Isaiah 42

Behold, my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights: I have put my Spirit on him. He will bring justice to the nations. Wesley: having given one eminent instance of certain foreknowledge in the deliverance by Cyrus, now a more eminent example by foretelling the Messiah. Expressly interpreted of Christ, Matthew 12:18. To him, and to him only, all the particulars following truly belong. Whom—enable to do and suffer all belonging to his office. Elect—chosen by me to this great work. Delighteth—both for himself and for all his people, being fully satisfied with that sacrifice which he shall offer up to me. Bring forth—publish or shew. Judgment—the law, will, and counsel of God concerning man’s salvation. Gentiles—not only to the Jews, but to the Heathen nations.

Shared christology: the Servant is Christ, and him only. Isaiah: Cyrus in chapter 41 was the prior instance of foreknowledge; this song is the Messiah. The Father is satisfied with that sacrifice for the Servant and for all his people, and the justice is published to Jew and Heathen alike.

Behold my servant. Calvin: speaks of Christ as First-born and Head; to no other person could the following statements be applied; the Evangelists place it beyond controversy (Matthew 12:17–21). Servant by eminence: the name belongs especially to Christ because called to a singular incomparable work. The servanthood was a voluntary act (Philippians 2:6–9); human nature assumed to submit to obedience. Behold: look to Christ, not the present despair. Uphold him and put my Spirit on him: assist Christ in all things; necessary that Christ be endued with the Spirit to be Mediator. Elect: excellent; also undeserved love by which he embraced us all in his only-begotten Son. In whom my soul is well pleased: Christ is not only beloved by the Father (Matthew 3:17) but is alone beloved and accepted; no way of obtaining favor from God but through the intercession of Christ. He will exhibit judgment to the Gentiles: well-regulated government, not merely a bench sentence; not only Judea but the whole world. Without the Servant everything remains in disorder. The kingdom is inner: good conscience, newness of life (Romans 6:4).

Look to Christ, not to despair. Wesley agrees: the Servant is Christ only; Matthew 12 settles it. The Spirit is for the Mediator’s work; justice to the nations is the gospel’s government. Wesley’s satisfied sacrifice and Calvin’s alone-beloved intercession both lead with the same Christ.

He will not shout, nor raise his voice, nor cause it to be heard in the street. Wesley: cry—in a way of contention or ostentation. Heard—as contentious and vain-glorious persons frequently do.

The Messiah’s manner is gentleness, not street-noise. Common reading: no pomp, no contention. The next verse will show what that quietness does for the bruised.

Shall not cry. Calvin: without pomp of earthly kings. Not an earthly conception of him. He frequently forbade publishing miracles (Matthew 8:4). The Servant comes quietly, without great noise.

Do not measure the Servant by palace kings. Wesley agrees: he will not cry in ostentation. The meekness is no illusion; it is not emptiness. The Spirit-endowed Servant of v. 1 works without the street’s vanity.

He won’t break a bruised reed. He won’t quench a dimly burning wick. He will faithfully bring justice. Wesley: Christ will not deal rigorously with those that come to him, but use all gentleness, cherishing the smallest beginnings of grace, comforting and healing wounded consciences. Quench—that wick almost extinct, he will not quench but revive and kindle it again. Judgment—the law of God or doctrine of the gospel, truly and faithfully.

Smallest beginnings of grace are cherished, not crushed. Both confess: bruised reed kept, smoking flax trimmed. The justice is still brought forth faithfully; gentleness is not the gospel’s cancellation. Those who come to him meet a healer of wounded consciences.

Calvin: supports the weak; does not crush those half-broken. Smoking flax: does not extinguish but trims. Forbearance; the dove at baptism a token of mildness. Ministers should be meek. But he shall bring forth judgment in truth: meekness is not flattery of vices. Forbearance for the submissive, not the obstinate; an iron rod for despisers (Psalm 2:9).

Mildness has a limit—truth still comes forth. Shared with Wesley: the weak are not broken. Calvin’s rod is the same Christ who will not quench the faintly burning. The meekness is for the half-broken; despisers are another case.

He will not fail nor be discouraged, until he has set justice on the earth, and the islands wait for his law. Wesley: till he has established his law or doctrine among the nations. Isles—countries remote from Judea shall gladly receive his doctrine.

Remote countries receive the doctrine gladly; this is gospel reach. He will not faint till justice is established. Isaiah: islands wait for his law—the Messiah’s teaching.

Shall not faint. Calvin: mild yet no softness; the ministry efficacious till he establish judgment. Extends to the whole course of the gospel, not three years only. Isles wait for his law: law is doctrine; Christ appointed also for the Gentiles. Wait: the elect eagerly embrace the gospel (John 10:16).

The work runs the whole gospel course, not the years of the flesh only. Common ground with Wesley: isles receive his doctrine. Calvin’s “elect eagerly embrace” is how the waiting is fulfilled, not a cue to deny that the law is for the nations.

Thus says God the LORD, he who created the heavens and stretched them out, he who spread out the earth and that which comes out of it, he who gives breath to its people and spirit to those who walk in it. Wesley: description of infinite power seasonably added to give assurance of certain accomplishment of his promises.

Omnipotence is why the Servant-promises will stand. The God who stretched the heavens is not waiting to discover whether he can keep the Servant. Creator-speech grounds the calling of vv. 6–7.

Thus saith God the LORD. Calvin: a magnificent description of power so faith is confirmed when the outward aspect is contrary. Created heavens, spread earth, gives breath—he will easily perform what he promises concerning the reign of Christ.

Contrary appearances do not cancel the promise; the Creator will do it. Wesley agrees: infinite power, certain accomplishment. God rules; the idols of v. 8 cannot stretch the heavens.

“I, the LORD, have called you in righteousness. I will hold your hand. I will keep you, and make you a covenant for the people, as a light for the nations.” Wesley: called thee—to declare my righteousness or faithfulness. With hold—will give thee counsel and strength for the work. Give thee—to be the mediator in whom my covenant of grace is confirmed with mankind. The people—of all people, not only Jews but Gentiles. A light—to enlighten them with true and saving knowledge.

The Servant is mediator of the covenant of grace with mankind, a light to enlighten with saving knowledge. Shared christology still: this “you” is Christ.

God says, “I have called you in righteousness.” Calvin: a lawful, firm calling; or God seeks reason from himself. Hold thy hand: immediate assistance. Covenant of the people: Jews first rank, then Gentiles; the covenant with Abraham had its foundation in Christ (Genesis 22:18); ratified in the seed, that is Christ. Light of the Gentiles: Gentiles plunged in darkness; Christ appointed a light to them. He calls all men to himself without a single exception, and gives Christ to all, that we may be illuminated by him. Let us only open our eyes.

The calling is firm; the covenant is in Christ the seed; the light is for Gentiles in darkness. Calvin’s “without a single exception” overlaps Wesley’s “all people, not only Jews but Gentiles.” Both refuse to make the light a Jewish monopoly. “Let us only open our eyes” is the hearer’s duty, not a claim that the gift was never given.

To open the blind eyes, to bring the prisoners out of the dungeon, and those who sit in darkness out of the prison. Wesley has no separate note on this verse; his v. 6 still governs: the Servant is given as mediator of the covenant of grace with mankind, a light to enlighten them with true and saving knowledge. Blind eyes opened and prisoners brought out are that same light doing its work.

The light of v. 6 is not a slogan; it opens and leads out. Blindness and dungeon name the condition the Messiah meets.

Calvin: the condition of men till Christ shines—wretched, empty, surrounded by distresses. He addresses Christ for our sake so we know why the Father sent him.

This is why the Father sent the Servant—our wretchedness until he shines. Shared with Wesley’s light of v. 6: saving knowledge, eyes opened. The dungeon is the dark we sit in without Christ.

I will not give my glory to another, nor my praise to engraved images. Wesley: The Lord—Hebrew Jehovah: who have all being in and of myself, and give being to all my creatures. The everlasting, unchangeable, and omnipotent God, who therefore both can and will fulfil all my promises.

Jehovah’s name is self-existence and omnipotence; that is why the Servant-promises stand. God will not give his glory to idols. The unchangeable God can and will fulfil what he has said.

I am Jehovah: this is my name, cannot lawfully be given to any other. Calvin: I will not give my glory to another: will not suffer glory to be diminished by being false in promises. The glory of God is chiefly visible in fulfillment of what he promised. Nor my praise to graven images: will not permit wicked men to triumph by oppressing the Church. Exceedingly jealous of his glory (Exodus 20:5).

Glory kept means promises kept; idols get none of it. Shared with Wesley: Jehovah’s name, omnipotence, no praise to carved gods. God rules; fulfillment is how his glory is seen.

Behold, the former things have happened and I declare new things. I tell you about them before they come up. Wesley: I tell you—that when they come to pass, you may know that I am God, and that this is my work.

Prediction then event, so you may know he is God. Wesley’s God tells before they spring, and when they come to pass you know the work is his—not a deity learning the future with us. Neither side disputes this: former things already happened (Cyrus as the prior instance); new things now declared (the Messiah).

Former things came. Calvin: recall former predictions whose fulfillment grounds confidence for the future. New things I declare before they spring forth: this mark distinguishes God from idols—He alone knows and predicts future events. All God has foretold is verified by the event; he rules all things by providence.

Fulfilled word is why you trust the next word; providence rules. Wesley agrees: declared before they spring; when they come to pass you know he is God. No fork: both camps refuse idols that cannot tell the future. The Servant-song is among the new things now named.