“I will bring forth my servant the BRANCH,” Zechariah 3:8Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, thou, and thy fellows that sit before thee: for they are men wondered at: for, behold, I will bring forth my servant the BRANCH.
See All.... “ And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant ,” Hebrews 12:24And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things that that of Abel.
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“Behold the man whose name is The BRANCH,” Zechariah 6:12And speak unto him, saying, Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, Behold the man whose name is The BRANCH; and he shall grow up out of his place, and he shall build the temple of the LORD:
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In these places of scripture, where Christ is called a Branch, we are to understand his human nature is intended; and this according to the judgment of divers expositors. "In those days, and at that time, will I cause the Branch of righteousness to grow up unto David;" Jeremiah 33:15In those days, and at that time, will I cause the Branch of righteousness to grow up unto David; and he shall execute judgment and righteousness in the land.
See All..., "And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots:" Isaiah 11:1And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots:
See All.... And this is according to the apostle, where he mentions, that God sware unto David, "Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne;" Acts 2:30Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne;
See All.... "I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star."
How fitly Christ may be compared to a Branch, we shall note under three or four particulars.
| A MEDIATOR | PARALLEL | |
|---|---|---|
| A Branch hath a root or stock from whence it proceeds. | Christ, as concerning the flesh, proceeded from Abraham, Jesse, David, Mary etc. Romans 1:3Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh;
See All..., Mark 6:3Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him. See All.... | |
| A Branch is of the same nature with the stock and root from whence it naturally proceeds. | Christ is really and truly man, and hence he is called the seed of the woman, Genesis 3:15And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.
See All..., and the seed of Abraham, Genesis 22:18And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice. See All..., and “made of a woman.” Forasmuch as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same, Hebrews 2:14Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; See All.... | |
| A Branch partakes of sap and nourishment from the root. | Christ partook of nourishment from the virgin not only in the womb, but afterwards; “Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the paps which thou hast sucked,” Luke 11:27And it came to pass, as he spake these things, a certain woman of the company lifted up her voice, and said unto him, Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the paps which thou hast sucked.
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| A Branch, or the Branches of a tree, are the glory of a tree. | Christ, the Son of man, being the real offspring and son of David according to the flesh, is the glory of all David’s race, and of the whole church of God in general, Matthew 22:45If David then call him Lord, how is he his son?
See All..., Revelation 22:16I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star. See All.... |
INFERENCES
- This may serve to refute those that say, the matter of Christ’s human nature was from heaven; and that he passed through the womb of the virgin, as water through a conduit-pipe; and is called the seed of the woman, and “made of a woman, “ Galatians 4:4But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,
See All..., upon no other account than his being born of a woman. From hence, - We may admire the goodness and rich grace of God, and his distinguishing love to mankind, in that the Lord Jesus took not hold of “the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham,” Hebrews 2:16For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham.
See All..., that there should be a Saviour for fallen man, and none for fallen angels. - This shows how man is magnified and exalted by the Almighty. What greater dignity can God confer upon us, than that our nature should be united to, and made one with the Deity? This is the rise and ground of all our hope and consolation.