CHAPTER 15
i82
THE PROOF OF THE GOSPEL
Bk. IX. rest of the passage.
For they that have once taken the law and the commandments of salvation for succour and help (d) in their individual life have little need to trouble themselves about the prophecy that springs from dcxmonic deceit.
CHAPTER
From the same.
Concerning Chrisfs Reticence about His Miracles.
(452) [Passage cjuoted, Isa. xlii 1-7-] The Evangelist alludes to this passage, when the Pharisees went out and took counsel against our Saviour to put Him
(c) to death, when He healed the sick on the Sabbath day.
Malt. xii.
But Jesus, knowing, as He says, this conspiracy against Him, Udeparted thence, and great multitudes followed Him, and He healed them all, and He straitly charged^ them that they should not make Him known.
And He adds to this the words, " All this was done " (that is to say His departure, and His yielding to those that plotted, and His effort to escape notice in the miracles that He did, and His pledging those that were healed not to make Him known), in order that what was said by the prophet might be fulfilled, when He said :
"Behold, my son, in whom I am well pleased, my beloved in whom my soul delighteth :
I will put my spirit upon him, and he shall bear forth judgment to the Gentiles ; he shall not strive nor cry, neither shall his (d) voice be heard in the streets.
A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking llax shall he not quench, vuilil he bring forth judgment to victory, and on his name shall the Gentiles trust."
Notice carefully how Matthew, when he says, '' Behold my son, in whom I am well ])leased, my beloved in whom my soul delighteth," mentions neither Jacob nor Israel.
He does not say, "Jacob my son and Israel my beloved," but simply " Beholil, my son and my beloved."'
Hence the \ \V.
II.'
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I".
€7rf7r,\rj^(r.
Ch.
15.
CHRIST'S GENTLENESS
1S3 names of Jacob and Israel are obelized ^ in the Septuagint, as if the prophecy were not in the Hebrew.
And it is silently omitted by the otlier translators, as it is not found in the Hebrew.
And thus it is not inserted by the Evangelist, (453) who was a Hebrew, and followed the Hebrew text in his (luotation.
.Therefore the prophecy does not apply either actually or figuratively to the Jews, but only to the Christ of God, to ^Vhonl the clear evidence and the results bear witness.
For He alone prophesied the future judgment to the Gentiles, quietly sojourning in human life, and setting judgment on the earth.
And not only did He not break the bruised (L>) reed, but so to say bound it uj), setting up and strengthening the weak and the bruised in heart.
And just as He did not neglect the sick and corrupt, who needed His medicine, nor bruise the repentant with hard judgment, so He did not quench them that continued in evil, and were smoking under the fire of passion,- by preventing their following their own choice, nor did He punish any of(c) them before the time, reserving the time of their due chastisement for the general Judgment : therefore it is said, "And the smoking flax He shall not quench."
The words, " And in his name shall the Gentiles trust," have also been exactly fulfilled.
For the nations of Christians trust only in thtj Name of our Saviour Jesus Christ, and are marked with His Name as that of the Father of the religion with which they are associated.
For it was foretold that He should be given for a Light to none but the Gentiles.
And by Him in accordance with the prediction, the eyes of the blind—those that had long been impaired in understanding, and not only of these but of(d) those who h;id lost their very bodies,^ and those who before were involved, bound and chained in sin, in darkness and ignorance of true religion, by Him freed from their sins were accounted worthy of the light of knowledge and of the freedom of God.
And if you at your leisure test the rest of the passage, as I have so far done, you will find each one of its predictions fulfilled in our Lord and Saviour, and in Him alone.
^ ui8f\i(Trai.
* virh tuv waOuv Tv(po/xtvovs.
3 Tuv avrh tIi (Tu/j-a ricpavtafiivtav, which seems to mean "the dead."
i84
THE PROOF OF THE GOSPEL
Bk. IX.
CHAPTER IG (,r.\ From the same.
Of the Disbelief of the Jeivish People in IIint.
[Passages quoted, Isa. vi. i ; 8-10.] This, too, is fulfilled in our Saviour, according to John, when he says :
"37.
But though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him
: 38. That the (^) saying of Esaias the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath believed our report ? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed?"
39.
Therefore they could not believe, because that Esaias said again, 40. He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart ; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be conJohn xii. verted, and I should heal them.
41. These things said "37-41.
Esaias, when he saw his glory, and spake of him.'"
Or according to INIatthew :
" 10. And the disciples came and said to him, \\'hy (c[) speaketh thou unto them in parables?
11. He answered and said unto them.
Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given ...
13.
Therefore speak I unto them in parables, because they seeing see not, and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand
Matt. xiii.
1 5. lest they should be converted, and I should heal 10-5 them."i Then was fulfilled in them the prophecy of Isaiah which said, "Go and say to this people, Hearing ye shall hear, and not understand," and that whicli follows.
Notice how S. John proceeds saying, "These things said Esaias, when he saw his glory, and spake of him."'
As the prophet had seen the Christ and the glory of Christ in the vision in (455) wliich he said, " I saw the Lord of Sabaoth sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up,'" and that which follows.
And who would not be struck by the prophecy, seeing so clearly '
E. omits verse 12.
He softens Iva. yuJ; B\(i'aiffi—aKovaxrt (W.II.) to I'lTi -ov /3A€iroi)(T«f— d(foi>oi;(T(c, and ailiis from the end of the prophecy (verse i5)^'?i''0Te iniaTp4>^a:iTi Koi iacrw^ai ainous, giving no reference to Isaiah.
Ch.
17.
ENTRY INTO JERUSALEM
1S5 even now the unbelief of the Jews?
Even so of old, when they saw Him Incarnate and working miracles among them, they dill not behold Him with the eyes of their soul and with understanding vision, nor had they any vision of spiritual inspiration, so as to understand what power it was that worked so wondrously and so prodigally among them.
Yes, they who were counted worthy to receive with (b) their eyes the words of eternal life, and listened to the voice of divine wisdom, did not hear with the ears of their understanding, and so matle themselves an evident fulfilment of the projihecy.
And even until now, though the power of Christ, by which every race of mankind, divorced from its ancestral superstition, is being led to the Christian religion, is so obvious to them, yet they do not regard it with their unilerstanding, nor consider that what neither Moses nor his successors among the prophets achieved has been brought to pass by these alone, namely, to give up idolatry and pay no heed to polytheistic error, which has (c) been accomplished among all nations by the power of our Saviour.
And so when they read the witness of the prophets concerning Him, they hear with their ears and do not understand, and the prophecy before us is literally even now fulfilled against them.
CHATTER
From Zechariah.
Ho7v it is foretold that lie should ride into Jcrusaletii on a Colt.
[Passage quoted, Zech. ix. 9, 10] As Zechariah prophesied thus after the Return from Babylon towards the conclusion of prophecy, there is no record of a Jewish king, such as the prophecy predicts, (456) except our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, in ^Vho^l this prediction was fulfilled, when He literally said to His disciples " CiO ye into the village over against you, and ye shall find an ass tied and a colt with her ; loose them
i86
THE PROOF OF THE GOSPEL
Bk. IX.
(1)) and bring them unto nie.
And if any man say, What -AFn.tt. xxi. do ye ? ye shall say to him, The Lord hath need of them.
And they went and did as he commanded them."
Such, then, was the prophecy and such the fulfilment.
But what was His riding on an ass meant to shew forth but the lowly and humble manner which marked His first Coming?
For the second Coming shall be glorious, that of which Daniel speaks unfolding and revealing his vision
" 9.
I saw until the thrones were set, and the Ancient (c) of Days did sit.
Thousand thousands ministered to him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him.
[3. And, behold, one as a son of man coming with the clouds of heaven.
And he came even to the Ancient of Days, 14. and there was given to him rule and honour and a kingdom, and all peoples, tribes, and tongues serve him.
His power is an everlasting power, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom shall not be
Dan.vii.9. destroyed." 1
(d) But the first Coming of His Licarnation and humiliation has this great symbol and sign among others, the prophecy that He should be called meek and gentle, and that He should come sitting upon an ass.
For this is a proof of His sharing our humanity.
Whereas the glory of His second divine Coming is shewn by His being borne on the clouds of heaven, and His eternal rule over all nations.
And it is reasonable to quote them both to the Jews, and to ask them to explain how they can save the credit of the prophecies, if they confine them to a reference to a single Coming of Christ : for if they both refer to Christ, as they agree, they are bound to tell us when we ask them, how it is possible for the same person at the same coming to be (457) borne upon the clouds of heaven, and also to ride on an ass and a young colt : for these two things are very different.
And if you collect the many similar prophecies concerning Christ, and compare their differences side by side, you will decide that some of them refer to His first Coming, being fulfilled at His first Epiphany, while others apply lo His second Coming in glory.
I""or He utterly destroyed by His Divine Power the chariots and horses and weapons of war at His first C'oming from '
K. omits 9 b, 10 a (kuI rn evSvina .
. avrov), 10 c, II.
\2.
I^a {KptT-l]pwi'
. i>vKr6i), ami bIso ko] irpnayixOri avT(p (S.
Ch. 17.
ABUNDANCE OF PEACE
the material Jerusalem and the people of Epliraim : where- (b) fore from that day to this their kingdom has never existed, nor their ancient powerful military array or warlike power.
And all the Jewish people are here well called E[)hraim, not Israel or Judah, so as not to bring into dishonour names of more dignity.
And you will find that other prophets call the whole people Ephraim, when charging and accusing them of great crimes, as here.
For after the return from (c) Babylon, when the former division of the people had ceased, who are more likely to be meant by Ephraim than the actual inhabitants of Jerusalem ?
And it was their warlike and military j^owcr, that had lasted until Roman times, that our Saviour's C'oming destroyed with divine secret power, as the prophecy foretold.
The oracle also calls here on the Church of the Gentiles, not simply to rejoice, but to rejoice greatly, in its message of good news, because of the coming of the Word of God (J) to her ; and it calls her the daughter of the heavenly Zion and of the former congregation, because all we that are Cientiles, who believe in Christ, are the offspring and children of Christ and His Apostles, as they whose mother is the Jewish synagogue : and that which follows was also fulfilled at our Saviour's Coming.
For unexampled peace has filled all nations from the time of His coming : no longer do states war with states as before, nor nations contend with nations, nor is human life as of old in a state of constant disturbance ; Athenians do not attack I-aceda?- (458) monians, Syrians Phrenicians, Arabians the inhabitants of Palestine, nor the Egyptians their neighbours.
All have been united from that time by God's help, and it is true that there has been "abundance of peace" among the nations from that day to this, according to the prophecy.
Jesus alone, and the word of Gospel teaching preached by Him, have ruled men from sea to sea. from the east to the setting sun. and from the rivers^ to the bounds of the earth,
(l«) as the prophecy foretold.
Acjuila's rendering of this is as follows :
"He shall speak peace among the nations, and his power shall be from sea to sea, and from the rivers to the ends of the earth."'
I.e. from Mesopotamia to the far west.
i88
THE PROOF OF THE GOSPEL
Bk. IX.
Compare with this wliat occurs in the Psalm, inscribed Ps. Ixxi.
"To Solomon, of the King's Son," that is to say, of Him that will spring from Solomon's seed, of Whom the Psalm (c) says, " And he shall rule from sea to sea, and from the rivers to the ends of the world."
And the same Psalm refers to the peace here described, when it says, "In his Ps. ixxi. S. days righteousness shall arise, and abundance of peace."
Isaiah, too, agrees with this when he says, "And they shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their lances into (f1) pruning-hooks ; nation shall not take up sword against Is. ii.
4. nation, and they shall not learn war any more."
You will find Micah in agreement with this, and " many other prophets.
And if you note, as I said, the dates, you will be able to appreciate that from the time of Augustus, and of the Epiphany of our Saviour that shone forth in his day, during the period of the Roman Empire the old dissensions and varieties of national government have ceased, and thus from that date the peace of the prophecy began.
Just as it then began, a day will come when the prophecy Rom. xi. will be fulfilled in all its fullness, when, as the apostle says, 25- "the fullness of the Gentiles shall come in."
(459) CHAPTER
From Psalm cxvii.
0/ the Cry, Hosanna to the Son of David.
[Passage quoted, Ps. cxvii. 22-27.] When our Saviour Jesus Christ entered Jerusalem, riding on an ass according to the previous prophecy. He fulfilled the prediction of Zechariah, for as the Holy Evangelist tells us, the crowds that went before and followed Him cried, Mait.xxi. saying, "Hosanna to the Son of David, Blessed is he that 9comcth in the name of the Lord, Hosanna in the highest."
(c) And when Pie entered Jerusalem, " All the city was moved, saying. Who is this ?
And the multitudes said, This is the prophet Jesus, from Na/.areth of Galilee."
As, therefore, Hosanna is said in the Psalm we are considering, which is translated "Save us now,' and the Hebrew has "Lord, save
Ch. i8.
THE LORD GOD
us," and the words, " Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord," are taken from the same Psalm, and these words can only refer to the Christ of God, we naturally apply the rest of the prediction to Him.
For He is blessed, (d) \Vho is named by another prophet, " He that cometh," in ,r j, the passage, ." Yet a little while, and he that cometh will ji/^.' Heb. come, and will not tarry,"' Who also came in the Name of x. 37. the Lord C-od His Father.
And He is the Lord God that appeared for us.
For He insists that He has come in the Name of His Father when He says to the Jews, " I have come in my Father's Name, and ye receive me not.
If another come in his own name, him ye will receive."
He, John v. 43. then, that appeared for us, the Lord God, the Blessed, He that cometh in. the Name of the Lord, was also the stone, (460) which they who of old built up the people on the foundation of the Mosaic teaching, set at naught, and which, set at naught by them, is become the head of the corner of the Church of the Gentiles, which the oracle says is wonderful, not to all that look on it, but only to the eyes of prophets, when it says, " And it is wonderful in our eyes."
And it calls His Epiphany also " the day which the Lord hath made," for He was the true Light, and the Sun of Righteousness, and the Day of God, in which we may also (1') say, " This is the day which the Lord hath made, we will rejoice and be glad in it."
Now that this part is thus concluded, I will proceed to con.sider the prophecies concerning the Passion.
VOL.
(46.) BOOK X
INTRODUCTION
Having considered the passages that predict the Coming among men of the God that was foretold, we are now called to expound those that refer to His departure from this life, and to study what the prophets said would (462) happen to Him from the earliest days of prophecy.
And I will begin by expounding those which have to do with the men that plotted His Death, which will occupy no small part of the present Book.
But before beginning my argument let me repeat what I have often said about the dispensation of Christ, that we must strictly distinguish what belongs to His Divinity from what belongs to His Humanity.
As Divine we recognize Him as the Word of God, the Power of God, the ^N'isdom of God, the Angel of Great Counsel, and the Great Eternal High Priest, offering sacrifice for the existence and preservation of all, and propitiating the Father.
(Ij) And as Human we know Him as the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world, and as a sheep led to the slaughter.
And this was the human body, which as a high priest He took like a lamb or sheep from the flock of humanity, and offering the firstfruits of the human (c) race,^ sacrificed them to the Father.
By it He entered into human nature, which could only thus perceive the Word of God, and His spiritual unembodied power, being able with eyes of flesh to sec nothing higher than flesh and physical things.
.*-;o that everything that follows, which may seem to lower His glory, must be taken as conceived of the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world, and of His human body.
' t)j»' a7rop\'7j»'
. naWifprifriutioi.
Cf. P.K.
157 C. iqo