Isaiah 50 · Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
CHAPTER 50 Is 50:1-11 . The Judgments on Israel Were Provoked by Their Crimes, yet They Are Not Finally Cast Off by God. 1. Where ... mothers divorcement-- Zion is "the mother"; the Jews are the children; and God the Husband and Father ( Is 54:5 ; 62:5 ; Jr 3:14 ). Gesenius thinks that God means by the question to deny that He had given "a bill of divorcement" to her, as was often done on slight pretexts by a husband ( De 24:1 ), or that He had "sold" His and her "children," as a poor parent sometimes did ( Ex 21:7 ; 2Ki 4:1 ; Ne 5:5 ) under pressure of his "creditors"; that it was they who sold themselves through their own sins. Maurer explains, "Show the bill of your mother's divorcement, whom ... ; produce the creditors to whom ye have been sold; so it will be seen that it was not from any caprice of Mine, but through your own fault, your mother has been put away, and you sold" ( Is 52:3 ). Horsley best explains (as the antithesis between "I" and "yourselves" shows, though Lowth translates, "Ye are sold") I have never given your mother a regular bill of divorcement; I have merely "put her away" for a time, and can, therefore, by right as her husband still take her back on her submission; I have not made you, the children, over to any "creditor" to satisfy a debt; I therefore still have the right of a father over you, and can take you back on repentance, though as rebellious children you have sold yourselves to sin and its penalty ( 1Ki 21:25 ). bill ... whom-- rather, "the bill with which I have put her away" [Maurer].
2. I-- Messiah. no man-- willing to believe in and obey Me ( Is 52:1 , 3 ). The same Divine Person had "come" by His prophets in the Old Testament (appealing to them, but in vain, Jr 7:25 , 26 ), who was about to come under the New Testament. hand shortened-- the Oriental emblem of weakness, as the long stretched-out hand is of power ( Is 59:1 ). Notwithstanding your sins, I can still "redeem" you from your bondage and dispersion. dry up ... sea-- ( Ex 14:21 ). The second exodus shall exceed, while it resembles in wonders, the first ( Is 11:11 , 15 ; 51:15 ). make ... rivers ... wilderness-- turn the prosperity of Israel's foes into adversity. fish stinketh-- the very judgment inflicted on their Egyptian enemies at the first exodus ( Ex 7:18 , 21 ).
3. heavens ... blackness-- another of the judgments on Egypt to be repeated hereafter on the last enemy of God's people ( Ex 10:21 ). sackcloth-- ( Re 6:12 ).
4. Messiah, as "the servant of Jehovah" ( Is 42:1 ), declares that the office has been assigned to Him of encouraging the "weary" exiles of Israel by "words in season" suited to their case; and that, whatever suffering it is to cost Himself, He does not shrink from it ( Is 50:5 , 6 ), for that He knows His cause will triumph at last ( Is 50:7 , 8 ). learned-- not in mere human learning, but in divinely taught modes of instruction and eloquence ( Is 49:2 ; Ex 4:11 ; Mt 7:28 , 29 ; 13:54 ). speak a word in season-- ( Pr 15:23 ; 25:11 ). Literally, "to succor by words," namely, in their season of need, the "weary" dispersed ones of Israel ( De 28:65-67 ). Also, the spiritual "weary" ( Is 42:3 ; Mt 11:28 ). wakeneth morning by morning, &c.-- Compare "daily rising up early" ( Jr 7:25 ; Mr 1:35 ). The image is drawn from a master wakening his pupils early for instruction. wakeneth ... ear-- prepares me for receiving His divine instructions. as the learned-- as one taught by Him. He "learned obedience," experimentally, "by the things which He suffered"; thus gaining that practical learning which adapted Him for "speaking a word in season" to suffering men ( He 5:8 ).
5. opened ... ear-- (See on Is 42:20 ; Is 48:8 ); that is, hath made me obediently attentive (but Maurer, "hath informed me of my duty"), as a servant to his master (compare Psa 40:6-8 , with Php 2:7 ; Is 42:1 ; 49:3 , 6 ; 52:13 ; 53:11 ; Mt 20:28 ; Lu 22:27 ). not rebellious-- but, on the contrary, most willing to do the Father's will in proclaiming and procuring salvation for man, at the cost of His own sufferings ( He 10:5-10 ).
6. smiters-- with scourges and with the open hand ( Is 52:14 ; Mr 14:65 ). Literally fulfilled ( Mt 27:26 ; 26:27 ; Lu 18:33 ). To "pluck the hair" is the highest insult that can be offered an Oriental ( 2Sa 10:4 ; La 3:30 ). "I gave" implies the voluntary nature of His sufferings; His example corresponds to His precept ( Mt 5:39 ). spitting-- To spit in another's presence is an insult in the East, much more on one; most of all in the face ( Job 30:10 ; Mt 27:30 ; Lu 18:32 ).
7. Sample of His not being "discouraged" ( Is 42:4 ; 49:5 ). set ... face like ... flint-- set Myself resolutely, not to be daunted from My work of love by shame or suffering ( Eze 3:8 , 9 ).
8. ( Is 49:4 ). The believer, by virtue of his oneness with Christ, uses the same language ( Psa 138:8 ; Ro 8:32-34 ). But "justify" in His case, is God's judicial acceptance and vindication of Him on the ground of His own righteousness ( Lu 23:44-47 ; Ro 1:4 ; 1Ti 3:16 , with which compare 1Pe 3:18 ); in their case, on the ground of His righteousness and meritorious death imputed to them ( Ro 5:19 ). stand together-- in judgment, to try the issue. adversary-- literally, "master of my cause," that is, who has real ground of accusation against me, so that he can demand judgment to be given in his favor (compare Zec 3:1 , &c. Re 12:10 ).
9. (Compare "deal," or "proper," Is 52:13 , Margin; Is 53:10 ; Psa 118:6 ; Jr 23:5 ). as a garment-- ( Is 51:6 , 8 ; Psa 102:26 ). A leading constituent of wealth in the East is change of raiment, which is always liable to the inroads of the moth; hence the frequency of the image in Scripture.
10. Messiah exhorts the godly after His example ( Is 49:4 , 5 ; 42:4 ) when in circumstances of trial ("darkness," Is 47:5 ), to trust in the arm of Jehovah alone. Who is, &c.-- that is, Whosoever ( Jud 7:3 ). obeyeth ... servant-- namely, Messiah. The godly "honor the Son, even as they honor the Father" ( Joh 5:23 ). darkness-- ( Mi 7:8 , 9 ). God never had a son who was not sometimes in the dark. For even Christ, His only Son, cried out, "My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?" light-- rather, "splendor"; bright sunshine; for the servant of God is never wholly without "light" [Vitringa]. A godly man's way may be dark, but his end shall be peace and light. A wicked man's way may be bright, but his end shall be utter darkness ( Psa 112:4 ; 97:11 ; 37:24 ). let him trust in the name of the Lord-- as Messiah did ( Is 50:8 , 9 ).