Isaías 50
Charles Spurgeon · Citado em PreceptAustin
Isaías 50
Spurgeon reminds us that "Behold is a word of wonder; it is intended to excite admiration. Wherever you see it hung out in Scripture, it is like an ancient sign-board, signifying that there are rich wares within, or like the hands which solid readers have observed in the margin of the older Puritanic books, drawing attention to something particularly worthy of observation." I would add, behold is like a divine highlighter, a divine underlining of an especially striking or important text. It says in effect "Listen up, all ye who would be wise in the ways of Jehovah!" You were sold for your iniquities - Jehovah now explains why His "wife" was estranged from Him. The NET Note explains "The Lord admits that he did sell the Israelites, but it was because of their sins, not because of some debt he owed. If he had sold them to a creditor, they ought to be able to point him out, but the preceding rhetorical question implies they would not be able to do so." Vine adds "That Israel was sold and exiled was true, but Jehovah had not been in the position of being indebted to creditors. In other words, His having given her into the hands of Gentile powers was not through His giving way to their constraint, as if He was discharging a debt by so doing. Nay, they were sold for their iniquities, and Zion, their mother, was put away for their transgression. The mother suffered through the perverseness of her children. Sinners often put down the evils that come upon them to any cause except their own transgressions." (The Collected Writings of W. E. Vine) Repeatedly, Israel turned from God and was "sold" to an oppressor. For example, Israel "forgot the LORD their God, so He sold them into the hand of Sisera" (1 Sa 12:9). In Judges 2:14+ we find a summary statement of what God did to His people because of their sin - "He sold (makar) them into the hands (THIS MEANS INTO THE POWER) of their enemies around." See three other examples in Judges of God selling His people into the hands of their enemies - Jdg 3:8; Jdg 4:2; Jdg 10:7. None of these "sales" were permanent, but were intended by God to cause His people to repent of their sins and to return to Him in faith and obedience. Motyer adds that these allusions to sold in Judges "would stir memories that in those situations the Lord had also ‘raised up saviours’ (Jdg. 3:9, 15)." Sold (04376)(makar) means to sell, to dispose of or transfer or be disposed of or transferred to a purchaser in exchange for money or other consideration. The first use is by Jacob calling on Esau to "sell me your birthright" (Ge 25:31, 33). The verb can be defined variously as "to sell," "to sell one's self," "to be given over" and "to abandon." A variety of items are sold in the OT - Cattle (Ex. 21:35), sheep (Zech. 11:5), houses (Lev. 25:29), clothes (Pr 31:24), oil (2 Ki. 4:7), grain (Neh. 10:31) fish (Neh. 13:15). The Lord required fairness in the exchange, and warned, "Do not take advantage of each other" (Lev. 25:14NIV). Makar could describe the sale of person - Joseph to the Midianites (Ge 37:28), a fellow Jew who becomes indebted (is to be treated as a hired man) (Lev 25:39-40), a Jew sold to a foreigner could be redeemed (Lev 25:47) Israelites were not allowed to sell a wife taken as prisoner of war should he decide to break the marriage (Dt. 21:14). Selling a fellow Israelite was forbidden (Ex 21:16). If land in Israel was sold to cover debts, provision was made for the nearest kinsman (goel) to redeem it for that individual if he could not do it himself (Lev 25:25f). In the Year of Jubilee, all property reverted to the original landowner or family (Lev 25:28). Property could not be permanently sold, for ultimately it belonged to Yahweh. Makar is frequently applied figuratively, most often to apostasy as in the present passage. In another figurative use we are commanded to "Buy truth, and do not sell" (Pr 23:23) Makar - 80x in 75v - certainly sell(1), destruction(1), make(1), merchants(1), offer yourselves for sale(1), sell(23), seller(3), selling(1), sells(8), sold(40). Gen. 25:31; Gen. 25:33; Gen. 31:15; Gen. 37:27; Gen. 37:28; Gen. 37:36; Gen. 45:4; Gen. 45:5; Gen. 47:20; Gen. 47:22; Exod. 21:7; Exod. 21:8; Exod. 21:16; Exod. 21:35; Exod. 22:1; Exod. 22:3; Lev. 25:14; Lev. 25:15; Lev. 25:16; Lev. 25:23; Lev. 25:25; Lev. 25:27; Lev. 25:29; Lev. 25:34; Lev. 25:39; Lev. 25:42; Lev. 25:47; Lev. 25:48; Lev. 25:50; Lev. 27:20; Lev. 27:27; Lev. 27:28; Deut. 14:21; Deut. 15:12; Deut. 21:14; Deut. 24:7; Deut. 28:68; Deut. 32:30; Jdg. 2:14; Jdg. 3:8; Jdg. 4:2; Jdg. 4:9; Jdg. 10:7; Ruth 4:3; 1 Sam. 12:9; 1 Ki. 21:20; 1 Ki. 21:25; 2 Ki. 4:7; 2 Ki. 17:17; Neh. 5:8; Neh. 10:31; Neh. 13:15; Neh. 13:16; Neh. 13:20; Est. 7:4; Ps. 44:12; Ps. 73:18; Ps. 105:17; Prov. 23:23; Prov. 31:24; Isa. 24:2; Isa. 50:1; Isa. 52:3; Jer. 34:14; Ezek. 7:12; Ezek. 7:13; Ezek. 30:12; Ezek. 48:14; Joel 3:3; Joel 3:6; Joel 3:7; Joel 3:8; Amos 2:6; Nah. 3:4; Zech. 11:5 Iniquities (05771)('avon from verb 'avah = to bend, twist, distort) describes the iniquity, evil, punishment or guilt which is associated with a twisting of the standard or deviation from it. Since there is a deliberate twisting or perverting, 'avon describes sin that is particularly evil. It may also describe the punishment or disaster that befalls those who practice wickedness. Avon is the Hebrew word which most distinctly unites sins of all kinds with their penal consequences. Avon is not only the iniquity but can also indicate the guilt that results from the act. The Septuagint translates 'avon with hamartia which literally conveys the idea of missing the mark as when hunting with a bow and arrow (in Homer some hundred times of a warrior hurling his spear but missing his foe). Later hamartia came to mean missing or falling short of any goal, standard, or purpose. Hamartia in the Bible signifies a departure from God's holy, perfect standard of what is right in word or deed (righteous). It pictures the idea of missing His appointed goal (His will) which results in a deviation from what is pleasing to Him. In short, sin is conceived as a missing the true end and scope of our lives, which is the Triune God Himself. As Martin Luther put it "Sin is essentially a departure from God." Iniquities describe the inner perversion of one's heart while transgressions the willful rebellion of one's heart. And for your transgressions your mother was sent away - Your mother Judah has committed transgressions which are described in Isaiah 1:1-31. Notice that the tense (was sent away) is past tense, but presumably in this context represents what is known as the prophetic past tense which speaks of future events using the past tense because they are good as done. S Lewis Johnson interprets this as a "prophetic past tense" explaining "Now remember the historical background of the latter part of Isaiah. It's important for us, if we were ever to understand this prophecy. The prophet is looking into the distant future, 150-years ahead of his time (ED: SOME SAY ABOUT 100 YEARS) and he sees the nation in Babylonian captivity. They are in Babylonian captivity, he says over and over again because of their unbelief, their rejection of the message that God had given them." (Israel's Sin and the Servant's Steadfast Salvation) Transgressions (rebellions)(06588)(pesha' from pasha [06586] = to rebel, transgress) means transgression, rebellion or revolt against authority (rising up in clear defiance of authority), guilt (incurred by transgressing). Pesha' is derived from a root describing the breach of relationship between two parties (civil or religious). The idea of this noun is that the individual makes a willful choice to reject God's authority and hence to deviate from the path of godly living. Defection from God's standard. Pesha' is “a stepping aside from the (correct) path." Pesha' speaks of willful sin, a willful, criminal breaking of a covenant (1Ki 12:19; Jer 2:29) The Septuagint translates pesha' in this passage with anomia (from a = negates + nomos = law) which literally describes that which is without the law and signifies, not merely the abstract idea, but disregard for, or actual breach of, the law of God. God's people were guilty of lawlessness... Lawlessness is living as though your own ideas are superior to God's. Lawlessness says, "God may demand it but I don't prefer it." Lawlessness says, "God may promise it but I don't want it." Lawlessness replaces God's law with my contrary desires. I become a law to myself. Lawlessness is rebellion against the right of God to make laws and govern His creatures. Lawlessness signifies everything that is contrary to the will and law of God and is more intentional and flagrant sin. It is direct and open rebellion against God and His ways. Isaiah 50:2 "Why was there no man when I came? When I called, why was there none to answer? Is My hand so short that it cannot ransom? Or have I no power to deliver? Behold, I dry up the sea with My rebuke, I make the rivers a wilderness; Their fish stink for lack of water And die of thirst. KJV Isaiah 50:2 Wherefore, when I came, was there no man? when I called, was there none to answer? Is my hand shortened at all, that it cannot redeem? or have I no power to deliver? behold, at my rebuke I dry up the sea, I make the rivers a wilderness: their fish stinketh, because there is no water, and dieth for thirst. NET Isaiah 50:2 Why does no one challenge me when I come? Why does no one respond when I call? Is my hand too weak to deliver you? Do I lack the power to rescue you? Look, with a mere shout I can dry up the sea; I can turn streams into a desert, so the fish rot away and die from lack of water. NLT Isaiah 50:2 Why was no one there when I came? Why didn't anyone answer when I called? Is it because I have no power to rescue? No, that is not the reason! For I can speak to the sea and make it dry up! I can turn rivers into deserts covered with dying fish. Why was there no man when I came Isaiah 59:16; 65:12; 66:4; Pr 1:24; Jer 5:1; 7:13; 8:6; 35:15; Hosea 11:2,7; John 1:11; 3:19 Is My hand so short that it cannot ransom Isaiah 59:1; Ge 18:14; Numbers 11:23 Or have I no power to deliver Isaiah 36:20; 2 Chr 32:15; Daniel 3:15,29; 6:20,27 I dry up the sea with My rebuke Ps 106:9; Nahum 1:4; Mark 4:39 I dry Isaiah 42:15; 43:16; 51:10; 63:13; Ex 14:21,29; Joshua 3:16; Ps 107:33; Ps 114:3-7 Their fish stink Ex 7:18,21 JEHOVAH'S QUESTIONS = A REBUKE TO ISRAEL'S UNBELIEF In this passage note Jehovah has four rhetorical questions to the disobedient children of Zion and they are clearly calculated to provoke the people to remember Who God is and what He had done in their history. God follows the four questions with a set of declarations that spoke primarily of His great power. Motyer associates this question with a similar passage in Isaiah 5:4+ writing that "The association of these passages is deft. In each case the Lord has done all that can and needs to be done; the failed crop and the failure to respond are alike without excuse." (See The Prophecy of Isaiah: An Introduction Commentary) Why was there no man when I came? - Yahweh came to the door so to speak, but no one welcomed Him at the door! God asks why was no one willing to believe and respond to Him when He came with the desire to restore their relationship. There is a tragic irony here because it was not Jehovah Who had forsaken and forgotten His people (Isaiah 49:14. cf Isa 41:17), but His people who had forsaken (cf Isa 1:4 - abandoned, Isa 1:28) and forgotten Him! A memory is a horrible thing to lose, especially if that memory is of God's goodness, grace, provision and protection! Motyer - I came … I called is reminiscent of Genesis 3:8f+., the voice of love and longing here contradicting the accusations of 49:14ff. (See The Prophecy of Isaiah: An Introduction Commentary) How did God come to them? How did He call? The most obvious answer is of course that He came through prophets who He sent to Israel. They spoke the Word of God to Israel. And remember that when the Word speaks, God speaks (A GOOD REMINDER NEXT TIME YOU READ YOUR BIBLE), and the prophets spoke His Word. And that Word often with warning was largely rejected by the people. It should be noted that some interpreters see this question as a reference to the first coming of the Messiah. For example David Cooper writes "When we view this rhetorical question in the light of its fulfillment, we see that there were some in Israel who did accept Messiah and became His most ardent followers. But the number who received Him was so very small in comparison with the nation that, relatively speaking, Messiah could say that there was no one who gave heed." David Thompson takes a similar approach - Notice from verse 2 that it is stated that God actually came in Person to this earth. When? When did God come to this earth to Israel in Person? This cannot be a reference to when God appeared to Moses on Mount Sinai, because at that time He demanded that Moses and Israel keep their distance from Him (Exodus 3:5-6). The time when God actually came in Person to Israel was in the Person of Jesus Christ. John said that “He came unto His own and His own received Him not” (John 1:11). So this passage is about God coming in the Person of Jesus Christ to Israel and what happened. When Jesus Christ came to this world there was no one to welcome Him. There was no welcoming committee, no rolling out a red carpet, and no acceptance. When He was born in Bethlehem, and there were all of these amazing signs to show it, Israel did not welcome Him. In fact, only a few shepherds and wise men from the east cared enough to go see Him. When He took His ministry to Israel and performed amazing miracles, the nation did not rally around Him. It rejected Him and when He left there were only about 120 disciples who were really committed to Him (Acts 1:15). (Isaiah 50) J
Isaías 50
Spurgeon applies this picture to the crucifixion writing that “The last miracle recorded here, namely, that of covering the heavens with sackcloth, was performed by our Lord even when he was in his death agony. We read that, at high noon, the sun was veiled, and there was darkness over all the land for three black hours. Wonder of wonders, he who hung bleeding there had wrought that mighty marvel! The sun had looked upon him hanging on the cross, and, as if in horror, had covered its face, and traveled on in tenfold night. The tears of Jesus quenched the light of the sun. Had he been wrathful, he might have put out its light for ever; but his love not only restored that light, but it has given to us a light a thousand times more precious, even the light of everlasting life and joy.” Isaiah 50:4 The Lord GOD has given Me the tongue of disciples, That I may know how to sustain the weary one with a word. He awakens Me morning by morning, He awakens My ear to listen as a disciple. KJV Isaiah 50:4 The Lord GOD hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: he wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned. NET Isaiah 50:4 The sovereign LORD has given me the capacity to be his spokesman, so that I know how to help the weary. He wakes me up every morning; he makes me alert so I can listen attentively as disciples do. The Lord GOD has given Me the tongue of disciples Ex 4:11,12; Ps 45:2; Jer 1:9; Mt 22:46; Luke 4:22; 21:15; John 7:46 That I may know how to sustain the weary one with a word Isaiah 57:15-19; Pr 15:23; 25:11; Mt 11:28; 13:54 as a disciple - John 7:15-17 THE SERVANT A DISCIPLE WITH A TRAINED TONGUE & TRAINED EAR The Servant's Soliloquiy (passage in a drama in which a character expresses his thoughts or feelings aloud) - In Isaiah 50:4-11 the Messiah speaks prophetically but without any announcement that He is speaking (similar to Isaiah 49 - in other words the passage does not begin with something like "And the Servant said..." and yet from the context it is clearly the Servant of the LORD, the Messiah for in Isaiah 50:10 we have the phrase "the voice of His servant"). This section begins the Third Servant Song and this passage speaks of the perfect obedience of God's righteous Servant. Isaiah 52:13-53:12. NET Note - Isaiah 50:4–11 contain the third of the so-called servant songs, which depict the career of the Lord’s special servant, envisioned as an ideal Israel (Isa 49:3) who rescues the exiles and fulfills God’s purposes for the world. Here the servant alludes to opposition (something hinted at in Isa 49:4), but also expresses his determination to persevere with the Lord’s help. It is interesting that in the First and Second Servant song there is only a hint of opposition, but the Third Servant Song prophesies beginning of significant opposition, which peaks in the Fourth Servant Song which explains why the Servant MUST suffer. John Oswalt on the speaker presumed to be the Servant of the LORD - As in Isaiah 42:1–9 and Isaiah 49:1–7, this person is obedient and faithful, and though deeply troubled, is supremely confident in his divine calling and ultimate vindication. His mission is centered on the proclamation of the Word. This particular expression of the Servant’s ministry has a new emphasis on his suffering. There was no mention of it in the first passage, and only the sense of frustration over apparently fruitless labor in the second (Isa 49:4). But here the Servant’s obedience to God leads directly to both physical and emotional suffering (Isa 50:5–6). When one considers the sequence of all four Servant passages, a progression is apparent, leading to a climax in the fourth passage, Isa 52:13–53:12, where the nature and meaning of the Servant’s suffering is explained and related to his ministry. (See context in The Book of Isaiah) Grogan explains that "Although there is no explicit reference to the Servant here (but see Isa 50:10), there are many links with the other songs and also—through the first person singular and the use of the expression "the Sovereign Lord," (Isa 50:4)—to Isa 48:16. This divine title (Adonai Yahweh) also binds this song together, occurring in four of six verses. (Expositor's Bible Commentary – Volume 6: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel)
Isaías 50
Spurgeon comments - “We have before us the language of prophecy, but it is as accurate as though it had been written at the moment of the event. Isaiah might have been one of the Evangelists, so exactly does he describe what our Savior endured.” ...... “Many of us could give to Christ all our health and strength, and all the money we have, very heartily and cheerfully; but when it comes to a point of reputation we feel the pinch. To be slandered, to have some filthy thing said of you; this is too much for flesh and blood. You seem to say, ‘I cannot be made a fool of, I cannot bear to be regarded as a mere impostor;’ but a true servant of Christ must make himself of no reputation when he takes upon himself the work of his Lord. Our blessed Master was willing to be scoffed at by the lewdest and the lowest of men.” Bultema - “He suffered the deepest humiliation, for to pluck out the hair (of the beard) and to cover someone’s face with spit was, according to Near-Eastern concepts, the most humiliating suffering that could be inflicted upon a man.”
Isaías 50
Spurgeon has a wonderful sermon on this text titled, The Redeemer’s Face Set like a Flint. These are his headings and points: 1. How the steadfast resolve of Jesus was tested. • By offers from the world. • By the persuasions of His friends. • By the unworthiness of His clients. • By the bitterness of the first few drops of suffering n Gethsemane. • By the ease at which He could have backed out if He had wished to. • By the taunts of those who mocked Him. • By the full stress and agony of the cross. 2. How the steadfast resolve of Jesus was sustained. • By His divine schooling. • By His conscious innocence. • By His unshakable confidence in the help of God. • By the joy that was set before Him. 3. How to imitate the steadfast resolve of Jesus. • When there is something right, stand for it. • When you have a right purpose that glorifies God, carry it out. (Enduring Word Bible Commentary Isaiah 50) Isaiah 50:8 He who vindicates Me is near; Who will contend with Me? Let us stand up to each other; Who has a case against Me? Let him draw near to Me. KJV Isaiah 50:8 He is near that justifieth me; who will contend with me? let us stand together: who is mine adversary? let him come near to me. He who vindicates Me is near Ro 8:32-34; 1 Ti 3:16 Let us stand up to each other Isaiah 41:1,21; Ex 22:9; Dt 19:17; Job 23:3-7; Mt 5:25 Who has a case against Me. Zechariah 3:1-10; Rev 12:10 NET Isaiah 50:8 The one who vindicates me is close by. Who dares to argue with me? Let us confront each other! Who is my accuser? Let him challenge me! THE SERVANT'S EXCLAMATION OF SURE TRIUMPH In the previous verse the Servant says God will help Him and here He elaborates. He is fully confident that He would be triumphantly vindicated, shown to be right and cleared from guilt. To vindicate means to prove that what someone said or did was right or true, after other people thought it was wrong. Jesus would be proven true in everything He said and did! He who vindicates Me is near - KJV = "He is near that justifieth me." He declares His consciousness of the presence of His Father. The idea of near is the One Who justifies Me or "the justifier is at hand, ready to pronounce Him just." (Young). And this is an interesting statement because Messiah was sinless and could have rightly stood up and justified Himself, and yet He trusted in His Father for vindication. It is an interesting picture -- we have all seen court cases and on one side is the defendant and next to him is his advocate (defense attorney), the one who would defend him. And so the Father in a sense, stands near His Son, and will defend Him and vindicate Him and help Him (Isa 50:9). Grogan notes that ""The setting of vv. 8-9 is clearly forensic, and the trials of Jesus in the Gospels make this peculiarly appropriate." Vindicates (see word study below) is used in its forensic sense and means to declare to be just or to pronounce one just. The Hebrew word tsadeq is translated in the Septuagint by dikaioo which means to be acquitted, be pronounced and treated as righteous. God is the One Who pronounces His Servant righteous. And of course God is the only One Who can pronounce sinful men and women righteous in His eyes, and then only if they believe in the only inherently, innately Righteous One, His Servant, the Messiah. Vine has an interesting comment - His justification took place in His resurrection (cf Acts 2:23-24, 3:15, 13:29-30). He was “declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness (that is the sinlessness which marked Him as the Holy One of God), by the resurrection of the dead” (Ro 1:4). This is further borne out by the clause in 1 Timothy 3:16, “justified in the spirit” (Was vindicated in the Spirit) (referring directly to His resurrection). Jesus knew that He would be falsely accused but also knew His Father was always "near" and would vindicate Him and bring (eternal) shame on His enemies. And remember as Man, He had emptied Himself of His divine prerogatives, and therefore when we read His declaration "He Who vindicates Me is near," this is an expression of His faith in His Father's faithfulness to vindicate Him.