und seine Anwendung auf das Verstiindniss des Werkes Christi' in SK, 1S94, p. 9; Ritschl, Uechtferti.Qtuuj und Versohnung-^, 3 vols. 1889 [Eng. tr. {Justification and Reconciliation) of 1st vol. from 1st ed. 1872, of 3rd' vol. from 3rd ed. 1902]; H. J. Holtz- mann, NT Theol. 1897 ; Wendt, Lehre Jesu 2, 1901 [Eng. tr. from 1st ed. 1893] ; Ansehn's Cur Deus Homo in Migne's Patr. Lat. torn. 158, also in separate ed. (Nutt), 1S94.
Robert S. Franks.
MESSENGER.— The word is formed from ' mes- sage' with intrusive nasal. It is used as the equivalent of a-yyiKos in its primary meaning of one sent on a message or to make an announce- ment. So it occurs frequently in the OT (repre- senting riN^n of Heb. and ayytKos of LXX), and in the Gospels in Lk 7'^'* 9^'^. It is to be observed, however, that in ' messenger ' the emphasis is on the sending or mission, while in HyyeXos it is on the message or proclamation. Philologically a truer equivalent is dTroo-roXos ; and accordingly in two instances (2 Co S-'^, Ph 2-^), where missionary preachers are .so described and where some sj^ecial mission is in view, the latter is the Greek term used.
1. Towards the close of the OT the term seems to have acquired the meaning of a special or inspired teacher. Thus in Hag 1'^ the prophet styles him- self ' messenger ' as the bearer of Jehovah's message. A similar meaning is at least probable in Job 33-^ And this usage is in some degree paralleled in the modern tendency to seek a definite ' message ' in the literary works of distinguished poets and thinkers. The most important use of the term is in Malachi, a jjrophet whose name [if ':nS'? be, indeed, his name ; cf. Mai V and the Comm. ad loc.] means 'my messenger.' He uses the term three times and in thi-ee applications. First, it is a designation of the true priest, whose work is to conserve spiritual knowledge and teach the law of God (2'^). Secondly and thirdly, in 3' it is ap- plied to a forerunner, and to the ' messenger of the covenant,' who seems to be identical with the Person styled 'the Lord whom you seek.' The.se two applications are in the NT interpreted of the Baptist and the ]Me.ssiah respectively. The M'ords of the prophet with reference to the forerunner are with a change of pronoun ('thee' for 'me') re- peated in identical form in each of the Synoptics (Mk 1-, Mt ll'^ Lk 7-'). In tliese quotations, as in Lk 9''-, the messenger is one sent before to pro- claim or to prejiare. Tiie direct application of the term to Jesus is not made in the NT, though a kindred idea is fi;equentlj' expressed : in the saying which occurs in all the Gospels, ' He that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me ' (Mt lO-'o, Mk 9^^ LkQ-i^ 10'«, Jn 13'^o 12^^) ; in the frequent Johannine phrase ' whom God hath sent,' and in the com- mission ( Jn 20'-^) ; and even in the term ' gospel ' (euayyeWov), which is expressive of what Jesus de- scribed Himself as anointed of God and sent to preach (Lk 4'^). The conceptions of Christ as the Revealer of the Father and the incarnate Word are also kindred ; and it might be argued that the language of Malachi was in the mind of the writer of the Epistle to the Hebrews in P 3^ V^ and throughout. R. ScOTT.
2. In He 6^ our Lord is spoken of as our Fore- runner {Trp68po/xos) 'within the veil.' This is the only place in the NT where the title is used. A irpo- dpo^os (in the literal sense) was a messenger sent in front of the main army to examine the ground, clear the front of obstacles, or notify the presence of an enemy to the main body advancing behind {i.e. a scout, light-armed soldier, or spy). Here it is connected with the priestly work of our Lord. He has entered within the veil 'for us,' as our ' higdi priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek, i.e. in our interest, namely, to obtain pardon for us (9^2), to represent us in the presence of God
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(v. 2^), and to open up for us an entrance into heaven itself (10^^)' (Liinemann in Meyer's Com.). Probably, however, the military connotation is not to be entirely ignored. Just as an army advances securely under cover of its scouts far in front, so the army of believers moves on through the valley of the shadow of death without fear, knowing that our great Forerunner is in front. He has en- countered and conquered death for us, so that we have no need to fear anything. This thought is beautifully elaborated from another point of view in Jn l-l-- ^ When Jesus came back for a moment from the silent land, it was not with an air of terror or defeat, but as a conqueror, crying ' All hail I ' (Mt 28''). There is nothing to fear in the Beyond whitlier Jesus has gone before us ' to pre- pare a place fur us.' E. Griffith-Jones.
MESSIAH is the English word based on the Greek representation of the original Hebre^^ or Aramaic. The Gr. reproduction assumes the varied forms 3Ieo-t'as, yUaaias, and Meo-eiaj, corresponding to the Hebrew --v-; and the Aramaic n-'s-?. The Heb. is the normal katil form, meaning ' anointed,' which is tr. into Greek in the term which has be- come so familiar, xP'<''^0S) the agnomen of our Lord. The Heb. "■?? was a term applied pre-eminently to the king, who was designated to office bj- the cere- mony of anointing (1 S 9i« W, 2 K 9-- ^ «). Priests were consecrated to office in like manner (Lv 8^^, cf. 4»- '«).