The Pulpit Commentary — Hebrews — Section 21

fulfilled punc-t1mlly at once, but have spring- is conceived o.s laughing to scorn their de- mg and gerrninant accomplishment through- vices a,,,a-ainst him whom he himself hnd en- out many ages; though the height or fulness throned on Zion. 'l.'hen the king speal{s, "I of them mny refer to some one age." We will declare the decree [or,' I will tell of e may put it thus: It was of the nature of dec1·ee '] ; the Lono said unto me, Thou art prophetic inspiration to lift the seer above my Son; this day have I begotten thee. Ask and beyond his immediate subject to the of me, and I will give thee the nations for contemplation of some grand ideal, which it thine inheritance, and for thy possession the suggested to his vision, and more or less per- ends of the earth." Then follows an admo- fectly fulfilled. He has, for instance, as the nition to the rebels to do homage to this basis of his vision, a David, a Solomon, a Sox, submission to whom is submission to Hezekiah, or a Zerubbabel; he hns as its the LORD, and whose anger is as the Lono's framework the circumst.a.nces of his own time anger. Now, it is evident that the language or of the timo nea.r at hand; but we find his used transcends literal application to any language, us he proceeds, rising far o.bove earthly king. Hence some commento.tors his vision's origino.l scope, and applicable have been led to suppoae that it had no even to those comprised within it only so far as primary reference to one, being simply pro- they embody and realize the idea.I which they phetic of the Messiah, though suggested by represent to his mind. Hence the ta.king the circumstances of David's day. Thus up of old prophecies by succeeding prophets, Ebrard, ~upporting his view by the nsBnmp- their enlargement and reapplication to new tion (which is usually made) of the messnge fulfilments; and this, too, in terms trans- of No.than to David (2 Sam. vii. 14) being cencling the reality of these new fulfilments; the " decree " referred to in the psalm, and as, for instance, when Isaia.h, taking up the the foundation of the confidence expressed idea of Nathan's message to David (2 Sam. in it. He argues that it was not to David, vii.), applies it apparently to a son and a reign but to his posterity (Jl'J!. ), that the position to be looked for in his own age, bnt at length of sonship was assigned, and eternal do- in language which can have no other than a minion promised; ancl hence that David in M cssianic reference (Isa. ix. 6, etc. ; xi. l, this psalm (wliich he considers to have been etc.; cf. Jer. xn:iii. 15). Hence, lastly, the certainly by him) must ho.ve been speaking, application in the New Testament of all such not in his own name, but in tho.t of his seed ancient utterancea at once to Christ, as being after him, looking adoringly forwo.rd to the the final and complete fulfilment of the ideal fulfilment of that glorious hope in the distant of prophecy, the true Antitype of o.11 the future (2 Sam. vii. 19). Thus, he concludes, types. A clear perception of this view of the insurrection of the Syrians forms merely the drift of prophecy will remove difficulties the or,casion, but not the object and import, that harn been felt as to the application of of the second psalm. But, even if the mes- many quotations from the Old Testament, sage of Nathan were certainly the basis of in this Epistle and elsewhere, to Christ. the idea of the psalm, we find an instance of Thon art my Son, this day have I begotten the express application of tho.t message to thee ; a quotation from Ps. ii. 7. This psalm David himself, as well as to his posterity, in is expressly quoted as Davio.'s in Acts iv. Ps. lxxxix. (see vers. 20-28). It may be, 25, end has internal evidence of being his, however, that the reference in the psalm is and of having had primary reference to his to some Divine intimation, possibly to some reign. For the mention of Zion (ver. 6) pre- prophecy or oracular utterance. delivered to cludes e.n earlier date, while the circum- David himself at the time of the inaugura- stances of warfare alluded to do not agree with tion of his own sovereignty, and long before the peaceful reign of Solomon, nor the picture Nathan's message. In any case, it is in e.e- of undivided empire with any period after cordance with the genius of prophecy, as the secession of the ten tribes. Further, the o.bove explained, that the words should have rising and consequent subjugation by David had a primary reference to David himsolf, so of subject races, described in 2 Sam. viii., far forth as he impe1fectly fulfilled their 11resents to us a state of things very likely to meaning. The main thing to be observed have BUggested the psalm; and to this period is that they represent an ideal of sonship of David's reign it is usually referred with and unlimited sovereignty beyond any that probability by modem commentators. But could, o.s a matter of fact, be considered es -:.he question of date and author~hip is not fulfilled in David. And this view of its material to our view of the prophetic meaning meaning, suggested by the psalm itself, is of the psalm. Taking it to be David's, we confirmed by the use made of it in later find as follows: There is a rebellious con- Scripture. For it is evident that this psalm, federation of subject kings against the do- together with the passage from 2 Sam. vii. minion of the King of Israel, who is spoken of (to be cited next) is ma.de the basis of a long as'' the Anointecl" of the LOBD. In view of series of Messianic prophecies (cf. 2 Sam. their hostile preparations, the LoBD in heaven :u:iii. l, etc. ; Ps. ex.; lx.uix. ; cx:uii. ; lea. OH, I, 1-14.] THE EPIS'l'LE TO 'l'HE HEBREWS. 11