Commentary on the Old Testament Volume 2-4, Biblical commentary 7 · Isaiah · Chapter 53
CHAP. LIII.
VVHo hath beleeved our report, &c. Here the Prophet further amplifieth Vers. 1.the strange thing touching Christ before declared, chap. 52. 14, 15. that his visage was so marred, and yet he should so mightily prevail, that Kings should submit unto him. And he beginneth with the Jews infidelity touching the same, as if he had said, We the Prophets of God have sufficiently set forth Christ, the power and arm of God, to come, and by powerfull miracles shewing himself to be the Son of God, and an arm to save all that beleeve in him, but few of the Jews will beleeve this, and to few shall he be revealed to be such. Of the arm of the Lord spoken of in this sense, see before, Chap. 5. 9.
For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and a root out of a dry ground. Vers. 2.By this name of plant or branch, he was set forth before, chap. 11. 1. and he is here prophesied of as a root out of a dry ground, to intimate his coming forth out of the Virgin Mary, a Virgin, that knew no man, being like unto the dry and barren ground in respect of fruit-bearing. Of this he spake before more plainly, chap. 7 14. He hath no form nor comlinesse: of which chap. 52. 14. and it is chiefly to be understood of him being poor and despised, and hanging upon the Crosse. But how doth this agree with Psal. 45. Thou art fairer then the sons of men: and in Cantic. My beloved is white and ruddy, the chief of ten page missing faithfull are begotten by his Word, he is called the everlasting Father, Isa. 9. 6. Calvin by the will or pleasure of God prospering in his hand, noteth that by his Calvin.hand he setteth forth his Ministery, wherein he served to the death, this prospereth when we are hereby delivered from our sins, and from his death vertue cometh to us to make us die to sin and live to righteousnesse.
Of the labour of his soul he shall see, he shall be satisfied. Here in other words Vers. 11.he expresseth the same that he had said before, for when by his Word preached souls are begotten, it is the fruit of his labour by his Ministers, which his soul thirsted after, and now it is satisfied: a notable expression to shew how our conversion and salvation is by Christ longed after, and taken pleasure in, even as one hungry takes pleasure and is satisfied with his meat. By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justifie many; That is, by knowing him to be the true Sonne of God, and believing in him so, as to rest wholly and only upon the merits of his death. For justification and salvation, and not in any part upon our own or other mens, we are justified before God, and so shall stand and appear so at the last day, none of our sins being once remembred to endanger us in respect of the second death, but in his righteousnesse we shall live for ever. According to this it is said Joh. 17. 3. This is life eternal to know thee to be the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent. For he shall bear their iniquities] That is, of all them that know him, as hath been said, all their iniquities being put upon him, as the common sacrifice for their sins, as he was called vers. 10. and when our sins are taken and put upon him, what strange thing is it to say, that we are perfectly righteous, against those that count it absurd to say that we are righteous by the righteousnesse of another? For this is righteousnesse that will hold, when that which is by entring into this or that religious order, or doing the works of the Law, or any good deeds being trusted to, will prove but like a broken reed.
He shall divide the spoils with the strong. One and the same thing is set forth Vers. 12.by these words, and those immediatly before them in this verse. I will divide a part unto him with the great ones. The meaning being, I will impart unto him such glory and riches after his sufferings, as conquerours use to have, and he shall have them, as a reward of his conflict with reproach and death by him undergone, as is expressed again in the next words, Because he poured out his soul to death, &c.