ast
likely to be affected by reasonable criticism of its documents. Its
history, critically read, does not become less truly pregnant with
moral warnings or lessons of endurance. The encouragements of the
prophets are in no respect reduced in force when they are brought into
right relation to their own times. The whole library of books is, at
least, as capable of educating and equipping the minister of Christ as
ever. Their inspiration is still obvious, when it is interpreted
candidly in view of all the facts. And still they can only be rightly
regarded when they are looked upon as various elements in a progress
which has Christ for its goal.

In his use of particular passages in the Old Testament St. Paul here
shows himself as free as ever, but with the same fundamental {168}
adherence to the true tendency of the Old Testament as a whole. In
quoting Ps. lxix. 9 (ver. 3) he is seeing in the afflicted righteous
man a type of Christ. This psalm is constantly cited in the New
Testament with the same reference[5]. It has been supposed[6] that St.
Paul here adopts a cry addressed _to God_ by the righteous sufferer in
the psalm, and represents it as addressed by Christ _to his brother
man_. 'The reproaches aimed at thee, my despised brother, have fallen
upon me.' But, as I have tried to show in the analysis above, this
supposition is not needed. Christ is represented appealing to God for
succour, because He utterly refuses to take the line of self-pleasing;
but bears all that men's impatience of God lays upon Him--all their
'wild and weak complaining.' And it is suggestive to remember, with
Origen, that it was Christ's 'receiving of sinners and eating with
them,' receiving them on the Sabbath as well as other days, that
chiefly brought on Him the reproaches of men. This was probably in St.
Paul's mind.

In Ps. xviii. 49 (quoted ver. 9) the victorious {169} king declares
that he will praise God for his victory 'among the nations.' St. Paul
applies this to Christ, whose victory among the nations means their
redemption--their becoming His people.

In Deut. xxxii. 43 (ver. 10) 'the nations are invited to congratulate
Israel on possessing a God like Jehovah, who will effectually take up
His people's cause. Such an invitation addressed to the nations (cf.
Isa. xlii. 10-12; Ps. xlvii. 2, lxvii. 1-7, &c.) involves implicitly
the prophetic truth that God's dealings with Israel have indirectly an
interest and importa