IXCARNATIOX, TIIK
IXCAKXATION, THE
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which tlie career and work of Moses had suggested. For it is noticeable, in regard to tlie Messianic liope in its earlier stages, tliat tlie actual history of lar. itself gives birth to Messianic conceptions, e.g. the Exodus from Egypt helped to gi%e form and colour to the national expectations of future deliverance from foes and oppressors ; the rise of prophecy and of the kingdom suggested the image of an ideal prophet and a righteous king. At any rate, it is in the early period of the kingdom that the Messianic hope takes a clear and delinite shape. («) The oracle, 2 ST'-'M^f- I'ss 2- 89. 13-2), points to a future descendant of David whose throne is to be everlasting, and who is to stand in a unique relation to God as His ' Son.' This title, solemnly transferred from the nation (Ex 4'^-) to the king, implies that the 'Son of IJavid' i« to be hcnceforlli regarded as the representative of the chosen nation. This oracle is specially important as determining the scope and future direction of Heb. prophecy. In the propliets and psalmists we lind successive pictures of 11 monarch who is extolled either as a warrior victorious over Judah's foes (Ps 2), or as a royal bridegroom taking to himself the dau},'ater of an alien people (l*s 45), or as a monarch reigning in righteousness and peace (Ps 72), and blessed with signal marks of divine favour, length of days and perpetual communion with God (I'ss 21. 61). These predictions of an ideal ruler culminate during the crisis of the struggle with Assyria. Thus Am gu-is points to the revival of David's liuuse as Judahs last remaining hope; Hos 1" 3' goes further, and foretells the appearance of a second David. Mic .'5'"° directs the thoughts of the faith- ful to Hethlcheni, the original home of the Uavidic family, and predicts its future greatness as the birthplace of the Messianic deliverer. Isaiah do- i-cubes the Messiah's righteous rule, directed and inspired by the Spirit of J" (11), and dwells on the glory and peace of the city which Messiah chooses as his metropolis (4. 32, cf. Zee 9'"). Indeed it may be said tliat at this period (c. 750-700) the Davidic monarch becomes the central figure of prophecy ; and Ko I' shows that the Davidic descent of Christ was ever re":ardcd as an essential element in the Messianic claim (cf. Ac 2™, 2 Ti 2'), and our Lord Himself bears witness to the current belief that Christ was ' the son of David ' in Mk 12«.
(i) Closely connected, however, with this con- ception is another, viz. that of a personal advent of J" to set up His throne in Zion, as the Judge and Saviour ot His people. This thought indeed (Am 4" etc., Is 2. 32, etc.) is not actually com- bined with the picture of a Uavidic king ; the ligure of the son of David is nowhere idenlilied with the eelf-manife.sting J". Uoth elements enter into the general current of Messianic thought, but they Cud fullilment and mutual adjustment only in the person of Jesus Christ. In Ezk 31"-^ wo find an instance of the juxtaposition of the two ideas. In this and in other instances it is evident that there were parallel streams of prediction wliicli, owing to necessary limitations in llic pro- phetic faculty, were not brouglit into conibinaliun. (c) New elements were added to the Messianic picture by the prophets of the preChald. and exilic period (70O-.'i3S). The most impressive of these is the wonderful conception of the ' servant of J",' the representative of the faithful remnant of God's chosen jKOpIo, who by his vicarious snllcr- ings makes atonement for their transgressions, and by his loyal fullilment of the divine mission en- trusted to him becomes the 'light of the Gentiles' and the missionary of the nation.s, no accomplish- ing in his own person the ideal functions of the clioser people (Is 40-()(), /xi.v.vim). In the post-ex. period of prophecy the priestly and mediatorial
work of the coming Messiah rises into prominence (Ps 110) together with his relation to humanity at large as 'the Uranch' (Zee 3' ti'-, cf. Jer 23' and the phrase ' Son of Man,' Dn 7"). At the same time Is indicated his clo.se relation to J ". He is called J'"s ' fellow ' (Zee 13'), His ' angel ' (Mai 3'), one in whom J" Himself is pierced (Zee 12'"). Such expressions are to be compared with earlier pas.sages which they elucidate or develope : e.g. the prophecy of Immanuel (Is 7'^), or of the king whose name ' shall be called J" is our righteou.^nes.s (Jer 23°", cf. Is 9"). The deepest and most per- manent element pervading the varied imagery of the prophets is the thought of the advent of .1" lliiiisen to judge, redeem, and govern His peo[>le, and to sanctify them by the bestowal of His Spirit ( Ezk 36'-^--'' 37-''). The Redeemer who should come to Zion would be Himself divine (cf. Is dy'"'-").* See Messiah.
ii. NT account of Je.tus Christ. — A. It was through experience of the Mnnkuotl and human life ot Christ that men gradually arrived at the recognition of a higher nature, of which the lower was onlj' a veil. Thus the preaching of the I. began with an api)eal to facts and incidents open to ordinary observation ; Jesus Christ was lirst known as 'a man' (Ac 2'^), and NT lays special stress on the verity and completeness of His m.an- liood. The Gospels describe His birth (Mt l'*"-, Lk 2""-), His growth ' in wisdom and stature ' (Lk 2'-), His liability to the ordinary and innocent inlirniities of human nature, e.g. hun-jer (Lk 4'', Mk 11'-), weariness (Jn 4''), thirst (.In -P W), pain and weakness (cf. He 5'-'), death. His body was subject to ordinary conditions of nurture and de- velopment ; it was the apt instrument of creaturely service and obedience to the will of God (He 10*'), and of self-sacritice on behalf of His fellow-men (Mt 26-*). The soul of Christ was subject to liuinan atrections and emotions: compassion (Mt 9^»), love(Mk 10-', Jn IF), grief (Jn U», Lk 19"), fear and anguish (Lk 22", cf. He 5'), anger (Mk 3', Jn 2""). He had a true human will (Jn 0", Mt 2li™), which, however, is described as ever sub- jecting itself to the guidance of the divine will. This subjection necessarily implied the possibility of temptation, and of painful ellort of will (>U 20**, Lk 22*-), so that ' He learned obedience by the things which he sullered ' (He 5»). Einally, .lesus Christ possessed a human spirit (Lk 2" 10-', Jn ll**, Mk 8'-), which was apparently the seat or sphere of His diWne personality (Ko 1'), and which in the hour of death He commended into the hands of God (Lk 23*"). After death this human s|iirit of Christ, divinely ' quickened ' (1 P 3"), is found to have preached the gospel to certain of the departed (ii. 4").