'Where the law of Moses sets before us a Being who says of Himself that He is the God of Bethel, and that He is the object of Jacob's worship, what else can we conclude but that He is Very God, especially as the great object of this law throughout is to enforce the unity of God?' A similar inference may be gathered from Ex. 3. 4-6.

2

The above arguments are very interesting, and if they are not regarded as absolutely conclusive, yet they prove that in some cases there is a remarkable identification between Jehovah and the Agent who carries into effect the Divine purposes. The teaching of the Old Testament would justify us in adapting St. John's words thus: In the beginning was the Worker (or Agent), and the Worker was with God, and the Worker was God. All things were made by Him, and without Him was not anything made that was made." When our Lord said, ' My Father worketh hitherto, and I work,' this great truth appears to have been in his mind; and it almost dawned upon the minds of his hearers, for we read that the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he said that God was his Father, making himself equal with God' (Jo. 5. 17, 18). The whole mission of Christ was regarded and set forth by Him as the doing the Works of God, so that He was practically, what the Old Testament indicates that He was to be, the Angel or Agent of Jehovah, giving effect and embodiment to the will of His Father. Moreover, as the Priest was the agent

1 The importance of making this qualification will be seen at once by pursuing the subject into the New Testament. The Angel of the Lord' in Mat. 2. 13, cannot well be identified with the young child' in the same verse. It may be noticed, however, that here (as in ver. 19, chap. 28. 2, 5, and elsewhere) the word Angel has no definite article. In the Old Testament we must look to the context to find out whether an angel is meant, or whether the Angel or Agent of the Divine Will is referred to. In Zech. 1. 12, there is evidently a distinction of persons between the Angel of the Lord and the Lord of Hosts; the former intercedes with the latter in behalf of Israel. See also Jud. 13.

2 On the Word of the Lord' see chap. 17. §§ 1-3.

$ 21.] Ought the name Jehovah to be transferred? 71

(Authorised Version, messenger) of the Lord of Hosts under the old covenant (Mal. 2. 7), so Christ became the True Priest or Agent who should bring about a more spiritual system of worship, and a more close union between God and man.

§ 21. It has been urged, with some force, that the name Jehovah ought to have been adopted more generally in translations of the Bible, whereas it is confined to a very few.' Putting aside, however, the difficulty as to the right spelling of the word, it may be observed that the LXX had set an example before our Lord's time which it would not be easy to depart from now. If that version had retained the word, or had even used one Greek word for Jehovah and another for Adonai, such usage would doubtless have been retained in the discourses and arguments of the N. T. Thus our Lord, in quoting the 110th Psalm, instead of saying, "The Lord said unto my Lord,' might have said, 'Jehovah said unto Adoni.' How such a course would have affected theological questions it is not easy to surmise; nor is it needful to attempt any conjectures on the subject, as the stubborn fact remains before us that Adonai and Jehovah are alike rendered LORD in the Septuagint, and that the LXX usage has ruled the adoption of the same word in the N. T.

Supposing a Christian scholar were engaged in translating the Greek Testament into Hebrew, he would have to consider, each time the word Kúpios occurred, whether there was anything in the context to indicate its true Hebrew representative; and the same difficulty would arise in translating the N. T. into languages in which the title Jehovah has been allowed to stand in the Old. The Hebrew Scriptures would be a guide in many passages: thus, wherever the expression

The Spanish translator De Reyna preserved Jehovah throughout the Old Testament, and his successor, Valera, whose version is now used in Spain, did the De Reyna defends the adoption of this course in his Preface at some length. Calvin also uses the word Jehovah in his Latin translation, and many modern translators have done the same.

same.

'the angel of the Lord' occurs, we know that the word Lord represents Jehovah; a similar conclusion as to the expression the word of the Lord' would be arrived at, if the precedent set by the Old Testament were followed; so also in the case of the title the Lord of Hosts.' Wherever, on the contrary, the expression My Lord' or 'Our Lord' occurs, we should know that the word Jehovah would be inadmissible, and Adonai or Adoni would have to be used.

6

§ 22. It is to be noticed, in connection with this subject, that there are several passages in the O. T. referring to Jehovah which are adopted in the N. T. as fulfilled in the Lord Jesus Christ. Thus, in Joel 2. 32, we read, 'Whosoever shall call on the name of Jehovah shall be saved;' but these words are applied to the Saviour of the world' in Rom. 10. 13. St. John (chap. 12. 41), after quoting a certain passage from Isaiah, which there refers to Jehovah, affirms that it was a vision of the Glory of Christ (see Is. 6. 9, 10). In Is. 40. 3, the preparation of the way of Jehovah is spoken of, but John the Baptist adopts the passage as referring to the preparation of the way of the Messiah. In Mal. 3. 1, there seems to be a very important identification of Jehovah with the Messiah, for we read, 'Jehovah, whom ye (profess to) seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the angel of the covenant' whom ye (profess to) delight in.' This identification exactly falls in with the application to Christ of many other passages which refer to Jehovah. Thus, in Rom. 9. 33, and 1 Pet. 2. 6-8, Christ is described as a stone of stumbling and a rock of offence,' titles which appear to be

6

There is some difficulty about this passage. It would seem that the Old Covenant is spoken of. Who, then, was its Angel? Possibly there is a reference to Ex. 23. 20-23, Behold, I send an angel before thee to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared. Regard him (not beware of him, A. V.), and obey his voice, provoke him not; for he will not pardon your transgressions: for My Name is in him.' The coming of the Messiah was evidently to be the manifestation of One who had for a long time been in charge of the People of Israel. See Mat. 23. 37.

$22.] Application of these Names to the Messiah. 73

given to Jehovah in Is. 8. 13, 14. Again, in Is. 45. 23-25, Jehovah says, 'Unto me every knee shall bow. Surely, one shall say, in Jehovah have I righteousness and strength; in Jehovah shall all the seed of Israel be justified.' But in Phil. 2. 9, we read that God hath highly exalted Christ Jesus, and hath given him the name which is above every name, that in the name of Jesus every knee should bow, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is LORD (surely Jehovah') to the glory of God the Father.' The same prophetical passage is applied to Christ in Rom. 14. 10-12, where St. Paul cites it as about to be fulfilled in the last day, when we shall all stand before the judgment-seat of Christ.

It would be out of place here to go further in this subject, otherwise it would be deeply interesting to show how each of the names of God finds its embodiment in Him who is 'the only-Begotten of the Father.' Thus, as Elohim, Christ exercised Divine power, and also communicated supernatural powers to others. As Shaddai, Christ was all-sufficient, possessed of unsearchable riches, and always ready to pour forth his benefits on man. As 'Elion, Christ was exalted in moral and spiritual nature, and also, as to position, made higher than the heavens. Lastly, as Jehovah, Christ is the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever,' ready to save to the uttermost, in close communion with his people, fulfilling all the divine promises, and appointed to be Judge of all the earth.' 'I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty' (Rev. 1. 8).

6

This title in its abbreviated form is embodied in the name, Jesus, i.e. JehovahSaviour.

CHAPTER III.

THE NAMES OF MAN.

§ 1. The incongruities of human nature illustrated by the Hebrew names of man.-§ 2. Meaning and usage of the word Adam.—§ 3. The title Son of Man.'-§ 4. The visions of glorified human nature in Ezekiel and Daniel.—§ 5. The promise of a human Seed from on High made to David. § 6. The origin and meaning of the word Ish.-§ 7. Various ways in which it is used.-§ 8. The apple of the eye.-§ 9. General usage of the word Enosh.-§ 10. Examination of various passages in which it occurs.-§ 11. Its probable etymology.-§ 12. Why it is not applied to the Messiah.-§ 13. Meaning and usage of the word Gever.— § 14. Instances of its occurrence in the Poetical and Prophetical Books. --§ 15. Words cognate with Gever. § 16. Rephaim and Nephilim. § 1. IF it is strange that man, gifted though he is with great intelligence, should yet need a revelation of the nature and character of his Maker; still more surprising is it that he should have to learn from the pages of Holy Writ the story of his own origin and destiny. We know by our natural instincts neither whence we come, nor whither we are going. But the Book which unfolds to us the manifold aspects of the Divine existence has not failed to supply this further lack; it furnishes us with a number of vivid scenes from human life, tracing it from its dawn in Paradise to its final and sublime reconstitution in the Great Day of the manifestation of the sons of God.' These pictures set forth the ways of man both in his relationship with God and in his domestic, social, and national capacities; and they are perpetually bringing into prominence the extraordinary anomalies which exist in his dispositions, aims, or actions. In consonance with our every-day experience, the Divine Artist, in pour