Second, That Jesus of Nazareth is unquestion ably the Messiah who has come.
(a) To prove our first assertion, we shall con fine our remarks to .three prophecies. The first oc curs in Gen. xlix :8, to, where Jacob is giving his sons his parting benediction, etc. When he comes to Judah he says: 'The scepter shall not de part from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come ; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.' It is evident that by Judah is here meant, not the person but the tribe; for Judah died in Egypt, without any preeminence. By scepter and lawgiver, are ob viously irttended the legislative and ruling power, which did, in the course of time, commence in David, and which, for centuries afterwards, was continued in his descendants. Whatever variety the form of government—whether monarchical or aristocratical—might have assumed, the law and polity were still the same. This prediction all the ancient Jews referred to the Messiah Now, that the scepter has departed from Judah, and, consequently, that the Messiah has come, we argue from the acknowledgments of some most learned Jews themselves. The precise time when all author ity departed from Judah is disputed. Some date its departure from the time when Herod, an Idu mman, set aside the Maccabees and Sanhedrim. Others think that it was when Vespasian and Titus destroyed Jerusalem and the Temple, that the Jews lost the last vestige of authority. If, therefore, the scepter has departed from Judah— and who can question it who looks at the broken up, scattered, and lost state of that tribe for ages? —the conclusion is clearly irresistible, that the Messiah must have long since come. The tribe of Judah was in a most prosperous state.
The next proof that the Messiah has long since come, we adduce from Dan. ix :25, 26, 27. It is evident that the true Messiah is here spoken of. He is twice designated by the very name. And if we consider what the work is which he is here said to accomplish, we shall have a full confirmation of this. Who but He could finish and take away transgression, make reconciliation for iniquity, bring in everlasting righteousness, seal up the vision and prophecy, confirm the covenants with many, and cause to cease the sacrifice and obla tion ? If then it be the true Messiah who is de scribed in the above prophecy, it remains for us to see how the time predicted for his coming has long since transpired. This is expressly said to he seventy weeks from the going forth of the com niandment to restore and build Jerusalem. That by seventy weeks are to be understood seventy sevens of years, a day being put for a year, and a week for seven years, making up 4go years, is allowed by Kimchi, Jarchi, Rabbi Saadias, and other learned Jews, as well as by many Christian com mentators. This period of time then must have long since elapsed, whether we date its commence ment from the first decree of Cyrus (Ezra i 2,), the second of Darius Hystaspes (ch. vi :is), or that of Artaxerxes (ch. viii 1). See Grotius De Veritat. v; Josephus, De Bell. Jut!. Vii, 12, 13.
We can only barely allude to one more remark able prediction, which fixes the time of the Mes siah's advent, viz., Hag. ii :7-9 : 'I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations (or the de sirable things of all nations shall come—R. V.) : and I will fill this house with glory, saith the Lord of hosts. The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the Lord of hosts. The glory of
this latter house shall be greater than of the former, saith the Lord of hosts.' The glory here spoken of must be in reference to the Messiah, or on some other . account. It xould not have been said that the second Temple exceeded in glory the former one; for in many particulars, according to the acknowledgment of the Jews themselves, it was far inferior both as a building (Ezra iii :3, 12), and in respect of the symbols and tokens of God's special favor being wanting (see Kimchi and R. Salomon on Hag. i :8). The promised glory, therefore, must refer to the com ing and presence of him who was promised to the world before there was any nation of the Jews, and who is aptly called the 'Desire of all nations.' This view is amply confirmed by the prophet Malachi (iii:1). Since, then, the very Temple into which the Savior was to enter has for ages been destroyed, he must, if the integrity of this prophecy be preserved,. have come. That there was, at the time of our Lord's birth, a great ex pectation of the Messiah, both amongst Jews and Gentiles, may be seen from three celebrated his torians, as well as from the sacred Scriptures. We may just add that as there was a general expectation of the Messiah at this time, so there were many impostors who drew after them many followers (Joseph. Antiq. xx :2, 6; De Bell. Jut!. lvii:31). See also a full account of the false Christs who appeared by John a Lent Schediasm, c:2; Maimon, Ep. ad Judcros Afarsilienses; Christ prophesies of such persons (Matt. xxiv :24, 29).
(b) The limits of this article will admit of our only touching upon the proofs that Jesus of Nazareth, and none other, is the very Messiah who was to come.
(1) What was predicted of the Messiah was ful filled in Jesus. Was the Messiah to be of the seed of the woman (Gen. iii :15), and this woman a virgin? (Is. vii :14). So we are told (Gal. iv: 4 ; Matt. i :18, 22, 23) that Jesus was made of a woman, and born of a virgin. Was it pre dicted that he (Messiah) should be of the tribe of Judah, of the family of Jesse. and of the house of David? (Mic. v:2 ; Gen. xlix :to; Is. xi:to; Jer. xxiii :5). This was fulfilled in Jesus (Luke 1:27, 69; Matt. i:1). (See GENEALOGY.) (2) If the Messiah was to be a prophet like unto Moses, so was Jesus also (Deut. xviii :15 ; John vi :14). If the Messiah was to appear in the sec ond Temple, so did Jesus (Hag. ii:7, 9; John xviii :2o).
(3) Was the Messiah to work miracles? (Is. xxxv:5, 6; comp. Matt. xi:4, 5).
(4) If the Messiah was to suffer and die (fs. HO, we find that Jesus died in the same manner, at the very time, and under the identical circumstances, which were predicted of him. The very man who betrayed him, the price for which he was sold, the indignities he was to receive in his last moments, the parting of his garments, and his last words, etc., were all foretold of the .Messiah, and accomplished in Jesus.
(5) Was the Messiah to rise from the dead ? So did Jesus. How stupendous and adorable is the Providence of God, who, through so many appar ent contingencies, brought such things to pass! J. W. D.
(4) Literature. Harris, Sermons on the Mes siah; Maclaurine, On the Prophecies Relating to the Messiah; Fuller, Jesus the True Messiah; Liddon, Divinity of Cltrist; Milman. History of the Jews, ii, 432, sq., 366; Allen, Mod.Judaism.