Isaiah 53 — The First Verse

    Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?—Isa. LIII. 1.

    SHALL in the course of this exercise go over the several verses of this chapter, which is an eminent portion of scripture, and calls for most serious attention. It may rather be called the gospel than the prophecy of Isaiah. It contains so ample and clear a discovery of Jesus Christ, that one would rather account it historical than prophetical. Other prophecies are explained by the history of Christ in the New Testament, but this prophecy explains the history; there is no chapter so often quoted and vouched by Christ and the apostles as this, viz., no less than seven or eight times in the New Testament. It is so full and clear, that it rather needs meditation than a comment, faith more than learning, to conceive of it. The coherence or connection of this with the former chapter, take briefly thus:—

    The evangelical prophet (for so he may justly be called) had in the end of the former chapter spoken of the glory of Christ’s kingdom, how readily it should be entertained among the Gentiles, how he should ‘sprinkle many nations,’ and make ‘kings to shut their mouths,’ that is, with silence hearken to and consider his doctrine. Here, coming to the Jews, he finds, on the contrary, nothing but contempt and scorn, and therefore in an holy admiration cries out, ‘Who hath believed our report?’ He saw it was not believed in his days, and that it would not in after days. It was in vain to speak to them of the Messiah. In this chapter there are three remarkable parts:—

    1.      A description of the Jews’ horrid unbelief and contumacy against Christ, ver. 1.

    2.      The occasion and ground of that unbelief, viz., Christ’s meanness as to outward show and appearance, from ver. 2 to 10.

    3.      The removal of this occasion, and taking off this scandal and prejudice, by showing the fruit and glory that followed this meanness, ver. 11 to the end of the chapter.

    Our text is the first of these, containing a pathetical description of the Jews’ contempt and rejection of Christ. It is propounded by way of query, in two questions.

    1st. The one holds forth the thing or evil itself by way of admiration: ‘Who hath believed our report?’

    2dly. The other, the cause of it: ‘To whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?’

    1st. In the first there is considerable: the person, who; the act, believed; the object, report.

    That the words are a question is clear, but what kind of question is not so clear. Some understand the words as a commiseration of the prophet: q.d., I am to tell you such things of the sufferings of the Messiah, that you will scarce believe men should be so barbarous toward him. But this is so absurd that it needs no confutation. It is not a question of commiseration, but of admiration, or rather of complaint, in which Isaiah applies himself to God, as the Septuagint shows by putting in the word Κύριε, Lord, being herein followed by St Paul, Rom. x. 16, ‘For Isaiah saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?’ So John xii. 38, it is also said, ‘Lord, who hath believed our report?’

    But let us come to the parts of it. Who? Though the inquiry be general, it is not to intimate that none, but only that very few did believe, or think there was any truth in what was spoken. Then for the object, ourreport, understand it concerning Christ; or, as the LXX. express it, τῇ ἀκὀῇ ἡμῶν, ‘our hearing,’ that is, what they hear from us. The Jews are guilty here of a double lie in wresting this place; they say it means the report concerning their own misery and succeeding glory, as if Israel were spoken of here under the notion of one common person; and they transfer the evil complained of from themselves to the Gentiles. But the sense is this: There are very few that will hearken to those things that we are to tell them concerning the Messiah; they will seem riddles and contradictions to them, that there should be such glory in things so vile and ignoble to outward appearance.

    2dly. For the reason: ‘To whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?’ As if the prophet had said, Therefore they do not believe, because the arm of the Lord is not revealed. Here is some difficulty about what is meant by ‘the arm of the Lord,’ which, without question, is metaphorical. Some take it for the counsel and contrivance of God effected and brought to pass; as Acts iv. 28, ‘Whatsoever thy hand (or arm) and counsel determined to be done.’ It is more properly taken for the strength of God: you know the arm is the chiefest receptacle of strength. But what strength of God? Some understand it of the gospel, which is called ‘the power of God to salvation.’ Rom. i. 16; the gospel is not revealed to them. So 1 Cor. i. 18, ‘The preaching of the cross ‘is called ‘the power of God,’ because of that admirable virtue and success which accompanied the preaching of it. Some by the power of God understand the power of God with Christ. He did miracles, and yet they would not see the arm of the Lord. They thought he cast out devils by Beelzebub, as if it were by the power of Satan, not of God. Some by ‘arm’ understand Christ himself, who, 1 Cor. i. 24, is called ‘the power and wisdom of God,’ he is the power, the arm, the right hand of the Father. There is no great work of God but is done in and by Christ, as a man doth his work by his arm; as in making the world, vanquishing his enemies, delivering his church, it is everywhere spoken of as done by Christ. Others by ‘arm’ understand the power of the Spirit in and by the ordinances. I rather prefer that of the gospel, together with the Spirit.

    Then for revealed, you will say the gospel was revealed to the Jews. I answer—There is a double revelation. First, Common, which is nothing else but the promulgation of the gospel; this must be to every creature. Secondly, Proper and special, to the elect, by the Spirit. There is the Spirit’s revelation, and the prophet’s revelation. The meaning is: To whom hath the Spirit of God revealed that what I speak is true? To whom is the power of God to salvation inwardly manifested and made known by the Spirit? Implying they will not believe without this manifestation.

    Thus you have the meaning of the words. I shall offer to your thoughts some occasional observations before I come to the main points.

    From the Jews wresting this text, observe:—

    1.      That there is an evil disposition in men to turn off upon others that which nearly concerns themselves. Men are good at making false applications, and turn off that to others which the word and Spirit intend to them. When Christ had spoken to Peter, it is said, ‘Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved, and saith to Jesus, Lord, What shall this man do?’

    2.      Observe, that it is no new thing in persons to vouch that for themselves which makes most against them. Thus the Jews do this chapter against the Gentiles. So that which you find written, 1 Cor. xiv. 16, ‘How shall he that occupieth the room of the unlearned say Amen?’ the papists vouch it for Latin service, though it is the drift of the apostle to condemn it. Let not the like usage in our time amaze you, when Antinomians and Socinians urge those texts for them that are really against them.

    3.      Observe this too: When God, for the wickedness of a people, hardeneth their hearts, they are apt to mistake in that which is most plain. A man would think that this chapter should work upon a Jew if anything could; so you wonder why men are not wrought upon by such powerful persuasions which speak very home to them. The reason is, God hath hardened them, Rom. xi. 7.

    4.      From the prophet’s great admiration, observe, that when we can do no good upon a people, the most effectual way is to complain of it to God. He can help us and them too; this will stop murmuring. The mind is eased of that burden that lies heavy on us, when we can go and report the case to God, and pour out our complaints into his bosom. Other of God’s messengers besides Isaiah have great cause to say, ‘Who hath believed our report?’

    5.      Observe, that those that profess the name of God may be much prejudiced against the entertainment of those truths and counsels that he makes known to them for their good.

    6.      That it is a wonder they should not believe so plain a discovery of Christ, though by the just judgment of God they did not.

    7.      That the first believing of Christ is a believing the report of him; but afterwards there are experiences to confirm our belief. The soul then knoweth that there is a Christ, and that there is mercy in him: 1 Peter ii. 3, ‘If so be that ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious;’ John iv. 42, ‘Now we believe, not because of thy saying, for we have heard him ourselves, and know indeed that he is the Christ, the Saviour of the world.’

    I come now to the main points which I shall prosecute.

    First, That there may be a glorious report of Jesus Christ, and yet few believe it. Or—

    That Jesus Christ may be clearly represented to a people, and yet but few won to believe in him.

    Secondly, That the gospel is the arm and power of God, or word of righteousness. Though it is an uncredited report to the world, yet it is the arm and power of God to them that believe.

    Thirdly, Therefore so few believe, because God’s arm is not revealed to them: the power of the word is not manifested by the Spirit.

    I.      As to the first of these points, other truths may be delivered and not closed with, but it is a wonder that so sweet a truth as this should not be received. The wonder is so much the greater if we look upon:—

    1.      The persons making this report: The prophets of old time, the apostles in Christ’s time, the ministers of the gospel now-a-days—men that, if you look upon them singly, did deserve some reverence and esteem men—that gave forth abundant declarations that God was with them, and spoke by them, who were as polished shafts in God’s quiver. Then consider them speaking the same thing, all proclaiming the same Christ; that is more. For I conceive there is an emphasis in this ourreport—not my, but our; or, as Zachariah, John’s father, said, Luke i. 70, ‘As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began.’ Though there were many holy prophets, yet they had but one mouth, they spake as if with one mouth: ‘Who hath believed our report?’

    2.      The persons to whom the report is made: A professing people, a people that were nurtured and taught this from their infancy and youth, by all the ceremonies of their religion, leading them to that Christ whom the prophets did more distinctly reveal to them. They had been tutored and taught this lesson for many hundred years by the pedagogy of the law; for so that place is to be expounded, Gal. iii. 24, ‘The law was our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith.’ The ceremonial law may properly be called παιδάγωγος εἰς Χρίστον, or the dispensation of Moses. Yet ‘who hath believed our report?’

    3.      The manner how it is reported: Distinctly, plainly, though in prophetical expressions, by Isaiah and Jeremiah, God gave some praeludia; some clear expressions were then used by all the prophets. Though they had not noonshine, they had the dawning of the day, light enough to see the day approaching. Had it been such a dark intimation as that of the seed of the woman breaking the serpent’s head, it had been the less wonder if they had not weighed it, because they could not so distinctly have conceived it. But when all is made so clear, the wonder is the greater that they should not consider it.

    I shall prove the point by distinguishing the several times in which there have been any glorious discovery of Jesus Christ, and show you that in all these times the company of believers have been few. Distinquetempora,etexisbonustheologus The way to understand the reason of it, is to find out what have been the main prejudices against Christ in the several times of his revelation. I shall name four times:—(1.) The prophets’ time; (2.) John Baptist’s time; (3.) That of Christ’s life; (4.) Our time, or the time of the first promulgation of the gospel.

    1.      The prophets’ time, when the number of believers was few. They had all some loose and general expectation of a Messiah, but few believed, at least not in such a Messiah as the prophet prophesied of.

    [1.] Because of the grossness of their hearts, which rested in the outward ceremonies, as if they were ordained for themselves, and not to signify any other thing. They were observant of the ceremonies, but did not observe the end and purpose of them. Therefore doth God so often protest against sacrifices. A sacrifice was not acceptable to God but according as they did eye Christ in it. Now they used no farther reach or recollection, but rested in the sacrifices; as Isa. lxvi. 3, ‘He that killeth an ox is as if he slew a man.’ And therefore did God so often tell them that ‘the sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to him.’

    [2.] Because of their want of due observation how God did fulfil his promise concerning the Messiah, few troubled themselves about it. Only the pious Jews lived in a continual expectation of it, and their hearts were always upon the wing of strong and earnest desires after it. It is said, Luke ii. 25, Simeon ‘waited for the consolation of Israel.’ He was a man whose thoughts ran that way. So Daniel, chap. ix. 2, ‘sought by books;’ then, ver. 21, an angel tells him the time of the Messiah. But others were negligent.

    [3.] Their obstinate hatred against the prophets that revealed these things concerning Christ. They reproved their other sins, and therefore they believed them not in this: Jer. v. 13, ‘The prophets shall become wind, and the word of the Lord is not in them.’ Disaffection is the great prejudice against anything. They judged it false or to no purpose before it was spoken. The Jews, though they honoured the prophets when dead, could not endure them whilst living: Mat. xxiii. 29, 30, ‘Woe unto you, scribes and pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous, and say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.’ But that was a deceit, as I shall show you by and by. These three I conceive to be the causes why, in the prophets’ time, they did not believe; they are to be marked by us, because there is somewhat in them suitable to the case of gospel unbelievers, viz., a circle and track of cold duties; a non-attendance on God in his ordinances; and a wicked spirit of contradiction against his word.

    2.      John Baptist’s time. I distinguish this from the former, because Christ doth so, Mat. xi. 11, ‘Among them that are born of women there hath not arisen a greater than John the Baptist; and yet he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.’ And Christ saith that he is ‘more than a prophet.’ He made a more glorious report of Jesus Christ, as being immediately to come; and then a common rumour was given forth that the Messiah’s time was come. Now what were the prejudices then?

    [1.] The levity and rashness of the people. If any man were more eminent than other, they presently cried him up for the Messiah, and therefore, being disappointed in some, they were prejudiced against all: Luke iii. 15, ‘And as the people were in expectation, and all men mused in their hearts of John, whether he were the Christ or no; John answered them, There cometh one after me who is mightier than I.’ He plainly directeth them to another. Multitudes flocked to him indeed, but it was out of a nice and vain curiosity. Few believed his report.

    [2.] The evil influence of the scribes and pharisees, who thought all the water lost that went beside their own mill. They would fain keep the people under their beck and pleasure, and therefore had a vigilant eye upon every new way, or anything that might seem to take off from that respect and devotion wherewith the people were engaged to them. By-ends in some that should have been teachers, have been always a hindrance to the entertainment of Christ. Those that preached Christ for their own ends were enemies to the cross of Christ, Phil. iii. 19.

    [3.] Offence at John’s boldness. His office was to humble and change proud hearts, and he goeth about his work vigorously, therefore they forsook him. I shall speak no more of this, because it will fall in with the next head.

    3.      As to the time of Christ’s being in the flesh. There were divers prejudices concerning him, both in the Jews and in the Gentiles.

    First, In the Jews. I will name the chief.

    [1.] An erroneous opinion of the Messiah. The people thought he would set up an earthly kingdom; they were weary of the Roman yoke, and expected that he would free them from it. See an excellent place for this, John vi. 14, 15, ‘When the men had seen his miracles, they said, This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world. And when Jesus saw that by force they would come and make him king, he departed into a mountain alone.’ They conceived he was able to gratify their malice on their enemies, out of a hope, conceived from his miracles, that he could maintain an army with very little cost. But Christ would not hold by that tenure. He would be king of their hearts, not of their lands. And therefore, being disappointed, they rejected him. There is nothing prejudiceth a man more against a thing than a false conceit of it. When we expect what we do not find in it, we loathe it. The apostle calleth this ‘knowing Christ after the flesh,’ in a pompous carnal way. This is to be noted, because we have such gross conceits in our hearts, We expect Christ should serve us in our own ends, as St Austin speaketh of those conceits he had of God when he was a child—Sentiebamteessemagnumaliquemquipotesexaudireetsubvenirenos;etrogabam teparvus,nonparvoaffectu,neinscholavapularem. Such childish conceits have some entertained of Christ, they could close with him to serve their covetousness, revenge, or vainglory. They look upon him as some great thing that should help them.

    [2.] A fond reverence of Moses and the prophets, as if it were derogatory to them to close with Christ: John ix. 29, ‘We are Moses’ disciples; as for this fellow, we know not from whence he is.’ This Christ confutes, John v. 46, ‘If ye had believed Moses, ye would have believed me.’