Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Isaiah 42:1
Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, [in whom] my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles.
1. The election, equipment, and mission of the Servant.
Behold my servant ] LXX. reads (“Jacob my servant”) and in the next line, (“Israel my chosen”).
whom I uphold ] Cf. ch. Isa 41:10.
mine elect ] R.V. my chosen. Used of Israel ch. Isa 43:20, Isa 45:4; cf. the verb in Isa 41:8 etc.; and Deu 7:7 &c.
I have put my spirit upon him ] The Servant’s function being prophetic, he is, like the prophets, endowed with the spirit of Jehovah. Cf. ch. Isa 11:2 ff., where the Messiah is endowed with the Spirit for His royal functions.
he shall bring forth (or send forth) judgment to the nations ] This is the ultimate purpose of the Servant’s being raised up, the diffusion of the true religion throughout the world. The word “judgement” ( mishp) occurs three times in these few verses, and evidently in a special sense. The plural is often used of the ordinances (lit. “judicial decisions”) of Jehovah; these are sometimes viewed as a unity and described by the sing. (see ch. Isa 51:4; Jer 5:4; Jer 8:7). This is the sense here; it means the religion of Jehovah regarded as a system of practical ordinances. All recent commentators instance the close parallel of the Arabic dn, which denotes both a system of usages and a religion. This the Servant shall “send forth” to the nations by his prophetic word. The best commentary on the passage is ch. Isa 2:1-4.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
1 4. Israel as the Lord’s Servant. The features of the portrait are these: (1) It starts from the thought of ch. Isa 41:8 ff., the election by which Israel is constituted the Servant of Jehovah; but this is immediately followed by (2) the equipment of the Servant with the Divine Spirit, and (3) the mission for which he is raised up, viz., to be the organ of the true religion to the world ( Isa 42:1). (4) The manner and spirit of the Servant’s working are then described; his unobtrusiveness and tenderness (3 f.). (5) His unflinching constancy in the prosecution of his work, and his final and complete success. The whole description is singularly elevated, and impressive; Jehovah speaks of His Servant as He sees him, and as he shall yet be revealed to the world.
If the Servant of the Lord here described is Israel, he is obviously not Israel in its actual condition of bondage and inefficiency. He is Israel according to its idea, the Divine ideal after and towards which Jehovah is fashioning the people. This ideal is personified, and it is the vividness of the personification that leads many readers to think that an individual must be meant. But such impressions are not greatly to be trusted. It is a very hazardous thing to set limits to the possibilities of O.T. personification. The real question is whether the characteristics ascribed to the Servant are capable of being realised by the nation of Israel, or whether they are such as to demand a separate and personal embodiment. Even if it should be found that some details do not readily fall in with the national interpretation it would not at once follow that that interpretation was false; for no one argues that our Lord’s parables must be literally true stories, because they contain features to which no spiritual meaning can be attached. But that consideration need not trouble us in this passage, for it will be seen that all that is here said of the Servant is applicable to Israel in the ideal light in which it is here presented. Certainly no historic individual of that age can possibly be the subject of the picture.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Behold – This word is designed to call attention to the person that is immediately referred to. It is an intimation that the subject is of importance, and should command their regard.
My servant – This phrase denotes properly anyone who acknowledges or worships God; anyone who is regarded as serving or obeying him. It is a term which may be applied to anyone who is esteemed to be a pious man, or who is obedient to the commands of God, and is often applied to the people of God Gen 50:17; 1Ch 6:49; 2Ch 24:9; Dan 6:20; Dan 9:2; Tit 1:1; Jam 1:1; 1Pe 2:16; Rev 7:3; Rev 15:3. The word servant may be applied either to Isaiah, Cyrus, or the Messiah; and the question to whom it refers here is to be decided, not by the mere use of the term, but by the connection, and by the characteristics which are ascribed to him who is here designated as the servant of Yahweh. There have been no less than five different views in regard to the personage here referred to; and as in the interpretation of the whole prophecy in this chapter, everything depends on this question, it is of importance briefly to examine the opinions which have been entertained.
I. One has been that it refers to the Jewish people. The translators of the Septuagint evidently so regarded it. They render it, , … Iakob ho pais mou, etc. – Jacob is my servant, I will uphold him; Israel is my chosen one, my soul hath embraced him. Jarchi also so interprets the passage, but so modifies it as to understand by it the righteous in Israel; and among the moderns, Rosenmuller, Paulus, and some others adopt this interpretation. The principal reason alleged for this interpretation is, that the phrase servant of Yahweh, is used elsewhere in a collective sense, and applied to the Jewish people. Rosenmuller appeals particularly to Isa 41:8-9; to Isa 42:19, and to Isa 44:21; Isa 45:4; Isa 48:20; and argues that it is to be presumed that the prophet used the phrase in a uniform manner, and must therefore be supposed here also to refer to the Jewish people. But the objections are insuperable.
1. In Isa 42:6, the servant of Yahweh here referred to, is plainly distinguished from the people, where God says, I will give thee for a covenant of (with) the people.
2. The description which the prophet gives here of the character of the servant of Yahweh, as meek, mild, gentle, quiet, and humble Isa 42:2-3, is remarkably unlike the character which the prophet elsewhere gives of the people, and is as remarkably like the character which is everywhere given of the Messiah.
3. It was not true of the Jewish people that they were appointed, as is here said of the servant of God Isa 42:7, to open the blind eyes, and to bring the prisoners out of prison. This is evidently applicable only to a teacher, a deliverer, or a guide; and in no sense can it be applied to the collected Jewish people.
II. A second opinion has been, that by the servant of Yahweh Cyrus was intended. Many of the Jewish interpreters have adopted this view, and not a few of the German critics. The principal argument for this opinion is, that what precedes, and what follows, relates particularly to Cyrus; and an appeal is made particularly to Isa 45:1, where he is called the Anointed, and to Isa 44:28, where he is called the Shepherd. But to this view also, the objections are obvious.
1. The name servant of Yahweh, is, it is believed, nowhere given to Cyrus.
2. The description here by no means agrees with Cyrus. That he was distinguished for justice and equity is admitted (see the note at Isa 41:2), but the expressions used here, that God would put his Spirit upon him, that he should not cry, nor lift up his voice, so that it should be heard in the streets, is one that is by no means applicable to a man whose life was spent mainly in the tumults of war, and in the pomp and carnage of battle and conquest. How can this description be applied to a man who trod down nations, and subdued kings, and who shed rivers of blood?
III. Others suppose that the prophet refers to himself. Among the Jews, Aben Ezra, and among others, Grottoes and Doderlin held this opinion. The only reason for this is, that in Isa 20:3, the name servant of Yahweh is given to Isaiah. But the objections to this are plain, and insuperable.
1. Nothing can be urged, as we have seen, from the mere use of the word servant.
2. It is inconceivable that a humble prophet like Isaiah should have applied to himself a description expressive of so much importance as is here attributed to the servant of God. How could the establishment of a new covenant with the people of God, and the conversion of the pagan nations Isa 42:6-7, be ascribed to Isaiah? And in what sense is it true that he was appointed to open the eyes of the blind, and to lead the prisoners from the prison?
IV. A fourth opinion, which it may be proper just to notice, is that which is advocated by Gesenius, that the phrase here refers to the prophets taken collectively. But this opinion is one that scarce deserves a serious refutation. For,
1. The name servant of Yahweh, is never given to any collection of the prophets.
2. Any such collection of the prophets is a mere creature of the fancy. When did they exist? Who composed the collection? And how could the name servant designate them?
3. Of what collection of people could it be imagined that the description here given could be applied, that such a collection should not strive, nor cry; that it should be a covenant of the people, and that it should be the means of the conversion of the Gentile world?
V. The fifth opinion, therefore is, that it refers to the Messiah; and the direct arguments in favor of this, independent of the fact that it is applicable to no other one, are so strong as to put it beyond debate. A few of them may be referred to.
1. This is the interpretation of the Chaldee Paraphrase, which has retained the exposition of the ancient and early Jews. Behold my servant, the Messiah ( abeddy meshytha’) I will cause him to come near; my chosen.
2. There are such applications of the passage in the New Testament to the Lord Jesus, as to leave no room to doubt that, in view of the sacred writers, the passage had this reference. Thus, in Luk 2:32, he is spoken of as a light to lighten the Gentiles (compare Isa 42:6). In Act 26:18, Paul speaks of him as given to the Gentiles, to open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light (compare Isa 42:7). In Mat 3:17, God says of the Redeemer, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased, – language remarkably similar to the passage before us Isa 42:1, where he says, mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth. And the whole inquiry is put to rest by the fact that Matthew Mat 12:17-21 expressly and directly applies the passage to the Lord Jesus, and says that it was fulfilled in him.
3. It may be added, that the entire description is one that is exactly and entirely applicable to the Lord Jesus. It is as applicable as if it had been made after he had appeared among people, and as if it were the language of biography, and not of prophecy. It is an exceedingly beautiful and tender description of the Son of God; nor can there be any objection to its application to him, except what arises from a general purpose not to apply any part of the Old Testament to him, if it can be avoided. I shall regard the passage, therefore, as applicable to him, and him alone; and suppose that the design of the Spirit here in introducing this reference to the Messiah is, to comfort the hearts of the exile Jews with the assurance that they must be restored to their own land, because it was from them that the Messiah was to proceed, and from them that the true religion was to be spread around the world.
Whom I uphold – whom I sustain, or protect; that is, who is the object of my affection and care. In Mat 3:17, the expression is, in whom I am well pleased. And so in Mat 12:18, it is rendered, my servant, whom I have chosen.
Mine elect – My chosen one; or the one whom I have selected to accomplish my great purposes. It implies that God had designated or appointed him for the purpose. In Mat 12:18, it is rendered my beloved. It implies that he was the object of the divine favor, and that God had chosen or appointed him to perform the work of a Messiah.
In whom my soul delighteth – This language is applied the Lord Jesus in Mat 3:17; Mat 12:18. God regarded him as qualified for his work: he approved of what he did; he was well pleased with all his words, and thoughts, and plans. The word soul here, is equivalent to I myself – in whom I delight.
I have put my Spirit upon him – (Compare Joh 3:34): For God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him. The Lord Jesus was divine, yet as Mediator he is everywhere represented as the anointed of God, or as endowed with the influences of the Holy Spirit (compare the note at Isa 11:2). See also Isa 61:1, where the Messiah says of himself, The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because be hath anointed me (compare Luk 4:18). Before he entered upon his public ministry, the Spirit of God descended on him at his baptism Mat 3:17, and in all his work he showed that he was endowed abundantly with that Spirit.
He shall bring forth judgment – The word judgment ( mishpat) is used in a great variety of significations. It properly means judgment, that is, the act of judging Lev 19:15; the place of judgment Ecc 3:16; a cause, or suit before a judge Num 28:5; a sentence of a judge 1Ki 3:28; and thence guilt or crime, for which one is judged Jer 51:9. It also means right, rectitude, justice; a law, or statute; a claim, privilege, or due; also manner, custom, or fashion; or an ordinance, or institution. Here it is used, probably, in the sense of the order or institution that would be introduced under the Messiah; and it means that he would set up or establish the true religion among the Gentiles.
To the Gentiles – This is one of the many declarations which occur in Isaiah, that the Messiah would extend the true religion to pagan nations, and that they should be brought to participate in its privileges.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Isa 42:1-17
Behold My Servant
Who is the servant of Jehovah?
The following are, in brief, the leading opinions which have been held:
(1) Hitzigs, that the Jewish people in exile is referred to, as distinguished from the heathen;
(2) that of Paulus and Maurer, that the servant is the pious portion of the people;
(3) that of Gesenins, that the prophetic order is intended;
(4) that of Hofmann, combining (2) and (3), that it means Israel, the prophetic people, suffering on behalf of the heathen world;
(5) that of Oehler and Delitzsch, that the conception of the servant of
Jehovah is, as it were, a pyramid, of which the base is the people of Israel as a whole, the central part Israel according to the Spirit, and the summit, the person of the Mediator of salvation, who arises out of Israel. (Prof. T. K. Cheyne, D. D.)
The Mediator is the centre
1. In the circle of the kingdom of promise–the second David.
2. In the circle of the people of salvation–the true Israel.
3. In the circle of humanity–the second Adam. (F. Delitzsch, D. D.)
The servant of Jehovah
In the sublimest description of the servant I am unable to resist the impression that we have a presentiment of an individual, and venture to think that our general view of the servant ought to be ruled by those passages in which the enthusiasm of the author is at its height. Servant of Jehovah in these passages seems equivalent to son of Jehovah in Psa 2:7 (son and servant being, in fact, nearly equivalent in the Old Testament), namely, the personal instrument of Israels regeneration, or, as we may say in the broader sense of the word, the Messiah. (Prof. T. K. Cheyne, D. D.)
Jehovah and Jehovahs servant
This servant is brought before us with all the urgency with which Jehovah has presented Himself, and next to Jehovah He turns out to be the most important figure of the prophecy. Does the prophet insist that God is the only source and sufficiency of His peoples salvation? It is with equal emphasis that He introduces the servant as Gods indispensable agent in the work. Cyrus is also acknowledged as an elect instrument. But neither in closeness to God, nor in effect upon the world, is Cyrus to be compared for an instant to the servant. Cyrus is subservient and incidental But the servant is a character, to delineate whose immortal beauty and example the prophet devotes as much space as he does to Jehovah Himself. As he turns again and again to speak of Gods omnipotence and faithfulness and agonising love for His own, so with equal frequency and fondness does he linger on every feature of the servants conduct and aspect: His gentleness, His patience, His courage, His purity, His meekness: His daily wakefulness to Gods voice, the swiftness and brilliance of His speech for others, His silence under His own torments; His resorts–among the bruised, the prisoners, the forwandered of Israel, the weary, and them that sit in darkness, the far-off heathen; His warfare with the world, His face set like a flint; His unworldly beauty, which men call ugliness; His unnoticed presence in His own generation, yet the effect of His face upon kings; His habit of woe, a man of sorrows and acquainted with sickness; His sore stripes and bruises, His judicial murder, His felons grave; His exaltation and eternal glory–till we may reverently say that these pictures, by their vividness and charm, have drawn our eyes away from our prophets visions of God, and have caused the chapters in which they occur to be oftener read among us, and learned by heart, than the chapters in which God Himself is lifted up and adored. Jehovah and Jehovahs servant–these are the two heroes of the drama. (Prof. G. A. Smith, D. D.)
The servant, first Israel as a whole, then Israel in part
Nothing could be more clear than this, that in the earlier years of the exile, the servant of Jehovah was Israel as a whole, Israel as a body politic Very soon the prophet has to make a distinction, and to sketch the servant as something less than the actual nation In modern history we have two familiar illustrations of this process of winnowing and idealising a people, in the light of their destiny. In a well-known passage in the Areopagitica Milton exclaims: Methinks I see in my mind a noble and puissant nation rousing herself and shaking her invincible locks; methinks I see her as an eagle renewing her mighty youth, and kindling her undazzled eyes at the full midday beam while the whole noise of timorous and flocking birds, with those also that love the twilight, flutter about, amazed at what she means. In this passage the nation is no longer what Milton meant by the term in the earlier part of his treatise, where England stands simply for the outline of the whole English people; but the nation is the true genius of England realised in her enlightened and aspiring sons, and breaking away from the hindering and debasing members of the body politic. Or, recall Mazzinis bitter experience. To no man was his Italy more really one than to this ardent son of hers, who loved every born Italian because he was an Italian, and counted none of the fragments of his unhappy country too petty or too corrupt to be included in the hope of her restoration. To Mazzinis earliest imagination, it was the whole Italian seed who were ready for redemption, and would rise to achieve it at his summons. But when his summons came, how few responded, and after the first struggles how fewer still remained, Mazzini himself has told us with breaking heart. The real Italy was but a handful of born Italians; at times it seemed to shrink to the prophet alone. From such a core the conscience indeed spread again, till the entire people was delivered from tyranny and from schism, and now every peasant and burgher from the Alps to Sicily understands what Italy means, and is proud to be an Italian. But for a time Mazzini and his few comrades stood alone. It is a similar winnowing process through which we see our prophets thought pass with regard to Israel. Him, too, experience teaches, that the many are called, but the few chosen. Perhaps the first traces of distinction between the real servant and the whole nation are to be found in the programme of his mission (Isa 42:1-7). (Prof. G. A. Smith, D. D.)
The ideal servant Jehovah
That mysterious form of the ideal servant of Jehovah, which seems, as we read, to shift and change its aspect, was to Israel what the colossal man of the idealist is to humanity at large (E. H.Plumptre, D. D.)
The servant of the Lord
The figure, as it first appears in this half of what are called Isaiahs prophecies, evidently represents Israel as God intended it to be, chosen for His service and for the diffusion of His Name; the conviction gradually steals over the prophet that the nation cannot discharge these functions, but that the Israel within Israel, the devout core of the people, is the Servant of the Lord; and finally, the knowledge seems to have been breathed into him that not even that holy seed which is the substance thereof is adequate to do all that the Servant of the Lord is to do; and thus finally the figure changes into a Person, who can be and do all that Israel ought to have been and done, but was not, and did not. In other words, whether the prophet discerned it or no, the role of the Servant of the Lord is only fulfilled by Jesus Christ. (A. Maclaren, D. D.)
Cyrus and the Servant of Jehovah
His relation to Cyrus, before whose departure from connection with Israels fate the Servant does not appear as a person, is most interesting. Perhaps we may best convey it in a homely figure On the ship of Israels fortunes–as on every ship and on every voyage–the prophet sees two personages. One is the pilot through the shallows, Cyrus, who is dropped as soon as the shallows are past; and the other is the captain of the ship, who remains always identified with it–the servant. The captain does not come to the front till the pilot is gone; but, both alongside the pilot, and after the pilot has been dropped, there is every room for his office. (Prof. G. A. Smith, D. D.)
The ideal servants work
The chief aspects of the ideal servants work may be classed as follows:
1. He is to be the embodiment of a new covenant between Jehovah and His people, to restore the actual nation exiled at the time in Babylon, and to reestablish them in their own land (Isa 42:6; Isa 49:5-6; Isa 49:8).
2. But He has a mission not to Israel merely, but to the world: He is to teach the world true religion, and to be a light of the Gentiles (Isa 42:1; Isa 24:3; Isa 24:6; Isa 49:6).
3. He is to be a prophet, patient and faithful in the discharge of His work, in spite of the contumely and opposition which He may encounter Isa 50:4-9).
4. Being innocent Himself, He is to suffer and die for the sins of others Isa 53:4-9). (Prof. S. R. Driver, D. D.)
The Trinity in unity
This is the language of the Eternal Father; but it contains a description of our blessed Lord and Saviour in His character, as the Redeemer of the world. Then the Spirit of God is represented as resting upon Christ, to qualify Him for that work of redemption; and thus in this one verse we have brought before us suggestions concerning the Fathers sovereign will, the Sons willing obedience, and the Spirits fulness of grace manifested in the Person of the Son, and the setting Him apart for His real work.
I. THE SCRIPTURAL REVELATION CONCERNING THE TRINITY IN UNITY.
1. No one can doubt that Holy Scripture teaches the unity of God.
2. Yet Scripture speaks of this one God, this one Jehovah, Israels Lord, as revealing Himself in three distinct characters and relations, and only three.
3. Then Scripture attributes works and qualities to each of these three Persons which could not be attributed to them justly if each of them were not truly God.
4. Then Holy Scripture teaches, notwithstanding, that these Three Divine Persons, each spoken of as God, are yet one God, and this without any difference or inequality.
II. THE PRACTICAL VIEW OF THE TRINITY WHICH THIS PASSAGE CONTAINS. We gather from it that it is the will of the Eternal Jehovah that the glory of the Trinity should be specially manifested in connection with the Person and work of Christ. Observe the description of the Second Person in the blessed Trinity.
1. He is Gods Servant. How can the Second Person in the Trinity be spoken of as the Servant of the Eternal Father? The very expression denotes the manhood of Christ. He cannot be a Servant except by creation, and His body was created in order that He might sustain the position of Servant to the Eternal God. A body, we are told in the Epistle to the Hebrews, quoting from the Psalms, hast Thou prepared Me . . . Lo, I come to do Thy will, O God. Here is the Son speaking to the Father. Then the expression Gods Servant denotes the humiliation of our blessed Lord Php 2:7). As Gods servant we have to consider Him in connection with His office, as well as with His humiliation and with His manhood. The office which He had to sustain was to bring sinful men back again to God.
2. Then He is Gods beloved–Mine elect, in whom My soul delighteth.
3. The Man Christ Jesus has the Spirit of God–I will put My Spirit upon Him, that is, I will put it on Him as a garment. At the conception, and at His baptism and ordination to His work, this was specially manifested. Then Jesus had the Spirit for the special work which He had to perform as Mediator. There were three objects to be accomplished, if man was to have a suitable remedy. Man was ignorant of Gods will through sin: he needed, therefore, a prophet to teach him, not only what to do, but the actual doing of it, and Jesus was anointed to be that Prophet. Then man was rebellious, and he needed, therefore, a king who should rule over his inward passions, and subdue them, as well as over his outward enemies, and quell them: and therefore Jesus was anointed, that He might sustain the office of King. And man was in a sinful condition, under the curse of the broken law, and therefore he needed a priest to sacrifice for him, and to make intercession for him, and Jesus was that Priest, anointed with the Spirit of God, in order that He might make that satisfaction, and offer that sacrifice, and present that intercession through which sinners may be brought nigh unto God. Thus qualified, the Saviour will bring forth judgment to the Gentiles. (W. Cadman, M. A.)
The servitude of Jesus
I. IN CHRIST, SERVICE AND FREEDOM WERE PERFECTLY COMBINED. He gave the service of being, the service of work, the service of suffering, the service of worship, the service of rest each to the very highest point of which that service is capable. But when He came, knowing as He did all to which He was coming, He came with these words upon His lips, I delight to do it.
II. CHRIST HAD MANY MASTERS, AND HE SERVED THEM ALL WITH PERFECT SERVICE.
1. There was His own high purpose, which had armed Him for His mission, and never by a hairs-breadth did He ever swerve from that.
2. There was the law. The law had no right over Christ, and yet how He served the law, in every requirement, moral, political, ceremonial, to the smallest tittle.
3. There was death, that fearful master with his giant hand. Step by step, inch by inch, slowly, measuredly, He put Himself under its spell, He obeyed its mandate, and He owned its power.
4. To His Heavenly Father what a true Servant He was, not only in fulfilling all the Fathers will, but as He did it, in always tracing to Him all the power, and giving back to Him all the glory.
III. THERE IS A DEPTH OF BEAUTY AND POWER, OF LIBERTY AND HUMILIATION, OF ABANDONMENT AND LOVE, IN THAT WORD SERVANT, which none ever know who have not considered it as one of the titles of Jesus. But there is another name of Jesus, very dear to His people, The Master. To understand the Master you must yourself have felt the Servant. (J. Vaughan, M. A.)
The dignity of service
He is not a man of clear and weighty judgment who sees nothing of honour even in the word servant. Ill times have befallen us if we attach to that word nothing but the idea of humiliation, lowness, valuelessness. That word must be restored to its right place in human intercourse. If any man proudly rise and say he is not servant, there is a retort, not of human invention, which might overwhelm any who are not swallowed up of self-conceit and self-idolatry. We do not know what it is to rule until we know what it is to serve. (J. Parker, D. D.)
Gods programme for the world
This programme is entrusted to the servant of the Lord, who is the Christ of the New Testament.
I. THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN JEHOVAH AND HIS SERVANT. In all His life of ministry this Servant was assured of three things–
1. That He was chosen of God for the service to which He came.
2. That He dwelt deep in the love of God His Father.
3. That His life lay entirely within the will of God. He was chosen, beloved, approved. All this is possible to those who say, I am the Lords.
II. THE SERVANTS DIVINE EQUIPMENT. I have put My Spirit upon Him.
III. THE MISSION OF THE SERVANT: ITS TEMPER AND METHOD. Christ came to reveal God, to restore all things to the pattern of the Divine mind, to make Gods judgment the standard of all life and conduct, so that the world should be governed by the principles of Gods righteousness. This is to be accomplished without noise or ostentation. This description of Christs character is remarkable for its omissions: it is a striking list of omissions. The Spirit works by a process of exclusion in revelation and sanctification, and in the restoration of righteousness in the world. (S. Chadwick.)
The ideal Israelite
Long before Christ appeared in the flesh, He had already appeared in the Spirit. The chapter carries us back to a time when the conception of a Saviour definitely began. Up to then there had been vague presentiments; after then there was a character prepared for the Jesus who was to come. So it is with all heroes, they are needed before they are born; they could not work their work unless they were needed and discerned; they have prophets to beget them as well as parents.
I. AN ACTUAL NAME APPLIED. The title of Gods servant is one that runs through all Oriental language. The Israelite people at large had failed,–the Jewish people, as reformed by Josiah, had failed,–it remained for God to justify His purpose by manifesting a new model, who should represent Him rightly to the Gentiles.
II. AN IDEAL DESCRIPTION GIVEN.
1. This genuine man of God must be a man of gentleness, and yet He should inherit the earth.
2. A method equally new would prevail in religion; there the true Missionary would proceed with tolerance; He would not thrust His revelation upon aliens, He would open their eyes to behold their own revelation; they also had lamps, dimly-burning, but still alight. Gods servant must not extinguish them, He must revive them.
3. But to be gentle in forwarding the right, tolerant in inculcating the true, tender in making allowance for the weak–all this belongs to consummate sympathy, and sympathy demands compensating qualities, for it has besetting defects. Converse with sensitive consciences is often enfeebling. Virtue goes out of us in the endeavour to impart strength, and the infection of fear overtakes the very physician. But our prophet has a strong intellect in view, a Helper who shall not be bruised by anything He has to bear.
4. There is about the perfect character the distinction of patience. He burns brightly in mind. He bears up bravely in heart, until He have set judgment in the earth. This true service has been fulfilled by the Carpenter of Nazareth–His qualities are on record; His spirit lasts. (B. H. Alford.)
Messiah and His work
I. THE CHARACTER AND SPIRIT OF THE MESSIAH.
II. THE WORK WITH WHICH, AS THE FATHERS SERVANT, HE HAD BEEN ENTRUSTED.
III. THE WAY IN WHICH HE WAS TO EXECUTE IT. He shall not fail, etc. (Original Secession Magazine.)
The service of God and man
I. THE CONSCIENCE OF THE SERVICE. Before being a service of man, it is a service for God. My servant.
II. THE SUBSTANCE OF SERVICE. Judgment for the nations shall He bring forth. According to truth shall He bring forth judgment. He shall not flag nor break, till He set in the earth judgment.
III. THE TEMPER OF SERVICE (Isa 42:2-3).
IV. THE POWER BEHIND SERVICE (Isa 42:5-6). (Prof. G. A. Smith, D. D.)
Behold, My Servant!
They are rare qualities which Jehovah calls us to behold in the elect Servant: a Divine modesty; a Divine humility; a Divine perseverance.
I. THE MODESTY OF THE BEST WORK. God is always at work in our world, leading the progress of suns, refreshing grass with dew, directing the flight of the morning beams. But all His work is done so quietly, so unobtrusively, with such reticence as to His personal agency, that many affirm there is no God at all. Thus was it with the work of Christ. He put His hand on the mouths of those who proclaimed His deity, or blazoned abroad His fame. This quality is Gods hall-mark upon the best work. His highest artists do not inscribe their names upon their pictures, nor introduce their portraits amongst their groups.
II. THE HUMILITY OF THE BEST WORK. He has put down the mighty from their seat, and exalted the humble and meek. And so was it with our Lord. He passed by Herods palace, and chose Bethlehem and its manger bed. He refused empires of the world, and took the way of the cross. He selected His apostles and disciples from the ranks of the poor. He revealed His choicest secrets to babes. He left the society of the Pharisee and Scribe, and expended Himself on bruised reeds and smoking flax, on dying thieves and fallen women, and the peasantry of Galilee.
III. DIVINE PERSEVERANCE. Though our Lord is principally concerned with the bruised and the dimly-burning wick, He is neither one nor the other (see R.V., marg.). He is neither discouraged nor does He fail. This, again, is the quality of the best work. That which emanates from the flesh is full of passion, fury, and impulse. It essays to deliver Israel by a spasm of force that lays an Egyptian dead in the sand; but it soon exhausts itself, and sinks back nerveless and spent. It is impossible too strongly to emphasise the necessity of relying in Christian work on the co-witness of the Spirit of God. (F. B. Meyer, B. A.)
Purpose and method of the Redeemer
I. THE REDEEMERS PURPOSE. He shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles; He shall bring forth judgment unto truth, and He is to set judgment in the earth. The word judgment, as here used, has no better equivalent than righteousness, in the sense of that which is essentially right in heart and life, both toward God and man. This righteousness–rightness–in all the powers and operations of the soul, and in all its relations to God and the universe, is the master-need of mankind. The Redeemer has undertaken to meet this great need of the world. He came not to establish certain forms of theological thought and expression; not to set up certain ecclesiastical organisations and rituals–all these are of little worth, except in so far as they can be made the means to a vastly grander end. Jesus Christ came to establish essential righteousness in individual human souls, and so in the community and in the world. It is His grand purpose to enlighten the ignorance, to quicken the conscience, to energise the will, to purify the affections, and to exalt the aims of men, bringing them thus into harmony with God. He came to make every wrong right–to break the oppressors yoke, to banish cupidity and caste, ignorance and selfishness, and every form of sin. In the prosecution of this sublime purpose the Redeemer calls all His disciples into co-operation with Himself. In this they are to find the development of their own spiritual character, and by this the world is to be won for Christ.
II. THE REDEEMERS METHOD. This is set before us by the prophet in a fourfold view–
1. As authorised. Behold My Servant, whom I uphold; Mine elect, in whom My soul delighteth; I have put My Spirit upon Him. Here the Redeemer is represented as acting under the appointment and authorisation of the Eternal Father. Nor is it difficult to perceive why this is necessary. God, as the Sovereign, against whom man has offended, was alone competent to determine whether any mediation could be admitted between Himself and His rebellious creatures, and, if any, what the nature of that mediation should be. It is essential to any mans faith in redemption that he should recognise it as of God from the beginning. The interposition of Christ is first of all, and more than all, the manifestation of the Fathers impartial and everlasting love for lost men. The Redeemer is God, the equal of the Father in glory, majesty, power, divinity, and eternity; but He is God manifest in the flesh. As it was necessary that the Redeemer should be authorised, so it was necessary that the authority under which He acted should be explicitly attested. It was thus attested. Mine elect in whom My soul delighteth; I have put My Spirit upon Him (Luk 4:14). This aspect of His mission was clearly understood by His apostles (Act 4:27; Act 10:38). At intervals during His ministry there came to Him Divine attestation; at its close He was declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the Spirit of holiness by the resurrection of the dead: and having ascended to the Father He was constituted Head over all things to the Church, principlities and powers being made subject to Him, for it pleased the Father that in Him should all fulness dwell.
2. As unostentatious (Isa 42:2). Messiahs mission was to be distinguished by no secular pomp, by no military glory. The Redeemers appearance was to be lowly, His operations silent and unobtrusive. The Saviour of men is great in gentleness. On this point prophecy is mysteriously impressive. History answers to prophecy. In the life of Jesus Christ there is a marvellous mingling of grandeur and humility. The same principle pervades the whole of His administration. There is marvellous grandeur, but there is deep lowliness. The Gospel has mysteriously subdued the hearts of men, forming into its own spirit tempers and habits the most alien from its nature.
3. As compassionate. A bruised reed, etc. Advancing to the realisation of His sublime purpose the Redeemer will not overlook the smallest acquisition; and His attention will be especially directed to those who are specially needy, weak, and helpless.
4. As persevering. He shall not fail, etc. He was not discouraged. He ploughed His way through all opposition from Bethlehem to Golgotha. The risen and exalted Redeemer is moving steadily on to His final and complete triumph. (R. R. Meredith, D. D.)
The Servant of Jehovah
I. THE CHARACTER HE SUSTAINS. Behold, My Servant, etc. In this capacity God sustained and protected Him. He is also set forth as the object of His special choice and affection. Mine elect, etc. He delighted in Him on account–
1. Of the close relationship that existed between them. Not merely was He Jehovahs Servant, but His only-begotten Son.
2. The resemblance He bore to Him.
3. His having engaged to execute the Divine purposes.
II. THE WORK HE HAD TO ACCOMPLISH.
1. For this work He was endowed with every requisite qualification. I have put My Spirit upon Him.
2. The work assigned to Him was very extensive in its range. He shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles.
3. The character of His work is here intimated. He was to bring forth judgment; for the religion He would establish was to be pre-eminently distinguished truth and righteousness.
III. THE MANNER IN WHICH IT WAS TO BE EFFECTED.
1. The absence of all ostentation and clamour. It is invariably found that it is not the most noisy that do the most work.
2. He was to evince great tenderness and compassion. A bruised reed, etc. These words were verified in His conduct towards two classes–
(1) The humble penitent.
(2) His bitterest foes. This passage is thus applied by Matthew (chap. 12.).
3. Perseverance in the face of all difficulties and discouragements. He shall not fail nor be discouraged, etc. (Anon.)
The coming Saviour
About these chapters, as a unit, a halo of Messianic brightness gathers, like the aureole with which painters surround the brow of Christ. In these verses (1-11) the prophet taught that–
I. THE COMING SAVIOUR WAS TO SET UP A KINGDOM WHICH SHOULD BE UNIVERSAL (Isa 42:1; Isa 42:4; Isa 42:6). Those whom Isaiah addressed supposed that true religion was to reach the world, if at all, through the channels of Judaism; they thought the only way to heaven was through the ,portals of the Jewish Church. The prophet declares that the benefits of Christ s kingdom are to extend to Jew and Gentile alike. No distinctions of race or clime are to arrest its growth. No wonder that under the thrill of such a vision he shouts, Sing unto the Lord a new song, and His praise from the end of the earth! It is sometimes said that the religious spirit of the Old Testament is narrow; that it makes God bestow His favours on the few, and not on the many. Can, however, a larger measure of grace be conceived than is here expressed?
II. CHRISTS KINGDOM WAS TO BE EXTENDED BY PEACEFUL MEASURES (verses 2, 3). The prophet addressed those who thought religious conquest was to be achieved by force. Hitherto conflicts had marked the intercourse of Gods chosen people with the Gentiles. The Jews looked for their coming king to be warlike. How strangely, then, does Isaiah describe their conquering prince,–He shall not cry, i.e shout as He advances, nor lift up, i.e make demonstration of His power, nor shall He cause His voice to be heard in the street. A bruised reed shall He not break, and the smoking flax shall He not quench: He shall bring forth judgment unto truth, i.e truth shall be His victorious weapon. The element in Christianity to which our text refers makes that which is feeble among men powerful for Christ. It also makes it possible for all Christs servants to be efficient labourers. They become such by imbibing the spirit of the Master. Not all can publicly proclaim the Gospel, but every one can seek for the same mind which was in Christ.
III. CHRISTS KINGDOM WAS TO REVEAL GODS SYMPATHY WITH MAN, ESPECIALLY IN HIS SUFFERING. (verse 7). The primary reference in these figures is undoubtedly to spiritual results. Eyes morally blind are to be opened, and captive souls emancipated from the prison-house of sin. It is, however, no less true that bodily and mental freedom are included in the blessings of Messiahs reign. The Church is now the representative of the Divine sympathy for suffering; and she should not forget that, as of old, believers will be multiplied when it is seen that through her Christ now cares for bodies as well as souls.
IV. CHRISTS KINGDOM WAS TO FILL THE EARTH WITH JOY (verses 10, 11). As lessons from our subject we learn–
1. Christians should labour in hope. Isaiah suggests one of the strongest proofs of our Lords divinity by affirming, He shall not fail nor be discouraged until He have set judgment in the land. When we learn of the Master we catch a hopeful spirit.
2. The results of serving Christ are permanent. (Sermons by the Monday Club.)
Silent spread of Christianity
This prophecy accords with fact. Gibbon, in his History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, has the following words describing the silent but rapid spread of Christianity: While the Roman Empire was invaded by open violence or undermined by slow decay, a pure and humble religion gently insinuated itself into the minds of men, grew up in silence and obscurity, derived new vigour from opposition, and finally erected the triumphant banner of the Cross on the ruins of the Capitol. (Sermons by the Monday Club.)
The coming Saviour
I. OUR LORDS CHARACTER AS PORTRAYED IN PROPHECY.
1. That our Lord should come as a servant (Isa 42:1).
(1) This was His own testimony when He came (Mat 20:28; Joh 6:38).
(2) This is the testimony of the apostles (Php 2:6-8).
2. That our Lord was Divinely chosen for His work. Mine elect (1Pe 2:6-7).
3. That our Lord should be endowed with the Holy Spirit. I have put My Spirit upon Him (Mat 3:16-17; Luk 4:14; Luk 4:18-19; Heb 9:14; Heb 1:9).
4. That our Lord would institute a religion for the Gentiles (Isa 42:1). Such is the force of the word judgment.
5. That His Spirit would be most tender and gentle (Isa 42:2-3).
(1) This, surely, is a correct description of the historic Christ. His own testimony (Mat 11:29). The testimony of His apostles Heb 7:26; Heb 12:2-3; 1Pe 2:21-24).
(2) In this He gave His disciples an example.
6. That His courage would be equal to His gentleness (verse 4).
(1) It is not the noisy and boastful that are the most courageous and reliable.
(2) The deeper our conviction of the truthfulness of our cause the more patient and gentle may we be in its advocacy.
(3) The commission of Christ to His disciples proves His entire confidence in the success of His cause.
II. OUR LORDS COMMISSION FORETOLD IN PROPHECY.
1. In its authority (verses 5, 9). The authority is the highest in respect to power and principle.
2. In its purpose (verse 7).
(1) Our Lord appropriates the terms of this commission to Himself Luk 4:17-19).
(2) This is the commission He fulfilled in His life.
III. BOTH THE CHARACTER AND COMMISSION OF CHRIST ARE JUST INCENTIVES TO THANKSGIVING TO GOD (verse 10).
1. All should praise God.
2. To praise God for Christ intelligently we must personally experience His saving power.
Lessons–
1. The study of prophecy is the imperative duty of every child of God.
2. The most inspiring portions of prophecy are those which centre in the person and work of our Lord Jesus.
3. No prophecy can be fully understood that is not interpreted in the light of Christs work. For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.
4. Christianity is a religion for the whole race (verse 4).
5. The gentleness with which its advocates should be characterised and the beneficent designs of its mission must commend it, when rightly represented, to all nations, climes, and tongues.
6. Under no circumstances will our Lord justify His disciples in an advocacy of His Gospel in a spirit antagonistic to His own.
7. Let all disciples of Christ copy His life, spirit and love, and work for the gracious ends for which He lived and died! (Homiletic Review.)
The servant of Jehovah
This chapter exhibits to our view the servant of Jehovah, i.e the Messiah and His people, as a complex person, and as the messenger or representative of God among the nations.
1. His mode of operation is described as being not violent but peaceful (Isa 42:1-5).
2. The effects of His influence are represented as not natural but spiritual (Isa 42:6-9).
3. The power of God is pledged for His success, notwithstanding all appearances of inaction or indifference on His part (Isa 42:10-17). (J. A. Alexander.)
Mine elect in whom My soul delighteth
Christ delighted in by the Father
Christ Jesus was the elect of God, inasmuch as from all eternity infinite wisdom had chosen Him to execute the sovereign purposes of infinite mercy. We may pronounce that the Father delighted in His elect, because–
I. THE MEDIATION OF CHRIST MAGNIFIED EVERY DIVINE ATTRIBUTE.
II. IT ALSO MET EVERY HUMAN NECESSITY. (H. Melvill, B. D.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
CHAPTER XLII
The prophet sets forth the meekness of Messiah’s character, and
the extent and blessings of his kingdom, particularly among the
Gentiles, 1-9.
In consequence of this he calls on the whole creation to join
him in one song of praise to God, 10-12.
After which he seems again to glance at the deliverance from
the captivity; although the words may full as well apply to the
deliverance vouchsafed to the Church; to the overthrow of her
must powerful enemies; and to the prevalency of true religion
over idolatry and error, 13-17.
The prophet then reproves the Jews for their blindness and
infidelity in rejecting the Messiah, and gives intimations of
these judgments which their guilt would draw on them, 18-25.
The prophet, having opened his subject with the preparation for the return from captivity at Babylon, and intimated that a much greater deliverance was covered under the veil of that event, proceeded to vindicate the power of God, as Creator and disposer of all things; and his infinite knowledge, from his prediction of future events, and in particular of that deliverance. He went still farther, and pointed out the instrument by which he should effect the redemption of his people the Jews from slavery; namely, a great conqueror, whom he would call forth from the north and the east to execute his orders. In this chapter he proceeds to the greater deliverance; and at once brings forth into full view, without throwing any veil of allegory over the subject, the Messiah. “Behold my servant, Messiah,” says the Chaldee. St. Matthew has applied it directly to Christ; nor can it with any justice or propriety be applied to any other person or character whatever. – L
NOTES ON CHAP. XLII
Verse 1. Behold my servant, whom I uphold] ethmach bo, on whom I lean. Alluding to the custom of kings leaning on the arm of their most beloved and faithful servant. All, both Jews and Christians, agree, that the seven first verses of this chapter belong to Christ. Now, as they are evidently a continuation of the prophecy in the preceding chapter, that prophecy cannot belong to Cyrus, but to Christ.
He shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles – “He shall publish judgment to the nations”] Four MSS. two ancient, add the conjunction vemishpat. See Mt 12:18.
The word mishpat, judgment, like tsedakah, righteousness, is taken in a great latitude of signification. It means rule, form, order, model, plan; rule of right, or of religion; an ordinance, institution; judicial process, cause, trial, sentence, condemnation, acquittal, deliverance, mercy, &c. It certainly means in this place the law to be published by Messiah, the institution of the Gospel.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
The prophet, having in the former chapter detected the vanity of idols, by their gross ignorance of future things, and having given one eminent instance of Gods certain foreknowledge of things to come, in the prediction of the destruction of Babylon, and the deliverance of the Jews out of it by Cyrus, he now addeth another more eminent and remote example of it, and foretelleth the coming of the Messiah, and several great effects or consequences thereof; which he rather doth, because this was the person by whom the idols were to be utterly abolished, as was foretold, Isa 2:18, compared with Isa 42:2-4, and as it fell out in the event; this having been observed not only by Christians, but even by the learned heathens, not without astonishment, that at that time when Christ came into the world idols were generally struck dumb, and the oracles ceased. My servant; the person of whom he here speaketh is by some supposed to be Cyrus, and by others Isaiah himself, and by others the people of the Jews. But the most and best interpreters understand this place of Christ. And although I am sensible that some learned men have done wrong to the sacred text, and to the Christian cause, by expounding some places of Christ without sufficient evidence, yet this is one of the many places in this prophecy which cannot without manifest violence be applied to any other; which is so evident, that not only the generality of Christians, but divers of the most learned Jews, understand it of the Messiah, and of him alone; and pass a severe censure upon their brethren that expound it of any other person, and affirm that they are smitten with blindness in this matter. Moreover this place is expressly interpreted of Christ, Mat 12:18, &c.; and to him, and to him only, all the particulars here following do truly and evidently belong, as we shall see.
Whom I uphold; whom I will assist and enable to do and suffer all those things which belong to his office to do.
Mine elect; chosen by me to this great work of mediation and redemption, to which he is said to be sealed and sent, Joh 6:27,29, and predestinated, 1Pe 1:20, and chosen of God, 1Pe 2:4.
Delighteth; or, as this same word is oft rendered, is well-pleased, both for himself and for all his people, being fully satisfied with that sacrifice which he shall offer up to me.
I have put my Spirit upon him; I have furnished him with that abundance and eminency of gifts and graces which are necessary for the discharge of his high and hard employment.
Shall bring forth; shall publish or show, as this word is translated, Mat 12:18; shall bring to light what before was hid in his breast, or in his Fathers bosom.
Judgment: this word is very ambiguous, and elsewhere is put for punishment, which cannot be meant here, because the whole context speaks of his mercy and sweetness, and not of his severity; but here it is clearly put for Gods law, as this very word is expounded here below, Isa 42:4, and as it is frequently used in the Holy Scriptures, as Psa 119, and elsewhere: which also best agrees with the bringing forth or publishing of it here mentioned, publication being necessarily required and constantly used about laws. And this interpretation is confirmed by the following words,
to the Gentiles. For the great things which Christ published unto all the world, both Jews and Gentiles, was nothing else but the law, and will, and counsel of God concerning mans salvation, and the way and means of obtaining it.
To the Gentiles; not only to the Jews, to whom the knowledge of Gods laws had been hitherto appropriated, but to the heathen nations of the world.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
1. my servantThe law ofprophetic suggestion leads Isaiah from Cyrus to the far greaterDeliverer, behind whom the former is lost sight of. The expressquotation in Mt 12:18-20,and the description can apply to Messiah alone (Ps40:6; with which compare Exo 21:6;Joh 6:38; Phi 2:7).Israel, also, in its highest ideal, is called the “servant”of God (Isa 49:3). But thisideal is realized only in the antitypical Israel, itsrepresentative-man and Head, Messiah (compare Mat 2:15;Hos 11:1). “Servant”was the position assumed by the Son of God throughout Hishumiliation.
electchosen by Godbefore the foundation of the world for an atonement (1Pe 1:20;Rev 13:8). Redemption was noafterthought to remedy an unforeseen evil (Rom 16:25;Rom 16:26; Eph 3:9;Eph 3:11; 2Ti 1:9;2Ti 1:10; Tit 1:2;Tit 1:3). In Mt12:18 it is rendered “My beloved”; the only belovedSon, beloved in a sense distinct from all others. Electionand the love of God are inseparably joined.
soula human phraseapplied to God, because of the intended union of humanity with theDivinity: “I Myself.”
delightethis wellpleased with, and accepts, as a propitiation. God could have”delighted” in no created being as a mediator(compare Isa 42:21; Isa 63:5;Mat 3:17).
spirit upon him(Isa 11:2; Isa 61:1;Luk 4:18; Joh 3:34).
judgmentthe gospeldispensation, founded on justice, the canon of the divine ruleand principle of judgment called “the law” (Isa2:3; compare Isa 42:4;Isa 51:4; Isa 49:6).The Gospel has a discriminating judicial effect: savingto penitents; condemnatory to Satan, the enemy (Joh 12:31;Joh 16:11), and the wilfullyimpenitent (Joh 9:39). Mt12:18 has, “He shall show,” for “He shallbring forth,” or “cause to go forth.” Christboth produced and announced His “judgment.”The Hebrew dwells most on His producing it; Matthew onHis announcement of it: the two are joined in Him.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Behold my servant, whom I uphold,…. The Targum is,
“behold my servant the Messiah;”
and Kimchi on the place says, this is the King Messiah; and so Abarbinel f interprets it of him, and other Jewish writers, and which is right; for the prophet speaks not of himself, as Aben Ezra thinks; nor of Cyrus, as Saadiah Gaon; nor of the people of Israel, as Jarchi; but of Christ, as it is applied, Mt 12:17 who is spoken of under the character of a “servant”, as he is; not as a divine Person, for as such he is the Son of God; but as man, and in his office as Mediator; a servant of the Lord, not of angels, or men, but of his divine Father; who chose him, called and sent him, and assigned him his work; which was principally the redemption of his people, and which he diligently, faithfully, and fully performed; in which he was “upheld” as man and Mediator by his Father, not only in his being as man, but was strengthened and helped in his mediatorial service so that he did not sink under the mighty weight of the sins of his people, or of the wrath of God: or, “whom I lean upon” g; as a master on his servant, so Kimchi; he relied on him to do the work he undertook; he trusted him with his own glory, and the salvation of his people. This prophecy is ushered in with a “behold”; exciting attention to what is said concerning Christ, as of the greatest importance; directing the eye of faith to him for righteousness and salvation; and as expressive of admiration at him, that he who was the Son of God should become a servant, and undertake the salvation of men:
mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth: this character of “elect” may respect the choice of the human nature to the grace of union with the Son of God; which was chosen out from among the people, and separated from them for that purpose; and was preordained to be the Lamb slain for the redemption of man, and appointed to glory; and likewise the choice of Christ to office, to be the Mediator between God and man; to be the Saviour and Redeemer of the Lord’s people; to be the Head of the church, and to be the foundation and the corner stone of that spiritual building; and to be the Judge of quick and dead: and with him, as such, was the Lord “well pleased, or delighted”; with his person; as the Son of God; and with all his chosen, as considered in him; with what he did as his servant; with the righteousness he wrought out; with the sacrifice he offered up; and with his sufferings and death, through which peace and reconciliation were made with God for sinners:
I have put my Spirit upon him; my Holy Spirit, as the Targum; not on him as a divine Person, as such he needed him not; but as man, with which he was filled without measure at his incarnation, and which rested upon him, and qualified him for his work and office, as Prophet, Priest, and King:
he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles; the Gospel, the produce of divine wisdom; the Gospel of God, whose judgment is according to truth; the rule of human judgment in things spiritual and saving, and by which Christ judges and rules in the hearts of his people; this he brought forth out of his Father’s bosom, out of his own heart, and published it in person to the Jews, and by his apostles to the converted by it, became subject to his rule and government. Gentiles, who being converted by it, became subject to his rule and government.
f Mashmiah Jeshuah, fol. 9. col. 1. 2. Chizzuk Emunah, p. 299. g “qui innitar”, Munster, “innitar ei, vel illi”, Pagninus, Calvin; “in eo”, Montanus.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
The hen (behold) in Isa 41:29 is now followed by a second hen . With the former, Jehovah pronounced sentence upon the idolaters and their idols; with the latter, He introduces His “servant.” In Isa 41:8 this epithet was applied to the nation, which had been chosen as the servant and for the service of Jehovah. But the servant of Jehovah who is presented to us here is distinct from Israel, and has so strong an individuality and such marked personal features, that the expression cannot possibly be merely a personified collective. Nor can the prophet himself be intended; for what is here affirmed of this servant of Jehovah goes infinitely beyond anything to which a prophet was ever called, or of which a man was ever capable. It must therefore be the future Christ; and this is the view taken in the Targum, where the translation of our prophecy commences thus: “ Ha’ abhd M e shcha .” Still there must be a connection between the national sense, in which the expression “servant of Jehovah” was used in Isa 41:8, and the personal sense in which it is used here. The coming Saviour is not depicted as the Son of David, as in chapters 7-12, and elsewhere, but appears as the embodied idea of Israel, i.e., as its truth and reality embodied in one person. The idea of “the servant of Jehovah” assumed, to speak figuratively, the from of a pyramid. The base was Israel as a whole; the central section was that Israel, which was not merely Israel according to the flesh, but according to the spirit also; the apex is the person of the Mediator of salvation springing out of Israel. And the last of the three is regarded (1.) as the centre of the circle of the promised kingdom – the second David; (2.) the centre of the circle of the people of salvation – the second Israel; (3.) the centre of the circle of the human race – the second Adam. Throughout the whole of these prophecies in chapters 40-66 the knowledge of salvation is still in its second stage, and about to pass into the third. Israel’s true nature as a servant of God, which had its roots in the election and calling of Jehovah, and manifested itself in conduct and action in harmony with this calling, is all concentrated in Him, the One, as its ripest fruit. The gracious purposes of God towards the whole human race, which were manifested even in the election of Israel, are brought by Him to their full completion. Whilst judgments are inflicted upon the heathen by the oppressor of the nations, and display the nothingness of idolatry, the servant of Jehovah brings to them in a peaceful way the greatest of all blessings. “Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, whom my soul loveth: I have laid my Spirit upon Him; He will bring out right to the Gentiles.” We must not render the first clause “by whom I hold.” Tamakh b’ means to lay firm hold of and keep upright ( sustinere). (supply or , Job 33:26) is an attributive clause. The amplified subject extends as far as naphshii; then follows the predicate: I have endowed Him with my Spirit, and by virtue of this Spirit He will carry out m ishpat , i.e., absolute and therefore divine right, beyond the circle in which He Himself is to be found, even far away to the Gentiles. Mishpat is the term employed here to denote true religion regarded on its practical side, as the rule and authority for life in all its relations, i.e., religion as the law of life, .
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
| The Messiah’s Approach. | B. C. 708. |
1 Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles. 2 He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street. 3 A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth. 4 He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth: and the isles shall wait for his law.
We are sure that these verses are to be understood of Christ, for the evangelist tells us expressly that in him this prophecy was fulfilled, Matt. xii. 17-21. Behold with an eye of faith, behold and observe, behold and admire, my servant, whom I uphold. Let the Old-Testament saints behold and remember him. Now what must we behold and consider concerning him?
I. The Father’s concern for him and relation to him, the confidence he put and the complacency he took in him. This put an honour upon him, and made him remarkable, above any other circumstance, v. 1. 1. God owns him as one employed for him: He is my servant. Though he was a Son, yet, as a Mediator, he took upon him the form of a servant, learned obedience to the will of God and practised it, and laid out himself to advance the interests of God’s kingdom, and so he was God’s servant. 2. As one chosen by him: He is my elect. He did not thrust himself into the service, but was called of God, and pitched upon as the fittest person for it. Infinite Wisdom made the choice and then avowed it. 3. As one he put a confidence in: He is my servant on whom I lean; so some read it. The Father put a confidence in him that he would go through with his undertaking, and, in that confidence, brought many sons to glory. It was a great trust which the Father reposed in the Son, but he knew him to be par negotio–equal to it, both able and faithful. 4. As one he took care of: He is my servant whom I uphold; so we read it. The Father bore him up, and bore him out, in his upholding him; he stood by him and strengthened him. 5. As one whom he took an entire complacency in: My elect, in whom my soul delights. His delight was in him from eternity, when he was by him as one brought up with him, Prov. viii. 30. He had a particular satisfaction in his undertaking: he declared himself well pleased in him (Mat 3:17; Mat 17:5), and therefore loved him, because he laid down his life for the sheep. Let our souls delight in Christ, rely on him, and rejoice in him; and thus let us be united to him, and then, for his sake, the Father will be well pleased with us.
II. The qualification of him for his office: I have put my Spirit upon him, to enable him to go through his undertaking, ch. lxi. 1. The Spirit did not only come, but rest, upon him (ch. xi. 2), not by measure, as on others of God’s servants, but without measure. Those whom God employs as his servants; as he will uphold them and be well pleased with them, so he will put his Spirit upon them.
III. The work to which he is appointed; it is to bring forth judgment to the Gentiles, that is, in infinite wisdom, holiness, and equity, to set up a religion in the world under the bonds of which the Gentiles should come and the blessings of which they should enjoy. The judgments of the Lord, which had been hidden from the Gentiles (Ps. cxlvii. 20), he came to bring forth to the Gentiles, for he was to be a light to lighten them.
IV. The mildness and tenderness with which he should pursue this undertaking, Isa 42:2; Isa 42:3. He shall carry it on, 1. In silence, and without noise: He shall not strive nor cry. It shall not be proclaimed, Lo, here, is Christ or Lo, he is there; as when great princes ride in progress or make a public entry. He shall have no trumpet sounded before him, nor any noisy retinue to follow him. The opposition he meets with he shall not strive against, but patiently endure the contradiction of sinners against himself. His kingdom is spiritual, and therefore its weapons are not carnal, nor is its appearance pompous; it comes not with observation. 2. Gently, and without rigour. Those that are wicked he will be patient with; when he has begun to crush them, so that they are as bruised reeds, he will give them space to repent and not immediately break them; though they are very offensive, as smoking flax (ch. lxv. 5), yet he will bear with them, as he did with Jerusalem. Those that are weak he will be tender of; those that have but a little life, a little heat, that are weak as a reed, oppressed with doubts and fears, as a bruised reed, that are as smoking flax, as the wick of a candle newly lighted, which is ready to go out again, he will not despise them, will not plead against them with his great power, nor lay upon them more work or more suffering than they can bear, which would break and quench them, but will graciously consider their frame. More is implied than is expressed. He will not break the bruised reed, but will strengthen it, that it may become a cedar in the courts of our God. He will not quench the smoking flax, but blow it up into a flame. Note, Jesus Christ is very tender toward those that have true grace, though they are but weak in it, and accepts the willingness of the spirit, pardoning and passing by the weakness of the flesh.
V. The courage and constancy with which he should persevere in this undertaking, so as to carry his point at last (v. 4): He shall not fail nor be discouraged. Though he meets with hard service and much opposition, and foresees how ungrateful the world will be, yet he goes on with his part of the work, till he is able to say, Is is finished; and he enables his apostles and ministers to go on with theirs too, and not to fail nor be discouraged, till they also have finished their testimony. And thus he accomplishes what he undertook. 1. He brings forth judgment unto truth. By a long course of miracles, and his resurrection at last, he shall fully evince the truth of his doctrine and the divine origin and authority of that holy religion which he came to establish. 2. He sets judgment in the earth. He erects his government in the world, a church for himself among men, reforms the world, and by the power of his gospel and grace fixes such principles in the minds of men as tend to make them wise and just. 3. The isles of the Gentiles wait for his law, wait for his gospel, that is, bid it welcome as if it had been a thing they had long waited for. They shall become his disciples, shall sit at his feet, and be ready to receive the law from his mouth. What wilt thou have us to do?
Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary
ISAIAH – CHAPTER 42
MESSIAH, THE ELECT SERVANT OF JEHOVAH
There are four distinct servant-prophecies in the second part of Isaiah that must be understood of the divine-human Messianic Servant – Son of God and Son of David, (Isa 42:1-7; Isa 49:1-7; Isa 50:4-11; Isa 52:13 to Isa 52:12). The New Testament always applies these passages to Jesus, the Christ, (Mat 12:17-20). Prophet, Priest, Teacher, Guide and Deliver; the Servant is as closely associated with Israel as the Christ with His church, (Mar 8:34). And the call of Israel was as clearly to a missionary-task as that of the church. Only through identification with Him, in suffering and service, could she really be His people!
Vs. 1-4: THE CHARACTER OF GOD’S SERVANT
1. Attention is immediately focused upon “Christ” – the anointed Servant of Jehovah: “Behold my servant!” (Mat 12:18-21; Isa 49:5-6; Isa 52:13 to Isa 53:11).
a. He is divinely chosen, called, sustained, anointed and equipped for His servant-task, (1Pe 2:4; 1Pe 2:6); His servant-character has been assumed for the fulfillment of His Father’s will on earth, (Php_2:7; Psa 40:7-10).
b. His perfect obedience is such as delights the heart of His Father-God, (Mat 3:16; Mat 17:5; Joh 3:34-35; Php_2:8-11).
1) Vine suggests that the Father’s delight was demonstrated through the coming of the Holy Spirit upon Him at the time of His baptism, in fulfillment of this prophecy, (Mat 3:16; Mar 1:10; Luk 3:22; Joh 1:32-33).
2) Isaiah makes three great declarations concerning the Holy Spirit in connection with the Christ: one concerning His incarnation (Isa 11:2), this one with reference to the divine approval of His baptismal purpose (Isa 42:1); the third concerning the anointing for His public ministry (Isa 61:1).
c. He will bring forth judgment (justice) to the Gentiles (nations), who will bow before His excellent majesty, honor Him, and serve Him with gladness, (Isa 2:3-4; etc.).
Though Isaiah dearly loves His own nation, and rejoices in her high calling, he does not (like the nationalistic Jonah) despise the Gentiles. With the yearning of a missionary-heart, he reaches out to them in love. He knows that the love of God’ is not limited to the Jews and that He purposes to provide salvation for the Gentiles also. Though it was hidden from his eyes, he would surely have rejoiced in the mystery, later revealed to Paul, of God’s purpose to make of Jew and Gentile ONE “in Christ Jesus” – reconciling the two and uniting them in one body which is His church, (Eph 2:11-22; Eph 3:1-10; Eph 1:23).
2. Instead of noisy demonstrations, designed to call attention to Himself, the Messianic method toward His people will be one of gentle and loving tenderness, (vs. 2; Isa 61:1-3; Psa 147:3).
3. Israel is likened to “a bruised reed”, which He will not break, and to dimly burning flax, which He will not quench, (vs. 3; Isa 57:15).
4. Gentle, merciful, patient and persevering: the Servant will not fail (burn dimly), or be discouraged (bruised, broken, or turned aside from His task), 2Co 1:3-4.
a. He will establish righteous judgment on the earth, (Psa 72:2; Psa 72:4; Psa 96:13); “the isles (far off nations) wait for His law”, (vs. 4, 10, 12; Isa 49:1; Isa 51:5; Isa 60:9; Isa 66:19).
b. “Judgment” (vs. 4) suggests “the governing power of Christ”, Psa 76:9; Psa 94:16; thus, the King nudge) of Israel shall “rule” in righteousness, (Isa 32:1; Isa 9:6-7; Isa 11:4-5; Jer 23:5; Jer 33:15-16; Luk 1:30-33).
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
1. Behold my servant. The Prophet appears to break off abruptly to speak of Christ, but we ought to remember what we mentioned formerly (150) in expounding another passage, (Isa 7:14,) that the prophets, when they promise anything hard to be believed, are wont immediately afterwards to mention Christ; for in him are ratified all the promises which would otherwise have been doubtful and uncertain. “In Christ,” says Paul, “is Yea and Amen.” (2Co 1:20.) For what intercourse can we have with God, unless the Mediator come between us? We undoubtedly are too far alienated from his majesty, and therefore could not be partakers either of salvation or of any other blessing, but through the kindness of Christ.
Besides, when the Lord promised deliverance to the Jews, he wished to raise their minds higher, that they might look for greater and more valuable gifts than bodily freedom and a return to Judea; for those blessings were only the foretaste of that redemption which they at length obtained through Christ, and which we now enjoy. The grace of God in the return of his people would indeed have been imperfect, if he had not, at that time revealed himself as the perpetual Redeemer of his Church. But, as we have already said, the end of the captivity in Babylon included the full restoration of the Church; and consequently we need not wonder if the prophets interweave that commencement of grace with the reign of Christ, for that succession of events is mentioned in ninny passages. We must therefore come to Christ, without whom God cannot be reconciled to us; that is, unless we be received into the number of God’s children by being ingrafted, into his body. It will be evident from what follows, that the Prophet now speaks of Christ as the First-born and the Head, for to no other person could the following statements be applied, and the Evangelists place the matter beyond all controversy. (Mat 12:17.)
He calls Christ his Servant, ( κατ ἐξοχήν,) by way of eminence; for this name belongs to all the godly, because God has adopted them on the condition of directing themselves and their whole life to obedience to him; and godly teachers, and those who hold a public office in the Church, are in a peculiar manner denominated the servants of God. But there is something still more extraordinary, on account of which this name belongs especially to Christ, for he is called a “Servant,” because God the Father not only enjoined him to teach or to do some particular thing, but called him to a singular and incomparable work which has nothing in common with other works.
Though this name is ascribed to the person, yet it belongs to human nature; for since his divine nature is eternal, and since he has always possessed in it a glory equal and perfectly similar to that of the Father, it was necessary that he should assume flesh in order that he might submit to obedience. Hence also Paul says,
“
Though he was in the form of God, he accounted it not robbery to make himself equal to God, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant,” etc. (Phi 2:6.)
That he was a servant was a voluntary act, so that we must not think that it detracted anything from his rank. The ancient writers of the Church expressed this by the word “Dispensation,” by which it was brought about, they tell us, that he was subject to all our infirmities. It was by a voluntary determination that he subjected himself to God, and subjected himself in such a manner as to become also of service to us; and yet that exceedingly low condition does not hinder him from still continuing to possess supreme majesty. Hence also the Apostle says that he was “exalted above every name.” (Phi 2:9.) he employs the demonstrative particle Behold, in order to lead the Jews to regard the event as having actually taken place; for the objects which were before their eyes might have led them to despair, and therefore he bids them turn away their eyes from the actual condition of things and look to Christ.
I will lean upon, him, or, I will uphold him. (151) אתמך (ethmoch) is interpreted by some in an active, and by others in a passive sense. If it be taken in a passive sense, the meaning will be, that God will “lean on” his Anointed in such a manner as to lay the whole charge upon him, as masters commonly do to their faithful servants; and it is a proof of extraordinary fidelity, that God the Father will deliver all things to him, and will put into his hand his own power and authority. (Joh 13:3.) Yet I do not object to the active signification, “I will raise him up,” or, “I will exalt him,” or, “I will support him in his rank;” for what immediately follows, I will put my Spirit in him, is a repetition of the same sentiment. In the former clause, therefore, he says, I will uphold him, and afterwards describes the manner of “upholding,” that he will direct him by his Spirit, meaning by this phrase that he will assist Christ in all things, and will not permit him to be overcome by any difficulties. Now, it was necessary that Christ should he endued with the Spirit of God, in order to execute that divine office, and be the Mediator between God and men; for so great a work could not be performed by human power.
My elect. In this passage the word Elect denotes “excellent,” as in many other passages; for they who are in the very flower of their age are called chosen youths. (1Sa 26:2, and 2Sa 6:1.) Jehovah therefore calls him “an excellent servant,” because he bears the message of reconciliation, and because all his actions are directed by God. At the same time he demonstrates his undeserved love, by which he embraced us all in his only-begotten Son, that in his person we may behold an illustrious display of that election by which we have been adopted into the hope of eternal life. Now, since heavenly power dwells in the human nature of Christ, when we hear him speak, let us not look at flesh and blood, but raise our minds higher, so as to know that all that he does is divine.
In whom my soul is well pleased. From this passage we learn that Christ is not only beloved by the Father, (Mat 3:17,) but is alone beloved and accepted by him, so that there is no way of obtaining favor from God but through the intercession of Christ. In this sense the Evangelists quote this passage, (Mat 12:18,) as Paul also declares that we are reconciled “in the beloved” in such a manner as to be beloved on his account. (Eph 1:6.) The Prophet afterwards shews that Christ will be endued with the power of the Spirit, not solely on his own account, but in order to spread it far and wide.
He will exhibit judgment to the Gentiles. By the word judgment the Prophet means a well-regulated government, and not a sentence which is pronounced by a judge on the bench; for to judge means, among the Hebrew writers, “to command, to rule, to govern,” and he adds that this judgment will be not only in Judea, but throughout the whole world. This promise was exceedingly new and strange; for it was only in Judea that God was known, (Psa 76:2,) and the Gentiles were shut out from all confidence in his favor. (Eph 2:12.)
These clear proofs were therefore exceedingly needful for us, that we might be certain of our calling; for otherwise we might think that these promises did not at all belong to us. Christ was sent in order to bring the whole world under the authority of God and obedience to him; and this shows that without him everything is confused and disordered. Before he comes to us, there can be no proper government amongst us; and therefore we must learn to submit to him, if we desire to be well and justly governed. Now, we ought to judge of this government from the nature of his kingdom, which is not external, but belongs to the inner man; for it consists of a good conscience and uprightness of life, not what is so reckoned before men, but what is so reckoned before God. The doctrine may be thus summed up: “Because the whole life of men has been perverted since we were corrupted in every respect by the fall of Adam, Christ came with the heavenly power of his Spirit, that he might change our disposition, and thus form us again to ‘newness of life.’” (Rom 6:4.)
(150) Commentary on Isaiah, vol. 1 p. 246.
(151) The former is found in the text of our author’s version, and the latter in his marginal reading. — Ed.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
THE FATHERS ELECT SERVANT
(Missionary Sermon.)
Isa. 42:1; Isa. 42:4. Behold My Servant, &c.
These words belong to one of the most impressive portions of the prophetic Scriptures, and unquestionably relate to the character and work of our Lord Jesus Christ. This might be argued with sufficient certainty from the internal evidence of the passage itself; but it is expressly affirmed, moreover, by an inspired expositor (Mat. 12:17-21). Our text is descriptive of the whole work and administration of the Messiah. It calls us to behold, with admiring attention
I. THE MESSIAHS OFFICIAL CHARACTER AND QUALIFICATIONS.
1. Our blessed Saviour is the Fathers Servant. It is entirely in reference to His mediatorial work that our Lord is denominated the Fathers Servant (Isa. 52:13; Isa. 53:11; Isa. 49:6). In His divine nature, as the SON, He possesses, from eternity to eternity, an essential equality with the FATHER. But, for the purpose of recovering our fallen race to holiness and happiness, and of re-establishing that divine dominion over man which sin had subverted, He laid His glory by, and sustains the character of a servant to Him who sent Him (Php. 2:6-7; Heb. 10:7). Nor was it only in His mediatorial humiliation that He acknowledged the Fathers will and conducted Himself as a servant. He does so now in His mediatorial exaltation. That exaltation He enjoys as the recompense of His acts and services of filial submission and zeal (H. E. I. 919); and He administers His kingdom with a view to the glory of the Father, to whom He will ultimately resign it, that God may be all in all (Php. 2:9-11; 1Co. 15:27-28; H. E. I. 985).
2. Our Redeemer is the Fathers Electcalled of God to the mediatorial office (Heb. 5:4-6). In Him alone did God behold the attributes and perfections indispensable for the work of salvation.
(1.) None but a divine person could, as the great prophet of the Lord, manifest the Fathers name to a world which had not known Him (Joh. 1:18; H. E. I. 847848).
(2.) He was ordained to offer a vicarious sacrifice for the sins of the world, and to present effectual intercession for as many as should come unto God by Him. The merit and prevalency of these acts depended materially on the spotless purity and infinite dignity of the sacrifice which was to be offered, and of the Priest who was to intercede (Heb. 7:26-28).
(3.) The government was to be on the shoulders of the Messiah. He was to undertake the administration of a spiritual kingdom which requires for the proper transaction of its vast and immensely complicated concerns a wisdom and energy such as no creature can exert. On all these accounts, when the servant was to be chosen to whom the business of salvation was to be intrusted, the elect must needs be the FELLOW OF JEHOVAH.
3. The Divine Person thus and for these purposes chosen by the Father appeared in the form of a servant, by assuming human nature into an ineffable union with the divine nature which belonged to Him from eternity. To qualify that human nature for the momentous duties which the office of Mediator involved, it was made the subject of an unexampled and peculiar anointing from the Holy One: I have put my spirit upon Him (cf. Isa. 11:1-2; Isa. 66:1-3; and Luk. 4:17-21; Joh. 3:24; Heb. 1:8-9). From all these texts we learn that there were certain qualifications of our Lords human nature as essential, in their place and measure, to His success, as the higher attributes which belonged to the divine nature; and that these qualifications were not supplied to the humanity directly and immediately by the simple fact of its personal union with the divinity, but mediately by the unction of the Holy Spirit (Act. 10:38). [1351]
[1351] The rational soul in our Lords nature was a distinct thing from the principle of Divinity to which it was so united; and being so distinct, like the souls of other men, it owed the right use of its faculties in its exercise of them on religious subjects, and its uncorrupted rectitude of will, to the influence of the Holy Spirit of God.Horsley.
4. Thus chosen and qualified for the service of God, in the discharge of His functions He is upheld by His Divine Father.
(1.) This may refer partly to the personal succours afforded to our Lord in the course of His life and ministry on earth at seasons of peculiar emergency and trial (Mat. 4:11; Luk. 22:43).
(2.) But it more especially refers to the divine supports afforded to our Redeemer in His mediatorial administration and government. Every dispensation of Providence toward individuals and nations is arranged in entire subserviency to the great purposes for which Christ lived, died, and rose again. So that while He is the Fathers Servant, all are His servants (Eph. 1:20-22).
(3.) This expression also intimates the high sanction and supreme authority of Jesus Christ. From His teaching and administration, though He be a servant, there is no appeal to the Father who employs Him. God will for ever uphold, and in no one case, nor on any account whatsoever, will He counteract or alter the measures of His Sons government (Joh. 5:22-23). Let this teach us how seriously and carefully we ought to study the will of Christ.
5. He is also acceptable and approved; one in whom the Fathers soul delighteth.
(1.) This delight has respect, generally, to Christ Himself, as the Agent of redemption (Joh. 5:20; Mat. 17:5).
(2.) It has a particular respect to the sacrifice of atonement made by the death of Christ for guilty man (Joh. 10:17; Eph. 5:2).
(3.) It has a reference to the Mediator in His present character and operations as the Head of the Church, and the Agent by whom the plans for its gradual enlargement and ultimate perfection are constantly superintended, and shall be brought in due season to a prosperous issue. The salvation of man by Jesus Christ is the concern which is nearest and dearest to His heart, and in the process and consummation of which He takes the highest pleasure.
From the view now taken of the official character of our Saviour we may derive instruction in reference to all Christian ministers and missionaries. He that will as such be Gods servant must, like the Mediator Himself, be able to allege Gods choice and call of him to that office (Joh. 15:16). Upon all Gods chosen servants Christ is ready to put the same Spirit of power and holiness which the text describes the Father as having put upon Him. For such full baptism of that Spirit, let them apply in prayer and faith. Many other qualifications for their work are desirable, but this is indispensable. Having that, let them be thankful for the high honour God has conferred upon them in putting them into the ministerial office, mindful of its momentous responsibilities, careful to do Gods will faithfully, diligently, and heartily, and, like their great Pattern, be so intent on their Masters work and glory, as never to allow any selfish interest or gratification to interfere for one moment with their ministerial duties. Such men will be upheld in their work by divine grace and providence; and God will smile with acceptance on their labours of love. Thus, in truth, He in one respect accomplishes the promise made in the text to the Mediator Himself.
To the Church of Christ our text speaks the language of instruction in righteousness. It reminds us of our duty to pray the Lord of the harvest to send forth such labourers into His harvest.
II. THE WORK FOR WHICH MESSIAH HAS RECEIVED THIS OFFICIAL CHARACTER AND QUALIFICATION.
He shall bring forth judgment to the Gentilesa prediction of the illumination and conversion of heathen tribes. Great privileges were once granted to the Jews exclusively (Psa. 147:19-20); now privileges still greater are extended to benighted nations. By judgment we are here to understand
1. A direct, well-attested, and solemnly obligatory revelation of the will of God as to the salvation and duty of man (Psa. 119:13; Psa. 19:9-11; Isa. 51:4). Revealed truth and precepts are called judgment, because they contain not only light, but law; not only a rule, but a decision. They are the standard by which we ought to judge ourselves, and by which we shall infallibly be judged of the Lord. When once brought or published to us, they become ipso facto binding on us, and demand our instant acquiescence and obedience. This view of revelation, so admonitory to ourselves, also evinces the propriety of its being communicated to those nations that are unacquainted with it. They need it. Nothing else can root out their inveterate errors, and settle their otherwise interminable disputations.
2. That dispensation of power which accompanies the publication of the Gospel.
(1.) Christianity is not only a system of law, but of soul-subduing grace (Psa. 19:7). This energy brings forth judgment unto truthobtains in the hearts of men a sentence in favour of the truth, induces them to become obedient to it, and thus gains for it a glorious victory.
(2.) The power of Christ which accompanies the Gospel extends also to the restraining of Satan, and to the special counteraction of his agency and influence (Joh. 12:31; Luk. 10:18-19).
How interesting and important is the work of Jesus Christ as the Illuminator and Deliverer of immortal men! What true philanthropist can be indifferent to it?
III. THE MANNER IN WHICH THE MESSIAH EXECUTES HIS TASK.
Isa. 42:2-3 teach us that in the exercise of His functions our Saviour was to be
1. Humble and unostentatious. It was in connection with an instance of our Lords aversion to pomp, noise, and parade, and His readiness to sacrifice His personal credit to the great interests of His public mission, that St. Matthew quotes our text (Mat. 12:15-21).
2. Peaceable and inoffensive. The kingdom which He administered was opposed not to Csars, but to Satans empire; and therefore He submitted in all civil affairs to the government of His country, discountenanced all schemes of ambition and violence, and abstained from everything clamorous and contentious. He was willing to suffer rather than to strive.
3. Gracious and benignant in all His dealings with His people, however weak and unworthy [1354]
[1354] Of such persons a reed, frail and insignificant in itself, and still more so when bruised by an external agency, and the wick of an almost extinguished lamp, which no longer flames, but only smokes in its socket, and cannot be rekindled but by a fresh application of external fire, are striking emblems. Such reeds the Messiah will not break, but strengthen and restore; such smoking wicks He will not quench, but rekindle and revive (H. E. I. 951; P. D. 474).
In all these particulars, our great Master is to be admired and imitated by all who work for Him. Let them study with the closest attention this Divine model. If they work the works of Christ, let them imbibe and exemplify the spirit of Christ (2Ti. 2:24-25).
IV. THE SUCCESS WHICH SHALL CROWN THE MESSIAHS UNDERTAKING.
1. The work of Christ shall ultimately succeed.
(1.) Judgment shall be set in the earth.
(2.) This happy effect shall be produced, not only in a few nations, but universally, for even the isles, the most distant Gentile nations, shall wait for Christs law (cf. chap. Isa. 2:2-3).
2. Before this work shall be finally accomplished, it will encounter formidable obstacles, but they cannot hinder its triumph. He who is at its head shall not fail nor be discouraged till He have set judgment in the earth.
3. The certainty of success rests on such grounds as these:
(1.) The almighty power and inviolable faithfulness of God, who has called the Messiah to this work, and will therefore uphold Him in the discharge of His office (Isa. 42:5-6).
(2.) Gods regard to His own honour (Isa. 42:8; Isa. 42:13-14).
APPLICATION.The subject teaches us
1. The great and beneficial results of our Saviours advent, and of the dispensation of the Gospel.
2. The duty of perseverance in our endeavours to spread the light and grace of the Gospel.
3. The necessity of a personal submission to Christ.Jabez Bunting, D.D.: Sermons, vol. i. pp. 2150.
We find it easier, in human affairs, to discover a fault than to suggest a remedy; we complain without an effort to redeem or to amend. It is not so with Scripture, which is the Word of God. There each word of rebuke is a means to an end. There is no exposure of evil to exhibit the censors superiority. There is no delight in the merciless anatomy of sin. There is no mockery of distress by the presentation of sorrow that is hopeless, or leprosy beyond cure. Equal to the need and surpassing it, present as soon as the need is felt and acknowledgedthere is redemption To illustrate this thought you have only to look at the verses immediately before the text (Isa. 41:28-29). As soon as you have realised this necessity, while the heart is yet paining under the sadness which the thought of it has created, the bright light is in the clouds, and in the midst the vision of the Redeemer: Behold My Servant, &c. This passage refers to Christ and His great work in the world (Mat. 12:18, &c.)
I. THE NEED OF THE WORLD.
This is affirmed in this passage to be the bringing forth or establishment of Gods judgment. The word has many senses in Scripture, but there are three to which we may especially refer (cf. first, Psa. 147:19-20, and Isa. 1:17; secondly, Luk. 11:42 and Psa. 119:20; thirdly, in the quotation of the text in Matthews Gospel it would seem to have reference to the dispensation of grace). These meanings discover the worlds strongest necessity to-daya bringing forth of judgment
1. As a revelation of Gods Word and will. Who that looks abroad upon the world but must mourn over the bewilderment and confusion of its inhabitants in relation to the things of God? Where there is no revelation there is obscure and distorted vision, and the people perish. Who that looks into his own heart, and frets himself with the many problems of existence which the human mind hath no skill to solve, can forbear the longing for a higher wisdom, for a voice which can make itself heard, and which, when heard, can silence the battle of strange tongues, and in imperial tones proclaim to us the true? This yearning is answered when the judgments of God are revealed to men. In the life and teaching of our Lord we have this revelation.
2. As essential rightness. The original derangement, how thoroughly has it infused itself into every part of the universe, and into every faculty of man! There is no light, no hope. Through the long darkness the eyes strain upward for the glimpse of the day; the isles wait for the law; the universal conscience cries out for its coming, and for lack of it the whole creation travaileth together until now.
3. As a dispensation of power, because ignorance and impurity are helpless and without strength, until in due time Christ dies for the ungodly. Without the revelation of this power all other would be an aggravation of the torture. The effect of the Saviours mediatorial work is described as the judgment of this world, and the casting out of its prince from his usurped dominion. As the special anointing for the great work of deliverance, God says of Christ, I have put My Spirit upon Him. That Spirit is a spirit of power. Where He works there can be blindness and feebleness no longer. Here, then, are the wants of the world met by the bringing forth of judgment from the Lord. The world needs nothing save Jesus only. All its wants are met in the person of its Surety. Let Him work to the completion of His purpose, and Aceldama must bloom into Paradise. All social wrongs will vanish. All religious evils will be ended. Scepticism will not shake the faith, nor blasphemy curdle the blood. Fanaticism will no longer be grafted upon the reasonable service of the Gospel; men will rejoice in the white light of truth, and blush that they have been accustomed to obscure or distemper its rays; Charity will be no longer a fugitive, housed by stealth in hearts warmer than their fellows, but her rejoicing shall be in the habitable parts of the earth, and her spirit the inspiration of the kingdom which cannot be moved, for He shall reign whose right it is, and Christ shall be all in all.
II. THE DESIGNATION OF THE WORLDS DELIVERER.
The terms here applied to Jesus abundantly show the harmony of counsel in the Godhead touching the great work of mans rescue from ruin.
1. Christ is called the Servant of the Father. In at least three other places in this prophecy is this term used (Isa. 52:13; Isa. 53:11; Isa. 49:6). It is evident from these passages that our Lord is called the Servant of the Father in reference only to His Mediatorial work. He is not essentially a servant. He took upon Him the form of a servant, and, with glad heart and willing feet, went forth to do a servants work. There was confided to Him a task which no other could accomplish.
2. He is called again the Elect or Chosen of God, in whom His soul delighteth; or, as Matthew renders it, almost in the very words in which the Father attested the Son from heaven, My Beloved, in whom I am well pleased. If proof were wanting of His essential equality with the Father, and that He was Emmanuel, God with us, we might surely find it here. Though in the form of a servant, He had the heart and love of a son. He was chosen to this work because none other was trustworthy. He only could perfect for ever, by one offering, them that are sanctified. He was not only chosen to this work, but beloved on its account. Deep and everlasting as had been the love of the Father to the Son, it was intensified on account of this (Joh. 10:17). And He was the subject of special anointing from the Spirit. To this the text refers. Again, Isa. 11:1-2; Isa. 61:1; Isa. 61:3, quoted by the Saviour in the synagogue of Nazareth. In unmeasured fulness the influences of the Spirit were upon Christ, to hallow and to counsel, to sustain and to make mighty, every act of His incarnate life. Even His sinless human nature needed the anointing of the Spirit to reunite it with all suitable qualifications. Thus we see the whole Deity at work for man. This should hush rebellion and scatter unbelief and indifference.
III. THE MANNER AND ISSUE OF THE REDEEMERS WORK.
We are told that He works
1. Unostentatiously. He shall not cry, &c. This is in keeping with all the characteristics of the Saviour. And so quietly has Christianity spread its influences upon men. It does not strive nor cry, but without strife or crying makes its way into the conscience of the world.
2. Tenderly. A bruised reed, &c. The perfection of gentleness. If man were in question, how would the bruised reed and smoking flax be treated? The Saviour is great in gentleness; His mightiest energy is to redeem and save. And so tenderly does He watch over the progress of the Gospel in the world.
3. Perseveringly and successfully. He shall not fail, &c. It is a plain and unmistakable prediction. This is a settled matter, which the risen Saviour sits expecting to realise, and which the faith of believers may anticipate on the warrant of His Word. He is not discouraged by sinister omens or unwonted opposition, by faithless traitors or by wearied friends. Against embattled earth and gathered forces of the pit He shall bring forth judgment unto victory, until He rests from His labour, until He gathers His children, until He wears His crown.W. M. Punshon, LL. D.: Sermons, vol. i. pp. 18, &c.
I. THE CHARACTER OF THE MESSIAH.
1. He was Gods Servant. Supposes
(1.) Subordination and inferiority. Should this appear mysterious, so it must remain.
(2.) Service or work to be done. Jehovah had work to be done in this part of His dominions. Could be effected by Christ alone.
(3.) Subjection (Mat. 21:39).
2. He was Gods Elect. To elect is to choose: Christ was chosen (Psa. 89:19; 1Pe. 2:4-6). This shows that the act of redemption originated in the Divine will; that it was free and not necessitated; that mans salvation is infinitely dear to God.
3. He was Gods Elect, in whom His soul delighted. He was Gods dear Son, and His beloved Son, who was in the bosom of the Father; and yet He spared not, &c.
II. THE QUALIFICATION OF THE MESSIAH.
I have put My Spirit upon Him. God put His Spirit upon Christ
1. As a public recognition of His Messiahship (Mar. 1:9-11).
2. To fortify Him against the attacks of temptation (Luk. 4:1-2).
3. To anoint Him for preaching the Gospel (Luk. 4:18).
4. For the purpose of working miracles (Mat. 12:28; Act. 10:38).
III. THE WORK OF THE MESSIAH (Isa. 42:1). The term judgment is differently interpreted. (See other Outlines.)
IV. THE TEMPER OF THE MESSIAH (Isa. 42:2-4). He did His work.
1. Unostentatiously.
2. Tenderly and compassionately.
3. Courageously and fearlessly. An example for all who are now working for Him.
CONCLUSION.
1. Seek to have the Messiahs work accomplished in you.
2. Seek the baptism of the Holy Spirit, in order that you may be able to accomplish any work to which He has called you.Sketches of Four Hundred Sermons, vol. iv. p. 284 (new ed.)
THE ELECT AND BELOVED SERVANT
(Christmas or Missionary Sermon.)
Isa. 42:1. Behold My Servant, &c.
This is a call to attention. It is the announcement of a Saviour. When the infant Jesus was brought to the Temple, Simeon recognised in Him the Lords Anointed, whom he was to see before his death. He concluded his song with words borrowed from the sixth verse of this chapter: A light to lighten the Gentiles. The whole passage is quoted Mat. 12:18-21.
Behold the man, said Pilate. Behold My Servant, says God.
I. His DIVINE APPOINTMENT
The text is the Fathers authentication of His Sons commission and appointment to His redeeming work.
1. As a servant. A servant is subordinate to his employer. There may be equality of nature while there is subordination in office. The son of a king is equal in nature to his father, while he takes a subordinate position as appointed by him to some office. The Son of God took upon Him the form of a servant. He was made of a woman, made under the law. He took the nature of man, that He might be in the position of servitude proper to man, render a full obedience to the law, and suffer on the cross the curse due to those who had failed to render the obedience to which they were bound.
2. As a chosen servant. No man taketh this honour unto himself (Heb. 5:4-5). Among all beings in the universe, human or angelic, no other was found competent to the great redeeming work. He was therefore chosen and appointed from eternity. Mine Elect.
3. As a satisfactory servant. In whom My soul delighteth. At His baptism, and again at His transfiguration, the Voice from heaven was heard saying, This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye Him. By the resurrection from the dead He was declared to be the Son of God with power. The Father was well pleased with Him from all eternity. He was well pleased with the manner in which He performed His work on earth.
4. As a supported servant. Whom I uphold. Although for a season He veiled the splendours of His divine nature, His human nature was not left without divine support. During all His earthly career there was the most intimate fellowship between the Father and Himself. Some of His mightiest works were performed after special seasons of prayer. The consciousness of His Fathers supporting presence kept Him from breaking down beneath the load of suffering, care, and human sin that continually pressed upon Him.
II. HIS SPECIAL ENDOWMENT.
I have put my Spirit upon Him. Read Isa. 61:1-3, with Luk. 4:17-21. The relation between the persons of the Godhead cannot be fully apprehended by us; nor can we fully apprehend the action of the Father upon the Son, nor of the Spirit in connection with the Father and the Son. It becomes us to keep close to the letter of Scripture. Still Scripture speaks clearly of some distinction between the Persons of the Godhead, and of a mutual action or going forth of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost in connection with the redemption work. Thus the Son of God, who became a servant, received His qualification and anointing as man for His work. God gave not the Spirit by measure unto Him. He possessed it during His earthly ministry; and then, after His glorification, shed it forth on His Church.
This anointing of the Saviour, corresponding to the ancient anointing of the prophets, priests, and kings of the former dispensation, answers to the threefold office of Christ, which relates to the threefold requirement of our nature.
1. We are ignorant and blinded by sin. Christ received the Spirit as the Teacher of the Church. All that heard Him were astonished.
2. We are guilty and condemned. An atonement was necessary, but was out of our power. He is the anointed Priest. In that capacity He has offered the sacrifice of Himself.
3. We are unholy and depraved. Yet we are under obligation to be holy. Christ is the anointed King. He sends His Spirit into our hearts, and we willingly submit to His authority. Being by the right hand of God exalted, He hath shed forth this
(1.) On the Apostles, so that they were endowed for their work of preaching and teaching (Joh. 14:26). Hence we have the record of His words, the inspired Epistles, the doctrine of Christ.
(2.) On such as are called to service and office in the Church. His ministers must be called and qualified by His Spirit. He gives sympathy with His work of saving men; willingness to consecrate life to it; love that seeks no personal interest, regards only the grand spiritual end and the immortal issues of labour for Christ.
(3.) On all who are interested in His grace (Rom. 8:9; 1Jn. 2:19).
III. HIS EXPANSIVE WORK.
He shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles. Observe
1. What He will bring forth. Judgment. Synonymous, as in Psalms 119, with the divine law or revelation. Hence the method of the divine government, and eventually the manifestation of the Gospel.
2. To whom. The Gentiles. The old prophets frequently dwell on the incorporation of the Gentiles with the Church. The opposite of the spirit of exclusiveness that characterised the Jews. The Gospel is expansive. It contemplates the day when the knowledge of Christ shall be diffused over the wide world.
3. How. By the universal proclamation of Christ as the worlds Saviour.
Christ is the manifestation of Gods wisdom and love. Let us remember His love. Let us yield to His claim of expansive love and devoted service. Let us be co-workers with God in the endeavour to attract attention to Him who is chosen and appointed, as He is exclusively qualified to be the centre of faith and hope to human souls. Cry, Behold Him!J. Rawlinson.
I. Behold My Servant, whom I uphold. These words must be understood of Christ in His mediatorial capacity. If He be not viewed as Jesus upheld by the Father, there is something unintelligible in the prediction; if our Redeemer be not God, in every sense equal to the Father, co-eternal, co-essential, the whole of revelation is flimsy and worthless. But it is often necessary to speak exclusively of His humanity; and Christ Jesus, as man, is the subject of the prophetic announcement. As perfect man, He was the Fathers servant (Php. 2:7; Joh. 4:34; Joh. 7:16, &c.) Is it necessary to suppose that His nature was fallen nature in order that such a sacrifice might have its force? Not so; but believing as we do that His human nature was not fallen nature, we still believe that it was preserved from becoming so by the energies of the Holy Spirit, communicated without measure by the Father. It is to deny the nature of a creature to suppose it incapable of falling; we cannot ascribe to man properties that would make him cease to be man. God upheld Christs humanity by the power of the indwelling Spirit, so that the potentiality of sinning never passed over into actuality. He was so completely upheld, that not the least element of sinfulness could ever be traced to a single action of His. Still, by being allowedif the expression be not too boldto become, sometimes almost overpowered, He learned to have a fellow-feelingsympathy in the true sense of that wordwith the believer in his conflict, though He never had partnership with him in his transgression (Heb. 5:7; H. E. I. 849, 866, 873).
II. Mine Elect, in whom My soul delighteth. Christ Jesus was the Elect of God, in that from all eternity Infinite Wisdom had chosen Him to execute the sovereign purposes of infinite mercy (Heb. 5:4-5). It lay beyond human conception to imagine the Father reconciling the sinner to Himself in the complex person of our Surety. Had the thought been suggested, we should have expected to see the human temple burned up and turned into ashes by such a sublime and mysterious union.
Why should God delight in this elect Mediator? Because
1. The mediation of Christ magnified every Divine attribute (2Co. 3:18; Heb. 1:3). Christ became the shining forth of Gods glory to man (Joh. 14:9). He stood in the midst of an evil generation, but He made it manifest that He was a Being of another world; He was armed with power, before which every created thing bowed down. Note especially, the degree in which Christ Jesus glorified God by His vicarious sufferings and obedience. Contrast holiness, truth, power, and wisdom, as manifested (for they should have been manifested) in man, left an outcast through the first Adam, and man made perfect through the mediation of the Son, and you will not fail to perceive that Christ crucified is the Father glorifiedthat Christ suspended on the cross for man is God exalted, and avenged, and vindicated.
2. It met every human necessity. Man had been brought under condemnation, and Christ endured that condemnation. Man, even when freed from condemnation, has no righteousness of his own that can be acceptable in the sight of God; but Christ obeyed in all points of the law; and now, where God does not impute sin, He does impute the righteousness of His Son. Man, though pardoned through Christs death, though justified through Christs life, is yet unfit to enter into the association of the pure; but Christ has risen to intercede for him and procure the gift of the Holy Spirit for his sanctification; and thus, beyond his title, he acquires a meetness for his inheritance (1Co. 1:30). Behold, then, Mine Elect, in whom My soul delighteth!
CONCLUSION.Try yourselves by the simple criterion which this subject presents. Is your dependence placed on the might by which the Mediator was upheld? Do you delight in Christ for any of the reasons which made the Father well-pleased in Him, or are you wrapped up in that formality which is the pestilential blight of so much religion?Henry Melvill, B.D.: Sermons, vol. i. pp. 6774.
Religion, if it be important, is all-important. However little importance we may attach to it, God attaches a great deal. Mark its personal aspect. Behold!a message to every member of the human family. We are not addressed in the mass, but in our individual characters. As in the judgment-day each shall find himself singled out from the crowd, so every man in Scripture has a distinct and personal message sent to him, as having the deepest personal interest in the promises and threatenings of the Word of God. We love to escape this personality, to mingle in the crowd, to escape reflection. But God mercifully will not permit this, for we should lose much by it. To young and old, rich and poor, He says, Behold My Servant, &c.
I. BEHOLD AND WONDER at the extent of love which pervades the scheme of our redemption. Behold!it is a word of wonder, and indeed there is in Christ a world of wonders. Everything is wonderful in Him. The whole Christian religion is a concatenation of wonders, a chaining together of mystery upon mystery. He is wonderful in His person, in His name, in His offices, in the design and character of His workbringing into life by His death, to glory by His shame. He is the great centre of attraction to heaven and earth; the Father loves Him, angels adore Him, all the redeemed repose their eternal confidence in Him.
Behold the display of love that reigns in our redemptionin the selection of such a Saviour, in the benefits that flow to us through Him. Consider the depth of degradation from which it raises, the height of glory to which it conducts. Study this love! In all times the world has been astonished at the extent of Gods love to His peoplein their deliverance from their greatest enemies, in the establishment of their brightest hopes. Jethro was astonished at their deliverance from Egypt (Exo. 18:9-11); the neighbouring natives at their rescue from Babylon (Psa. 126:2). But the love of Christ is more surprising still. When Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, the Jews said, Behold, how He loved him! But His love for us passes the knowledge of the holiest saint on earth, of the wisest angel in heaven. Mourn the apathy of the worldlet us mourn our ownto the claims of Christ.
II. BEHOLD AND TRUST. If God intrusts Him with the weight of His glory, you may with all the weight of your salvation. He is Gods Servant, Gods Elect, the object of Gods delight. Why is this said but to show that whatever He did in the business of our salvation He did under the seal of Divine authority? He was Gods Chosenchosen to be the Head of the Church, the great Peacemaker between earth and heaven. It is a great prop and encouragement to our sinking faith, a great satisfaction to the troubled conscience, that in all that Christ did for us, and in all that He works in us, He is the object of Divine complacency and delight. In all our approaches and applications to God, let this minister boldness to us, that we go to Him in the name of One whom He loves (P. D. 2314).
III. BEHOLD AND LOVE. If God delights in Christ, we should too. The estimate in which Christ is held by us is the most decisive test of oneness of sentiment between God and us. If God were your Father, ye would love me. Christ is Gods Elect, Gods Chosen; if He be not ours, there is a great contrariety between Him and us. Great is His love for us; let us return it. He sets a high value on the pardoned sinners love. Unto you that believe, He is precious (H. E. I. 1003, 1004, 3367, 3369, 3909; P. D. 2338, 2341).
IV. BEHOLD AND LIVE (Col. 3:3-4).Samuel Thodey.
THE UNITY OF THE GODHEAD MANIFESTED IN THE SALVATION OF MAN
(Trinity Sunday.)
Isa. 42:1. Behold My Servant, &c.
The Lord our God is one Lord. But He has been pleased to reveal Himself to us as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The mystery of the Holy Trinity is inexplicable by us, but it is certainly Scriptural. Three Persons, but one God! By our text we are reminded that the unity of the Persons in the Holy Trinity has been manifested in the salvation of man.
I. THE LOVE OF THE FATHER.
We must never forget that the mission of the Son had its origin in the Fathers pitying love for us [1357]
[1357] If we have any saving acquaintance with the Gospel, we are at all times disposed to offer to the Son of God the homage of gratitude and praise for the work of redemption. But there are times when we are in danger of falling into the mistake of regarding the Saviour as offering Himself as a sacrifice to propitiate an angry God. We are prone to contemplate the Father as a stern, uncompromising, and unpitying Judge, actuated by vindictive feelings, taking pleasure in exacting punishment and inflicting pain; or a personification (so to speak) of the attributes of almighty power, unerring wisdom, and unswerving justice. But there our view of the great Creator stops, and there our apprehension of Him who is the Moral Governor of the world becomes defective. Contemplating the bleeding Victim, voluntarily bleeding to atone for the guilty, and to bring back rebels to reconciliation and peace, the justice, power, and love of the Father are well-nigh forgotten in the sight of the tenderness and self-abandonment displayed by the Son. But this Scripture combines with others to teach us that if we would love Him who first loved us, we must pass on from Calvary to Him whose will is accomplished by the death and passion of His Son.Kemble.
1. The Son was sent forth by the Father. He came to accomplish the Fathers purposes (1Jn. 4:9-10; Joh. 3:16).
2. It was because our Lord undertook to fulfil the purpose of the Fathers heart that the Father loved Him: Mine Elect, in whom My soul delighteth. The Father loved the Son eternally as God in the heaven of His own glory; but it is of the Fathers love to the Son while living in a servants form that He speaks here. Our text teaches us not only that the Father appointed the Son to the work, and was willing that He should succeed, but was well pleased when He saw Him going forth on His high enterprise of mercy. Thus the whole scheme of redemption redounds to the glory of the Father.
3. How near that scheme lay to the Fathers heart was manifested also in the manner in which He upheld His Son while He was engaged in its accomplishment: My Servant, whom I uphold. It was by means of the grace of the Father that He was enabled to make the sacrifice needed for our salvation (Heb. 2:9). He not only appointed His Son to the task, but ensured its fulfilment by supplying the strength required, and sustaining Him through the protracted conflict with the powers of darkness [1360]
[1360] Concerning this great mystery, see Dr. Buntings comments in the Outline THE FATHERS ELECT SERVANT, and the note by Bishop Horaley appended thereto.
All this serves to confirm the inspired announcement, God is love. Oh, that we could more fully realise the Fathers love to our souls, and yield some larger measure of gratitude to Him who thus so wonderfully, even from everlasting, first loved us (H. E. I. 390, 23192321).
II. THE CONDESCENSION OF THE SON.
Though Lord of all, He became a servant; though worshipped by the seraphic hosts, He voluntarily became the despised and rejected of men. Though of spotless holiness, He took upon Him the worlds sin, became a curse for His people, and humbled Himself to the worst male factors most ignominious death, even the death of the cross.
III. THE CO-OPERATION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.
I have put My Spirit upon Him.
1. It was by the Holy Spirit that the Son was qualified for the accomplishment of the work He had undertaken (Joh. 1:16; Joh. 3:34).
2. It is by the Holy Spirit that the work of Christ is now carried on in the hearts of men (Joh. 16:7-8).Charles Kemble, M. A.: Seventeen Sermons, pp. 325349.
CHRIST OUR EXAMPLE AS THE SERVANT OF GOD
Isa. 42:1. Behold My Servant, whom I uphold, &c.
We need have no doubt about this text applying to Christ, for it is so stated by the Holy Spirit, (Mat. 12:17-21). Our Lord in His human nature, in the form of a servant, needed to be upheld, even as we do, by the Divine power. It was this that carried Him through the work given Him to do (Psa. 16:8; Isa. 50:7). Though He were a Son, yet learned He obedience as a servant. It is so with all Gods servants here on earth; they are sons of God, but they are called to prove their sonship by their service.
Mine Elect. He was chosen of God for this service, called of God, sent of God to do Gods work. It is so with all Gods servants. They do not choose Gods service, but are chosen and sent of God. Just as in common life a master selects his own servants.
In whom My soul delighteth. This was from all eternity, and throughout the whole period of His earthly service (Pro. 8:30; Mat. 3:17; Mat. 17:5).
I have put My Spirit upon Him. This was to qualify Him, as man, for His undertaking, as He declared in the synagogue at Nazareth (Isa. 61:1; Isa. 11:2). So is it again with all Gods servants: His Spirit rests upon them, and only by His help can they serve.
He shall bring forth judgment unto the Gentiles,declare Gods will to them, and set up His statutes and ordinances throughout the world.
In these things we see the reality of His manhood, and what was needed to qualify Him for His work as the servant of God.
In speaking of the Lord Jesus Christ as the servant of God, we must understand it of the office He undertook, and actually did accomplish, through the union of His manhood with the Godhead. Remembering this, let us consider the characteristics of a good servant, and see how they were exemplified in our Lord.
A servant is one who is under a master; who does as he is told; who is willing to do and not to do; who receives his masters will as his rule, and does not evade, nor qualify, nor object, but does it all; who has his masters honour and interest at heart, always working and labouring for him. Such was Christ. The object of His whole life was to show Himself the servant of God. This should be our object. Observe
1. How absorbing this service was to Him. It swallowed up all besides. Nothing was ever allowed to interfere with it (Joh. 4:6; Joh. 4:34; Joh. 6:38; Joh. 9:4; Mat. 26:39; Joh. 17:4).
2. How love animated Him in all His service (Psa. 40:6-10). Especially notice, Mine ears hast Thou opened; or margin, digged. The meaning of this we learn in Exo. 21:2-6. Christ served voluntarily and cheerfully, because He loved Him whose will He came into the world to accomplish (Joh. 10:18).
3. How thorough was His service. He had but one objectto do the will of God. For this He lived, for this He died.
Are you following Christ as your example? Is your service of God absorbing, loving, thorough? What do you live for? To do Gods will? If not, there is no conformity to Christ.
To follow Christs example, a man must be born again of Gods Spirit. It is the renewed will which desires and strives to do Gods will. The desire may be but as a grain of mustard seed, but if cherished by prayer and practice, it will grow; though at first faint and feeble, it will become supreme (Mat. 25:29).
Every creature must be a servant, either of God or of selfof self in its lowest sense, the self of the old man. But in serving God we serve self in its noblest sense.
Do you really long to serve Christ as He served His Father? But you are thinking to yourself, What a character mine is! Mine is no fit character to take service with such a Master; I am such a sinner. Well, then, listen
1. Christ takes His servants without a character. We know how important character is among men; how many fail of service for want of it; how hard it is to gain when once it is lost. If we never entered Christs service until we had become fit for it, we never should enter. But He takes us just as we are. He asks only, Are you willing to be My servant? Where He finds this will, He gives character. Christian character is formed in Christs service. Nowhere else can it be formed. Many try to form a character before they come to Him, but in vain. Come first.
2. He gives the best wages: pardon, peace, acceptance with God here, everlasting life hereafter. Look at the worlds wages and see the difference (Rom. 6:23). There are good wages in the service as well as for it (Psa. 19:11; Isa. 48:18; Pro. 3:17).
3. His work is light. It is called a cross, a yoke, a burden, that no man may take it up without counting the cost; but, when once taken up, it is light (Mat. 11:29-30; 1Jn. 5:3). Besides, who ever felt work hard for one he loved? (Gen. 29:20; H. E. I. 33363341).
4. There is no dismissal. No; they who enter Christs service are taken for lifenot for this life only (Joh. 10:28). When their period of service is done here, He says, Friend, come up higher, and the believer goes to Christ for ever (Rev. 7:15).
Will you be Christs servant? Give yourself to Him heartily, wholly. Think of the difference between the servant of sin and the Lords freeman, now and hereafter. Come to Christ, and He will say of you what God says of Him, Behold My servant, whom I uphold.J. W. Reeve, M.A.: Doctrine and Practice, pp. 182205.
BRUISED, NOT BROKEN
Isa. 42:1-4. Behold My Servant, &c.
There is no difficulty in determining the subject of this passage,; one interpretation alone is equal to its demands. In inviting attention to its terms, let us consider it as affording
I. A DIVINE ESTIMATE OF MAN. A crushed reed, a dimly burning wick. These are symbols of impaired, broken, perishing life; they convey the ideas of feebleness, helplessness, almost of worthlessness. There is in the crushed reed no power of self-recovery; the dimly burning wick is the merest mockery of a light. So is man as seen by the eye of God. We can estimate the reed and the lamp; what we see them to be, God sees man to be.
The estimate is not limited to the penitent and broken-hearted; the words signify apostate humanity. The scope of the passage implies the larger application. He is to bring forth judgment to the Gentiles; He has to set judgment on the earth, and the isles are to wait for His law; He is to encounter oppositionthe reed and the wick will refuse His ministrations. But He shall not cry, &c. Note the undertone of suffering. Men sneer, laugh, jeer, shout, rave, and gnash their teeth; His heart of pity yearns, and He says, Bruised reeds and smoking wicks! None more maimed and nearer to death than the impenitent.
II. THE DIVINE METHOD OF TREATING MAN.
A bruised reed shall He not break, &c. He does not use mere naked power, but patience.
1. Think of how He might have treated man. The text does not say, cannot break, cannot extinguish. Nothing hindered but grace. Christ was that truth unto which judgment should be brought; He was, and He declared, Gods everlasting righteousness and love.
2. Think of Him, the Truth, taking hold of weak, helpless humanity to give it life, health, and soundness. He will not use force for mans destruction; neither by force will He restore, but by truth. As force is discarded, suffering is incurred. He who will save by truth must suffer; there is no help. Christ must be made a curse for man that He may bring redemption to him. The idea of suffering pervades the text; the Elect One must be upheld; for the salvation of the bruised must He be sustained; there is upon Him a grinding pressure, and under Him He will need, and must have, the Eternal Hand. The Immortal King must be succoured while He stands bearing the tremendous burden of a worlds sin and sorrow. By no omnipotence will He put that burden away, yet He will put it away. He triumphs by the Cross. He is God, bent on saving man by love and truth. The Incarnation and Atonement are both here (Joh. 18:33-37). He must suffer, and He must wait. But He will not fail nor be discouraged. He knows that patience will triumph. Truth has ever to wait for victory. The light cannot chase the darkness till its hour comes.
3. The text is, among other things, a brief but wonderful exposition of the providence and government of God upon earth. It reveals the principles of that government and is an interpreter of human history (Lam. 3:22).
III. THE DIVINE CERTAINTY OF RECOVERING MAN.
The Servant, the Son, has not been sent forth on a chance or fruitless errand; the King is a triumphant Sufferer (Isa. 42:4, Isa. 53:11, &c.; H. E. I. 979, 1168).W. Hubbard: Christian World Pulpit, vol. xiv. pp. 291293.
It is agreed on all hands that the text alludes to weak and afflicted believers, setting forth the care and gentleness of the Lord. It is not quite so clear as to the source of the metaphor. Adopt the theory that the reed referred to is the shepherds reed, his instrument of music. The reed is bruised. It was a mean instrument before, but now it is almost useless. The shepherd does not break it up and throw it away; it may recover its injuries, or, if it should not, it will emit some sort of sounds. The shepherd does not break his reed, for
I. He remembers its former services. Often has its strains cheered him and others; old and precious memories are connected with it. Our Lord does not forget the services the weak and afflicted have rendered.
II. He remembers there is a paucity of such reeds. The shepherd would rather have the imperfect instrument than no reed at all. There is a scarcity of music in the moral world. The sweet notes of gratitude, and love, and hope are sung by few. The Lord loves the song of the upright, and when they lose the power of rejoicing He bears with them.
III. He knows the possibility of the reed being rectified. It is only bruised. The shepherd will use every means to restore it. The Lord knows the certainty of the recovery of His bruised ones. He teaches them to say, Why art thou cast down, O my soul? for I shall yet praise Him. He will not cast off those who say they are useless. Not cast off the aged. His design is by means of the bruising to make His children more joyful and useful in His house.
IV. He prizes it because He fashioned it.
1. The Lord chose the reed. He delights in the possession.
2. It cost Him very much. 3. He bruised the reedby design.
CONCLUSION.Recognise the fitness of the metaphor. Believe the declaration. He will not break. Believe much more. The bruised reed shall be restored. He will carefully keep, and constantly seek to make it more useful than it was before.R. A. Griffin: Stems and Twigs, p. 241.
THE BRUISED REED
Isa. 42:3. A bruised reed shall He not break.
Of all the plants mentioned in Scripture, perhaps the reed was the most obscure and inconspicuous, the weakest and most worthless [1363] It was peculiarly obnoxious to mischances; it grew where the wild beasts had their lairs, and it was so slim and fragile. Yet, abject and homely as it looked, a skilful hand could turn it to good account [1366]
[1363] The vine; the palm, the pomegranate yielded delicious fruit; the pine, the oak, the cedar were invaluable for their solid timber; and though the rose and the lily yielded no fruit, and could not be cut into timber, they owed a special endearment to their lovely tints and exquisite perfume. But this poor waif of the wilderness was bereft of every attraction. No one saw any beauty in its russet plume; no one could have tried to rub a morning meal from its chaffy husks, or to rear his cottage from its frail and hollow stems. And instead of growing in picturesque localitiesinstead of mooring its roots in the sides of Lebanon, or tossing healthfully in the breezes which sported and frolicked over the hills of Galileelike a recluse or a reprobate, it sought the miry places, and grew in those oozy solitudes where fevers lurk and the foul air rises. So that for uselessness and ungainliness it became a perfect proverb; and of all errands it was the idlest to go out into the wilderness to see a reed shaking in the wind.Hamilton.
[1366] The stronger sorts were converted into that measuring-rod or mete-yard of which we read so frequently, or they furnished the light but serviceable staff on which the traveller leaned, or with which Bartimus, old and blind. would grope his way. And the more slender sorts supplied with their appropriate weapons the warrior and the scribe. Shaped into arrows, they filled the archers quiver or rang from the strings of Jonathan; and shaped into the writers pen, a little sheaf was always suspended in the scholars girdle; and if that scholar were a man of God, a Moses, a Daniel, or a John, the reed which erst shook in the wilderness would be consigning to immortal leaves the mind of Inspiration.Hamilton.
Here we read of One whose heart is as kind as His hand is skilful. Though so mighty that nothing can obstruct the progress of His purposes (Isa. 42:4), He is as remarkable for His benignity as He is for His prowess. It is by kindness that He conquers. It is by cherishing the smoking flax till it burst into flame that, with knowledge of Himself, He lightens every land, and by cementing and healing the bruised reed that He fashions those sharp arrows, those polished shafts by which He subdues the nations under Him.
The lesson which this passage teaches is, that the Saviour is infinite in kindness. Let three classes of persons lay it to heart.
I. Some of you have had dull feelings from thinking you were too inconsiderable for the Saviours notice; you are not a rose of Sharon nor a cedar of Lebanon, but only one reed in a marshy thicket. But it is a chief glory of the Saviour that no littleness can evade His eye, no multitude of objects divide His heart. He is like His Heavenly Father (Mat. 10:29-31). In that forest of reeds He can take account of every blade that grows as easily as He can reckon the angels in each legion or the stars of heaven. Moreover, remember that your own is the very nature which Immanuel wore and still wears. He is not ashamed to be called your Brother; He who best understands what immortality means is pervaded by a profound and tender solicitude for all the deathless interests of your soul (H. E. I. 4631). If no man cares for your soul, the Saviour cares (Isa. 49:15; H. E. I. 947).
II. This omniscient Saviour is gracious and gentle, and does not break the bruised reed. However high we may hold our heads, we are all bruised reeds.
1. Sin has bruised us. Just as far as we have broken Gods com mandments, our integrity, our uprightness, our rightness with God is broken. It is well when the sinner becomes aware of his ruined condition, and recognises himself as a bruised reed; for this is just the mood in which He longs to find us (Psa. 51:17; Psa. 147:3).
2. Afflictions bruise us. Nay, Christ sends them that they may bruise us. There are evils in us that cannot be got rid of in any other way. It would seem as if even Omnipotence could not sanctify a fallen and sinful spirit without the employment of sorrow. But when we are like a reed snapped asunder and all but broken through, let us remember how tender and sympathetic the Saviour is in applying these painful processes. He does not break the bruised reed; He apportions the trial to the exigency; He supports the fatigued or fainting soul (H. E. I. 179).
III. The reed is bruised, but the Saviour will not fail nor be discouraged until He have made it an implement of use, of beauty, or of majesty (H. E. I. 951). Its very weakness will elicit His divine power and matchless skill.
1. The sinner is obscure, but the Saviour is omniscient
2. The sinner is a thing of grief and guilt, but the Saviour is gentleness and grace impersonate.
3. The sinner is in Himself worthless, but the Saviour is mighty, and out of the most worth less can make a vessel of mercy meet for the Masters use [1369]James Hamilton, D.D.: Works, vol. vi. pp. 163177.
[1369] In the days of His flesh the Saviour went out among the hills of Galilee and into the wilderness of Judah, and there He found reeds shaking in the wind. He found a few peasants, plain, ignorant, incompetent, carnal and coarse-minded, a crop as unattractive and unpromising as ever tried the patience of Infinite Love or the resources of Infinite Power. But still the Saviour set His heart upon them. He chose them out, and commenced His transforming process on them; and, notwithstanding their refractoriness, He did not fail nor get discouraged, tillWhence came those pens, so nimble and so apt, with which the Holy Spirit wrote the things which Jesus began to do and to teach until the day that He was taken up? That one so steady, broad, and clear in its Hebrew strokes? That other, so like a feather from an angels wing, so limpid, pure, and loving? And those arrows in the Gospels first crusade, so sharp in the hearts of the Kings enemiesthose bolts of fire which subdued the people in Pentecostal hourswhat are they, and whence came they? Ah! these were reeds of the wilderness oncereeds growing on the edge of Gennesareth, shaking, battered reeds; but passing by, Jesus set His love upon them. Dingy, He did not despise them; bruised, He did not break them; but by dint of His divine painstaking He sharpened some into the pen of a ready writer, and, barbed with truth and winged with zeal, He polished others into shafts of celestial power. He did not fail nor get discouraged till, with pen and arrow forged from a bruised reed, He conquered the world, judgment was set in the earth, and the isles waited for His law.Hamilton.
THE GENTLENESS OF CHRIST
Isa. 42:3. A bruised reed shall He not break, &c.
In this prophecy Isaiah foretells the gentleness of Christ (H. E. I. 951961; P. D. 47, 1630). St. Matthew quotes it when he is recording the long-suffering of our Lord with the Pharisees. His ministry was not a public disputation, with clamour and popular applause, with factions in the city, and a following of people; it was silent and penetrating, as the light that goeth forth; spreading everywhere with resistless power, and yet from a source often withdrawn from sight. So soft and light, the text seems to say, shall be His touch, that the reed which is nearly asunder shall not be broken down, and the flax which has only not left off to smoke shall not be put out. It was in His gentleness, His tender compassion, His long-suffering and patient endurance of sinners, that this and other like prophecies were fulfilled.
I. EXAMPLES OF CHRISTS GENTLENESS RECORDED IN SCRIPTURE.
1. In all His dealing with His disciples. The first faint stirrings of faith and love He cherished and sheltered with tender care; in His teaching He led them on little by little (Luk. 9:55; Joh. 14:9; Mar. 9:33-34; Joh. 20:27; Joh. 21:15-17).
2. And so in like manner to all the people (Mat. 11:28-30). He permitted so near an access to all men that it was turned to His reproach; He was a friend of publicans and sinners; This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them (Luk. 7:36-48; Joh. 8:3-11).
II. SOME GREAT TRUTHS TAUGHT US BY CHRISTS GENTLENESS.
1. It implies that where there is so much as a spark of life in the conscience, there is possibility of entire conversion to God. Where there is room to hope anything, there is room to hope all things. Such is the nature of sin and of the human soul; such, also, the virtue of the blood of Christ and such the power of the Holy Ghost, that the greatest of sinners may become we dare not say how great a saint (Isa. 1:18; H. E.I. 1071). Illustrations often become our snares; e.g., we speak of the stains of sin, the soils of lust; but the spiritual nature, though really sustaining these, is capable, as the body is not, of a perfect healing. The very life of sin is the will. By conversion, from being corrupt and unclean, it becomes cleansed and pure. It is imperfect, as subjected to the flesh; but when disembodied, what shall hinder its being as pure as if it had never sinned? And if so, how can we limit its purification in this world? In a moment the human spirit may virtually and truly anticipate an habitual condition of the soul; in a true death-bed repentance there is contained a life of purity though it be never here developed into act.
2. The only sure way of fostering the beginnings of repentance is to receive them with gentleness and compassion. This is a truth which is in the mouth of more than rightly understand it. Some Christ received with a Divine love and pity, and some with a piercing severity; but these last were those only of whom, it seems, there was hope no longer; the reed was already broken and the flax quenched (Mat. 23:13-15; Mat. 21:31-32; Luk. 7:30). But sometimes the pure severity of compassion is confounded with personal harshness of temper. Truth told without love is perilous in the measure in which it is true; but encouragement of sinners before they are penitents is even more dangerous. With ineffable compassion Christ spake words of fear and warning (Luk. 13:3; Mat. 18:3; Luk. 13:24; Mat. 20:16; Mat. 10:22; Luk. 9:62, &c.) One great hindrance to true conversion is an imperfect knowledge of His Divine character; sinners fear to come within the range of those eyes that are as a flame of fire. It was in this peculiar wretchedness of sin that the gentleness of Christ gave to sinners both solace and hope; it was a strange courageboldness without trembling, awe without alarmwhich came upon them in His presence; it was an affinity of the Spirit working in penitents with His Spirit that made them draw to Him; their fears were quelled, and this opened a new future to them. Knowing the nature of man, its strange depths and windings, He knew that this was the surest way of winning them to Himself. And have we not made trial of this same gracious and tender compassion? How long some of us have neglected or rejected Him! How is His forbearance and compassion tried in the slow formation of our religious character! Our trials are all so wisely measured to our strength that the bruised reed is never broken.
CONCLUSION.How great a consolation there is in this Divine tenderness of Christ! Be your beginning never so late, yet if it be true, all shall one day be well. It is a word of cheer to us all. Alas! for us if He were soon wearied out as we are, soon provoked, ready to upbraid, sharp in the strokes of His hand; where should we have been long ago?Henry Edward Manning: Sermons, vol. ii. pp. 377400.
Strictly interpreted, this is a description of the manner in which the Saviour will effect the triumphs of His kingdom. Unlike other conquerors, He will not proceed by destroying the weak. As His progress is to be unostentatious (Isa. 42:2), so it is to be merciful. But this is to be because He is merciful; and so this verse may be regarded as an intimation of His personal character, and may be used to comfort sincere but desponding Christians. Consider
1. THE EMBLEMS OF OUR TEXT
A bruised reed. A reed is a slender, tender, and exceedingly fragile plant, and is therefore a very-suitable emblem of weakness. If you lean upon it it will break; the slightest collision may bruise it. A reed in its best estate is of little value; a bruised reed is altogether worthless.
Smoking flax, or, as it might be rendered, a smoking wick, referring to the wick of a lamp, whose flame is not bright, because it has only just been kindled, or of which the flame has died away, and in which nothing but a spark of fire remains.
These emblems set forth
1. What we all are. We are all reeds, feeble, fragile, bruised; in us all the flame of piety burns faint and dim. Alas! in how many it is dying utterly!
2. What many feel themselves to be. This consciousness of weakness and worthlessness is very humbling and painful. Yet it is a step towards safety and true blessedness (Mat. 5:3; Isa. 66:2).
II. THE DECLARATIONS OF OUR TEXT.
A bruised reed shall He not break, and the smoking flax shall He not quench. More is intended than is here expressed. The reed must break if He will not strengthen it; the smoking flax must be quenched if He keep not the flame alive. In each of these declarations there is an expression of the tenderness of Jesus to the feeblest of His followers.
A bruised reed shall He not break, that is
1. He will not leave those who are impressed with a sense of their guilt to sink into despair.
2. He will not leave those who have been overthrown by some fierce blast of temptation and almost broken off from Him to perish.
The smoking flax shall He not quench, that isHe will not despise the day of small things in relation to our piety. He will fan the feeble spark of our devotion into a flame.
III. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS.
1. Let none but sincere believers dare to draw comfort from this text. There is a broad line of demarcation to be drawn between the man who willingly remains weak and immature in Christian excellences, and the weak Christian who is sincerely endeavouring to grow in grace, but makes slow progress therein, and thereby is tempted to despair.
2. There may be perfect sincerity where there is great weakness. It is about our sincerity that we should be most concerned, and there are certain infallible tests by which it may be ascertained. The feeblest saint is the sworn and steadfast enemy of sin; he longs to be like God; he diligently uses the means of grace; he clings to the Saviour, acknowledges Him before the world, and endeavours to live to His glory.
3. Where there is great weakness, Christ will manifest great tenderness (Isa. 40:11). Let us not dishonour Him by distrust of His mercy.
4. Let us learn to imitate the tenderness of our Redeemer (Rom. 14:1; Rom. 15:1-7). A censorious Christian is utterly unlike Christ. Unnecessary wounds innumerable have been inflicted, unspeakable mischief done, by the severe and rash judgments of narrow-minded Christians. Let us remember what we once were, to whom we are indebted for our attainments, and our Lords warning respecting humble Christians (Mat. 18:10).William Reeve.
The virtues of mortals, when carried to a high degree, very often run into those vices which have a kind of affinity to them. Right too rigid hardens into wrong. Strict justice steels itself into excessive severity, and the man is lost in the judge. Goodness and mercy sometimes degenerate into softness and irrational compassion inconsistent with government. But in Jesus Christ these seemingly opposite virtues centre and harmonise in the highest perfection. Hence He is at once characterised as a Lamb and as the Lion of the tribe of Judah: a lamb for gentleness towards humble penitents, and a lion to tear His enemies in pieces. He is said to judge and make war, and yet He is called The Prince of Peace.
The general meaning of the text seems to be, that the Lord Jesus has the tenderest and most compassionate regard to the feeblest penitent, however oppressed and desponding, and that He will approve and cherish the least spark of true love toward Himself. Regard
I. The character of a weak believer as represented by a bruised reed. The idea conveyed is that of a state of weakness and oppression. Under some burden or other many an honest-hearted believer groans out the most part of His life. He finds himself weak in knowledge, in love, in faith, in hope, in joy, in everything in which he should be strong. These weaknesses or defects the believer feels painfully and tenderly, and bitterly laments them; and in this is the grand distinction between him and the rest of the world. He is sensible that his weakness has guilt in it, and therefore he laments it with ingenuous sorrow. He is a bruised reed (H. E. I. 12761285, 19952003, 25132516, 2633, 3366, 4475).
II. The character of a weak believer as represented by smoking flax. The idea conveyed is that of grace true and sincere, but languishing and just expiring, like a candle just blown out, which still smokes and retains a feeble spark of fire. It signifies a susceptibility of a further grace, or a readiness to catch that sacred fire, as a candle just put out is easily rekindled. It means religion in a low degree. The weak Christian has very few, and but superficial, exercises of mind about divine things; but he feels an uneasiness, an emptiness, an anxiety within, under which he pines, and all the world cannot heal the disease. His soul pants for God; the evaporations of the smoking flax naturally ascend toward heaven. He cannot be reconciled to his sins,not through fear of punishment, but from a sense of the intrinsic baseness of sin.
He is jealous of the sincerity of his religion, and afraid that all his past experiences were delusive. Hell would be a sevenfold hell to a lover of God. Sometimes he seems driven by the tempest of temptation from off the rock of Jesus Christ; but he makes towards it on the stormy billows.
In short, the weakest Christian sensibly feels that his comfort rises and falls as he lives nearer to or farther from his God.
III. The care and compassion of Jesus Christ for such poor weaklings. Who is there that does not believe it? But it is no easy thing to establish a trembling soul in the full belief of this truth. The understanding may be convinced, but the heart may need to be more deeply affected with this truth.
Dwell, then, upon the emphatic testimony of Holy Scripture that Christ has a peculiar tenderness for the poor, the mourners, the broken-hearted (Isa. 56:1-3; Isa. 66:1-2; Isa. 57:15). He charges Peter to feed His lambs as well as His sheep, i.e., to take the tenderest care of the weakest in His flock; and He severely rebukes the shepherds of Israel (Eze. 34:1-4). See the contrast in the character of the great Shepherd and Bishop of souls! (Isa. 40:10-11; Psa. 102:16-20). His people in every age have ever found these promises made good. David (Psa. 34:4). But why multiply instances? Go to His cross! There you may read the same evidence of His compassion as Thomas had of His resurrection.
CONCLUSION.Why should the bruised reed shrink from Him when He comes not to tread it down, but raise it up? Do not indulge causeless doubts and fears concerning your sincerity. Examine them, and search whether there be any sufficient reason for them; and if you discover there is not, then reject them and set them at defiance (Psa. 43:5).President Davies: Great Sermons of Great Preachers, pp. 433445.
I. In seasons of sorrow and dejection the words of our text are all-powerful to supply consolation.
II. They are not less instructive as a directory of our conduct towards the young and inexperienced. That great tenderness and forbearance combined with wisdom and discretion are necessary in the moral and intellectual training of youth, the recollection of our own early years may well enforce. Great diversity of means and method will be found necessary to adapt our measures to the various capacities, dispositions, and tempers of the young (H. E. I. 817821).
III. These words are to be remembered in the exercise of discipline within the Church. While wilful inconsistency is not to be tolerated in its members (1Co. 5:11-13), those who are unwillingly betrayed into sin, and are sorrowfully struggling against it, are to be treated compassionately and helpfully (Gal. 6:1-2).Samuel Warren, LL.D.: Sermons on Practical Subjects, pp. 358360.
THE PERSEVERANCE OF THE MESSIAH
(Missionary Sermon.)
Isa. 42:4. He shall not fail nor be discouraged, &c.
The coming of Christ was the great object of expectation to the Church for 4000 years. The leading design of all prophecy was to keep alive that expectation. The text introduces Christ to us (Mat. 12:18-21).
I. THE GRAND AND COMPREHENSIVE OBJECT WHICH CHRIST CONTEMPLATES. Till He have set salvation in the earth. This was
1. A very needful object. Man, guilty and depraved, needed both a Saviour and a Sanctifier.
2. A very benevolent object, and accords with the large and extensive grace of the Son of God.
3. A very difficult objectone to which none but Christ was equal. The claims of the law must be met, the honours of the Divine administration upheld and repaired, the enmity of the human heart subdued, all the powers of evil overcome. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested; from these difficulties He did not shrink. He descended to Bethlehem, to the wilderness of the Temptation; exposed Himself to the contradiction of sinners through life; agonised in Gethsemane, bled on Calvary, ascended from Olivet. In its prosecution He never faltered while He was on earth; and in heaven He devotes to it His Divine power. It is indeed a work that requires the constant agency and superintendence of Him who commenced it.
II. THE SPIRIT AND CONSTANCY WITH WHICH HE CARRIES IT ON. The prophecy is true still that He shall not fail nor be discouraged till all the results of His mediation are complete in the final spread of the Gospel. To a human eye there are in the moral state and condition of society, after Christianity has been in the world so many hundred years, many grounds for discouragement, such as
(1.) The benighted condition of the heathen world. Calculate the numbers upon whom the light of truth has never shone.
(2.) The present state of Christendom at largethose nations which possess the Gospel, and have partially acknowledged its claims, but through the blinding influences of corrupt forms of Christianity are almost hopelessly involved in mental delusion and error.
(3.) The controversies that prevail at home, and the slow progress of vital Christianity in the most-favoured circles, in our congregations, in religious families. In all these fields we perceive what we might easily suppose are omens of failure.
But by none of them are we to be discouraged. By them all Christ is not moved. Let me assign some reasons why He is not apprehensive as to the results of His sacrifices and endeavours, and why we should not hesitate in our efforts to extend the Gospel.
1. The long reign of evil and the long contest between truth and error have been distinctly foretold, and are parts therefore of His own system of moral government, and are all comprehended in His calculations. Foretold from the beginning. First promise asserts it. All the prophecies suppose it. Our Lords parables declare it. The Book of Revelation announces it: the woman is to be a long time in the wilderness, &c. Religion in our world is a strange plant in an ungenial soil. The boar out of the wood will try to waste it; the wild beast to devour the vine. The poison is slowly extirpated. The Son of Man goes on conquering and to conquer. It is a part of the Divine designs that evil should display itself; that truth and error should meet in open conflict; that no unsettled controversy should remain.
2. The victory obtained upon the Cross, when the empire of darkness was essentially broken, contains the germ and the pledge of final and complete triumph (Joh. 12:31-32). The power that conquered then can conquer always. We know not the nature and extent of the conquest, how much was involved in it, and what great results were comprehended in it; but other and superior natures do. Angels rejoice in it (Psa. 68:17-18). Devils tremble at it. They always knew that in Christ was their conqueror (Mar. 1:24, &c.) No attempt was made by the infernal powers during the forty days after the resurrection; a sufficient proof that they felt their overthrow.
3. There is in the works of God a character of progressive developmnt, of which we find strong traces in religion itself. The progress in the dispensations: Antediluvian, Patriarchal, Mosaic, Prophetic, Christian. Our questionings respecting the slow progress of Christianity seem to imply that while human works admit preparation, the works of God must be done instantly. But this expectation is contradicted by the whole course of Nature. For though God may at once do all His pleasure, yet for wise reasons He employs means, and allows such a gradual operation of those means as admits of a progress in which one thing prepares the way for another, giving notice of its approach. God in the revelation of religion seems always to have proportioned His discoveries not only to the actual wants of mankind, but to their capacity of receiving truth and their means of communicating it to others. The same means must be used for diffusing Christianity as for spreading any other system of truth; but in addition to these it has the twofold support of Divine providence and Divine influence. Having these, though the progress is slow, we must not fail in our efforts, nor be discouraged. In that which sometimes saddens us there is nothing surprising.
4. God has given to the Church an instrument of proved efficiency and powertruth, Divine truth! Falsehood has no unity, no stability. In Scriptural truth there is a real adaptation to man (H. E. I. 1151, 24212427). When fairly propounded before him, it is felt to be a faithful saying. The power of God unto salvation. The weapons of this holy war, what victories have been already achieved by them! (2Co. 10:4). Jesus retains in His own hands the influences that make the truth effectual (Joh. 14:16; Mat. 3:11).
5. The inherent vitality of religion encourages the hope of its final prevalence. Religion is in the worldthat is something. Religion, though long opposed, hated, despised, is not extinguished! Had Divine truth been capable of being crushed by power, it would have been crushed long sinceby the giants before the Flood, by the Pharaohs of Egypt, by the monarchs of Babylon, by ancient Rome under the Csars (H. E. I. 643, 1165).
6. The agencies of Providence are constantly going on to prepare the world for the truth, and to send the truth to the world (H. E. I. 979, 4029, 4030).
III. LESSONS.
1. Hope much for the world from Christianity.
2. Cordially co-operate with all who love the Gospel.
3. Act as though all depended on your individual exertion.
4. Be sure you are on the right side yourselves.Samuel Thodey.
Assuming, what the context abundantly confirms, that this is spoken of our Lord and Saviour, we have here a prophetic picture of the constancy which characterised our Redeemer in pursuing His work on earth. It has been common enough for the Christian pulpit to discuss the final perseverance of the saints; it may not be amiss, for once, to consider the final perseverance of their Saviour.
I. THE FACT OF HIS PERSEVERANCE IN THE WORK WHICH HIS FATHER GAVE HIM TO DO.
1. The fact implies His true humanity. If He were not very man as well as very God, we could hardly speak of His persevering.
2. It also bids us behold Him pursuing His glorious enterprise. It was a unique as well as a noble spectacle. It was verily a new thing in the earth. The world had had its warriors, statesmen, judges, kings, patriarchs, poets, and prophets; but in His purpose this Servant of God differed from them all.
II. THE DIFFICULTY OF HIS PERSEVERANCE.
To realise this we must remember that He was the man Christ Jesus.
1. He was almost alone in His great work. Often He felt that only the Father was with Him, so out of joint was He with all around Him (Joh. 16:32).
2. He was very poor; and a man is heavily weighted in doing a great work if he is very poor.
3. His views were unpopular. In His principles and practices He ran counter to all parties in the Church and State, and especially was He out of accord with the religious thought and people of His day. He carried on His great work not only without any such aid, but in the teeth of a strong and united opposition.
4. His own family derided Him (Joh. 7:5). No light thing or trifling hindrance.
5. He had recreant followers. Some evinced pride, some anger, some ambition, some fear; one was covetous, most were ignorant and carnal, one denied Him shockingly, another betrayed Him foully, while all forsook Him and fled. What a trial and difficulty this was to the Master to have such weak human elements in His chosen companions we can never fully know.
6. He was terribly tempted; and this, I take it, was by far the worst of all. Really tempted in all points as we are; terribly tempted, for He suffered through it. After this brief review who will dare to say Christs difficulties were small or that He had nothing to discourage Him?
III. THE SUCCESS OF CHRISTS PERSEVERANCE.
The prophecy became fact. He did not fail nor was He discouraged till He had set judgment in the earth. His success is seen in the fact that
1. He taught the truth He came to teach (Joh. 18:37).
2. He did the work He was sent to accomplish. He could cry at last, It is finished.
3. He suffered all it was necessary He should endure, even to death itself. He was taunted and tempted to save Himself and come down from the cross, but He would not; He persevered to the bitter end.
4. He showed His victory over sin and death by rising from the grave and ascending into heaven.
5. We see His success through His Apostles and His Church since. Let the Pentecosts and the world-wide spread of the Gospel at the first, and the reformations and revivals of more modern times, be the proof. The remotest islands have not only waited for, but have actually and joyfully received, His law. His success is still thus accruing, and it shall yet go on till the whole earth shall be filled with His glory, and He has seen of the travail of His soul and is satisfied.
IV. THE SECRET OF HIS PERSEVERANCE.
What was it? Let us spoil the Egyptians by finding the answer in the taunt of His foes. He trusted in God! Jesus Christ was the Greatest Believer as well as the only Saviour (Joh. 14:10). His strong, and abiding, and incomparable faith in God is the secret of His constancy. This led Him to pray to God and work for God as none ever prayed or toiled before or since. And all for the glory of God. I have put my Spirit upon Him, is the prophetic explanation in the context, and that of the New Testament is like unto it (Joh. 3:34-35).
V. THE PRACTICAL LESSON OF HIS PERSEVERANCE.
It is twofold
1. There is example and encouragement here for those who are Christs followers. Example as to how they should persevere; encouragement to hold on their way (Php. 1:6).
2. Here is also something to induce those without to come and live. He will not fail, whatever you need, nor be discouraged, though you have done so much to make Him so. He saveth to the uttermost. He receiveth sinners still.John Collins: The Study and the Pulpit, New Series, pp. 119122.
A revelation of Christs tenderness and constancy in His mediatorial work. Perseverance is a high virtue.
I. The work in which the Saviour is engaged. It is described as setting judgment in the earth. Denotes the benevolence and rectitude of His undertaking. It is no selfish workno attempt to overreach and destroy His enemies. But He saw that the laws of God had been set aside in this earth, &c., and He came to correct these flagrant evils, and restore the world to purity and peace.
II. The discouragements that rise up before Him. The assurance that He will not fail nor be discouraged implies that He will meet with much to discourage Him, and His work will be inconceivably difficult and painful. This was verified all through His personal residence on earth. In what state did He find the world?
1. Sin.
2. Selfishnessa cold individualism.
III. The victory that will eventually crown His cause. The assurance of this fact rests not on a single passage or promise of Scripture. There shall be the triumph
1. Of the moral over the physical.
2. Of the real over the ideal.
3. Of the social over the selfish.
4. Of the true over the false.
1. Great will be the results of these mighty changes.
2. Let us take encouragement from the Saviours example.J. T. Peck, D.D.: Sermons by Fifty American Preachers, pp. 193.
I. THE OBSTACLES WHICH OUR LORD MEETS IN HIS WORK OF KINDNESS TO MAN. The assurance that the Servant of the Lord will not fail nor be discouraged implies that His work will be difficult and painful, and that He will meet with much to discourage Him. We might consider these obstacles as they were presented in the world He came to redeem. His own people were involved in such pride and earthliness, that although His advent had been amongst them the subject of prophecy during many hundreds of years, they scorned His instructions and resisted His claims (Joh. 1:11). The Gentile nations, ignorant, desperately corrupt, hopeless (1Co. 1:21; Rom. 1:21-32; Eph. 2:12). What a world to visit, what a race to address, what a work to accomplish! But the world had, and still has, to be redeemed by the redemption of individuals. Let us, therefore, call to mind the obstacles which any single human being presents to Christ when He comes forth in the power of His grace to seek and to save.
1. What is the bent of his inclinations? Whither run his affections? What is the tendency of his will? Of what character are his moral instincts? He is an earthly creature. He may be more or less intellectual in his pursuits, but he is still earthly and sensual. He desires earthly things as the means of his enjoyment. He lives to himself, not to his Maker. Unholy selfishness is the principle which puts into motion his activity in all its forms. Yet he has the most exalted conceptions of his personal merits and security. What obstacles are here to Christianity, to the salvation offered by Christ! what strongholds must be demolished, what fierce animosities must be subdued, ere the dominion of Christ can be established in any human soul!
2. Consider the indisposedness of man to receive instruction. How vast is the influence of all this pride and worldliness upon the mind. Its distinctions of good and evil are confounded, the understanding is blinded, the affections are enslaved. Man has no disposition honestly to seek the truth or to retrace his steps to the paths of godliness (Pro. 14:12; Joh. 3:20). The approach of spiritual light is painful to him. Religious instruction alarms rather than delights his mind. The corrupt heart resists the admission of Gods claims (Psa. 58:3-5). We love the sounds that lull, and the counsels which gratify our passions (H. E. I. 26692679).
3. Observe the use which we make of instruction when actually received. With what unequal steps do we advance along the paths of heavenly science! Into how many by-roads do we turn! What inconsistency and irresolution are visible in our daily conduct! How prone to let go the truth and to take up error! What dulness to discern, and what indolence to pursue, the whole will and counsel of God!
Let these facts be considered, and the obstacles in the way of Christ will appear insuperably great.
II. THE PATIENCE AND TENDERNESS WITH WHICH HE MEETS ALL THESE OBSTACLES.
With what constancy He pursues His gracious object amid all the difficulties by which it is encompassed! He counted the cost ere He engaged in the work of redemption; He fully understood the human heart, and had anticipated all the baseness of its ingratitude; and therefore nothing could turn Him away from the fulfilment of the errand of mercy on which He came (Heb. 12:2-3). He remains the same, unchanged in His counsels of peace, unwearied in His efforts to enlighten and to save. And not in vain. His religion has overthrown the polytheism of ancient nations. Into how many a cold, reluctant, rebellious heart has His Gospel at length forced its way, and shed a late though lasting peace over the tumults of conscience and the perturbations of passion! What a history of forbearance and compassion on the part of Christ would the secret but detailed memoirs of individual believers compose!
III. THE ULTIMATE TRIUMPHS OF HIS GRACE. He will not fail nor be discouraged. Viewed separately, many events may appear contradictory to His purpose; but, under the silent and strong control of an unseen Agency, the complicated system of this worlds occurrences in really working together for good (H. E. I. 4024, 4030).
1. Numerous as are the strongholds of idolatry and superstition, truth shall yet brighten every land, and religion have dominion over a willing and converted world (Rev. 11:15; H. E. I. 979, 11661168, 2541, 4829, 4831).
2. It is in reference to the completion of Christs work of love upon the individual heart that the subject assumes to us the deepest interest. If towards His redeemed servant, notwithstanding all his inconstancy, our Lord has hitherto been compassionate and indulged, it is with the intention to cleanse him from all iniquity. It is a consideration full of comfort for an honest mind which trembles under a sense of weakness and unworthiness, that redemption is a settled and deliberate plan of mercy to bless the wretched and save the lost; that Christ is the Mediator of an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things and sure; and that God has connected the manifestation of His own glory with the deliverance of His people from the captivity of sin. To what conclusion do these considerations bring me? To love my Benefactor more warmly, and to throw myself afresh into the combat with evil (1Jn. 4:4; Rom. 8:37; Jud. 1:24; H. E. I. 1070).Hon. Gerard T. Noel, M.A.: Sermons, pp. 142158.
Introduction.Briefly give the spirit of Isa. 42:1-3, dwelling especially on the greatness of the work to be done, as contrasted with the apparent feebleness of the means to be employed.
I. The hopeful spirit of this Servant of Jehovah. Draw attention to the discouragements arising from the character of the work, and to the hindrances alike in the world, the Church, and the individual. The tendency of workers to lose heart, to grow weary in well-doing. The effect of this losing heart on the quality of the work and its efficiency.
Two things essential to hopeful working
1. Faith in truth.
2. Faith in the possibility of accomplishing the work (H. E. I. 19281931; P. D. 1162, 1176).
See both these in the Servant of Jehovah.
1. His trust in God; in Gods word, it shall not return void; His calm outlook and untroubled mind, giving dignity and power to every word He spake.
2. His unbounded faith in the power of the Gospel to subdue and save men; in the ultimate triumph of the truth.
II. This spirit of hopefulness is essential to all successful working for Christ. Give illustrations of the power of faith to quicken and inspire, and also to generate faith in others. Luthers words have been said to be half battles. Men felt that he believed in the truth he proclaimed, and had no doubts as to the ultimate issue. Trace this hopeful spirit in the life and work of the Apostles, and of some of the most successful workers for Christ. Contrast the jubilant love of scientific workers in our time with the Elijah-like depression among Christians. They are on the scent of the truth; their past successes embolden them to hope for greater things. Sometimes they may be over-confident, yet their spirit inspires others. So let Christians be hopeful. Give illustrations of the well-grounded character of hope here. As the Jew could look back upon his eventful history, bright with tokens of Divine favour and power, so we can look back to the triumphs of the past, e.g., success of mission work in nineteenth century; some recent triumphs of Christianity showing that the power is the same.
Close by urging the importance of faith in Christ, in His promises, and in the power of the Gospel to save men and nations (H. E. I. 11611168).J. Fordyce, M.A.: The Preachers Monthly, vol. i. p. 20.
IS CHRISTIANITY A FAILURE?
Isa. 42:4. He shall not fail nor be discouraged, &c.
In these days we often hear it said that Christianity is a failure; and on this theme many pens have been employed and many addresses have been made. As if foreseeing this state of mind, two thousand five hundred years ago the prophet took up his harp and sung these sweet notes, saying, He shall not fail nor be discouraged. These words apply to the Lord Jesus Christ (Mat. 12:18).
I. The purpose of Christ is the conquest of this world; and, in carrying out this great work, He is not to fail or be discouraged until He has set judgment in the earththat is, until the system of truth which He teaches is everywhere understood; until the principles of all government shall be brought into harmony with His Word, and men everywhere shall understand and practise the great lessons of truth and holiness.
II. Men are very ready to say that this purpose must be a failure; for
1. The project is so vast, that it seems to man impossible. There have been great kingdoms set up on this earth of ours, but there was never a kingdom which reached to its utmost bounds. But this purpose is to found a kingdom embracing all lands, taking in its vast sweep of authority all nations of all languages and of all customs. And not only for a time, but enduring through all ages. Such a project seems to man impossible.
2. Men think Christianity must be a failure because the agencies seem to them inadequate. If the earth is to be conquered, they look for the sword, for vast armies, for the employment of agencies vast-reaching and of vast compass. But Christ sent forth His disciples to conquer this world, saying simply, Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature.
3. Men say Christianity is a failure because it has not accomplished its work. More than fifty generations have risen and gone down, and as yet not half the population of this earth has been reached. And how can it be that this earth is to be conquered since in eighteen centuries so little, comparatively, of this work has been done?
4. They tell us that Christianity is likely to be a failure because, they say, there is a conflict between science and religion. They tell us that the advance of science has shown errors in the accounts of the Bible; that the Bible has become effete; that the system of Christianity has served its day; that we must look for something grander, and nobler, and stronger to call and hold the attention of the human mind.
III. It is one of the favoured expressions of these men who fancy Christianity is a failure, that in the order of this world there shall be the survival of the fittestthat the weaker shall pass away, and the stronger and the mightier shall remain. Now, if we contrast Christianity with other forms of religion, where shall we find its failure? We may say to-day, simply as a fact, that it still remains, and, surpassing any other system in its strength and beauty, we shall see its survival over all.
Compare it with paganism. Not that low, degrading paganism we find among the Indians of our continent or the tribes of Africa, but paganism in its palmiest hoursin the days of the philosophy of Greece and of the power of Rome, when its temples shone with splendour, when its poets sang with grace, when sculpture and architecture gathered around it their forms of beauty. Scepticism then doubted and denied; but all the scepticism of Greece or Rome never closed one temple, never dethroned one of their imaginary deities. In the midst of scepticism popular faith went right on, and the temples had their devotees and worshippers. Judaism taught the knowledge of the one true God, yet it made no advances against idolatry. But what sceptical philosophy and Judaism could not do, Christianity has accomplished. Men without earthly power, men persecuted, men in prison, men reproached, went telling the story of a living and dying and ascended Christ, and as they told this story, the temples became deserted and the idols fell, until to-day there is not a god worshipped on earth that was worshipped in the time of the philosophy and glory of Greece and Rome.
Compare it with Brahmanisma system that has much in it that is beautiful, with many of its precepts sublime, and many of its declarations grand. We have India brought up under this system, and what is it? I have not time to dwell on its suffering, darkness, and degradation. Two hundred millions of the people of India, with their Brahmanism, are controlled by less than thirty millions of Englishmen, who used to be on an island just at one extremity of the earth. Why? How? Because the system fails to develop men. Because Christianity does develop manhood, and gives its strength to power.
Compare Christianity with the teachings of Confucius, as we find them embodied in the Chinese. Voltaire, Volney, and others spoke of the wonderful influence of this form of heathenism, and made some of us think, in our earlier hours, there was something grand in the system. But what are the results of the teachings of Confucius? What kind of men do they produce? What is the result of the teaching? China, with her four thousand years or more on her head, is bowing to young America, and sending her sons here to be educated. Japan, by her side, is asking for our teachers and our schools. Japan is the object of a resurrection; for to-day in Japan the Bible is becoming the text-book in some of the schools, and the young people are beginning to see the light and the glory that emanate from Christianity.
On the principle of the survival of the fittest, is Christianity a failure? Paganism has gone, Brahmanism is going, and Confucianism is going down. Christianity is just raising herself. Oh, I see her! There is beauty on her brow; there is lustre in her eye; there is glory on her cheek. I see her stepping on the mountains, passing over the plains; I see her with wide-open hand distributing blessings on the sons of men. She is yet young. The dew of youth is yet upon her, and she comes as an angel, having the everlasting Gospel to preach unto men.
But there is infidelity! Yes; and what is infidelity? It is a negation; it has no system. Where are its temples, its schools, its hospitals? What did it ever try to do for man anywhere, or at any time, as an organised system? There was one nation, and only one, that ever tried this system of infidelity. France decreed, There is no God, and death is an eternal sleep, and the result was that the streets of Paris ran with blood. Society was upheaved from its very foundations, and men were glad to go back even to poor temples, for the sake of finding some relief from the error and terror into which infidelity had thrown them. Infidelity has had its era. Voltaire said he lived in the twilight of Christianity; and so he did. But it was not, as he fancied, a twilight deepening into darkness, it was a twilight opening up into the brighter day; and the Sun of Righteousness shines now in spiritual beauty over our entire world. England, a century ago or more, was under the dominion of infidelity. The result was a degradation of morals and of general society. But as a reaction there came forth those works of Butler and Godwin, and a host of others who defended the principles of Christianity. And we have to-day a purer and clearer and stronger Christianity because of those attacks of infidelity. But who survived? Where are the infidels of that day? Where are their writings? They have scarcely left a mark. But Christian Churches are all over England and America.
The times are full of promise. I look over the earth, and nearly everything is hopeful. Christianity is growing stronger. It is visiting heathen nations and raising man to his full height of stature before the throne of God. Where are our discoverers? Where are our inventors? Where sit power, wealth, and learning? In Christian lands. All these are gathering around Christianity, and they make us hopeful for the future. We have our mission stations; we have our Bible translated. Our missionaries know the way to the very ends of the earth, and there have been more converts this year than in any other year since the Gospel was preached in Galilee. No danger of Christianity falling. No! Dispel all fear. There is no danger of Christianity. It is standing securely. The glory of God is on it. In the last days there shall be scoffers walking in their own ungodly lusts. If there were no scoffers at Christianity, I might doubt its truth. I know there are such scoffers, and I hear them around; but they are few and far between. A lecturer might come and occupy a hall, but the churches are full. There are crowds of the nations gathering around the Cross, and the beauty of our Lord Jesus Christ is atracting more and more (H. E. I. 979, 11661168).Bishop Simpson: Christian Age, vol. xix. pp. 115117.
Some say Christianity is a failureothers that it will never convert the world. Take the text as replying to both. Two standpoints to view the text
I. That occupied by the prophet himself. Seven hundred years before Christ. So his predictions, as well as all that was written concerning Him, had to cover that space. From Isaiahs standpoint, He shall not fail
1. To appear as the promised and predicted Messiah. From the Fall He had been promised. He did not fail as to time, place, or manner.
2. In the great offices and work He would fulfil. Teacher, Prophet, Priest, and Lord.
3. Notwithstanding the opposition and sorrows of His life.
4. To survive and set up His kingdom. Hence His resurrection. Preached in Jerusalem. Reigns in the midst of His enemies. Triumphs of His grace.
II. First Church did not fail. Success everywhere. Now let us take our stand in our own age, and see some reasons for reiterating the declaration of the prophet.
He shall not fail,
1. To overcome all the opposition of His enemies. None more bitter than the past, or more formidable. Recent victories.
2. To attain the universal dominion. The grounds of this are manifold.
(1.) The divine covenant (Isa. 53:10-11, with Php. 2:6).
(2.) The divinely repeated prophecies and declarations (Psa. 2:6; Psa. 77:17; Hab. 2:14).
(3.) The efficacy and sufficiency of the Gospel.
(4.) The impossibility of Christs failure. As the Divine, &c. The failure of Christ would be the triumph of ignorance, &c.
CONCLUSION.The world has been full of failures. Christ never fails to be all that sinners need. Labour on and in hope. How futile all opposition. Emmanuels victories will be sung for ever.J. Burns, D.D., LL.D.: Sketches and Outlines, p. 228.
THE PROGRESS OF CHRISTIANITY
Isa. 42:4. He shall not fail nor be discouraged, &c.
Besides meeting its fulfilment in the ministry of Christ on earth, the text is fulfilled in Christianity, regarded as the Spirit of Christ moving in the world. Moving noiselessly, almost unperceived, Christianity was to accomplish the establishment of a universal kingdom.
I. The progress of Christianity shall continue until the principles of Christs Kingdom pervade the entire globe. In human affairs there are oftentimes failures and discouragements. In nature, in all the works of God, and in all the history of man, there are periods of progress and periods of retrogression. Men change their plans and try new instrumentalities; but He shall not fail nor be discouraged, or, as the margin reads, broken; that is, His plans shall not be broken or changed; and He shall not be discouraged, but shall wait until the great work shall be accomplished (Heb. 10:12-13). His perseverance is indomitable.
II. But there is a modern tendency to speak of the failure of Christianity. Men speak of the failure of Christianity, It is not answering its great design; some other system must take its place; Christianity will become one of the worlds past institutions, &c. The cry comes to-day from the literary circle; from men of scientific pretensions. The youth of the land are taught to expect something better and higher than Christianity.
III. In what direction do indications around us point? It is thought that Christianity attempts too much. It suits us and our civilisation; Mohammedanism suits a certain part of the earth better; Buddhism suits India, &c. But is not the tendency of civilisation everywhere to bring man up to one great standard?
(1.) It is so in the material world.
(2.) All the discoveries of science are leading us to see a wonderful unitya unity in all varietiesa unity in the heaven above us.
(3.) The whole human family is yet to be one brotherhood. If this be so, one religious tie is needed to bind all hearts together to the Father above.
(4.) Difference in the religious sentiment will give rise to varieties of taste, varieties in our modes of worship, &c.; but there will be one great revelation of faith.
2. It is thought that the agency is wholly inadequate to accomplish the work proposed. Men still imagine that the preaching of the Cross is foolishness. How can it change national customs and institutions? But the same men talk about the power of thought, about the control of the human mind. Christianity is emphatically a religion of thought. It proposes to conquer, not by the sword, but by entering into the mind of man, transforming his whole being, and changing, by this means, the order of society. Remember
(1.)The power of thought. It has changed the face of nature; revolutionised empires. Primarily, there is no power in the universe but thought. God thought: He spake, and it was done, &c. It is Christian thought that is to conquer the world. Christ is represented as having a two-edged sword proceeding out of His mouth.
(2.) Every man that receives Christianity seeks to communicate it. It is like the spread of fire (H. E. I. 1162). When we think what Christianity promises, and the unseen spiritual influences that act in harmony with it to give it efficiency, we find the means adequate.
IV. The sure future of Christianity.
1. Christianity has already made a great change; and the future conquests of the earth, so far as we can see, will come under the control of the Christian nations (H. E. I. 1161).
2. Christianity has this peculiarity, that it takes up childhood in its arms. Infidelity and Paganism neglect childhood. Give me the rising generation, and you give me the world.
3. Out of the work Christianity is doing there comes a feeling of peace. The principle of arbitration is spreading among the Christian nations of the earth. Such is the blessing of Christianity to men. It shall not fail; for our great Leader is at the right hand of the throne; the power of the Father is His.Bishop Simpson: Clerical World, vol. i. pp. 290292.
Fuente: The Preacher’s Complete Homiletical Commentary Edited by Joseph S. Exell
THE SERVANT OF THE LORD
Isa. 42:1-11. Behold My servant, &c.
It is difficult for us who have history, with all its definiteness, to realise the inestimable value of prophecy, notwithstanding its vagueness, to Gods ancient people. But try to put yourself in their place. It was very difficult for them to be Gods people, because it is difficult always to be loyal to an unpopular and apparently hopeless cause. How small was the true Israel! a little speck of light surrounded by a vast continent of darkness. The thought that that darkness would ever be dispelled seemed a vain dream. Besides, there was the terribly depressing influence of the apparent failure of all previous efforts to dispel it. The Law appeared to have been given in vain, kings and prophets raised up to no purpose. In spite of all that the most faithful of them had accomplished, the vast mass even of the chosen people were given over to iniquity, and over all the other nations there brooded gross darkness, the very shadow of death. Idolatry with all its abominations prevailed the whole world over. How, then, could any man reasonably hope that the earth should ever be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea? It was contrary to reason to cherish this hope; but yet Gods little band of faithful people did cherish it. In this they were mightily helped by prophecy. The confident assurances of the prophets enabled them to look beyond the things that were seen and temporal, to those that were unseen but eternal. So they walked by faith, not by sight, and rejoiced in hope of the glory of God.
Chief among the predictions that were thus helpful to them was that of a Messiahan Anointed Onewho should triumphantly accomplish all the purposes of God in regard to this earth. In this particular prophecy He was held up before them as the Servant of God. This was a phrase with which they were familiar. By other discourses of Isaiah, they had been taught to regard themselvestheir nationas called to be the servant of Godthe instrumentality by which the knowledge of God was to be diffused throughout the earth and men everywhere won to His service (Isa. 41:8-9). This was in accordance with the terms of the covenant into which God had originally entered with them (Exo. 19:6). A glorious calling, but how poorly had they responded to it! But now they were taught to look for One who should be all that they ought to have been, and accomplish all that they ought to have accomplished.
This prediction they would study with minutest care, and as they did so they would think much and often of such points as these:
I. THE PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THIS SERVANT OF GOD..
This much would be clear to them
1. That His character would be more than blameless; that all conceivable moral and spiritual excellences would meet in it. In whom My soul delighteth
2. That He would be unostentatious, thus differing wonderfully from all earthly conquerors (Isa. 42:2).
3. That He would be gentle (Isa. 42:3).
4. Yet that this gentleness would not arise from weakness. He Himself would never be broken nor extinguished; over all opposition He would triumph.
We, who have history to guide us, know how wonderfully all these predictions have been fulfilled in Jesus Christ.
II. HIS MISSION.
1. He was to be the maker of a new covenant with Gods ancient people (Isa. 42:6), that new covenant of which other prophets wrote and spoke (Jer. 31:31-34).
2. He was to be a light of the Gentiles. He was to dispel the darkness that brooded over them by bringing judgment, i.e., true religion, to them. The effects of the accomplishment of His mission are set forth in beautiful figures in Isa. 42:7. How blessed and glorious the task assigned to this Servant of the Lord!
III. THE MANNER IN WHICH HE WOULD ACCOMPLISH IT.
His conquests were not to be accomplished as earthly conquests had been.
1. His progress was not to be violent or clamorous (Isa. 42:2). He was to conquer by simply doing what was right and speaking what was true (Mat. 13:14-21; Joh. 18:36-37). The kingdom of God cannot be extended by legal enactments or force of arms.
2. His triumphs were to be advanced by strengthening what was bruised and fainting. Here history comes to the help of the students of prophecy; it is by His gentle treatment of His feeble followers that our Lord has made them strong, and so made His Church a power in the earth (H. E. I. 951; P.D. 474).
3. His triumphs were to be secured by unwearied perseverance (Isa. 42:4).
IV. THE GUARANTEES THAT IN THIS MISSION HE WOULD SUCCEED.
1. He would not undertake it in His own strength (Isa. 42:1; Isa. 42:6).
2. He who had called Him to it was no other than the Almighty (Isa. 42:5).
3. The mission which He had undertaken was one that this Almighty Creator could not fail to sympathise with (Isa. 42:8).
V. THE REASON ASSIGNED WHY THEY SHOULD TRUST IN THIS GLOWING PREDICTION (Isa. 42:9).
This promise was made by Him who had fulfilled His former promises: in this He would not fail.
These were the hopes and expectations which sustained Gods ancient people, and we may derive comfort from them to-day. Christs triumphs are incomplete. Much remains to be accomplished; so much, that we sometimes doubt whether it can be accomplished. But these doubts are condemned
1. by history;
2. by Gods Word. The kingdoms of this world shall yet become the kingdoms of God and of His ChristM. N.
I. THE PERSON HERE REFERRED TO.
The Servant of the Lord. Who is intended by that phrase? Some have answered, Cyrus, because there is an undeniable reference to him in the beginning of the 41st chapter, where he is spoken of as the righteous man from the east. But the allusion cannot be to Cyrus here, for he was far from answering to the description given in Isa. 42:2-3 : his sternness and severity are inconsistent with tenderness. Others allege that the prophet means himself. But how was he a light to lighten the Gentiles? And may we not presume that the phrase here designates the same person as in the other places in which it is employed, in many of which it is clearly impossible to hold that it describes Isaiah? Others think that it means Israel; but this servant was to be given for a covenant of the people, and, therefore, he must be distinct from the people. In a sense, indeed, the true spiritual Israel are one with Jesus, and they may be regarded as identified. This is the view of Alexander. But even in this view the passage must be taken first of Him, and is true of them only through their union to Him. So we adopt the view that this passage is purely Messianic,a view which is adopted even by some eminent Jewish interpreters, and which has the sanction of Mat. 12:17-21. When, therefore, the question is put, Of whom speaketh the prophet thisof himself, or of some other man? we answer without any hesitation, of Jesus who is called Christ.
II. THE DESCRIPTION HERE GIVEN OF HIM.
This is comprised in Isa. 42:1-4. He is the beloved and the chosen of God, and to this prediction corresponds the declaration at the baptism of Jesus, This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. He is endued with the Spirit of God, and to this answers the descent of the Holy Ghost on Jesus as He came up from Jordan (Act. 10:38). It is added, He shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles, which means that He should set up or establish His religion among the Gentiles, and for that the way was prepared in His death and resurrection, and by His great commission to His followers. But the most interesting part of this description is that which follows, and which brings out the humility and tenderness of Jesus (Isa. 42:2). There was nothing of the love of ostentation about Him. Unlike the Pharisees of His time. When they did anything they supposed to be meritorious, they sounded a trumpet before them. He left His works to speak for themselves. Nay, even sometimes, when He saw that they were not moved by a proper spirit, He forbade those who had been benefited by His miracles from blazing abroad a report concerning them. He said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation. And the whole system of getting up attractions of a factitious character to herald the preaching of the Gospel is out of harmony with His spirit and example. If crowds came after Him, that was an effect of something they had seen in Him, or received from Him. They were not collected by any flourish of trumpets which He caused to be sounded before Him. Few things in these days would do more good in the Churches than the study and imitation of this feature of the Redeemers character.
Akin to this humility is the tenderness here described. How beautiful the words, A bruised reed shall He not break, and the smoking flax shall He not quench! In the shepherds pipe, if a reed be bruised it gives forth a false note, and the player forthwith takes it out, breaks it, and throws it away. In the lamp, if the wick has gone out it emits an evil odour, and the attendant utterly extinguishes it. But not so with Jesus. That which others would reject as useless, He will endeavour to save (P. D. 475). He will receive even the outcasts, whom the world itself would throw away, and make of them trophies of His grace. We see this illustrated in the Gospel: in His treatment of the most degraded class of sinners (Luk. 7:36-50; Joh. 8:1-11; Joh. 4:7-28). In His reception of those who came inquiringly to Him (Joh. 3:1-17; Mar. 10:17-22; Mar. 12:28-34). In His dealings with the weak in faith (Mar. 5:25-34); and in His reception of the backsliding, of which the case of Peter is a conspicuous illustration.
Isa. 42:4 is a prediction of the universal diffusion of the Gospel which yet awaits its complete fulfilment. Meanwhile, as Christ does not fail and is not discouraged by the delay, why should we?
III. THE COMMISSION HERE GIVEN HIM.
This commission is issued by the Lord God (Isa. 42:5). Behold the monotheism which so distinguished the literature of Judaism from that of other systems! This Jehovah has called Messiah in righteousness, or for a righteous purpose, or in such a way as shall at once manifest and promote righteousness. And the ultimate design is to fulfil His covenant with His people and bless the Gentiles. In doing that He will, by His Spirit, enlighten men in the knowledge of things concerning which they were formerly in the dark, and give them a nobler liberty than they had ever enjoyed, namely, freedom from the slavery of sin. And the result of all this would be an advancement of happiness, so that the people should sing a new song unto the Lord, and His praise should fill the earth. Could anything better describe the effect of the preaching of the Gospel by the Apostles at the first, or the results which follow, even in our days, the labours of faithful missionaries among the heathen?
LESSONS.
1. If Christ needed the Spirit of the Lord upon Him, how much more do we? Let us supplicate God to put His Spirit upon us, that we may do His work in His way, and with the greatest possible success.
2. If Christ does not manifest ostentation, why should we? He who seeks to make himself or any particular feature of his own character prominent, thereby proves that he has not the Spirit of Christ. The wish to make a sensation is one thing; the desire to serve our generation by the will of God is quite another.
3. If Christ, who is all purity, could be gentle with the erring, why should not we? He did not sin, and, therefore, made no demand upon the charity of others; but we are always needing that others shall be tender with us; and, therefore, we ought to be all the more gentle with others.
Forget not thou hast often sinned,
And sinful yet must be;
Deal gently with the erring one,
As thy God hath dealt with thee.
W. M. Taylor, D.D.
Fuente: The Preacher’s Complete Homiletical Commentary Edited by Joseph S. Exell
3. COVENANT, CHAPTER 42
a. SEE MY SERVANT
TEXT: Isa. 42:1-9
1
Behold, my servant, whom I uphold; my chosen, in whom my soul delighteth: I have put my Spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the Gentiles.
2
He will not cry, nor lift up his voice, nor cause it to be heard in the street.
3
A bruised reed will he not break, and a dimly burning wick will he not quench: he will bring forth justice in truth.
4
He will not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set justice in the earth; and the isles shall wait for his law.
5
Thus saith God Jehovah, he that created the heavens, and stretched them forth; he that spread abroad the earth and that which cometh out of it; he that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein:
6
I Jehovah have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thy hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles;
7
to open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, and them that sit in darkness out of the prisonhouse.
8
I am Jehovah, that is my name; and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise unto graven images.
9
Behold, the former things are come to pass, and the new things do I declare; before they spring forth I tell you of them.
QUERIES
a.
Who is the servant?
b.
What is meant by he will not cry, nor lift up his voice . . . etc.?
c.
What does the name Jehovah mean?
PARAPHRASE
Look! by faith see My Servant-Messiah whom I shall give My full support. He shall be sent as My chosen One, and My delight in Him shall be made manifest. I will demonstrate that I have put My Spirit upon Him. He will accomplish justice for the people of all nations. He will not be loud and boisterous. He will be gentle, meek and humble and will not practice self-seeking methods. He will not crush and exploit the helpless nor extinguish hope and faith. He will establish real justice and real truth. He Himself will not be quenched or bruised until He accomplishes His mission to establish justice for all mankind. All mankind waits for His truth. This is what Almighty God, Creator of the heavens, Creator of the earth and the green grass, Creator of life, breath and spirit in all men who live upon the earth affirms: I Am Jehovah, Covenant-God, and I have called You, My Servant, to a covenant of righteousness. I have made solemn promise to You to clasp Your hand in Mine and to protect You. It is My purpose to give You for a covenant of Mine for all peopleseven a light to the pagans. I, Jehovah, am giving you to open the eyes of mens minds which have been blinded by sin, to deliver all men who are imprisoned and enslaved in the dungeon of unbelief. I am Jehovah, Faithful-Promiser, that is My express nature; I share this glory with no other, least of all gods of wood and stone. Everything I, Jehovah, foretold in the past came to pass just as I said it would. These new things I tell you about My Servant will just as surely come to pass even though I tell you before they happen.
COMMENTS
Isa. 42:1-4 CHARACTER OF THE SERVANT: The word avediy is the Hebrew word for bond servant. There is another word, sakiyr, meaning hired servant. This is the Messiah! That is evident from Mat. 12:17-21. When the Incarnate God came to man, He came as a servantthe lowliest of servantsa slave (cf. Php. 2:7 doulou, Gr. for slave). Bekhiyriy means choice one and ratsethah means willing acceptance (or delight). Of all the servants at Jehovahs disposal, this One was the only acceptable One and so God chose Him. This Servant stands in peculiar relationship to Jehovah, He is the Son (cf. Joh. 1:18, etc.). This makes His servanthood astounding. Many servants have been elevated to sonshipbut no father wants his son to suffer the indignities of servanthood (cf. Php. 2:5 ff; Luk. 15:19 ff). This Servant will be sustained by the Spirit of the Living God upon Him. He will have Gods Spirit without measure (Joh. 3:31-36) and in Him will all the fulness of God dwell (Col. 1:19; Col. 2:9). The Son is the only servant fit to establish the Fathers covenant. He will come with all authority and faithfulness of the Father to deliver judgment, mishphat, in this instance meaning justice, to the goiym (Gentiles).
The nature of the Servant of Jehovah will be diametrically opposed to all human concepts of saviourhood or messiahship. He will not put on a huge show and make a lot of noise. He will not advertise nor hire a public relations man to create for Him a popular image. He will not call attention to Himself merely for His own satisfaction. He will not seek His own glory (cf. Joh. 5:41; Joh. 8:50). He comes humbly (cf. Zec. 9:9). He comes to save, not to win the acclaim of men. He comes to serve, not to be served. Most human saviours and deliverers reach their positions of power by exploitation, to one degree or another, of those less talented, poorer, or weaker than they. The world expects its messiahs to be ruthless, proud, indulgent and patronizing. Nietzsches Superman was to be the result of elimination of all the weak people of the world. Nietzsche advocated breaking and crushing all the bruised reeds and quenching all the dimly burning wicks. His philosophy declared all Jews and Christians weak. Adolph Hitler believed Nietzsche. Hitler was the self-acclaimed messiah of the German people. There have been politicians in our own country subscribing to the same philosophy. Their idea is that the masses are too ignorant to know what is best for them; break them, quench them; then patronize them with all-encompassing government. But the Servant of Jehovah comes to be a servant of the bruised and dimly-burning. He comes to heal and help. He will be a King who serves His subjectseven to die for them. He will search their hearts and personalities and find any spark of good and fan it, if possible, into a flame of faith and holiness. He will pour Himself into them to give them a power to reach their highest potential. He does not befriend them to take from them, but to give to them. This servant will be a suffering Servant (Isa. 53:1-12); He will be a shepherding Servant who tenderly feeds the sheep, not one who devours the flock (Eze. 34:1-31). The Servant of Jehovah will establish what is right (justice) by what is true (in truth). He will not be fooled by appearances; He will not judge by partiality; He will not accept or practice falsehood. He will personify absolute truth.
There is an interesting play-on-words between Isa. 42:4; Isa. 42:3. In Isa. 42:3 the verbs ratsuts (bruised) and kehah (growing dim) are used again in different form yikeheh (He will not grow dim) and yaruts (He will not be crushed) in Isa. 42:4. He will, in the flesh, in servant-form, be victorious and able to help the crushed and quenched! (cf. Heb. 4:14-16).
Isa. 42:5-9 COMMISSION OF THE SERVANT: Gods Servant will come (a) with all the power of the Almighty Creator, (b) in divine righteousness, (c) in divine fellowship, (d) as the covenant of God personified, (e) to deliver, (f) and to fulfill the promises of Jehovah and thus to glorify Him.
This Servant will be sent with all the authority and power of Jehovah. He will have creative power resident in Him. He will do the work of the One and Only True God. The implication of Isa. 42:5-6 are that the Servant will have all the power to create matter and life that Jehovah has. But the most important mission of the Servant will be righteousness and for a covenant. The Servants primary objective will be to involve the Gentiles! This is no covenant of commandments, only, but a covenant whose terms and relationships are in a Person, a Life, the Son of God. The Servant Himself will come as Man to accomplish and earn the covenant relationship with Jehovah by suffering the penalty of mans breaking covenant (cf. Mat. 26:26-29; Mat. 20:28; Luk. 24:44-49; Heb. 10:1-25, etc.). Men may enter into that covenant by a relationship of personal faith in Him and His redemptive work, allowing that faith to produce His character in them. The Servant furnishes the righteousnessthe covenant-members receive it by faith and obedience. The main thrust of Jesus ministry was to persuade His people that He was equal with the Creator and that the Covenant of Jehovah was to be Personified in Him. Both of these concepts were rejected and despised by the main body of Jewish people in Jesus day, not because Jesus failed to demonstrate evidence to substantiate His claims, but because they did not have the love of God in their hearts (cf. John, ch. 7, 8, 9).
To understand the primary meaning of the prediction that the Servant will open the blind eyes, and bring out the prisoners, etc., one must compare Isa. 61:1-2 with Luk. 4:16 f. Jesus did not do many mighty works in Nazareth, and yet He declared the release of captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, was being fulfilled in the very act of preaching the good news to the poor there in Nazareth. So, this mission of the Messiah-Servant is not to find its ultimate fulfillment in physical healing alone.
The people of Isaiahs day may as well stop worshipping idols for the glory of Jehovah will be manifested in only one, Himself, Incarnate in the Servant-Son. This is final, absolute and certain to come to pass. Just as surely as the former things God predicted through previous prophets (Moses, Joshua, Samuel, David, Elijah, et al.) so these new things which Jehovah predicts through Isaiah, as incredible as they are, will certainly come to pass. The indication is that the people must surrender to the will of God that their salvation is not in national or ethnic relationship but relationship to Him and the Servant whom He shall send, (cf. Joh. 5:23; Joh. 5:38; Joh. 6:29).
QUIZ
1.
This Servant is the Messiah. Does the N.T. substantiate Jesus as the Servant of Jehovah? Where?
2.
What is to be the nature of this Servant?
3.
How does this nature compare with that of human savior-hood?
4.
How does the Servant become Jehovahs covenant?
5.
What is the primary fulfillment of the Servants opening the eyes of the blind?
6.
Why the warning that Jehovah will not give His glory to another?
Fuente: College Press Bible Study Textbook Series
XLII.
(1) Behold my servant . . .Here the words point not, as before, to the visible, or even the ideal Israel, but to One who is the centre of both, with attributes which are reproduced in His people in the measure of their fulfilment of the ideal. Elect is another of the words with which Isaiah has fashioned the theology of Christendom. It meets us there four times (45:4, 65:9, 22), and is echoed and interpreted in the voice from heaven of Mat. 3:17. That voice fixed on the human consciousness of the Son of Man that He was the servant of the Lord, and throughout His life we trace an ever expanding and conscious reproduction of the chief features of Isaiahs picture. Disciples like St. Matthew learnt to recognise that likeness even in what might seem to us subordinate details (Mat. 12:17-21).
I have put my spirit . . .An echo from Isa. 11:2, heard once more in Isa. 61:1. The promise we note as fulfilled in closest connection with the utterance of the previous words in Mat. 3:16; Luk. 3:22; Joh. 1:32-33.
He shall bring forth judgment to . . .The ministry of the servant, as extending to the Gentiles, is prominent in 2 Isaiah (Isa. 49:6-7; Isa. 52:15). It expands the thought of Isa. 2:1-4. There the Temple is the centre from which the knowledge and the judgment (used here in the sense of law, or ordinance) flow; here it is from the personal teaching of the servant.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
1. Behold my servant Who is meant? Not Israel, as in Isa 41:8, nor the prophet himself, because what is affirmed of this “servant” transcends what any Old Testament prophet was ever called to, and what any mere man was ever capable of doing. The Targum adds Messiah to the words “my servant,” as explanatory of them. And Abarbanel, the Jewish enemy of Christians, says those who interpret otherwise are “smitten with blindness.” To the conception of a transcendent Personality the word must refer, from attributes following, which are applicable only to such a conception; in other words, to the incarnate Redeemer, looming up to the prophet’s eye from the far future. It may be asked what affinity has this word here with the same word in Isa 41:8, and in Isa 42:19-20, where it seems God’s true Israel is called his “servant.” The answer is, our prophet was of the broadest cast of mind; of loftiest spiritual conceptions withal; and was ever certain of victory crowning truth and righteousness as against idolatry and sin; and the conqueror was ever to be the Messiah, first of the Davidic type of kingly glory and righteousness, (Isa 17:12😉 then Jehovah and co-workers, namely, the embodied idea of the true Israel as in these chapters, (41-47;) then the holy seed descended from Abraham, the indestructible germ, in which the continuity of Israel was preserved, culminating in the Christ, as St. Paul interprets in Gal 3:16. The one true Israel becomes thus individualized in the person of the future great deliverer, the coming Christ. Delitzsch illustrates by a pyramid, of which the base is Israel as a whole; the central section Israel according to the flesh, but purified, and so the remnant Israel; the apex is the personal Messiah springing out of Israel. God has also his “servants” outside of Israel; of whom, in these chapters, is Cyrus, representing employed agencies from the Gentile world over whom he rules, as do typical Messianic agencies from Israel in whom he rules.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
The Servant of Yahweh ( Isa 42:1-4 ).
Isa 42:1
“Behold my servant whom I uphold,
My chosen one in whom my soul delights,
I have put my Spirit upon him,
He will bring forth judgment to the Gentiles.
He will not cry, nor lift up,
Nor cause his voice to be heard in the street,
A bruised reed he will not break,
And the smoking flax he will not quench,
He will bring forth judgment in truth,
He will not fail nor be discouraged,
Until he has set judgment in the earth,
And the isles will wait for his law.”
‘Behold my servant whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom my soul delights.’ It is not a coincidence that this is the seventh ‘Behold’ in the passage from Isa 41:8. Divine perfection has been reached.
As we have seen, as the last in the series this ‘behold’ connects back with what has gone before. The gods are as nothings, and all are called on to ‘behold’ this fact (Isa 41:24; Isa 41:29). But God has raised up one who will act in His Name, one who has come from the north and trodden down rulers (Abraham – Isa 41:25). And from him has sprung Zion. Thus eyes are turned on them, ‘behold them’ (Isa 41:27). But no one has arisen from them in order to give counsel or answer a word (Isa 41:28). So now God turns their eyes on one who will arise in the future, and says, ‘Behold My Servant’ (Isa 42:1).
But who is ‘My Servant’? Israel/Jacob are declared by Isaiah to be His servant and chosen one in Isa 41:8-9; Isa 43:10; Isa 43:20; Isa 44:1-2; Isa 45:4; Isa 48:10 (compare Deu 7:6; Deu 14:2; Psa 33:12; Psa 135:4) because they were in Abraham His servant and are his seed (Isa 41:8; Psa 105:6) These words can hardly therefore be denied to Israel. But it is clear in these passages that Israel as a whole have come short, and that the reference is therefore to the faithful in Israel (at this present time Isaiah and his disciples). It is they who are the true Israel (Isa 49:3; see Isa 65:9). In this particular song therefore this is where the emphasis lies. God visualises the faithful in Israel as fulfilling their ministry to be a kingdom of priests (Exo 19:5-6). For they stand in for, and spring from, Abraham, God’s chosen servant and friend, as fulfillers of the promises.
But the description also demands that the Servant be their righteous king. No Israelite at this time would have imagined this destiny of setting judgment in the earth and establishing the law of God among the nations unless it were to be under the rule of the mighty Davidic king who was to rule over them for ever as promised by God (2Sa 7:13-17; Psa 2:7-9; Psa 89:3-4; Psa 89:27-29; Psa 89:36-37). And in the light of the earlier teaching of Isaiah this meant Immanuel (Isa 7:14). The destiny of God’s true king and God’s true people went together (see Jer 33:26). David was God’s Spirit-endued chosen one and servant from the beginning (1Sa 16:13 with Isa 42:8-10; Psa 89:3; Psa 89:20; 2Ch 6:6) and this privilege was seen as passed on to his descendants when they were true to God, although it is possibly not without significance that Scripturally no Davidic king after David is described as endued with the Spirit of Yahweh until the promise of the coming One (Isa 11:1-2). None fulfilled the potential. The idea leaps straight from David to the coming David.
‘Whom I uphold.’ See Isa 41:10. The word can indicate the exercise of firm but gentle strength. When Joseph wanted to transpose his father’s hands so that the right hand of blessing might rest on the firstborn he sought to ‘uphold’ his hand (Gen 48:17). When Moses hands were lifted up to enable victory over the Amalekites they were ‘upheld’ by his lieutenants (Exo 17:12), providing the extra strength needed. In Psa 17:5 the Psalmist ‘held fast’ God’s path, the idea being of a firm hold. In Psa 41:12 The Psalmist saw God as ‘upholding’ him in his integrity against his enemies. God is thus here seen as the one standing alongside to help and giving added strength to the Servant in his earthly weakness.
‘In whom my soul delights.’ This requires a righteous servant, potentially at least. God could not delight in one who was unrighteous as He regularly makes clear. It is only as righteous that the Servant can delight Him. These words were specifically applied to the Jesus by the voice at His baptism. The Servant will bring joy to God’s heart, and He will delight in Him and His people. The word regularly contains within it the idea of acceptability. God delights in uprightness (1Ch 29:17). He delights in His people (Psa 44:3) and in David (1Ch 28:4). See for a similar idea Deu 10:15; 2Sa 22:20 ; 1Ki 10:9. But that delight is in those who are responsive to His ways and obedient to His commandments. So it must be here.
‘I have put my Spirit upon Him, He will bring forth judgment to the Gentiles.’ This is so reminiscent of Isa 11:2-5; Isa 11:10 that it could only be describing the One spoken of there. But not necessarily only Him. Jacob/Israel will also be endued with the Spirit in the glorious days to come (Isa 32:15; Isa 44:1-5). So again Davidic king and people are united, in being Spirit endued. The Servant is both king and people, His true people headed up by His true King. The Servant of Yahweh is to be endued with His mighty Spirit. In the Old Testament the enduing of the Spirit always results in visible success. So God’s people will sweep forward under their glorious king. A finer description in so small a space, of the movement of the Gospel, first through Jesus as God’s Servant (Mat 12:17-21) and then through His Spirit-inspired people (Act 13:47) would be difficult to find. But it also incorporates God’s final triumph when the nations are gathered to Him as a result of the Servant’s activity.
‘Judgment.’ The word mishpat has varied meanings relating to making decisions on moral and governmental issues. We must not limit it to the exercise of the authority of the judge, although that is very much included. When used in this kind of context it signifies righteous rule as king and judge, right decisions (judgments) and depth of understanding and discernment in God’s Law (Isa 42:4). And note what the Servant was to do, set judgment in the earth so that the isles waited for His Law. It is true that this indicates a Lawgiver supreme Whose Law or Instruction would prevail, but all would have accepted that such Instruction to be acceptable must be backed up by supreme authority, and Israel would undoubtedly have seen that as being the authority of the Davidic king.
‘To the Gentiles (the nations, the peoples).’ No prophet was more universal in his views than Isaiah and as we have constantly seen he fervently believed that God’s purpose in the end was that all nations should come under His rule and receive His enlightenment (e.g. Isa 2:3-4; Isa 19:18-25; Isa 49:6). The Servant has a universal purpose. That purpose continued its fulfilment through the faithful of Israel in the dispersion, and through the faithful in Israel itself as they awaited their Messiah (Luk 2:25; Luk 2:32; Luk 2:37), it continued in the ministry of Jesus to the Samaritans (John 4) and to various Gentiles, the Roman centurion (Luk 7:2-10), the Syro-Phoenician woman (Mar 7:24-30), the Greeks who came to Philip seeking Jesus (Joh 12:20-21), the demon-possessed man in Decapolis (Mar 5:1-20), the feeding of the crowds in Gentile territory (Mar 8:1-10) and was rapidly expanded through the early church, reaching out continually through the centuries to our own day. The Servant, the seed of Abraham, is still at work as we move forward in Him.
‘He will not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street. A bruised reed he will not break, and the dimly-burning flax he will not quench. He will bring forth judgment in truth.’ He will not be a complainer, or a rabble-rouser, or a self-propagating orator, or one who is dictatorially demanding, but rather will deal gently and tenderly with the weak and the helpless, restoring the bent and bruised reed, bringing back to flame the smoking, dimly-burning flax, quietly but firmly dispensing justice. The picture is one of someone of great authority, but perfectly controlled and tender. The true servant of God is distinguished by his quiet competence. And central to the fulfilment of his position as ruler and judge will be truth. There will be no deviation, no darkness, no manipulation, all will be true and will reveal truth. The Servant can thus only signify those who hold firmly to God’s truth, and reveal His tender heart.
‘He will not fail nor be discouraged, until he has set judgment in the earth, and the isles/coastlands wait for his law.’ The Servant will continue steadfastly, finally unfailing in the task given him, refusing to be discouraged, until at last righteous judgment and true justice are total, and even the furthest outreaches of mankind are under His Instruction. They will ‘wait’, either in certain hope for His word, or in obedience under the dispensing of His word.
‘Fail’ and ‘discouraged’ are from the same roots as ‘burn dimly’ and ‘bruised’ (Isa 42:3). He will not allow bruising and dimly burning to affect him. He will be steadfast against all difficulties and hardships. It is not that He will not be bruised (Isa 53:10), but that it will not be in such a way as to cause Him to wilt. The necessity for these words is demonstrative of the trials through which the Servant will go. His path is not to be easy but He will conquer in the end.
‘And the isles/coastlands wait for his law.’ We can compare here Isa 51:4-5 where ‘a law shall proceed from Me (Yahweh)’ and ‘the isles will wait on Me and on My arm they will trust’. Thus the isles wait for the instruction of the Servant and they wait for the Instruction of Yahweh.
In one sense this is all the result of Abraham whom God raised up and called in the beginning (Isa 41:2; Isa 41:25). This was the purpose to which He called him. And it has all sprung from the call of Abraham. But it is the work of Abraham as fulfilled through those of his seed who have proved faithful to God (Isa 41:8-9), and especially through the Greatest of the seed of Abraham, the final Davidic king, our Lord Jesus Christ Himself (Mat 1:1-2; Mat 1:17). This was one reason why Paul so greatly stressed that the true church of Christ are the seed of Abraham (Gal 3:7; Gal 3:29; Rom 9:7-8 in context). The Servant is Abraham marching through history to his finest fulfilment in Jesus Christ and His people. The setting of true ‘judgment’ in the earth, which the peoples would undoubtedly see as a blessing, was one of the promises to Abraham and his seed (Gen 12:3). And it continues to be revealed through His church, the Israel of God.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
The Coming One ( Isa 41:25 to Isa 42:9 ).
The theme of the failure of the idols to tell the past and the future continues. They do not know of ‘the one from the north’. Identity of the ‘one from the north’ has produced widely differing ideas. In context there are good grounds for arguing that he must be the servant of Isa 42:1, for the theme of the servant immediately follows.
Some see it as referring to Cyrus in the light of Isa 44:28 to Isa 45:1. But there Cyrus is God’s shepherd, not His servant, and it would be meaningless to the reader until he came to that chapter. For the idea here is that He is describing someone who is known, someone who is therefore evidence of what He has done. Far better is it to see it as Abraham in the light of Isa 41:2. Certainly Abraham came from both the north (Haran) and from the east (Ur of the Chaldees). And he is specifically described as one who called on the name of Yahweh (Gen 12:8; Gen 13:4 compare Gen 26:25). And he was certainly disastrous for rulers (Gen 12:10-20; Genesis 14 all; 20 all), including the king of Elam and the king of Shinar (Babylon) (Gen 14:1; Gen 14:9). He seems well represented in this description.
(Actually anyone who came from the east in Mesopotamia would come from the north through Syria. It was only Arabs like the Midianites coming across the Jordan who came only from the east).
Opting therefore for Abraham as being clearly described, we must, however, recognise that it is not just as simple as that. Strictly it is talking about Yahweh’s Servant, thus about Abraham and his seed who came into the land in him. It is summing up salvation history in Abraham. Abraham came, and all who came from Abraham were in Abraham when he came. Thus as he entered the land in him came Isaac and Jacob, His servants (Exo 32:13; Deu 9:27), and Moses and Joshua (both officially called ‘the servant of Yahweh’), and David his servant (Isa 37:35; Psa 89:3; Psa 89:20), and in him came the greater David yet to come. As he entered the land they all entered it in his loins. (This was Israel’s way of thinking).
We should note especially that the term ‘my servant’ is used regularly in Isaiah as depicting various descendants of Abraham, and is used of no others. Thus Isaiah is ‘my servant’ (Isa 20:3), Eliakim the viceroy is ‘my servant’ (Isa 22:20), David is ‘my servant’ (Isa 37:35), Israel is ‘my servant’ (Isa 41:8-9), all are His servants in Abraham. And included under the name of David is David’s greater son, Immanuel. For He is the fulfilment of the Davidic hope. (Nebuchadnezzar is called it by Jeremiah (Jer 27:6), but not by Isaiah, and then only as a temporary function, not as a permanent status. Thus application of the title to an outsider would be contrary to Isaiah’s whole usage).
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
The Lord’s Servant – Isa 42:1 prophecies that the Lord’s servant is going to “bring forth judgment to the Gentiles.” How is God’s servant going to judge the Gentiles? The Table of Nations in Gen 10:1-32 lists the seventy Gentile nations to whom Isaiah’s prophecy is directed, and to whom all of Bible prophecy is generally directed. Normally, a leader rises up among a people and begins to conquer nations and kingdoms. This conquering king then imposes his laws and judgments upon the nations. The “servant of the Lord’ will not execute judgment in such a manner, as the next verses reveal.
Isa 4:1-4 is quoted in Mat 12:17-21 as a prophetic fulfillment of one aspect of Jesus’ public ministry, which reveals that He withdrew from any physical conflicts of the Jewish leaders. The Pharisees met to devise a way to kill Jesus (Mat 12:13) after He publicly denounced their traditions (Mat 12:1-13). Rather than rally a group of zealous rebels to conquer the Pharisees, Jesus quietly retreats and ministers to the sick. Jesus Christ did not come to destroy, but rather, to heal and to redeem mankind.
Isa 42:1 Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles.
Isa 42:2 Isa 42:3 Isa 42:3 “‘Here, O God, is a fallen being. Sin is the violation of Your law. This sinner has presumed upon Your government and has touched the flaming sword ( Gen 3:24 [60]
She says the phrase “a bruised reed He will not break” means that He will not harm the helpless and “the smoking flax He will not quench” means that He will not extinguish the life or hope of man. This verse implies that Jesus Christ will come to man who is at the edge of his own destruction, weak and unable to help himself, and in His mercy He will rescue him. Jesus did not turn down anyone who came to him with a need. He welcomed all of suffering humanity.
Isa 42:4 God’s Sovereignty Over the Nations – God created the nation of Israel, the children of Abraham, to be a light unto the world, to be a messenger of God’s salvation (Isa 42:19). God had placed this nation at the crossroads of civilizations, at the crossroads of travel where three continents meet, of Europe, Asia and Africa. All who passed through the land of Israel would have seen God’s blessings and would have heard of God’s glorious salvation to His people. Israel had seen God’s glorious miracles (Isa 42:20) in the past and their obedience would have exalted the Law as great and glorious (Isa 42:21) because their nation would have abounded with divine blessings. Instead, Israel rebelled and became deaf and blind (Isa 42:18). Therefore, God turned them over to divine judgment (Isa 42:22-25). Yet, because of God’s unfailing love for His people (Isa 43:3), He has redeemed them (Isa 43:1-4). He will gather them back as a nation from the four corners of the earth (Isa 43:5-9) so that they can become the witnesses that He created them to be (Isa 43:10-13). God reminds them of their past deliverance through the Red Sea (Isa 43:16-17) and tells them to forget their past sins (Isa 43:18-28) because He will blot them out forever (Isa 43:25). Israel is God’s chosen (Isa 44:1-5) and He is their Redeemer (Isa 44:6-8). Thus, idols are nothing (Isa 44:9-11) and those who follow them know nothing (Isa 44:12-20). Israel has been redeemed (Isa 44:21-23). Therefore, all creation rejoices (Isa 44:23).
The True Servant of the Lord
v. 1. Behold My Servant, v. 2. He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause His voice to be heard in the street, v. 3. A bruised reed, v. 4. He shall not fail nor be discouraged, v. 5. Thus saith God the Lord, v. 6. I, the Lord, have called Thee, v. 7. to open the blind eyes, v. 8. I am the Lord, v. 9. Behold, the former things are come to pass, EXPOSITION
Isa 42:1-8
ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE SERVANT OF THE LORD, AND THE WORK WHICH HE WILL PERFORM. There are comparatively few who deny that, in this place at any rate, the “Servant of the Lord” is the Messiah. (So the Targum on the passage; so Abar-barnel; so, among moderns, Oehler, Delitzsch, and Mr. Cheyne.) The portraiture has “so strong an individuality and such marked personal features, that it cannot possibly be a mere personified collective;” and it goes so “infinitely beyond anything of which a man was ever capable that it can only be the future Christ” (Delitzsch). It may be added that St. Matthew (Mat 12:17-21) distinctly applies the passage to our Lord.
Isa 42:1
Behold. “Behold,” as Mr. Cheyne says, “invites the attention of the worldboth of the Jews and of the nationsto a new revelation.” It looks back to the similar expression of Isa 42:24 and 29 of the preceding chapter, which draw down the curtain upon the idol-gods, while this “behold” reveals One who is to occupy their place, and to be a worthy object of the worship of mankind, My Servant; i.e. my true and perfect servant, utterly obedient (Joh 4:34; Heb 3:2); not, like Israel, my rebellious and faithless servant; not, even, like my prophets, yielding an imperfect obedience, Whom I uphold. “As the Father hath life in himself, so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself” (Joh 5:26). As the fount or origin of Divinity ( ), the Father supports and sustains even the Son and the Spirit. Mine Elect. Christ was “chosen” from all eternity in God’s counsels to the great work of man’s redemption, and to be the Mediator between God and man. I have put my Spirit upon him (see Isa 11:2; Isa 61:1; and for the fulfilment, comp. Luk 2:40; Luk 3:22; Luk 4:18-21; Luk 3:34). He shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles; i.e. “he shall publish,” or “cause to be published, to the Gentiles, the true Law of Godreligion on its practical side.” The publication of Christianity throughout all the world has abundantly fulfilled this promise or prophecy. The call of the Gentiles had been already declared by Isaiah in his earlier preaching (Isa 2:2; Isa 11:10; Isa 19:22-25; Isa 25:6; Isa 27:13, etc.).
Isa 42:2
He shall not cry, nor lift up. Supply, after “lift up,” “his voice” from the next clause. His methods shall be quiet and gentle. He shall not seek to recommend his teaching by clamour or noisy demonstrations. There shall be a marked unobtrusiveness in all his doings (comp. Mat 8:4; Mat 9:30; Mat 12:15; Mat 14:13; Joh 5:13; Joh 6:15; Joh 7:3, Joh 7:4; Joh 8:59; Joh 10:40, etc.).
Isa 42:3
A bruised reed shall he not break. Egypt was compared to a “bruised reed” by Sennacherib (Isa 36:6), as being untrustworthy and destitute of physical strength; but here the image represents the weak and depressed in spirit, the lowly and dejected. Christ would deal tenderly with such, not violently. Smoking flax shall he not quench; rather, the wick which burns dimly (margin) he shall not quench. Where the flame of devotion burns at all, however feebly and dimly, Messiah will take care not to quench it. Rather he will tend it, and trim it, and give it fresh oil, and cause it to burn more brightly. He shall bring forth judgment unto truth. But with all this tenderness, this “economy,” this allowance for the shortcomings and weaknesses of individuals, he will be uncompromising in his assertion of absolute justice and absolute truth. He will sanction nothing short of the very highest standard of moral purity and excellence. (For an instance of the combination of extreme tenderness with unswerving maintenance of an absolute standard, see Joh 8:8-11.)
Isa 42:4
He shall not fail nor be discouraged; literally, he will not burn dimly nor be bruised. He will himself show no signs of that weakness which he will compassionate in others. As a “Light” (Luk 2:32; Joh 1:4-9), he will burn brightly and strongly; as a Reed, or Rod, he will be firm and unbroken. Till he have set judgment in the earth; i.e. till he has succeeded in establishing true religion upon the earth (compare the last clause of Isa 42:1). The isles; or, the countries (comp. Isa 41:1, Isa 41:5). Shall wait for his Law; or, shall long for his Law. Yakhal is “to wait longingly.” It is, as Delitzsch observes, “an actual fact that the cry for redemption runs through the whole human race.” They are possessed by “an earnest longing, the ultimate object of which is, however unconsciously, the Servant of Jehovah, and his instruction from Zion”.
Isa 42:5
Thus saith God the Lord; literally, thus saith the (One) God, Jehovah. The entire utterance, Isa 42:1-4, is the utterance of God; but, as that fact is gathered by inference, not asserted, the prophet suddenly stops, and makes a new beginning. It must be made perfectly clear that the announcement of the “Servant of the Lord” and his mission are from the Almighty; and so we have the solemn announcement of the present verse. He that created the heavens, etc. (comp. Isa 40:12, Isa 40:22). The earth, and that which cometh out of it; i.e. all that the earth producesgold, and silver, and precious stones, and corn, and wine, and luscious fruits, and lovely flowersall that sustains life, and all that makes life delightfulnay more, life itselfthe breath and the spirit that make men living beings.
Isa 42:6
I the Lord have called thee in righteousness. The “Servant of Jehovah” is addressed. God has “called” him; i.e. appointed him to his mediatorial office “in righteousness,” in accordance with the righteous purpose which he has entertained towards his fallen creatures from the beginning of the world. And will give thee for a Covenant of the people (comp. Isa 49:8). The covenant between God and his people being in Christ, it is quite consistent with Hebrew usage to transfer the term to Christ himself, in whom the covenant was, as it were, embodied. So Christ is called “our Salvation” and “our Peace,” and again, “our Redemption” and “our Life.” This is the ordinary tone of Hebrew poetry, which rejoices in personification and embodiment. A prose writer would have said that the Servant of the Lord would be given as the Mediator of a covenant between Jehovah and his people. For a light of the Gentiles (comp. Isa 49:6; Isa 51:4).
Isa 42:7
To open the blind eyes. The Messiah was to cure both physical and. spiritual blindness (see Isa 29:18; Isa 32:3; Isa 35:5, etc.). Here it is spiritual blindness that is specially intended, as appears both by the symbolic language of the two conjoined clauses, and by the comment of Isa 42:16-19. To bring out the prisoners from the prison; rather, to bring out prisoners. To deliver from the bondage of sin such as are its slaves, and shut up in its prison-houses. The promise is general, but, like all spiritual promises, conditioned by the willingness of those who are its objects to avail themselves of it. Them that sit in darkness (comp. Isa 9:2).
Isa 42:8
I am the Lord; rather, I the Lord. The sense runs on from the preceding verses: “I, the Lord, will do all this, I who am all that the Name” Jehovah’ signifiesself-existent, eternal, self-sufficing, independent, omnipotent, and therefore unique, one whose glory cannot be shared with any other being that existsleast of all with images, which are mere vanity and nothingness.”
Isa 42:9-17
ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE COMING DELIVERANCE OF ISRAEL FROM BABYLON, AND CALL ON THE NATIONS FOR A SONG OF PRAISE AND JUBILATION. Jehovah is still the speaker. He begins by promising a new revelation (Isa 42:9). Then, before the revelation is made, he calls upon the nationsespecially those in the vicinity of Palestineto rejoice at what is about to happen (Isa 42:10-12). After this he proceeds to make the announcement promised in Isa 42:9an announcement that he is about to deliver his people (Isa 42:16) and to execute vengeance on their enemies (Isa 42:13-15 and Isa 42:17).
Isa 42:9
Behold, the former things are come to pass; i.e. former prophecies have been fulfilled. Israel has been led lute captivity, and in her captivity has suffered grievous things. The reference is, perhaps, especially to such prophecies as Isa 39:5-7. And new things do I declare (comp. Isa 43:19). The voluntary restoration of a captive people to their own land by the power to which they were subject, and which could compel their services, was emphatically a “new thing” in the world’s history. How unwilling the sovereign power was ordinarily to lose such services may be seen by the narrative in Exodus (Exodus 5-14.), and again by the account which Herodotus gives (1:73, 74) of the ground of quarrel between Alyattes and Cyaxares. Before they spring forth; or, shoot forth. The metaphor is one taken from the vegetable world (comp. Isa 43:19; Isa 45:8).
Isa 42:10
Sing unto the Lord a new song. The call for a “new song” is based upon the ground that the mercy vouchsafed was a “new” one (see Isa 42:9). The expression is frequent in the Psalms (Psa 33:3; Psa 96:1; Psa 98:1; Psa 144:9; Psa 149:1). His praise from the end of the earth; i.e. “let his praise be sung by all the inhabitants of the earth to its remotest bounds.” The sea. Sea and land are called upon equally to proclaim God’s praise; the sea, “and its fulness” (margin)those who frequent it in ships, and those who dwell on its shores and islands. The last clause, “the isles and the inhabitants thereof,” is exegetical of the preceding one” all that is therein.”
Isa 42:11
The wilderness and the cities thereof. The desert had its cities, built on some more or less fertile oases, where at any rate water was procurable. Instances of such cities are Tudmor, Petra, Kadesh (Num 20:1). Its villages were probably collections of tents, which were moved from time to time, since the Beni-Kedar were nomads (Isa 21:16; Psa 120:5). The call is upon both the stationary and the wandering inhabitants of the Syro-Arabian desert to join in the song of praise. The inhabitants of the rock; rather, the inhabitants of Sela, or , the rock-city, which was the capital of Idumaea, or Edom (see the comment on Isa 16:1-14. l). It is assumed that the return of the Israelites to their land ought to be a subject of rejoicing to all their neighbours.
Isa 42:12
Let them give glory unto the Lord in the islands; i.e. “let those who are in the islands,” or the maritime tracts, “give glory to God”a repetition of the last clause of Isa 42:10. The persistency with which the islands, or the maritime tracts of the west, are mentioned (Isa 41:1, Isa 41:5; Isa 42:10, Isa 42:12; Isa 49:1, etc.) may perhaps be accounted for by the fact that Christianity was to obtain its earliest and its most enduring triumphs in these regions.
Isa 42:13
The Lord shall go forth. The exhortation to “sing unto the Lord a new song” ends with Isa 42:12, and now the reason or groundwork for the exhortation has to be declared. God is about to make one of the great manifestations of his power upon the earthto “go forth” against his enemies, and destroy and devour, and easily prevail against themnot, however, simply in the way of punishment and vengeance, but with a further merciful object. He will punish Babylon, that he may deliver Israel. He has promised not to forsake his people (Isa 41:17). He is now about to give effect to his promise by a “new” and strange deliverance. He “will bring his people by a way that they knew not, and lead them in paths that they have not known” (Isa 42:16). It has been said that “in effect it is the day of judgment which is here described” (Cheyne); but this seems to be only so far true as every manifestation of God’s wrath towards his enemies is a foreshadowing of the great and awful day. The event directly in view is the destruction of the Babylonian power by the irresistible arms of Cyrus. Hence the allusion to idolaters and images in Isa 42:17. As a mighty man like a man of war. (For similar anthropomorpbisms, see Exo 15:3; Psa 24:8.) He shall stir up jealousy; i.e. his own jealousy. God is “a jealous God” (Exo 20:5), so much SO that his very “name is Jealous” (Exo 34:14). He is jealous for his own honour (supra, Isa 42:8), and jealous also for his people’s honour and reputation and happiness. Occasionally he allows his jealousy to slumber (comp. Act 12:1-25 :30, “The times of this ignorance God winked at”); and this he had now done for some fifty or sixty years, since his people were carried into captivity. But the time of acquiescence has gone byhe is about to waken up his “smouldering jealousy, and stir it, till it burns up into a bright flame” (Delitzsch). He shall cry, yea, roar; rather, yea, shout; i.e. utter his battle-cry with a clear, loud voice.
Isa 42:14
I have long time holden my peace; literally, for an eternity. God’s love for his people is forcibly expressed by his saying that he has felt it “an eternity”though it was but some five or six decadeswhile he was waiting for his chastisement to have such due effect as would allow of his bringing it to an end, and showing them mercy. He has chafed, as it were, under the necessity of inaction, and has with difficulty refrained himself. Now he will refrain no longer. A travailing woman. A woman in her travail, after long endurance, at last gives free vent to her natural feelings, and utters loud cries (compare the preceding verse). I will destroy and devour at once (so Gesenius, Kay, and the ancient versions). But the bulk of modern commentators render, “I will pant and gasp,” as does a travailing woman.
Isa 42:15
I will make waste mountains and hills. The result of God’s “stirring up his jealousy,” and giving a free vent to his feelings, will be the destruction of the great and mighty ones of the earth (comp. Isa 2:14). These are probably, in this place, the Babylonian kings and nobles. Dry up all their herbs; i.e. turn Babylonia, temporarily, into a desert. Make the rivers islands, and dry up the pools. Invert the established order of thingsturn the rivers into dry land, and empty the reservoirs. There is, perhaps, some allusion to those dealings with the river-beds, which the Greek historians ascribe to Cyrus, and which are not disproved by the fact that the one native account of the capture of Babylon by Cyrus, which has come down to us, makes no mention of them.
Isa 42:16
I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not. “The blind” here can only be captive Israel, still dim-sighted from the effect of its old sins against light, and therefore greatly needing God’s guidance. God promises to “bring them” out of captivity “by a way not hitherto known to them”the way of voluntary release by the favour of a new king (see the comment on Isa 42:9). I will make darkness light before them; either, I will illuminate with rays of light and hope the dark and cheerless life that they have been leading (Delitzsch), or, I will throw light upon that dark future which has hitherto stretched before them, and allow them to penetrate its obscurity, and see what is about to happen. Crooked things; rather, rough places; i.e. difficulties of any and every kind. Straight; rather, smooth, level, flat,. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them. Dr. Kay translates, “These things have I done, and have not forsaken them;” Mr. Cheyne, “These are the things that I will do, and will not let them slip;” Delitzsch, “These are the things that I carry out and do not leave.” According to the two latter renderings, the clause is a mere solemn confirmation of the previous promises.
Isa 42:17
They shall be turned back, etc. While the people of God are led by God’s hand through new paths, and are illumined with abundant light, and have their difficulties smoothed away from before them. their idolatrous oppressors will be “turned back” or suffer defeat, and be put to shame, finding no help from their idols, whose powerlessness will be openly shown, to the utter confusion of their votaries.
Isa 42:18-25
ADDRESS TO CAPTIVE ISRAEL, CALLING UPON THEM TO TURN TO GOD, AND REMINDING THEM THAT THEY HAVE DESERVED THEIR AFFLICTIONS. By some critics the earlier verses of this passage (Isa 42:19-21) are regarded as having reference to the “Servant of the Lord” depicted in Isa 42:1-7, and as calling on the captive Jews to consider his voluntary humiliation, and the object of it. But this view seems to be strained. It requires “deaf” and “blind’ to be taken in completely different senses in the two consecutive Isa 42:18 and Isa 42:19. Probably Delitzsch and Mr. Cheyne are right in taking the whole passage of captive Israel, and especially of that “outer circle” which was least deserving of God’s favour and most open to rebuke and reproach. These “blind” and “deaf” ones are warned that it is high time for them to unclose their eyes and open their ears, and are reminded that all their recent and present sufferings arise from their former “blindness” and disobedience.
Isa 42:18
Hear, ye deaf. The “deaf” are not absolutely without hearing, nor the “blind” absolutely without sight. They can “hear” and “see,” if they choose to do so. When they do not see, it is because they “wink with their eyes” (Mat 13:15); when they do not hear, it is because, like the deaf adder, they “stop their ears” (Psa 58:4). This, at any rate, is the case with the majority. There may be some who have deadened their moral vision altogether, and have no longer any “ears to hear.” God, however, addresses the mass of Israel as still possessed of moral discernment, if they will but use it, and calls upon them to wake up out of sleepto “hear” and “see.”
Isa 42:19
Who is blind, but my servant? or deaf, as my messenger? God’s original “servant” and “messenger” to the nations was his people Israel. It was only through their default that he needed to send another and truer messenger. He now asks, having regard to their opportunities, who are so blind and deaf as they are? The object of the question is to wake a feeling of shame in the hearts of those who are not shameless among the Israelites. That I sent; rather, whom I will send. Israel’s mediatorial office was not yet over. They were still, for above five hundred years, to be God’s messenger to the nations. As he that is perfect; rather, as he that receives reward from me (see Pro 11:31; Pro 13:13). The word used is connected etymologically with the Arabic muslim (our “Moslem”); but it does not appear to have had the sense of “surrender” or “submission” in Hebrew.
Isa 42:20
Seeing many things, but, etc. Israel had “seen many things;” i.e. passed through a long experience, but not profited by itnot been “observant,” as they should have been. They had had their ears open in a certain sense, and heard the words that the prophets addressed to them, but had not taken in their true import. (The mixture of persons is like that in Isa 1:29 and Isa 14:30.)
Isa 42:21
The Lord is well pleased; rather, the Lord was pleased, or it pleased the Lord. For his righteousness’ sake; “because of his own perfect righteousness.” He will magnify the Law; rather, to magnify the Lawto set it forth in its greatness and its glory before his people. It is not the original giving of the Law at Sinai only that is meant, but also its constant inculcation by a long series of prophets. Israel’s experience (verse 29) had included all this; but they had not profited by the instruction addressed to them.
Isa 42:22
But this is a people, etc.; i.e. yet, notwithstanding all that has been done for it, see the condition into which this people has brought itself. For their sins, here they are in Babylonia, robbed and spoiledi.e; suffering oppression and wrongsnared in holes, or taken in their enemies’ pits (Psa 119:85), and, some of them, hid in prison-houses (see 2Ki 25:27), expiating by their punishments the long series of their offences.
Isa 42:23
Who among you will give ear? Surely there are some among you, less hardened than the rest, who will take advantage of my warning, and repent at this, the eleventh hour. God’s arm was straitened; the people could not be delivered out of captivity unless they ceased in large numbers to be “blind” and “deaf”unless they listened to the prophet’s words, and profited by them.
Isa 42:24
Jacob Israel (comp. Isa 40:27; Isa 41:8, Isa 41:14; Isa 43:1, etc.), He against whom we have sinned. The prophet identifies himself with his people in loving sympathy, just as Daniel does in Dan 9:5-15, and Ezra in Ezr 9:6-15, of their respective books (comp. also Isa 59:9-13).
Isa 42:25
Therefore he hath poured upon him the strength of battle; i.e. for this cause, on account of their iniquities, did God bring upon his people the scourge of foreign war, and allow the Babylonians to waste Judaea, to destroy Jerusalem, and to lead into captivity the entire nation. It hath set him on fire; rather, it (i.e. the war)set him on fire. The reference is, perhaps, especially to the burning of Jerusalem by Nebuzaradan (2Ki 25:9); but the phrase will cover also the general devastation of the land both before and after this event (Jeremiah 39-42.), He knew not; rather, he took no notice; he did not change his ways on account of the chastisement. The prophet’s view is that Israel, as a whole, was not greatly bettered by the Captivity, at any rate up to the time which he takes for his standpoint, and at which he supposes him. self to be addressing them.
HOMILETICS
Isa 42:1-7
The servants of God, and the one true Servant.
It must be admitted By all that the expression “Servant of God” or “Servant of Jehovah,” is used in Scripture in various senses. All who work out God’s purposes, however unconsciously or even unwillingly, are called by the sacred writers “God’s servants,” in respect of the service, albeit unconscious or unwilling, which they render him. Thus Jeremiah calls Nebuchadnezzar “God’s servant” (Jer 25:9; Jer 27:6, etc.), and Ezekiel speaks of the “wages“ due to him because he and his army “served a good service” on God’s behalf against Tyre (Eze 29:18). In quite a different sense, the Israelites generally are called God’s servants, not as actually rendering him any service at all, but as bound by covenant to be his servants, engaged in his service by contract, however they might break the contract, reject his service, rebel against him, and choose for themselves “other lords” (Isa 26:13). In a third sense, different from both of these, the faithful Israelites, those who earnestly endeavoured to serve God, are called his servants, partly as bound by covenant, like the unfaithful servants, but mainly as consciously and intentionally working for God, and doing him “true and laudable service.” Such service, however, must always have been, at the best, imperfect, falling very far short of that entire fidelity and complete obedience which God requires and which man ought to render. Hence, when a servant is spoken of with whom no fault is founda servant who never “fails” (verse 4), whom God holds always by the hand (verse 6), who is to give a law to the nations (verse 4), and to “bring forth judgment unto truth” (verse 3), in whom, moreover, “God’s soul delighteth” (verse 1),we may be sure that it is not faithful Israel that is intended. Of faithful Israeleven of the faithfullest in Israel, whether prophet, priest, or kingnone of these things could be predicated. Isaiah would not speak of any prophet, least of all, of himself, in the terms wherewith he describes “the Servant of Jehovah” in this passage. No; One is proclaimed to us greater than the sons of menthe perfect model of a “servant of God,” obedient in all things, unceasingly active in God’s service, never fainting, never wearying. “My Father worketh hitherto, and I work,” said Jesus (Joh 5:17); “My meat is to do the will of my Father which sent me, and to finish his work” (Joh 4:34); “Wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business?” (Luk 2:49).
Isa 42:10-12
The duty of sympathizing with the joys of others.
Compassion for those who suffer is a strong and powerful feeling, well developed in human nature, and widely spread among all classes and conditions of men. A real feeling of glad sympathy with those who are exceptionally prosperous is a far rarer emotion, and seldom attains any great intensity. Yet, in the nature of things, the two duties would seem to be co-ordinate and to balance each other. “Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep” (Rom 12:15). In the present passage of Isaiah the whole world seems to be called upon to sympathize with Israel’s deliverance from captivity, and its consequences, which were the re-establishment of a visible Church of God upon the eartha Church which would be a perpetual witness for him, and out of which, in a certain sense, would be developed that “Church of Christ,” against which the gates of hell would not prevail, and which would continue “even to the end of the world.” No doubt the whole world was interested in these results, and might thus be regarded as having reason to rejoice for their own sake; but the call made upon them is not rested on any such grounds. It bases itself simply on the general duty of good will which men owe to their fellows. Here we may note two forms of the duty.
I. AS INDIVIDUALS, WE SHOULD REJOICE IN THE JOY AND PROSPERITY OF OUR NEIGHBOURS. Condolence is common; congratulation is less frequent. Our neighbours’ successes and triumphs too often raise in us a certain feeling of jealousy and discontent, which prevents us from offering congratulations, or makes those that we offer insincere. “Why are they so much more favoured than ourselves? What have they done to deserve their advancement?” All such thoughts ought to be put aside. “It is God that ruleth in Jacob, and unto the ends of the earth.” All prosperity is from God-at the least, allowed by him. We are bound, by the love that we ought to bear to our fellow-men, to be glad when good befalls themto put ourselves and our own claims and deservings out of sight, and simply to rejoice in their joy.
II. AS MEMBERS OF A NATION, WE SHOULD REJOICE IN THE JOY AND PROSPERITY OF NEIGHBOURING NATIONS. The indifferent Beni-Kedar, the hostile Idumaeans, are required by God to sing a song of praise for Israel’s restoration to their own country. The isles and maritime tracts of the West are to do the same. Nations are, all of them, members of the one human family, intimately connected one with another, and bound to have friendly feelings one towards another. Petty quarrels and differences, such as crop up between near relations, and still more between neighbouring peoples, should not be allowed to overpower the general sentiment of good will, or to prevent the exhibition of sympathy when occasion arises. National enmities would be greatly softened if nations generally would show satisfaction in each other’s successes and prosperity, even if such an exhibition of satisfaction were limited to cases where the success gained by the one in no way interfered with the interests of the other.
Isa 42:18-25
The blindness of Israel.
The “blindness” of Israel is a subject of continual remark in Scripture from the time of Moses (Deu 28:28, Deu 28:29) to that of St. Paul (Rom 11:25). Four things may be noted of it.
I. IT IS SELF–CAUSED. The Israelites “blinded themselves,” and so became blind (Isa 29:9, with the comment). They “winked with their eyes,” closed them against the light which shone on them from on high, and thus gradually by disuse lost the power of spiritual discernment (see the homiletics on Isa 29:9, Isa 29:10). The process is a natural one. It is a law of nature that every disused part of an organism shall dwindle away and decay. “There are certain burrowing animalsthe mole, for instancewhich have taken to spending their lives beneath the surface of the ground. And Nature has taken her revenge upon them in a thoroughly natural wayshe has closed up their eyes. If they mean to live in darkness, she argues, eyes are obviously a superfluous function. By neglecting them, these animals made it clear that they did not want them. And as one of Nature’s fixed principles is that nothing shall exist in vain, the eyes are presently taken away, or reduced to a rudimentary state. There are fishes which have had to pay the same terrible forfeit for having made their abode in dark caverns, where eyes can never be required. And in exactly the same way the spiritual eye must die and lose its power by purely natural law, if the soul choose to walk in darkness rather than light”.
II. IT IS NEVERTHELESS A DIVINE JUDGMENT ON THEM, Nature’s laws are God’s decrees. In making it a law of nature that destruction of an organ or a function should follow disuse, God was passing a sentence on those who wilfully scorned any of his gifts. Hence he is constantly said in Scripture to “blind men’s eyes” and “harden their hearts” (Exo 4:21; Exo 9:1-35..12; Deu 28:28; Mat 12:16; Joh 12:40; Rom 11:8, etc.), and Israel’s “blindness” is distinctly ascribed to him in Isa 6:10; Isa 29:10. “Because they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind” (Rom 1:28).
III. IT IS PARTIAL. “Blindness in part is happened unto Israel” (Rom 11:25). At no time did God leave himself without a witness. At no time did the whole of Israel become blind. At the worst period of the Phoenician idolatry, there were yet in Samaria seven thousand who had not bowed -the knee to Baal (1Ki 19:18). In Isaiah’s time, God had still left him in Judah a “remnant” (Isa 1:9; Isa 10:20; Isa 46:3). When our Lord came, it was from among the Israelites that he gathered his “little flock” (Luk 12:32). Since then in every age there have been convertsmany of them “shining lights”to Christianity from Judaism. Even now the Christian will not lightly let fall the hope of an ultimate great in-gathering of Israel into the one fold. “The veil shall be taken away” some day (2Co 3:16), and then shall Israel “turn to the Lord” and worship his Christ.
IV. IT IS, TO SOME EXTENT, CURABLE. Isaiah calls upon the blind to “look, that they may see” (verse 18). There are infinite intermediate conditions between perfectly healthy sight and absolute blindness. Comparatively few of the Israelites were at any time absolutely blind. The great majority were more or less dim-sighted. So long as this is the case, whether physically or morally, there is a possibility of recovery. The organ is not destroyed; it may by care and use be rendered capable of once more properly performing its function. Isaiah speaks of a time when “the eyes of the blind would see out of obscurity and out of darkness” (Isa 29:18). May it not be hoped that the time is approaching for the Jewish peoplethe time when “Israel after the:flesh” will once more become an important portion of the “Israel of God”?
HOMILIES BY E. JOHNSON
Isa 42:1-7
The Servant of Jehovah.
“Behold!” Let all the world hearken and attend to the new revelation. It is admitted that the conception is substantially that of Christ in the Gospels. According to one critic, indeed, the prophetic passage springs from the time of Herod II. Let us think, then, of Jesus and his mission.
I. THE ELECT OF GOD. Six times does the word occur in this portion of Isaiah; it is found also in Psa 89:3; Psa 105:6, Psa 105:43; Psa 106:5, Psa 106:23. He has been endowed with God’s Spirit, anointed for a special mission, for a high and arduous task; and this is to publish the Law, the practical religion of Jehovah, to the nations of the earth. “All religions claim to be laws; biblical religion dwells with increasing earnestness on the moral as opposed to the ritual law.”
II. HIS METHODS. They are gentle, quiet, spiritual. He speaks, not in the loud voice of passionate debate and contention, but with the still small voice of reasonable persuasion. He does not come to crush life, but to develop it; not to despise the weak, but to encourage and raise them. The crushed reed is the very type of helplessness; the dimly burning wick of ignorance of the best. It has been designated as the religion of condescension. When it came into the world, it found the multitude crushed beneath the yoke of political oppression, exhausted by the demands of heathen ritualism, yet longing for health and salvation; it stooped to them and blessed them. He himself is as a brightly burning Lamp, and a Reed, “a humble Plant;” unlike others, “covered with leaves, or hardened in their stalk.” In a spirit of strict truthfulness, for this end born and brought into the world, he shall proceed to establish justice and true religion on the earth. He shall be the nations’ Desire; and they shall wait in longing upon him (cf. Mat 12:17-21). Such is Christianity, as it exists in the mind of its Author, and as it appears in the world, pursuing its beneficent way, in spite of all revolutions, and of all religious changes and controversies.J.
Isa 42:5-9
Mission of Jehovah’s Servant.
“A new revelation defines the mission of the Servant with greater precision. The plan of the mission requires an exhibition of the Divine wisdom and power on as large a scale as in creation and preservation (cf. Zec 12:1)” (Cheyne).
I. THE RELATION OF GOD To THE WORLD. He is the Godthe only God (cf. Psa 85:9). He can admit no rival; he stands in a unique relation to the worldis alone to be worshipped. He is the Creator: his work is the heaven and the earth, and the people. The breath of life is by him breathed into his creatures. The universe is entirely subject to him, and he has the right to appoint whom he will to be the minister and channel of his favours to men. To the appointed Messiah, then, due reverence is to be paid.
II. HIS COVENANT WITH ISRAEL AND MANKIND. There is a covenant with the chosen people, and through them all nations are to own him as God. Generally the righteousness of God stands for the goodness of God, manifested to his world in the whole scheme and agency of salvation. “I have done this as a righteous and just God, and in accomplishment of my righteous purposes. I am the just moral Governor of the universe, and have designated thee to this work, in the accomplishment of those purposes.”
III. THE MEDIATOR OF THE COVENANT. God holds his hand in his. What strength, then; what grace and Divine communication must there not be with the Mediator, who will be guided and guarded, will be visibly in the enjoyment of the Divine favour! And so the Mediator himself is called a Covenantthe personal realization of God’s thought and purpose to the peoplethe embodiment of that spiritual relation announced in verses 30, 31, etc. Another of his names is Light. Being Intelligence in himself, the Wisdom of God, he will diffuse it among the nations: bringing men out of their spiritual blindness and the prison-house and confinement of spiritual distress (Psa 107:10; Job 36:8). “Such is the freedom the gospel imparts; nor can there be a more striking description of its happy effects on the minds and hearts of darkened and wretched men” (1Pe 2:9).
IV. THE SOLEMN ASSURANCE. Jehovah now turns to the people, and assures them that he is the only true God, and jealously claims a sole and undivided homage. He is “the Eternal.” The name includes “the unique reality, and power to confer reality, of the Divine Being.” His glory he will not give to another; for were such a God’s prediction to fail, he would sink to a lower level than the imaginary deities, who have, at any rate, not deluded their worshippers. But the earlier predictions have been fulfilledthose against the Babylonians or Assyrians; and the new things, later and more splendidthe deliverances of the Jewswill in like manner be fulfilled. The plant is contained in the seed; the event in the mind; the fulfilment in the Word of Jehovah (Isa 9:8; Isa 55:10, Isa 55:11; Amo 3:7).J.
Isa 42:10-25
A new song to Jehovah.
Caught up in his ecstasy to a high place of vision, the prophet sees all the nations of mankind deriving blessing from the ministry of Israel, and calls upon them to join in a song of praise. God’s goodness in providing a Redeemer demands the thanksgiving of all the world.
I. THE SONG AND THE SINGERS. The new song is named in the Psalter (Psa 96:1; Psa 98:1), meaning a song inspired by the sense of new mercies. All parts of the earth are to join in the chorus: the sailors, and even all the finny inhabitants of the deep (Psa 34:1); the nomads and the dwellers in cities and among the rocks,shall join to swell the volume of his mighty song.
II. THE GREAT DEEDS OF THE ALMIGHTY. It is a great and terrible day of Jehovah. He, breaking his long silence and reserve, will march forth like a mighty hero, with a loud battle-shout, and put forth all his prowess. (For similar pictures of the God of war, see Isa 28:21; Isa 31:4; Isa 59:16, Isa 59:17; Zec 9:13, Zec 9:14; Zec 14:3.) The whole imagery bespeaks the most intense emotion. God may be silent, may seem to disregard the prayers of his people; but he is not dead, nor is he sleeping, like a Baal. He is waiting; he is ripening his purposes. He is looking for his opportunity. When he comes forth his progress will be marked by judgment and by redemption. These are the two sides, the dark and the bright, of his work. As Judge and Avenger. he will devastate the mountains and hillsthe high places of heathendom; and the fertile vineyards on their slopes, and all the temples, fanes, and altars, will be demolished. Under the figures is expressed the coming of a great spiritual revolution. The old corrupt order and custom of the world must first give way before the new and holy can come in. And then, amidst the dismay of the false worshippers, light will at the same time appear to the righteous. “I will lead the blind by a way which they knew not; through paths they have not known I will make them to go: I will turn darkness into light before them, and rough places into a table-land. Those things I will surely do, and I will not let them slip.” By the “blind” appears to be meant, not so much the spiritually ignorant as the perplexed, distressed, despondingthose who “walk in obscurity” (Isa 59:9, Isa 59:10). It is the language of tenderness, and the language of strong assurance, founded on superior knowledge. What more common than the experience of the Christian, “Darkness is about me; my way is hedged in; there is no outlook, no prospect”? Yet suddenlyit may be while he is on his knees, it may be in some moment of refreshing sleepa change comes. The clouds lift; the hosts of the enemy fall back; the: “large place” is reached. Then he sees how blind, how “faint-hearted, incredulous, and undiscerning” he has been. Let us tread the path of duty, which is the path of faith; it will surely lead, before our journey closes, out to those “shining table-lands to which our God himself is Sun and Moon.” And let us lay the reproach of the “blind and deaf servant” to heart. We are among the faint-hearted and the incredulousdespite all our experience of God’s goodnesswhom he here addresses. We are like “the man of mature years and experience, by which he has failed to profit.” And thus we are reduced to that mood of humility in which there is every hope. Why this contrast between the design of God to exalt his law of righteousness by means of Israel, and Israel’s despoiled and captive estate? Clearly it is because of Israel’s sinsbecause, though chosen of God, they would not walk in God’s ways. So let every argument end between ourselves and God “that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.” Let us return unto him and be saved.J.
HOMILIES BY W.M. STATHAM
Isa 42:3
The tenderness of God.
“A bruised reed shall he not break.” Then he is very unlike us. We are often over-indignant with wrong done to ourselves. We find that there is an imperious temper in humanity, and that even parents sometimes “break” the spirit of their children. How many are discouraged and disheartened in life through a want of sympathy, through the coldness and hauteur of others!
I. THERE ARE BRUISINGS OF SIN. Christ will heal these. He never drives to despair. He might, indeed, condemn; for he knows all the subtle intricacies of evil in our hearts. But the Son of man is not come to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved.
II. THERE ARE BRUISINGS OF DOUBT. St. Thomas felt these, and he expresses his doubts with startling emphasis and boldness. But Christ is sympathetic even thenshows Thomas his hands and his side, and tells him to reach hither his hand. Alas! many have been driven into infidelity because their doubts have been treated as sins, and the bruised minds have been broken!
III. THERE ARE BRUISINGS OF SORROW. But God knows when godly sorrow has worked repentance not to be repeated of. He knows when the poor heart is well-nigh crushed with grief at its departure from him. He does not delight in pain. The Roman emperors did. But he whose throne was a cross, and whose sceptre is love, he loves to heal.
In sin and doubt and sorrow, let us go to Christ alone.W.M.S.
Isa 42:4
Christ’s sure conquest.
“He shall net fail nor be discouraged.” We study this text in relation to our Saviour. We may be, and often are, discouraged; but the Son, he in whom, says Jehovah (Isa 42:1), “my soul delighteth,” he never is. He must reign. All the infinite forces of love and righteousness are on his side. In God’s world error can never be supreme over truth. “The pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.”
I. THE SAVIOUR AND DIVINE CERTAINTY. He is expecting. All the true triumphs of the ages have been victories for him. What elevation to humanity has come with his truth! What beneficent enterprises have all had their inspiration from his cross! What fetters he has snapped! What prisons he has opened! All the vital forces of to-day are the forces he started in Judaea eighteen centuries ago. “He shall not fail;” for he lives to-day in ever-growing influence over the hearts of men. Madagascar has recently even, been won for his crown. We must, of course, take time into our estimate. “A thousand years are with the Lord as one day.” It is a great work. His empire is the world. His kingdom is everlasting. The law of preparation seems related to the law of duration. A gourd springs up in a night but it lasts only for a day; whereas the oak, that monarch of the centuries, attains its perfection through the long course of yearn. We need not wonder that an “immortal kingdom” is of steady growth.
II. THE SAVIOUR AND TRIUMPHANT ENDURANCE. “He shall not be discouraged.” There is, indeed, much that might discourage, the slow victories of goodness, the enmity of the carnal mind! But Christ sees of the travail of his soul. He is not like us. We have need of the counsel, “Judge nothing before the time;” but he sees the end from the beginning.
What comfort this should be to all Christians! Why should we be discouraged? If the Leader is consciously invincible, how valiant and constant ought his followers to be! Discouragement means, on our part, unbelief.W.M.S.
Isa 42:4
The Christian’s conquest.
“He shall not fail nor be discouraged” We study this next in relation to ourselves, The words suggest difficulties that task strength and patience, He, our blessed Lord, has a work, not only of Divine impulse, but Divine patience. The second verse describes the quiet work of Christ; the third describes the solicitous heart of Christ; the fourth describes the spirit which sustains him.
I. THIS PROPHECY SUGGESTS A DIFFICULT PATH OF PROGRESS. Why say this?
1. There will be much that looks like failure judged by appearances.
2. There will be much that would exhaust human resources.
The strongest man would say, “I feel that, if left to myself, I could not continue.”
II. THE PROPHECY STATES THE SUFFICIENCY OF CHRIST. “He shall not fail.”
1. Preparative processes are related to permanent work.
2. Preliminary hindrances are nothing to the eye that sees the end.
3. Discouragements are overmastered by the infinite power of love.
III. THE PROPHECY TEACHES US THAT THERE WILL BE AN ENTHRONEMENT OF THE SPIRIT OF CHRISTIANITY. Judgment.
1. Christian judgment concerning sin. A right estimate of its heinousness and its influences.
2. Christian judgment concerning salvation. What we mean by the power of Christ, not only to pardon, but to redeem life from evil.
IV. THE PROPHECY IS SUGGESTIVE OF WARNING TO US.
1. How soon our energies get enfeebled!
2. How soon our hearts get discouraged!
3. How soon we lose the spirit of Christ!
V. THE PROPHECY CLOSES WITH THE WAITING OF THE ISLES. Yes; they wait.
1. Unconsciously seeking.
2. Can find no other Saviour.
3. Ultimately to be won to Christ.W.M.S.
Isa 42:16
Light and right.
“I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight.” These words are prophecy and history also; for Christ has fulfilled these words.
I. DANKNESS ILLUMINED. There was:
1. Darkness over the face of God.
2. Darkness over the destiny of man.
But Christ has revealed the Divine fatherhood, and brought life and immortality to light.
II. WRONG RIGHTENED. Crooked or warped things have been twisted or “wrung”from which our word “wrong” comes; and Christ Jesus has brought in an everlasting righteousness.
1. Man’s way was wrong.
2. Man’s ideal was wrong, it was self instead of God.
3. Man’s heart was wrong.
And there are “crooked” things in experience, in addition to crooked tastes and tempers. And Christ makes the path of duty clear to us, and removes the mountains from our paths.W.M.S.
Isa 42:19, Isa 42:20
Spiritual blindness.
“Who is blind, but my servant?” It is said, “None are so blind as those that won’t see.” Can any be so blind as those who have been illumined of the Spirit, and who have seen the beauties of holiness, and the deformities of sin, whilst yet they turn back to their old paths?
I. THE BLINDNESS OF INDIFFERENCE. The heart has lost its first love, and the King is not “beautiful” now. Like human love sometimes, which does not know how blessed it is in its estate of home, until it is aroused by accident, danger, or death to a sense of the value of the heart it has slighted. So at times even the Christian becomes indifferent. “I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.”
II. THE BLINDNESS OF INATTENTION. (Isa 42:20.) “Seeing many things, but thou observest not.”
1. Christians do not always see the value of their principles,
2. Nor do they mark the privileges and comforts which are the outcome of faith.
3. Nor do they observe the misery of the men of this world.
4. Nor do they see the slave’s fetters beneath the false liberty of the sinner. Others are blind by nature and habit. But who so blind as the Lord’s servants?W.M.S.
HOMILIES BY W. CLARKSON
Isa 42:1-4
The characteristics of the true Leader.
Taking these words as applicable to the Anointed of the Lord, and then, secondarily, to every one who is equipped and sent of him to lead and save men, we have the following features indicated.
I. THE SPIRIT OF OBEDIENCE. “My Servant “(Isa 42:1). Jesus Christ was the Servant of Jehovah; he was “about his Father’s business” from the beginning. He came “to work the work of him that sent him.” It was his “meet to do the Father’s will, and to finish his work.” It was his joy to know, at the end of his career, that he had “finished the work which the Father had given him to do.” The spirit of obedience, of active conformity to the known will of “him that sent him,” possessed and characterized our Lord in a very marked degree.
II. THE EXCELLENCY WHICH ATTRACTS. “Whom I uphold; my Chosen, in whom my soul delighteth;” in other words, that One “in whom I am well pleased.” There was in our Lord everything which satisfies and attracts. Excellency is often found in conjunction with characteristics which are so uninviting and even repelling that there is a measure of admiration felt, but no delight, no good pleasure; the soul is not drawn in affection and attachment. Jesus Christ was One in whose spirit, attitude, behaviour, was everything that called forth the pleasure of the Father, and that now evokes the love and the delight of his disciples.
III. RECIPIENCY OF THE HIGHEST GIFT. “I have put my Spirit upon him.” God “gave not the Spirit by measure” unto him (Joh 3:34), because he had an immeasurable capacity of receiving it. God’s highest gifts to us depend, not on his willingness or ability to bestow, but on our readiness and capacity to receive. God dwelt, by his Spirit, perfectly in his Son, our Saviour, and according to our faith and purity he will dwell in us.
IV. QUIETNESS OF METHOD. “He shall not cry,” etc. (vide next homily).
V. PATIENT HOPEFULNESS. “A bruised reed,” etc. (vide next homily).
VI. PERSISTENT ENERGY. “He shall bring forth judgment unto truth;” “He shall not fail,” etc.
1. The disregarded and despised Son of man did not fail to speak, to suffer, to work, until his task on earth was complete.
2. The neglected and unknown Son of God, dwelling in the heavens, will not be discouraged until the race has been regenerated and renewed. Through the instrumentality of his Church he will work on this sin-distracted world until its ignorance be displaced by knowledge, its iniquity yield to holiness of heart and life, its indifference give place to earnest interest and all-constraining love.C.
Isa 42:2, Isa 42:3
Quietness of method and hopefulness of spirit.
That these words are rightly referred to our Lord we have the assurance of Scripture (Mat 12:1-50.), as well as the evidence of their perfect applicability. They remind us of
I. THE QUIETNESS OF HIS METHOD. With a task before him the surpassing greatness of which completely dwarfs every human enterprise, it was a matter of vital consequence that our Lord should adopt the method which would be permanently effective. He might have chosen the loud and violent method. He might have taken
(1) the way of the warrior, who seeks to secure his ends by the clash of arms and thunder of cannon; or
(2) the way of the vehement and noisy agitator, of the tempestuous rhetorician, of the man who terrorizes over his audience by threats and denunciations. But “he did not strive, nor cry, nor cause his voice to be heard in the streets.” He chose the quiet and spiritual method. He adopted the way of God in nature and in manthe way by which God built the mountains and laid down the soil, by which he makes the spring to succeed the winter and the summer to replace the spring, by which he makes the grass to grow in our meadows and the flowers to unfold in our gardens and the corn to ripen in our fields. It is the way by which God constructs the human mind, building it up from the opening intelligence of the child to the full strength and ripe wisdom of manhood; the way by which he develops human character and national strengthby quiet, silent, gradual processes that no eye can see, no ear can hear, no hand can measure. Jesus Christ deliberately adopted
(1) a peaceful method; he emphatically declined and even severely forbade the use of force in his service (Mat 26:52). He thus discouraged and disallowed compulsion and constraint in the furtherance of his kingdom.
(2) He also decided upon a quiet method. He shunned rather than sought notoriety (Mat 12:16). He did not believe that a tempest of applause or that the fresh breeze of fame would carry his vessel of righteousness and peace to her harbour. He wanted to persuade, to convince, to win men; to prevail over their judgment, to subdue their will, to hallow their mind, to gain their conscience, to conquer them, themselves. So he went quietly to his work, speaking golden truths to obscure and unlearned men, opening rich slopes of heavenly treasure to one man who stole to see him under the shadow of the darkness; to one woman whom he chanced to meet and talk to at the well Shunning the crowd, disliking noise and tumult, the incarnation of quiet strength, the Son of man did his work, lived his life, spake his truth, bore his sorrows.
II. THE PATIENT HOPEFULNESS OF HIS SPIRIT. At what point must we give a man up? Regarding his physical nature, there is a point where medical skill can do no more and “gives him up” to die. Is there such a point in his spiritual course?
1. In nations. Men have contended that some races have been reduced to such a depth of demoralization and brutality that they are irrecoverably lost to virtue and piety. But Christian missions have effectually and finally disposed of this contention.
2. In individual men. The idea of the restoration of fallen and degraded men is essentially Christian. The most pious and charitable Jew never thought of praying for the redemption of the publican he saw at the counter or the harlot he met in the street; he was astonished and indignant that the great Teacher should address himself to such as these. But as there was no one too far gone in sickness for the Lord to heal, so was there no one too foul or too guilty for him to save and to restore. He did not break the bruised reed, nor quench the smoking flax. To the repentant publican he said, “This man is a son of Abraham;” to the weeping woman, “Daughter, thy sins are forgiven thee: go in peace.“ This spirit of patient hopefulness is to be our spirit:
(1) In our treatment of others. Tempted to abandon those to whom we have long made our appeal in vain, inclined to regard them as hopelessly deaf, hard, unresponsive,we must break away front our despondency and enter into the patient hopefulness of our Lord and Leader.
(2) In the view we take of ourselves. No man need despair of himself, for Christ does not despair of him. He hopes good and even great things of those who are ready to abandon themselves to sin and ruin. Look not in, but up. Above is a patient, hopeful Saviour, who still says to you, “Wilt thou be made whole?”C.
Isa 42:5-8
God and man: refusal, retribution, restoration.
I. THE DIVINE COMMAND. God demands the glory which is his due (Isa 42:8). His claim is based on:
1. What he is in himself. “I am the Lord (Jehovah); that is my Name.” As the Eternal One, who only hath immortality, the Underived and Everlasting One, who in the very fullest, deepest, and highest sense is God over all, he rightly demands our reverence, our homage, our worship.
2. What he has done for our race. He has “created the heavens,” etc. (Isa 42:5). He is the Divine Author of our own human spirits, the Divine Originator of all material things, the Divine Giver of all surrounding comforts. As the Father of our souls and as the Source of all our good of every kind, God righteously demands our thought, our gratitude, our love, our service.
II. OUR GUILTY REFUSAL. Of whatever crimes, or vices, or follies we are guiltless, there is one sin which we must all acknowledgewe have not rendered unto our God “the glory due unto his Name.” “The God in whose hand our breath is, and whose are all our ways, we have not glorified” as we might have done and should have done. In this matter all, even the best, have “come short” (Rom 3:23). The great multitudes of mankind have been sadly and guiltily negligent, and we have had to pay
III. THE PENALTY OF OUR GUILT. This penalty is very severe; it is manifold; it comprises:
1. Forfeiture of the Divine favour.
2. Fear of final condemnation and banishment from the Father’s presence.
3. The various ills and evils, including sickness, and sorrow, and death, which befall us here.
4. Spiritual deterioriation. This is, perhaps, the saddest and most serious part of our penalty. He that sins against God “wrongs his own soul;” he dyes that which inflicts on himself most grievous wounds; his own soul suffers harm, the extent and the pitifulness of which no mind can measure, no words express. The text (Isa 42:7) points to two of these spiritual evils.
(1) Mental blindness. The commission of any sin has a far worse result than that of enfeebling bodily health or injuring the circumstances of a man. It clouds his mind; it dulls his spiritual apprehension; he gradually loses his power of distinguishing between what is right and wrong, pure and impure, reverent and profane, kind and unkind, true and false. Ultimately his vision is confused, and mental obliquity takes the place of clear perception. “His eye is evil, and his whole body is full of darkness;” he “calls good evil, and evil good;” he has “blind eyes” (Isa 42:7).
(2) Bondage of the soul. Sin leads down to servitudeto a bondage of which all bodily slaveries and imprisonments are only types and shadows. For, to be held in the bars of a spiritual captivity, of an unholy lust. of a depraved habit, of an irresistible tendency of mind, to struggle more and more feebly and ineffectually against this, and at last for the soul to surrender itself a hopeless captive,this is a degradation beyond and beneath which it is impossible for man to pass. But we have the promise of
IV. DIVINE RESTORATION. “I have called thee to open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners,” etc. (Isa 42:6, Isa 42:7). Jesus Christ came “to preach deliverance to the captives” (Luk 4:18). This he does by
(1) his enlightening truth;
(2) his renewing and redeeming Spirit.C.
Isa 42:16
The unrecognized path
“I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known.” The general truth here is that the all-wise God is working on our behalf in ways which are mysterious at the time. If we consider our finiteness and his infinity, our ignorance and his omniscience, we shall see that this must be so. If we consider how little we can understand of the great designs of the wisest of mankind when we have but a partial view of them, we shall cease to wonder at the mystery which attends the providence of God. How can we be otherwise than “blind” to the large and long purposes of him “whose way is in the sea,” and to whom “a thousand years are as one day”? The thought of the prophet is illustrated in
I. GOD‘S DEALINGS WITH HIS PEOPLE ISRAEL, At one period, when languishing in captivity, it was black night to the people of God. It was dark twilight to Isaiah, looking on and down from the peaks of prophecy. It was early morning when the Israelites entered Jerusalem on their return. It was later morning yet when Paul caught a glimpse of God’s large purposes in all the way he led them (Rom 11:33). But all along he was leading the blind by a way they knew not.
II. HIS DEALINGS WITH MANKIND. Through what dark days has the Church of Christ passed as it has come through the centuries! How many times has God seemed to have forsaken it, when it has undergone a threatening eclipse from:
1. Savage attack from outside; the trials and perils of unrelenting persecution.
2. Chilling coldness within; spirituality of worship, consistency of life, evangelizing zeal, having declined and almost expired.
3. Depressing faithlessness around; a dark shadow of scepticism surrounding, and, at points, invading and infecting it. Yet out of these miseries and temporary defeats God has brought it, turning darkness into light and making the crooked things straight.
III. HIS LEADING OF OUR INDIVIDUAL LIFE. Dark days come to us all; we fail where we counted on success; they become unfriendly on whose faithfulness we had confidently reckoned; the road which promised to lead up to prosperity and joy takes a sudden turn down into adversity and sorrow. We have been seeking Divine direction, but the guiding hand seems to have been withheld; God seems to have forsaken us. But we must not “speak thus, or we should offend against” the truth of God’s word and the ultimate experience of his children. Others before and beside us have gone down into the darkness and come up into the light. Once the Master himself went a way he knew not; the Divine Father seemed to have forsaken him. And many a one, since that scene at Calvary, has been inclined to cry out, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” It is for us to remember that we are as blind men before the all-seeing God, discerning but a mere speck of all that has to be surveyed. God is leading us by a way that we cannot recognize now; but soon the darkness will be light and the crooked straight. It is the hour for trusting. Any one can trust God in the sunshine; we have to show our sonship by trusting him wholly in the deep shadows.
“When we in darkness walk,
Nor feel the heavenly flame,
Then is the time to trust our God,
And rest upon his Name.”
C.
Isa 42:19-25
(latter part)
The hidden hurt.
I. THERE ARE PENALTIES WHICH ARE PALPABLE TO EVERY EYE. When vice or crime leads down to poverty, or to serious sickness, or to desertion and consequent loneliness, or to confinement in prison, there is no possibility of mistake. God is “pouring out his anger” against the transgressors of his Law; he is “magnifying his Law, and making it honourable” (Isa 42:21). But
II. THERE ARE PENALTIES WHICH ARE UNDETECTED EVEN BY THOSE WHO PAY THEM. As bodily privationsdeafness, blindness, feebleness,come on and sometimes reach even an advanced point before their subjects will allow it to be true, so is it with mental and moral evils, which are the righteous penalties of sin.
1. Mental. The gradual but serious decay of the intellectual powersof memory, of judgment, of the creative faculty.
2. Moral and spiritual. Loss of self-control; an increased absorption in self; a growing eagerness for fleshly enjoyments or worldly advantages; withdrawal of interest from those things which are spiritual and Divine; in fact, deterioration of soul.
III. THIS UNDETECTED PENALTY IS DECIDEDLY THE MOST SERIOUS, For:
1. It is the most inward. It affects our very selves; it means that we, ourselves, are “set on fire,” are being consumed, are perishing.
2. It is likely to be the most lasting. What evil thing a man sees and recognizes he takes care to expel; that which escapes his notice he leaves to itself, and, left undisturbed, it spreads and grows, it becomes rank, ruinous, fatal.
IV. IT IS A PENALTY PAID BY THE APPARENTLY GOOD AS BY THE AVOWEDLY EVIL. “Who is blind, but my servant?” etc. (Isa 42:19, Isa 42:20). The sons of privilege, the members of the visible Church, are sometimes found to be sadly deceived respecting their own condition; they are on the borders of bankruptcy when they think themselves rich and strong (Rev 3:17). Pride, or worldliness, or indulgence, or covetousness, has eaten into their soul, and made them degenerate and unworthy before God, and they “know it not.”
V. IT IS A CASE WHICH CALLS FOR IMMEDIATE AND EARNEST EFFORT. When the truth is discovered, or even suspected, it becomes us
(1) to strive with all strenuousness to escape; and
(2) to entreat Divine help in our great spiritual peril: “Search me, O God,” etc. (Psa 139:23, Psa 139:24).C.
HOMILIES BY R. TUCK
Isa 42:1
The Lord’s Servant.
Various suggestions have been made by way of explanation of this term. Some regard the Lord’s servant as the Hebrew nation, distinguished from the heathen; or as a new Israel opposed to the old; or as the righteous part of the Hebrew nation; or as the Israel which suffered for its religious testimony to the heathen; or as an i, teal Israel; or as the order of the Hebrew prophets. Bishop Wordsworth says, “The ‘Servant of Jehovah,’ as represented by Isaiah, is a Person; he is a Prophet, Priest, and King. He is more than a prophet, as teaching the world; he is more than a priest, as offering himself for all; he is King of kings, and Lord of lords; he is God.” Dean Stanley finely says, “In the foreground of the future stands, not the ruler, or conqueror, but the Servant of God, gentle, purified, sufferingwhether it be Cyrus whom he had anointed; or Jacob whom he had chosen; his people with whom after all their affliction he was well pleased; or Jeremiah and the prophetic order, the victim of their country’s sins, led as a lamb to the slaughter; or One, more sorrowful, more triumphant, more human, more Divine, than any of these, the last and true fulfilment of the most spiritual hopes and the highest aspirations of the chosen people.” Delitzsch says, “The conception of the Servant of Jehovah is, as it were, a pyramid, of which the base is the people Israel as a whole, the central part Israel ‘according to the Spirit,’ and the summit the Person of the Mediator of salvation who arises out el Israel.” Cheyne says, “In the sublimest descriptions of the Servant I am unable to resist the impression that an historical Person is intended, and venture to think that our general view of ‘the Servant’ ought to be ruled by those passages in which the enthusiasm of the author is at its height. ‘Servant of Jehovah ‘ in these passages seems about equivalent to ‘Son of Jehovah’ in Psa 2:7 (‘son’ and ‘servant’ being, in fact, nearly equivalent in the Old Testament), viz. the personal instrument of Israel’s regeneration, or the Messiah.” The whole passage, Psa 2:1-4, is applied to Christ in Mat 12:17-21, as illustrating Christ’s mild, silent, and uncontentious manner of working. We shall come again upon the representation of Christ as “Servant,” when we reach the great chapter of this prophecy, the fifty-third. The passage now before us directs attention to three points in relation to this “Servant of the Lord,” the Christ.
I. HIS ENDOWMENT. “I have put my Spirit upon him.” The expression calls to mind the endowments of the Spirit, as a Spirit of rule and judgment, which followed the anointing of Saul and David. In precise adaptation to work required, God gives spiritual endowment. The scene of the baptism of Christ has been misunderstood, as the time when the special endowment of the Spirit came upon him for his life-ministry. It is a truer and deeper view of that scene of the descending dove and heavenly witness that sees in it only an outward manifestation and expression of a fact which already existedthe Spirit already dwelt in Christ beyond measure. The outward expression in symbol was graciously accommodated to the comforting of his humanity, and the conviction of those who believe in his Divine mission. It may be shown that every endowment of the Divine Spirit is
(1) a seal, testifying that he on whom it rests is under commission of God; and
(2) a fitness, ensuring the highest adaptation to that precise work which is given the agent to do. It involves efficiency and authority.
II. HIS COMMISSION. To “bring forth judgment to the Gentiles.” “Judgment” here is not used in its magisterial sense. It is the equivalent of “righteousness,” or, more precisely, of the “truth that makes for righteousness.” That truth is conceived as having been for a time the special possession of Israel; but by Messiah it is to be opened to the whole world. “Every man that doeth righteousness is accepted of him.” The point that Isaiah sets in such clear light is, that the commission of the great “Servant of Jehovah” is a distinctly moral one. It is only in a secondary or derived sense anything but moral. It concerns righteousness. It glorifies righteousness. It breaks soul-bondages. It dispels prejudices and errors. It proposes to bring men together in a brotherhood of common goodness, of which the bloom will be mutual love and helpfulness. The world’s separations and woes can never be mastered until men arc made right, and that is Christ’s work.
III. HIS CHARACTERISTICS. Unpretentious, uncontentious, trusting wholly to moral influences for securing moral ends. “He shall not strive nor cry.” As Matthew Arnold well expresses it, “He shall not clamour, shall not speak with the high vehement voice of the men who contend. God’s Servant shall bring to men’s hearts the word of God’s righteousness and salvation by a gentle, inward, and spiritual method.” Illustrating the parable of the leaven, Dr. Marcus Dods says, “According to the Head of the Church, his religion and Spirit are to be propagated by an influence which operates like an infectious disease, invisible, without apparatus and pompous equipment, succeeding all the better where it. is least observed. Our Lord bases his expectation of the extension of his Spirit throughout the world, not upon any grand and powerful institutions, not on national establishments of religion or on any such means, but on the secret, unnoticed influence of man upon man.” The characteristic silences of the great “Servant” may wisely become the characteristics of his servants. Moral forces make no noise.R.T.
Isa 42:8
The adaptations of Divine grace.
This verse describes the general spirit and tone of the Divine dealings with men; but, as it takes distinctly personal form, we are justified in seeing in Christ the type and specimen of such dealings. As God manifest, he illustrates the graciousness of God’s ways. And this aspect of Christ is of special concern to us now. The time is coming when we shall think most of the glory of the Lord; in the time that now is we think most of his grace. We are still journeying under the clouds; we are still in the land of the fainting, the struggling, and the weeping. The night is passing, but it is not past; the victory is nearing, but it is not won; and therefore it is so precious to us that we may bear of the tender, compassionate, sympathizing Redeemer. We are little better than bruised reeds and smouldering flax; therefore it is good to hear of him who will not break the bruised reed, nor quench the smoking flax.
I. CHRIST‘S WAY OF DEALING WITH BRUISED REEDS, OR HUMBLED SINNERS. The reed fittingly represents the sinner. It stands so straight, apparently so strong, and yet it is one of the weakest things that grow. It cannot endure the least rough usage. The passing storm will bend and bruise and spoil it. Of all the helpless things, perhaps a bruised reed is the most helpless. There is much confidence and apparent strength in the sinner, at least so long as life goes smoothly and blue sky is overhead. But let the clouds lower, let the burden of life press heavily, let God touch with the afflicting hand, let God try him with sore bereavements, and then the poor reed is bruised and hanging. And it is God’s way to bruise such reeds. The beginning of hope for sinners lies in their humbling under God’s mighty hand. See some of the ways in which this humbling work is done.
1. Sometimes God lets men run themselves tired and work themselves weary in the effort to gain a righteousness for themselves. Men are permitted to hurry after the flickering light, over moor and bog, until, fainting, they lose sight for ever of the vain hope. Men are permitted to build the house of their morality upon the sands of self-confidence, and then, just as they would enter and dwell in peace, they find the foundations sinking and the storm-floods overwhelming. Men are permitted to grasp at world-success and worldly wealth, and then they are led to ask all these things, “What can you buy for my soul’s good?” And, sick at heart, they must hear the answer, “Not one word of peace; not one sun-glint of hope; not one cheer for the dark river and the darker beyond.” Many a man has come, since the days of Solomon, out of the trim of all human offers of happiness, to cry, bruised and humbled before God, “Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.”
2. Sometimes God directs his providences to the humbling of men by heavy sorrows and cares. He lets their boasted strength bear the brunt of severe and subtle temptations. He finds the joints in the armour, and sends there the arrows that pierce. But he only bruises; he does not break. He may hold back awhile; he never utterly forsakes. He may hide behind a cloud, but he keeps on looking, even through the veil of the cloud, waiting until the response to his gracious dealings comes,” We will return unto the Lord: for he hath torn, and he will heal us.”
II. CHRIST‘S WAY OF DEALING WITH SMOKING FLAX, OR FEEBLE BELIEVERS. The best explanation of this figure is that flax was used in the East for the wicks of oil-lamps, and these wicks, unless well cut and constantly trimmed, gave but a flickering, smoky light. A striking illustration of feeble Christians, whose life is a smoke rather than a fire, a spark rather than a light, a glimmer rather than a glow, a name to live rather than a life.
1. The beginnings of Christian life are often very feeble; the smoking flax needs raising to a flame. In the case of Nicodemus there was a little desire, a little spiritual anxiety, a little longing alter high and holy things, a little smoking of the flax. And most tenderly did the Lord breathe upon it, and blow upon it, and try to raise the flame. The rich young ruler had a little smoking of the flax, a little yearning after the “eternal life.” And Christ sought to tan it into a flame that should consume even his love for his “great possessions.”
2. The figure also represents those conditions of spiritual decline to which we are all exposed, and which make sad places here and there in the story of our Christian lives. Happy indeed is that man who does not know what it is for his spiritual light to become only a smoking wick. And he who has wrought so great a work in us must be sorely grieved when the flame grows dim, the oil of grace is not renewed, and no good atmosphere of trust and prayer nourishes and clears the light. And yet, though grieved, he does “not quench.” Bunyan tells us of the fire in the wall, and of one who poured water upon it to quench it. It was not Christ who acted thus. He pours on the oil of grace, until the flame is, made to glow and blaze in power and beauty. But sometimes he holds back his grace, and lets the water almost quench the fire in the dull and careless soul. Many must confess that it is even so with them. Awhile ago the flame was all glowing; amid now there are only a few curlings and wreathings of smoke, and scarcely one feeble flamethe waters of the world, self-indulgence, pride, and neglected Christian duty have nearly quenched it. Leave it but a little longer, and the last flicker will die out. Conclude by showing the way for such feeble believers back to Christ. who “waiteth to be gracious.” “O Lord, revive thy work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make known; in wrath remember mercy;” “Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation.”R.T.
Isa 42:4
Divine persistency.
“He shall not fail nor be discouraged.” “He shall not burn dimly nor be crushed.” The figure prominent in the mind of the prophet is not the actual Israel, the ideal Israel, Cyrus, or Judas Maccabaeus, but the Messiah who, in the deepest view of him, is the manifested God. And “though be meets with hard service and much opposition, and foresees how ungrateful the world will be, yet he goes on with his part of the work, till he is able to say, ‘It is finished!’ and he enables his apostles and ministers to go on with theirs, too, and not to fail nor be discouraged till they also have finished their testimony.” Henderson gives the connection of the passages suggestively: “Mild and gentle as he would be towards the broken-hearted and tire desponding, no power should depress his Spirit, impede his progress, obscure his glory, or thwart his purpose.”
I. CHRIST HAS A GREAT END TOWARDS WHICH HE IS EVER, AND HAS BEEN EVER, WORKING. The largest view we can take of Christ regards him as God operating for high moral ends in the sphere of humanity. God’s direct moral Agent, in all the ages, has been the Second Person of the sacred Trinity, the Angel-Jehovah, Jehovah ministering, or the Christ. So we link the great Incarnation with all the foreshadowing incarnations. God’s end, in Christ, is
(1) the setting up of truth, of judgment, of the sense of right, of righteousness; and this
(2) is synchronous with the universal establishment of his Law, or living rule and authority. The kingship of Christ is the reign of righteousnessa reign than can be above and within all earthly kingships. In reaching this end we can see a series of stages.
1. A preparatory work in the world. Letting men find out the value of righteousness by experiences of evil.
2. A stage of visible manifestation of the righteousness desired for the whole world, in the person of the righteous Servant of the Lord, the “Man Christ Jesus.”
3. A stage, now incomplete, of the inward workings of the Holy Spirit, using agencies of human ministry and Christian influence and example.
II. CHRIST MIGHT, WE THINK, FAIL AND BE DISCOURAGED BY THE SLOW PROGRESS OF HIS KINGDOM OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. The stages are long. The progress often rather seems backward. Each stage has, indeed, been misunderstood. We are only now getting glimpses of the importance of the first preparatory stage. We say, “How long?’ and wonder that Christ does not. It is long waiting lot the “travail of his soul.”
III. IF CHRIST IS NOT DISCOURAGED, SURELY WE NEED NOT BE. Our imperfect knowledge, our passion for results, and our weak faith, may excuse our failing. We readily forget that the honour of God is far more truly bound up in the full redemption of the world, and the universal reign of righteousness, than ours. “It is enough for the servant that he be as his Master.” Not until our living, loving Lord is disheartened and gives up his work of saving men, may we let the tools of our Christian service drop out of our hand.R.T.
Isa 42:8
The uniqueness of Jehovah.
“My glory will I not give to another.” Wherein lies the separateness and distinctness of our God which makes it so impossible for us to find any likenesses for him? The uniqueness of Jehovah is embodied in his Name, which is the assertion of absolute and independent existence; and this can be predicated of only one Being. We can conceive of divinities having in their special charge certain forces of nature, or faculties and relationships of men; and of these there may be many. But if we can conceive of an uncaused Being, who is the cause of all being, there can be only one such. Jehovah stands alone. All others must say, “I was made;” he says, “I am.” The distinction comes out very forcibly in relation to the idols which men worship. We know their origin in men’s mental conceptions, or in men’s handiwork. Of Jehovah we know nothing save that he is. But the prophet is far less concerned with the abstract nature of God than with his special and gracious relations with his people. He is here dealing with Jehovah’s faithfulness to his predictions and promises. He is unique in thishe keeps his word. The glory of fulfilling his promises belongs to him alone. It was characteristic of idolatry that large promises were made to men by oracle and priest, for which there was no guarantee; and there is no more miserable chapter in the history of idols than the chapter, of excuses for disappointed promise-holders. If the predictions of Jehovah ever failed, he would sink to lower levels than the idols. “The voice that moves the stars along speaks all the promises.” The point on which to dwell is that, however tolerant idolatry may be of other conceptions and other ritual developed in other lands, and however attractive to men such latitude in religion and worship may be, not one jot of the absolutely supreme claims of Jehovah can be removed. In this no concession can be made. Here there can be no rivalry, no sharing of honours. God is God alone. He is above all. It is absolutely essential to the worship of Jehovah that it should be wholly exclusive of the idea of another god. No reproach of men can be more severe and searching than this, “They feared the Lord, and served other gods.” The uniqueness of God is seen in that:
1. He is for man only a thought; we cannot, we may not, fix him in any shape. “He is a Spirit.”
2. He is behind all things. Not behind some things, as idols of wisdom, or of music, or of corn and wine. At the back of everything we can conceive is God, in whom the conception first took shape.
3. He controls all forces. Not like idols, this one controlling the wind, and that the sea.
4. He claims all homage. Not of a nation, but of the world; not of a time, but of the ages.
5. He has the supreme record of faithfulness; for he has been the “Refuge and Dwelling place” of men in all generations.R.T.
Isa 42:16
The surprising Life-Guide.
“I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not.” Only the figure is taken from the gracious Divine arrangements made for the return of the captives from Babylon. That is indeed prominent in the prophet’s mind, but only as illustrative of God’s constant dealings as the Life-Guide of his people. Let us, in any vivid and impressive way, see God’s working and providing in any one instance, and we learn what he really is, and what he really does, in all instances. Therefore is every man’s life dotted over with special scenes of rescue and deliverance, when ways were made for him altogether beyond his imagination, that he might learn to say from the heart, “This God is our God for ever and ever: he will be our Guide even unto death.” Matthew Arnold paraphrases the verse thus: “I will bring mY faint-hearted, incredulous, and undiscerning people safe through the desert to their own land.” Prominent are two things:
(1) the inability of man;
(2) the perplexity of his circumstances.
The Divine guidance ensures a safe, good way through all. This may be fully opened and illustrated on the following lines.
I. WE CANNOT GRASP THE PURPOSE OF LIFE. God holds it. What arc we here for? God knows. How will our work fit into the work of others? God knows. We are only servants working at parts of a plan which has never been shown us. The Divine Architect is our Guide, and shows us just what we have to do. Men are, in a despairing spirit, asking “Is life worth living?” We answer, “Certainly it is, if only it is put into God’s hands for the guiding.” Perhaps we shall never reach to grasp the purpose of our life on the earth better than thisit is our becoming holy, and the agents in helping others to become holy. That is God’s thought for us, and towards its realization he is ever working, ever guiding.
II. WE CANNOT MAKE A WAY OF LIFE. We plan, but life does not carry out our plan. We wish, but life will not fulfil our desires. Every one of us has to say, when life closes, “I could not have imagined the way in which! have been led.” “It is not in man that walketh to direct his steps.” “The future we explore in vain, so little understood.” God opens it. He knows the way of life for every man. He “leads in paths that we have not known.” Two striking instances may be taken, one from Old Testament and the other from New Testament Scripture. David tending his sheep could not even imagine the way of life he was to take; yet God was guiding him step by step along a way he had marked out for him. Tell Saul, the zealous Hebrew, that his way lay round from Jerusalem to Illyricum, preaching the gospel of the crucified Nazarene, and he will exclaim, “Impossible!” But, under God’s guidance, it was the way that he took.
III. WE CANNOT MEET THE CLAIMS OF LIFE. God can help us. Those claims seem often as impossible for us as a command to carry sufficient water with them for all their long desert-journey would have been for those returning exiles. At times the responsibilities resting upon us seem quite overwhelming, and heart and flesh fail. Then we need to be reminded of the amazing contrast between what a man can do by himself, and what a man can do when God is with him. Wonderful becomes his “enduring” when he can “see him who is invisible.” The ever-strengthening conviction, which makes spiritual giants, is that God never gives any man any work to do without holding out, ready for him, grace for the doing.
IV. WE CANNOT PROVIDE FOR THE NEEDS OF LIFE. God is theto use an Eastern figureSheikh of the caravan, and he provides. What is wanted is the knowledge that anticipates all wants, and the abilities that can meet all. The various needs of life may be gathered under one headthe need of renewals, Renewals of body, by sleep; of health, by air, food, medicine; of mind, by knowledge; of heart, by love. it is nothing short of a Divine thing to arrange for all the needs of a single lifemany of them needs to which the man himself is “blind,” of them he knows nothing. God knows, guides, and provides.
V. WE CANNOT MASTER THE ILLS OF LIFE. God overrules. Again and again we have to face calamities in conscious helplessness. What can Job do with the ills of life? The Sabaeans carry off his flocks, and he can do nothing. Mighty winds bring the house down upon his sons and daughters, and he can do nothing. Painful diseases afflict his own body, and he can do nothing. He can master none of the ills of life. Darkness is round him; things are crooked. Yet God is the Life-Guide. Circumstances are all in his control. He overrules. He makes the very ills turn to good, by securing for Job, through them, a new and more spiritual hold of himself, and by making Job the supreme example of patience for the whole world. He brings light on the darkness, and makes the crooked things go straight. In conclusion, urge that, in view of our helplessness and God’s all-sufficing helpfulness, we may well lift eyes and hearts up unto him, saying, “My Father, thou shalt be the Guide of my life.”R.T.
Isa 42:21
The honouring of God’s Law.
Cheyne translates, “It was Jehovah’s pleasure for his righteousness’ sake to make the instruction great and glorious.” The Revised Version gives this as a marginal reading. Only by a straining of this passage can it be made to bear any relation to Christ’s obedience and righteousness. It is true, but it is not the truth presented or suggested here, that Christ “magnified the Law, and made it honourable.” The point of the passage is well expressed by J. A. Alexander. “The people, being thus unfaithful to their trust, had no claim to be treated any longer as an object of Jehovah’s favour; and yet he continues propitious, not on their account, but out of regard to his own engagements, and for the execution of his righteous purposes.” God’s Law, which he is here said to honour, is the “stream of self-consistent and inspired instruction which has run through all the ages.” It is the total inspired revelation of God’s mind and will, regarded as the supreme authority for man, and therefore called God’s Law. It may be illustrated by the elaborate Mosaic system, which both announced great controlling principles, and covered the whole lives and relations of men with detailed instructions. Of this we may be well assured, God’s providences will always be in harmony with, and will support and honour, his revelations. Treating the subject in this larger sphere, we dwell on two points.
I. GOD MAGNIFIES HIS LAW BY MAKING OBEDIENCE SECURE MAN‘S GOOD. “Righteousness tendeth unto life.” Men are dependent for forming right judgments upon sensible impressions. We apprehend moral good through the sensible figures of material good. Therefore God makes godliness carry “the promise of the life that now is.” There may be things which, on occasion, break the connection between moral and material good, and then, like Asaph, we are in perplexity; but the generally working rule brings blessings round to the good man, and so honours God’s provisions and laws and promises.
II. GOD MAGNIFIES HIS LAW BY FOLLOWING DISOBEDIENCE WITH MAN‘S DISABILITY. “Though hand join in hand, the wicked shall not go unpunished.” It is often pointed out that sin is folly. The man who does wrong is false to his best interests; he wrongs himself. The link between sin and penalty is forged tightly; sooner or later penalty is sure to follow sin. These two points are made evidently true in the history of ancient Israel; that people was under a distinct system of material rewards and punishments. But they may still be illustrated in the large spheres of the world. Iniquity never pays, even now. They may be illustrated in the case of individuals, if moral and spiritual rewards and judgments be taken into due account.R.T.
Isa 42:24, Isa 42:25
Ineffective judgments.
God has even burned Israel, and “yet he ]aid it not to heart.” There is immediate reference to the sufferings of the people during the Captivity. It did seem strange that such manifest Divine judgments were not duly considered and properly effective in securing humiliation for national sin and penitential return to God. The secret of the failure of the Divine judgments then is the great secret of failure still; it is thiswhen men fall into trouble they persist in looking only at the second causes, which are the mere occasions, and will not recognize the true and only cause, or recognize God’s hand in them. It has been so in all ages. One of the most striking instances is that of the Roman siege of Jerusalem under Titus. Distinctly foretold as a Divine judgment on the nation for its rejection of Messiah, the Jews to this day will not so regard it. To them it is still only a national calamity, and so it has been hitherto ineffective in the production of a due sense of national sin. So many sides and aspects of this subject have been treated, that we only give a brief outline of the topics which may be wisely and helpfully considered.
I. ALL SUFFERING IS DIVINE JUDGMENT. Whatever else may be said of it, its explanations are never exhausted until the Divine purpose in it is explained. The connection of a particular judgment with a particular individual it may be unwise for us to attempt to trace. But we can always see the judgment aspect of race, national, or family calamities; and we know that God can show the judgment clement in each man’s woe.
II. ALL JUDGMENT IS CORRECTIVE. It is a Father’s rod. No father chastises save for correction, and with a view to the profit of the corrected.
III. ALL JUDGMENTS ARE WITHIN STRICT LIMITATIONS, They are precise to individual cases. Sometimes light, sometimes heavy. Sometimes brief, sometimes long-continued. Always in exact adaptation. There is never any exaggeration, any overdoing, in God’s judgments. They are just adequate to the ends sought. They take due count of reasonable response from those to whom they are sent.
IV. ALL DESPISED JUDGMENTS MUST BE RENEWED IN SEVERER FORMS, Because they create new and more serious conditions, and these must be adequately met. God can never permit effective and successful resistance and rebellion. If a man will not bend, he must break. Heavier judgments must grind him to powder.R.T.
Isa 42:1. Behold my servant, whom I upheld Whom I will uphold. Lowth. Or, Whom I receive. The discourse of God is continued, of the Father pointing out the Son, as the teacher of the Gentiles expected for so many ages, about to recal them from idolatry and superstition, and to enlighten them with the most pure and holy doctrine. St. Matthew has plainly and directly applied this passage, which is truly august, and worthy all attention, to Jesus Christ, Mat 12:17; Mat 12:50. And in the voice from heaven, Mat 3:17 there is a manifest allusion to it. Simeon also, in his song, Luk 2:31-32 has a plain reference to it, as well as St. Paul, in his discourse before king Agrippa; Act 26:18. The ancient Jews also saw its reference to the Messiah, as appears from their paraphrase: “Behold, my servant, the Messiah, my beloved, in whom my word is well pleased:” and, indeed, the passage cannot with any show of probability be applied to any other than Jesus Christ, to whom these attributes peculiarly belong. He was the servant of God, obedient to his Father’s will, peculiarly received, and in whose fidelity he absolutely reposed; faithful as a son; obedient unto death. See Heb 3:5-6. Php 2:7-8. He was God’s elect in the most emphatical sense of the word; chosen from the beginning to glorify his Father’s name upon earth, the precious lamb ordained before the foundation of the world, to be the prince of his faithful people, the head of his church, the source of righteousness and salvation to all that should believe in him; that elect, in whom the Father’s soul delighted; in whom he was well pleased; in whom he saw all the properties and qualities necessary for his great and important office; particularly those which fitted him to be the great sacrifice of the world. (See Eph 5:2. Heb 10:5; Heb 10:39.); who was endued with all the gifts of the holy Spirit, which was not given to him by measure. See Joh 3:34. Isa 11:1-2; Isa 61:1-3.; and it was he who was to bring forth judgment to the Gentiles: that is, to deliver the canonical doctrine of religion to the Gentiles; rational, founded in principles of conscience, according to which every other doctrine of religion, all the opinions of men concerning religion, all the sayings, judgments, and actions of the Gentiles, are to be judged; which is, the doctrine of the Gospel, the canon of the divine judgment, the rule of the judgment of Christ to whom the Father hath delivered judgment, and of all those ministers who should establish his kingdom among the nations. See chap. Isa 2:4. &c. and Vitringa.
III.THE THIRD DISCOURSE
The third chief figure: The personal servant of God in the contrastive, principal features of his manifestation
Isaiah 42
1. THE MEEK SERVANT OF GOD
Isa 42:1-4
1Behold my servant, whom I uphold;
Mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth;
I have put my spirit upon him: 2He shall not cry, nor lift up,
Nor cause his voice to be heard in the street.
3A bruised reed shall he not break,
And the 2smoking flax shall he not 3quench:
He shall bring forth judgment 4unto truth.
4He shall not fail nor be 5discouraged,
Till he have set ajudgment in the earth:
And the isles shall wait for his law.
TEXTUAL AND GRAMMATICAL
See List for the recurrence of the words: Isa 42:1. Isa 42:3. Isa 42:4.
Isa 42:1. With one looks for (comp. Mic 6:7, etc). Evidently the preceding continues in force.
Isa 42:4. corresponds to the second clause of Isa 42:3; to the first clause. From this it appears that is not from , but from . The pronunciation of the imperf. Kal with u occurs also in other verbs ( Pro 29:6. Psa 91:6), and it is remarkable that the imperfect forms of occur only with the pronunciation u, Psa 18:30; 2Sa 22:30; Ecc 12:6.
EXEGETICAL AND CRITICAL
1. As in chap. 41 the form of Cyrus, who is servant of Jehovah without being called so, and the form of Israel, who is servant of Jehovah and is so called, have their roots, so the form of Him who is servant of Jehovah in the highest sense, the form of the Messiah has its root in chap. 24. Thus the Prophet allows the types of his prophetic forms to appear in succession, and in a way that sketches them for us at first only in general outline. Here now he lets a servant of Jehovah appear, whom, after the first strokes that draw his form, we might regard as identical with the servant of Jehovah mentioned Isa 41:8. For all that is said in our Isa 42:1, applies well enough to the people of Israel. But can Isa 42:2-3 be said of them? Here is mentioned One, who could, if He would, but He will not. He could cry, and break the bruised reed, and quench the glimmering wick, for He had the right and the might to do it. That is the Lord Himself, that comes to visit His people in meekness and lowliness. And yet He does appear as a Judge, loud and terrible, as appears from Isa 42:13. For this chapter is full of contrasts. Isa 42:1-4 contrast with Isa 42:10-17; Isa 42:5-9 with Isa 42:18-21. Contrasts appear, too, within the individual strophes; e. g., Isa 42:4 a. contrasts with 4 b.
2. Behold my servantfor his law.
Isa 42:1-4. in itself can mean to seize, hold fast. Here, however, it is not an act of violence that is spoken of, but an act of love. The Servant of Jehovah supports Himself on Jehovah, and Jehovah supports, holds and bears His Servant (comp. Isa 42:6; Joh 8:29). The words in whom I am well pleased, Mat 3:17; Mat 17:5; 2Pe 1:17, heard at the baptism and the transfiguration of Christ, seem to connect with our and also with ver 21. The idea of anointing seems to underly the expression I have put My Spirit upon Him. (The expression occurs only here in Isaiah; for Isa 37:7 belongs in another category; still comp. Isa 11:2; Isa 61:1). The use of the holy anointing oil (also of incense) is often signified by in Lev 2:1; Lev 2:15; Lev 14:17-18; Lev 14:28-29. This construction is confirmed by Isa 61:1. By the anointing with the Holy Spirit, the Servant of God is qualified to bring right to the nations. here can mean neither judicial transaction, nor judicial sentence; it can only mean standard of right. But what sort appears partly from the nature of the thing itself, partly from the parallel passages. The heathen, too, had standards of right in general. But they lacked the true source of right, the knowledge of Him who alone is truth; they lacked the . Not merely the juridical norm of right in the absolute sense, i. e., religion (HengstenbergChristol. on our text, Delitzsch, Reinke) is to be understood. This absolute standard of right, hitherto the prerogative of Jehovah and His people, the Servant of Jehovah will carry forth to all nations (comp. Isa 2:3; Mic 4:2; Isa 51:4; Psa 147:19-20). Thus signifies the publishing of what has hitherto been hid, revelation (Hab 1:4).
In Isa 42:2-3 it is added in praise of the Servant of the Lord that He will not cry in the streets, nor break the bruised reed. If He is to be praised for this, then He must have been able to do what He abstained from doing. Evidently a contrast presents itself here. It is not that the Servant of the Lord cannot do what He would even like to do. But the contrary: He could; but He will not. He abstains from the use of His power; He divests Himself. By this even it is intimated that His power must be great. Otherwise there would not be so much made of His refraining from using it. Is it credible that such humble abstinence from the use of power that they enjoyed could ever be mentioned to the praise of Isaiah, or of the prophets generally, or of the people of Israel generally, or of the spiritual Israel, or of Cyrus, or of Uzziah, or Hezekiah or Josiah [the various persons supposed by different commentators to be meant by the Servant of Jehovah.Tr.]? When did Israel ever have great power in reference to the heathen, and in humble love abstain from its use? Or when had ever a prophet or king of Israel the high position of a teacher of mankind, and filled it with humble self-denial? And of Cyrus it cannot be said that he was called to give to the heathen the . There is only One, that stood as Teacher of all nations, and who, spite of His great dignity, could say of Himself: Come unto Me all ye that labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly of heart, and ye shall find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light (Mat 11:28-30). It is as if the Lord had our passage in mind when He spoke these words. For not only do His words: I thank Thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth (ibid, Isa 42:29) recall Isa 42:5 of our chapter, that describes God as the One that created the heavens, and stretched them out. But, what is still more important, we find there the same contrast as the basis of Christs words, that rules over also our passage. The almighty Lord of heaven and earth does not ask after the wise and prudent, He has revealed Himself to those under age. And Christ Himself! How significant that He introduces the words to the weary and heavy laden quoted above, with the words: All things are delivered unto Me of My Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal Him (ibid. Isa 42:27). Does He not say here in a most emphatic way, that He is a meek, lowly and patient teacher although the greatest power and the highest knowledge are delivered to Him? Besides the evident connection of our passage with Mat 11:25-30, that we have thus remarked, the evangelist Matthew himself declares expressly in what immediately follows (Mat 12:15-21) that he saw in the conduct of the Lord at that time the fulfilment of the words of our Prophet. That He healed the sick, and yet forbad to have it published, that He would only serve (comp. Mat 20:28), and sought not His honor and His advantage (Joh 8:50; Joh 5:30), that seems to Matthew to correspond to the picture of the Servant of the Lord that Isaiah drew in our chapter.
The expression meaning occurs Num 14:1; Job 21:12, and in Isa. in part first (Isa 3:7) and in part second (Isaiah 42:2, 41). The omission being idiomatic, it need not be supplied from the following . The statement that the Servant of Jehovah shall not cry nor lift up His voice is understood in various ways. It is said, on the contrary, Isa 42:13-14, that He will cry. This belongs to the contrasts with which the chapter abounds. The meaning of Isa 42:2-3 is, therefore, not that the Servant of the Lord will in general not cry, and will break nothing whatever. Rather, as His anointing with the Spirit implies, He will only not roar and rage as do the powers of this world, nor do violence to the weak and wretched. On the contrary He will show Himself gentle and kind to the poor and weak, which is precisely the Old Testament meaning of . What is already bruised (nicked, comp. Isa 36:6; Isa 58:6; Deu 28:33) He will not finish by breaking, and the feebly glimmering wick He will not extinguish. is the wick made from linen ( which however does not occur, comp. Gesen.Thes. p. 1136). The double statement of Isa 42:3 contains a . For it is inconceivable that He, whose being is light and life, intends only the non-extinguishment of the wick or the non-fracture of the reed. Rather He intends both as the beginning of new life.
The clause stands alone as a positive statement in antithesis to the foregoing negatives. The LXX. translates: . Mat 12:20 reads: . The latter translation seems to come from a confusion with Hab 1:4. For there it reads: . But in Aramaic means vicit; , is victoria;victor. which occurs no where else in the Old Testament, can only mean secundam veritatem (Vulg.in ,32:1. One might suppose that the expression meant the same as Isa 42:1. But it is to be noticed that Isa 42:1 it is the nations to whom the Servant of Jehovah brings forth right, whereas Isa 42:3 it is to those compared to the bruised reed and glimmering wick. Moreover in Isa 42:1 the addition is wanting. Both considerations justify our assuming a modification of the sense in Isa 42:3. To the heathen, who do not know Him, God will reveal the standard of right, by the use of which they will find the right. But for the poor and wretched He will procure a right decree corresponding to the truth, He will help them to their rights; something that elsewhere also is made to be an essential part of the glory of the Messianic kingdom (Isa 1:21; Isa 1:26 sq.; Isa 9:6). But expresses here the proceeding, issuing of the decree of a judge, in which sense occurs twice in Hab 1:4. Per ducere, to carry into effect, to conduct to the end, cannot be the meaning of .
By Isa 42:4, the Prophet would obviate a misunderstanding, by preparing a transition that makes prominent a contrastive side of the Servant of Jehovah, which appears even in the second, but still more decidedly in the third strophe. For instance, it might perhaps be inferred from Isa 42:2-3 that the Servant of Jehovah were only meek and lowly, that thus He were made only of weak stuff, that His being would lack the firmness, the manly force, the ability to be angry and punish. To obviate this false inference the Prophet says, though the Servant of Jehovah will be such as described Isa 42:2-3, still He will Himself be no bruised reed, [ from see Text. and Gram]. Spite of his gentleness, He shall be firm as a rock (Isa 17:10; Isa 26:4), on which all attacks of His enemies shall dash to pieces, and He shall carry out His counsel victoriously. The conjunction signifies here, as often (Gen 28:15; Psa 112:8), continuance until the object is attained; the meaning of this form of expression being always that a ceasing will not take place till the end in view is attained (against Gesen.Thes. p. 992, and Hengstenberg,Authentie d. Daniel, p. 67). What follows does not enter into the consideration. The standard of right that the Servant of Jehovah will establish on the earth is the same mentioned Isa 42:1. It is afterwards called law, which is only nearer definition added on. That is, it is only made plainer that this standard of right will be a religious one, a counterpart of the law of Sinai. As Delitzsch remarks, the Servant of Jehovah will add to the Sinaitic the Zionitic Torah (comp. Isa 2:3). The position of at the end of the clause indicates that we are not to consider it as dependent on . But the Prophet would say: when the standard of right is established by the Servant of Jehovah as Torah, as religious law, then will the isles (meaning here the remotest regions of the heathen world) turn themselves to it in hope and trust (comp. Isa 51:4-5).
Footnotes:
[1]reveal right.
[2]Or, dimly burning.
[3]Heb. quench it,
[4]according to truth.
[5]Heb. broken.
2. THE SERVANT OF GOD AS THE BEARER OF A NEW CONVENANT. THE THIRD APPLICATION OF PROPHECY AS PROOF OF DIVINITY
Isa 42:5-9
5Thus saith God the Lord,
He that created the heavens, and stretched them out; 6I the Lord have called thee in righteousness,
And will hold thine hand, 7To open the blind eyes,
To bring out the prisoners from the prison,
And them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.
86I am the Lord: that is my name:
And my glory will I not give to another, 9Behold, the former things are come to pass,
And new things do I declare: TEXTUAL AND GRAMMATICAL
See List for the recurrence of the words: Isa 42:5. . Isa 42:6. . Isa 42:7. .
Isa 42:5. On comp. Isa 40:22. The form with is to be explained, not indeed according to Isa 54:5, but after the analogy of those forms of in which the original reappears. On comp. on Isa 40:19; Isa 44:24. As the word properly means to hammer out broad (comp. ,( ( , Gen 1:12 sqq., a word that occurs only in Job and Isa.; comp. Isa 22:24) taken strictly does not suit it. But in there lies ideally the notion of spreading out and depends on that.
Isa 42:6. , the abbreviated jussive form, here exceptionally in the first person [See Greens Gr. 97.2 a]. In regard to its being joined with see Isa 4:1; Isa 45:1; Isa 51:18; Isa 56:2; Isa 56:4; Isa 56:6; Isa 64:6; comp. Isa 41:13).That and have not the article, accords with the prophetic style, and is not to be pressed.
EXEGETICAL AND CRITICAL
1. This strophe consists of a preface, principal part, and conclusion. In respect to Isa 42:1-4 there is a climax. The introduction Isa 42:5 is a considerable leap. There the Prophet designates the Lord as the one that has created heaven and the earth, and all that is on it. This affords the basis for what follows. The same God that could do this, and He only, is able also to deliver them. He, too, can say of the redeemer His Servant: I have called Thee, will uphold, protect and make Thee the bearer of a new covenant, and a light to all nations (Isa 42:6). This new covenant and enlightening the nations shall consist in opening blind eyes, and delivering prisoners from prison (Isa 42:7), which is to be understood in both a spiritual and a physical sense. The strophe concluds (Isa 42:8-9) by the emphatic statement that He, Jehovah announces this beforehand for the sake of His own honor, and especially to show (Isa 42:8) the difference between Himself and idols. As He has fulfilled earlier prophecies, so now He gives new ones in order, by their eventual fulfilment, to prove His divinity.
2. Thus saith Godtherein.
Isa 42:5. It seems to me that put first is, like Gen 46:3, meant to designate emphatically the true God, who alone has power, in contrast with the powerless false gods (Isa 42:8). placed before as here, does not occur elsewhere. Comp. Isa 5:16. see List: except in Isaiah only twice: Amo 4:13; Ecc 12:1. , Isa 45:18 (Isa 65:17). , which has for parallel, signifies accordingly the people of the earth generally. The order of thought here makes it evident that the chief features of the Mosaic account of the creation float before the Prophets eye: creation of the heavens; spreading out the earth, the imparting of (comp. Gen 2:7) and (Gen 7:22) to men.
3. I the Lordprison house.
Isa 42:6-7. Having reminded his hearers who God is as in Isa 42:5, the Prophet lets the Lord announce Himself as the one who will give the world a redeemer in His Servant. He that can create, etc., can also do this. One is reminded of those passages where Jesus Christ proves His power to forgive sins by pointing to His miracles: Mat 9:2 sqq.; Mar 2:3 sqq.; Luk 5:18 sqq.). That the one called is the Servant of God, is evident from the context. recalls Isa 41:2; Isa 41:4; Isa 41:9. But the Lord has called His Servant . If the Old Testament righteousness has for its antithesis or , i.e., violence, unrighteousness, then a righteous man, , is one who in every respect wills only what is right and proper. He will neither do violence to the poor and weak, nor regard the person of the mighty and violent man; He will neither condemn the penitent and contrite, nor let the impenitent go unpunished. Thus His treatment of the penitent sinner is as just as it is of the impenitent. He could destroy the former if He would; for He has the power. Who would call Him to account? But is then grace, that dispenses pardon on the ground of a subjective or objective performance, not also just? That is, does not God in a higher sense exercise righteousness, when He forgives the contrite who implores grace on the ground of the atoning-sacrifice that even God Himself has made for him? Thus it is not at all partial favor, measuring with unequal measure, when God calls His Servant into the world as redeemer. Rather, in Him grace displays itself as combined in one with righteousness. Unrighteous grace there is not in God any way. Thus Isaiah can say of Cyrus that God has raised him up in righteousness (Isa 45:13). By I have called thee the appearance of the Servant is signified as something that has already taken place. The verbs that follow signify as future what the Lord purposes to do with His Servant. He will take Him by the hand and (which expresses the object of so doing) protect Him, and make Him for a covenant of the people, and for a light of the Gentiles.
When Hermann Schultz (Alttestamentl. Theol. II. p. 75) says, that there is here not the remotest mention of a future personality, I should like to know how he may reconcile that with Isa 42:9. One sees from the Futures , , and still more plainly from Isa 42:9, that the Prophet points away to a remote future that has not even begun to bud. And the covenant of the people, too, must be a new one, and not one in existence already. For were it an old, already existing one, how did the Lord come to say that He would make His Servant for this covenant? In fact it must be a very new covenant, vastly superior to the old one, since, according to Isa 42:7, it can open blind eyes, and bring out the prisoners from prison, which the old covenant could not do. Neither the total of Israel, nor the ideal Israel, nor the order of prophets can set in operation what is promised in Isa 42:7; or if this were something that they could do, then it does not belong here. we justly expect something great here, a work of salvation, an act of redemption, in fact something greater than is promised Isa 42:2-3, for the strophe Isa 42:5-9 forms the ladder to what follows, which presents to view the highest good. Either Isaiah does not speak of the Messiah at all, (which indeed Knobel maintains with entire consistency), or he speaks of Him already here. The opinion that Isaiah here does not yet understand the Messiah under the Servant of Jehovah, that the Servant of Jehovah appears as an individual only later, say from Isa 52:14 on, comes from the failure to observe the character of 4042 which prepare the foundation for what follows. In Jos 3:14 even the ark of the covenant is called . When even such an inanimate vessel is called the covenant, why may that not be said of the Lord Himself, who, in fact, is the sole living and personal bond that unites divinity and humanity. As Christ calls Himself the way (Joh 14:6), or the resurrection (Joh 11:25), so, too, He may be called the covenant. Thus, e.g., tributum (Jos 16:10, etc.), signifies Him that tributum affert, (Psa 120:7) Him that pacem agit. Thus is He that mediates the covenant to the people. But this is no other than the Messiah. I do not comprehend how V. Fr. Oehler (D. Knecht Jehovas, I. p. 50) can say: Israel in the Messianic time needs no more an Abraham, a Moses as mediator of a covenant of the people with Jehovah, but the people as regenerated, as conscious of its destiny, as perfect servant of Jehovah is itself the covenant. Israel has, indeed, no need of an Abraham or Moses; but Christ it does need, and without Him, too, it could never be the perfect servant of Jehovah.
By is meant Israel, as appears both from the added and from the antithetical (comp. Isa 49:6). Salvation comes from the Jews (Joh 4:22). The sunrise from on high (Luk 1:78) appears in Israel and proceeds thence to the heathen. For the recurrence of the phraseology here see Isa 49:6; Isa 49:8, comp. Isa 51:4. The covenant, that the Servant of Jehovah is to mediate is called Isa 54:10 a covenant of peace, and Isa 55:3; Isa 61:8, an everlasting covenant (comp. Isa 59:21; Isa 61:4; Isa 61:6).
In Isa 42:7, the Prophet specifies the contents of the general notions covenant of the people, light of the Gentiles. If (comp. Isa 35:5; Isa 29:18) connects primarily with , and appears attracted by this thought, so relates primarily to , thus to Israel. Why may one not think first of Israel in reference to the deliverance from imprisonment, seeing the entire second part of Isaiah is primarily a book of consolation for Israel in captivity? But to prevent our thinking that the opening of eyes refers only to the heathen, and the leading out of prison only to Israel, the Prophet adds a third clause, that combines both factors, and thus intimates that also those sitting in darkness shall be freed, and those languishing in prison be enlightened. From this appears how unjust to the text a rough, outward construction like Knobels is. For did the heathen, then, share Israels captivity in Babylon? Certainly not. But there is a blindness and a captivity under which both Israel and the heathen labored (comp. Act 26:17-18). At the same time it must not be denied, that also acts of physical deliverance are to be regarded as degrees of the fulfilment of our prophecy, e.g., from the chains of prison and darkness, like the deliverance from the Babylonish Exile, and those acts of healing that the personal Servant of Jehovah did during His life on earth (comp. Isa 9:1; Mat 4:14-16, with ibid. Isa 42:23). Light and freedom, therefore light and right (for freedom is his right whom the prison holds not or holds no longer) will the Servant of Jehovah bring to the world. Should not one think here of the Urim and Thummim of the High-Priest (Exo 28:30), and consequently construe this offering of light and right as the priestly activity of the Servant of Jehovah? The expression dwellers in darkness occurs only here and Psa 107:10. Comp. Isa 9:1.
4. I am the Lordof them.
Isa 42:8-9.The verses 6, 7 form the pith of the strophe; which is prefaced (Isa 42:5) by words that let us infer its significance, and is concluded by just such words (Isa 42:8-9). The words , that directly follow the pith of the strophe, seem to correspond to the words of similar meaning with which (Isa 42:6) it immediately begins. They are therefore in apposition with at the beginning of Isa 42:6, and to be translated I Jehovah (not I am Jehovah). Verily it must be something great which the Lord twice announces with the words, I, Jehovah, do it. It must be something that only Jehovah can do; thus something far beyond the power of a man or of any other creature. Jehovah, however, can do it because He is called , i, e., according to Exo 3:14, the eternally existent, the absolutely existent (in , appears even a reminiscence of , Exo 3:15), who just thereby is distinguished from all other beings, that either have no real existence at all, as idols, or that have not the source of their existence in themselves. Did the Lord not do what He has promised, Isa 42:6-7, His name would lie. He would not then be what He calls Himself; He were a liar and deceiver, like those that unjustly assume the name god. Thus He pledges the honor of His name for the fulfilment of what is promised, Isa 42:6-7. But the Lord must do this not only to be consistent with Himself; He does it also in order that His honor may not unlawfully be taken by another. Did He promise and not fulfil, He would not be distinguished from idols. Indeed, in a certain sense, He would be less than idols. For not to be able to prophesy at all (Isa 41:21) were better than to prophesy and not fulfil. In a quite similar sense Isa 48:11. But, moreover the Lord may not risk the coming to pass of the great things spoken of, Isa 42:6-7, without His having previously foretold them, lest Israel say as in Isa 48:5, mine idol hath done them, etc. Thus, as in Isa 41:4; Isa 41:22 sqq., by prophesying them, He vindicates the future things as His plan and His work, and proves His divinity. But as He does not now first begin to prophesy, but had done it already in the remote past, so He can now point, not only to the future fulfilment of what is now prophesied, but also to the actual fulfilment of what was formerly prophesied. Thus present fulfilment is security for that which is to be. Accordingly, by , Isa 42:9, I cannot, with Delitzsch and others, understand the immediate future, but only that foretold in the past. If the were the appearance of Cyrus and the movements of the nations connected therewith, then instead of it must read (comp. Isa 41:22). How can fulfilments still future, any way, be the pledge of others also future? I understand, therefore, by the former things the totality of prophecies made from the days of the Patriarchs to the catastrophe of Assyria, and in part fulfilled, and by new things (comp. Isa 48:6) all that the Prophet has to say concerning the future salvation that begins with Cyrus. These are the things which the Prophet, with the actual or the ideal present in view, designates as not recognizable even in their buds (comp. Isa 43:19).
Footnotes:
[6]I the Lord.
THE SERVANT OF GOD AS A STRONG GOD
Isa 42:10-17
10Sing unto the Lord a new song,
And his praise from the end of the earth,
Ye that go down 7 to the sea, and 8 all that is therein;
The isles, and the inhabitants thereof
11Let the wilderness and the cities thereof lift up their voice,
The villages that Kedar doth inhabit:
Let the inhabitants of the rock sing, 12Let them give glory unto the Lord,
And declare his praise in the islands.
13The Lord shall go forth as a mighty man,
He shall stir up 9jealousy like a man of war:
He shall cry, yea, roar; 14I have long time holden my peace;
I have been still and refrained myself:
Now will I cry like a travailing woman;
I will 11destroy and 12devour at once.
15I will make waste mountains and hills,
And dry up all their herbs; 16And I will bring 14the blind by a way that they knew not;
I will lead them in paths that they have not known:
I will make darkness light before them, These things will I do unto them., and not forsake them.
17They shall be turned back, they shall be greatly ashamed,
That trust in graven images, TEXTUAL AND GRAMMATICAL
See List for the recurrence of the words: Isa 42:10. . Isa 42:11. . Isa 42:13. , Hiph. Hithp. Isa 42:14. . Isa 42:15. Almost all the words. Ver 16. .
Isa 42:10. depends on . But that Hebrew usage is to be noted which puts the terminus a quo where we put the terminus in quo. Comp. Isa 17:13; Gen 1:7. Thus our way of expressing it would be at the end of the earth. But when even the furthest off praise the Lord, certainly those lying between are not excluded.The words strongly remind one of Psa 96:11; Psa 98:7, where it reads , which is the more remarkable seeing these Psalms belong to those that begin with Lowth conjectures for this reason that we ought instead of to read here ( , or the like). But would not suit the following .
Isa 42:12. The expression , beside the present, occurs only Jos 7:19; comp. Psa 66:2.
Isa 42:14. (comp ) is more to be quiet, while agreeably to the fundamental meaning incidere, insculpere, means primarily to be deaf and dumb (comp. from , obtusus, the dull, dumb), hence to be silent. The imperfects and signify, (by reason of that represents the silence generally as an accomplished fact), the single acts of keeping still that constantly followed each other in the past., . . The root occurs only in the serpent-name (Isa 30:6; Isa 59:5; Job 20:16), in the substantive (Isa 41:24 which see) and in the name of the midwife (Exo 1:15). Both that serpent name and the kindred roots , involve the meaning to breathe, blow. In Chald., however, means directly to cry, and is especially used of the bleating of sheep. Thence come the substantives vociferatio, and mulier clamosa. We will likely come nearest the truth if we take to mean the loud groaning, joined with lamentation, of the travailing woman, which, too, offers an admirable explanation of the name for a midwife. There is, moreover, an assonance in and , that continues in and To derive from vastatem esse, because in Eze 36:3 are found conjoined, is forbidden both by grammar and the context. It is rather derived from , an unused root, indeed, but one that occurs in the substantive .
Isa 42:17. With , instead of the inf. absol., we have a noun of the same stem as in Isa 22:17-18; Isa 14:19; Isa 14:22; Isa 29:14; Isa 33:4; Isa 46:10.
EXEGETICAL AND CRITICAL
1. Chapter 42 is evidently constructed as an ascending and descending climax. The present strophe forms the point of it; the two preceding ones lead up to it; the two that follow lead down from it. Why should Isa 42:10-17 not refer to the Servant of Jehovah, when both before and after (comp. Isa 42:19) He is the chief subject? True, He is not mentioned in the third strophe. But is not He that leads the blind the same as He that opens the eyes of the blind and liberates the prisoners (Isa 42:7)? And is there not a manifest contrast presented between Him that does not cry (Isa 42:2) and Him that cries and roars (Isa 42:13)? And does not the negative, Isa 42:4, form the transition to the positive statement that the Servant of Jehovah will be also the opposite of one that does not cry, and that does not let His voice be heard in the streets? It must indeed be an exceeding glorious fact, for whose praise the whole earth (Isa 42:12) is summoned. Yea, that is the wonder, that the one described in Isa 42:2-3 as quiet and meek, is at the same time Jehovah Himself, who goes forth as an angry warrior against His enemies (Isa 42:13). He has long kept silence: did He not even suffer the whole heathen world to go its own way (Act 14:16). At last, however, He rouses Himself. Like a travailing woman, amid mighty sorrows He brings about a new order of things (Isa 42:14). He makes heathendom wither; but the heathen that have preserved a susceptibility for the truth He leads, like blind men restored to sight, in new ways of salvation hitherto unknown (Isa 42:15-16). He will certainly accomplish this to the confusion of those that continue to trust in false gods (Isa 42:17).
2. Sing untoislands.
Isa 42:10-12. A new song is becoming for the new matter; like new skin bottles for new wine (Mat 9:17). The expression a new song occurs, Psa 33:3; Psa 40:4; Psa 96:1; Psa 98:1; Psa 144:9; Psa 149:1 : sing unto the Lord a new song occurs, Psa 33:3; Psa 96:1; Psa 98:1. It is to be noted, too, that the more ancient of these Pss. (Psalms 33, 96, 98) have all of them, I may say, an ecumenical character, in that all treat of the mutual relation of Jehovah and of all creation, i.e., of the power of Jehovah over all that is created, and of the duty of the latter to worship and praise the Lord.Psa 40:4; Psa 144:9 express only the authors purpose to sing a new song to the Lord. But Psalms 149, certainly a late song and an imitation, has a very particularistic character. One may say, therefore, that here, like in chapter 12, the author strikes up the psalm tone. He summons those to praise who are on the sea, and those that are in the sea, as immediately after he directs the same summons to the isles and their inhabitants, to the wilderness and its towns. The are not those that go down to the sea, but those that sail down the sea, as appears plainly from Psa 107:23, the only other place where the expression occurs. For the sea, optically regarded, may be conceived as an elevation (comp. Luk 5:4); thus, as really seen, the sea presents itself as flowing. Flowing water, however, cannot mount up. It seems to me far fetched, when Delitzsch supposes that Ezion-Geber is the Prophets point of view in calling out. I rather think that by those sailing down the sea and isles, which he conceives as between his point of view and the ends of the earth, the Prophet would signify the west. Behind him lie the desert and the villages of the Arabs ( ) on the east; on the left he has the rock city (), and on the right mountains, i.e., to the south the mountain of Edom, to the north Lebanon. Regarding see on Isa 42:2. It is well known that in the desert, too, there were and are cities (fortified places). Comp., e.g..Jos 15:61-62; Jos 20:8. The (comp. Lev 25:31) are opposed on the one hand to cities, on the other to the mere tent encampments; like Hadarje (stationary Arabs) are distinguished from Wabarje (tent Arabs) (Delitzsch). On Kedar comp. at Isa 21:16. There were hardly dwellers in the rooks numerous enough, in an appellative sense, to make it worth while naming them here, where only grand genera are mentioned. But the Prophet might very well, in order to signify the South, think of the great rock city of Edom (Petra, comp. on Isa 16:1). But I do not think he intends by mountains only the mountains near Petra; for then the North would be entirely omitted. Hence I think we must understand the great mountains to the north of Palestine. As object of the crying out, Isa 42:12 again expressly mentions the honor and praise of Jehovah. The islands are named as representing the remotest regions.
3. The Lord shall goforsake them.
Isa 42:13-16. As in the preceding strophe we distinguished a kernel, and a preface and conclusion, forming, so to speak, a shell for it, so we must do here. From the extent of the preface and its elevated tone, we observe that the kernel must be something highly significant. Isa 42:13-16 cease to speak of the Servant of Jehovah. But He reappears, Isa 42:22. Instead appears Jehovah Himself, Isa 42:13. And things are affirmed of Jehovah that partly agree, partly form a strange contrast with what before and after is imputed to the Servant of Jehovah. When it is said, Isa 42:7, that the Servant of Jehovah will open the eyes of the blind and free the prisoner, is that essentially different from what we read, Isa 42:16, of leading the blind, etc.? Do these blind remain blind? What, then, has the Lord to do with blind persons! Or are the ways that He leads them not ways of freedom and salvation? But if, Isa 42:2-3, the Servant of Jehovah appears as one that does not cry, but is meek and gentle, how comes it that, Isa 42:13-14, Jehovah is portrayed as an impetuous warrior, that cries and groans? And this appears in the climax-strophe of our chapter to which the preceding strophes lead up, and from which those following lead down I cannot believe that the third of the five strophes of our chapter can treat of a foreign subject. It must be the same, though the form makes it difficult to detect the unity. And in fact it was difficult for the Prophet himself, a very riddle, to comprehend the unity of Jehovah and His Servant, just as it must assuredly have been also an inexplicable mystery that the Son of David should at the same time be Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace (Isa 9:5). I do not say, therefore, that Isaiah here produces a doctrine in an unhistorical way, that must remain hidden from himself. But I do say that the Spirit of God intimates here a relation of Jehovah to His Servant, which, of course, only presents itself to us in entire clearness in the New Testament history; but which, now we stand in this clear light, we can and ought thereby to detect in its Old Testament envelope. Oehler begins the article Messias in Herz.,R-Enc., with these words: According to the view of Old Testament prophecy, the completion of salvation is brought about by the personal coming of Jehovah in His glory. He Himself appears amid the rejoicing of the whole creation for the restoration of His kingdom on earth. Psa 96:10 sqq.; psa 98:7 sqq., etc. It is remarkable that Oehler, in support of his thought, cites precisely those Pss. which, as above shown, have such resemblance to our passage. It is admitted by expositors that these Pss. have generally a near relation to Isaiah 40-66 (comp. Moll on Psalms 96.sqq.). May we not have in Psalms 96, 98 the oldest commentary on our passage, a testimony that already in the time after the Exile our passage was referred to the Messiah, therefore that the unity of the Messiah and Jehovah was recognized?
The Prophet, then, here describes the Servant of Jehovah from another side. He, the quiet, and meek One, is at the same time El-Gibbor, and hence it may be said of Him: Jehovah goes forth like a mighty man.But as being El-Gibbor he is no more called Servant of Jehovah; for the El Gibbor has laid aside the form of a servant. Further on this see below under Doctrinal and Ethical, p. 461, 9. An is a man that carries on many wars (comp. 2Sa 8:10; 1Ch 18:10). The expression He shall stir up jealousy (sc. in Himself) recalls passages like Psa 78:38; Dan 11:25; Hag 1:14; Isa 59:17. The intensive , comp. Isa 43:7. The enemies against whom Jehovah goes forth are manifestly the same that as conquered, yet at the same time blessed, are to offer praise and thanks to the Lord (Isa 42:10-12). The entire heathen world is meant. This is confirmed by Isa 42:17 that speaks of the confusion of those that persist in serving idols in spite of their knowledge of God.
It is quite preposterous, with Hahn, to assume a dividing line between Isa 42:13-14. Isa 42:14 sqq. first gives us light concerning what the Lord intends according to Isa 42:13. They contain the words that announce the object of the expedition of Him that goes forth. From everlasting the Lord had kept silenceDid the text treat only of the deliverance of Israel from exile, might then be referred to the beginning of it, and then the Exile would be represented as an immeasurable period during which the Lord had kept silence (comp. on Isa 62:11). But the reference is not merely to Israels deliverance, but to a deliverance in which all humanity, the heathen included, and even all nature, shall participate, as appears most plainly from the rejoicing of the same Isa 42:10-12. For the same reason the for ever cannot begin with the elevation of Israel into a nation, i.e., the departure out of Egypt. If the Lord has in mind the heathen world, then it must be in reference to them that He has so long kept silence. How long was this? Without doubt since in Abraham He separated a tiny little part of mankind to be a special sphere for a preparatory revelation, while the great mass that was left He suffered to walk in their own ways, Act 14:16. He had not, indeed, omitted now and then to remind the heathen of Himself, and the double exile of His servant, the people Israel, especially served this purpose. But, in general, the heathen world is that part of mankind that was actually to experience what must become of human nature when God surrenders it, uninfluenced by revelation, wholly to the free unfolding of its natural powers. In reference to these, the Lord may well say: I kept silence from the remotest time. In contrast with this silence of milleniums will the Lord,i.e., the Servant of Jehovah identical with Jehovah, enter finally upon His conquest of the heathen world. By this He effects something quite new. He calls into being a new covenant with mankind. Hence He represents this new, hitherto unheard of deed as a birth that is accomplished only by means of great effort and acute pains. And may not, in fact, the spread of Christianity among the heathen, with all the pains, dangers and conflicts that attended it, be compared with the painful breaking forth of a fruit from the womb of a mother? This is one of the passages where to Jehovah is imputed action proper to women, and particularly a mother (comp. Isa 46:3 sq.; Isa 49:15).
If the heathen are intended here, then by I will make waste mountains and hills, and dry up the rivers and pools, Isa 42:15, are meant heathen heights and heathen waters. Mountain heights are often enough representatives of the civilization of which they are the locality, and great waters representative of the populations that dwell about them. Therefore we must construe Isa 42:15-16 figuratively, just as we did Isa 42:13-14, and understand by mountains and rivers the heathen world. If by mountains and waters be understood the land of exile in a physical sense, would not that conflict with what was said Isa 41:18 sq.? Would not the people of God suffer by this drying up? But what is meant by the Servant of Jehovah drying up the heathen world? I think that by that the Lord means a spiritual drying up. At the time the Servant of Jehovah goes forth into the heathen world, the latter will have survived itself. It will have become inwardly powerless and sapless. It will exist like a withered tree, like the bed of a stream having water only in its deepest places, whereas the shallower parts appear like islandslike a dried up lake. Only call to mind utterances like Pilates what is truth (Joh 18:38) for proof of this cheerless, dried up state of heathendom. I will make the rivers islands reminds of Psa 107:33.
Isa 42:16. I cannot understand Israel to be intended by the blind here; for they are not such in either a physical or a spiritual sense. Nor would blindness alone be mentioned to describe a general condition of misery (comp. Isa 41:17; Isa 35:5; Isa 29:18). I think, therefore, that those heathen are meant, whom the Lord leads out of the shrivelled up heathendom into the light which His Servant brings into the world.These are opposed to the ones (Isa 42:17) that persist in idolatry. It is, therefore, spiritual and not physical blindness that is meant (comp. Isa 43:8). The same Servant of Jehovah whose office and calling are to open eyes in general, will do this for the heathen too, leading them ways they knew not: for the knowledge of the true God and of His salvation had been shut up from them. But those that are so led cease to be blind. Hence the Prophet continues: I will make darkness light before them,i.e., the previous darkness shall give place to light, consequently they will have gained powers of sight. To this corresponds what follows: and (I will make) crooked things (ways) (comp. Isa 59:8) to a flat field. When this is done, they will no more go astray in crooked roads, but will walk straight and right ways. What I may call the imposing introduction Isa 42:10-12 having prepared us for something great, the last clause of Isa 42:16 in turn testifies to the greatness and marvel of the things that have been held in prospect from Isa 42:13 on. Lest it be thought more has been promised than can be performed, the Lord gives an express assurance of the contrary. Notice the definite article. Not things in general: no, it is the things. It is His whole, great work in nuce, His entire plan of salvation that is drawn in its fundamental features from Isa 42:13 on. Both the Perfects and the positive affirmation followed by the negative ( ) are meant to confirm the certainty of the eventual fulfilment.
Isa 42:17. But this salvation will not be the portion of all blind heathen. Therefore it reads, too, Isa 42:16, , not . Many will remain blind. Of these it is said: They shall be turned back, etc.
Footnotes:
[7]on.
[8]Heb. the fulness thereof.
[9]his zeal.
[10]Or, behave himself mightily.
[11]blind ones.
[12]Heb. swallow, or, sup up.
[13]lakes.
[14]blind ones.
[15]crooked ways to a flat field.
[16]Heb. into straightness.
4. THE SERVANT OF THE LORD HIMSELF DEAF AND BLIND
Isa 42:18-21
18Hear, ye deaf;
And look, ye blind, that ye may see.
19Who is blind, but my servant?
Or deaf, as my messenger that I 17sent?
Who is blind as he that Isaiah 18 perfect,
And blind as the Lords servant?
2019Seeing many things, but thou observest not;
20Opening the ears, but he heareth not.
21The Lord is well pleased for his righteousness sake;
He will magnify the law, and make21 it honorable.
EXEGETICAL AND CRITICAL
1. Is then the Servant of Jehovah ever reproached? And if Israel is deaf and blind toward the word of the Lord, can it as deaf and blind be called the servant of the Lord? Indeed, according to his very being, the latter cannot shut himself up against the spirit and word of Jehovah. It was said, Isa 42:3, that the Servant of Jehovah will reveal the right and law of God by a discipline of lowliness and gentleness; according to Isa 42:7 He will open blind eyes and deliver from the fetters of sin and error. And shall, Isa 42:18 sqq., by the same expression Servant of Jehovah, be designated also Israel, that is even deaf and blind with respect to Gods revelation? Moreover how utterly disconnected an earnest complaint against the nation must appear here, after the glorious promise of Isa 42:13-17! Delitzsch supposes that the blind to whom, Isa 42:16, freedom is promised, provoked not only the compassion but also the displeasure of the Lord, because it was their own fault that they did not see. To them is the call to rid themselves of the ban that rests on them. But the blind of Isa 42:16 do not stay blind. According to 16b the darkness becomes light before them. How does that accord with Isa 42:18-20?
In my opinion the two strophes Isa 42:18-25 present the reverse side or descending climax of the chapter, of which the other, or light side of the Servant of Jehovah, was given in Isa 42:1-17. It is a new contrast that we observe here. He that opens the eyes of others is Himself blind. The crying mighty-man, Isa 42:13, corresponds to the quiet Servant of Jehovah, Isa 42:2; so here the Servant that is Himself blind, Isa 42:19, corresponds to Him that opens eyes for others, Isa 42:7. The strophes correspond crosswise; the first to the third, the second to the fourth, and each time it is contrasts that correspond. How entirely one misconceives the unity of this chapter who fails to recognize in the Servant of Jehovah Isa 42:18 the same that was already observed in Isa 42:1-9! The deaf and blind of the People of Israel, or rather the People Israel as consisting of deaf and blind, i.e., as one generally sick and wretched, is summoned (Isa 42:18) to give heed for its salvation to a double wonder that happens with the Servant of Jehovah. He is Himself so blind and deaf that no one equals Him in blindness and deafness (Isa 42:19)! He that had healed many blind eyes, Himself observes nothing (Isa 42:20)! This is the first wonder. But in this one, apparently Himself so sick, the Lord has pleasure for His righteousness sake. By virtue of the same, He will give the world a new, glorious law (Isa 42:21); and this is the second wonder.
2. Hear ye deafhonorable.
Isa 42:18-21. The deaf and blind here are, any way, such as hear and see if they will. Otherwise how can they be summoned to see and hear. And when (Isa 42:20) they are summoned to notice that He Himself does not hear, and yet opens ears, etc., and yet is an object of divine approval, and gives the world a new and more glorious law, then only those can be meant who should be witnesses of these marvellous contrasts in the life of the personal Servant of Jehovah. To these is intimated that in these contrasts is contained the mystery of their deliverance. But they are deaf and blind who will not see (Isa 6:9-10; Mat 13:13 sqq.). It is the hardened nation Israel which therefore fares as we read afterwards Isa 42:22., Isa 42:18, is to be referred to both the foregoing verbs (zeugmatically) in the general sense of observing. As I find chapter 42. draws the fundamental traits of the personal Servant of Jehovah in general, so here, as appears to me, those traits are especially sketched that are further developed in chapter 53. We remarked at Isa 42:16 a difference between blindness mentioned alone, and mentioned with other deficiencies. In the latter case the deficiencies named may be regarded as representing distress and wretchedness generally. Such is the case here. It is not meant that the Servant of Jehovah will be only blind and deaf, just as at Isa 42:7 it was not meant that He would only heal the blind and free the prisoner. It is natural that those deficiencies should be named as attaching to the Servant of Jehovah, from which He is said to free others. Accordingly, to correspond with Isa 42:7, He should be described as blind and languishing in prison. But the latter trait the Prophet does not observe in the image of the future presented to him. Indeed, he describes the Servant of Jehovah, as blind and deaf: thus as a man, as one on whom all heavy sorrows come down like a tempest, as a picture of grief, and beside as one who runs blindly into his destruction (comp. Mat 16:22) and in the greatest danger remains dumb as a deaf man. He sees these defects attaching to the Servant of Jehovah in a degree unequalled by any other man. In a word: the Prophet beholds the Servant of Jehovah, not only as the one despised and forsaken of men, as the man of sorrows and acquainted with sickness (Isa 53:3), but at the same time as the physician that can heal others and not Himself (Luk 4:23; Luk 23:39; Mat 27:40; Mat 27:42). And the reason for this strange appearance? Isaiah indicates it Isa 53:4 sqq. Seb. Schmidt signifies it with the words: coecus est atque surdus imputative. Only here is the Servant of Jehovah called messenger, angel of the Lord. It calls to mind on the one hand I will send my angel Gen 24:7; Gen 24:40, and on the other Mal 3:1. , which occurs only here as participle (as nom. propr. it occurs often: 2Ki 22:3; 2Ki 21:19, etc.), must be construed according to the analogy of (Job 5:23), as in pacem, amicitiam receptus.
The words of Isa 42:20 are difficult. Those that understand the People of Israel to be meant by the Servant of Jehovah must take in the sense of to have open ears. Thus Umbreit translates: with open ears He hears not; Delitzsch: opening the ears still He does not hear; V. Fr. hler: open ears has He, and He hears not. But, in the first place, , which only here is used of ears, being everywhere else used of eyes, never means to have eyes. But it must mean to have if taken in antithesis to : for he that hears not, though he has ears, does not use his ears. But one who does not use the ears he has can never be called a . elsewhere always means to open the eyes of others or ones own eyes for the purpose of actual and intensive use. Thus Gen 3:5 : And your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall know good and evil; comp. Gen 3:7; 2Ki 6:17; 2Ki 6:20Lord open His eyes that he may see. Comp. 2Ki 4:35; 2Ki 19:16 (Isa 37:17); Isa 35:5; Jer 32:19; Zec 12:4; Dan 9:18; Psa 146:8; Lord open (make see) the blind; Pro 20:13; Job 14:3; Job 27:19. Finally, the adjective is one that opens his eyes well, a seeing person: Exo 4:11; Exo 23:8. From this it appears that and would involve a contradiction if by ears be understood his own ears who opens them. For to open his own ears and yet not hear is impossible. In the second place, it may not at all be accidental that only in our passage is used of opening ears. Already in Isa 42:7 we had it in reference to opening eyes; and it is affirmed of the Servant of Jehovah. May not the Prophet, by using and not in Isa 42:20, have intended, perhaps, to give a hint that the subject of is identical with that of ? Moreover the feminine Isa 42:20 points back to Isa 42:7, and strengthens the conjecture that the Prophet would warn against referring Isa 42:20 to any other person than the subject of Isa 42:7. If we have correctly understood the second clause of Isa 42:20, we have gained the foundation for the understanding of the first. Kthibh is to be read , the Kri . The latter is inf. absol. Kal (like 22:13; Hab 3:13). Both of these forms only make sense when one takes =to have ears. For then the form must also some way signify to have eyes or to see, and both can be said of the servant of Jehovah only in the national sense. But if means to open ears, if it stands parallel with Isa 42:7, and if the personal Servant of Jehovah is the subject of both declarations, then also cannot describe the seeing as the action of the Servant of Jehovah. It must refer to the seeing of others which the Servant of Jehovah brings about. But then one must doubt the correctness of both the text and the margin. Either is to be pointed (comp. Isa 30:20; Jer 20:4; Jer 42:2, etc.), or a has been dropped from before it. The latter could easily happen because of the foregoing verse closing with . The reading then would be (infin. Hiph. to make see, Deu 3:24; Deu 1:33; Exo 9:16, etc.). [The Authors labored exposition seems to originate and find its sole justification in the contradiction developed above: to open ones ears and not to hear is impossible; and then, if this be the sense, that one must understand the Servant of Jehovah in a national and not a personal sense, and thus surrender the identity of subject in the chapter. But the logical contradiction cannot be greater than that presented in Isa 6:9, and in (the exaggeration even of) the same language as quoted by our Lord in Mat 13:13. While adhering to the Authors general view of the whole chapter, and of this strophe in particular, we may adhere also to the rendering of Isa 42:20 in the Eng. Version, with which Umbreit and Delitzsch (see above) agree. Why may not the contrasts of this chapter, that the Author points out (see e.g., under Isa 42:15-16), be intensified into paradoxes and contradictions? If the Spirit of God in the Prophet has uttered the riddle of the identity of the Servant of Jehovah, and Jehovah Himself, the solution of which can only be seen in the clear light of the New Testament (see under Isa 42:12), why not also the riddle of Isa 42:20? Why (like the New Testament realizations to which the Author refers under Isa 42:19; Isa 42:22) is not the verification of the paradoxes of Isa 42:20 to be found in, say, Act 1:7, and Mar 13:32. Of that day and that hour knoweth no manneither the Son, but the Father, and in the mystery of Christ going intelligently to meet death (Mar 8:31) and yet on the eye of its accomplishment praying to escape it like one that knows not (Luk 22:42; Heb 5:7)?Tr.].
Like one blind the Servant of Jehovah runs to His destruction, who yet causes so many others to see. Although warned (Mat 16:22), still He gives no heed to what may benefit or hurt His own person. , has here, as often, the meaning observavit, attendit (comp. Hos 4:10; 1Sa 26:15; 2Sa 18:12, etc., according to the fundamental meaning of the word, rectis et intentis occulis intuitus est, to gaze, stare at, comp. ,, riguit, horruit. thorn, see Gesen.Thes. p. 1442). The change of person is not unfrequent in Isa 1:29; Isa 14:30; Isa 33:2; Isa 33:6; Isa 41:1.
Isa 42:22. Thus the Servant of Jehovah seems to pay the penalty of His folly by a fate that makes Him appear as one despised of men and esteemed as of no value. But different is His relation to Jehovah, who has pleasure in Him for His righteousness sake. The pronominal object in the third person is omitted, as often happens. The prophetic discourse is brief and obscure. But it finds its echo, and at the same time its significance is cleared up in those passages of the New Testament, wherein the Father expressly points to the Son as the object of His approval (comp. Isa 42:1 and Mat 3:17; Mat 17:5; Mar 1:11; Luk 3:23; 2Pe 1:17). And why should not Jehovah take pleasure in Him whom no one could charge with sin, yet who, notwithstanding, surrendered His holy soul to death, in order to fulfil the Fathers decree of salvation ? When it is further said: He will magnify the law and make it honourable, it is self-evident that not that Torah is meant whose end the Servant of Jehovah will be, but that which shall proceed from Him (Isa 42:4; Isa 51:4; Isa 2:3). We will therefore take the Servant of Jehovah as the subject of magnify and make honorable, though the sense were not essentially different if Jehovah were regarded as subject. Great and glorious will the new, Zionitic Torah be; as much greater and more glorious than the old Sinaitic, as its Mediator, means and object will be infinitely greater (Galatians 3).
For the recurrence of words used in this strophe see List.
Footnotes:
[17]send.
[18]endowed with salvation (Heilbegabte).
[19]Many eyes see.
[20]Ears he opens.
[21]Or, him.
5. THE SERVANT OF JEHOVAH A STONE OF STUMBLING TO UNBELIEVING ISRAEL
Isa 42:22-25
22But this is a people robbed and spoiled;
22They 23are all of them snared in holes,
And they are hid in prison houses: 23Who among you will give ear to this?
Who will hearken and hear 25for 26the time to come?
24Who gave Jacob for a spoil,
And Israel to the robbers? 27For they would not walk in his ways,
Neither 28were they obedient unto his law.
25Therefore he hath poured upon him
The fury of his anger, and the strength of battle: TEXTUAL AND GRAMMATICAL
See List for the recurrence of the language generally; but particularly:
Isa 42:22. (Num 14:3; Num 14:31, frequent in Jer 2:14; Jer 15:13; Jer 17:3, etc.). (comp. 2Ki 21:14)., Pausal form occurs only here. Isa 42:24. (Kri ).
Isa 42:25. Piel.
Isa 42:22. That refers to the people appears from immediately following; it is singular by attraction.That cannot mean young persons appears from the context. corresponding to . must rather mean the holes (comp. Isa 11:8. is any way inf. absol. that, in the animated discourse, stands for the verb fin. That must be acc. obj. (Delitzsch) is not correct. For the inf. absol. not unfrequently has a subject word along with it (comp. Pro 12:7; Job 11:5; Job 40:2; Eze 1:14). As there occurs no verb , we must take as Hiph. of , meaning to blow, to pant (comp. Hab 2:3; Pro 29:8, etc.). [Fuerst, Lex. Hiph. inf. constr. to fetter.Tr.]. see Isa 42:7.
Isa 42:24. for (see Ewald, 331, b). The Masorets hesitate to construe the word as relative; probably because of its seldom occurrence in Isaiah. Hence they put the Athnach under , by which is separated from what precedes, and receives a demonstrative force. is indeed not the usual construction (yet comp. Isa 30:9); still not too unusual (comp. Isa 7:15; Jer 9:4; Mic 6:8, etc.). The object is emphatic prominence for the notion going which as infin. absol. appears more nearly a substantive.
Isa 42:25. The singular suffix in relates to a notion singular, ideally present, i.e., the total of Israel, not previously named.As the fundamental meaning of is aestus, heat, glow, it may easily be taken for prepositive apposition. The assonance with seems to have had some influence. To take it as apposition with receives confirmation from the image being prolonged in the second clause of the verse, where not only the feminine forms and refer back to , but also this glow is conceived of as an actual kindling fire (not as a mere image of intense anger). Accordingly I cannot take as the subject of . I regard as an intervening thought that, points the, meaning of the figurative expression But still remains the chief notion, and as such the subject of the two positive clauses of the second half of the verse., igne consumsit, combussit, is, as a rule, construed with (Job 1:16; Num 11:3; Psa 106:18 where, too, both the verbs and are used, etc.; comp. Isa 30:33; Isa 43:2).
Footnotes:
[22]Or, In snaring all the young men of them.
[23]They all pant in the holes.
[24]Heb. a treading.
[25]Heb. for the after time.
[26]far away.
[27]And.
[28]did hearken.
EXEGETICAL AND CRITICAL
1. In this fifth and last strophe the Prophet descends from the heights of most glorious hope of salvation attained in the third, down to the depths of a most mournful perspective of judgment, which, however, he applies as an awakening cry to his unbelieving countrymen. The future reveals none of the effects that ought to have followed a believing regard for what was announced Isa 42:18 sqq. On the contrary, the Prophet sees a robbed people languishing in hard captivity (Isa 42:22). From this he knows that Israel has not accepted the Servant of Jehovah. He uses the mournful prospect to attempt to move Israel, by a wholesome alarm, to ward off that mournful future by a sincere repentance. With among you (Isa 42:23) he addresses the Israel of the ideal present, i.e., of the Exile. Who among you, he asks, gave heed to this impending visitation of the remote future? But there is little prospect of a cheering reply. For Jehovah has already given over Judah and Israel as a prey to their enemies for their sins (Isa 42:24). Yet even this they have not taken to heart (Isa 42:25).
1. But thisRestore.
Isa 42:22. But this people is the antithesis of ver; 18. There the deaf and blind were summoned to give heed to what was to be said of the Servant of Jehovah. Butand now we learn why Israel was called deaf and blind (Isa 42:18), Israel heeds not, and so the Prophet sees a robbed, etc., people. Thus Isa 42:22 shows the condition that will ensue as punishment for Israels not knowing the Servant of Jehovah and the day of its visitation (Luk 19:41-44).
3. Who among younot to heart.
Isa 42:23-25. But the Prophet knows that the impending judgment may be averted by timely repentance. It is true there is little hope of such repentance; but he attempts it. He asks: who among youtime to come? With the Prophet, in contrast with those standing far off, to which, e.g., Isa 5:18 relates, must have in mind Israel of the Exile.. He puts it to these that they should hear, heed and hearken far off. What they ought to hear is primarily his word. But they ought to heed it, by lending an ear to the remote times past ( see on Isa 41:23) that as it were, speak to them by the mouth of the Prophet. Because the old time is conceived of as lying before the Prophet (comp. 23:7; Isa 37:26; Isa 51:9, etc.), so the future is what lies backward. Unhappily, there is little prospect of such heeding the future, because Israel does not even heed the chastisement of the immediate present. Isa 42:24-25, therefore, give the reply to the question Isa 42:23, which itself begins with a question: who gave Jacob for a spoil, and Israel,etc. The name Jacob here evidently signifies the tribe of Judah (comp. Isa 9:7 and List). This appears from the two members of the answer. For the first member: he against whom we have sinned, plainly relates to that part of all Israel to which the Prophet himself belongshence the first personwhile the second member: and they would not walk in his ways, by the third person, signifies the part to which the Prophet did not belong. In Isa 42:24-25 is proof that the Prophet has in mind Israel of the Exile as his ideal audience. For, first, chapters 4066 are in general addressed to Israel dwelling in Exile, and second, it is seen from Isa 42:24 a and 25 that Judah and Israel are equally represented as visited by Gods destructive judgments. Isa 42:25. Therefore he hath poured upon him,etc., describes the consequences of disobedience. (See Text. and Gram.) Elsewhere, too, occurs the image of pouring out wrath as a fiery heat (Eze 14:19; Eze 20:33-34; Eze 22:22; Lam 2:4, etc.). Israel is represented as a dwelling or city, since it is said it shall be set on fire. But it has not hitherto learned ( Perf.) the meaning of these divine judgments, and even now does not lay them to heart ( Imperf.). Hence we were obliged to say, that the Prophet could only expect an unfavorable reply to his question, Isa 42:23.
DOCTRINAL AND ETHICAL
1. There is neither in heaven nor on earth any thing as rich in wondrous contrasts as the manifestation of the Son of God in the flesh. For there all the divine attributes are united to their corresponding antipodes of creature lowliness in the form of the Servant of Jehovah. The antitheses of power and weakness, wisdom and folly, glory and lowliness, love and anger, surround Him as a radiant crown. This Servant of Jehovah, in whom unite all contrasts, meets us in this chapter. The chosen of the Lord, in whom He is well pleased, on whom the Spirit of the Lord rests so that He may reveal to the heathen the divine law, is still at the same time a Servant, and that, too, a Servant in the completest and most proper sense of the word. He does not rule, He does not suffer Himself to he ministered unto, but He ministers, and with the utmost devotion He serves all. Mild and kind, meek and lowly He appears, though He has the might and power to do the loftiest deeds. He appears weak and yet almighty, He appears poor and yet rich above all. He has not where to lay His head, yet all eyes wait upon Him. He is full of love, yet woe unto those on whom His anger falls (Isa 42:13). He is wise above all, and yet, from the standpoint of worldly wisdom, how foolish He appears where care for His own human person is concerned.
2. On Isa 42:2, Clamavit non clamore contentionis, sed caritatis et devotionis. Clamavit dictis et factis, voce et vita, clamavit praedicando, clamavit orando, clamavit Lazarum resuscitando, tandem clamavit moriendo et adhuc quotidie in coelis existens clamat ad nos. Augustin.
3. On Isa 42:2-3. As the Servant of God, so ought the servants of God to do. It is a chief part of pastoral wisdom not to make a fleshly noise, not to break the bruised reed, and quench the glimmering wick by merciless judging, but rather to heal what has been wounded, and kindle up the faint spark. He that does so, will cooperate in producing the blessing that the Servant of the Lord (Isa 42:6-7) was to bring into the world. Christianus in conscientia debet esse medicus, foris autem in externis moribus asinus, qui ferat onera fratrum. Necesse est in ecclesia sancta esse infirmos et tales, quorum factis offendamur, sicut in corpore humano non ossa tantum, sed etiam mollis et infirma caro est. Quare ecclesia Christi constat ex portantibus et portatis. Et vita nostra est compositum quoddam ex fortitudine et infirmitate. Luther.
4. On Isa 42:4. Gentleness and meekness are not weakness; they are not inconsistent with energy and firmness, indeed with the greatest earnestness and righteous anger. Just for this reason the Servant of the Lord is fitted to be the Saviour of the world. He can be a comfort to the weak, a terror to the wicked, and all things to all. And such is the character of the new covenant established by Him. Comp. Luk 1:52-53; Luk 2:34.Therefore the islands hope in His law. The Christian church with its missions responds not only to the command of its Lord, but also to a longing of the heathen world, even though it be something more or less unconscious.
5. On Isa 42:6. Without Christ God can make no covenant with us. Therefore when God made a covenant with our first parents, the seed of the woman was the security of it. When God made a covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob the same seed was the ground of it. In fine: Christ is the chief reason and corner-stone both of the Old and of the New Testament covenant. It is important that, when we find ourselves covenant breakers with God, we take refuge again in this covenant. Cramer.
6. On Isa 42:7. As long as we are out of Christ we are blind and darkness (Eph 5:8; Luk 1:79; Mat 6:23). For to be carnally minded is enmity against God (Rom 8:7). And the natural man understands not the things of the Spirit of God (1Co 2:14). And we cannot, as of ourselves, form one good thought of ourselves (2Co 3:5). Cramer.
7. On Isa 42:8. On the words, I Jehovah, that is My name, Rabbi Salomon remarks as follows: Illud nomen expositum est in significatione dominii, estque virtus ejus apud me ad ostendendum, me esse dominum. ( .) Thus he finds in these words a reference to the and gives its meaning by , which is always read by the Jews. On the various other meanings given of the Shem-hamphorash see Buxtorf, Lex chald., p. 2432 sqq., and Oehler in Herz., R.-Enc., vi., p. 455. is the essential name of the eternal and self-existent God, hence can be given to no one that is not God (Cramer). Hence many understand the expression Shem-ham, phorash in the sense that is the nomen Dei separatum, i.e., the incommunicable name of God, that gives instruction only concerning the being of God, and. hence cannot be ascribed to others (see Oehler, l. c.). But since the Messiah is Himself God, and there is no God but Jehovah; He, too, may be named with the name Jehovah, Deu 33:29; Psa 118:27; Jer 23:6. See Starke in loc.
8. On Isa 42:9. We adduce other proof of Christian doctrine than do the philosophers who take their grounds from reason. We take our grounds out of Gods very mouth, who cannot lie, from His science and omnipotence. Therefore this word is so precious (1Ti 1:15; 1Ti 4:9).Cramer. [The sense is, that God predicted future events before there was any thing by which it might be inferred that such occurrences would take place. It was not done by mere sagacity, as men like Burke and Canning may sometimes predict future events with great probability by marking certain political indications or developments. God did this when there were no such indications, and when it must have been done by mere omniscience. In this respect all His predictions differ from the conjectures of man, and from all the reasonings which are founded on mere sagacity.Barnes.]
9. On Isa 42:10-17. In this section the Servant of Jehovah is no more named. Only Jehovah Himself is spoken of. But the actions, for whose sake heaven and earth shall proclaim the praise of the Lord, belong no more to what the Servant of Jehovah may do in His servant form, i.e., in His humiliation, but to what He does as one raised up to glory. In the condition of exaltation, however, He has laid aside the form of a servant: thus He is no more called Servant of Jehovah. When they crucified and buried Him, the humble Servant of Jehovah, suffering without a murmur, seemed to be quite done for. But on the day of Pentecost He broke loose again only the more mightily. Then the Jews who had not learned to know Him thus, and the heathen that had not learned to know Him at all, were panic stricken. Then He began His victorious career of conquering (inwardly) the Jews and the heathen. Since that time both are inwardly dried up. As long as the gospel was not there, they had a relative right to live and to a corresponding life power. But after the revelation of absolute truth in Christ they have lost these. Their continued existence is only a vegetation, and if in these days they exhibit a certain revirescence, still it is only like the flaring up of the vital spark in a dying person, which would never happen either did Christianity only let its light shine purer and stronger. But continually the Lord leads the blind of all nations in the path of light. But those that, spite of all, cling to idols, must ever come to more shame.
10. On Isa 42:18-21. Physician heal thyself, is called to the great Physician, who healed all sicknesses of men, yea, made the very dead alive (Luk 4:23). For this reason He was mocked on the cross, because He, who helped others, could not help Himself (Mat 27:42). The Prophet observes this trait in the life of the Servant of the Lord. He sees in it a symptom of the deepest suffering. But, not withstanding, He recognizes that at the same time Gods approval rests on this man of contradictions, and that He is to become the origin of a new, glorious law. Does not the Prophet see here the unrighteous Righteous one, the wicked Saint, the perishing Saviour, the blind eye comfort, the dead Prince of life? Yea, he sees the Incomprehensible, who on the cross redeemed the world from hell, who, condemned as the most guilty laden, still was that righteousness for the world that alone avails with God.
11. On Isa 42:22-25. As experienced salvation is the pledge of future salvation, yea, of final , so, too, chastisements already endured are the pledges of future ones, and, under circumstances, of such as are still greater, yea, of utter destruction. Israel ought to have learned by its first exile, and by all that preceded and followed it, that God can bring a yet sorer visitation on His people, yea, destroy their outward existence. Had it regarded this and rightly received the Servant of the Lord accordingly, it might have escaped the second, final, and worst exile. But they were never willing to believe that the Lord could so jumble up, overthrow, and destroy His people, His city, and His house, that a restoration of its outward existence is impossible.
HOMILETICAL HINTS
1. On Isa 42:1-4. The testimony of our heavenly Father Himself to His Son. He tells us: 1) Who He is and why He comes. 2) How He appears and discharges His office. 3) What He brings to pass, and by what means. Advent sermon, E. Taube, in Gottes Brnnlein hat Wassers die Flle. Hamburg, 1872.
On Isa 52:2-3. Christ is the gracious hen that woos us under her wings (Mat 23:37); the good Shepherd that binds up the neglected (Eze 34:16); that can have compassion (Heb 4:15); and who does not cast out him who comes to Him (Joh 6:37), as He has proved by examples, as Mary Magdalene (Luk 7:37); the woman taken in adultery (Joh 8:11); the father of the lunatic (Mar 9:24); Peter (Luk 22:61); the thief on the cross (Luk 23:43); Thomas (Joh 20:27), etc.Cramer.
2. On Isa 42:1-4, What a glorious Saviour God has given the world in His Son. For He comes to us: 1) As the anointed of the Lord; 2) as the meek and humble Friend of sinners; 3) as the strong and faithful perfecter of His work. Sermon in Advent, W. Leipoldt (Festpredigten), Leipzig, 1845.
3. On Isa 42:5-9. The New Covenant. 1) The Founder of the covenant (God the Lord who has made the earth Isa 42:5, will also redeem it; hence He has foretold the new covenant Isa 42:9, and brought it into being Isa 42:6). 2) The Mediator of the covenant (Christ, the Son of God and Son of man, is the natural, personal link between God and men; He it is who represents men before God as a Lamb, bearing their sin, and God toward men as the One that brings them Gods grace and the new, divine vital force). 3) The Object of the covenant (a. to bring light and freedom to men Isa 42:7 b. to preserve the honor of the Lord as the only God as opposed to all idols. Isa 42:8).
4. [On Isa 42:10-12. The new song of the New Testament. The newness: whereas holy songs were before very much confined to the Temple, now they are to be sung all the world over. They were sung by one people and one tongue; they shall be sung by many of many tongues. They were sung by a pastoral people living in valleys among the hills; they are to be sung in all climes, by men of all callings and of every degree of culture. The substance of the song must be new to suit so many. The form in which that substance is reduced to song under these varied influences must be endlessly new. After M. Henry.]
5.On Isa 42:10-17. A missionary sermon. The revelation of salvation among the heathen. 1) Its intentional delay till the point when the time was fulfilled (Isa 42:14 a). 2) Its appearance at the right time: a. as powerful and accompanied with mighty effect (Isa 42:13); b. as a painful birth (Isa 42:14 b. a: resistance on the part of the old, and consequent laborious breaking forth of the new). 3) Its operation: a. on the old heathen existence itself: it dries up (Isa 42:14, b; ; Isa 42:15); b. on unbelieving men: they are brought to shame (Isa 42:17); c. on believing men: they are led to light and freedom (Isa 42:16); d. for God: the redeemed world sings Him a new song (it praises Him no more merely as Creator, but also as Redeemer, and New Creator, Isa 42:10-12).
6. On Isa 42:13. That ever kindly smiling God, that covers all suppurating sores, and that every where and every way shows favor and spares men, whom one so often hears preached from the pulpit, is not the God of the Bible. It is another of which the Old Testament writes: Thou art not a God that hast pleasure in the wicked; the wicked shall not abide in Thy presence: and, The Lord thy God is a consuming fire and a jealous God: and, The Lord shall go forth as a mighty man, He shall stir up jealousy like a man of war. Tholuck.
7. On Isa 42:18 sqq. When Peter said to the Lord: Lord, pity Thyself; this shall not be unto Thee (Mat 16:22), the Lord was deaf and gave Peter an answer that quenched in him and others all disposition to warn Him again. And when He entered into Jerusalem and cleansed the Temple, and unsparingly scourged the high priests and scribes, was He not blind then? Did He not see what hate He was thereby conjuring up against Himself and what His fate would be? Thus the Lord was deaf and blind, but He was so to His own greatest honor. It is very different, however, with the blindness and deafness of those that would not see in Him the Lord of glory, and would not hear His word. The Lord indeed became a sacrifice to their hatred. But He is, notwithstanding, the One of whom Psalms 110. says: Sit thou on My right hand till I make thine enemies thy footstool. And from Him proceeds the covenant that is as much better than the old one as the blood of Christ speaks better than Abels. They, however, have become a robbed and plundered people. They are scattered among all people, their Temple, their priesthood is destroyed, their entire old covenant is shivered like an earthen vessel. And the same fate will happen to all who do not take warning from Gods judgment on stiffnecked and obdurate Israel. As the first exile ought to have been a warning to the readers for whom this chapter of Isaiah was destined, to prevent them from falling into a second and worse, so for us Christians, the first act of the worlds judgment, the judgment on the house of God, should be a warning not to misuse and neglect the time till the second chief act of judgment, the time of the church among the heathen.
CONTENTS
The Prophet prosecutes the same glorious subject through this Chapter, as in the former. We have a blessed sermon indeed; God the Father is the preacher; Christ, the Mediator, is both text and sermon; and God the Holy Ghost is opening and making application of the blessed contents to the Church in Christ.
Had we any doubt whether the Prophet were speaking of himself, as God’s servant, or of some other man, the Evangelist would decide the inquiry; for in the account he gives of the Person and ministry of the adorable Jesus, he expressly saith, that this was done that it might be fulfilled, which was spoken by the Prophet; and he then quotes, the very words contained in these verses; see Mat 12:17-21 . But, Reader, I pray you attend to the gracious manner in which God the Father introduceth his beloved Son, as well as to the matter which he speaks concerning him. He first calls to the church to behold him, both as his servant and as his elect, in whom his soul delighted.
Christ, as Mediator, is Jehovah’s servant; for, as such he took upon him the form of a servant; Phi 2:6-8 . And Jesus is not only God’s dear Son, and his only begotten Son, and as such, one with the Father in the essence of the Godhead; but he is also God’s elect in his office as Mediator, and for which he is truly God’s delight. Therefore, saith Jesus, doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. Oh! how much must the redemption of our nature have been upon the heart of Jehovah from everlasting, when he that from all eternity lay in the bosom of the Father, is chosen to come forth for the salvation of his people; and God the Father speaks of him as loving him with his whole soul, for this great undertaking; Joh 10:17-18 . And, Reader; do observe, in these verses, how blessedly the Father speaks of him: his love and delight in him: the blessedness he hath put upon him: the spirit he hath put in him: the meek and tender qualities he shall be known by: and the success of his mission. Do not fail to remark all these blessed things, which in these few verses, God the Father speaks of Christ, and then turn to the gospel, and behold how the original corresponds with the portrait here drawn of him.
The Smoking Flax
Isa 42:3
Let us try to gather up the thoughts contained in these two images. They are slightly different, but one thought underlies them both. The one refers chiefly to God, the other to man.
I. The idea of the first is taken from one of the shepherd’s pipes one of those little musical pipes crushed and trampled under foot.
The other picture is taken from the lamp in the temple, burning feebly and dimly, giving forth black smoke rather than light.
1. The ‘bruised reed’. A soul just beginning the conscious Christian life, sore beset with difficulties, unable as yet to send out the harmony of praise and thanksgiving, unable to send up one real prayer.
2. The ‘smoking flax’. Here we see the poor timid soul just beginning to wish to be of use, to let its light shine before men; sorry for a wasted life, longing to be of use, longing to be able to tell of the love of Christ, but timid; not able to speak so that others, seeing its good works and hearing its good words, may glorify the Father in heaven. It is a picture of the timid, unsatisfactory Christian unsatisfactory to God, unsatisfactory to man. But Christ has a personal, individual care for every such soul.
II. The thought which the Holy Ghost wants to fix upon our minds is this: the tender love of our Lord; the way in which He keeps back His power; leading us on so tenderly; allowing the tares to stay among the wheat, lest one ear of wheat should be plucked up with them; His forbearance with those who are in many respects so unsatisfactory.
If I were to give you illustrations of this love the work would be endless. (1) His dealings with the Apostles, and His patience with their slowness to understand, their unbelief and hardness of heart. (2) The woman of Samaria. (3) Again, that woman in Simon’s house. (4) But more striking still is the story of Zacchus! These are instances of ‘bruised reeds’ which have been tossed aside by man, those of whom man had said, ‘you will never make anything good out of them’. Yet the Lord Jesus Christ brought out the harmony of God from those ‘bruised reeds,’ and kindled the ‘smoking flax’ to the full light of the eternal kingdom.
Bishop Howard Wilkinson, The Invisible Glory, p. 46.
References. XLII. 3. Spurgeon, Sermons, vol. xxxi. No. 1831. A. W. Thorold, The Tenderness of Christ, p. 157. R. Allen, The Words of Christ, p. 136. R. A. Suckling, Sermons Plain and Parochial, p. 196. A. Maclaren, Expositions of Holy Scripture Isaiah, p. 286. T. G. Selby, The Imperfect Angel, p. 9. XLII. 4. W. Garrett Horder, Christian World Pulpit, vol. xliii. 1893, p. 90. H. Macmillan, ibid. vol. lv. 1899, p. 276. C. Joseph, ibid. vol. lxvi. 1904, p. 327. W. L. Watkinson, ibid. vol. lxviii. 1905, p. 232. Bishop Matthew Simpson’s Sermons, p. 371. Spurgeon, Sermons, vol. xxxiii. No. 1945. XLII. 7. Spurgeon, Sermons, vol. xvii. No. 986. XLII. 9.– Ibid. vol. xxv. No. 1508.
Isa 42:12
The text chosen by Dr. Eugene Stock for the chapter of his History in which he describes the work of the C.M.S. in New Zealand, Ceylon, West Indies, and Malta.
References. XLII. 16. Spurgeon, Sermons, vol. xiv. No. 847; vol. xxii. No. 1310. J. Martineau, Hours of Thought on Sacred Things, vol. i. p. 177. A. Maclaren, Expositions of Holy Scripture Isaiah, p. 295.
Seven Looks
Isa 42:18
I. Look Back. Remember God’s goodness. Your sins.
II. Look Up. In praise. ‘Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me bless His Holy Name.’ In prayer. ‘In the morning will I direct my prayer unto Thee, and will look up.’
III. Look Down. In humility. In caution. ‘Let him that thinketh he standeth, take heed lest he fall.’
IV. Look Forward. In confidence. In hope.
V. Look Within. Daily. Thoroughly.
VI. Look Around. Be vigilant.
VII. Look unto Jesus. As your Saviour (Joh 3:14 ). As your example (Heb 12:2 ). J. W. Mills, After-Glow, p. 175.
The Lord’s Servant Deaf and Blind
Isa 42:19
For our present purpose it is unnecessary to consider the modern critical interpretation of the servant of the Lord in Isaiah. We apply the title to Christ, and read the text as a sidelight on His life. That Christ was in the highest sense the servant of God and man is His own teaching. The Son of man, He said Himself, came not to be served, but to be a servant, and to give His life as a ransom for many. It was the fulfilment of the will of God, the perfect rendering of the service claimed, that was the supreme object of His earthly life. He girded Himself through these mortal years, and without ceasing served God and man. Insomuch that the old saying carries a deep truth, that our Lord looked to hear for Himself from His Father’s lips the word He spake in parable, ‘Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy Lord’. But how should it be said of the servant and messenger of the Lord that He was blind as none other? How should it be said of Him Whose eyes are as a flame of fire, Whose look struck like a sword? Is it not told that when the Apostle saw Him he fell as dead before the intolerable lustre of His eyes? Did not His gaze pierce to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, to the last recesses of the thoughts and intents of the heart? Are not all things naked and open unto the eyes of Him with Whom we have to do? Yes; but, as the older writers and expositors have pointed out, He was in a sense blind. They dwelt on the fact that His was the blindness that has no sense of difficulties. It is told of an officer attacking an almost impregnable fort that he was in great peril, and was recalled by his chief. To disobey the recall was death, if only he saw it. He was blind in one eye, and when told of the recall he turned the blind eye on the signal, and asked that the battle should continue. This is the blindness of Christ and His faithful. ‘Who art thou, O great mountain?’ Christ indeed lifted His eyes to the hills, but not to these lower hills that block the wav and close us in. He lifted His eyes to the everlasting mountains, towering far above them, on whose summit the final feast of triumph is to be spread. Beyond the obstacles and thwartings that marked His earthly course He had a vision of the patience of God. He was blind, I say, to difficulty, even as His Apostle was. None of these things moved Him. A king about to engage an army five times as large as his own, prayed to God that He would take away from him the sense of numbers. The sense of numbers, in the earthly manner, Christ never possessed. On that side He was blind.
I. But I speak specially of His blindness to much in life that we consider it legitimate to see. He was blind to the allurement of our ordinary ambitions.
(1) The desire for money never seemed to touch Him.
(2) He was blind also, so far as we can tell, to that region which is the scene of the chief triumphs and apostasies of the heart the rich and volcanic and often wasted region of passion. I think that Dora Greenwell’s remark is true, that the passion of love which forms the staple of imaginative literature is absolutely unknown to the New Testament. (3) Once more, the sphere of art and culture He seems to have left alone. He, the Poet of the universe, was not interested in poetry. He glanced at the Divine glory of the lily, and said that it surpassed even the glory of Solomon. But of the treasures and marvels of human art and imagination He had nothing to say, and apparently nothing to think. On these sides who, we ask, was blind as He that is perfect, and blind as the Lord’s servant?
In the same way He was deaf not only to counsels of evil, but to much that seemed legitimate. Here, also, it appeal’s as it many pleasant voices that spoke to Him might have been heeded without sin, and to His happiness. There are voices we think ourselves right in heeding which He might have heeded too. His life might have been richer, easier, more solaced, but He made sharp choices and stern renunciations and swift decisions, and so the fullness of life was not for Him, and its allurement and appeal were vain.
II. Let us not be afraid of anything, whatever it be, that ministers to the energy of our life in Christ But I suspect that most of us have to restrict ourselves for the kingdom of heaven’s sake. Most of us, if we are to enter into life, must enter more or less maimed. Most of us have to be deaf and blind to solicitations which stronger people might obey innocently enough. No one in recent years has preached more powerfully the hallowing of the common life than the late Dr. Dale of Birmingham. He was eager and strenuous for many years as a preacher, as a student, as a social reformer, and as a politician. Yet in the end of his life he came to the conclusion, wrongly perhaps, that he would have done more and been more if he had kept himself more closely to the work of a Christian minister. Yes, we have to be deaf and blind; but we need not grudge it, for the time is coming when, in the other life, all our energies will find free scope. A character in a recent novel was accustomed to say about some blessing that it must come soon. Her mouth was made up for it Her friend replied that this world is just for us to make up our mouths in, and the next is for filling them. We can forgo what has to be forgone, if we look up to the heaven that darkles and shines above us, and remember that all things will there come back and be present again except repented and forgiven sin.
III. In the end we are to be blind to all things in comparison with the beauty of Christ, deaf to all voices but His own. It is for this we seek the House of God to hear the call which the world through the week is trying to drown, in the hush of the Sabbath day.
Remember He was never deaf and never blind when a soul sought Him. Behold, the Lord’s ear is not heavy that it cannot hear, neither is His arm shortened that it cannot save. Remember Him on the Cross in a strait where two seas met Deep called to deep, the sea of misery to the sea of mercy. The Lord’s ear was very heavy, but not heavy that it could not hear the thief. His arm was shortened, nailed to the wood, but not shortened that it could not save. That day the Lord and the thief were together in the new country. If thou seek Him He will be found of thee. Before we speak He calls that we may turn round to Him and say, ‘When Thou saidst, Seek ye My Face, ray heart said unto Thee, Thy Face, Lord, will I seek.’
W. Robertson Nicoll, The Lamp of Sacrifice, p. 1.
References. XLII. 21. C. G. Finney, Sermons on Gospel Themes, p. 204. XLIII. 1. Vaughan, Sermons Preached in Christ Church, Brighton (7th Series), p. 8. XLIII. 1-3. H. Scott Holland, Christian World Pulpit, vol. xlix. 1896, p. 24. XLIII. 1-4. Spurgeon, Sermons, vol. xxxii. No. 1895; vol. xliii. No. 2548. C. Kingsley, Sermons on National Subjects, p. 354. XLIII. 1-7. Spurgeon, Sermons, vol. xliii. No. 2548; vol. xlviii. No. 2799. A. Maclaren, Expositions of Holy Scripture Isaiah, p. 296. XLIII. 1-25. Spurgeon, Sermons, vol. 1. No. 2888. XLIII. 2. J. M. Neale, Sermons Preached in Sackville College Chapel, vol. iv. p. 164. R. J. Campbell, City Temple Sermons, p. 74. Spurgeon, Sermons, vol. vii. No. 397. XLIII. 2, 3. Ibid. vol. 1. No. 2877. XLIII. 3. Ibid. vol. xxxvi. No. 2167. XLIII. 4. Ibid. vol. xvi. No. 917; vol. xxviii. No. 1671. XLIII. 6. Ibid. vol. xvii. No. 1007; vol. xlviii. No. 2799. XLIII. 10. Ibid. vol. xi. No. 644. H. J. Wilmot-Buxton, Common Life Religion, p. 82. XLIII. 14-28. Spurgeon, Sermons, vol. 1. No. 2908. XLIII. 21. J. Robertson, Religion in Common Life, p. 108. W. E. Griffis, Christian World Pulpit, vol. xliv. 1898, p. 174. E. H. Bickersteth, Thoughts in Past Years, p. 121. XLIII. 21-28. Spurgeon, Sermons, vol. xlix. No. 2849. XLIII. 22-24. Ibid. vol. xxxii. No. 1895. XLIII. 22-25. Ibid. vol. xliii. No. 2548. XLIII. 22-28. Ibid. vol. xli. No. 2426. J. W. Atkinson, Penny Pulpit, vol. xiv. No. 833, p. 341. XLIII. 25. Spurgeon, Sermons, vol. i. No. 24; vol. xix. No. 1142; vol. xxviii. No. 1685. C. Perren, Revival Sermons in Outline, p. 166. W. Page Roberts, Our Prayer Book, Conformity and Conscience, p. 91. XLIII. 26. Spurgeon, Sermons, vol. xxix. No. 1743. XLIV. 1, 2. J. Stalker, Christian World Pulpit, vol. xxxviii. 1890, p. 253. A. Maclaren, Expositions of Holy Scripture Isaiah., p. 298. XLIV. 1-8. Spurgeon, Sermons, vol. xli. No. 2427. XLIV. 2. J. Baines, Twenty Sermons, p. 39. XLIV. 3. T. G. Selby, The Holy Spirit and Christian Privilege, p. 231. A. G. Mortimer, Life and its Problems, p. 197. G. Matheson, Voices of the Spirit, p. 69. XLIV. 3, 5. A. Murray, The Children for Christ, p. 185. Spurgeon, Sermons, vol. xx. No. 1151. XLIV. 3. G. Matheson, Voices of the Spirit, p. 69. XLIV. 4. J. Parker, City Temple Pulpit, vol. v. p. 59. XLIV. 5. Spurgeon, Sermons, vol. xli. No. 2429. XLIV. 7. J. Parker, Studies in Texts, vol. i. p. 147.
The Qualified One
Isa 42:1-4
Here is a man with a great qualification. Can we add to these qualifications? Is there any omission of power, honour, supreme spiritual quality? Is this man equally strong at every point? Or is he like ourselves characterised by some strong points and humiliated by some points of weakness? Is he strong throughout? And is it mere strength, which people may admire, but cannot love? Or is it a condescending strength? Is it marked by tenderness and sympathy, by pity and by love? The qualification is certainly large “my servant;” some say, “my son” yet a servant. Jesus Christ thought it not robbery to be equal with God, yet he made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant. He is described as the servant of God, and of men. He himself said, “He that is greatest among you shall be your servant.” He is not a man of clear and weighty judgment who sees nothing of honour even in the word “servant.” Ill times have befallen us if we attach to that word nothing but the idea of humiliation, lowness, valueless-ness. That word must be restored to its right place in human intercourse. If any man proudly rise and say he is not servant, there is a retort, not of human invention, which might overwhelm any who are not swallowed up of self-conceit and self-idolatry. We do not know what it is to rule until we know what it is to serve. Let no one, therefore, be affrighted from this text as from a Messianic prophecy because the word “servant” finds a place here where the word “son” would seem to be more in harmony with the descent, the prerogative, and the majesty of Christ And supper being ended, he rose, and girded himself with a towel, and washed the disciples’ feet, and said, Do the same with one another. Thus did he dignify service; thus did he prepare the servant for becoming the friend: henceforth I call you not “servants,” but “friends.” Yet the higher title could not have been conferred had not the lower ministry been fulfilled with faithfulness. That is the point to be observed. “He that is faithful, in few things, shall be made ruler over many things.” “Well done, good and faithful servant; enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.” Thus we must go, and by no fancy way of our own, escaping humiliation, and toil, and difficulty, and self-immolation, and tremendous danger, but passing through the whole process patiently, lovingly, loyally, and with the eternal hopefulness which belongs to trust and rectitude. Even if the words in their first signification apply to Cyrus or to some other historical character, they find their fullest realisation in the Son of God. There is no reason why intermediate meanings should be withheld; let them be broadly acknowledged, and let all human rewards be assigned that they may be enjoyed by those who are entitled to them; but all these recognitions of passing merit, of transient greatness, need not prevent our fixing our eyes upon him in whom all prophecy culminates, and by whom all prophecy is glorified.
“Whom I uphold,” others say, “on whom I lean;” such contradictions may we find without any real contrariety of meaning. The sayings of Jesus Christ are full of such contradiction; but we live progressively until we are able ourselves to reconcile them, and say with exulting thankfulness, Now we know what the Lord meant when he said such and such words. Once he said, “I and my Father are one,” and once he said “My Father is greater than I:” the grammar puzzled us, we thought we had discovered a discrepancy; but we see how both statements may be true. God may uphold his servant, and God may lean upon his servant; thus accommodating himself to the uses of the narrowest human language. “Mine elect,” my own choice, the very man I want; not a man who has come by chance, or through a series of uncalculated events, but one who bears the stamp of eternity; the companion of my soul in ages which lie beyond all human reckoning. “In whom my soul delighteth.” In what does the soul of the musician delight? In harmony, in perfectness of co-operation and action, in sweet rhythms. In what does the soul of the artist rejoice? In proportion, in colour, in significance, in infinite suggestions that are not patent to the common gaze. In what does the soul of the teacher delight? In intellectual progress, in mental virility, in the outleading of the mind, in the expansion of mental capacity; not so much in the storing of information as in the quickening of the mind, a quickening amounting to a species of inspiration, certainly to a definite hunger and thirst for the larger truth nay, for wisdom herself in all her completeness and beauty. By these analogies we may come to some apprehension of what is meant by the soul of God delighting in his servant, because the servant fulfils all God’s purpose, is equal to the whole human occasion, is qualified with every instrument, faculty, power needful for the execution of a beneficent design. “I have put my spirit upon him:” I have crowned him; if he be represented by a pillar, square, massive, lofty, faultless in perpendicular, he is crowned with the spirit; or, I have put my spirit within him; so that within and without he is fully furnished; he says nothing of his own invention “The words that I have heard speak I unto you.” Said Christ in effect I have lain upon the bosom of the Father and heard the beating of his heart; I have understood the meaning of his breathing; I have come to reveal him, to tell you what he told me, to make known unto you the very thought and purpose of God.
But for what end was this qualification originated and established? The answer is in the first verse: “He shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles.” It was a moral purpose; things were to be rectified. It was not that he might sing a new poetry, fascinate the ear of the world with new strains of music, take his seat among the learned and the wise, and propound to them riddles and problems which would perplex them. Christ’s coming was distinctive in its purpose and limit. It was a moral issue. He came to set the foundations of things right, in straight courses. He might have come upon a more dazzling mission as viewed from a strictly worldly point. He came to deal with the heart of the world, with the judgment of men, with the inner life, with the very soul of society. Nor was this morality limited in its range by any ethnic lines or purely geographical boundaries. Jesus Christ came to shed light upon the whole earth. Jew and Gentile were terms that were to be abolished in all their narrowest significance, and the term Man was to be established as descriptive of the human race. All accidental separations and differences and collisions were to be done away, and all men, in all time, in all the world, were to recognise that they had a common father in God.
But this qualification, though great, is not the whole qualification which is assigned to the Servant and Son of God. He was not only great in positive power, he was equally great in restraint, in self-control. There is a negative qualification, as well as a qualification that is distinctively positive; and Jesus Christ combined both qualifications. Let us read what he shall not do:
“He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street” ( Isa 42:2 ).
He is not a debater; he does not belong to the society of men who walk up and down in the open square, called the “street,” or agora, or the market-place, saying, Who will talk with me today? What shall we debate? My sword is ready, who will fence? He does not belong to the word gladiator; from that school he abstains. There were men who delighted in controversy in the open squares of the city. Such controversy took the place of modern literature, morning journals, and the means of publicity of every kind, open to modern society. Jesus Christ spoke whisperingly to hearts. Men had to incline their ear to hear him. He was no blatant controversialist, making rude noises in the air, but a speaker of music that could only be heard in all its plaintiveness, in all its minor tone of sweetest love, by the listening heart. No public wrestler or gladiator was the Son of God. He did not exclaim, nor lift up, nor make an uproar in the public places of the city. This gives to his occasional exclamation great emphasis and clearness. Who could speak like Jesus Christ, when it suited the occasion that he should make his voice heard? “In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.” Then his voice was heard afar off. Men who had heard human voices all their lifetime turned to see the speaker who uttered himself in tones so lofty and gracious. The characteristic, however, of the Gospel is that it approaches men; so to say, surrounds them, fascinates them, draws upon itself their attention and their confidence by a wondrous power of quietness: it comes not with blare of trumpet or with throb of drum, but as a still small voice, a speaker that would speak to you alone and hold the heart in sweet intercourse when no third party is present; it was the way of the Cross.
“A bruised reed shall he not break” ( Isa 42:3 ).
Mere power would have broken it. Where there is great self-control there is, however, more than mere strength; it is calculated power, it is adapted energy, it is regulated force; there is nothing rude, violent, overwhelming about it; when it descends it comes with the quietness of light that imponderable, wondrous beam that comes down to fight the night, and smites it with a silent stroke, so that the night is no more seen; all heaven rejoices in gracious brilliance. Political economy breaks bruised reeds. Science of a certain kind says, We must lay down a law of the survival of the fittest, and if the reeds are broken, throw them away. Jesus Christ says: Throw nothing away: let us work for the saving of every life, and see that we work so carefully, with so critical a love and patience that we lose nothing at last, but the son of perdition, the son of waste, the child that must go home to the devil. Let us have no rough-and-ready treatment, however, of human life, but let us examine and separate, and encourage and cheer, and do what we can, for we are bound to save the last atom; then if we cannot save it, we must own what we have lost: Father, I have lost none, but the son of perdition. He did not want to lose any, he did not come to destroy men’s lives but to save them. If men will not be saved, even the Son of God cannot save them. To force a man into heaven is not to fill him with peace and joy; it is to violate the harmony which he cannot appreciate. “A bruised reed,” say some, an instrument called a reed was meant, and there was a rift in it, which spoiled the music. Jesus Christ said, we must repair this; something must be done with this reed; it was meant for music and we must look at it with that end in view. He does not take it, saying, There is a rift in the lute, and the music is impossible; rend it and throw it away. He always looks to see if a man cannot be made somewhat better. He would heal us every one. Say to him, O Bruised Reed, if I may but touch the hem of thy garment, even my life reed shall be healed, and I will take up God’s music again, and be glad in God’s house. Or “a bruised reed” may mean that wild beasts in rushing through to the water, or from the flood, have crushed the growing plants, so that they are bent, they no more stand upright; but Jesus Christ comes to heal them and to restore them. “And the smoking flux shall he not quench:” he will not put his foot upon it; he will rather take it up and shake it, as he only can shake, bringing a little more air to bear upon it, and still a little more, but so gradually; see how the spark whitens, how it leaps up into a kind of new life; now watch him how he regulates the shaking, and see how that which we thought was only a smoke becomes a flame, bright as fire, useful as a torch, and how it is handed on to the aid of other men.
He has his still greater qualification the qualification of eternal hopefulness. That is where so many teachers fail, but this Man shall not fail nor be discouraged till he hath done the work. Sometimes he nearly turned round. We have seen Jesus Christ himself almost driven to despair. He could not do many mighty works here, or there, because of the people’s unbelief. Still, he did not resign the work; he persevered. How many of us have resigned our position given it up because we have felt discouraged beyond the power of sustenance, so that we could no longer bear the weight or live in the darkness. Thus we have been less than Christ, as we must ever be; but we have not been of the quality of Christ, which we may always be. “He shall not fail nor be discouraged: “he shall not wink his eyes or knit his brow as if he were in fatal perplexity, saying in effect, I have come upon something I cannot manage, or control, or direct; I am bewildered; and see how his face is wrinkled up into an expression of absolute dejection. Is there a wrinkle on that shining countenance? It does not mean discouragement; it was ploughed on the face by grief, but it shall yet vanish in light. Herein is the hope and herein is the confidence of the Church. Whoever resigns the evangelisation of the world, Jesus Christ is pledged to carry it forward. Were men to set themselves against him he would say, This can be but temporary: if ye hold your peace, the very stones will cry out; if ye are the children of Abraham, and all turn away from me, I tell you God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. Thus we renew our courage; thus we rekindle our hope; thus we replenish our inspiration. Where is there a Christian teacher who would not sometimes willingly withdraw from the whole service, Because, he says, the wall of hindrance is heaven-high, and I cannot advance; my prayers seem to have come back in nothingness, all my labour has ended in vanity; I have piped, but my piping has not been answered by the dance of delight; I have mourned, no sufferer has blended his tears with mine; all day long have I stretched out my hands, and no man has regarded me?
A singular contrast may be established here as between the attitude of the Old Testament and the attitude of the New in regard to the salvation of the human race. In the Old Testament God seems to be continually withdrawing from the work. He says, It repents me that I have made man. And again he says to the heavens and to the earth, Ye may well be astonished, for amazement has filled my own heart, that I should have brought up children, and they have rebelled against me; though Moses and Samuel were to plead with me for this people, I would not hear even these great intercessors; my whole soul recoils from their ingratitude: I can no longer maintain my relation to this rebellious race. No such voice is heard in the New Testament. Mere deity (if we may so express ourselves) is not the same as deity incarnate, set in direct sympathetic relation with human life and human need. “Jesus wept.” That is the infinite secret of the steadfastness of his love. If he had been a majesty only, he would have spurned those who sought to oppose him; but he was a Saviour, he was the Son of God, and therefore he bore all injury; when he was reviled he reviled not again, for it would have been loss of dignity and loss of love, and disqualification of himself for his sublime ministry. All time spent in reviling is time taken away from saving. He gave his back to the smiters, and his cheeks to them that plucked off the hair; and still he thought he could save the world. He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied. When the fight is over, there will be but one conqueror, and his name shall be Immanuel, Secret, Counseller, Jesus of Nazareth.
All this great qualification, positive and negative, and all this power to sustain discouragement and turn it into inspiration, is found in connection with a purpose to save the Gentiles, to enlighten “the isles,” to bring in the very race represented by ourselves. Thus Christ comes near to us. He is not a Saviour of the Jew only, but of the Gentile; he does not operate within the four corners of any chosen country, but on the whole world and through all the generations of men and time. This is the distinctive characteristic of the Gospel. It goes from its starting-place; it says it will not return, except bringing sheaves with it; it says: I will begin at Jerusalem, but I will go forward until I have touched every land and every island, and have translated myself into every speech, and have created speech and civilisation; and I shall come back again, and Zion shall be the praise and joy of the whole earth.
What is our response to this grand purpose? Do we doubt the qualification of Christ, God’s Servant, God’s upheld One, God’s Elect, the Man in whom God’s soul delighted, the Man upon whom the Spirit of God rested? To doubt Christ is to doubt God. Let us cast ourselves upon him. Let the isles say unto him: Blessed Son of God, thou didst care for us. Let the Gentiles say to him: Saviour of the world, when there was no man to help us we heard of thy Name, and thou didst speak to us as one who was mighty to save. If we ourselves have tested the qualifications of Christ, let us preach the Gospel to every creature.
XXVII
THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST IN ISAIAH
The relation between the New Testament Christ and prophecy is that the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. To him give all the prophets witness. All the scriptures, the law, the prophets, and the psalms, testify of him. And we are fools, and slow of heart to credit adequate testimony when we distrust any part of the inspired evidence.
Of the ancient prophets Isaiah was perhaps the most notable witness of the coming Messiah. An orderly combination of his many messianic utterances amounts to more than a mere sketch, indeed, rather to a series of almost life-sized portraits. As a striking background for these successive portraits the prophet discloses the world’s need of a Saviour, and across this horrible background of gloom the prophet sketches in startling strokes of light the image of a coming Redeemer.
In Isa 2:2-4 we have the first picture of him in Isaiah, that of the effect of his work, rather than of the Messiah himself. This is the establishment of the mountain of the Lord’s house on the top of the mountains, the coming of the nations to it and the resultant millennial glory.
In Isa 4:2-6 is another gleam from the messianic age in which the person of the Messiah comes more into view in the figure of a branch of Jehovah, beautiful and glorious. In sketching the effects of his work here the prophet adds a few strokes of millennial glory as a consummation of his ministry.
In Isa 7:14 he delineates him as a little child born of a virgin, whose coming is the light of the world. He is outlined on the canvas in lowest humanity and highest divinity, “God with us.” In this incarnation he is the seed of the woman and not of the man.
The prophet sees him as a child upon whom the government shall rest and whose name is “Wonderful, Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isa 9:6 ). This passage shows the divinity of Christ and the universal peace he is to bring to the world. In these names we have the divine wisdom, the divine power, the divine fatherhood, and the divine peace.
In Isa 11:1-9 the prophet sees the Messiah as a shoot out of the stock of Jesse, i.e., of lowly origin, but possessing the Holy Spirit without measure who equips him for his work, and his administration wrought with skill and justice, the result of which is the introduction of universal and perfect peace. Here the child is presented as a teacher. And such a teacher! On him rests the seven spirits of God. The spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge, and the fear of the Lord. He judges not according to appearances and reproves not according to rumors. With righteousness he judges the poor and reproves with equality in behalf of the meek. His words smite a guilty world like thunderbolts and his very breath slays iniquity. Righteousness and faithfulness are his girdle. He uplifts an infallible standard of morals.
In Isa 40:3-8 appears John the Baptist, whom Isaiah saw as a voice crying in the wilderness, preparing the way for the coming King.
In Isa 11:2 ; Isa 42:1 ; Isa 61:1-3 the prophet saw the Messiah as a worker in the power of the Spirit, in whom he was anointed at his baptism. This was the beginning of his ministry which was wrought through the power of the Holy Spirit. At no time in his ministry did our Lord claim that he wrought except in the power of the Holy Spirit who was given to him without measure.
In Isa 35:1-10 the Messiah is described as a miracle worker. In his presence the desert blossoms as a rose and springs burst out of dry ground. The banks of the Jordan rejoice. The lame man leaps like a hart, the dumb sing and the blind behold visions. The New Testament abounds in illustrations of fulfilment. These signs Christ presented to John the Baptist as his messianic credentials (Mat 11:1-4 ).
The passage (Isa 42:1-4 ) gives us a flashlight on the character of the Messiah. In the New Testament it is expressly applied to Christ whom the prophet sees as the meek and lowly Saviour, dealing gently with the blacksliding child of his grace. In Isa 22:22 we have him presented as bearing the key of the house of David, with full power to open and shut. This refers to his authority over all things in heaven and upon earth. By this authority he gave the keys of the kingdom to Peter one for the Jews and the other for the Gentiles who used one on the day of Pentecost and the other at the house of Cornelius, declaring in each case the terms of entrance into the kingdom of God. This authority of the Messiah is referred to again in Revelation:
And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as one dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying. Fear not: I am the first and the last, and the Living one; and I was dead, and behold I am alive for evermore and I have the keys of death and of Hades. Rev 7:17
And to the angel of the church in Philadelphis write: These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth and none shall shut, and shutteth and none openeth. Rev 3:7
In Isa 32:1-8 we have a great messianic passage portraying the work of Christ as a king ruling in righteousness, in whom men find a hiding place from the wind and the tempest. He is a stream in a dry place and the shadow of a great rock in a weary land.
In Isa 28:14-18 the Messiah is presented to w as a foundation stone in a threefold idea:
1. A tried foundation stone. This is the work of the master mason and indicates the preparation of the atone for its particular function.
2. An elect or precious foundation stone. This indicates that the stone was selected and appointed. It was not self-appointed but divinely appointed and is therefore safe.
3. A cornerstone, or sure foundation stone. Here it is a foundation of salvation, as presented in Mat 16:18 . It is Christ the Rock, and not Peter. See Paul’s foundation in 1 Corinthians:
According to the grace of God which was given unto me; as a wise masterbuilder I laid a foundation; and another buildeth thereon. But let each man take heed how he buildeth thereon. For other foundation can no man lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 1Co 3:10-11 .
In Isa 49:1-6 he is presented as a polished shaft, kept close in the quiver. The idea is that he is a mighty sword. In Revelation, Christ is presented to John as having a sharp, twoedged sword proceeding out of his mouth.
In Isa 50:2 ; Isa 52:9 f.; Isa 59:16-21 ; Isa 62:11 we have the idea of the salvation of Jehovah. The idea is that salvation originated with God and that man in his impotency could neither devise the plan of salvation nor aid in securing it. These passages are expressions of the pity with which God looks down on a lost world. The redemption, or salvation, here means both temporal and spiritual salvation salvation from enemies and salvation from sin.
In Isa 9:1 f. we have him presented as a great light to the people of Zebulun and Naphtali. In Isa 49:6 we have him presented as a light to the Gentiles and salvation to the end of the earth: “Yea, he saith, It is too light a thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth.”
In Isa 8:14-15 Isaiah presents him as a stone of stumbling: “And he shall be for a sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offence to both the houses of Israel, for a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. And many shall stumble thereon, and fall, and be broken, and be snared, and be taken.”
The prophet’s vision of his maltreatment and rejection are found in Isa 50:4-9 ; Isa 52:13-53:12 . In this we have the vision of him giving his “back to the smiters, and his cheeks to them that plucked off the hair.” We see a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. His visage is so marred it startled all nations. He is a vicarious sacrifice. The chastisement of the peace of others is on him. The iniquity of others is put on him. It pleases the Father to bruise him until he has poured out his soul unto death as an offering for sin.
The teaching of Isaiah on the election of the Jews is his teaching concerning the “holy remnant,” a favorite expression of the prophet. See Isa 1:9 ; Isa 10:20-22 ; Isa 11:11 ; Isa 11:16 ; Isa 37:4 ; Isa 37:31-32 ; Isa 46:3 . This coincides with Paul’s teaching in Romans 9-11.
In Isa 32:15 we find Isaiah’s teaching on the pouring out of the Holy Spirit: “Until the Spirit be poured upon us from on high, and the wilderness become a fruitful field, and the fruitful field be esteemed as a forest,” and in Isa 44:3 : “For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and streams upon the dry ground; I will pour my Spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring.”
In Isa 11:10 he is said to be the ensign of the nations: “And it shall come to pass in that day, that the root of Jesse, that standeth for an ensign of the peoples unto him shall the nations seek; and his resting place shall be glorious.”
Isa 19:18-25 ; Isa 54:1-3 ; Isa 60:1-22 teach the enlargement of the church. The great invitation and promise are found in Isa 55 .
The Messiah in judgments is found in Isa 63:1-6 . Here we behold an avenger. He comes up out of Edom with dyed garments from Bozra. All his raiment is stained with the blood of his enemies whom he has trampled in his vengeance as grapes are crushed in the winevat and the restoration of the Jews is set forth in Isa 11:11-12 ; Isa 60:9-15 ; Isa 66:20 . Under the prophet’s graphic pencil or glowing brush we behold the establishment and growth of his kingdom unlike all other kingdoms, a kingdom within men, a kingdom whose principles are justice, righteousness, and equity and whose graces are faith, hope, love, and joy, an undying and ever-growing kingdom. Its prevalence is like the rising waters of Noah’s flood; “And the waters prevailed and increased mightily upon the earth. And the water prevailed mightily, mightily upon the earth; and all the high mountains, that are under the whole heavens, were covered.”
So this kingdom grows under the brush of the prophetic limner until its shores are illimitable. War ceases. Gannenta rolled in the blood of battle become fuel for fire. Conflagration is quenched. Famine outlawed. Pestilence banished. None are left to molest or make afraid. Peace flows like a river. The wolf dwells with the lamb. The leopard lies down with the kid. The calf and the young lion walk forth together and a little child is leading them. The cow and the bear feed in one pasture and their young ones are bedfellows. The sucking child safely plays over the hole of the asp, and weaned children put their hands in the adder’s den. In all the holy realms none hurt nor destroy, because the earth is as full of the knowledge of the Lord as the fathomless ocean is full of water. Rapturous vision! Sublime and ineffable consummation! Was it only a dream?
In many passages the prophet turns in the gleams from the millennial age, but one of the clearest and best on the millennium, which is in line with the preceding paragraph, Isa 11:6-9 : “And the wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together: and a little child shall lead them. And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the adder’s den. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain; for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of Jehovah, as the waters cover the sea.”
The prophet’s vision of the destruction of death is given in Isa 25:8 : “He hath swallowed up death for ever; and the Lord Jehovah will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the reproach of his people will he take away from all the earth: for Jehovah hath spoken it,” and in Isa 26:19 : “Thy dead shall live; my dead bodies shall arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in the dust; for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast forth the dead.”
The clearest outlines of the prophet’s vision of “Paradise Regained” are to be found in Isa 25:8 , and in two passages in chapter Isa 66 : Rejoice ye with Jerusalem, and be glad for her, all ye that love her: rejoice for joy with her, all ye that mourn over her; that ye may suck and be satisfied with the breasts of her consolations; that ye may milk out, and be delighted with the abundance of her glory. For thus saith Jehovah, Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the nations like an overflowing stream: and ye shall suck thereof; ye shall be borne upon the side, and shall be dandled upon the knees, as one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you; and ye shall be comforted in Jerusalem. And ye shall see it, and your heart shall rejoice, and your bones shall flourish like the tender grass: and the hands of Jehovah shall be known toward his servants ; and he will have indignation against his enemies. Isa 66:10-14
For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make shall remain before me, saith Jehovah, so shall your seed and your name remain. And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith Jehovah. Isa 66:22-23
QUESTIONS
1. What is the relation between the New Testament Christ and prophecy?
2. What can you say of Isaiah as a witness of the Messiah?
3. What can you say of Isaiah’s pictures of the Messiah and their background?
4. Following in the order of Christ’s manifestation, what is the first picture of him in Isaiah?
5. What is the second messianic glimpse in Isaiah?
6. What is Isaiah’s picture of the incarnation?
7. What is Isaiah’s picture of the divine child?
8. What is Isaiah’s vision of his descent, his relation to the Holy Spirit, his administration of justice, and the results of his reign?
9. What is Isaiah’s vision of the Messiah’s herald?
10. What is the prophet’s vision of his anointing?
11. What is the prophet’s vision of him as a miracle worker?
12. What is the prophet’s vision of the character of the Messiah?
13. What is the prophet’s vision of him as the key bearer?
14. What is the prophet’s vision of him as a king and a hiding place?
15. What is the prophet’s vision of the Messiah as a foundation stone?
16. What is the prophet’s vision of him as a polished shaft?
17. In what passages do we find the idea of the salvation of Jehovah, and what the significance of the idea?
18. What is Isaiah’s vision of the Messiah as a light?
19. Where does Isaiah present him as a stone of stumbling?
20. What is the prophet’s vision of his maltreatment and rejection?
21. What is the teaching of Isaiah on the election of the Jews?
22. Where do we find Isaiah’s teaching on the pouring out of the Holy Spirit?
23. Where is he said to be the ensign of the nations?
24. What passages teach the enlargement of the church?
25. Where is the great invitation and promise?
26. Where is the Messiah in judgment?
27. What passages show the restoration of the Jews?
28. What is the prophet’s vision of the Messiah’s kingdom?
29. What is the prophet’s vision of the millennium?
30. What is the prophet’s vision of the destruction of death?
31. What is the prophet’s vision of “Paradise Regained?”
XVIII
THE BOOK OF ISAIAH PART 10
Isaiah 40-42
This great section (Isaiah 40-66) of Isaiah is called “The Old Testament Book of Comfort.” The New Testament correspondence to this book of comfort is John 14-17.
This section is addressed chiefly to the Israelitish exiles in Babylon. The conservative critics regard this as one of the greatest marvels of predictive prophecy. As Isaiah had already announced the Babylonian exile in Isa 39:6-7 he was further commissioned to provide comfort for those who should be tempted to despair by reason of their distress in captivity.
In 2Ch 32:25-33 we have an account of the condition at the close of the first part of the book, which does ample justice to the great and excellent Hezekiah as a ruler and a servant of Jehovah, yet it points out the sin of his heart in not rendering again according to the benefit done unto him. His heart was lifted up, which was no trivial sin, but he repented of this sin and thereby averted the immediate judgment from Judah. All this made Isaiah feel more and more distinctly the meaning of the Remnant, of which he bad had much to say. True, Assyria was never to destroy Jerusalem, but Isaiah saw behind Assyria a dark cloud arising which was to cover the whole face of heaven and burst upon the guilty city and people. This Isaiah saw clearly and distinctly. It was this very Babylon who at that time opposed Assyria, so that it was easy for Hezekiah and his people to take them as an ally. In view of this rising cloud Isaiah’s responsibility was increased. So now he directs his latest ministry to the future glory of Israel. The ten tribes were already in captivity and Judah was ripe for it. No time now to call to repentance until the Remnant should be purified by the judgment which was already decreed.
These last twenty-seven chapters are divided into three consecutive portions of nine chapters each which are externally marked off by a sad refrain: “There is no peace, saith Jehovah, to the wicked.” In like manner each of these divisions is subdivided into three equal parts of three chapters each. The central verses of the central chapter of the central division of this section contains the very essence of the gospel (see Isa 53:5-8 ). The progress of revelation is also indicated by the subject, or general theme, of each division of nine chapters. The first is “Theology,” or the doctrine of God; the second is “Soteriology,” or the doctrine of salvation; the third is “Eschatology,” or the doctrine of the last things. Who could imagine that such an arrangement could have come to be by mere chance in the hands of a number of Isaiah’s?
In Isa 40:1-2 we have an introduction to the rest of the book. This contains (1) the theme of this entire section, (2) the announcement that the warfare of Jerusalem was accomplished, (3) that her iniquity was pardoned, and (4) that she had received of Jehovah’s hand double for all her sins.
The theme of this last part of the book, as herein contained, has been fully explained already. But what is the meaning of Jerusalem’s “warfare” being accomplished? This means that her service was fulfilled, the long period of hardship and drudgery during which she has borne the brunt of the enemies’ attacks; that the time was fulfilled and the kingdom of God was at hand. A new day had dawned for Jerusalem. Her “iniquity pardoned” means God’s reconciliation to her and that he would not impute sin to her or punish her any longer for it. “Her receiving double of Jehovah’s hand” means, not twice as much as her sins deserved, but that she had received “abundantly” for her iniquity and therefore she might be assured that, having been amply punished, she need not fear further vengeance. All this is spoken from the standpoint of the captivity from which they are to return.
The theme of Isaiah 40-42 is the conflict with idolatry inside of Israel.
The prophecy of Isa 40:3-5 is a distinct prediction of the work of John the Baptist and is so declared to be in Mat 3:3 : “For this is he that was spoken of through Isaiah the prophet, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make ye ready the way of the Lord, Make his paths straight.”
This is confirmed by Mark (Isa 1:3 ), Luke (Isa 3:4-6 ), and John (Isa 1:23 ). But Luke’s quotation of Isa 40:3-5 throws more light on the interpretation than that of the other evangelists. He says that all flesh shall see the salvation of God, which indicates that this prophecy reaches over into the gospel dispensation and takes in the Gentiles.
The main work of John the Baptist is here set forth. His work, according to this prophecy, was preparatory and is set forth in figures of speech showing the levelling and adjusting work of repentance. Every valley shall be filled, all the hills shall be leveled and all rough places shall be made plain. The import of all these figures can be expressed in the one word, “grading”; so the work of John the Baptist was compared to the grading of a highway over which Christ was to come to his people. Then the prophet turns from the figure of grading to one of agriculture, expressing thereby the same preparatory nature of John’s work. The image employed is that of burning the grass of a field. (Isa 40:6-8 ). John’s preaching subsequently fulfilled this figure, of withering the grass of the flesh, in a most striking manner, by destroying all hope of fitness for the kingdom of God based on fleshly descent from Abraham. In Isa 40:9-11 , the verses following the description of John’s preparatory work, we have the thought carried on by a call to the messenger to get up on a high mountain and proclaim to the cities of Judah, with a lifted voice, the coming of their God, who would come as a mighty one to rule and to feed the sheep. This was all fulfilled in the coming of our Lord, who, heralded by John the Baptist, stretched forth his hand with authority, fed the sheep and tenderly cared for the lambs.
The picture of Isa 40:12-17 is that of the incomparably lofty One, the Jehovah of Israel, who is here exalted above all creation, showing God’s eternal wisdom and power versus man’s finiteness and insignificance. This passage is quoted by Paul in his great exclamation over the supreme wisdom and knowledge of God (Rom 11:33-35 ).
The picture presented in Isa 40:18-24 is a contrast between Jehovah and the senselessness of idolatry, as the preceding passage is a contrast between Jehovah and man. In the light of this truth the prophet shows how monstrous appeared the folly of those who made an image to represent or symbolize Deity. This passage is a complement of Isa 40:12-17 showing that if God be all that is there said of him, how strange that man should produce the poor, mean likeness of God which he has in his folly, set up in various times and places. The prophet here sarcastically contrasts these idols with Deity in their power, again magnifying Jehovah’s wisdom and power above every other being in the whole scope of the universe. Doubtless this argument, together with the many others made by Isaiah, against idolatry”, helped greatly to bring about the freedom from Polytheism, which has marked the Jewish people ever since the restoration from the Babylonian captivity.
The brief paragraph, Isa 40:27-31 , sets forth the comfort to God’s people of knowing the foregoing things concerning their God: that their way was open to Jehovah and he had not forgotten the justice due to them; that Jehovah is an everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth and does not grow weary, and that they that wait for the Lord shall renew their strength, shall mount up with wings as eagles, shall run and not be weary, shall walk and not faint. But what does the last verse mean? This passage seems, at first thought, to be an anticlimax, but it is a real climax. The first part of a journey is accomplished under the impulse of ardent feeling, as the eagle mounting upon wings for a long flight. The second stage of the journey is made by robust and energetic effort; as the traveler, not so fresh and buoyant, runs and by such effort presses on the way. The last stage of the journey is made by a steady, but tranquil and almost unconscious, advance, as when almost exhausted the traveler walks steadily onward. This verse taken in connection with the preceding one means this: Though the journey be such that the strongest, humanly speaking, may be weary and fall, the Lord giveth such power to those that wait upon him, though they be faint and have no might, that, in the first part of the journey, they shall be fresh and buoyant; in the second stage of the journey they shall run, as other men would, but unlike them they shall not be weary; and in the third stage of the journey where there is falling and fainting, with these it shall not be so, but they shall all have strength to complete the journey. How beautifully this applies to Christian service in this life. “They that wait upon Jehovah shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; they shall walk, and not faint.”
The special theme of Isa 41 is Jehovah’s contest with idols, the outcome of which is that Jehovah proves his Deity in two ways: (1) by stirring up Cyrus as a scourge to the heathen nations, and (2) by predicting the future which the false gods of the heathen could not do.
The prophetic picture in Isa 41:1-7 is a challenge to the isles and nations to match Jehovah’s strength with the power of their idols. Jehovah invites them to consider well the evidence. Then he marches out Cyrus at his word. He passes swiftly to chastise the heathen nations who tremble at his approach. They assemble, combine their efforts and encourage one another to make the very best god possible, so as to meet the power of Cyrus.
The thought is carried on in Isa 41:8-16 . In the midst of the consternation produced by Cyrus, Israel is encouraged not to fear; that Jacob is the chosen seed and he will be gathered from the ends of the earth; that Jehovah will be his God, singing in his ear, How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord, is laid for your faith in His excellent Word; that he would infuse weakness into their enemies and that he would give Israel an aggressive vigor that would enable them to scatter their foes, which was fulfilled, perhaps, in the Maccabean period.
The crowning promise in Isa 41:17-20 is that of spiritual support and refreshment through the dull and dreary time of the captivity, which would find its full fruitage in the gospel days. The picture here is one that cheers the lonely traveler in a desert land. The anticipation of the blessings of the oasis stimulates and encourages. Here we have a desert converted into a garden, such as the gospel alone could do.
A contest between Jehovah and idols is described in Isa 41:21-29 . Here Jehovah challenges them to try their hand on revealing the past, predicting the future, or to demonstrate their claim by performing the supernatural, to which he himself replies that they are nothing and render people who choose them abominable. Then the prophet gives a sample of Jehovah’s prediction, which these idols were not able to match, because they were confusion. The prediction here is respecting Cyrus who should come from the north and should make the rulers as potter’s clay under his feet.
Who was the “Servant of the Lord,” occurring so often in Isaiah? Israel was God’s national son and it was the vocation of Israel to be God’s servant. So long as they served him loyally, they had true freedom, but when they ceased to do so they were chastised and had to learn the service of other kingdoms (2Ch 12:8 ). Yet their vocation was not annulled. The promise to Abraham’s seed stood firm. The “holy seed” was the germ of life which continued intact throughout their history. The title, “Servant of the Lord,” is applied to Israel, or Jacob, in Isa 41 ; Isa 44 ; Isa 45 ; Isa 48 . In other places where the title occurs, as Isa 42 ; Isa 43 ; Isa 44:26 ; Isa 49 ; Isa 52 ; Isa 53 , it is evident that a person is addressed who, while he is so closely related to Israel that he can be its representative, has at the same time a transcendent personality which enables him to stand outside of Israel and to act independently of it or in antagonism to it, as in Isa 49:5-6 ; Isa 53 .
It is to be noted in this connection that the title “Servant of the Lord,” occurring nineteen times in Isaiah 41-53 disappears after Isa 53:11 . The reason is obvious. His work as a servant is thenceforth finished. The everlasting covenant has been established (Isa 55:3 ). On the other hand after Isa 53 we have “Servants of the Lord,” which does not occur at all before Isa 44 , but occurs ten times in Isaiah 44-66. The relation between the two complementary series is fully explained by Isa 53:10 : “He shall see his seed,” and Isa 53:11 : “He shall see of the travail of his soul.” Through the obedience of one righteous servant many are made righteous (Rom 5:12-19 ).
The special theme of Isa 42 is “The Servant of Jehovah and His Work.”
In Isa 42:1-4 we have set forth the character, anointing, gentleness, and work of the Messiah. The New Testament (Mat 12:18-21 ) applies this expressly to Christ. In this we see that he was chosen with special delight and anointed in the Holy Spirit for his mission by Jehovah himself. His mission to the Gentiles, his quietness in his work, and his gentleness in dealing with backsliders are all noted with marked distinction. He will establish justice in truth and his administration shall include all the nations. The “bruised reed” refers to a musical instrument in need of repair, and the “smoking flax” refers to the wick of an old-fashioned lamp, nearly gone out. Both of these refer spiritually to the backslider and illustrate the tenderness with which Christ deals with the backslider. He will not break the bruised flute, but will fix it up again. Nor will he snuff the candle, but will trim it so that it will give forth its light. Brother Truett had a great sermon on this text in which he magnified the tenderness of Christ to backsliders.
The thought of Isa 42:1-4 is carried on in Isa 42:5-9 . This is a solemn reaffirmation that the mission of the “Servant of Jehovah” was from the Almighty and that the success of it was assured by him. This mission of the “Servant” is here declared to be twofold: (1) for a light of the Gentiles; (2) to open the eyes of the blind, to liberate the captives from the dungeon and from the prison house.
The “former things” here (Isa 42:9 ) are the former prophecies concerning Israel’s captivity which had been fulfilled, and the “new things” are the predictions respecting the restoration of the captive people to their own land.
The thought expressed in Isa 42:10-17 is a new song to Jehovah for his triumph over idolatry and for the deliverance of his people. The surrounding nations are called upon to join in this song, i.e., the nations about Palestine. This is a song of praise for the gospel and has its fullest realization in the antitype’s victory over superstition and idolatry. Isa 42:16 is a striking statement: “I will bring the blind by a way that they know not; in paths that they know not will I lead them.” This is an appeal to trust Jehovah in the darkest hours. The poet has expressed this great need thus: When we in darkness walk, Nor feel the heavenly flame, Then is the time to trust our God, And rest upon His name.
In Isa 42:18-25 Israel is represented as blind and deaf, grinding in prison houses because of disobedience, very much like national Israel in the days of our Lord, who had eyes but saw not and ears but heard not. They are also represented as a plundered people, but this is the judgment of Jehovah upon Jacob, because he was not obedient to his law. Again he is represented as not laying the matter of Jehovah’s dealings with him to heart. Is it not true that Jacob is in this condition today? He has never yet laid the folly of his sin of rejecting the Saviour to heart. But he will one day be made to consider his rebellious way of unbelief, the veil will fall from his blind eyes and he will receive our Lord and go with us after a lost world with a zeal that the world has never yet seen.
QUESTIONS
1. What is this section (Isaiah 40-66) of Isaiah called and what the New Testament correspondence to it?
2. To whom is it addressed and how is it regarded by the conservative critics?
3. Give a brief statement of the general condition in the kingdom at the close of the first part of the book (Isa 39:8 ).
4. Restate here the artistic features of this last section of the book.
5. What is contained in. Isa 40:1-2 and what the explanation of each of the items?
6. What is the general theme of the subdivision, Isaiah 40-42?
7. What is the prophecy of Isa 40:3-5 and where do we find the distinct fulfilment?
8. How is the main work of John the Baptist here set forth?
9. How is this thought of the preparatory work of John the Baptist for the coming king carried forward?
10. What is the picture of Isa 40:12-17 ?
11. What is the picture presented in Isa 40:18-26 and how does it seem to have impressed the Jewish people?
12. What is the thought in Isa 40:27-31 and what the interpretation of verse 31?
13. What is the special theme of Isa 41 and what the outcome?
14. What is the prophetic picture in Isa 41:1-7 ?
15. How is the thought carried on in Isa 41:8-16 ?
16. What is the crowning promise here (Isa 41:17-20 )?
17. Describe the contest between Jehovah and idols in Isa 41:21-29 .
18. Who was the “Servant of Jehovah,” occurring so often in Isaiah and what of the usage of the term by this prophet?
19. What is the special theme of Isa 42 ?
20. What are the contents of Isa 42:1-4 ?
21. How is the thought of Isa 42:1-4 carried on in Isa 42:5-9 ?
22. What are the “former things” and the “new things” in Isa 42:9 ?
23. What is the thought expressed in Isa 42:10-17 ?
24. What is Israel’s condition as described in Isa 42:18-25 ?
Isa 42:1 Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, [in whom] my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles.
Ver. 1. Behold my servant. ] Cyrus partly, but Christ principally Mat 12:18 See Trapp on “ Mat 12:18 “ Php 2:7 A servant he was, yet not menial, but magisterial; that he was one or other is admirable, and well deserveth an Ecce Behold.
Whom I uphold.
Mine elect, or choice one.
In whom my soul delighteth.
He shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles. a Herod., lib. iii.
b Xenoph. Cyrop., lib. viii.
Isaiah Chapter 42
Distinguished though the place of Cyrus might be as the righteous man from the east,” whom God employed to break the pride of Babylon and set the captives free to return to the land of Israel, a greater is here. “Behold my servant whom I uphold, mine elect [in whom my soul delighteth! I have put my Spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgement to the nations. He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street. A crushed reed shall he not break, and dim flax shall he not quench; he shall bring forth judgement in (or, for) truth. He shall not faint nor be crushed till he have set judgement in the earth: and the isles shall wait for his law” (vv. 14). We know that Christ is intended (the typical one, it seems, giving occasion to the introduction of the Antitype). It is the more remarkable as being lost after this brief moment when the prophetic strain resumes its previous course, and the servant of Jehovah elsewhere in this chapter and to the end of Isa 48 is unequivocally not Christ, but Israel.
Here however it is the Servant, the object of Jehovah’s delight as of His choice, the vessel of the power of the Spirit, and the manifester of judgement to the nations, compared with whom the Gentile avenger of God’s honour on the source and patron of all idols was little indeed. Yet He, Whose glory was thus beyond all competition, displayed it first in perfect unobtrusive lowliness. Might of far-reaching testimony even was not what characterized Him thus, meek retirement rather, not only in presence of murderous hatred, but away from the multitudes that followed Him and the admiration of the healed who would have spread His fame. He “charged them that they should not make him known, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Behold my servant . . .” (Isa 42:1-3 ; Mat 12:14-21 ). This state of things is seen here terminated by the victory of His second advent, when He shall set judgement in the earth and the isles shall wait for His law. The intervening action of the Holy Ghost here below, while Christ is exalted on high, does not enter into account in this prophecy.
This leads Jehovah in magnificent terms to speak of what He will accomplish through His own name and glory, in contrast with graven images. “Thus saith God Jehovah, he that created the heavens, and stretched them forth; he that spread abroad the earth and that which cometh out of it; he that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein. I Jehovah have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thy hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles, to open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, [and] them that sit in darkness out of the prison-house. I [am] Jehovah; that [is] my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise unto graven images. Behold, the former things are come to pass, and new things do I declare: before they spring forth I tell you of them” (vv. 5-9). Is this, or anything else, too hard for Jehovah?
“Sing unto Jehovah a new song, his praise from the end of the earth, ye that go down to the sea, and all that is therein, the isles and the inhabitants thereof. Let the wilderness and the cities thereof lift up [their voice], the villages Kedar doth inhabit; let the inhabitants of Sela (or, the rock) sing, let them shout from the top of the mountains. Let them give glory unto Jehovah, and declare his praise in the islands. Jehovah will go forth as a mighty man; he will stir up jealousy like a man of war: he will cry, yea, he will shout aloud; he will do mightily against his enemies. I have long time holden my peace, I have been still, I have restrained myself: [now] will I cry out like a travailing woman, I will gasp and pant together. I will lay waste mountains and hills, and dry up all their herbs; and I will make the rivers islands, and will dry up the pools. And I will bring the blind by a way they know not, in paths they know not will I lead them; I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do to them, and I will not forsake them. They shall be turned back, they shall be greatly ashamed, that trust in graven images, that say to the molten images, [Ye are] our gods” (vv. 10-17).
From verse 18 onward we have the utter shame of such as trust in these lying vanities insisted on, so as to touch the conscience of the guilty Jew. “Hear, ye deaf; and look, ye blind, that ye may see” (v. 18). Could Israel as they are testify for Jehovah? How could they look the Gentiles in the face, and reprove their idolatries? What were they themselves after all the favours of the true God? “Who [is] blind but my servant? and deaf as my messenger [that] I sent? who his] blind as [he that is] made perfect, and blind as Jehovah’s servant? Seeing many things, but thou observest not; opening the ears, he heareth not” (vv. 19, 20). It is Israel who are in view, “perfect,” yet “blind.” Such was their perfection in privilege and therefore in solemn responsibility, but such their woeful failure. Jehovah contrariwise is right in all His ways. “Jehovah was well pleased for his righteousness’ sake to magnify the law, and make [it] honourable. But this [is] a people robbed and spoiled; [they are] all of them snared in holes, and they are hid in prison-houses: they are for a prey, and none delivereth; for a spoil, and none saith, Restore. Who among you will give ear to this? [who] will hearken and hear what is to come? Who gave Jacob for a spoil and Israel to the robbers? did not Jehovah? – he against whom we have sinned; and they would not walk in his ways, nor be obedient unto his law. Therefore he hath poured upon him the fury of his anger, and the strength of battle: and it set him on fire round about, yet he knew not; and it burned him, yet he laid [it] not to heart” (vv. 21-25).
Such has been the way of Jehovah in chastening His rebellious people. Nor does He disguise the severity of His discipline. The day is coming when it will prove not in vain, as the next chapter declares His faithful affection when they knew it not. But they will yet and soon learn it in His grace.
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Isa 42:1-4
1Behold, My Servant, whom I uphold;
My chosen one in whom My soul delights.
I have put My Spirit upon Him;
He will bring forth justice to the nations.
2He will not cry out or raise His voice,
Nor make His voice heard in the street.
3A bruised reed He will not break
And a dimly burning wick He will not extinguish;
He will faithfully bring forth justice.
4He will not be disheartened or crushed
Until He has established justice in the earth;
And the coastlands will wait expectantly for His law.
Isa 42:1 Behold These two beholds (BDB 243, cf. Isa 41:29; Isa 42:1) contrast the lifeless idols of the nations with YHWH’s activity, God’s choice versus the nation’s choice (cf. Isa 41:29).
As in chapter 40, the question is asked to whom is YHWH speaking? It could be
1. the prophet
2. the heavenly council
3. just a literary technique for YHWH to express His thoughts to His covenant people
My Servant This was a title of respect and calling (BDB 713).
1. It was used in a collective sense
a. the Patriarchs as a group – Deu 9:27
b. the prophets – 2Ki 9:7; 2Ki 17:13; Ezr 9:11; Jer 7:25; Jer 26:5; Jer 29:19; Jer 35:15; Jer 44:4
c. Israel – Psa 105:6; Psa 136:22; Isa 41:8-9; Isa 42:18-19; Isa 44:1-2; Isa 44:21; Isa 45:4; Isa 48:20; Isa 49:3; Jer 30:10; Jer 46:27-28
d. the Septuagint adds a phrase to Isa 42:1, which makes it refer to national Israel (Jacob is my servant, I will help him; Israel is my chosen)
2. It was used in an individual sense
a. Abraham – Gen 26:24; Psa 105:6
b. Job – Job 1:8; Job 2:3; Job 42:7-8
c. Isaac – Gen 24:14
d. Jacob – 1Ch 16:13; Psa 105:6; Eze 28:25
e. Moses – Exo 14:31; Num 12:7-8; Deu 34:5; Jos 1:1-2; Jos 1:7; Jos 1:13; Jos 1:15
f. Joshua – Jos 24:29; Jdg 2:8
g. Caleb – Num 14:24
h. David – Eze 37:25
i. Zerubbabel – Hag 2:23
j. Solomon – 1Ki 3:8
k. Isaiah – Isa 20:3; Isa 44:26
l. Jesus – Mat 12:15-21 quotes Isa 42:1-4
whom I Notice the things YHWH has done and will do for His special servant.
1. whom I uphold, Isa 42:1
2. in whom My soul delights, Isa 42:1
3. I have put My Spirit upon Him, Isa 42:1
He will. . . Notice the things the servant will do (series of IMPERFECT VERBS).
1. bring forth justice to the nations (i.e., universal implication, cf. Isa 42:1; Isaiah 4 b,c)
2. will not cry out, Isa 42:2
3. will not raise His voice, Isa 42:2
4. will not make His voice heard in the street, Isa 42:2
5. will not break a bruised reed, Isa 42:3
6. will not extinguish a dimly burning wick, Isa 42:3
7. will faithfully bring forth, Isa 42:3
8. will not be disheartened, Isa 42:4
9. will not be crushed, Isa 42:4
10. will establish justice in the earth, Isa 42:4
My chosen one This term (BDB 103, KB 119) denotes YHWH’s choice of people, places, groups to serve Him.
1. corporate choices
a. the seed of the Patriarchs – Deu 4:37; Deu 10:15
b. Israel – Deu 7:7; Psa 135:4; Isa 44:1; Eze 20:5
c. the people – 1Ki 3:8
d. the tribe of Judah – 1Ch 28:4; Psa 78:68
e. Levites – 1Ch 15:2; 2Ch 29:11
2. individuals
a. Abraham – Neh 9:7
b. Jacob – Psa 135:4
c. Aaron – Num 16:5; Num 17:5; Psa 105:26
d. David – 1Sa 10:24; 1Sa 16:8-10; Psa 78:70
e. Solomon – 1Ch 29:1
f. Zerubabbel – Hag 2:23
3. places (i.e., temple) – Deu 12:5; Deu 12:11; Deu 12:14; Deu 12:18; Deu 12:21; Deu 12:26; Deu 14:23-25
My soul delights This is similar to the title used by the Father for Jesus, My Beloved (cf. Mat 3:17; Mat 17:5).
I have put My Spirit upon Him This refers to the Servant being anointed and equipped for a task (cf. Isa 11:2; Isa 59:21; Isa 61:1). See Special Topic: Spirit in the Bible .
SPECIAL TOPIC: THE PERSONHOOD OF THE SPIRIT
He will bring forth justice See Special Topic: Judge, Judgment, Justice .
to the nations Notice the universal implications of this phrase and Isa 42:4 b and c, 6c and d, 10-12! Of all the prophets of Israel, it is Isaiah who saw the inclusion of the Gentiles in YHWH’s future kingdom most clearly!
Isa 42:2 He will not cry out or raise His voice This is either
1. linked with Isa 53:7, which refers to Jesus’ trial
2. a description of His quiet style of ministry
3. a reference to a prayer for help which the Servant does not need (cf. Isa 65:14)
The etymology of this term strongly favors #3.
Isa 42:3 A bruised reed. . .a dimly burning wick This describes a ministry of compassion, understanding, and patience to those who have somehow been wounded and stressed (cf. Isa 57:15).
NASB, NRSV,
NJBfaithfully
NKJV, LXXtruth
JPSOAthe true way
The Hebrew root is (BDB 52) and occurs only here. The UBS Text Project gives an A rating to truth and not for nations (cf. NEB). Both truth and faithful are in the semantic range of the root’s meaning.
Isa 42:4 . . .Until. . . This seems to imply that a crushing (i.e., Isa 52:13 to Isa 53:12) will take place but at an appointed time.
in the earth. . .the coastlands These are in a parallel relationship and, therefore, are synonymous. This again is a reference to Gentile nations. See note at Isa 41:1; Isa 41:5.
My Servant: i.e. Messiah. See note on Isa 37:35.
My soul = I Myself. Hebrew. nephesh. App-13.
delighteth = is well-pleased.
put = bestowed.
My spirit. Hebrew. ruach (App-9). Here is the doctrine of the Trinity: (1) The Father, the speaker; (2) My “Servant”, the Messiah, the Son; and (3) My Spirit. See note on “stretched out” in Isa 42:5.
Chapter 42
Now God speaks of another servant. This is His righteous servant, even Jesus Christ. And now Isaiah begins to prophesy concerning Christ, the servant of God.
Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth ( Isa 42:1 );
You remember when Jesus was baptized that there came the voice from heaven saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye Him” ( Mat 17:5 ). God declares, “In whom my soul delights.”
I have put my Spirit upon him ( Isa 42:1 ):
And at the time of the baptism, you remember the heavens opened and the Spirit of God descended as a dove and lighted upon Him and the voice of the Father said, “This is My beloved Son.” But here’s a prophecy of the baptism of Jesus and those events that would take place. “My servant, in whom My soul delights. I have put My Spirit upon Him.”
he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles ( Isa 42:1 ).
So the gospel coming unto the Gentiles through Jesus Christ is predicted.
He will not cry, nor lift up, his voice to be heard in the street ( Isa 42:2 ).
Israel, which at the time of His coming was,
A bruised reed will he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: till he bring forth judgment unto truth. He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he has set judgment in the earth: and the coast shall wait for his law ( Isa 42:3-4 ).
Now we are told that Jesus is sitting there at the right hand of the Father, waiting for the kingdom to be given unto Him. In Hebrews it said, “God has put all things in subjection under Him. But we do not yet see all things in subjection unto Him. But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor” ( Heb 2:8-9 ). Waiting until the kingdom really will be given unto Him, until this expectation is fulfilled. So God’s promise that He has set Him for judgment in the earth.
Thus saith God the LORD, he that created the heavens, and stretched them out; he that spread forth the earth, and that which comes out of it; he that gives breath unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein ( Isa 42:5 ):
God declaring now Himself. As Francis Schaeffer said the time has come when we shouldn’t just speak of God, because there are so many different gods the people worship. Or people have so many different concepts of God that when you talk about God, unless you define the god that you are talking about, they really don’t know who you are talking about. So we need to define God as the eternal, living God who created the heavens and the earth. Well, it is interesting when God defines Himself He goes a little bit further. “He that created the heavens, and stretched them out; He that spread forth the earth, and all that comes out of it; He that gives breath to the people upon it.”
You remember when Daniel came in to Belshazzar, who had ordered that the golden vessels that his grandfather Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the temple in Jerusalem be brought in that they might drink their wine out of those vessels that had been dedicated unto God’s service. And as they were drinking the wine, the handwriting came on the wall and his knees began to smote one against another. We’re going to have a prophecy of this, of his knees here in Isaiah when we get to chapter 45 tonight. He prophesies this guy’s knees shaking. And Daniel said… The fingers of the hand appeared and the writing on the wall, and the king called for the counselors to interpret and none of them could. So the queen mother said, “Well, there’s a man in the kingdom from among the Jews and God has given to him wisdom in the time of your grandfather. He told of dreams and visions.” And so they called Daniel in and Daniel gave a lecture to Belshazzar before he interpreted the writing. He said, “When your father was really nothing, God raised him up and gave him this great kingdom of Babylon. And when he exalted his heart against God, God allowed him the madness and he lived like an animal until seven seasons had passed over. Then God restored the kingdom and his sanity to him. But this God,” he said, “you have not glorified. And the God in whose very hand your breath is.” And that was the indictment against him. Here he had been taking his breath from God and yet using that breath to profane God. But God in whose very hand…
Did you ever realize how totally dependent you are upon God? And here God declares the dependency of man. “I’ve created all of the things that are in the earth. In fact, I’ve given breath to them all.”
I the LORD have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles; To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and to them that sit in darkness out of the prison house ( Isa 42:6-7 ).
When Paul was talking to Agrippa, and more or less giving his defense before king Agrippa, in Acts chapter 26 beginning with verse Isa 42:17 , Paul declared to Agrippa how that the Lord had appeared unto him and said unto him that he had sent Paul. “Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee. To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive the forgiveness of sins and the inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me” ( Act 26:17-18 ). Paul’s commission from the Lord was to go to the Gentiles, to open their eyes, to turn them from their darkness to the light of God, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they might receive the forgiveness of their sins. And so Paul is really taking a part out of Isaiah here where God speaks of Him going to set His people as a light of the Gentiles, to open the blind eyes, to bring the prisoners from the prison, and those that sit in darkness out of the prison house. To deliver us from that prison of sin, that power that sin has upon a person’s life.
I am the LORD; that is ( Isa 42:8 )
I am. And, of course, you’ve got to really translate. I mean, you’ve got to. I am Yahweh or Yahovah, whatever the pronunciation is.
That is my name ( Isa 42:8 ):
You see, LORD in all capitals is not a title. In the New Testament the term Lord is a title. It is the Greek word kurios. But in the Old Testament, there is adonahai, the Hebrew which is a title, Lord. And when you find that, it is capital “L,” small o-r-d. But when the name of God, the Yahweh, the consonants Y-H-V-H which are in the text, that stands for the name of God. And only the consonants were written so a man would not pronounce the name in his mind. But God declares, “I am Yahweh. That is My name.”
and my glory will I not give to another, and neither will I give praise to graven images ( Isa 42:8 ).
Now this is heavy-duty stuff. And anyone, anyone who ever seeks to serve God and to minister for God must remember that God will not give His glory to another. There are many people who seek to bring glory to themselves in their service to God. “Let your light,” Jesus said, “so shine before men, that when they see your good works, they glorify your Father which is in heaven” ( Mat 5:16 ). We must take care that we do not serve God in such a way as to bring personal glory or honor to ourselves. And that is a constant danger because of our flesh which delights in glory and recognition and fame and honor. But God said, “I will not give My glory to another.” And the minute we start taking God’s glory for ourselves, we’re in big trouble with God.
“I will not give it to another, neither My praise to graven images.” God really takes off on the images that these people were making. The likenesses and the stupidity of making their own gods. How it is so totally illogical for a man to make his own god, and you’ll get into that pretty soon.
He said,
Behold, the former things are come to pass, and the new things do I declare: before they spring forth I tell you of them ( Isa 42:9 ).
This was what He was challenging the other gods to do. But He said, “I’m doing it. I’ve told you of the former things and I’m declaring to you things before they ever happen.”
Sing unto the LORD a new song, sing his praise from the end of the earth, ye that go down to the sea, and all that is therein; the coast, and the inhabitants thereof. Let the wilderness and the cities thereof lift up their voice, the villages that Kedar doth inhabit: let the inhabitants of the rock [that is, Petras] sing, let them shout from the top of the mountains. Let them give glory unto the LORD, and declare his praise in the coast. For the LORD shall go forth as a mighty man, he shall stir up jealousy like a man of war: he shall cry, yea, roar; he shall prevail against his enemies ( Isa 42:10-13 ).
Now in many places in the Old Testament, there is a reference to the Lord when He comes in His glory roaring like a lion. This is one of them. “He shall cry, yea, He’ll roar like a lion roaring over its prey that it has subdued.” And in Revelation, chapter 10, the description of the coming again of Jesus Christ, it said, “And He shall roar as a lion” ( Rev 10:3 ). So I am so anxious to hear that roar. The next reference in the Old Testament Isa 25:30 ,but all the way through the Old Testament there are many references and we’ll follow them through as we go through this time. This is one of the first of them.
I have held my peace for a long time; I have been still, I have refrained myself: now will I cry like a travailing woman; I will destroy and devour at once ( Isa 42:14 ).
How patient God has been as He allowed the earth to go on in this condition since Christ, 2,000 years almost. God said, “I’ve held My peace for a long time.” I’ve wondered how God could hold His peace for so long. I wondered how God could let things go by. He said, “I’ve been still; I’ve refrained Myself.” But now the time has come.
I will make waste mountains and hills, I will dry up their vegetables; I will make the rivers islands, and I will dry up the pools. And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and the crooked things straight ( Isa 42:15-16 ).
Notice the desolation will come before the rebuilding.
You remember when God commissioned Jeremiah to prophesy. God said to Jeremiah that, “I have called thee to root out, to pull down, to destroy, to throw down, to build, and to plant” ( Jer 1:10 ). You see, sometimes things get so corrupt, before you can build you just got to wipe out what’s there. And so with Jeremiah. The nation had become so corrupt. He had to root out, pull down, destroy before he began to build and to plant. Now here again is the same thing. God’s judgment is first going to come, making waste the earth in the Great Tribulation period. And then He will begin His work of restoration, opening the eyes of the blind. “Making darkness light before them, straightening the crooked paths.”
These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them. They shall be turned back, they shall be greatly ashamed, that trust in their graven images, that say to the molten images, Ye are our gods. Hear, ye deaf; and look, ye blind, that ye may see. Who is blind, but my servant? ( Isa 42:16-19 )
Israel was so blind to the things of God. And Jesus said, “Well did Isaiah the prophet testify of you, saying, ‘Having eyes to see, you will not see; having ears to hear, you will not hear'” ( Mat 13:14 ). God’s nation, God’s people were blind when the Messiah came. They did not recognize Him. It said, “He came to His own, and His own received Him not” ( Joh 1:11 ). And Jesus spoke of their blindness to them. “Who is blind, but my servant?”
or deaf, as my messenger that I sent? who is blind as he that is perfect, and blind as the LORD’S servant? Seeing many things, but you don’t observe them; opening your ears, but yet you’re not hearing. The LORD is well pleased for his righteousness’ sake; he will magnify the law, and make it honorable. But this is a people that are robbed and spoiled; they are all of them snared in holes, and they are hid in prison houses: they are for a prey, and none delivereth; for a spoil, and none saith, Restore. Who among you will give ear to this? who will hearken and hear for the time to come? Who gave Jacob for a spoil, and Israel to the robbers? ( Isa 42:19-24 )
Who turned the nation over?
did not the LORD, he against whom we have sinned? for they would not walk in his ways, neither were they obedient unto his law. Therefore he hath poured upon him the fury of his anger, and the strength of battle: and it hath set him on fire round about, yet he knew not; and it burned him, yet he didn’t lay it up to heart ( Isa 42:24-25 ).
And so they were destroyed. They were driven out of the land. And yet they didn’t consider that it was because of their rejection of God’s promised Messiah that these things came upon them. “
Isa 42:1. Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles.
Verily this prophecy is concerning the Lord Jesus Christ. Observe the title which he takes. He is called the servant of God. The Father calls him his servant. Above all others is Christ the servant of the Highest deigning to become the servant of servants, though he is the King of kings. Whom I uphold which may be read two ways. According to some renderings it should be, Whom I lean upon as if God leant the full weight of his glory upon Christ, and gave over the work of grace into his hands, that is, if the passage be read passively. If actively, it runs as in our text, Whom I uphold. And both are true. God leans upon Christ. Christ draws his strength from God. They co-work, and mutual is the glory. Mine elect. That is first. My choice one, for there is none so choice as Christ. My elected one, for Christ is the head of election. We are chosen in him from before the foundation of the world so that specially does God call him Mine elect. In whom my soul delighteth. The delight of the Father in the Son is infinite. He delighted in his person. Now he delights in the work which he has accomplished. The delight of the Father is in Christ, and he delights in us because we are in him. If, indeed, we are members of Christ, he is well pleased with us for Christs sake. In whom my soul delighteth. I have put my Spirit upon him. That was publicly done when he was baptized in the Jordan. The Spirit without measure rests and abides on him, our covenant head. He shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles. Rejoice then, ye Gentiles. You are no longer excluded. At first the word came to the Jews only, but he has given the man, Christ Jesus, who has brought forth judgment to the Gentiles.
Isa 42:2-3. He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street. A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth.
Jesus was gentle, retiring, meek, quiet. His testimony was a very powerful one, but not a noisy one. He sought no honour among men. He frequently forbade the healed ones to tell of his miracles. He rather retired than came into public notice. He was not contentious. He did not seek to put out the Pharisees, who were like smoking flax. He was never hard towards the tender ones, but always gentle as a nurse among her children. Now it is very often found that, where there is quietness and meekness, there is, nevertheless, great firmness of purpose. Noise and weakness go together, but quietness and strength are frequently combined. So read the next verse.
Isa 42:4. He shall not fail He shall not faint.
So it may be.
Isa 42:4. Nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth: and the isles shall wait for his law.
This quiet, gentle Christ goes on pushing on his empire and extending his dominion till these far-off islands of the sea already know his power and the day comes when the whole round earth shall be obedient to his sway. O blessed Christ, how glad we are to think that, when we are discouraged, thou art not, and, when we fail and faint, thou dost not. Thou holdest on for ever, like the sun who cometh forth from his chamber in the morning, and stayeth not till he has run his race.
Isa 42:5-6. Thus saith God the LORD, he that created the heavens, and stretched them out; he that spread forth the earth, and that which cometh out of it; he that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein: I the LORD have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles;
Thus the great God commissions Christ. Thus he declares that the eternal power and Godhead will back him up till the Gentiles shall perceive his light, and the people shall be brought into covenant with God.
Isa 42:1-4
Isa 42:1-4
FEATURING A PROPHECY OF THE MESSIAH
By far the most interesting part of this chapter is found at the very beginning.
Isa 42:1-4
“Behold, my servant whom I will uphold; my chosen in whom my soul delighteth: I will put my Spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the Gentiles. He will not cry, nor lift up his voice, nor cause it to be heard in the street. A bruised reed will he not break, and a dimly burning wick he will not quench: he will bring forth justice in truth. He will not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set justice in the earth; and the isles shall wait for his law.”
The certainty that it is Jesus Christ the Messiah who is actually prophesied here has been known for ages; and only the rebellious perversity of deluded and hardened minds could be responsible for the regrettable fact that today one finds the true meaning denied by a few.
“The ancient Chaldee version translates the first line here: `Behold, my servant, Messiah.’ The apostle Matthew applied it directly to Jesus Christ; nor can the passage with any justice or propriety be applied to any other person or character whatsoever.
In the New Testament, Matthew quoted this whole passage verbatim in Mat 12:18-21, stating that the prophet Isaiah had written this, and applying every word of it to Jesus Christ. It is the unwavering conviction of this writer that the Gospel of Matthew is a true portion of God’s Word, every word of which we hold to be absolute and unalterable truth!
“Reference is here made to other writers regarding their comments on this passage: Only Christ fulfills the assignment here; all others fall short. The Messiah-Servant is presented here as the tender Prophet; and clearly the Servant is here presented as an individual, not as the nation of Israel. This speaks of Christ the antitype of Israel, and also the antitype of Cyrus. Christ, the Servant, here is closely related to Israel. The mention of God’s Spirit given to Christ upon the occasion of his baptism (Mat 3:17) emphasizes that the Servant is an individual, standing out from the mass of Israel, a fact strongly emphasized again in Isa 42:18, below. There are few indeed who deny that “the Servant of the Lord” here is the Messiah. The portraiture has so strong an individuality and such marked personal features, that he cannot possibly be merely a personified collective.
No matter how undeniable an interpretation may be, the diehard critics will not have it so. “Isa 42:1-4 mean that Yahweh has called Israel, taken him by the hand, made him a covenant and a light to the nations, to bring them forth from the prison-house of glimmering darkness.” It is charitable to suppose that Wardle ever read the rest of this chapter, where it is unequivocally stated that the nation of Israel was both blind and deaf! How could such a nation be thought of as light and a covenant to all the nations? Furthermore, this remains the status of secular Israel until this day.
In our Introduction to Isaiah, we pointed out that splitting Isaiah once by no means solves any problem. Kelley tells us that, “Bernard Duhm (we do not know if this last name is pronounced Dumb or Doom!) published a commentary in 1892 and revealed that he had isolated four `Servant Songs’ (Isa 42:1-4; Isa 49:1-6; Isa 50:4-9; Isa 52:13-15; Isa 53:1-12), alleging that they were so different from the material in which they were embedded that they must have been written, not by their imaginative Deutero-Isaiah, but by someone else!” Such a ridiculous error as this is due to the failure to recognize the close relationship between Christ and the First Israel and also between Christ and Cyrus, our Lord being undoubtedly the antitype of each of these, as noted by Jamieson, above.
The most deplorable error of interpretation with regard to the Old Testament and to Israel particularly is that of the failure to distinguish `which Israel’ is meant. All of the glorious promises to Abraham never pertained in any degree to the mere physical descendants of that patriarch, but to his “spiritual seed,” the “true Israel,” the honorable people of “like character and faith of Abraham.” The stupendous error of the critics in supposing that the nation of physical Israel is “the Ideal Servant” of Jehovah is due to their confusing the sinful kingdom of Israel with the “Servant” in whom the Lord was delighted, and who is here promised that Jehovah will uphold him, etc. That Israel is the “True Israel”; and just who is he? The apostle John quoted Jesus himself on this, and he said, “I am the true vine” (Joh 15:1). The physical, secular Israel was never, for a moment, the “true vine.” Christ only is the True Vine, the True Israel; and just who is the Old Israel? Jeremiah tells us what kind of vine Israel became:
“To Israel: Yet I had planted thee a noble vine, wholly a right seed: how then art thou turned into the degenerate branches of a vine foreign unto me?” (Jer 2:21).
Note also that Isaiah had stressed this very same fact in Isa 5:3-8, where it is revealed that: although Israel (the physical Israel) had been intended to produce grapes, instead it produced only wild grapes and was fit only to be destroyed. There are literally countless passages of the Old Testament that dwell upon this tragic truth; and yet, throughout the Old Testament, God continually reiterated the truth that all of the sacred promises to the patriarchs were yet to be fulfilled. How? In the spiritual Israel, of course!
In this very chapter, the two Israels are dramatically presented; and without the information conveyed here, no understanding whatever is possible with reference to whole sections of the Old Testament. The two Israels in view here are the blind and deaf and rebellious Israel, and the Holy Christ who is the “True Israel,” “the True Israel” of the New Testament. The first Israel is a type of the True Israel which is Christ.
The first Israel came up out of Egypt, being called forth from Egypt by God; Christ the True Israel also was called out of Egypt (See Hos 11:1 and Mat 2:15). The birth of the first Israel as a nation was accompanied by a wholesale slaughter of innocent babies by Pharaoh who sought to destroy Israel; and the birth of the True Israel (Christ) was likewise accompanied by the wholesale slaughter of the innocents by Herod the Great. All of the first Israel were descended from Abraham; so was Jesus Christ the True Israel (Mat 1:1). The first Israel, namely, Jacob, died; and Joseph begged the body of the first Israel from Pharaoh for the purpose of burying it; and when the True Israel (Jesus Christ) died, another Joseph begged the body of Pilate in order to bury it. The old Israel received “bread from heaven” in the form of manna in the wilderness; the New Israel receives Christ as the “bread from heaven,” eating of his flesh and of his blood in the symbolical ritual of the Lord’s Supper in the “wilderness of the Church’s current probation.” This is an extensive subject; but these few lines will demonstrate the validity of the type-antitype relationship between the two Israels.
Note what is said here of the character of “The Servant.” God’s soul delighteth in him (the prophetic present for the future verb). Could this refer to the “nation” of the Old Israel? Certainly not. Ezekiel stated that the secular nation had become worse than Sodom and Gomorrah (Ezekiel 16). He will bring forth justice to the Gentiles. The Old Israel absolutely refused to do this; and they are still refusing to do it in the case of the shamefully displaced Palestinians. Only in the Ideal Israel, Jesus Christ our Lord, has justice and salvation ever come to the Gentiles. It was primarily because the physical Israel understood Jesus’ intention of saving Gentiles that they rejected him and engineered his crucifixion.
“And the isles wait for his law …” (Isa 42:4). Delitzsch as quoted by Rawlinson stated that, “It is an actual fact that the cry for redemption runs through the whole human race. They are possessed by an earnest longing, the ultimate object of which is, however unconsciously, the Servant of Jehovah and his instruction from Zion.
Isa 42:1-4 CHARACTER OF THE SERVANT: The word avediy is the Hebrew word for bond servant. There is another word, sakiyr, meaning hired servant. This is the Messiah! That is evident from Mat 12:17-21. When the Incarnate God came to man, He came as a servant-the lowliest of servants-a slave (cf. Php 2:7 doulou, Gr. for slave). Bekhiyriy means choice one and ratsethah means willing acceptance (or delight). Of all the servants at Jehovahs disposal, this One was the only acceptable One and so God chose Him. This Servant stands in peculiar relationship to Jehovah, He is the Son (cf. Joh 1:18, etc.). This makes His servanthood astounding. Many servants have been elevated to sonship-but no father wants his son to suffer the indignities of servanthood (cf. Php 2:5 ff; Luk 15:19 ff). This Servant will be sustained by the Spirit of the Living God upon Him. He will have Gods Spirit without measure (Joh 3:31-36) and in Him will all the fulness of God dwell (Col 1:19; Col 2:9). The Son is the only servant fit to establish the Fathers covenant. He will come with all authority and faithfulness of the Father to deliver judgment, mishphat, in this instance meaning justice, to the goiym (Gentiles).
The nature of the Servant of Jehovah will be diametrically opposed to all human concepts of saviourhood or messiahship. He will not put on a huge show and make a lot of noise. He will not advertise nor hire a public relations man to create for Him a popular image. He will not call attention to Himself merely for His own satisfaction. He will not seek His own glory (cf. Joh 5:41; Joh 8:50). He comes humbly (cf. Zec 9:9). He comes to save, not to win the acclaim of men. He comes to serve, not to be served. Most human saviours and deliverers reach their positions of power by exploitation, to one degree or another, of those less talented, poorer, or weaker than they. The world expects its messiahs to be ruthless, proud, indulgent and patronizing. Nietzsches Superman was to be the result of elimination of all the weak people of the world. Nietzsche advocated breaking and crushing all the bruised reeds and quenching all the dimly burning wicks. His philosophy declared all Jews and Christians weak. Adolph Hitler believed Nietzsche. Hitler was the self-acclaimed messiah of the German people. There have been politicians in our own country subscribing to the same philosophy. Their idea is that the masses are too ignorant to know what is best for them; break them, quench them; then patronize them with all-encompassing government. But the Servant of Jehovah comes to be a servant of the bruised and dimly-burning. He comes to heal and help. He will be a King who serves His subjects-even to die for them. He will search their hearts and personalities and find any spark of good and fan it, if possible, into a flame of faith and holiness. He will pour Himself into them to give them a power to reach their highest potential. He does not befriend them to take from them, but to give to them. This servant will be a suffering Servant (Isa 53:1-12); He will be a shepherding Servant who tenderly feeds the sheep, not one who devours the flock (Eze 34:1-31). The Servant of Jehovah will establish what is right (justice) by what is true (in truth). He will not be fooled by appearances; He will not judge by partiality; He will not accept or practice falsehood. He will personify absolute truth.
There is an interesting play-on-words between Isa 42:4; Isa 42:3. In Isa 42:3 the verbs ratsuts (bruised) and kehah (growing dim) are used again in different form yikeheh (He will not grow dim) and yaruts (He will not be crushed) in Isa 42:4. He will, in the flesh, in servant-form, be victorious and able to help the crushed and quenched! (cf. Heb 4:14-16).
The manifesto now presents the great Servant of Jehovah. His person is first described. His manifestation is announced (verse Isa 42:1 ) , His mission is declared (verse Isa 42:1 ) , His method is described (verses Isa 42:2-3), and His might is affirmed (verse Isa 42:4).
Then His relation to Jehovah is indicated in the words of Jehovah. He is called, held, kept, and given, and all that for purposes of deliverance. The ultimate purpose is the glory of Jehovah. The prophet immediately breaks forth into a song of confidence, calling on the whole earth to give glory to Jehovah. This is followed by a new declaration of the purpose of Jehovah in His very words. First, His compassion is spoken of. For a long time He had been silent, but now would cry out, and that finally in the interest of peace and his determination to bring deliverance to His people.
The chapter closes with the prophet’s appeal to the people in view of the great manifesto. He first describes their failure. Israel is thought of in its purpose in the economy of God, as His servant, but is declared to be blind. To them he appeals to hearken for the time to come, and declares that their suffering has all been the result of their sin.
the Work of the Lords Servant
Isa 42:1-13
We cannot doubt the application of this passage to our Lord, Mat 12:18-20. The unobtrusiveness of His life and work was clearly demonstrated in every hour of His sojourn among men. He silenced those whom He healed. He stole away from the multitudes for prayer. He stayed in Galilee till His brethren were angry at His reluctance to show Himself to the people. He did not strive, nor cry.
How meek and lowly was our Lord! A reed is typical of a heart broken by unkindness or a sense of sin. There is no beauty in the russet plume. It will not even serve for the shepherds pipe. The smoking flax cannot ignite, because hardly able to remain aglow. This is the symbol of one whose love is tardy and cold. But such our Lord does not ignore. He can use the commonest and most unlikely materials.
He is never discouraged and cannot fail; and since He cannot, neither shall the Church, nor shall we. His love and power are pledged to us. Let us sing to Him and of Him.
EXPOSITORY NOTES ON
THE PROPHET ISAIAH
By
Harry A. Ironside, Litt.D.
Copyright @ 1952
edited for 3BSB by Baptist Bible Believer in the spirit of the Colportage ministry of a century ago
ISAIAH CHAPTER FORTY-TWO
THE CHOSEN SERVANT
IN CHAPTER forty-two Messiah is brought before us. The forerunner – the voice of one crying in the wilderness – has been spoken of. Now Messiah Himself is presented. This is taken up more fully later, but He is shown here that Israel may have the program of GOD before them and realize what folly it is to turn away from the living and true GOD to their senseless idols.
“Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth Judgment to the Gentiles. He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street. A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth. He shall not fail nor be discouraged till he have set judgment in the earth: and the isles shall wait for his law” (verses 1-4).
This passage is definitely applied to our Lord in Mat 12:17-21: “He shall not break the bruised reed, nor quench the smoking flax.” Wherever there is the least evidence of the heart’s desire to turn to GOD, He quickens and encourages it and leads on into full assurance of faith at last. These things characterized the Lord’s ministry here. How far different from us! We are apt to go to extremes; either we do not like to talk to anyone about their souls or do any personal work; we pay no attention, no matter what people may say or do, except to preach to them from the platform, or else we are inclined to be very obtrusive and self-assertive and do many things that are hardly in keeping with that Christian culture which we ought to manifest.
This passage helped me greatly when I was a young man. I began my ministry as a Salvation Army officer, and sixty years ago the Salvation Army was a mighty power for good in this country. We used to march the streets of San Francisco in processions of over 1,000, with two or three brass bands, and we won hundreds of souls to CHRIST, but little by little the organization got away from soul-seeking.
It dwindled down from that, and now it is almost merely a great charitable organization. But we were inclined, perhaps, to go to too great extremes in our intense earnestness, and to do things that possibly were not wise. Instead of impressing people for GOD, it made them think we were
unbalanced impressions of ourselves.
Personally I was so under the power of legality that I felt guilty if I rode in a street car without immediately rising to give my testimony.
As soon as we left the corner I would get to my feet and say, “Friends, I want to give my testimony for JESUS CHRIST, and I want to tell you how GOD saved me.”
The conductor would come and say, “Sit down. We didn’t ask you to come in here to conduct a church service.”
Then I was rather rude to him. I said, “Well, I’ll sit down if you say so, but you’ll have to answer at the judgment-bar of GOD for preventing these people from hearing the gospel.”
I would do the same thing in a railroad train. As soon as we got away from the station, I faced the passengers and began to give my testimony. I felt I had to do it, or be responsible for their souls. I did not realize that this was rude.
The last time that I got up in a railroad train in this way I had just started when a Roman Catholic priest jumped to his feet and said, “What’s this? What’s this? Do I have to be insulted in this train? Do I have to sit in a Protestant service? Call the conductor!”
The conductor came and said, “Young man, you can’t do this – you’ve no right to interfere with other people’s religion when you’re riding on a railroad train.” And so I had to sit down.
It bothered me. The devil either tries to keep you quiet or makes you think you must do what is unreasonable. What delivered me at last and showed me there was a golden mean between indifference and rudeness was this very passage.
What does it say of the Lord? “He shall not strive nor cry, neither shall His voice be heard in the street.”
He went through His service here for GOD in such a restful, quiet way. When people came to Him and wanted to know how to get eternal life, how to be saved, He was always ready to meet them, and He sought out the lost, like the woman at Sychar’s well, but you never find Him doing anything boisterous or uncouth. He was truly “GOD’s gentleman.”
When I first saw that expression applied to Him I was rather startled. I picked up a little volume, an old History of the World, in London some years ago, published early in 1600. When it came down to the days of the Roman Empire and Augustus Caesar, it said, “In his days, there was born in Bethlehem of Judea that goodly gentleman, JESUS CHRIST.” As I meditated on that, I thought, why should not that epithet be applied to Him?
What is a gentleman? A gentle man, a gracious man. JESUS was all that – always gentle and gracious. Even when rebuking sin sternly He never did anything that was boisterous or made Him seem uncouth.
“I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight, These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them” (verse 16).
If GOD explained all His ways with us beforehand we would no longer walk by faith, but by sight. He leads us along strange paths, and through new and peculiar experiences that we may learn how marvelously His grace can sustain, and how blessedly His wisdom can plan. It is not necessary that we should see the road ahead. It is only necessary that we trust our Guide. He knows the end from the beginning, and He never deviates from His purpose of blessing. When, at last, we have reached the city of GOD and look back over the way we have come, we shall praise Him for all His dealings with us, and we shall understand the reason for every trial.
~ end of chapter 42 ~
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Isa 42:1
The servitude of Jesus.
I. In Christ, service and freedom were perfectly combined. He gave the service of being, the service of work, the service of suffering, the service of worship, the service of rest, each to the very highest point of which that service is capable. But when He came, knowing, as He did, all to which He was coming, He came with these words upon His lips, “I delight to do it.”
II. Christ had many masters, and He served them all with perfect service. (1) There was His own high purpose, which had armed Him for His mission, and never by a hair’s-breadth did He ever swerve from that. (2) And there was the law. The law had no right over Christ, and yet how He served the law, in every requirement, moral, political, ceremonial, to the smallest tittle. (3) And there was death, that fearful master with his giant hand. Step by step, inch by inch, slowly, measuredly, He put Himself under its spell, He obeyed its mandate, and He owned its power. (4) And to His Heavenly Father what a true Servant He was, not only in fulfilling all the Father’s will, but as He did it, in always tracing to Him all the power, and giving back to Him all the glory.
III. There is a depth of beauty and power, of liberty and humiliation, of abandonment and love, in that word “servant,” which none ever know who have not considered it as one of the titles of Jesus. But there is another name of Jesus, very dear to His people, “the Master.” To understand “the Master” you must yourself have felt “the Servant.”
J. Vaughan, Fifty Sermons, 9th series, p. 27.
References: Isa 42:1, Isa 42:2.-Preacher’s Monthly, vol. i., p. 17. Isa 42:1-4.-W. M. Punshon, Penny Pulpit, No. 871 (see also Old Testament Outlines, p. 206); W. Hubbard, Christian World Pulpit, vol. xiv., p. 291; C. Short, Ibid., vol. xv., p. 241.
Isa 42:3
(Mat 12:20)
I. The first reference of this passage is to Christ’s cause in the world. Thus interpreted, the passage is full of inspiration to each Christian philanthropist. Christ’s cause-the cause of virtuous happiness here on earth, and of glory to God in the highest-this cause, amidst its seeming feebleness, is divinely secure. The same principle pervades the Lord’s dealing with each individual soul. The entire eventual holiness of His people-i.e. their perfection in knowledge, faith, and goodness-is the Saviour’s steadfast purpose; and in carrying out that purpose He exerts an unwearying and victorious patience.
II. Those who are seeking salvation should (1) avoid what would quench the smoking flax. There are regions so very cold, the icy realms of everlasting winter, that it is hardly possible to get anything to ignite. And so it is with cold companions. You will find that religion perishes whenever you walk in the counsel of the ungodly or stand in the way of sinners. (2) When once a brand of wick is fairly lighted, its tendency is to aid its own incandescence and keep up its clearer shining. And so the grace which has already grown most is likely to be most growthful; the piety which has become habitual will be not only permanent but progressive. For a smoking flax there is no specific like heaven’s oxygen; for a faint and flickering piety there is no cure comparable to the one without which all our exertions are but an effort to light a lamp in vacuo-the breath of the Holy Spirit.
J. Hamilton, Works, vol. vi., p. 178.
Isa 42:3
The lesson which this passage teaches is that the Saviour is infinite in kindness.
I. The sinner is obscure, but the Saviour is omniscient.
II. The sinner is a thing of grief and guilt, but the Saviour is gentleness and grace impersonate.
III. The sinner is in himself worthless, but the Saviour is mighty; and out of the most worthless can make a vessel of mercy meet for the Master’s use.
J. Hamilton, Works, vol. vi., p. 164.
The source of Christ’s perfect tenderness to sinners is none other than the Divine compassion. It was the love and pity of the Word made flesh. It teaches us, however, some great truths, full of instruction, which we will now consider.
I. It is plain that this gentle reception even of the greatest sinners implies that, where there is so much as a spark of life in the conscience, there is possibility of an entire conversion to God. Where there is room to hope anything, there is room to hope all things. Such is the mysterious nature of the human spirit, of its affections and will, such its energies and intensity, that it may at any time be so renewed by the spirit of the new creation as to expel, with the most perfect rejection, all the powers, qualities, visions, and thoughts of evil.
II. Another great truth implied in our Lord’s conduct to sinners is, that the only sure way of fostering the beginning of repentance is to receive them with gentleness and compassion. On those in whom there is the faintest stirring of repentance the love of Christ falls with a soft but penetrating force. To receive sinners coldly, or with an averted eye, an estranged heart, and a hasty, unsparing tongue, will seldom fail to drive them into defiance or self-abandonment. A sinner that is out of hope is lost. Hope is the last thing left. If this be crushed the flax is extinct. Truth told without love is perilous in the measure in which it is true. There is in every sinner a great burden of misery, soreness, and alarm; but even these, instead of driving him to confession, make him shut himself up in a fevered and brooding fear. And it was in this peculiar wretchedness of sin that the gentleness of our Lord gave them courage and hope. It was a strange courage that came upon them; a boldness without trembling, yet an awe without alarm. What little motions of good were in them, what little stirrings of conscience, what faint remainder of better resolutions, what feeble gleams of all but extinguished light,-all seemed to revive, and to turn in sympathy towards some source of kindred nature, and to stretch itself out in hope to something long desired, with a dim unconscious love. It is an affinity of the spirit working in penitents with the Spirit of Christ that made them draw to Him. It was not only because of His infinite compassion as God that Christ so dealt with sinners; but because, knowing the nature of man, its strange depths and windings, its weakness and fears, He knew that this was the surest way of winning them to Himself.
H. E. Manning, Sermons, vol. ii., p. 377.
References: Isa 42:3.-Homiletic Magazine, vol. xii., p. 19; Preacher’s Monthly, vol. i., p. 18.
Isa 42:3-4
I. Consider, first, the representation of the servant of the Lord as the restorer of the bruise that it may not be broken. “He shall not break the bruised reed.” Here is the picture. A slender bulrush, growing by the margin of some tarn or pond, its sides crushed and dinted in by some outward power, some gust of wind, some sudden blow, the foot of some passing animal. The head is hanging by a thread, but it is not yet snapped or broken off from the stem. And so, says my text, there are reeds bruised and shaken by the wind, but yet not broken. And the tender Christ comes with His gentle, wise, skilful surgery, to bind these up and to make them strong again. The text applies (1) to mankind generally, (2) especially to those whose hearts have been crushed by the consciousness of their sins.
II. Look next at the completing thought that is here in the second clause, which represents Christ as the Fosterer of incipient and imperfect good. “The dimly burning wick He shall not quench.” There is something in the nature of every man which corresponds to this dim flame that needs to be fostered in order to blaze brightly abroad. In a narrower sense the words may be applied to a class. There are some of us who have in us a little spark, as we believe, of a Divine life, the faint beginnings of a Christian character. We call ourselves Christ’s disciples. We are; but how dimly the flax burns. How do you make “smoking flax” burn? You give it oil, you give it air, and you take away the charred portions. And Christ will give you, in your feebleness, the oil of His Spirit, that you may burn brightly as one of the candlesticks in His temple; and He will let air in, and take away the charred portions, by the wise discipline of sorrow and trial sometimes, in order that the smoking flax may become the shining light.
III. Lastly, we have the representation of the servant of the Lord as exempt from human evil and weakness, as the foundation of His restoring and fostering work. “He shall not burn dimly nor be broken till He hath set judgment in the earth.” There are no bruises in this reed. Christ’s manhood is free from all scars and wounds of evil or of sin. There is no dimness in this light. Christ’s character is perfect. His goodness needs no increase. And because of these things, because of His perfect exemption from human infirmity, because in Him was no sin, He is manifested to take away our sins.
A. Maclaren, Christian Commonwealth, Jan. 28th, 1886.
References: Isa 42:4.-Archbishop Benson, Christian World Pulpit, vol. xxii., p. 232; Preacher’s Monthly, vol. i., p. 20, vol. x., p. 288. Isa 42:7.-Spurgeon, Sermons, vol. xvii., No. 986. Isa 42:9.-Ibid., vol. xxv., No. 1508.
Isa 42:14-16
The solemn practical truth of the text is that God can do the most terrible things and the most gentle; that power belongeth unto God and also mercy; that He is either glorious as heaven or fearful as hell.
I. Look at the doctrine of the text in relation to bad men who pride themselves upon their success and their strength. The doctrine of the text is that there is a Power beyond man’s, and that nothing is held safely which is not held by consent of that Power. As he would be infinitely foolish who should build his house without thinking of the natural forces that will try its strength, so is he cursed with insanity who builds his character without thinking of the fire with which God will try every man’s work of what sort it is. The so-called success of the bad man has yet to stand the strain of Divine trial. Though his strength be as a mountain, it shall be wasted; though it be as a hill it shall be blown away, and the world shall see how poorly they build who build only for the light and quietness of summer. Remember, we are not stronger than our weakest point, and that true wisdom binds us to watch even the least gate that is insufficient or insecure.
II. Look at the doctrine of the text as an encouragement to all men who work under the guidance of God. God declares Himself gentle to those who truly need Him. He promises nothing to the self-sufficient; He promises much to the needy. The text shows the principle on which Divine help is given to men,-the principle of conscious need and of willingness to be guided. A true apprehension of this doctrine will give us a new view of daily providences, viz., that men who are apparently most destitute may in reality be most richly enjoying the blessings of God. Clearly, we are not to judge human life by outward conditions. Blindness may not be merely so much defect, it may be but another condition of happiness. It is because we are blind that He will lead us. It is because we are weak that He will carry us. It is because we have nothing that He offers to give us all things.
Parker, City Temple, 1870, p. 277.
References: Isa 42:16.-Preacher’s Monthly, vol. ix., p. 32; Spurgeon, Sermons, vol. xiv., No. 847, vol. xxii., No. 1310.
CHAPTER 42
The True Servant of Jehovah
1. The Servant of Jehovah and His mission (Isa 42:1-4) 2. His future work among the nations (Isa 42:5-9) 3. The future song of redemption glory (Isa 42:10-13) 4. Jehovahs manifestation in power (Isa 42:14-17) 5. The address of exhortation to the deaf and blind nation (Isa 42:18-25) Matthews Gospel (Mat 12:20) tells us that this servant is the Lord Jesus Christ. Mark the different phases of His character and work while on earth and His future work when He appears again. The song of redemption glory will be sung only when He is manifested. Israel is seen as a people robbed and spoiled. None saith Restore. This is their present condition.
servant
There is a twofold account of the Coming Servant:
(1) he is represented as weak, despised, rejected, slain:
(2) and also as a mighty conqueror, taking vengeance on the nations and restoring Israel (e.g. Isa 40:10; Isa 63:1-4). The former class of passages relate to the first advent, and are fulfilled; the latter to the second advent, and are unfulfilled.
my servant: Isa 43:10, Isa 49:3-6, Isa 52:13, Isa 53:11, Mat 12:18-20, Phi 2:7
whom I: Isa 49:7, Isa 49:8, Isa 50:4-9, Joh 16:32
mine elect: Psa 89:19, Psa 89:20, Joh 6:27, 1Pe 2:4, 1Pe 2:6
my soul: Mat 3:17, Mat 17:5, Mar 1:11, Luk 3:22, Eph 1:4, Eph 1:6, Col 1:13, *marg.
I have: Isa 11:2-5, Isa 59:21, Isa 61:1, Mat 3:16, Mar 1:10, Luk 3:22, Joh 1:32-34, Joh 3:34, Act 10:38
he shall: Isa 32:16, Isa 49:6, Mal 1:11, Mat 12:18, Act 9:15, Act 11:18, Act 26:17, Act 26:18, Act 28:28, Rom 15:8-16, Eph 3:8
Reciprocal: Gen 49:10 – the gathering Lev 2:4 – wafers Num 4:49 – every one Num 7:5 – Take it Jos 1:2 – Moses 2Sa 15:26 – General 2Sa 22:20 – delighted 1Ki 10:9 – delighteth 1Ch 17:19 – thy servant’s 2Ch 9:8 – General Est 6:6 – whom the king Job 1:8 – my servant Psa 16:5 – thou Psa 22:8 – seeing Psa 25:9 – guide Psa 37:17 – Lord Psa 54:4 – General Psa 63:8 – thy Psa 73:23 – thou hast Psa 89:3 – my chosen Psa 89:21 – With Psa 110:6 – judge Psa 119:116 – Uphold Pro 8:30 – I was daily Isa 30:18 – for the Lord Isa 42:6 – and will hold Isa 49:1 – Listen Isa 49:2 – in the Isa 49:22 – Behold Isa 50:7 – the Lord Isa 50:10 – obeyeth Isa 51:4 – I will make Isa 53:10 – pleased Isa 54:3 – thou shalt Mic 4:2 – for Hag 2:23 – for Zec 2:11 – many Zec 3:8 – my Mat 11:29 – for Mat 12:17 – saying Mat 28:19 – ye therefore Mar 12:6 – his Luk 2:31 – General Luk 4:18 – Spirit Luk 4:43 – therefore Luk 23:35 – Christ Luk 24:44 – in the prophets Joh 3:35 – Father Joh 8:29 – he that sent Joh 10:17 – General Joh 10:36 – whom Joh 14:28 – Father Joh 15:10 – even Act 1:2 – through Act 13:47 – I have Act 26:6 – the promise Rom 8:33 – of God’s Rom 15:12 – and he Eph 1:12 – who Col 3:12 – as Heb 9:14 – who Heb 10:38 – my 2Pe 1:17 – in whom
Isa 42:1. Behold my servant, &c. The prophet, having opened his subject with the preparation for the return from the captivity at Babylon, and intimated that a much greater deliverance was covered under the veil of that event, proceeded to vindicate the power of God, as Creator and Disposer of all things, and his infinite knowledge from his prediction of future events, and in particular of that deliverance; he then went still further, and pointed out the instrument by which he should effect the redemption of his people from slavery, namely, a great conqueror, whom he would call forth from the north and the east, to execute his orders. He now proceeds to the great deliverance, and at once brings forth into full view the Messiah, without throwing any veil of allegory over the subject. For, though the person here spoken of has by some been supposed to be Cyrus, and by others Isaiah himself, and by others again the people of the Jews; yet we are directed by an infallible interpreter to understand the prophet as speaking of Christ. For to him St. Matthew has directly applied his words; nor, as Bishop Lowth has observed, can they, with any justice or propriety, be applied to any other person or character whatever. This is so evident, that not only the generality of Christians, but the Chaldee paraphrast, and divers of the most learned Jews, understand the passage of the Messiah, and of him alone; and pass a very severe sentence upon their brethren that expound it of any other person, and affirm that they are smitten with blindness in this matter. Indeed, to him, and to him only, all the particulars here following do truly and evidently belong, as we shall see. My servant Though he was the only Son of the Father, in a sense in which no creature, man or angel, was, is, or can be his son; see Heb 1:2-5; yet, as Mediator, and with respect to his human nature, he sustained the character, and appeared in the form of a servant, learned obedience to his Fathers will, practised it, and was continually employed in advancing the interests of his kingdom. Whom I uphold Whom I assist, and enable to do and suffer all those things which belong to his office; mine elect Chosen by me to this great work of mediation and redemption; in whom my soul delighteth Or, as is often rendered, is well pleased, both for himself and for all his people, being fully satisfied with that sacrifice which he shall offer up to me: see Mat 3:17; Mat 17:5; 2Pe 1:17; Joh 3:35. I have put my Spirit upon him
Not by, but without, measure, Joh 3:34; by which he is furnished with that abundance and eminence of graces and gifts which are necessary for the discharge of his high and mighty undertaking. He shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles He shall publish or show (as the word often signifies, and is translated Mat 12:18) the law, counsel, or will of God concerning mans salvation; and that not only to the Jews, to whom the knowledge of Gods law had been hitherto in a great measure confined, but to the heathen nations also.
Isa 42:1. Behold my servant. In the Chaldaic, the Messiah; and so the whole passage is cited from the LXX. Mat 12:17-20. All other applications of the word servant are superseded. Christ took upon him the form of a servant, as the great minister of his Fathers kingdom, which kingdom he must deliver up at the end of time.
Isa 42:4. He shall not failtill he hath set judgment in the earth. The LXX, He shall shine out; that is, the Messiah shall proceed with his work, till he has filled the earth with righteousness; or according to St. Matthew, till he has sent forth judgment unto victory. This is very encouraging to weak believers; the tender reeds shall grow, and the smoking flax shall kindle to a flame. The LXX use the word isles and gentiles as synonimous. The isles of Chittim or Greece, and nations wide as the world, shall wait for the gospel-law. Moses gave laws to the Hebrews, Lycurgus to the Lacedemonians, Solon to the Athenians, but Christ is the lawgiver of the world.
Isa 42:6. I the Lord have called thee, my servant, the Holy One of Israel, to declare my covenant, to publish righteousness to the heathen, and to fill the world with the light and glory of the gospel.
Isa 42:8. I am JEHOVAH, that is my name. The Almighty; the same to-day as in ages past, and in years to come. Exo 3:14. The worship of an idol is, by consequence, the last of insults offered to his glory; a forfeiture of life, and of all covenant favours.
Isa 42:9. Before they spring forth, I tell you of them. See on Isa 41:23.
Isa 42:10. Singa new song in all the earth, for the grace and glory of the Messiahs kingdom. JEHOVAH will march as a hero at the head of armies, to accomplish all the mercy promised to his church. When the time is come, he will no longer hold his peace: Isa 42:13-14.
Isa 42:15-16. I will dry up the pools; will exhaust the power of Babylon, and of all hostile kingdoms. Here the prophet casts an intermediate glance at his captive countrymen in Babylon. They were blind, as to any future hopes of deliverance. Eze 37:11. They had neither idea nor prospect of its being effected by such extraordinary means especially as the interference of a foreign prince like Cyrus. But the allseeing and allgracious Lord made darkness and afflictions light before them. The kings of Media became their protectors and fathers, and they came back loaded with all their once hallowed vessels of gold and silver.
Isa 42:19. Who is blind, but my servant? The grace and mercy manifested to the Jewish and Christian church is so great, that ministers are here reproved for being slow of heart to believe. The Jews were robbed and spoiled by the Chaldeans for their unbelief, as in Isa 42:24; and eventually by the Romans for their unbelieving rejection of Christ.
Isa 42:24. Who gave Jacob for a spoil. The Lord sent the Assyrians against the Hebrews, because of their idolatries, their unbelief, and contempt of his prophets: Isa 10:5.
REFLECTIONS.
The enraptured prophet still continues to pour consolation into Zions cup; and this is the greatest of comforts, to see all her affairs in the hands of the Messiah, the elect, the anointed, the beloved of the Father. The Messiah, in whom his soul delighteth; the Messiah, whom he upheld with all the fulness of the Godhead. Proceeding with his great work of redemption, he shall not rest till he hath established judgment, righteousness, and truth in the earth.
But his kingdom not being of this world, he shall not come with armies, nor the sound of the trumpet; he shall gradually unfold his glory in the character of a servant, though Lord of all. A preacher and a prophet, he shall call in humble silence his great ambassadors from the dust, converted men to preach conversion. He shall be meek and tender, as a shepherd over the weak of the flock. He shall not break the bruised reed, nor quench the smoking flax. Mat 12:20. He shall conquer; truth shall combat error, love shall consume enmity and war, and the glory of the gospel shall chase before its beams all the darkness of the gentile world.
He shall open the eyes of the blind to see the light, and walk in the new and living way. He shall unstop the ears of the deaf, to hear the joyful sound; he shall liberate the prisoners, and proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and give us back our lost inheritance. He will not give his glory to graven images, but will chase away the former things. Sing then, oh Zion, a new song to thy God; and let the winds blow the mariners with the glad tidings to the ends of the earth.
He has long held his peace, while idols receive the homage due only to his holy name, while infidels blaspheme, and while enmity sheds the blood of his saints. But at length he wilt cry like a woman in travail, and make the mountains waste, and dry up the pools of water. Neither the walls of Babylon, nor the strength of hoary idolatry, nor the bloody domination of Rome, shall be any defence against an angry God. His sun shall for ever shine on Zion, while clouds of darkness and flames of fire shall envelope all his foes.
Isa 42:1-4. The Mission of Yahwehs Servant (the first of the four so-called Servant Songs; see Introd.).Yahweh bids the nations consider His Servant Israel, whom He sustains and loves. He has equipped him like the prophets with His spirit, so that he may publish the true religion to the nations. The frenzy, however, which often accompanied the utterance of prophecy in the public ways shall not characterise him; he shall be gentle, not crushing the damaged reed, or quenching the feebly-burning wick. Faithfully shall he publish the true religion. He shall not be crushed or grow feeble until he shall have established the true religion universally, and all lands look to him for direction.
Isa 42:1. judgement here and in Isa 42:3 f. means the whole collection of Yahwehs ordinances and decisions possessed by Israel, i.e., in effect, the true religion.
Isa 42:2. lift up: i.e. his voice.
Isa 42:4. fail, discouraged: render as mg. Probably till is to be supplied in thought before the isles.
42:1 Behold {a} my servant, {b} whom I uphold; my elect, [in whom] my soul {c} delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth {d} judgment to the Gentiles.
(a) That is, Christ, who in respect to his manhood is called here servant. The prophets used to make mention of Christ after they declared any great promise, because he is the foundation on which all the promises are made and ratified.
(b) For I have committed all my power to him, as to a most faithful steward: some read, I will establish him: that is, in his office by giving him the fulness of my Spirit.
(c) Only he is acceptable to me and they that come to me by him: for there is no other means of reconciliation, Mat 12:18, Eph 4:1
(d) He will declare himself governor over the Gentiles and call them by his word, and rule them by his Spirit.
"The hen (behold) in ch. xli. 29 is now followed by a second hen [in Isa 42:1]. With the former, Jehovah pronounced sentence upon the idolaters and their idols; with the latter, He introduces His ’servant.’" [Note: Delitzsch, 2:174.]
Yahweh called on the nations to see (give attention to) His Servant, in contrast to the idols (cf. Isa 41:29). The Old Testament used "servant" to describe the relation of God’s people to Himself (cf. Psa 19:11; Psa 19:13). Individuals described themselves this way (e.g., Moses in Exo 4:10; Joshua in Jos 5:14; and David in 2Sa 7:19 and 1Ch 17:17-19; 1Ch 17:23-27), and others described them this way (e.g., Moses in Exo 14:31; Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in Exo 32:13; and David in 1Ki 8:24). "Servant of the Lord" describes Moses 21 times and Joshua twice. The Lord referred to the following entities as "my servant": Israel (14 times, including seven times in Isaiah 40-55), Moses (six times), David (21 times), the prophets (nine times), Job (seven times), and Nebuchadnezzar (twice). Isaiah’s explicit references to Cyrus call him Yahweh’s "shepherd" (Isa 44:28) and His "anointed" (Isa 45:1). [Note: Motyer, p. 319, n. 1.]
Yahweh would uphold, or grip firmly, this Servant; He would sustain Him with deep affection. He would be one in whom the Lord delighted wholeheartedly, not just one He would use (cf. Mat 3:17; Mat 17:5). The Lord would place His Spirit on this Servant, blessing Him with His presence and empowering Him for service (cf. Isa 11:2-4; Num 11:16-25; 1Sa 16:13; Psa 33:6; Psa 139:7; Mat 3:16; Luk 4:18-19; Luk 4:21). This Servant would bring forth justice to the nations of the world (cf. Isa 9:7; Isa 11:3-4; Isa 16:5). Justice (Heb. mishpat) connotes societal order as well as legal equity. The Gentiles would not find this justice on their own, but the Servant would bring it to them (cf. Isa 11:1-5; Isa 32:1). Jesus Christ will do this at His second coming. The Targum equated the Servant with Messiah. Modern Jews believe the Servant is Israel or the faithful within Israel. This was also the interpretation of Codex Vaticanus, but the following explanation of the Servant passages should rule out this view.
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BOOK 3
THE SERVANT OF THE LORD
HAVING completed our survey of the fundamental truths of our prophecy, and studied the subject which forms its immediate and most urgent interest, the deliverance of Israel from Babylon, we are now at liberty to turn to consider the great duty and destiny which lie before the delivered people- the Service of Jehovah. The passages of our prophecy which describe this are scattered both among those chapters we have already studied and among those which lie before us. But, as was explained in the Introduction, they are all easily detached from their surroundings; and the continuity and progress, of which their series, though so much interrupted, gives evidence, demand that they should be treated by us together. They will, therefore, form the Third of the Books, into which this volume is divided.
The passages on the Servant of Jehovah, or, as the English reader is more accustomed to hear him called, the Servant of the Lord, are as follows: Isa 41:8 ff; Isa 42:1-7; Isa 42:18-25; Isa 43:1-28 passim, especially Isa 43:8-10 : Isa 44:1; Isa 44:21; Isa 48:20; Isa 49:1-9; Isa 1:4-11; Isa 52:13-15. The main passages are those in chapters 41, 42, 43, 49, 1, and 52.-53. The others are incidental allusions to Israel as the Servant of the Lord, and do not develop the character of the Servant or the Service.
Upon the questions relevant to the structure of these prophecies-why they have been so scattered, and whether they were originally from the main author of Isa 40:1-31; Isa 41:1-29; Isa 42:1-25; Isa 43:1-28; Isa 44:1-28; Isa 45:1-25; Isa 46:1-13, or from any other single writer, -questions on which critics have either preserved a discreet silence, or have spoken to convince nobody but themselves, -I have no final opinions to offer. It may be that these passages formed a poem by themselves before their incorporation with our prophecy; but the evidence which has been offered for this is very far from adequate. It may be that one or more of them are insertions from other authors, to which our prophet consciously works up with ideas of his own about the Servant; but neither for this is there any evidence worth serious consideration. I think that all we can do is to remember that they occur in a dramatic work, which may, partly at least, account for the interruptions which separate them; that the subject of which they treat is woven through and through other portions of Isa 40:1-31; Isa 41:1-29; Isa 42:1-25; Isa 43:1-28; Isa 44:1-28; Isa 45:1-25; Isa 46:1-13; Isa 47:1-15; Isa 48:1-22; Isa 49:1-26; Isa 50:1-11; Isa 51:1-23; Isa 52:1-15; Isa 53:1-12, and that even those of them which, like Isa 49:1-26, look as if they could stand by themselves, are led up to by the verses before them; and that, finally, the series of them exhibits a continuity and furnishes a distinct development of their subject.
It is this development which the following exposition seeks to trace. As the prophet starts from the idea of the Servant as being the whole historical nation Israel, it will be necessary to devote, first of all, a chapter to Israels peculiar relation to God. This will be chapter 15 “One God, One People.” In chapter 16 we shall trace the development of the idea through the whole series of the passages; and in chapter 17 we shall give the New Testament interpretation and fulfilment of the Servant. Then will follow an exposition of the contents of the Service and of the ideal it presents to ourselves, first, as it is given in Isa 42:1-9, as the service of God and man, chapter 18, of this volume; then as it is realised and owned by the Servant himself, as prophet and martyr, Isa 49:1, chapter 19 of this Book; and finally as it culminates in Isa 52:13-15, chapter 20 of this volume.
Fuente: Everett’s Study Notes on the Holy Scriptures
Fuente: Everett’s Study Notes on the Holy Scriptures
Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann
Fuente: The Complete Pulpit Commentary
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
He shall 1bring forth judgment to the Gentiles.
He that spread forth the earth, and that which cometh out of it;
He that giveth breath unto the people upon it,
And spirit to them that walk therein:
And will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people,
For a light of the Gentiles;
Neither my praise to graven images.
Before they spring forth I tell you of them.
Let them shout from the top of the mountains.
He shall 10prevail against his enemies.
And I will make the rivers islands,
And I will dry up the 13pools.
And 15crooked things 16straight.
That say to molten images,
Ye are our gods.
They are for a prey, and none delivereth;
For a 24spoil, and none saith, Restore.
Did not the Lord, he against whom we have sinned?
And it hath set him on fire round about, yet he knew not;
And it burned him, yet he laid it not to heart.
Fuente: A Commentary on the Holy Scriptures, Critical, Doctrinal, and Homiletical by Lange
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Fuente: Expositor’s Dictionary of Text by Robertson
Fuente: The People’s Bible by Joseph Parker
Fuente: B.H. Carroll’s An Interpretation of the English Bible
Fuente: B.H. Carroll’s An Interpretation of the English Bible
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Fuente: William Kelly Major Works (New Testament)
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Fuente: Through the Bible Commentary
Fuente: Spurgeon’s Verse Expositions of the Bible
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
Fuente: An Exposition on the Whole Bible
Fuente: F.B. Meyer’s Through the Bible Commentary
Fuente: Commentaries on the New Testament and Prophets
Fuente: The Sermon Bible
Fuente: Gaebelein’s Annotated Bible (Commentary)
Fuente: Scofield Reference Bible Notes
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Fuente: Sutcliffe’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Fuente: Peake’s Commentary on the Bible
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)
Fuente: Expositors Bible Commentary