02-01-2007, 10:25 AM
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Interesting perspective from the Jamieson, Fausset, Brown commentary on Isa. 7:14 Quote: |
virgin--from a root, "to lie hid," virgins being closely kept from men's gaze in their parents' custody in the East. The Hebrew, and the Septuagint here, and Greek (Matthew 1:23), have the article, the virgin, some definite one known to the speaker and his hearers; primarily, the woman, then a virgin, about immediately to become the second wife, and bear a child, whose attainment of the age of discrimination (about three years) should be preceded by the deliverance of Judah from its two invaders; its fullest significancy is realized in "the woman" (Genesis 3:15), whose seed should bruise the serpent's head and deliver captive man (Jeremiah 31:22, Micah 5:3). Language is selected such as, while partially applicable to the immediate event, receives its fullest, most appropriate, and exhaustive accomplishment in Messianic events. The New Testament application of such prophecies is not a strained "accommodation"; rather the temporary fulfilment of an adaptation of the far-reaching prophecy to the present passing event, which foreshadows typically the great central end of prophecy, Jesus Christ (Revelation 19:10). Evidently the wording is such as to apply more fully to Jesus Christ than to the prophet's son; "virgin" applies, in its simplest sense, to the Virgin Mary, rather than to the prophetess who ceased to be a virgin when she "conceived"; "Immanuel," God with us (John 1:14, Revelation 21:3), cannot in a strict sense apply to Isaiah's son, but only to Him who is presently called expressly (Isaiah 9:6), "the Child, the Son, Wonderful (compare Isaiah 8:18), the mighty God." Local and temporary features (as in Isaiah 7:15,16) are added in every type; otherwise it would be no type, but the thing itself. There are resemblances to the great Antitype sufficient to be recognized by those who seek them; dissimilarities enough to confound those who do not desire to discover them.
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Scott Roberts
Ruling Elder, Lakeside Presbyterian Church (PCA)
Southlake, Texas
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