22. Concerning predictions under the Law in the matter of Christ.

D. How many are the kinds of predictions in the matter of Christ? M. About twenty-six. Either (1) concerning his conception and name, for example, "See, a virgin will conceive a son in her womb and will bear him, and they will call his name Emanuel" (Is 7:14; Mt 1:23). Or (2) concerning the place of his birth, such as, "And you, Bethlehem, city of Judah, are in no way least among the cities of Judah, for from you will come forth a leader who will rule my people Israel" (Mt 2:6 < Mi 5:2). Or (2) in regard to these things that he carried out in his early training, for example, "before the child knows how to recognize evil and to choose good" (Is 7:16). Or (3) concerning his justice and judgment, such as, "You have loved justice and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness above your fellow kings" (Ps 44[45]:8). [1b] Or (4) concerning his divinity, such as, "Who will recount his generation?" (Is 53:8). Or (5) concerning the visitation of his human assumption, for example, "What is man, that you are mindful of him? or the Son of Man, that you visit him?" (Ps 8:5). Or (6) in regard to the unity of godhead and human flesh, e.g., "A child is born to us; a son has been given to us" (Is 9:6), and afterwards it has added, "God the Mighty" (Is 9:6). Or (7) concerning his power and kingship, e.g., "And I have been established as king by him over Zion, his holy mountain" (Ps 2:6). Or (8) concerning the smashing of his enemies, for instance, "You have cast all things under his feet" (Ps 8:8). Or (9) concerning his education, e.g., "Handsome in beauty are you above the sons of men" (Ps 44[45]:5). Or (10) concerning the benefit of his education, for example, "because of truth, and clemency, and justice" (Ps 44[45]:5). [1c] Or (11) in regard to wonderful deeds, for example, "And your right hand will conduct you wondrously" (Ps 44[45]:3). Or (12) concerning the glorification which he justly receives from the faithful, e.g., "Therefore the peoples will praise you for ever and ever" (Ps 44[45]:18). Or (13) concerning the pronouncing of praise, for instance, "O Lord, our Lord, how wonderful is your name in all the earth!" (Ps 8:2). Or (14) concerning priesthood, e.g., "You are a priest forever" (Ps 109 [110]:4). Or (15) concerning his judgment and justice, for example, "in the radiance of holiness" (Ps 109[110]:3); and again, "He will do judgment on the nations, he will pile up corpses, he will smash heads in the land of many" (Ps 109[110]:6). Or (16) concerning the toils of his life, e.g., "From the brook by the wayside he will drink" (Ps 109[110]:7). Or (17) Scripture indicates the mystery of the incarnation which is pleasing to the Father, e.g., "Here is my servant, dear to me, in whom my soul has been well pleased" (Is 42:1; Mt 3:17; Lk 3:22). [1d] Or (18) the imbuing with the Holy Spirit, which surely humanity, having been assumed by him, merited either in the beginning of his incarnation, or in his increase, or in his baptism, or in his wonderful deeds, or in his teaching, or in his resurrection, such as, "I will put my Spirit upon him" (Is 42:1; Mt 12:18), and, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me; therefore he has anointed me" (Is 61:1; Lk 4:18), and the rest. Or (19) his care with regard to his disciples, e.g., "He will not speak nor cry aloud, nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets" (Is 42:2; Mt 12:19). Or (20) his sitting upon the beast of burden, such as, "Do not fear, O daughter Zion, see, your king has come, sitting upon the foal of an ass" (Zec 9:9; Mt 21:5). [1e] Or (21) his sufferings and burial and their causes, as it is said, "We saw him, and he did not have beauty nor grace, but his appearance was unhonored, inferior to all men"; and again, "a man of sufferings, and knowing how to bear baseness, because his face was hidden and despised, and he was valued at naught. He carries our sins, and for us he grieves; and we have thought that he is sorrowful and stricken and afflicted. But he was wounded for our iniquities and he was weakened for our sins" (Is 53:2-5). Or (22) the dividing of his garments, as, "They divided my garments for themselves, and over my robe they cast lots" (Ps 21[22]:19; Mt 27:35; Jn 19:24). Or (23) it indicates the resurrection of the Lord, as, "You will not abandon my soul in the nether world, nor will you let your Holy One see corruption" (Ps 15[16]:10; Acts 2:31). Or (24) the calling of the Son in accordance with his assumption of humanity, such as, "Out of Egypt I called my son" (Hos 11:1; Mt 2:15). Or (25) the generation of his divinity before the beginning, such as, "From the womb before the daystar I begot you" (Ps 109[110]:3). Or (26) his second coming, such as, "See, one like the Son of Man <coming>on the clouds of heaven" (Dn 7:13).

coming>[2] D. Are all the predictions understood about our Savior alone? M. We usually take them in two ways. For certain things have been so foretold in reference to his Person that they cannot suit another, as for example it is read, "The prince from Judah will not fail, nor a ruler from his thigh, till he come for whom things have been set aside" (Gn 49:10). But certain things are said under the occasion of the person of another, and yet they look to Christ in meaning, for example: "In you and in your seed, all the nations of the world will be blessed" (Gn 22:18 or 28:14).