246 



LIEUT. -COL. G. MACKINLAY, R.A., ON 



The figure of the Baptist as the morning star is thus most 

 suitable. 



Metliod in Scripture Mctapliors. 



There is always difficulty in translating from one language to 

 another, but when one is an Eastern, and the other a Western 

 ■one, the difficulties are much increased, because the former 

 are so much richer in metaphor and figure than the latter; 

 and of all Eastern languages Hebrew probably excels in this 

 characteristic. The strict monotheism of the Israelites dis- 

 couraged the arts of the sculptor and the artist, which flourished 

 among the Egyptians, Babylonians and Greeks. But there can 

 be no doubt that an artistic feeling existed among the 

 ancient Hebrews ; the expression of it, however, was chiefly 

 confined to the use made of language; hence we find word- 

 pictures, metaphor, illustration, and symbol employed very 

 freely in the Hebrew scriptures, and to an extent far beyond 

 our experience in ordinary Latin or Greek. The free use of 

 .-symbolic language, however, exactly suited the genius and the 

 temperament of the first readers of the Scriptures. 



We may notice a probable method in the employment of 

 metaphors in Scripture. 



Sir Isaac ISTewton* drew attention to a special feature in the 

 YAhlQ — that figurative language was very generally employed, 

 ^hile the circumstances to which the figure referred were 

 actually occurring. He says : — 



"I observe that Christ and His forerunner John in their parabolic 

 •discourses were wont to allude to things present. The old prophets 

 when they would describe things emphatically, did not only draw 

 parables from things which offered themselves, as from the rent of a 

 garment, 1 Sam. xv, 27, 28 . . . from the vessels of a potter, 

 Jer. xviii, 3-6 . . . but also when such fit objects were wanting, 

 they supplied them by their own actions, as by rending a garment, 

 1 Kings xi, 30, 31 ; by shooting, 2 Kings xiii, 17-19, &c. . . . 

 By such types the prophets loved to speak. And Christ, being 

 endued with a nobler prophetic spirit than the rest, excelled also in 

 this kind of speaking, yet so as not to speak by His own actions — 

 that would have been less grave and decent — ])ut to turn into 

 para]>les such things as ofl'ered themselves. On occasion of the 

 harvest approaching He admonishes His disciples once and again 

 of the spiritual harvest, John iv, 35; Matt, ix, 37. Seeing the 

 lilies of the field He admonishes His disciples about gay clothing, 



* Observations upon the Prophecies of Daniel^ ]). 148. Sir Isaac 

 Newton. 



