The Typology of Scripture

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1854 edition. Excerpt: ...Ex. iii. 13. 2 Josh. xxiv. 14; Lev. xvii. 7; Ez. xxiii. 3; xx. 8; Amos, v. 25, 26; Acts, vii. 39. 3 It is admitted on all hands, that the worship of the gods under symbolical images of irrational creatures, had its origin in Egypt, and was especially cultivated there in connection with the cow, or bovine form. It was noticed by Strabo, I. xvii. as singular, that " no image formed after the human figure was to be found in the temples of Egypt but only that of some beasts Qrcov aXoy&iv 'wv rtv'oi) And no images seem to have been so generally used as those of the calf or cow--though authors differ as to the particular deity represented by it. It would rather seem that there were several deities worshipped under this symbol. Most of the available learning on the subject has been brought together by Bochart, Hieroz. Lib. ii. chap. 34; to which Hengstenberg has made some additions in his Beit. ii. p. 155-163. The latter would connect the worship of the golden calf in the desert with the worship of Apis; Wilkinson connects it with that of Mnevis (Manners of Ancient Eg. 2d series, ii. p. 96), and Jerome had already given it as his opinion, that Jeroboam set up the two golden calves in Dan and Bethel, in imitation of the Apis and Mnevis of Egypt (Com. on Hos. iv. 15). But however that may be, there can be no doubt, that if the Israelites were disposed to Egyptize in their worship, the most likely and natural method for them to do so, was by forming to themselves the image of a golden cow or calf, and then by engaging in its worship with noisy and festive rites. For it is admitted by those (for example, Creuzer, Symbol, i. p. 448) who are little in the habit of making any concessions in favour of a passage of Scripture, that the rites of the...

Patrick Fairbairn (1805-1874) was born in Berwickshire, Scotland, studied at Edinburgh University, and was an outstanding scholar among Scottish Presbyterians. After 27 years in pastoral service, he served three years as divinity professor at the Free Church College in Aberdeen before becoming principal of the Free Church College, Glasgow, for 18 years until his death. He is the author of Commentary on Ezekiel and The Pastoral Epistles.