Works of John Bunyan — Volume 02

by John Bunyan

Now the sceptre was then departed from those that were Jews by nature, and also the law-giver, and Herod who was a stranger, and not of Judea, was king over them, as Caesar's deputy; and Caesar Augustus imposed laws on them.

The stubborn Jews also confessed the sceptre to be departed, when before Pontius Pilate a Roman governor of Judea, they cried out against Christ: 'We have no king but Cesar' (John 19:15).

Nay farther, the Jews from that day to this, have been without a king of their own nation to govern them: they never had the sceptre swayed since by any of themselves, but have been a scattered despised people, and have been as it were liable to all dangers, and for a long time driven out from their country, and scattered over all the nations of the earth, as was prophesied concerning them (Jer 14:10; Zech 6:14,15). And yet these poor souls are so horribly deluded by the devil, that though they see these things come to pass, yet they will not believe. And one reason among many, of their being thus deluded, is this, they say that the word sceptre in Genesis 49 is not meant of a kingly government; but the meaning is, (say they) a rod, or persecutions shall not depart from Judah till Shiloh come. Now they do most grossly mistake that place; for though I am not skilled in the Hebrew tongue, yet through grace, I am enlightened into the scriptures; whereby I find that the meaning is not persecutions, nor the rod of afflictions, but a governor or sceptre of the kingdom shall not depart from Judah till Shiloh come. And that this is the meaning of the place, weigh but the very next words of the same verse, and you will find it to be the sceptre of a king that is meant; for he addeth, 'nor a law-giver from between his feet.' Mark it, The sceptre, nor a law-giver; the legislative power depending on the sceptre of the kingdom, shall not depart from Judah till Shiloh come. According to that scripture, written in Isaiah 7:16, 'For before the child shall know to refuse the evil, and choose the good, the land that thou abhorrest shall be forsaken of both her kings.' Which scripture hath been fulfilled from that same time.

But a word to the Jews' exposition of the sceptre to be a rod, or persecutions; saying, that persecutions shall not depart from Judah till Shiloh come. This cannot be the meaning of the place; for the Jews have had rest oftentimes, and that before Shiloh did come; at one time they 'had rest four-score years' (Judg 3:30). Again, 'And the land had rest from war' (Josh 14:15). And again, 'And the Lord gave them rest round about, according to all that he sware unto their fathers, and there stood not a man of all their enemies before them' (Josh 21:44). 'And the land had rest forty years' (Judg 3:11). There was rest many a time from persecution and from the rod, though it were but for a season; but the sceptre, or kingdom, did not depart from Judah, and a law-giver from between his feet till Shiloh came.

Second, Again, To prove that Jesus is the Christ, it is clear from the hand of God against the Jews, for putting him to death. What was the reason why they did put him to death, but this, He did say that he was the Christ the Son of God? (Luke 22:70) 'Then said they all, Art thou then the Son of God? And he said unto them, Ye say that I am.' That is, I am he as you say, I am the Son of God; yea, the only begotten Son of the Father, and I was with him before the world was (John 9:37, 17:5).

Now the Jews did put him to death for his thus owning his own; that is, for not denying of his Sonship, but making himself equal with God, therefore did they put him to death (John 19:7).

Now God did, and doth most miserably plague them to this very day, for their crucifying of him: But I say, had he not been the Christ of God, God's Son, he would not have laid sin to their charge, for crucifying him; but rather have praised them for their zeal, and for taking him out of the way, who did rob God of his honour, in that he made himself equal with God, and was not. He would have praised them for doing the thing that was right, as he did Phineas the son of Eleazar, for executing judgment in his time, on the adulterer and adulteress (Num 25:8).

But in that he said he was the Son of God, and accounted it no robbery so to call himself (Phil 2:6). And seeing that they did put him to death, because he said he was the Son of God; and in that God doth so severely charge them with, and punish them for their sin in putting him to death, for saying that he was the Son of God, it is evident that he was and is the Son of God, and that Saviour that should come into the world. For his blood hath been upon them to this very day for their hurt, according to their desire (Matt 27:25).

Again, Jesus himself doth in this day hold forth that he is the Christ, where he saith, 'The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand' (Mark 1:15). What time is this that Jesus speaks of? Surely, 'tis that of Daniel's seventy weeks, spoken of in chapter 9:24 where he saith, 'Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people—to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation' or satisfaction 'for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness,—and to anoint the most Holy.' This time, that here Daniel speaks of, is it that Christ saith hath an end; and the argument that he brings to persuade them to believe the gospel, is this, 'The kingdom of God is at hand,' (according as was prophesied of it by Daniel) 'repent, and believe the gospel.' Repent, and believe that this is the gospel; and that this is the truth of God; consider, that Daniel had a revelation of these days from the angel of God, and also the time in which it should be accomplished: namely, Seventy weeks was the determined time of the Messias his coming, from the time when the angel spake these words to Daniel: Seventy weeks, that is, about 490 years, if you reckon every day in the said seventy weeks for a year: A day for a year, a day for a year; for so is the Holy Spirit's way sometimes to reckon days (Eze 4:6). And this the Jews were convinced of, when Christ saith to them, 'Ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times?' (Matt 16:3). Do you not see that those things that are spoken of as forerunners of my coming, are accomplished? Do you not see that the sceptre is departed from Judah? Do you not see the time that Daniel spake of is accomplished also? There shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: O ye hypocritical generation! (v 4).

Third, Another argument to prove that Jesus is the Christ, is this, By his power the blind see, the lame walk, the deaf hear, the dumb speak, the dead are raised up, the devils are dispossessed. In Isaiah 35:4 it is thus prophesied of him, 'Behold your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompense; he will come and save you'; But how shall we know when he is come? Why, 'Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing; for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert' (vv 5,6). Now when John would know whether he were the Christ or no, Jesus sends him this very answer, 'Go, and shew John [saith he] again those things which you do hear and see: the blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them' (Matt 11:3-5).