ISAIAH 56 COMMENTARY

EDITED BY GLENN PEASE

Salvation for Others

1 This is what the Lord says:

Maintain justice

and do what is right,

for my salvation is close at hand

and my righteousness will soon be revealed.

1.BARNES, Thus saith the Lord - That is, in view of the fact that the kingdom of God was to come at no distant period. Yahweh states what was necessary to prepare themselves for it, and what was the character which he demanded of those who were disposed to embrace its offers, and who would be admitted to its privileges.

Keep ye judgment - Margin, Equity. Break off your sins, and be holy. A somewhat similar declaration was made by John the Baptist when he announced the coming of the Messiah: Repent ye, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand Mat_3:2. The general idea is, that it was not only appropriate that the prospect of his coming and his near approach should lead them to a holy life, but it was necessary in order that they might escape his indignation.

My salvation is near to come - It is to be borne in mind that this was regarded as addressed to the Jews in exile in Babylon, and there is probably a primary reference in the words to the deliverance which they were about to experience from their long and painful captivity. But at the same time the language is appropriate to the coming of the kingdom of God under the Messiah, and the whole scope of the passage requires us to understand it of that event. Language similar to this occurs frequently in the New Testament, where the sacred writers seem to have had this passage in their eye (see Mat_3:2; Luk_21:31; Rom_13:11; compare Isa_62:1-11). It is to be regarded, therefore, as having a reference to the future coming of the Messiah - perhaps as designed to describe the series of deliverances which were to close the painful bondage in Babylon, and to bring the people of God to perfect freedom, and to the full fruition of his favor. Though the actual coming of the Messiah at the time of the exile was at a period comparatively remote, yet the commencement of the great work of their deliverance was near at hand. They

were soon to be rescued, and this rescue was to be but the first in the train of deliverances that would result in the entire redemption of the people of God, and was to be the public pledge that all that he had promised of the redemption of the world should be certainly effected.

To be revealed - To be made known; to be publicly manifested.

2. PULPIT,

AN EXHORTATION TO OBSERVE THE LAW, ESPECIALLY THE LAW OF THE SABBATH, COMBIN

ED WITH PROMISES. There was much of the Law which it was impossible to observe during the

Captivity. Sacrifice had ceased, the temple was destroyed, almost all the ceremonial law must have been

suspended; even the command to do no work on the sabbath day cannot have been kept by a nation of

slaves, whose masters would certainly not have permitted them to be idle one day in seven. Still, the spirit

of the ordinance might be kept by devoting the day, so far as was possible, to religious observance, as to

prayer and to meditation upon holy things. This is now enjoined on the captive Jews, with the promise of

a blessinga blessing in which even the most despised part of the nation, the proselytes and the

eunuchs, might participate.

Isa_56:1

Keep ye judgment, and do justice; rather, keep ye Law, and observe righteousness. The exhortation is

general, and has no special bearing on trials or law-courts. It is a call on the Jews, in their captivity, to

keep, so far as was possible, the whole Law given on Sinai. My salvation is near to come. The nearer the

time of deliverance approaches, the more faithful and exact ought Israel to be in life and conduct. God's

"salvation" and his "righteousness" go hand-in-hand. It is as his righteous people, "a holy seed"

(Isa_6:10), that he is about to vindicate and rescue them. If they are no holier than others, why should he

do more for them than for those others?

3. GILL, Thus saith the Lord, keep ye judgment, and do justice,.... Observe the word of the Lord, which comes from the God of judgment, is the best informer of the judgment, and the only rule of faith and practice; and which should be kept in the heart, mind, and memory, be held fast, and abode by; and so likewise all the ordinances of the Lord, which are his statutes and judgments; these should be all of them kept as they were delivered, in faith, from love, and with a view to the glory of God and Christ; all matters of judgment and justice between man and man, whether public or private, should be observed and done; all that you would have men to do to you, do to them; all works of righteousness required by the Lord, though not to be depended upon for justification in his sight, but regarded as fruits and evidences of faith and repentance; for works of righteousness cannot be done but by regenerated persons. The reasons enforcing a regard to these things follow: for my salvation is near to come; which are either the words of God the Father concerning Christ and his salvation, whom he appointed, called, and sent to effect it; who, when this prophecy was given out, was to come, and was to come as a Saviour, and was near at hand; and whose salvation, as to the efficacy of it, was come, all the Old Testament saints being saved by it; and, as to the impetration of it, was near at hand, he being ready to come, and in a short time, comparatively speaking, did come, and work out this salvation God had resolved upon, chosen his people to, and in which his glory was greatly concerned; and therefore calls it his own: or they are the words of Christ, who is the sole author of spiritual and eternal salvation, and in whom alone it is, and from him alone to be had; and which was near, being performed by

himself, published in his Gospel, applied by his Spirit, and enjoyed by his people here and to all eternity: and my righteousness to be revealed; and which also are either the words of God the Father concerning his faithfulness in the performance of his promise of Christ, and good things by him; concerning his justice, which was glorified in the work of redemption by Christ; or concerning the righteousness of Christ, called his, because he sent him to bring it in, he approves of it, imputes it to his people, and justifies them by it; or they are the words of Christ concerning his own righteousness, which he has wrought out, and brought in, in the room and stead of his people, and for their sakes; and which is revealed, not by the light of nature, nor by the law of Moses, but by the Gospel of Christ, and that from faith to faith, or only to believers. Now these being used as arguments to engage to the keeping and doing judgment and justice, show that the doctrines of salvation by Christ, and justification by his righteousness, are no licentious doctrines.

4. HENRY, The scope of these verses is to show that when God is coming towards us in a way of mercy we must go forth to meet him in a way of duty.

I. God here tells us what are his intentions of mercy to us (Isa_56:1): My salvation is near to come - the great salvation wrought out by Jesus Christ (for that was the salvation of which the prophets enquired and searched diligently, 1Pe_1:10), typified by the salvation of the Jews from Sennacherib or out of Babylon. Observe, 1. The gospel salvation is the salvation of the Lord. It was contrived and brought about by him; he glories in it as his. 2. In that salvation God's righteousness is revealed, which is so much the beauty of the gospel that St. Paul makes this the ground of his glorying in it. (Rom_1:17), because therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith. The law revealed that righteousness of God by which all sinners stand condemned, but the gospel reveals that by which all believers stand acquitted. 3. The Old Testament saints saw this salvation coming, and drawing near to them, long before it came; and they had notice by the prophets of its approach. As Daniel understood by Jeremiah's books the approach of the redemption out of Babylon, at the end of seventy years, so others understood by Daniel's books the approach of our redemption by Christ at the end of seventy weeks of years.

II. He tells us what are his expectations of duty from us, in consideration thereof. Say not, We see the salvation near, and therefore we may live as we list, for there is no danger now of missing it or coming short of it; that is turning the grace of God into wantonness. But, on the contrary, when the salvation is near double your guard against sin. Note, The fuller assurances God gives us of the performance of his promises the stronger obligations he lays us under to obedience. The salvation here spoken of has now come; yet, there being still a further salvation in view, the apostle presses duty upon us Christians with the same argument. Rom_3:11, Now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. That which is here required to qualify and prepare us for the approaching salvation is,

1. That we be honest and just in all our dealings: Keep you judgment and do justice. Walk by rule, and make conscience of what you say and do, that you do no wrong to any. Render to all their dues exactly, and, in exacting what is due to you, keep up a court of equity in your own bosom, to moderate the rigours of the law. Be ruled by that golden rule, Do as you would be done by. Magistrates must administer justice wisely and faithfully. This is required to evidence the sincerity of our faith and repentance, and to open the way of mercy. Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. God is true to us; let us be so to one another.

5. JAMISON, Isa_56:1-12. The preparation needed on the part of those who wish to be admitted to the kingdom of God. judgment equity. John the Baptist preached similarly a return to righteousness, as needed

to prepare men for Messiahs 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, Isa_62:11; Luk_21:28, Luk_21:31; Rom_13:11, Rom_13:12; Heb_10:25).

righteousness answering to salvation in the parallel clause; therefore it means righteousness which bringeth salvation (Isa_46:13; Rom_3:25, Rom_3:26).

5B. COFFMAN, In a word, these two verses are simply an admonition to the apostate Israelites to

"Remember the law of Moses" and obey it. They were nearing the climax of their long pursuit of the

utmost wickedness under Manasseh, which would result in God's removing the whole nation into

captivity. The command to "keep the sabbath" is a synecdoche, standing for all of the obligations of the

law of Moses. This figure is used extensively throughout both the Old Testament and the New Testament,

as in the New Testament declaration that men are justified "by faith," which means the belief, acceptance,

and obedience to all the obligations of the Christian religion. It will recur in Isaiah 56:4 and Isaiah 56:6.

6. K&D, The note of admonition struck in the foregoing prophecy is continued here, the sabbatical duties being enforced with especial emphasis as part of the general righteousness of life. Thus saith Jehovah, Keep ye right, and do righteousness: for my salvation is near to come, and my righteousness to reveal itself. Blessed is the mortal that doeth this, and the son of man that layeth fast hold thereon; who keepeth the Sabbath, that he doth not desecrate it, and keepeth his hand from doing any kind of evil. Jehovah and Israel have both an objective

standard in the covenant relation into which they have entered: (right) is practice

answering to this; (salvation) the performance promised by God; (righteousness) on both sides such personal activity as is in accordance with the covenant relation, or what is the same thing, with the purpose and plan of salvation. The nearer the full realization on the part of Jehovah of what He has promised, the more faithful ought Israel to be in everything to which it

is bound by its relation to Jehovah. (this) points, as in Psa_7:4, to what follows; and so also

does , which points back to . Instead of or we have here , the being

described personally instead of objectively. is used as a masculine in Isa_56:2, Isa_56:6 (cf.,

Isa_58:13), although the word is not formed after the same manner as , but is rather

contracted from (a festive time, possibly with = understood), and therefore was originally a feminine; and it is so personified in the language employed in the worship of the synagogue.

(Note: According to b. Sabbath 119a, R. Chanina dressed himself on Friday evening in his sabbath-clothes, and said, Come, and let us go to meet Queen Sabbath. And so did also Jannai, saying, Come, O bride; come, O bride. Hence the customary song with which the

Sabbath was greeted had as it commencement and refrain.)

The prophet here thinks of as hsilgnE:egaugnaL} , and gives it the gender of .

7. PULPIT, The true observance of the sabbath.

Foreign converts are commended for their observance of the sabbath, and promised an appropriate

reward. The day was more strictly observed during the Babylonian and Persian periods (Jer_17:19-

27; Eze_20:11-21; Eze_22:8, Eze_22:26; Neh_13:15-22; cf. 2Ki_11:11-16 with 1 Macc. 2:32-38). Its

estimation rose with the estimation of prayer (Cheyne).

I. THE DUTY OF OBEDIENCE. The Law is "the objective rule of life, the Law of Jehovah." Or, with

others, "equity, justice." And the "practice of righteousness" is ever a necessity with him. The more so as

every serious crisis draws on. My salvation is nearthe kingdom of heaven is at hand. A crisis means a

time of siftingand separation. "God's salvation is not indiscriminate. And the grounds on which he

distinguishes his people from his enemies are not external, but internal. It is the Israel within Israel, the

spiritual circumcision, the holy seed, that he acknowledges, vindicates, rescues, glorifies" (Cheyne).

II. SABBATH-KEEPING AS AN EXPRESSION OF OBEDIENCE. How significant the sabbath in the

institutions of Judaism! True, the seventh day belonged also to Babylonian religion, but we know its

beauty and its blessing through the Jews. It was a sign of the great standing covenant between God and

the nation (Exo_31:13-17). By this the Jews were marked as a nation. Narrow notions, Puritan

superstitions, have gathered about the sabbath; still, the idea of it is very beautiful. Ewald brings it under

the idea of sacrifice of time. It is the representative of the duties of the first table (Eze_20:11-21). But

mere sabbath-keeping avails not without the honest heart and the upright lifethe man must "keep his

hand from evil."

III. THE BLESSINGS OF OBEDIENCE UNIVERSAL. The prophet would remove a misunderstanding.

The beatitude is universally applicable to those who keep God's commandments. The foreigner might be

anxious about his position in the spiritual commonwealth. For there were exclusive injunctions directed

against him (Deu_23:4-7). During the Captivity probably an exclusive spirit was growing; it may be

observed in the restored exiles (Neh_13:1-31.). They are here assured that they shall be admitted to the

spiritual commonwealth on an equal footing with the Jews. National barriers are broken down before the

new expansive spirit of love. There was also a law against eunuchs (Deu_23:2). But this disability is also

to be removed. This class of men may stand for the outcast and degraded in general. They are to be

admitted to communion, and are to receive some "trophy and monument'' (1Sa_15:12; 2Sa_18:18) in the

temple itselfprovided they have been faithful to the commands and covenant of Jehovah. Probably a

spiritual and everlasting memorial is meant (cf. Rev_3:12; Mat_26:13). Then the foreign proselytes who

should

(1) join them to the Lord,

(2) with intent to serve him,

(3) and who should love the Name of the Lord,

(4) who should be his servants,

(5) who should keep his sabbaths,

(6) and take hold of his covenant, were to be admitted to all the privileges of the chosen people.

The same terms of salvation were to be applicable to all. In 1Ki_8:41-43 Solomon prays that God should

do "according to all that the stranger calleth to thee for." In Psa_135:19, Psa_135:20 the proselytes are

called to bless Jehovah, after the house of Israel, of Aaron, of Levi.

IV. THE BLESSINGS OF THE HOUSE OF PRAYER. All shall be brought to God's holy mountainshall

be admitted to the one sacred fellowship. They shall be made joyful by the revelation of the Shechinah

the presence of the Eternal in his power and mercy. Their offerings (those of the proselytes) shall be

accepted on his altar. There should be no invidious distinctions. The house should be a "house of prayer

to all peoples" (cf. Mat_21:13). Moreover, other nations, not now of Israel, would be united to the one

spiritual stock. The exiles in distant lands would be gathered; also other Gentiles of whom the proselytes

are the firstfruits"other sheep not of this flock" (Joh_10:16)and they will become fellow-citizens with

the saints and of the household of God (Eph_2:19). The race"on a level with respect to moral character,

all having sinned and come short of the glory of Godis on a level with respect to redemption; the same

Saviour died for all, the same Spirit is ready to sanctify all. The wide world may be saved, and there is not

one of the human race so degraded in human estimation by rank, or colour, or ignorance, who may not

be admitted to the same heaven with Abraham and the prophets, and whose prayers and praises may not

be as acceptable to God as those of the most magnificent monarch who ever wore a crown."J.

8. CALVIN, 1.Thus saith Jehovah. This is a remarkable passage, in which the Prophet shows what

God demands from us, as soon as he holds out tokens of his favor, or promises that he will be ready to

be reconciled to us, that our reconciliation may be secured. He demands from us such a conversion as

shall change our minds and hearts, that they may forsake the world and rise towards heaven; and next he

likewise calls for the fruits of repentance.

Keep ye judgment, and do righteousness. Under the names and he includes all the duties which men

owe to each other, and which consist not only in abstaining from doing wrong, but also in rendering

assistance to our neighbors. And this is the sum of the second table of the Law, in keeping which we give

proof of our piety, if we have any. For this reason the prophets always draw our attention to that table;

because by means of it our real character is better known, and true uprightness is ascertained; for

hypocrites, as we have formerly seen, (93) often practice deceit by ceremonies.

For my salvation is near, and my righteousness. He assigns the reason, and at the same time points out

the source and the cause why it is the duty of all to devote themselves to newness of life. It is because

righteousness of the Lord approaches to us, that we, on our part, ought to draw near to him. The Lord

calls himself and declares that this is righteousness, not because he keeps it shut up in himself, but

because he pours it out on men. In like manner he calls it salvation, by which he delivers men from

destruction.

Although this discourse was addressed to the Jews, that, by sincere affection of heart, and by the practice

of integrity, they might show their gratitude to God their Redeemer, yet it refers to every one of us; for the

whole world is ruined in itself, if it do not obtain salvation from God alone. We must therefore attend to

this exhortation, which instructs us that the nearer we are to God, so much the more powerfully ought we

to be excited to the practice of godliness. Hence also Paul admonishes believers, (94) away the works of

darkness; put on the armor of light; for our salvation is nearer than we thought. (Rom_13:11)

2 Blessed is the one who does this

the person who holds it fast,

who keeps the Sabbath without desecrating it,

and keeps their hands from doing any evil.

1.BARNES, That we religiously observe the sabbath day, Isa_56:2. We are not just if we rob God of his time. Sabbath-sanctification is here put for all the duties of the first table, the fruits of our love to God, as justice and judgment are put for all those of the second table, the fruits of our love to our neighbour. Observe, (1.) The duty required, which is to keep the sabbath, to keep it as a talent we are to trade with, as a treasure we are entrusted with. Keep it holy; keep it safe; keep it with care and caution; keep it from polluting it. Allow neither yourselves nor others either to violate the holy rest or omit the holy work of that day. If this be intended primarily for the Jews in Babylon, it was fit that they should be particularly put in mind of this, because when, by reason of their distance from the temple, they could not observe the other institutions of their law, yet they might distinguish themselves from the heathen by putting a difference between God's day and other days. But it being required more generally of man, and the son of man, it intimates that sabbath-sanctification should be a duty in gospel times, when the bounds of the church should be enlarged and other rites and ceremonies abolished. Observe, Those that would keep the sabbath from polluting it must put on resolution, must not only do this, but lay hold on it, for sabbath time is precious, but is very apt to slip away if we take not great care; and therefore we must lay hold on it and keep our hold, must do it and persevere in it. (2.) The encouragement we have to do this duty: Blessed is he that doeth it. The way to have the blessing of God upon our employments all the week is to make conscience, and make a business, of sabbath-sanctification; and in doing so we shall be the better qualified to do judgment and justice. The more godliness the more honesty, 1Ti_2:2.

3. That we have nothing to do with sin: Blessed is the man that keeps his hand from doing evil, any wrong to his neighbour, in body, goods, or good name - or, more generally, any thing that is displeasing to God and hurtful to his own soul. Note, The best evidence of our having kept the sabbath well will be a care to keep a good conscience all the week. By this it will appear that we have been in the mount with God if our faces shine in a holy conversation before men.

2. CLARKE, Blessed is the man - Hebrew, The blessings of the man (see Psa_1:1). The

sense is, happy is the man. The word here rendered man ( 'e&no)sh) usually denotes a man

in humble life or in a subordinate rank, in contradistinction from '*ysh, a man in elevated rank. As the object of the prophet here is particularly to say, that the stranger and the eunuch would be admitted to these privileges, it is possible that he designedly used a word denoting one in bumble life. The particular blessing to which he refers is specified in Isa_56:7-8.

That doeth this - That is, this which the prophet soon specifies - keeping the Sabbath, and abstaining from evil.

And the son of man - Another form of expression denoting man.

That layeth hold on it - Hebrew, Binds himself fast to it; or seizes upon it with strength. That is, he adheres firmly to the purpose, as a man seizes upon a thing with an intention not to let it go.

That keepeth the Sabbath from polluting it - Who sacredly observes the day of holy rest which God has appointed. The Sabbath was one of the special rites of the Jewish religion, and one of the most important of their institutions. Its observance entered essentially into the idea of their worship, and was designed to be the standing memorial or sign between God and the Jewish nation Exo_31:13-17. At home, in their own nation, it kept up the constant sense of religion; abroad, when they traveled among strangers, it would serve to remind all of the special nature of their institutions, and be the public evidence that they were the worshippers of Yahweh. Hence, as this served to distinguish them from other people, it comes to be used here to signify the observance of the rites which pertained to the public worship of God; and evidently includes whatever was to be perpetual and unchanging in the public worship of the Creator. It is remarkable that the prophet does not pronounce a blessing on him who came to bloody altars with sacrifices, or him who burned incense, or him who conformed to the unique rites of the Jewish religion. These rites were to pass away, and the obligation to observe them was to cease; and in this indirect manner the sacred writer has given an intimation that there would be blessings on those who did not observe those rites, and that the period would arrive when the divine favor and mercy would descend on people in a different channel. In regard to the importance of the Sabbath, see the note at the close of Isa_58:1-14.

And keepeth his hand ... - That is, is an upright, holy, honest man. He not only worships God and keeps the Sabbath, but he is upright in the discharge of all the duties which he owes to his fellow-men. These two specifications are evidently designed to include all the influences of religion - the proper service and worship of God, and an upright and holy life. Never in fact are they separated, and the religion of the Bible was designed to secure the one as much as the other.

3. GILL, 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.

4. HENRY, The scope of these verses is to show that when God is coming towards us in a way of mercy we must go forth to meet him in a way of duty.

I. God here tells us what are his intentions of mercy to us (Isa_56:1): My salvation is near to come - the great salvation wrought out by Jesus Christ (for that was the salvation of which the prophets enquired and searched diligently, 1Pe_1:10), typified by the salvation of the Jews from Sennacherib or out of Babylon. Observe, 1. The gospel salvation is the salvation of the Lord. It was contrived and brought about by him; he glories in it as his. 2. In that salvation God's righteousness is revealed, which is so much the beauty of the gospel that St. Paul makes this the ground of his glorying in it. (Rom_1:17), because therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith. The law revealed that righteousness of God by which all sinners stand condemned, but the gospel reveals that by which all believers stand acquitted. 3. The Old Testament saints saw this salvation coming, and drawing near to them, long before it came; and they had notice by the prophets of its approach. As Daniel understood by Jeremiah's books the approach of the redemption out of Babylon, at the end of seventy years, so others understood by Daniel's books the approach of our redemption by Christ at the end of seventy weeks of years.

II. He tells us what are his expectations of duty from us, in consideration thereof. Say not, We see the salvation near, and therefore we may live as we list, for there is no danger now of missing it or coming short of it; that is turning the grace of God into wantonness. But, on the contrary, when the salvation is near double your guard against sin. Note, The fuller assurances God gives us of the performance of his promises the stronger obligations he lays us under to obedience. The salvation here spoken of has now come; yet, there being still a further salvation in view, the apostle presses duty upon us Christians with the same argument. Rom_3:11, Now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. That which is here required to qualify and prepare us for the approaching salvation is,

1. That we be honest and just in all our dealings: Keep you judgment and do justice. Walk by rule, and make conscience of what you say and do, that you do no wrong to any. Render to all their dues exactly, and, in exacting what is due to you, keep up a court of equity in your own bosom, to moderate the rigours of the law. Be ruled by that golden rule, Do as you would be done by. Magistrates must administer justice wisely and faithfully. This is required to evidence the sincerity of our faith and repentance, and to open the way of mercy. Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. God is true to us; let us be so to one another. That we religiously observe the sabbath day, Isa_56:2. We are not just if we rob God of his time. Sabbath-sanctification is here put for all the duties of the first table, the fruits of our love to God, as justice and judgment are put for all those of the second table, the fruits of our love to our neighbour. Observe, (1.) The duty required, which is to keep the sabbath, to keep it as a talent we are to trade with, as a treasure we are entrusted with. Keep it holy; keep it safe; keep it with care and caution; keep it from polluting it. Allow neither yourselves nor others either to violate the holy rest or omit the holy work of that day. If this be intended primarily for the Jews in Babylon, it was fit that they should be particularly put in mind of this, because when, by reason of their distance from the temple, they could not observe the other institutions of their law, yet they might distinguish themselves from the heathen by putting a difference between God's day

and other days. But it being required more generally of man, and the son of man, it intimates that sabbath-sanctification should be a duty in gospel times, when the bounds of the church should be enlarged and other rites and ceremonies abolished. Observe, Those that would keep the sabbath from polluting it must put on resolution, must not only do this, but lay hold on it, for sabbath time is precious, but is very apt to slip away if we take not great care; and therefore we must lay hold on it and keep our hold, must do it and persevere in it. (2.) The encouragement we have to do this duty: Blessed is he that doeth it. The way to have the blessing of God upon our employments all the week is to make conscience, and make a business, of sabbath-sanctification; and in doing so we shall be the better qualified to do judgment and justice. The more godliness the more honesty, 1Ti_2:2.

3. That we have nothing to do with sin: Blessed is the man that keeps his hand from doing evil, any wrong to his neighbour, in body, goods, or good name - or, more generally, any thing that is displeasing to God and hurtful to his own soul. Note, The best evidence of our having kept the sabbath well will be a care to keep a good conscience all the week. By this it will appear that we have been in the mount with God if our faces shine in a holy conversation before men.

5. JAMISON, (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, etc. (Isa_58:13, Isa_58:14; 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.

6. K&D, The note of admonition struck in the foregoing prophecy is continued here, the sabbatical duties being enforced with especial emphasis as part of the general righteousness of life. Thus saith Jehovah, Keep ye right, and do righteousness: for my salvation is near to come, and my righteousness to reveal itself. Blessed is the mortal that doeth this, and the son of man that layeth fast hold thereon; who keepeth the Sabbath, that he doth not desecrate it, and keepeth his hand from doing any kind of evil. Jehovah and Israel have both an objective

standard in the covenant relation into which they have entered: (right) is practice

answering to this; (salvation) the performance promised by God; (righteousness) on both sides such personal activity as is in accordance with the covenant relation, or what is the same thing, with the purpose and plan of salvation. The nearer the full realization on the part of Jehovah of what He has promised, the more faithful ought Israel to be in everything to which it

is bound by its relation to Jehovah. (this) points, as in Psa_7:4, to what follows; and so also

does , which points back to . Instead of or we have here , the being

described personally instead of objectively. is used as a masculine in Isa_56:2, Isa_56:6 (cf.,

Isa_58:13), although the word is not formed after the same manner as , but is rather

contracted from (a festive time, possibly with = understood), and therefore was originally a feminine; and it is so personified in the language employed in the worship of the synagogue.

(Note: According to b. Sabbath 119a, R. Chanina dressed himself on Friday evening in his sabbath-clothes, and said, Come, and let us go to meet Queen Sabbath. And so did also Jannai, saying, Come, O bride; come, O bride. Hence the customary song with which the

Sabbath was greeted had as it commencement and refrain.)

The prophet here thinks of as hsilgnE:egaugnaL} , and gives it the gender of .

7. CALVIN, 2.Happy is the man that shall do this. When he calls those persons who, having

embraced this doctrine, devote themselves to walk uprightly, he indirectly leads us to conclude that many

will be deaf or disobedient; but, lest their wickedness or indifference should retard the elect, he

recommends the exhortation which he has given from the advantage which it yields. Thus, in order that

believers may abandon all delay, he exclaims that they are to whom it hath been given (95) to possess

such wisdom.

Keeping the Sabbath. We have said that the words and in the preceding verse, include all the duties

of the second table; but here he mentions the Sabbath, which belongs to the first table. I reply, as I have

already mentioned briefly, that they who live inoffensively and justly with their neighbors, testify that they

serve God; and therefore we need not wonder that the Prophet, after having glanced at the second table,

mentions also the first; for both ought to be joined together In a word, Isaiah declares that he who shall

obey God by keeping his law perfectly shall be for the salvation and the righteousness of God shall

belong to him. Since, therefore, men wander at random amidst their contrivances, and adopt various

methods of worshipping God, he shows that there is only one way, that is, when men endeavor to frame

and regulate their life by the injunction of the Law; for otherwise they will weary themselves in vain by

taking other roads. In short, this is a remarkable passage, showing that nothing pleases God but keeping

the Law.

If the question be put, men obtain righteousness and salvation by their own works? the reply will be

easy; for the Lord does not offer salvation to us, as if he had been anticipated by our merits, (for, on the

contrary, we are anticipated by him,) but offers himself freely to us, and only demands that we, on our

part, draw near to him. Since therefore he willingly invites us, since he offers righteousness through free

grace, we must make every effort not to be deprived of so great a benefit.

Again, because the Sabbath, as Moses declares, (Exo_31:13) and as Eze_20:12 repeats, was the most

important symbol of the worship of God, so by that figure of speech in which a part is taken for the whole,

and which is called a synecdoche, the Sabbath includes all the exercises of religion. But we must view

the Sabbath in connection with everything that attends it; for God does not rest satisfied with outward

ceremony, or delight in our indolence, but demands from us earnest self that we may be entirely devoted

to his service.

So that he may not profane it. This clause is commonly rendered, he may not profane it; and literally it

runs thus, profaning it; and therefore we have thought it proper to prefix the word to the clause, that

he may not profane it, in order to remove all ambiguity.

And keeping his hand, that he may abstain from all that is evil. He now adds another synecdoche, to

describe the duties which men owe to each other. The amount of it is, that there is no other way of

serving God aright but by sincere piety and a blameless life, as he has also included in these two parts

the rule of leading a holy life. In a word, it is an exposition of true righteousness which is contained in the

Law of the Lord, that we may acquiesce in it; for in vain do men seek any other road to perfection. Here

also are thrown down all false worship and superstitions, and, finally, everything that is contrived by men

in opposition to the word of God.

(95) Ausquels la grace a este faite. whom grace hath been given.

8. BI, The blessedness of right-doing

Blessed is the man that doeth this. It must be so, for in doing judgment and justice he in some measure resembles the blessed God, who exerciseth judgment and righteousness in the earth, and delighteth in these things. (R. Macculloch.)

Comprehensive righteousness

The duties of the first table are typified by the observance of the Sabbath; those of the second table are signified in the comprehensive expression, That keepeth his hand that it do no evil. (Prof. S. R. Driver,D. D.)

Sabbath-keeping

A great variety of reasons have been given for the special mention of the Sabbath here. The true explanation is afforded by a reference to the primary and secondary ends of the Sabbatical institution, and the belief involved in its observance.

1. It implied a recognition of Jehovah as the omnipotent Creator of the universe (Exo_20:11; Exo_31:17).

2. As the Sanctifier of His people, not in the technical or theological sense, but as denoting Him by whom they had been set apart as a peculiar people Exo_31:13; Eze_20:12).

3. As the Saviour of this chosen people from the bondage of Egypt Deu_5:15). Of these great truths the Sabbath was a weekly remembrancer, and its observance by the people a perpetual recognition and profession, besides the practical advantages accruing to the maintenance of a religious spirit by a weekly recurrence of a day of rest. (J. A. Alexander.)

Sabbath-keeping

I. THE DUTY REQUIRED. To keep the Sabbath, to keep it as a talent we are to trade with, or a treasure we are entrusted with; keep it holy, keep it safe, keep it with care and caution, keep from polluting it; allow neither yourselves nor others either to violate the holy rest nor omit the holy work of that day.

II. THE ENCOURAGEMENT WE HAVE TO DO THIS DUTY. Blessed is he that doeth it. The way to have the blessing of God upon our employments all the week is to make conscience and business of Sabbath sanctification; and in doing so we shall be the better qualified to do judgment and justice. The more godliness the more honesty (1Ti_2:2). (M. Henry.)

Sabbath-keeping and justice

We are not just if we rob God of His time. (M. Henry.)

Resoluteness in Sabbath observance

Those that would keep the Sabbath from polluting it must put on resolution; must not only do this, but lay hold on it, for Sabbath time is precious; but it is very apt to slip away if we take not great care; therefore we must lay hold on it, and keep our hold; must do it, and persevere in it. (M. Henry.)

The utility of the Sabbath

As the Sabbath was instituted while man was yet within the precincts of Paradise, and unseduced by the wiles of the devil, we are warranted to conclude that a day of holy rest was useful and necessary to him, even in a state of innocence; and if it was of use and advantage to him then, how much more must it be now! Man is now become so sinful, so earthly, so forgetful of God, so careless of his highest interests, that were it not for the solemnities of the Sabbath, he would speedily lose all sense of religion, and utterly neglect the salvation of his soul. (D. Rees.)

An unpolluted Sabbath

The text gives us to understand that in order to keep the Sabbath from polluting it, we must keep our hands from doing any evil. Nor can we suppose that the day is to be sanctified merely by acts of negative holiness, but also by acts of positive goodness. (D. Rees.)

Sabbaths and week-days

That keepeth the Sabbath from polluting it, and keepeth his hand from doing any evil. The best evidence of our having kept the Sabbath well will be a care to keep a good conscience all the week. (M. Henry.)

The blessedness of keeping Gods holy day

What are we to understand by polluting the Lords day?

1. This holy time is certainly thus abused when it is spent in mere idleness.

2. When it is devoted to worldly amusement.

3. By all labour which may not fairly come under the description of work of necessity and mercy. (J. N. Norton.)

Sabbath observance

A little boy was on a visit to his uncle, and when the morning of the Lords Day came, the uncle said, Come, my man, you and I will go out and fish awhile! Uncle, answered the boy, very gravely and somewhat . . . puzzled, does God require us to fish here on Sunday at our house He doesnt allow us to do it. The fishing excursion was given up, and good came of the childs pointed sermon. (J. N. Norton.)

3 Let no foreigner who is bound to the Lord say,

The Lord will surely exclude me from his people.

And let no eunuch complain,

I am only a dry tree.

1.BARNES, Neither let the son of the stranger - The foreigner who shall become a proselyte to the true religion.

That hath joined himself - That has embraced the true faith, and become a worshipper of the true God. It is evidently implied here that there would be such proselytes, and that the true religion would be extended so as to include and embrace them. The idea is, that they should be admitted to the same privileges with those who had been long recognized as the people of God.

The Lord hath utterly separated - Let him not esteem himself to be an outcast, or cut off from the privileges of the people of God. This language is used with reference to the opinion which prevailed among the Jews, that the Gentiles were excluded from the privileges of the people of God, and it is designed to intimate that hereafter all such barriers would be broken down. They who entered the church as proselytes from the pagan world, were not to come in with any sense of inferiority in regard to their rights among his people; but they were to feel that

all the barriers which had heretofore existed were now broken down, and that all people were on a level. There is to be no assumption of superiority of one nation or rank over another; there is to be no sense of inferiority of one class in reference to another.

Neither let the eunuch say - This class of men was usually set over the harems of the East Est_2:3, Est_2:14-15; Est_4:5; and they were employed also as high officers at court Est_1:10, Est_1:12, Est_1:15; Dan_1:3; Act_8:27. The word is sometimes used to denote a minister of

court; a court officer in general Gen_37:6; Gen_39:1. The Targum often renders the word by

rabba)', a prince.

Behold, I am a dry tree - A dry tree is an emblem of that which is barren, useless, unfruitful. By the law of Moses such persons could not be enrolled or numbered in the congregation of the Lord Deu_23:2. The sense here is, that they should not hereafter be subjected to the religious and civil disabilities to which they had been. These external barriers to the full privileges among the people of God, would be removed. All classes and ranks would be admitted to the same privileges; all would be on the same level (see Isa_56:5).

2. BI, The son of the stranger

The son of the stranger means simply the individual foreigner (R.., the stranger), not one whose father was a foreigner. (Prof. J. Skinner, D. D.)

The non-Israelite. (A. B. Davidson, D. D.)

Consolation far proselytes

The case supposed is that if a foreigner who has joined himself to the Lord, i.e has become a proselyte by accepting the symbols of Jewish nationality (circumcision, etc.), but now has reason to fear that his qualifications will be disallowed. It is likely that the immediate cause of apprehension was some manifestation of an exclusive and intolerant spirit amongst the leaders of the New Jerusalem. Against this spirit (if it existed) the prophets words enter a strong protest. (Prof. J. Skinner, D. D.)

Unbelief

Unbelief many times suggests things to the discouragement of good people which are directly contrary to what God Himself hath said; things which He hath expressly guarded against. (M. Henry.)

The eunuch

Eunuchs

We must understand those of Israelitish descent. (F. Delitzsch, D. D)

The eunuch a dry tree

The eunuch being a dry tree feels that having no children he will have no permanent place or name in the kingdom. (A. B. Davidson, D. D.)

2B. PULPIT, The son of the stranger; i.e. the foreigner, who has become a proselyte. During the

depression of the Captivity these are not likely to have been many. Still, there were doubtless some; and

these, who had embraced Judaism under such unfavourable circumstances, were entitled to special

consideration. As Messianic hopes prevailed, and the time of restoration to Palestine drew near

(Isa_56:1), they might naturally be afraid that they would not be looked upon as equals by the native

Israelites, but would be made into a lower grade, if not even excluded. The Lord hath utterly separated

me; rather, the Lord will utterly separate me. They do not suppose it done, but think it will be done. The

eunuch. Isaiah had prophesied to Hezekiah that a certain number of his seed should serve as eunuchs in

the royal palace of the King of Babylon (2Ki_20:18). Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah were such

persons (Dan_1:3-6), and there may have been others. By the letter of the Law (Deu_23:1), they were cut

off from the congregation, but practically it would seem that during the Captivity they were on a par with

other Israelites. These persons feared, with more reason than the foreign proselytes, that, on the return of

Israel to their own land, a stricter practice would be established than had prevailed during the Captivity,

and the letter of the Law would be enforced against them. I am a dry tree. Therefore useless, and entitled

to no consideration at all.

3. GILL, Neither let the son of the stranger,.... A Gentile, that is so by birth, the son of one that is an alien from the commonwealth of Israel, a stranger from the covenants of promise, and so had no right to come into the congregation of the Lord under the former dispensation; but now the middle wall of partition being broken down, in the times to which this prophecy belongs, such are encouraged to expect admission: that hath joined himself to the Lord; who, having a spiritual knowledge of him in Christ, loves him, believes in him, gives up himself to him, to walk in his ways and ordinances, and cleaves unto him with full purpose of heart; see Isa_44:5 such an one should not speak, saying, the Lord hath utterly separated me from his people; by a law of his, Deu_23:3, for now the wall of separation, the ceremonial law, is destroyed, and God declares himself to be the God of the Gentiles, as well as of the Jews; and of all that fear God, and believe in Christ, of every nation, who are accepted with him; and that they are all one in Christ, and all partakers of the same promises and blessings; so strangers, and the sons of strangers, were to have an inheritance among the children of Israel in Gospel times; see Eze_47:22 and therefore should have no reason to speak after this manner: neither let the eunuch say, behold, I am a dry tree; having no children, nor could have any; and to be written childless was reckoned a reproach and a curse; nor might an eunuch enter the congregation of the Lord, Deu_23:1, and yet such a man, having the grace of God, and acting agreeably to it, as in the following verse, should not distress himself on the above accounts.

4. HENRY, The prophet is here, in God's name, encouraging those that were hearty in joining themselves to God and yet laboured under great discouragements. 1. Some were discouraged because they were not of the seed of Abraham. They had joined themselves to the

Lord, and bound their souls with a bond to be his for ever (this is the root and life of religion, to break off from the world and the flesh, and devote ourselves entirely to the service and honour of God); but they questioned whether God would accept them, because they were of the sons of the stranger, Isa_56:3. They were Gentiles, strangers to the commonwealth of Israel and aliens from the covenants of promise, and therefore feared they had no part nor lot in the matter. They said, The Lord has utterly separated me from his people, and will not own me as one of them, nor admit me to their privileges. It was often said that there should be one law for the stranger and for him that was born in the land (Exo_12:49), and yet they came to this melancholy conclusion. Note, Unbelief often suggests things to the discouragement of good people which are directly contrary to what God himself has said, things which he has expressly guarded against. Let not the sons of the stranger therefore say thus, for they have no reason to say it. Note, Ministers must have answers ready for the disquieting fears and jealousies of weak Christians, which, how unreasonable soever, they must take notice of. 2. Others were discouraged because they were not fathers in Israel. The eunuch said, Behold, I am a dry tree. So he looked upon himself, and it was his grief; so others looked upon him, and it was his reproach. He was thought to be of no use because he had no children, nor was ever likely to have any. This was then the more grievous because eunuchs were not admitted to be priests (Lev_21:20), nor to enter into the congregation (Deu_23:1), and because the promise of a numerous posterity was the particular blessing of Israel and the more valuable because from among them the Messiah was to come. Yet God would not have the eunuchs to make the worst of their case, nor to think that they should be excluded from the gospel church, and from being spiritual priests, because they were shut out from the congregation of Israel and the Levitical priesthood; no, as the taking down of the partition wall, contained in ordinances, admitted the Gentiles, so it let in likewise those that had been kept out by ceremonial pollutions. Yet, by the reply here given to this suggestion, it should seem the chief thing which the eunuch laments in his case is his being written childless.

Now suitable encouragements are given to each of these.

I. To those who have no children of their own, who, though they had the honour to be the children of the church and the covenant themselves, yet had none to whom they might transmit that honour, none to receive the sign of circumcision and the privileges secured by that sign. Now observe,

1. What a good character they have, though they lie under this ignominy and affliction; and those only are entitled to the following comforts who in some measure answer to these characters. (1.) They keep God's sabbaths as he has appointed them to be kept. In the primitive times, if a Christian were asked, Hast thou kept holy the Lord's day? He would readily answer, I am a Christian, and dare not do otherwise. (2.) In their whole conversation they choose those things that please God. They do that which is good; they do it with a sincere design to please God in it; they do it of choice, and with delight. If sometimes, through infirmity, they come short in doing that which pleases God, yet they choose it, they endeavour after it, and aim at it. Note, Whatever is God's pleasure should without dispute be our choice. (3.) They take hold of his covenant, and that is a thing that pleases God as much as any thing. The covenant of grace is proposed and proffered to us in the gospel; to take hold of it is to consent to it, to accept the offer and come up to the terms, deliberately and sincerely to take God to be to us a God and to give up ourselves to him to be to him a people. Taking hold of the covenant denotes an entire and resolute consent to it, taking hold as those that are afraid of coming short, catching at it as a good bargain, and as those that are resolved never to let it go, for it is our life: and we take hold of it as a criminal took hold of the horns of the altar to which he fled for refuge.

5. JAMISON, God welcomes all believers, without distinction of persons, under the new economy (Act_10:34, Act_10:35).

joined ... to ... Lord (Num_18:4, Num_18:7). Proselytes.

separated Proselytes from the Gentiles were not admitted to the same privileges as native Israelites. This barrier between Jews and Gentiles was to be broken down (Eph_2:14-16).

eunuch (Act_8:27, etc.). Eunuchs were chamberlains over harems, or court ministers in general.

dry tree barren (compare Luk_23:31); not admissible into the congregation of Israel (Deu_23:1-3). Under the Gospel the eunuch and stranger should be released from religious and civil disabilities.

5B. WHEDON, 3. Son of3 stranger Any foreigner, or one not born of the race of Israel, yet desiring to embrace the true religion.

Neither3 eunuch In Deuteronomy 23:1, the eunuch heads the list of those who are excluded from the congregation of the Lord. Why this? Because mutilation was in early ideas, essential disqualification. So was the proverbial dry tree, or childlessness, a condition to the oriental helplessly reproachful. Of course, for the new era now opening, such a system of ethics was worn-out narrowness, and required revision. The gospel age shuts off none who desire salvation.

6. K&D, The (blessed) of Isa_56:2 is now extended to those who might imagine that they had no right to console themselves with the promises which it contained. And let not the foreigner, who hath not joined himself to Jehovah, speak thus: Assuredly Jehovah will cut me

off from His people; and let not the eunuch say, I am only a dry tree. As is not pointed as a

participle (), but as a 3rd pers. pres., the of 3 is equivalent to , as in Jos_10:24; Gen_18:21; Gen_21:3; Gen_46:27; 1Ki_11:9 (Ges. 109). By the eunuchs we are to understand those of Israelitish descent, as the attributive clause is not repeated in their case. Heathen, who professed the religion of Jehovah, and had attached themselves to Israel, might be afraid lest, when Israel should be restored to its native land, according to the promise, as a holy and glorious community with a thoroughly priestly character, Jehovah would no longer tolerate

them, i.e., would forbid their receiving full citizenship. 5 has the connecting vowel , as in

Gen_19:19; Gen_29:32, instead of the usual e6. And the Israelitish eunuchs, who had been mutilated against their will, that they might serve at heathen courts or in the houses of foreign lords, and therefore had not been unfaithful to Jehovah, might be afraid lest, as unfruitful trees, they should be pronounced unworthy of standing in the congregation of Jehovah. There was more ground for the anxiety of the latter than for that of the former. For the law in Deu_23:4-7 merely prohibits Ammonites and Moabites for all time to come from reception into the congregation, on account of their unbrotherly conduct towards the Israelites as they came out of Egypt, whilst that in Deu_23:8-9 prohibits the reception of Edomites and Egyptians to the third generation; so that there was no prohibition as to other allies - such, for example, as the Babylonians. On the other hand, the law in Deu_23:2 expressly declares, as an expression of the horror of God at any such mutilation of nature, and for the purpose of precluding it, that no kind

of emasculated person is to enter the congregation of Jehovah. But prophecy breaks through these limits of the law.

7. COFFMAN, Notice that the words "hold fast my covenant" in Isaiah 56:4 are the same as "keeping the sabbath days," thus a reference to their keeping the whole law of Moses.

Why this special reference to "foreigners" and to "eunuchs"? Isaiah had already prophesied, "That a certain number of the seed of Hezekiah would serve as eunuchs in the royal palace of the king of Babylon" (2 Kings 20:18); and Daniel and his three faithful companions were among those who thus served.[3]There were doubtless many others of the captives who suffered the same cruel treatment. The words given here were for the encouragement of all such persons. The foreigners were included because of the likelihood that some of the Babylonians would, through human kindness, become attached to God's people and join them; and these words were also extended to encourage them.

This meant that, "The law of Deuteronomy 23:1, regarding the exclusion of eunuchs and foreigners, would be abrogated,"[4] during the times of the captivity for those who "kept the covenant."

REGARDING THAT NEW NAME

"A memorial name, a name better than of sons and of daughters ... an everlasting name that shall not be cut off ..." (Isaiah 56:5). The name here referred to is the name, Christian. Isaiah here prophesied that the name would be given, not by God's enemies, but by himself within his house and within his walls, that is, within the church, the church being the only "house" God ever had, certainly, not the Jewish Temple, which, from the beginning was contrary to God's will. Isaiah also prophesied that this memorial name would be "a new name" (Isaiah 62:2), and a name which the "mouth of the Lord" would give, and that it would be given after the "kings and the Gentiles had seen the righteousness of God," that is, after the Church of Messiah had been established and after Gentiles were accepted into it. (See the discussion of the name "Christian," in Vol. 5, (Acts) of my New Testament Series of Commentaries, pp. 333-336.

8. PULPIT, Outward defects and defilements no hindrance to full communion in the Church of God.

In the infancy of humanity, and with a people so carnal as the Israelites, it was necessary to teach the

great doctrines of purity and holiness by a material symbolism. Hence the multitude of regulations in the

Law concerning defects, blemishes, sources of outward defilement, methods of removing defilements,

clean and unclean meats, and the like. God strove to train his people by these out ward shows to the

recognition of the eternal distinction between inward purity and impurity, and to a proper sense of the fact

that impurity is an utter disqualification for communion with him and with his Church. But these

distinctions were never intended to be lasting." Our Lord himself declared to his disciples, "Not that which

goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man Those

things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. For out of the

heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: these

are the things which defile a man; but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man" (Mat_15:11-20). It

was long before the Jews could fully understand this doctrine, or believe that the Levitical Law on all

points of external defilement was absolutely done away (see Act_10:9-35; Act_11:3-18; Act_15:5-

20; 1Co_8:4-13). There was at first a great objection to receive any Gentiles into the Christian Church,

and many miracles had to be wrought to overcome it. There was, after this, a line of separation drawn,

and a claim set up by those of the favoured nation to form a higher grade than the Gentile Christians, with

whom they refused to eat (Gal_2:11-14). So persistent is the spirit of formalism, that, notwithstanding our

Lord's teaching and that of his apostles, it was centuries before the Church was wholly freed from

dissension and difficulty in this matter.

9. CALVIN, 3.And let not the son who is a foreigner (96) say. The Prophet shows that this grace of

God shall be such that even they who formerly were estranged from him, and against whom the door

might be said to have been shut, may obtain a new condition, or may be perfectly restored. And he meets

their complaint, that they may not say that they are rejected, or unworthy, or or excluded by any mark;

for the Lord will remove every obstacle. This may refer both to Jews, who had been brought into a

condition similar to that of foreign nations by a temporary rejection, and to the heathen nations

themselves. For my own part, I willingly extend it to both, that it may agree with the prediction of Hosea,

will call them my people who were not my people. (Hos_1:10)

Joined to Jehovah. When he says that they are to God, he gives warning that this consolation belongs

to those only who have followed God when he called them; for there are many on whom God does not

bestow his favor, and many who do not join themselves to the people of God. This promise is therefore

limited to those who have been called and have obeyed.

By calling them and he describes under both classes all who appear to be unworthy of being

reckoned by God in the number of his people; for God had separated for himself a peculiar people, and

had afterwards driven them out of his inheritance. The Gentiles were entirely shut out from his kingdom,

as is sufficiently evident from the whole of Scripture. Paul says,

were aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no

hope, and without God in the world. But now by Christ Jesus, ye who formerly were far off have been

made nigh by the blood of Christ.

(Eph_2:12)

The Gentiles, therefore, might at first doubt whether or not the benefit of adoption, which was literally

intended for the Jews, belonged to them. We see also how much the Apostles shrunk from it, when the

Lord commanded them (Mar_16:15) to the Gospel through the whole world; for they thought that the

doctrine of salvation was profaned if it was communicated indiscriminately to Gentiles as well as to Jews.

The same hesitation might harass the elect people, from the time that their banishment from the holy land

became a sign of the rejection of them; and therefore the Prophet commands them to dismiss their

doubts.

And let not the eunuch say. By the same figure of speech, in which a part is taken for the whole, he

includes under this designation all who bore any mark of disgrace which kept them apart~ from the

people of God; for and those who had no children, appeared to be rejected by God and shut out from

the promise which the Lord had made to Abraham, that seed should be as the stars of heaven,

(Gen_15:5) and as the sand of the sea. (Gen_22:17) In a word, he warns all men against looking at

themselves, that they may fix their minds exclusively on God calling, and may thus imitate the faith of

Abraham, (Gen_15:6) who did not look at either his own decayed body or the barren womb of Sarah, so

as through unbelief to dispute with himself about the power of God, but hoped above all hope.

(Rom_4:18 The Prophet addresses persons who were despised and reproached; for, as Peter says,

is no respect of persons with God, but in every nation he who feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is

accepted by him. (Act_10:34)

(96) essential meaning of this verse is, that all external disabilities shall be abolished, whether personal

or national. To express the latter, he makes use of the phrase , (ben nekar,) which strictly means not

son of the stranger, as the common version has it, but son of strangeness, or a strange country;

(nekar) corresponding to the German Fremde , which has no equivalent in English. Alexander

4 For this is what the Lord says:

To the eunuchs who keep my Sabbaths,

who choose what pleases me

and hold fast to my covenant

1.BARNES, For thus saith the Lord unto the eunuchs - Even the eunuchs, who have hitherto been excluded from the privileges of the people of God, and who have been regarded as a separated and degraded people, shall be admitted to the same privileges as others.

That keep my sabbaths - The word is used here in the plural, though the weekly Sabbath is probably particularly intended. It may be, however, that the word is used to represent religious observances in general (see the notes at Isa_56:2).

And choose the things that please me - Who will be willing to sacrifice their own pleasure and preferences to those things which I choose, and in which I delight.

And take hold of my covenant - Hold fast, or steadily maintain my covenant. On the meaning of the word covenant, see the notes at Isa_28:18; Isa_42:6; Isa_49:8; Isa_54:10.

2. CHARLES SIMEON, ACCEPTANCE FOR ALL SINCERE WORSHIPPERS

Isa_56:4-7. Thus saith the Lord unto the eunuchs that keep my sabbaths, and choose the things that

please me, and take hold of my covenant: Even unto them will I give in mine house and within my walls a

place and a name better than of sons and of daughters: I will give them an everlasting name, that shall

not be cut off. Also the sons of the stranger, that join themselves to the Lord to serve him and to love the

name of the Lord, to be his servants, every one that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and taketh hold

of my covenant; even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer:

their burnt-offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar: for mine house shall be called

an house of prayer for all people.

THE concluding words of our text sufficiently shew the scope of the whole passage. The chapter begins

with proclaiming the approach of the Gospel dispensation, under which the way of obtaining

righteousness and salvation through the death of our Lord Jesus Christ was to be fully revealed [Note:

ver. 1.]. In our text, the admission of all persons to the benefits of that dispensation is insisted on; and it is

declared, that in every nation, he that feareth God and worketh righteousness, whatever may be his

disqualifications according to the law, shall be accepted [Note: Compare Act_10:34-35.]. Since God has

a people scattered over the face of the whole earth, he will now have his Church open for the admission

of every child of man.

In making known these gracious purposes, the prophet sets before us,

I. The character which God approves

At no period did God ever approve of those who confined their obedience to the observance of any rites

or ceremonies: at all times he has spoken the same language; My Son, give me thy heart. Accordingly

in the description which is here given us of those who shall find acceptance with him, there are two marks

whereby they are universally distinguished;

1. Their obedience to his will

[Whatever conflicts they may have sustained in the earlier stage of their Christian experience, the first act

which truly and properly designates them the Lords people is, their joining of themselves to him as his

people. Till they have done this in sincerity and truth, they cannot be acknowledged as his. There may

indeed be circumstances wherein a public devotion of themselves to him cannot be expected; but where

the situation of the persons admits of it, there must be an union with the Lords people, and an open

acknowledgment of Christ as their only Lord and Saviour

Nor must this be a mere empty profession: those who are upright before God will join themselves to him

to love and serve him with their whole hearts. All other lords must be renounced; and God alone be

honoured and obeyed.

Neither must this change be the result of fear alone: there must be a cordial consent of the will, and a

choosing of the things that please God. There will, it is true, be still a law in their members warring

against the law in their minds; but the deliberate purpose of their hearts must be to please God; God

only, God universally, God always.

In one thing will they be particularly distinguished, that is, their reverence for the Sabbath, and their

delight in sanctifying it to the Lord. This is twice mentioned in our text: and if we bear in mind, that the

whole passage relates to the times of the Gospel, we shall see, that the sanctification of the Sabbath is a

duty of perpetual obligation; and that, however some of the ceremonial observances relating to it under

the Law are abrogated, the spiritual improvement of it will characterize the Lords people to the end of

time. Indeed this is one of the most prominent features in all who are truly upright before God: Whilst the

world at large make the Sabbath a day of carnal ease or pleasure, and the generality of those who

profess some regard for it sanctify only a part of it to the Lord, and that rather for conscience sake than

became they have any pleasure in its duties, the upright devote to God and to the work of their souls the

whole of it, and are as eager to improve that day for their spiritual advancement, as the ungodly are to

improve the other six days for the advancement of their temporal welfare [Note: Isa_58:13-14.].]

2. Their affiance in his covenant

[If we could suppose all these dispositions and actions to be united in a man who should disregard the

Gospel covenant, they would never secure to the possessor the approbation of his God, The very best of

men are sinners before God and must seek for mercy in the way in which alone it will be vouchsafed. The

way which God has appointed, is, through the covenant of grace; in which God has agreed to accept the

atonement offered by his only dear Son, and to receive for his sake all who will plead the efficacy of that

atonement. If any man think that his own virtues will suffice to recommend him to God, he will be left to

suffer the penalty due to his iniquities, and will perish under the accumulated guilt of having despised the

salvation offered him in the Gospel. In rending the Scriptures, we shall do well to notice how often the

keeping of Gods covenant and his commandments are united together. Neither of these can by any

means be dispensed with: they ate both necessary for their respective ends; the one, to obtain mercy with

our offended God; and the other, to manifest the sincerity of our faith and love. We must bear in mind

therefore, that an humble afflance in the Lord Jesus Christ is quite as requisite for our acceptance with

God, as any obedience to his commands can be; and that the laying hold of Gods covenant is essential

to the character of all who would be approved by him.]

Such being the character portrayed in our text, we proceed to notice the terms in which God has

described,

II. The approbation with which he will honour it

Whatever disadvantages such a person may labour under, God will,

1. Accept him in all his services

[Eunuchs and strangers were disqualified by the Law from entering into the congregation of Jehovah

[Note: Deu_23:1-8.]. But God promises, under the Christian dispensation, to admit all without any

exception, provided their dispositions and habita be such as he approves; yea, God himself will bring

them to his holy mountain [Note: Heb_12:22.], by sending his shepherds to search them out, and to bring

them upon their shoulders rejoicing.

Moreover, God will make them joyful in his house of prayer. This is a blessing experienced by none but

those who are truly upright. In the house of preaching indeed, the vilest hypocrites may be delighted

[Note: Eze_33:30-32.]: and it would be well if the undue preference given to preaching, and the late

attendance at public worship, observable among religious professors in the present day, did not give

reason to fear, that their religion is in their ears only, and not in their hearts. Certain it is, that, amongst

those who are truly upright, such conduct would be abhorred: they delight to draw nigh to God, and to

pour out their hearts before him: and this, not only when some fluent person is exhibiting his gifts, but

when the prayers of our Liturgy (better than which were never composed by mortal man) are offered up in

the presence of the congregation. The man that has not his heart in tune for such prayers as those, has

yet to learn what his wants are, and what should be the posture of his soul before God. To the penitent

and contrite soul they will often be as marrow and fatness; and to join in them will be the sublimest

pleasure he can enjoy.

Whilst they draw nigh to God, God will also draw nigh to them, and will manifest his acceptance of

them by some special tokens of his love. In former times he often testified his acceptance of the sacrifices

by sending fire from heaven, to consume them upon the altar: now he will do the same, as it were, in a

more secret way: he will send his Spirit into the soul as a Spirit of adoption, he will shed abroad his love

there, and will fill it with an abundance of grace and peace.]

2. He will number them amongst his most-favoured servants

[To be childless was, under the Jewish dispensation, accounted a misfortune, and even a disgrace: and

persons considered themselves as living in their posterity. Of this happiness the persons addressed in

our text were deprived: but God assured them, that he would give them a place and a name better than

of sons and of daughters: their children, even if they were as numerous as those of Ahab, might be cut

off in a few hours, and their inheritance in Israel might be lost: but God would give to them a name and an

inheritance that should endure for ever. To every one that answers to the foregoing character is this

promise made: and to every one shall it assuredly be fulfilled in its season [Note: Rev_3:12.]. Even at this

time have they the earnest of these blessings in their souls; and in due time they shall possess them in all

their fulness [Note: 1Jn_3:2.].]

Improvement

In this view of our subject we have,

1. An antidote to despondency

[Those who are upright in heart are still, as formerly, ready to entertain desponding fears, and to imagine

that there is something in their situation and circumstances which renders their case peculiarly hopeless.

But God delights to encourage such persons with the most consolatory declarations [Note: Isa_40:27-

28.]. Let not any then say, I am a dry tree, or suppose that he is incapable of yielding fruit to God: for

those who are farthest off, may yet be brought nigh by the blood of Christ [Note: Eph_2:12-13.]; and

strangers and foreigners. if they embrace and obey the covenant of grace, shall become fellow-citizens

with the saints, and of the household of God [Note: Eph_2:19.].]

2. A stimulus to exertion in the cause of Christ

[The same principle of unbelief which discourages men in relation to themselves, operates powerfully to

repress their exertions for others. The state of the heathen is thought to present insurmountable obstacles

to their conversion. But the most ignorant savages are not farther from a participation of the Gospel, than

eunuchs and strangers were from communion with the Jewish Church: yet these have already found

access to God: why therefore may not they? Indeed we are assured by the prophet, that the remotest

Gentiles shall be gathered to the Lord [Note: Isa_60:3.]; and our Lord himself confirms the joyful truth

[Note: ver. 8.]. Let us then open wide the door of Gods house to the Gentile world: let us encourage them

to lay hold on his covenant: and let us, each according to his ability, labour to hasten forward that

glorious day, when all the nations of the earth shall be converted to the Lord, and become one fold under

one Shepherd [Note: Joh_10:16.].]

3. GILL, For thus saith the Lord unto the eunuchs that keep my sabbaths,.... That fear and serve the Lord; religiously observe all times of divine worship, and walk in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord; show regard to all the institutions of the Gospel, and perform all religious exercises, private and public, on Lord's days, and at other times: and choose the things that please me; who do that which is wellpleasing unto God, which he has declared in his word to be acceptable to him; and do that from right principles, with right views, and of choice; not forced to it by those who have authority over them, or led to it merely by example and custom: and take hold of my covenant; not the covenant of circumcision, as Kimchi; for what had eunuchs to do with that? but the covenant of grace, the everlasting covenant, the covenant of peace before spoken of Isa_14:10, made between the Father and the Son, on account of the elect; which may be said to be taken hold of when a person by faith claims his interest in God as his covenant God; comes to Christ as the Mediator of the covenant; and deals with his blood, righteousness, and sacrifice, for pardon, justification, and atonement; regards all the promises and blessings of the covenant as belonging to him and lives by faith on them, as such; so David by faith laid hold on this covenant, 2Sa_23:5.

4. HENRY, To those who have no children of their own, who, though they had the honour to be the children of the church and the covenant themselves, yet had none to whom they might transmit that honour, none to receive the sign of circumcision and the privileges secured by that sign. Now observe,

1. What a good character they have, though they lie under this ignominy and affliction; and

those only are entitled to the following comforts who in some measure answer to these

characters. (1.) They keep God's sabbaths as he has appointed them to be kept. In the primitive times, if a Christian were asked, Hast thou kept holy the Lord's day? He would readily answer,

I am a Christian, and dare not do otherwise. (2.) In their whole conversation they choose those things that please God. They do that which is good; they do it with a sincere design to please God in it; they do it of choice, and with delight. If sometimes, through infirmity, they come short

in doing that which pleases God, yet they choose it, they endeavour after it, and aim at it. Note,

Whatever is God's pleasure should without dispute be our choice. (3.) They take hold of his covenant, and that is a thing that pleases God as much as any thing. The covenant of grace is proposed and proffered to us in the gospel; to take hold of it is to consent to it, to accept the

offer and come up to the terms, deliberately and sincerely to take God to be to us a God and to

give up ourselves to him to be to him a people. Taking hold of the covenant denotes an entire

and resolute consent to it, taking hold as those that are afraid of coming short, catching at it as a

good bargain, and as those that are resolved never to let it go, for it is our life: and we take hold

of it as a criminal took hold of the horns of the altar to which he fled for refuge.

5. JAMISON, please me sacrifice their own pleasure to mine.

take hold so layeth hold (see on Isa_56:2).

6. K&D, For thus saith Jehovah to the circumcised, Those who keep my Sabbaths, and decide for that in which I take pleasure, and take fast hold of my covenant; I give to them in my house and within my walls a memorial and a name better than sons and daughters: I give such a man an everlasting name, that shall not be cut off. The second condition after the sanctification of the Sabbath has reference to the regulation of life according to the revealed will

of God; the third to fidelity with regard to the covenant of circumcision. also means a side,

and hence a place (Deu_23:13); but in the passage before us, where form a closely

connected pair of words, to which is appended, it signifies the memorial, equivalent

to 7 (2 Sam 18; 1:1-24:25; 1Sa_15:12), as an index lifted up on high (Eze_21:24), which strikes the eye and arrests attention, pointing like a signpost to the person upon whom it is placed, like monumentum a monendo. They are assured that they will not be excluded from close fellowship with the church (in my house and within my walls), and also promised, as a superabundant compensation for the want of posterity, long life in the memory of future ages, by whom their long tried attachment to Jehovah and His people in circumstances of great temptation will not be forgotten.

7. CALVIN, 4.For thus saith Jehovah. Now follows a confirmation; for the sincere worshippers of God,

who keep the sabbaths and follow the righteousness of the Law, though they be (97) or labor under any

other obstruction, shall nevertheless have a place in the Church. He appears to annihilate in this manner

all the external marks(98) in which alone the Jews gloried; for the high rank of the Church is not external,

but spiritual; and although believers have no emblems of distinction in the eyes of the world, and are even

despised and reproached, yet they rank high in the sight of God.

And choose the things that please me, and take hold of my covenant. With the of the Sabbath, he

connects obedience and adherence to covenant; and hence we may readily infer that, when he spoke

hitherto about the Sabbath, he had in view not an idle ceremony but perfect holiness. At the same time,

he again lays a restraint on the children of God, not to make even the smallest departure from the

injunction of the Law; for they are permitted to not whatever they think fit, but that which God declares

to be pleasing and acceptable to himself. Wherefore both hypocrisy and inconsiderate zeal are here

condemned, when God not only contrasts his own commandments with the inventions of men, but enjoins

them earnestly to hold of his covenant.

(97) to the Law, (Deu_23:1) eunuchs could not be received into the Hebrew nation; so that their

situation, in that respect, was the same as that of the foreigners who were formerly mentioned. Of what

use (might such a person say) are those splendid promises to me, who cannot be admitted into the

Jewish commonwealth? Rosenmuller.

8. BI, Characteristics and privileges of Gods people

The pride of ancestry, and boast of ceremonial exclusiveness and glorying in the flesh, the Lord, by His prophet, looking forward to Gospel days, now abolishes, and marks out the true distinctions of His people to be that which is moral and spiritual, to the exclusion of all bodily defects or natural peculiarities. Observe

I. THE MARKS AND DISTINCTIONS OF GODS PEOPLE.

1. Keeping the Sabbath.

2. Choosing the things that please Him.

3. Taking hold of His covenant.

4. Being joined to Him to serve Him.

5. Loving His name.

6. Serving Him.

II. THE GRACIOUS AND GLORIOUS PRIVILEGES OF GODS PEOPLE.

1. Incorporation with His Church.

2. Joy in the sanctuary.

3. Acceptance of their spiritual worship. (J. Gemmel, M. A.)

And take hold of My covenant.

Taking hold of Gods covenant

By a lively faith, although the devil rap her on, the finger for so doing. (J. Trapp.)

Holding fast by Gods covenant

(R.V.):Hold fast (as Isa_56:2). By holding fast My covenant is meant adhering to his compact with Me, which includes obedience to the precepts and faith in the promises. (J. A. Alexander.)

Taking hold of Gods covenant

It was generally supposed by the Jews that no one, except the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, could be in covenant relationship with God. Paul, however, says, in writing to the Romans, But Esaias is very bold; and he is so in this instance. He declares that men may take hold of the covenant of God though, heretofore, they appeared to be shut out from its privileges.

I. WHAT IS THIS COVENANT? It has been well said, He who understands the covenants holds the key of all theology. There was, first of all, a covenant made with our father, Adam;not, perhaps, in set terms, but virtually,that, if he should do the will of God, he should live. But, alas l our great covenant head, Adam the first, could not keep that covenant. I should think that none of us want to take hold of that covenant, for we are all sufferers by it already. There is a second covenant, made with the second Adam, the Lord Jesus Christ; and by that covenant, it was provided that He should Himself perfectly keep the law, and that He should suffer the

penalty due from His people for their breaches of the law; and that, if He did both these things, then all those who were represented in Him should live for ever.

1. The new covenant is a covenant of pure grace.

2. It is a covenant ordered in all things and sure.

3. The ensign of this covenant is faith.

II. HOW CAN WE LAY HOLD OF IT?

1. I must loose my hold of the old covenant.