Calvin / McGrath Isaiah

1. Auflage 2000
ISBN: 978-1-4335-1719-8
Verlag: Crossway
Format: EPUB
Kopierschutz: 0 - No protection

E-Book, Englisch, Band 24, 400 Seiten

Reihe: Crossway Classic Commentaries

Original works by godly writers, tailored for the understanding of today's readers For hundreds of years Christendom has been blessed with Bible commentaries written by great men of God who were highly respected for their godly walk and their insight into spiritual truth. The Crossway Classic Commentary Series, carefully adapted for maximum understanding and usefulness, presents the very best work on individual Bible books for today's believers. Rich imagery and glimpses of God's character abound in the book of Isaiah. Even as the prophet cried out against Judah's empty idolatry and warned of the judgment they would receive, he stressed God's holiness, patience, and mercy. Redemption is Isaiah's central theme, evidenced in his declarations about Judah's temporal need for salvation-and every soul's eternal one. Consequently Isaiah, more than any other prophet, foretold the coming of the Messiah and all that would follow. John Calvin delights to point out the numerous passages that were fulfilled during Christ's earthly ministry, and with anticipation expounds upon those that are yet to be realized. Accordingly he explains Isaiah's emphasis on God's attributes and the prophet's message that salvation is God's chief work. The lessons in Isaiah are powerful and, with Calvin's insightful commentary, are sure to inspire every believer.

John Calvin (1509-1564) was one of the most influential theologians of the Reformation. Known best for his Institutes of the Christian Religion, he also wrote landmark expositions on most of the books in the Bible.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Calvin, John

McGrath, Alister

Leseproben

Isaiah
Chapter 2

1. This is what Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem.This prophecy con?rms the teaching he has just given about the restoration of the church. It is difficult to cherish the hope of safety when we are, so to speak, in the midst of destruction, while God’s wrath burns and consumes everything far and wide. At such times the bare promises are hardly enough to support us and allay our fears. That is why the Lord determined that in addition to the consolation that had already been proclaimed there should be added this special vision. I have no doubt, therefore, that this vision agrees with what is stated in 1:26-27.

Here we learn the purpose of visions. Teaching sometimes does not have enough weight for us; so God adds visions, that through them he may seal his teaching to us. This vision is linked to the previous promise; so we learn from it the useful teaching that all visions of every kind that God gave to his prophets must be linked to the promises, to con?rm them. And thus we perceive God’s astonishing goodness more and more. Not satis?ed with giving us his bare word, he gives us pictures of the events, so to speak.

2. In the last days. When Isaiah mentions the end or completion of days, let us remember that he is speaking about the kingdom of Christ. We must also understand why he speaks about Christ’s kingdom in this way. It was because until that time everything might be said to be in a state of suspense, so that the people might not concentrate on the present condition of things, which were only a shadow, but on the Redeemer, by whom the reality would be declared. Since Christ came, therefore, if that time is compared with ours, we have actually arrived in the last days. It was the duty of the fathers who lived at that time to go, as it were, with outstretched arms to Christ. The restoration of everything depended on his coming; so they had good reason to look forward with hope to that time. It was indeed always useful for them to know that under Christ the condition of the church would be more perfect—especially because there were limits to imagery, for the Lord chose to arouse them in various ways expressly to keep them in suspense.

But there was a special importance attached to this prediction. For 400 years or thereabouts there were innumerable occasions on which they might have given up, if they had not remembered the last days in which the church was to be perfectly restored. During the various storms, therefore, by which the church was nearly overwhelmed, every believer, when shipwrecked, seized on this word as a plank on which to ?oat into the harbor. But notice that while the last days began at the coming of Christ, they ?ow on in uninterrupted progress until he appears the second time for our salvation (see Hebrews 9:28).

The mountain of the LORD’s temple will be established as chief among the mountains; it will be raised above the hills, and all nations will stream to it. This vision might be thought absurd, because not only was Zion a hill of no special height when compared with the huge mountains on earth, but also the prophet had just predicted its destruction. How, then, could it be believed that Mount Zion, after losing all its greatness, would again shine with such luster as to draw the eyes of all nations to her? And yet she is extolled as if she were higher than Olympus. “Let the Gentiles boast as much as they please about their high mountains,” says Isaiah in effect. “They will be nothing in comparison with that hill, even though it is low and small.” In the natural course of events, this was most unlikely. Would Zion be raised up to the clouds? Wicked people doubtless scoffed at this prediction, for the ungodly have always been ready to attack God.

Isaiah used this prophecy to bring comfort to the people during their captivity. So although there was no temple and no sacri?ces, and although everything was in ruins, this hope would still be cherished in the hearts of godly people. This is how they would reason: “The mountain of the Lord is indeed forsaken, but there he will live, and this mountain will be the greatest one in the world.” To stop them from doubting this, the prophet sketches a picture of the glory of God here.

3. Many peoples will come and say . . . In the previous verse he gave one reason why Mount Zion would be elevated to such a high position— because all nations would ?ow to it, as if the rivers were over?owing from a great abundance of water. He now gives his reason. People might ask why various nations ?ocked to it in crowds from distant lands; he says their motive was the desire to serve God.

“Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob.” Through these words he ?rst declares that the godly will be ?lled with such an ardent desire to spread the doctrines of true religion that everyone will not be satis?ed with his own salvation; his personal knowledge will make him want to draw other people along with him. This shows us that the normal way to gather a church is through the human voice. God could bring each person to himself by a secret in?uence, but he uses human agents so he may awaken our anxiety for each others’ salvation. Isaiah then shows that those who teach and exhort should not sit down and command other people but should walk along with them as companions.

“He will teach us his ways.” Isaiah shows that God cannot be worshiped rightly until we have been enlightened by doctrine. He also shows that God is the church’s only teacher, and so we should hang on his every word. The office of teaching is committed to pastors solely in order that God may be heard through them. Those who want to be thought of as ministers of Christ must conform to that.

“So that we may walk in his paths.” Now Isaiah says they must be obedient. The instruction that comes to us from the mouth of the Lord is not mere speculation but directs the course of our life and leads us to obey him. We should note that God’s commands are called ways and paths in order to teach us that those who deviate from God’s commands in the slightest go completely astray. Thus every kind of unlawful freedom is restrained. Everyone, from the least to the greatest, must observe this rule of obedience, so that they keep themselves within the limits of God’s word.

The law will go out from Zion, the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. This explains the previous verse, in which Isaiah said that Mount Zion would be placed above all mountains; that is, that she will be raised to the highest honor when she becomes the source of saving doctrine, which will ?ow from her to the whole world.

Since we know this prediction was ful?lled when the preaching of the Gospel began at that very place, we must not take the word law in a limited sense. For at that time its ?gures and bondage were abolished. (See Mark 16:15; Luke 24:47.) Hence we conclude that the term is applied, without limitation, to the Word of God. When the prophets say that the waters will spring out of the temple to water the whole world (see Ezekiel 47:1), they are expressing metaphorically what Isaiah lays down here in plain language. The source of saving doctrine will come from that place, for from it the apostles and other teachers spread the Gospel throughout the whole world.

Note why the prophet said this—so that he might fortify the godly against various changes that otherwise, on many occasions, might have crushed their spirits. It is as if he said, “Whatever your situation may be, and although you may be oppressed by afflictions on all sides, continue to cherish this assured hope, that the law will go out from Zion, the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. For this is an infallible decree of God that no event will make void.”

4. He will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many people. He means that the doctrine will be like a king’s scepter, that God may rule among all nations. In this ?gure of speech the Hebrew word judge, means “to govern” or “to reign.”

They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Isaiah shows the bene?t that will result after Christ has brought the Gentiles and the nations under his dominion. Nothing is more desirable than peace, but pride, ambition, and covetousness lead men to ?ght each other. Men are naturally drawn by their evil passions to disturb society, but Isaiah promises that this evil will be corrected. The Gospel is the doctrine of reconciliation (see 2 Corinthians 5:18), removing the enmity between us and God; so it also brings peace and harmony between men.

He does not merely say, they will beat their swords into plowshares but and their spears into pruning hooks. Thus he shows there will be a great change among people. Instead of attacking each other, they will cultivate peace and friendship between each other, for plowshares and pruning hooks are useful and necessary in farming. He therefore shows that when Christ reigns, those who had previously been motivated by mischief will be full of acts of kindness.

Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war...