John Trapp on Isaiah 53:1

CHAP. LIII.

Ver. 1. WHo hath believed our report] q. d. The Gentiles, ſome of them, even of their Potentates, have believed our report concerning the Meſſiah, chap. 52.13, 14, 15. But Lord, how few Jews will give credit to what we have ſaid?Lib. 1. de Conſenſ. Evang. cap. 31. Albeit this Chapter may not unfitly be called The Goſpel of Jeſus Chriſt according to Iſaiah: and things are here ſet down ſo plain that Auſtin thinks they need no expoſition: yet thoſe Buzzards the later Rabbines, cannot, or rather will not ſee that the Prophet ſpeaketh here all along concerning Chriſt: but do ſtrangely writh, wring, and wreſt his words to a wrong ſenſe; applying them, ſome to Moſes, ſome to Ezra, ſome to Joſhuah the ſon of Joſadak, &c. John Iſaac indeed the Jew confeſſeth of himſelf, as hath been ſaid before, that by pondering upon this Chapter he was converted to the Chriſtian Religion: the like we read of ſome few others in Andreas Bayna and Cornelius à Lapid. But the Jews themſelves will tell you (falſely and maliciouſly) that ſuch pretended Proſelytes are not of them, but poor Chriſtians hired by us to perſonate their part: ſuch a thick veil is ſtill before their eyes, ſuch a hard hoof upon their hearts, till God pleaſes by his own holy arm made bare, to remove it. They could not (that is, they would not) believe Joh. 12.39. They have not all (nay ſcarce any in compariſon) obeyed the Goſpel, Rom. 10.16. but blaſphemouſly call it Avengelaion a volume of vantiy: ſcorning to be ſaved by a crucified God, although by mighty miracles wrought amongſt them, he ſhewed himſelf to be the Son of God, and an arm to ſave all that believe in his name, Joh. 12.37.

And to whom is the Arm of the Lord] i. e. His Goſpel which is his power to ſalvation, Rom. 1.16. and is hid only to them that periſh, 2 Cor. 4.3.