Fulfilment. -- When the Messiah came, the sceptre had departed from

Judah; for the Jews, though governed by their own rulers and magistrates, yet

were subject to the paramount authority of the Roman emperors; as was evinced

by their being subject to the enrolment of Augustus, paying tribute to

Caesar, and not having the power of life and death.  Compare Luke 2:1,3-5;

Matthew 22:20,21; and the parallel passages; and John 18:31.-- When Jesus

Christ came into the world, the Roman wars were terminated, the temple of

Janus was shut, and peace reigned throughout the Roman empire; and all

nations, both Jews and Gentiles, were expecting the coming of some

extraordinary person.  See Matthew 2:1 -10; Mark 15:43; Luke 2:25,38; and

John 1:19 -45, for the expectation of the Jews.  The two Roman historians,

Suetonius and Tacitus, confirm the fulfilment of the prediction, as to the

expectation of the Gentiles.

§ 3.

Prophecy.-- Psalm 2:7, 'Thou art My Son; this day have I begotten

thee'.-- Psalm 110:1, 'The Lord said unto my Lord'.-- Isaiah 9:6, 'The mighty

God, the everlasting Father'.-- Micah 5:2, 'Whose goings forth have been from

of old, from everlasting'.

Fulfilment.-- Hebrews 1:8, 'Unto the Son he saith, "Thy throne, O God,

is for ever and ever"'.  Compare Matthew 22:42 -45; 1 Corinthians 15:25;

Hebrews 1:13.-- Matthew 1:23, 'They shall call his name Emmanuel, that is,

God with us'.-- John 1:1,14, 'The Word was with God, and the Word was God'.

'The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us'.-- Romans 9:5, 'Of whom (the

fathers) as concerning the flesh Christ came, Who is God over all, blessed

for ever'.

See also Colossians 2:9; 1 John 5:20.

§ 4.

Prophecy.-- From the first woman, Genesis 3:15.

From Abraham and his descendants (Gen. 12:3; 18:18); viz. Isaac (Gen.

26:4); Jacob (Gen. 28:14); Judah (Gen. 49:10); Jesse (Isa. 11:1); David (Psa.

132:11; 89:4,27; Isa. 9:7; Jer. 23:5; 33:15).

Fulfilment.-- Galatians 4:4, 'When the fulness of the time was come,

God sent forth his Son, made of a woman'.

Acts 3:25, 'The covenant, which God made with our fathers, saying unto

Abraham, "And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed"'.

(See Matthew 1:1).-- Hebrews 7:14, 'It is evident that our Lord sprang out of

Judah'.-- Romans 15:12, 'Isaiah saith, there shall be a root of Jesse'.--

John 7:42, 'Hath not the Scripture said, that Christ cometh of the seed of

David?'  See also Acts 2:30; 13:23; Luke 1:32.

§ 5.

Prophecy.-- Isaiah 7:14, 'Behold, a Virgin shall conceive and bring

forth a Son'.  Jeremiah 31:22, 'The Lord hath created a new thing in the

earth; a woman shall compass a man'.  (N.B. The ancient Jews applied this

prophecy to the Messiah, whence it follows, that the later interpretations to

the contrary are only to avoid the truth which we profess; viz. That Jesus

was born of a virgin, and therefore is The Christ or Messiah.  (Bp. Pearson

on the Creed, Art. III, p. 171, edit. 1715 folio).