Section 693
II. The reason of Christ's saying so to his church, or bidding her
"Turn away her eyes from him," is because they had overcome him. These words are very differently rendered. 1. Some read them thus, "for they have lifted me up," so Ainsworth; or, "that they might lift me up,"[4045] so Junius that is, make me cheerful, comfort and encourage me: there is a near union between Christ and his church, from whence arises a very great sympathy; he has a fellow-feeling with his people in all their afflictions, both inward and outward, temporal and spiritual; when they are afflicted, he is afflicted; when they are east down, he is as it were cast down with them; and when they are cheerful, he is so too; he "weeps with them that weep, and rejoices with them that rejoice:" the church being in a comfortable frame, and in the exercise of faith and love upon him, he is as it were cheered by it, and. rejoiced at it; but this must be understood only as expressive of that near sympathy there is between them, and not as implying weakness or alteration in him, who is subject to no change. 2. Others read the words thus, " for they have strengthened me;"[4046] and so our translators have rendered the word, in Psalm 138:3, and then the sense is, they have strengthened my desire towards thee and confirmed me in it, as R. David Kimchi[4047] observes; and it is as if he should say, It is true, as I am thine, and thou art mine, I always had a desire towards thee, and to thy company; and it is not long since I signified it to thee; but since thine eyes have been so intently fixed on me, thy faith and love have been so exercised upon me, methinks my desire towards thee is strengthened and increased: but this must be understood as expressive of that great regard which Christ had to her, and be taken with the same caution as before. 3. Others,[4048] as R. Sol. Jarchi, read the words thus, "for they have made me proud;" the word is rendered, "to behave one's self proudly," in Isaiah 3:5, by our translators: Christ, as I may so say, is proud of his people, whom the Father has given him, and he has purchased with his own blood; he takes a kind of pride as well as pleasure in them; he is proud of that beauty which he himself has put upon them, and of those graces which he has wrought in them, and especially that of faith, when it is in exercise: What notice did he take of the Centurion's faith? and in a kind of a boasting manner, as being proud of it, say to his followers, "I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel:" here is an instance of faith for you, such an one as is not to be matched in Israel. 4. Others[4049] read them thus, "they have made me fierce;" not with anger and indignation, but with love; for there is a power, a force, a fierceness in love, as well as in wrath; "love is strong as death;" it is so not only in Christ's people towards him, but more especially in him towards them; his affections are very strong towards them, and are sometimes let out with a greater force upon them than at other times, as they seem to be here. 5. R. Aben Ezra[4050] renders them thus, "they are stronger than me," or, "they have taken away my strength;" so that I am as one that is dead, and have no life and spirit in me; these sparkling eyes of thine have transported me into a kind of ecstasy, that I am scarce myself: and to this purpose the Septuagint render it, "they have made me to fly away;"[4051] that is, out of myself; which agrees with our version, "they have overcome me," I am not master of myself; the sense is the same with chapter 4:9. Now this shows us, (1.) The power of faith; which not only 'subdues kingdoms, stops the mouths of lions, and puts to flight the armies of the aliens," but conquers God himself. (2.) This is owing very much to the importunity of it, which is increased by seeming denials: faith will not let Christ alone, nor let him go, nor will I cease petitioning, till it has got the blessing; sad the repulses it meets with, do but increase its importunity (see Genesis 32:26; Exodus 32:9, 10; 28). (3.) Christ's being overcome by the church, does not imply any, weakness in him; but is a discovery of his astonishing, condescending love and grace, that he should be willing to be held, as it were a captive, by a poor sinful creature; that He should be willing to be overcome by us, who has conquered all our enemies, sin, Satan, hell and death for us, is surprising and amazing; and perhaps on this account, as well as upon some others, we may be said to be "more than conquerors," because we are the conquerors of him who has conquered all.