OLBHeb;
Seventy weeks: these weeks are weeks of days, and these days are so many years; though neither days, nor months, nor years are expressed, (which makes it somewhat the more obscure,) but weeks only. It is yet plain and obvious that the angel useth the number seventy to show the favour of God towards them, that they might have so much liberty and joy as their seventy years bondage and sufferings amounted to. Yet was this but a type of the time of grace which was to follow after by the coming of Christ. Upon thy people, and upon thy holy city. Why doth he call them Daniel's people?
1. Because they were his by nation, blood, laws, and profession.
2. Thine because thou dost own them, and art so tender of them, and so zealous for them. To finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity. Note,
1. The angel discovers first the disease, in three several words, havh Nwe evk which contain all sorts of sin, which the Messiah should free us from by his full redemption, see Exodus 34:6,7 Mt 1:21 viz. original, actual, of ignorance, presumption, &c.; also fault and punishment, which we may prove by Scripture.
2. The angel shows us also the cure of this disease in three words, le callee, le chatem, le capper:
1. To finish transgression;
2. To make an end of sin;
3. To make reconciliation: all which words are very significant in the original, and signify to pardon, to blot out, mortify, expiate. To bring in everlasting righteousness, i.e. to bring in justification by the free grace of God in Jesus Christ the Lord our Righteousness, Isaiah 53:6 Jeremiah 23:6, Jeremiah 33:16 1 Corinthians 1:30; called everlasting because Christ is eternal, and he and his righteousness is everlasting. Christ brings this in,
1. By his merit;
2. By his gospel declaring it;
3. By faith applying and sealing it by the Holy Ghost. To seal up the vision and prophecy; to abrogate the former dispensation of the laws, and to fulfil it, and the prophecies relating to Christ, and to confirm and ratify the new testament or gospel covenant of grace. The Talmud saith, all the prophecies of the prophets related to Christ. To anoint the most Holy; by which alluding to the holy of holies, which was anointed, Exodus 30:25-31 40:9-16. This typified the church, which is called anointed, 2 Corinthians 1:21, and heaven, into which Christ is entered, Hebrews 8:1, Hebrews 9:24 10:19; but chiefly Christ himself, who is the Holy One, Acts 3:14. He received the Spirit without measure, 1 Thessalonians 3:34. His human nature is therefore called the temple, 1 Thessalonians 2:19, and tabernacle, Hebrews 8:2, Hebrews 9:11: moreover Christ is he that held the law, by which the will of God is revealed; the propiatory, appeasing God; the table, that nourisheth us; the candlestick, that enlightens; the altar, that sanctifies the gift and offering. All these were anointed and holy: by this word anointing he alludes to his name Messiah and Christ, both which signify anointed. Christ was anointed at his first conception and personal union, Luke 1:35; in his baptism, Matthew 3:17; to his three offices by the Holy Ghost, (1.) King, Matthew 2:2, (2.) Prophet, Isaiah 61:1, (3.) Priest, Psalms 110:4.