_CHRIST, BEING SENT TO THE JEWS, COMPLAINETH OF THEM: HE IS SENT TO THE GENTILES WITH GRACIOUS PROMISES. GOD'S LOVE IS CONSTANT TO THE FAITHFUL. THE AMPLE RESTORATION OF THE CHURCH. THE POWERFUL DELIVERANCE OUT OF CAPTIVITY._ _Before Christ 712._ THE fifth, last, and most excellent _part_ of Isaia... [ Continue Reading ]
LISTEN, O ISLES— In these verses we have first the exordium to the _isles, and far distant people,_ that is to say, the Gentiles, who are frequently addressed by the appellation of _isles,_ as we have had occasion to observe before. He who makes the address, namely, Jesus the Messiah, is sufficientl... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN I SAID, &C.— These words contain the complaint of the Son of God, concerning the small fruit of his mission to the Jews, and the small hope of establishing and successfully propagating his kingdom among them; similar to that which is attributed to the same great teacher and his apostles, ch. Is... [ Continue Reading ]
AND NOW, SAITH THE LORD— This passage is connected with the whole preceding period, and with each part of it; for the Messiah, in the beginning of this discourse, Isaiah 49:1 having addressed the Gentiles, and called upon them to hear him, as an eminent teacher, he instructs them in these words, tha... [ Continue Reading ]
THUS SAITH THE LORD— We have here a new preface, containing a consolatory address of God the Father, directed to the Messiah, and his mystical body, the church of the first believers; which, persecuted, despised, and exposed to the public hatred and envy, is supported with the strong consolation to... [ Continue Reading ]
THUS SAITH THE LORD— In this period the general promises given to the Messiah and his mystical body, Isaiah 49:7 are more fully explained. In the first place, the desirable success of the Gospel, in converting the Gentiles, is described, as well as the church which would be collected from the Gentil... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WILL HAVE MERCY— _And hath had mercy._... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT ZION SAID— The Holy Spirit here proceeds to comfort the afflicted church more particularly, taking occasion from the consolatory period immediately preceding, with which the present is connected: _But Zion hath said,_—"These things being so, saith the Lord, the church being blessed with so many... [ Continue Reading ]
THY CHILDREN SHALL MAKE HASTE— General promises comfort the afflicted less than particular ones: the prophet therefore proceeds to these, which are drawn from the future benefits to be conferred by God upon the church; four of which are here more especially enumerated: _first,_ a deliverance from in... [ Continue Reading ]
OR THE LAWFUL CAPTIVE DELIVERED?— _Or the captive company of the rigorous_ or _terrible one be delivered?_ [read עריצ _orits_ for צדיק _zadik,_ with St. Jerome.] Isaiah 49:25. _Yea, thus saith the Lord,_ &c. God had promised very great and excellent things to his church; but to a person seriously co... [ Continue Reading ]