Commentary on Daniel, Chapter 9 · Doctrines 1 · Question 31 – Question 33
31. Quest. How Christ was anointed.
Three things briefly are to be touched concerning the anointing of Christ; wherewith he was anointed, in what manner, and whereunto. 1. We doe not read, that Christ was annointed with any externall or materiall oyle or oyntment: but his anointing was by the spirit of God, as Isa. 61. 1. The spirit of the Lord is vponupon me, therefore he hath anointed me, &c. 2. For the manner, he was anointed with all graces of the spirit, abundanter, aboundantly, aboue his fellowes, Psal. 45. 7. and beyond measure, Ioh. 3. 34. God giueth him not the spirit by measure: and redundanter, his fulnesse redoundeth and ouerfloweth to his members, Ioh. 1. 16. Of his fulnesse hauehave we all receiued grace for grace: like as the oyntment, which was powred vponupon Aarons head, ranne downe vponupon his beard, and so to the skirts of his cloathing, Psal. 133. 2. so the graces of the spirit in our head Christ, are imparted to his members. 3. He was anointed to be our Prophet, King, and Priest: of the first speaketh the Prophet, Isa. 61. 1. Therefore hath the Lord anointed me: he hath sent me to preach good tidings to the poore, &c. which prophecie our blessed Sauiour applyeth to himselfe, Luk. 4. 18. of his anointing to be King, speaketh the Prophet, Psal. 45. 8. Because thou hast loued righteousnes, and hated iniquitie, therefore hath God thy God annointed thee with the oyle of gladnes aboue thy fellowes: of his priestly office and anointing likewise the Prophet Dauid maketh mention, Psal. 110. 4. Thou art a Priest for euer, after the order of Melchisedech: and of this his priestly anointing, this place is specially to be vnderstood.
32. Quest. When Christ was thus anointed.
1. Lyranus generally vnderstandeth the time of Christs incarnation and humanitie, in humanitate vnctus est, &c. he was anointed in his humanitie aboue his fellowes. 2. Pererius referreth it to the first instant of his conception, alledging those words of the Angel to Marie, That holy thing which shall be borne of thee, shall be called the sonne of God. 3. Hugo Card. indifferently would hauehave it vnderstood either of the time of Christs incarnation, or of his baptisme, when his Father from heauen gaue testimonie vntounto him, or of his resurrection, when his spirituall anointing was yet more euidently declared. 4. But the solemne anointing of Christ was in his baptisme, when the spirit of God descended vponupon him in the likenes of a doue: non citra visibile… pompam facta est haec Christi vn…tio, this anointing of Christ was not done without some visible pompe, both in his baptisme, and afterward in the mountaine, when his father testified of him from heauen, Bulling. for although Christ alwaies had the spirit of God, yet in his baptisme, and afterward in the preaching of the Gospel, the graces of the spirit did more manifest themselues in him, Osiand. And this further may be gathered by the words going before: for then, when Christ brought eternall righteousnes, the fruit and effect of his annointing appeared, which was by his most holy life and obedience; and by his most holy passion, and oblation of himselfe, which followed immediatly after. 5. Their error then appeareth, which would hauehave this prophecie of the Angel fulfilled in the ende of the world: for Christ shall not then be againe annointed: his annointing was in his first comming, it shall not be in the second.
Here followeth the explanation of the most difficult and obscure prophesie of Daniels 70. weekes.
33. Quest. Of the obscurenes and difficultie of this prophesie.
How darke, hidde, and obscure this prophesie is, may appeare by these three arguments. 1. the opinion and sentence of the auncient learned interpreters thereof. 2. the diuersitie of interpretations which are giuen. 3. the difficulties and doubts in the prophesie it selfe.
1. Hierome vponupon those words of Daniel, v. 25. Know thou and vnderstand, thus writeth, Si Gabriel suscitat animum Danielis, &c. If Gabriel doe ro…ze vp the minde of Daniel (that was a Prophet) to vnderstand the prophesie, what should we doe, that hauehave not any such propheticall light,Tract. 29 in Matth. &c. Likewise Origen saith, sermonem Danielis de septuaginta hebdomadis, &c. Daniels speech of the seuentie weekes none can make plaine, as it would require, but the spirit of God, which taught Daniel this mysterie, &c. Hereupon Hierome rehearsing diuers opinions of others about the exposition of these weekes, forbeareth to set downe his owne: And Augustine, falling into mention of this prophesie, of purpose seemeth to passe it ouer in diuers places, as epist. 80. ad Hesych. lib. 18. de ci…it. Dei. c. 34. as not satisfying himselfe in the right vnderstanding thereof.
2. The great varietie of interpretations, which are very many, as they follow to be declared in the next question, is an euident demonstration of the obscuritie thereof.
3. And beside the vncertentie of forren stories, which fell out in the change of three Monarchies, the Persian, Grecian, and Romane: (for it beeing an hard thing to finde the true reckoning and computation of yeares in one kingdome, it must needes be more difficult, to finde a true account in laying together the yeares of diuers Monarchies:) Beside this vncertentie, there are foure other principall difficulties in the prophesie it selfe. 1. when these 70. weekes should beginne. 2. when they determine and hauehave an ende. 3. whether the space comming betweene the beginning and ende, consisting of 490. yeares, doth precisely containe so many, neither more, nor fewer. 4. how all these things, prophesied here of the Messiah, were fulfilled and accomplished in this limited time. Now notwithstanding these difficulties, I will proceede by Gods grace, to make some way for the better vnderstanding of this great mysterie: wherein I will gather together the most probable opinions of learned interpreters, approouing in my iudgement the best.