Commentary on Prov Ecc SoS Isa Jer Lam Eze Dan, Isaiah · Chapter 53
CHAP. LIII.
Ver. 1. WHo hath believed our report] q. d. The Gentiles, ſome of them, even of their Potentates, have believed our report concerning the Meſſiah, chap. 52.13, 14, 15. But Lord, how few Jews will give credit to what we have ſaid?Lib. 1. de Conſenſ. Evang. cap. 31. Albeit this Chapter may not unfitly be called The Goſpel of Jeſus Chriſt according to Iſaiah: and things are here ſet down ſo plain that Auſtin thinks they need no expoſition: yet thoſe Buzzards the later Rabbines, cannot, or rather will not ſee that the Prophet ſpeaketh here all along concerning Chriſt: but do ſtrangely writh, wring, and wreſt his words to a wrong ſenſe; applying them, ſome to Moſes, ſome to Ezra, ſome to Joſhuah the ſon of Joſadak, &c. John Iſaac indeed the Jew confeſſeth of himſelf, as hath been ſaid before, that by pondering upon this Chapter he was converted to the Chriſtian Religion: the like we read of ſome few others in Andreas Bayna and Cornelius à Lapid. But the Jews themſelves will tell you (falſely and maliciouſly) that ſuch pretended Proſelytes are not of them, but poor Chriſtians hired by us to perſonate their part: ſuch a thick veil is ſtill before their eyes, ſuch a hard hoof upon their hearts, till God pleaſes by his own holy arm made bare, to remove it. They could not (that is, they would not) believe Joh. 12.39. They have not all (nay ſcarce any in compariſon) obeyed the Goſpel, Rom. 10.16. but blaſphemouſly call it Avengelaion a volume of vantiy: ſcorning to be ſaved by a crucified God, although by mighty miracles wrought amongſt them, he ſhewed himſelf to be the Son of God, and an arm to ſave all that believe in his name, Joh. 12.37.
And to whom is the Arm of the Lord] i. e. His Goſpel which is his power to ſalvation, Rom. 1.16. and is hid only to them that periſh, 2 Cor. 4.3.
Ver. 2. For he ſhall grow up before him as a tender plant] His beginning ſhall be mean and deſpicable. See chap. 11.1. with the Notes. God hid his Son under the Carpenters ſon:Humilis Chriſti proſapia nocatur. this the Jews much ſtumbled at, Matth. 13.55, 57. Luke 24.1. Joh. 7.27, 41, 53. 1 Cor. 1.23. that Chriſt ſhould come without ſightly ſhew or ſtate. But they ſhould have known that his Kingdom is not of this world. Some of their Rabbines can ſay In regno Meſſiae nihil mundanum.
He hath no form or comlineſs] How could he (ſay) when his fair face was covered ſanguine, ſputo ſpinis lacrymis, with blood black and blew, ſwelths, ſpettle, tears, ſcratches, ſo that Pilat wondering at it, ſaid Behold the man? q. d. he is not dealt with as a man: but being in greateſt miſery he deſerveth to be pittied.
And when we ſhall ſee him] Here the Prophet taketh upon him the perſon of a carnal Jew, who judged of Chriſt according to his outward appearance, Joh. 7.24. But what ſaith the Chaldee Proverb? Ne spectes cantharum vel urceum, ſed id quod in eo eſt: Look not on the pitcher, but on the liquor, that is contained in it.
And when we ſhall ſee him there is no beauty] Heb. And we ſhall ſee him and no ſight or ſightlineſs.
That we ſhould deſire him] And yet he was a Man of deſires, yea the deſire of all Nations, Hag. 2.7. all over deſirable, Cant. 5.16. but ſo he is only to ſuch as have their ſenſes exerciſed to diſcern good and evil, Heb. 5. ult.
Ver. 3. He is deſpiſed and rejected of men] Heb. deſitus virorum one at whom the nature and name of man endeth: as we would ſay the very liſt and fag-end of mankind,Jun. Tertul. nullificamen hominis, a worm and no man, not held ſo good as wicked Barabbas, but crucified betwixt two theeves as worſe then either of them, and made nothing of, Mar. 9.12. This is ſo plainly here ſet forth, that ſome of the Jew-doctours (Aben-Ezra for one) when as they cannot rightly diſtinguiſh betwixt the two comings of Chriſt, the one in humility and the other in glory, duos conſtruunt Chriſtos, Genebrard.they make us up two Chriſts: the one the Son of Joſeph, to whom agree thoſe things which the Scriptures ſpeak of concerning Chriſts meanneſs and ſufferings; the other the Son of David, to whom they apply thoſe things that are written concerning the glory, majeſty, and triumphs of Chriſt.
Ex doloribus conſlatus.A man of ſorrows] q. d. made up of ſorrows. Atque hic mirus artifex eſt Propheta, and here the Prophet ſheweth ſingular skill in diſcribing Chriſts ſtate of humiliation through all the degrees of it: And Faith is much happier in finding out his croſs, blood, nails, tomb, and all, then ever Helen was or any Popiſh relique-monger: and in making uſe of them too, to better purpoſe then that Popiſh Covent of Friars do, who have hired thoſe places of the Turk, built Temples, altars and ſilver floores in honour of the Paſſion.
And acquainted with grief] Heb. knowing of infirmity, or inured to it: ſee Heb. 4.15. The Greek Letany hath By thine unknown ſorrows and ſufferings, Good Lord deliver us.
And we hid as it were our faces from him] Or, And he hid as it were the face from us, viz. as one for his loth ſomeneſſe, his low condition, aſhamed to be ſeen. The Jews in their Talmud queſtion What is the name of Meſſiah? Sanhedrin.Some anſwer Hhenara leprous: and he ſitteth among the poor in the gates of Rome, carrying their ſickneſſes.
He was despiſed] double-deſpiſed; and for the unworthineſſe of the things this is repeated.
And we eſteemed him not] i. e. We contemned and derided him.
Ver. 4. Surely he hath born our griefs] He took our infirmities natural, though not ſinful: or He ſuffered for our offences: and his ſatispaſſion is our ſatisfaction, as Luther phraſeth it: he ſuffered, ſaith Peter, the juſt for the unjuſt: he bore our ſins in his own body on the tree, 1 Pet. 2.24. he (the true ſcap…-goat) taketh away the ſins of the world, Joh. 1.29. bearing them into the land of forgetfulneſſe: this is his continual act, and this ſhould be as a perpetual picture in our hearts. Surely he did all this for us: Juramentum eſt Vere: This Surely or Truely is an oath, for better aſſurance and ſatisfaction to any doubting conſcience. For which cauſe alſo the ſame thing is ſaid over again, ver. 5. and herewith agreeth that of the Apoſtle, 1 Tim. 1.15. This is a ſure ſaying and worthy of all men to be received, that Jeſus Chriſt came into the world to ſave ſinners:
Yet we did eſteem him ſtricken, ſmitten of God] ſc. for his own deſerts (and not for ours:) we looked upon him as a deceiver, a wine-bibber, a blaſphemer, and one that wrought by Beelzebub, &c. and therefore we crucified him.
Smitten of God] Percuſſus Dei, ſaith the Syriack: The Apoſtle ſaith, God ſpared not his Son,Flagellatum à Deo. Theodotion. Rom. 8.32. and becauſe the creature could not ſtrike a ſtroke hard enough, himſelf was pleaſed to bruiſe him. But that this was done for his own proper ſins, and in a way of vengeance, was a groſs miſtake.
And afflicted] Or, humbled: He was ſtricken, ſmitten, afflicted: But then afterwards he was exalted, extolled, and made very high, ch. 52.13. We alſo who ſuffer with him ſhall be glorified together, and in a proportion, 2. Tim. 2.12.
Ver. 5. But he was wounded for our tranſgreſſions] Not for his own: for he knew no ſin, neither was guile found in his mouth: nevertheleſſe he took upon him whatſoever was penal that belonged to ſin, that we might go free: he was content to be in the wine-preſs, that we might be in the wine-cellar.
He was bruiſed for our iniquities] foreign, as Anacreon did upon a worſe occaſion.
Cernis ut in toto corpore ſculptus amor!
Oh love, that love of his! as Bernard ſpeaketh: let it bruiſe our hard hearts into peices, grind them to powder, and make them fall aſunder in our boſoms like drops of water. Let us propagate our thankfulneſs into our lives; meditating returns anſwerable in ſome proportion to our Saviours ſufferings.Oh that as Chriſt was crucifixus, ſo he were cordifixus.
The chaſtiſement of our peace was upon him] They which offered burnt-offerings, of old, were to lay their hand upon the head of the beaſt: thereby ſignifying the imputation of our ſins unto Chriſt, and that we muſt lay hand on him by Faith, if we look for any comfort by his death and paſſion.
And with his ſtripes we are healed] By the black and blew of his body after he was buffetted with dry-blows: and by the bloody wailes left on his back, after he had been ſcourged, which was a puniſhment fit for dogs and ſlaves. Nero they threatened to ſcourge to death, as judging him rather a beaſt then a man: But what had this innocent Lamb of God done? And why ſhould the Phyſicians blood thus become the ſick mans ſalve? We can hardly believe the power of Sword-ſalve, &c.
Ver. 6. All we like ſheep have gone aſtray] Gone of our own accords, as longing to wander, Jer. 14.10. to wander as ſheep (loſt ſheep) then the which no creature is more apt to ſtray, and leſs able to return. The Oxe knoweth his owner, and the Aſs his maſters crib: the very Swine accuſtomed to the trough, if he goe abroad, yet at night will find the way home again: Not ſo the ſilly ſheep. Loe ye were all as ſheep going aſtray, ſaith Peter, but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Biſhop of your ſouls, 1 Epiſt. 2.25.
We have turned every one to his own way] Quo variae errorum formae inuunntur, dum ſuas quiſque opiniones ſectatur. Each one, as he is out of Gods way, ſo hath his own by-way of wickedneſſe to wander in: Wherein yet (without a Chriſt) he cannot wander ſo far as to miſs of hell.
And the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all] i. e. Of all his Elect: the iniquity of us all he hath made to meet on him (ſo the Hebrew hath it) or, to light on him, even the full weight of his wrath and dint of his dipleaſure, for our many and mighty ſins imputed unto him. Let the Jew jear at this and ſay, that Every fox muſt pay his own skin to the fleare: Let the Romiſt reject imputed righteouſneſſe, calling it putative, by a ſcoff: there is not any thing that more ſupporteth a ſinking ſoul, then this righteouſneſſe which is through the faith of Chriſt, the righteouſneſſe which is of God by faith, Philip. 3.9. This Manus Chriſti (as nailed to the croſſe) is the only Phyſick for a ſin-ſick ſoul; believe it.
Ver. 7. He was oppreſſed and he was afflicted] Heb. It (the puniſhment of our ſin) was exacted, and he (being our ſurety) was afflicted. Or, It was exacted, and he anſwered, i. e. ſatisfied.
Yet he opened not his mouth] Though he ſuffered, the juſt for the unjuſt, with the unjuſt, upon unjuſt cauſes, under unjuſt Judges, and by unjuſt puniſhments: Silence and ſufferance was the language of this Holy Lamb, dumb before the ſhearer; inſomuch as that Pilat wondered exceedingly. The Eunuch alſo wondered when he read this Text,In vita ejus apud Surlum. Acts 8.32. and was converted. And the like is related of a certain Earle called Eleazar, a cholerick man, but much altered for the better by ſtudy of Chriſt and of his patience. I beſeech you by the meekneſſe of Chriſt, ſaith Paul: and Peter, who was an eye-witneſſe of his patience, propoundeth him for a worthy partern, 1 Epiſt. 2.23. Vide mihi languidum, exhauſtum, cruentatum, trementem, & gementem Jeſum tuum, & evaneſcet omnis impatientiae effectus. Chriſt upon the Croſſe is as a Doctour in his chair, where he readeth unto us all a lecture of Patience.
He is brought as a Lamb to the ſlaughter] Or, as a ſheep that is led to the ſlaughter: which when we ſee done, we ſhould bethink us of Chriſt, and ſee Him as it were in an Optick glaſſe. The Saints of old did ſo in their Sacrifices: and this was that hidden wiſdom David ſpeaks of Pſal. 51.8. the Ceremonial Law was their Goſpel.
And as a ſheep before her ſhearer is dumb] The word Rachel ſignifieth an Ew, Gen. 31.38. & 32.14. This Ew hath brought forth many Lambs;Act. & Mon. fol. 811. ſuch as was Lambert and the reſt of the Martyrs, who to words of ſcorn and petulancy returned Iſaac's Apology to his brother Iſhmael, Patience and Silence: inſomuch as that the Perſecutours ſaid that they were poſſeſſed with a dumb devil. This was a kind of blaſphemy.
Ver. 8. He was taken from priſon and from judgement] Abſque dilatione & titra judicium raptus eſt, ſc. ad crucem; ſo Vatablus rendereth it: He was hurried away (to the Croſſe) without delay and againſt right or reaſon. Or, as others, he was taken from diſtreſſe and torment into glory, when he had cryed conſummatum eſt, It is finiſhed; Inauditâ cauſâand, Father, into thy hands I commit my Spirit. The Seventy render it ſomewhat otherwiſe, as may be ſeen. Act. 8.33. the Apoſtle Peter explaineth it, Act. 2.24.
And who ſhall declare his generation?] Or, who can reckon his age, or his race? Or, who can utter or deſcribe his generation? i. e. The wickedneſſe of the men of thoſe times he lived in: or the hiſtory of his life and death? Some underſtand it of his eternal generation, Prov. 8.24, 25. Others of his Incarnation, that great Myſtery of godlineſſe: Quantus enim Deus quantillus factus eſt homo! Others of his holy ſeed, his Croſſe being fruitful,Aug. and his death giving life to an innumerable generation, Revl. 7.9.
For he was cut off out of the land of the living] Quaſi arbor ſaevis icta bipennibus, as a tree that is hewn down, 2 King. 6.4.
For the tranſgreſſion of my people] Our iniquities were the weapons, and our ſelves the traitours, that put to death the Lord of Life; Judas and the Jews were but our workmen. This ſhould draw dreary tears from us, Zach. 12.10.
Ver. 9. And he made his grave with the wicked] i. e. He ſhould have been buried among malefactours, had not rich Joſeph begged his body: Or, his dead body was at the diſpoſal of wicked ones, and of rich men or Rulers (the Jews, and Pilat) at his death.
And with the rich] The ſame, ſay ſome, with wicked. And indeed Magna cognatio ut rei ſi… nominis, divitiis & vitiis. Rich men are put for wicked rich, Jam. 5.1. And how hardly do rich men enter Heaven? Hyperius thinketh that the two thieves crucified together with Chriſt were rich men, put to death for Sedition: and Chriſt was placed in the midſt, as their chieftain: whence alſo that memorable title ſet over his head King of the Jews.
Becauſe he had done no violence] Or, albeit he had done, &c. notwithſtainding his innocency, and integrity.
— Nec te tua plurima Pentheu
Labentem texit pietas.
Ver. 10. Yet it pleaſed the Lord to bruiſe him] Singula verba hic expendenda ſunt cum Emphaſi, ſaith One: Here every word hath its weight:Hyper. and it is very ſure that the Apoſtles and Evangeliſts in deſcribing the myſteries of our ſalvation, have great reſpect as to this whole Chapter of Iſaiah, ſo eſpecially to theſe three laſt verſes. And it muſt needs be that the Prophet when he wrot theſe things was indued with a very great Spirit; becauſe herein he ſo clearly ſetteth forth the Lord Chriſt in his twofold eſtate of Humiliation and of Exaltation, that whereas other oracles of the Old Teſtament borrow light from the New, this Chapter lendeth light to the New in ſeveral places.
He hath put him to grief] Or, he ſuffered him to be put to pain, See Acts 2.23. & 4.28. God the Father had a main hand in his Sons ſufferings: and that out of his free mercy, Joh. 3.16. for the good of many.
When thou ſhalt make his ſoul an offering for ſin] Confer 2 Cor. 5.20. He made him ſin for us that knew no ſin. Our ſins were laid upon him, as the ſins of him that ſacrificed were laid upon the beaſt; which was thereby made the ſinner, as it were, and the man righteous. Chriſts Soul ſuffered alſo, Matth. 26.38. it was undequaque triſtis, ſurrounded wich ſorrows, and heavy as heart could hold. This Sacrifice of his was truly expiatory and ſatisfactory: Confer Heb. 10.1, 2.
He ſhall ſee his ſeed] Bring many ſons to God, Heb. 2.10, 13. (See on ver. 8.) an holy ſeed, the Church of the New Teſtament to the end of the world,Parit dum perit, & perit dum parit; Phae… nic. aenigma, Pſal. 72.17. filiabitur nomine ejus. The name of Chriſt ſhall endure for ever, it ſhall be begotten, as one generation is begotten of another: there ſhall be a ſucceſſion of Chriſts name, till time ſhall be no more.
And the pleaſure of the Lord ſhall prosper in his hand] He came to ſend fire on the earth, which whiles he lived upon earth was already kindled, Luke 12.49. This ſome interpret of the Goſpel: which how wonderfully it ſpred and proſpered, the Evangelical and Eccleſiaſtical hiſtories teſtify.
Ver. 11. He ſhall ſee of the travel of his ſoul] Or, becauſe his ſoul laboureth, he ſhall ſee (his ſeed) and be ſatisfied. A Metaphor from a travelling woman; confer Acts 2, 24. Joh. 16.21.
And ſhall be ſatisfied] As a Parent is in his dear children, or a rich man in the fight of his large farms and incomes.Saturabitur ſalute fidelium quam eſurivit. If therefore we would gratify and ſatisfy Chriſt, come by troops to the Ordinances.
By his knowledge] i. e. By the lively light and impreſſion of Faith, as Joh. 17.3. Acts 25.23. & 26.18. Joh. 6.69. Faith comprehendeth in it ſelf theſe three acts, Knowledge in the underſtanding, Aſſent of the will, and Truſt of the hear…: ſo that juſtifiyng Faith is nothing elſe but a fiducial aſſent, preſuppoſing knowledge. The Popiſh-Doctours ſettle the ſeat of Faith in the Will, as in its adaequate ſubject, that they mean while may doe what they will with the Heart, and with the Underſtanding. To which purpoſe they exclude all knowledge: and as for confidence in the promiſes of Chriſt, they cry it down to the utmoſt, and everywhere expunge it by their Iudices expurgatorii: for a bare aſſent (though without wit or ſenſe) is ſufficient, ſay they: and Bellarmine defendeth it, that Faith may better be defined by ignorance then by knowledge.
Shall my righteous ſervant] Jeſus Chriſt the just one, 1 Joh. 2.2. Jehovah our righteouſneſſe, Jer, 23.6.
Juſtify many] i. e. Diſcharge them from the guilt of all iniquity by his righteouſneſſe imputed unto them. This maketh againſt Juſtification by works: Cardinal Pighius was againſt it: ſo before him was Contarenus, another Cardinal. And of Stephen Gardiner it is recorded, that he died a Proteſtant in the point of mans Juſtification by the free mercies of God,Fullers Church hiſt. and merits of Chriſt.
For he ſhall bear their iniquities] Bajulabit: that, by nailing them to his Croſſe, he may expiate them.
Ver. 12. Therefore I will divide him a portion with the great] Or, I will give many to him, Pſal. 2.8. Some ſenſe it thus, I will give him to conquer, plunder, and ſpoil the evil ſpirits, as Coloſ. 2.15. and this he ſhall have for a reward of his ignominious death, and his interceſſion for ſome of his enemies, whom he conquered by a new and noble kind of victory, viz. by loving them, and by praying for them.
And he was numbred with tranſgreſſours] So he became a ſinner (though ſinleſſe) 1. By Imputation. 2. By Reputation.
And he bare the ſins of many] Not of all, as a Lapide here would have it, becauſe all are many, &c.
And made interceſſion] For thoſe that with wicked hands crucified him, Luke 23.34. ſo for others ſtill, Heb. 7.25.