Isaiah 42:1

Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles. God's description of His character (Isaiah 42:1) God addresses Him directly (Isaiah 42:5). Address to the people to attend to the subject (Isaiah 42:8). Call to all, and especially the exile Jews, to rejoice in the coming deliverance (Isaiah 42:10). BEHOLD MY SERVANT. The law of prophetic suggestion leads Isaiah from Cyrus to the far greater Deliverer, behind whom the former is lost sight of. The express quotation in...

1._Behold my servant. _The Prophet appears to break off abruptly to speak of Christ, but we ought to remember what we mentioned formerly (150) in expounding another passage, (Isaiah 7:14,) that the prophets, when they promise anything hard to be believed, are wont immediately afterwards to mention Christ; for in him are ratified all the promises which would otherwise have been doubtful and uncertain. “In Christ,” says Paul, “isYea and Amen.” (2 Corinthians 1:20.) For what intercourse can we have with God, unless the Mediator come between us? We undoubtedly are too far alienated from his majesty, and therefore could not be partakers either of salvation or of any other blessing, but through the kindness of Christ. Besides, when the Lord promised deliverance to the Jews, he wished to ra

1-4 This prophecy was fulfilled in Christ, Matthew 12:17. Let our souls rely on him, and rejoice in him; then, for his sake, the Father will be well-pleased with us. The Holy Spirit not only came, but rested upon him, and without measure. He patiently bore the contradiction of sinners. His kingdom is spiritual; he was not to appear with earthly honours. He is tender of those oppressed with doubts and fears, as a bruised reed; those who are as smoking flax, as the wick of a lamp newly lighted, which is ready to go out again. He will not despise them, nor lay upon them more work or more suffering than they can bear. By a long course of miracles and his resurrection, he fully showed the truth of his holy religion. By the power of his gospel and grace he fixes principles in the minds of men, which tend to make them wise and just. The most distant nations wait for his law, wait for his gospe...

CHAPTER XLII _The prophet sets forth the meekness of Messiah's character, and_ _the extent and blessings of his kingdom, particularly among the_ _Gentiles_, 1-9. _In consequence of this he calls on the whole creation to join_ _him in one song of praise to God_, 10-12. _After which he seems again to glance at the deliverance from_ _the captivity; although the words may full as well apply to the_ _deliverance vouchsafed to the Church; to the overthrow of her_ _must powerful enemies; and to the prevalency of true religion_ over

BEHOLD - This word is designed to call attention to the person that is immediately referred to. It is an intimation that the subject is of importance, and should command their regard. MY SERVANT - This phrase denotes properly anyone who acknowledges or worships God; anyone who is regarded as serving or obeying him. It is a term which may be applied to anyone who is esteemed to be a pious man, or who is obedient to the commands of God, and is often applied to the people of God Gen 50:17; 1 Chronicles 6:49; 2 Chronicles 24:9; Daniel 6:20;...

EXPOSITION ISAIAH 42:1 ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE SERVANT OF THE LORD, AND THE WORK WHICH HE WILL PERFORM. There are comparatively few who deny that, in this place at any rate, the "Servant of the Lord" is the Messiah. (So the Targum on the passage; so Abar-barnel; so, among moderns, Oehler, Delitzsch, and Mr. Cheyne.) The portraiture has "so strong an individuality and such marked personal features, that it cannot possibly be a mere personified collective;" and it goes so "infinitely _beyond _anything of which a man was ever capable that it can only be the future Christ" (Delitzsch). It may be added that St. Matthew ...

BEHOLD MY SERVANT, WHOM I UPHOLD,.... The Targum is, "behold my servant the Messiah;'' and Kimchi on the place says, this is the King Messiah; and so Abarbinel f interprets it of him, and other Jewish writers, and which is right; for the prophet speaks not of himself, as Aben Ezra thinks; nor of Cyrus, as Saadiah Gaon; nor of the people of Israel, as Jarchi; but of Christ, as it is applied, Matthew 12:17 who is spoken of under the character of a "servant", as he is; not as a divine Person, for as such he is the Son of God; but as man, and in his office as Mediator; a servant of the Lord, not of angels, or men, but of his divine Father; who chose him, called and sent him, and assigned him his work; which was principally the redemption of his people, and which he diligently, faithfully, and fully performed; in which he was "upheld" as man and Mediator by his Father,

Isaiah 42:1. _Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles._ Verily this prophecy is concerning the Lord Jesus Christ. Observe the title which he takes. He is called the servant of God. The Father calls him his servant. Above all others is Christ the servant of the Highest deigning to become the servant of servants, though he is the King of kings. «Whom I uphold» which may be read two ways. According to some renderings it should be, «Whom I lean upon» as if God leant the full weight of his glory upon Christ, and gave over the work of grace into his hands, that is, if the passage be read passively. If actively, it runs as in our text, «Whom I uphold.» And both are true. God leans upon Christ. Christ draws his strength from God. They co-work, and mutual is the glory. «Mine elect.»

SERVANT There is a twofold account of the Coming Servant: (1) he is represented as weak, despised, rejected, slain: (2) and also as a mighty conqueror, taking vengeance on the nations and restoring Israel (for example (Isaiah 40:10); (Isaiah 63:1). The former class of passages relate to the first advent, and are fulfilled; the latter to the second advent, and are unfulfilled....

CHAPTER 42 The True Servant of Jehovah 1. _The Servant of Jehovah and His mission (Isaiah 42:1)_ 2. _His future work among the nations (Isaiah 42:5)_ 3. _The future song of redemption glory (Isaiah 42:10)_ 4. _Jehovah's manifestation in power (Isaiah 42:14)_ 5. _The address of exhortation to the deaf and blind nation (Isaiah 42:18) _ Matthew's Gospel (Matthew 12:20) tells us that this servant is the Lord Jesus Christ. Mark t