Ezek. xxxiv. 29. I will raise up for them a plant of renown.
THE names by which our blessed Lord is desig- nated in the Scriptures are exceeding various. Every- one of them illustrates some part of his character, and leads us, as it were, one step towards the know- ledge of him ; though, as the light of all the stars combined would give but a very faint idea of the sun, so the lustre reflected from every image in the creation conveys a very inadequate notion of the beauty, the excellency, the fulness of Christ.
That the image in the text refers to him, is clear from the whole context. God, having severely re- proved the negligence of those whom he had ap- pointed to watch over his flock a, promises that he will raise them up a Shepherd, who shall faithfully discharge all his duties, and execute for their good the trust reposed in himb. This, without any further explanation, would have been sufficient to point out to us " that good Shepherd," the Lord Jesus Christ : but the subsequent verses mark the name and offices of this Shepherd in such plain terms, that there is not a possibility of doubt respecting the person to whom the prophecy immediately and exclusively relates0. In the text, the same person is spoken of, only under a different metaphor : in considering which we shall notice,
I. The representation that is here given of Christ — Christ is often spoken of by the prophets under the figure of a branch d, or rod, growing out of a stem6: and in this view he is represented as contemptible in the eyes of a blind and ungodly world f. But he is deservedly called, " A plant of renown,"
1. On account of his mysterious nature —
a ver. 2 — 10. b ver. 11 — 16. c ver. 23, 24.
d Jer. xxxiii. 15. Zech. vi. 12, 13. e Isai. xi. 1.
f Isai. liii. 2.