no benefit by them: their works are nothing; they can
do nothing, neither good nor evil; nothing is to.be
hoped or feared from them, and the worship given
them is of no avail; nothing is got by it; it is all use-
less and insignificant, yea, pernicious and hurtful:
their molten images are wind and confUsion: though
they are made of cast metal, yet setting aside the costly
matter of which they are made, they are of no more
solidity, efficacy, and. use, than the wind ; and are
like the chaos of the tii'st earth, mere tohu and bohu,
one of which words is here used, without form and
void, having no tbrm of deity on them; and therefore
men are directed to turn themselves from them, and
behold a most glorious Person, worthy of worship and
praise, described in the beginning of the next chapter,
behold my servant, &c.

C H A P. XLlI.

THIS chapter begins with a prophecy concerning
the Messiah, under the character of the servant of the
Lord, and his elect, whom he supported, and was
well-pleased with; whose work is pointed at, and for
which he was well qualified with the spirit without
measure, ver. 1. and is described by his humility and
meekhess, yet. 2. by his tenderness to weak and igno-
rant persons, ver. 3. and by his courage and resolution,
ver. 4. then follow his call to his work, and the seve-
ral parts of it, introduced with setting forth the great-
ness of God that called him, as the Creator of the hea-
vens and of the earth, and of men upon it, ver. 5, 6,
7. whose name is Jehovah, and whose glory is incom-
municable to a creature, and whose knowledge reaches
to future things, which are predicted by him, ver. 8,
9. and then Gentiles are called upon to praise the Lord,
and give glory to him, partly for the above promises
concerning the Messiah, yet. 10, 11, 12. and partly
for the destruction of Iris enemies, vet. 13, 14, 15. and
also for his gracious regard to such who had been blind
and ignorant, ver. 16. the confusion of idolaters is pro-
lahesied of, and an exhortation is given them to make
use of the means of light and knowledge, ver. 17, 1S.
and the blindness, ignorance, and stupidity of the
Jews, are. exposed, though there was a remnant among
them with whom the Lord was well-pleased, for the
sake of the righteousness of his son, vet. 19, 20, o_l.
but as for the body of the people, they were to be
given up to the spoilers and robbers for their sins and
disobedience, and be the butt of the divine wrath and
vengeance, ver. 22, e3, e4,
Ver. 1. Behold my sergeant, whom I uphold, &c.]
The Targum is, "behold my servant the Messiah ;"
and Kimchi on the place says, this is the King Mes-
siah; and so Abarbinel f interprets it of him, and other
Jewish writers, and which is rigtrt; for the prophei
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,
Matt. xii. 17, 18. who is spoken of under the cha-
racter 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 per-
formed; in which he was upheld as man and Media-
tor by his .father, not only in Iris being as man, but
was strengthened and helped in his mediatorial service.
so that he did not sink under the mighty weight of tile
sins of his people, or of the wrath of God: or, wom I
lean upon {g}; as a master on his servant, so Kimchi;
he relied on him to do the work he undertook; he
trusted him with his own glory, and the salvation of
his people. This propbecy is ushered in with a be-
]told; exciting attention to what is said concerning
Christ, as of the greatest importance; directing the.
eye of fidth to him for righteousness and salvation; and
as expressive of admiration at him, that he who was-
the son of God should become a servant, and under-
take the salvation of men: mine elect, in whom my soul
delighteth: this character of elect may respect the
choice of the human nature to the grace of union with
the son of God; which was chosen out from among
the people, and separated from them for that purpose;
and was pre-ordained to be the Lamb slain for the
redemption of man, and appointed to glory; and like-
wise the choice of Christ to office, to be'the Mediator
between God and man; to be the Saviour and Re-
deemer of the Lord's people; to be the Head of the
church, and to be the foundation and the corner-stone
of that spiritual buildi'ng; and to be the Judge of quick
and dead: and with him, as such, was the Lord wall-
pleased, or delighted; with his person; as the son of
God; and with all his chosen, as considered in him;
with what he did as his servant; with the righteous-
ness he wrought out; with the sacrifice he offered up;
and With his sufferings and death, through which
peace and reconciliation were made with God for sin-
ners: I have put my spirit upon him; my Holy Spirit,
as the Targum; not on him as a divine Person, as such
he needed him not; but as man, with which he was
filled without measure at his incarnation, and which
rested upon him, and qualified him for his work and
office, as Prophet, Priest, and King: he shall bring
.forth judgment to the Gentilcs ; the Gospel, the produce
of divine wisdom; the Gospel of God, whose judg-
ment is according to truth; the rule of human judg-
ment in things spiritual and saving, and by which
Christ judges and rules in the hearts of his people;
this he brought forth out of his father's bosom, out
of his own heart, and published it in person to the
Jews, and by his apostles to the Gentiles, who being

{f} Mashmiah Jeshuah, fol. 9. col. 1. 2. Chizzuk Emunah, p. 299.
{g} \^wb Kmta\^ qui innitar, Munster; innitar ei, vel illi, Pagninus,
Calvin; in eo, Montanus.