18 a prophet I raise up to them, out of the midst of their brethren, like to thee; and I have given my words in his mouth, and he hath spoken unto them all that which I command him;
Jesus, therefore, said to them, `When ye may lift up the Son of Man then ye will know that I am `he'; and of myself I do nothing, but according as my Father did teach me, these things I speak;
`A prophet out of thy midst, out of thy brethren, like to me, doth Jehovah thy God raise up to thee -- unto him ye hearken;
because I spake not from myself, but the Father who sent me, He did give me a command, what I may say, and what I may speak, and I have known that His command is life age-during; what, therefore, I speak, according as the Father hath said to me, so I speak.'
The woman saith to him, `I have known that Messiah doth come, who is called Christ, when that one may come, he will tell us all things;'
And I put My words in thy mouth, And with the shadow of My hand have covered thee, To plant the heavens, and to found earth, And to say to Zion, `My people `art' thou.'
For a Child hath been born to us, A Son hath been given to us, And the princely power is on his shoulder, And He doth call his name Wonderful, Counsellor, Mighty God, Father of Eternity, Prince of Peace. To the increase of the princely power, And of peace, there is no end, On the throne of David, and on his kingdom, To establish it, and to support it, In judgment and in righteousness, Henceforth, even unto the age, The zeal of Jehovah of Hosts doth this.
`And I -- I have anointed My King, Upon Zion -- My holy hill.'
as Thou didst send me to the world, I also did send them to the world;
because the sayings that Thou hast given to me, I have given to them, and they themselves received, and have known truly, that from Thee I came forth, and they did believe that Thou didst send me.
Jehovah hath sworn, and doth not repent, `Thou `art' a priest to the age, According to the order of Melchizedek.'
And he setteth the golden altar in the tent of meeting, before the vail, and maketh perfume on it -- spice-perfume -- as Jehovah hath commanded Moses. And he setteth the covering of the opening to the tabernacle, and the altar of the burnt-offering he hath set at the opening of the tabernacle of the tent of meeting, and causeth the burnt-offering to go up upon it, and the present, as Jehovah hath commanded Moses.
and to a mediator of a new covenant -- Jesus, and to blood of sprinkling, speaking better things than that of Abel! See, may ye not refuse him who is speaking, for if those did not escape who refused him who upon earth was divinely speaking -- much less we who do turn away from him who `speaketh' from heaven,
by so much of a better covenant hath Jesus become surety,
being stedfast to Him who did appoint him, as also Moses in all his house, for of more glory than Moses hath this one been counted worthy, inasmuch as more honour than the house hath he who doth build it, for every house is builded by some one, and He who the all things did build `is' God, and Moses indeed `was' stedfast in all his house, as an attendant, for a testimony of those things that were to be spoken, and Christ, as a Son over his house, whose house are we, if the boldness and the rejoicing of the hope unto the end we hold fast.
Why, then, the law? on account of the transgressions it was added, till the seed might come to which the promise hath been made, having been set in order through messengers in the hand of a mediator -- and the mediator is not of one, and God is one --
no more do I call you servants, because the servant hath not known what his lord doth, and you I have called friends, because all things that I heard from my Father, I did make known to you.
Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith to him, `Him of whom Moses wrote in the Law, and the prophets, we have found, Jesus the son of Joseph, who `is' from Nazareth;'
and hast spoken unto him, saying: Thus spake Jehovah of Hosts, saying: Lo, a man! A Shoot -- `is' his name, And from his place he doth shoot up, And he hath built the temple of Jehovah. Yea, he doth build the temple of Jehovah, And he doth bear away honour, And he hath sat and ruled on His throne, And hath been a priest on His throne, And a counsel of peace is between both.
And he is in Jeshurun king, In the heads of the people gathering together, The tribes of Israel!
And Moses crieth unto Jehovah, saying, `O God, I pray Thee, give, I pray Thee, healing to her.'
And He saith, `Hear, I pray you, My words: If your prophet is of Jehovah -- in an appearance unto him I make Myself known; in a dream I speak with him; not so My servant Moses; in all My house he `is' stedfast; mouth unto mouth I speak with him, and `by' an appearance, and not in riddles; and the form of Jehovah he beholdeth attentively; and wherefore have ye not been afraid to speak against My servant -- against Moses?'
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Deuteronomy 18
Commentary on Deuteronomy 18 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 18
In this chapter,
Deu 18:1-8
Magistracy and ministry are two divine institutions of admirable use for the support and advancement of the kingdom of God among men. Laws concerning the former we had in the close of the foregoing chapter, directions are in this given concerning the latter. Land-marks are here set between the estates of the priests and those of the people.
Deu 18:9-14
One would not think there had been so much need as it seems there was to arm the people of Israel against the infection of the idolatrous customs of the Canaanites. Was it possible that a people so blessed with divine institutions should ever admit the brutish and barbarous inventions of men and devils? Were they in any danger of making those their tutors and directors in religion whom God had made their captives and tributaries? It seems they were in danger, and therefore, after many similar cautions, they are here charged not to do after the abominations of those nations, v. 9.
Deu 18:15-22
Here is,
Lastly, They are directed not to be afraid of a false prophet; that is, not to be afraid of the judgments such a one might denounce to amuse people and strike terror upon them; nor to be afraid of executing the law upon him when, upon a strict and impartial scrutiny, it appeared that he was a false prophet. This command not to fear a false prophet implies that a true prophet, who proved his commission by clear and undeniable proofs, was to be feared, and it was at their peril if they offered him any violence or put any slight upon him.