Commentary on the Old Testament Volume 2-4, Biblical commentary 7 · Isaiah · Chapter 56
CHAP. LVI.
THus saith the Lord, Keep judgement and do justice, for my salvation is near. Vers. 1.Having comforted the faithfull in shewing the happy and joyfull condition to which they should come by Christ Chap. 55. Now lest any should think to partake of this happinesse, and yet live still in sinne; the Lord here exhorts us all that would have joy of salvation by Christ, to judgement and justice, that is, to do righteously in all things, and specially such as are in place, to judge righteously betwixt man and man, and to stand for the just cause of the poor, without respect of persons or bribes. And to this he moveth from this consideration, that his righteousnesse, Christ Jesus, who is also the salvation whereby we are saved from our sins, is near; as when Christ came indeed, he cried, Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand; because there is a remedy in Christ against sinne, the wicked are the more licentious, saying, Let us continue in sinne that grace may abound. But the faithfull know, That the grace Note. Rom. 6. Tit. 2. 12. 1 Cor. 1. 30.of God hath appeared, that denying ungodlinesse and worldly lusts, we should live temperately and righteously, because as he is salvation, so he is righteousnesse and sanctification, not saving any, but such as are first made just and holy as well by inherent as imputative justice.
Blessed is he that doth this and layes hold upon that. That is, doth justice, and Vers. 2.by faith layeth hold on this salvation. That keepeth the Sabbath, and his hands from doing any evil. Besides righteousness towards men, every one is exhorted to keep the Sabbath, which then was a sign betwixt God and his people, and he speaketh to men then living, and both then and alwayes a Sabbath is to be kept, that is, a rest from doing evil, which is the devils work. And to intimate that the Apostles and other faithfull persons kept such a Sabbath, and no six working dayes, Christ saith unto them, Ye are not of the world, meaning, as Jerom hath it, Ye are not of the world made in six dayes, to work the Hieron.works of sinne in them, but every day's a Sabbath perpetually to you, or must be. The keeping of the Sabbath was not then to rest only, and in idlenesse to keep at home, for God takes no pleasure in this. But to rest from labour, to attend to duties of devotion; and thus, saith Musculus, the Lords day is now to be kept, and that by keeping the Sabbath, as wherein all duties of piety are to be performed, all such duties are meant, wherein a man must be daily conversant that will be blessed, as is here promised.
And let not the son of strangers say, &c. Here because such might fear, that Vers. 3.the blessednesse spoken of was nothing to them, but belonged to the Jews only, and hereby be discouraged from a godly care of righteousnesse, he bids them not thus to despair, or the Eunuch, as if he were a dry tree, that could not spring up, as was before-said, Chap. 55. 13. that for Thorns should come up Fir-trees, &c. For the Lord promiseth even to such, if they keep his Sabbaths Vers. 4. Vers. 5.and please him, a name better then of sons and daughters. And this is spoken, saith Jerom, not of Eunuchs gelt by men, but of those that make themselves chast for the Kingdom of heaven, as Christ afterwards speaketh. For such if they refrain from women indeed, to live the more freely to God, and to care for the things of the Lord, are famous in the Church, yea more then they that beget many children in whom their name is continued; because that although they have no natural, yet they have many spiritual children, wherein they are more blessed. Calvin by Eunuchs understands all such as had any note of disgrace, because to be barren was counted a curse amongst Abrahams Calvin.posterity, one of whose blessings lay in the encrease of posterity. But here are two sorts spoken to, 1. Sons of strangers, 2. Eunuchs, both which were basely accounted of amongst the Jews: For the reason before-said. Eunuchs and strangers, because out of the Covenant made with Abraham and his seed, of which they were not. And the time was coming wherein all that contain, should be exhorted to it, as they were Matth. 21. 12. Therefore to move men the rather to do so that could; Eunuchs, others of strangers children, that is, of the Gentiles turned to the faith, are thus encouraged to use their gift. And although the Prophet began with sons of strangers, and then came to speak to Eunuchs, yet in promising he speaks first to Eunuchs, as whose devoting of themselves wholly to God, refusing for his sake to take such pleasures as lawfully they might, was most highly accepted of before him; and then to the Gentiles converted of all sorts, vers. 6, 7. comforting them with Ver. 6, 7.the like comforts, of bringing them to his house, and accepting their Sacrifices, thus making his house an house of prayer to all Nations, that is, not the Temple, for that was destroyed together with the City not many years after that the Jews had wickedly crucified Christ, but any house built in any Countrey for divine worship. Wherefore this is a Prophecie of the conversion of the Gentiles, betwixt whom and Jews believing now there is no difference, but all are one in Christ, Gal. 3. 28. The Papists here and upon Matth. 19. take occasion to extoll too highly the single life of Priests and votaries, and to dabase the married life: but in so doing they have no ground in either place, or 1 Cor. 7. for Virginity is no where so commended that marriage is on the contrary side any whit blemished, but pronounced honourable in all men, Heb. 13. 4. and no more difference put between the married and unmarried, but that the one doth well, the other better. Alwayes provided also, that the Eunuch or unmarried be a keeper of the Sabbath and of the Covenant, and please God in his wayes, as it is in this place; otherwise his forcing of himself to this seeming continency being mean while incontinent and desiling himself with harlots, is most damnable hypocrisie, taught him, not by God, but by the devil, whose Doctrine it is said to be 1 Tim. 4. of which sort there are so many of the Priests and Votaries in Rome, that all Writers cry shame against them therefore.
The Lord who gathereth the out-casts of Israel, I will yet gather others to him, Vers. 8.Hebr. Above him to his gathered ones. That is, the Lord, who gathereth together the dispersed Jews, bringing them from Babylon into Judea, will as certainly to the Jews gather Peoples, Countreys and Nations all over the world to be his Church in the time of the Gospel, in which sense also Christ said, When the son of man is lifted up, he will draw all men to him.
All ye beasts of the field, come to devour. Having hitherto spoken comfort by Vers. 9.Christ, now to the unbelievers and persecutours of Christians amongst the Jews he speaketh terrour, especially to their Priests, the greatest adversaries of the Gospel. The beasts, whom he inviteth to devour, are the Romans, the people to be devoured, the Priests, Scribes and Pharisees, and other unbelieving; so that this is a Prophecie of Jerusalems destruction to come by Titus: Thus Jerom, Cyril, Theodosius, Sashont, &c. Neither doth Calvin or Musculus Hieronym. Cyril. Calvin. Musculus.dissent, but that Calvin will have not only the destruction by the Romans here prophesied of, but by Antiochus Epiphanes, and the Caldees, but chiefly by the Caldees; and they understand beasts properly, by inviting of whom is intimated a great destruction of the Jews to be made by their enemies, so that their dead bodies would suffice all beasts of prey coming from farre or near. Oecolampadius is for men cruel and bloudy called beasts; and I see no reason but that it may be taken either way; see the like Jer. 7. 33. chap. 34. 20. but that the destruction by the Romans was chiefly meant, seemeth to be implied, ver. 10. where he crieth out against the watchmen as the cause, Vers. 10.and that not by reason of their Idolatry, as when the Caldees destroyed Jerusalem, but of their blindnesse and ignorance wherewith Christ oft upbraided them, their drunkennesse and covetousnesse and other notarieties following thereupon. For when the Romans came against Jerusalem, all abominable sins, saith Josephus, did so abound, that if they had not come and destroyed so wicked a City, fire and brimstone must needs have come down from heaven upon them as upon Sodom. All the watchmen are blinde, they are dumb dogs. So Christ said often to the Scribes and Pharisees, calling them fools and blinde, Mat. 23. and dumb dogs, the Prophet saith they are, which lay sleeping, because as the dog which should by barking keep the Wolf from the flock; but if he lieth sleeping and barketh not, so that the Wolf cometh and makes havock of the sheep, is worthy to be hanged, especially being scarefull and given to devour excessively that he should not also; in like manner if such as are appointed to watch over the Lords flock, do nothing lesse then by sound and diligent teaching chase away Wolves or Lions, as devils are called, that they may not devour; but contrariwise by their ill example teach them riot and intemperance, and make it all their labour to get worldly gain, they shall have the great Judge of the world most infense against them to the hanging of them in hell for ever, as they are well worthy.