PRELIMINARY REMARKS,

BY PROFESSOR ROBINSON OF ANDOVER.

THE object of this work is, to exhibit the results of a calm and very extensive and complete investigation of those prophecies of the Old Testament, which have reference to a future Messiah; or, in other words, to point out how far the events and doctrines recorded in the New Testament in relation to the Messiah and his kingdom, are the fulfilment and results of predictions and principles revealed in the Old Testament. A work of this kind had never before been attempted, at least to such an extent. Gulich, Hulsius, and Gürtler, had indeed laid the ground-work, in the end of the seventeenth and beginning of the eighteenth centuries; and more recently Köcher, Anton, Kuinoel, and Jahn, (the two latter in separate works,) had turned their attention to the subject; but all these labours were comparatively unimportant. But the time had now come in Germany, when the need of such a work began to be very extensively felt. The system of rationalism, while it professed to receive the Christ of the New

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Testament as a teacher of righteousness and sublime morality, ever strove to strip him of his divine honours as Messiah, and banish him from the Old Testament; and as yet no systematic and scientific effort had been made to counteract these endeavours. But the spirit of reaction which has been awakened in that country in recent years, and which leads very many to perceive the cold and unsatisfying nature of such speculations, soon caused the attention of pious theologians to be turned to this subject, and made them aware of the need of giving to it a thorough examination. It is within the Editor's knowledge, that Professor Tholuck long entertained the purpose of composing such a work, and that, during his visit to England in 1825, he made many collections and extracts from oriental and rabbinic manuscripts, existing in the public libraries of that country, with particular reference to this object. Other important duties, however, hindered him from undertaking the work; and it therefore passed into the hands of Professor Hengstenberg, who may be regarded as in some respects still better qualified for this department of labour. It was undertaken by him with the entire concurrence and approbation of Professor Tholuck, if not at his suggestion; and the manuscript collections and extracts above mentioned, were at once placed by the latter at the disposal of Professor Hengstenberg.

The book has produced a sensation in the theological world in Germany; because it often runs counter to the current which has so long prevailed; and because the unquestionable talent and profound learn

ing with which it is written, present formidable obstacles in the way of those, who have been accustomed to put down every thing of a similar nature by dogmatical assertion or scornful ridicule. It was vehemently attacked in the Allgemeine LiteraturZeitung of Halle, in an article written by the elder Professor Fritzsche from materials furnished by Gesenius; but the remark made by candid inquirers was, that they were disappointed in finding that the work could be assailed with no stronger arguments. De Wette, also, has taken occasion, (in the preface to his Commentary on the Psalms, 1829,) to express his most thorough dissent from Hengstenberg; though he styles him at the same time ein kenntnissreicher junger Gelehrte, a young scholar of great learning.

In the mean time, Professor Hengstenberg, although deeply (and sometimes perhaps injudiciously) involved in the theological polemics of the day, has busily prosecuted his great work; of which the second volume is announced as about to appear during the present year, 1832. This volume of course must comprehend the prophecies of Daniel; and as that book has of late years been the subject of much discussion, and has been very generally set down as a spurious production of the age of Antiochus Epiphanes, it became absolutely necessary to discuss fully the question of its genuineness and authority. This discussion the author has recently given to the public in a separate work, under the title die Authentie des Daniel, etc. Berlin, 1831. It is said by him to be the commencement of an Introduction to the Old Testament; although in its present form, it is in

fact nothing more than an excursus to his Christology. The plan pursued in it is precisely similar to that followed in examining the genuineness of the latter part of Isaiah; for which essay the reader is referred to Vol. I. of the Biblical Repository, p. 700.

The passage of Isaiah which is the subject of discussion in the following article, is doubtless one of the most important prophecies of the Old Testament, in reference to the character of the Messiah. Indeed, his character as a suffering Messiah may be said to rest mainly upon this passage, so far as it derives support from the prophetic writings; and, in this light too, the passage is viewed and applied by the writers of the New Testament, as is admitted by Gesenius. (Comm. zu Jesa. II. p. 160.)

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places in the New Testament in which this passage is either directly quoted or alluded to, are: (a) Luke xxii. 37, and Mark xv. 28, for Isa. liii. 12—(b) John xii. 38, and Rom. x. 16, for Isa. liii. 1.-(c) 1 Peter ii. 22-25, for Isa. liii. 4, 5, 6, 9.—(d) Acts viii. 28 -35, for Isa. liii. 7, seq.-(e) Matt. viii. 17, for Isa. liii. 4. For general allusions only, we may refer perhaps to Mark ix. 12, Rom. iv. 25, 2 Cor. v. 21, 1 John iii. 5.

This passage has ever received profound attention, from many and able commentators. Professor Hengstenberg is the latest and one of the most learned; and has enjoyed the benefit of the labours of all his predecessors. It is for this reason, in connexion with others, that in bringing this important passage of Scripture under the notice of the readers

of this work, the Editor has selected the discussion of Professor Hengstenberg in preference to any other. It will be perceived, that he has here also prominently interwoven his peculiar views on the nature of prophecy. For his own opinion of these views, the Editor would refer to the Preliminary Remarks prefixed to the article on Prophecy, in the Biblical Repository, Vol. II. p. 138.