Commentari biblici

Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The LORD hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name.

Listen, O isles, unto me, — i.e., Ye foreigners; for wicked Israel will not, and therefore have no true peace. Isaiah 48:22 Psalms 119:165

Unto me. — Understand it of Isaiah, but especially of Christ: for from hence to the end of this book, as the Jewish doctors also acknowledge, are visions and sermons set down concerning Christ’s twofold kingdom, viz., of patience and of power. See Acts 13:47 2 Corinthians 6:1-18: 2 Kings 7:10 .

The Lord hath called me from the womb. — Called me and qualified me, appointed and anointed me to the office of a mediator. Thus those that attend not, though never so remote, are deeply guilty before God. Deuteronomy 18:18-19 Acts 3:22-23

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And he hath made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of his hand hath he hid me, and made me a polished shaft; in his quiver hath he hid me;

And he hath made my mouth like a sharp sword. — He hath added efficacy to my doctrine, and will protect my person till I have finished the work that he gave me to do.

And made me a polished shaft. — That, being well pointed, will pierce at a distance, and either prick converts at the heart, as Acts 2:37 or cut refractories to the heart. as Acts 7:54 Christ will pursue his enemies both with the terrors of his words, his mouth being "made like a sharp sword," and with the plagues of his hands, being made like a polished shaft.

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And said unto me, Thou [art] my servant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorified.

Thou art my servant, O Israel, — i.e., O Christ, who best deservest to be called by that name, who art also the head of the elect, that Israel of God. Galatians 6:16

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Then I said, I have laboured in vain, I have spent my strength for nought, and in vain: [yet] surely my judgment [is] with the LORD, and my work with my God.

Then said I: I have laboured in vain. — I have done little more than preached my hearers to hell. The Pharisees and the lawyers "rejected the counsel of God against themselves"; Luke 7:30 they would not be forewarned to "flee from the wrath to come"; Matthew 3:7 to "escape the damnation of hell." Matthew 23:33 Our Saviour lost his sweet words upon them: so did the prophet Isaiah upon his untoward countrymen, who refused to be reformed, hated to be healed. Nothing was unconquerable to his pains, who had, as one saith of Jul. Scaliger, ‘a golden wit in an iron body’; but this matter was not malleable: hence he spake to them to as little purpose as Bede did when he preached to a heap of stones. Hence his complaint: Isaiah 53:1 "Who hath believed our report?" He might haply hope at first, as holy Melanchthon did, that it was impossible for his hearers to withstand the evidence of the gospel: but after he had been a preacher a while, it is said he complained that ‘old Adam was too hard for young Melanchthon.’ Rev. Mr Greenham, besides his public pains in season and out of season, was wont to walk out into the fields, and to confer with his neighbours as they were at plough. But Dry Drayton, the place where he was minister many years, though so often watered with his tears, prayers, and pains, was little the better for all: the generality of his parish remained ignorant and obstinate, to their pastor’s great grief, and their own greater damage and disgrace. Mr Fuller’s Church Hist. Hence the verses,

“Greenham had pastures green,

But sheep full lean, …”

He might well cry out, as many also do at this day, Eheu, quam pingui macer est mihi taurus in arvo! Our people, alas! are like Laban’s lambs or Pharaoh’s kine; they are even ministrorum opprobria. But if ministers toil all night and take nothing, it is to be feared, saith one well, that Satan caught the fish ere they came at their net.

Yet surely my judgment is with the Lord. — He will do me right, and reward me howsoever. The physician hath his praise and pay, though his patient dies; the lawyer hath his fee, though his client’s cause miscarry. Curare exigeris, non curationem, saith Bernard to a friend of his, It is the care, not the cure of your charge that is charged upon you. Jeremiah was impatient, and would preach no more; Jeremiah 20:9 but that might not be. Mr Greenham left Dry Drayton, upon friends’ importunity, and moved to London, but he afterwards repented it. Latimer, speaking of a certain minister who gave this answer why he left off preaching, Because he saw he did no good, ‘This,’ saith Latimer, ‘is a naughty, a very naughty answer.’

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And now, saith the LORD that formed me from the womb [to be] his servant, to bring Jacob again to him, Though Israel be not gathered, yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the LORD, and my God shall be my strength.

To bring Jacob again to him. — To convert and reduce him to the fold: this is the proper work of the arch-shepherd. 1 Peter 2:25 ; 1 Peter 3:18 ; 1 Peter 5:4 Men may speak persuasively, but Christ alone can persuade the heart. Meum est docere, saith Cyril, rostrum auseultare, Dei vero perficere.

Though Israel be not gathered, — viz., By God’s Word, which is his "arm"; Isaiah 53:1 or, will not be gathered. as Matthew 23:37

Yet I shall be glorious in the eyes of the Lord. — Who will reward me κατα τον κοπον και ου κατα τον καρπον , according to my pains, and not according to my success; Secundum laborem, non secundum proventum. - Bern. yea, it is more than probable that such as patiently persist in the work of the ministry, though few or none be converted thereby, shall have a greater measure of glory than those that see much fruit of their labours, and so have their honeycomb here to feed on.

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And he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth.

I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles. — De vocatione gentium illustre testimonium; and to this purpose it is cited by Paul and Barnabas. Acts 13:47 John 12:46 Luke 1:78-79

That thou mayest be my salvation. — Vide quam Deo cordi et curae sit salus nostra, cum eam vocat suam. A Lapide. See how God mindeth and fancieth our salvation, when he calleth it here "his salvation."

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Thus saith the LORD, the Redeemer of Israel, [and] his Holy One, to him whom man despiseth, to him whom the nation abhorreth, to a servant of rulers, Kings shall see and arise, princes also shall worship, because of the LORD that is faithful, [and] the Holy One of Israel, and he shall choose thee.

To him whom man despiseth. — Christ was extremely despised in the state of his humiliation; Isaiah 53:2-3 his soul was filled with scorn and contempt; as Psalms 123:3-4 he was heartily hated.

To him whom the nation abhorreth. — Jerome saith that, to this day, that execrable nation curseth Christ three times a day in their synagogues, and professeth that if their Messiah should come, rather than the Gentries should share with them in his benefits, they would crucify him over and over.

To a servant of rulers. — Christ was basely used by the rulers of the Jews, who never left till they had nailed him to the tree, which was a slave’s death among the Romans.

Kings shall see and arise, princes also shall worship. — As did Constantine, Theodosius, Valentinian, Charles the Great, …, who called themselves vasallos Christi, the vassals of Christ.

And he shall choose thee, — i.e., He shall declare that he hath chosen thee to be the Saviour of his people.

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Thus saith the LORD, In an acceptable time have I heard thee, and in a day of salvation have I helped thee: and I will preserve thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, to establish the earth, to cause to inherit the desolate heritages;

In an acceptable time. — Heb., In a time of my good pleasure, or good will - i.e., when of free grace I am pleased to send thee into the world, and to cause the gospel to be preached all abroad, thereby declaring myself fully appeased with the "men of my good will," as the elect are called. Luke 2:14 2 Corinthians 6:2

Have I heard thee? — Or, Will I hear thee - sc., interceding; and will I help thee - sc., conflicting.

And give thee for a covenant, — i.e., For a mediator of the new covenant, which is ratified by thy blood: as was signified by the book sprinkled with the blood of the slain sacrifice.

To establish the earth. — Had not Christ undertook the shattered condition of the world to uphold it, it had fallen about Adam’s ears.

To cause to inherit the desolate heritages, — i.e., Heaven, forfeited by us in our first parents; or, as others, the countries of the nations now converted.

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