Matthew Poole and continuators on Isaiah 52

1 AWake, awake, put on thy strength , O Zion, put on thy beautiful garments , O Jerusalem, the holy city : for henceforth there shall no more come into thee the uncircumcised , and the unclean .

God biddeth his Church do that which she intreated him to do, ch. 51. 9. And because Gods word is operative, and effectual, and his sayings are doings, this is a prediction and promise what she should do, that she should awake or arise out of her low estate, and be strong and courageous.

Thy sorrows shall be ended, and thou shalt be advanced into a most glorious and blessed condition.

O my Church, which is every where called by the name of Zion or Ierusalem.

Either to molest thee, or to associate themselves with thee: or to defile or corrupt thee.

Heathens, or Infidels, who are commonly called uncircumcised.

Nor any others, who though they be circumcised, as the Jews generally were, are unclean in any thing. Whereby he intimates that there should be a greater purity and Reformation in the Church than formerly there had been, which was eminently accomplished in the Church and Kingdom of Christ.

Marginal references: Ch. 51. 17.

2 Shake thy self from the dust : arise, and sit down , O Jerusalem: loose thy self from the bands of thy neck , O captive daughter of Zion▪

In which thou hast lain as a Prisoner, or [illegible: 1+ letters]ate as a mourner.

Upon thy Throne. Or, sit up, as this word is rendred, Gen. 27. 19.

The yoke of thy captivity shall be taken off from thee. It is a Metaphor from Beasts that have the yoke fastened by bands to their necks.

3 For thus saith the LORD, ye have sold your selves for nought , and ye shall be redeemed without money .

By your sins, into the hands of the Chaldeans.

Without any price or valuable consideration paid by them either to you, or to me your Lord and owner.

Without paying any ransom.

Marginal references: Ps. 44. 12. Ch. 45. 13. Jer. 15. 13.

4 For thus [illegible: 1+ letters]aith the Lord GOD, My people went down aforetime into Egypt to sojourn there , and the Assyrian oppressed them without cause .

Where they had protection and sustenance, and therefore owed subjection to the King of Egypt. And yet when he oppressed them I punished him severely, and delivered them out of his hands. Which is easily understood from the following words.

Or, but; for here is an opposition made between these two cases.

The King of Babylon, who is called the King of Assyria, 2 Kin. 23. 29. compared with ch. 24. 7. as also the Persian Emperour is called, Ezra 6. 22. because it was one and the same Empire which was possessed, first by the Assyrians, then by the Babylonians, and afterwards by the Persians.

Without any such ground or color, by meer force invading their Land, and carrying them away into Captivity. For although it be said that God gave this Land and People into his hand, 2 Chr. 36. 17. by his Counsel and Providence, yet that was neither known to, nor regarded by the King of Babylon, nor was it a good and lawful Title, Gods Word, and not his Providence, being the rule by which Mens rights are determined; otherwise a Robber hath a right to my purse, which he cannot take from me upon the high-way without Gods Providence.

Marginal references: Gen. 46. 6.; Jer. 50. 17.

5 Now therefore, what have I here , saith the LORD, that my people is taken away for nought ? they that rule over them , make them to howl saith the LORD, and my name continually every day is blasphemed .

Heb. What to me here? The sense is either 1. What do I here? Why do I sit still here, and not to go to Babylon to punish the Babylonians, and to deliver my People? Or 2. What honour have I by suffering this injury to be done to my People?

Were carried away Captive by the Babylonians.

Without any provocation or pretence of right. See before on v. 3.

Who by their Office are obliged to deal justly and tenderly with their subjects.

By their tyrannical and unmerciful usage of them.

In stead of that praise and service which the Babylonians owe me for all their successes and Conquests, they blaspheme me as if I wanted either Power or Goodwill to save my People out of their hands.

Marginal references: Ezek. 36. 20, 23. Rom. 2. 24.

6 Therefore my people shall know my name : therefore they shall know in that day , that I am he that doth speak, behold, it is I .

They shall have sensible Experience of my infinite power and goodness in fighting for them and against you: whereby they shall be able to put your blasphemous Tongues to silence.

Which word is understood from the foregoing clause, as is very frequent in Scripture.

When I shall redeem my People: which work was begun by the return of the Jews from Babylon, and afterwards carried on, and at last perfected by the coming of the Messiah.

That all these promises are not the words of a weak, or fickle, or deceitful man, but of him who is the Omnipotent, and Unchangeable, and Covenant-keeping God. Or thus, That I who have formerly spoken to you by my servants the Prophets, (for it was the Spirit of Christ which was and spake in them, 1 Pet. 1. 11▪) do now speak to you in my own person, being cloathed with flesh. Which agrees well, as with the Analogy of Faith, and with divers other Scriptures, so particularly with the next verse, and with divers following passages, which so evidently speak of the person and Kingdom of Christ, that they cannot without great force be understood of any other.

7 How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace, that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation , that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth .

These are words of rejoicing and admiration. They are exceeding precious and acceptable.

Of Zion, and Moriah, which are somtimes mentioned as one Mountain, and sometimes as two. Or, in the mountainous Country of Iudaea, to which these glad tidings were brought, and from which they were spread abroad into other Countries.

Which carry this welcome messenger, or the messenger himself.

Or, of them. For the singular number is o[illegible: 1+ letters]t put for the plural: although it may be here emphatically used, to signifie that although there were many Messengers, yet one was the chief, and Lord of the Embassy, whose coming was more acceptable than the rest: which suits excellently to the Messiah, who is called the messenger of the Covenant▪ Mal. 3. 1. and is oft said to be sent by God, as Io[illegible: 1+ letters]. 6. 38. & 8. 16, 18. &c. to publish the glad tidings of Salvation.

Those emphatical and repeated Expressions are a sufficient evidence, that somthing further and better is here intended than their deliverance out of Babylon, which in itself was but a very imperfect work, and reached at first but to a few of that numerous People, and was attended with many fears, and sorrows, and remainders of their bondage, Ezra 9. 8, 9. Ne[illegible: 1+ letters]em. 1. 3. and that although that was the beginning of these glad tidings, yet they extended much further even to the coming of Christ, by whom alone true Peace and Salvation were procured.

It is true, this might in some sort be said when God so over-ruled the affairs of the World, and the heart of Cyrus, that his People were freed from the Babylonish Captivity and restored into and setled in their own Land. Although he that considers the state of Gods People in their own Land after their return will find that the reign of God in and over the World was not then either very conspicuous or glorious. And therefore it seems far more reasonable to understand it of the days of the Messiah, when God did discover and exercise his dominion over the World far more eminently than ever he had done from the beginning of the World until that time.

Marginal references: Nah. 1. 15. Rom. 10. 15.

8 Thy watchmen shall lift up the voice , with the voice together shall they sing: for they shall see eye to eye , when the LORD shall bring again Zion .

Thy Ministers who shall descry the approach and coming of this heavenly King and Kingdom.

Partly to give notice to all People of these glad tidings; and partly by way of exultation, to sing forth the Praises of God for this glorious day and Mercy, as it here follows.

They shall understand, and so be able to teach Divine Mysteries.

Very distinctly, and clearly, and familiarly, their Eyes beholding the Eyes of this King of Glory, as it is said of Zedekiah, Jer. 34. 3. Thine Eyes shall behold the Eyes of the King of Babylon; and as it is said, Mouth to Mouth, Numb. 12. 8. and Face to Face▪ Gen. 32. 30. Exod. 33. 11. Numb. 14. 14. They shall see with their bodily Eyes the King of the Church, or the Word made Flesh, as they are said to have done, Io[illegible: 1+ letters]. 1. 14. & 1 Ioh. 1. 1. They shall be Eye and Ear-witnesses of the Words and Works of Christ, and therefore their Testimony of these things shall be more certain and valuable.

When God shall compleat the work of bringing his Church out of Captivity; which was begun at the return out of Babylon, and perfected by Christs coming into the World.

9 Break forth into joy, sing together, ye waste places of Jerusalem : for the LORD hath comforted his people, he hath redeemed Jerusalem.

For you shall be restored unto your former, and a far greater, fertility.

Marginal references: Ch. 49. 13. & 55. 12.

10 The LORD hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations, and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God .

Hath discovered and put forth his great power, which for a long time hath lain hid, and seemed to be idle.

All Nations of the World shall with astonishment behold the wonderful Work of God, first in bringing his People out of Babylon, and afterwards in their Redemption by Christ.

Marginal references: Ps. 98. 2. Luk. 3. 6.

11 Depart ye, depart ye, go ye out from thence , touch no unclean thing , go ye out of the midst of her; be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the LORD .

Make haste, O ye banished [illegible: 1+ letters]ews, to depart out of Babylon into your own Land, that there I may meet with you, and bless you, and perform those further and greater things which I have promised there to do for you. And this invitation was the more necessary, because God foresaw that a great number of the Jews would upon worldly considerations continue in those forein Countrys in which they were settled, and be very backward to return to the Holy Land

And when you go thence, take heed that you carry not along with you any of their Superstitions or Idolatries, but purifie and prepare your selves, that so God may return to you in mercy, when you return into your own Lands.

And especially you Priests and Levites, whose Office it is to minister in holy things, and to carry back the holy Vessels of the Temple, keep your selves from all pollution.

Marginal references: Ch. 48. 20. 2 Cor. 6. 17. Rev. 18. 4.

12 For ye shall not go out with haste, nor go by flight : for the LORD will go before you: and the God of Israel will be your rereward .

But securely, and in triumph, being conducted by your great Captain the Lord of Hosts. And therefore you will have both the greater Obligation, and the more leisure and opportunity to cleanse your selves from all filthiness.

So that none shall be able either to oppose and stop you in your march, or to fall upon you in the rear, as Enemies commonly do.

Marginal references: Heb. gather you up.

13 Behold , my servant shall deal prudently , he shall be exalted, and extolled, and be very high .

This is the beginning of a new Prophecy, which is continued from hence to the end of the next Chapter; and therefore it is well observed by divers, both ancient and modern Interpreters, that the Fifty and Third Chapter should have begun here.

Qu. Of whom doth the Prophet here speak? It is apparent that these three last verses of this Chapter, and all the following Chapter speak of one and the same person. And that that Person is Christ is so evident, that the Chaldee Paraphrast, and other ancient, and some later Hebrew Doctors, understand it directly of him, and that divers Jews have been convinced and converted to the Christian Faith by the evidence of this Prophecy. And there is not a verse in this whole context which doth not afford a clear and convincing proof of this truth, as we shall see. And there needs no other Argument to confirm it, than the variety and vanity of the pretended Expositions of the Jews, who use all possible Wit and Art to wrest all these passages to other persons. Those who would seem wiser than the rest, and consute the other Expositions of their Brethren, understand it either of the Jewish People in general, or of the Prophet Ieremiah in particular. But both these conceits are so groundless and absurd, that there is scarce a verse but consutes them, as we shall clearly discern in the Exposition of them. And therefore other Jews reject them both, and understand it of Abraham, or Moses, or Iosiah, or Ezra, or Zorobab[illegible: 1+ letters]l; and they might as well have named Twenty persons more, to whom this place might be applied upon as good grounds as to any of these. But there is not one clause in all this context which is not most truly and fitly applied to Christ, as I shall make apparent, step by step. And first this Title of Gods Servant is in an eminent and peculiar manner given to Christ in this very Pophecy, as Isa. 42. 1. & 49. 6. & 53. 11. & Ezek. 34. 23. Zech. 3. 8.

Shall manage his Kingdom with admirable Wisdom. Or, shall prosper, as it is in the margent, and as this word is frequently rendred, and particularly in this very case, and of this same person, Ier. 23. 5. Which also seems best to agree with the following clause, and with chap. 53. 10, 11. And this intimation concerning the future prosperity and advancement of the Messiah, is fitly put in the first place to prevent those scandals which otherwise might arise from the succeeding passages which largely describe his state of Humiliation and deep affliction.

Here are three words signifying the same thing to express the Height and Glory of his Exaltation. Which agrees most fitly to Christ, but cannot without great force be applied to Ieremiah, who had no greater honour or favour done him by the Chaldeans at the taking of Ierusalem, than to be left at liberty to go where he pleased, Ier. 40. 4. and who after that time met with great contempt and hardship from his own Countrey-men, Ier. 42, and 43, and 44.

Marginal references: Or, prosper.

14 As many were astonied at thee ; (his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men )

Were struck with wonder, either 1. At his glorious Endowments, and the Excellency and Power of his Doctrine, and his miraculous works. Or rather 2. At his great Deformity, and stupendious Humiliation and calamity, as may be gathered, both from the following words, and from the use of this word in Scripture, which is generally used in a bad sense, or of wondring at some extraordinary evil, as Ier. 18. 16. & 19. 8. and oft elsewhere, and never in a good sense, or of wondring at any thing which is extraordinarily good.

At thee, O my Servant, to whom he now turneth his speech, and then turneth his speech from him, and speaks of him in the next words; such sudden changes of Persons, and speaking of one and the same Man, somtimes in one person, and then presently in another, being very frequent in the Writings of the Prophets, as we have already seen in divers instances.

He was more deformed or uncomely than any other man. Which was undoubtedly verified in Christ, who in respect of his Birth, and Breeding, and manner of Life, was most obscure and contemptible, and therefore said to be a worm, and no man, a reproach of men, and despised of the people▪ Psal. 22. 6. who was more hated and vilified by the generality of the Jews, than any man upon Earth, and was accounted and called by them a Deceiver, a Samaritan, a Blasphemer, and a Devil, &c. whose Countenance also was so marred with frequent Watchings, and Fastings, and Troubles, that he was thought to be near Fifty Years old when he was but about Thirty, Io[illegible: 1+ letters]. 8. 57. and was farther spoiled with buffe[illegible: 1+ letters]ings, and crowning with Thorns, and other cruel and despightful usages from men, and with the deep and continual sense of the burden of mens sins, and of Gods displeasure due unto them; all which did not only oppress his spirit, but had a great influence upon the very constitution of his Body.

Marginal references: Ch. 53. 3,

15 So shall he sprinkle many nations, the kings shall shut their mouths at him : for that which had not been told them shall they see , and that which they had not heard shall they consider .

His Exaltation shall be answerable to his Humiliation.

Either 1. With his Blood, which is called, the blood of sprinkling, Heb. 12. 24. or, shall justifie them, as it follows, Isa. 53. 11. which is frequently expressed by washing▪ as Psal. 51. 2, 7. Ezek. 16. 9. and by sprinkling clean water, Ezek. 36. 25. Or 2. With his Word or Doctrine; which being oft compared to Rain or Waters, as Deut. 32. 2. Isa. 55. 10, 11. Habak. 2. 14. &c. may be said to be sprinkled, as it is said to be dropped, Deut. 32. 2. Ezek. 20. 46. & 21. 2. And this sense seems to be most favoured by the following words.

Shall be silent before him out of a profound Humility, and Reverence, and Admiration of his Wisdom, and an eager desire to hear and receive Counsels and Oracles from his Mouth. Compare Iob 29. 9, 10, 11, 21. They shall no more contend with him, nor blaspheme the true God and Religion, as they formerly used to do.

For they shall hear from his Mouth many excellent Doctrines, which also will be new and strange to them, such as Men are very desirous to hear. And particularly they shall hear from him that comfortable Doctrine concerning the Conversion and Salvation of the Gentiles, which was not only new to them▪ but was strange and incredible to the most of the Jews themselves.

Or, they shall understand. Which is added to shew that the seeing in the former clause was meant of discerning these things with the Eyes of their Minds.

Marginal references: Rom. 15. 21.