The Pulpit Commentary — Isaiah — Volume 2 — Section 285

EXPOSITION. CHAPTER Lfil and 1 Pet. ii. 24, 25. The Messianic inter- THE PASSIONAL, OR THE GREAT PIIOPHEOY pretation is maintained, among modems, by OF THE SUFFERINGS OF CHRIST, AND OF RIB Hengstenberg, Keil, Umbreit, CEhler, De- LATER ELU.TATION. Polycarp the Lysian litzsch, Kay, Cheyne, Henderson, Alexan- calls this chapter "the golden passional of der, Urwiek, and others. the Old Testament eV&ngelist." Delitzsch that Ver. 1.-Who bath believed 1 Isaiah felt he spoke, ma.inly, to unbelieving ears se.ys of it, "It is the centre of this wonderful (see above, eh. xxviii. 9-15; xxix. 10-15; book of consolation (eh. xl.-hvi.), and is xxx. 9-11 ; xlii. 23, eto.). The unbelief the most central, the deepest, and the loftiest was likely to be intensified when so mar- thing that the Old Testament prophecy, out- vellous R prophecy was delivered as that stripping itself, has ever achieved" (' Com- which he was now commissioned to put forth. Still, of course, there is rhetorical ment.ary on Isaiah,' vol. ii. p. 303). Mr. exaggeration in the question, which seems Urwirk remarks on it, "Here we seem to to imply that no one would believe. Our enter the holy of holies of Old Testament report ; literally, that which has been heard prophecy-that sacred chamber wherein are by us. But the word is used technically pictured and foretold the sufferings of Christ for a prophetic revelation (see eh. xxviii. 9, 19; Jer. xlix. H). Here it would seem to and the glory which should follow" (' The refer especially to the Messianic prophecies Servant of J ehovab,' p. 65). delivered by Isaiah. To whom is the arm The Messianic interpretation of the chap- of the Lord revealed 1 The "arm of the ter was nniversally acknowledged by the Lord," which has Leen •• made bare in the Jews until the time of Aben Ezra.(aboutA.D. eyes of all the nations" (eh. Iii. 10), yet requires the eye of faith to see it. Many 1150). It was also assumed as indisputable Jews would not see the working of God's by the Christian Fathers. Almost a.11 Chris- providence in the victories of Cyrus, or in tian expositors down to the commencement the decision to which he came to restore of the ninet.centh centm-y took the same the Jews to their own country. Unbelief view. It was only under the pressure of can always assign the most plainly provi- dential arrangements to happy accident. the Christian controversy that the later Jews Ver. 2.-For he shall grow up ; rather, abandoned the traditional interpretation, and now he grew up. The verbs are, all of them, applied the prophecy (1) to Jeremiah; (2) in the past, or completed tense, until ver. 7, to Josiah; (3) to the people of Israel. In and are to be regarded as " perfects of pro- the present century a certain number of phetic certitude." As Mr. Cheyne remarks, Christian commentators have adopted one "All has been finished before the founda- tions of the world in the Di vine counsels." or other of the late Jewish theories, either Before him; i.e. "before Jehovah"-under absolutely or with modifications. It is im- the fostering care of Jehovah (comp. Luke possible to ex.amine and refute their argu- ii. 40, 52). God the Father had his eye ments here. We must be content to repeat ever fixed upon the Son with watchfulness what was urged in the introductory para.- and tenderness and love. As a tender plant; literally, aa a sapling, or aa a sucker ' graph to eh. :ilii, namely: (I) that the por- (comp. Job viii. 16; xiv. 7; xv. 30; Ps. traiture of "the Servant of the Lord" in lxxx. 12; Ezek. xvii. 4, 22; Hos. xiv. 6). this place has so strong a.n individuality The "branch" of eh. xi. 1, 10-a differ- and such marked personal features that it ent word-has nearly the same meaning. cannot possibly be a. mere personified collec- The Messiah will be a fresh sprout from tive--wbether Israel, or faithful Israel, or i.e. the stump of a tree that has been felled; from the destroyed Davidic monarchy. ideal Israel, or the collective body of the As a root (so ob. xi. JO; Rev. v. 5). prophets; and (2) that it goes so infinitely The "sapling" from the house of David beyond anything of which a. mere man was shall become the " root" out of which his ever capable, that it can only refer to the Church will grow (comp. John xv. 1-6). unique Man-the God-Man-Christ. It is, Ont of a dry ground. Either out of the " dry ground" of a corrupt age and nation, moreover, applied directly to Christ in Matt. or out of the arid soil of humanity. In the viii. 17; Mark xv. 28; Luke nii. 37; John East it is not unusual to see a tall succulent xii. 37, 38; Acts viii. 32, 33; Rom. x. 16; plant growing from a soil whioh seems on. Lm. 1-12.J THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET ISAIAH. 295