Chapter Forty-Two

The general theme of this chapter is the prophecy about the appearance of the gentle “Servant of the Lord,” the purpose of His coming, and the results of His activity. The entire chapter is divided into three approximately equal parts.

1–9. The first part sets forth the prophecy itself concerning the appearance of the “Servant,” defines His relationship to God, describes His outward appearance, and presents the goals and purposes of His coming.

10–16. The second part resounds with a hymn of thanksgiving to God for the gift of the “Servant,” and then depicts His relationship to both the pagan world and Judea.

18–26. The third and final part, in rather somber imagery, prophetically depicts the fate of the faithless Israel.

1–3. The appearance of the beloved “Servant of the Lord,” his gentle, humble bearing. 4–9. The purpose and significance of His coming into the world. 10–12. A hymn of thanksgiving to the Lord for such a blessing from Him. 13–16. The Lord – God the avenger and transformer. 17–21. The humiliation of the pagans and condescension toward Israel. 22–25. Israel’s faithlessness and God’s punishment of it.

Isa 42:1-9. The preceding speech of the Lord (chs. 40–41) contained, chiefly, an announcement of the imminent Divine judgment over various peoples, not excluding the Israelite nation. The new speech, beginning with this chapter, speaks predominantly of the manifestation of the Divine Person, whose abundance is to pour forth, after righteous judgment, upon all humanity. The Mediator and agent of this mercy is the “Servant of the Most High,” in whom, by the happy expression of one exegete (Orelli), as it were “is embodied, in a certain sense, the good genius of the entire chosen people.”

Isaiah 42:1. Behold, My Servant, whom I hold by the hand; My chosen One, in whom My soul delights. I will put My Spirit upon Him, and He will proclaim judgment to the nations; 50 “Behold, My Servant... My chosen One, in whom My soul delights.” The LXX and Slavonic text have insertions here of the words: “Jacob” (at the very beginning) and “Israel” (before the word “chosen”). But already Origen and the blessed Jerome protested against such an insertion; the latter, in particular, said: “Jacob and Israel” are not present in this section, which the evangelist Matthew also did not place there (Matt 12:18), who speaks of Jesus Christ as “My Servant” – in the sense of My Son! But even independently of such an insertion, there are several explanations of who should be understood by the chosen Servant. Some, evidently basing themselves on the additional terms, saw here a general reference to the chosen Israelite people, others introduced a certain limitation into it, meaning not the whole people, but only its chosen representatives, that is, the righteous; still others referred it to a single person, understanding by it either Cyrus, king of Persia, or the prophet Isaiah himself. But the overwhelming majority, both of ancient Hebrew (Chaldean paraphrasers), patristic (John Chrysostom, the blessed Jerome, Cyril of Alexandria, etc.), Talmudic medieval (Kimchi, Isaac Abarbanel, etc.), and modern exegetes (Ochlei, Delitzsch, Cheyne, Orelli, Duhm, Dillmann, etc.) see here an individual reference to the Person of the Messiah, in full agreement with the evangelist Matthew, who, as is known, refers this passage to Jesus Christ (Matt 12:17-21 v.).

Deuteronomy 6:13. However, our learned commentators offer an experiment in reconciling the two most typical exegetical versions (“Israel” and “Messiah”), saying thus: “the idea of the chosen people and the idea of the Messiah, as external-historical factors, have identical content, and the marks of the concept ‘Jacob’ and ‘Israel’ are included among the marks of the concept ‘Messiah’. Just as the Israeli people were the servants of God (Deut. 6:13; Deut 10:20; Isa 41:8-9; Isa 44:1 and others), so the Messiah, who fulfilled the historical calling of this people, was a servant of God (Zech 3:8; Phil 2:7; Acts 3:13), an executor of God’s will (Ps 39:8-9; Heb 10:5-7), – but whereas the Israeli people, in the persons of their leaders, proved to be servants who did not fulfill the will of their Master (Matt 23:1-3; Rom 2:17-24), the true Messiah, Lord Jesus Christ, “taking the form of a servant, becoming like men... humbling Himself, obedient even to death, even the death of the cross” (Phil 2:7-8), and foreseeing to taste it, in prayer to His Father who sent Him says: ‘I have glorified You on earth; I have completed the work which You gave Me to do’ (John 17:4 – Commentary on the book of the holy prophet Isaiah by prof. of the St. Petersburg Academy). Thus, according to the completely correct view of the cited interpretation, the passage in question should equally be referred both to Israel and to the Messiah: but to the first only in a conditional, typological-restrictive sense, whereas to the second – in its full and historically-consummatory form. “To whom My soul shows favor. I will put My Spirit upon Him.” Many not without reason perceive in these words a prophetic indication of the fact of the Lord’s Baptism, as the moment of His undertaking of His public ministry. At that time the prophecy of the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Lord was fulfilled (“My Spirit upon Him”), and nearly the same words were repeated – “concerning God’s special favor – which we read here also (cf. Matt 3:17; Mark 1:11; Luke 3:22). All these expressions – that God will support His Servant, that He will send upon Him the Holy Spirit – in relation to Lord Jesus Christ have, of course, a conditioned sense and should be understood anthropomorphically, that is, adapted to our language and our human understanding. But the general thought contained in them is that all Persons of the Holy Trinity (God the Father – subject, God the Son – object, God the Holy Spirit – mediating bond) are united with one another by the fullest harmony, though they preserve their hypostatic individuality. Some, however, see here an indication of a special anointing by the Holy Spirit, which the Son of God received from God the Father according to His human nature.” (Isa 11:1; Isa 61:1-2; Ps 44:8; John 3:34; Bp. Peter). “And He will proclaim judgment to the nations.” The New Testament Scripture clearly reveals this thought to us when it says that “the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son” (John 5:22), or when it testifies that He (that is, the Son), having cast out the prince of this world (John 12:31) and having received authority in heaven and on earth, will judge both the living and the dead (2 Tim 4:1). Taking into account the subsequent context of the discourse, here we should understand not the fearsome Last Judgment of the Lord, which is to be at His second coming, but that loving, merciful turning toward sinners which accompanied His first coming, about which the Lord Himself clearly said: “I have not come to judge the world, but to save the world” (John 12:47; cf. Matt 9:13; 1 Tim 1:15). The philological analysis of the word “judgment” in Hebrew, mischpath, – which means “determination,” “verdict,” and from that “law” (synonym for the word thora – see v. 3, 4) gives grounds to see here an indication also of that Evangelical Law which the Lord is to proclaim to the nations after His coming into the world. This interpretation also has support in the context, where judgment and law are spoken of as the object of hope for the pagan world (v. 4).

Isaiah 42:2. He will not cry out nor raise His voice, and will not let it be heard in the streets; Isaiah 42:3. A bruised reed He will not break, and a dimly burning wick He will not quench; He will bring forth judgment in truth; “He will not cry out nor raise His voice... A bruised reed He will not break and a dimly burning wick He will not quench.” In these two verses, directly connected with each other, on the one hand is given the image of a gentle and humble Teacher, on the other are characterized the fundamental properties of His future preaching. The best parallel to the first part of the prophecy in question are the words of the Savior Himself: “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest; take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart.” (Matt 11:28-29). To this should also be added the paraphrase of this prophecy in the evangelist Matthew: he “will not contradict or cry out, and no one will hear His voice in the streets” (Matt 12:19). All this means one thing – that the Messiah, though He will be filled with the greatest Gifts and authority, will appear, however, in the most gentle and humble manner (“taking the form of a servant” (Phil 2:7), without any pomp or majesty, and will even avoid great solemn public and demonstrative appearances in places of public assembly. And from the Gospel history we truly know well that Jesus Christ Himself avoided human glory and noise, and repeatedly forbade others from spreading word of His miracles (Matt 8:4; Matt 9:30; Matt 12:16; John 5:13). In complete correspondence with the gentle image of the Teacher stands also the account of the preaching He is to give, which the prophet further expresses in such strong and figurative language: “A bruised reed He will not break and a dimly burning wick He will not quench.” The image of a bruised reed appeared already in the prophet Isaiah and earlier, in the discourse about Egypt, where mention was made of its striking by Sennacherib (Isa 36:6). Here, however, the symbols of a bruised reed and a dimly burning wick have not a physical, but a spiritual-moral, psychological meaning; they characterize such a state of the psychological condition of a sinner, when his “spirit is contrite” (Ps 50:19) and requires a high degree of Divine love and condescension, so that it not fall into despair, but rise up from its fall. “The thought of the prophet can be expressed thus: The Messiah – the teacher will impart His teaching in such a way that grave sinners, in whose conscience a deep wound has been made, whose spiritual condition was weak, wavering with doubt, fear of perdition, and who therefore were wounded in spirit, – will not be utterly crushed, cast into despair, will not be terrified by threats of God’s wrath, struck by blows of God’s judgment; but will be encouraged in spirit by His consolations, made hopeful by God’s mercy and forgiveness of sins.” (Bp. Peter)

Isaiah 42:4. He will not grow faint or be crushed, until He has established justice on the earth; and the islands will hope in His law. “He will not grow faint or be crushed, until He has established justice in the earth.” Despite the extremely humble outward appearance of the Messiah and the very gentle character of His preaching, the word of the Messiah will have enormous power (Isa 49:2 pt.) and will make Him the victor of all peoples, more renowned than the famous conqueror of many peoples – Cyrus. The LXX and Slavonic translation have a variant – “He will shine and not be extinguished,” – giving a beautiful poetic expression of the thought about the eternity and immutability of Christ’s teaching, which will constantly shine with an even, unfickering light.

Isaiah 42:5. Thus says God the Lord, who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and what comes from it, who gives breath to the people upon it and spirit to those who walk in it: “Thus says God the Lord, who created the heavens... who spread out the earth with its produce, who gives breath... and spirit.” In the middle of the Divine discourse about the outwardly humble, yet inwardly majestic image of the Servant of the Lord, God Himself gives solemn certification of the authenticity and immutability of this speech. The seal of Divine origin and dignity of the author of this speech is served by the characteristic reference for the prophet Isaiah to the history of creation, as proof of the Almightiness and Eternity of the Creator (Isa 40:12; Isa 44:24; Isa 45:7-12; Isa 64:8; Isa 45:18). Commentators draw attention to the similarity of this passage with the history of the universe as it is set forth in the book of Genesis and in the Psalmist (chs. 1–2, Ps. 102, etc.), and not without reason conclude from this that the Pentateuch and Psalter existed already before the prophet Isaiah, against which negative criticism usually strongly (not unreasonably) argues. This verse can also be considered the beginning of another discourse of the Lord, directly addressed to His Servant.

Isaiah 42:6. I am the Lord; I have called You in righteousness, and will hold Your hand and keep You, and give You as a covenant to the people, as a light to the nations, It contains the speech of the Lord to His beloved Servant. “I am the Lord, I have called You in righteousness, and I will hold You by the hand.” An almost literal repetition of the words of the 1st verse, with only a change in the person to whom they are addressed (there 3rd person: the prophet, or the people; – here 2nd person, the Servant of the Lord Himself).

Deuteronomy 18:15. And I will give You as a covenant to the people, as a light to the nations. A new and important addition that determines the significance and scope of the Messianic ministry of the Servant of the Lord. The role of the Messiah will be, to a certain extent, analogous with that of Moses (“A Prophet from among your brothers, like me,” – Deut. 18:15) – both are establishes of the covenant of God with man; but the scope of their covenant differs essentially; Moses’ covenant embraced only one chosen Israelite people, – whereas the Messiah’s covenant extends to all the nations. “For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.” (John 1:17). The indication of the Servant of the Lord as the Mediator of the New Covenant of God with men is repeatedly found both in Isaiah and in other prophets (Isa 49:6-8; Isa 51:4; Isa 52:13; Isa 53:1-2; Isa 50:10-11; Isa 59:20; Isa 60:1-5; Jer 31:31-34). Isaiah 2:4–5. “As a light to the nations.” One of the favorite images of the prophet Isaiah, which he applies indifferently to both “Immanuel,” and the “Branch,” and the “Servant of the Lord,” since all these concepts are synonymous with each other (Is. 2:4–5; Isa 9:1-7; Isa 49:6-8; Isa 51:4 etc.), in which the defenders of the unity and authenticity of the book of the prophet Isaiah rightly find a very strong argument in favor of their opinion (see Jer. Thaddeus “Unity” of the book of the prophet Isaiah pp. 277–290, etc.). It should also be noted that this image, as expressing so beautifully the thought of the spiritual regeneration and enlightenment of the nations, has rather broad application also in the book of the New Testament (Matt 4:16; Luke 2:32; Acts 13:47; Acts 26:18; Rom 16:12 and others). Isaiah 42:7. To open blind eyes, to bring out prisoners from the dungeon, those who sit in darkness from the prison. “To open the eyes of the blind... to bring out... those sitting in darkness – from prison.” All these are poetic images and symbols that characterize the loving, merciful, and saving activity of the Messiah. He will come to heal sick humanity from both physical and especially from spiritual-moral blindness and to lead it from the darkness of error and vice into the wide expanse of the light of truth and purity. Perfect analogy to these thoughts exists in the first half of the book of the prophet Isaiah, where a prophecy is given about people walking in darkness and living in the land of the shadow of death, who expect light (Isa 9:2), or where mention is made of the coming of such a day of the Lord when the deaf shall hear and the eyes of the blind shall see from the darkness and gloom (Isa 29:18 and Isa 35:5-6). The very fulfillment of this prophecy, both in the physical and in the moral sense, is witnessed to many times by various facts of Gospel history (Matt 11:4-5 and more). “But the prophecy of Isaiah receives further light if we keep in mind the words of the apostle Peter (1 Pet 3:19), who was shown by the Holy Spirit the secret that even the Old Testament dead were brought out by our Lord from darkness to light, for He is merciful and did not “leave their souls in Hades” (Ps 15:10), but “in the spirit descended into the prison of spirits, preached to them the joyful resurrection and deliverance” (Vlastov).

Isaiah 42:8. I am the Lord; that is My name. I will not give My glory to another, nor My praise to graven idols. “I am the Lord, that is My name.” One of the characteristic phrases for the prophet Isaiah, used by him in cases where it is necessary to give solemn certification of Divine Almightiness, Eternity, Immutability, Self-existence, and other properties of His absolute Being (see Isa 42:8; Isa 45:10-13; Isa 45:6; etc.). “And I will not give My glory to another and My praise to graven images.” Having called Himself the Lord, that is the One Eternal, (Exod 3:14-15; Exod 20:2-7 etc.), the Lord further develops this thought, that He is incomparable with anyone, so that the glory of the One true God, rightfully belonging to Him alone, cannot be shared with anyone, and least of all, of course, with graven images, though the latter pretend to the role of gods among the pagans. By “another,” as is evident from the context, are meant graven images or idols; but this, according to the remark of the blessed Jerome, does not exclude either the Son of God, nor all those righteous ones who received glory from Him (John 17:5). Consequently, “another” in Hebrew aher – here is used in the sense of “foreign,” “of another nature,” “hostile by essence.”

Isaiah 42:9. Behold, the former things have come to pass, and new things I declare; before they spring forth I tell you of them. “Behold, the former things have come to pass.” New proof of the authenticity of the just-pronounced consoling prophecy about the Servant is drawn from historical experience: if all earlier prophecies have already been fulfilled, then this serves as the best guarantee for the fulfillment of the new prediction. By earlier prophecies the blessed Jerome understands all that in general was spoken in the Old Testament through Moses and the prophets. But this is hardly accurate, for at the time of the new prophecy all this still lay ahead, and therefore was not suitable as convincing proof from historical precedent. Therefore, those are more correct who see here an indication of definite and comparatively recent historical-political prophecies, in particular, for example, the prediction (already fulfilled by that time) about the unsuccessful campaign of Sennacherib against Jerusalem (Isa 10:16; Isa 14:25; Isa 30:31 and Isa 37:6-7). The reference itself to such a historical example must have had a consoling significance for Israel, as it fully corresponded to the general character and tone of the discourse. If the Israelite people is yet to bring forth the beloved Servant of the Lord, destined to accomplish great deeds, then evidently the historical calling of that people is still far from fulfilled, and it has no grounds for fearing for its fate, which, equally as unexpectedly, could always be improved by God, as happened in the days of Sennacherib. Isa 42:10-12. In this section is found a hymn to God for the benefits He has bestowed upon the nations. These benefits are for now the object of prophetic expectation. But the prophet is so sure of their immutability that he speaks of them as events already come to pass, and therefore invites the nations to praise God for them, as for something already given to them.

Isaiah 42:10. Sing to the Lord a new song, His praise from the end of the earth, you who go down to the sea, and all that fills it, the islands and their inhabitants. “Sing to the Lord a new song.” The customary beginning of quite many songs of thanksgiving and praise (Ps 32:3; Ps 95:1; Ps 97:1; Ps 148:1 etc.). In this case the “newness” of the song corresponds also to the novelty of its subject, for, according to the apostle: “So if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new” (2 Cor 5:17). “You who go down to the sea.” Directly meant is the neighboring Mediterranean Sea; though in biblical language “sea and islands” – in general, is a synonym for the whole pagan world.

Isaiah 42:11. Let the wilderness and its cities lift up their voice, the villages that Kedar inhabits; let the dwellers on the rock sing, let them shout from the mountain tops. Isaiah 42:12. Let them give glory to the Lord, and declare His praise on the islands. “Let the wilderness and its cities lift up their voice.” At first sight it seems somewhat strange to speak of cities in the wilderness. But actually this is precisely the case: in the neighborhood of Palestine (to the southwest of it) lay a wilderness, amid which were oases on which were located various cities, for example, Tadmor, Petra, Kadesh, and others (cf. Num 20:1). “The villages where Kedar dwells.” By the name “Kedar,” or more precisely “Tribe of Kedar,” was called one of the Arab nomadic tribes, descendants of the second son of Ishmael – Kedar (Gen 25:13). In Pliny (Hist. Natur. lib. V, c. 11) this tribe is called arabes cedrei; it was related to the Nabataeans, led a nomadic way of life, and engaged in sheep-raising (Isa 60:7). Isa 42:13-17. In vv. 13–17 is given a vivid, figurative picture of Divine wrath and His decisive reckoning with His enemies. The general task of the discourse – to give comfort and encouragement to Israel in view of approaching calamities – could, apparently, be overshadowed by the depiction of the gentle, humble Servant of the Lord. And so, to show that “gentleness” in relation to one’s own does not destroy “militancy” in relation to enemies, the Lord again takes on the role of “man of war,” terrible to enemies and reliable for friends.

Isaiah 42:13. The Lord will go out like a mighty man, He will stir up His zeal like a man of war; He will cry out, yes, shout aloud; He will prevail against His enemies. “The Lord will go out like a mighty man, like a man of war He will stir up His zeal; He will shout and raise a war cry, and He will show Himself strong against His enemies.” All this picture of God’s combat with His enemies is as if taken straight from life and gives an almost photographic depiction of the military customs and practices of that time. (Compare the description of the combat of the god Marduk with the goddess Tiamat in the Chaldean genesis). Similar fearful-militant pictures, in which the Lord goes forth to settle accounts with His enemies, are found in the prophet Isaiah more than once (Isa 28:21; Isa 30:30; Isa 52:10; Isa 59:16; Isa 63:1 and so on). Such an appearing of the Most High was to encourage Israel and terrify its enemies (chiefly, Babylon). In application to the New Testament Israel, that is the Church of Christ, here are meant various moments of the spiritual-moral struggle of Christ with Belial (John 16:33; Acts 10:38; Rev 20:10).

Isaiah 42:14. I have long kept silent, I have been still and restrained Myself; now I will cry out like a woman in labor, I will both gasp and pant; “I have long been silent, I have been patient and restrained Myself; now I will cry out like a woman in labor.” The righteous wrath of God against His enemies is so great and strong that it overflows the measure of His boundless long-suffering. The Lord has long been silent, that is, not constraining the freedom of will of man, allowed him to go his own ways and according to the apostle – “they exchanged the glory of the immortal God for an image resembling mortal man and birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures” (Rom 1:23). But now has come the moment when the Lord, inflamed with zeal for the glory of His holy name, wants to put an end to all this and with strong wrath strike down His enemies. The very image for expressing this thought is taken from a comparison with a woman in labor, who long silently endures her birth pangs, but finally, at the last moment, is no longer able to restrain herself and utters loud cries expressing them.

Isaiah 42:15. I will lay waste the mountains and hills, and dry up all their vegetation; I will turn the rivers into islands, and dry up the pools. “I will lay waste mountains and hills, and all their vegetation I will dry up; and rivers I will make into islands and dry up the lakes.” Emblematic speech about the consequences of Divine wrath on His enemies. And since it has in view enemies of two kinds – political enemies of the earthly Israel and religious-moral enemies of the spiritual Israel, that is, the Church of Christ, then under all the different types of these enemies (mountains, hills, vegetation, rivers, islands, lakes) can be understood, in the first case, the representatives of various classes and positions among the Babylonians (their kings, nobles, priests, scholars, craftsmen, common people, etc.), and in the second the rooting out of all that constituted the support and chief content of paganism (idols, temples, shrines, images, philosophical systems, oracles, superstitions, etc.) The latter interpretation is supported, for example, by the blessed Theodoret: “through all this God showed the fall of error; for He destroyed the esteemed groves of demons found in mountains and hills, delivered them to oblivion and dried them up like grass: having stopped the teachings of philosophers, like streams of rivers, he left in them not even the least moisture; in the same way, he says, I will dry up the marshes of poetry,” filled, according to the words of holy Cyril of Alexandria, “with those deceived by perversion murky” (Allak, II, 15. Blessed Theodoret and Cyril of Alexandria – Commentary, St. Petersburg, professor).

Isaiah 42:16. And I will lead the blind by a way they do not know; in paths they have not known I will guide them. I will make darkness light before them, and crooked places straight. These things I will do for them, and not forsake them. “And I will lead the blind by a way they do not know... I will make darkness light... crooked paths – straight.” The enemies to whom God threatens merciless destructive war in the preceding verses are evidently understood to be the leaders and guides of paganism, who kept the people in the darkness of ignorance and superstition. But to the people themselves who were exploited by them, God not only threatens nothing, but, on the contrary, promises even His all-powerful help. He compares the masses of the simple ignorant and deceived people with unfortunate blind men, knocked off the right road and led into thick darkness. And now the Lord promises the people that He will open their spiritual eyes to them, lead them onto the right road, and give them to enjoy light. This prophecy, both in content and even in form, strongly reminds us of similar passages from various other chapters of the book of the prophet Isaiah, which proves their authenticity and unity (Isa 13:22; Isa 9:2; Isa 35:6-8; Isa 40:3; Isa 41:17 etc.).

Isaiah 42:17. Those who trust in graven images, who say to the idols, “You are our gods,” shall be turned back and utterly put to shame. “Then those who trusted in idols shall turn back and be greatly ashamed, those who say to idols, ‘You are our gods.’” An expression almost literally found in the Psalmist (Ps 34:4 and Ps 69:3). In this case it reveals to us the chief subject of the discourse and those to whom it is directed. The subject of the discourse is the exposure of false religion or idolatry, the addressees are all those who practice this cult, that is, chiefly the nations, and in part, as is evident from the subsequent context, also the Jews (vv. 24–25). Having set forth the future benefits which the Lord is going to pour in abundance upon the members of His new kingdom, He foresees that the greatness of these benefits will cause their consciences to speak loudly and will cover their heads with repentance and shame for their former behavior. The thought about the nothingness and vanity of idols and the shaming of all who trust in them – is one of the most characteristic for the prophet Isaiah (Isa 2:8; Isa 19:1; Isa 21:9; Isa 27:9; Isa 30:22; Isa 37:16-20; Isa 41:29; Isa 44:11 etc.). Isa 42:18-25. The final section of the discourse contains an address to the Hebrews (v. 18), a depiction of their stubborn inner and sad external condition (vv. 19–22), and an announcement of fearsome Divine judgment over Israel (vv. 23–25). Some, however, refer all the first half of this section not to the Israelite people, but to the personality of the “Servant” (in the sense of the executor of the will of the Father) of the Lord, – that beloved Servant about which was also spoken at the beginning of this chapter (see in The Pulp. Comm. and in Vlastov). Accordingly they give their own interpretation also of those infirmities (blindness and deafness) mentioned here, – in the sense of intentional Divine condescension and love, long-suffering to the sinner.

Isaiah 42:18. Hear, you deaf; and look, you blind, that you may see. “Hear, you deaf, and look, you blind.” At first sight seems a rather strange summons to the deaf and blind to use senses of which they are deprived. Evidently, here is meant not complete deprivation of the senses of sight and hearing, but their serious impairment, as is clarified by the evangelist Matthew, who says: “for this people’s heart has become dull, and with their ears they can scarcely hear, and their eyes they have closed” (Matt 13:15). Both the prophet and the evangelist speak here of one and the same subject, namely, the stubborn-heartedness of the Israelite people, and especially of the grave vices of its “dull and blind leaders” – the scribes and Pharisees (Matt 13:16-19; John 9:39).

Isaiah 42:19. Who is blind but My servant, or deaf as My messenger whom I send? Who is blind as he who is at peace with Me, and blind as the Lord’s servant? Isaiah 42:20. You have seen many things, but do not observe them; His ears are open, but he does not hear. “Who is as blind as My servant, and as deaf as My messenger... My chosen one... the servant of the Lord?” The combination in this very verse of a whole series of expressive epithets, customarily applied to the Messiah, gave occasion for many exegetes to see here an address not to Israel, but to Christ. But we have already, earlier at the beginning of this chapter, had occasion to note that all such epithets are equally applied both to the collective Israel (the people) and to the personified Israel (the Messiah): to the first – typologically, and to the second – prophetically (see v. 1). Even more than that, it is because all these epithets passed to the Messiah that they originally belonged to all Israel: the Messiah is taken here only as the soul of Israel, the bearer and expression of its best, ideal qualities. It is precisely from these ideal aspects of the whole chosen people, which it has far from justified in its history, that the prophet wants to begin here his reproving discourse to Israel.

Isaiah 42:20. You have seen many things, but do not observe them; His ears are open, but he does not hear. “You have seen many things, but do not observe them; your ears were open, but you did not hear.” That is, possessing many means given by God for justification and salvation (law and prophets, sacrifices and ordinances), Israel did not appreciate them as they deserved and did not know how to use them as it should. “Having open ears, will you not listen to what is being said,” about which we read also above: in hearing you will hear and not understand, and in seeing you will see and not perceive. For the heart of this people has become dull (Isa 6:9-10 – blessed Jerome).

Isaiah 42:21. The Lord is well pleased for the sake of His righteousness; He will make the law honorable and great. “The Lord was pleased, for the sake of His righteousness, to make the law great and glorious.” In spite of all the infidelities and betrayals of the Israelite people, God the Lord, by His boundless mercy, did not deprive it of the significance of the chosen people and constantly offered it support. But one must not lose sight of the fact that God, besides love and mercy, also has justice, which gives to each according to his deserts, thereby protecting the dignity of the God-given law. By requirement of this higher Divine “righteousness,” to protect the authority of the law and exalt its power, Israel must endure the punishment it deserved and which was proclaimed by the law (Deut 28).

Isaiah 42:22. But this is a people plundered and looted, all of them trapped in holes, and hidden in prisons; they are made a plunder, and there is no one to deliver; a spoil, and no one says, “Restore! “But this people is plundered and robbed... made a spoil... robbed.” It marks the heavy political condition of the Israelite people, which he more than once experienced in the course of his long history, evidently, because for his unfaithfulness to God he was deprived in these cases of His help. This probably is a general historical reference to the rather calamitous political role of the Jews, who often became the prey of their warlike neighbors. Although it is quite possible to see here and a prophecy of the impending Babylonian captivity, when the Hebrews suffered especially severely. In such a case, the past tense forms of verbs “were bound... were hidden... became spoil” – should be interpreted in the sense of the usual past – prophetic (perf. propheticum).

Isaiah 42:23. Who among you will give ear to this? Who will listen and hear for the time to come? “Who of you inclined his ear to this, understood and heard it for the future?” From this question it becomes clear that the discourse had been about events in the past. The question is: did any of you – contemporary representatives of the Israelite people – understand the true sense of these events and draw any beneficial lesson from them for your future?

Isaiah 42:24. Who gave Jacob up to spoils, and Israel to plunderers? Was it not the Lord, He against whom we have sinned? For they would not walk in His ways, nor were they obedient to His law. “Who delivered Jacob to spoil?.. was it not the Lord, against whom we have sinned?” The very questions themselves presume only one answer – a negative one. Evidently, the Israelite people did not sufficiently understand the sense of the political calamities that overtook it, if they continued repeatedly to practice that which served as the cause evoking these calamities. And such a cause was the stubborn-heartedness of Israel, his striving to live by his own will, and not by the guidance of the Divine law, for which God withdrew from Israel and thus delivered him to spoil and plunder from his political enemies.

Isaiah 42:25. Therefore He poured on him the fury of His anger and the strength of battle; and it set him on fire all around, yet he did not know; and it burned him, yet he took it not to heart. “And He poured out on them the fury of His wrath.” After everything on God’s part was done for the correction of Israel, and it nevertheless remained incorrigible in its spiritual-moral hardening, the Lord once again threatens it with new terrible political calamities, wishing through this to draw it out of the state of criminal spiritual-moral insensibility. “It surrounded them with a flame on all sides.” “In this prophecy, evidently, Isaiah sees the ravaged Jerusalem and captivity by the Babylonians. But in this vision are also the glow of the fire of Jerusalem, burned by Titus, and the crowds of captives sold in Roman marketplaces” (Vlastov). “Yet they did not understand it in their hearts.” The prophet sees that this last means will also not achieve its purpose, as all the preceding ones did not. But still it too has its sense, for it makes Israel finally responsible before the righteous judgment of God and the sole culprit of his sorrowful lot. * * * Notes In the Slavonic translation from the LXX: “Jacob My servant, I will support and Israel, My chosen, I have taken him; My soul has received him; I gave My Spirit upon him, judgment to the nations he will declare.” Editor’s note. In the Slavonic translation this verse has a different meaning: “And who is blind except My servants; and who is deaf except those who rule over them; and the servants of God were blinded.” Editor’s note.