The Pulpit Commentary — John — Volume 1 — Section 462

foretold by Moses in the Pentateuch, and by the last of the prophets who contributed to the Old Testament co.non, that a great Prophet should in after-days be raised up by the Eternal. And this wo.s fulfilled in the Prophet of Nazareth. II. OIIRIBT's PROPHETIC QUALIFICATIONS, His Divine nature, his intimacy with his Father, in whose bosom, i.e. in whose counsels and secrets, he was, constituted his supreme fitness for this office. And his humanity, his oneness with tlie race whose nature he assumed, enabled him to communicate prophetic messages with inimitable effectiveness. A prophet is one who speaks for God; this Jesus did, as none else .::ould or can. III. Crm1sT's PROPHETIC ACTS. His miracles were such, for they taught, with a power even words could not rival, great spiritual and eternal truths. His conduct in cleansing the temple with authority and holy indignation was an example of action becoming in a Prophet commissioned by God himself. IV. CHRIST'S PROPHETIC WORDS. To enumerate these would be to repeat a lar"'e portion of the Gospel records. He explained the Law; he preached the gospel; he foretold things to come; he spake as One having authority; yet he spake as One having winning attractiveness in all his words. V. CRBIST's PROPHETIC PERPETUITY, His word was reiterated by the inspired apostles, to whose memory all his sayings were brought. It is continued in the New 'l'estament, the Word of prophecy. As the Prophet of this spiritual dispensation, Jesus inspires his Church, convinces human minds, changes human hearts, hallows human society. As long as man needs teaching, Christ is, and will remain, the one great Divine and authoritative Prophet of humanity.-T. Ver. 41.-.The Ohrist. In order that the language recorded in this passage to have been used by the Jews may be properly understood, it must be borne in mind that "the Christ" was not a proper name, but an official designation. It is the Greek equivalent for the Hebrew "Messiah," and signifies literally, "the Anointed One.n The Christ is, then, One divinely selected, consecrated, and authorized. I. IT WAS KNOWN BY THE JEWS THAT THE COllllNG OF THE CHH.IST WAS FORETOLD IN THE OLD TESTAMENT ScRIPTUBES. Although the name " Messiah " occurs once only, and that in the Book of Daniel, the observant reader of the Psalms and of the Prophets is well aware that the advent is foretold of a remarkable Being, who shonld in due time appear to fulfil the benevolent purposes of God towards men. Upon examination it is found that this person was predicted as Divine and yet human, as of royal lineage and authority, as the Bringer of blessings to Israel and to man.kind, as a Sufferer and yet as a Conqueror, as One passing through death to victory and to dominion. II. THE COMING 011' THE CHRIST WAS EXPECTED BY THE JEWS AND BY THEIR NEIGHBOURS. 1. This appears from the insight which the Gospels give us into the minds of certain persons who lived at the time of our Lord's ministry and advent. Thus, Simeon was led to expect that he should see the Lord's Christ; men reasoned in their hearts concerning John, whether he were the Christ; the Samaritan woman remarked to Jesus himself, " We know the.t Messiah cometh." 2. The same appears also from certain tests which the Jews proposed to e.pply to Jesus of Nazareth, in order to verify or discredit the claim to Messiahship advanced on his behalf. They looked that the Christ should be a descendant of David; the.t he should be born at Bethlehem; that be should be a Worker of miracles; that he should be the Restorer of the kingdom to Israel, over whom he should rule; that he should abide for ever. So far as there was correspondence between the facts of Jesus' ministry and these circumstances, so far there was a disposition on the part of some to acknowledge his Messiahship. III. THERE WERE OBVIOUS AND POWERFUL lllNDRillOES TO THE SPREAD 011' THE BELIEF THAT JESUS WAS TIIE CHRIST. 1. The life of the Prophet of Nazareth in some respects contradicted popular expectations. He was lowly in station; poor and unfriended by the great; he put forward no assumptions of worldly power; he_ went a.bout doing good. All this was very different from what the Jews expocted in the Messiah. 2. Jesus himself discouraged his disciples and friends from noising abroad the tidings of his Messie.hship. 3. The authorities of the synagogue, towards the close of our Lord's ministry, threatened with excommunication any who should confess him  THE GOSPEL A.OOORDING TO ST. JO !IN, [an. vn. 1-58,