XV. CHRIST.

'And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.' John vi. 69.

THIS title occurs only in the New Testament. It is found singly one hundred and eighty-seven times; connected with Jesus, seventy-four; Lord Jesus, thirty-eight. The various circumstances connected with its frequent occurrence show it to be a word of great importance. It is not difficult, however, to obtain a distinct signification, for critics are generally agreed in their views. Cruden says, it means 'the anointed of God, the same with the Hebrew Messiah, Psa. xlv. 7. Isa. lxi. 1.' The prophets allude to him in this way, Daniel excepted, ch. vii. 13.; this was according to the taste of the translators. The LXX uniformly translate the Heb. word Messiah, Christ. Clarke says, 'As the word XQoros, Christ, signifies the anointed or anointer, from xo, to anoint; it answers exactly to the Hebrew machiach, which we pronounce Messiah or Messias; this word comes from the root mashac, signifying the same thing. As the same person is intended by both the Hebrew and Greek appellation, it should be regularly translated The Messiah, or The Christ, whichever is preferred; the demonstrative article should never be omitted.'* Campbell agrees with Clarke respecting the import

* Com. on Matt. i. 16.

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ance of the article, and censures our transiators considerably for the omission, for it is rarely wanting in the original. The word Christ,' he observes, 'was at first as much an appellative as the word Baptist was, and the one was as regularly accompanied with the article as the other. Yet our translators, who always say the Baptist, have, one would think, studiously avoided saying the Christ.' To show the necessity of the article, he maintains that its omission conveys an entirely different meaning of the question, 'What think ye of Christ?' from what our Lord intended. To use his own words, he says, 'In the place above quoted, there was, therefore, the strongest reason for following more closely the original, as it was evidently our Lord's purpose to draw forth their sentiments, not concerning himself, the individual who put the question to them, and whom he knew they considered as an impostor, but, in general, concerning the quality of that personage whom, under the title of Messiah, they themselves expected.' Our author lays very great stress on the article. 'Without it,' he says, 'the sense is always darkened, and sometimes marred.' The following instances are cited: This Jesus whom I preach unto you is Christ.'* Christ.'

'Paul testified to the Jews that Jesus was 'Showing by the Scriptures that Jesus was Christ.' In each case the article should have been prefixed. Without it, the meaning to an unlearned reader is the same as to have said, 'Paul testified to the Jews that Christ was Jesus.'

Grotius says, that in process of time the name Jesus was very much dropped, and Christ, which Ib. xviii. 28.

*Acts xvii. 3.

† Ib. xviii. 5.

had never been used before as the proper name of any person, and was, for that very reason, a better distinction, was substituted for it, insomuch that among the heathen, our Lord came to be more known by the latter than the former. Matthew and Mark and John use the titles Jesus Christ in the beginning of their gospels. But then he was never called so during the time he remained on earth, though he is distinguished about seventy times in this way after his ascension. It is worthy of remark that the Saviour never applies the name Jesus Christ to himself.* Our Lord generally used the phrase 'Son of Man,' which title the reader may turn to at his leisure.

The word Christ is frequently used by Paul as a trope, denoting sometimes the Christian spirit and temper, as when he says, 'My little children, of whom I travail in birth again, until Christ be formed in you.'t Sometimes Christian doctrine: 'But ye have not so learned Christ.' In one place, at least, it signifies the Christian church. For as the body is one and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ.'$

* In the last of the four Gospels, he is in one place (John xvii. 3.) represented as calling himself Jesus Christ, in an address to God; but this is so singular, that I cannot help suspecting an accidental omission of the article; and that the clause must have stood originally, δὲν ἀπεστέιλας ̓Ιησοῦν τὸν Χριστόν, Jesus the Messiah whom thou hast sent.'-'The Four Gospels.' By GEORGE CAMPBELL. Vol. i. p. 156. † Gal. iv. 19.

Ephes. iv. 20. 1 Cor. v. 17. Col. ii. 6. a great variety of instances.

In this way it is used in

§ 1 Cor. xii. 12.

Many more criticisms might be presented, but such a course would to many be uninteresting, and would extend our work to an unreasonable length. We observe, therefore, that the term under consideration is significant rather of the office, than of the name of the Messiah.*

A single remark and we close. It will be perceived that the phrase, the anointed, the Messiah and Christ are of the same import; and that when persons or things were anointed, it was for some special object. So Jesus, it must be admitted, was set apart for some great purpose: that purpose we believe to be well expressed by those who heard him on a very interesting occasion. Having preached among the Samaritans, they ran to the woman who had made them first acquainted with Jesus, while their hearts were warm with the truths dropped from the sacred teacher's lips, and exclaimed, 'Now we believe, not because of thy saying, for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world.'t It is evident, from such a declaration, that Jesus taught the doctrine of the ultimate salvation of man. The passage is very emphatic, inasmuch as it contains the title under consideration, and in connection, the object for which Jesus came into the world. The importance of the Greek article will also be seen, which, as was observed, should have uniformly been inserted in our version.

*For some very able and learned remarks on the word Christ, see 'The Four Gospels,' by George Campbell, D. D., Dis. v. part 4.

† John iv. 42.

XVI. COMMANDER.

·Behold! I have given him for a witness to the people, a leader and commander to the people.' Isa. lv. 4.

THIS word occurs in no other passage; though the whole life of Jesus is a striking illustration of the character here ascribed to him. The signification needs no labored remarks. When we view Jesus as a commander, we find ourselves in a very wide field. For he had full power over the intellectual, moral and physical departments of creation. No mind was beyond his reach, no heart beyond his influence: no sorrow beyond his consolation. Possessing 'the keys of death and the grave,' he unlocked their dark and dreary domains, and bade the insatiable tyrant yield up his victims. Jesus' went into a city called Nain; and many of his disciples went with him, and much people. Now when he came nigh to the gate of the city, behold! there was a dead man carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow, and much people of the city was with her. When the Lord saw her, he had compassion, and said unto her, Weep not! And he came and touched the bier, and they that bare him stood still. And he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise! He that was dead, sat up and began to speak. And he delivered him to his mother.'* What an affecting scene! We behold the

* Luke vii. 11-15.