Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
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Isaiah
Book: Isaiah
Chapter: 50
Overview:
The rejection of the Jews.
(1-3) The sufferings and exaltation
of the
Messiah.
(4-9) Consolation to the believer, and warning
to the unbeliever.
(10,11)
1-3 Those who have professed to be people of
God, and seem to
be dealt severely with, are apt to complain, as if
God had been
hard with them. Here is an answer for such murmurings;
God never
deprived any of their advantages, except for their sins. The
Jews were sent into
Babylon for their
Idolatry, a
Sin which
broke the
Covenant; and they were at last rejected for
crucifying the
Lord of
Glory.
God called
On them to leave their
sins, and prevent their own ruin. Last of all, the Son came to
his own, but his own received him not. When
God calls men to
happiness, and they will not answer, they are justly left to be
miserable. To silence doubts concerning his power, proofs of it
are given. The wonders which attended his sufferings and
Death,
proclaimed that he was the
Son of God, Mt 27:54.
4-9 As
Jesus was
God and
Man in one person, we find him
sometimes speaking, or spoken of, as the
Lord God; at other
times, as
Man and the servant of
Jehovah. He was to declare the
truths which comfort the broken, contrite
Heart, those weary of
Sin, harassed with
Afflictions. And as the Holy
Spirit was upon
him, that he might speak as never
Man spake;
So the same Divine
influence daily wakened him to pray, to preach the
Gospel, and
to receive and deliver the whole will of the
Father. The
Father
justified the Son when he accepted the satisfaction he made for
the
Sin of
Man.
Christ speaks in the name of all believers. Who
dares to be an enemy to those unto whom he is a Friend? or who
will contend with those for whom he is an
Advocate? Thus St.
Paul
applies it, Ro 8:33.
10,11 A
Child of
God is afraid of incurring his displeasure.
This
Grace usually appears most in believers when in
Darkness,
when other graces appear not. Those that truly fear
God, obey
the voice of
Christ. A sincere servant of
God may for a long
time be without views of eternal happiness. What is likely to be
an effectual cure in this sad case? Let him trust in the name of
the
Lord; and let him stay himself upon the promises of the
Covenant, and build his hopes
On them. Let him trust in
Christ,
trust in that name of his, The
Lord our
Righteousness; stay
himself upon
God as his
God, in and through a
Mediator.
Presuming sinners are warned not to trust in themselves. Their
own merit and sufficiency are
Light and heat to them.
Creature-comforts are as sparks, short-lived, and soon gone; yet
the children of this world, while they last, seek to warm
themselves
By them, and walk with pride and pleasure in the
Light of them. Those that make the world their comfort, and
their own
Righteousness their confidence, will certainly meet
with bitterness in the
End. A godly
Man's way may be dark, but
his
End shall be peace and
Everlasting Light. A wicked
Man's way
may be pleasant, but his
End and abode for ever will be utter
Darkness.