Isai. xlix. 6. And he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel : I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth.
THAT the Gentiles were to be received into the Church of God, was a truth which the Jews were
r 2
backward to admit. Several years after the Gospel had been preached to the Jews, Peter declined visiting the Gentiles, and was afterwards called to an account by the Apostles themselves for going to thema; nor could any thing but repeated miracles in their favour overcome the prejudices which he enter- tained respecting them. Not but that the conversion of the Gentiles had bCen very frequently and plainly foretold. The very passage before us, if there had been no other, was quite sufficient to raise an expec- tation of that event. In the context there is a con- versation between Jehovah and his Son. The Mes- siah announces to the Gentiles his qualifications for the work to which he was calledb; but at the same time complains that his labours among the Jews were almost in vainc. Nevertheless He declares his un- shaken confidence that Jehovah would not leave him without ultimate success11. Jehovah then, in answer to his Son, assures him, that however he may be treated by the Jews, he shall be upheld and accepted in his work6; and that his failure among the Jewish nation shall be far overbalanced by his success among the Gentiles.
To elucidate this prophecy, we shall consider, I. The characters here given to Christ- There can be no doubt but that the words of the text relate to Christ —
[They are far too strong to be applied to Isaiah himself; nor could they with propriety be spoken of any but the Mes- siah. The expressions here used are similar to those which the prophet elsewhere uses in reference to himf: they were evidently alluded to by the patriarch when he took up the infant Jesus in his armsg, and are expressly quoted by St. Paul as having received their accomplishment in Christ11.]
To him the characters, there specified, most emi- nently belong. He is " the Restorer of Israel," having
a Acts xi. 1, 2. This was six or seven years after Christ's ascen- sion.
b ver. 1 — 3. c ver. 4. d ver. 4. e ver. 5.
' Isai. xlii. 1, G. and lx. 3. e Luke ii. 30—32.
h Acts xiii. 46, 47.