_Who hath believed our report?_ The prophet having, in the last three verses of the former chapter, made a general report concerning the great and wonderful humiliation and exaltation of the Messiah, of which he intended to discourse more largely in this chapter, thought fit, before he descended to... [ Continue Reading ]
_For he shall grow up_, &c. And the reason why the Jews will generally reject their Messiah is, because he shall not come into the world with secular pomp, but _he shall grow up_, (or, _spring up_, out of the ground,) _before him_, (before the unbelieving Jews, of whom he spake, Isaiah 53:1, and tha... [ Continue Reading ]
_Surely he hath borne our griefs_ Whereas it may seem an incredible thing, that so excellent and glorious, and so innocent and holy a person should meet with this usage, it must be known that his griefs and miseries were not laid upon him for his own sake, but wholly for the sake of sinful men, in w... [ Continue Reading ]
_All we_ All mankind; _like sheep_ Which are exceedingly apt to go astray, and lose themselves; _have gone astray_ From God, and from the way of truth and duty; of wisdom, piety, and virtue; of holiness and happiness. _We have turned every one to his own way_ In general, to the way of sin, which may... [ Continue Reading ]
_He was oppressed_ By the intolerable weight of his sufferings, _and he was afflicted_ By the most pungent pain and sorrow. Or, as the Hebrew נגשׁ הוא נענה, is rendered by Bishop Lowth and others, _It was exacted, and he answered_, or, _was made answerable._ God's justice required satisfaction from... [ Continue Reading ]
_He was taken from prison and from judgment_ As we do not find that imprisonment was any part of Christ's sufferings, the marginal reading seems to be preferable here. _He was taken away by distress and judgment;_ that is, he was taken out of this life by oppression, violence, and a pretence of just... [ Continue Reading ]
_And he made his grave with the wicked_ And although he did not die for his own sins, but only for those of mankind, yet he was willing to die like a malefactor, or like a sinner, as all other men are, and to be put into a grave as they use to be; which was a further degree of his humiliation. He sa... [ Continue Reading ]
_It pleased the Lord to bruise him_ Although he was perfectly innocent, it pleased God, for other just and wise reasons, to expose him to sufferings and death. _He hath put him to grief_ His God and Father _spared him not_, though he was his only and beloved Son, but _delivered him up for us all_, t... [ Continue Reading ]
_Therefore will I_ Namely, God the Father; _divide him a portion_ This word _portion_ (though there is nothing for it in the Hebrew) is properly supplied out of the next clause, where a word, which answers to it, rendered _the spoil_, is expressed; _with the great_ Or, _among the great_ such as the... [ Continue Reading ]