صور الصفحة
PDF
النشر الإلكتروني
[blocks in formation]

THUS the passage is usually pointed in our common Bibles, with only a colon at the end of the seventh verse; which confirms the notion entertained by many persons, that the Apostle's meaning is, that Jesus Christ was "the end of these persons' conversation," or the scope at which they aimed, the object for which they lived. ("To me to live is Christ.") But the original will admit of no such interpretation, however agreeable it may be to the general analogy of Scripture and the faith.

1. The word is exbarv, outgoing, issue, close: "The close of their conversation on earth." Whitby. It is rendered "way of escape," in the only other passage of the New Testament where it occurs; 1 Cor. x. 13.

2. The words "Jesus Christ," are not in the right case to be in apposition with exCarv: in the nominative instead of the accusative.

3. The order of the words destroys such a supposition. It is this: "Considering the end of whose conversation, follow their faith. Jesus Christ," &c.

Perhaps it might be added, that ver. 8. connects much better with ver. 9. than with ver. 7. "Jesus Christ (is) the same yesterday, today, and for ever: be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines."

Accordingly our Greek Testaments place a full point at the end of the seventh verse; nor do I remember to have seen any English edition, a hundred years old, stopped otherwise. There is a full CHRIST, OBSERV. No. 192.

point after that word in Bell's 12mo Bible, Lond. 1686; in Field's 4to, Camb. 1666; and in the original folio of the present version, printed The colon by Barker, in 1611. after the word "conversation" is an innovation. J. S-, H.

P.S. May not the verb is be properly supplied as above after "Jesus Christ," so as to make the sentence complete? The sense will then be regular and coherent. The Apostle will appear to be advising the Hebrews to follow and emulate the faith of their ministers; the sum and substance of whose preaching was Jesus Christ, who is the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever. The subsequent exhortation to consistency and steadiness of doctrine thus comes in with great force and propriety.

To the Editor of the Christian Observer.

IN lately looking through your Number for March of the present year, my attention was attracted by a letter on the fourteenth verse of the twenty-second chapter of Genesis.

The writer begins by saying, that every attentive reader of the Old Testament must have been struck by the obscurity of the passage.

I never before met with a grammatical explanation of it; but it appears to me that a consciousness of the high import of the event then shadowed forth, and a knowledge of the style and genius of the Hebrew language, must have the effect of removing all obscurity from that verse.

I will begin by acknowledging the truth of the writer's assertion as to the meaning of , but not as to the remark upon it, which is thus expressed: -"I would also observe, that the word of the origina is translated in a manner altogether unwarranted. 7 must always mean this day' or 'to-day; and if the 5 H

[blocks in formation]

, it is true, does mean "this day," or "to-day," and not "to this day;" a fact which has not escaped the translators, who have inserted the to in Italics, thus merely using it as an expletive required in the English language.

Without separately replying to each of the reasons of your correspondent for believing the whole translation to belong to the past, I shall just quote another of his sentences, that I may remark upon it. After the passage in Hebrew, his own translation is given thus: "And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovah-jireh; because, said he, this day in the mountain the Lord hath provided."

Then this sentence follows:

"In this version, you will observe, that I have given to the future verb the signification of a preterite, which I conceive to be fully justified in the first instance of its occurrence, by the vau which stands at the beginning of the sentence, and, in the second instance, by the word ws going before it, which has the same power as the vau to convert the future tense into a preterite."

Now though vau and we have sometimes this effect, yet they have not always. Vau, indeed, is conversive here, but only to the verb to which it is prefixed.

The first in the verse is not, however, literally translated by, "it shall be seen." The truth is, that it is in the future of Kal. The second is in the future of Niphal; Hametz being under Resh, and the long vowel Pzaire, instead of Hhirik, being under', to compensate for the characteristic Dagesh which cannot be placed in the Resh. What I have now said of the last, applies exactly to the

יאמר conjugation of

Thus the translation is:

of that place Jehovah jireh,” i. e. (Jehovah shall provide,)" as it shall be said; This day in the mount of Jehovah it shall be seen."

The Hebrew language, it should be remembered, has a character of its own. It does not, like other languages, invariably submit to be controuled by regular grammatical guidance; but the skilful reader is at no loss to determine, whether the past or future is intended to be expressed. The Hebrew Bible abounds with instances in which the writer darts from past to future, and adverts with rapidity to events widely remote from each other as to time, though of typical affinity, leaving it to the reader to account for the transition. In the present instance, there is great propriety and sublimity in the abrupt recurrence to the grand event which was to take place upon that very spot, which had been the scene of its typical representation.

I have felt it a duty thus to offer my feeble endeavour to rectify what appears to me a very inadequate interpretation of a sentence, which contains a most interesting allusion to the stupendous Atonement which was to be of fered up for the sin of the world.

B. W.

To the Editor of the Christian Observer, AN objection has been proposed to the account of the Evangelists, with regard to the miracles which took place just before the death of our Lord. The objection consists of two parts: first, that they do not seem to have been mentioned by any other historians; secondly, that it is scarcely credible that such important circumstances as the earthquake, the rending of the veil of the temple, and especially the darkness for three hours over the land of Judea, should not have extorted an involuntary belief, on the part of the Jews, of the mission of Jesus. No such effects are

“And Abraham called the name stated to have taken place in con

[blocks in formation]

For the Christian Observer. ON THE MYSTERIES OF THE DI

VINE GOVERNMENT. No truth can be more evident and rational than this, that if God made the world, he also governs it. Even among men, a skilful artificer would not contrive and put together a curious and intricate piece of machinery fit for some noble and useful purpose, and then leave it neglected to itself, either to stop or go on; and much less would he suffer it to produce nothing but injury and destruction by its irregular movements. It is true, that man is so ignorant and short-sighted, that the thin veil which interposes between us and the unseen world, prevents our discerning, as we otherwise should do, the Divine agency. But this is no proof that it does not exist on the contrary, every thing which we see and hear, may and must convince us, if we will only open our minds to the admission of the truth, that "verily there is a God who judgeth in the earth, and disposeth the hearts of the children of men;" but whose dispensations, though infinitely wise and good, are often far too high and intricate for human discernment.

But why need we seek for proof of this fact? What is the whole world, what are all things in us and around us, but one mighty maze, the mysteries of which are infinitely beyond the reach of human contemplation? Till the Divine record of our faith was bestowed on a benighted world, all was doubt, and darkness, and gloom. Man might or might not be immortal; there might or there

might not be a God and a futurity: we knew nothing, thought nothing, felt nothing beyond the present scene.

But Revelation burst with its celestial splendour on this dark and intricate path. The heavenly Parent saw and pitied the ignorance and weakness of his erring child, and disclosed, at once for our comfort and salvation, that blessed scheme of redemption for lost and guilty man which furnishes an answer to all our most important difficulties; especially that supremely interesting one "What shall I do to be saved?”

Yet though much is disclosed, and all this necessary for our eternal peace, how much still remains enveloped in obscurity! If we take the three great departments of God's government, Creation, Providence, and Grace, in each shall we discover that "unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out."

To begin with the works of Creation-What can be more concealed from our knowledge than the scenes which constantly surround us? What is our own earth? and what are those starry worlds that adorn the brow of night; and that sun, that lights us by his splendour and cheers us by his warmth, and invigorates our globe by his kindly influences? The more we make advances in knowledge, the more we discover our utter ignorance. The husbandman perceives day and night, summer and winter, seedtime and harvest, succeed each other his corn springs up, and a beneficent Power pours into his garner "all manner of increase :" but every part of the process is a mystery that escapes his utmost researches. Ten thousand efforts could not form one blade of grass; or one drop of rain, to water and restore its faded verdure. And if these, the most plain and common works of creation, are hid in mystery, so that we cannot tell even how a seed vegetates in the ground,

[ocr errors]

what shall we say of the animate creation? Especially what shall we say of that master-piece of Divine skill and power, the human frame, so fearfully and wonderfully made, that even heathens have been obliged to acknowledge it a proof of the existence of an all-wise and gracious Creator?

The Almighty, both from the whirlwind, and by the mouth of Elihu speaking to Job, pursues this argument with much force and sublimity. "Behold, God is great, and we know him not." "Can any man understand the spreading of the clouds, or the noise of his tabernacle?" "God thundereth marvellously with his voice; great things doeth he, which we cannot comprehend." "Hearken unto this, O Job! stand still and consider the wondrous works of God. Dost thou know when be caused the light of his cloud to shine? Dost thou know the perfect works of him which is perfect in knowledge? how thy garments are warm, when he quieteth the earth by the south wind? Teach us what we shall say unto him, for we cannot order our speech by reason of darkness." If, then, the works of Creation be so complete a proof of our ignorance of God's dispensations, how much more so the works of Grace! Who shall unfold the wonderful mysteries of Redemption? Who shall comprehend, in all its awful consequences, the Fall of our first parents? Who shall tell why they were even permitted to fall? Who shall inform us how sin entered a holy and happy creation? Who shall reconcile the infinite knowledge and prescience of God, with the free powers and moral responsibility of man? Who shall tell how the Divine nature was united to the human in our blessed Lord? how our guilt was expiated by his cross and passion? how He was made sin for us who knew no sin? how his righteousness becomes ours by faith? how the Holy Spirit operates on the human

heart? how he enlightens our understandings, sanctifies our will, regenerates and converts our souls, and makes us meet for that inhe ritance which a Redeemer purchased for us freely with his own most precious blood?

The feeblest glance at these and numerous other difficulties connected with the works of grace, is surely sufficient to bow us low in the dust of humility. Well might the Apostle exclaim, "Oh the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! Who hath known the mind of the Lord, or who hath been his counsellor?" And yet man, a being of yesterday, and who must die tomorrow, too often boasts of his feeble powers, adores his shortlived reason, and refuses to submit himself humbly as a penitent sinner, conscious of his guilt and ignorance, to the guidance of that blessed word which alone, under the instrumentality of its Divine Author, can lighten his darkness, and lead him safely through the intricate windings of this valley of the shadow of death, to the shores of eternal light, and knowledge, and repose! Surely our daily prayer should be; O thou infinite Source of wisdom and of grace! though we cannot comprehend either the height, or length, or breadth of thy love in Christ Jesus, yet upon it would we calmly and confidently repose by faith, till the time when thou shalt see fit to remove this veil of flesh, and introduce us, through the blood of a Redeemer, to that heavenly world, where we shall know even as also we are known!

Again: That the operations of Providence as well as of Nature and Grace are mysterious, and often far beyond our comprehension, needs, perhaps, less proof than either of the former. For what is human life, with all its comforts and sorrows, its changes and accidents, but an illustration of the solemn truth, "What I do

thou knowest not now?" If we look but one step beyond the present moment, all is blackness and mystery. We know not what a day may bring forth. Why are wars, and famines, and persecutions permitted? Why do the wicked so often triumph? Why is the Christian often plunged in apparently undeserved calamities? It is true, a reason may be easily assigned, if we regard the final end; for life is a state of probation, and all is intended for ultimate good to them that love God; but the immediate steps to this great end are often involved in clouds and darkness. Can we account for the diversities of God's providence, in affording one man health and prosperity, and suffering another to remain in sick ness and distress? Can we shew any cause why we have the Scriptures, and have heard of a Saviour, and have been invited to repent of our sins, and to place our trust in him for pardon, and salvation, and heaven; while millions of our fellow-men, more excellent and conscientious perhaps than many among ourselves, are perishing for lack of knowledge? Or (if it might be allowed to allude to a recent event in providence an event which has come home to every heart with intense anguish) have we not witnessed a deeply afflicting, though doubtless a wise and equitable proof of the mysterious nature of the Divine dispensations? Was it likely, if man had been called to decipher the counsels of Heaven, that while the aged and afflicted progenitor was in the fourth remove preserved, two generations should have been cut off at a stroke? Did it appear a thing probable that he who has been permitted, by God's mercy, to reign a longer time on the throne of these realms than any monarch who went before him, should thus behold youth, and health, and vigour, perish in his presence; while he himself remained, like a dismantled oak, bent

[ocr errors]

beneath the hand of time, yet in a green old age, and still adorning by his presence the land which he had so long sheltered by his power and blessed by his virtues? Does not the unlooked for and untimely bereavement which we have been deploring teach, in language far more forcible than the word of man, the humbling fact of our ignorace and the utter uncertainty of all our calculations ? Here, at one stroke, was cut down honour and grandeur, the luxuriance of health, the cheerful prospects of youth, all that was lovely and blooming, all that ap peared calculated to complete a husband's, a parent's, a family's, a nation's happiness. Does not, then, the voice of Providence, as well as of Nature and Grace, say to us, in accents the most powerful and convincing, "What I do thou knowest not now, but thou shalt know hereafter?"

While, then, we thus behold the awful mysteriousness of the Divine counsels, let us endeavour to attain consolation from the promise just quoted-a promise which, though made individually to St. Peter on a particular occasion, may be fairly considered as belonging to all who should follow in his steps to the end of time.

Hitherto we have been like a traveller bewildered in a dark and dreary night amidst dangers and uncertainties;-no track appeared to open before us;-Nature was dark and desolate; Providence was still darker, and even the works of Grace itself were involved in an obscurity which no human eye could pierce. But let us behold the gleam of light at length breaking on the track; let us listen to the voice of Revelation bursting from the gloom, and promising a speedy termination to all the doubts and difficulties which environ the Christian's path. "Heaviness may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning." Every mysterious circumstance shall hereafter be so revealed, that even the

« السابقةمتابعة »