성경 주석서

많은 백성이 가며 - 이는 참 하나님께 돌아가 참 종교를 받아들이려는 ‘열망’이 널리 퍼질 것임을 나타낸다. 그들이 자기 길의 어리석음과 위험을 깨닫고 더 나은 종교를 얻어야 할 필요성을 느끼는 것처럼 하나님을 ‘찾으려는’ 성향을 보인다는 점이 주목할 만하다. 이런 일은 여러 경우에 일어났다. 현대에도 샌드위치 제도 사람들은 생명의 메시지를 기다리기라도 하듯 자기 신들을 버리고 아무 종교도 없이 지냈다. 또한 이교도들은 교훈을 받고 성경과 소책자를 얻으려고 상당히 먼 곳에서 선교 기지로 오는 일이 드물지 않다. 아마 기독교는 주로 이런 방식으로 널리 퍼지게 될 것이다. 사람의 마음을 온전히 다스리시는 하나님은 이교도들에게 간절히 묻는 마음을 일으키고, 그들 종교의 어리석음을 보여 주며, 복음을 받아들일 이러한 ‘준비’와 복음을 ‘찾아가려는’ 성향으로 그들을 이끄실 수 있다. 하나님은 모든 사람에게 다가가실 수 있다. 이교도의 이해력과 마음과 양심에 은밀히 역사하여 우상 숭배와 그 악습의 어리석음을 깨닫게 하실 수 있다. 오래 확립된 체제를 선호하는 그들의 편견을 누그러뜨리고, 그들과 그리스도인들 사이의 장벽을 허물며, 구원의 사자들을 기쁨으로 맞이하게 하실 수 있다. 이교도들 가운데서 개혁자들을 일으켜 그들 체제의 어리석음을 보여 주게 하실 수도 있다. 복음의 보편적 승리에 앞서 민족들 가운데 이와 같은 놀라운 준비가 있을 것임은 의심할 수 없다. 곧 하나님에게서 오는 은밀하고 조용하지만 지극히 강력한 영향력이 이교도 전체에 미쳐 우상 숭배에 대한 집착을 풀고 복음을 환영하도록 이끌 것이다. 이런 상태가 이미 존재하며 점점 더 확산될 가능성은 그리스도인들이 생명의 빛을 모든 곳에 보내기 위해 더욱 힘차게 노력하도록 격려해야 한다.

그가 그의 길을 우리에게 가르치실 것이라 - 하나님이 자신의 뜻과 참 종교의 교훈을 우리에게 알려 주실 것이다.

이는 시온에서부터 - 이것은 백성의 말이 아니라 ‘선지자’의 말이다. 선지자는 율법이 시온에서 나올 것, 곧 시온이 율법이 널리 퍼져 나가는 중심이 될 것이라고 선언한다. 이사야 1:8 주석을 보라. 여기서 시온은 예루살렘을 대신하여 쓰였으며, 인류를 향한 자비의 메시지가 예루살렘‘에서부터’ 퍼질 것이라는 뜻이다. 그래서 메시아는 제자들에게 ‘위로부터 능력으로 입혀질 때까지 예루살렘에 머물라’고 명하셨다(누가복음 24:49). 또한 회개와 죄 사함이 ‘예루살렘에서 시작하여 모든 민족에게 전파되어야 한다’고 말씀하셨는데, 아마 바로 이사야의 이 구절을 가리키셨을 것이다(누가복음 24:47).

율법 - 여기서는 참 종교의 교훈 전반을 가리킨다. 메시아의 통치 아래서 하나님의 율법 또는 뜻이 시온에서 나올 것이다.

여호와의 말씀 - 인류를 향한 그의 자비의 메시지, 곧 사람의 구원에 관하여 그가 ‘말씀하신’ 것이다. 여기서 가르치는 진리는 ‘시온 또는 교회가 종교적 진리의 원천이며 세상에서 종교적 영향력의 중심’이라는 것이다. 이는 다음과 같은 점에서 참되다.

(1) 시온은 고대 세계에 종교적 진리의 원천이었다. 지식은 여행을 통해 얻어졌다. 고대 그리스에서 하나님과 관련된 지식 가운데 적지 않은 부분이 먼 나라의 현자들과 접촉함으로 얻어졌고, 시온 또는 예루살렘이 보유한 진리들이 그처럼 이 땅에서 저 땅으로, 이 사람의 정신에서 저 사람의 정신으로 퍼져 나갔다는 것은 고대사의 어떤 사실 못지않게 명백히 입증할 수 있다.

(2) 오늘날 교회는 주변 세계를 위한 종교적 진리의 중심이다.

(a) 세상은 철학으로써 보존할 가치가 있고 하나님이나 구원의 길에 대한 올바른 견해를 전달하는 종교 체계를 결코 만들어 내지 못한다.

(b) ‘세상’이라 불리는 이 공동체에는 종교에 관한 가장 조잡하고 불안정하며 모순되고 모호한 견해들이 만연한다.

(c) 이 공동체 ‘안에’ 참되고 가치 있는 견해가 있다면, 대부분 ‘교회’에서 비롯된 것으로 추적할 수 있다. 그것들은 강단의 영향, 어린 시절의 성경 교육, 주일학교에서 받은 초기 가르침, 경건한 부모의 교훈, 또는 기독교가 공동체에 끼치는 ‘일반적인’ 영향 덕분이다.

(3) 교회는 ‘개혁’의 능력을 손에 쥐고 있다. 도덕과 관련된 모든 대의는 교회가 그 일에 참여하거나 물러나는 데 따라 전진하거나 후퇴한다.

(4) 이교 세계는 참 종교에 관한 지식을 교회에 의존한다. 이교의 토양에서는 진리의 체계가 ‘전혀’ 솟아나지 않는다. 이교도의 정신에는 탄력적인 활력이 없고, 그들을 하나님께 되돌릴 회복력도 없다. 어떤 이교 공동체에서도 진리를 향한 ‘진보’는 이루어지지 않는다. 영혼을 깨끗하게 할 생명의 샘도 없다. 시간이 흐를수록 어둠만 깊어지고 그들은 하나님에게서 더 멀어진다. 그들은 형체조차 없는 덩어리를 숭배하고, 더 흉측한 우상 앞에 절하며, 덜 아름답고 더 더럽혀진 신전으로 들어갈 뿐이다. 오늘날 이교도의 우상은 이천 년 전에 보였던 기술과 미감의 절반에도 미치지 못하고, 그 신전도 그토록 정교한 예술로 지어지지 않는다. 오늘날 이교 세계의 어떤 우상도 아테네의 미네르바 상과 견줄 수 없고, 어떤 신전도 파르테논과 비길 수 없으며, 중국이나 인도나 아프리카의 어떤 이교 사상도 그리스 현자들의 견해와 비교할 수 없다. 이교 세계는 갈수록 악화되고 있다. 그들이 더 나은 견해로 인도되려면 반드시 ‘외부의’ 영향이 있어야 하며, 그 영향은 철학이나 과학이 아니라 ‘교회에서부터’ 나올 것이다. 빛이 퍼지려면 시온에서 나와야 한다. 세상은 하나님과 생명의 길에 관한 올바른 지식을 얻기 위해 ‘교회’에 의존한다. ‘율법은 시온에서 나올 것’이다. 수많은 인류가 하늘로 가는 길을 배우게 될지는 교회가 일어나 자기 위에 비친 빛을 널리 퍼뜨릴 수 있느냐에 달린 문제이다.

그 집으로 — 접속사 ו vau가 케니컷의 사본 열아홉 개, 데 로시의 사본 열세 개, 내가 소장한 사본 한 개, 두 판본, 칠십인역, 시리아역, 불가타역, 아랍어역, 그리고 타르굼의 몇몇 사본에 추가되어 있다. 곧 ‘그리고 그 집으로’이다. 이것은 문장을 더욱 강조한다.

그가 우리에게 그의 길들을 가르치실 것이다 — 하나님이 자신의 뜻을 계시해 주시지 않는다면 우리가 무엇을 알 수 있겠는가?

우리가 그의 길들로 걸어갈 것이다 — 우리가 빛 가운데 걸어가기로 뜻하지 않는다면 그 빛이 우리에게 무슨 소용이 있겠는가?

율법이 시온에서 나올 것이기 때문이다 — 오직 하나님의 집과 그분의 규례 안에서만 우리는 순수한 계시의 교리가 선포되는 것을 들으리라 기대할 수 있다.

1. 하나님만이 자신의 뜻을 계시해 주실 수 있다.

2. 우리는 그 뜻을 알기 위해 합당한 수단을 사용해야 한다.

3. 우리는 그 뜻을 행하기 위해 알아야 한다.

4. 우리는 그 뜻으로 유익을 얻기 위해 행해야 한다.

5. 하나님이 빛을 베풀어 주실 때 그 빛 가운데 걷지 않는 자는 영원한 어둠에 갇힐 것이다.

6. 모든 사람은 이웃이 그 빛과 생명과 행복에 이르도록 도와야 한다. ‘오라, 우리가 여호와의 빛 가운데 걸어가자.’

And many people shall go and say,.... This is a prophecy of the numerous conversions among the Gentiles in the latter day, and agrees with Zechariah 8:20 and even the author of the old Nizzachon (p) interprets it of the gathering of the people to the Messiah.

Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, and to the house of the God of Jacob; the church of Christ, so called; See Gill on Isaiah 2:2. This expresses the concern that truly gracious souls have for the house of God, and his worship in it; they go up to it, considering it both as their duty and their privilege; and which they do frequently and constantly, with much spiritual pleasure, though sometimes with difficulty, finding their account in it, and knowing it is for the glory of God; and not content with so doing themselves, they encourage others to do so likewise; either professors of religion with them, who are negligent and backward through a spirit of slumber and slothfulness on them; through lukewarmness, coldness, and leaving their first love; through an over love to the world, and the things of it; and through a vain conceit of themselves, as being as knowing as their teachers, or wiser than they: or else such who have made no profession, who are quite ignorant of divine things, these they endeavour to bring with them, out of love to their souls, that they may be under the means of grace, in order to their conversion; and such as are inquiring the way to Zion, with their faces toward it, these they encourage to join with them in holy fellowship; and in all they set an example by a constant attendance themselves; they do not stir them up to go alone, either one or other, but propose to go with them. See Psalm 122:1.

and he will teach us of his ways: that is, the Lord the God of Jacob, the covenant God and Father of his church and people, who often in this prophecy go by the name of Jacob; he is the teacher, and there is none teacheth like him; and happy are they who are taught of God, and who have heard and learnt of the Father, and come to Christ: he taught men by his Son, when here on earth; who was a teacher that came from God, taught the way of God in truth, and with authority, as the Scribes and Pharisees did not: and then by his Spirit, sent after him to teach all things, and bring all things to remembrance; and since by his apostles and ministers, who have gifts, and a commission to teach men; though all human teachings are of no avail, without a divine blessing, unless accompanied with the anointing, which teacheth all things; and which will be abundantly bestowed in the latter day, when all the children of Zion, and that come to the house of the Lord, will be taught of God. Kimchi says, the teacher here is the King Messiah; the "us" to be taught are Gentiles, aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, whom Christ, under the Gospel dispensation, has given his ministers a commission to teach; and here design such as are humble souls, and sensible of their ignorance, and who know something of Christ, and believe in him; yet, as they know but in part, they desire to know more. The things taught them are the "ways" of the Lord; his ways of love, grace, and mercy, in the salvation of men; the steps he took in eternity towards it, by consulting and contriving the best method of it, forming it in his Son, and agreeing with him in covenant about it, and choosing the persons in him he designed to save: and also his goings forth in time, by sending his Son into this world, to obtain salvation for them, and his Spirit into their hearts, to apply it to them; likewise the ways which he prescribes and directs his people to walk in, such as the ordinances of the Gospel, and every path of duty: and the place where these are taught is the church of God, and to this school all that desire to learn should go; and there is ever something more and more of these ways to be learnt; for they are not all learnt at once, only part of his ways; and it is but a small portion, we know of these in the present state, which God has taken in order to bring about our salvation.

And we will walk in his paths; in Christ, the way, by faith, and in all his ordinances and paths of duty, according to the rule of his word; in imitation of him, and as he walked; in a dependence on his wisdom, grace, and strength, continuing therein; for walking is a progressive motion, and designs a series and course of obedience and perseverance in it:

for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem; by which is meant the law or doctrine of the Messiah, Isaiah 42:4 for the Hebrew word signifies any doctrine, and so the evangelical one, the law or doctrine of faith, of justification by faith in Christ's righteousness, Romans 3:27 together with all other doctrines of the same kind; called the "word of the Lord", which the Lord Christ is the author, preacher, sum, and substance of; the word of righteousness, peace, reconciliation, life, and salvation by him. This first began according to his commission and direction to be preached at Jerusalem, and from thence it went forth into all the world; and it is in Zion, in the church of God, it is now preached, and will be more clearly and fully in the latter day; and so is an argument and an encouraging reason to engage persons to go up thither and hear it.

(p) Apud Wagenseil. Tela ignea, p. 29.

Shall go; shall not only have some weak desires of going, but shall be ready to take pains, and shall actually go. And say; such shall be their zeal, that they shall not only go themselves, but shall persuade and press others to go with them.

We will walk in his paths; they show the truth of their conversion by their hearty desire to be structed in the way or method of worshipping and serving God acceptably, and by their firm purpose of practising the instructions given to them. For: this last clause contains the reason why the people should be so forward to go, and to invite others to go with them; and they may be the words either of the people, continuing their speech; or of the prophet, now returning to speak in his own name.

The law; the new law, the doctrine of the gospel, which is frequently called a law, because it hath the nature and power of a law, obliging us no less to the belief and practice of it than the old law did.

The word of the Lord from Jerusalem: for the accomplishment of this promise, see Luke 24:47 Acts 1:8 Romans 10:18.

Verse 3. - Many people; rather, many peoples. Shall go; or, set forth. The prophet means to represent the nations as encouraging one another on the way. There is no jealousy among them, for the "mountain" can hold them all. He will teach us. The nations feel their ignorance of God, and their need of "teaching." God alone can teach them concerning himself (Romans 11:33, 34; 1 Corinthians 2:10, 11); and "he will teach" them, either directly, as the Incarnate Son, or indirectly through those whom he has appointed to be "teachers" (1 Corinthians 12:28). Of his ways; i.e. "some of his ways," not "all of them;" for at present "we know in part" only (1 Corinthians 13:9), and the greater portion of his ways are "past finding out" (Romans 11:33). The "ways" here spoken of are, no doubt, rules for the conduct of life, which are practically inexhaustible. God, however, will teach every man, who honestly seeks to learn, enough to enable him to "walk in his paths." Out of Zion shall go forth the Law; rather, instruction, or teaching. The word (torah) is without the article. The instruction intended is that of the Church of God.

“And peoples in multitude go and say, Come, let us go up to the mountain of Jehovah, to the house of the God of Jacob; let Him instruct us out of His ways, and we will walk in His paths.” This is their signal for starting, and their song by the way (cf., Zechariah 8:21-22). What urges them on is the desire for salvation. Desire for salvation expresses itself in the name they give to the point towards which they are travelling: they call Moriah “the mountain of Jehovah,” and the temple upon it “the house of the God of Jacob.” Through frequent use, Israel had become the popular name for the people of God; but the name they employ is the choicer name Jacob, which is the name of affection in the mouth of Micah, of whose style we are also reminded by the expression “many peoples” ( ammim rabbim ). Desire for salvation expresses itself in the object of their journey; they wish Jehovah to teach them “out of His ways,” - a rich source of instruction with which they desire to be gradually entrusted. The preposition min (out of, or from) is not partitive here, but refers, as in Psalms 94:12, to the source of instruction. The “ways of Jehovah” are the ways which God Himself takes, and by which men are led by Him - the revealed ordinances of His will and action. Desire for salvation also expresses itself in the resolution with which they set out: they not only wish to learn, but are resolved to act according to what they learn. “We will walk in His paths:” the hortative is used here, as it frequently is (e.g., Genesis 27:4, vid., Ges. §128, 1, c), to express either the subjective intention or subjective conclusion. The words supposed to be spoken by the multitude of heathen going up to Zion terminate here. The prophet then adds the reason and object of this holy pilgrimage of the nations: “For instruction will go out from Zion, and the word of Jehovah from Jerusalem.” The principal emphasis is upon the expressions “from Zion” and “from Jerusalem.” It is a triumphant utterance of the sentiment that “salvation is of the Jews” (John 4:22). From Zion-Jerusalem there would go forth thorah, i.e., instruction as to the questions which man has to put to God, and debar Jehovah, the word of Jehovah, which created the world at first, and by which it is spiritually created anew. Whatever promotes the true prosperity of the nations, comes from Zion-Jerusalem. There the nations assemble together; they take it thence to their own homes, and thus Zion-Jerusalem becomes the fountain of universal good. For from the time that Jehovah made choice of Zion, the holiness of Sinai was transferred to Zion (Psalms 68:17), which now presented the same aspect as Sinai had formerly done, when God invested it with holiness by appearing there in the midst of myriads of angels. What had been commenced at Sinai for Israel, would be completed at Zion for all the world. This was fulfilled on that day of Pentecost, when the disciples, the first-fruits of the church of Christ, proclaimed the thorah of Zion, i.e., the gospel, in the languages of all the world. It was fulfilled, as Theodoret observes, in the fact that the word of the gospel, rising from Jerusalem “as from a fountain,” flowed through the whole of the known world. But these fulfilments were only preludes to a conclusion which is still to be looked for in the future. For what is promised in the following v. is still altogether unfulfilled.

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(3) Many people shall go and say . . .—What was precious to the prophet’s heart was the thought that these pilgrims from afar would not come as with a formal worship like that of Isaiah 1:10-15, but, like the queen of Sheba (1Kings 10:1-10), as seekers after truth, desiring to be taught. (Comp. Isaiah 60:3.) The “ways” and the “paths” are the great laws of righteousness, which lead to the eternal life. The verb for “teach” is the root of the Hebrew for “law,” as the “teaching” of Jehovah.

Shall go forth the law . . .—In the preaching of the Christ, in the mission of the Twelve, in the whole history of the Apostolic Church, we have, to say the least, an adequate fulfilment of the promise. The language of St. Paul, however, suggests that there may be in the future a yet more glorious mission, of which Jerusalem shall once more be the centre (Romans 11:12-15).