Isaiah 50 · The Lantern

Israel’s Sin

Thus says the LORD: Where is the document of your mother’s divorce, with which I sent her away? Or which of my creditors is it to whom I sold you? See, for your iniquities you were sold, and for your transgressions your mother was sent away.

But hear what the prophet says: "By your sins you were sold, and for your iniquities I dismissed your mother." You see, then, that we are indeed all the creature of God, but each one is sold by his own sins and for his own iniquities departs from his own creator.

God never sends away anyone who makes his home with him, and he rejects none of those who walk uprightly. He allows them to be forever associated and firmly joined to him as a way of obtaining help. However, everyone who opposes or fights against his divine teaching falls completely away from the glory of God and shows that he is a lover of pleasure rather than a lover of God.

Thus says the Lord: what is this. Here he begins to remove the impediments to their liberation. And first, he removes the impediments; second, he applies the remedies: who has believed our report (ch. 53). Concerning the first, he removes three impediments: first, the lack of divine benefits; second, the dejection of persons: give ear to me, you that follow (ch.

Why, when I came, was there no one? When I called, was there none answering? Is my hand really too short for redemption? Or is there no power in me to deliver? See, by my rebuke I dry up the sea; I make rivers a wilderness. Their fish stink from lack of water, and die of thirst.

I clothe the heavens in blackness, and sackcloth I make their covering.

And what follows: I will clothe the heavens in darkness, and its covering will be like sackcloth; or everything that is above us, let us understand as heaven, just as those flying creatures that are in the air are called celestial; and the opposing powers are said to be celestial, which move between heaven and earth.

"I will clothe the sky with shadows, and I will change its cover to be like mourning cloth." He has done this and will do it. For he did it when he was crucified: "From the sixth hour to the ninth the shadows covered the whole earth." And he will do it again at the time of the fulfillment, for it says, "The sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give off its light."

Second, he shows signs of his power in the heavens: I will clothe the aerial heavens with darkness, as in Egypt (Exod 10:21); who covers the heaven with clouds (Ps 146[147]:8).

The Servant’s Obedience

The Lord GOD has given me the tongue of the taught, to know how to sustain the weary with a word. He wakens morning by morning; he wakens my ear to hear like the taught.

For the power of His strong word, by which He always confuted the Pharisees and Scribes, and, in short, all your nation's teachers that questioned Him, had a cessation like a plentiful and strong spring, the waters of which have been turned off, when He kept silence, and chose to return no answer to any one in the presence of Pilate; as has been declared in the memoirs of His a…

(Chapter 50—Verse 4 and following) The Lord has given me a learned tongue, so that I may sustain with words the weary. He awakens me morning by morning, awakens my ear as a master. The Lord God has opened my ear; I do not resist, I do not turn back. I offered my body to the ones striking me, and my cheeks to those plucking my beard.

The Lord has given me. Here he gives himself as an example. And first, as to the grace of the benefit he received, both as to eloquence: a learned tongue, that I should know how to uphold, with encouragements: your words have confirmed them that were staggering (Job 4:4); and as to wisdom: he wakens my ear, to listen, in the morning, from the beginning of my preaching, or from…

The Lord GOD has opened my ear, and I myself was not rebellious; I did not turn backward.

My back I gave to those striking, and my cheeks to those plucking. My face I did not hide from humiliations and spitting.

Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ comes before us, when he would show [people] how to suffer, who when he was struck bore it patiently, being reviled he reviled not again, when he suffered he threatened not, but he gave his back to the smiters and his cheeks to buffetings, and he turned not his face from spitting; and at last, he was willingly led to death, that we might behold…

Now if God willed to accept and to lower Himself to such sufferings, dishonours, and humiliations, then no matter how much you humble yourself, you whose nature is mud and subject to death, you will never resemble your Lord [in this]. God for your sake humbled Himself, but you, for your own sake, do not humble yourself. You are proud and puffed up.

He also sets out the constancy of his obedience, that he did not abandon his obedience for any danger: I have given my body, that is, I exposed myself that I should suffer such things; or perhaps he literally suffered these things, but in Christ this was completely fulfilled (Matthew 26 and 27): I have given my dear soul into the hand of enemies (Jer 12:7).

And the Lord GOD helps me; therefore I have not been humiliated. Therefore I have set my face like flint, and I know that I will not be ashamed.

Nevertheless, you will say, adversity is a terrible thing and grievous to be borne. Yet look at it again compared with another image and then also learn to despise it.

And the Father was Christ's helper. For he did not allow or concede that his own Son should be completely shamed or overwhelmed. For they were punished, those who sought to take their punishment out on me as those who dare to fight with God.… For though being with us, he was the only-begotten Word of God.

Third, he gives himself as example as to the trust which he had in God, first, setting out his ready defense: the Lord God is my helper: the Lord is with me as a strong warrior (Jer 20:11); second, the security of his trust: and I set my face as a most hard rock, that I might be moved by neither fear nor shame: I have made your face like an adamant and like flint (Ezek 3:9); th…

Near is the one who shows me right. Who will contend with me? Let us stand together. Who is the master of my judgment? Let him draw near to me.

See, the Lord GOD helps me. Who is he that will condemn me? See, all of them will wear out like a garment; a moth will eat them.

There is a person who runs down birth, describing it as subject to decay and death, who forces things and suggests that the Savior was speaking about having children in saying that we should not store treasure on earth, where it grows rusty and moth-eaten.

Isaiah also gives the name "moth" to those who devour their conscience in their recklessness.… It might be said that the moths are their sins, which worm their way in among those they inhabit, like moths devouring clothing for food.

Who is he that shall condemn me, with false judgments: God is he that justifies: who is he that shall condemn? (Rom 8:33–34); again, he assigns the reason for this security from the weakness of those who attack him: lo, they shall all be destroyed as a garment, with old age, in which is signified natural defect, the moth, in which is signified the violent man: who am to be cons…

Who among you fears the LORD, listening to the voice of his servant, who has walked in dark places and has no shining? Let him trust in the name of the LORD and lean on his God.

By the mouth of Isaiah also [God] has asked concerning him, "Who is there among you that hears God? Let him hear the voice of his Son." When, therefore, he here presents him with the words, "This is my beloved Son," this clause is of course understood, "who I have promised." For if he once promised and afterwards says, "This is he," it is suitable conduct for one who accomplish…

It is as a man that he calls himself "Servant," for "although he exists in the form of God, he has assumed the form of a servant." Likewise in the divine Gospel [Christ] says that he has received instruction as to what he should say and proclaim. "They walk in darkness, and there is no light for them." Although the light has risen, as for them, they have clung to the darkness.

Who is there among you? Here he deduces salutary counsel from his own example. And first, he sets out the counsel; second, he sets out their contempt of this counsel: behold all you (Isa 50:11). Now, he gives counsel that they should trust in God, and thus he does three things.

See, all of you are kindlers of fire, girders of firebrands. Walk in the light of your fire and among the firebrands you have set alight! From my hand this has come to you: you will lie down in torment.

That "fire" is not "from the altar". The fire which is "from the altar" is the fire of the Lord; but that which is outside the altar is not the Lord's, but is the proper fire of each one of those who sin, of which it is said: "their worm shall not die, and their fire shall not be extinguished".

(Verse 11) Behold, all of you who kindle fire, girded with flames, walk in the light of your fire, and in the flames that you have kindled: it is made by my hand, you will sleep in sorrows. LXX: Behold, all of you who kindle fire, and strengthen the flame; walk in the light of your fire, and in the flame that you have kindled; these things have been made for you because of me.

Behold all you. Here he sets out their contempt of this counsel, setting out three things. First, their fault: you that kindle, by your sins, a fire, meriting it for yourselves, girded, as though bound by your sins, or ready for sin, above: and your strength shall be as the ashes of tow (Isa 1:31); second, he sets out the punishment: walk in the light of your fire, as if to say…

Isaiah50

Israel’s Sin

The Servant’s Obedience