The Pulpit Commentary — Matthew — Volume 1 — Section 69

Vers. 13-15.-System in providence. It were a truism to say that there is wisdom in providence; for otherwise providence could not be Divine. In that wisdom there is what Paul describes as a manifoldness (Eph. iii. 10). And this appears in a system of developments and correspondences, evincing at the same time unity of plan. The text furnishes striking illustrations. It suggests- !. THAT THE PEOPLE OF !SBA.EL WEBE CHRIST TYPICAL. 1. For Hosea'B allusion i.B historical. His words are these: "When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt" (Hos. :xi. 1). The reference plainly is to the bringing forth of the people of Israel from Egypt by the band of Moses and Aaron. Moreover, it is a paraphrase upon the words of God's message to Pharaoh (Exod. iv. 22, 23). From the history we learn: (1) That the suffering of God's people is no certain proof of his displeasure. (2) That it may evince his love as that of a. Father to a child who needs discipline and education. (3) That when love's ends a.re served the discipline will end. 2. Hosea's words are stal prophetic. (1) That they contain a mystery is clear from the manner in which they speak of the nation as a person. This is the con- verse of the manner in which the same prophet makes the real Jacob or Israel stand for the nation descended from him (cf. Hos. xii. 3-6). (2) The evangelist explains the myste,y as containing a prophecy of Christ. In doing this he is countenanced by prophetic analogies. Thus Jehovah, speaking evidently of Messiah, says, "'l'hou art my servant, 0 Israel, in whom I will be glorified" (Isa. xlix. 3). .Again," Behold my Servant, whom I uphold; mine Elect, in whom my soul delighteth" (lea. xiii. 1). This the LXX. construes thus: "Jacob my servant, and Israel mine elect;" while in the Chaldee it is, "My servant the Messiah." Thie paraphrase is clearly justified by the context. 3. So the history in the Law likewue u prophetic. (1) Dr. Alix remarks that the author of' Midrash Tehillim,' on Pe. ii. 7, says," The mysteries of the King :Messiah are declared in the Law, the Prophete, and the Hagiographa. In the Law it is written (Ex:od. iv. 22), 'Israel is my son, even my firstborn.' Rabbi Nathan, in • Schemath Rabba,' on those ~ords speaks thus: • .A~ I !11-ade_ Jacob my fi~etborn' (Ex:o~. iv. 22), so have I made Messiah my firstborn; a.s 1t 1s said (Ps. lxxnx. 27), 'I will make him my Firstborn, higher than the kings of the earth.' " (2) 'l'he perils, then, in which Israel typifted Christ, viz. as they are presented in the passages before us, are: (a) His Sonsbip. (b) His election. (c) His sojourn in Egypt. (a) His return and advancement to dignity and glory. ' II. THAT GoD BROUGHT CHRIST TYPIOAL OUT OF EGYPT. 1. The system of provi- rlence is ,een in preaagetJ. (1) The sojourn of Israel in Egypt was presaged in the per- sonal history of Abraham their father. For early in that history " there was a famine in the land [of Canaan]: and Abram went down to Egypt to sojourn there.n In that land he found not only asylum, but generous treatment, and acquired property. After- wards " the Lord plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues beCBuse of Sarai .Abram's wife;" and these plagues induced Pharaoh to send him away (Gen. xii. H- 20). (2) That in all this there was an allegory Abram might have learnt from his 1uhseciuent experience (see Gen, xv. 11-16). The horror of darkness was evidently a gn, IL 1-23.] THE GOSPEL .ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW. 57