@Isa 42:1-25. MESSIAH THE ANTITYPE OF CYRUS.
God's description of His character (@Isa 42:1-4). God addresses Him directly (@Isa 42:5-7). Address to the people to attend to the subject (@Isa 42:8,9). Call to all, and especially the exile Jews to rejoice in the coming deliverance (@Isa 42:10-25).
1. my servant--The law of prophetic suggestion leads Isaiah from
Cyrus to the far greater Deliverer, behind whom the former is lost sight
of. The express quotation in @Mt 12:18-20, and the description can
apply to Messiah alone (@Ps 40:6; with which compare
@Ex 21:6 Joh 6:38 Php 2:7). Israel, also, in its highest ideal, is
called the "servant" of God (@Isa 49:3). But this ideal is realized
only in the antitypical Israel, its representative-man and Head, Messiah
(compare @Mt 2:15, with @Ho 11:1). "Servant" was the position
assumed by the Son of God throughout His humiliation.
elect--chosen by God before the foundation of the world for an
atonement (@1Pe 1:20 Re 13:8). Redemption was no afterthought to
remedy an unforeseen evil
(@Ro 16:25,26 Eph 3:9,11 2Ti 1:9,10 Tit 1:2,3). In @Mt 12:18 it is
rendered "My beloved"; the only beloved Son, beloved in a sense
distinct from all others. Election and the love of God are
inseparably joined.
soul--a human phrase applied to God, because of the intended union of
humanity with the Divinity: "I Myself."
delighteth--is well pleased with, and accepts, as a propitiation. God could have "delighted" in no created being as a mediator (compare
@Isa 42:21 63:5 Mt 3:17).
spirit upon him--(@Isa 11:2 61:1 Lu 4:18 Joh 3:34).
judgment--the gospel dispensation, founded on justice, the canon
of the divine rule and principle of judgment called "the law"
(@Isa 2:3; compare @Isa 42:4 51:4 49:6). The Gospel has a
discriminating judicial effect: saving to penitents;
condemnatory to Satan, the enemy (@Joh 12:31 16:11), and the
wilfully impenitent (@Joh 9:39). @Mt 12:18 has, "He shall
show," for "He shall bring forth," or "cause to go forth."
Christ both produced and announced His "judgment." The
Hebrew dwells most on His producing it; Matthew on His
announcement of it: the two are joined in Him.
2. Matthew (@Mt 12:19) marks the kind of "cry" as that of
altercation by quoting it, "He shall not strive" (@Isa 53:7).
street--the Septuagint translates "outside." An image from an
altercation in a house, loud enough to be heard in the street outside: appropriate of Him who "withdrew Himself" from the public fame
created by His miracles to privacy (@Mt 12:15; Isa 34:5, there, shows
another and sterner aspect of His character, which is also implied in
the term "judgment").
3. bruised--"It pleased the Lord to bruise Him"
(@Isa 53:5,10 Ge 3:15); so He can feel for the bruised. As
@Isa 42:2 described His unturbulent spirit towards His violent
enemies (@Mt 12:14-16), and His utter freedom from love of notoriety,
so @Isa 42:3, His tenderness in cherishing the first spark of grace
in the penitent (@Isa 40:11).
reed--fragile: easily "shaken with the wind" (@Mt 11:7). Those who
are at best feeble, and who besides are oppressed by calamity or by the
sense of sin.
break--entirely crush or condemn. Compare "bind up the broken-hearted"
(@Isa 50:4 61:1 Mt 11:28).
flax--put for the lamp-wick, formed of flax. The believer is the
lamp (so the Greek, @Mt 5:15 Joh 5:35): his conscience
enlightened by the Holy Ghost is the wick. "Smoking" means "dimly
burning," "smouldering," the flame not quite extinct. This expresses the
positive side of the penitent's religion; as "bruised reed," the
negative. Broken-hearted in himself, but not without some spark of
flame: literally, "from above." Christ will supply such a one with grace
as with oil. Also, the light of nature smouldering in the Gentiles
amidst the hurtful fumes of error. He not only did not quench, but
cleared away the mists and superadded the light of revelation. See
JEROME, To Algasia, Question 2.
truth--@Mt 12:20 quotes it, "send forth judgment unto victory."
Matthew, under the Spirit, gives the virtual sense, but varies the word,
in order to bring out a fresh aspect of the same thing. Truth has in
itself the elements of victory over all opposing forces. Truth is
the victory of Him who is "the truth" (@Joh 14:6). The
gospel judicial sifting ("judgment") of believers and unbelievers,
begun already in part (@Joh 3:18,19 9:39), will be
consummated victoriously in truth only at His second coming;
@Isa 42:13,14, here, and @Mt 12:32,36,41,42, show that there is
reference to the judicial aspect of the Gospel, especially finally:
besides the mild triumph of Jesus coming in mercy to the penitent
now (@Isa 42:2), there shall be finally the judgment on His
enemies, when the "truth" shall be perfectly developed. Compare
@Isa 61:1-3, where the two comings are similarly joined
(@Ps 2:4-6,8 Re 15:2,4 @Re 19:11-16). On "judgment,"
see on Isa 42:1.
4. fail--faint; man in religion may become as the almost expiring
flax-wick (@Isa 42:3), but not so He in His purposes of grace.
discouraged--literally, "broken," that is, checked in zeal by
discouragements (compare @Isa 49:4,5).
ROSENMULLER not so well
translates, "He shall not be too slow on the one hand, nor
run too hastily on the other."
judgment--His true religion, the canon of His judgments and righteous
reign.
isles . . . wait, &c.--The distant lands beyond sea shall put their
trust in His gospel way of salvation. @Mt 12:21 virtually gives the
sense, with the inspired addition of another aspect of the same thing,
"In his name shall the Gentiles trust" (as "wait for" here
means, @Isa 30:18). "His law" is not something distinct from
Himself, but is indeed Himself, the manifestation of God's character
("name") in Christ, who is the embodiment of the law (@Isa 42:21 Jer 23:6 Ro 10:4). "Isles" here, and in @
Isa 42:12,
may refer to the fact that the populations of which the Church was
primarily formed were Gentiles of the countries bordering on the
Mediterranean.
5. Previously God had spoken of Messiah; now (@Isa 42:5-7)
He speaks to Him. To show to all that He is able to sustain the
Messiah in His appointed work, and that all might accept Messiah as
commissioned by such a mighty God, He commences by announcing Himself as
the Almighty Creator and Preserver of all things.
spread . . . earth--(@Ps 136:6).
6. in righteousness--rather, "for a righteous purpose"
[LOWTH]. (See @Isa 42:21).
God "set forth" His Son "to be a propitiation (so as)
to declare His (God's) righteousness, that God might be just, and (yet)
the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus" (@Ro 3:25,26;
compare see on Isa 41:2;
@Isa 45:13 50:8,9).
hold . . . hand--compare as to Israel, the type of Messiah,
@Ho 11:3.
covenant--the medium of the covenant, originally made between God
and Abraham (@Isa 49:8). "The mediator of a better covenant"
(@Heb 8:6) than the law (see @Isa 49:8 Jer 31:33 50:5). So the
abstract "peace," for peace-maker (@Mic 5:5 Eph 2:14).
the people--Israel; as @Isa 49:8, compared with @Isa 42:6,
proves (@Lu 2:32).
7. blind--spiritually (@Isa 42:16,18,19 Isa 35:5 Joh 9:39).
prison--(@Isa 61:1,2).
darkness--opposed to "light" (@Isa 42:6 Eph 5:8 1Pe 2:9).
8. God turns from addressing Messiah to the people.
Lord--JEHOVAH:
God's distinguishing and incommunicable name,
indicating essential being and immutable faithfulness (compare
@Ex 6:3 Ps 83:18 96:5 Ho 12:5).
my--that is due to Me, and to Me alone.
9. former things--Former predictions of God, which were now fulfilled,
are here adduced as proof that they ought to trust in Him alone as God;
namely, the predictions as to Israel's restoration from Babylon.
new--namely, predictions as to Messiah, who is to bring all nations
to the worship of Jehovah (@Isa 42:1,4,6).
spring forth--The same image from plants
just beginning to germinate occurs in @Isa 43:19 58:8. Before
there is the slightest indication to enable a sagacious observer to
infer the coming event, God foretells it.
10. new song--such as has never before been sung, called for by a new
manifestation of God's grace, to express which no hymn for former
mercies would be appropriate. The new song shall be sung when the Lord
shall reign in Jerusalem, and all "nations shall flow unto it"
(@Isa 2:2 26:1 Re 5:9 14:3).
ye that go down to the sea--whose conversion will be the means of
diffusing the Gospel to distant lands.
all . . . therein--all the living creatures that fill the sea
(@Ps 96:11) [MAURER].
Or, all sailors and voyagers
[GESENIUS].
But these were already mentioned in the previous clause: there he called
on all who go upon the sea; in this clause all animals in the
sea; so in @Isa 42:11, he calls on the inanimate wilderness to lift
up its voice. External nature shall be so renovated as to be in unison
with the moral renovation.
11. cities--in a region not wholly waste, but mainly so, with an oasis
here and there.
Kedar--in Arabia-Deserta (@Isa 21:16 Ge 25:13). The Kedarenians
led a nomadic, wandering life. So Kedar is here put in general for that
class of men.
rock--Sela, that is, Petra, the metropolis of Idumea and the
Nabathoean Ishmaelites. Or it may refer in general to those in
Arabia-Petræa, who had their dwellings cut out of the rock.
the mountains--namely, of Paran, south of Sinai, in Arabic
Petræa
[VITRINGA].
12. glory . . . islands--(@Isa 24:15).
13-16. Jehovah will no longer restrain His wrath: He will go forth as
a mighty warrior (@Ex 15:3) to destroy His people's and His enemies,
and to deliver Israel (compare @Ps 45:3).
stir up jealousy--rouse His indignation.
roar--image from the battle cry of a warrior.
14. long time--namely, during the desolation of Israel
(@Isa 32:14).
holden my peace--(Compare @Ps 50:21 Hab 1:2).
cry like a travailing woman, &c.--Like a woman in parturition, who,
after having restrained her breathing for a time, at last, overcome with
labor pain, lets out her voice with a panting sigh; so Jehovah will give
full vent to His long pent-up wrath. Translate, instead of
"destroy . . . devour"; I will at once breathe hard and pant, namely,
giving loose to My wrath.
15. I will destroy all My foes.
mountains--in Palestine usually planted with vines and olives in
terraces, up to their tops.
islands--rather, "dry lands." God will destroy His foes, the heathen,
and their idols, and "dry up" the fountains of their oracles, their
doctrines and institutions, the symbol of which is water, and their
schools which promoted idolatry [VITRINGA].
16. blind--God's people, Israel, in captivity, needing a guide. In
the ulterior sense the New Testament Church, which was about to be led
and enlightened by the Son of God as its leader and shepherd in the
wilderness of the Roman empire, until it should reach a city of
habitation. "A way . . . they knew not," refers to the various means
ployed by Providence for the establishment of the Church in the world,
such as would never have occurred to the mind of mere man. "Blind," they
are called, as not having heretofore seen God's ways in ordering His
Church.
make darkness light, &c.--implies that the glorious issue would
only be known by the event itself [VITRINGA].
The same holds good of the
individual believer (@Isa 30:21 Ps 107:7; compare
@Ho 2:6,14 Eph 5:8 Heb 13:5).
17. turned back . . . ashamed--disappointed in their trust; the same phrase occurs in @Ps 35:4.
18. deaf--namely, to the voice of God.
blind--to your duty and interest; wilfully so (@Isa 42:20). In
this they differ from "the blind" (@Isa 42:16). The Jews are referred
to. He had said, God would destroy the heathen idolatry; here he
remembers that even Israel, His "servant" (@Isa 42:19), from whom
better things might have been expected, is tainted with this sin.
19. my servant--namely, Israel. Who of the heathen is so blind?
Considering Israel's high privileges, the heathen's blindness was as
nothing compared with that of Israelite idolaters.
my messenger . . . sent--Israel was designed by God to be the herald
of His truth to other nations.
perfect--furnished with institutions, civil and religious, suited to
their perfect well-being. Compare the title, "Jeshurun," the
perfect one, applied to Israel (compare @Isa 44:2), as the type
of Messiah Or translate, the friend of God, which Israel was by
virtue of descent from Abraham, who was so called (@Isa 41:8),
[GESENIUS].
The language, "my servant" (compare @Isa 42:1),
"messenger" (@Mal 3:1), "perfect" (@Ro 10:4 Heb 2:10 1Pe 2:22),
can, in the full antitypical sense, only apply to Christ. So @Isa 42:21
plainly refers to Him. "Blind" and "deaf" in His case refer to His
endurance of suffering and reproach, as though He neither saw nor heard
(@Ps 38:13,14). Thus there is a transition by contrast from the
moral blindness of Israel (@Isa 42:18) to the patient blindness
and deafness of Messiah [HORSLEY].
20. observest--Thou dost not keep them. The "many things" are
the many proofs which all along from the first God had given Israel of
His goodness and His power (@De 4:32-38 29:2-4 Ps 78:1-72 105:1-45).
he--transition from the second to the third person. "Opening . . .
ears," that is, though he (Israel) hath his ears open
(see on Isa 6:10). This language, too
(see on Isa 42:19), applies to Messiah as Jehovah's
servant (@Isa 50:5 Ps 40:6).
21. his righteousness--not His people's, but His own; @Isa 42:24 shows that they had no righteousness (@Isa 45:24 59:16). God is well pleased with His Son ("in whom My soul delighteth," @Isa 42:1), "who fulfils all righteousness" (@Mt 3:15) for them, and with them for His sake (compare @Isa 42:6 Ps 71:16,19 Mt 5:17 Ro 10:3,4 Php 3:9). Perhaps in God's "righteousness" here is included His faithfulness to His promises given to Israel's forefathers [ROSENMULLER]; because of this He is well pleased with Israel, even though displeased with their sin, which He here reproves; but that promise could only be based on the righteousness of Messiah, the promised seed, which is God's righteousness.
22. holes--caught by their foes in the caverns where they had
sought refuge
[BARNES]. Or bound in subterranean dungeons
[BARNES].
prison-houses--either literal prisons, or their own houses, whence
they dare not go forth for fear of the enemy. The connection is:
Notwithstanding God's favor to His people for His righteousness'
sake (@Isa 42:21), they have fallen into misery
(the Babylonish and
Romish captivities and their present dispersion), owing to their
disregard of the divine law: spiritual imprisonment is included
(@Isa 42:7).
none saith, Restore--There is no deliverer (@Isa 63:5).
23. A call that they should be warned by the past judgments of God to obey Him for the time to come.
24. Who--Their calamity was not the work of chance, but God's immediate
act for their sins.
Jacob . . . Israel . . . we--change from the third to the first person;
Isaiah first speaking to them as a prophet, distinct from them; then
identifying himself with them, and acknowledging His share in the
nation's sins (compare @Jos 5:1).
25. him--Israel (@Isa 42:24).
strength of battle--violence of war.
it--the battle or war (compare @Isa 10:16).
knew not--knew not the lesson of repentance which the judgment was
intended to teach (@Isa 5:13 9:13 Jer 5:3).