Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible · Isaiah Kapitel 42

Isaiah 42:1. Behold my servant, whom I upheld— Whom I will uphold. Lowth. Or, Whom I receive. The discourse of God is continued, of the Father pointing out the Son, as the teacher of the Gentiles expected for so many ages, about to recal them from idolatry and superstition, and to enlighten them with the most pure and holy doctrine. St. Matthew has plainly and directly applied this passage, which is truly august, and worthy all attention, to Jesus Christ, Matthew 12:17; Matthew 12:50. And in the voice from heaven, Mat 3:17 there is a manifest allusion to it. Simeon also, in his song, Luk 2:31-32 has a plain reference to it, as well as St. Paul, in his discourse before king Agrippa; Acts 26:18. The ancient Jews also saw its reference to the Messiah, as appears from their paraphrase: "Behold, my servant, the Messiah, my beloved, in whom my word is well pleased:" and, indeed, the passage cannot with any show of probability be applied to any other than Jesus Christ, to whom these attributes peculiarly belong. He was the servant of God, obedient to his Father's will, peculiarly received, and in whose fidelity he absolutely reposed; faithful as a son; obedient unto death. See Hebrews 3:5-6. Philippians 2:7-8. He was God's elect in the most emphatical sense of the word; chosen from the beginning to glorify his Father's name upon earth, the precious lamb ordained before the foundation of the world, to be the prince of his faithful people, the head of his church, the source of righteousness and salvation to all that should believe in him; that elect, in whom the Father's soul delighted; in whom he was well pleased; in whom he saw all the properties and qualities necessary for his great and important office; particularly those which fitted him to be the great sacrifice of the world. (See Ephesians 5:2.Hebrews 10:5; Hebrews 10:5; Hebrews 10:39.); who was endued with all the gifts of the holy Spirit, which was not given to him by measure. See John 3:34.Isaiah 11:1-2; Isaiah 11:1-2; Isaiah 61:1-3.; and it was he who was to bring forth judgment to the Gentiles: that is, to deliver the canonical doctrine of religion to the Gentiles; rational, founded in principles of conscience, according to which every other doctrine of religion, all the opinions of men concerning religion, all the sayings, judgments, and actions of the Gentiles, are to be judged; which is, the doctrine of the Gospel, the canon of the divine judgment, the rule of the judgment of Christ to whom the Father hath delivered judgment, and of all those ministers who should establish his kingdom among the nations. See chap. Isaiah 2:4. &c. and Vitringa.

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Isaiah 42:4. He shall not fail, nor be discouraged— These words are to be referred to the success of this great teacher's doctrine; who, with admirable diligence and patience, without any remission of zeal or labour, should go on calmly and deliberately in its establishment, nor depart from the undertaking, till he had settled his doctrine and left a perfect canon of it to his disciples: a doctrine, not confined to the Jews, but to pass to the Gentiles—the isles of the earth, and to be by them received with faith and hope. Compare chap. Isa 51:5 and see Vitringa.

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Isaiah 42:13. The Lord shall go forth, &c.— JEHOVAH shall march forth like a hero; like a mighty warrior shall he rouse his vengeance; He shall cry aloud; he shall shout amain; he shall exert his strength against his enemies. Lowth. These words are so connected with those preceding, as to contain the argument of the praise to which the prophet had incited the Gentiles: which argument appears to be, that sovereign blessing of divine grace set forth in the former part of this discourse, and for which he had called upon the Gentiles to give glory unto the Lord: but he does not end here. He continues the same argument, though under a different figure; for he introduces Jehovah, as a hero and warrior, who, having a long time borne the insults of his adversaries, at length comes forth, like a mighty warrior, endued with heroic strength, to oppose his enemies, to take from them the power they had long usurped, and to deliver his people from the oppression of that power. The reference is, evidently, to the destruction of the kingdom of Satan, of sin and idolatry, by the Son of God. Compare Matthew 12:29. John 12:31.Luke 10:18; Luke 10:18.

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Isaiah 42:18. Hear, ye deaf, &c.— The prophet, having foretold the future illumination and conversion of the Gentiles, and the abolition of idolatry, takes an occasion thence to reprove the Jews for their blindness and stupidity in the great concerns of religion. See ch. Isaiah 2:5. &c. The meaning of the apostrophe is this: "Since matters are thus, and the Gentiles are to be illuminated by that Messiah who is to arise from amongst you, and who is to destroy all idolatry, and as these events are daily hastening more and more to their completion; what blindness, O children of Israel, what folly and madness do you betray? what deafness also, or rebellion, against the word of God, that, while you follow the idolatries of the Gentiles, and fall into the most severe judgments of God, you are so stupid as not to discern that God severely punishes you for this apostacy! Attend, therefore, diligently to those things which I now foretel, as most certainly to come to pass; and while you behold, look carefully and diligently into the matter itself. Do not consider it negligently or perfunctorily, but with that study and attention which its importance and your duty absolutely demand."

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Isaiah 42:21. The Lord is well pleased— Jehovah took delight in him for his righteousness sake; he hath magnified him by his law, and made him honourable. Vitringa. The meaning of the passage is very clear from this translation. God, in every reproof of his people, is careful to shew that the fault of their aberrations was not his, but theirs. He liberally provided whatever could be thought of for their salvation, and the stability of their state. He had given them excellent laws; he had increased and honoured them; had made, and was willing to make them glorious among their neighbours. But they had been wanting to themselves, had despised his laws, and incurred his just vengeance.

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