John i. 45. Philip findeth Nathanael, and sailh unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.
A GENERAL expectation of the Messiah pre- vailed in Israel at the time of our Saviour's advent : and when his forerunner, John the Baptist, was sent, very wonderful were the effects produced by his ministry. Though he did no miracle, yet he excited the attention of the whole Jewish nation. The sanc- tity of his character, and the power of his words, soon gained him the name of a prophet: and, as there had been no prophet in Israel for the space of
about four hundred years, his labours were hailed as a return of God's love to his people ; and persons of all ranks and orders flocked to him, and submitted to his baptism. Many began to suppose that he was the Messiah himself. That, however, he disclaimed : but he avowed himself to be the person spoken of by the Prophet Isaiah eight hundred years before, as sent of God to make known the Messiah, who was already come. Accordingly, he pointed out the Lord Jesus Christ to them, as " the Lamb of God that should take away the sin of the world a." This testi- mony of his, supported by the visible descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Lord Jesus at his baptism, gained credit with some. We do not read that Jesus had yet awhile wrought any miracle : but there was in his appearance what seemed amply sufficient to justify John's testimony respecting him ; and those who were introduced to the knowledge of him were very desirous to impart to others the benefit they had received. The first to whom the discovery of the Messiah was made, was Andrew; and he immediately communicated the glad tidings to his brother Peter. The next to whom Jesus made himself known was Philip : and he also, like Andrew, sought some friend to whom to impart this joyful intelligence ; and, on finding Nathanael, endeavoured to make him a par- taker of his joy, saying, " We have found him of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph."
That you, also, may be partakers of the same joy, I will shew,
I. How amply the Lord Jesus Christ is described in the writings of the Old Testament —
We may notice it,
1. More generally in the writings of Moses —
[At the very beginning of the world, even whilst man was yet in Paradise, Moses informs, that the Messiah was foretold, as il the seed of the woman who should bruise the serpent's head," and deliver men, though not without grievous sufferings
a ver. 29.