Westminster Annotations, Isaiah · Chapter 53
CHAP. LIII.
Vers. 1. VVHo hath beleeved our report] Or, doctrine. Chap. 28. 9. Heb. hearing. Chap. 28. 19. The fewnesse of those is intimated, that receive, or give credit to, the doctrine of the Gospel. Chap. 49. 4. and 50. 10. Joh. 12. 38. Rom. 10. 16.
the arm of the LORD] His mightie power, Chap. 52. 10. working by Christ: which untill it be revealed unto men, they cannot beleeve, Matth 16. 17. Joh 6. 45. 1 Cor. 1. 18, 24. and 2. 9. See Chap. 40. 10. & 51. 5.
V. 2. For] Heb. And as vers. 11. Chap. 64. 5.
he shall grow up before him as a tender plant] The beginnings of Christs kingdom shall be mean and contemptible in mans eye; but shall wonderfully thrive and grow up in Gods sight, Chap. 52. 13, 14. Matth. 13. 31, 32. Mar. 4. 27,—32.
before him] Either the people that contemned him: and so it is referred to his beginnings. Or, God the Father, who protected, supported, and advanced him, Chap. 49. 2. & 52. 13. and then it respecteth his growth.
as a root out of a dry ground] The decaied house of David, and mean family of Jesse, reduced now to a farre lower estate then at first. See Chap. 11. 1.
that we should desire him] Heb. and. as Chap. 40. 25. Malac. 1. 9.
V. 3. He is despised] Chap. 49. 7. & 52. 14. Mar. 9. 12. Joh. 1. 11. and 5. 43.
rejected of men] One searce deemed worthy the name of a man, Psal. 22. 6. Chap. 52. 14.
acquainted with grief] Having much experience of it in himself: a matter of no small comfort to them, that have interest in him. Heb. 4. 15.
we hid as it were our faces from him] Or, he hid as it were his face from us Heb. as a hiding of faces from him. or, from us. or, as one that hideth the face from us. He is like one, who as an abominable creature, such as the leper in the Law, Lev. 13. 45. hideth his face from humane sight, Chap. 47. 5.
we esteemed him not] Spoken in the person of the Jews; who disesteemed our Saviour, judging of him by the outward aspect, Joh. 1. 10, 11. & 7. 24.
V. 4. he hath born our griefs] Matth. 8. 17. The punishment of our sinnes, for which he suffered, 1 Pet. 2. 24. & 3. 18. Or, our griefs and infirmities, by compassionating them with us, and removing them from us, Matth. 14. 14.
smitten of God] For his own sinnes, not for ours: which was otherwise, Joh. 14. 30. 2 Cor. 5. 21.
V. 5. But] Heb. And. as Chap. 42. 22.
he was wounded] Or, tormented. or, pained. Pro. 26. 10. Chap. 13. 8. & 51. 9.
for our transgressions] Rom. 4. 25. 1 Cor. 15. 3.
the chastisement of our peace was upon him] He was chastised to procure our peace, and to reconcile us to God. Rom. 3. 25. & 5. 9, 10. 2 Cor. 5. 19, 21. Col 1. 20. 1 Pet. 3. 18.
with his stripes we are healed] 1 Pet. 2. 24. Heb. by his bruise. Chap. 1. 6. Pro. 20. 30.
V. 6. All we like sheep have gone astray] Wandered from God, and from the way of truth and life, Psal. 58. 3. & 119. 176. 1 Pet. 2. 25. Jam. 5. 20.
turned every one to his own way] Each one to the by-way of his own heart and lust, Chap. 56. 11, & 57. 17 Eccles. 11 9. Jer. 7. 24.
the LORD hath laid on him the iniquitie of us all] Heb. hath made the iniquitie of us all to meet on him. The guilt and penaltie, not the evill it self of sinne. So Gen. 4. 7, 14. Lev. 20. 17, 19, 20.
V. 7. He was oppressed, and he was afflicted] Heb. It was exacted; and he answered. as Ezek. 14. 4, 7. Satisfaction for our sinne was exacted by God: and Christ, as our suretie, answered for us; that is, undertook it, and discharged it, Jer. 30. 21. Heb. 7. 22. Col. 2. 14. Joh. 19. 30. Rom. 4. 25.
he opened not his mouth] He willingly, quietly, silently and patiently obeyed his Fathers appointment, and endured whatsoever he was called to sustain, Chap. 52. 5, 6. Matth. 26. 63. & 27. 12. Mark. 14. 61. and 15. 5. Joh. 10. 18. and 14. 31. and 19. 11. Act. 8. 32. 1 Pet. 2. 23.
he is brought as a lambe to the slaughter] That goeth as quietly to the shambles, or slaughter-house, as if it were going to the fold, or to the pasture field, where its dam feedeth, Jer. 11. 19.
as a sheep before her shearers is dumbe] And maketh no resistance, Psal. 62. 1. 5. Joh. 18. 11.
V. 8. He was taken from prison, and from judgement] Or, he was taken away by distresse and judgement: or, after distresse and judgement. as Chap. 38. 15. Either taken away by harsh and cruel courses, and wrongfull judgement, Matth. 26. 18, 19, 23, 24. Act. 13. 28. or, after the endurance of them, freed from them, and received into a glorious condition, Act. 2. 23, 24. & 3. 14, 15. Phil. 2. 8, 9. 1 Tim. 3. 16. Heb. 2. 9.
and who shall declare his generation] Or, but who can count, or, reckon his age; living now to eternitie, beyond all number of dayes or yeers, Rom. 6. 9. Heb. 7. 3, 8, 25. Rev. 1. 18. Or, his race; the seed and issue that shall come of him, vers. 10. Heb. 2. 10. being a numberlesse multitude, Jer. 33. 22. Rev. 7. 9.
for he was cut off out of the land of the living] Or, though he were cut off. as Gen. 8. 21. Josh. 17. 18. Psal. 23. 4. Though he were by a violent death taken away from living and conversing here on earth, where men live, Psal. 27. 13. & 52. 5. Chap. 38. 11.
for the transgression] Or, by the transgression of my people. Either for the sinnes of Gods elect, 1 Cor. 5. 7. & 15. 3. Or, by the wickednesse of the Jewish people, Act. 2. 23. and 3. 13,—15. and 13. 28.
was he stricken] Heb. was the stroke upon him. Pro. 6. 33. vers. 4.
V. 9. he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death] Or, he exposed his grave to the wicked and to the rich, in, or, at, his death. Heb. deaths. Ezek. 28. 10. That wicked men put him into the hands of the heathen, the Romanes, and their ruler, Pilate, Joh. 18. 35. who by that means came to dispose of his death and buriall, as he pleased, Joh. 18. 30,—32. & 19. 6, 11, 12, 38. Or, God delivered him into the hands of wicked people and rulers to dispose of him for those things, as themselves pleased, Act. 2. 23. Luk. 2. 53. Matth. 27. 57.
because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth] Or, though he had done, &c. as vers. 8. Or, for no iniquitie that he had done; or, guile, that was in his mouth. as Job 16. 17. See 1 Pet. 2. 22. 1 Joh. 3. 5.
V. 10. when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sinne] Or, when his soul shall make an offering for sinne. Heb. sinne. as Lev. 5. 19. & 7. 5.
he shall see his seed, &c.] Christ by making himself a sinne-sacrifice, 2 Cor. 5. 21. Heb. 9. 14. shall give life to his Church, Heb. 2. 14, 15. 1 Joh. 4. 9, 10. and gather to God an innumerable issue; that shall successively continue here upon earth, to the worlds end; and shall thenceforth live in glory with him for ever, Matth. 16. 18. & 28. 20. Joh. 11. 25, 26. 1 Thes. 4. 17. See vers. 8.
V. 11. He shall see of the travel of his soul] The effect and fruit of his labour, the propagation and salvation of his Church, Chap. 49. 4, 5, 6.
by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justifie many] Or, the knowledge of him. as Psal. 5. 7. Joh. 17. 3. 1 Joh. 5. 20. Chap. 42. 1. & 49. 3. By faith in him shall he justifie: that which Moses could not do. Act. 10. 43. and 13. 38, 39. Rom. 3. 24, 25, 28. & 51, 9, 15, 18, 19.
for] Heb. and, as vers. 2.
bear their iniquities] 1 Pet. 2. 24.
V. 12. Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great] Because he humbled himself thus, he shall in glory be exalted: I will assign him a great and glorious portion, Phil. 2. 7, 8. Luk. 14. 12. & 18. 14. & 24. 26. See vers. 8. I will give a large inheritance over the whole world, Psal. 2. 8. & 82. 8. An allusion to the dividing of portions among joynt heirs, Luk. 15. 12.
he shall divide the spoil with the strong] Subduing and triumphing over Satan and his complices, Psal. 110. 6. Luk. 11. 21, 22. Col. 2. 15. An allusion to the division of spoils after victory, Chap. 9. 3.
he hath poured out his soul unto death] Luk. 23. 46.
he was numbred with the transgressors] Mar. 15. 28. Luk 22. 37.
he bare the sinne of many] Bare the penaltie of their sinnes; and by bearing it took them away, vers 4, 5. 1 Pet. 2. 24. Joh. 1. 29.
made intercession for the transgressours] So did he, when he suffered, Luk. 23. 34. and so still doth he in heaven, Rom. 8. 34. Heb. 7, 25. & 9. 24. 1 Joh. 2. 1, 2.