Sermon 2: Various Meanings of the Kiss
Let him kiss me with the kiss of his mouth.
Think of how earnestly the patriarchs longed for Christ to come, how this eagerness was metaphorically expressed as a maiden longing for the kiss of her husband. Are you not filled with shame over the dryness of your own heart?
To receive the living active word, or to receive to the earth the Word, this is to receive the kiss of his mouth. The request is not that he would kiss with his mouth, but with the kiss of his mouth. The mouth that kisses is the Word who assumes nature, and the nature he assumes (man's) receives the kiss. The kiss itself, being the union between the giver and receiver, is the person that is formed by this assumption, namely the Messiah or Christ. For God to kiss man, for human nature to receive the kiss, this is a supreme condescension on the part of God, that he should so join himself to human nature. This was the kiss that the pre-Christian divines so longed for.
The longing that is expressed indicates the great length of time for which the Patriarchs of the past waited for this kiss. The kiss they asked for and longed for was greatly delayed, though promised. While men tarried and waited for peace (for the kiss is the kiss of peace), their faith rose and fell, sometimes well-expressed, and at other times almost entirely failing. Yet still the kiss was promised, and still the kiss was coming.
The prophets could describe his coming and the life that he would bring, the kiss of peace to a divided and war-torn people, yet only in his coming could he bring the things itself, the kiss, eternal life. This was the request, If he will not revoke his given word, let him empty himself, let him humble himself, let him bend to me and kiss me with the kiss of his mouth. And so he did.
This is the summary. The holy kiss was of necessity bestowed on the world for two reasons: Without it, the faith of the weak would not be strengthened, nor the desires of the fervent fulfilled. And this kiss itself was the mediator, Christ Jesus, him who was God and man.
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Bernard's Sermons on the Canticles, Sermon 1
What? You are going to give summaries of all 86 of Bernard's sermons on the Canticles?
Yes. Yes I am.
Sermon 1: On the Title of the Book
Before we can be properly taught about the surpassing mystery of intimacy with God through Christ, as described in beautiful metaphor in Song of Songs, we must be taught by the books that proceed it. There are two evils that attack our enjoyment of God: misguided love of the world, and excessive love of self. The remedies for these evils are presented in Proverbs and Ecclesiastes. The latter, by use of the enlightened reason, exposes the delusion and emptiness of hoping in the world. The former, by inculcating self-control, restrains those pernicious habits of body and mind which hinder our intercourse with God.
The title Song of Songs is appropriate because of the subject nature. This repeated formula is used in Scripture to denote the greatest or highest of a class. Thus, Christ is the "King of kings." This song, the song of intimacy with God, is greater than all other songs of the Bible. We are celebrating in this song holy love, "the sacrament of endless union with God." This is the marriage song of the soul, the highest and best pleasure of the human condition, and the life-giving hope of all who sojourn here.
Remember in your salvation, how your lips were taught to sing "a new song," the song of salvation, of being taken out of the pit and set on firm ground. This is a good song. Then there are songs of remembrance, songs that bring to mind the things of the past, even songs that remember the law, etc. But this song surpasses them all. Only the touch of the Spirit can inspire a song like this, and only personal experience can unfold its meaning. Let those who are versed in the mystery revel in it; let all others burn with desire rather to attain to this experience. For it is a song that reveals beauty only to the singer, as the joys of a husband and wife are theirs alone.
Yes. Yes I am.
Sermon 1: On the Title of the Book
Before we can be properly taught about the surpassing mystery of intimacy with God through Christ, as described in beautiful metaphor in Song of Songs, we must be taught by the books that proceed it. There are two evils that attack our enjoyment of God: misguided love of the world, and excessive love of self. The remedies for these evils are presented in Proverbs and Ecclesiastes. The latter, by use of the enlightened reason, exposes the delusion and emptiness of hoping in the world. The former, by inculcating self-control, restrains those pernicious habits of body and mind which hinder our intercourse with God.
The title Song of Songs is appropriate because of the subject nature. This repeated formula is used in Scripture to denote the greatest or highest of a class. Thus, Christ is the "King of kings." This song, the song of intimacy with God, is greater than all other songs of the Bible. We are celebrating in this song holy love, "the sacrament of endless union with God." This is the marriage song of the soul, the highest and best pleasure of the human condition, and the life-giving hope of all who sojourn here.
Remember in your salvation, how your lips were taught to sing "a new song," the song of salvation, of being taken out of the pit and set on firm ground. This is a good song. Then there are songs of remembrance, songs that bring to mind the things of the past, even songs that remember the law, etc. But this song surpasses them all. Only the touch of the Spirit can inspire a song like this, and only personal experience can unfold its meaning. Let those who are versed in the mystery revel in it; let all others burn with desire rather to attain to this experience. For it is a song that reveals beauty only to the singer, as the joys of a husband and wife are theirs alone.
Friday, September 17, 2010
An aside on the nature of Christ's kingdom
Aside—The origin and rise of the inheritance of Christ, along with a description of the nature of all his kingdom. This is rather long, occupying around 25 pages. I will shorten it a bit.
When God made man, he gave him dominion over the whole lower world, making him the heir, viceregent, yea, his very substitute on earth. Even the heavenly things (sun, moon, starts) were in a certain way a part of this inheritance, since they were ordered by God to serve him.
The other part of God’s creation, the angels were made independent of man, so that one or the other might fall without either of necessity falling. But man having fallen, he also fell from his heirship and dominion over the earth, so that the world was no longer under subordination to him, but directly under the government of God. Man had no sovereignty any longer. A great part of the angels also fell, leaving things in the following condition: one branch of the kingdom of God being utterly cast out of the order that it was placed in by sin, and the other no completely overthrown, but in the constant danger of so being. So God thought it good to make one new kingdom out of both of these two disordered members, and to appoint one common heir, head, ruler, and lord to them both. This was the Son, and so Eph. i.10—He gathered together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth.
Here is the interpretation of the whole thing, preserved as Owen wrote it:
God the Father, in the pursuit of the sovereign purpose of his will, hath granted unto the Son as incarnate, and mediator of the new covenant, according to the eternal counsel between them both, a sovereign power and authority over all things in heaven and earth, with the possession of an absolute proprieter, to dispose of them at his pleasure, for the furtherance and advancement of his proper and peculiar work, as head of his church.
Christ is given “all authority in heaven and earth” so that he might in all things protect and bring forth is people, to save them and secure them for himself for all time. It is truly glorious!
This is the kingdom intimated in the first promise in Genesis iii, that his victory over Satan was to be accompanied by rule, power and dominion. It was confirmed to Abraham, that he would be heir of the world. Balaam in Numbers saw that the Star of Jacob had the sceptre in his hand. The kingdom was revealed more fully to David, that his son would reign forever, a theme which he greatly expanded in the great Messiahnic psalm, Psalm ii. Then when Christ is born, he is hailed as Lord by angels and the Magi. Many other places in the NT declare him to be king of all things.
Everywhere in the Scriptures it is asserted for comfort of the church and the terror of her enemies. Listen to Owen here:
This, I say, is the spring of the church’s glory, comfort, and assurance. It is our head, husband, and elder brother, who is gloriously vested with all this power…an abiding, everlasting rule and dominion over the whole creation. And it is but a little while before he will cast off and dispel all those clouds and shades which at present interpose themselves and eclipse his glory and majesty from them that love him.
Now then, to show this, we will examine each aspect of his kingdom. For each aspect, we will show how Christ gloriously exercise authority over it for the good of his Church.
When God made man, he gave him dominion over the whole lower world, making him the heir, viceregent, yea, his very substitute on earth. Even the heavenly things (sun, moon, starts) were in a certain way a part of this inheritance, since they were ordered by God to serve him.
The other part of God’s creation, the angels were made independent of man, so that one or the other might fall without either of necessity falling. But man having fallen, he also fell from his heirship and dominion over the earth, so that the world was no longer under subordination to him, but directly under the government of God. Man had no sovereignty any longer. A great part of the angels also fell, leaving things in the following condition: one branch of the kingdom of God being utterly cast out of the order that it was placed in by sin, and the other no completely overthrown, but in the constant danger of so being. So God thought it good to make one new kingdom out of both of these two disordered members, and to appoint one common heir, head, ruler, and lord to them both. This was the Son, and so Eph. i.10—He gathered together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth.
Here is the interpretation of the whole thing, preserved as Owen wrote it:
God the Father, in the pursuit of the sovereign purpose of his will, hath granted unto the Son as incarnate, and mediator of the new covenant, according to the eternal counsel between them both, a sovereign power and authority over all things in heaven and earth, with the possession of an absolute proprieter, to dispose of them at his pleasure, for the furtherance and advancement of his proper and peculiar work, as head of his church.
Christ is given “all authority in heaven and earth” so that he might in all things protect and bring forth is people, to save them and secure them for himself for all time. It is truly glorious!
This is the kingdom intimated in the first promise in Genesis iii, that his victory over Satan was to be accompanied by rule, power and dominion. It was confirmed to Abraham, that he would be heir of the world. Balaam in Numbers saw that the Star of Jacob had the sceptre in his hand. The kingdom was revealed more fully to David, that his son would reign forever, a theme which he greatly expanded in the great Messiahnic psalm, Psalm ii. Then when Christ is born, he is hailed as Lord by angels and the Magi. Many other places in the NT declare him to be king of all things.
Everywhere in the Scriptures it is asserted for comfort of the church and the terror of her enemies. Listen to Owen here:
This, I say, is the spring of the church’s glory, comfort, and assurance. It is our head, husband, and elder brother, who is gloriously vested with all this power…an abiding, everlasting rule and dominion over the whole creation. And it is but a little while before he will cast off and dispel all those clouds and shades which at present interpose themselves and eclipse his glory and majesty from them that love him.
Now then, to show this, we will examine each aspect of his kingdom. For each aspect, we will show how Christ gloriously exercise authority over it for the good of his Church.
Continuing forward, roughly from whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe…
Having declared that the Son is the immediate revealer of the gospel, he proceeds in his argument by declaring the glory and excellency of the Son, both what he had before he took the office of mediator and what he received after he did so.
Two things are assigned to the Son
1. That he was appointed heir of all
2. That by him the worlds were made
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
First, whom he appointed heir of all things
1. whom, meaning the Son
As God, the Son has a natural dominion over all things, as God rules over them all, so the Son rules over them as well. This inheritance comes to him, therefore, not as he is God, but as he is God and man in one person. The inheritance is for Jesus Christ, in other words, the Son as he is in his office of mediator. This difference is expressed by Owen as follows: Nothing can be added unto him as God, but there may be to him who is God, in respect of his condescension to discharge an office in another nature which he did assume. The distinction may seem pedantic, but such preciseness is important in order to defend the person of Christ from those who would use this Scripture to attack his divinity.
2. heir, meaning not one who receives an inheritance upon the death of another, for the Father does not die. The right sense of it is the lawful possessor of some property received by grant from another. The word is intended to convey three things
a. Title, dominion, lordship—The heir is lord of all to which he is heir.
b. Possession—Christ actually comes to possess those things of which he is heir
c. Grant—That both the title and the possession comes by a grant from the one who owns them
3. of all things—This is the objects of his inheritance, and since it is in the neuter gender, it denotes all things absolutely. Defending this interpretation:
a. Cross-reference I Cor xv.27, where it is also used in this sense
b. This suits the course of his argument, showing that since the author of the gospel is the heir of all things, he had a right to change the rites and ordinances of worship (which is a main theme of much of the argument to come esp. ch. 7-10)
c. The words which follow, by whom he made the universe, line up with this interpretation, that he who made all things also is heir of them all
d. This interpretation lines up with the promise made to Abraham, that he should be heir of the world.
e. The origin and reason for this inheritance will also show us its scope, for this, see the aside below.
4. appointed—the way by which Christ came to be this heir, namely that God appointed him to it. This is God’s act by which he committed all power over all things in heaven and earth to him. This power was to be exercised towards the ends of his mediation, that is to, gather up the elect. This is seen in his resurrection, ascension, and sitting at the right hand of God.
Having declared that the Son is the immediate revealer of the gospel, he proceeds in his argument by declaring the glory and excellency of the Son, both what he had before he took the office of mediator and what he received after he did so.
Two things are assigned to the Son
1. That he was appointed heir of all
2. That by him the worlds were made
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
First, whom he appointed heir of all things
1. whom, meaning the Son
As God, the Son has a natural dominion over all things, as God rules over them all, so the Son rules over them as well. This inheritance comes to him, therefore, not as he is God, but as he is God and man in one person. The inheritance is for Jesus Christ, in other words, the Son as he is in his office of mediator. This difference is expressed by Owen as follows: Nothing can be added unto him as God, but there may be to him who is God, in respect of his condescension to discharge an office in another nature which he did assume. The distinction may seem pedantic, but such preciseness is important in order to defend the person of Christ from those who would use this Scripture to attack his divinity.
2. heir, meaning not one who receives an inheritance upon the death of another, for the Father does not die. The right sense of it is the lawful possessor of some property received by grant from another. The word is intended to convey three things
a. Title, dominion, lordship—The heir is lord of all to which he is heir.
b. Possession—Christ actually comes to possess those things of which he is heir
c. Grant—That both the title and the possession comes by a grant from the one who owns them
3. of all things—This is the objects of his inheritance, and since it is in the neuter gender, it denotes all things absolutely. Defending this interpretation:
a. Cross-reference I Cor xv.27, where it is also used in this sense
b. This suits the course of his argument, showing that since the author of the gospel is the heir of all things, he had a right to change the rites and ordinances of worship (which is a main theme of much of the argument to come esp. ch. 7-10)
c. The words which follow, by whom he made the universe, line up with this interpretation, that he who made all things also is heir of them all
d. This interpretation lines up with the promise made to Abraham, that he should be heir of the world.
e. The origin and reason for this inheritance will also show us its scope, for this, see the aside below.
4. appointed—the way by which Christ came to be this heir, namely that God appointed him to it. This is God’s act by which he committed all power over all things in heaven and earth to him. This power was to be exercised towards the ends of his mediation, that is to, gather up the elect. This is seen in his resurrection, ascension, and sitting at the right hand of God.
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Hebrews i.1-2, Application
From this, three points of application (Owen: But before we proceed we shall stay here a little, to consider some things that may be a refreshment to believers in their passage, in the consideration of those spiritual truths which, for the use of the church in general, are exhibited unto us in the words we have considered):
I. The revelation of the will of God in all things pertaining to his worship, our faith and obedience, is ultimately from the Father.
A. Before its revelation, it is said to be hid in God, meaning the Father. The order of acting in the Trinity is the same as the order of subsistence. As the Father is the fountain of the Trinity as to subsistence, so also he is as to operation. John v.26, as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son to have life in himself. This he does by communicating to him his subsistence by eternal generation.
B. All the revelations of the will of God were given out in the pursuit of the accomplishment of the purpose of the Father. This is observed in the salvation of the elect, the purpose towards which all revelations of his will are made. He speaks through Christ directly to the elect.
C. The Father communicates this purpose to the Son, promising this inheritance unto him in the accomplishment of the purpose. He dies for them, and they are gathered to him by the power of God in the revealing of his will for their obedience and salvation. Note that all the elect must be freed from their captivity to another and delivered unto Christ.
D. And so we see that the whole work is belongs to the Father, from the beginning to the end, and so it is the mind of the Father that the Son reveals, as he himself said when he was on earth. He reveals himself by the power of the Holy Spirit through the Son. Remember Paul’s words, we have become Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us.
This leads us to three observations.
1. The authority of God is displayed in the gospel, and disobeyed at great risk. They are instead to be considered as an act of sovereign authority, requiring us to subject our soul and conscience to his Word. To the Word we owe “holy reverence, humility and universal subjection of soul.”
2. Consider also the great love of God. It is from love that all the revelations of his mind come. He might have for all time locked up all the treasures of his wisdom, leaving all the sons of men in the horrible darkness where we had cast ourselves in our sin. But instead in infinite love and condescension, he revealed himself. This holy mixture of love and authority requires all readiness, willingness, and indeed cheerfulness in receiving and submitting to it.
3. We also see great care revealed to us in it, as God the husbandman takes care of his vine and vineyard. In revealing his mind in the way he did he made sure that not one of his elect would ever fall.
Also, some instructions from this to those who would preach:
1. Take heed of carelessness and negligence in handling the Word, since it has its authority in God himself!
2. Remember to look to God for support, help, ability, and encouragement in your pursuit of this work.
3. Do not be discouraged if you meet with opposition, since it is God’s authority behind it.
4. Know how to dispense the Word, in imitation of the place it comes from, namely with authority, love and great care for his flock.
5. Remember that you will give an account to the one whose word you handle. This should make us all sober-minded in our preaching.
II. Briefly, that the authority of God speaking in and by the Scriptures is only foundation of our assenting to them with divine faith.
He is brief here because he actually wrote an entire book on this subject, which incidentally I HIGHLY recommend. It is an essential book for this age. It is called “The Reason of Faith.”
III. God’s gradual revelation of his mind and will unto the church was a fruit of his infinite wisdom and care towards the church.
Owen: Though all his ways and dispensations are ordered in infinite wisdom, et we can but stand at the shore of the ocean, and admire its glory and greatness. Little it is that we can comprehend. Yet what may be for our instruction, what may further our faith and obedience, is not hidden from us.
1. God gave as much light as they were able to bear. No generation needed more light than they had.
2. In this way, he kept them in continual dependence upon himself. This was for his glory, and also exceedingly suited for their safety.
3. He gave enough light so that the great purpose he came for might be accomplished, as Owen says enough to believers to enable them to receive them, and not so much as to hinder obdurate sinners from crucifying him.
4. There was tender care also included in this infinite wisdom.
I. The revelation of the will of God in all things pertaining to his worship, our faith and obedience, is ultimately from the Father.
A. Before its revelation, it is said to be hid in God, meaning the Father. The order of acting in the Trinity is the same as the order of subsistence. As the Father is the fountain of the Trinity as to subsistence, so also he is as to operation. John v.26, as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son to have life in himself. This he does by communicating to him his subsistence by eternal generation.
B. All the revelations of the will of God were given out in the pursuit of the accomplishment of the purpose of the Father. This is observed in the salvation of the elect, the purpose towards which all revelations of his will are made. He speaks through Christ directly to the elect.
C. The Father communicates this purpose to the Son, promising this inheritance unto him in the accomplishment of the purpose. He dies for them, and they are gathered to him by the power of God in the revealing of his will for their obedience and salvation. Note that all the elect must be freed from their captivity to another and delivered unto Christ.
D. And so we see that the whole work is belongs to the Father, from the beginning to the end, and so it is the mind of the Father that the Son reveals, as he himself said when he was on earth. He reveals himself by the power of the Holy Spirit through the Son. Remember Paul’s words, we have become Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us.
This leads us to three observations.
1. The authority of God is displayed in the gospel, and disobeyed at great risk. They are instead to be considered as an act of sovereign authority, requiring us to subject our soul and conscience to his Word. To the Word we owe “holy reverence, humility and universal subjection of soul.”
2. Consider also the great love of God. It is from love that all the revelations of his mind come. He might have for all time locked up all the treasures of his wisdom, leaving all the sons of men in the horrible darkness where we had cast ourselves in our sin. But instead in infinite love and condescension, he revealed himself. This holy mixture of love and authority requires all readiness, willingness, and indeed cheerfulness in receiving and submitting to it.
3. We also see great care revealed to us in it, as God the husbandman takes care of his vine and vineyard. In revealing his mind in the way he did he made sure that not one of his elect would ever fall.
Also, some instructions from this to those who would preach:
1. Take heed of carelessness and negligence in handling the Word, since it has its authority in God himself!
2. Remember to look to God for support, help, ability, and encouragement in your pursuit of this work.
3. Do not be discouraged if you meet with opposition, since it is God’s authority behind it.
4. Know how to dispense the Word, in imitation of the place it comes from, namely with authority, love and great care for his flock.
5. Remember that you will give an account to the one whose word you handle. This should make us all sober-minded in our preaching.
II. Briefly, that the authority of God speaking in and by the Scriptures is only foundation of our assenting to them with divine faith.
He is brief here because he actually wrote an entire book on this subject, which incidentally I HIGHLY recommend. It is an essential book for this age. It is called “The Reason of Faith.”
III. God’s gradual revelation of his mind and will unto the church was a fruit of his infinite wisdom and care towards the church.
Owen: Though all his ways and dispensations are ordered in infinite wisdom, et we can but stand at the shore of the ocean, and admire its glory and greatness. Little it is that we can comprehend. Yet what may be for our instruction, what may further our faith and obedience, is not hidden from us.
1. God gave as much light as they were able to bear. No generation needed more light than they had.
2. In this way, he kept them in continual dependence upon himself. This was for his glory, and also exceedingly suited for their safety.
3. He gave enough light so that the great purpose he came for might be accomplished, as Owen says enough to believers to enable them to receive them, and not so much as to hinder obdurate sinners from crucifying him.
4. There was tender care also included in this infinite wisdom.
Hebrews i.1-2, Main point of comparison, explaining the superiority of Christ over Moses
IV. The persons by whom the revelation was made
A. “in the prophets”
B. “by His Son”
This is the main hinge, on which all the arguments made by the apostle in the whole epistle turn! All the conclusions made after by the apostle come from this point. Owen says the following: Now, because no one argument of the apostle can be understood unless this be rightly stated, we must of necessity insist somewhat largely upon it. So he gives out the following set of observations to explain more fully what is meant that God has spoken to us “by His Son.”
1. It is taken for granted that the means of revelation in the past was the personal appearance of the Son of God, for example, in Ezekiel. After all, it is the Son of God who from the foundation of the world undertook the care and salvation of the elect, and so it was he who instructed and edified it, even in the Old testament.
2. However, there is a difference between the Son of God revealing the will of God in his divine person to the prophets, and the Son of God doing so immediately to the whole church incarnate. This is the difference which Paul is marking out.
3. The reason this is important is that the great reason why the Jews refused the gospel was the supposed “unparalleled excellency” of the revelation made to Moses. It is certainly true that Moses had just privileges, as follows:
a. He was the lawgiver by whom God gave the law and revealed the worship
b. He dealt with God in a more familiar and clear manner then any of the other prophets
c. His revelation ordered the whole house of God, where the other prophets just built certain things on this foundation
4. But Christ was far superior to Moses for the following reasons
a. Jesus Christ was from the womb filled with the perfection of gracious light and knowledge of God and his will.
b. His commission, mission, and equipping were all from the Father, received at his command.
c. Jesus Christ, in his divine nature, had in himself the fullness of the will and mind of God, not some part of it communicated unto him.
5. In summary, the pre-eminence of Christ in his prophecy was in two parts
a. Such as arose from the infinite excellency of his person, as he was divine. Thus the prophecy was also pre-eminent
b. Such as arose from the nature and manner of the revelation
i. He did not receive the Spirit of prophecy by measure, but in fullness. As Owen says, Christ dwelt in the midst of those treasures, seeing to the bottom of them. All other prophets, even Moses himself, received their revelations by transient irradiations of their minds, and had no treasure of truth dwelling in them.
ii. The prophets, once receiving their revelations, could not alter even a syllable of them lest they lose their infallibility and authority. But Christ spoke at all times with the same authority and infallibility.
iii. Also, the revelations themselves, under the prophets were obscure and mysterious, shadows of the things to come, where as in Christ they are clear and glorious.
To summarize, the revelation of the gospel is to be obeyed because of its revelation in the final days of the Judaical church, as predicted by Scripture. It is the full counsel of God, revealed by him who was superior in every way to Moses.
A. “in the prophets”
B. “by His Son”
This is the main hinge, on which all the arguments made by the apostle in the whole epistle turn! All the conclusions made after by the apostle come from this point. Owen says the following: Now, because no one argument of the apostle can be understood unless this be rightly stated, we must of necessity insist somewhat largely upon it. So he gives out the following set of observations to explain more fully what is meant that God has spoken to us “by His Son.”
1. It is taken for granted that the means of revelation in the past was the personal appearance of the Son of God, for example, in Ezekiel. After all, it is the Son of God who from the foundation of the world undertook the care and salvation of the elect, and so it was he who instructed and edified it, even in the Old testament.
2. However, there is a difference between the Son of God revealing the will of God in his divine person to the prophets, and the Son of God doing so immediately to the whole church incarnate. This is the difference which Paul is marking out.
3. The reason this is important is that the great reason why the Jews refused the gospel was the supposed “unparalleled excellency” of the revelation made to Moses. It is certainly true that Moses had just privileges, as follows:
a. He was the lawgiver by whom God gave the law and revealed the worship
b. He dealt with God in a more familiar and clear manner then any of the other prophets
c. His revelation ordered the whole house of God, where the other prophets just built certain things on this foundation
4. But Christ was far superior to Moses for the following reasons
a. Jesus Christ was from the womb filled with the perfection of gracious light and knowledge of God and his will.
b. His commission, mission, and equipping were all from the Father, received at his command.
c. Jesus Christ, in his divine nature, had in himself the fullness of the will and mind of God, not some part of it communicated unto him.
5. In summary, the pre-eminence of Christ in his prophecy was in two parts
a. Such as arose from the infinite excellency of his person, as he was divine. Thus the prophecy was also pre-eminent
b. Such as arose from the nature and manner of the revelation
i. He did not receive the Spirit of prophecy by measure, but in fullness. As Owen says, Christ dwelt in the midst of those treasures, seeing to the bottom of them. All other prophets, even Moses himself, received their revelations by transient irradiations of their minds, and had no treasure of truth dwelling in them.
ii. The prophets, once receiving their revelations, could not alter even a syllable of them lest they lose their infallibility and authority. But Christ spoke at all times with the same authority and infallibility.
iii. Also, the revelations themselves, under the prophets were obscure and mysterious, shadows of the things to come, where as in Christ they are clear and glorious.
To summarize, the revelation of the gospel is to be obeyed because of its revelation in the final days of the Judaical church, as predicted by Scripture. It is the full counsel of God, revealed by him who was superior in every way to Moses.
Hebrews i.1-2, First three points of comparison between the law and the gospel
Hebrews i.1-2
By sundry parts, and in divers manners, God having formerly [or, of old] spoken unto the fathers in the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us in the Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all, by whom also he made the worlds.
In his comparison of the Mosaical law and the gospel, the apostle examines both under two different heads. First, the way each was revealed and instituted, from which also comes our obligation to observe each. The second is their nature, use and efficacy.
Paul examines the first of these two in this chapter. He starts by showing where they agree. They agree in the principal efficient cause of their revelation, in other words, the source of the revelation. The author of each of them is God, meaning here the first person of the Trinity. (Note: First person of the Trinity = the Father; Second person of the Trinity = the Son, Third person of the Trinity = the Spirit) Neither originated in the mind of men.
There are four main differences between them:
I. The time or season of their revelation
A. “of old” or “in the past”
The bounds of this “of old” is from the giving out of Moses’ law, the acted which marked the constitution of the Judaical church, lasting until the close of public prophecy in the days of Malachi. Paul is not opposing the lasting covenant made with Adam, Noah, Abraham, etc. but rather the external privilege of worship which the gospel replaces.
B. “these last days”
This means not “the times of the gospel,” or “the period of time until Christ returns,” as they are often taken to mean. Instead, it means the last days of the Judaical church and state. At this point, the Hebrews still existed as a political people with coherent laws and worship as given by God. These were the last days, as promised in the Scripture, into which the Messiah would speak.
Steven: It is interesting to imagine how Owen would respond to the current Jewish state that exists in modern Israel. I think his answer would be to observe that it is nothing like the real Hebrew state, which was ruled by the heirs of David, possessed a law and worship which was instituted by God, and were in a real way a theocracy. The state of Israel today is a secular state whose members happen to profess to descend from the Hebrews.
Note: This interpretation of the phrase “these last days” is not typical. But it certainly fits the argument better, and is supported by prophecy. Remember that Daniel had predicted the end of the Jewish state and its replacement with one ruled by the Messiah. Here are a few illuminating phrases from his argument:
“The nation, state, temple, sacrifices, being set apart, set up, and designed for no other purpose but to bring forth the Messiah, were to still be in place when the Messiah came. But after he came, they were of no further use, and so God put an end to them.”
There are other interesting bits and pieces as Owen examines and defends this interpretation at length.
II. The persons to whom they were revealed
A. “our forefathers”
B. “us”
Meaning, the members of the Judaical church who were living during the days of the personal ministry of Christ, and after under the preaching of the gospel. Remember that Paul assumes a Jewish audience throughout.
III. The manner of their revelation
A. “at many times and in various ways”
This means the gradual illumination of the mind and will of God, by slowly adding one thing after another, only as much as the church at that time could bear. Here Owen, almost as an aside, lays out the various branches of revelation in the Old Testament, which in a few paragraphs greatly illuminated all my subsequent examinations of it.
There are four principal parts, with additional parts subservient for each.
1. To Adam in the promise of the seed, which was the principle of faith and obedience to the fathers before the flood. Other subservient revelations made to Seth, Enos, Enoch, Lamech, and others.
2. To Noah after the flood, in the renewal of the covenant and establishing the church in his family (Hebrews xi. he became heir of the righteousness that is by faith). With subservient revelations made to Melchizedek and others in that line down to Abraham.
3. To Abraham, in restricting the promise to his seed, and more fully illustrating the nature of it, confirmed in the revelations made to Isaac, Jacob, etc.
4.To Moses, in the giving of the law and erection of the Judaical church in the wilderness; under this there were three main subservient revelations—
a. To David, which was peculiarly designed to perfect the revelation of the will of God concerning the old testament worship, in those things that they were not able to understand in their wilderness condition; also to Solomon and the other prophets of their day.
b. To the prophets from the division of the kingdom until the captivity, and during it. This was marked by pleading with the people about their defection by sin and false worship.
c. To Ezra, with the rest of the prophets who assisted in the reformation of the church after the exile, who encouraged the people in a unique way to expect and hope for the coming of the Messiah.
We see that God spoke at various times, and also that he did so in various ways, as in by promises, threats, public sermons, special messages and prophecies.
B.The contrast here is implied
The whole revelation of the will of God is in one season given, in opposition to the gradual, season by season approach of the Old. Once finished, as it was after the days of the apostles, no can or will add anything to it.
Also, the revelation of the will of God is done in one way, namely the preaching of the gospel by the one the Spirit anoints.
By sundry parts, and in divers manners, God having formerly [or, of old] spoken unto the fathers in the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us in the Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all, by whom also he made the worlds.
In his comparison of the Mosaical law and the gospel, the apostle examines both under two different heads. First, the way each was revealed and instituted, from which also comes our obligation to observe each. The second is their nature, use and efficacy.
Paul examines the first of these two in this chapter. He starts by showing where they agree. They agree in the principal efficient cause of their revelation, in other words, the source of the revelation. The author of each of them is God, meaning here the first person of the Trinity. (Note: First person of the Trinity = the Father; Second person of the Trinity = the Son, Third person of the Trinity = the Spirit) Neither originated in the mind of men.
There are four main differences between them:
I. The time or season of their revelation
A. “of old” or “in the past”
The bounds of this “of old” is from the giving out of Moses’ law, the acted which marked the constitution of the Judaical church, lasting until the close of public prophecy in the days of Malachi. Paul is not opposing the lasting covenant made with Adam, Noah, Abraham, etc. but rather the external privilege of worship which the gospel replaces.
B. “these last days”
This means not “the times of the gospel,” or “the period of time until Christ returns,” as they are often taken to mean. Instead, it means the last days of the Judaical church and state. At this point, the Hebrews still existed as a political people with coherent laws and worship as given by God. These were the last days, as promised in the Scripture, into which the Messiah would speak.
Steven: It is interesting to imagine how Owen would respond to the current Jewish state that exists in modern Israel. I think his answer would be to observe that it is nothing like the real Hebrew state, which was ruled by the heirs of David, possessed a law and worship which was instituted by God, and were in a real way a theocracy. The state of Israel today is a secular state whose members happen to profess to descend from the Hebrews.
Note: This interpretation of the phrase “these last days” is not typical. But it certainly fits the argument better, and is supported by prophecy. Remember that Daniel had predicted the end of the Jewish state and its replacement with one ruled by the Messiah. Here are a few illuminating phrases from his argument:
“The nation, state, temple, sacrifices, being set apart, set up, and designed for no other purpose but to bring forth the Messiah, were to still be in place when the Messiah came. But after he came, they were of no further use, and so God put an end to them.”
There are other interesting bits and pieces as Owen examines and defends this interpretation at length.
II. The persons to whom they were revealed
A. “our forefathers”
B. “us”
Meaning, the members of the Judaical church who were living during the days of the personal ministry of Christ, and after under the preaching of the gospel. Remember that Paul assumes a Jewish audience throughout.
III. The manner of their revelation
A. “at many times and in various ways”
This means the gradual illumination of the mind and will of God, by slowly adding one thing after another, only as much as the church at that time could bear. Here Owen, almost as an aside, lays out the various branches of revelation in the Old Testament, which in a few paragraphs greatly illuminated all my subsequent examinations of it.
There are four principal parts, with additional parts subservient for each.
1. To Adam in the promise of the seed, which was the principle of faith and obedience to the fathers before the flood. Other subservient revelations made to Seth, Enos, Enoch, Lamech, and others.
2. To Noah after the flood, in the renewal of the covenant and establishing the church in his family (Hebrews xi. he became heir of the righteousness that is by faith). With subservient revelations made to Melchizedek and others in that line down to Abraham.
3. To Abraham, in restricting the promise to his seed, and more fully illustrating the nature of it, confirmed in the revelations made to Isaac, Jacob, etc.
4.To Moses, in the giving of the law and erection of the Judaical church in the wilderness; under this there were three main subservient revelations—
a. To David, which was peculiarly designed to perfect the revelation of the will of God concerning the old testament worship, in those things that they were not able to understand in their wilderness condition; also to Solomon and the other prophets of their day.
b. To the prophets from the division of the kingdom until the captivity, and during it. This was marked by pleading with the people about their defection by sin and false worship.
c. To Ezra, with the rest of the prophets who assisted in the reformation of the church after the exile, who encouraged the people in a unique way to expect and hope for the coming of the Messiah.
We see that God spoke at various times, and also that he did so in various ways, as in by promises, threats, public sermons, special messages and prophecies.
B.The contrast here is implied
The whole revelation of the will of God is in one season given, in opposition to the gradual, season by season approach of the Old. Once finished, as it was after the days of the apostles, no can or will add anything to it.
Also, the revelation of the will of God is done in one way, namely the preaching of the gospel by the one the Spirit anoints.
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