PUBLIC-DOMAIN CHRISTIAN BOOK
The Works of John Owen — Volume 18
John Owen · 300,763 words · 293 reading sections
Section 121
There are two things concerning the Messiah which are the pillars and foundation of the church. The one is his divine nature; and the other, his work of mediation in the atonement for sin, which he was to make by his suffering, or the sacrifice of himself. For the declaration of these unto them who, according unto the …
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So doth Philo express their sense, De Confusione Linguarum: Kay pnderw wevror ruyxavn rig aEsixpews dv vibe sol rpoowyopereodas, omovdale xoomsiobas xard roy mpwréyovoy aurod Adbyov, rv Hyyerov mpeotb- rarov we apydyyerov ToAuwvumoy Lrcpyovrar Kal yop apn, nol bvome Osod, xe) Abyos, nal 6 nur’ eixéva cvOpwmos, nul dpor…
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3. The Jews discern that "PIN, “walking,” relates in this place immediately to Sip, “the voice,” and not unto DVN AIM, “the Lorp God ;” and therefore endeavour to render a reason for that kind of expression. So Aben Ezra on the place giveth imstances where a voice or sound in its progress is said to walk: as Exod. xix.…
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222 APPEARANCES OF THE SON OF GOD [FXERC. X. same work,—one as Lord and Prince, the other two as his ministering servants. And this is further cleared in that expression of Moses, Gen. xix. 24, “The LorD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LoRD out of heaven.” Targum, ™ ptpn, “ from before…
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10. First, He appeared in the form of “a man:” i5Y US Ps, —“A man wrestled with him.” A man he is called from his shape and his actions. He “ wrestled,” P28?; that is, saith R. Menachem in Rashi, 72yn', “he dusted.” This, saith he, is the sense of P28; for pydsna nay ody vow ,—“ they stirred up the dust with their feet…
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15. Exod. xix. 18-20, “ And mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because the Lorp descended upon it in fire: and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly. And when the voice of the trampet sounded long, and waxed louder and louder, Moses spake, and God answered him by a…
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228 APPEARANCES OF THE SON OF GOD [ EXERC. xX. fested unto him, chap. xxxiv. 6, though but obscurely in comparison of what it was unto them who, in his human nature, wherein “ dwell- eth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily,” Col. i 9, “ beheld his glory, the glory as of the only-begotten of the Father,” John i, 14. …
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230 APPEARANCES OF THE SON OF GOD [EXERC. X. dreams, and appearances, or representations, of himself, instructing them in his future condition from the beginning; and God who con- versed with men on earth was no other but the Word who was to be made flesh.” The other is Justin Martyr, whose words need not be produced,…
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-the principal foundations of their present infidelity: for he not only grants, but contends and proves, that the Angel spoken of was God; and being sent of God as his angel, he must be a distinct person in the Deity, as we have proved. The reason, indeed, he fixeth on why he is called an Angel, namely, “because he gov…
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And this was another way whereby God instructed the church of old in the mystery of the person of the Messiah who was promised unto them. EXERCITATION XI. FAITH OF THE ANCIENT CHURCH OF THE JEWS CONCERNING THE MESSIAH. 1. Messiah promised of off. 2. Faith of the ancient church of the Jews con- cerning him. 3. State …
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236 FAITH OF THE ANCIENT CHURCH OF THE JEWS [EXERC. XL naturally drew their conclusion from. Some, in the meantime, among them, God’s secret ones, as Simeon, Anna, Joseph, Zacharias, and Elisabeth, but especially the blessed Virgin, with many more, retained no doubt the ancient faith of their forefathers. But the body…
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238 FAITH OF THE ANCIENT CHURCH OF THE JEWS [EXERC. XI. pate the Christians; which last, as Justin Martyr, who lived near those days, informs us, he endeavoured with all cruelty. In the pur- suit of this design he continued for three years and a half, obsti- nately managing a bloody war against the Romans, until the i…
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9. Our apostle tells us, 1 Tim, iii.16, that “without controversy great is the mystery of godliness; God was manifest in the flesh, justified 240 FAITH OF THE ANCIENT CHURCH OF THE JEWS [EXERC. XI. in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.” All things…
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The first they call Messiah Ben Joseph, because he is to be of the tribe of Ephraim; the other, Messiah Ben David, of whom after- wards. Both of them are mentioned together in the Targum on Cant. iy. 5, DDN j2 wri WT 2 Nw pprand punys JP! pon; —‘“ Thy two deliverers which shall deliver thee, Messiah the son of David, a…
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And I am the rather inclined unto this conjecture, because I find that they are some of them not utter strangers unto the book of the Revelation, as those of them who are cabbalistical have a great desire to be inquiring into things mystical, which they under- 244 FAITH OF THE ANCIENT CHURCH OF THE JEWS [EXERC XL sta…
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246 FAITH OF THE ANCIENT CHURCH OF THE JEWS [EXERC. XI. and partly, that God had then provided a new Babylon to punish and destroy them. The Abba Kolon is a monster whom no man hath as yet set [eyes] upon; but it is no other but Capitolium, as they will easily grant who know how usual it is with them strangely to meta…
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17. Again; their masters have not only dealt dishonestly and blas- phemously, but foolishly also, in this matter, in that they have not suited their own creature unto the end for which they have made 248 FAITH OF THE ANCIENT CHURCH OF THE JEWS [ EXERC. XI. him. The end, as was showed before, why they advanced this im…
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This is the substance of their persuasion concerning his coming, person, office, and work. When he shall come; whether he shall live always, or die at a hundred years old; whether he shall have children, and if he have, whether they shall succeed him in his throne; whether all the Jews that are dead shall rise at his c…
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21. It is sufficiently evident that this opinion and persuasion of the Jews, which is catholic unto them, and hath been so ever since they rejected the true Messiah, contains an absolute renunciation of the faith of the church of old, and an utter rejection of all the ends for which the Messiah was promised. I shall no…
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254 * FAITH OF THE ANCIENT CHURCH OF THE JEWS [EXERC. XI. seek after such a Deliverer; they have no need of him or his salva- tion. According, therefore, as this building of self-righteousness went on and prospered amongst them, faith in the Messiah, as to the true ends for which he was promised, decayed every day mor…
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256 FAITH OF THE ANCIENT CHURCH OF THE JEWS [EXERC. XI. desire to know, if he can pardon sin without sacrifices, why he can- not do it as easily as with them? or what is he eased of by sacri- fices? If it respect themselves, as indeed it doth, then it may be inquired what it isthat they shall be eased of in the obtain…
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29. Again, their envy against the Gentiles is greatly increased and excited by the oppressions and sufferings from them which they undergo. This adds hatred and desire of revenge unto it; which render it impotent and unruly. I speak not now of their present and past sufferings from Christians, which in many places have…
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32. What, all this while, is become of the work everywhere in the Scripture assigned unto the Messiah? Whom is that cast off unto? Who shall break the serpent’s head? Who shall take away the curse that entered on sin? Who shall be a blessing unto all nations? To whom shall the Gentiles be gathered, to be saved by him? …
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35. Thirdly, Some, acknowledging the kingdom of the Messiah to be heavenly and spiritual, and the promises generally to intend spiritual and heavenly glory and riches,—that is, grace and peace in Christ Jesus,—do yet suppose, moreover, that there is in many of them an intimation given of a blessed, quiet, peaceable, fl…
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2. The first great promise of the Messiah, at large insisted on before, declased only his coming, and the end of it in general. This promise was recorded 1272322, Ps, xl. 8, or, as our apostle, Heb. x. 7, év xegaAsds Bs€Afov,—in the beginning, head, or first roll, of the book of God, namely, Gen. ii., as a stable found…
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5. It were endless to consider all their several expositions; and useless, because they are fully confuted by one another; and whatever seems of importance in any of their exceptions will be fully answered in our exposition and vindication of the text and context. Only, to give the reader a specimen of their sentiments…
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8. The subject here spoken of is “ Judah,” and that not as merely 268 THE PROMISED MESSIAH [EXERC. XII. declaring the person of the fourth son of Jacob, but the tribe and family that sprang and was to spring from him. §o are the whole tribes everywhere called in Scripture by the name of him from whom they sprang, and…
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being imprudently managed by Rehoboam, lost the ten tribes, who would never afterwards submit unto the regal family of Judah. Its retrieval, after an intercision made of it in the Babylonish captivity, ‘was ducal, or by an honorary president, with a mixture both of aris- tocracy and of the power of the people. Upon …
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13. The first appointment of this court, the original of this “ con- sessus judicum,” is recorded Num. xi. 16, where, by God’s order, seventy elders are called and designed to join with Moses in the rule of the people, and are instructed with gifts to fit them for that purpose. The continuance of this, with the institu…
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From this number they exclude expressly persons over old, de- - formed, and eunuchs, whom they conclude to be cruel and unmerci- ful, as Claudian doth,— « Adde quod eunuchus nulla pietate movetur Nec generi natisve cavet ; clementia cunctis In similes, animosque ligant consortia damni.” “ Mercy from eunuchs is remove…
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23. Having taken this brief view of the words, we may draw our argument from them, which is this: The Messiah, according to this prediction, must come while the rule and government of Judah was ‘continued, or before it was utterly removed or taken away; but they are long since departed and taken away,—they have been so…
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26. Unto these reasons and testimonies we may subjoin the use of the words themselves. ©3¥ is originally and properly a “rod” or “staff;” all other significations of it are metaphorical. Among them the principal is that of “sceptre,’—an ensign of rule and government ; nor is it absolutely used in any other sense, but i…
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29. For, first, this is manifest from the context and words them- selves. The promise of the Messiah was the foundation of that nation and people, the reason of the call of Abraham, and of the erection of a kingdom and a state in his posterity. This we have elsewhere demonstrated. This promise concerning him, and cove-…
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32. And we have also the concession of their Talmuds and most learned masters, fully consenting in this cause. So in the Talmud of Jerusalem, in Chelek. “ The world,” say they, “is created for the Messiah, av m1, and what is his name in the house of Rabbi - Shiloh? They said, His name is Shiloh; as it is written, ‘ Unt…
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SECT. 34.] LONG SINCE COME, 283 honour was allowed him by the caliph who in those days ruled there; so that when he passeth in the streets, they cry before him, “Make way for the son of David.” Fagius long since returned a proper answer to this story in a proverb of their own, 7pywS Ayn way pi ;—“ He that hath a mind …
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SECT. 1, 2] THE MESSIAH TO BE COME. 285 2. The occasion of the former words must be inquired after from the story of those times in Ezra, and the whole discourse of the pro- phet in that place. The people, returning from their captivity with Zerubbabel, in the days of Cyrus, had laid the foundation of the temple: but …
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4, Abarbanel, one of their great masters, and chief among them SECT. 3-5.] THE MESSIAH TO BE COME. 287 who invent pretences for their impenitence and unbelief, in his comment on this place, after he hath endeavoured his ptmost against the interpretations of the Christians, and made use of the reason- ings of former e…
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8. Secondly, The vast and unspeakable sums of treasure which were expended in the building and adorning of it. I know there is some difference among learned men about reducing the Hebrew signatures of moneys unto our present account; but let the esti- mate be as low as by any can reasonably be imagined, setting aside w…
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10. We may add hereunto what is recorded concerning the adorn- ing of this house. Not to mention the pillars of brass, with their chapiters, whose magnificence was wonderful, and workmanship inimitable; the molten sea with the oxen, and the like ornaments innumerable: if we do but consider that the whole house, upon th…
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14, This evasion being of no use, something more satisfactory must be inquired after, something wherein the glory of the latter house must excel that of the former. That they may not be utterly silent, the masters of the present Judaical infidelity fix upon two things, which they would persuade us this glory might cons…
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16. Wherefore, others of these masters, waiving these empty pre- tences, would have the glory of this second house to consist in its duration. So R. Jonathan in Bereshith Rabba, Jarchi on this place, and Kimchi, whose opinion is repeated by Abarbanel. Kimchi tells us that their masters are divided in this matter; and J…
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19. We say, then, that these words contain a prophecy of the Messiah, and of the real glory that should accrue unto the second temple by his coming unto it whilst it was yet standing. This is the importance of the words, Dyno nan ast, The LXX. give us a corrupt interpretation of the words: Kai 4Ze ra éxrsurd wdvrav ray…
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21. Though the words of the promise are thus clear in themselves, we may yet see what further light is contributed unto our inter- pretation from the circumstances before observed; as, first, the way of bringing in this glory is there expressed by the prophet from the mouth of the Lord: “ I will shake the heavens, and …
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And this plainly is evinced from the comparison that God makes between the work here promised and that which he wrought when he covenanted with the people upon their coming up out of Egypt. Concerning the work which God will thus do “ once more,” it is said to be bYP TY, “a little while;” that is, ere it be accomplishe…
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tition between us; having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even 392 OTHER TESTIMONIES PROVING [EXERC. XIII. the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace ; and that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity ther…
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27. Once more, we may yet add the consent of others of their masters besides these expositors. Some testimonies out of their doctors are cited by others. I shall only name one or two of them. In the Talmud itself, Tractat. Sanhed., cap. xi., the application of this place of Haggai unto the Messiah is ascribed unto Rabb…
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1. THERE remains yet one place more, giving clear and evident testimony unto the truth under demonstration, to be considered and vindicated ; and this is the illustrious prediction and calculation of time granted unto Daniel by the angel Gabriel : Chap. ix. 24-27, “Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon …
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3808 DANIEL’S PROPHECY VINDICATED. [EXERC. XIV. of them the computation is to take its date and beginning. And yet, as, notwithstanding this difficulty, never any man doubted but that the years mentioned contained the time of Abraham and his pos- terity’s being in Egypt, so no more, notwithstanding the difficulties an…
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6. He adds, thirdly, “The first division of the seventy weeks is seven weeks of years, verse 25, the end whereof is. expressly cha- racterized by the setting up of a Messiah governor; which cannot be verified in the setting up of the first governor of the Jews after the 310 DANIEL’S PROPHECY VINDICATED. [EXERC. XIV. …
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8. It is added, fourthly, “That the cutting off the Messiah, here spoken of, is expressly joined with the destruction of the city in one week, to be accomplished the last seven years; whereas Christ suffered above thirty years before the destruction of the material Jerusalem, verses 26, 27.” Ans. There appears no such…
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subject of them is the history of Antichrist, and the Waldensian saints and their successors restored and reduced out of antichristian captivity. See chap. vii, ii, vill, x.—xii.” Ans. (1.) This is “petitio principii,’ and hath no foundation but the arbitrary hypothesis of our atfthor: and it seems strange that there …
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18. “In the same time,” saith he, “the said prince is said, verse 27, ‘for the overspreading of abominations to make desolate ;’ a phrase attributed unto Antichrist, chap. viii. 12, 13, xi. 31, there said to set up the ‘abomination making desolate.’ ” Ans. Although, great desolations and destructions being treated of …
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518 DANIEL’S PROPHECY VINDICATED. [EXERC. XIV. It may not, therefore, be amiss in our way to take a little prospect of their perplexity in this matter. 23. In the Talmud Tractat. Sanhed., they have laid down this general rule, “ Male pereant qui temporum articulos suppetunt quibus venturus est Messiah ;” or, as they …
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320 DANIEL’S PROPHECY VINDICATED. Now ébis oracle was no other but this prophecy of Daniel, whose accomplishment at that time the Jews all over the east expected. And they acknowledge in their Talmud that they were made pro- digiously obstinate in the war they had undertaken against the Romans, by their continual expe…
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322 DANIEL’S PROPHECY VINDICATED, — [ EXERC. XIV. suited unto his desires and requests; and it contained an account of their state and condition until the consummation of all things that concerned them. The end of that people, or that for whose sake they were a church and people, was, as we have demonstrated, the brin…
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Moreover, he is called, Dan. ix. 24, WP WIP, “The Holiest of holies,’ “The most Holy;” “Sanctitas sanctitatum,’ in the ab- stract,—“ The Holiness of holinesses.’” The most holy place in the tabernacle and temple was so called, but that cannot be here in- tended. The time is limited, DOW1? YIP nin? ;—“To anoint” (or “to…
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32. Thirdly, This season is designed HP "52>, — “to make recon- ciliation for iniquity ;” “to reconcile iniquity.” So our apostle paras renders this expression, Heb. ii. 17, ‘Trdoxeodas reg amuprias,— To reconcile iniquities;” that is, ‘IAdoxeodas rbv Osby wep) roy &mapridv,— “To make reconciliation with God for iniqui…
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35. Sixthly, It is affirmed that 1’ 173! ,—“ Messiah shall be cut off” Not “occidetur,” “ shall be slain,” as the Vulgar Latin renders the word, but “excidetur,” “shall be cut off,’—that is, penally, as one punished for sin; for the word ™?, when it includes death, constantly denotes a penal excision, or cutting off fo…
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But here our masters are by no means agreed amongst them- selves, nor do they know what to answer unto this inquiry; and if they do guess at any one, it is not because they think it possible he should be designed, but because they think it impossible for them to keep life in their cause and not to speak when the sword …
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41. Secondly, That which remains for the full confirmation of our argument from this place is, that, according unto this prophecy, the promised Messiah was to come whilst the temple was standing and the daily sacrifice continued, before the expiration of the seventy weeks of years limited by the angel. This is put beyo…
1,124 wordsSource & rights
Public-domain historical edition (1850–1870); OCR text from Internet Archive. OCR may contain scanning/transcription errors. Verify quotations against page images when precision matters.
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Historical Christian writing; not Scripture.