SECTION II.

Christ.

Q. Proceed now to explain why Jesus is called Christ?

A. It was customary among the Jews to anoint their kings, priests, and prophets, with a certain oil or ointment called by us Chrism; in consequence of which ceremony a sacredness was attached to their persons, they were considered to be set apart and devoted to the service of God, and were supposed to be favoured with an extraordinary measure of the Spirit'. From this Chrism we derive the name of Christ *, thereby signifying, that he was devoted to the service, clothed with the power, and encircled by the Majesty of the Most High.

Q. Was Christ really so anointed?

A. It does not appear that holy oil was poured upon his head, as in the case of Aaron, or Saul,

From the Greek word xpioμa, Exodus xxx. 25. 30. xl. 15. Ποιησεις αυτο ελαιον χρισμα αγιον. Ελαιον χρισμα αγιον εσται. Ααρων και τους υιούς αυτου χρισεις και αγιασεις αυτους ιερατεύειν μοι.

* 1 Sam. xxiv. 6. 10. xxvi. 9. 1 Chron. xvi. 22. 1 Sam. xvi. 13.

• Christ, Χριστος, unctus, ο κεχρισμένος corpus oleo aut unguentis delibatus est. unguo, to anoint with holy oil.

και ηλειμμενος, cujus

From the verb χριω,

or David". But at his baptism

Lo, the hea

vens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him *." By which means a public manifestation was afforded of his being a chosen vessel to the Lord, visibly appointed by God himself, and fitted for his divine mission by the fullest measure of the gifts and graces of the Spirit". Of this the anointing of the kings, priests, and prophets of the Jews, was a type and symbol. Thus it is written, " God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power." And again, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me (Christ) because he hath anointed me to preach the Gospel to the poor.

Q. Did Christ fulfil all which the ancients considered to be attached to this holy unction?

* Matt. iii. 16. Bishop Horsley's Serm. vol. i. serm. ix. p. 199.

y St. Cyril. Cateches. Mystagog. iii. a. ß.

b Luke iv. 18. "The unction which the Prophets and Apostles speak of, when Jesus Christ or his Disciples are understood, is the spiritual and internal unction of grace and of the Holy Spirit, of which the outward and sensible unction with which they anciently anointed kings, priests, and prophets, was but the figure and symbol." Cruden's Concordance, Art. Messiah.

A. All; we read in the Old Testament of some who were anointed to be kings, some priests, some prophets. Christ was King, and Priest, and Prophet; uniting in his own person the duties, and powers, and privileges of the threefold character. As the anointed Prophet of the Lord, he revealed the will of the Most High, and foretold things to come. As the anointed High Priest, he offered the propitiatory sacrifice; he offered up the Lamb that was to be slain from the beginning; and that Lamb was himself. As the anointed King he exercised dominion and lordship: infinite, exhaustless, irresistible power; an authority which extended not only over the bodies, but the souls of men. It was his to punish with endless death, or reward with immortal glory.

Q. Is our Saviour known under any other name synonymous with that of Christ?

A. Christ and Messias are synonymous words. Messias signifying in Hebrew the anointed, just as the title of Christ conveys that idea in Greek. In St. John's Gospel it is written, “I know that

Matt. xviii. 14. 29. ii. 19. xiii. 19.

John vi. 38. Luke iv. 18, 19. John i. Heb. ix. 11. 14. Eph. v. 2. Isaiah ix. 6,

7. Luke i. 32, 33. Coloss. ii. 10.

a Messiah in Hebrew is D unctus, the anointed, from

,unxit משח

Messias cometh, which is called Christ." Thus Andrew said to Simon, "We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ'."

Q. From the two last quotations it appears, that the woman of Samaria and St. Andrew expected the coming of Messias. Was that expectation general?

A. There was throughout Judea an anxious looking for of a Saviour to come. Philip finding Nathaniel said unto him, we have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the Prophets did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of Joseph "." Thus in St. Luke, "The people were in expectation, and all men mused in their hearts of John, whether he were the Christ or noth." Under the same impression The Jews sent Priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him (John) who art thou? And he confessed, I am not the Christ," i. e. I am not the person on whose coming your thoughts and wishes are so universally and anxiously fixed.

66

Q. What ground had the Jews for this expectation?

A. It was built upon the declarations of the Most High, delivered both before and under the Law; both to the Patriarchs and Prophets.

• John iv. 25.

b Luke iii. 15.

1 John i. 41.

• John i. 45.

i John i. 19, 20.

First obscurely, then gradually with more and more clearness; till at length the day-spring from on high burst forth in a blaze of light". First a Redeemer was promised generally and indistinctly of" the seed of the woman'." Then it was added, that he was to be of the posterity of Shem, the son of Noah". Then it was further revealed that he was to be of the seed of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob". Then the particular tribe, the tribe of Judah, was pointed out°. Then the particular family, that of David, was selected P. Last of all, the person of our Saviour, the place of his birth, his sufferings and his death, were foretold by the Prophets with so much distinctness and accuracy, that they might have been eye witnesses of his birth, and his attendants through life, rather than his precursors, as they were, by several hundred years o. Q. Was the time of Christ's coming foretold by the Prophets?

A. In Daniel the Prophet it is thus written,

* See Hales on Faith in the Holy Trinity, vol. ii. Appendix, Series I.

1 Gen. iii. 15.

m Gen. ix. 26.

Gal. iii. 16.

" Gen. xvii. 2. 7. xxvi. 4, xxviii. 14. • Gen. xlix. 10. P2 Sam. vii. 12-16. 1 Chron. xvii. 14. Ps. lxxxix. 28, 29. Matt. ii. 4, 5. John vii. 41, 42. Isa. vii. 14. ix. 42, 53 Mic. v. 2. Zech. ix. 9. Mal. iii. 1. Jer. xxxi. 15. Hos. vi. 2.