Isaiah 52

Behold, my servant will deal wisely. He will be exalted and lifted up, and will be exalted. Wesley: Behold—This is the beginning of a new prophecy, which is continued from hence to the end of the next chapter. My servant—That it is Christ who is here spoken of, is so evident, that the Chaldee paraphrast, and other ancient, and some later Hebrew doctors, understand it directly of him, and that divers Jews have been convinced and converted to the Christian faith, by the evidence of this prophecy. Prosper—This is fitly put in the first place to prevent those scandals which otherwise might arise from the succeeding passages, which describe his state of humiliation. Very high—Here are three words signifying the same thing to express the height and glory of his exaltation.

A new prophecy, not a continuation of 52:1–12's departure from Babylon; the Servant is Christ, and him only. Shared christology: both camps hear this Behold as Christ. My servant; act wisely / prosper; high; lifted up; exalted. Then gospel: the humiliation is coming in 52:14 and chapter 53, but the first word is his success, so the scandals of the marred visage do not cancel the exaltation. Recall 42:1 and 50:4: the same Servant. Do not merge this unit into 52:1–12; Wesley marks the seam here.

Behold, my servant shall have prosperous success. Calvin: after having spoken of the restoration of the Church, Isaiah passes on to Christ, in whom all things are gathered together. Some explain yashkil to mean shall deal prudently; but, as it is immediately added that he shall be exalted, the context appears to demand that we shall rather understand it to denote prosperous success. He speaks of the prosperity of the Church; and as this was not visible, he draws their attention to the supreme King, by whom all things shall be restored. He calls Christ his Servant on account of the office committed to him; Christ ought not to be regarded as a private individual, but as holding the office to which the Father has appointed him; by giving him the title of Servant, he means that he will be exalted for our sake.

After Zion's restoration in 52:1–12, Isaiah passes to Christ. Shared christology: the Servant is Christ; Grotius's Jeremiah-as-type is the exception Calvin names, not the rule. The Servant will prosper and be exalted. Compare 42:1: Servant by eminence. Do not split 52:13–15 from the atonement of 53, and do not force Babylon's departure back onto this Behold. The King restores the Church. The success is already spoken.

As many were astonished at you— his appearance was marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of the children of mankind. Wesley: Astonished—At his humiliation. Thee—At thee, O my servant. His form—Christ, in respect of his birth, breeding, and manner of life, was most obscure and contemptible. His countenance also was so marred with frequent watchings, and fastings, and troubles, that he was thought to be near fifty years old when he was but about thirty, John 8:57, and was farther spoiled with buffetings, and crowning with thorns, and other cruel and despiteful usages.

The Christ, not a later-age chart—mean birth, watchings, thorns, buffetings. Many astonished; visage marred; form beyond the sons of men. Shared christology: Wesley names Christ here without remainder. Compare v. 13: the prospering is spoken first so this marring does not annul it. The atonement proper waits in 53:4–6, kept whole there; do not split this astonishment off from that song, and do not invent a camp fight on whether the Servant is Christ.

As many were amazed. Calvin: he informs them that Christ must first be rejected and humbled, and anticipates that doubt which might have arisen from his singularly debased and unseemly condition. There is no reason why men should be shocked at that unseemliness and disgrace which will be speedily followed by eternal happiness. His glory lay hid under the humble form of the flesh; for though a majesty worthy of the only-begotten Son of God shone forth in him, yet the greater part of men did not see it. The cause of their astonishment was this, that he dwelt among men without any outward show; and the Jews did not think that the Redeemer would come in that condition. When he came to be crucified, their horror was greatly increased. It was necessary that Christ should first be humbled and covered with shame; the shame of the cross was followed by a glorious resurrection attended by the highest honor (Philippians 2:6–11).

Humiliation first, then the name above every name. Common reading: astonished; marred; form beyond men. Shared christology: Calvin names the only-begotten and the cross. Recall v. 13: the King still prospers. Do; the point is the cross before the exaltation.

“So he will cleanse many nations.” Kings will shut their mouths at him; for they will see that which had not been told them, and they will understand that which they had not heard they understand. Wesley: So—His exaltation shall be answerable to his humiliation. Sprinkle—With his word or doctrine; which being often compared to rain or water, may be said to be sprinkled, as it is said to be dropped, Deuteronomy 32:2; Ezekiel 20:46. Kings—Shall be silent before him out of profound humility, reverence, and admiration of his wisdom. For—They shall hear from his mouth many excellent doctrines, which will be new and strange to them. And particularly that comfortable doctrine of the salvation of the Gentiles, which was not only new to them, but strange and incredible to the Jews themselves.

The sprinkling is the word dropped like rain; the new thing is Gentile salvation, incredible even to the Jews. Neither side disputes this: sprinkle many nations; kings shut their mouths; they see what was not told; they understand what they had not heard. Shared christology: the same Christ of v. 13 now teaches the nations. Compare 42:6: a light for the nations. Those who do not hear it do not miss it because no word was sprinkled. Wesley's Gentiles are the nations who hear the doctrine. The atonement of 53:1–12 is the next unit, kept whole; do not split it here.

So he will cleanse many nations. Calvin: some explain it, shall cause to drop, a metaphorical expression for to speak; but since naza signifies to sprinkle, and is commonly found to have this sense in Scripture, I choose rather to adopt this interpretation. He means that the Lord will pour out his Word over many nations. Kings will shut their mouth in token of astonishment, when the vast magnitude of the subject is such that it cannot be expressed. What they have not heard: this astonishment will not arise merely from Christ's outward appearance, but from the preaching of the Gospel; for, though he had risen from the dead, yet all would have thought that he was still a dead man, if the glory of his resurrection had not been proclaimed. Paul quotes this passage (Romans 15:21). The Jews had heard something of Christ from the Law and the Prophets, but to the Gentiles he was altogether unknown; hence it follows that these words relate strictly to the Gentiles. They shall understand: faith consists in certainty and clear understanding; wherever knowledge of this kind is wanting, faith is unquestionably wanting.

The Word poured over nations; resurrection preached, or he still looks dead. Agreed on both sides: sprinkle; kings silent; what was not told they see. Paul takes this up in Romans 15:21. Then gospel: the Servant of v. 13. Calvin's certainty of understanding is how faith hears, not a second gospel.