Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Isaiah 59:17
For he put on righteousness as a breastplate, and a helmet of salvation upon his head; and he put on the garments of vengeance [for] clothing, and was clad with zeal as a cloak.
17. The idea of Jehovah as a warrior occurs several times in this book (ch. Isa 42:13, Isa 49:24 f., Isa 52:10); but the fully developed image of His arming Himself with His own attributes has no exact parallel in the O.T. (cf. however, ch. Isa 11:5). It is reproduced and further elaborated in Wis 5:17 ff.; and in the N. T. it suggests the figure of the Christian armour (Eph 6:14 ff.; 1Th 5:8).
And he put on righteousness as a coat of mail (R.V. marg.). “Righteousness,” as in Isa 59:16, is a divine attribute, zeal for the right, the stedfast purpose to establish righteousness (and its correlate, salvation) on the earth.
zeal ] Cf. ch. Isa 42:13, Isa 9:7.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
For he put on righteousness – That is, God the Redeemer. The prophet here introduces him as going forth to vindicate his people clad like an ancient warrior. In the declaration that he put on righteousness, the essential idea is, that he was pure and holy. The same image is used by the prophet in another figure in Isa 11:5 (see the note at that place).
As a breastplate – The breastplate was a well-known piece of ancient armor, designed to defend the breast from the darts and the sword of an enemy. The design here is, to represent the Redeemer as a hero; and accordingly allusion is made to the various parts of the armor of a warrior. Yet he was not to be literally armed for battle. Instead of being an earthly conqueror, clad in steel, and defended with brass, his weapons were moral weapons, and his conquests were spiritual. The various parts of his weapons were righteousness. salvation, and zeal. This statement should have been, in itself, sufficient to keep the Jews front anticipating a Messiah who would be a bloody warrior and distinguished for deeds of conquest and blood. This figure of speech is not uncommon. Paul (in Eph 6:14-17; compare 2Co 6:7) has carried it out to greater length, and introduced more particulars in the description of the spiritual armor of the Christian.
And an helmet of salvation – The helmet was a piece of defensive armor for the head. It was made of iron or brass, and usually surmounted by a crest of hair. It was designed to guard the head from the stroke of a sword. No particular stress should be laid on the fact, that it is said that salvation would be the helmet. The design is to represent the Redeemer by the figure of a hero clad in armor, yet there seems to be no particular reason why salvation should be referred to as the helmet, or righteousness as the cuirass or breastplate. Nothing is gained by a fanciful attempt to spiritualize or explain them.
And he put on the garments of vengeance for clothing – By garments, here, Vitringa supposes that there is reference to the interior garments which were worn by the Orientals corresponding to the tunic of the Romans. But it is more probable that the allusion is to the other parts of the dress or armor in general of the ancient warrior. The statement that he was clad in the garments of vengeance means, that he would go forth to vindicate his people, and to take vengeance on his foes. It would not be for mere defense that he would be thus armed for battle; but he would go forth for aggressive movements, in subduing his enemies and delivering his people (compare Isa 63:1-6).
And was clad with zeal as a cloak – The cloak worn by men in military as well as in civil life, was a loose flowing robe or mantle that was thrown over the body, usually fastened on the right shoulder by a hook or clasp, and suffered to flow in graceful folds down to the feet. In battle, it would be laid aside, or secured by a girdle about the loins. Vitringa remarks, that, as it was usually of purple color, it was adapted to represent the zeal which would burn for vengeance on an enemy. But the whole figure here is that drawn from a warrior or a conqueror: a hero prepared alike for defense and offence. The idea is, that he would be able to defend and vindicate his people, and to carry on aggressive warfare against his enemies. But it was not to be a warfare literally of blood and carnage. It was to be such as would be accomplished by righteousness, and zeal, and a desire to secure salvation. The triumph of righteousness was the great object still; the conquests of the Redeemer were to be those of truth.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Isa 59:17
For He put on righteousness–
Self -manifestations of Gods holy nature
Just as in Eph 6:1-24.
the manifold self-manifestations of the inner life of the soul are symbolized under each of the different pieces of armour, so, under the pieces of Jehovahs armour there are set forth the manifold self-manifestations of His holy nature, formed out of wrath and love combined. (F. Delitzsch, D. D.)
The armour of the redeeming God
Judiciously and beautifully is the inexorable justice of God compared to the impenetrable brazen coat-of-mail; His gladdening salvation to the protecting helmet glittering afar; His vengeance, having many modes of inflicting effective chastisement, to the bright-coloured garments over the coat-of-mail; and His wrathful jealousy to the fiery red military cloak. No weapon is mentioned–neither sword nor bow–for His arm, and this alone, procures Him help. (F. Delitzsch, D. D.)
The Head of the Church a mighty Hero
1. He put on righteousness as a breastplate. He assumed the exercise of that right which appertained to Him, of vindicating His Church from the hands of their enemies, of rendering them victorious over their oppressors, and of restoring them to liberty and tranquillity. Righteousness peculiarly belongeth to him, His heart is set on advancing its interests; it is not more conspicuous in the equity of His laws than in the dispensations of His providence, whereby He repays fully to His adversaries, and exalts His upright servants to happiness and comfort. This righteousness He is said to have put on, so is openly to show that it belonged to Him, and that every hostile weapon directed against Him and those He was going to avenge, should rebound on themselves with irresistible force. Furnished with righteousness for a covering, the Most Mighty went forth with invincible courage to attack His enemies, well knowing that all their efforts were incapable of wounding Him, or of preventing Him from obtaining the victory.
2. And a helmet of salvation on His head. The Son of God is represented having on a helmet of salvation because it affords Him perfect security from all the insults that are aimed at Him by His foes, and preserves Him in complete safety when contending for conquest with those that rise up against Him.
3. And He put on the garments of vengeance for clothing. The expression may refer to the under garment that was anciently worn by some Eastern nations below their coat or cloak. The garments of vengeance may denote the sword, the bow, and the spear, with the other instruments that were to be employed in executing awful vengeance on His persecuting foes, and in showing Himself strong in behalf of those who trust in His name. These He put on when He determined immediately to avenge the wrongs done to Himself and His Church.
4. And was clad with zeal as a cloak. Zeal is not properly a detached principle, but it is a mixed affection, combined of love and displeasure, manifested by vigorous exertions to advance the welfare of the beloved object, by every proper expedient, to express displeasure against those who have injured the persons in whose happiness it is interested. Properly speaking, it is not a single passion, but an essential ingredient necessary to the lively exercise of every other affection. When attributed to Jehovah, it denotes His tender regard for the interests of His kingdom and glory, and
His just indignation of everything that opposes their establishment and prosperity. With this zeal He was clad as with a cloak worn by the warriors of ancient times. The words may import that the Lord God would publicly demonstrate, by His interposition in favour of His servants, that He was truly solicitous to promote their safety and happiness; and, by the execution of righteous vengeance upon their enemies, that He would not permit those who disturbed the peace of His Church to remain unpunished. (R. Macculloch.)
Clad with zeal as a cloke
The best cloak
The solitary champion who is here spoken of is the Prince of the house of David, our Lord Jesus Christ. When a man has all other excellences, then zeal is still needed to elevate and perfect his entire manhood. Behold the altar, built of unhewn stones, and after Gods own law; behold the wood laid thereon; see the victim slain and the blood flowing; but you cannot make a sacrifice without fire. Behold in the altar the figure of the man; he has faith, courage, love, consecration; but if he lacks the fire of fervent zeal his life will be a failure.
I. ZEAL IS TO BE REGARDED AS A CLOAK THAT COVERS ALL. The Christian man is to wear zeal as we wear an outward garment which covers all the rest of our garments–a flowing robe which encompasses the entire person.
1. Zeal is all enveloping: zeal should envelop all the powers of the Christian. He is to invest himself with faith and love with patience and perseverance, with hope and joy; but zeal must be over all these. We are not to be zealous with one part of ourselves, nor zealous in one particular duty only, nor zealous at one special season; but to be altogether zealous, for all Christs work, for all Christs truth, and at all times zealous not only in one good thing, but in all good things.
2. We are to wear holy zeal as a cloak, in order to preserve the different parts of our soul from danger. Zeal is preserving. Zeal is to wrap up the whole man, so that when he is subject to a furious haft of persecution, or a biting wind of poverty, or a torrent of down-pouring griefs, the pilgrim to the skies may hold on his way, and bid all weathers brave defiance.
3. Zeal is comforting, even as the cloak when wrapped about the traveller in the snow-storm. The man who is possessed by an irresistible passion for carrying out his life-work, will gird this gracious ardour well around him, and let the snowflakes come as they may, they- will only fall, as it were, into a furnace, and will melt before they can injure.
4. We may regard zeal as a cloak by reason of its adorning a mans character. Many a person looks all the more comely because of the garment in which he has arrayed himself. There is no more becoming garment to the Christian when he possesses all the virtues than an all-enveloping zeal.
5. We must take care to put on zeal as a cloak and not as a hood. Nobody wears his cloak over his head, and yet I have known some persons whose zeal has blindfolded their judgment. Zeal, like fire, is a good servant, but a bad master.
6. Zeal is a cloak, and therefore not intended to supersede the other graces. We do not put on our great coats and leave off all our other clothes.
7. Zeal is a cloak, and therefore we are not to regard it as an extraordinary robe to be worn only occasionally on high days and holidays. Zeal for God should be exhibited in workshops, should be worn in the market-house, in the senate, or wherever we may labour. Since the storm is always on, and we are always pilgrims, it will be like the cloak which we cannot bear to lay aside.
8. While I say that zeal is not everything, recollect that the cloak covers everything, and do not let your zeal he such a scanty thing that it will only hang like a girdle round your loins. Remember our Lord put on zeal. While the Christian religion is an internal thing, there is no religion in the world which shows itself so much externally.
II. HOW OUR LORD EXHIBITED THIS ZEAL.
1. In His earliest childhood you have tokens of His inward zeal. Wist ye not. etc?
2. In after life you see His burning zeal in leaving the comforts of life.
3. His very dress showed His zeal, because it was not ostentatious, but in every way suitable for incessant labour and humble service.
4. He showed His earnestness in persevering in His work under all manner of rebuffs.
5. And, as a clearer proof of His zeal still, all the blandishments of the world could not attract Him.
6. Look at His incessant labours.
7. In His preaching you see His zeal.
8. Probably you see His zeal most of all in his prayers, for a mans intensity of heart may eminently be judged of by his secret devotion before God.
9. He proved His zeal again by giving up Himself.
10. Observe what His zeal was made of.
(1) It was zeal for God.
(2) Zeal for truth.
(3) Zeal for souls.
III. WHAT WAS IT THAT THE ZEAL OF CHRIST FED UPON
1. Christs zeal was based upon a defined principle. He had of old said, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of Me, I delight to do Thy will, O My God yea, Thy law is within My heart. He had set his heart upon a great purpose, He had weighed it, counted the cost, looked at it on all sides, and now He was not to be turned from it.
2. The zeal of our Lord Jesus Christ was occasioned by intense love. He loved His Father; He could not, therefore, but do His will. He loved His people; He could not, therefore, do otherwise than seek their good. Oh, how He loved the souls of men! It was a passion with Him.
3. The zeal of our Lord Jesus Christ had an eye to the recompense. For the joy that was set before Him He endured the cross, despising the shame.
4. Our Lord Jesus Christ was so zealous because He had a greater spiritual discernment than you and I have. We are not zealous because we cannot see. We can see these houses, these streets, and this in money. We can hear those peoples tongues, and we can look at these creature comforts. But our ears are as though they were stopped up with wax, and our eyes as though they were blinded to better things. When Jesus was here He saw angels, and He beheld the spirits of men; He looked upon men, not as flesh and blood, but as immortals. Best of all, He saw God. He could say, I have set the Lord always before Me: because He is at My right hand I shall not be moved. (C. H. Spurgeon.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 17. For clothing – “For his clothing”] tilbosheth. “I cannot but think that this word, tilbosheth, is an interpolation.
1. It is in no one ancient version.
2. It is redundant in the sense, as it is before expressed in bigdey.
3. It makes the hemistich just so much longer than it ought to be, if it is compared with the others adjoining.
4. It makes a form of construction in this clause less elegant than that in the others.
5. It might probably be in some margin a various reading for bigdey, and thence taken into the text.
This is more probable, as its form is such as it would be if it were in regimine, as it must be before nakam.” – Dr. JUBB. Two sorts of armour are mentioned: a breast-plate and a helmet, to bring righteousness and salvation to those who fear him; and the garments of vengeance and the cloak of zeal for the destruction of all those who finally oppose him, and reject his Gospel.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
He put on righteousness as a breastplate; God, resolving to appear as a man of war against Babylon, that did now oppress his people, puts on his arms, Heb. wrapped himself, and particularly his
breastplate, which he calls righteousness, to show the justness of his cause, as also his faithfulness in making good his promises to his people.
An helmet: as the breastplate is to defend the heart and vital parts, whereby God doth signify the innocency and justness of his cause, as well as his faithfulness; so the
helmet is to defend the brain, the fountain of the animal spirits, and therefore by this piece of armour would have us know that he is invincible: as by the other, that he defends a just cause in his truth and faithfulness; so by this, that he cannot be disappointed in it by reason of his power and invincibleness.
The garments of vengeance, or garments made of vengeance; as God is said to put on the former for their sakes whom he would preserve, so he puts on these for their sakes whom he will destroy, viz. his peoples enemies, the Chaldeans, and other enemies of the Jews.
Was clad with zeal; either,
1. Zeal to his own honour, which had been given to idols; or,
2. Zeal for his own people, who were now in distress; or,
3. Zeal and indignation against the Babylonians, who were such great oppressors of his people, which are the materials that his garment of vengeance and his cloak of zeal is made of. It may be trifling to follow the metaphor of garments too close: see of the phrase Jdg 6:34, margin. The sum of all these expressions is this, to describe both the cause and effect together; the cause was righteousness and zeal in God, the effect salvation to his people, and vengeance on his enemies, as is evident from the next verse.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
17. Messiah is represented as awarrior armed at all points, going forth to vindicate His people.Owing to the unity of Christ and His people, their armor is like His,except that they have no “garments of vengeance“(which is God’s prerogative, Ro12:19), or “cloak of zeal” (in the sense ofjudicial fury punishing the wicked; this zeal belongs properlyto God, 2Ki 10:16; Rom 10:2;Phi 3:6; “zeal,” in thesense of anxiety for the Lord’s honor, they have, Num 25:11;Num 25:13; Psa 69:9;2Co 7:11; 2Co 9:2);and for “salvation,” which is of God alone (Ps3:8), they have as their helmet, “the hope ofsalvation” (1Th 5:8). The”helmet of salvation” is attributed to them (Eph 6:14;Eph 6:17) in a secondary sense;namely, derived from Him, and as yet only in hope, notfruition (Ro 8:24). The secondcoming here, as often, is included in this representation of Messiah.His “zeal” (Joh2:15-17) at His first coming was but a type of His zeal andvengeance against the foes of God at His second coming (2Th 1:8-10;Rev 19:11-21).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
For he put on righteousness as a breastplate,…. Here the Lord is represented as a warrior clothed with armour, and as Christ is, and as he will appear in the latter day on the behalf of his people, and against their enemies, who is called faithful and true, and in righteousness will make war, Re 19:11, he will proceed according to justice and equity in righting the wrongs and avenging the injuries of his people; and both in saving them, and destroying their enemies, he will secure the honour of his faithfulness and justice, and the credit of his name and character; which will be preserved by his conduct, as the breast and inward parts are by the breastplate:
and an helmet of salvation upon his head; the salvation he will work out for his people will be very conspicuous; it will be seen by all, as the helmet on the head; and he will have the glory of it, on whose head are many crowns, Re 19:12. The apostle has borrowed these phrases from hence, and applied them to the Christian armour, Eph 6:14:
and he put on the garments of vengeance for clothing; or, “he clothed himself with vengeance as a garment” k; he wrapped himself in it, and resolved to execute it on his and his people’s enemies; the time being come to avenge the blood of his servants, by shedding the blood of their adversaries, with which his garments will be stained; and therefore is represented as having on a vesture dipped in blood,
Re 19:13:
and was clad with zeal as a cloak; with zeal for his own glory, and the interest of his people, and against antichrist, and all antichristian worship and doctrine; and therefore his eyes are said to be as a flame of fire, Re 19:12.
k “et ultionem induit tanquam vestem”, Tigurine version.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
17. And he put on righteousness as a coat of mail. Here he equips God with his armor, for the purpose both of confirming more and more the confidence of believers, and of stripping all men of all confidence in their own strength. The meaning of the verse amounts to this, that God is in want of nothing for discomfiting his enemies and gaining the victory; because from his righteousness, power, and grace, and from his ardent love of his people, he will make for himself πανοπλίαν complete armor. And this is again worthy of remark; for, although we acknowledge that God is sufficiently powerful, yet we are not satisfied with it, but at. the same time seek other help. Thus our minds are always inclined to unbelief, so that they fasten on inferior means, and are greatly entangled by them.
In order to correct this vice, Isaiah presents this lively description; as if he had said, “Know ye that God has in his hand all the safeguards of your salvation, and will be in want of nothing to deliver you in spite of enemies and bring you back to your native country; and therefore there is no reason why you should tremble.” Besides, there is nothing to which we are more prone than to imagine that we bestow something on God, and thus to claim for ourselves some part of the praise which ought to remain undivided with him.
When he clothes God with vengeance, and with indignation as a cloak, this relates to enemies, against whom God is said to be enraged for the sake of his people; and thus, the more that Satan labors and makes every effort against us, so much the more does God kindle with zeal, and so much the more powerfully does he rise up, to render assistance to us. Although, therefore, Satan and all the reprobate do not rest, but raise up obstacles of every kind to prevent our salvation, and even exert themselves furiously to destroy us, yet, by his power alone, God will defeat all their efforts.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
ZEALTHE BEST CLOAK
Isa. 59:17. And was clad with zeal as a cloke.
The solitary champion here spoken of we cannot fail to recognise as the Prince of the house of David, our Lord Jesus Christ. Whatever may have been the first and primary meaning of the text, &c., of Him we may say beyond and above all others, that He was clad with zeal as a cloke.
When the grace of God has wrought in a man all other virtues, zeal is still needed to elevate and perfect his entire manhood [1740]
[1740] Behold the altar, built of unhewn stones, and after Gods own law; behold the wood laid thereon; see the victim slain and the blood flowing; but you cannot make a sacrifice without fireunless the fire from heaven shall perfect the sacrificial preparations, all will be useless. Behold in the altar the figure of the man; he has faith, courage, love, consecration; but if he lacks the fire of fervent zeal his life will be a failure; he will remain an offering unconsumed, and consequently worthless and unaccepted.Spurgeon.
One of the first requisites of an earnest, successful, soul-winning man must be zeal. As well a chariot without its steeds, a sun without its beams, a heaven without its joy, as a man of God without zeal.
I. ZEAL IS TO BE REGARDED AS CLOAK THAT COVERS ALL.
The Christian man is to wear zeal as we wear an outward garment which covers all the rest of our garmentsa flowing robe which encompasses the entire person.
1. Zeal is all-enveloping. The Christian is to invest himself with faith, love, patience; but zeal must be over all these, just as the traveller in the snowstorm wraps himself up in his greatcoat, or binds his cloak about him.
2. Zeal is preserving. The cloak covers the arm, the breast, the heart, and all the more delicate parts of the body. Zeal is to wrap up the whole man, so that when he is subject to a furious hail of persecution, or a biting wind of poverty, or a torrent of down-pouring griefs, the pilgrim to the skies may hold on his way, and bid all weathers brave defiance.
3. Zeal is comforting, even as the cloak when wrapped about the traveller in the snowstorm. The man who is possessed by an irresistible passion for carrying out his life-work, will gird this gracious ardour well around him, and let the snow-flakes come as they may, they will only fall, as it were, into a furnace, and will melt before they can injure. You who have zeal for God in your Sabbath school, will find it protect you from the numbing influence that will come over you in the class.
4. Zeal endures. There is no more becoming garment to the Christian when he possesses all the virtues than an all-enveloping zeal. You will not be as Christians thought beautiful in the eyes of angels and perfect intelligences (and these are the best judges of beauty), because you coldly pursue the regular rounds of duty; but you will be beautiful to them if you glow, and flame, and blaze with intense affection towards God.
5. We must take care to put on zeal as a cloak and not as a hood. Nobody wears his cloak over his head, and yet I have known some persons whose zeal has entirely blindfolded their judgment [1743]
6. Zeal is a cloak, and therefore is not intended to supersede the other graces. We do not see the traveller climbing the Alps with nothing upon his body but his cloakthat would be most absurd; and so zeal cannot take the place of knowledge, &c. It is a cloak, which is a great thing, it is true, but it is nothing more than a cloak, and the rest of the garments must be carefully attended to.
7. Zeal is a cloak, and therefore we are not to regard it as an extraordinary robe to be worn only occasionally on high days and holidays. A man reckons his cloak not to be a thing in which to walk in state with my lord through the streets, but as a portion of his ordinary working-day dress; and so ought our zeal to be. If it be genuine zeal it will be like the cloak which always hangs ready on the nail in the hall. Nay, since the storm is always on, and we are always pilgrims, it will be like the cloak which we cannot bear to lay aside.
8. While I say that zeal is not everything, recollect that the cloak covers everything, and do not let your zeal be such a scanty thing that it will only hang like a girdle round your loins, but let it be a great wrapper in which to enfold all your manhood, apparent everywhere; not secret and inward alone, but revealed and active. Our Lord is said to put on zeal as a cloak; He manifested and displayed His holy fervour; He had not zeal in His heart merely, but He had zeal outwardly as well. Where there is grace in the heart, it soon shows itself in the life.
[1743] The zeal that God would have us cultivate is wise and prudent; it does not heedlessly leap into the ditch, though it would swim a river, yea, and the Atlantic to boot, if it felt that God had bidden it do so. Zeal is like fire, which is said to be a good servant, but a bad master. The fire in the grate, who shall say too much in its favour? But fire in the thatch of the house, who shall say too much against it? The flaming fire of zeal, burning and blazing in the soul, is a Christian gift and virtue; but when zeal takes away the judgment, the man does not wear zeal as a cloak, he makes a hood of it, and makes himself brother to a foolSpurgeon.
II. OBSERVE HOW OUR LORD EXHIBITED THIS ZEA.
1. In His earliest childhood, you have tokens of His inward zeal. He is found in the Temple.
2. In after life, you see His burning zeal in leaving all the comforts of life. What but His zeal brought Him to such a condition that He said, Foxes have holes, &c. His very dress showed His zeal, because it was not ostentatious, but in every way suitable for incessant labour and humble service. He had given up all the dainties, ay, and all the comforts of life, for the one great object of accomplishing our redemption.
3. He showed His earnestness in persevering in His work under all manner of rebuffs. He was constantly misrepresented. He came unto His own, and His own received Him not. Still He never turned aside from His work.
4. As a clearer proof of His zeal, all the blandishments of the world could not attract Him. The excited crowd would have taken Him by force, and have made Him a king, but such was His zeal for the one work He had in hand, that He counted royal honours to be less than nothing and vanity. Many a man has been zealous for God till he has met with fierce persecutions, and then he has turned his back; and many more have been zealous in the highest degree until wealth came in their way, and the possibilities of honour, and then they have stooped, and have licked the worlds foot, and have been mere poodles of fashion; their ardour for truth has evaporated, and their zeal has fled.
5. Look at His incessant labours. His life was very shortin truth, it consists of only three years of labour, as the former part of His life was spent in obscurityand there we leave it as God has left itbut the three active years of His earthly sojourn, how they are crowded with incident!
6. Look at His preaching, and you see His zeal [1746]
7. You see His zeal in His prayers. What cries and groans; what strong cryings and tears were those that shook the gates of heaven, as Jesus prayed and pleaded for the sons of men! Ah! if you seek a pattern of zeal, you must stand in the garden, &c.
8. He proved His zeal again by giving up Himself. Having persevered alone when deserted by His friends, He persevered still when given over to His enemies. What zeal was that which makes Him stand so silent before the bar of Pilate? It was a wonderful triumph of Christ thus to hold His tongue. A master speaker feels an intense longing to speak when great occasions demand his voice, but Jesus was greater than a master speaker, for He was a great master of silence, and He restrained Himself, and uttered not a word. Then when they scourged Him, &c., a wish of His could have destroyed them all; but His zeal was with Him when covered with His dying crimson: it was wrapped about His naked body as a cloak, so that the shame He despised and the cross He endured, looking forward to the recompense of reward.
[1746] What words of love He uses! How gently He addresses the poor trembling ones, as He bids them come unto Him, and they shall have rest. He does not utter those blessed invitations in a sleepy manner, but His heart goes out with every syllable, Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. And when He turns to sterner oratory, and addresses those enemies of the truth, the Scribes and Pharisees, how He thunders and lightens at them! Were ever such indignant words uttered as those of the Master, Woe unto ye, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites? Why, there stood the men. He was not speaking of them, as I might speak of people who are in Abyssinia or Japan; but there they were, before His eye, gnashing their teeth at Him, looking indignant, and longing to tear Him down and drag Him off to death. But, woe unto you! came again from His lips, and yet again woe unto you! For a pretence ye make long prayers; ye strain at a gnat, and ye swallow a camel. No man could speak more plainly than He did in the face of these hypocrites, for zeal was girt about Him as a cloak, and no fear of man could restrain Him.Spurgeon.
Observe what His zeal was made of.
(1.) It was zeal for God (Joh. 2:17).
(2.) It was also a zeal for truth.
(3.) For souls.
III. WHAT WAS IT THAT THE ZEAL OF CHRIST FED UPON?
1. Christs zeal was based upon a defined principle. It was not a hurried hasty zeal, excited in Him by the earnest addresses of eloquent pleaders; it sprang from fixed and intelligent principles; for He had set His heart upon a great purpose, He had weighed it, counted the cost, looked at it on all sides, and now He was not to be turned from it.
2. It was occasioned by intense love. He loved His Father; He could not, therefore, but do His will. He loved His people; He could not, therefore, do otherwise than seek their good.
3. It had an eye to the recompense (Heb. 12:2). Christian, think of the recompense of the faithful servantnot of debt, but of grace. What joy, when you enter heaven, to be met by those who were converted to God through your means; to hear them hail you as their spiritual father or their spiritual mother!
4. Christ was so zealous because He had a greater spiritual discernment than you and I have. He beheld the spirits of men; He beheld not their bodies only, but their inner selves; and He looked upon men, not as flesh and blood, but as immortals. Best of all, He saw God. He could say, I have set the Lord always before me, &c. What a source of zeal this must have been!C. H. Spurgeon: Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, No. 832.
Isa. 59:17. EXCHANGING CLOAKS.
The cloak, the seamless outer garment of Christ, is constantly used in Scripture as a symbol of certain things to be laid aside, and of others which are to be assumed.
I would speakI. OF THE CLOAKS THAT ARE CAST OFF BY HIM WHO COMES TO CHRIST.
1. Taught of Christ, you will substitute this zeal of Christ for the cloak of sin (Joh. 15:22).
2. For the cloak of maliciousness (1Pe. 2:16).
3. For the cloak of selfishness (1Th. 2:5). II. THE NEW COSTUME, THE CLOAK WE ARE TO PUT ONClad with zeal as with a cloak.
1. The material of this cloak.
2. Its appearance.
3. Its uses. Let me exhort you to make this change. It can be made now in a moment of time.S. H. Tyng, D.D.
Christ the Champion of His people. I. His righteousness. II. His saving power. III. His judicial authority. IV. His unwearying zeal.Dr. Lyth.
Fuente: The Preacher’s Complete Homiletical Commentary Edited by Joseph S. Exell
(17) He put on righteousness . . .The close parallelism with Isaiah 11 points, as far as it goes, to identity of authorship; and that with Eph. 6:14-17 suggests a new significance for St. Pauls whole armour of God.
The garments of vengeance . . .As parts of a warriors dress the garments are the short tunic, or tabard, which hung over the breast-plate; the cloke the scarlet mantle (the chlamys of the Roman soldier), its colour probably making it a fit symbol of the zeal of Jehovah.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
Isa 59:17 For he put on righteousness as a breastplate, and an helmet of salvation upon his head; and he put on the garments of vengeance [for] clothing, and was clad with zeal as a cloke.
Ver. 17. For he put on righteousness as a breastplate, ] i.e., Christ did; and so must every Christian, Eph 6:14 where the apostle Paul soundeth the alarm, and describeth his weapons as here, defensive and offensive, alluding likely to this text.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
He put on. Figure of speech Anthropopatheia. Note that all the armour is for defense.
breastplate = a coat of mail.
of vengeance for clothing = of avenging for clothing. Compare Isa 61:2; Isa 63:4. The Oxf. Gesenius explains it as “of Jehovah as champion of Israel” (p. 528 b).
zeal = jealousy.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
he put on righteousness: Isa 11:5, Isa 51:9, Job 29:14, Rom 13:12-14, 2Co 6:7, Eph 6:14, Eph 6:17, 1Th 5:8, Rev 19:11
the garments: Deu 32:35-43, Psa 94:1, 2Th 1:8, Heb 10:30
with zeal: Isa 9:7, Isa 63:15, Psa 69:9, Zec 1:14, Joh 2:17
Reciprocal: Exo 28:4 – a breastplate Exo 39:8 – General Lev 8:8 – General 2Ki 19:31 – the zeal 1Ch 12:18 – the spirit Job 40:10 – Deck Psa 45:4 – right Psa 93:1 – he is Psa 104:1 – clothed Isa 33:10 – Now will I rise Isa 34:8 – General Isa 37:32 – the zeal Isa 47:3 – I will take Isa 61:2 – and Jer 43:12 – putteth Jer 50:15 – for it Eze 5:13 – spoken Eze 39:24 – General Nah 1:2 – revengeth Zec 8:2 – I was jealous Luk 7:25 – A man Gal 4:18 – it is Eph 4:24 – put Col 3:10 – put
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Isa 59:17-18. For he put on righteousness as a breast-plate God, resolving to appear as a man of war, puts on his armour; he calls righteousness his breast-plate, to show the justness of his cause, as also his faithfulness in making good his promises. And a helmet of salvation upon his head As the breast-plate is to defend the heart, whereby God signifies the justness of his cause, and his faithfulness; so the helmet is to defend the head, the fountain of knowledge and wisdom, and therefore by this piece of armour God would have us to know that he can neither be deceived nor disappointed with regard to the execution of his designs, for the salvation of his faithful and obedient people; but will, without fail, carry them into effect. And he put on the garments of vengeance Or garments made of vengeance: as God is said to put on the former for their sakes whom he would preserve, so he puts on these for their sakes whom he will destroy, namely, his peoples enemies. Was clad with zeal For his own honour, and for his peoples welfare. The sum of all these expressions is, to describe both the cause and effect together; the cause was righteousness and zeal in God; the effect, salvation to his people, and vengeance on his enemies. According to their deeds Hebrew, , recompenses, or deserts. That is, he will recompense his adversaries with those effects of his fury that they have deserved. To the islands he will repay recompense He will execute judgment on his enemies to the most remote parts of the earth.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
59:17 For he put on righteousness as a breastplate, and an {q} helmet of salvation upon his head; and he put on the garments of vengeance [for] clothing, and was clad with zeal as a cloke.
(q) Signifying that God has all means at hand to deliver his Church and to punish their enemies.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
As a warrior preparing for battle, the Lord made ready to defend His people (cf. Eph 6:13-17).
"No weapon is mentioned, neither sword or bow; for His own arm procures Him help, and this alone." [Note: Delitzsch, 2:405.]