R Payne Smith

The Authenticity and Messianic Interpretation of the Prophecies of Isaiah R Payne Smith

The following course of Sermons originated in my having been appointed to preach the annual discourse upon the Jewish Interpretation of Prophecy in 1858; and shortly afterwards as Select Preacher I continued the subject, only with a wider application, so as to include German as \Yell as Jewish neology. In preparing them for the press the first sermon necessarily has been recast, the matter in the opening part now forming the Introduction, while to complete the subject I have appended Sermon II., which was never delivered. I have also restored several passages omitted for fear of too great length, and for the sake of clearness have put straightforward names instead of the periphrases usual in the pulpit. Any one acquainted with German literature will see how greatly I am indebted to Drechsler, Havernick, Hengstenberg, Reinke, Ri.ickert, Stier, and others, not to mention the chief neologian commentators, Gesenius, Hitzig, and Knobel, and names so well known to every student of Hebrew as Ewald and E. Meier. I have also read with great advantage Dr. Alexander's "Commentary," and the translation and learned notes of Dr. Henderson.