OBSERVATIONS.

4. Artaxerxes styled himself King of kings." Nebuchadnezzar was thus addressed by the prophet Daniel;" and received also from Jehovah the same glorious appellation. If, then, the title King of kings was, according to eastern hyperbole, suitable to sovereigns "dressed in a little brief authority," no one can hesitate as to the propriety of bestowing this designation on the Saviour of the world, even supposing him to be, what we believe he is, a created being. Though, in real grandeur and magnitude, the kingdom of Christ is much superior to all earthly kingdoms, yet he was appointed to it by his Father; and a time will come when he shall deliver up this kingdom to Him from whom he received it in delegation. With respect to the title, Lord of lords, it need only be observed, that "God made," or constituted, "that same Jesus whom" the Jews had "crucified, both Lord and Christ.”r

5-8. According to GRIESBACH, the word God should be inserted after Lord in Rev. i. 8;- a passage which will therefore have an exclusive reference to the Father; for these titles, "Lord God," "He who is, who was, and is to come," "the Almighty," are never in Scripture attributed to Jesus Christ. With regard to the 11th verse of the same chapter, there cannot be any question that Christ is the speaker: but it is observable, that that part of the verse which we have quoted is undoubtedly an interpolation, being rejected by GRIESBACH, and other eminent critics.

From the other texts, however, we cannot hesitate to believe that Jesus characterised himself as Alpha and Omega, the first and the last, &c. Yet, as he had been subject to the power of death, these titles cannot signify eternity of existence; but more probably refer to him as "the author and finisher of our faith”"—the best and the greatest of all the prophets," to whom the spirit was given without measure"-appointed by the Deity to carry on the great scheme of the salvation of mankind, till the consummation of all things, when he will render up his authority to the Father, and God shall be all in all. Perhaps, merely, Christ is called the last, on account of his having been rejected by his countrymen, and exposed to suffer the ignominious death of the cross; and the first, because he was the first human being raised from the dead to the blessings of immortal existence." This interpretation seems to be countenanced by those passages in which our Lord is spoken of as the first and the last as a person who was dead, but is now alive. However this may be, it is evident, that Christ was mortal; and it is equally evident, that the eternal God cannot die. The same being, too, who had been crucified, received a revelation from God; but nothing can be imparted to the blessed and all-wise Governor of the universe.

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ed of the multitude is, that they believed sired him [Philip], saying, Sir, we would

OBSERVATIONS.

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9. The title Lord, when applied to Jesus, is considered by some Christians to be synonymous with God or Jehovah ; a mistake which is produced by observing, that, in citations made from the Old Testament into the New, the name Jehovah is rendered Lord. It ought, however, to be observed, that this word has various significations in Scripture; and is ascribed not only to God and Christ, but to kings, governors, prophets, husbands, and masters of servants or slaves. It primarily refers to the possession of property; and hence became a designation of authority, and a compellation of respect. In the New Testament, it is used several hundred times; being sometimes applied to Almighty God, very frequently to Jesus Christ, and in not a few cases to men of rank or of property. When used to express the name of God, it perhaps served as an equivalent for Jehovah; the Jews conceiving it highly irreverent to pronounce this hallowed name: but, when applied to Christ, its signification was merely that of Master, employed by those individuals who either were unacquainted with the true nature of his mission, or who professed not to be his followers, in the same manner as we use the term Sir;f and by his apostles and sincere disciples, as a designation not only of respect, but of subjection to him and his laws.9 In this sense Jesus himself employed the word, when he said to his disciples, "Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am." From these considerations it is obvious, that the application of the term Lord to Jesus Christ gives no support to the popular doctrine respecting his person. Miserably deficient in evidence must be that cause which could prompt men of education to establish it by such arguments!

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10. Difficult as the question of Jesus was to the Pharisees, who had not attained proper conceptions respecting the spirituality of his kingdom, it cannot present any obstacle to a belief in the unity of God, and the inferiority of Christ. The passage is, indeed, decidedly favourable to the distinguishing doctrines of Unitarianism; for God and Christ are mentioned as distinct existences: the former, in the Psalm which Jesus quotes, is called Jehovah; the latter, named Lord; and it is Jehovah that appoints the Messiah to the exalted honour of sitting at his right hand. The utmost that the passage can be considered with any appearance of reason to imply is, the pre-existence of Christ; but, as Abraham and Isaiah had received some distinct intimations of the coming of the Messiah, and the latter spoke of him as if he actually were a contemporary, it is more probable that the royal Psalmist called Christ his Lord, or Master, on account of the importance and universality of the Saviour's kingdom, and on account of that dignity to which he foresaw Jesus would arrive as a reward for his disinterested exertions in the cause of God and of human happiness.*

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OBSERVATIONS.

11. We are not of opinion, that Jesus made an exclusive claim to the title Lord of the Sabbath. His disciples had on that day plucked thé ears of corn; for which act they were severely censured by the Pharisees.' But Christ defended them by citing the example of David and others; m and by observing, that man was not created for the use of the Sabbath, but that that sacred day was instituted for the good of man." Therefore the son of man (i.e. man) is master of the sabbath: on that day, as well as on others, he has the power of performing those actions which are conducive to his best interests—those which are either necessary to support existence, or which are of a benevolent tendency. In this manner do we conceive Jesus Christ to have justified the conduct of his disciples. If, however, the words, Lord or Master of the Sabbath were applied by our Saviour to himself, they would not establish the doctrine of his Supreme Deity; for we have the clearest Biblical evidence, that he derived all his power and authority from his God and Father.

12, 13. From the scope of Peter's discourse, it appears that he designated Jesus, Lord of all, because Gentiles, as well as Jews," were to participate in the blessings of the Gospel, and become the willing servants of that heavenly Messenger who was constituted Head of the Christian church. If the Apostle Paul really designed to apply to Jesus Christ the title Lord over all, or Lord of all, it may be accounted for by the reason just assigned, and is indeed countenanced by the passage itself. It cannot be too deeply impressed on the mind of the reader, that he ought to attend. carefully to the connection of passages, if he is truly desirous to ascertain the meaning of the speaker or the writer. St. Paul, for instance, names the heir of an estate, Lord of all; and the Psalmist declares concerning man, that he has dominion over the works of the Creator, and that all things are put under his feet: but he who would interpret these expressions literally, or without paying attention to the aim and scope of the author, would necessarily believe the human race to be the Supreme Governors of the universe.

14. This text is clearly opposed to the Deity of Christ; for it is expressly said, that in order to be Lord of the dead and living, he died, and lived again;"-language quite inapplicable to the eternal and unchangeable God-the independent Proprietor of the universe. Jesus may be styled Lord of the living and dead, because, by his death and resurrection, he has furnished mankind with the most powerful incentives to become the subjects of his kingdom, and with that well-founded hope of a future state of existence which results only from a practical belief in the Christian religion. However this may be, it is certain that his right to the title was primarily derived from Almighty God."