Now it escaped the notice of Celsus, and of the Jew whom he has
introduced, and of all who are not believers in Jesus, that the
prophecies speak of two advents of Christ: the former characterized by
human suffering and humility, in order that Christ, being with men,
might make known the way that leads to God, and might leave no man in
this life a ground of excuse, in saying that he knew not of the judgment
to come; and the latter, distinguished only by glory and divinity,
having no element of human infirmity intermingled with its divine
greatness. To quote the prophecies at length would be tedious; and I
deem it sufficient for the present to quote a part of the forty-fifth
Psalm, which has this inscription, in addition to others, “A Psalm for
the Beloved,” where God is evidently addressed in these words: “Grace is
poured into Thy lips: therefore God will bless Thee for ever and ever.
Gird Thy sword on Thy thigh, O mighty One, with Thy beauty and Thy
majesty. And stretch forth, and ride prosperously, and reign, because of
Thy truth, and meekness, and righteousness; and Thy right hand shall
lead Thee marvellously. Thine arrows are pointed, O mighty One; the
people will fall under Thee in the heart of the enemies of the
King.”[1221] But attend carefully to what follows, where He is called
God: “For Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of
righteousness is the sceptre of Thy kingdom. Thou hast loved
righteousness, and hated iniquity: therefore God, even Thy God, hath
anointed Thee with the oil of gladness above Thy fellows.”[1222] And
observe that the prophet, speaking familiarly to God, whose “throne is
for ever and ever,” and “a sceptre of righteousness the sceptre of His
kingdom,” says that this God has been anointed by a God who was His God,
and anointed, because more than His fellows He had loved righteousness
and hated iniquity. And I remember that I pressed the Jew, who was
deemed a learned man, very hard with this passage; and he, being
perplexed about it, gave such an answer as was in keeping with his
Judaistic views, saying that the words, “Thy throne, O God, is for ever
and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of Thy kingdom,” are
spoken of the God of all things; and these, “Thou hast loved
righteousness and hated iniquity, therefore Thy God hath anointed Thee,”
etc., refer to the Messiah.[1223]
Footnote 1221:
Ps. xlv. 2-5.
Footnote 1222:
Ps. xlv. 6, 7.
Footnote 1223:
πρὸς τὸν Χριστόν.