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SALVATION IS OF THE JEWS
THIS is part of the answer of our blessed Lord to the Samaritan woman. He had taken occasion, from an observation of hers, to shew her that he was well acquainted with the most secret history of her past life; and not from report merely, but from his own omniscient mind, from which nothing could be hid. He had told her, that “she had had five husbands;” (all of whom, it is probable, had put her away for her adulteries;) and that “the person with whom she was now living was not her husband.” She, wishing to get rid of so painful a subject, proposed a question relative to a controversy which then existed between the Samaritans and the Jews, as to the place where God was to be worshipped. Our Lord, satisfied with having discovered to her his character as a prophet of the Most High, graciously waved the prosecution of a subject which was so painful to her, and turned his attention to that which she had submitted to him. In reply to her question, he informed her, that the time was coming when all distinctions of places should be lost; so far, at least, as related to acceptable worship: for that all, of whatever place or country, who should worship God in spirit and in truth, should be accepted of him. At the same time he informed her that the question itself must be determined in favour of the Jews. The Samaritans, indeed, had much to say in their own behalf, and in support of the cause which they maintained. They could say, that on Mount Gerizim, for the sanctity of which they pleaded, Abraham himself had built an altar [Note: Gen_12:6-7.], as had Jacob also; (for Sichem, or Shechem, where he built it, was so close to Mount Gerizim, that a man’s voice might be distinctly heard from the one to the other [Note: Gen_33:18-20. with Jdg_9:7.]:) and that, consequently, that place had a prior claim to Zion, on which no altar had been raised, till many hundred years had elapsed. They could also with truth affirm, that Moses himself, under the special direction of Jehovah, had commanded, that all the congregations of Israel, as soon as they should gain possession of the Promised Land, should assemble round Mount Gerizim; and that from thence the blessings of Jehovah should be pronounced, whilst his curses should be declared from Mount Ebal, which was near to it [Note: Deu_11:29; Deu_27:11-13.]. They could also appeal to the Jewish Scriptures, that Joshua and all Israel had actually complied with this command [Note: Jos_8:33-34.]; and had thereby sanctified that mountain in a more especial manner, and marked it out as the place which God had chosen for his more peculiar worship in all future ages.
But, in answer to all this, our Lord informed her, that the Samaritans “knew not whom they worshipped.” Though they occupied the land of Israel, they were not Israelites, but foreigners, whom the king of Assyria had sent to occupy the land, when he carried captive the ten tribes of Israel [Note: 2Ki_17:24.]. Nor did they, in reality, know the true God: for it was only in consequence of the judgments which God had inflicted on them for their idolatries, by sending lions to devour them, that they had ever thought of worshipping him at all. To avert his displeasure, they had desired that a Jewish priest might be sent back to the land, to instruct them how to worship Jehovah; but, at the same time, they retained their own idolatries; thus “fearing the Lord, and serving other Gods [Note: 2Ki_17:25-27.].” The Jews, on the contrary, worshipped Jehovah alone; (for never after the Babylonish captivity did they return to idolatry;) and they possessed that revelation of God’s will, through the knowledge of which alone any human being could be saved: “Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship; for salvation is of the Jews.”
Thus was the controversy determined in favour of the Jews. But that being no longer of any consequence to the Church, we forbear to notice it any further; and shall fix our attention on that general declaration, which is still of as great importance as ever, that “salvation is of the Jews.”
It is of them originally, as derived from them; and it is of them instrumentally, as communicated altogether by them.
I. It is of the Jews, as being originally derived from them—
The way of salvation has been one and the same, from the very moment that the promise was given in Paradise, that “the Seed of the woman should bruise the serpent’s head.” But, having been only traditionally handed down, it was but very imperfectly known, even in the family of Abraham; and by the world at large it was almost, if not entirely, forgotten. But it pleased God, when he brought out from their bondage in Egypt the descendants of Abraham, to give them a written revelation of his will, and to make known to them the way of salvation, not only in its great leading article, the sacrifice of Christ, but in many minute particulars, as we shall see by an investigation of their Ceremonial Law.
The Jewish religion, so far as the way of salvation was concerned, was founded altogether on sacrifice. No person could approach unto God without a sacrifice: but by means of sacrifices specially appointed, every one might hope to obtain forgiveness of sin, and acceptance with his reconciled God. For this end there were sacrifices offered every morning and every evening throughout the year; and on the Sabbath-day they were doubled [Note: Num_28:3-4; Num_28:9-10.]: but on the great day of annual atonement they were multiplied, with the most significant rites that can be imagined. The high priest was to take the blood of the sacrifices, and to carry it within the vail, and to sprinkle it upon the Mercy-seat, and before the Mercy-seat, in token that the hopes of all Israel were founded upon the sacrifices thus offered as an atonement for their sins [Note: Lev_16:14.]. After that was done, he was to offer incense, and then to come out and bless the people.
But, as has been observed, there were many peculiar ordinances appointed for their instruction, as to the more minute points to be attended to in this great work. On some occasions, the offenders themselves were to lay their hands upon the head of their sacrifices: on some, the blood of the sacrifices was to be sprinkled on the offerers: on some the blood was to be sprinkled, mixed with water [Note: Lev_14:6-7. Heb_9:19.]. And the efficacy of all these offerings was pre-eminently marked in the ordinance of the scape-goat. One goat having been killed, and its blood carried within the vail, another goat, called the scape-goat, which had been chosen by lot for this purpose, was brought forth, and had all the sins of all the Children of Israel laid upon it by the hands of the High Priest; and it was then led, with all the guilt of Israel upon its head, into the wilderness, never more to be seen by man; that so all the people might see that their iniquities were taken away, and that the punishment due to them should not be inflicted.
Now, all this was designed to shadow forth to that people the way of salvation. And, in truth, to those who had any spiritual discernment, salvation was exhibited with a clearness quite sufficient for the circumstances under which the people were. They were children; and were to be taught like children, by types and shadows: and all who looked through those types to the sacrifice which they shadowed forth, were saved as effectually as we are by looking back upon the offering which has now been once offered upon Calvary.
In all this was Christianity depicted. On what are the hopes of Christians founded, but on sacrifice, even the sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ? Except through his atoning blood, not a creature in the universe can ever come to God. In presenting that offering, he himself was the Priest, as well as the victim: and having offered himself up to God upon the cross, he rose from the dead, and went with his own blood within the vail, there to present it before the Mercy-seat: and on that he founds his all-prevailing intercession.
But, let us come to a few particulars, and we shall see how the light beams upon us from every part of the Jewish Scriptures. We have said, that, on some occasions, the offender laid his hands upon the head of his offering, just as Aaron did on the scape-goat, when he confessed over him all the sins of all the Children of Israel. And this teaches us, that it is not sufficient for us that the Lord Jesus Christ has been offered for our sins: we must go to him: we must confess over him, as it were, our sins: and we must by faith transfer to him our guilt, and declare before God, that we have no hope whatever but in his atoning blood. It has been said also, that on some occasions, the offerer was sprinkled with the blood of his offering: and this, also, must we do; taking, as it were, the bunch of hyssop in our hands, and dipping it in the Redeemer’s blood, and sprinkling our own souls with it, as the only possible means of purging our consciences from guilt, and of bringing us into a state of peace with God. It is in reference to this that we are said to “have come to the blood of sprinkling, which speaketh better things than that of Abel.” The sacrifice of Abel received, indeed, a sweet token of God’s favourable acceptance; but the blood of our sacrifice washes all our sins away, and gives us a title to an everlasting inheritance.
It has been observed, that, on some occasions, the blood was mixed with water, and then sprinkled on the offerer. This shews us, that we must have the Holy Spirit also poured out upon us: according as it is said, “I will sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean; from all your filthiness, and from all your idols will I cleanse you.” The Lord Jesus Christ, we are told, “came not by water only, but by water and blood:” and this very mystery was intimated at the time of our Saviour’s crucifixion, when the soldier pierced our Saviour’s side, and forthwith came, in two distinguishable streams, blood and water: the one to cleanse us from the guilt of sin; the other, from its power: according as it is written, “Ye are washed, ye are sanctified, ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.”
We might prosecute this subject in a great variety of particulars, and shew in all of them the correspondence between the salvation shadowed forth by the law, and that exhibited by the Gospel. But we wish to keep the subject as simple as possible, and not to perplex it by too great a variety. There is, however, one point which it is of great importance to mention. It will be remembered, that, when Moses was about to make the tabernacle, a very strict and solemn command was given him, (the injunction is repeatedly mentioned in the Pentateuch,) “See thou make all things according to the pattern shewn to thee in the mount.” The same injunction was given to David, also, when he was desirous to build the temple. And St. Paul very particularly notices the former, as of vast importance. But whence was it that such stress was laid on this apparently unimportant matter? It was from hence: The law was given to shadow forth the Gospel: and it was to be the model to which the whole edifice of Christianity was to be conformed, in every the minutest particular. Now, if there was any one thing added to the tabernacle, or omitted in it, or altered in any respect, it would not be a perfect representation of Christianity. But the two were to correspond with each other, as the impression with the seal: and if there were any thing in the tabernacle superfluous or defective, the correspondence would be lost, and God would be greatly dishonoured. But the necessary care was taken: Moses was faithful in all his house as a Servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after: and the same fidelity has Christ shewn as a Son, whose house are we, if we “hold fast the confidence, and the rejoicing of our hope firm unto the end.”
Thus it appears that we have received salvation originally from the Jews; to whom, in every particular, it was first revealed. But we go on to observe, 2dly, That we have also received it instrumentally from them, in that it has been altogether communicated to us through their ministrations.
It was first preached to us by Moses and the prophets. We had known nothing of a Messiah, if they had not pointed him out. We have already seen how much we are indebted to Moses for his writings: which make known to us the very first prophecy of a Saviour; and shew us how Abel, and Noah, and Abraham, found acceptance with God. To him we owe it, that the model shewn to him in the mount was so carefully copied, that there is not so much as a pin in his tabernacle which has not its corresponding article in the Christian Edifice. From him we have such a view of Christianity as the Gospel itself can scarcely be said to afford. Doubtless, till the ceremonies prescribed by him had the true light reflected on them, they were very obscure: but now that they have been explained to us from above, we see the Gospel embodied, as it were, and made visible even to the eye of sense. Who that contemplates one goat offered in sacrifice to God, and the other bearing away all the sins of all the people of Israel that had been laid upon his head, does not see, before his very face, what the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, is daily effecting for all that believe in him? Even the moral law itself, which Moses also has recorded, has the very same tendency, and, in the ears of all who understand it, proclaims the utter impossibility of being saved, except by the sacrifice that should in due time be offered; insomuch that St. Paul calls it “a schoolmaster, to bring us to Christ.” All the prophets concur with him in the very same testimony; and proclaim with one voice, that “there is no remission of sins but by blood;” and that “there is no other name given under heaven whereby we can be saved, but the name of Jesus Christ.” We are told, that “to him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.” Ask we of Isaiah? His testimony is, “He was wounded for our transgressions, and bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and by his stripes we are healed.” To the same effect speaks also the Prophet Daniel: “Messiah shall be cut off; but not for himself.” “He shall make an end of sin, and make reconciliation for iniquity, and bring in everlasting righteousness.” And Joel points him out, as “that Lord, on whom whosoever shall call, shall be saved.”
The last and greatest of all the prophets was John the Baptist: and he pointed out the very Saviour himself in these emphatic words; “Behold the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sin of the world!” Here we see the union of the law and of the Gospel to be precisely such as we have represented it. The lamb was at that very time offered every morning and evening in sacrifice to God for the sins of Israel; and here was Jesus pointed out as the Lamb that should take away, not the sins of one people only, but of the whole world.
And what was the testimony borne by our Lord himself? Did he not declare, that He was come to “give his life a ransom for many?” Did He not, when he administered the sacramental cup to his Disciples, say, “This is my blood of the New Testament, which is shed for you, and for many, for the remission of sins?”
But what said his Apostles, when the time was come for the full disclosure of the great mystery of Redemption? They with one voice declare, that “he died the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God;” that we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins; and that “all who believe in him are justified from all things, from which we could not be justified by the law of Moses.” In the Epistle to the Hebrews the parallel between the law and the Gospel is distinctly drawn; so that nothing is left to fancy or conjecture; but all is declared on infallible authority to have been accomplished in him, to the unspeakable advantage of our souls; since, “if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh, much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge our conscience from dead works to serve the Living God.”
And to whom are we indebted for all this knowledge? To Jews, from first to last: to Jewish prophets and to Jewish Apostles: yea, the very Saviour himself who effected this salvation, and to whom they all bare witness; he himself proclaimed it; he himself displayed its power whilst he yet hanged on the cross; and after his resurrection he gave this commission to his Disciples, “Go into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized, shall be saved: and he that believeth not, shall be damned.”
Now, what of all these things can we learn from the philosophers of Greece and Rome? No more than from the beasts themselves. It was hidden from them altogether. If we want to know what kind of a Saviour was to come, we must learn it from Jews. If we would know what ground there is to believe that Jesus fulfilled the prophecies; to Jews we must go, to obtain the desired information. If we would learn how we are to come to the Saviour, and to obtain acceptance through him; we must sit at the feet of Jews, and receive instruction from their lips. We have not a hope that is not founded on their word; nor can a ray of consolation shine into our souls, that is not emitted from their writings. We do not sufficiently consider this: but we ought never to forget how greatly we are indebted to the Jews: since, whether in its primary structure or its subsequent conveyance, our “salvation is altogether of them;” of them originally, of them instrumentally, of them exclusively: so that not a soul amongst us shall ever go forth from this devoted land to the mountains of eternal bliss, but as instructed, instigated, and assisted by a Jew.
From this subject we cannot but learn our duty in two important respects: first, to seek this salvation for ourselves; and next, to exert ourselves in order to impart this salvation to those from whom we have received it.
First, then, let us seek this salvation for ourselves.
It cannot be that Almighty God should have done so much for our salvation, and we be at liberty to neglect it. The Apostle’s question is full of awful and impressive energy, “How shall ye escape, if ye neglect so great salvation?” Surely, if God has given his only dear Son to be a sacrifice for sin; if, in order to prepare the world for the reception of him, he shadowed forth all his work and offices with such precision, that it should be impossible for any considerate mind not to see and understand the way of salvation; if Prophets and Apostles, for such a series of ages, bare witness to him at the peril of their lives, in order that we might know him, and be partakers of his benefits; does it become us to despise it all, as if it were no better than a cunningly-devised fable 2 Surely, we must see that it is our bounden duty to flee for refuge to this hope that is set before us. We must remember what the very term “Salvation” implies: it implies, that we are lost: for if in ourselves we be not lost, we cannot need a Saviour. But we are lost, every one of us; for we are sinners, condemned by God’s righteous law; and “the wrath of God abideth on us.” I fear it will appear harsh to say, that we are in this respect on a footing with the fallen angels, even with “the spirits that are already in the prison” of hell. But, if I say the truth before God, this is the only difference between them and us: they are lost beyond redemption; whereas we, though lost, have salvation offered to us: but, if we neglect this salvation, we shall perish, under a load of guilt beyond all expression aggravated, and under a punishment beyond all conception terrible. Whatever may have been the guilt of the fallen angels, from this, at least, they are free; they have never poured contempt on a redeeming God, never rejected a proffered salvation: but these are the sins that will be charged on us, if we embrace not the salvation which is revealed to us in the Gospel.
I say, then, to every soul before me, seek this salvation which the Jews have brought unto you: seek it simply, mixing nothing with it, but relying altogether on the atoning blood of Christ, “who, though he knew no sin, was made sin for you, that you, who had no righteousness, might be made the righteousness of God in him.” And seek it humbly, confessing over the Lord Jesus Christ your every sin, and transferring it by faith to his sacred head. In point of dependence, you must renounce your most righteous acts as much as your vilest sins; and you must look to his blood to cleanse you from the iniquity even of your holiest things. Seek it constantly too: it was every day in the year that the offerings for sin were made: and every day and hour must you look to your great Sacrifice, if you would have it available for your eternal good. Seek it, moreover, unreservedly. Neglect not the water, any more than the blood. It will be a fatal mistake to think of ever being saved by the sacrifice of Christ, if you be not renewed and sanctified by his Spirit. These two are inseparably joined by God himself; and it will be at the peril of your souls, if ever you attempt to put them asunder. Lastly, I would say, seek it to the full extent of your necessities. I have purposely deferred till now all mention of the sacrifices that were appointed for the sins of ignorance. They are particularly stated in the fourth chapter of the Book of Leviticus. There you will see, that, if a man had ever so ignorantly and unintentionally contracted defilement, (say, by the touching of a bone or a grave, or any thing that had been previously touched by one unclean,) he must bring his offering, as soon as ever he discovered that he had transgressed: and, if he should refuse to bring his appointed offering, he must be cut off from the Lord’s people, as a despiser of the law, and a rebel against his God. Thus must we do, even for the slightest inadvertence or defect. And if, from an idea that our offence has been light and venial, we hope to remove its guilt by any other means than the blood of Christ, we shall surely perish. If we had never violated God’s holy law but once, and that only by an inadvertent thought, there remains for us but one way of salvation, one only door of hope: and, if we will not enter at that door, and walk in that way, “there remains nothing for us but a certain fearful looking-for of wrath and fiery indignation to consume us.” I say then, again, to every soul amongst you, seek for salvation in Christ alone. There was but one brazen serpent erected in the camp of Israel: and there is but one Saviour appointed for the whole world. “There is no other way unto the Father but by Him:” but “those who come to God in his Son’s name, he will in no wise cast out.”
Next, let us exert ourselves to impart this salvation to those from whom we have received it. I appeal to all: if we are so indebted to the Jewish people of former ages, should we not endeavour, in some respect, to requite them by shewing kindness to their descendants? and if we are constrained to say that “salvation is of the Jews,” should we not, now that the Jews themselves are ignorant of that salvation, endeavour to impart to them the light which we enjoy, and constrain them, in their turn, to say, “Salvation is of the Christians?” For, surely, if it be of them in its commencement, it is, and ought to be, of us in its progress and consummation. And I would ask, is it not a scandal to the whole Christian world, that they should have so long and so shamefully neglected those to whose ancestors they are so greatly indebted? It was never God’s design that we should “hide our candle under a bushel,” and conceal it from the very persons who have put it into our hands. On the contrary, St. Paul expressly says, that as we have been benefited by their unbelief, so we should strive to benefit them by our faith: “As we in times past have not believed God, but have now obtained mercy through their unbelief; so have these also now not believed, that through our mercy they also may obtain mercy.” Whilst, therefore, we withhold from them the instruction which God has qualified us to impart, we defeat the very designs of God himself, and may well have required at our hands the blood of all who perish through our neglect.
If we would know in what way we ought to exert ourselves for them, we need only inquire how they exerted themselves for us. Behold the Prophets and Apostles, in the different ages in which they lived: which of them all, with the exception of the Prophet Jonah, did not engage in his work with zeal, and execute it with fidelity? Of all the Apostles, there was but one who did not actually seal the truth with his blood; as John also was willing to do, if he had been called to it. And all the first Christian converts, when driven from Jerusalem, “went everywhere preaching the word,” happy if by any means they might impart to us benighted heathens the salvation which they had found. Should not, then, some measure, at least, of that zeal be shewn by us? Should not their souls be precious in our eyes, as ours were in theirs? It is a shame to us that we think so lightly of this matter; and that we, who ought to take the lead in every thing that is good and great, are so backward to exert ourselves in this holy cause. I well know that sloth and indifference will furnish us with reasons enough for delay: but I would ask, what reason has any man for neglecting this duty, which might not have been urged with still greater force by the Jews for a neglect of us? The attempt to convert the Jews might have been deemed visionary a few years ago: but shall it be judged visionary now? I say, without fear of contradiction, that the efforts which have been made within these few years have produced a great effect, if not in numerous conversions, yet at least in that which must precede conversion; and which conversion may reasonably, in many instances, be expected to follow; I mean, the conviction of their minds of the truth of Christianity. I do say, that this effect is seen, felt, and acknowledged by the Jews themselves: and if the periodical publications which are issued forth on this subject were perused, the truth of this assertion would most abundantly appear. Permit me, then, to call the attention of this assembly to this momentous subject; and to press on all who hear me this day, to “come to the help of the Lord against the mighty,” even against the mighty prejudices of the Jewish people, and the no less formidable indifference of the Christian world. A good example here would be felt throughout the land, and would tend not a little to diffuse, both among Jews at home and Jews abroad, the light which we possess, and the salvation we enjoy. I ask, is that true which our Lord has spoken, “If ye believe not that I am He, ye shall die in your sins?” If this be true, then are that whole people perishing by millions. And shall we suffer them thus to “perish for lack of knowledge?” God forbid. If any of us know what salvation is, we ought to impart it to others. We feel this obligation in some measure to the heathen, to whom we are not at all indebted; and yet overlook it in reference to the Jews, from whom we have received all the light and knowledge we possess. This ought not so to be: this should not continue one hour longer: we ought all to rise, as one man, to repair, as far as possible, our past neglect, and to fulfil our duties to God and man. But, if we will still continue to hide our talent in a napkin, know all of you, that you shall be called into judgment for it, and that the doom of the unprofitable servant must await you. But “let me hope better things, though I thus speak, even things that accompany salvation.” I thank God that some at least have awaked to the calls of justice and of mercy; of justice to God, who has entrusted them with their talents; and of mercy to the Jews, who so greatly need their improvement of them. And I pray God that this spirit may abound more and more; and that they who embark in this good cause may soon have the happiness to see that “they have not laboured in vain, nor run in vain.”