The Book of the Prophet Isaiah
Isaiah 61
Chapter LXI · Vol. III, pp. 1220–1222
1 The office of Christ. 4 The restoration, 7 and blessedness of the faithful.
1 The Spirita of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek:1 he hath sent me to bbind up the broken-hearted, cto proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;
B.C. cir. 696.
a Lu.4.16-21; 1.1,35. Mat.3.16. Jn.3.34; 1.32,33. ch.11.2-5. Ps.45.7. Col.2.3. Ac.2.33. Pr.8.23. Jn.6.27; 10.30. 1 Pe.1.20. Ro.15.8.
1 Or, poor or afflicted, ch.11.4; 49.19. Ps.10.17; 22.26; 72.4; 25.9. 1 Co.1.26,27. Ja.2.5. Mat.11.5; 5.3.
b ch.1.6; 57.15; 30.26. Ho.6.1. Ps.147.3; 103.3. 2 Ti.1.10. Mat.9.2,12. ch.53.5.
c 2 Ti.2.26. ch.42.7; 49.9; 29.18; 35.5. Zec.9.11,12. Jn.8.31-36, with Le.25.10. Ro.7.23-25.
2 Tod proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; eto comfort all that mourn;
3 To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, gto give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, hthe garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness;2 that they might be called itrees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.
* The beauty of these expressions in the original cannot be represented in a translation. 'To give them a crown instead of ashes.' On occasions of deep sorrow and bereavement eastern females remove the head-dress, untie the hair, and sprinkle ashes over the head. On occasions of great rejoicing, such as a marriage, the hair is decorated with jewels and flowers, and the head encircled with a crown. How beautiful and graphic therefore the statement, 'A crown for ashes!' The 'garment of praise' was the robe used at weddings and great festivals.—P.
g Ps.30.11; 23.5; 104.15. 2 Sa.12.20. Ec.9.8. ch.35.10. Jn.16.20,22. Ro.14.17.
h Zec.3.3-5. Lu.15.22. Ro.13.14. ver.10. Ro.8.15,16. Ga.4.5,6. Col.3.10,12. Ep.6.14.
2 See note * in first column.
4 And they shall jbuild the old wastes, they shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the waste cities, the desolations of many generations.
j ch.58.12; 11.11; 49.8; 54.3. Eze.36.33-36. Zec.2.4. Ro.11.26,27. ch.49.8.
5 And kstrangers shall stand and feed your flocks, and the sons of the alien shall be your ploughmen and your vine-dressers.
k ch.60.10,14; 14.1-3; 11.6; 40.11. Mi.5.3. Ep.2.11,12,19,20. Ac.20.28,29. 1 Pe.5.2,3. 1 Co.12.28; 3.9. Ro.15.16. Mat.21.43. ch.5.1; 27.2. 1 Co.9.7.
6 But ye shall be named lthe priests of the LORD; nmen shall call you the ministers of our God: oye shall eat the riches of the Gentiles, and in their glory shall ye boast yourselves.
l Ex.19.6. ch.60.17; 66.21. 1 Pe.2.5,9. Re.1.6; 5.10; 20.6. He.13.15. Ro.12.1,2. Jn.15.14,15.
n Eze.44.11. Ep.4.11,12.
o ch.60.5,6,16; 66.11,12. Re.21.24. Zec.2.11. Ro.15.27. 1 Co.3.21,22. 1 Th.2.19,20. Phi.4.1. Ps.45.16.
7 For pyour shame ye shall have double,3 and for confusion they shall rejoice in their portion: therefore in their land they shall possess the double; qeverlasting joy shall be unto them.
p ch.40.2. Zec.9.12. Mar.10.29,30. 2 Co.4.17. Ho.3.4,5. Ro.11.12,15, with 2 Ki.2.9. De.21.17. Ps.44.15,16.
3 'Instead of your shame, ye shall receive a double inheritance.'—Lowth.
q ch.35.10; 51.11; 60.15,20.
8 For rI the LORD love judgment, I hate robbery for burnt-offering; and I swill direct their work in truth, and tI will make an everlasting covenant with them.
9 Andu their seed4 shall be known among the Gentiles, and their offspring among the people: all that see them shall acknowledge them, that they are vthe seed which the LORD hath blessed.
u Ge.22.18. ch.48.19; 43.5; 44.3; 54.1,2. Ga.4.19. 1 Co.4.15. Ac.15.13; 3.26; 13.46,47. Ro.9.3,4.
4 Their seed. Not natural, as Jews, but spiritual, as converts; for the natural seed have been long under the curse; the spiritual are 'the seed which the Lord hath blessed.'—C.
A.M. cir. 3308. B.C. cir. 696.
v ch.44.3; 65.16,23. Ro.11.16,26,27. Ga.3.13,14. Ac.3.25,26. Ep.1.3.
10 Ix will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for yhe hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh5 himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.
x Ne.8.10. Ro.14.17. ch.35.10; 51.11. Phi.3.3; 4.4. Re.19.1-7. ch.66.10. Lu.1.46,47. Ps.40.16. Hab.3.17,18.
y Ps.132.9,16. ch.46.13; 45.24,25; 51.5; 56.1. Ho.2.19. Ps.45.13,14. Phi.3.9. 1 Co.1.30. 2 Co.5.21. Re.19.8. Ro.3.22,24; 5.19; 13.14. Ga.3.27. Ex.28.2,3. Re.21.2.
5 Heb. decketh as a priest, 1 Pe.2.5,9. Re.1.6. He.10.19,20.
Notes
Ver. 1. The quotation of this passage, Lu. 4. 18, identifies the speaker with Christ. The announcement comes in direct fulfilment of the closing prediction of the previous chapter: 'I the Lord will hasten it in his time,' who, though to the eyes of men 'a little one and a small one,' is here anointed with the Spirit, and invested with the mighty power of God. C.
Ver. 2. How blessed the contrast—a 'day of vengeance'—'the acceptable year of the Lord!' A vengeance that specially began upon Jerusalem, Mat. 23. 37, 38; 24. 21, which continues the emblem of that series of judgments by which God broke in pieces the heathen Roman empire, and by which he destroys that mystical Babylon that has so long been permitted to 'make war with the saints,' Re. 13. 7. C.
Ver. 4. For more than a thousand years many of the great cities and populous villages of Palestine have been literally 'a desolation.' Samaria, Bethel, Jezreel, Capernaum, Jericho, and multitudes of others, are in ruins. The whole country, in fact, when contrasted with its state in the days of Isaiah, or in the time of our Lord, is 'waste.' As the curse has been literally fulfilled, may we not expect that the promised blessing will be fulfilled as literally? P.——So far as this prediction is literal, its accomplishment is still future; and that it will have a literal accomplishment, the prophecies leave no room to doubt. In the meantime it has been spiritually verified, in the building up of God's people 'through faith unto salvation.' C.
Ver. 10. Are these the words of Zion or of Messiah? Of Messiah, who alone speaks in the first person throughout the previous parts of the prediction; and there is neither intimation nor mark of any change of speaker. See He. 12. 2. C.
Reflections.—Clear is the call, and unbounded the spiritual furniture, of our Lord Jesus for his saving work; and wonderful the instruction, healing, deliverance, protection, and comfort which he gives us by the gospel. He graciously roots and grounds sinners of mankind in himself, and in a spiritual state; raises temples to God out of the ruined lodgings of lusts; makes the bond-slaves of Satan free indeed; the servants of sin priests and ministers to God; and fraudulent wanderers upright followers of truth.—Thrice happy are they whom he delivers from redoubled misery and shame; whom he enriches with his grace, and gives full contentment and joy in himself; and to whom he is a God and guide, even unto death. And sweet and honourable to exercised souls are Jesus' blessed righteousness and great salvation, with all the holiness and comfort which proceed therefrom.