HOLY ONE The expression 'the Holy One,'
or ' the Holy One of God,' is used several tmies in the N'T to describe our Lord. It is in itself so re- markable, and used in a manner so calculated to arrest attention, that it has been surmised that we have here a characteristic designation of the Mes- siah (Meyer on Mk 1^). While it may be doubteil if so positive an assertion can be justified, the ex- pression is sufficiently striking to require a careful examination into its origin and its significance.
A scrutiny of the pa.ssages in which the AY has rendered the Greek expression by ' the Holy One," will show that for the word 'holy' we have two Greek words, Sclos and dyios. Now, since the two passages in which Saios occurs are in a quotation from the LXX, and the signification of the term is most likely to be derived from a Hebrew original, it will be necessary to ask if these two words are uniformly used to represent corresponding Hebrew ones, or used indiscriminately to tr. different Heb. words in difi"erent places.
In the OT there are two distinct words used for ' holy,' Ton and Einp, and it is to be carefully noted that in the LXX, although criK tr. Tpn about 30 times, and Icyic: tr. pilj; 100 times, in no single instance is iris; used for I'n,?, or iyia tor Ttn. (See Trench, XT Synoni/m.':).
It is reasonable, then, to look for the signification of orie: in Tpn, and iyio; in ernj). See art. Holiness.
A. Passages in which our Lord is described as ' Holy One,' Saios being used. As a substantive expression it occurs only in Ac 2^ 13^ — in both oases a quotation fi'om Ps 16'" — used first by St. Peter and afterwards by St. Paul,— oi)5^ Sdiacis riv ujioi- a-ov iSeTf Sta^idopdii. Without a reference to the Helirew, it might appear that such an expres- sion, taken from the OT and ap|)lied by Apostles to Clirist, would carry with it peculiar significance ; but beyond the fact" tliat the Apostles so used the expression, there is nutiiing in the word- themselves to justify any unique position in w hich our Lord was described as ' holy.'
B. Passages in which our Lord is described as ' Holy One,' ayios being used. If the examination of the foregoing passages prevents us giWng to the word dicrto! any peculiar significance which would make it describe our Lord as a bein'' of peculiar lioliness, the case is quite otherwise when we come to the expression 6 dyios.
1. Use of the title.— Vi'e find it first on the lips of the demoniac (Mk 1=^, Lk 4=^), who, in declaring his knowledge of Christ, describes Him as ' the Holy One of God ' [otSd at ris cf, 6 07105 too GeoC). The words probably made a deep iminession on the dis- ciples. We loiow how vague and uncertain were their views about their Master, and it would seem
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as if they seized on tlie demoniac's confession as a revelation of His claims ; for, the next time the title is ascribed to Him, it is hy St. Peter himself, when striving to find words to answer our Lord's question if they too intended to abandon Him : ' Lord, to whom shall we go ? Thou hast the words of eternal life. And we have believed and know that thou art the Holy One of God ' (Sti ai d 6 dyios toO QeoO [so correct reading], Jn 6"").
St. Peter, in his speech to the people in Solomon's porch (Ac S"), charges them with denying ' the Holy and Righteous One ' {Tdv dyiof Kal diKaioi/). St. John (1 Jn 2'->') tells his readers that they have 'an anointing from the Holy One' (d-n-o toD iyiov). In Rev 3' our Lord so descrilies Himself in the address to the Church of Philadelphia : ' These things saith he that is holy ' (rdSe X^7ei 6 dyws).
2. Derivation of the title. — We have seen that the significance of fiyios is naturally to be looked for in the Heb. <i\iil, which, like Tpn, is freely employed of places, things, and persons. Yet, while Tpn is used of God only in Jer 3'^ (LXX eXer^fiav) and Ps 145" (LXX 6Vios), where it is joined v/itli a reference to His works ('holy in all thy works '), »hi; is used very frequently to ileseribe Go(l Himself. It is so found in the Boolis of Job, Psalms, Isaiali, Hosea, and Habakkuk, tjiip 'the Holy One,' LXX 6 4710s. Besides the simple title 'the Holy One,' God is 24 times called by Isaiah ' the Holy One of Israel ' ; elsewhere only in Ps 71^= 78^' 89'", Jer 50-» 5P [2 K 19" = Is 37^] Sxns" uiinp.
3. Iti sigvifirrnvr as applied to our Lord.— To men familiar willi (lui OT expressions 'the Holy One' and 'thr Holy One of Israel,' as describing God Himselt, it. would .seem almost impo.ssibIe that the expression could liave been used of Christ with- out a distinct desire to connect His title with that of Jehovah. Every male firstborn was indeed ' holy to the Lord ' (Lk 2^*). But on the lips of St. Peter and the demoniac it must be felt to have that special and distinct signiticanee such as Jesus Him- self implies in Jn 10'", when speaking of Himself as one 'whom the Father sanctilied (r)ylaae) and sent into the world.' Spokon l.^- our Saviour of His Father (Jn 17"), il -i'^uilirs that which He is abso- lutely; spoken of <'liii-i Himself, it means both this and also His -piTial il.Mlication to the work of man's salvation {r.fj. in Ko 12' it is used with the forcv of a saiiilirial metaphor, the victim con.se- (■r.aleil to (lod). ('lirist was indeed the Holy One of C.a aliove all others, but that which He was He came in a measure to make His people, so that, in the language of the NT, those who through Him were consecrated and set apart were also oi 47101. See, further, art. Holiness.