The answer to the question, How the coordinate existence of three distinct persons in the Trinity can be reconciled with this fundamental doctrine of the divine unity is given below in ques- tion 85 of this chapter.
II. Jesus or Nazareth, as to his divine nature, is truly God, and yet a distinct person from the Father.
9. What different views have been entertained with respect to the person of Christ ?
The orthodox doctrine as to the person of Christ, is that he from eternity has existed as the coequal Son of the Father, con- stituted of the same infinite self-existent essence with the Father and the Holy Ghost.
The orthodox doctrine as to his person as at present consti- tuted, since his incarnation, is set forth in chap. 20. An account of the different heretical opinions as to his person are given below, in questions 87-91, of this chapter.
10. How far did the Jews at the time of Christ expect the Messiah to appear as a divine person ?
When Christ appeared, it is certain that the great mass of the Jewish people had ceased to entertain the Scriptural expectation of a divine Saviour, and only desired a temporal prince, in a pre- eminent sense, a favorite of heaven. It is said, however, that scattered hints in some of the rabbinical writings indicate that
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some of the more learned and spiritual still continued true to the ancient faith.
11. How may the preexist ence of Jesus before his birth by the Virgin be proved from Scripture ?
1st. Those passages which say that he is the creator of the world. —John i., 3 ; Col. I, 15-18.
2d. These passages which directly declare that he was with the Father before the world was ; that he was rich, and possessed glory. — John i., 1, 15, 30 ; vi., 62 ; viii., 58 ; xvii., 5 ; 2 Cor. viii., 9.
3d. Those passages which declare that he " came into the world," " came down from heaven." — John iii., 13, 31 ; xiii., 3 ; xvi., 28 ; 1 Cor. xv., 47.
12. How can it be proved that the Jehovah who manifested himself as the God of the Jews under the old economy was the second person of the Trinity, who became incarnate in Jesus of Nazareth ?
As this fact is not affirmed in any single statement of Scrip- ture, it can be established only by a careful comparison of many passages. The evidence, as compiled from Hill's Lects., Book III., ch. v., may be summed up as follows :
1st. All the divine appearances of the ancient economy are referred to one person. Compare Gen. xviii., 2, 17 ; xxviii., 13 ; xxxii., 9, 31 ; Ex. iii., 14, 15 ; xiii., 21 ; xx., 1, 2 ; xxv., 21 ; Deut. iv., 33, 36, 39 ; Neh. ix., 7-28. This one person is called Jehovah, the incommunicable name of God, and at the same time angel, or one sent. Compare Gen. xxxi., 11, 13 ; xlviii., 15, 16 ; Hosea xii., 2, 5. Compare Ex. iii., 14, 15, with Acts vii., 30-35 ; and Ex. xiii., 21, with Ex. xiv., 19 ; and Ex. xx., 1, 2, with Acts vii., 38 ; Is. lxiii., 7, 9.
2d. But God the Father has been seen by no man (John i., 18 ; vi., 46) : neither could he be an angel, or one sent by any other ; yet God the Son has been seen (1 John i., 1, 2), and sent (John v., 36).
3d. This Jehovah, who was at the same time the angel, or one sent, of the old economy, was also set forth by the prophets as the Saviour of Israel, and the author of the new dispensation.
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In Zech. ii., 10, 11, one Jehovah is represented as sending another See Micah v., 2. In Mai. iii., 1, it is declared that " the Lord/' " the messenger of the covenant/' shall come to his own temple. This applied to Jesus (Mark i., 2). Compare Ps. xcvii., 7, with Heh. i., 6 ; and Is. vi., 1-5, with John xii., 41.
4th. Certain references in the New Testament to passages in the Old appear directly to imply this fact. Compare Ps. lxxviii., 15, 16, 35, with 1 Cor. x., 9.
5th. The Church is one under all dispensations, and Jesus from the beginning is the Redeemer and Head of the Church ; it is, therefore, most consistent with all that has been revealed to us as to the offices of the three divine persons in the scheme of redemption, to admit the view here presented. See also John viii., 56, 58 ; Matt, xxiii., 37 ; 1 Pet. i., 10, 11.
13. What evidence of the divinity of the Messiah does the 2d Psalm present ?
It declares him to be the Son of God, and as such to receive universal power over the whole earth and its inhabitants. All are exhorted to submit to him, and to trust him, on pain of his anger. In Acts xiii., 33, Paul declares that Psalm refers to Christ.
14. What evidence is furnished by the 45th Psalm ?
The ancient Jews considered this Psalm addressed to the Mes- siah, and the fact is established by Paul (Heb. i., 8, 9). Here, therefore, Jesus is called God, and his throne eternal.
15. What evidence is furnished by Psalm 110 ?