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ISAIAH CHAPTER 53
The incredulity of the Jews: the death of Christ, and the blessed effects thereof, Isa_53:1-11; his exaltation and glory, Isa_53:12.
Who hath believed our report? the prophet having in the three last verses of the former chapter made a general report concerning the great and wonderful humiliation and exaltation of Christ, of which he intended more largely to discourse in this chapter, before he descended to particulars he thought fit to use this preface.
Who, not only of the Gentiles, but even of the Jews, will believe the truth-of what I have said and must say? Few or none. The generality of them will never receive nor believe in such a Messias as this. Thus this place is expounded by Christ himself, Joh_12:38, and by Paul, Rom_10:16. And this premonition was highly necessary, both to caution the Jews that they should not stumble at this stone, and to instruct the Gentiles that they should not be surprised, nor scandalized, nor seduced with their example.
The arm of the Lord; either,
1. The word of God, called the report in the former clause; the doctrine of the gospel, which is expressly called the power of God, 1Co_1:18, because of that admirable virtue and success which accompanied the preaching of it. Or,
2. The Messiah, who also is called the arm or power of God, 1Co_1:24; and that most fitly, because the almighty power of God was both seated in him, and declared and exercised by him in his powerful words and mighty deeds, as Simon for some great works wrought by him was called by the Samaritans the power of God, Act_8:10.
Revealed; not outwardly, for so Christ was revealed and preached to vast numbers, both of Jews and Gentiles, as is evident from this context, arid from divers other places of Scripture; but inwardly and with power to their minds and hearts, of which kind of revelation see Eph_1:17-19, and compare it with 2Co_4:4. Thus even Moses, though sufficiently revealed to the eyes and ears of the Jews, yet is said to be unrevealed or hid from their minds and hearts, 2Co_3:14,15. The sense of the place is, few or none of the Jews will believe the gospel, or receive their Messiah when he comes among them.