Adam Clarke's Bible Commentary Verse 2. And he hath made my mouth like a sharp sword "And he hath made my mouth a sharp sword"] The servant of God, who speaks in the former part of this chapter, must be the Messiah. If any part of this character can in any sense belong to the prophet, yet in some parts it must belong exclusively to Christ; and in all parts to him in a much fuller and more proper sense. Isaiah's mission was to the Jews, not to the distant nations, to whom the speaker in this place addresses himself. "He hath made my mouth a sharp sword; "to reprove the wicked, and to denounce unto them punishment, "says Jarchi, understanding it of Isaiah. But how much better does it suit him who is represented as having "a sharp two-edged sword going out of his mouth, "Rev. i. 16; who is himself the Word of God; which word is "quick and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart; " Heb. iv. 12. This mighty Agent and Instrument of God, "long laid up in store with him, and sealed up among his treasures, "is at last revealed and produced by his power, and under his protection, to execute his great and holy purposes. He is compared to a polished shaft stored in his quiver for use in his due time. The polished shaft denotes the same efficacious word which is before represented by the sharp sword.
The doctrine of the Gospel pierced the hearts of its hearers, "bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. " The metaphor of the sword and the arrow, applied to powerful speech, is bold, yet just. It has been employed by the most ingenious heathen writers, if with equal elegance, not with equal force. It is said of Pericles by Aristophanes, (see Cicero, Epist. ad Atticum, xii. vi. )] outwv ekhlei, kai monov twn rhtorwn to kentron egkateleipe toiv akrowmenoiv. Apud. Diod. lib. xii.
His powerful speech Pierced the hearer's soul, and left behind Deep in his bosom its keen point infixed.
Pindar is particularly fond of this metaphor, and frequently applies it to his own poetry:- epece nun skopw toxon, age, qume. tina ballomen ek malqakav aute fre nov eukleav oistouv ientev; Olymp. ii. 160.
"Come on! thy brightest shafts prepare, And bend, O Muse, thy sounding bow; Say, through what paths of liquid air Our arrows shall we throw?" WEST. See also ver. 149 of the same ode, and Olymp. ix. 17, on the former of which places the Scholiast says, tropikov o logov belh de touv logouv eorhke, dia to oxu kai kairion twn egkwmiwn. "He calls his verses shafts, by a metaphor, signifying the acuteness and the apposite application of his panegyric." This person, who is (ver. 3) called Israel, cannot in any sense be Isaiah.
That name, in its original design and full import, can only belong to him who contended powerfully with God in behalf of mankind, and prevailed, Gen. xxxii. 28. After all that Vitringa, Bp. Lowth, and others have said in proof of this chapter speaking of the Messiah, and of him alone, I have my doubts whether sometimes Isaiah, sometimes Cyrus, and sometimes the Messiah, be not intended; the former shadowing out the latter, of whom, in certain respects, they may be considered the types. The literal sense should be sought out first; this is of the utmost importance both in reading and interpreting the oracles of God.
Matthew Henry Commentary
- The Jews reproved for their idolatry. (Is. 48:1-8) Yet deliverance i promised them. (Is. 48:9-15) Solemn warnings of judgment upon those wh persisted in evil. (Is. 48:16-22)
Is. 48:1-8 The Jews valued themselves on descent from Jacob, and use the name of Jehovah as their God. They prided themselves respectin Jerusalem and the temple, yet there was no holiness in their lives. I we are not sincere in religion, we do but take the name of the Lord in vain. By prophecy they were shown how God would deal with them, lon before it came to pass. God has said and done enough to prevent men' boasting of themselves, which makes the sin and ruin of the prou worse; sooner or later every mouth shall be stopped, and all becom silent before Him. We are all born children of disobedience. Wher original sin is, actual sin will follow. Does not the conscience of every man witness to the truth of Scripture? May the Lord prove us, an render us doers of the word.
Is. 48:9-15 We have nothing ourselves to plead with God, why he shoul have mercy upon us. It is for his praise, to the honour of his mercy to spare. His bringing men into trouble was to do them good. It was to refine them, but not as silver; not so thoroughly as men refine silver If God should take that course, they are all dross, and, as such, migh justly be put away. He takes them as refined in part only. Many have been brought home to God as chosen vessels, and a good work of grac begun in them, in the furnace of affliction. It is comfort to God' people, that God will secure his own honour, therefore work deliveranc for them. And if God delivers his people, he cannot be at a loss for instruments to be employed. God has formed a plan, in which, for his own sake, and the glory of his grace, he saves all that come to Him.
Is. 48:16-22 The Holy Spirit qualifies for service; and those may spea boldly, whom God and his Spirit send. This is to be applied to Christ He was sent, and he had the Spirit without measure. Whom God redeems he teaches; he teaches to profit by affliction, and then makes the partakers of his holiness. Also, by his grace he leads them in the way of duty; and by his providence he leads in the way of deliverance. God did not afflict them willingly. If their sins had not turned them away their peace should have been always flowing and abundant. Spiritual enjoyments are ever joined with holiness of life and regard to God' will. It will make the misery of the disobedient the more painful, to think how happy they might have been. And here is assurance given of salvation out of captivity. Those whom God designs to bring home to himself, he will take care of, that they want not for their journey This is applicable to the grace laid up for us in Jesus Christ, from whom all good flows to us, as the water to Israel out of the rock, for that Rock was Christ. The spiritual blessings of redemption, and the rescue of the church from antichristian tyranny, are here pointed to But whatever changes take place, the Lord warned impenitent sinner that no good would come to them; that inward anguish and outwar trouble, which spring from guilt and from the Divine wrath, must be their portion for ever _________________________________________________
Original Hebrew וישׂם7760 פי6310 כחרב2719 חדה2299 בצל6738 ידו3027 החביאני2244 וישׂימני7760 לחץ2671 ברור1305 באשׁפתו827 הסתירני׃5641
