Matthew Poole and continuators on Isaiah 53:8

8 He was taken from prison and from judgment e: and who shall declare his generation ? for he was cut off out of the land of the living; for the transgression of my people was he stricken .

Who can declare it? The future being taken potentially, as it is frequently: no words can sufficiently express it.

Either 1. His Age, or the continuance of his Life. So the sense is, That he shall not only be delivered from death, and all his punishments, but also shall be restored to an inexpressible or endless Life, and to an everlasting Kingdom. Thus great Interpreters understand it: with whom I cannot comply, because I do not find this Hebrew word to be ever used in Scripture of the continuance of one mans Life. Or rather 2. His Posterity; and so this word is unquestionably used, Gen. 15. 16. Exod. 20. 5. Deut. 23. 2, 3, 8. and in many other places. And so the sense of the place is this, That Christs death shall not be unfruitful, and that when he is raised from the dead, he shall have a spiritual seed, as is promised, v. 10. a numberless multitude of those who shall believe in him, and be regenerated and adopted by him into the number of his Children, and of the Children of God, Ioh. 1. 12. Heb. 2. 10, 13, 14.

To wit, by a violent death. And this may be added as a reason both of his exaltation, and of the blessing of a numerous posterity conferred upon him, because he was willing to be cut off for the transgression of his People; and, as it followeth, v. 10. made his soul an offering for sin; Christs death being elsewhere declared to be the only way and necessary means of obtaining both these ends, Luk. 24. 26, 46. Ioh▪ 12. 24, 32, 33. Philip. 2. 8, 9. But these words may be rendred, although he was cut off; to fignifie that his death should not hinder these glorious effects.

This is repeated again, as it was fit it should be, to prevent mens mistakes about, and stumbling at the death of Christ, and to assure them that Christ did not die for his own sins, but only for the sins and salvation of his People.

[illegible: 1+ letters] These words are understood either 1. Of Christs Humiliation or Suffering: and then the words are to be thus rendred, He was taken away (to wit, out of this Life, as this word is used, Psal. 31. 13. Prov. 1. 19. and elsewhere: he was put to death:) by distress (or violence, or tyranny, as this word is used with this Preposition before it, Psal. 107. 39.) and judgment, by oppression and violence under a form and pretence of Justice. Or rather 2. Of Christs Exaltation▪ because of the following clause: which is not unseasonably mentioned in the midst of his Sufferings, to take off the scandal which might have arisen from Christs Sufferings, if there had not been a prospect and assurance of his victoriousness over them, and his Glory after them: and so the words may be rendered, He was taken up (or, taken away, freed or delivered) from prison (i. e. from the Grave, which being called an house, Job. 30. 23. and a pit, in which men are shut up, Psal. 69. 15. may fitly be called a prison: or from distress, or affliction, or oppression, from the power and malice of his Enemies, and from the torments of his own Soul, arising from the sense of Mens sins and Gods displeasure) and from judgment, i. e. from all the sufferings and punishments inflicted upon him, either by the unrighteous judgment of men, or by the just judgment of God, punishing him for those sins which he had voluntarily taken upon himself: or, which is the same thing, from the sentence of Condemnation, and all the effects of it: for in this sense judgment is very commonly taken▪ both in Scripture and other Authors.

Marginal references: Or, he was taken away by distress and judgment, but, &c.; Heb. was the stroke upon him.