An Alphabetical Analysis
Volume 6 - Doctrinal Truth - Page 164 of 270
INDEX
root thereof wax old in the earth, and the stock (same word as "stem")
thereof die in the ground' (14:7,8).
The only other occurrence of the word translated 'stem' in Isaiah 11:1
is in Isaiah 40:24, where once more the figure is that of a tree cut down
whose 'stock shall not take root in the earth'.  So, the stock of Jesse was
cut down when the judgment fell upon Coniah, but a sucker came forth from
that cut -down stock, like a branch grown out of its roots; the line from
Solomon ceasing to carry the right to the throne, that dignity reverted to
Nathan and is carried down through Mary to her infant Son.  We have no
specific explanation in the Scriptures for settling the problem of the
appearance of Salathiel and Zerubbabel in both genealogies, but everything
points to a Levirate marriage (Deut. 25:6), and such would clear up many
difficulties.
We do not pretend to have provided a watertight solution to the
problems presented by these genealogies, but believe that there is every
reason to agree that these two genealogies were called for owing to the many
attacks which the Messianic line had suffered from the enemy of all truth,
whose antagonism from the very first was directed against the 'Seed' (Gen.
3:15).  The very fact that the line had been diverted to Nathan's seed, led
to the fulfilment of the promise of the Seed of the Woman, in a way that
would not have been so evident had Joseph still retained full rights to the
throne of David.  The Saviour is presented in these two genealogies as The
Seed of the Woman, the Seed of Abraham, the Seed of David and as Emmanuel,
God with us.
Gift.  One feature above all else that must be stated and accepted with deep
thankfulness is expressed in Romans 11:
'The gifts and calling of God are without repentance' (11:29).
Or as Moffatt words it, 'God never goes back on His gift or His call'.
Two Greek words (apart from Luke 21:5 and Heb. 2:4) are translated 'gift' in
the New Testament.  The one charisma stressing the fact of 'grace' (charis),
the other, various developments of the root word do, which is familiar to the
English speaker in the word donation, 'a gift', and to the French speaker,
donner, 'to give'.  These Greek words are doma, dosis, dorea, dorema and
doron.  Paul sets the 'gift of eternal life' over against 'wages' that are
earned; he uses the word charisma (Rom. 6:23), and leaves us in no doubt as
to the essential character of charis, 'grace', saying:
'And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no
more grace.  But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise
work is no more work' (Rom. 11:6).
This same word charisma is used of the supernatural gifts of 1
Corinthians 12, and of the gifts of God concerning which there can be no
repentance, already noticed.  Two occurrences of charisma are found in Romans
5:
'But not as the offence, so also is the free gift' (5:15).
'The free gift is of many offences unto justification' (5:16).