Isaiah 56:2 Komentář

After the exceedingly great and precious promises of gospel grace, typified by temporal deliverances, which we had in the foregoing chapter, we have here, I. A solemn charge given to us all to make conscience of our duty, as we hope to have the benefit of those promises (Isa 56:1, Isa 56:2). II. Great encouragement given to strangers that were wiling to come under the bonds of the covenant, assuring them of the blessings of the covenant (Isa 56:3-8). III. A high charge drawn up against the watchmen of Israel, that were careless and unfaithful in the discharge of their duty (Isa 56:9-12), which seems to be the beginning of a new sermon, by way of reproof and threatening, which is continued in the following chapters. And the word of God was intended for conviction, as well as for comfort and instruction in righteousness.

INTRODUCTION TO ISAIAH 56 This chapter contains a prophecy of the conversion of the Gentiles, and their accession to the church, and of the corrupt state of the church afterwards, especially of its rulers, which brought in men comparable to wild beasts to devour. It begins with an exhortation to the duties of judgment and justice, enforced by the nearness of Christ's salvation, and the clear relation of his righteousness in the Gospel, and by the blessedness of the man that does those duties, and lays hold on those blessings, and observes the whole of religion, instituted and moral, Isa 56:1, when encouragement is given to eunuchs, and strangers or Gentiles, sensible and religious persons, to hope for acceptance with God, and that they shall be welcome to his house, with an answer to their objections, and promises of special favours, Isa 56:3 to which is subjoined a promise or prophecy of future additions, both of Jews and Gentiles, to the church of God in the latter day, Isa 56:8 and then follows a call upon some savage people, comparable to wild beasts, to come and devour, which will be previous to the above prophecy, Isa 56:9, the reason of which is the sad corruption of the rulers of the church, their ignorance, negligence, avarice, and drunkenness, Isa 56:10.

Blessed is the man that doth this,.... That does justice, and keeps judgment; he hereby exercises a good conscience both towards God and men; he enjoys communion with God in his ways, worship, and ordinances, he attends unto, and has an evidence of his right to eternal happiness: and the son of man that layeth hold on it; on the salvation of Christ, and his righteousness; which supposes a sense of the insufficiency of a man's own righteousness, a view of the excellency and suitableness of Christ's righteousness; and is expressive of a strong act of faith upon it, embracing and retaining it as a man's own: that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it; by doing any servile work on it, and attending to all religious duties, private or public. This is put for the whole of instituted worship under the Gospel dispensation, and for any day or time in which the church of Christ meet together for religious worship: and keepeth his hand from doing any evil; committing any sin against God, or doing injury to the persons or properties of men, including the whole of moral duty.

This man is also the son of the inner person, about which it is frequently said in Leviticus, a person is blessed in that he does and understands these following things as the priority: namely, judgment, justice, and the salvation of the Lord, all of which are near and are to be revealed to all the nations. Such a person also understands that he will not only do that which is commanded but will hold it firmly. And he will keep the sabbath so that he does not pollute it.… But we are called into freedom, and by this freedom Christ grants us that we do not work for food that perishes. Instead, cleaving to the Lord, let us say with the prophet, “It is good for me to stay close to God, and let us become one spirit with him, and let us fulfill the delightful sabbath, and we shall not belong to the six days in which the world was made.”

(Verse 2.) Blessed is the man who does this, and the son of man who understands it: who keeps the Sabbath, so as not to pollute it: who keeps his hands from doing evil. LXX: Blessed is the man who does these things, and the person who retains them, and keeps the Sabbaths, so as not to profane them, and keeps his hands from doing iniquity. He who can say with the apostle Paul, 'When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things' (1 Corinthians 13:11): he attains the present blessedness, forgetting the past and reaching forward to the future until he reaches the unity of faith and the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; so that the psalm may be fittingly applied to him: Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked (Psalm 1:1). Therefore, this is the man, and the son of the inner man, of whom it is frequently said in Leviticus: Man, man (Lev. XVII, 8): in him is blessedness, because he accomplishes the first and grasps these things: judgment, namely, and justice, and the salvation of the Lord, which is near, and is to be revealed to all nations: so that he not only does what is commanded, but holds fast with a strict hand; and keeps the Sabbath, lest he defile it: Now what the Sabbath is, which he commanded to be observed, the following verse shows: Observing his hands, lest he do any evil. It profits nothing to sit idly on the Sabbath, or to sleep, and to long for feasts. But if one does good, let them rest from evil, and let them have a constant Sabbath of injustice, that is, leisure, and let them only do those things which pertain to the salvation of the soul, and not engage in any servile work. For whoever commits sin, is a servant of sin (John 8). But we have been called to liberty, by which liberty Christ has given us, so that we may not labor for food that perishes; but by cleaving to the Lord, let us say with the Prophet: It is good for me to cleave to God (Psalm 73:28). Let us be of one spirit with Him, and let us observe the dedicated Sabbaths, so that we may not be of the six days in which the world was made, of which the Apostles were not, and of which the Lord spoke: If you were of this world, the world would certainly love what is its own. But now you are not of this world, because I have chosen you, and therefore the world hates you (John 15:19).

No one should be exercised by the words said to the Israelites about keeping the law, which doubtless belongs to the shadows of the world of types; for no one is justified by the law with God.… We should understand this spiritually; and abstaining from the care of the flesh we should offer spiritual sacrifices with the odor of a good spiritual fragrance and minister to God … to keep the sabbath spiritually now means for us keeping away from worldly cares … and with holy vigor making him glad, and offering ourselves in holy sweetness.

The inspired prophets spoke not only of things to come but also gave dogmatic and ethical instruction. And they announced both judgment and salvation to those of former times, so that by the promise of good things and by the warning of pains they might turn them from evil and point them to virtue. One can easily learn this from the present oracle. For the prophetic word counsels Israel to be held by righteousness and to have uprightness as the soul’s principle and then adds the prediction of the Savior and the revelation of mercy. For both [the moral and the predictive teaching] point to the Master’s appearing.

Blessed is the man. Here he sets out the fruit of this counsel in those who receive it. And first, he sets out its utility, setting out the fruit of fulfilling it: blessed is the man that doth this, fulfilling it by his works, and the son of man that shall lay hold on this, undertaking it strenuously: blessed is the man that fears the Lord (Ps 111[112]:1); and the manner of fulfilling it, as to ceremonial precepts: that keeps the sabbath. For the observance of the sabbath belonged to the moral law as to the requirement that rest be placed in God and sometimes freed for divine affairs by abstaining from other things; but it belonged to the ceremonial law as to the determination of the time. Now, for them, the seventh day was determined because of the work of creation, which had as yet been surpassed by nothing worthier; for us, the first day, or the eighth, is determined because of the mystery of the resurrection, in which created nature was restored to something better: remember that you keep holy the sabbath day (Exod 20:8); take heed to your souls, and carry no burdens on the sabbath day (Jer 17:21). And as to moral precepts, that keeps his hands from doing any evil: I will wash my hands among the innocent (Ps 25[26]:6).

Whoever would partake of the blessings of the Gospel is required to be holy in all manner of life and conversation. And he that will be so is declared to be accepted according to this gracious dispensation, the blessings of which are large as the human race, without any respect to persons or to nations, Isa 56:1-8. At the ninth verse begins a different subject, or new section of prophecy. It opens with calling on the enemies of the Jews, (the Chaldeans, or perhaps the Romans), as beasts of prey against them, for the sins of their rulers, teachers, and other profane people among them, whose guilt drew down judgments on the nation, Isa 56:9-12.

That keepeth the Sabbath from polluting it - Kimchi has an excellent note here. "The Sabbath is sanctified when it is distinguished in dignity; and separated from other days. 1. As to the body, in meat, drink, and clean clothing. 2. As to the soul, that it be empty of worldly occupations, and be busily employed in the words of the law and wisdom, and in meditation on the works of the Lord." The rabbins say, "Jerusalem had never been destroyed, had not the Sabbaths been profaned in it."

THE PREPARATION NEEDED ON THE PART OF THOSE WHO WISH TO BE ADMITTED TO THE KINGDOM OF GOD. (Isa 56:1-12) judgment--equity. John the Baptist preached similarly a return to righteousness, as needed to prepare men for Messiah's first coming (Luk 3:3, Luk 3:8-14). So it shall be before the second coming (Mal 4:4-6). near to come-- (Mat 3:2; Mat 4:17), also as to the second coming (Isa 62:10-11; Luk 21:28, Luk 21:31; Rom 13:11-12; Heb 10:25). righteousness--answering to "salvation" in the parallel clause; therefore it means righteousness which bringeth salvation (Isa 46:13; Rom 3:25-26).

(Luk 12:43). the man--Hebrew, enosh, "a man in humble life," in contradistinction to Hebrew, ish, "one of high rank." Even the humblest, as "the stranger" and "the eunuch" (Isa 56:4, Isa 56:6), are admissible to these privileges. this . . . it--what follows: "keeping the Sabbath," &c. (Isa 58:13-14; Eze 20:12). A proof that the Sabbath, in the spirit of its obligation, was to be binding under the Gospel (Isa 66:23). That gospel times are referred to is plain, from the blessing not being pronounced on the man who observed the sacrificial ritual of the Jewish law. layeth hold--image from one grasping firmly some precious object which he is afraid of having forcibly snatched from him. The "Sabbath" here includes all the ordinances of divine worship under the new gospel law. keepeth . . . hand . . . from . . . evil--The observance of the second table of the law; as the "Sabbath" referred to the first table. Together, they form the whole duty of man, the worship of God and a holy life.