Introduction
B.—THE PERSONAL SERVANT OF JEHOVAH
The second Ennead of Isaiah 40-66 has for its all-controlling, central point the personal Servant of Jehovah, in whom all the typical forms already encountered under this name in chapts. 40–48 combine as in their higher unity. Hence in 49–57 the Servant of Jehovah is no longer the people of Israel, nor the Prophet, nor the prophetic institution, but only the Messiah in His servant-form. But these chapters do not speak only of the suffering and enduring Servant, but also of Israel’s sin and of the redemption that the Servant effects by His suffering. Thus it happens that the elements of announcing the suffering, of punishment and consolation cross one another artistically as the various colored threads of a woven web. Yet this crossing occurs only in the first half. For as in the first Ennead Cyrus appears from 41 on successively growing, until in the middle (Isaiah 44:28; Isaiah 45:1) he appears as the ripe fruit, so from 49 on we see the Servant of Jehovah developing in ever greater distinctness, until in the middle (Isaiah 52:13 to Isaiah 53:12) he meets us in the complete Ecce-homo form. But with the laying in the grave He disappears. From 54 on the Servant of Jehovah is spoken of no more. What then follows is a description of the salvation effected by the Servant in its objective and subjective aspects. This description extends to Isaiah 56:9, where it breaks off with a distant view of the final and highest fruits of salvation, the glorification of nature. With Isaiah 56:10 begins a section in strongest contrast with what precedes. For the Prophet, having finished his description of the glorious future, turns his eye to the present. In this he sees mournful things in the leaders of the people and in the nation itself. Still he cannot conclude without giving the comforting assurance, that even the present deep degradation will not hinder the fulfilment of the promises of salvation. For the Lord will heal those that let themselves be healed. Only for the wicked, that persistently oppose themselves, there will be no salvation. Thus the second Ennead concludes with the same words as the first.
As to particulars, the following plan, in my opinion, underlies these nine chapters. The first discourse comprises chapt. 49. In this the Prophet draws a parallel between the Servant of God and Zion. Both are alike in this, that they begin small and end great. The chapter divides accordingly into two halves, the first of which gives a total survey of the person and work of the Servant of God (Isaiah 49:1-13), while the second shows how Zion arises out of deepest forsakenness, rebuilds itself anew by the heathen, and finally soars aloft to the highest elevation and glory (Isaiah 49:14-26).—In the second discourse also (chapt. 50) the Prophet opposes Zion and the Servant of God, indicating the connection between the guilt of Israel and the suffering of the Servant, and the deliverance from the former by faith in the latter. He shows in the first part (Isaiah 50:1-3), namely, that just the not-receiving of the Lord when He came to His possession, had as its consequence the temporary rejection of Israel. To this guiltiness of Israel corresponds (in the second part Isaiah 50:4-9) the suffering which the Servant declares Himself willing to undertake with the consciousness that He still cannot come to disgrace.
Then in the third part (Isaiah 50:10-11), by a brief alternative, is shown to the people the possibility of their being accepted again. In the third discourse (chap. 51), we encounter a dialogue, in which the Servant, Israel, Jehovah and the Prophet appear one after another as actors, and that has for subject the final redemption of Israel. In the first part (Isaiah 51:1-8) the Servant, appearing incognito as if veiled, and just by that intimating the highness of His being, holds out to the people of Israel the conditions of its redemption. In the second part (Isaiah 51:9-11) Israel exhorts the Lord to give new proofs of His ancient power. In the third Jehovah replies to Israel’s exhortation with exhortation, and at the same time holds up to His Servant the origin, means and end of His efficiency (Isaiah 51:12-16). In the fourth part the Prophet speaks. He promises Jerusalem, drunk with the cup of wrath, that the cup of wrath shall pass from its hand to the hand of its enemies (Isaiah 51:17-23). The fourth discourse (chap. 52), treats of the restoration of Jerusalem to glory. In the first part of it (Isaiah 52:1-6) it is stated that Jehovah must restore Jerusalem for the sake of the honor of His name. In the second part (Isaiah 52:7-12) the accomplishment of the restoration is described. The fifth discourse (Isaiah 52:13 to Isaiah 53:12), which represents the culminating point of the second Ennead, can hardly have a better superscription given it than that which Delitzsch has given: Golgotha and Scheblimini [the second term is from the Hebrew of Psalms 110:1, meaning “sit at my right hand.”—Tr.]. Here the Servant’s lowliness, luminous with divine majesty, appears in its highest degree. The discourse has three parts. The first (Isaiah 52:13-15) contains the theme of the prophecy. The second (Isaiah 53:1-7) portrays the lowliness of the Servant as the Lamb that bears the sin of the people. Finally the third (Isaiah 53:8-12) treats of the exaltation of the Servant to glory. The sixth discourse (chap. 54), describes the new salvation as the glorious fruit of all that the Servant of God has done and suffered. In the first part of it (Isaiah 54:1-10) is described the wonderfully rich blessing of posterity, i.e., the incorporation of the Gentile world in Zion as the first fruit of the grace of Jehovah. In the second (Isaiah 54:11-17) the Prophet describes the new estate of salvation as an universal one. The seventh discourse (chap. 55) treats of this: that for the new salvation there must supervene an entirely new way of appropriating salvation. First (Isaiah 55:1-5) it is shown positively, wherein consists the essence of this new appropriation of salvation; then (Isaiah 55:6-13) negatively, what obstacles and scruples are to be overcome in order that this new mode of appropriating salvation may be established. The short section (Isaiah 56:1-9), the eighth discourse, describes the moral, social and physical fruits of the new way of salvation. Finally, in the ninth discourse (Isaiah 56:10 to Isaiah 57:21) we see a word of conclusion. After the Prophet’s glance had penetrated into the remotest future, he returns to the present. But it is to be noticed that by the present he understands the whole time previous to the beginning of redemption, therefore the time previous to the end of the Exile. The mournful state of this present makes him reflect whether the atrocities of the present must not make impossible the fulfilment of the glorious promises of the future. For this reason he describes first the mournful situation prevailing at present among the shepherds (Isaiah 56:10 to Isaiah 57:2) and among the people (Isaiah 57:3-14), but comes to the conclusion, that God’s love will really heal those that let themselves be healed, and that only for the wicked, who persistently oppose the divine love, there can be no peace (Isaiah 57:15-21).
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