Acts 13:23 with Isa 11:1
- Acts13:23 with Isa 11:1.Isaiah 11:1 predicts the coming of a Rod from the stem of Jesse and a Branch growing from Jesse’s roots. The Babylonian captivity appears to have ended the Davidic dynasty in Israel, but life remained in the “stump” and “roots” of the Davidic line. Jesse was the father of David through whom the Messianic king was to come (Ruth 4:22; 1 Sam16:1, 12, 13). Paul’s sermon in Acts 13:23 notes the literal fulfillment of that prophecy through David, the son of Jesse, from whose offspring God would bring to Israel a Savior whose name was Jesus.
- -- Thomas p.80
Thomas has classified this set of passages as a literal use of the OT in the NT.
- Isa 11:1 ¶ And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots:
- Ac 13:22 And when he had removed him, he raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom also he gave testimony, and said, I have found David the [son] of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will.
- Ac 13:23 Of this man’s seed hath God according to [his] promise raised unto Israel a Saviour, Jesus:
Not literal
Thomas uses metaphor to interpret the prophecy. This is the correct method of interpretation, but it is not literal. Either he must concede that a literal rod will grow... or that the method of the apostles was to use metaphor in interpreting the prophecy. The difficulty in such a concession is that Thomas does not know how to discern between free-for-all metaphor and the methods that the apostles used so that their interpretation was not free-for-all. It is much easier to say that metaphor is part of literal and ignore the question of how meaning is derived from metaphor.
Modern exegeses makes use of metaphor all of the time, and often it is nothing more than free-for-all interpretation. But scholars wink at each other, not demanding rigorous proof of the meaning.
Why is the name 'Jesse' used if the prophecy applies to the offspring of David? Jesse had other sons. Would their offspring have sufficed to fulfill the prophecy?
Furthermore, Jesus did not rule as a literal king.
Fulfilled in Sensus Plenior
Rod
חטר 'choter' or 'rod' has the glyph "ח One who fully understands ר the prophecy ט takes a bride as the Son of Man." The Son of Man obtained his bride through his death. The word rod חטר represents judgement as do it's synonyms.
- Isa 11:4 But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.
גזע 'geza‘' stem or stock of a tree. The tree represents the cross. The glyph means ג To pursue ז the bride ע with mercy and grace without the sacrifice of the messiah (by teaching).
- Isa 11:2 And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD;
ישי Jesse represents the Trinity, two in heaven, and the son of man who took a bride. The prophecy is significant because Jesus would be fully God and yet the Son of Man. As the rod from the trunk of Jesse, he would come with judgement from the teaching of the cross of God. Don't be misled by Jesus's statement that he did not come to judge. As a man who resisted sin, he put us all to shame and condemned us, removing all excuses for sin. Though he brought judgement, he also took it.
נצר 'netser' branch, keeper, or watchman. The branch is a נר lamp with צ righteousness (holiness and grace incarnate) in the heart.
