01.01.01.04. CHAPTER IV. A METONYMY of the adjunct is seven-fold.
CHAPTER IV. A METONYMY of the adjunct is seven-fold.
1. When the accident is put for its subject in kind.
2. When the thing contained is put for the thing containing, or a thing in a place, is put for the place.
3. When time is put for things done or existing in time.
4. When the opinion of men is put for the thing itself.
5. When the occupatum, or subject concerned, is put for its object.
6. When the sign is put for the thing signified.
7. When a name is put for a person or thing. Of these in order.
1. When the Accident is put for its Subject in kind. THE abstract is put for the concrete, Genesis 42:38, "Shall ye bring down my hoariness (or grey headiness, so the Hebrew) with sorrow to the grave,"that is, me that am now an old man, grey and decrepit with age, 1 Samuel 15:29, "The eternity (or strength of Israel shall not lie, "that is, the eternal and strong God of Israel, 2 Samuel 9:12, "And all the habitation of the house of Ziba were servants unto Mephibosheth, "that is, his whole family, or all that dwelt in his house, as we translate it. Job 5:16, "Iniquity stoppeth her mouth," that is, wicked men are compelled to be silent before God, Job 32:7, "Days should speak, and multitude of years should teach wisdom," that is, ancient men that are arrived to a great age, or many days. See Psalms 12:1, and Psalms 68:18, "Thou hast led captivity captive," that is, such as were in captivity, as Isaiah 49:24, and Jeremiah 29:14, or actively, making those captives, that kept us in captivity, as the world, sin, death, and the devil. So Ephesians 4:8; Colossians 2:12-15, Colossians 2:23, Psalms 110:2-3, "From the dew of the morning thou hast the dew of thy nativity," that is, thy children, who, as dew seems to be generated of the morning moist air, and then appears scattered in innumerable drops, so shall thy children be begotten by the preaching of the Gospel in innumerable numbers. More examples you may see, Proverbs 23:21; Isaiah 57:13; Psalms 144:3-4; Psalms 90:8-9; Jeremiah 2:5; Ezekiel 44:6, "And you shall say to the" [rebellion] so the Hebrew, that is, to the rebellious people. Luke 1:78, "the day-spring from on high hath visited us" An epithet of the incarnate Messiah taken from those places where he is compared to the sun and light, Isaiah 9:2, and Isaiah 60:1-2; Malachi 4:2 etc. John 11:40, "If thou wouldst believe, thou shouldst see "the glory of God" that is, his glorious works, Romans 11:7; Ephesians 1:21; Php 1:16, "Supposing to add affliction to my bonds," that is, to me in bondage and captivity, 1 Peter 2:17, "Love the brotherhood," that is, the brethren, or the congregation or assemblies of the faithful, 1 Peter 5:9. So circumcision is put for the circumcised Jews, Romans 3:30; Romans 15:16, which is a metonymy of the sign, and for the spiritually circumcised, Colossians 3:3, which is a metaphor.
Other adjuncts are put for their subjects, Ezekiel 26:8, "He shall stir up the buckler against thee," that is, soldiers that wear bucklers or targets in war. See Isaiah 19:9; Ecclesiastes 9:15.
Light is put for the sun, kat ecoxhn, by way of eminency, because it is the fountain and original of light, Job 31:26; Habakkuk 3:4. It is put for fire, Mark 14:54, "And he sat with the servants and warmed himself, proj to fwj, by the light," that is, the fire, which gives light as well as heat. See John 18:18.
Oil or ointment is put for one singularly anointed, Isaiah 10:27, "The yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing;" in the Hebrew it is [from the face of oil] or because of oil, that is, for the anointing of the Lord and his grace. Junius and Tremellius expound it thus: the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing, that is, by and through Christ thou shalt be set free, in whom the Spirit of Jehovah rests, who anointed him, Isaiah 61:1. Illyricus says, that this is properly fulfilled at the at the coming of the Messiah, and the redemption purchased by him, who has broken the yoke, cancelled the handwriting, and taken away the tyranny of the law, of sin, death and Satan. See Isaiah 9:4, Isaiah 9:6.
Sin is put for sinners, Isaiah 1:18, "Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool," that is, the sinners by having their iniquities pardoned, shall be cleansed and purified from the guilt and condemnation of sin, for sin properly and in itself cannot be made clean, Psalms 2:9; Matthew 8:3, "His leprosy was cleansed," that is, the leprous man was healed, Psalms 25:11; Exodus 14:4; Genesis 34:29; Deuteronomy 8:17; Job 15:29; Proverbs 31:29; Isaiah 10:14; Isaiah 30:6; Revelation 18:3; Proverbs 15:6; Jeremiah 20:5, etc, Job 6:22; Proverbs 5:10, etc.
2. The Thing contained is put for the Thing containing, and a Thing in a Place for the Place.
Genesis 28:22, "And this stone which I have set for a pillar shall be God’s house," that is, this place where I have erected a statue of stone, Joshua 15:19, "Give me springs of water," that is, some portion of land where there may be springs of water, for it is added, that he gave her the upper springs and the nether springs, that is, a field in which there were springs in the higher and lower part. See Ezekiel 26:5, Ezekiel 26:14; Hosea 9:6; Amos 8:5.
Matthew 2:11, "They opened their treasures and offered him gifts," that is, they opened their cabinets, (for so says Kirstemius upon the place, the Arabic word signifies), or purses, where their treasure or precious things were kept. See Psalms 135:7; Matthew 12:35; Matthew 22:13, "Cast him into outer darkness," that is, hell, the place of darkness. See more examples, Matthew 25:10, "They that were ready went with him," eij touj gamouj, "into the marriage," that is, into the place where the marriage was to be celebrated. It is said in Matthew 25:21, Matthew 25:23, "Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord," that is, into the place of joy, the celestial kingdom, Mark 3:11. "And unclean spirits when they saw him, fell down before him," (viz. Jesus) that is, men possessed with unclean spirits. Luke 22:4, "For all these have of their abundance cast, eij ta dwra Oeon, into the gifts of God," that is, into the (dwro fulakion, or Gazophylacium) the place where those offerings were put, which were bestowed upon God. It is therefore called Corban, i.e., a gift, Matthew 27:6. See more Acts 16:13, Acts 16:16, prayer is put for the place of prayer, as also Luke 6:12; Hebrews 12:1, "Let us run with patience the (agwna, certamen, strife, or) race that is set before us," that is, our course in this place of strife, of racing. Revelation 8:3, "And another angel came and stood at the altar, having libanwton, golden incense, that is, a golden censer," as we translate it. See verse (Revelation 8:5). To this kind of metonymy may be referred when the wind is put for that quarter of the world from whence it blows, 1 Chronicles 9:24; Jeremiah 49:32; Jeremiah 52:23; Ezekiel 5:12; Matthew 24:14. And where any river is put for the bordering country by which it runs, Isaiah 23:3; Jeremiah 12:5; Ecclesiastes 11:3. See also Jeremiah 2:18, where it is withal a metaphor.
3. Time is put for Things done, or existing in time. This is to be understood of the word time itself, as also of names which express parts of time, whether it be naturally or by institution, divided.
Time, 1 Chronicles 12:32, "And the children of Issachar which were men that had understanding of the times to know what Israel ought to do:---that is, they were skilful and well instructed in prudence, whereby they know what to do, and when to do it, and therefore went before the Israelites, 1 Chronicles 29:30, "With all his reign, and his (viz. David’s) might, and the times went over him, and over Israel, and over all the kingdoms of the countries," that is, the various negotiations and chances, whether prosperous or adverse, which in any of those times happened to them. Esther 1:13, "Then the king said to his wise men which knew the times," that is, who knew past transactions which happened in the respective times, or who knew how prudently to manage, and act all things in season, Job 11:17, "And thy time shall arise above the noon day," so the Hebrew, that is, thy meridian prosperity shall be clearer than the light, or most illustrious. Psalms 31:15, "My times are in thine hands" that is, my life, health, and the whole state and course of my life, for whatsoever changes come, thou governest them by thy providence. See Psalms 139:1-3, etc. 2 Timothy 3:1, etc. An age, which is a part of time, as Hebrews 1:2, "By whom also he hath made XXXX, the ages," that is, the world, which endures for ages, and therefore all things existing, in time, so Hebrews 11:3. This signification comes from, the Hebrew word, XXXX cheled, which signifies both ages and world, (see Psalms 17:14; Psalms 49:1; Romans 12:2. "Be not conformed to this age," that is, the impiety of this world, or the wicked men living in this age. For so aiwn is taken, Matthew 13:22; Mark 4:19; Luke 16:8; 2 Corinthians 4:4; Galatians 1:4; Ephesians 2:2; Ephesians 6:12; 2 Timothy 4:10, etc.
Years, Proverbs 5:9, "Lest thou give thine honour unto others, and thy years unto the cruel," lest thou give thy life unto a jealous husband, who will kill thee, whereas otherwise thou mayest be safe and secure. See Chap, Proverbs 6:32-33.
Days, Deuteronomy 4:32, "Ask now of the days that are past, which were before thee," etc, that is, the histories and transactions of former times, search the Annals, 1 Samuel 24:19.
"Wherefore the Lord reward thee good for this day, which thou hast done unto me," (so the original) that is, for the benefit and good I received from thee this day, Mark 13:19,
Ephesians 5:16, "Redeeming the time, because the days are evil," that is, very many evils, scandals, and sins, are perpetrated in these times: the Books of Chronicles are called the words of days,
Christ calls his day the season of his coming into the flesh, in the fulness of time, John 8:56, "Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day, and he saw it, and was glad," that is, he saw it by a peculiar appearance, and believed; upon which D. Franzius says, "None may doubt but a prospect of the face and person of Christ was shown and exhibited to Abraham in his divine vision, viz., "As he was born of a virgin, came of Abraham’s seed, beginning with miraculous ministrations, exalted from his passion to the right hand of the Father, and to come in the last day, and to crown him in another life."
Feast is put for the sacrifice, which is offered upon the feast-day, as Exodus 23:18 "Thou shalt not offer the blood of my sacrifice with leavened bread, neither shall the
Summer is put for summer-fruit, Isaiah 16:9; Jeremiah 40:10; Amos 8:1; 2 Samuel 16:2, for in these places the Hebrew is only summer.
Harvest is put for fruit gathered in the time of harvest, Exodus 23:10; Deuteronomy 24:19; Isaiah 16:9; Joel 3:18. "It is also put for the reaper," Isaiah 17:5, which we translate harvest-man.
4. The Opinion of men is put for the Thing itself. In Holy Scriptures sometimes things are named and described according to appearance or men’s opinion (fainomenwj kai kata docan ) and not, (kata to einai kai alhqeian ) as they are, in their own nature. This happens. 1. In single words, as Nouns and Verbs. 2. In a conjunct phrase. In Nouns, 1 Samuel 28:14-16, 1 Samuel 28:20. That diabolical spectrum or apparition raised by the witch of Endor in the likeness of Samuel, is called Samuel, because he falsely gave out that he was Samuel, and the deluded spectators thought him so. Hananiah is called a prophet, Jeremiah 28:1, Jeremiah 28:5, Jeremiah 28:10, not that he was truly so, but so reputed. It is said, Ezekiel 21:3, "I will cut from thee the righteous and the wicked," whereby righteous are meant persons that were only so in appearance, having an external form of righteousness which begat the good opinion of men, but with respect to God’s notice that knows the inward frame of the heart, to be unsound, that is, to be unrighteous, Matthew 8:12. The Jews are called the children of the kingdom, because they seemed to be such, and Christ says, Matthew 9:13, "I am not come to call the righteous, (viz., such as are so in their own eyes,) but sinners to repentance," Luke 18:9; Romans 10:2-3 etc.
Luke 2:48, Joseph is said to be the father of Jesus (and Luke 2:41, he is said to be his parent) because he was thought to be so by men, which is expressly said, Luke 3:23. See John 6:42. 1 Corinthians 1:21, "It pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe" 1 Corinthians 1:25, "Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men," etc. Where preaching of the Gospel, etc. is called foolishness, not that it was really so, but because the worldly wise reputed it so, as verse 1 Corinthians 1:18, viz., to teach salvation by the cross, to seek life in death, and glory in disgrace, which the carnal worldling thought folly, as verse 1 Corinthians 1:23. The Devil is said to be the god of this world, 2 Corinthians 4:4, because he boasts that the kingdoms of this world are at his disposal, Matthew 4:8-9; Luke 4:6-7, and because idolaters esteemed him a god, viz., in their idols, as Chemnitius
Galatians 1:6. False teaching is called another Gospel, because some men thought it so, whereas it is really (as verse Galatians 1:7) a perverting the Gospel. Epimenides is called the prophet of the Cretans, Titus 1:12, because they accounted him so, and after his death sacrificed to him, as Laertius witnesses. External profession is called faith, James 2:14, James 2:17, James 2:20, James 2:24, James 2:26, because men are apt to rest in it as sufficient for salvation, see Jude 1:12, etc. In verbs, Matthew 4:9, "The king (viz. Herod) was sorry," that is, he counterfeited sorrow; for Matthew 4:5, it is said, "he feared the multitude," when he would put John Baptist to death, of whom the people had a very great esteem; so that this sorrow was nothing else but artificial and feigned.
It is said, Mark 6:48, "That Christ would have passed by them," (viz. his disciples at sea) that is, he seemed to pass by, or such was the posture and motion of his body as if he would pass by, John 3:30, "He must increase, but I must decrease;" this increasing and decreasing is spoken with respect to the opinion of men, who had extraordinary esteem of John hitherto, and vilified Christ, otherwise speaking according to the nature of the thing, John Baptist was not diminished by the increasings of Christ, but afterwards derived his own increasings from his fulness.
Acts 27:27, "The shipmen deemed that some country drew near to them," (so it is in the Greek prosagein, appropinquare sibi aliquam Regionem) because the shore seems to move and draw near to them which are at sea; but it is to be understood that they drew near land, so Virgil 3, Æneid Provehimur portu, terraegue urbesque recedunt, that is, we sail from the port, and the lands and the cities go back.
Enjoined words, or an entire phrase, Psalms 72:9, "his enemies shall lick the dust," that is, they shall be so inclining and prostrate towards the earth, that they shall seem to lick the dust of the earth, which is a description of fear and subjection. So Isaiah 49:23, and Micah 7:17, Micah 7:20. Isaiah 13:5, "they shall come from a far country, from the end (or extreme part) of heaven." This phrase is taken from the opinion of the vulgar, who (led by the guess of the eye) think that heaven is not spherical or round, but hemispherical, ending at the extremes of the earth, upon which the end or extremes of heaven seem to lean, or be staid upon, so that the end of heaven is put for the end of the earth, or remotest places; you have the same phrase, Deuteronomy 4:32; Deuteronomy 30:4; Nehemiah 1:9,
5. The Occupate put for the Object.
Sense is put for its object, or the thing which is perceived by sense, as hearing is put for doctrine or speech, Isaiah 28:9, "Whom shall he teach knowledge? And whom shall he make to understand hearing?" so the Hebrew, that is, doctrine, or the word, Isaiah 53:1, "Who hath believed our hearing?" that is, our doctrine or speech, or as we translate it, report? So is akoh, hearing, taken, John 12:38; Romans 10:16; Galatians 3:2, Galatians 3:5. Hearing is put for rumour or fame. Psalms 112:7; Isaiah 28:19; Ezekiel 7:26; Obadiah 1:1; Habakkuk 3:2; Matthew 4:24; Matthew 14:1; Matthew 24:6; Mark 1:28 and Mark 13:7 etc. By the same trope the eye is put for colours seen by the eye, and are the object of sight, as in the original text of the following places, Numbers 11:7; Leviticus 13:55; Proverbs 23:31; Ezekiel 1:4, and Ezekiel 8:2, and Ezekiel 10:9. So two eyes are put for a double way, which give occasion to look upon both, Genesis 38:14, Genesis 38:21. Some say this is a proper name, some say it is two fountains.
Affections, and what bear analogy with them, are put for their object, as faith for the doctrine, which is received and believed by faith, Acts 6:7; Galatians 1:23; Ephesians 4:5; 1 Timothy 4:1; Titus 1:13; Jude 1:3; Revelation 2:13, See Galatians 3:23, Galatians 3:25
Hope is put for God, in whom we hope, and from whom we expect every good thing, Psalms 71:5, "For thou art my hope, O Lord," that is, he in whom I hope, the support of my hope, and the God of my strength. See Jeremiah 14:8; Psalms 65:5-6; Jeremiah 17:7, Jeremiah 17:13, etc.
It is put for the Messiah or Christ specially, Acts 28:20, "For the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain," that is, for the Messiah, who is hoped for and desired by Israel, or (which is the same thing) for the good hoped for from the Messiah, Acts 26:6-8, so Colossians 1:27, and 1 Timothy 1:1, Christ is called our Hope.
It is put for men, from whom we expect good or confide in, as Isaiah 20:5, "They shall be ashamed of Ethiopia their hope," as Isaiah 20:6. Likewise hope is put for the thing hoped for, as Proverbs 13:12, "Hope deferred maketh the heart sick, but when the desire cometh, it is a tree of life," that is, the thing hoped for and desired, Romans 8:24, "Hope that is seen, is not hope," that is, the thing hoped for, etc., Galatians 5:5, "For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith," that is, eternal life, promised to the just by faith, so Titus 2:13.
Love is put for the person or thing beloved, Jeremiah 2:33, "Why trimmest thou thy way to seek love?" that is, that which thou lovest, Jeremiah 12:7, "I have given the love of my soul into the hand of her enemies," that is, the people dearly beloved by me, as the Chaldee renders it, Hosea 9:10, "And then: abominations were as their love," that is, the idols which they love.
Desire is put for the person, or thing desired and loved, Ezekiel 24:16, "Son of man, behold, I take away the desire of thine eyes from thee with a stroke," that is, thy desired and beloved wife, as verse Ezekiel 24:18, so verse Ezekiel 24:21, "Behold I will profane my sanctuary, the excellency of your strength, the desire of your eyes," that is, that which you love and delight in, as verse Ezekiel 24:25, for that which the mind longs after is ascribed to the eyes, as, "the lust of the eyes" is put, 1 John 2:16. This may give some light to that passage, Haggai 2:7, where Christ is called the "desire of all nations" the sense is, that the nations will extremely desire him, love him, embrace him, and hope in him, that is, when they are converted to the kingdom of Christ by the voice of the Gospel (to whom the name Gentiles is ascribed, Romans 11:13, and other places). The term desire is sometimes put for the affection of love; for to be desired, signifies to be loved and esteemed, (by a metonymy of the effect for the cause), for as much as love begets desire after the thing beloved, of which you have examples, in Genesis 27:15; Psalms 19:10-11, (with Psalms 119:126-127), Proverbs 21:20; Son 5:6; Isaiah 1:29, and Isaiah 32:12, and Isaiah 44:9; Jeremiah 3:19; Amos 1:7, Amos 1:10, and Amos 2:4; Daniel 9:23; Daniel 10:11, Daniel 10:19; Hosea 9:6; Amos 5:11; Ecclesiastes 7:14, etc.
Fear is put for God, who is feared, Genesis 31:42, "The fear of Isaac," that is, the God whom Isaac feared and worshipped, so verse Genesis 31:53. Junius and Tremellius think this phrase alludes to that fear, by which God (as it were with a bridle) restrained Isaac from, revoking or recalling that blessing he gave to Jacob, Genesis 27:35 etc. Isaiah 8:13, "Let him be your fear, and let him be your dread," that is, let God be feared and dreaded by you.
Fear is put for the evil feared, Psalms 53:5, "They feared a fear, where no fear was," that is, they feared where there was no evil nor danger, which is the object and cause of fear. Proverbs 1:26, "I will mock when your fear cometh," that is, that which you fear and tremble at, as verse Proverbs 1:27, "When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you." See Proverbs 3:25, etc., 2 Corinthians 5:11, "Knowing ton fobon the fear of the Lord," that is, the terrible judgment of the Lord. An action is put for its object, Exodus 15:2, "The Lord is my strength and praise," that is, the God whom I praise, and who is the scope or argument of my song. The like we have, Psalms 118:14, expounded, verse Psalms 118:15-16; Jeremiah 17:14, the prophet calls the Lord his praise, that is, the object of his praise, and thanksgiving, for his great goodness. See Deuteronomy 28:8; Deuteronomy 12:7, Deuteronomy 12:32, 1 Samuel 1:27, "And the Lord gave me my petition," that is, the thing I asked, so Job 6:8; 2 Thessalonians 1:11; Hebrews 11:13; Acts 1:4, "Wait for the promise of the Father," that is, the Holy Spirit promised by the Father.
6. The Sign is put for the Thing signified. IN nouns, Genesis 49:10, "The sceptre shall not depart from Judah," that is, the royal authority, so Isaiah 14:5; Ecclesiastes 10:11-12, A throne is also put for regal authority, Psalms 89:4, and a crown or diadem, Psalms 89:39; Ezekiel 21:26, etc., unction is put for the priesthood, Numbers 18:8, altars for divine worship, 1 Kings 19:10; Psalms 23:4, "Thy rod and thy staff comfort me," that is, thy care and love towards me; for a rod and a staff were a sign of pastoral care and office of the shepherd to his flock; this is withal an Anthropopathy, whereby God is represented as a Shepherd, and things relating to a shepherd attributed to him, Psalms 140:8, "Thou hast covered my head in the day of arms," so the Hebrew, that is, in the day of battle, and adversities which hostility brings, the signs and instruments whereof are arms, Psalms 44:6, "For I will not trust in my bow, neither shall my sword save me," that is, my military skill, fortitude, prudence, or stratagems, of which the signs and instruments of exercise were a bow, and a sword. To which the divine strength and goodness is opposed, verse Psalms 44:7, "But thou, Lord, hast saved us from our enemies." So elsewhere a sword is put for war and hostile violence, Exodus 18:10; Isaiah 1:10, and Isaiah 2:4; 2 Samuel 12:10; Amos 5:9; Ezekiel 21:3-4, Ezekiel 21:9, Ezekiel 21:32. in which there is also a metonymy of the organical or instrumental cause, as before. See other examples, Psalms 144:11, and Matthew 10:34, etc.
Matthew 23:2, "The Scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ chair." The chair of Moses metonymically denotes the power of teaching, judging, and ruling the people, of which it was a symbol; which things are expressed by the name of Moses, who was instructed by God to teach and govern, and who exercised both by the authority of God, and left the rules in writing for the posterity of the Jews to observe. The term to sit also aptly notes both; for the public teachers, for the most part sat, Matthew 26:55; Luke 4:20; John 8:2; Acts 22:3. "The judges also sat in a chair or tribunal" Exodus 18:13; Judges 5:10; Matthew 27:19, from whence to sit is put for ruling and judging, Psalms 29:9-10, and Psalms 110:1, (see 1 Corinthians 15:25), 2 Thessalonians 2:4, and whereas the Priests, Scribes, and Pharisees sat in the seat or chair of Moses, and did conform to the way of teaching, and government of the people, according to the rule of the divine law given by Moses. Christ, ver. Matthew 23:3, commands obedience to them; but gives a caution to take heed of their leaven, that is, their false doctrines, and feigned traditions, as Matthew 16:6, Matthew 16:12, for that did not belong to the seat of Moses, but to the seat of the scornful, or chair of pestilence, as Jerome renders it, Psalms 1:1, the throne of iniquity, Psalms 94:20, Psalms 94:23, Romans 3:30; Romans 15:8; Colossians 3:11. The Jews are called the circumcision, because that was the sign whereby they were distinguished from other nations; and the Gentiles are called the uncircumcision, because it distinguished them from the Jews, Galatians 2:7-8; Ephesians 2:11; Romans 2:26-27; Romans 3:30; Colossians 3:11 etc. In verbs, sometimes to hide,
Deinde Latinus, Suspiciens cselura, tenditque ad sydera dextram;
Haec eadem, JEnea, terram, mare, sydera, juro.
Sometimes it signifies to pray, as Psalms 28:1-2; Psalms 68:31-32, and Psalms 141:2; 1 Timothy 2:8. And to bless, Psalms 134:2 for by that ceremony they used to bless of old. Also to indicate, or give notice, Isaiah 49:22. To this may be referred where eating and drinking is put for health and life, as Exodus 24:11. See Genesis 16:13; Psalms 2:3, "Let us break their bands asunder, and cast their cords from us," that is, let us remove this troublesome servitude, which by bonds and cords, as by certain signs, is noted. See Psalms 46:9, "He breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder, he burneth the chariot in the fire," verse Psalms 46:10, "Be still and know that I am God," that is, he which puts an end to wars, and tameth the enemy, of which (viz., hostility) these things were dismal signs. See Psalms 58:10; Psalms 69:11. See Job 16:15; Psalms 35:12; Joel 1:3; Amos 8:10, etc.
Isaiah 2:4, "And they shall beat their swords into plough-shares, and their spears into scythes," or pruning-hooks; that is, there will be a constant peace, of which there is not a more certain sign than when arms are turned into rustic or country instruments, which are useful in the time of peace. And because the prophet speaks of a spiritual peace in the time of the Messiah, here is also a metaphorical Allegory.
Isaiah 49:26, "They shall bow down to thee with their face toward the earth and lick up the dust of thy feet," that is, they will give thee honour and reverence, for the sake of Christ thy head, who dwells in thee: for this speech is of the New Testament church. See Psalms 72:8-9, etc., Jeremiah 31:19, "After I was instructed, I smote upon my thigh," that is, after my sin was shown unto me I was affected with grief of mind. For smiting the thigh was an indication of grief, as Homer, Iliad II. says of Achillis, that mhrw pghcamenoj, when he had smote his thighs, he spoke to Patroclus, Odyss. 5. "He cries out, O miserable! and struck his thighs," etc. Amos 2:10.
Amos 2:10, "The elders of the daughter of Sion sit upon the ground and keep silence, they have cast up dust upon their heads, they have girt themselves with sackcloth, the virgins of Jerusalem hang down their heads to the ground" by these signs a most extreme grief is described. Jonah 4:11, "That cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand," that is, that are not come to the years or age of discretion. The signs and effects of reason and judgment are said to be wanting, yea, even judgment itself and the use of reason, and convenient age for the exercise of it. In entire speech, hither may be conferred that custom of speaking in sacred scripture, whereby in commands or promises such things are put, which men were wont to do, and are only the signs of those things which are intended and understood by that speech, as when the prophet Elisha commands Gehazi his servant, 2 Kings 4:29, and Christ his disciples, Luke 10:4, "To salute no man by the way" by which is intimated that they were with all expedition and dispatch to do their errands, and to avoid all interruptions by the way. For it is a sign of great haste among men if they are so intent upon the end of their journey or business, that they take no notice of any body they meet, so as to salute him or discourse with him. Otherwise mild, courteous, and civil salutations are reckoned among Christian duties, etc.
Jeremiah 9:17, "Thus saith the Lord of hosts, consider ye and call for the mourning women, that they may come, and send for cunning women that they may come," and Jeremiah 9:18, "And let them make haste and take up a wailing for us," etc. The Lord does not approve of the dissembled wailing-women in mourning at funerals, but speaks according to the vulgar custom, denoting by this, and informing the people of the bitterness of the present calamities. See Amos 5:16. Jeremiah 10:17, "Gather up thy wares out of the land, O inhabitant of the fortress," that is, bundle and bind up your precious things together, as verse Jeremiah 10:9. The sense is, that they were not to remain there, but to be led into captivity, as Jeremiah 18:1-23 : where the reason of this judgment is to be read at large. For they that are in a garrison, and doubt its strength, do convey their precious things to places of more security. This also may be an irony, as if the Lord had said, ye cannot effectually bring to pass anything to free you and yours. "We have the like place, Jeremiah 46:19. Etc. By destroying the weapons, Ezekiel 39:9-10. The certainty of the promised victory, and the peace that would ensue is denoted, as Isaiah 2:4.
Matthew 24:20, "But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, nor on the Sabbath day," The disciples are commanded, with respect to the dreadfulness and peril of the siege of Jerusalem, to do those things which belonged to the Jews, who thought that it was not lawful for them on the sabbath to go above
Luke 22:36, "Then said he (that is Christ) unto them, but now he that hath a purse, let him take it and likewise his scrip: and he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one." By this speech is signified, that to that quiet and comfortable way of living, which the apostles hath hitherto enjoyed in the school of Christ, should immediately succeed a most grievous persecution, even to be begun that very night, and that the enemy with swords and clubs, were at hand, so that such as confide in an arm of flesh, and would consult (as men) about the security of themselves and theirs, could have no better way, than to dispose of all, even to their very coats, and provide themselves with military defences to resist the enemy’s violence. By this sign therefore, the thing signified is to be understood; for Christ does not require, that his apostles should buy swords and defend themselves; but by the necessity of a sword, he symbolically insinuates or intimates the grievousness of that danger, which threatens them from the enemy. So says Theophylact and Enthymius upon the place. The apostles understood these words of Christ properly, and therefore say, ver. Luke 22:38, "Lord, here are two swords, to whom he said it is enough." By which answer he modestly and tacitly reprehends the absurdity of his disciples; as if he had said, I perceive you do not apprehend the meaning of my parabolical speech, therefore it is enough to have admonished you thus much; your experience, and the fulfilling of my prediction, will supply the place of an exposition, when in a little time a military host shall invade, to repel which a hundred swords shall not be enough. See Brentius and Erasmus upon the place.
7. A Name is put for the Person, or Thing. THE name of God is put for God himself, Deuteronomy 28:58, "That thou mayest fear this glorious and fearful name," (viz. the Lord thy God,) Psalms 20:1, "The name of the God of Jacob defend thee," that is, the God of Jacob. So Psalms 115:1; Isaiah 30:27; Micah 5:4, and frequently elsewhere, John 3:18, "Because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God," that is, Son of God himself. So John 17:6; Acts 3:16, and Acts 10:43; 1 John 2:12, etc.
Name is put for man, Acts 1:15, "The number of the names together, were about one hundred and twenty," that is, so many men. So Revelation 3:4, and Revelation 11:13. Erasmus says, the reason of this speech is, that when men are numbered, their names are called over.
Name is put for son, for posterity, because they are called, by the name or surname of their ancestors, Deuteronomy 25:7; 1 Samuel 24:22; 2 Samuel 14:7, etc.
Name is put for the thing itself, Acts 4:12, "For there is none other name under heaven given unto men whereby we must be saved," that is, there is no other way or means of salvation but by Christ. Ephesians 1:21, "Every name that is named," that is, everything in nature. It notes also dignity or eminence, Php 2:9, "Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name," etc.
