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28.For I will finish and shorten the matter, etc. (312) Omitting various interpretations, I will state what appears to me to be the real meaning: The Lord will so cut short, and cut off his people, that the residue may seem as it were a consumption, that is, may have the appearance and the vestige of a very great ruin. However, the few who shall remain from the consumption shall be a proof of the work of God’ righteousness, or, what I prefer, shall serve to testify the righteousness of God throughout the world. As word often in Scripture means a thing, the consummated word is put for consumption. Many interpreters have here been grossly mistaken, who have attempted to philosophize with too much refinement; for they have imagined, that the doctrine of the gospel is thus called, because it is, when the ceremonies are cut off, a brief compendium of the law; though the word means on the contrary a consumption. (313) And not only here is an error committed by the translator, but also in Isa_10:22; Isa_28:22; and in Eze_11:13; where it is said, “ ah! Lord God! wilt thou make a completion of the remnant of Israel?” But the Prophets meant to say, “ thou destroy the very remnant with utter destruction?” And this has happened through the ambiguity of the Hebrew word. For as the word, כלה cale, means to finish and to perfect, as well as to consume, this difference has not been sufficiently observed according to the passages in which it occurs.
But Isaiah has not in this instance adopted one word only, but has put down two words, consumption, and termination, or cutting off; so that the affectation of Hebraism in the Greek translator was singularly unseasonable; for to what purpose was it to involve a sentence, in itself clear, in an obscure and figurative language? It may be further added, that Isaiah speaks here hyperbolically; for by consumption he means diminution, such as is wont to be after a remarkable slaughter.
(312) Sermonem enim consummans et abbrevians,” etc .; Λόγον γὰρ etc. It is literally the Septuagint except in two instances: Paul puts in γὰρ and substitutes ἐπὶ τὢς γὢς for ἐν τὣ οἰκουμένὟ ὅλὟ It is a difficult passage in Hebrew: but the following rendering will make it materially consistent with the words of the Apostle, who evidently did not intend to give the words literally.
A destruction, soon executed,
Shall overflow in righteousness;
For completed and soon executed shall it be;
The Lord, Jehovah of hosts, shall do it,
In the midst of the whole land.
The word rendered above “ executed,” means literally, abbreviated or cut short, signifying the quick execution of a thing or work. “ overflow in righteousness,” imports, “shall justly or deservedly overflow.” — Ed.
(313) There are many venerable names in favour of this opinion, such as [Ambrose ] [Chrysostom ] [Augustine ] etc. Not knowing the Hebrew language, they attached a classical meaning to the expression , λόγον συντετμημένον wholly at variance with what the Hebrew means, as [Calvin ] justly observes. The word , συντετμημένον in this passage, as [Schleusner ] says, bears a meaning different from what it has in the classics; it imports what is cut short, that is, quickly executed. — Ed.