Thus the word 'confess' answers in the OT to m', which always implies the utterance of genuine faith or feeling (Hiph. = hiunhly and thankfulli/ to acknowledge God's name and good- ness, 1 k 8S-'-35 [LXX ilo'M>.oyioua.i] ; Hithp. =contriteli/ to con- fess sin, Lv 55 1621 [LXX liKyaptia]) ; while ' profess ' answers to Tin = ' tell out,' 'declare,' 'make manifest' (it may be in the way of thankful acknowledgment, Dt 263, or of not concealing one's sin, Ps 381**, or even of showing forth one's sin openly and impudently, Is 39 'They declare their sin as Sodom'). The difference reappears in the NT, where 'confess' is used as tr. of iii>fM>Xoyiou,a.i, which is exactlj' parallel to m' in both its senses, and also as tr. of iu-okoyiu in the specific sense of publicly owning ones relationship of faith and devotion to Christ, Mt 1032, Lk 128; whereas 'profess' answers to iTxyyiKkiuMi = to make a profession , whether sincerely or not ; fo'.(r>ca = to assert or pretend ; and to ou.oKoyioi in the sense of making a formal declara- tion, or in the bad sense of making an outward pretence. Thus, while the one word has received a deep religious impress, the other is restricted to the sense of making a public declaration, a declaration which may or may not be sincere and justified by facts. The RV, in substituting ' confession ' for ' profession ' in the tr. of ofjboXayirx., for the owning of the Christian faith (He 3') or the faith which the Christian owns (4i'4), has logically followed the rendering of oi^okoyiu in its specific Christian significance, and has helped to put the distinction between the two terms in clearer light.
The ' profession ' of Christ or of Christianity is at once more and less than the confession of Christ. It is more than confession ; for while the latter is the witness to actual faith or feeling, profession also covers all ill-grounded utterances to which there is little or nothing in the heart to correspond. And profession is also less than confession : it is limited to the verbal expression of faith, while confession gives evidence of itself in the tone and conduct of life as well. Confession shows itself in the exer- cise of faith as well as in the assertion of it. The distinction between profession and confession is valuable Avhen we consider the varying emphasis laid by the Gospels on verbal testimony as an element in the confession of Christ. The duty of verbal profession is at times strongly insisted on (see Confession [of Christ], ii. and iii.), mainly because it was the sign of loyalty and steadfast- ness of faith. Yet the value of such professions depended on the occasions that called them forth, as well as on their genuineness and their season- ableness. Christ regarded them as peculiarly valu- able in times of stress and growing opposition. So He prized the bold testimony of Peter at Ca>sarea Phili))pi as being a sign of the rock-fast loyalty of His disciple (Mt IG^'^") ; so also He mourned over the later weakness of the disciples and the verbal denial of Peter, as betokening a certain diminution of their allegiance (Mk \4P- ^, Lk 22"). At the same time, Clirist repudiated many kinds of pro- fession, and taught to His disciples a certain duty of reserve in the utterance of their faith. It goes without saying that He repudiated all insincere professions ; and He knew that these were to be found not only among the Pharisees, but also among His own followers (Mt 7^" 2^0). He also feared the egoism of professions of goodness (Lk IS'*"^''), and the boldness of professions of constancy that might not be realized. Hence the coldness of His attitude to professions like that of the new disciple who said, 'Lord, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest' (Lk 9^''- ^^), or to Peter's hasty word, ' If I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee ' (Mk 14^1). But, further, Clirist repeatedly cautioned His followei's against all ill-timed testimony. As He Himself practised a certain reserve in His own teaching (Jn 16'^), He also frequently laid upon His followers injunctions of silence. So in cases of healing He charges those who have seen or experi- enced His poAver to tell no man what He has done (Mk 31- S-*'^ 7^''), and after the scenes at Ctesarea Philippi and on the Mount of Transfiguration the .same injunction follows (8^" 9^). No doubt there were temporary reasons for such reserve on Christ's part, and for such injunctions of reserve ; and He looked forAvard to the time when the things He bad taught and done in private should be pio- claimed upon the housetops (Mt 10-'^), and when the disciples should be so fully established in the faith that no further reserve should be necessary. But in any case Christ desired no hasty testimonies in His favour. It was as if He said : The profession of My name is not always needful : its value de- pends on its seasonableness, and the maturity of the faith lying behind it. Wait till the times are rijie and faith is ripe ; till the private confession wells forth irresistibly from the lips ; or till the crisis comes Avhen everyone is called to proclaim his faith. There Avill come occasions Avhen to refrain from declaring one's faith may be equivalent to disowning and denial, or at least to cowardice. Then those who have been confessing Christ in heart and life will also profess their faith boldly witii their lips, and face all the consequences of tlieir profession. It is then, when the day and hour are calling for a clear and living testimony, that profession becomes one with confession, and the word has fullest force : ' Who-soever shall con-