THAT THE JEWISH PROPHECIES CONFIRM THE TRUTH OF CHRISTIANITY. (_A._) ISAIAH'S PROPHECY OF THE LORD'S SERVANT. (1.) The historical agreement, very striking. (2.) The doctrinal agreement, equally so. (3.) The modern Jewish interpretation, quite untenable. (_B._) THE PSALM OF THE CRUCIFIXION. (1.) Its close agreement, all through. (2.) Two objections, unimportant. (_C._) THE DIVINITY OF THE MESSIAH. At least three prophecies of this; it is also involved in some hints as to the Doctrine of the Trinity. (_D._) CONCLUSION. Why are not the prophecies plainer? Cumulative nature of the evidence. We propose to consider in this chapter what is called the argument from _Prophecy_, using the word, as we did in Chapter XI., in the sense of _prediction_. Now it is a remarkable and undisputed fact that for many centuries before the time of Christ, it was foretold that a member of the Jewish nation--small and insignificant though it was--should be a blessing _to all mankind_. This promise is recorded as having been made both to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob;[365] and as a matter of fact, Christianity was founded by a Jew, and has undoubtedly been a blessing to the human race. This is at least a remarkable coincidence. And as we proceed in the Old Testament, the statements about this future Messiah become clearer and fuller, till at last, in the Prophets, we find whole chapters referring to Him, which Christians assert were fulfilled in Christ. [Footnote 365: Gen. 22. 18; 26. 4; 28.14.] This argument is plainly of the utmost importance. Fortunately it is much simplified by the question of _dates_ being altogether excluded. As a rule, the most important point in an alleged prophecy is to show that it was written before its fulfilment. But here this is undisputed, since everyone admits that the whole of the Old Testament, except some of the apocryphal books, was written before the time of Christ. And as the writings have been preserved by the Jews themselves, who are opposed to the claims of Christianity, we may be sure that not a single alteration in its favour has been made anywhere. We will now examine a few of the strongest prophecies, avoiding all those that were only fulfilled in a figurative, or spiritual sense; and selecting whole passages rather than single texts. For though many of these latter are very applicable to Christ, they might also be applicable to someone else. So we will first discuss somewhat fully Isaiah's prophecy of the Lord's Servant, and the Psalm of the Crucifixion; and then examine more briefly a group of prophecies referring to the Divinity of the Messiah. (_A._) ISAIAH'S PROPHECY OF THE LORD'S SERVANT (52. 13-53. 12).