Kiss the Son
The Son of God, spoken of in ( Psalms 2:7 ) ; the word
used is so rendered in ( Proverbs
31:2 ) ; and comes from another which signifies to "choose",
and to "purify", or "to be pure"; hence some render it "the
elect" or "chosen One", or "the pure One" F11; and
both agree with Christ, who is God's elect, chosen to be the
Redeemer and Saviour of his people, and who is pure free from
sin, original and actual. And whereas a kiss is a token of love
among friends and relations, at meeting and parting, ( Genesis
33:11 ) ( Ruth 1:14 ) ; it may here
design the love and affection that is to be expressed to Christ,
who is a most lovely object, and to be loved above all creatures
and things; or, as it sometimes signifies, homage and subjection,
( 1 Samuel
10:1 ) : and it is the custom of the Indians to this day for
subjects to kiss their kings: it may here also denote the
subjection of the kings and judges and others to Christ, who is
Lord of all; or else, as it has been used in token of adoration
and worship, ( Job 31:26 Job 31:27 ) ( Hosea 13:2 ) ; it may
design the worship which is due to him from all ranks of
creatures, angels and men, ( Hebrews 1:6 ) ; and the
honour which is to be given to him, as to the Father, ( John 5:22 ) ; which shows
the greatness and dignity of his person, and that he is the true
God and eternal life: in the Talmud
``there is no (rb) but the law, according to ( Psalms 2:12 ) ;''which agrees with the Septuagint version;
lest he be
angry;
though he is a Lamb, he has wrath in him, and when the great day
of his wrath comes in any form on earth, there is no standing
before him; and how much less when he shall appear as the Lion of
the tribe of Judah, and shall be revealed from heaven in flaming
fire; then kings and freemen will call to the rocks to fall upon
them, and hide them from him;
and ye
perish [from] the way;
the Syriac version renders it "from his way", the Son's way; and
the Septuagint and Vulgate Latin versions "from the righteous
way"; and the Arabic version "from the way of righteousness"; or
"as to the way", as others F13, the good way; all to one
sense; meaning that way of righteousness, salvation and eternal
life by Jesus Christ, which being missed by persons, they are
eternally lost and undone: some render it "because of the way"
F14; that is, because of their sinful
course of life; for the way of the ungodly shall perish itself,
and therefore they that pursue it shall perish also: others
render it "in the way" F15; and then the sense is, lest they
perish in the midst of their course of sin, in their own evil
way, they have chosen and delighted in, or, to use the words of
Christ, "die in their sins", ( John 8:21 John 8:24 ) , and
everlastingly perish; for this perishing is to be understood not
of corporeal death, in which sense righteous men perish, but of
everlasting destruction: or the word which is rendered "from the
way" may be translated "suddenly" F16, "immediately", or
"straightway", and our English word "directly" is almost the
same; and so may design the swift and sudden destruction of such
persons who provoke the Son to wrath and anger; which sense is
confirmed by what follows;
when his
wrath is kindled but a little;
either to a small degree, or but for a little while; for the
least degree and duration of it are intolerable, and who then can
dwell in everlasting burnings, or abide the devouring flames? or
when it is kindled (Mwatp)
, "suddenly" F17, in a moment, as Jarchi interprets
it; and so sudden wrath brings sudden destruction;
blessed
[are] all they that put their trust in him;
not in horses and chariots, in riches and honours, in their own
wisdom, strength, and righteousness; but in the Son of God, the
Lord Jesus Christ, and who is truly and properly God; or
otherwise faith and trust would not be required to be put in him:
and happy are those who betake themselves to him as to their
strong hold and place of defence; who look to him and believe in
him for pardon, peace, righteousness, every supply of grace and
eternal life; these are safe and secure in him, nor shall they
want any good thing needful for them; and they have much peace,
joy, and comfort here, and shall have more grace as they want it,
and hereafter eternal glory and happiness.
F11 (rb) (eklekton) ,
Aquila; "purum", Cocceius; so Kimchi & Ben Melech.
F12 T. Bab. Sanhedrin, fol. 92. 1.
F13 (Krd) "quoad viam", Cocceius, Gussetius.
F14 "Propter viam", Vatablus, Muis.
F15 "In via", Pagninus, Junius &
Tremellius, Piscator, Ainsworth, Gejerus.
F16 "Subito", Noldius, p. 230. No.
1052.
F17 (en
tacei) Sept. "subito", Noldius, p. 433. No. 1371.