come upon women and chil
dren so dreadful that they will long for convulsions of
nature to destroy them.
Luke gives us a brief saying of Jesus which was
spoken in connection with his Messianic entry into Jeru
salem, when with deep sorrow of heart he utters this
touching prediction:
And when he drew nigh, he saw the city and wept over it, say
ing. If thou hadst known in this day, even thou, the things
which belong unto peace ! but now they are hid from thine eyes.
For the days shall come upon thee, when thine enemies shall
cast up a bank about thee, and compass thee round, and keep
thee in on every side, and shall dash thee to the ground, and thy
children within thee ; and they shall not leave in thee one stone
upon another ; because thou knewest not the time of thy visita
tion. (Luke xix. 41-44.)
Looking down upon the temple and the city in all its
beauty and magnificence from the ridge of Olivet, before
descending into the valley of the Kedron, Jesus saw, in

052 THE MESSIAH
prophetic vision, the city besieged by the Romans, its
inhabitants shut in on every side, the city captured, the
people slain, and the city so utterly destroyed that not
one stone was left in its place. The people had not
recognized their great opportunity. The Messiah visited
them to redeem them, and they rejected him and were
about to put him to death. The crucifixion of the
rejected Messiah involved, in a few brief years, the utter
ruin of Jerusalem.
A similar lament was made on the way to the cruci
fixion. And there followed him a great multitude of the people, and
of women who bewailed and lamented him. But Jesus turning
unto them said, Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but
weep for yourselves, and for your children. For behold, the
days are coming, in which they shall say, Blessed are the barren,
and the wombs that never bare, and the breasts that never gave
suck. Then shall they begin to say to the mountains, Fall on
us ; and to the hills, Cover us. For if they do these things in
the green tree, what shall be done in the dry ? (Luke xxiii. 27-
3L) The lamentations of the women of Jerusalem over the
sorrow of the Messiah are heralds of still greater lamen
tations of these women over their children, their city
and themselves. All these passages set forth the im
pending woes of Jerusalem, when the penalties of the
rejection of the Messiah would come upon the genera
tion that rejected him, so far as this world and this life
are concerned. THE RISEN MESSIAH.
§ 54. The Christophanies of the resurrection and ascen
sion fulfil the predictions of Jesus and prove him to be the
ever-living Messiah.
Once during his life, on the Mount of Transfiguration,

OF LUKE 253
Jesus let the light of his glory shine forth in Chris-
tophany to three chosen disciples. In his resurrection
Christophanies were multiplied. Several of these are
reported by Luke.
(i) Jesus manifested himself to two disciples at Em-
maus.1 They did not recognize him until he manifested
himself to them in the breaking of bread. Then he van
ished from their sight.
(2) Jesus also manifested himself to Peter," but no
details are given with reference to this event.
(3) Jesus appeared in the evening to the assembled
disciples, including ten apostles, the two from Emmaus
and others with them." From the parallel passages it
would appear that Jesus suddenly manifested himself
and then suddenly vanished without regard to the ob
structions of doors and walls. It is also stated that he
showed them his flesh and bones, the wounds in his
hands and feet, and that he ate fish with them, showing
that it was the same Jesus with the same body that was
crucified and buried.
(4) Jesus manifested himself to his disciples over
against Bethany. Here, having blessed them, he was
parted from them and carried up into heaven.' The
Appendix to Mark tells us that he was received up into
heaven and sat down on the right hand of God." Luke
in the Book of Acts" reports that " He was taken up
and a cloud received him out of their sight." These
four manifestations of the risen Messiah are only speci
mens of many more such manifestations. There are ten
1 Luke xxiv. 13-35 => Mark xvi. 12, 13.
3 Luke xxiv. 34 = 1 Cor. xv. 5.
' Luke xxiv. 33-43 = Mark xvi. 14-18 =John xx. 19-24.
* Luke xxiv. S°~53.
" Mark xvi. 19, 20.
• Acts i. 9.

254 THE MESSIAH
manifestations recorded in the gospels and epistles. But
we have no reason to suppose that these exhaust the
number. For, as Luke tells us, he " shewed himself
alive after his passion by many proofs, appearing unto
them by the space of forty days, and speaking the things
concerning the kingdom of God." * These manifesta
tions are all Christophanies or shinings forth of Messi
anic glory. In them the Messiah gave the sign and evi
dence of his Messiahship, a more wonderful sign than
the descent from heaven in a cloud, or descent from the
cross that the Pharisees and people demanded of him.
To this sign he had referred them in the symbol of
Jonah,2 and in his predictions of his death and resurrec
tion.3 The rising from the grave and from Hades, the
living for forty days in the world, manifesting himself
to his disciples so that they might testify of his resurrect
tion, and then ascending to heaven on the clouds — these
were Christophanies which transcended all the predic
tions of the Old Testament prophets, and even the pre
dictions of Jesus himself.
THE POWER FROM ON HIGH.
§ 55. Jesus explained to his disciples that his life, death,
resurrection, and ascension were in fulfilment of the Mes
sianic ideals of the Old Testament. He referred to the
advent of the divine Spirit as the time for the inaugura
tion of the kingdom in the world ; but warned them that
the times of the kingdom are exclusively in the authority
of the Father.
Jesus before departing from his disciples gave them a
commission to preach the gospel to all nations. This is
1 Acts i. 3. 3 See p. 186. » See p. 94.

OF LUKE 255
more general than that given in Matthew, and it is set
in the midst of an exposition of the predictions of the
Old Testament. It gives a final prediction of the
power that was to come upon them in the advent of the
Spirit. And he said unto them, These are my words which I spake
unto you, while I was yet with you, how that all things must
needs be fulfilled, which are written in the law of Moses, and the
prophets, and the psalms, concerning me. Then opened he their
mind, that they might understand the scriptures ; and he said
unto them, Thus it is written, that the Messiah should suffer,
and rise again from the dead the third day ; and that repentance
and remission of sins should be preached in his name unto all
the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. Ye are witnesses of these
things. And behold, I send forth the promise of my Father upon
you : but tarry ye in the city, until ye be clothed with power from
on high. (Luke xxiv. 44-49.)
The interpretation of the prophecies of the Old Tes
tament by the life of Jesus we shall consider later on.
We confine ourselves here to the commission and the
prediction. The commission is to all nations, but it is
added that the ministry must begin at Jerusalem. Jeru
salem is the beginning, but it is only the beginning of a
world-wide ministry. The gospel call is summed up in
the two words, repentance and remission of sins. The
preaching has as its parallel, witnessing, namely, to the
Messiah and his instruction. Luke adds a very import
ant statement, which sheds light upon the commission
and also upon other predictions of Jesus. The apostles
were not to begin their ministry at once, but they were
to wait until they had been clothed with power from on
high, to enable them to minister. This power is the
promise of the heavenly Father unto them, and they are
to wait in Jerusalem for its bestowal. This advent of
power from on high, to enable them to exercise their

256 THE MESSIAH
ministry, is therefore connected with a spiritual advent
of Jesus himself, who had promised to be with them in
the exercise of their ministry from the beginning of it
until the end of the gospel age.1
In accordance with the promises of Jesus, the apostles
anticipate that the kingdom will be established in a very
short time. After the resurrection of Jesus and immedi
ately before his ascension,
They therefore, when they were come together, asked him, say
ing. Lord, dost thou at this time restore the kingdom to Israel ?
And he said unto them, It is not for you to know times and
seasons, which the Father hath set within his own authority.
But ye shall receive power, when the Holy Spirit is come upon
you : and ye shall be my witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all
Judaea and Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
(Acts i. 6-8.)
The apostles did not yet understand the doctrine of
the kingdom or the time of its establishment. They
could not understand these things until they received
the endowment of the Holy Spirit, who alone could in
terpret the predictions by the events. For this they
were to wait in Jerusalem, and then, when they had
been endowed with the Spirit, they would understand
the doctrine of the Messiah and his kingdom ; at least
so far as to begin their apostolic ministry. Thus the
establishment of the kingdom of God is finally referred
by Jesus definitely to the Pentecostal gift of the Holy
Spirit. i See p. 229.

CHAPTER VII.
THE MESSIAH OF JOHN.
THE Gospel of John gives us a Messianic ideal that is
beyond the conceptions of the synoptic evangelists, and
which may be summed up under the title, the Messiah
from heaven. We have already studied those few Mes
sianic passages of John which are parallel with the
synoptists. But the great body of the Gospel of John
stands apart by itself as unique.1 The conception of the
Messiah from heaven is more speculative and theological
than any of the conceptions given in the synoptists.
There is little preparation for it in them or in the proph
ecy of the Old Testament. There are indeed more par
allels with it in the pseudepigrapha.
THE MESSIAH IN GLORY.
§ 56. Jesus accepts the recognition of his Messiahship by
his disciples, but declines to exercise his royal authority
during his earthly ministry. He predicts a second Advent
when he will be seen surrounded by angels and enthroned
in glory.
Jesus was recognized as the Messianic king by his

1 This chapter abstains from using the Prologue of the Gospel of John and
also several other portions which clearly give the Messianic idea of John rather
than of Jesus. These passages will be considered in the volume, The Messiah of
the Apostles, now in press and soon to be published. (257)

258 THE MESSIAH
disciples, according to the synoptists, on many occasions
during the progress of his ministry. The transfiguration,
however, is the occasion on which that recognition first
becomes clear and definite. The Gospel of John repre
sents the earlier groups of the apostles as hearing the
testimony of the Baptist, and following that testimony
in the recognition of Jesus as the Messiah. Jesus accepts
their testimony and their recognition. From the begin
ning, therefore, in the most intimate circle of the apos
tles, according to John, there was the understanding be
tween the Master and his disciples that he was the Mes
sianic king.
One of the two that heard John speak, and followed him, was
Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. He findeth first his own brother
Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messiah (which
is, being interpreted, Christ). He brought him unto Jesus. Jesus
looked upon him, and said, Thou art Simon the son of John :
thou shalt be called Cephas (which is, by interpretation, Peter).
On the morrow he was minded to go forth into Galilee, and he
findeth Philip: and Jesus saith unto him. Follow me. Now
Philip was from Bethsaida, of the city of Andrew and Peter.
Fhilip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found
him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write,
Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph. And Nathanael said unto
him, Can any good thing come out of Nazareth ? Philip saith
unto him, Come and see. Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him,
and saith of him, Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no
guile ! Nathanael saith unto him. Whence knowest thou me ?
Jesus answered and said unto him, Before Philip called thee,
when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee. Nathanael an
swered him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God ; thou art King of
Israel. Jesus answered and said unto him, Because I said unto
thee, I saw thee underneath the fig tree, believest thou ? thou
shalt see greater things than these. And he saith unto him.
Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye shall see the heaven opened,
and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son
of Man. (John i. 40-51.)

OF JOHN 259
In the last verse Jesus gives a prediction to Nathanael.
He accepts his recognition that he is the Messianic king,
the Son of God, of the Davidic promise. But he points
him to the future for the enthronement. The Messiah
has come, not as an enthroned king, but as a king whose
enthronement is in prospect. As David was anointed
and solemnly set apart to a kingdom whose throne he
was to obtain only after a period full of uncertainties,
perils, and sufferings, so was it to be with his son the
Messiah. The enthronement, however, is not conceived
after the manner of the kingdoms of the world, or even
after the model of the kingdom of David, of the history
and prophecy of the Old Testament. The ministers of
the Messiah's throne are the angels who ascend and
descend from heaven to wait upon him. Thus, at the
outset, in the first of his predictions, according to John,
the Messiah's throne is a heavenly throne encompassed
by ministering angels.
THE SIGN OF THE NEW TEMPLE.
§ 57. Jesus predicts that the temple zvill be destroyed
and that he will raise it up on the third day.
Jesus, according to the Gospel of John, begins his
public ministry in Jerusalem at the passover feast by a
sublime act of cleansing the temple from the traders who
were defiling its courts. This event is given also by the
synoptists, but is placed by them at the last passover of
Jesus. They know of only this one passover feast of
Jesus during his ministry, and it is thought by Weiss,
Beyschlag and others, that they, therefore, all depending
on the original Mark, give it there ; but that it really
belongs where John has placed it, at the beginning of
the ministry. And yet it is so appropriate to the course

260 THE MESSIAH
of events in its place in the synoptists that many critics
suppose that John has given it in the wrong place. It
is improbable that Jesus would have repeated the act.
But we may leave this question undecided, for the evan
gelist John alone gives the prophetic words which con
cern us here. The importance of this act of Jesus,
whenever precisely it occurred, is clear from the fact
that these prophetic words were cited against him in a
perverted form by false witnesses at his trial before the
Sanhedrin. The simplicity of the sign, the lack of ex
planation at the time, and the fact that neither his disci
ples nor the Pharisees could possibly have understood
its meaning at its utterance, favor the opinion that this
is the first of the signs that set forth the death and
resurrection of Jesus.
The Jews therefore answered and said unto him, What sign
shewest thou unto us, seeing that thou doest these things ?
Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in
three days I will raise it up. The Jews therefore said, Forty and
six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou raise it up in
three days ? But he spake of the temple of his body. When
therefore he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered
that he spake this ; and they believed the scripture, and the word
which Jesus had said. (John ii. 18-22.)
In this grand scene in which Jesus displays the wrath
of the Messiah against the spoilers of the temple, the
disciples aptly see the zealous servant of the Psalter.1
The Jews demand of him a sign of his Messianic author
ity. What they want is some sign from heaven. But
he declines to give them such a sign at present. He
points them forward to his resurrection as the true Mes
sianic sign. He veils it in a symbol which they could
not understand until the event itself had transpired. He
' Psalm Ixix. 9. See Briggs, Mess. Proph., p. 330 seq.

OF JOHN 261
represents himself as the temple of God, and challenges
them to destroy the temple, predicting that in three
days he will raise it up. The people thought that he
referred to the temple buildings of Jerusalem, and it was
not until his resurrection that the apostles understood
that he spake of himself. In this symbol of the temple
we have veiled one of the most important phases of the
Messianic idea of the Old Testament.1 Jesus was the
true temple of God, of which the temple at Jerusalem
was a shadow. The true temple would be rejected by
those who glorified the shadow. But it would be raised
up again with the resurrection of Jesus and ever after
remain the temple of God.
THE KINGDOM OF THE HEAVEN-BORN.
§ 58. The kingdom of God is not to be seen or entered
except by those who have been born from heaven by the
divine Spirit and by baptism with water.
In his discourse with Nicodemus Jesus gave a pro
found utterance with reference to the doctrine of the
kingdom of God.
Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto
thee, Except a man be born from above, he cannot see the king
dom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be
born when he is old ? Can he enter a second time into his
mother's womb, and be born ? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I
say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and the Spirit, he
cannot enter into the kingdom of God. (John iii. 3-5.)
In our study of the Messianic idea of the synoptists,
we have seen that the kingdom of God is, in its initia
tion, an invisible kingdom, and that it only gradually
comes into manifestation.2 We have seen that in the

See Briggs, Mess. Prtph., p. 479 seq. ! See p. 244.

262 THE MESSIAH
visible kingdom, as it appears in this world, there are
tares mingled with the wheat, and bad fish mixed in the
same net with the good ; and that the separation cannot
take place until the judgment divides the kingdom of
grace from the kingdom of glory.1 We have also seen
that into the invisible kingdom, the spiritual kingdom,
only those who become poor and childlike can enter.2
The words of Jesus to Nicodemus set forth this doc
trine with still greater profundity. The kingdom of
God here is a present kingdom. It is therefore the
kingdom of grace that Jesus has in mind. But this
kingdom of grace is invisible to the eye of man. It
cannot be entered by any human instrumentality. A
birth is necessary because it is the entrance upon a new,
a higher, a spiritual, a heavenly, an eternal life. Such a
life comes from heaven and from God. It is imparted
by the divine Spirit. Born of God through the quick
ening of the Spirit of God, the eye is opened to see the
kingdom and the ability is given to enter its gates. The
regeneration here would then be only a parallel expres
sion to becoming poor and childlike, in the synoptists.
The difficulty in this passage is in the word " born of
water." It is disputed whether this refers to the water
of baptism, or whether water is anything more than the
Old Testament symbol of the pouring out of the divine
Spirit.3 The oldest and most natural interpretation is
to refer the water to the water of baptism. John the
Baptist had made this institution the means of prepara
tion for the kingdom of God. Jesus himself and his
apostles had all been baptized with water. Jesus in the
apostolic commission gives baptism and faith as require
ments for salvation.4

1 See p. 206. a See p. 101.
3 See Briggs, Mess. Proph., p. 488 ; Weiss, Bib. Theo., s. 68i. * See p. 229.

OF JOHN 263
As faith and baptism go together in the preaching of
the gospel of the kingdom, we would expect that, from
the divine side of the initiation into the kingdom, the
work of the Holy Spirit and baptism would be associated.1
The regeneration of this passage is a double one, by
water and by Spirit.2 Both are necessary in order to
enter the kingdom of God, just as faith and baptism are
necessary to salvation in accordance with the great com
mission. Water alone does not regenerate or admit to
the kingdom. Such a baptism may admit to the visible
kingdom as an external organization, but no more. Bad
fish may pass through the waters of baptism as well as
good fish. Tares may enjoy the watering of the minis
try as well as the wheat. If there be such an identifica
tion of baptism by water with baptism by the Spirit,
that the water conveys magical grace and works ex opere
operato, then it may be held that the admission into the
kingdom of the Church is made when the ceremony of
baptism by water is celebrated, and that the regenera
tion by the Spirit then takes place. But such an identi
fication is certainly not taught in our passage.
The teaching of Jesus here admits of a doctrine of

i It is true that this interpretation finds the doctrine of baptismal regeneration
in this passage, a doctrine which has become unpopular in British and American
theology since the rise of Methodism in the 18th century. On the other hand
baptismal regeneration is a doctrine common to all the great Churches of the
Reformation as well as to the ancient Churches of Rome and of Greece. It was
held by the Puritan divines of the 17th century no less than by the Anglicans.
The great Awakening called Methodism with its emphasis upon regeneration in
connection with religious Revivals and Awakenings, brought baptismal regener
ation into discredit with a large section of Protestants in Great Britain and
America. (See Briggs' American Presbyterianism, p. 260, and Whither,
p. 124 seq). The doctrine of baptismal regeneration may be held in a variety
of forms. Our purpose is not irenic or polemic, but simply and alone to learn
the lesson Jesus teaches and to state that form in which the Master taught it.
2 Holtzmann, Handcommentar , iv., =. 52. Wendt (Lehre Jesu, ii., ». 402)
thinks that the reference to Baptism is an addition of the evangelist.

264: THE MESSIAH
baptismal regeneration without such an identification.
The birth from heaven by the Spirit is necessary in
order to enter the kingdom, and no one can enter the
kingdom without that. If there can be baptism by
water without baptism by the Spirit, then the entrance
into the kingdom cannot take place through baptism by
water alone. Baptism by the Spirit is essential. But
on the other hand baptism by the Spirit is insufficient.
Baptism by water is required by Jesus in order to enter
the kingdom of God. If the two baptisms may be
separated in time and place, then the two baptisms are
required at these different times and places. Jesus does
not tell us here whether they may be separated or not.
That we must learn from other teachings of Holy Scrip
ture or from Christian experience. Theological difficul
ties arise here which are not contemplated in the pas
sage and are not solved by these words of Jesus. There
are many theological speculations possible on the basis
of his words, and there is a peril of falling into error on
the right and on the left. But the peril from these spec
ulations should not deter us from following Jesus in his
teaching that regeneration by baptism is necessary, as
well as regeneration by the divine Spirit. We have
seen that it has been necessary to distinguish between
the invisible and essential kingdom into which only the
true disciple and real Christian can enter, and the visible
and larger kingdom which is mixed in this world. Re
generation by water admits to the external organization
of the visible kingdom. Regeneration by the Spirit
admits to the spiritual kingdom itself. It certainly is
not in the mind of Jesus here that any one should be a
member of the inner kingdom who shall not be a mem
ber of the outer kingdom likewise.1 The members of

1 Vincent, Word Studies, ii., pp. 91, 92.

OF JOHN 265
the inner kingdom from the very nature of the case
become members of the outer kingdom. Hence regener
ation by water ought not to be omitted by them, how
ever unimportant it may be in comparison with regen
eration by the Spirit. For baptism by water is neces
sary for their entrance into the kingdom of God in this
world. This sacrament is the one appointed by Jesus
for that purpose. It is in his mind here. There is no
other lawful mode of entrance into the organization of
the kingdom as it exists in this world.1
It is not to be doubted that Nicodemus was a godly
man of the Old Testament type when Jesus gave him
this lesson. He stood on the highest plain of prepara
tion for the Messiah's kingdom ; but he no less than
others needed the regeneration both of water and of
Spirit, in order to enter the kingdom of the Messiah.
It was not the question of salvation in its elementary
sense that was raised, but the question of the Messianic
kingdom. Though Nicodemus were the best of the Old
Testament saints and might enter into salvation in the
Old Testament way, he could not enter into the Mes-

i The introduction of larger questions raises theological difficulties. The ques
tion of the redemption of little children, of the heathen, and of others, who for
various reasons have not been baptized, must be candidly considered on the basis
of these words of Jesus. So far as these classes are concerned, we should bear in
mind that Jesus is speaking of his kingdom of grace in this world as an organ
ization of redemption. He is not dealing with the heathen who have had no op
portunity for entrance into this kingdom ; or with little children who have died too
soon to be baptized ; or with those who for various reasons, partly innocent and
partly guilty, have been induced to discredit the use of baptism for children or
for adults. According to the teaching of Jesus here, all such have not availed
themselves of the regeneration by water and so have not entered into the organ
ization of his kingdom. But this by no means implies that they are beyond the
pale of salvation. We should not forget that the Old Testament prophets were
saved in the kingdom of God of the Old Testament without the regeneration
here spoken of by our Lord. They had neither the baptism by the Holy Spirit
which was not given by Jesus until Pentecost, nor the baptism by water which
was a sacrament of the New Testament (cf. Acts xix. 1-7).

266 THE MESSIAH
sianic kingdom and enjoy the Messianic redemption
without regeneration by water and Spirit.1
THE EXALTED MESSIAH.
§ 59. The Son of Man descended from heaven to do the
will of the Father in this world. He will be lifted up
that he may attract all to him and that they may believe
in him. The world will be judged and its prince cast out.
At the climax of his dialogue with Nicodemus, Jesus
said :

1 So it is not a just inference from these words of Jesus that all are excluded
from the grace of God who do not have this birth from water. They are ex
cluded from the Messianic kingdom of grace as set up in this world. But the
salvation of men in its elementary form is carried on by the grace of God outside
the kingdom of the Church. Doubtless all men who enter into the discipline of
redemption outside the Church, in wider circles than those of the kingdom of the
Messiah set up in this world, eventually enter into the kingdom of the Messiah
in order that their redemption may be perfected and that they may abide the
Messianic judgment at the close of the gospel age. But all these are left to the
rich grace of God and the mercy of the Redeemer, which work even outside the
kingdom of grace in constant efforts to bring men into it, and whose activities
are not confined to the brief period of human life in this world, but continue in
the Middle State between the hour of death and the day of judgment. Those
who have begun a life of salvation in this world in its pre-christian sense, as en
joyed by the antediluvians, or the families of the patriarchs, or the devout hea
then, or the children of Israel at the different stages of their rehgious growth
prior to the advent of the Messiah, and by those in our times who are in similar
stages of advancement, but who have not yet been brought to the Messiah— all
therefore outside the kingdom of the baptized, will doubtless be brought to the
feet of the Messiah in the Middle State and be there received into his kingdom.
The great majority of mankind pass centuries and some live millenniums in the
Middle State prior to the judgment of the day of doom. There they will have
the opportunities denied them in this life. But all these deductions from the
words of Jesus are speculative. The author has stated his own opinion in order
to overcome difficulties in the minds of some of his readers, but especially in
order to eliminate the teachings of Jesus himself from the many theological spec
ulations which have been founded thereon. The doctrine of regeneration as a
dogma of modern Evangelicalism has been extended so as to embrace all who
have entered the gateway of redemption, including all infants dying in infancy
and unbaptized. This is a doctrine which has truth in it, but it is not the doc
trine taught by Jesus in his discourse with Nicodemus.

OF JOHN 267
If I told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye
believe, if I tell you heavenly things ? And no man hath ascended
into heaven, but he that descended out of heaven, even the Son
of Man. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness,
even so must the Son of Man be lifted up : that whosoever be-
lieveth may in him have eternal life. (iii. 12-15.)
Jesus here teaches that he descended from a life of
pre-existence in heaven with the Father into the world.
But he is not to remain in the world. He is to be lifted
up, or exalted.1 This exaltation is in order that he may
become an object of faith to men and that they may there
by find in him a Saviour. The manner of this lifting up is
described here by the simile of the lifting up of the
brazen serpent in the wilderness. It is usually supposed
that this refers to the elevation of Jesus on the cross,
and that it is faith in the Messiah hanging on the cross
that is here taught. This is a mistaken interpretation,
for there is nothing in the context to indicate any refer
ence whatever to the crucifixion. The only thing in the
story of the brazen serpent to suggest the crucifixion, is
the pole upon which the serpent was lifted ; but it is note
worthy that this pole is not mentioned at all here in the
words of Jesus, showing that he was not thinking of the
pole of the cross. The reference to the brazen serpent
brings into prominence two things : (1) the elevation or
exaltation of the Messiah as Saviour, and (2) the faith
of those who would be saved. The exaltation that Jesus
had in mind was rather his exaltation as the Messianic
servant in accordance with the prediction of the great
prophet of the exile.
Behold, my servant will prosper,
He will be lifted up and be exalted and be ver)' high.2
 (Is. Iii. 1 3-1 5-)

' iij/of)^vai. ' See Briggs, Mess. Proph., p. 357 seq.

268 THE MESSIAH
The exaltation of the servant implied his previous
humiliation, but the humiliation was not the exaltation.
By the current interpretation of these words of Jesus,
the humiliation of Jesus on the cross is substituted for
his exaltation after the endurance of the cross and the
shame.' Jesus was thinking in the previous context of his
descent from heaven and accordingly here of his exalta
tion thither after the accomplishment of his earthly
work, in accordance with the constant representations
of the Gospel of John. As the exalted and living Mes
siah, he is the Saviour, who having accomplished his
earthly work in the redemption of men, undertakes his
heavenly work of mediation, and imparts life and right
eousness to all who believe in him.2
This thought of the exaltation of the Messiah appears
again in the words of Jesus at a later period :
He said therefore again unto them, I go away, and ye shall
seek me, and shall die in your sin : whither I go, ye cannot come.
The Jews therefore said, Will he kill himself, that he saith,
Whither I go, ye cannot come ? And he said unto them, Ye are
from beneath ; I am from above : ye are of this world ; I am not
of this world. I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in
your sins : for except ye believe that I am he, ye shall die in your
sins. They said therefore unto him, Who art thou ? Jesus said
unto them, Even that which I have also spoken unto you from
the beginning. I have many things to speak and to judge con
cerning you : howbeit he that sent me is true ; and the things

1 It is true that faith in the crucified Saviour is saving faith according to Chris
tian doctrine ; but it is not faith in the Messiah hanging dead on the cross that
redeems us, it is faith in the living Christ who was once crucified, but who is now
enthroned ; the Lamb that was slain, but now liveth forevermore ; the Messiah
who once descended the path of humiliation as servant to the cross and to the
abode of the dead, but who was exalted by his resurrection, ascension, and en
thronement at God's right hand.
' See Beyschlag, Neutest. Theologie, i., s. 271 ; Wendt, Lehre Jesu, s. 396.

OF JOHN 269
which I heard from him, these speak I unto the world. They
perceived not that he spake to them of the Father. Jesus there
fore said. When ye have lifted up the Son of Man, then shall ye
know that I am he and that I do nothing of myself, but as
the Father taught me, I speak these things. (John viii.
21-28.) This passage also teaches the descent of the Messiah
from heaven and his departure again from this world.
This departure, the Jews who heard him understood to
be by his death. Jesus also teaches the same, and in
this respect this passage is in advance of the one we
have just considered. But the death is here only con
ceived as the transition to that which is beyond death.
His death is really an exaltation, because it brings on the
exaltation that follows, in the resurrection, ascension,
enthronement, and the Messianic judgment. His hear
ers, the Jews, will have a hand in this exaltation. They
will put him to death ; but when they think they are
degrading him and humiliating him to the last degree,
they are really bringing on that crisis which results in
his enthronement. As in the previous passage the ex
altation of the Messiah was in order that he might be
the Saviour of all who believed on him, so in this pas
sage the exaltation is in order that it may convince the
Jews of his Messiahship.
There is a third passage in which this prediction of
his exaltation is still further advanced :
Jesus answered and said, This voice hath not come for my
sake, but for your sakes. Now is the judgment of this world:
now shall the prince of this world be cast out. And I, if I be
lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto myself. But
this he said, signifying by what manner of death he should die.
The multitude therefore answered him, We have heard out of
the law that the Messiah abideth forever : and how sayest thou.
The Son of Man must be lifted up ? who is this Son of Man ?

270 THE MESSIAH
Jesus therefore said unto them, Yet a little while is the light
among you. Walk while ye have the light, that darkness over
take you not : and he that walketh in the darkness knoweth not
whither he goeth. While ye have the light, believe on the light,
that ye may become sons of light. (John xii. 30-36.)
Jesus, contemplating his glory as announced from
heaven by the theophanic voice, also sees the judgment
that is connected therewith. This is a judgment of the
world and of Satan the prince of the world. Jesus sees
Satan cast out, as, in his discourse in Luke, he had seen
him hurled like a thunderbolt from heaven.1 This is
the one side of his Messianic glory, his victory over the
world and the devil. But the other side is still more
important. The Messiah will become an attracting
power, drawing men unto himself. This attraction is to
be exerted after he has been lifted up. The lifting up
is usually explained as his lifting up on the cross. This
interpretation is apparently justified by the comment of
the evangelist, that he thus indicated the manner of his
death ; and it is urged that the attracting power is that
of the cross. But this superficial interpretation is not
the real one. The apostle by " manner of death " does
not mean merely the way in which he would die, but he
thus briefly states what was the theme of Jesus, his death
and departure thereby to heaven. The context lays
stress upon the glorification of the Messiah and not upon
his humiliation. The lifting up is here, as in the two
previous passages, to the heavenly throne.3 From his
throne in heaven the Messiah will send forth waves of
centripetal force which will draw all men to Himself as
the centre of all dominion, all redemption, and all judg
ment.

1 See p. 242.
a See Stevens, Johannine Theology, p. 181.

OF JOHN 271
There is a progress in these three predictions of the
exaltation of the Messiah. In all three the final end of
the exaltation is his heavenly throne. In the first there
is no hint of the mode of the departure ; in the second,
death is suggested ; and in the third, crucifixion is hinted.
The object of the exaltation in the first passage is to be
the Saviour of all who believe ; in the second, to prove
his Messiahship to those who would not believe in him
otherwise ; in the third, to draw all men to himself, and
to judge and cast out the devil.
UNIVERSAL WORSHIP.
§ 60. Jesus teaches the Samaritans that he is the Mes
sianic prophet, and that the hour has come in which wor
ship at local sanctuaries will give place to a universal spir
itual worship of the Father.
Jesus, in his discourse with the woman of Samaria,
does not, it is true, bring out his heavenly origin and
destiny, but he teaches the kindred thought that wor
ship in his dispensation is to be heavenly and universal
over against the earthly, local and national worship of
the old dispensation.
The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a
prophet. Our fathers worshipped in this mountain ; and ye say,
that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.
Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when
neither in this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, shall ye worship the
Father. Ye worship that which ye know not : we worship that
which we know : for the salvation ' is from the Jews. But the
hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall wor-

1 ij BuTtjpia, the salvation, the Messianic salvation predicted in the Old Tes
tament.

272 THE MESSIAH
ship the Father in spirit and trutk: for such doth the Father
seek to be -his worshippers. God is Spirit : and they that wor
ship him must worship in spirit and truth. The woman saith
unto him, I know that Messiah cometh (who is called Christ) :
when he is come, he will declare unto us all things. Jesus saith
unto her, I that speak unto thee am he. And upon this came
his disciples ; and they marvelled that he was speaking with a
woman ; yet no man said, What seekest thou ? or, Why speakest
thou with her ? So the woman left her waterpot, and went away
into the city, and saith to the men, Come, see a man, who told
me all things that ever I did : can this be the Messiah ? (John
iv. 19-29.)
The term Messiah is here used by the Samaritan
woman and also by Jesus. But it is evident that the
conception of the Messianic prophet is in their minds
and not that of the king. The Samaritans built their
hopes of a Messiah upon the prediction of the prophet
greater than Moses.1 Accordingly they expected that
this Messianic prophet would teach them all things.
Jesus is the prophet and teacher. And he predicts that
the Samaritans will have a share in the worship of the
new dispensation. The local worship of Jerusalem, as
well as that of Gerizim, will pass away, and a universal
worship will take their place, in which Jew and Samari
tan and all nations will alike share. This prediction was
in the line of the teaching that the prophet greater than
Moses was expected to give. At the same time even
here Jesus advances the prediction of the great prophet
of the exile. The " house of prayer for all nations " *
has expanded in his mind to a universal worship in spirit
and truth.

: Deut. xviii. 18-22 ; Briggs, Mess. Proph., p. zioseq.
1 Isa. Ivi. 7 ; Briggs, Mess. Proph., p. 391.

OF JOHN 273
THE FATHER'S OWN SON.
§ 61. Jesus declares that he is the Father's own son,
making himself equal with God. He has authority over
life and judgment. All who believe in him pass from
death into everlasting life. Some will soon hear his quick
ening voice and rise from the dead. All will rise from
the dead when the Son of Man summons them to the uni
versal judgment.
But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh even until now,
and I work. For this cause therefore the Jews sought the more
to kill him, because he not only brake the sabbath, but also
called God his own Father, making himself equal with God.
Jesus therefore answered and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say
unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth
the Father doing : for what things soever he doeth, these the
Son also doeth in like manner. For the Father loveth the Son,
and sheweth him all things that himself doeth : and greater
works than these will he shew him, that ye may marvel. For as
the Father raiseth the dead and quickeneth them, even so the
Son also quickeneth whom he will. For neither doth the Father
judge any man, but he hath given all judgment unto the Son ;
that all may honour the Son, even as they honour the Father.
He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which
sent him. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my
word, and believeth him that sent me, hath eternal life, and
cometh not into judgment, but hath passed out of death into
life. Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour cometh, and now
is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God ; and
they that hear shall live. For as the Father hath life in himself,
even so gave he to the Son also to have life in himself : and he
gave him authority to execute judgment, because he is a son of
man. Marvel not at this : for the hour cometh, in which all that
are in the tombs shall hear his voice, and shall come forth ; they
that have done good, unto the resurrection of life ; and they
that have done ill, unto the resurrection of judgment. (John
v. 17-29.)
The expression " his own Father," implying that

274 THE MESSIAH
Jesus was the Father's " own son " or that he was
" equal with God," was in the eyes of the Pharisees blas
phemy and guilt worthy of death.1 No mere man could
use such an expression, or make such a claim of rela
tionship to God. It was something more than saying
that he was the Messiah, the son of David, and so the
son of God. To say that he was the Messiah was not
making himself equal with God ; for the Messianic king
of the Old Testament has no such prerogatives. Jesus
was now saying that there was God the Father and God
the Son, and that he as God the Son was equal with
God the Father. It is the representation of the evan
gelist that Jesus claims to be the Son of God in the
theological sense, that he is divine, and that the Phari
sees regarded him as blasphemous on that account.
Only such a divine person could have the attributes

> Apart from the Prologue, the Gospel of John uses Father, of God as the
Father of the Messianic Son from heaven ; and only in a single passage, of God
as the Father of men. In this latter passage, xx. 17, Jesus says to the woman,
" I ascend unto my Father and your Father." Westcott, Epistles of John, p. 31,
claims iv. 21, 23 ; v. 45 ; vi. 45, 46, 65 ; x. 29, 32 ; xii. 26 ; xiv. 6. 8 ; xv. 16 ;
xvi. 23, 26, 27, for the Fatherhood of men. But there is nothing in the context
of any of these passages to constrain us to think of the Fatherhood of men. In
several of them the reference to the Son, in the context, suggests the prevailing
usage. In others, while it is possible to think of the Fatherhood of men,
that mere possibility cannot resist the overwhelming usage of this gospel.
6 -KaTiip is used 79 times of God ; b iraT^p fiov, 25 times ; n-drrp, 9 times ;
6 -KaTijp bov, viii. 19 ; 6 gov -rraTqp, vi. 57 ; naTf/p Idioc, v. 18. In the synoptic
gospels, God's Fatherhood of men seems to come from the Logia chiefly if not
entirely. In Mark it is found only in xi. 25, 26, where the use of 6 hi toZc obpavolc
suggests the derivation of this passage from Matthew. It is found in Luke,
apart from passages parallel with Matthew, only xii. 32, which is also probably
from the Logia. But God's Fatherhood of the Messiah is in all the gospels :
Mark viii. 38 = Matth. xvi. 27 = Luke ix. 26; Mark xvi. 36 ; xxvi. 39 = Luke xxii.
42 ; Matth. xi. 25-27 = Luke a. 2T-22 ; besides in Luke iii. 8, xxii. 29; xxix. 49,
and in Matthew with 6 ovpavmc xv. 13. xviii. 35 ; with 6 ev (toIc) ovpavoic 7 times
and without 7 times. It is evident that the use of " heavenly " and " who (is) in
heaven " comes from Matthew and not from Jesus himself ; just as Matthew
uses kingdom of heaven for the original kingdom of God. See p. 79.

OF JOHN 275
that Jesus now ascribes to himself. He has within him
the energy of God. He worketh as the Father worketh.
He doeth whatsoever the Father doeth, for the Father
hath shown him all things. The Son quickeneth whom
he will. He giveth life to men at his discretion. The
Father hath given all judgment unto the Son, the Son is
to be honored as the Father.1 This preliminary state
ment as to the attributes of Jesus as the Son of God is
in order to the prediction that follows.
This prediction is in the line of life, resurrection, and
judgment. It moves in three sections. The first section
predicts the impartation of everlasting life to all who
hear the word of the Messiah and believe in God. All
such have passed out of death into life. They will no
more die. They will not come into judgment. This is
a spiritual resurrection imparted by the word of the
Messiah to all believers during their physical life in this
world. This spiritual resurrection is a parallel to the
spiritual regeneration of the discourse with Nicodemus."
The second section predicts that an hour is coming and
now is, when the dead will hear the quickening voice of
the Son of God and live. The hour coming points to
the future and therefore indicates a different resurrection
from the spiritual resurrection of the previous section,
which was already enjoyed by all who heard the Messi-
ah's word and believed. The additional word " and

1 Some, as Beyschlag and Adeney, claim that Jesus meant to deny equality
with God and to assert his subordination to God, when he said : " The Son can
do nothing of himself, but what heseeth the Father doing"; but this is rather
an explanation of his sonship and of his equality with God. As Holtzmann
says, the subordination is only in order to an assertion of equality. He does
nothing but what he seeth the Father doing, not simply because he is subordi
nate to the Father, but because he is in unity with the Father. "The Father
loveth the Son and sheweth him all things that himself doeth," and so out of this
relation of love and unity all that the Father doeth the Son doeth likewise.
» See p. 261.

276 THE MESSIAH
now is " does not so qualify the previous sentence as to
indicate that the coming hour is already a present hour,
and so the spiritual resurrection, which is enjoyed in the
hour that now is, will be enjoyed also in the coming
hour. That would be rather an insipid repetition of the
previous section, which was indeed so plain that it needed
no explication. The " now is " implies the speedy coming
of that hour, — indicates that it is at hand. The voice
of the Son of God here is something other than his word
of the previous section ; it is a voice that is heard,
whereas the word is not only heard but excites faith.
The voice here is the same as the voice in the next sec
tion ; it is the voice of command, the authoritative voice
calling the dead into life. Accordingly the dead here
are not the spiritually dead, but those who are physically
dead. Those who hear will live, that is a limited num
ber as compared with the " all that are in the tombs " of
the next section. This then is a prediction of a speedy
resurrection from the dead, in the near future, of a limited
number of persons who are to be favored with hearing
the quickening voice of the Messiah. The meaning of
this prediction could not be clear at that time. But it
was a prediction of a resurrection from the dead of cer
tain ones hearing the Messiah's voice before the univer
sal resurrection of the last section.1
The third section predicts a universal resurrection of
the dead at the ultimate judgment, in which some will
rise to life and others to condemnation. The hour of
that resurrection is coming. It cannot be said of it that
it " now is," or that it is at hand.
We have thus a prediction of three resurrections, the

1 It was doubtless the resurrection from Hades at the resurrection of the Mes
siah. See Matth. xxvii. 52-53.

OF JOHN 277
first spiritual, the last universal ; ' the intermediate one,
distinct from the first and last, and impending, being
connected with the resurrection of the Messiah himself.

THE BREAD FROM HEAVEN.
§ 62. Jesus came down from the Father as the true
bread from heaven. He will give his flesh and blood for
the life of the world. He will then ascend where he was
before. The Gospel of John gives us in Capernaum the same
demand for a sign as we have met before in Jerusalem.3
The time was immediately after the miracle of the
Loaves and Fishes, and it is replied to by a discourse
based upon that event.
They said therefore unto him, What then doest thou for a
sign, that we may see, and believe thee ? What workest thou ?
Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness ; as it is written,
He gave them bread out of heaven to eat. (John vi. 30, 31.)
The people were not satisfied with the miracle of the
Loaves and Fishes. That was a sign indeed, but it was
not a sign equal to the miracles of Moses. They saw in
the miracles of Jesus no such great sign as the Messiah
ought to present for their acceptance of him. They had
been warned by Moses against the miracles of false
prophets." Why should they believe that Jesus was the
Messiah unless he gave them evidence by signs equal to
those of Moses? Jesus takes the story of the giving of
the manna here, as he took the symbol of the temple, in
Jerusalem, to set before them a sign, which they could

1 This is the first prediction of a universal resurrection in the canonical Scrip
tures. We have seen it, however, in the Book of Enoch. See p. 28.
a See p. 186. » Deut, xiii. 1-3.

278 THE MESSIAH
not have at present, but which they would see in the
near future.1
Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life : he that cometh
to me shall not hunger, and he that believeth on me shall never
thirst. But I said unto you, that ye have seen me, and yet believe
not. All that which the Father giveth me shall come unto me ;
and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. For I am
come down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of
him that sent me. And this is the will of him that sent me, that
of all that which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but
should raise it up at the last day. For this is the will of my
Father, that every one that beholdeth the Son, and believeth on
him, should have eternal life ; and I will raise him up at the last
day. The Jews therefore murmured concerning him, because he
said, I am the bread which came down out of heaven. And they
said, Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and
mother we know ? how doth he now say, I am come down out
of heaven ? Jesus answered and said unto them, Murmur not
among yourselves. No man can come to me, except the Father
which sent me draw him : and I will raise him up in the last day.
It is written in the prophets, And they shall all be taught of
God. Every one that hath heard from the Father, and hath
learned, cometh unto me. Not that any man hath seen the
Father, save he which is from God, he hath seen the Father.
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth hath eternal life.
I am the bread of life. Your fathers did eat the manna in the
wilderness, and they died. This is the bread which cometh down
out of heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die. I am
the living bread which came down out of heaven : if any man
eat of this bread, he shall live forever : yea and the bread which
I will give is my flesh, for the life of the world. The Jews there
fore strove one with another, saying, How can this man give us
his flesh to eat? Jesus therefore said unto them, Verily, verily,
I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of Man and
drink his blood, ye have not life in yourselves. He that eat
eth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath eternal life ; and I will
raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is meat indeed, and
1 See p. 259.

OF JOHN 279
my blood is drink indeed. He that eateth my flesh and drinketh
my blood abideth in me, and I in him. As the living Father
sent me, and I live because of the Father ; so he that eateth me,
he also shall live because of me. This is the bread which came
down out of heaven : not as the fathers did eat, and died : he
that eateth this bread shall live forever. These things said
he in the synagogue, as he taught in Capernaum. Many there
fore of his disciples, when they heard this, said, This is a hard
saying; who can hear it? But Jesus knowing in himself that
his disciples murmured at this, said unto them, Doth this cause
you to stumble ? What then if ye should behold the Son of
Man ascending where he was before ? It is the spirit that quick
eneth ; the flesh profiteth nothing : the words that I have spoken
unto you are spirit, and are life. (John vi. 35-63.)
In the previous discourse Jesus said that his voice had
the power to quicken and raise from the dead. Here he
presents himself at first under the form of bread and
afterwards under the form of flesh and blood. He im
parts life to all who feed upon him. His word is spirit
and is life, because it emanates from him who is the
source of spirit and life. There is no other spiritual life
than that which is imparted by the Messiah from
heaven. The life that he imparts is everlasting life, and
it involves the resurrection unto life of the day of judg
ment. The nourishment that he imparts is everlasting
nourishment ; for it removes the pangs of hunger once
for all and forever, and leaves only an appetite which it
everlastingly feeds. The Messiah came from heaven to
the earth, but he is not to remain on the earth. He is
going to ascend to heaven where he was before.1 His

1 Beyschlag (Neutestament. Theologie, i. ». 348) claims that this passage does
not teach the pre-existence of the Messiah in any other sense than in the line of
the development we have met in the Apocalypses of Daniel and Enoch (see pp.
26seq.), " the everlasting archetypal man of God " (s. 249), who " returns to the
heart of God " (s. 255). But this does not afford a proper antithesis. The Son
of Man ascends where he was before. If he was before merely the archetypal

280 THE MESSIAH
earthly mission is bounded by this coming and this
going. It is a mission from his heavenly life ; it is an
episode in his heavenly ministry, a work which he under
took to complete in a brief period of earthly life.
We notice here the same brief and veiled reference to
the death of the Messiah that we have seen in the pas
sages already considered.1 The representation of the
Messiah as the heavenly bread passes over into the
symbol that he is the victim slain for sacrifice. His flesh
is the meat that gives life. To this Jesus adds a state
ment which must have shocked his Jewish hearers to the
utmost, namely: that his blood would be the drink of
life. It was forbidden to the Jews to eat or drink the
blood even of a sacrificial victim,2 and yet Jesus does
not hesitate to tell the Jews that they must drink his
blood. It was simply impossible at that time for them
to understand him, and he certainly did not mean that
they should understand him. How could they reconcile
themselves to such a flagrant violation of the Levitical
law? He gave them a sign that would be convincing in
the future when they saw it. It is clear, however, that
he predicts his death as a sacrificial victim. His hearers
might have recalled the trespass offering of the prophet
ic servant of the second Isaiah,3 and his apostles might
have remembered the words of John the Baptist : " Be
hold, the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the
world'' *

man in the plan of God does he return to where he was before, if after being a
real man he ascends to the heart of God ? It is not merely a difference between
being " a second God alongside of God the Father," and " being in the heart of
God." It is evident that Beyschlag uses " heart of God " in two different senses,
the one real, the other ideal. The antithesis demands that the pre-existence and
post-existence should be either both real or both ideal.
1 See pp. 186, 277. = Lev. xvii. 10-12.
8 Isa. liii. 10. « John i. 29. See p. 69.

OF JOHN 281
These were predictions that the Messiah would be a
sacrificial victim. This eating and drinking can only be
referred to the sacrament of the Lord's supper, in which
as here bread and flesh and blood are all combined.
The sacrament of the body and blood of the Messiah is
here involved just as baptism with water is implied in
the discourse with Nicodemus.1

RIVERS OF LIVING WATER.
§ 63. The Messiah in a little while will go to the Father
who sent him. He will impart the Spirit to those who be
lieve on him, and they will become fountains of living
water. At the feast of Tabernacles, Jesus came into conflict
with the Pharisees, who used every effort to prevent the
people from believing that he was the Messiah. In the
midst of this conflict Jesus uttered several sayings which
are pregnant with Messianic meaning:
(1) Yet a little while am I with you, and I go unto him that sent
me. Ye shall seek me, and shall not find me : and where I am,
ye cannot come. (vii. 33, 34.)
The Jews thought that it was Jesus' purpose to go
into other parts of the world and teach the Hellenists.
They did not understand that he meant that he was
soon to leave the earth and go to the Father in heaven.
That this was his meaning is clear from the discourses
already considered as well as from those that follow.
(2) If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that

» See p. 262. The many objections to this interpretation (See Stevens, Johan
nine Theology, p. 60) are due to a neglect of the predictive element in this dis
course and a failure to see that Jesus is giving a symbol of the Messianic sign :
his death and resurrection.

282 THE MESSIAH
believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall
flow rivers of living water, (vii. 37, 38.)
The evangelist explains this enigmatical sentence.
The Messiah referred to the Spirit that was to be given
after he was glorified, that is, after he had ascended to
heaven. This is the gift of the Spirit at Pentecost now
first predicted in the Gospel of John.1
When the Spirit came, the believing disciples would
become fountains of life to others. As the word of
Jesus had imparted life to them, so the word of the
Gospel in their hearts would issue forth under the power
of the Holy Spirit in rivers of life, to quicken all who
believed the word of the Messiah in their preaching of
his Gospel.
THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD.
§ 64. Jesus is the light of the world. He was prior to
Abraham with the Father. He came into the world to give
the light of life to all his followers. His word will decide
in the last day.
The debate with the Pharisees continues from the
seventh chapter through the eighth chapter. We have
the same kind of pregnant sentences as those already
considered. We shall consider only those that are Mes
sianic. I am the light of the world : he that followeth me shall not
walk in the darkness, but shall have the light of life. (viii. 12.)
As the Messiah was the bread of life and the water of
life, so also he is the light of life. His word quickens,
nourishes, and enlightens all who believe in him, all who
follow him.
1 We have seen similar predictions in the synoptists. See pp. 67, 254,

OF JOHN 283
There are several sayings which reiterate what has
already been said with regard to the power of the words
of Jesus.
If ye abide in my word, ye are truly my disciples ; and ye shall
know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. (31, 32.)
If therefore the Son shall make you free, ye shall be free in
deed. (36.)
If God were your Father, ye would love me : for I came forth
and am come from God ; for neither have I come of myself, but
he sent me. (42.)
If a man keep my word, he shall never see death. (51.)
The conflict culminates in these striking words of
Jesus : Before Abraham was born, I am. (58.)
These words seem to the Jews nothing but blasphemy.
This is a more striking statement of that which had
already been taught by Jesus in more general terms, in
the doctrine of the bread from heaven and of the Fa
ther's own Son. Jesus was with the Father in heaven
before Abraham was born, as the Father's own Son, and
he had only recently come into the world. The pre-
existence of Jesus as the Son of God is here more de
cidedly and strongly stated than in any previous passage.
This cannot be resolved into an ideal pre-existence such
as we have seen in the Book of Enoch,1 but is a real pre-
existence of Jesus himself prior to the birth of Abraham.2

1 See p. 27.
a Wendt denies that this passage teaches any more than an ideal pre-existence
of Jesus. He argues that his existence before the time of Abraham must be
thought of in the same way as his existence at the time of Abraham. Abraham
rejoiced to see the day of the Messiah, that is in the vision of faith in the Messi
anic promises wrapped up in the birth of Isaac ; not in real existence, but in
ideal existence. So the Messiah himself was pre-existent in the thought, decree,
and promise of God not only when Abraham saw his day, but long prior to Abra
ham. (Lehre Jesu, ii., s. 468 seq.) This plausible argument is not valid, for
Abraham did not rejoice because he saw the ideal of the Messianic redemption

284 THE MESSIAH
The doctrine of judgment by the words of the Mes
siah is also taught in the closing section of a later dis
course, reminding us of the condemnation by the Gospel,
in the Great Commission.1
And Jesus cried and said, He that believeth on me, believeth
not on me, but on him that sent me. And he that beholdeth me
beholdeth him that sent me. I am come a light into the world,
that whosoever believeth on me may not abide in the darkness.
And if any man hear my sayings, and keep them not, I judge
him not : for I came not to judge the world, but to save the
world. He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my sayings,
hath one that judgeth him : the word that I spake, the same
shall judge him in the last day. (John xii. 44-48.)
Jesus came into the world to save the world, not to
judge it. He returns to heaven to the Father, after
completing his work of salvation in the world, in order
to continue his work of salvation from his heavenly
throne. The judgment is attached to the word of the
Gospel. But it will not take effect until the last day,
the Day of judgment.'
THE GOOD SHEPHERD.
§ 65. Jesus is the good shepherd, who will lay down his
life for the sheep and take it again. The high priest pre
dicts that Jesus must die for the nation.
There are two passages which may be best considered

latent in the mind of God, or veiled in his promises, but because in the prophetic
vision he saw that ideal in the reality of history. The real existence in history
of the Messiah was what gave joy to Abraham though he foresaw it centuries
before wrapped up in the ideal. It was a real pre-existence before Abraham,
which is the natural antithesis. It is a claim of a divine attribute, as Holtzmann
states. (Handcommentar zum Neuen Testament, iv., ». 121.) The ideal pre-
existence of the Messiah was a familiar idea to Judaism. If Jesus had asserted
that, he would not have shocked his hearers. He said that of himself which
excited their indignation to the utmost against him as a blasphemer. They
instinctively took up stones to cast at him. See also Stevens, Johannine Theol-
ogy< P- J2i- > See p. 228. See p. 273.

OF JOHN 285
under this head. The first of these is the discourse re
corded in John, in which Jesus presents himself as the
Good Shepherd.
I am the good shepherd : the good shepherd layeth down his
life for the sheep. He that is a hireling, and not a shepherd,
whose own the sheep are not, beholdeth the wolf coming, and
leaveth the sheep, and fleeth, and the wolf snatcheth them, and
scattereth them: he fleeth because he is a hireling, and careth
not for the sheep. I am the good shepherd ; and I know mine
own, and mine own know me, even as the Father knoweth me,
and I know the Father ; and I lay down my life for the sheep.
And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold : them also I
must bring, and they shall hear my voice ; and they shall become
one flock, one shepherd. Therefore doth the Father love me,
because I lay down my life, that I may take it again. No one
taketh it away from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have
power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This
commandment received I from my Father. (John x. n-18.)
This prediction of the death and resurrection of Jesus
seems to have been on the occasion of his rejection by
the synagogue in connection with the miracle of the
man born blind. Jesus represents himself as the good
Shepherd, who cares for the sheep and protects them
even at the cost of his own life. He is to lay down his
life for the flock. But his death will be an unique one,
for he has authority from the Father to take his life
again after he has laid it down. The doctrine of death
and resurrection is here taught as in the previous pas
sages ; only the thought is brought out that the Mes
siah's death is a death for the sake of his sheep, and his
living again is also on their behalf, in order to unite with
his present flock other sheep so as to make one flock
under one shepherd.
Jesus here conceives of all the redeemed from all na
tions united with the little flock he himself has gathered

286 THE MESSIAH
out of Israel into one great flock. As there is but one
shepherd, there can be but one flock. The flock may
be divided and scattered by wicked men — Jesus does not
think of that episode here — but the flock always remains
one to the Shepherd, and eventually its divisions will
disappear and the scattered sheep be gathered together.
The ideal of the Messiah here frowns upon a divided
and distracted Christianity. Any division in the flock
is sinful, any schism involves wrong and guilt. The sin
and the guilt doubtless in most cases rest upon the
under-shepherds rather' than on the sheep, or are the
result of the ambition, jealousy, contention, and tyranny
of the bell-wethers of the flock ; but the wrong of di
vision should be undone as soon as possible. The sheep
take upon themselves the guilt, if they perpetuate the
divisions and schism after the guilty shepherds have been
removed and the occasions of separation cease to exist.
The impulses for unity streaming upon us from the ideal
of the one flock of Jesus, and attracting us to the one
shepherd enthroned in glory, ought to overcome all the
weaker and merely human and temporary tendencies to
division. The same doctrine of the vicarious death of the Mes
siah is brought out in a more definite form in a predic
tion of the high priest Caiaphas, which is reported only
in the Gospel of John.
The chief priests therefore and the Pharisees gathered a san
hedrin, and said, What do we ? for this man doeth many signs.
If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him : and the
Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.
But a certain one of them, Caiaphas, being high priest that year,
said unto them, Ye know nothing at all, nor do ye take account
that it is expedient for you that one man should die for the peo
ple, and that the whole nation perish not. Now this he said not
of himself : but being high priest that year, he prophesied that

OF JOHN 287
Jesus should die for the nation ; and not for the nation only, but
that he might also gather together into one the children of God
that are scattered abroad. So from that day forth they took
counsel that they might put him to death. (John xi. 47-53.)

THE SEED AND THE FRUIT.
§ 66. Jesus taught his disciples that the hour had come
for the Messiah to die. He would be buried as seed and
then rise again and bear the fruit of glory. His disciples
were to follow him in death and resurrection. The conse
cration of the Messiah to his work' is recognized by a the
ophanic voice declaring him to be the Son of God and the
heir of glory.
The Gospel of John gives no account of the transfig
uration, but reports a theophany in the temple, in the
last week of the ministry of Jesus, that is not reported
by the synoptists.
Some Greeks are anxious to see Jesus. This brings
before the mind of the Messiah the glory and fruitful
ness of his mission, and he says :
The hour is come, that the Son of Man should be glorified.
Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a grain of wheat fall into
the earth and die, it abideth by itself alone ; but if it die, it bear-
eth much fruit. He that loveth his life loseth it; and he that
hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal. If
any man serve me, let him follow me ; and where I am, there
shall also my servant be : if any man serve me, him will the
Father honor. Now is my soul troubled ; and what shall I say?
Father, save me from this hour. But for this cause came I unto
this hour. Father, glorify thy name. There came therefore a
voice out of heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will
glorify it again, (xii. 23-28.)
The Messiah compares himself to a grain of wheat.
As this grain is sown in order to die and then be

288 THE MESSIAH
quickened and become fruitful, so the Messiah is to be
sown in the ground. He is to die and be buried in
the earth. He is then to spring up in resurrection
and have an abundant harvest of redeemed men. The
fruit of his ministry, the glory of his reward, can come
only after his death and his burial. The disciples are to
follow him in this death and resurrection, and only
thereby will they attain to his presence and glory. The
Messiah now reaches the height of his earthly recogni
tion by God in theophany. He afterwards descends
rapidly into the valley of humiliation and rejection. His
human nature shrinks from the hour of death. But he
has made that hour his goal, and goes forward bravely
towards it, assured by the theophanic voice that it leads
to the highest degree of glory.
THE PARACLETE.
§ 67. Jesus is shortly to go away to the Father to be glo
rified with the glory he had before the creation of the
world. He will prepare abodes in the heavenly temple for
his disciples. He will come to take them to himself. He
will shortly come again in the Paraclete, to dwell with
them for ever. The Holy Spirit will convict the world
of the sin of unbelief and guide the disciples into all the
truth. They will be persecuted unto death, but the pres
ence of the Messiah and his Spirit will give them joy.
As the synoptists gave the greater Apocalypse of
Jesus on the Mount of Olives shortly before the passion,
so the Gospel of John gives a still longer discourse on
the evening of the passion. But these discourses are so
different in form and character that they have little in
common. They both point to times of persecution and
distress subsequent to the death of the Messiah, and

OF JOHN

289

present Messianic ideals of the Advent of the Messiah,
of the salvation of the disciples, and of the future glory
of the Messiah in which the disciples will share ; but in
other respects they move in different lines of the Mes
sianic idea- This discourse with its interrupting ques
tions begins after the departure of Judas. It is esoteric
to the eleven faithful apostles. We shall consider it in
sections, limiting ourselves to the Messianic mate
rial. (i) When therefore he was gone out, Jesus saith, Now is the
Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him ; and God shall
glorify him in himself, and straightway shall he glorify him.
Little children, yet a little while I am with you. Ye shall seek
me : and as I said unto the Jews, Whither I go, ye cannot come ;
so now I say unto you. A new commandment I give unto you,
that ye love one another ; even as I have loved you, that ye also
love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my
disciples, if ye have love one to another. Simon Peter saith
unto him, Lord, whither goest thou ? Jesus answered, Whither
I go, thou canst not follow me now ; but thou shalt follow after
wards. Peter saith unto him, Lord, why cannot I follow thee
even now ? I will lay down my life for thee. Jesus answereth,
Wilt thou lay down thy life for me ? Verily, verily, I say unto
thee, The cock shall not crow, till thou hast denied me thrice.
(John xiii. 31-38.)
Jesus looks forward to his impending glorification. A
little while only will the Son of Man remain with his
apostles. He is about to depart to the Father ; thither
they cannot follow him at present, but they will follow
him afterwards. He is about to die and to be glorified.
They will also die after a period of service and follow
him into the presence of the Father in heaven. He
leaves behind him his law of love, as the supreme law
for his disciples and the badge of discipleship. This
law is a new law, in that it is a law which shines upon

290 THE MESSIAH
them from the person of the Messiah himself. His love
to them is the law of their love to one another.
(2) Let not your heart be troubled : believe in God, believe also
in me. In my Father's house are many abiding places ; if it were
not so, I would have told you ; for I go to prepare a place for
you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I come again, and
will receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be
also. And whither I go, ye know the way. Thomas saith unto
him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest ; how know we the
way ? Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, and the truth, and the
life : no one cometh unto the Father, but by me. If ye bad
known me, ye would have known my Father also : from hence
forth ye know him, and have seen him. Philip saith unto him,
Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us. Jesus saith unto
him, Have I been so long time with you, and dost thou not know
me, Philip ? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father ; how
sayest thou, Shew us the Father ? Believest thou not that I am
in the Father, and the Father in me ? The words that I say
unto you I speak not from myself : but the Father abidingin me
doeth his works. Believe me that I am in the Father, and the
Father in me : or else believe me for the very works' sake.
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the
works that I do shall he do also ; and greater works than these
shall he do ; because I go unto the Father. And whatsoever ye
shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be
glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, that
will I do. If ye love me, ye will keep my commandments.
(John xiv. 1-15.)
The separation of the apostles from their Master for a
little season of service should not trouble them. For he
goes to the Father's house, the temple in heaven to be
glorified. There he will be in his own home and seat of
dominion, and there he will prepare places for them.
When the time comes for them to follow him by death
and to depart out of this earthly life, they will not de
scend to Sheol as did the ancient worthies under the
Old Testament ; they will not even go to the Paradise,

OF JOHN 291
the Abraham's bosom of the Middle State ; they will
ascend to heaven, they will come into this heavenly
temple : they will not only find places prepared for them
therein, but Jesus himself will come to them to take
them to himself. The majority of interpreters rightly
see in this promise an advent of the Messiah to the
faithful disciple at death. This then is the promise of
a spiritual, a dynamic advent of the Messiah such as the
dynamic, spiritual advent promised in the passages of
the synoptists relating to congregational discipline and
to the ministry of the apostles.1
The Messiah is himself the only way unto the Father.
Faith in him is not to lose its efficacy during his absence
in heaven. It will rather gain in power, because the
Messiah, enthroned with the Father in heaven, will
endow the apostles, in their ministry on earth, with the
authority of miracle-working, and will respond to all
their petitions, and so they will excel even the Messiah
in their wondrous works. Love to the Messiah will be
fruitful within them in obedience and in loving ministry.
(3) And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another
Paraclete, that he may be with you for ever, even the Spirit of
truth : whom the world cannot receive ; for it beholdeth him
not, neither knoweth him : ye know him ; for he abideth with
you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you desolate : I come
unto you. Yet a little while, and the world beholdeth me no
more ; but ye behold me : because I live, ye shall live also. In
that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me,
and I in you. He that hath my commandments, and keepeth
them, he it is that loveth me : and he that loveth me shall be
loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself
unto him. Judas [not Iscariot] saith unto him, Lord, what is
come to pass that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not
unto the world ? Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man

1 See pp. 195. 231.

292 THE MESSIAH
love me, he will keep my word : and my Father will love him
and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. He
that loveth me not, keepeth not my words : and the word which
ye hear is not mine, but the Father's, who sent me.
These things have I spoken unto you, while yet abiding with
you. But the Paraclete, even the Holy Spirit, whom the Father
will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring to
your remembrance all that I said unto you. Peace I leave with
you ; my peace I give unto you : not as the world giveth, give I
unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be fear
ful. Ye heard how I said to you, I go away, and I come unto
you. If ye loved me, ye would have rejoiced, because 1 go unto
the Father : for the Father is greater than I. And now I have
told you before it come to pass, that, when it is come to pass, ye
may believe. I will no more speak much with you, for the prince
of the world cometh : and he hath nothing in me ; but that the
world may know that I love the Father, and as the Father gave
me commandment, even so I do. Arise, let us go hence.
(John xiv. 16-31.)
There will be compensation for the absence of the
Messiah. The apostles will have another Paraclete, the
Spirit of Truth, the Holy Spirit, who will come and
abide with them forever. He will teach them all things.
He will bring to their remembrance all the instructions
of Jesus and explain them. This promise of the advent
and guidance of the Holy Spirit is in accordance with
the promises already considered.1 The Paraclete here
is not simply a Comforter, as the English Versions render
it. The Paraclete is rather an advocate, a counsellor-at-
law, a surrogate who espouses the cause of a client, rep
resents him in his suit, is his adviser and his advocate.'
Such is the Holy Spirit whom Jesus promises to send to
his disciples. He is another Paraclete, like Jesus him-

1 See pp. 231, 254, 281.
2 See Vincent, Word Studies, ii. , p. 243, and Hatch, Essays in Biblical Greek,
p. 82.

OF JOHN 293
self, who is here conceived as also a Paraclete} The
Holy Spirit thus continues the work of Jesus. He is
the surrogate of the Messiah. He carries on the work
of Messianic redemption in the world as the ever-abiding
counsellor of the apostles and of their successors in the
ministry. Jesus is to go away to the Father. He will be absent
from his disciples and remain in heaven, so far as his
visible presence is concerned ; but he will grant his spir
itual presence in a dynamic advent. He will manifest
himself to those who love him and keep his command
ments, and will let them know him as present. It is
evident that Jesus is speaking in such general and com
prehensive terms, that he means something more than
his advent in the Christophanies of the Apostolic age.
He means that he will come in spiritual presence to the
spirits of his disciples. He will grant them the contact
of his spirit with their spirits. This contact will be ex
perienced by the spirits of the faithful, who will thus be
assured of the real presence of their Messiah.2
Jesus promises still more: not only that the Spirit and
the Son will come together, but that the Father and the
Son will come with the Spirit to the faithful disciples, and
will take up their abode with the loving and the obe
dient. The heavenly Father will come with the Son
and the Spirit. The three will come and dwell in the
man. This is the promise of the spiritual and dynamic
advent and presence of the Father, the Son, and the
Spirit, to faithful and loving disciples. We have con
sidered the spiritual presence of the Messiah in another
connection, in the assembly of disciples and in the min-

i See also i John ii. i.
» See Stevens, Johannine Theology, p. 334.

294 THE MESSIAH
istry of the apostles.1 Here it is granted to the indi
vidual in his life of holiness, and it is accompanied with
the spiritual presence of the Father and of the Spirit, — a
doctrine vastly more profound and comprehensive.
(4.) I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.
Every branch in me that beareth not fruit, he taketh it away : and
every branch that beareth fruit, he cleanseth it, that it may bear
more fruit. Already ye are clean because of the word which I
have spoken unto you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the
branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine ; so
neither can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are
the branches : He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same
beareth much fruit : for apart from me ye can do nothing. If a
man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is with
ered ; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire, and
they are burned. If ye abide in me, and my words abide in
you, ask whatsoever ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit ; and so
shall ye be my disciples. Even as the Father hath loved me, I also
have loved you : abide ye in my love. If ye keep my com
mandments, ye shall abide in my love ; even as I have kept my
Father's commandments, and abide in his love. These things
have I spoken unto you, that my joy may be in you, and that
your joy may be made full. This is my commandment, that ye
love one another, even as I have loved you. Greater love hath
no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye
are my friends, if ye do the things which I command you. No
longer do I call you servants ; for the servant knoweth not what
his lord doeth : but I have called you friends ; for all things that
I heard from my Father I have made known unto you. Ye did
not choose me, but I chose you, and appointed you, that ye
should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should abide : that
whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give
it you. These things I command you, that ye may love one
another. (John xv. 1— 17.)
The allegory of the Vine sets forth the nature of the

1 See pp. 195, 231.

OF JOHN 295
spiritual presence of the Messiah with his disciples.
Though he is in heaven enthroned in glory and they are
upon the earth, there is vital organic union between
them. He is the vine stock in heaven, they are the
branches on earth ; but the life of the vine descends
from the heavenly stock, and pervades all the earthly
branches with its divine energy. His disciples are or
ganized into one living body, of which the Messiah in
heaven is the life-giving source. Only in virtue of this
abiding, vital union will they be able to live as disciples
and be fruitful in good works. The bond of union is
life, the life of the Messiah, a dynamic, spiritual, all-per
vading presence, immanent in all disciples, permanent in
all the faithful, dominant in all the living, and exhibit
ing itself to the world in a love which is fruitful in good
works. The love of Jesus to his disciples is their law of
life. He made them his friends, laid down his life for
them, communicated to them the instruction given him
by the Father, and appointed them to a fruitful ministry,
by which they are to glorify the Father.
(5) If the world hateth you, ye know that it hath hated me before
it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love its
own : but because ye are not of the world, but I chose you out
of the world, therefore the world hateth you. Remember the
word that I said unto you, A servant is not greater than his lord.1
If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you ; if they kept
my word, they will keep yours also. But all these things will
they do unto you for my name's sake, because they know not
him that sent me. If I had not come and spoken unto them,
they had not had sin : but now they have no excuse for their sin.
He that hateth me hateth my Father also. If I had not done
among them the works which none other did. they had not had
sin : but now have they both seen and hated both me and my
Father. But this cometh to pass, that the word may be fulfilled
> See p. 196.

296 THE MESSIAH
that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause.1
But when the Paraclete is come, whom I will send unto you from
the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the
Father, he shall bear witness of me : and ye also bear witness,
because ye have been with me from the beginning.
These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be
made to stumble. They shall put you out of the synagogues :
yea, the hour cometh, that whosoever killeth you shall think
that he offereth service unto God. And these things will they
do, because they have not known the Father, nor me. But these
things have I spoken unto you, that when their hour is come, ye
may remember them, how that I told you. And these things I
said not unto you from the beginning, because I was with you.
(John xv. 18-xvi. 4.)
The apostles are to be hated by the world as their
master was hated, and persecuted as their master was
persecuted. They will be expelled from synagogues, and
it will be regarded as a service to God if they are put to
death. This warning of persecution we have already
considered in connection with several discourses in the
Synoptics.3 But the disciples will have the Paraclete to
guide them in their ministry. The Spirit of Truth will
witness to them of the Messiah and explain the life,
death, and resurrection of Jesus as they could not be
explained before the events themselves transpired. The
apostles who have been with the Messiah throughout his
ministry will bear witness to the world respecting those
events which they have witnessed. Jesus warns them
of persecutions, and advises them of their guidance by
the Spirit in order to prepare them for the events that
were now impending.
(6) But now I go unto him that sent me ; and none of you asketh
me, Whither goest thou ? But because I have spoken these
things unto you, sorrow hath filled your heart. Nevertheless I

' Ps. lxix. 4. s See pp. 97, 143, 199,

OF JOHN 297
tell you tne truth ; It is expedient for you that I go away : for if
I go not away, the Paraclete will not come unto you ; but if I go,
I will send him unto you. And he, when he is come, will con
vict the world in respect of sin, and of righteousness, and of
judgment : of sin, because they believe not on me ; of righteous
ness, because I go to the Father, and ye behold me no more ; of
judgment, because the prince of this world hath been judged. I
have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.
Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he shall guide you
into all the truth : for he shall not speak from himself ; but what
things soever he shall Jiear, these shall he speak : and he shall
declare unto you the things that are to come. He shall glorify
me : for he shall take of mine, and shall declare it unto you. All
things whatsoever the Father hath are mine : therefore said I,
that he taketh of mine, and shall declare it unto you.
(John xvi. 5-15.)
The departure of the Messiah to the Father is best for
the disciples. It was necessary that he should go to the
Father in order that he might send the Paraclete. They
could not have the Paraclete, they could not understand
the significance of the life of the Messiah, that life itself
would be fruitless, until the ascension and enthronement
of the Messiah had completed the work of redemption
for which he had left his heavenly abode. After the
redemption had been accomplished, and the guilt of men
for rejecting the Messiah had been incurred, then the
Holy Spirit would be able to work with omnipotent
energy for the redemption of the world. The work of
the Spirit will be two-fold. On the one side he will
work conviction of sin and of righteousness and judg
ment. The sin of rejecting the Messiah will be made
plain when the Messianic sign of the resurrection hath
convinced men that Jesus is the Messiah. The right
eousness of the Messiah will be displayed after Jesus
hath ascended into heaven acceptable to the heavenly
Father, The Messianic judgment will b,e manifest in

298 THE MESSIAH
the judgment and overthrow of Satan in connection
with the enthronement of Jesus. On the other side the
divine Spirit will guide the disciples into all the truth.
This was impossible until the truth had been accom
plished in the facts of history by the death resurrection,
and ascension of Jesus. But afterwards the Spirit would
be able to guide the disciples into all the truth. He
would be able to explain these events and the truth in
volved in them. He would declare unto them those
things about the Messiah which could not be declared
while he remained present with them in his earthly life.
His death, resurrection, and ascension first gave his
earthly life its meaning.
(7). A little while, and ye behold me no more ; and again a
little while, and ye shall see me. Some of his disciples therefore
said one to another. What is this that he saith unto us, A little
while, and ye behold me not ; and again a little while, and ye
shall see me : and, Because I go to the Father ? They said
therefore, What is this that he saith, A little while ? We know
not what he saith. Jesus perceived that they were desirous to
ask him, and he said unto them, Do ye inquire among yourselves
concerning this, that I said, A little while, and ye behold me not,
and again a little while, and ye shall see me ? Verily, verily, I
say unto you, that ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall
rejoice: ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned
into joy. A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, because
her hour is come : but when she is delivered of the child, she
remembereth no more the anguish, for the joy that a man is born
into the world. And ye therefore now have sorrow : but I will
see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no one
taketh away from you. And in that day ye shall ask me nothing.
Verily, verily, I say unto you, If ye shall ask anything of the
Father, he will give it you in my name. Hitherto have ye asked
nothing in my name : ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy
may be made full. (John xvi. 16-24.)
Jesus now goes back to the prediction of his own return

OF JOHN 299
to his disciples. The little while of the two clauses
must have some sort of proportion. The little while of
the return cannot therefore refer to the second Advent
in the clouds, because that would be entirely out of pro
portion to the few hours remaining before the departure
of Jesus. Moreover, the Gospel of John does not in
this discourse refer at all to the second Advent on the
clouds.1 Some refer the return here to the resurrection ;
but this is impossible because the going away is not the
departure of death, but the departure to the Father,
which did not take place until the ascension. The de
parture of this gospel is throughout the departure to the
Father. There is no sufficient reason to think of a dif
ferent usage here. The little while before the return
seems to be the brief interval after the ascension until
the spiritual advent to the apostles on the day of Pente
cost.2 It is the spiritual, dynamic return to which Jesus
refers throughout this discourse, a return from heaven
in connection with the gift of the Holy Spirit, a spir
itual, a dynamic presence with the disciples during their
earthly ministry and in their personal sanctification.
This presence will give them joy. There will be a little
season of sorrow for them and joy for the world ; but
their sorrow is like the pangs of a woman in childbirth,
that will be forgotten when the child is born. In a very
short time their sorrow will be turned into joy, when
they see the birth of the Messianic age and enjoy the
powerful presence of the Messiah, ruling them from his
heavenly throne and directing them by his Holy Spirit
from his presence chamber in their Reason.
(8). These things have I spoken unto you in parables ; the hour
cometh, when I shall no more speak unto you in parables, but

» But see p. 259. * See p. 254.

300 THE MESSIAH
shall tell you plainly of the Father. In that day ye shall ask in
my name: and I say not unto you that I will pray the Father for
you ; for the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved
me, and have believed that I came forth from the Father. I
came out from the Father, and am come into the world : again,
I leave the world, and go unto the Father. His disciples say,
Lo, now speakest thou plainly, and speakest no parable. Now
know we that thou knowest all things, and needest not that any
man should ask thee : by this we believe that thou earnest forth
from God. Jesus answered them, Do ye now believe ? Behold,
the hour cometh, yea, is come, that ye shall be scattered, every
man to his own, and shall leave me alone : and yet I am not
alone, because the Father is with me. These things have I
spoken unto you, that in me ye may have peace. In the world
ye have tribulation : but be of good cheer ; I have overcome the
world, (xvi. 25-33.)
During the times, in his instruction of his apostles,
which have now come to an end, Jesus had been obliged
to speak unto them in parables, which were obscure to
them, from the very necessities of the case ; but all these
obscurities will soon be removed by the coming events.
As the Messiah came forth from the Father into the
world, so now he leaves the world and goes unto the
Father. The apostles will be troubled and they will be
scattered abroad, but they should be courageous. The
Messiah has overcome the world. Victory is wrapt up
in his departure, and his disciples will soon enjoy the
victory with him.
(9 ) These things spake Jesus ; and lifting up his eyes to heaven,
he said, Father, the hour is come ; glorify thy Son, that the Son
may glorify thee : even as thou gavest him authority over all
flesh, that whatsoever thou hast given him. to them he should
give eternal life. And this is the life eternal, that they should
know thee the only true God, and him whom thou didst send,
even Jesus Christ. I glorified thee on the earth, having accom
plished the work which thou hast given me to do, And now. 0

OF JOHN 301
Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which
I had with thee before the world was. I manifested thy name
unto the men whom thou gavest me out of the world : thine they
were, and thou gavest them to me ; and they have kept thy word.
Now they know that all things whatsoever thou hast given me
are from thee : for the words which thou gavest me I have given
unto them ; and they received them, and knew of a truth that I
came forth from thee, and they believed that thou didst send me.
I pray for them : I pray not for the world, but for those whom
thou hast given me ; for they are thine : and all things that are
mine are thine, and thine are mine : and I am glorified in them.
And I am no more in the world, and these are in the world, and
I come to thee. Holy Father, keep them in thy name which
thou hast given me, that they may be one, even as we are. While
I was with them, I kept them in thy name which thou hast given
me : and I guarded them, and not one of them perished, but the
son of perdition ; that the scripture might be fulfilled. But now
I come to thee ; and these things I speak in the world, that they
may have my joy made full in themselves. I have given them
thy word ; and the world hated them, because they are not of the
world, even as I am not of the world. I pray not that thou
shouldest take them from the world, but that thou shouldest keep
them from the evil. They are not of the world, even as I am
not of the world. (John xvii. 1-16.)
The discourse having reached its climax in the pro
fession of faith of the apostles, Jesus makes an interces
sory prayer to the Father for them. This we may divide
into two sections. The first section is a petition for the
glory that the Messiah had earned by the completion of
the ministry on earth given him by the Father. He
prays that he may return to the glory that he had pre
viously enjoyed with the Father before the existence of
the world. This involves a pre-existence farther back
than any previously stated, and more glorious than in
any of the earlier representations. The pre-existence of
the Messiah prior to Abraham was taught in an earlier

302 THE MESSIAH
chapter of John,1 but here the pre-existence is prior to
all creatures in the world and to the world itself. It is
also a pre-existence in glory, and a glory so great that
the meritorious service of the Messiah is simply rewarded
with a return to it.2
Jesus then prays for his disciples that they may be
kept safe from the evil of the world, in which they are
to remain and suffer in their ministry of the gospel.
He prays for their unity, that they may be kept in a
unity which has as its norm the unity of the Father and
the Son. The Messiah sees that they will be exposed
to division as they will be exposed to the evil of the
world. Internal discord and external evil are the two
great perils of Christianity. The ideal unity must be
kept in mind as well as the ideal holiness. Those who
are breaking the unity of the disciples or preventing
their unity in anyway, are engaged in the work of the
Evil one, no less than if they were tempting the disci
ples to sin, or were persecuting them with external evils.
The true disciple runs ever along the lines of the prayer
of Jesus and aims straight at the Master's ideals.
(io) Sanctify them in the truth : thy word is truth. As thou didst

i See p. 283.
2 Wendt, Lehre Jesu, ii., s. 464 seq., argues that " the glory which the Mes
siah had with the Father before the creation of the world," was the glory that
was treasured up for him there as the reward for his Messianic ministry and that
it does not imply the real pre-existence of the Messiah. He appeals to the treas
ure laid up in heaven for the disciples (Matthew vi. 20 ; Mark x. 21) and to the
kingdom prepared before the foundation of the world (Matthew xxv. 34). But
it is not said of the disciples that they really have those treasures or that king
dom, still less that they had them. And if Jesus, as the reward of his ministry,
desired nothing more than he had before the foundation of the world, — that
the Father would glorify him with the glory that he had before, — then these
treasures of glory would still remain treasures in store for him and no more. The
antithesis is between glory once in possession, now not m possession, soon to
be possessed again. Such a glory implies a real pre-existence before the earthly
life as much as a real post-existence after the earthly life.

OF JOHN 30,3
send me into the world, even so sent I them into the world. And
for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they themselves also may
be sanctified in truth. Neither for these only do I pray, but for
them also that believe on me through their word ; that they
may all be one ; even as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee,
that they also may be in us : that the world may believe that
thou didst send me. And the glory wHich thou hast given me
I have given unto them ; that they may be one, even as we are
one ; I in them, and thou in me, that they may be perfected into
one ; that the world may know that thou didst send me, and
lovedst them, even as thou lovedst me. Father, that which thou
hast given me, I will that, where I am, they also may be with
me ; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me :
for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world. O
righteous Father, the world knew thee not, but I knew thee ;
and these knew that thou didst send me ; and I made known
unto them thy name, and will make it known ; that the love
wherewith thou lovedst me may be in them, and I in them.
(John xvii. 17-26.)
The second part of this intercessory prayer of Jesus is
a prayer for the sanctification and glorification of the
disciples. The prayer is not limited to the apostles, but
it comprehends all who would believe in the Messiah
through their ministry. It is comprehensive beyond
anything we have yet seen in the words of Jesus. It
looks longer into the reaches of time. It sees a ministry
of successors of the apostles. It sees them all united in
one organism in that mystic union which is after the
norm of the union of the Father and the Son. The
Messiah prays that they may also share his glory, that
they may all be with him in heaven and that they all
may be united in love.
It is a surprising feature in this discourse that nothing
in it refers to the second Advent of the Messiah at the
End of the Age. The Messiah from heaven grants the

304 THE MESSIAH
disciples the presence of his Holy Spirit and his own
spiritual dynamic presence during their ministry in this
world, and then when they have completed their ministry
and follow him in death, he will come and take them to
the heavenly temple to share his glory with the Father.
The Advent taught in this discourse is the advent of
the Paraclete at Pentecost. This takes the same domi
nant place here that the Advent of the Son of Man in
the clouds takes in the Apocalypse of Jesus.1 The only
Advent of Jesus known to this discourse is a spiritual
dynamic advent, which it unfolds and emphasizes far
beyond anything in the synoptic gospels.
Nothing could be more unlike than these two dis
courses, spoken within a few hours by the same Master
to the same disciples. They present, in a different
and thoroughgoing way, two distinct phases of the
Messianic idea, neither of which can safely be neglected.

THE KINGDOM OF THE TRUTH.
§ 68. Jesus accepts the recognition of his disciples that
he is the Messiah, but declines to set up his kingdom in the
world. He testifies to Pilate that his kingdom is not of
this world.
Many times during his ministry Jesus v/as recognized
as the Messiah by his disciples and the multitude. Be
sides those recognitions, studied in connection with the
synoptics,2 we have several in this gospel in addition to
those already considered.3 Thus Martha affirms :
I have believed that thou art the Messiah, the Son of God, he
that cometh into the world. (John xi. 27.)
1 See p. 154. a See p. 92. s See p. 258.

OF JOHN 305
After the feeding of the multitudes :
Jesus therefore perceiving that they were about to come and
take him by force, to make him king, withdrew again into the
mountain himself alone. (John vi. 15.)
Here Jesus definitely decides not to allow the zealots
to make him king by deeds of violence. His enthrone
ment was not to be in this world, his capital was not to
be in Jerusalem. His throne was a heavenly throne and
his city the heavenly Jerusalem.
But the strongest passage upon this phase of the doc
trine of the kingdom is the following :
Pilate therefore entered again into the Praetorium, and called
Jesus, and said unto him, Art thou the King of the Jews ? Jesus
answered, Sayest thou this of thyself, or did others tell it thee
concerning me? Pilate answered, Am I a Jew? Thine own
nation and the chief priests delivered thee unto me : what hast
thou done ? Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world :
if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight,
that I should not be delivered to the Jews : but now is my king
dom not from hence. Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou
a king then ? Jesus answered, Thou sayest it, for I am a king.
To this end have I been born, and to this end am I come into
the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one
that is of the truth heareth my voice. Pilate saith unto him,
What is truth ? And when he had said this, he went out again
unto the Jews, and saith unto them, I find no crime in him."
(John xviii. 33-38.)
Jesus here teaches that his kingdom is not a worldly
one, but a heavenly one. It is not a kingdom to fight
for by deeds of arms, but a kingdom of witness bearing
to the truth. The Messiah came to bear witness to the
truth ; the disciples are to carry on that witness-bearing.
The divine Spirit is to guide them in it. Such is the
warfare of the kingdom of the Messiah. The age of the

306 THE MESSIAH
kingdom is an age of the divine Spirit, and it is also an
age of advance into the truth of God.

LORD AND GOD.
§ 69. The Messiah fulfils his promise and rises from
the dead. He manifests himself in Christophany to his
disciples. He is recognized as Lord and God.
Besides the Christophanies of the resurrection reported
by the synoptists, we have to consider those peculiar to
the Gospel of John.
Jesus appears to the eleven in Jerusalem, and convinces
the doubting Thomas by permitting him to put his
finger in the prints of the nails and his hand in the
wound of the side.
Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and see my
hands ; and reach hither thy hand, and put it into my side : and
be not faithless, but believing. Thomas answered and said unto
him, My Lord and my God. Jesus saith unto him, Because thou
hast seen me, thou hast believed : blessed are they that have not
seen, sxvAyet have believed. (John xx. 27-29.)
This recognition of the deity of Jesus is not surpris
ing in the Gospel of John. Nothing of the kind is
known to the synoptics. In this Christophany Jesus
appears in a body which is now tangible, so that it may
be touched and felt by the doubting apostle, and then
again so above the obstructions of material things that
it enters through closed doors. The risen body of Jesus
was in the transition of glorification, becoming less and
less earthly in its substance, and more and more heavenly
until the time came for the ascension from earth to
heaven,

OF JOHN 307
THE MARTYRDOM OF SIMON.
§ 70. Jesus appears in Chr istophany to the apostles in
Galilee, calls Simon to be a loving shepherd of his flock, and
predicts his martyrdom before the Advent.
The narrative of the last chapter of this gospel is cer
tainly an appendix to the gospel. It is in dispute
among critics whether it was added by the same author
or by a later hand. It is immaterial to our purpose
which of these views may be taken. The passage cer
tainly comes from an author of the same school of
thought as the gospel itself ; and we are obliged to dis
cuss it at this stage of our study. The first half of the
chapter describes the Christophany to the apostles on
the shores of the sea of Tiberias. The second half gives
us the Messianic prediction.
So when they had broken their fast, Jesus saith to Simon
Peter, Simon, son of John, lovest thou me more than these ? He
saith unto him, Yea, Lord ; thou knowest that I love thee. He
saith unto him, Feed my lambs. He saith to him again a second
time, Simon, son of John, lovest thou me ? He saith unto him,
Yea, Lord ; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him,
Tend my sheep. He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son
of John, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said
unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto
him, Lord, thou knowest all things ; thou knowest that I love
thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep. Verily, verily, I
say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and
walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old,
thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee,
and carry thee whither thou wouldest not. Now this he spake;
signifying by what manner of death he should glorify God. And
when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me. Peter,
turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved following;
which also leaned back on his breast at the supper, and said,
Lord, who is he that betrayeth thee ? Peter therefore seeing

308 THE MESSIAH
him saith to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do? Jesus
saith unto him. If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to
thee ? follow thou me. This saying therefore went forth among
the brethren, that that disciple should not die : yet Jesus said
not unto him, that he should not die ; but, If I will that he tarry
till I come, what is that to thee ? (John xxi. 15-23.)
The commission here given to the apostle Peter, starts
from the idea of the Messiah as the shepherd and the
apostle as the under shepherd. The commission is to
tend the flock, feed the sheep, and especially the lambs.
In this connection Peter receives a prediction that he
would suffer martyrdom in his ministry. As an under
shepherd of the flock of the Messiah, like the chief shep
herd, the Messiah, he is to die for the flock. This mar
tyrdom of Peter is to take place before the Advent. He
is not to live to see it. This Advent is not the Advent
of the last discourse, the advent of the Paraclete and of
the Messiah in spiritual presence. It is the visible Ad
vent of the synoptists. This naturally excites in the
apostle's mind the inquiry whether others and especially
John would live till the Messiah came. Jesus does not
affirm that John would live until his Advent, as some,
even Russel,1 suppose, but he leaves it uncertain
whether he would or not. The evangelist corrects the
mistake of some in his time who thought that John was
not to die ; and that correction really amounts to the
correction of those in our time who think that John
was to survive the Advent, for the Advent was to
reward the faithful who lived at the Advent. If there
were no death before the Advent, there could be none
afterward.

1 Parousia, p. 136.

CHAPTER VIII.
THE MESSIAH OF THE GOSPELS.
JESUS is the Messiah of Old Testament prophecy.
This is the teaching of Jesus himself. This is the testi
mony of the evangelists.
Jesus himself explained to his disciples, after his resur
rection, that his sufferings, death, and resurrection were
in fulfilment of the predictions of the Old Testament.
O foolish men, and slow of heart to believe in all that the
prophets have spoken ! Behoved it not the Messiah to suffer
these things, and to enter into his glory ? And beginning from
Moses and from all the prophets, he interpreted to them in all
the scriptures the things concerning himself 
And he said unto them, These are my words which I spake
unto you, while I was yet with you, how that all things must
needs be fulfilled, which are written in the law of Moses, and the
prophets, and the psalms, concerning me. Then opened he their
mind, that they might understand the scriptures ; and he said
unto them, Thus it is written, that the Messiah should suffer,
and rise again from the dead the third day ; and that repent
ance and remission of sins should be preached in his name unto
all the nations, beginning from Jurusalem. (Luke xxiv. 25-27,
44-47-) These precious words of Jesus, interpreting Old Tes
tament prophecy to his disciples, and showing how far
it was fulfilled in him, have not been given to us.
(309)

310 THE MESSIAH
Doubtless, however, the material of his instruction has
been preserved, at least in part, in the statements of the
Gospels on this subject. In their light we propose to
inquire respecting the Messiah of the Gospels.
In my previous volume, Messianic Prophecy, the Mes
sianic predictions of the Cid Testament were summed
up under eleven heads. These will be our guide in the
study of their fulfilment. A very considerable portion
of our Saviour's discourses consisted of prediction — a
larger proportion, indeed, than we find in any prophet
of the Old Testament. His predictions relate to the
founding and organization of the kingdom of God, its
growth until the harvest at the end of the world, its con
summation in the kingdom of glory and the dies ira.
All of the predictions of the Old Testament which relate
to the same themes as the predictions of Jesus, must be
eliminated from those that were fulfilled in his earthly
ministry. We shall consider these in an appropriate order, and
endeavor to determine with reference to each and all of
them how far Jesus fulfilled them prior to his ascension,
and how far they remain to be fulfilled in the future.
And with regard to those whose fulfilment in whole or
in part is in the future, we shall have to determine
whether Jesus took them up into his own prophecy,
whether he enlarged and unfolded them, and whether he
taught new Messianic ideals.
I . The Day of Yahweh.
The first Messianic ideal with which Jesus was con
fronted was the Day of Yahweh.1 This was the ideal of
John the Baptist.2 This was also the Messianic concep-

1 Briggs, Messianic Prophecy, p. 487. * See p. 64.

OF THE GOSPELS 3^1
tion most prominent to the Jews of the time of Jesus.
What then was the attitude of Jesus towards it ? He
takes it up into his own predictions and makes it the
ultimate goal of his prophecy. He did not fulfil during
his earthly life any portion of this ideal, but refers it all
to the future. He is a prophet of the Day of Yahweh,
just as were all the prophets who preceded him. He
predicts that it is near, that it is impending, but knows not
the day or the hour.1 The,prophets in turn had predicted
the Day of Yahweh in connection with a judgment scene,
usually of some particular nation, but sometimes, in later
prophecy, of all nations. Jesus pursues both methods.
In his greater apocalypse he connects the judgment day
with a judgment of Jerusalem;2 in his prediction of the
royal judgment and in his lesser apocalypse, he makes it
a universal judgment.3 In the Gospel of John it is pre
ceded by a universal resurrection of the dead.' In two
respects Jesus adds important features to the Day of
Yahweh. (a) The Son of Man is the judge. The Son of Man on
the clouds in the apocalypses of Daniel and of Enoch,
takes part in the judgment, but God himself executes
judgment. In the predictions of Jesus, the Son of Man
comes in the glory of the Father, on a throne of power
with the holy angels and executes judgment himself.
God the heavenly Father does not seem to be present to
the consciousness of the Messiah in any of his judgment
scenes.5 All the authority of judgment has been given
over to the Son of Man."

J See p. 161. a Mark xiii.
3 Matthew xxv. 31-46 ; Luke xvii. 22-37.
* See p. 273.
» Mark viii. 38 ; xiii.; xiv. 61-64 ; Matthew xiii. 37-43 ; xxv. 31-46 ; Luke xvii
22-30. See pp. 97. I52, 126, 208, 226, 247.
» John v. 17-29. See p. 273.

312 THE MESSIAH
(b) The judgment is not so much a judgment of ene
mies, and is therefore not described in scenes of battle
and strife. It is distinctly a judgment of servants, and
that not civil or theocratic, not national or social, but
moral and individual ; every man according to his works ;'
whether he has done the will of the heavenly Father ; 2
whether he is righteous ; 3 whether he has done deeds of
kindness.4 The decision of the judgment is a final con
demnation and rejection of the wicked, and a recognition
and reward of the righteous. The final punishment
does not go beyond the common Jewish opinion of the
time, and is proportioned to guilt. The wicked are ex
cluded from the kingdom of glory ; and Gehenna with
its rotting, burning carcasses, furnishes the imagery of
their terrible condition, or else the darkness of those ex
cluded from the lighted palace and its bridal feast. The
rewards of the righteous are blessings in the kingdom of
glory proportioned to their services.
The prophets of the Old Testament connect with the
Day of Yahweh an outpouring of the divine Spirit.5
Jesus enlarges upon that conception. He represents
that there will be an age of preaching the gospel under
the guidance of the Spirit ; ° that the apostles will be
guided into all the truth by the Paraclete ; that there
will be an age of the Holy Spirit ; ' that the apostles
were to wait for the Spirit from heaven before they be
gan their ministry.8 Thus the Day of Yahweh of the
Old Testament is a day which begins with the outpour
ing of the Holy Spirit and which ends with the royal
judgment.

1 Matthew vii. 24. » Matthew vii. 21.
3 Matthew xiii. 37-43. * Matthew xxv. 3r-46.
8 Briggs, Mess. Prop., p. 488 seq. 8 See p. 143.
' See p. 297. 8 See p. 254.

OF THE GOSPELS 313
2. The Advent of Yahweh.
The Messianic idea of the Advent of Yahweh is con
nected with the holy temple and the holy city which He
is to inhabit and render glorious. Such an advent was
longed for in the times of Jesus. It is noteworthy that
Jesus does not point forward to such an Advent of Yah
weh, but attaches this Messianic idea to his own Advent.
In the gospel of the infancy it is represented that there
was a theophany at the conception of Jesus1 and an
other theophany at his birth.2 The gospels tell us of
theophanies at his baptism, at his transfiguration, at his
death, and at his resurrection. But the theophanies of
the transfiguration and resurrection are associated with
christophanies, or the shining forth of the glory of
Christ himself. These culminate in the ascension of the
Messiah to heaven.
All these theophanies and christophanies raise the
question whether there was not a divine advent in the
person of Jesus, the Messiah himself, whether the the
ophany did not reach its goal in the New Testament
times in the Christophany. That is certainly the repre
sentation of the Gospel of John, in which Jesus speaks
of himself as the Son of Man from heaven, who came
forth from the Father in heaven to do his work in the
world and who will return to the Father. Jesus claims
pre-existence with God prior to Abraham and prior to
the creation of the world.3 He claims to be equal with
God, to have authority of life and death, and of judg
ment.* He accepts recognition as God." If all this is
true then the coming of J esus into the world was a divine
Advent to the world.

¦ See p. 48. 2 See p. 51. 3 See pp. 283, 301.
i See p. 273. 6 See p. 306.

314 THE MESSIAH
Even in the synoptic Gospels, Jesus claims to be the
corner-stone of the Old Testament prophecy ; ' and, in
the gospel of John, to be the temple of God.2 The
corner- stone will be rejected, but it will become the head
of the corner. The temple will be destroyed, but in
three days it will be raised up to be the ever-living tem
ple of God. The gospel of John connects the advent of
God the Father with the advent of the. Son and of the
Spirit to inhabit the faithful disciple. It knows of no
other advent of God the Father.3
3. The Father and the Shepherd.
Old Testament prophecy represents that God at His
advent is Father, Husband, and Shepherd. Jesus leaves
out of his Messianic ideal altogether the conception of
marriage, but he uses the ideals of Father and Shep
herd. The ideal of the Father he never applies to him
self. He applies it to God the Father in a higher and
in a more distinctive sense. The conception of the
Father of the nation and of the Messiah, — a familiar ideal
of the Old Testament, — now rises to the Father of each
and every individual who enters into the new relation
ship of sonship revealed to the world by Jesus the Mes
siah. Jesus taught the near presence of the heavenly
Father to all the children of God. This ideal therefore
is realized specifically in Jesus, who as the Messiah was
the Son of God the Messianic Father, and in all the dis
ciples of Jesus, who become by their discipleship children
of the heavenly Father.
The ideal of the Shepherd in the Old Testament is
sometimes attached to the Messianic king, and some-

» Matth. xxi. 42-46. Briggs, Mess. Proph., p. 208. See p. 114.
3 John ii. 13-22. See p. 259. 3 See p. 293.

OF THE GOSPELS 31 5
times to Yahweh.1 There is no use by Jesus or by the
evangelists of any of those passages of the Old Testa
ment where Yahweh is the Shepherd. On the other
hand Jesus never attaches the ideal of the Shepherd to
the heavenly Father. We cannot therefore determine
what use he would make of the passages relating to the
divine Shepherd. But, in the royal judgment scene of
Matthew, the Son of Man as a shepherd divides sheep
and goats ; 2 and Jesus represents that, he, as the Son of
Man from heaven, is the good Shepherd who has author
ity over his own life and death.3 Thus he enlarges the
conception of the Messianic shepherd beyond the Old
Testament representations as to the Messianic king,
and, in the Gospel of Matthew, attaches it to the final
judge, the Son of God from heaven ; and, in the Gospel
of John, to the Good Shepherd who will shepherd his
sheep until all have been redeemed in one holy flock.
4. The Promised Land.
The Messianic ideal of the Holy Land is very prom
inent in the Old Testament. Jesus seems to ignore it.
He may have had it in mind in the beatitude of the
meek,4 but it is improbable that this would be the only
passage. The regeneration,5 of the times of reward pre
dicted in Matthew might be thought of as a similar ideal,
but this regeneration does not seem to involve a regen
eration of the holy land, or of the earth as an abode of
the redeemed, and therefore has nothing in it to corre
spond with the ideal of the holy land.

¦ Mess. Proph., pp. 483-496.
a See p. 225.
3 See p. 284.
* Matthew v. 5.
s Matthew xix. 28.

316 THE MESSIAH
5. The Messianic King.
One of the most important of the Messianic ideals of
the Old Testament is that of the Messianic King.' The
extra-canonical literature of the Jews before the advent
of Jesus, for the most part, overlooked this ideal.2 The
gospel of the Infancy of Jesus makes it prominent in the
songs of the angels, and of the fathers and mothers of
the Messianic babes.3 Thus the question arises in the
gospels whether Jesus is the Messiah. Jesus at the
beginning of his ministry is recognized as the Messiah
by the demoniacs,4 and by the devil ; 5 but this does not
involve any recognition by the people, or even by the
apostles. Jesus was recognized as the Messiah by the
theophanic voice at his baptism,6 at his transfiguration,'
and, according to the Gospel of John, during the last
week of his ministry in the temple.8 It is not clear,
however, whether the testimony at the baptism was
known to the apostles at an early date. The other the
ophanies were subsequent to the apostolic recognition.
According to the synoptists, the first distinct recogni
tion of the apostles was through Peter as the spokes
man, at Caesarea Philippi, shortly before the transfigura
tion ;* but Jesus charged them not to make him known.
The gospel of John, however, reports a recognition by
several of the apostles prior to the beginning of the
ministry of Jesus, when first they left John the Baptist
and attached themselves to him.10 The confession of
Peter thus takes a little different form in the gospel of

1 Mess. Proph., p. 492. a See p. 34.
3 See pp. 52, 55. * Mark i. 24 ; iii. 11 ; v. 6-7. See p. 80.
» Matth. iv. i-ir. See p. 167. e See p. 75.
7 See p. 100. e See p. 269.
• Mark viii. 27-30. See p. 93. '" See p. 258.

OF THE GOSPELS 31 Y
John/though probably it is the same event as that re
ferred to in the synoptists.1 Martha also recognizes
Jesus as the Messiah.2 He accepted the recognitions
above referred to. According to Luke, Jesus claimed to
his parents to be the Messiah, at twelve years of age.3
But he made no public claim to be the Messiah until the
last week of his ministry. He then made a public entry
into Jerusalem and received the recognition from the
people that was his due ; but the Pharisees rejected him
and won the populace to their side.4 He was arrested
by the Sanhedrin, and testified under oath before them
that he was the Messiah, and they rejected him as such.5
He made the same claim before Pilate in response to his
official investigation,6 and on that account was clothed
with royal garments, crowned with thorns and given a
reed sceptre by the rude soldiery, making sport of his
royalty.7 He was crucified with the title on the cross,
The King of the Jews.8 He was mocked while hanging
there." There can be no doubt that Jesus claimed to be the
Messianic king, and that he was recognized as such by
his disciples and rejected as such by the Sanhedrin, the
Pharisees and the people. Jesus therefore was a claim
ant to the Messianic throne. He was not accepted by
the Jews, and he never occupied his throne during his
earthly ministry. He testified to Pilate that his king
dom was not of this world.10 He did not ascend his
throne until his ascension. He did not assume the
kingdom until his installation on his heavenly throne.

1 See p. 93. ' John xi. 27.
3 See p. 234. 4 Mark xi. 7-10.
6 Mark xiv. 61-64 " Mark xv. 1-5.
' Mark xv. 6-19. 8 Mark xv. 26.
» Mark xv. 31-32. 10 See p. 305.

318 THE MESSIAH
All predictions of the Old Testament respecting his
reign over his kingdom point to a period subsequent to
his ascension, and could not have been fulfilled in his
earthly life. This, indeed, is the view taken by the
evangelists in their reference of the Messianic passages
of the Old Testament to Jesus and in their interpreta
tion of his life. We have reserved these for this stage
of our discussion.
Matthew and Luke give the genealogy of Jesus.
Matthew shows that he is the son of David and son of
Abraham,1 and as such the heir of the Messianic prom
ises attached to the seed of Abraham and the son of
David. Luke traces the line back through David and
Abraham to Adam,2 because he wishes not only to show
that Jesus was the heir of David and Abraham, but that
he was also connected with the entire race of man as the
medium of the Messianic promises to the race.
There are difficulties in adjusting the differences'
which appear at several points in the tables ; but these
differences, whether due to inaccuracies of the evangel
ists, or discrepancies of the original documents, do not
impair the teaching of both tables as to the fact of the
heirship of David, Abraham, and Adam, wherein the
Messianic importance of the tables alone lies.
Matthew not only shows that Jesus was the Messiah
by right of inheritance ; but he also proves that he was
the Messiah by the fulfilment of several Messianic pre
dictions of the Old Testament, especially in his early
life. Jesus' birth of the virgin Mary was the fulfilment of
the prediction of Isaiah. The original reads :
Lo, young woman, thou art pregnant, and about to bear a son

1 Matthew i. 1-17. s Luke iii. 23-3S.

OF THE GOSPELS 319
and call his name Immanuel. Curds and honey will he eat at
the time of his knowing to refuse evil and choose good. For
before the boy knows to refuse evil and choose good, the land,
because of whose two kings thou art anxious, will be abandoned.1
(Isaiah vii. 14-16.)
This Matthew represents as fulfilled in Jesus.
Now all this is come to pass, that it might be fulfilled which
was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, Behold,
the virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and
they shall call his name Immanuel ; which is, being interpreted,
God with us. (Matthew i. 22, 23.)
The child Jesus was born of the virgin Mary, in
accordance with the prediction. It is true that the
more general term "young woman" of the original has
given place to the more specific term " virgin " of the
LXX. This does not destroy the precision of the fulfil
ment, but rather enhances it. The point of the proph
ecy and the fulfilment is not in the virginity of the
mother, but in the fortunes of the son. The address of
the prophet to this ideal young woman is re-echoed in
the annunciation to Joseph and Mary.
The name given to the child by angelic direction, was
Jesus. " For it is he that shall save his people from
their sins."2 This is not exactly the same as Immanuel
~ God with us, but it comprehends it and implies it ;
because God's presence with his people in their calamity
was for the very purpose of saving them. The birth
and the naming are similar to the prediction. So are
the circumstances. The condition of the child and his
parents was one of hardship, poverty, and peril. The
son and heir of David was not born as a recognized crown

' See Briggs, Messianic Prophecy, p. 195 seq.
» Matth. i. 21. See p. 47.

320 The MESSIAH
prince, but he was immediately in peril of his life from an
usurper. He was not nourished as an heir to the throne,
but was fed as a child in a poor and deserted land. His
people were in bondage and he was obliged to seek refuge
in Egypt, as Israel of old.
The framework of the prediction is filled up by the birth
and infancy of Jesus Christ. The essence of the pre
diction belongs to the future, when this child of humilia
tion would vindicate his name and his throne as the
Saviour of his people and the Messiah of glory.
The birth of Jesus in Bethlehem is in fulfilment of
the prediction of Micah :
And thou, Bethlehem, Ephrathah,
Little to be among the thousands of Judah,
Out of thee will come forth for me
One who is to become ruler in Israel. (Micah v. 2.)
Matthew represents that the chief priests and scribes
pointed Herod to this passage, saying :
And thou Bethlehem, land of Judah,
Art in no wise least among the princes of Judah :
For out of thee shall come forth a governor,
Who shall be shepherd of my people Israel. (Matth. ii. 6.)
The gospel translates an Aramaic version, which has
preserved the measures of the poetry of the original bet
ter than the LXX. This version is a sufficiently accurate
paraphrase, rather than a precise translation.1
It is evident that Jesus fulfilled this prediction so far

1 It explains the obscurities of the original by using " land of Judah " for
" Ephrathah," and " princes " for " thousands," and it improves the parallelism
and the measure of the original by explaining " ruler " by " governor," in the
third line, and by " shepherd " in the fourth line. These changes in phrases do
not change the sense.

Of THE GOSPELS 321
as his birth in Bethlehem is concerned. His subsequent
career also showed that he fulfilled the other elements
of the prediction, in becoming the shepherd and ruler
of Israel and in bearing the name Peace.'
Jesus was brought up in Nazareth in Galilee, away
from his ancestral seat as well as the throne of his
fathers.2 On this account he bore the name Nazarene,
as a name of reproach. The Pharisees could not im
agine that the Messiah would come forth from such a
place as Nazareth. But the evangelist sees in these very
circumstances the fulfilment of several prophecies of
the Old Testament. We are first reminded of the pre
diction of Isaiah :
And a twig will come forth from the stump of Jesse,
And a shoot 3 from his roots will be fruitful. (Isaiah xi. J.)
The origin of the name of the place is uncertain.
This does not interfere with the essential meaning of the
interpretation, which is word-play, it is true, but with an
underlying, powerful thought. The prophecy is not a
prediction of birth or dwelling in Nazareth ; but it is a
prediction of an obscure origin and growth of the Mes
siah in retirement from the public eye. He was to spring
up like a twig on the stump of a tree that had been cut
down, and like a shoot from the roots of the line of
Jesse, nothing but stump and roots being left.4 This
condition precisely corresponds with the circumstances
of Jesus at this time. The abode in Nazareth, and the
name Nazarene that he gained thereby, show a wonder-

i Messianic Prophecy, p. 217 seq. 2 Matth. ii. 23.
3 The Hebrew iyj -= shoot, doubtless suggested the Aramaic K1VJ ,tH5M
and their adjective, which was rendered into the Greek Nafapaloc.
4 See Messianic Prophecy, p. 202 seq.

322 THE MESSIAH
ful correspondence to a neglected and obscure twig and
shoot from the stump and roots of the royal line of Da
vid. The word-play calls attention to the original shoot
from the stump, and also to the obscurity of the place of
his abode, the symbol and the reality. The prediction
of Isaiah does not give this name to the Messiah. But
later prophets, on the basis of this prediction, give him
a corresponding name. The evangelist doubtless had
these other prophecies in mind ; namely, the righteous
branch of Jeremiah,1 and the crowned branch of Zecha-
riah.2 The reigning was not while the shoot remained
like a twig on a stump at Nazareth. Only the branch
like, twig-like, sprout-like origin and early growth then
appear. The reigning comes at a later date, when the
twig becomes a fruitful shoot and a mighty branch after
the enthronement of the Messiah.
In his Galilean ministry Jesus preached on the bor
ders of the land, and in the midst of a foreign popula
tion. This reminded the evangelist of the prediction of
Isaiah. Now when he heard that John was delivered up, he withdrew
into Galilee ; and leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Caper
naum, which is by the sea, in the borders of Zebulun and Naph-
tali : that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the
prophet, saying, The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali,
toward the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles, the peo
ple which sat in darkness saw a great light, and to them which
sat in the region and shadow of death, to them did light spring
up. (Matthew iv. 12-16.)
Matthew has used an Aramaic version of the original
passage, which reads :
But she who now has trouble will not have gloom.
1 xxiii. 5, and xxxiii. 15. See Messianic Prophecy, p. 244 seq.
3 iii. 8 ; vi. 12. See Messianic Prophecy, pp. 442-448.

OF THE GOSPELS

323

As the former time brought into contempt the land of Zebulun
and the land of Naphtali ;
The last time will certainly bring to honour the way of the sea,
beyond Jordan, the district of the nations.
The people that walk in darkness do see a great light.
Those dwelling in a land of dense darkness, light doth shine
upon them. (Isaiah ix. i, 2.)
The first of the holy land to go into exile, these bor
der lands will be the first to rejoice under the ministry
of the Messiah.
His presence is conceived as the shining of a great
light.1 The overthrow of enemies, the endowment with
divine names, and the everlasting reign, of the original
prediction, the evangelist doubtless had in mind ; but he
looked forward to their realization in the future. These
elements were not evident in the ministry of Jesus in
Galilee. It was sufficient for the present that the Mes
siah appeared as a great light in the northern frontier of
the land. This appearance had wrapt up in it all the
blessed possibilities of the future.
The Gospel of Matthew also represents the entry of
Jesus into Jerusalem as in fulfilment of the prophet
Zechariah,2 and the Gospel of John briefly makes the
same reference.

Matth. xxi. 4, 5.
Now this is come to pass,
that it might be fulfilled which
was spoken by the prophet,
saying, Tell ye the daughter of
Zion, Behold, thy King cometh
unto thee, meek, and riding
upon an ass, and upon a colt
the foal of an ass.

John xii. 14, 15.
And Jesus, having found a
young ass, sat thereon ; as it is
written, Fear not, daughter of
Zion : behold, thy King com
eth, sitting on an ass's colt.

1 See Messianic Prophecy, p. 198 seq.
2 Zech. ix. 9, 10. Messianic Prophecy, p. 184.

324 THE MESSIAH
Jesus, according to these evangelists, was the king of
peace and victory, of that prophet.
The last two predictions point to a Messianic victory
over enemies, and they seem to presuppose a king reign
ing on his throne. Jesus was at the time rather a king
battling for his throne. The victory of the original prophe
cies is a victory which could only be satisfied by the rep
resentation of the second Advent of Jesus. The ideal
victory seemed to the evangelist so wrapped up in the
work of Jesus in northeastern Galilee and on his entry
into Jerusalem, that he represents that ministry and that
entry as fulfilments of the predictions.
The prediction of Jesus as to the Messianic king may
best be considered in connection with his doctrine of
the kingdom of God.
6. The Kingdom of God.
The Kingdom of God was the chief of the Messianic
ideals of Jesus. It was the theme of his first discourse.'
It was the substance of the preaching of the Twelve,2
and of the Seventy,3 when they were commissioned by
Jesus and sent forth as preachers. It was the constant
and familiar subject of his discourses.4 The kingdom of
God was one of the most important of the Messianic
ideals of the Old Testament.5 God was the king of His
kingdom, the Messianic king was His son and representa
tive. Accordingly, the Jews for the most part were look
ing for the kingdom of God ; few of them thought of a
Messianic king as necessary to it." Jesus uses the term
kingdom of God, implying that God was the king of the
kingdom ; possibly also the term kingdom of heaven,7 im-
¦ See p. 78. 3 See p. 181. s See p. 240. * See p. 87.
* Messianic Prophecy, pp. 483 seq.
a See p. 38. ' See p. 79.

OF THE GOSPELS 325
plying that it was a kingdom the seat of whose dominion
is heaven. Nowhere does Jesus speak of the kingdom of
the Messiah. It is all the more significant, therefore,
that, in the Gospels, the Messianic king becomes so asso
ciated with the kingdom of God that the kingship of
God himself is not thought of. This is true in the say
ings of Jesus himself, who never speaks of the heavenly
Father as king. The evangelists pursue the same usage.'
We have gone over the Messianic idea of the kingdom
of God as it is presented in the teaching of Jesus. There
is considerable variation and complexity in the repre
sentations. It is difficult to bring them all into an har
monious conception. Accordingly there is great confu
sion among the interpreters. A careful survey of the
field, however, enables us to unite the lines in one ideal.
The kingdom of God is not a kingdom that comes
once for all in power and glory with a majestic all-con
quering king from heaven at its head. It is a kingdom
that has several stages of growth. Sometimes Jesus
deals with one of these stages, at other times with other
stages. (a) The kingdom comes at first without observation.
It is invisible to the eye. The Messiah is not enthroned.
He does not appear in royal robes and with royal majesty.
He comes with a kingdom that is not of this world and
that is not to be of this world. It is a kingdom of
heaven and of God ; it is a kingdom of truth and right
eousness. Those who enter the kingdom, do it not in
masses, but one by one, by repentance and faith, through
a heavenly birth of water and the divine Spirit, and by
personal recognition of their king. The kingdom is at
first a sowing, and the seed remains buried for a while
1 Comp. p. 311.

326 THE MESSIAH
before it comes into manifestation. The kingdom in
this its earliest stage was already planted in Palestine at
the time of Jesus in the humble Messianic preacher and
his disciples.
(b) But the kingdom was not always to remain invisi
ble and unorganized. It was not destroyed by the death
of the Messiah and the dispersion of his followers. It
appears at first as a tender blade upon the surface of the
ground.1 It will be established as an external organiza
tion in the world. In his early teachings Jesus predicted
that the kingdom was near at hand, that it would be be
fore the disciples could complete the cities of Israel in
their ministry ; 2 after the institution of the Lord's sup
per he declared that it would be before another feast ; 3
in his last discourse, after his resurrection,4 he intimated
that it would be at the advent of the divine Spirit on
the day of Pentecost. Peter was to be its rock and
porter." Jesus predicts his speedy coming to establish
his kingdom. This can only be understood of his com
ing in and with his Spirit, after he had ascended his
throne in heaven, and of his establishing his visible king
dom by the ministry of Peter.
(c) The kingdom now has its period of growth. During
this time the kingdom is left very much to itself by the
king. He is absent in heaven on his heavenly throne,
and yet he is dynamically present in spiritual presence
with his kingdom at all times, invisible but potent in his
influence. During this period his apostles and their suc
cessors fulfil their tasks and earn their rewards. The
kingdom in its external form is not altogether pure. It
contains not only good soil that is fruitful in various de
grees of fruitfulness, but it contains bad soil ; barren, ob-

1 See p. 90. 2 See p. 184. 3 See p. 120. * See p. 254.
1 See p. 189.

OF THE GOSPELS 327
durate, and inconsiderate persons who never produce
any fruit.1 In the field of the kingdom are also tares
planted by the devil which cannot be detected until they
ripen, and cannot be removed from the kingdom till the
harvest.2 There are faithful servants and there are un
faithful servants of various degrees and kinds.3 Under
all these difficulties the kingdom grows. Its own inher
ent energy enables the good that is in it to leaven event
ually the whole until it all becomes good. Its own ex
pansive power enables it to grow from the smallest
beginning until it attains enormous dimensions.4 This
kingdom is the kingdom of grace.
(d) There is yet a kingdom of glory. The king will
return in visible presence to establish it. This form of
the kingdom is introduced by an act of judgment. It is
compared to landing fish upon the shore,5 to reaping a
harvest,6 to a trial before the throne of the king.' The
wicked are removed from the kingdom and consigned to
Gehenna.8 The righteous receive their rewards, which are in
accordance with their humiliation in service. The
apostles sit on thrones with the Messiah and have places
at the royal table." This kingdom is so glorious that it
transcends everything. It is to be the supreme quest of
men. They are to part with all else to obtain it ; for
with it they obtain not only a priceless possession, but a
gift which involves all others.1" For this kingdom they
are to labor, and for the advent of this kingdom they are
to pray.11

1 See p. 87. sSee p. 208. 3 See p. 221. * See p. 91.
8 See p. 209. • See p. 208. 7 See p. 225. e Seep. 224.
' See p. 227. '" See p. 209. " See p. 203.

328 THE MESSIAH
.7. The Holy Priesthood.
The Messianic ideal of the Holy Priesthood is not
mentioned in the sayings of Jesus. It does not appear
in the Gospels in their interpretation of the life of Jesus
in the light of the Old Testament prophecy. The
priestly functions of the Messiah were not exercised
during his earthly ministry. The great high priest after
the order of Melchizedek had his functions to fulfil in
the heavenly sanctuary after his ascension. Hence the
predictions contained in the Messianic ideal of the Holy
Priesthood find no fulfilment during the earthly life of
Jesus, but point onward to his mediatorial reign.
8. The Ideal Man.
The most primitive Messianic ideal is the ideal of man
kind, preserved for us in the divine blessing of our race
in the poem of the creation,1 which finds lyric expression
in the Psalter,2 where the ideal man is a little below the
heavenly intelligences in dignity, but is exalted to do
minion over all creatures. Psalm xci.3 describes such a man
in intimate communion with God, delivered from perils
of every kind, sustained by angels, and lord of the animals.
This ideal seems to have been a favorite one with Jesus,
and it is involved in a measure in the title, the Son of
Man. He is recognized as such an ideal man in the
theophanic voices declaring him to be the beloved Son,
in whom God was well pleased.4 Satan, in the temptation,
recognized him as having the authority over nature and
the support of angels.6 His life was a life of superiority

1 Gen. i. 26-30. Messianic Prophecy, p. 68.
3 Ps. viii. Messianic Prophecy, p. 147 seq.
3 Messianic Prophecy, p, 460.
1 Matthew iii. 17; xvii. 5.
s Ps. xci.; Matthew iv. i-n.

OF THE GOSPELS 329
to moral and physical evil, of an authority over man
and nature, over human ills and demons, over life, and
over his own death. In him the ideal of mankind was
first presented in history as the model and glory of all
manhood for our race. 9. Victory over Evil.
The Messianic ideal of the conflict with evil is pre
dicted in the protevangelium," with the victory of the
seed of the woman. This Messianic ideal Jesus under
took to realize. The temptation in the wilderness is the
counterpart of the temptation in the garden, and the
battle with the tempter and the victory there gained
were the prelude to a life-long conflict and a series of
victories. The experience of suffering Israel, in Egyp
tian bondage, was realized by the little child who fled
from the blood-bath of Bethlehem ; 2 and the experience
of Israel in exile at Babylon was realized in the suffer
ings of his life, so vividly presented in the great prophet
of the exile3 and in the psalms of lamentation of the
exiles,4 that they seem like pictures of the real life of
Jesus. The conflict reached its climax in the garden, on
the cross, and in the abode of the dead; but the resur
rection was a victory that for the first fulfilled the prom
ises of the first gospel to our race. It is true that this
victory over the tempter and evil was a personal victory
of the Messiah ; but it involves and guarantees the vic
tory of the human race, whose head and crown he is.
10. The Faithful Prophet.
The Messianic ideal of the Faithful Prophet springs
out of those already considered. It finds its chief real-

1 Gen. iii. 14, 15. 2Seep 320. 3 Messianic Prophecy, Chap. XI.
' Messianic Prophecy, p. 320 seq.

330 THE MESSIAH
ization in the earthly life of Jesus. Even the ideal man
and the conflict with evil are not so fully accomplished
as this. He was the prophet, like Moses, speaking with
an authority so peculiar to him that it became one of
the most striking features of his ministry.' Jesus rep
resented himself as the preacher of the great prophet
of the exile.2 The preaching of Jesus was gentle and
unostentatious. His miracle-working was not in mar
vellous display of power, but in sympathy and love, heal
ing the sick and comforting the afflicted. He presents
such evidences as his credentials to John the Baptist.'
So Matthew points to his ministry in terms of the same
prophet. And when even was come, they brought unto him many pos
sessed with demons : and he cast out the spirits with a word, and
healed all that were sick : that it might be fulfilled which was
spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmi
ties, and bare our diseases. (Matthew viii. 16, 17.)
Matthew's citation varies slightly from the original.
Verily our griefs he bore,
And our sorrows he carried them.4 (Isa. liii. 4.)
He rightly sees in the sympathizing and helpful miracle-
worker, the bearer of human trouble and all its forms of
suffering. The culmination of this bearing of trouble
the evangelist does not refer to here : it comes out in the
course of his narrative.
Matthew at a later date, in connection with another
period of great miracle-working, again presents Jesus as
the Messianic servant.
And many followed him, and he healed them all, and charged

1 Dt. xviii. 18-22; Matthew vii. 28, 29. Seep. 80.
3 Isa. lxi. 1-3; Lukeiv. 17-22. Seep. 236. 3Seep. 176.
4 The evangelist uses an Aramaic version.

OF THE GOSPELS 331
them that they should not make him known: that it might be
fulfilled which was spoken through Isaiah the prophet, saying,
Behold, my servant whom I have chosen ;
My beloved in whom my soul is well pleased :
I will put my Spirit upon him,
And he shall declare judgment to the Gentiles.
He shall not strive, nor cry aloud ;
Neither shall any one hear his voice in the streets.
A bruised reed shall he not break,
And smoking flax shall he not quench,
Till he send forth judgment unto victory.
And in his name shall the Gentiles hope.1
(Matthew xii. 16-21.)
The gentle, unostentatious preacher, who bears with
him the divine Spirit, and who is to conquer a victory
for his people and all the nations of the world, is here
seen executing the first part of his great task.2
In these passages Jesus and his evangelist clearly set
forth the credentials of the Messianic servant of Yahweh.
In the same manner we see the sufferer of the Psalter 3
in the story of the passion of our Lord.4 These psalms
describe a sufferer entirely consecrated to the divine serv
ice, consumed with zeal for the house of God, and suffer
ing cruel reproaches. He is persecuted with mocking
words and cruel deeds. He finds no compassion. Even his
own kindred have forsaken him, and he is the scorn of
the wicked. He is abandoned by God to his enemies,
who mock him for his trust in God. His body is
stretched out, his frame is feverish, he is suffering
intense thirst, his hands and feet are pierced, he is dying

1 Matthew here, as usual, follows an Aramaic version of the Hebrew which
preserves the poetic movement. This is a paraphrase that gives essentially the
meaning of the original, but misses not a few of its delicate shades.
3 Isaiah xiii. 1-3. See Messianic Prophecy, p. 343.
3 Ps. xxii., xl., lxix., lxx. * Messianic Prophecy, p. 320, seq.

332 THE MESSIAH
of a broken heart; they give him vinegar and gall to
drink, they divide his garments as their spoil. Such is
the sufferer who finally triumphs over suffering and
death. He is at last delivered, and his enemies incur a
terrible doom, while he proclaims his salvation to the
ends of the earth, so that these turn unto Yahweh in re
sponse to his call. Such is the great sufferer of these
exilic psalms. He is the same as the suffering servant
of the great prophet of the exile, and their combined
representations portray to us the passion of our Saviour
with such an intensity of graphic power that they exceed
the historical narratives of the Gospels in coloring and
in realistic effect. 1 1 . The New Covenant.
The Messianic ideal of the New Covenant was accom
plished in part in the earthly life of Jesus. The Old
Covenant was instituted at Mount Horeb, when the
covenant sacrifice was made, on the basis of the book of
the covenant. Half of the blood of the victims was
scattered upon the people to consecrate them to the
covenant, and a communion feast was held in the the
ophanic presence of God.1 The prophets predict that the
new covenant will be written not on tables of stone, but
upon the heart ; and that it will be an everlasting covenant
of peace and blessing. The divine Spirit will dwell in
the hearts of men, and his word will be in their mouths.
The sure mercies of David will be freely offered, and the
prophetic servant will be a covenant and a light to Israel
and the nations.2
This New Covenant was instituted by Jesus Christ on

' Exod. xxiv.
3 Jer. xxxi. 31-37 ; Ezek. xxxiv. 25-31 ; Isa. xiii 6 ; liv. 10-17 \ Iv- 3 ; bri- 8.

OF THE GOSPELS 333
the night of his betrayal, when his own body and blood
took the place of the covenant sacrifice of bullocks.1
The blood was presented in the form of the cup of wine,
and the flesh in the form of bread, to unite the members
of the new covenant to their Lord. The New Covenant
was instituted, and the new law. was written on the
hearts of his disciples in the loving word of the gospel
to be preached to all nations. The covenant embraces
all the blessings of redemption. It began its wondrous
course on the night of its institution, but its fruition
will not be attained until the second Advent.
12. The Second Advent.
The eleven ideals of the Old Testament lead us on by
their partial fulfilment during the earthly life of Jesus to
a second Advent in which, according to his predictions,
they will be gloriously fulfilled.
Jesus predicted the three great events, his death, res
urrection, and glory, in a number of prophecies extend
ing from the beginning of his public ministry until its
end. (a) The prophecies are at first in the predicting
of signs to those who demanded them. These all point
to his resurrection as the great sign of his Messiahship.
(1) The temple destroyed and rising on the third
day;* (2) the covenant sacrifice of his flesh and blood
as the food of life ; * (3) his burial like Jonah and rising
again on the third day.4 None of these signs could be
understood until Jesus died as a victim on the cross, was
buried, remained in the grave till the third day and then
rose from the dead. When he rose, he r6se to provide
his people with the flesh and blood of the new covenant
sacrifice, under the forms of the Lord's supper. He
! See p. 120. 3 See p. 259. 3 See p. 277. « See p. 186.

334 THE MESSIAH
rose to be and remain the everlasting temple of God to
all God's people. He rose that the gospel of his re
demption might be preached to the whole creation.
(b) The prediction of his rejection is based on several
prophecies of the Old Testament : (i) The rejected and
suffering prophet of the great prophet of the exile is in
the mind of Jesus in his discourse at Nazareth, and in
his reply to the message of the Baptist.' (2) The re
jected shepherd of Zechariah is in the mind of Jesus in
his description of the Good Shepherd and in his word
to his disciples in Gethsemane.2 (3) The rejected
corner-stone of the Psalter is used by Jesus in his con
flict with the Pharisees during his last week in Jerusa
lem.3 These predictions of the Old Testament as inter
preted and applied by Jesus set forth his death, his
resurrection, and his exaltation as servant, shepherd, and
corner-stone. (c) Jesus on several occasions taught the redemptive
significance of his death and resurrection in figurative
language. According to the synoptists, the Son of Man
came to give himself a ransom for many.* According
to the Gospel of John, the Good Shepherd interposes
between his flock and the robbers, and layeth down his
life for the sheep." Like a grain of wheat he will fall
into the earth and die, and then spring up and bear
much fruit.6
(d) Jesus also sets forth his death and resurrection in
plain discourse. He told his disciples on three differ
ent occasions that he would be rejected by the rulers,
cruelly abused, put to death on the cross, and that he
would rise again on the third day.' This experience of

1 See p. 178. ' See p. 125. » See p. 1T4.
* See p. 107. » See p. 284. • See p. 287.
' See p. 94.

OF THE GOSPELS 335
the Master is a prelude to the experience of his disci
ples. They will have an experience of suffering before
they gain their reward of glory.1 The resurrection is
not to establish the kingdom of glory. That is post
poned till the Advent from heaven with the angels for
judgment. The Messiah comes in his kingdom to
establish it in the lifetime of his hearers. But the
kingdom as thus established will be a kingdom of cross-
bearing, of suffering, a kingdom of grace and service.
The faithful disciples will gain their reward in the
kingdom of glory in accordance with the devotion of
their service, the highest places being assigned by the
Father. There is in the representation of the death and
resurrection of the Messiah, a line of thought parallel
to that which we have seen in our study of the king
dom of God. The main features of these are in
striking harmony. Jesus predicts (a) the rejection of
the Messiah, his death and burial. This corresponds
with the time of the invisible kingdom, its seed-time.
(b) The resurrection of the Messiah has the same rela
tive place in the doctrine of the Messiah, as the enthrone
ment has in the development of the kingdom of God.
The resurrection and enthronement are in order to inau
gurate the king in heaven and to establish the kingdom
in the world.
(c) The period of cross-bearing and baptism of suffer
ing on the part of the disciples during the absence of the
Messiah in heaven, corresponds with the period of
growth of the kingdom of grace in the world in the
midst of enemies, apostasies, unfaithfulness, and difficul
ties of every kind.
1 See p. 108.

336 THE MESSIAH
(d) The glory of the Messiah and his faithful servants
corresponds with the kingdom of glory in the Advent of
the Son of Man from heaven at the End of the Age.
We have gone rapidly over the eleven Messianic ideals
of the Old Testament, and have found that only a single
one of them, the suffering prophet, was entirely fulfilled
by the earthly life of Jesus. The predictions of the
Kingdom of God, the Advent of Yahweh, Yahweh as
Husband and Father, were only fulfilled in small part.
The Day of Yahweh, the Holy Land and the Holy
Priesthood, had no fulfilment until after the enthrone
ment of our Lord. The prediction of the Messianic
King was fulfilled only so far as his birth, anointing, and
rejection are concerned, but not in his enthronement
and victorious reign of , Glory. The predictions of the
Ideal Man, the Conflict with Evil, and the New Cove
nant, began to be fulfilled in important stages of initia
tion and advancement, but these also point forward to
the future. It is clear, therefore, that the vast majority
of the predictions of the Old Testament prophets and
the great mass of their ideals were taken up by Jesus
into his predictive prophecy and projected into the
future. We are not surprised therefore that the Jews, in the
time of our Lord, and even his own disciples, were so
slow to accept him as the Messiah. They did not see
in him the realization of the Messianic ideals of the Old
Testament prophets. He did not fulfil the most strik
ing features of these Messianic ideals, but only those
which were in shadow and which had very naturally
been thrown into the background in the anticipation of
the Jews. Those whose hopes were fixed upon a king
dom of glory, and an advent to judge the world and to
reward Israel for his sufferings, would not be inclined to

OF THE GOSPELS 337
look favorably upon a Messiah who appeared in the
humble guise of the suffering prophet and preacher of
righteousness. They demanded the Messianic sign from
heaven, and were not satisfied with a miracle-working
and preaching, which seemed to them less marvellous
than that of Moses and Elijah, and altogether insuffi
cient to prove that Jesus was that unique person, the
Messiah. They did not see that the cross was the gate
to the throne, or that the sufferings were necessary in
order to the glory. The cross was to the Jew a stum
bling block. It became a power of God unto salvation
only to those who learned by divine grace that the Mes
siah of the cross was also the Messiah of the throne, and
that he would ere long prove himself to be the Messiah
of the day of judgment.
The last word of Jesus to his disciples was, " Ye shall
receive power, when the Holy Spirit is come upon you :
and ye shall be my witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in
Judsea and Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the
earth." Even the apostles could not give their testi
mony to the world until the enthroned Messiah had be
stowed upon them his coronation gift of the Holy
Spirit. They could not preach the life of Christ, his
crucifixion and his resurrection, until they had received
the witness of his enthronement also. It was necessary
that the Messiah of the Gospels should become the
Messiah of the Apostles.