The Pulpit Commentary — Isaiah — Volume 2 — Section 287

Ps. lnii. 4). "No stronger expression the Egypticm taskmasters (Exod. iii. 7). The could be found in Hebrew to denote severity cruel ill usage in the high priest's house, and of sufferiog-snfforing unto death" (Ur- before Herod is, perhaps, specially pointed "·ick). The ohastisement of our peace wo.s at. He we.s afflicted; ratllf'r, he abased him- upon him; i.e. "the cb&st.isement which self ( oomp. eh. xxxi. 4 and Exod. x. 8 ). 'fhe brou/:;ht us pee.re," which put a stop to 1he position of the emphatic pronoun (hu') be- f'nrnit'I' between fallen man and an offended tween the first pa1·ticiple e.nd the second God_..:.which me.de them once more at one detaches the second de.use from the first (comp. Eph. ii. 15-17, "Having abolished and conjoins it with the third. Otherwise in hi$ flesh the enmt'ty, even the Lnw of the rendering of the Authorized Veraion commandments contained in ordinances; for might stand. Trauslate, He was oppressed, to make in himself of tw&in one new man, but he abased himself and opened not his so making peace; and tho.t he might recon- mouth. The silence of Jesus before his cile both unto God in one body by the cross, judges (Matt. xxvi. 22, 23; xxvii. 14), when having skrin the enmity thereby: and came he could so easily have vindicated himself and preached peace to you which were afo.r from every charge, was e. self-abasement. otf; '' Col. i. 20, •· Having made peace It seemed like an admission of guilt. He tlirou.!ch the blood of his cross, by him to opened not his mouth ( comp. Ps. xxxviii. r<•M11cile all things unto himself"). With 13, 14; xxxix. 2, 9). The con trust of the his si.Tipes we &re healed; rather, we were Ser:ve.nt's silence and passivity with men's healed (comp. 1 Pet. ii. 2-l, "By whose ordinary vehemence of self-assertion under stripes ye were healed"). Besides the blows ill usage is most striking. Who was ever inflicted on him with the hand (Matt. xxvi. silent but he under such extremity of provo- 27) and with the reed (Matt. xxvii. 30), cation? (For a contrast, see the account of our Lord was judicially scourged (Matt. the Jewish martyrdoms in 2 Mace. vii.) He xxvii. 26). Such scourging would leave the is brought as e. lamb; rather, aB the lamb. "stripe-marks" which are here spoken of. The Paschal lamb is, perhaps, intended, or, Ver. 6.-All we like sheep have gone e.t any rate, the lamb of sacrifice. The pro- astray. "All we" means either the whole phet has often seen the dumb, innocent nation of Israel, wbif'h "went RSI ray" in la.mb led in silence to the altar, to be slain the wilderness of sin (Ps. cvii 4; cxix. 176; there, and thinks of that touching sight. Ezek. x:u:i v. 6), or else the whole ro.ce of It was probably the use of this imagery mankind, which had wandered from the here which ea.used the Baptist to term our right path, and needed atonement and re- Lord "the Lamb of God, which taketh away demption evt'n more tlie.n Israel itself. We the sin of the world" (John i. 29). As a have tumed every one to his own way. Col- sheep before her shearers. A second image, lectively and individwilly, tile whole world a reflex of the first, somewhat weaker, as so h:i.d sinned. There was "none that did often in Isaiah (eh. i. 22, 30; v. 1B, 24; viii. good" e.bsolutely-"no, not one" (Ps. xiv. 3). 14; x. 24, 27, 34; xi. B; xiii. 14; xxiv. 13; All had quitted" the way of the Lord" (eh. XXV. 7, etc.). xl. 3) to walk in their "own ways" ( eh. Ver. B.-He was taken from prison and h:vi. 3). The Lord ha.th laid on him; lite- from judgment; rather, by oppressi'on and rally, the Lord caused to Ught upon him. God a jU(/gment was he taken away; i.e. (as Dr. the Fath..r, as tl1e primary Disposer of e.11 Kay s11,ys) "by e. violence which cloaked things, Jays upon the Son the burden, which itself under the formalities of e. ]ego.I pro- the Soo volunt&rily e.ccepts. He comes cess" 'l'he Septuagint Version, which is into the world to do the Father's will. He quoted by Philip the deacon in the Acts prays to the Father, " Let this cup pass (eh. viii. 33), must have been derived from from me: nevertheless not as I will, but Cl8 quite a. different text. It preserves, how- thcu wilt" (Matt. xxvL 39). So St. John ever, the right rendering of the verb, "was says that the Father " sent the Son to be he ta.ken a.way," i.e. removed from the earth. the Propitiation for our sins" (1 John iv. Who shall declare his generation 1 literally, 10). And St. Pe.ul tells us that God (the his generation who considerelh 1 The mean- Father) "made him to be sin for us who ing is obscure. Dr. Kay understands by knew no sin" (2 Cor. v. 21). It does not "his generation," his lifetime or his life, lessen the Sou's exceeding mercy and loviag- comparing eh. xxxviii. 12, "Mine age is de- kindness in accepting the burden, tliat it parted,'' where tlie same word iR used and we.a laid upon him by the Father. The accompanied by e. pronominal suffix. Mr. iniquity of us a.11 (corn po.re the initial '' All Urwick suggests that it includes (I) his we"). The rr:dernptiou is e.s u-niveree.l e.s origin; (2) his earthly life; and (3) his tlie sin, e.t any rate potentially. Christ on everlasting reign in heaven. Others (De- the cross me.de "a full, perfect, e.nd sufficient litzB<'h, Geeeniue, Cheyne) take "his gene- llllr.rifice ... for the sins of the whole world." ro.tion" to mean" the men of his generation," Ver. 7.-R, we.a oppreBBed. As Israel under and join the clause with what follow■ : "Aa on. tll1. 1-12.] THE BOOK OF TRg PROPHET ISAIAH. 297