Isaiah 53

First in this Chapter is spoken of the infidelity or unbelief of the Jews, at the time of Christs coming in the flesh, ver.1. Secondly of the humiliation, passion, and death of Christ, as also of his exaltation, and glory, and of the fruits and benefits which the church receiveth and enjoyeth thereby.

1. Who [To wit, among the Jews. It is as much as if the Prophet had said, there are very few, almost none at all. In these phrases, Joh.12.38. Rom.10.16. is the word, O LORD added in the beginning, to shew that it is a complaint unto God] hath believed our preaching? [Heb. Our hearing; that is, our sermons, as Rom.10.16. They are the words of the Teachers of the New Testament; to wit, of Christ and his Apostles, as may be gathered from the words of Christ, Joh.12.37,38.] and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed? [that is, how few Jews are there in whose hearts the holy ghost worketh effectually by the preaching of the Gospel, namely, so as o endue them with true faith in Jesus Christ.]

2. For he is grown up as a young branch before his face, and as a root out of the ground: [As if he had said, from the lowness, and from the base and contemptible estate wherein Christ came into the world, they take occasion to contemn and despise him. For the Jews did fancy to themselves such a Messiahs as should come and appear in royal pomp: but this Christ cometh mean and lowly, as a young sprig or tender branch. See above chap.4.2. and 11.1. (he is grown up) to wit, according to his humane nature. (before his face) to wit, before the face of God his father. Some understand it, before the face of this unbelieving people of the Jews, who never thought that this young branch or twig would grow up in time to be a great and tall tree (and as a root out of a dry ground:) Heb. Out of a land, or ground of drought, or dryness. This may be applied to the low and contemptible estate of the house of David, when Christ issued or sprung from thence; or to the small beginnings of his kingdom, in respect whereof it could not be believed that he should ever grow up to be a great and fruitful tree; but either that he should be kept under, as seed that is cast into a dry barren ground withereth for lack of moisture: Or, as the root of a tree that is planted in a dry ground, cannot grow up, the tree being cut down] he had no form nor beauty: [Because of his low estate, the wounds and sore swellings, the blood and sweat-drops, as also divers other miseries that disfigured his countenance] when we [to wit, we Jews] looked upon him, there was no form [Or, beautiful countenance] that we should have desired him. [to wit, according to carnal eyes, and humane judgement or understand.]

3. He was despised, and the unworthiest among men, [So unworthy, that he was continually rejected of men. Or, he was contemptible, and rejected of men; to wit, of such men as were advanced to honour and dignity. Compare Psal.22.7,8. Above chap.49.7. and 52.14. Mark 9:12.] a man of sorrows, [Or, a man full of sorrows] that hath experience of sickness in sickness [Heb. Or a known one of sickness; that is, that hath had experience what sickness is Heb.4.15. Or, who was famous by his misery and grief, being grown quite faint and weak by reason of the torments inflicted upon him. The Hebrew word that is here rendered sickness signifieth also generally sorrow, or misery, as Eccles.6.2. Jerem.10.19. and so it may be taken throughout this chapter] and (every one) as it were hiding then his face from him; [Others, and as it were hiding the face from us] he was despised, and we esteemed him not. [We Jews, we mocked and derided him, or set him at nought. See Mat.27.39, &c. The meaning is, By reason of his miserable and contemptible estate, he was not onely denied his due honour, but also utterly vilified and despised.]

4. Verily he hath taken our sicknesses upon him, [Paying as our surety the debt that we had made, or had run into. (Verily, &c.) Or, yet; as if he had said, But to speak the truth, we have done him wrong, and we are in a great error: For thus standeth the case with the Messiahs for our sakes, he hath taken all our spiritual maladies, that is all our sins, upon him, to make satisfaction for them, whereof the bodily cure or healing was type and figure, Matth.8.17.] and our sorrows them hath he carried: [or, laden them upon him, and carried them as a heavy burden] yet we esteemed that he was plagued, smitten [or was touched. See Job 19.on ver.21.] of God and humbled. [That is, we Jews being in a great error, or being greatly mistaken, and judging according to our corrupt and perverse judgement, we thought that he suffered all this, because he had deserved it by his own sins and transgressions: But it is quite otherwise, as appeareth ver.5. Heb. We esteemed him a plagued one, a smitten one of God, and an afflicted one.]

5. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: [Compare Rom.4.25. and 1 Cor.15.3.] the punishment that bringeth peace unto us, was upon him, [Heb. The punishment of our peace, &c. That is, he was punished, that we by him might obtain perfect peace of God, who was at enmity with us because of our sins. Understand withal, and the chastisement continued still upon him, until he had fully satisfied for us] and by his stripes healing is made unto us. [So that we are freed from sin and punishment. See 1 Pet.2.24.]

6. All we like sheep went astray [That is, all we have as it were gone astray from the way which God did prescribe us in his law, that we should walk in it] we turned everyone to his (own) way; [Not to the way which the LORD had prescribed us, but walking in the way which everyone had chosen for himself. See 1 Pet.2.25.] but the LORD hath caused the iniquity of us all to run upon him. [Or, to meet him, or, he (to wit, the Father) drave upon him (to wit, Christ) the iniquity of us all; because that he freely and willingly became a surety for us.]

7. (When) the same was required, [To wit, our iniquity; that is, the punishment of our iniquity was required of Christ] then he was afflicted: yet he opened not his mouth: [Testifying by his silence, that he endured all things willingly for our sakes, not opening his mouth to confute the slandering’s and false accusations of his enemies: Also not uttering any thing to the prejudice of them that put him to death, but to our benefit and profit: and praying for them that crucified him, Luk.23.34. See Matth.26.63. and 27.12, 14. Mark 14:61. and 15.5.] he was led as lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep [Properly an ew-lamb, or she-lamb] that is dumb before the face of her shearers, [A lamb doth not bite nor push him that is going about to kill it, but followeth gently his slayer that leadeth it to the slaughterhouse] so he opened not his mouth. [Compare Act.8.32.]

8. He is taken away out of the strait, [Or, out of the prison, or, of this violent distress. Heb. Out of the shutting up; to wit, from the pangs of hell, which Christ felt in the garden of Gethsemane (where he sweat blood) but especially on the cross, when he cried, my God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Understand this likewise of his raising up from the dead, & when he ascended into heaven unto his heavenly Father] etc. out of the judgement: [to wit, the judgement of God: that is, from damnation, which he suffered a while for us, being become a curse for us, Galat.3.13. But some do understand here by judgement, the death of the cross, whereunto he was adjudged and condemned by the Jews and Pilate. In this sense, though the Messiahs was sentenced to a shameful, yea cursed death, yet notwithstanding, doth the Prophet imply, he shall at last be taken up into heaven, after he shall have made satisfaction for our sins] and who shall declare his life-time? [Or, the continuance of his life, or his age. Understand here, besides the eternity of his divine essence, also the everlasting continuance of his kingdom; forasmuch as God having raised him up and set him on his right hand in heavenly places, he liveth and reigneth forever, and death hath no more power or dominion over him, Luk.1.33. Rom.6.9. (or his generation,) that is, his children which shall be spiritually begotten by him] for he was cut off [that is, he was taken away by a violent death, as a tree is hewn down with violence] out of the land of the living: [that is, of them that live in the world. See the Annotat. Job.28.13.above chap.38.11. The meaning is, he was put to death, and laid in the grave] for the transgression of my people was the plague upon him [that is, by reason of the sins both Jews and gentiles was he thus smitten and afflicted, who otherwise must have justly been punished themselves. They are the Prophets words. Heb. The plague (was) unto him. To wit, that punishment that he was nailed to the cross. So the Hebrew addition me, is also taken in the singular number, Genes.9.26,27. Job 20:23. and 22.2. Psal.11.7. above chap.44.1.]

9. And they [Or, which; To wit, people of Jerusalem] appointed [or ordained] his grave, [or, burial] among [Or, with] the wicked, [that is, they appointed his grave with the wicked, that should watch and guard it. See Matth.27.63,64,65,66. Others take it in this sense, the wicked Jews indeed conceived that the body of Christ should be put away with the bodies of the thieves that were crucified with him, for which with other reasons they desired Pilate to put him to such a kind of death: but the providence of God had ordained it otherwise: for Christ was buried in Josephs of Arimathea, a rich and honourable counsellor, Matth.26.60.] and he was among the rich in his death, [Heb. In his deaths, in the plural number; that is, according to his violent death. Compare Ezek.28.10. with the Annotat. Or deaths, because Christ suffered not one, hut as it were many deaths for us] because he had done no wrong, [or, nor violence: but on the contrary had dealt and walked uprightly, justly, and sincerely, both in words and deeds] neither was (any) deceit in his mouth. [See 1 Pet.2.22. and 1 Joh.3.5.]

10. yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him, [To wit, Jesus Christ, our Redeemer: and that for our sins, which lay upon him, and were to be punished in him] he made (him) sick; [that is, he put him to many great grief’s and sorrows, and laid as it were manifold sicknesses and infirmities upon him. See above on vers.3.,] when his soul shall have made it self a trespass-offering, then shall he see his seed. [The meaning is, when Christ shall have delivered his soul (that is, his person) for a trespass-offering, unto death (2 Cor.5.21.) then shall he see that believers shall greatly increase and grow by the preaching of the Gospel, namely then especially, after that he being ascended into heaven, shall have sent down the holy Ghost upon his Apostles, and other teachers of the Gospel. Others, when thou shalt have made thy soul a trespass-offering, (or, an offering for sin) then he shall see seed; that is, a great number of faithful or believing children, begotten of the immortal or incorruptible seed of the word of God, Psal.110.3. and 1 Pet.1.23.] he shall prolong (his) days: [As if he had said, the fruit and benefit that Christ shall reap from what was said before, it shall not be short, nor soon pass away, but it shall last and continue forever. See Psal.23.6.] and the pleasure of the LORD shall go on successfully by his hand. [And the pleasure of the LORD, &c. To wit, the work of our redemption, and the gathering of the elect out of all nations by the preaching of the Gospel, which was then Chiefly set on foot, after Christ was ascended into heaven, Matth.28.19. (by his hand) that is, by his ministry, or by his power. See Eph.4.11,12, &c.]

11. For the travel of his soul he shall see it, [To wit, seed. The meaning is, Christ shall see (that is, get and behold with joy and delight) seed, that is, children ; to wit, spiritual children) for, or because of his travel and labour. Understand thereby those sorrows which he felt and suffered both in soul and body, when the heavy wrath of God for the sins of mankind lay upon him. Others, he shall see of the travel of his soul (fruit or his delight). See Psal.22. and vers.18.] and be satisfied: [that is, he shall enjoy his labour and trouble in the highest degree, and fully to his own satisfaction and contentment: for it is just and equal that a faithful labourer should enjoy the fruits of his own labour. This shall be done there in his own person, when Christ shall be taken up into the glory of his Father, and shall be exalted at the right hand of his Father. It shall also happen unto his members, when he shall make them partakers of his glory] by his knowledge [understand that knowledge whereby he should be acknowledge and received as a Saviour and mediator between God and man] shall my servant, [God the Father speaketh this. Compare this with above chap.42.1. and 52.13.] the righteous, [to wit, he the just, or righteous; suffering for the unjust or unrighteous, 1 Pet.3.18.] justify many. [To wit, all those that believe in him. See Rom.5.19. purchasing and procuring for them pardon of sin and righteousness which will stand before God] for he shall bear their iniquities. [To wit, on the tree of the cross, 1 Pet.2.24. as being the lamb of God that beareth the sins of the world, Joh.1.29.]

12. Therefore will I give him a portion of many, [As if God the father had said, seeing he hath done and suffered so much for mankind (as is related above) I will communicate and distribute unto him (of many) that is, I will give him many spiritual children, and gifts. Others, therefore will I give him a portion among the great; so that he may be compared with the great and mighty ones. Others, therefore will I give him the mighty for a portion; namely, the evil spirits. See Colos.2.15.] and he shall divide the mighty as a prey, [to wit, death, sin, the devil, and hell, which prevailed and had the upper hand over men, them shall he divide as a prey, that is, conquer them, and deliver his elect out of their hand. Others take it of Christs dominion over the mighty of this world, that shall be converted and serve him. Compare above chap.52.15.] because he hath poured out his soul unto death, [that is, because he suffered himself willingly to be taken, misused, and killed.] and was numbered with transgressors: [So that he was not onely crucified between two thieves, but Barrabas, who for murder and sedition was cast into prison, was preffered before Jesus Christ the Son of God. See Mar.15.28. Luke 22:37. and he bar the sin of many, [See above vers.11.] and prayed for the transgressors. [Saying, Father forgive them, for they know not what they do, Luke 23:24.]