1The office of Christ. 4The restoration and blessedness of the church.
1THE1 Spirita of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath 2anointed me 3to preach good tidings unto 4the meek; he hath sent me 5to bind up 6the brokenhearted, to 7proclaim liberty 8to the captives, and the opening of the prison 9to them that are bound;
1 This Christ speaks, as may be gathered from Luke 4:17, etc. See John 1:33.
a Luke 4:17, 18, 19, 20.
2 By this anointing is understood that Christ, according to His human nature, has become endued and adorned with the gifts of the Holy Ghost without measure; and according to His whole Person has been ordained by God the Father to be our King, Priest and Prophet. See Heb. 1:9.
3 Or, to proclaim or to bring good tidings. What tidings or message is this? Concerning the forgiveness of sins. See Psalm 40:9; 96:2.
4 Or, lowly. In Luke 4:18, where these words of the prophet are quoted, it is said to the poor, namely, the poor in spirit, Mat. 5:3; for, unto such is the Gospel preached, Mat. 11:5.
5 Understand this spiritually, namely, of comforting the soul, which is done by the preaching of the Holy Gospel.
6 They are those who are grieved and wounded in heart by reason of their manifold sins and transgressions. See Psalm 34 on verse 18; 51:17; Isa. 57:15.
7 Or, to preach, to call out.
8 That is, to them who are held captive under the power of the devil or his adherents for their sins committed, Rom. 7:23; 2 Tim. 2:26; 3:6, and see Isa. 42:7.
9 This is the same which was said previously in other words.
210To proclaim 11the acceptable year of the LORD, and 12the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all 13that mourn;
10 Or, To preach.
11 That is, the time or the year wherein it shall please the Lord to manifest and declare His grace and mercy unto troubled and grieved consciences, namely, by the preaching of the Holy Gospel. See Isa. 49:8; 2 Cor. 6:2; Titus 3:4.
12 That is, that day which God has ordained or appointed, wherein He will cast all infidels, impenitents and enemies to His church, together with the devil into eternal damnation. See Isa. 34:8; 63:4; Luke 18:7; 2 Cor. 10:6.
13 Namely, those who mourn and grieve for their sins whereby they have provoked God to anger, 2 Cor. 7:10, 11; James 4:9; or those who grieve for the miseries of the church, Isa. 66:10; for, unto such, Christ promises comfort, Mat. 5:4.
3To appoint unto them that mourn in 14Zion, to give unto them 15beauty for 16ashes, 17the oil of joy for mourning, 18the garment of praise for the 19spirit of 20heaviness; that they might be called 21trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.
14 That is, in the church of God.
15 That is, beautiful garments, or glory, which word is used in Mat. 6:29 for goodly apparel. Hebr. to give them ornament, etc.
16 Which they were wont to strew upon their heads, and to sit in ashes when they mourned.
17 They were wont in ancient times to anoint their faces with oil in time of joy; but here is spoken of the joyful oil of the Holy Ghost, John 14:26, 27; 15:11. Compare with the words of the prophet which is written in Heb. 1:9.
18 That is, a garment that is worthy of praise by reason of its beauty and comeliness. Or, a garment that was worn on a festive day, when the congregation met together to thank and to praise God for mercies received. Yet understand here by the beautiful garment, the gifts and graces of God’s Spirit.
19 That is, mind.
20 Or, the distressed ones. Hebr. spirit wrung together, which is contracted together through grief and heaviness.
21 Or, oak trees. By these trees are understood those who are implanted into Christ by faith, and who bring forth fruits of righteousness, that is, good works. See Isa. 60:21. The oak trees of righteousness are contrasted to the oak trees which they had misused unto idolatry. And believers are called oak trees with respect to their strength in Christ.
4¶And they shall build 22theb old wastes, they shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the waste cities, the desolations 23of many generations.
22 See the annotation at Isa. 58 on verse 12. This, being taken spiritually, signifies that they shall convert the unbelieving Gentiles unto God, who have lain a long time as dead in their sins, Eph. 2:1, 5.
b Isa. 58:12.
23 That is, which have occurred over many generations.
5And 24strangers shall stand and 25feed your 26flocks, and 27the sons of the alien shall be 28your plowmen and 29your vinedressers.
24 Namely, those who were converted out of the Gentiles. The sense is: From among the Gentiles God will also raise up teachers and preachers, unto the building up of His church in the New Testament, Acts 20:28; 1 Peter 5:1, 2.
25 Namely, with the Word of God.
26 Or, sheep, that is, congregations.
27 Hebr. the children of the stranger.
28 That is, shall be your teachers, Mat. 21:33, etc.; 1 Cor. 3:9.
29 That is, shall be your teachers, Mat. 21:33, etc.; 1 Cor. 3:9.
6But ye shall be named the 30Priestsc of the LORD: 31men shall call you the Ministers of our God: 32ye shall eat the riches of the Gentiles, and in their 33glory shall ye boast yourselves.
30 Namely, spiritual priests, to render the calves of your lips, and to present your bodies as a reasonable service unto God. See Exod. 19:6; Rom. 12:1; Heb. 13:15; 1 Peter 2:5, 9; Rev. 1:6; 5:10.
c 1 Peter 2:5, 9; Rev. 1:6; 5:10, etc.
31 Or, and it shall be said unto you, O ye ministers of our God.
32 That is, ye shall enjoy the goods which the Gentiles shall communicate unto you when they shall be converted unto Christ. See Isa. 60:5.
33 That is, riches.
7 ¶ 34For your shame ye shall have double; and for confusion they 35shall 36rejoice in their portion: therefore 37in their land 38they shall possess the double: everlasting joy shall be unto 39them.
34 Which ye have suffered at the hand of the enemies of the church.
35 Namely, the godly Israelites or the children of God.
36 Or, cry aloud.
37 Namely, as well their own land as that which they have gotten from their enemies, by whom they have been persecuted aforetime.
38 Namely, to whom such shame has been inflicted upon previously and who has been persecuted.
39 Namely, the godly.
8For I the LORD love judgment, I hate 40robbery for burnt offering; and I will direct 41their work in truth, and I will make an everlasting covenant 42with them.
40 That is, I hate those burnt offerings, which are done by iniquity, serving Me outwardly, but in the meanwhile oppressing their neighbor. See Prov. 15:8; 21:27.
41 That is, the service, which they perform to Mine honor and glory, shall be done in spirit and in truth, John 4:24. Other, their wages.
42 See Jer. 34:18.
943And their seed shall be known among the Gentiles, and 44their offspring among the people: all that see them 45shall acknowledge them, that they are the seed which the LORD hath blessed.
43 That is, their posterity, or those who belong unto them, namely, those who belong to the church of Christ, they shall be no more confined to one certain nation, but they shall spread themselves abroad among all the Gentiles.
44 Hebr. their issue.
45 As well by their holy and godly conduct as by the blessing of God, which will be noticeably with them.
1046I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with 47the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with 48ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her 49jewels.
46 This is spoken by the christian church and by every member thereof, praising the Lord for His mercies manifested unto them. Hebr. Being joyful I am joyful.
47 Or, he hath covered me with the cloak of righteousness, that is, with righteousness, as with a garment, meaning with His own righteousness, which He has imputed unto Me.
48 That is, a glorious ornament; for, the priests were gloriously and beautifully arrayed. See Exodus 28. Other, princely ornament, for, the Hebrew word signifies the one as well as the other.
49 That is, ornament, dressing, trimming, attire. Hebr. vessels, or, instruments.
11For as the earth bringeth forth her bud, and as the garden causeth the things 50that are sown in it to spring forth; 51so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations.
50 Or, his sown things, or her sown things.
51 That is, the Lord shall make that the church of Christ, being gathered out of all the Gentiles, shall grow and increase in true righteousness, and shall praise the Lord more and more.