Commentary on the Old Testament Volume 2-4, Biblical commentary 7 · Isaiah · Chapter 43
CHAP. XLIII.
ANd now thus saith the Lord, thy maker (O Jacob) and thy former (O Israel) Vers. 1. Hieron.Fear not. This Jerom denieth to be spoken of the whole Nation of the Jews, as if their conversion to come were respected, at the second coming of the Messiah, because they are Chap. 42. spoken of as a people spoiled and destroyed, and even then without hearts to consider the cause. Wherefore to expound these words as spoken to the same, is altogether discrepant. But if we distinguish Israel into two, according to the flesh and according to the spirit, they agree very well to the last, that is, the Apostles and other Preachers of the Gospel sent out by Christ at the first amongst the Jews, and those that were of that Nation converted to the faith by them, of whom it is said, Act. 21. That there were many thousands that believed, or any afterwards converted, or that shall be converted to the worlds end. These he bids not to fear water or fire, intimating great and hot persecutions, that should be raised against them. But the Hebrews by four things here named, water, flouds, fire, and flame, understand the Assyrians, Babylonians, Macedonians and Romans, from all which Israel shall be preserved. Lyra understands the faithfull of the Lyra.Gentiles, who upon their believing become Gods people, and are stiled accordingly Jacob and Israel, as is more plainly shewed Ch. 44. 5. And therefore he saith, Whom I have created and formed, by the spirit working in the preaching of the Apostles to form the new man in them, which is in righteousnesse and holinesse. For going thorow water and fire without hurt, hereby is meant, that they should suffer persecutions of divers sorts, yet the Church should again come out of them, and not perish hereby, but rather flourish more, as it did indeed, when Sanguis Martyrum was semen Ecclesiae, according to the old Proverb. Calvin applieth it particularly to the faithfull amongst the Jews, Calvin.who, he saith, are comforted against the destruction before threatned. I subscribe to Lyra, because these Prophecies begun Chap. 42. are plainly of the times of the Gospel, wherein Israel properly so called, or Israel according to the flesh is not so much respected, but the Israel by faith; and whoso shall consider the miseries in the Primitive times, suffered by the faithfull at the hands of Persecutors, cannot but acknowledge, that they had great need to be thus comforted. Yet I would not have the Gentiles so understood as to exclude the faithfull of the Jews, but taking them in also, as appears by vers. 3. and 14. Gen. 32.I have called thee by thy name; herein he alludes to his giving Jacob the name of Israel, when he had wrestled with God and prevailed.
When thou walkest thorow the waters, they shall not drown thee. As they were Vers. 2.not drowned when they went thorow the red Sea, and afterwards the three children were in the fire of Nebuchadnezzars fornace without burning, and in some of the faithfull, saith Lyra, it hath since been fulfilled according to the letter, they have walked miraculously upon the waters, as Christ did, and the flames of fire have had no power to kindle upon them, but have been extinguished, or made to burn up their Persecutors.
I gave Egypt for thy ransom, and Ethiopia, &c. That is, saith Jerom, the Vers. 3. Hieron. Lyra.salvation of the peoples which shall be called by the Ministery of the Apostles, shall be reputed the salvation of their souls. Lyra, They are said to be given for Israel, when by imbracing the faith they are joyned to Israel; or rather, I conceive, they are made the Israel of God. And Egypt and Ethiopia are spoken of in special, because the Gospel was so soon received there; in Egypt by the Ministery of Mark in Alexandria, and by Matthew his Ministery in Ethiopia. Calvin, Egypt and Ethiopia were given for a ransom for Israel, when Calvin.Sennacherib the King of Assyria being about to besiege Jerusalem, was by a singular providence called away to go against the Egyptians and Ethiopians, to fight against and overcome them, and returning again was shamefully put to flight from Judea, Jerusalem being preserved in safety. And this is the true 2. King. 19.literal meaning most commonly followed. But of the Ethiopians and Egyptians see more in relation to the Jews, Isa. 45. 14. But mystically here is further foreshewed, that the enemies of spiritual Israel should impugn it, and by persecution seek his destruction, but they themselves should be destroyed and this Israel preserved, and Egypt and Ethiopia and Seba only are named, because they were the most potent, that were continually at enmity with Israel, all idolatrous persecutours being by them figured out: so likewise Cyril. To Cyril.apply it to the conversion of idolatrous peoples, at what time they are made Sacrifices to God, according to Rom. 12. 1. c. 15, 16. as some do, were to confound the persons ransomed and made the ransom. And it is improper to say, I will give the Egyptians a ransom for thee, as meaning to be redeemed with thee, for to this sense it should rather have been said, I will redeem them together with thee.
Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honourable, therefore I will Vers. 4.give, &c. Here a reason is rendred, why the Lord would do for his Israel, as Note. he said before, viz. he was precious and honourable upon his turning Israel, by imbracing the faith, a great incouragement to us to turn, such are honourable, the wicked base.
I will bring thy seed from the East, and gather thee from the West, &c. The Vers. 5.like speech is used by Christ Luk. 13. 28, 29. declaring plainly, that by these children the faithfull of all Countreys and Nations are meant, and not the generality of the Jews, for of them he saith, And your selves thrust out. Calvin and Musculus apply it to the Jews captived into divers parts of the world, whom Calvin. Musculus.the Prophet here comforts against the fear that might surprize them in their enemies Countrey afarre off lest that being there they should be forgotten, though not at home in their own Countrey; against this fear he promiseth to bring them out of all parts. This I grant may be somwhat here aimed at, but the principal is that which hath been said, whereupon Jerom also goeth, and Calvin.Hieron. Vers. 7.
All that are called by my name, for my glory I have created them, &c. This sheweth, That the Israel hitherto spoken of is the Church of Christ consisting of men and women called Christians by Christs name, and to shew that he speaks of the same Israel, he repeats the words of vers. 1. I have created and formed thee for my glory; these words, For my glory] being added to shew what glory should redound to God by the conversion of the Gentiles.
I will bring out the blinde that have eyes, &c. Here is shewed, how the Lord Vers. 8.creates him a people to his glory, viz. by giving sight to them before blinde, and hearing to them before deaf, yet having eyes and ears, which doth most properly belong to the Israelites, that were now converted, because of them it is said, Isa. 6. 9. that they had eyes to see, but not to perceive, and the generality of them remain so to this day, but many amongst them who had the light of the Law and Prophets, which were as eyes to them, saw not the things which in the time of Christs coming in the flesh, they saw to their comfort and believed.
Let all the Nations be gathered together, and let the people be assembled, &c. Having hitherto foretold wonderfull things to come, whereby it might appear Vers. 9.to all the world that he is God, now he challengeth the servants of other gods to do the like, if they will justifie them to be Gods, and not vanities and dumb Idols. Whereas in bidding them declare former things to justifie that they are gods, but this may seem to be a point of small knowledge for gods; see the like before Chap. 42. 22. and the explanation thereof. Or Let them hear and say, it is truth, Hebr. And they shall hear and say truth, Calvin, Calvin.But let them hear, and they will say, it is true, giving hereupon this good exposition, If they that are most rude and ignorant, would but hear and consider, that the Lord reveals things to come, but none else can do it, they would say, It is true, he alone is God, and none other. Jerom, Let them hear and say, truly ye are my witnesses, adjoyning the words of vers. 10. that is, saith Lyra, Lyra.Let them hearken and learn, if they can, from their gods, what shall come, and speak of it before to others for the justification of their Deity, but if they cannot truly speak any thing this way, it is plain that those gods are but vanities. Then follows, Truly ye are my witnesses; the word foreign in our Hebrew Bibles, as we now have them distinguished by pricks and verses, being pulled without respect of pricks from vers. 9. and joyned to vers. 10. Cornel. a Lapide notwithstanding this dispointing and displacing in their authentical vulgar Latine, restores the word truly to vers. 9. giving this sense, which I cannot but acknowledge to be best; Let Idols servants foretell things before they come, and they shall be justified truly to be gods by others that shall hear them, saying Truly they are. But of this Cyril is the first Author. According to my rendering Cyril.of the Hebrew before, They, that is, some shall hear their Prophets from them declaring them long before, and as witnesses on their side shall be able to say, it is truth, and not a feigned thing, they are gods.
Thus he challengeth all peoples of the world that were lead away by false Vers. 10.gods, and puts them to a non plus, to prove them true. But for himself, he hath many witnesses, as it follows Vers. 10. Ye are my witnesses, and my servant whom I have chosen, &c. That is, Ye Jews amongst whom I have sent my Prophets and declared many things formerly, which ye have seen fulfilled, and Jesus my servant shall be my witnesse above all others, both by having my predictions Joh. 17. 3.fulfilled in him, by his averring me to be the only true God, and by the miracles which he shall work in my name.
For your sake I have sent to Babylon, and I have brought down all of them bound, Vers. 14.or as the Vul. Lat. hath it, All their bands, meaning, those whereby they held the Israelites in slavery, which were pulled off and thrown down, when they were out of that Captivity by Cyrus delivered, and Babylon with the great strength thereof before broken. And he speaks of it, as a thing done, though not done till above an hundred and fourty years after, for the certainty thereof, and he instanceth in this of so great note, which was to come long before his beloved sons coming in the flesh, who should bring the greatest happinesse to all true Israelites, that seeing this fulfilled they might be in assured expectation of that in Gods appointed time. Why our new Transl. for Bars hath Nobles, I know not, Calvin renders it more agreeably to the words, They are all fugitives] for so the Hebrew word also signifieth, and then the sense must be, he hath brought Babylon down, the inhabitants thereof are become fu…itives before the Persians, who in times past made all men fear and flee, being most mighty both by Land and Sea, for which he adds, The Caldees crying in ships, that is, shouting in an exulting manner, when they went to any Sea-fight in assured hope of victory, for the Caldees were the inhabitants of the City Babylon.
That maketh a path in the Sea, and a way in mighty waters, &c. To make it Vers. 16.the more credible which he had spoken ver. 14. he stiles himself their King, recounting the miraculous acts formerly done by him in dividing the red Sea Exod. 14. And the river Jordan Josh. 3. and the drowning of Pharaohs chariots and horsmen there. Thus he seeks to move them to believe their deliverance from the Babylonish Captivity, by shewing that God had done greater things for Vers. 17.them already. But from hence Vers. 18, 19. he proceeds to foretell of a farre greater mercy yet to come after that, viz. a spiritual by Christ Jesus, of whom he had spoken Chap. 42. 1. And therefore he extenuates both their deliverance out of Aegypt and out of Babylon, as not worthy to be remembred in comparison of this, saying, Remember not former things. Behold I do a new thing, I make a way in the wildernesse and rivers in the desert, &c. Which is by Lyra expounded Vers. 19. Lyra.of Christs incarnation, and of all Nations as barren in respect of good, as a wildernesse, being therefore hereby likewise set forth Cha. 35. 1. and of the spirit said to be as a river alwayes flowing, Joh. 4. 14. See also Chap. 35. 7, 8. where the spirit given by Christ is likewise set forth by springs of water, and a way is also spoken of there. And for the new thing, he saith, it is also spoken of, Jer. 31. 22. A woman shall compasse a man. Thus also Jerom, who seeks Hieronym.to draw that vers. 14. to Christs times also, as if by Babylon were meant the wicked world, and by the bound ones the bound in sinne, and by Caldees devils, who were destroyed by Christs coming, and their captives loosed from their bands. But herein I rather prefer Lyra and others understanding that properly, because he speaks not of the new and most admirable thing above all others, that is, Christ and his Kingdom, till now, and in such words, as plainly exclude the thing related vers. 14. as not pertaining to this Prophecie, vers. 19, 20. So Procopius, Ad. Sasbont, &c. But Calvin, Junius, &c. will have Calvin. Junius.it meant of the same deliverance out of the Babylonish Captivity, taking in all the time following, till the coming of Christ, in which time he recounts many admirable mercies shewed to the Jews, for which the doings of the Lord towards them might well be thus magnified, but especially his comforting of them by Haggai in respect of the Lords house built after their return, by this, that he would fill it with more glory, then that formerly built by Solomon, which was fulfilled when Christ came into it. I see no reason, why this should be mingled with other things done before, although all exceeding great mercies, because the Prophet plainly distinguisheth betwixt those outward mercies, and these here promised, by calling these new and preferring them so far beyond them, as to call off from remembring them any more in comparison of these. For if the comparison had been betwixt the old acts of the Lord done for them, and those in bringing them out of Babylon, and such others as followed after, what reason can be rendred why these should be so much extolled above them, being indeed not equal to them, as will easily appear to him that shall consider the many miracles wrought then, and but few now, and the servile condition, that the Jews were almost alwayes in after their return from Captivity, and their free, before, living under some most glorious Kings of their own. And the word New, doth plainly intimate not the like, but another kinde of mercy farre more excellent. Yet in speaking of it the spirit alludes to corporeal mercies before shewed them in their coming through the wildernesse towards Canaan at the first, that they might be the more sensible of it.
The beasts of the field shall honour me, the Dragon and the Owl, &c. Having Vers. 20.compared the graces of the spirit overflowing under the N. T. whereby a way is made for the faithfull to heaven, with the way sometime thorow the red sea, and the waters flowing out of a rock in the wildernesse, whereby the Israelites passing were refreshed: now because not only men, but beasts then had comfort by those waters, that the many rivers of grace flowing in the most vast wildernesse of Heathen Countreys in stead of one then in one wildernesse might not seem to come short of that in any thing, he sheweth here, that beasts should have comfort of these waters also, that is, the most bestial sort of men, and the unclean fowls setting forth the uncleanest of men, because grace coming into their hearts, they are again of beasts made men dear unto God, and chosen by him, as is intimated in the last words of this verse, To give water to my chosen people; To this effect Jerom, who also saith, that Theodotion for Hieronym.Owl hath Thannim, others Syrens, denoting men drawn away by pleasure to become a prey to the devil, because the Syrens allured passengers by sea by their sweet singing to be devoured by the Scillean Dogs. But he prefers the former reading of wildernesse-birds, putting yet Ostriches for Owls. Gregory hereupon Gregor. Moral. 31. c. 5.saith, Dragons are earthly-minded men, creeping, as it were, upon the ground; and Ostriches hypocrites, because they have wings, and yet flee not: but these being converted, or having drunk of this water, do isincerely or seriously Plato de repub. lib. 3.worship and serve God. Plato saith, That in man, as in the Trojan-horse, are all sorts of beasts; the Fox, in the subtill and deceitfull; in the cruell, the Lion; in the lustfull, the Sow loving the mire; in the slothfull, the Asse; in the greedy-gutted, the Wolf; in the curious and fine, the Peacock, &c.
But thou hast not called upon me (O Jacob) Having prophesied of the vocation Vers. 22.of the Gentiles, now he prevents an Objection, which the Jews might make thus, Wilt thou indeed thus be indulgent to the Gentiles, when they shall be converted unto thee? What can they do more then we have done and do daily? For we pray often unto thee, offer many Sacrifices and incense daily. Note. Contrariwise he saith, That they had not prayed nor offered him Sacrifices, meaning, that their prayers and sacrifices were as nothing, forsomuch as their sins made them all abominable, as Chap. 1. 14. So that they serve not God who do duties unto him, but they make him to serve with their sins, as vers. 24. that is, by laying on a load thereof upon him, as Amos 2. 13. which they lookt he should bear by suffering them to go unpunisht, and notwithstanding blessing them every way; and he saith, That they wearied him with their iniquities both in this regard, and because that all the time of his forbearing to punish them, he strove with his justice putting him on to punish even till he was weary. Some referre his being made to serve with their sins, to Christ, that for sinne came in the form of a servant to redeem them from servitude. Of the Exposition before-going Jerom layes the ground in brief, taking it also as Hieronym.prophetical of their obduration by unbelief when Christ came, for then they turned not in his name to call upon him; and what they did before in sacrificing was nothing, seeing they were not obedient, and obedience is the best sacrifice, 1 Sam. 15. Some will have this spoken, as alluding to that which was Ad. Sasbont.said before of the beasts praising God, but Israel called not upon him, that is, to be accepted. Some take all that which is spoken from hence to the end of the Chapter, as a rendring of a reason, that the good before promised to his people was not of their merit, but of Gods mercy, therefore he here first Calvin. Musculus.chargeth them with not serving him so as to be worthy of any thing, but of judgement, because if they prayed or sacrificed, it was done but unwillingly, they not knowing by reason of the Law requiring it how to do otherwise, which is intimated, by saying, Thou hast been weary of me, or wearied in me, as the word foreign signifieth, that is by counting it a wearinesse which thou dost in my service, and their sacrifices were accompanied with many sins. Some, saith Calvin, understand this as spoken of the time of their Captivity in Babylon, but he rejects this.
I, I am, that doth away thine iniquities for my self, &c. Upon the ground before laid down of their unworthinesse, and the Gentiles being before their Vers. 25.conversion as beasts, he now inferreth, that all the favour done to his spirituall Israel was meerly out of grace, that hereunto only and not to merit of man remission of sins and salvation might be ascribed, as even the Jesuite Cornelius Cornel. a Lap. Sasbont.a Lapide yieldeth: see the like Ezek. 36. 22. And Sasbont a Papist is forced by the evidence of truth to determine thus. When it is said, I do thy iniquities away for my own sake] It is not thus spoken to teach, that nothing is required on our part, that we may be forgiven, for we must believe in Christ, as Abraham believed and it was imputed to him for righteousnesse. But when we do, Joh. 6. 44.it is still for his own sake that he forgives us, because he both draweth us to faith in his Son, and when being drawn we believe, it is not for the merit of our faith, that we are forgiven, but because to the believer God imputeth not sinne. Again, we must be baptized and repent, but when we do thus, it is not therefore that we are forgiven and set clear from sinne, but for Gods own sake, and his grace, who in meer mercy is thus pleased to justifie and save us: If it be said, he forgives us for Christs sake, and because he by his death hath satisfied the divine Justice, and paid our ransom; it is true, but when he forgives for his sake, he forgives for his own, sith he sent his Son, and the Father and Son are one. Thus he, most orthodoxly confirming our tenet of Justification only by grace, and not in any part by works, closing with Paul, Ephes. 1. 6, 7. In whom we have redemption through his bloud, the forgivenesse of our sins, to the praise of the glory of his grace.
Thy first father hath sinned, and thy teachers have transgressed against me. To make good what he had said, that he did away their sins for his own sake, he ascends here to the consideration of their and their fathers condition from the very first that he took Israel to be his people; the words rendred, Thy first father] may better be rendred, Thy fathers, the first of them. For it is foreign not a singular, but a plural, Thy fathers, then foreign that first] whereby he plainly means Abraham, not Adam, as some would, for Abraham was first chosen to be the father of the faithfull, and he sinned before his calling, by Idolatry, as is intimated Josh. 24. 2. See my Exposition upon it. As for their other fathers, from whom the Tribes of Israel had their names, they were notorious for some sins, Reuben for incest, Simeon and Levi for deceit and murther, and all the rest for being helpers herein, and for meditating the death of Joseph, and man-stealing, Judah for incest also with Thamar his daughter in law, yea their very teachers, or Legats sent from God to them to deliver them out of Egypt sinned, for so the word foreign signifieth, or interpreters, and these were Moses and Aaron, who sinned at the waters of Meribah, for which God was angry with them, and took them away, before they came into the Land of Canaan.
Therefore I have prophaned the Princes of the Sanctuary, &c. That is, the same men, who were over the Sanctuary of God, dealing with them as with Vers. 28.the common sort of the Jews, cutting them off for that sinne in the wilderness, as the whole multitude of murmurers, who were all destroyed from twenty years old and upward, and two only saved that opposed them in their murmuring, Caleb and Joshuah; so Jerom. For to be prophaned is to be made like Hieron.the common sort in their bodily death, and I gave Jacob to the curse, and Israel to reproaches, that is, when they were by the curse of God held in the wildernesse fourty years, till all the murmurers were consumed by divers judgments, and were fain to hear of their wickednesses to their great shame and reproach, when they were by Moses and Aaron upbraided hereby. And if their fathers and teachers, even the best of them, were not without their sins, yea a whole generation of which they came grosly tainted, and accordingly punished, then it must needs follow, that the great mercies promised before in this Chapter must spring from Gods meer grace pardoning their sins, which deserved the contrary, much more then their fathers had done, as being greater sinners, which is the main scope and end of this commemoration. Musculus expounds Muscul.this of their fathers in common considered as one body, and their Priests and Prophets leading them on in sinne, till they were destroyed and shamefully enthralled by their enemies, Caldeans, Assyrians and others, who scorned and disgraced them. But because it seems to be an argument à majore ad minus, Gen. 15. 8.it will hold better from Abraham and Moses and Aaron, &c. to them, because they were of eminent holiness, these base Idolaters and deboisht sinners. And whereas he for the sin of Abraham refers us to a query made by him, How he should know that he should inherit the Land of Canaan? I see not how it can be counted a sinne any more then Hezekiahs asking a signe, or Gideons afterwards, seeing as to them and to the Virgin Mary a sign was given in mercy without a reproof, so to Abraham. Yea he is set forth above all all others, as a patern of believing without doubting through unbelief, Rom. 4.