Isaiah 52

Put on your strength, Zion. Put on your beautiful garments, Jerusalem, the holy city, for from now on the uncircumcised and the unclean will no longer enter you. Wesley: Awake—This is a prediction and promise what she should do, that she should awake or arise out of her low estate, and be strong and courageous. Beautiful garments—Thy sorrows shall be ended, and thou shalt be advanced into a glorious condition. O Zion—O my church. Come—Either to molest thee, or defile thee. The uncircumcised—Heathens or infidels. Unclean—Nor any others, who are unholy.

The awake is a prediction and promise, not a feint; Jerusalem, the holy city, is told she shall arise. Recall 51:17: the city told to wake after the cup is now told to put on strength. Then gospel: the same Zion Wesley names my church. Do not force Isa 53 atonement onto this range; Wesley treats 52:13 as the beginning of a new prophecy.

Calvin: he confirms the former doctrine, in order still more to arouse the people who had been weighed down by grief and sorrow; these things were necessary as spurs, that the doctrine might penetrate into their drowsy and stupified hearts; he addresses the Church, which appeared to be in a benumbed and drowsy condition, and bids her awake, that she may collect her strength and revive her courage; he repeats it a second time, for it is difficult to arouse those whose hearts have been struck, and even laid prostrate, by a sense of God's anger. Put on thy strength: formerly thou wast dejected, and wallowedst in filth and pollution; now prepare for a happy and prosperous condition, to which the Lord will restore thee. By the uncircumcised and unclean he means all irreligious persons who corrupt the worship of God and oppress consciences by tyranny; the mark of circumcision is nothing in itself, and unless there be added purity of heart is even reckoned uncircumcision; yet he does not object to viewing these words as applied to outward foes.

Jerusalem first, then the Church spurred from a sense of his anger. Both sides agree: awake; strength; garments of beauty; no more access for the unclean. Calvin hears the same summons as 51:17: a raising from the grave. Do not force Isa 53 here; Calvin does not pass to the Servant until 52:13. The God who laid her prostrate also restores her.

Shake yourself from the dust! Release yourself from the bonds of your neck, captive daughter of Zion. Wesley: The dust—In which thou hast sat as a mourner. The bands—The yoke of thy captivity shall be taken off from thee.

Jerusalem still in the dust of 51:23, the captive daughter told to shake it off—the yoke actually taken, not a feint. Both traditions see: shake from the dust; arise; sit; loose the bonds; captive daughter of Zion. Compare 51:17 and 51:23: she drank; her back was the street; now she sits. Gospel still waits in the good news of v. 7 and the redeemed city of v. 9. The point is the mourner's yoke coming off. Do not force Isa 53 onto this captive; Wesley does not.

Calvin: he explains more fully the deliverance of the Church. When he bids her shake off the dust and arise, let us not on that account think that our liberty is in our power, so that we can obtain it whenever we think fit; for it belongs to God alone to raise us from the dust, to lift us up when we are prostrate, and, by breaking or loosing our chains, to set us at liberty. Why then the imperative? It has a much more powerful tendency to arouse than if he had employed plain narrative; therefore he declares that, when God shall have restored her to her former freedom, she shall come out of the mire. Sit, O Jerusalem: sit denotes a flourishing condition, contrasted with to lie, which denotes the lowest calamity; after ordering her to arise, he adds that she may sit—that she may no longer lie down, but may regain her former condition, and not be in future laid prostrate by enemies.

God alone looses; the command is a spur, not a claim that we raise ourselves. Both note: dust shaken; arise; sit; bonds loosed; captive daughter. Compare 51:23: the street-back now sits.

For the LORD says, You were sold for nothing; and you will be redeemed without money. Wesley: Sold yourselves—By your sins, without any valuable consideration paid by them either to you, or to your Lord and owner. Without money—Without paying any ransom.

They sold themselves by their sins; the buyers paid nothing, and they shall be brought back without paying any ransom—Judah first, then gospel. The question of 50:1 carries over: to which of my creditors have I sold you? Those who stay sold do not stay because no redemption without money was spoken. Do not force Isa 53 atonement onto this verse; Wesley's without money is no ransom paid, not the Servant's wound.

Ye have been sold for nought. Calvin: this verse has been badly expounded by many who have chosen to enter into philosophical subtleties. He has received no price, and is under no obligations to a creditor who can claim them as having been purchased by him. I did not sell or make a conveyance of you to them; for nought were ye sold; and therefore I can justly claim you as my property. Do not reason on this matter by human arguments; for the Babylonians have no right to detain you. Therefore shall ye be redeemed without money: he sold and gave them up to their enemies for no other reason than because they had provoked him by their sins; there will be no greater difficulty in delivering them than in giving them up. Some explain it more ingeniously thus, that Christ has redeemed us by free grace. This doctrine must indeed be maintained, but does not agree with the Prophet's meaning, who intended to correct the distrust of the Jews, that they might have no doubt as to their being set at liberty.

God never conveyed them; Babylon cannot keep them; when he is pleased to deliver, no bargain is needed. Neither side disputes this: sold for nought; redeemed without money. Calvin himself will not force Christ's free-grace redemption onto this verse as the Prophet's sense—do not force Isa 53 here. The owner who gave them up can take them back.

For the Lord GOD says: My people went down at the first into Egypt to live there; and the Assyrian has oppressed them without cause. Wesley: Egypt—Where they had protection and sustenance, and therefore owed subjection to the king of Egypt. And yet when he oppressed them, I punished him severely, and delivered them out of his hands. The Assyrian—The king of Babylon, who is called the king of Assyria, because it was one and the same empire which was possessed, first by the Assyrians, then by the Babylonians, and afterwards by the Persians. Without cause—Without any such ground or colour, by mere force invading their land, and carrying them away into captivity.

Egypt first, then Babylon under the Assyrian name—sojourn, oppression without cause. Both readings hold: my people; Egypt to sojourn; the Assyrian oppressed for nothing. Recall 51:9: Rahab and the dragon were this Egypt; the same arm still delivers. The point is the God who already punished Pharaoh. Do not force Isa 53 onto this sojourn; Wesley does not.

Into Egypt my people went down aforetime. Calvin: commentators touch neither heaven nor earth; the Jews dream of three captivities, and Christians differ from them by thinking that this denotes a third captivity, which shall be under Antichrist, and from which Christ will deliver them. But the Prophet's meaning is quite different; he argues from the less to the greater by quoting the Egyptian captivity. If the Lord punished the Egyptians because their treatment of his people was harsh and unjust, much more will he punish the Babylonians, who have cruelly tyrannized over them. There was much greater plausibility in Pharaoh's claim of dominion than in that of the Babylonians; Jacob having voluntarily come down became subject to Pharaoh; far more base was the wickedness of the Babylonians, who drove the Jews out of a lawful possession. By the Assyrian he means the Babylonians, who were united under the same monarchy; he takes special notice of the Assyrian because he was the first that grievously distressed the Jews and prepared the way for this captivity.

Egypt the lesser title, Babylon the robber. Egypt first; Assyrian as Babylon; without cause. Calvin refuses a third-captivity or Antichrist reading invented onto this verse. Compare 51:9: the same Exodus arm. Then gospel: if Pharaoh could not keep them, Babylon cannot.

Now therefore, what do I do here, says the LORD, seeing that my people are taken away for nothing? Those who rule over them mock, says the LORD, and my name is blasphemed continually all day long. Wesley: What have I—Why do I sit still here, and not go to Babylon to punish the Babylonians, and to deliver my people? For nought—Without any provocation, or pretence of right. Howl—By their unmerciful usage. Blasphemed—The Babylonians blasphemed me as if I wanted either power or good will to save my people out of their hands.

The LORD will not sit still—Babylon took them for nought and howled over them, and blasphemed as if he lacked power or will. Common to both: what have I here; taken away for nothing; rulers wail; name despised all the day. Compare v. 3: sold for nought; now the name is despised because of it. Those who keep howling under rulers do not howl because he cannot go to Babylon.

What have I here? Calvin: it is not reasonable that he should silently permit his people to be any longer oppressed; by these words he reproves, in some measure, his own delay: Shall I not stretch out my hand? If Pharaoh did not hinder me, though he was a lawful master, shall the violence of robbers hinder me? He enumerates the reasons which ought to move him to bring back the people: they are carried away for nought; they are constrained to howl without ceasing—to howl is more than to sigh or weep, extreme despair. The third and principal reason why the Lord will deliver his people is, that his name is continually exposed to the reproach and blasphemy of wicked men. For the sake of his own honor the Lord preserves the Church, and defends the pure worship of his name; by delivering his people, he will plead his own cause.

Three reasons, the chief his own name. Both agree: taken for nought; howling; name despised. Recall v. 4: if Pharaoh could not hinder, robbers cannot. He is not surprised by the blasphemy; he names it as the reason he will act. Do not force Isa 53 onto this despised name; Calvin is still in Babylon.

Therefore my people shall know my name. Therefore they shall know in that day that I am he who speaks. Behold, I am the one who speaks; here I am. Wesley: Shall know—They shall experience my power and goodness in fighting for them. In that day—When I shall redeem my people: which work was begun by the return of the Jews from Babylon, and perfected by the coming of the Messiah. Behold—That all these promises are the words of the omnipotent, unchangeable God.

They shall experience the fighting; the redeeming work is begun at the return from Babylon and perfected by the Messiah—then gospel, shared christology, not a forced Isa 53 fork. Agreed: my people shall know my name; in that day; I who speak; here I am. Compare v. 5: the despised name will be known. Those who do not know it do not fail to know because he never said Here I am. Wesley's day is Babylon's return brought to the Messiah.

Therefore shall my people know. Calvin: at length the people must be redeemed by God, who cannot be unlike himself; if he redeemed the fathers, if he always assisted the Church, their posterity, whom he has adopted in the same manner, will never be suffered by him to be overwhelmed. To know the name of the Lord is to lay aside every false opinion, and to know him from his word, which is his true image, and next from his works. We must not imagine God according to the fancy of men, but must comprehend him as he declares himself to us. That it is I who speak: the verb to speak relates to the promises; Behold I relates to actual power; although now there be nothing more than that there sound in your ears the words by which I promise what is hardly probable, yet you shall speedily obtain it. The promises of God and the fulfillment of them are linked together by an indissoluble bond; he never promises anything in vain.

Word first, then the work that confirms it; God cannot be unlike himself. Both hear: know my name; I who speak; here I am. Do not force Isa 53 atonement onto this Here I am; Calvin is still answering Jewish distrust of liberty.

How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news, who proclaims salvation, who says to Zion, Your God reigns. Wesley: The mountains—Of Judea, to which these glad tidings were brought, and from which they were spread abroad into other countries. Of him—Or, of them; the singular number being put for the plural. Returneth—In the days of the Messiah, God did discover and exercise his dominion over the world far more eminently than ever he had done from the beginning of the world until that time.

The feet are on Judea's mountains first; the tidings spread abroad; in the Messiah's days God reigns more eminently than ever—then gospel, shared christology. Both see: beautiful feet; good news; peace; salvation; Zion; Your God reigns. Compare 40:9 and 51:5: the arm the coastlands wait for is this reign. Those who hear no good news do not miss it because no feet came. Do not force Isa 53 atonement onto these feet; Wesley's Messiah here is the reigning God, not the marred Servant of 52:13.

Calvin: he confirms believers as to the certainty of the word of God, that they may be fully persuaded that they shall be restored to their former liberty. He does not now speak of every kind of doctrine, but of that which is adapted to consolation; beautiful and lovely is the approach of those who bring consolation from the mouth of God. Here he speaks of the doctrine of salvation, and consequently says that peace, happiness, salvation, is proclaimed. By peace he denotes a prosperous and happy condition. That saith to Zion: the beginning of that doctrine is that the kingdom of God may be erected among us; until he reign among us, we must be miserable; this message is sent to the Church; it cannot apply to heathens that know not God. Paul quotes this passage to prove that the preaching of the Gospel proceeds not from men but from God, and that the ministers who bring the message of salvation are sent by him; nothing is desirable but what comes from God; none but God can be the author of such a distinguished benefit.

Consolation from God's mouth; ministers sent by God, not by men. Beautiful feet; peace; salvation; Your God reigns; the message to Zion. Compare Paul's use: the same feet. Shared christology: both camps hear the Messiah's reign and the gospel's feet. Both hear God reigns.

Your watchmen lift up their voice. Together they sing; for they shall see eye to eye when the LORD returns to Zion. Wesley: Thy watchmen—Thy ministers, who descry the approach of this heavenly king. Lift up thy voice—To give notice to all people of these glad tidings; and by way of exultation, to sing forth the praises of God for this glorious day. Eye—Distinctly and familiarly, their eyes beholding the eyes of this king of glory. They shall be eye and ear-witnesses of the words and works of Christ, and therefore their testimony shall be more certain and valuable. Bring again—When God shall complete the work of bringing his church out of captivity.

Ministers who actually see the king of glory—eye and ear-witnesses of Christ—while God completes the bringing of his church out of captivity. Watchmen; lifted voice; singing; eye to eye; the LORD's return to Zion. Shared christology: Wesley names Christ here. Do not force Isa 53 onto this seeing; the king of glory returning is not the marred visage of 52:14.

The voice of thy watchmen. Calvin: there shall be such a restoration of the people that the messengers shall venture boldly to proclaim it; they who speak of a doubtful matter mutter inaudibly; here there will be nothing doubtful or uncertain. The designation of watchmen is usually given to all Prophets, because they are placed on watch-towers to keep watch over the safety of the people. There will be silence during the captivity, because the voice of the Prophets shall not be heard; but when the Lord shall be pleased to lead forth the people, the mouth of watchmen, who were formerly dumb, shall be opened to proclaim that they are at liberty to return. Eye to eye: that is, openly. This extends indeed to spiritual conversion; but let us not on that account depart from the literal sense; when he restored the Jews to liberty, and employed the ministry of Zerubbabel, Ezra, and Nehemiah, these things were fulfilled. Yet at the same time they ought to be continued down to the coming of Christ, by which the Church was gathered out of all parts of the world. But we ought also to go forward to Christ's last coming, by which all things shall be perfectly restored.

Prophets silent in exile, then open; Zerubbabel, Ezra, Nehemiah first; then Christ's coming gathering the Church; then his last coming when all is restored. Agreed on both sides: watchmen lift the voice; eye to eye; Zion brought again. Shared christology: Calvin also names Christ's coming. His last coming is perfect restoration, not a chart. Recall v. 7: the same sent preachers.

Break out into joy! Sing together, you waste places of Jerusalem; for the LORD has comforted his people. He has redeemed Jerusalem. Vv. 7–8 still govern: glad tidings on Judea's mountains, ministers who descry the heavenly king, the church brought out of captivity.

The waste places of Jerusalem are told to sing because he has actually redeemed that city—comfort sincere, not a feint. Break forth; sing together; waste places of Jerusalem; comforted his people; redeemed Jerusalem. Compare 51:3: the LORD comforts Zion and her wastes like Eden. Compare v. 2: the mourner in the dust now sings. Do not force Isa 53 atonement onto this redeemed Jerusalem; Wesley has not yet reached the new prophecy he marks at 52:13.

Jerusalem is told to break out in joy and sing together. Calvin: he exhorts believers to thanksgiving, but chiefly confirms them in the hope and confidence of this salvation, as if the actual enjoyment of it already called them to thank God for it. Although it appears unreasonable to prescribe a song of joy in the midst of grief, this form of expression is well fitted to arouse those who groan under sorrow, fear, and cares. Ye wildernesses of Jerusalem: he calls them wildernesses or waste places of Jerusalem, that, notwithstanding its ruin and destruction, they might still hope that it would be restored; this appellation is better adapted for shaking off fear than if he had called her prosperous. For Jehovah hath comforted his people: the Lord hath changed the mourning of the people into joy, and out of captivity hath made them free. In the promises of God, as in a mirror, we ought to behold those things which are not yet visible to our eyes. He hath redeemed Jerusalem: to deliver the Church is God's own work. And if we ought to judge thus of the redemption from Babylon, which was but of a shadowy nature, what shall we say of the spiritual redemption? Can it be ascribed to men without grossly insulting God?

Wastes named so ruin can still hope; Babylon's redemption God's work, and the spiritual more so. Common to both: waste places sing; comforted; redeemed Jerusalem. The point is whose work the redeeming is.

The LORD has made his holy arm bare in the eyes of all the nations. All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God. V. 6 still governs: the redeeming work begun by the return of the Jews from Babylon, and perfected by the coming of the Messiah.

The holy arm bared in the sight of the nations is the same fighting Wesley named in v. 6—return first, then the Messiah who perfects it, and the ends of the earth see. Undisputed: holy arm bared; eyes of all nations; ends of the earth; salvation of our God. Recall 51:5 and 51:9: the arm the coastlands wait for, the arm that cut Rahab. Shared christology: Wesley's Messiah belongs here as the perfecting, not as a forced 53-wound. Those who do not see this salvation do not miss it because the arm was never bared.

Jehovah hath made bare the arm of his holiness. Calvin: the comparison is borrowed from soldiers who stretch out their arms when they make ready for the battle; to make bare does not mean to hold out the naked arm, but to exert it. He calls it the arm of holiness because he intended to display his power for the salvation of the people; this implies a mutual relation between God and the Church which the Lord has consecrated to himself. True, he maketh bare his arm in the government of the whole world; but he does not call it the arm of holiness, as in this passage, when he renders peculiar assistance to his Church. Before the eyes of all nations: this deliverance shall be worthy of so great admiration that it shall be visible even to the blind. The extension of this magnificent spectacle to the very ends of the earth makes it evident that the Prophet does not speak of the return of the people, which would take place a few years afterwards, but of the restoration of the whole Church. This prophecy is maliciously restricted by the Jews to the deliverance from Babylon, and is improperly restricted by Christians to the spiritual redemption which we obtain through Christ; for we must begin with the deliverance which was wrought under Cyrus and bring it down to our own time.

Cyrus first, then down to our time; neither Babylon-only nor Christ-only as a shortcut. No dispute here: holy arm bared; nations see; ends of the earth; salvation. Compare 51:9: the Exodus arm is this arm. Do not force Isa 53 onto the bared arm; Calvin has not yet passed to the Servant of 52:13.

Touch no unclean thing! Go out from among her! Cleanse yourselves, you who carry the LORD’s vessels. Wesley: Depart—Out of Babylon. Touch—Carry not along with you any of their superstitions or idolatries. Ye—And especially your priests and Levites, who minister in holy things, and carry the holy vessels of the temple, keep yourselves from all pollution.

Out of Babylon, no superstitions packed; especially the priests and Levites who bear the temple vessels. The going is an earnest summons, not a feint. Do not force Isa 53 here; Wesley's vessels are the temple's, not the Servant's blood. The point is Babylon left behind.

The command is repeated: “Depart, depart.” Calvin: he now exhorts the people to be always ready to set out, and at the same time to bear their misery with patience. Before the time of deliverance arrived, they burned with extravagant eagerness to depart; but when the period of the captivity was fulfilled, they had grown languid, and there were few who returned to Judea. Touch not what is unclean: keep themselves pure from the defilements with which the Babylonians polluted themselves; not to pretend that they worship idols. He does not exhort the Jews to be clean when they shall be free, but so long as they shall be held captive, and even when their life shall be in danger. Be ye clean, that bear the vessels of Jehovah: this exhortation is especially directed to the priests and Levites, who, being standard-bearers, ought to maintain greater integrity; not that others have a right to pollute themselves. Yet I approve of the simple meaning, that the Levites and ministers of the temple are put, by way of eminence, for the whole of the people. This doctrine, therefore, relates in the present day not only to ministers of the word, but to all Christians, who are also called a royal priesthood, and not only are appointed to carry the vessels of the temple, but are themselves temples of God; on this account also Paul has applied this passage to the whole Church.

Clean while still captive; Levites standing for the whole people, now a royal priesthood. Where they meet: depart from Babylon; touch no unclean thing; bear the vessels. Paul takes this up in 2 Cor 6:17.

For you shall not go out in haste, neither shall you go by flight; for the LORD will go before you, and the God of Israel will be your rear guard. Wesley: Not by flight—But securely, and in triumph, being conducted by your great captain the Lord of hosts. Rereward—So that none shall be able either to oppose you in your march, or to fall upon you in the rear.

Not Egypt's scramble—securely, in triumph, the Lord of hosts as captain before and behind. Agreed on both sides: not in haste; not in flight; the LORD goes before; the God of Israel your rear guard. Recall v. 11: the departure out of Babylon. Compare 51:10: the sea made a way for the redeemed. Then gospel: the same captain conducts the church. Do not force Isa 53 atonement onto this rear guard; Wesley's new prophecy begins at 52:13, which is the next unit, kept whole. The captain already goes before.

For not in haste shall ye go out. Calvin: he again magnifies that benefit of redemption, for it appeared to be incredible. He promises that this deliverance shall not resemble a flight such as that of Egypt; they fled by night out of Egypt, went out with haste, and Pharaoh pursued them; but the present case shall be totally different, and they shall go away like conquerors, so that none shall venture to give them any annoyance, so that this deliverance will be more excellent and wonderful. Jehovah will go before you: will be the leader of your journey. God was also the leader when he led them out of Egypt; but he did not at that time display his majesty as now, when, like a general, he brought back his army, after having vanquished his enemies. And the God of Israel will assemble you: there will be no scattering such as usually takes place under terror; they will march, as under banners, in a regular manner; God will bring you out as a band or army drawn up; none shall molest you; you will be assembled under God as your leader, that you may return into your native country.

Not Egypt's night haste; a general after the victory; assembled, not scattered. Both traditions hear: not in haste; not flight; the LORD before; God of Israel gathering the rear. Compare v. 10: the bared arm is this general. After having spoken of the restoration of the Church, Isaiah will pass on to Christ at 52:13—Calvin's own seam; do not split 52:13–15 here, and do not force that atonement unit back onto 1–12.