xlv. 7, 'Thy throne, O God, in the heaven' (Levy renders, 'Thy throne from God in
heaven,' but in either case it refers to the throne of the Messiah) 'is for ever and ever' (for
'world without end,' Νψµλ( ψµλ( 'a rule of righteousness is the rule of Thy kingdom, O
Thou King Messiah!'
33. In Pirqé de R. El. c. 11, the same boundless dominion is ascribed to Messiah the
King. In that curious passage dominion is ascribed to 'ten kings,' the first being God, the
ninth the Messiah, and the tenth again God, to Whom the kingdom would be delivered in
the end, according to Is. xliv. 6; Zechar. xiv. 9; Ezek. xxxiv. 24, with the result described
in Is. lii. 9.
In all this, however marvellous, there could be nothing strange to those who cherished in
their hearts Israel's great hope, not merely as an article of abstract belief, but as matter of
certain fact - least of all to the maiden of the lineage of David, betrothed to him of the
house and lineage of David. So long as the hand of prophetic blessing rested on the house
of David, and before its finger had pointed to the individual who 'found favor' in the
highest sense, the consciousness of possibilities, which scarce dared shape themselves
into definite thoughts, must at times have stirred nameless feelings - perhaps the more
often in circumstances of outward depression and humility, such as those of the 'Holy
Family.' Nor was there anything strange even in the naming of the yet unconceived Child.
It sounds like a saying current among the people of old, this of the Rabbis,34 concerning
the six whose names were given before their birth: Isaac, Ishmael, Moses, Solomon,
Josiah, and 'the Name of the Messiah, Whom may the Holy One, blessed be His Name,
bring quickly in our da ys!'35 But as for the deeper meaning of the name Jesus,36 which,
like an unopened bud, enclosed the flower of His Passion, that was mercifully yet the
unthought-of secret of that sword, which should pierce the soul of the Virgin-Mother, and
which only His future history would lay open to her and to others.
34. Pirqé de R. El. 32, at the beginning.
35. Professor Wünsche's quotation is here not exact (u. s. p. 414).
36. St. Matt. i. 21.
Thus, on the supposition of the readiness of her believing heart, a nd her entire self-
unconsciousness, it would have been only the glorious announcement of the impending
event, which would absorb her thinking - with nothing strange about it, or that needed
further light, than the how of her own connection with it.37 And the words, which she
spake, were not of trembling doubt, that required to lean on the staff of a 'sign,' but rather
those of enquiry, for the further guidance of a willing self-surrender. The Angel had
pointed her opened eyes to the shining path: that was not strange; only, that She should
walk in it, seemed so. And now the Angel still further unfolded it in words which,
however little she may have understood their full meaning, had again nothing strange
about them, save once more that she should be thus 'fa voured;' words which, even to her
understanding, must have carried yet further thoughts of Divine favour, and so deepened
her humility. For, the idea of the activity of the Holy Ghost in all great events was quite