fice according to which it was a propitiation foi sin assumed a larger prominence, and the other idea of it .-us a gift for (Jod's acc^^ptanee sank pro- portionally. It was really the nation's history that impressed men with the sense of their sinful- ness rather than the ceremonial enactments of the ritual law. The developed ritual expressed the new conscience of sin, it did not create it. The royal and the priestly now appear united in the final ruler. In I's 110 he is a crowned prie.st. In tli • passage Zee 6^'^ it is uncertain whether the Brancli (the Davidic ruler) is to be 'a priest upon his throne' or to have a priest associated with him (RVm). But the Davidic king continues to be the Messianic figure of the post-exile period, e.r/. in Ps 2. 72 — both late passages— Zee 9, and par- ticularly in the Psalms of Solomon (Ps 17. 18, c. 100-50 u.C). A great 'part of the Psalter is eschatological in the general sense. The Psalmists' minds are filled with the eschatological ideas of the prophets, now become the faith of the people— the idea of the manifestation of J", the judgment of the world, the redemption of the peojile of J " ami their eternal blessedness, with the participation of the nations in their salvation: but it is only in a few p.salms that the personal Messiah is referred to, e.g. Ps2. 72. 110; cf. 89. 132. It is uncertain when the title Messiah began to be given to the expected future king. The term can scarcely have been a proper name or special title for the future kini; in the time of the Exile, for Deutero-Is. uses it of the Persian king, 'Tims saitli the Lord to his anointed (in-ij'n messiah), to Cyrus' (Is 45'). But the name was used <|uite currently of the expected king or saviour in the age of Christ, for even the woman of Samaria employs it, ' I know that Mes- siah Cometh ' (Jn 4-*). The title has been supimsed by some to be given to the expected king in Dn 9-'', but more probably it is ajiplied there to some liigli priest. It was perhaps Ps 2 that suggested tlio special application of the title to the expected king', ' Tlie kings of the earth set themselves against the Lord and his Messiah.' The title ' Son of God ' seems taken from the .same psalm, both being employed in St. Peter's confession, 'Thou art tlie Messiah, the Son of the living God.' The psalm is based on Nathan's prophecy, and ajipears to be a directly Messianic passage, and probably belongs to a late date. The only creative book in post-exile times is Daniel. Chap. 2 is eschato- logical in the general sense, the stone cut out from the mountains that brake in pieces the image being a symbol of tlie kingdom of God which shall destroy the world-kingdom in its successive his- toricaf forms. It is less certain whether this general jioint of view be maintained in ch. 7, or whether the personal Messiah Vie referred to in the phrase 'a son of man.' The former interpretation IS the more pndiable, the expression 'a son (or, chilli) of man,' i.i\ a man, being used as a symbol of ' the peoiile of the saints of the Most High' to whom the kingdom is given. The spirit of man shall aiiiiiiale this kingdom, whereas the kingiloms of the world are animated by the spirit of the wild beast. Very soon, however, the phrase 'son of man ' was interpreted to mean the Messiah, as appears from the Bk. of Enoch.*
The Messianic is usually held to circle round the three great figures- the prophet, priest, and king. But the basis is broader th.an this; the Messianic age being the time of the perfection of the people of God, any factor that enters into the life of men as an essential element of it may be idealized and
• There has been conskicnihlo controversy lately ov(?r Ihe iiieanin;; of the pliroso * tfie S'tn of man' in the (iospclti ; cf. WcIIhanaen, Skizz>rn, vi. ISS ; Scliiniedel iti I'roO'gt. MinuttH- fif/tt', 18HH ; I.ietzmann, Meiwhewtohn, 180(1 ; llnlnmn, \i'nrtt Jt'giL, p. lUl. See L. A. Muirheiul in I'Jxpos. Tinu*, Nov., LNjo. ISOO ; and art. Son op Ma.s.
124 PROPHECY AND PROPHETS
PROPHECY AND PROPHETS
made prominent. The prophet or prophecy is typical of the general eschatological state of the people of God, for then J" will pour out His spirit on all flesh (Jl 2^, Jer 31»^, Is 64'»), and the prayer of Moses, ' Would that all the Lord's people were prophets ! ' shall be answered. But otherwve the prophet is not directly a Messianic figure (on Dt 18''' see above in B. i.) ; he is the herald of tlie advent of J" to Zion (Is 40^) or to His temple (Mai 3'). The Ser\'ant of the Lord is in a lofty sense a proplietic figure ; but he is not a prophet like other propliets with a message for any particular time or circumstances, nor does he give particular teaching or predict particular events. He is the bearer of the whole revelation of the true God, the ' word ' of God incarnate (Is 49""), and therefore prophet of J" to the world.* The priest or priesthood is also predictive of the general eschatological con- dition of the people, for ' they shall be a kingdom of priests and an holy nation ' (Ex 19'), the two ideas suggested by priesthood being holiness and privilege to draw near to God (Nu 16'). But even in Zee 3"- ' tlie atoning function of the priest appears still only typical of J"'s o^vn act of forgiveness, who will remove the iniquity of the people in one day. The Servant of the Lord makes himself an ofiering for sin (Is 53'"), but he does not appear to be regarded as a priest. Besides these three great figures, however, there is another who contributes to the