Commentari biblici

Hearken to me, ye that follow after righteousness, ye that seek the LORD: look unto the rock [whence] ye are hewn, and to the hole of the pit [whence] ye are digged.

Hearken unto me, ye that follow after righteousness. — Heb., Ye that pursue or follow hard after it, as Paul did. Philippians 3:13-14 The speech is directed to those Jews that embraced the gospel; persuading them to persist in the faith, "in nothing terrified by their adversaries," since Almighty God would keep and help them, as he had done faithful Abraham and Sarah, their ancestors; to whom also he would of stones raise up sons Banim Meabanim. in the conversion of the Gentiles, and could do it as easily as he had hewed the Hebrews, that great nation, out of aged Abraham, and superannuated Sarah; who are here compared to a dry rock, and a deep pit.

And to the hole of the pit whence ye were digged. — Est honesta periphrasis actus coniugalis. The word here used is of the same root with Nekebah, the female kind of all creatures.

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Look unto Abraham your father, and unto Sarah [that] bare you: for I called him alone, and blessed him, and increased him.

Look unto Abraham your father. — "Look" and again "look." "Hearken" and again "hearken." These poor Jews, before the coming of Christ in the flesh, were vino somnoque sepulti, drunk with the cup of God’s fury, Isaiah 51:17 and so fast asleep, that they needed to be thus roused and raised up to the hope of better times, which now were at hand.

And unto Sarah that bare you. — By the force of her faith also, Hebrews 11:11 her son Isaac was emeritae fidel filius. Now these domestic examples are alleged to assure them that God could do the like again in respect of spiritual children, Abraham’s right seed. Galatians 4:22-31

For I called him alone. — Be not ye therefore troubled at your aloneness.

And blessed him, and increased him. — God’s benediction is his benefaction; the Pope’s is not so; fumos vendit, fumo pereat.

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For the LORD shall comfort Zion: he will comfort all her waste places; and he will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the LORD; joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving, and the voice of melody.

For the Lord shall comfort Zion. — (As once he did Abraham) by multiplying her children, giving her good store of converts. These were the apostles and the primitive Christians, those earthly angels, who made the world, which before was as a waste wilderness, to become a most pleasant and plentiful paradise. Chrysostom somewhere calleth them angels, and saith that they were puriores coelo afflictione facti, more clear than the azured sky.

Joy and gladness shall be found in them. — See Isaiah 35:10 .

Thanksgiving, and the voice of melody. — Paul as the precentor sweetly sings and gives the note to us all, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us," … Ephesians 1:3-7

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Hearken unto me, my people; and give ear unto me, O my nation: for a law shall proceed from me, and I will make my judgment to rest for a light of the people.

Hearken unto me. — See on Isaiah 51:2 .

For a law shall proceed from me, — i.e., The gospel of grace, that "perfect law of liberty," "the law of the spirit of life." Romans 8:2

And I will make my judgment to rest. — I will firmly and irrevocably establish the government of my word and Spirit in the Church for a secure guide to bring it to eternal life. Some Diod. render it thus, "My judgment," i.e., my gospel, shall be for a light of the people, whereby I will give rest. So that here is a double effect of the gospel, viz., saving light, and peace of conscience.

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My righteousness [is] near; my salvation is gone forth, and mine arms shall judge the people; the isles shall wait upon me, and on mine arm shall they trust.

My righteousness, — i.e., My faithfulness, or my Son, that Sun of righteousness, is already on the way, Iam amodo iter ingressa est. - Hyper. and will be with you forthwith.

And mine arm shall judge the people, — i.e., All that set themselves against the Lord and against his Christ, Psalms 2:2 these shall feel his power to their perdition, even the force of both his arms.

The isles shall wait upon me. — They shall stretch out their souls as a line (so the word importeth), and direct them toward Christ.

And on mine arm shall they trust, — i.e., On my power, or on my gospel promises.

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Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look upon the earth beneath: for the heavens shall vanish away like smoke, and the earth shall wax old like a garment, and they that dwell therein shall die in like manner: but my salvation shall be for ever, and my righteousness shall not be abolished.

Lift up your eyes to the heavens. — Man hath a muscle more than ordinary to draw up his eyes heavenward.

And look upon the earth beneath. — How fast and firm it standeth. Ecclesiastes 1:4 Yet the whole engine shall be changed. 2 Peter 3:10

Shall die in like manner. — Or, Like a louse, as some render it.

But my salvation shall be for ever. — The gospel, together with the spiritual benefits thereby, shall outlast heaven and earth.

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Hearken unto me, ye that know righteousness, the people in whose heart [is] my law; fear ye not the reproach of men, neither be ye afraid of their revilings.

Hearken unto me. — See on Isaiah 51:2 .

Ye that know righteousness. — With a knowledge apprehensive, and affective also.

The people in whose heart is my law. — And not in your heads only.

Fear ye not the reproach of men. — Tertullian thinketh that our Saviour alludeth to this of Isaiah in Luke 6:22 . We should not be scoffed out of our religion, but patiently suffer "cruel mockings."

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For the moth shall eat them up like a garment, and the worm shall eat them like wool: but my righteousness shall be for ever, and my salvation from generation to generation.

For the moth shall eat them up. — They shall be crushed before the moth, Job 4:19 that is, easily be destroyed, and their own consciences shall grub upon them too throughout all eternity.

But my righteousness shall be for ever. — Bear therefore bravely all contumelies and contempts of men.

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