Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Proverbs 8:23
I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was.
23. set up ] Gesenius renders anointed here and in Psa 2:6, where the same word occurs. But “the verb means ‘to pour out,’ and then ‘to pour metals in a state of fusion into a mould’: hence it passes over into the meaning of setting fast, establishing, &c. So the Niph, Pro 8:23, and hence means, not ‘one anointed,’ but ‘one appointed’ to his office.” Bp. Perowne, Crit. Note on Psa 2:6. See also note there in this Series.
, LXX., ordinata sum, Vulg.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
I was set up – Rather, I was anointed (compare Psa 2:6 margin: 2Ch 28:15). The image is that of Wisdom anointed, as at her birth, with the oil of gladness.
Or ever the earth was – literally, from the times before the earth.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Pro 8:23
I was set up from everlasting.
Christ set up from everlasting
Doctrine: That as Christ is the everlasting God, so, from all eternity, He was foreordained and set up for the great service of mans redemption.
I. To prove That Christ is the everlasting God.
1. That He existed before the incarnation is evident from the appearance He made to our first parents in paradise.
2. We find His existence and agency in the production of all created beings.
3. Run up to the endless ages before the creation of the world, and we find Him existing or ever the earth was.
II. What is imported in His being set up from everlasting.
1. It supposes the council of peace, or an eternal transaction between the Father and the Son concerning the redemption of lost sinners.
2. It implies the infinite complacency that the Father and Son had in each other from all eternity.
3. It implies a Divine ordination and decree, whereby He was from eternity elected into the great service of mans redemption.
4. It implies that, in consequence of the decree, He was called of God to undertake the work of redemption.
5. It implies His own voluntary consent to, and complacence with, His Fathers call. He was actually set up in time.
(1) His first appearance was in the promise made to our first parents.
(2) Set up typically under the Old Testament.
(3) Set up prophetically.
(4) Personally and actually, in His incarnation, obedience, and death.
(5) In His resurrection and ascension.
(6) Sacramentally, in baptism and the last supper.
(7) In conversion.
(8) Will be set up at His second coming.
III. For what ends and purposes Christ was thus set up.
1. As a sun, to give light to this lower world.
2. As a second Adam, the head of a new covenant of grace and promise.
3. As a repairer of breaches between God and man.
IV. The grounds and reasons way Christ was set up.
1. Because it was the Fathers will and pleasure.
2. Because of the good-will He did bear to man upon earth.
3. Because of His ability for the undertaking.
4. Because He voluntarily offered Himself for the work and service.
5. Because from everlasting God foresaw what a revenue of glory would accrue to the crown of heaven through His mediation.
V. Application of the doctrine. See the antiquity and activity of the love of God; the stability and perpetuity of the covenant of grace and of the Church; the reason why all hands should be at work to exalt Him. (E. Erskine.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 23. I was set up from everlasting] nissachti, “I was diffused or poured out,” from nasach, “to diffuse, pour abroad, as a spirit or disposition,” Isa 29:10. See Parkhurst. Or from sach, “to cover, overspread, smear over, as with oil;” to be anointed king. Hence some have translated it, principatum habui, I had the principality, or was a ruler, governor, and director, from eternity. All the schemes, plans, and circumstances, relative to creation, government, providence, and to all being, material, animal, and intellectual, were conceived in the Divine mind, by the Divine wisdom, from eternity, or ever the earth was. There was no fortuitous creation, no jumbling concourse of original atoms, that entered into the composition of created beings; all was the effect of the plans before conceived, laid down, and at last acted upon by God’s eternal wisdom.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Set up, Heb. anointed; ordained or constituted to be the person by whom the Father resolved to do all his works, first to create, and then to uphold, and govern, and judge, and afterwards to redeem and save the world; all which works are particularly ascribed to the Son of God, as is manifest from Joh 1:1, &c.; Col 1:16,17; Heb 1:3, and many other places, as we may see hereafter in their several places.
From the beginning; before which there was nothing but a vast eternity.
Or ever the earth was; which he mentions, because this, together with the heaven, was the first of Gods visible works.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
23. I was set upordained, orinaugurated (Ps 2:6). The otherterms carry out the idea of the earliest antiquity, and illustrate itby the details of creation [Pr8:24-29].
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
I was set up from everlasting,…. I, a person, and not a quality; a person, and not a nature; the person of Christ as the Son of God, and not the human nature of Christ, which then did not exist; this phrase designs the ordination and constitution of Christ in his office as Mediator. So the Vulgate Latin version renders it, “I was ordained”; Christ was foreordained to be the Redeemer and Saviour of men, to be the propitiation for their sins, to be the head of the church, and the Judge of the world. It intends likewise his inauguration into his office, and his investiture with it; and because anointing with oil was used in installing persons into the offices of prophet, priest, and king; hence Christ’s instalment into his office as Mediator is here expressed by an anointing; for the words may be rendered, “I was anointed” i; it takes in all that goes to his constitution as Mediator, his call, appointment, and investiture; and the whole of his office, every part and branch of it; and chiefly his kingly office, with reference to which the same word is used Ps 2:6; and so Gersom paraphrases it,
“and there were given to me power, dominion, and greatness;”
all which suppose the eternity of his person; for had he not existed from everlasting, he could not have been set up, and anointed as Mediator, or invested with his office as such;
from the beginning, or ever the earth was; or from the first of the earth, or the original of it; that is, before all time, before the earth or anything was created; this further confirms the eternal existence of Christ’s person, the antiquity of his office, the early provision of grace in him as Mediator for his people, and may lead to entertain high and honourable thoughts of him.
i “uncta sum”, Cocceius, Michaelis, Schultens; “inuncta fui”, Gejerus.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
A designation of the When? expressed first by (Isa 48:8, cf. Isa 40:21), is further unfolded:
“From everlasting was I set up,
From the beginning, from the foundations of the earth.”
That cannot be translated: I was anointed = consecrated, vid., at Psa 2:6. But the translation also: I was woven = wrought (Hitzig, Ewald, and previously one of the Greeks, ), does not commend itself, for (Psa 139:15), used of the embryo, lies far from the metaphorical sense in which = Arab. nasaj , texere , would here be translated of the origin of a person, and even of such a spiritual being as Wisdom; , as the lxx reads ( ), is not once used of such. Rightly Aquila, ; Symmachus, ; Jerome, ordinata sum . Literally, but unintelligibly, the Gr. Venet. , according to which (cf. Sir. 1:10) Bttcher: I was poured forth = formed, but himself acknowledging that this figure is not suitable to personification; nor is it at all likely that the author applied the word, used in this sense of idols, to the origin of Wisdom. The fact is, that , used as seldom of the anointing or consecration of kings, as , passes over, like ( ), ( , a pillar), and ( ), from the meaning of pouring out to that of placing and appointing; the mediating idea appears to be that of the pouring forth of the metal, since , Dan 11:8, like , signifies a molten image. The Jewish interpreters quite correctly remark, in comparing it with the princely name [cf. Psa 83:12] (although without etymological insight), that a placing in princely dignity is meant. Of the three synonyms of aeternitas a parte ante , points backwards into the infinite distance, into the beginning of the world, not into the times which precede the origin of the earth, but into the oldest times of its gradual arising; this it is impossible to render, in conformity with the Hebr. use of language: it is an extensive plur. of time, Bttcher, 697. The repeated does not mean that the origin and greatness of Wisdom are contemporaneous with the foundation of the world; but that when the world was founded, she was already an actual existence.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
(23) I was set up.An unusual word; also applied to our Lord in Psa. 2:6 when set as King on Zion.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
23. I was set up from everlasting Rather, from eternity, or from unknown ages, I was anointed.
From the beginning Before the earth existed. Anointing was the initiating ceremony into high office among the Hebrews; hence the word is equivalent to appointing, constituting, inaugurating. Wisdom was installed in her high functions from eternity. The other expressions, “from the beginning,” “or ever the earth,” are paraphrastic, exegetical, or qualificative. , ( ‘ holam,) rendered everlasting, is not as definite in its signification as our word eternity. It means indefinite or unknown duration. The terms following it define its meaning here.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Pro 8:23. I was set up from everlasting According to the Hebrew, I have been anointed from all eternity; which is particularly applicable to Jesus Christ, the anointed of the Father.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Pro 8:23 I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was.
Ver. 23. I was set up. ] Coronata sum; I was crowned; so some render it. Inuncta fui, I was anointed – so others – for king, priest, and prophet of my Church. And to this high honour I grew not up by degrees, but had it presently from before all beginnings.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
set up = founded. Hebrew. nasak, as in Psa 2:6, “set”.
from everlastings = from the outset of the ages. Compare Heb 11:3.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Gen 1:26, Psa 2:6, Mic 5:2, Joh 17:24, Eph 1:10, Eph 1:11, 1Jo 1:1, 1Jo 1:2
Reciprocal: Job 26:7 – General Job 34:13 – Who hath given Psa 93:2 – Thy Psa 102:25 – General Isa 9:6 – The everlasting Father Isa 43:13 – before Isa 57:15 – that inhabiteth Act 14:15 – which Col 1:17 – he 2Th 2:13 – from Tit 1:2 – before 1Pe 1:20 – verily
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
8:23 {l} I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was.
(l) He declares the eternity of the Son of God, who was before all time, and ever present with the father.