Isaiah 63:1-6

B. The negative side of the revelation of Salvation. The judgment on the heathen

Isaiah 63:1-6

1          Who is this that cometh from Edom,

With dyed garments from Bozrah?This that Isaiah 1:0 glorious in his apparel,

2Travelling in the greatness of his strength?

I that speak in righteousness,Mighty to save.

2     Wherefore art thou red in thine apparel,

And thy garments like him that treadeth in the wine fat?

3     I have trodden the winepress alone:

And of the people there was none with me:

For I will tread them in mine anger,And trample them in my fury;And their 3blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments,

And I will stain all my raiment.

4     For the day of vengeance is in mine heart,

And the year of my redeemed is come.

5     And I looked, and there was none to help;

And I wondered that there was none to uphold:

Therefore mine own arm brought salvation unto me;And my fury, it upheld me.

6     And I will tread down the people in mine anger,

And make them drunk in my fury,And I will bring down their 4strength to the earth.

TEXTUAL AND GRAMMATICAL

Isaiah 63:2. [The Masoretic note marks as abnormal the Pattach in גַּת though the word is in Pause. But pattach when pausal is commonly not lengthened in monosyllabic words. See Delitzsch in loc.—D. M.].

Isaiah 63:3. וְיֵז apocopated future Kal from נָזָה, to sprinkle. אֶגְאַלְתִּי is, beside the Niphal נְגֹאֲלוּ, the only form of the verb גָּאַל, impurum esse, which occurs in Isaiah. It is a Hiphil form imitating the Aramaic, and has possibly been chosen in order to give to the thing a corresponding expression in bad Hebrew, in a word taken from the common language current in conversation.

EXEGETICAL AND CRITICAL

1. Chapters 60–63 are most closely connected. In 60–62 there was described the positive work of God’s Anointed which brings blessing and salvation to Israel. Chapter 63 shows how He will accomplish the negative side of His mission by punishing the heathen. With dramatic effect the Prophet pictures a person of commanding appearance approaching from Edom in magnificent but blood-stained raiment. To the question who He is, the person asked replies that He is He to whom it belongs to hold judgment, and to bring salvation (Isaiah 63:1). And to the further question why His garment is so red, (Isaiah 63:2), He answers that He has trodden the wine-press alone, with no man of the nations with Him, (which He will requite by the execution of the same judgment on them), and thus He has soiled His garment (Isaiah 63:3). The hero comes therefore from executing judgment on Edom, and He sets forth in prospect a second judgment embracing all nations. This second judgment, which was only parenthetically mentioned in Isaiah 63:3, is treated of more fully in Isaiah 63:4-6. First, it is marked in Isaiah 63:4 as a long-purposed day of vengeance, with which at the same time a year of salvation will begin. Then it is again prominently stated, that the hero sees Himself isolated, but trusts notwithstanding in the strength of His own arm, and of His fury (Isaiah 63:5), and is confident that He will tread down the nations, and shed their vital juice (Isaiah 63:6).

2. Who is this that——to the earth.

Isaiah 63:1-6. The Fathers (Justin Martyr, Tertullian, Origen, Ambrose, Augustine,etc.), apply this passage directly to the sufferings and ascension of Christ. Origen, in particular, and after Him Jerome and Theodoret put the question: Who is this that cometh,etc., into the mouth of the angels who guard the gates of heaven. Thereupon the foremost of the procession accompanying the Lord answer in the words of Psalms 24:0. “Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.” Athanasitius makes the question proceed from the mouth of fallen angels. Under Edom the Fathers understand the (red) earth. Another group of interpreters, with Luther at their head, understand under Edom the Synagogue of the Jews, under Bozrah “urbem munitam privilegiis divinis, i.e., Jerusalem. The blood is the blood of the Jews. The hero comes from inflicting judgment on Jerusalem. Calvin disputes any reference to Christ. He finds in the passage simply the announcement of a judgment on the Edomites which is still future. This view is more definitely set forth by Grotius and others, as they see here a prophecy of that devastation of Edom which was effected by Judas Maccabaeus (Maccab. Isaiah 5:3 sqq. 65; 2 Maccab. Isaiah 10:15 sqq. Jos. Antiqq. xii. 11, 12). Eichhorn and Koppe regard Nebuchadnezzar as the accomplisher of this threatening. Cocceius, and many others after him put a spiritual sense on the passage, and understand under “the trampling down” the “crucifixionem veteris hominis et abolitionem omnis impietatis per crucifixionem Christi.” Vitringa, who here follows in general the rabbinical interpretation, understands under Bozrah Rome, and under Edom the countries subdued by the Romans. The “conculcare” he refers here as in chapter 34 to the liberation of the Christians from the power of Rome. But he does not, as many others, think of the elevation of Christianity to be the religion of the State by Constantine, nor of the general judgment (Revelation 20:11 sqq.), but of the extermination of Antichrist by the warrior who rides on the white horse, Revelation 19:11 sqq. Among modern interpreters Gesenius, Hitzig, Umbreit, Beck, Seinecke, see in this prophecy a threatening against Edom expressed in the form of a vision representing an act of vengeance as completed; while Knobel, according to his peculiar way of judging, thinks that he can discern here the battle of Sardis (Herod, 1:80; Cyrop. Isaiah 7:1) depicted in prophetic colors. Stier is of the opinion that the one who is seen as coming is Christ, coming from the fulfilment of what is related Revelation 14:20; Revelation 19:18; Revelation 19:21. Delitzsch finds the historical fulfilment of our prophecy in what befel the Edomites at the hands of the Maccabean princes and of Simon of Gerasa (Jos. Bell. jud. iv. 9, 7), while its final fulfilment is the destruction of Antichrist and his hosts (Revelation 19:11 sqq.). [The destruction of Antichrist is regarded by Delitzsch simply as the New Testament counterparty this piece.—D. M.]. The Catholic interpreters Rohling and Neteler do not exclude the historical fulfilment (through Simon of Gerasa; so Rohling), but yet regard as the fulfiller of our prophecy the Servant of Jehovah, who, according to chapter 53 should give His life as an offering for sin, and who is, on the other hand, the destroyer of Antichrist, and is thus sprinkled both with His own blood and that of others. [Dr. Naegelsbach regards the victory of Amaziah, king of Judah, over the Edomites (2 Chronicles 25:5-12) as furnishing the historical foundation for this prophecy. Amaziah returning from the slaughter of the Edomites is the type of the Anointed of the Lord who here appears as redeeming Israel by executing judgment on Israel’s enemies. But this is an opinion which is quite peculiar to our Author, and which no one before him has ventured to express. It is strange that any one should think of finding in this glorious Conqueror, who comes travelling in the greatness of His strength, who speaks in righteousness and is mighty to save, the antitype of that Amaziah who set up for worship the gods of the vanquished Edomites, and was afterwards completely overcome by Joash, king of Israel. Edom is a representative people. It is not an emblematic name of the great world-power, in its violence and tyranny, for which Babylon is made to stand. But Edom, the inveterate enemy of Israel, and occupying a bad pre-eminence in hatred against Israel, is the representative of the world that hates the people of God. So Delitzsch, who remarks the emblematizing tendency which Isaiah here, as in chaps, 21–22:14, manifests. The name Edom is made an emblem of its future doom. The apparel of Jehovah, the avenger, is seen to be אָדֹם, red, with the blood of Edom. The name Bozrah, too, readily suggests בָּצַד, to gather the vintage of grapes. The image of treading grapes is here used to picture the Lord’s crushing of the inhabitants of Bozrah, who are as the vintage in the wine-press. We cannot study the picture without recognizing the emblematic significance of the names Edom and Bozrah. The question arises: Are we, in the interpretation of this prophecy, to think of Judas Maccabeus, Hyrcanus, and Simon of Gerasa, or even of the proper Edomites? The answer depends on the way in which we must answer another question. Did Judas, or either of the other Jewish chiefs mentioned, return in triumph from the Idumean city Bozrah specified by Isaiah? Of this there is no evidence. Lowth has called attention to a very important point which, in his view, excludes from this prophecy Judas Maccabeus, and even the Idumeans properly so called. “The Idumea of the Prophet’s time was quite a different country from that which Judas conquered. For during the Babylonish captivity the Nabatheans had driven the Edomites out of their country, who upon that took possession of the southern parts of Judea, and settled themselves there; that is, in the country of the whole tribe of Simeon, and in half of that of Judah. And the metropolis of the Edomites, and of the country which Judas took, was Hebron, 1Ma 5:63, not Botsra” (Bozrah). This consideration is fatal to all attempts of the literalizing school to interpret this prophecy.—D. M.]. The question, Who is this? is purely rhetorical. The Prophet well knows who He is whom he sees. The question is put to awaken and direct our attention to Him who is seen coming by the Prophet. (Comp. Isaiah 60:8; Song of Solomon 3:6). Many are inclined to understand חמוץ בגדים not of the color of blood, but of the red (purple) color of the garments, as kings and warriors frequently wore red garments (comp. Knobel on this place; Judges 8:26; Justin Isaiah 20:3), and, as they say, the soiling with blood would be incompatible with הָדוּר. But it is just the being sprinkled with blood which is the most prominent and important mark in the appearance of the hero; and while this doubtless stains His garments it is glorious to Himself. Bozrah (comp. Isaiah 34:6; Amos 1:12) was after Petra one of the most important cities of Edom (comp. Jeremiah 49:13; Jeremiah 49:22). It lay north of Petra. Beside this Edomite Bozrah, there was a city of this name in Moabitis (Jeremiah 48:24), and another in Auranitis, which latter is not mentioned in the Holy Scriptures (see Comment, on Jeremiah 48:24). The Prophet has of the Edomite cities made mention of Bozrah, because בָּצְרָה (although the name of the city probably denotes Septum, munimentum) on account of the signification vindemiavit belonging to the verb from which it is derived, admirably suits the comparison with a treader of the wine-press. מִבָּצְרָה as מֵאְדֶוֹם depends on בּא. Observe the gradation. In the first member the Prophet mentions simply the coming from Edom, then he specifies the red garments in the second member, and then in the third, which begins with a repetition of זֶה, he speaks of the glorious apparel and the proud bearing. [“הָדוּד properly means swollen, inflated, but is here metaphorically used in the sense of adorned, or, as Vitringa thinks, terrible, inspiring awe.” Alexander.—D. M.]. I take צֹעֶה in the sense of resupinus. The root occurs five times in the Old Testament, and has the signification of bending, inclining. It here characterizes one who protrudes the breast, and proudly throws back the head. [Delitzsch agrees with Vitringa in understanding צֹעֶה to mean se huc illuc motitans.—D.M.]. To the question מי זה וגו׳ the Person seen Himself answers. His answer is first of a general character. He does not mention at first the act of judgment which He has just executed on Edom, but, as if He would remove the impression that He is a worldly prince given to deeds of violence, who, as a beast of prey, unjustly makes an incursion for plunder and slaughter, fie declares His nature in general to be that of One who works righteousness and salvation. He says מְדַבֵּר not דִּבַּרְתִּי. By this participle He designates as His permanent property the speaking, i. e., acting, transacting in righteousness. The context requires us to understand דִּבֶּר not of the mere speaking or teaching with words which should have righteousness for their subject, or should be spoken in righteousness. But דִּבֶּר בצדקה relates here to a judicial speaking or transacting. [Better Delitzsch, who compares Isaiah 42:6; Isaiah 45:13 : “He speaks in righteousness, while He in the zeal of His holiness threatens judgment to oppressors, and promises salvation to the oppressed, and also carries out by His power what He threatens and promises.” Comp. further Isaiah 45:23; Isaiah 59:16, which places show that the speaker is no one less than Jehovah. Henderson justly remarks that the I name The Word given to the Warrior, Revelation 19:13, exactly corresponds to מְדַבֵּר, by which He here characterizes Himself. The description, too, Revelation 19:13, “He was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood” is manifestly drawn from this place in Isaiah. The Logos is faithful and true (Revelation 19:11). He is One who speaks in righteousness. It is unwarranted to say with Dr. Naegelsbach that I that speak in righteousness marks the hero’s relation to His enemies as a strict judge; and that the words mighty to save tell what He is for Israel.—D. M.]. רַב is not to be confounded with רָבpropugnator, Isaiah 19:20. After the hero has answered the question who is this? more in the sense of qualis? than of quis? the Prophet further inquires: Why is it red in thine apparel? The לְ intimates that the redness is not something inherent in the raiment, but something that has come to it from without. This is more clearly expressed by the second part of Isaiah 63:2. The spots that have arisen through spurting recall to mind the dress of one who treads in the wine-press (דרך with בְּ as Isaiah 59:8). It is not yet intimated that these are spots of blood. The pith of the matter is ingeniously and gradually reached. [“It is a slight but effective stroke in this fine picture, that the first verse seems to speak of the stranger as still at a distance, whereas in the second He has come so near as to be addressed directly.” Alexander.—D. M.]. The hero accepts the comparison drawn from treading in the wine-press. It is true, says He, I have in a certain sense trodden in the wine-vat, and that alone, by Myself. פּוּרָה (from פּוּ֤ר פָּֽרַרfregit, only here and Haggai 2:16) is synonymous with גַּת, but is to be distinguished from יֶקֶב (comp. on Isaiah 5:2; Isaiah 16:10), for גַּת or פּוּרָה is the upper vat, out of which the juice flows off into the lower trough or יֶקֶב from which it is drawn (comp. Leyrer in Herz.R.-Enc. 7. p. 509). The hero, therefore, compares the bloody judgment which He has executed on Edom with treading in the winepress. He falls back on an older prophetic utterance, Joel 4:13; while John had both these passages before him; in Revelation 14:14-20 chiefly the words of Joel; but in Revelation 19:13-15 chiefly this passage of Isaiah. The hero whom the Prophet beholds, states emphatically that He trod the wine-press alone, as of the nations there was not a man with Him. The statement indicates the universal antichristian spirit of the nations. [“When He adds ‘that of the nations there was no one with Him,’ it follows that the wine-vat was so great that He could have used the cooperation of whole nations. And when He continues: And I trod them in mine anger,etc., the riddle in this declaration is explained. To the people themselves the knife has been applied. They were cut off as grape-clusters and cast into the wine-vat.”—Delitzsch. The reader can judge whether the lofty terms of this prediction are satisfied by the exposition of Henderson, which I subjoin: “When the victor declares that none [no man] of the peoples or nations rendered Him any assistance in the attack on Edom, he refers to the fact, that vengeance had not been taken upon that nation, as it had been upon Tyre, Moab, Egypt, etc., through foreign intervention. Identifying the Jews under the Maccabees and Hyrcanus with Himself by whom they were employed as native instruments, He vindicates the glory of the deed from all aid obtained from an extraneous source.” But it would be difficult to suppose Jehovah identifying Himself with Simon of Gerasa and his lawless followers who inflicted the sorest judgment on the Edomites. Besides, עַמִּים, peoples in general (see Isaiah 63:6), and not the Edomites only are the objects of God’s crushing judgment. We append here Delitzsch’s remarks on Isaiah 63:5-6 : “The meaning is that no one, in conscious willingness to assist the God of judgment and salvation in His purpose, associated himself with Him. The church devoted to Him was the object of redemption; the mass of those alienated from God was the object of judgment. He saw Himself alone; neither human co-operation, nor the natural course of things aided the execution of His design; therefore He renounced human assistance, and interrupted the natural course of things by a wonderful deed of His own.”—Delitzsch. D. M.]. The words ואדרכם to על־בגדי are to be taken as a parenthesis. The guilt of the nations, of whom no one was with Him, presses so forcibly on the mind of the speaker that He, immediately interrupting His speech, sees Himself compelled to declare their punishment also. Because they, when He trod the wine-press in Edom, were not to be found on His side, He will tread and trample them to pieces, so that their juice squirts upon His clothes. [But the assumption of this parenthesis is very unnatural. Many interpreters, as Henderson and Delitzsch, translate And I trod them in my anger and trampled them in my fury,etc. On the whole this is the easiest construction which regards the future tense as used for the past in this animated discourse. Comp. וְאַבִּיטetc., in Isaiah 63:5. D. M.]. נֵצַח, from נָצַח נָזָהfudit, therefore effusum, humor, succus, only here and Isaiah 63:6 : the word is chosen, because not merely the blood, but also other fluids, especially the matter of the brain, are to be denoted. Isaiah 63:4. [If we render Isaiah 63:3 in the past tense, then we must consistently employ the past tense in Isaiah 63:4. For a day of vengeance (was) in my heart,etc.] We have in Isaiah 63:4 a repetition of words in Isaiah 61:2 a [comp. also Isaiah 34:8]. But the clauses are transposed, and instead of רָצוֹן we have the word that does not elsewhere occur, נְּאוּלִים. [Dr. Naegelsb. takes manifestly, גְאוּלַי, as many other interpreters do, in the sense of my redemptions, making an abstract noun of the plural of the passive participle. But the obvious and natural rendering is that of the E.V., my redeemed. There is a year appointed for the redeemed of Jehovah, comp. Isaiah 62:12. D. M.] Isaiah 63:5-6. It will happen again as it did in the day of Edom. The Lord will see none of the peoples of the world on His side. He expresses this thought twice in parallel members, and the second time emphasizes it by saying that He will perceive His standing alone with astonishment. For there is only a little flock that will follow Him (Isaiah 6:13). Many are called, but few chosen. The astonishment which is ascribed to the Lord is an anthropopathic expression which has only rhetorical significance. Comp. Isaiah 59:16. The second part of Isaiah 63:5 passes over into the language of narration. The expression אֲשַׁכְּרֵם (the Targum and some codd. and editions read אֲשַׁבְּרֵם, which is appropriate, but unnecessary, and insufficiently attested) involves a bold turn of thought: the judged are not only objects, but also vessels of wrath; they are not merely grapes that spurt their juice, but are themselves full of the wine of the wrath of God (comp. Isaiah 29:9; Isaiah 49:26; Isaiah 51:21).

DOCTRINAL AND ETHICAL

1. On 63. 1–6. Till the time of Calvin it was the prevailing opinion that the treader in the wine-press is Christ, not as judging the nations, but as Himself suffering death, and by His death depriving the devil of his power. “Christ, as He contends mightily in His suffering, and after His suffering triumphs gloriously,” was regarded as the theme of this prophecy. The blood on His garment was accordingly to be understood of the blood of demons. Jerome remarks on I have trodden the wine-press alone: “Neque enim angelus, aut archangelus, throni, dominationes, aut ulla coelestium potestatum humanum corpus assumsit et pro nobis passus est et conculcavit adversarias fortitudines atque contrivit.” But the blood of the demons is to be understood τροπικῶς. A synopsis of the old expositions of the passage in this sense is found in a dissertation by Leyrer on this place, published in 1648. (It is reprinted in Exercitationum philologico-historicarum fasces quinque by Thomas Crenius, Ludg. Bat., 1697 and 1700). Calvin pronounces this interpretation a perversion of Scripture (“hoc caput violenter torserunt in Christum”). His view was adopted especially by Reformed interpreters, as Wolfg. Musculus, Abr. Scultetus (Idea concionum in Jes. hab. p. 844), Vitringa and others. Vitringa makes these points prominent. “The hero is not set forth as suffering, but as acting, not as sprinkled with His own blood, but with the blood of enemies, not as satisfying the justice of God for sins, but as executing the justice of God in punishing enemies.” However, even Lutheran theologians, as Joh. Tarnov (in the Exercitt. bibl. Libri 4, Rostock, 1627, p. 118, Num de Christo patiente hic agatur), and the anonymous author of a Disputatio de Victore Idumaeorum Jes. lxiii. maintained substantially the view of Calvin. Since the old interpreters, as Foerster says, applied the place ὁμοθυμαδόν to the passion of Christ, we can understand how Isaiah 63:0 was a very favorite Lesson in Holy Week.

2. “The prophecy which is here directed against Edom is to be regarded as a prophecy of the judgment which will befall the antichristian, persecuting world in the last days. On this account the Seer of the New Testament, John, has described the Lord as coming to judge the world after the model of Isaiah 63:0. (Revelation 19:0).”—Weber.

3. On Isaiah 63:3. “When at other times the Lord holds judgment, nations who will execute it stand at His disposal. He ‘hisses for the fly that is in the uttermost part of the rivers of Egypt, and for the bee that is in the land of Assyria.’ He calls the mighty of Egypt and Babylon to serve Him (Isaiah 7:18-19). Why is no people ready to help Him in His judgment on Edom? This is a hint that the judgment on Edom must be at the same time that judgment in which the Lord judges all nations. Only in this way can we understand that none of them can here help Him, as they themselves are all objects of the judgment.”—Weber.

4. Hector Pintus says, in his Commentary, on this passage: “Non sine causa dicit: non est virmecum, ne scilicet excludat Mariam virginem, quae usque ad mortem ei comes fuit, et cui gladius doloris cor pertransivit.” This reminds one of what the Jansenist, Antoine Arnaud, in the treatise “Difficultés proposées à Mr. Steyaert, etc.: Cologne. 1691,” relates of various preachers who publicly declared, that if the foolish virgins instead of saying, “Domine, domine aperi nobis,” had said, “Domina aperi nobis,” they certainly would have found an open door.

HOMILETICAL HINTS

On Isaiah 63:1-6. [Messiah is the conqueror of Edom, as Balaam of old predicted (Numbers 24:17-18). Not till He raises up the fallen tabernacle of David, is possession in the highest sense taken of Edom and of all the heathen (Amos 9:11-12. As we understand the Lord’s work of destruction depicted in Psalms 110:5-6, so must we understand the judgment on Edom here described. Who are the enemies that Messiah is commissioned to subdue? How does He destroy His foes? This last question admits of a two-fold answer.—D. M.].

2. On Isaiah 63:1-6. When Christ was suffering in Gethsemane, was bleeding before Pilate and dying on the cross, He did not look like a Judge and Conqueror. And yet He was such. Just then it was that He took from the devil his might (Hebrews 2:14), and spoiled principalities and powers, and made a show of them openly (Colossians 2:15). It is only on the basis of this judgment, which He the one seemingly judged, performed upon the cross, that He will be hereafter able to hold the last judgment in His state of exaltation.

3. On Isaiah 63:1-6. “Our text bids us 1) To look to the Man of Sorrows, who redeemed us; 2) To contemplate in faith the great work which He has accomplished for us; 3) For this to render to Him the thank-offering which we owe Him.”—Ziethe, Manch. Gaben. und Ein Geist, 1870. [It is strange that an eminent modern preacher should so misrepresent the teaching of this passage. If we wish to lead men to contemplate Christ as the Man of Sorrows, by whose blood we are redeemed, we should choose a passage of Scripture that exhibits Him in this character. But it is either culpable ignorance, or something worse, to affirm that the Scripture before us contains the lessons set forth in the above-mentioned heads of a sermon.—D. M.].

Footnotes:

[1]Heb. decked,

[2]marching proudly.

[3]juice.

[4]vital juice.