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name is karox peculiar to the person, who is the subject. Thus God is continually called Most High and King without the article; in Zechariah, Christ is in the same way denominated Branch. On this principle the Samaritan woman says Meoσias instead of o Mεooiac. Most Holy, Messiah, and Prince, are therefore titles of Christ, who, according to the preceding verse, should forgive sins and bring in everlasting righteousness; and since the terms, by which his princely dignity is expressed in the prophets, are generally synonymous to that here used, and since in Isa. lv. 4. the very same is applied to Him, all doubt is completely removed. It is also the same, that was used at the unction of Saul 2, consequently, its designation of royal dignity is established. Moreover, the manifest opposition, which exists between Prince Messiah in verse 25, and the worldly prince to come, the nagid habba in verse 26, shows, that the former has the special character of a religious ruler, which can only be interpreted of Christ.

A question has arisen, whether the terminus ad quem must be understood of the birth of Christ, or of his entrance on his redeeming office. The question

'John iv. 25.

21 Sam. x. 1.

3 Petavius says, "69 hebdomades desinunt in Christum ducem, non nascentem, sed in lucem apertumque prodeuntem,

may be set at rest by the reflection, that the saving work to be perfected ultimately through the Messiah was to be fulfilled after the expiration of the seventy weeks, but that (v. 27,) after the sixty-nine weeks, and in the middle of the seventieth, the Messiah was to be cut off. Therefore, as sixty-nine weeks were to elapse up to the Messiah, from thence to the perfection of his mission only a space of one week or seven years remained, in the midst of which his violent death occurred. That the expression "unto the Messiah," referred to his entrance on his ministry, is clear from his having until then been called Jesus, not Christ.

The restoration of Jerusalem, in this prophecy, is the terminus medius; for with respect to the sixtynine weeks, seven elapsed up to the completion of the restoration, and sixty-two from thence to the Messiah 1.

seque ad oikovoμíav et kýpvživ accingentem, h. e. in baptismum ipsius, qui anno primo septuagesimæ hebdomadis incurrit."

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1 Thus we find in Theodotion, “ ἕως Χριστοῦ ἡγουμένου ἑβδο μάδες ἑπτὰ, καὶ ἑβδομάδες ἑξήκοντα δύο,” and in the Vulgate, usque ad Christum ducem hebdomades septem et hebdomades 62 erunt," which give a sanction to the bipartition of the period, according to the Hebrew text. But after these sixty-two weeks, the Messiah was to be cut off, (the sixty-two weeks following the 7=69,) i. e. in the seventieth week. The word employed invariably denotes a violent death.

As Israel after the captivity had no king lineally descended from David but Christ, who claimed the title, and as He appeared at the very expiration of the predicted time, the congruity, as we proceed, becomes more evident. Thus, the death of the Messiah is brought by the prophet into a causative connection with the destruction of the city and temple, just as his manifestation in ver. 25. was brought into a causative connection with the communication of all the blessings promised in ver. 24. Who, viewing the prophecy in this correct light, can fail to see its historical completion? Isaiah had long ago, (chap. liii.) in corresponding expressions, foretold the Messiah's violent death, and Zechariah, xii. 10. had written to the same purpose with minute circumstantiality. "And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week," is proposed by some to be translated, and one week shall confirm the covenant with many, as Theodotion rendered it, kai δυναμώσει διαθήκην πολλοῖς ἑβδομάς μία, which the context approves, because in the middle of that week his "cutting off" took place. The idea of some, that this week is distinct from the preceding, and relates to the destruction of Jerusalem, has however found many advocates.

In the middle of this week the sacrifice and ob

lation were predicted to cease, which must be interpreted in connection with the death of Christ. For the Levitical institutes', as weak and unprofitable, were put aside, since Christ's death effected the true forgiveness of sins, "brought in everlasting righteousness," and instead of the old temple made with hands, led us to a spiritual temple, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. The shadow disappeared before the substance, the type before the antitype. The covenant, which God had made with Israel, was violated and annulled by the crucifixion of his Son; and as Theodoret remarks, the cessation of the Levitical ordinances was announced and symbolized by the rending of the veil of the temple. Thus was this part of the prophecy accomplished.

The other parts, that relate to the judgments to be executed on the nation, we must necessarily pass by. But we must observe, as to the fulfilment, that in the first year after Christ's death the kλoyǹ from the antient covenanted people took place, that the communication of the Holy Ghost was given at the first Pentecost, and that Christ's invitation to the Gentiles was proclaimed, so that the prophet rightly

'Heb. vii. 18.

2 Matt. xxvii. 51. Mark xv. 38.

announced the salvation to the covenanted people at the end of the seventy weeks.

Several of the Fathers agree in assigning three and a half years from Christ's baptism to his death; and we arrive at the same computation from examining the passovers, which He solemnized. Thus, the reasons for dividing the one week into two halves are corroborated 1.

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As others, among whom are Cudworth and Mr. Wray, have differently understood the prophecy, on account of verse 26, having given Hengstenberg's idea in the text, we shall subjoin their opinions in the words of Bishop Marsh's ninth lecture. "No prophecy has been subjected to greater controversy than this; and the modes of computing the chronological parts of it are almost as various as the interpreters are numerous. An examination of the various opinions, which have been entertained on this very difficult subject, cannot now be attempted, as it would require a dissertation of itself, nor is it necessary for our purpose. From whatever event we date the computation, or in whatever manner we explain the threescore and two weeks, after which Messiah shall be cut off, the description of the thing itself so accords with the circumstances of our Saviour's death, that we cannot apply it to any one else. He was cut off, but not for Himself. And before the seven weeks, which were added to the threescore and two weeks, had likewise elapsed, that is before seven times seven years had elapsed after the time when Messiah was cut off, the people of the prince, that should come, that is, the Romans under the command of Titus, destroyed the city and the sanctuary. And that the prophecy of Daniel was accomplished according to its strict, literal, and primary sense, is evident from the definition of time, with which it is accompanied.