Ans. Our cause is not at all concerned in these mistakes, whether of Jews or Christians. For the Jews, their chief enmity lies against the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ; and therefore, whatever testi- mony is produced concerning him, they presently imagine that it is for the proof of his divine nature. ‘This lies at the bottom of these exceptions of Kimchi. Hence he conceives that our argument from this place lies in the word 158, and the pointing it with kamets, “ Adonai,” so making it to be the proper name of God; when we
222 AN EXPOSITION OF THE [CHAP. I.
acknowledge that it is Adoni, pointed with khirik, and signifies, “ my Lord.” So it is rendered by the evangelist, Matt. xxii. 44; so by the LXX.; and by Jerome, “Domino meo.” And the argument of our Saviour lies not in the word *}78; but that he beimg the son of David was also then the lord of David, which he could no other- wise be but upon the account of his divine nature.
In the words reflected on by Kimchi it is confessed that there have been mistakes amongst translators and expositors. These words, N22 WY, are rendered by the LXX. Mer& ood 4 &pyhe and by the Vulgar from them, “'Tecum principium,”—“ With thee is the be- ginning;” which hath misled many expositors. But Kimchi knew that Jerome had translated them, “Populi tui duces spontanei,”— “Thy people shall be willing leaders;” giving both the significations of N23, though one would suffice, “Thy people are” (or “shall be”) “willing.” But this pertains not to the cause under consideration.
In like manner have these other words been misrendered by the same translation, an 2 1 INV ONIN, Ex yaorphs apd ‘Ewapdpov évéewnod o¢, say the LX X.; and the Vulgar, “ Ex utero ante luciferum genui te,’—“ From the womb before the morning star have I be- gotten thee:” which gave occasion to many uncouth expositions in Justin Martyr, Tertullian, Epiphanius, Austin, and others. But the words are rightly rendered, “The dew of thy birth is from the womb of the morning,” and express the rise and flourishing of the kingdom of the Messiah. These things prove, indeed, that itis dan- gerous to interpret the Scripture without heedful attending unto the original text; but that the Messiah is not intended in this psalm they prove not.
For what they further object, on our supposition of the divine nature of Christ, “ That there was no need that God should promise God his assistance,” it is but an open effect of their ignorance or malice. Assistance is not promised the Messiah as God, but as made man for our sakes, And so as a priest did he offer that sacri- fice without an interest wherein both they and we must eternally perish.
To conclude this discourse, we have many of their own masters concurring with us in the assignation of this psalm unto the Mes- siah; and to that purpose they freely express themselves when their minds are taken off from the consideration of the difference that they have with Christians. Thus the author of S319 npas opp, in his signs of the coming of the Messiah. “ Armillus shall stir up all the world,” saith he, “to war against the Messiah, 1 ¥9 Is AAPA MY sa avd snore wos niondid ;’—“whom the holy God shall not compel to war, but shall only say unto him, ‘Sit thou at my right hand ;’” referring unto this place. So Saadias Gaon on Dan vii. 13: mw ny sd ay syand DN DIN pI¥;—“ This is Messiah our righteous-
VER, 13,] EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 223
ness, as it is written, ‘The LorD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand”” They affirm the same in Midrash Tehillim; on Ps. xviii, 35: psy'y wd men tbo awn apn wad ny ax pws yy9% aw sxxd min;—“ Rabbi Joden said, In the world to come, the holy, blessed God shall cause Messiah the king to sit on his right hand; as it is written, ‘The Lorp said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand,’” And to the same purpose are the words of R. Moses Haddarshan in Bereshith Rabba on Gen. xvii. 1: m’3935 shad awn apm Nad wnydooyon po wer pod pam nna dm owas mas 18) bxw Sy ae nAnasy xd sw Nd miAY Dr'De Dd MwHA > aw D.AD maen SNown dy aw» van pow Sy aw *2a pQ TINY MEDI WII FMV VA FI Sp ar or» by qo2a 72;— Rabbi Berechia, in the name of Rabbi Levi, opened that which is spoken, ‘Thou shalt give me the shield of thy salvation, and thy right hand shall sustain me,’ Ps, xviii, 35. In the world to come, the holy, blessed God shall cause Messiah the king to sit on his right hand; as it is written, ‘The Lorp said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand” And Abraham shall sit at his left hand. And the face of Abraham shall be pale, and he shall say, ‘The son of my son sits on the right hand, and I on the left.’ But God shall appease him, and say unto him, ‘The son of thy son sits at my right hand, but I am at thy right hand;’ as it is written, ‘Thy loving-kindness shall increase me.’” And so on Ps. xvii.: Rabbi Joden in the name of R. Chijah, ny) sad mm ov Tosaw 120 mewn dd ww napn xad,—“ In the world to come the holy blessed God shail place Messiah the king at his right hand, as it is said, ‘The Lorp said unto my Lord.’ ”