The Pulpit Commentary — Isaiah — Volume 2 — Section 405

unsuited to the rhetorical tone which everywhere characterizes Isaiah. Still, as the subject is one of transcendent interest, and as our Lord himself cites the pa~sagc as descriptive of hie mission, it may be useful to note how many, and what purposes, it sets before us as included in the counsels of the Father, and intended to be realized by Christ's coming. 'l'hey seem to be some nine or ten. I. Tm1J PREAOIIING OF aooD TIDINGS. Christ "came not into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved" (John iii. 17). The angels who announced his birth intimated that it was a subject for joy and rejoicing-" Glory to Clod in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men" (Luke ii. 14). His forerunner declared it to be the object of his coming, "that all flesh should see the 1111lvation of God" (Luke iii. 6). He himself came with "gracious words" (Luke iv. 22), and called men into his kingdom. Hence from a very early date his message to man was known as the gospel, i.e. "the good tidings." What could be better tidings than the announcement of free pardon on repentance, of salvation, of atonement, of deliverance from sin, of a Comforter to support, and sustain, and cleanse the heart, and give men peace and joy in believing? Man, lost without him, was by him sought and saved, and brought out of darkness and misery into light and happiness. II. THE BEAr.ma OF THE BROKEN-HEARTED. By "the broken-hearted" seem to be meant, not so much those whom misfortune and calamity have afflicted and reduced to despondency, as those who are deeply grieved on account of their sins. Among the objects of Christ's coming was the healing, or restoring to health, of such persons. He "healed the broken in heart, and bound up their wounds" (Ps. cxlvii. 3). He made atonement for their sins, and thus secured them forgiveness; he assured them of God's mercy and readiness to pardon; be bade them "come to him," and promised to "give them rest" (Matt. xi. 28). Through his actions and his teaching all the contrite in all ages have their wounds bound up; are strengthened, sustained, and comforted; obtain, even in this life, a "peace that passeth all WJderstanding." III. THE GIVING OF LIBERTY TO THE CAPTIVES. "The captives" are the servants of sin-the unfortunates whom Satan has made his prisoners, and compels to labour in hie service. Christ came to "proclaim" to them "liberty," to make them an offer of release. "Christ Jesus," St. Panl tells us, "came into the world to save sinners" (1 Tim. i. 15). He himself declared, "I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance" (Matt. ix.13). It is one of his greatest glories that he delivers men "from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God" (Rom. viii 21). He offers to do this for all; but unless his offer· is accepted he can do nothing. Men must not only be sinners, but must pass into the class of repentant sinners, before he can aid them. Then, however, his aid is effectual. All the bonds of sin may be struck off; the service of Satan may be renounced and quitted; and the captives have only thenceforth to "stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ bas made them free " (Gal. v. 1). IV. THE GIVING OF BIGHT TO THE BLIND. (See Luke iv. 18.) Our Lord, when on earth, gave recovery of sight, in the most literal sense, to several persons who were literally blind (Matt. ix. 30; Mark viii. 23; x. 52; Luke vii. 21; John ix. 7). Bnt this is scarcely the "giving of sight" which was one of the main purposes of his coming. He came to open the eyes of men's understandings, to give them spiritual intelligence and spiritual insight, to enable them to diecern between right and wrong, between good and evil. Men at the time were so far gone from original righteousness, that they were to a large extent blind to moral distinctions-" put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter, darkness for light, and light for darkness" ( eh. v. 20), were" vain in their imaginations," and had "their foolish hearts darkened" (Rom. i. 21). Christ dispelled this spiritual darkness. He taught a pure and broad morality, which re-established moral distinctions in the general conscience, and at the same time, through his Spirit, be gave to each individual Christian an inward light, which man did not possess before, by which he might direct his paths. V. THE PROCLAIMING OF A TIME OF ACCEPTANCE. Christ proclaimed a "time of acceptance" in various ways. 'l'o the Jews generally the three years of his ministry formed "the acceptable time," during which, if they had received him (John i. 11), they would have maintained their position as a nation, and have held pre-eminence in the Church of Christ. To individuals who hea.d him the "time of acceptance" wwi JJUIAJI-D, 2 E  418 THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET ISAIAH. [011. LXI, 1-11,