"The chiefest among ten thousand"
II. Christ is here described by the church comparatively, as he may be considered with regard to others
"The chiefest among ten thousand"
The Septuagint render the words thus, "chosen out of, or from ten thousand:"[3941] so Christ is both by God and men; he is chosen of God from among ten thousand, as man and mediator: when that large number of all the individuals of human nature, which tie resolved to create in time, came up in his vast and eternal mind; a certain number of them he for himself whom he meant to make instances of singled out his mighty grace and mercy, and therefore ordained them to life and salvation; and out of this select company, which he had in his eternal view, he chose the man Christ Jesus, and singled oat that single individuum of human nature only, to be united to the eternal λογος, logos, the second person in the glorious Trinity; and therefore he is said to "exalt one chosen out of the people:" he chose this glorious person to be the Savior. head, and mediator of his elect ones, that living stone, which is disallowed and rejected by some men, who would be accounted builders, is "chosen of God, and precious;" he has laid him as the foundation, and "made him as the head of the corner;" he knew that he was furnished with suitable abilities to be the sinner, savior, therefore he "laid help upon one that is mighty;" he called him to the work, invested him with the office of a mediator, and appointed him his "salvation to the ends of the earth:" and now, had all human beings been summoned together to have chosen a savior for themselves, they could never have made a better choice than God has made for them; with this choice every sensible sinner is well satisfied, and rejoices in it; and was it to be done again, would say, as the Psalmist did, "He shall choose our inheritance for us," (Psalm 47:4).
He is also chosen of men from among ten thousand: there is none among all the angels in heaven, the large number of inhabitants that fill the upper world; nor any among the vast crowds of the sons of men, so desirable to sensible sinners as he is: they make choice of Him only for their Savior i far being sensible that in vain is salvation hoped for any where else, they say of all the works of their hands, even of the best their hands ever wrought, "ye shall not save us;" neither will we any more give you such honor, nor have such a dependence on you as to say, "ye are our gods," but Christ, and he only, shall be our salvation; and though he slay us, yet will we trust in him: they choose him for their ruler and governor, their Lord and King; and though they have formerly been under, and have submitted to the government of others; yet they now desire to be his subjects and servants only, and to be obedient to his laws and commands: they likewise fix on him as the alone object of their love, whom they have the strongest affection for, and desirous to keep the most inviolable chastity to; for though he is out of sight, he is not out of mind, "whom having not seen they love;" nor can he be out-rivaled by any, being preferable in their esteem to all others.
Moreover the Hebrew word may be rendered, a "standard-bearer[3942], or one standard among ten thousand." The church of Christ here below is in a militant state; she has many enemies to grapple with, which cause fightings without, and fears within; and though these enemies are mighty and powerful, crafty and cunning, yet in the name and strength of her Lord, she sets up her banners, and appears as terrible to them, and as majestic to others, "as an army with banners;" and this banner, or standard, which is both her covering and her comfort in the day of battle, is love, according to chapter 2:4. It is the love of Christ, as a banner displayed, an ensign set up, and standard erected, which invites and engages so many to enlist themselves in Christ's service; and, when enlisted, animates them to fight the Lord's battles so courageously as they do; Christ, he is the standard-bearer, and the great "captain of our salvation," being by God the Father given as a "leader and commander" to the people. Now Christ being said to be "the standard-bearer among ten thousands" may be understood of the multitude, either of ministering angels[3943], who are under him and at his command; or of saints, who are enlisted in his service, and ready to do his pleasure; he having set up his standard, and being himself "an ensign to the people," multitudes flock unto him, and fulfill the prophecy of him, as the great Shiloh, to whom "the gathering of the people should be:" herein lies the glory and excellency of Christ that he has ten thousand, that is, a large number of choice and select ones under his standard, such as there are not the like in all the world besides; and how stately and majestic does Christ look, and what a noble sight is it to see him bearing the standard before such a company! such a sight as this John had of him, at the head of a vast multitude of those shining ones, who were "clothed with white robes," and had "palms in their hands," having just obtained a glorious victory over their enemies (Revelation 7:9, 13, 14). Or else, the intent of the word is, that Christ is a more excellent standard-bearer than all others[3944]: there may be ten thousand persons who carry a flag, but none of them all are to be compared with him, either for comeliness, strength or courage; none have such a choice and select company under them as he has; neither do any carry such a banner as he does, whose motto is love; and herein was he, who is "the lion of the tribe of Judah," represented by that tribe, which of all the tribes of Israel pitched their standard first, and had the greatest number under it (see Numbers 2:3, 4).
But these words by our translators are rendered, "the chiefest among ten thousand;" and the sense of them is no ways opposed by the former versions; for if he is "chosen out of," and is "the standard-bearer among ten thousand," then he must be the chiefest among them; he is the chiefest among all the angels in heaven; for to "which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my son," etc. He is the Son of God in a higher sense than angels and men are; angels are the sons of God by creation, saints by adoption, but Christ is the Son of God by an ineffable generation; as he is God, he is the creator of angels, and to him they pay homage and adoration; they are his servants, and are at his command, whom he sends forth as ministering spirits, to do his pleasure; and though as man, in the state of his humiliation and abasement here on earth in the days of his flesh, he was "made a little lower than the angels;" yet now in the very same nature in which he was abased below them, he is now exalted above them at the Father's right hand; for "to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand," etc. as mediator, he has "obtained a more excellent name than they;" for the name of a savior or mediator is given to none of them; and as such they are beholden to him, though not to make peace and reconciliation for them, they having never sinned and incurred the divine displeasure; yet they are obliged unto him for confirming grace, to secure them in that state in which they stand. He is also the chiefest of all on earth, as well as of all in heaven; in all things, and over all persons, he has the preeminence; he is the head of saints, their "everlasting father," and tender husband; he is the great master of the family, and "the first-born among many brethren;" he is the King of saints, and Lord of the creation; and should be the chiefest, and have the chiefest place in the desires of our hearts, in the contemplations of our minds, the affections of our souls, and in our ascriptions of glory; for "he is the chiefest among ten thousand."