phecies, the context of which must, at the time that they were first delivered, have been interpreted of things then present, and that, too, according to the Divine intention. But the same Divine intention, looking forward to remote futurity, so framed the language of prophecy, that it should apply with still greater specialty to the times of the Messiah. And this hidden inten tion (some portion of which the learned observe to have oozed out even to the Jews) the apostles and evangelists, themselves divinely taught, teach us : and we are bound to receive their statements concerning the fulfilment of prophecy in a teachable spirit, on account of the correspondence between the predictions which they adduce, and the events to which they apply them. This is enough for the defence of the Evangelists, until any one is led to acknowledge their authority on other grounds. Their sincerity is clearly evidenced by the fact, that they have ampli fied, as far as possible, the number of prophecies relating to the Messiah, and therefore the labour (delightful indeed !) of proving1 that Jesus is the Christ. The Jews, on the other hand, en deavour as eagerly to turn aside in any other direction whatever, everything which the prophets have predicted concerning Christ, so that it is wonderful that they still believe that there either is, or ever will be, a Messiah. — dia rou vpopyrov, by the prophet) St Matthew quotes the prophets with especial frequency, to show the agreement between the prophecies and the events which ful filled them : the other Evangelists rather presuppose that agree ment.2 — Xsyovros, saying) This should be construed wdth ^po^rou (prof>het) ; see ch. ii. 17. Isaiah is not mentioned by name. The ancients were studious readers ; there was less need, there fore, in those times, to cite books and chapters.
23. 'iSoi) 7) crapSsvo; Iv yaffrpi s^ti xai rs^srai Y/ov, HO.) xaX'iffoum TO oVo/z.a AuroD 'E//,//,at<'oi^X — Behold the virgin shall have in her womb [or conceive], and shall bring forth a Son, and they shall
1 The onus probandi. — ED.
2 SS. Mark and Luke have at times noted down these prophecies, which our Lord himself quoted ; but they have been more sparing of their own spontaneous appeals to the Old Testament, since they were looking forward to readers becoming now continually more and more established in the Chris tian faith. John, the last of the Four, added one or two prophecies, and their subsequent fulfilment. — //arm., p. 49.