TEXT. 8. He was taken from prison and from judgment *: and cho shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he smitten. 9. And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, because he had done по EXPLANATION. He was taken off illegally, though under colour of justice; and there was no one who was summoned, according to the usual custom, to bear witness to his innocence †; for he was cut off out of the land of the living, and put to death not for his own sins, but for those of my people. And his grave was ap. pointed to be with the wicked, (the malefactors who were crucified with him on Mount In the Great Bible 1566, this is translated, his cause not hearde and without any judgemente. + "And his manner of life who would declare?" Lowth, who quotes Kennicott for the proof, from the Jewish writers, of the existence of such a custom. The Babyloniau Talmud says it was observed in the case of Jesus even for forty days, which the testimony of the Evangelists proves to be false. The custom is explained in Godwyn's" Moses and Aaron," Lib. v.; and more copiously by Lowth in his note on this verse. The last part of this verse is rendered in the old translation 1566, for the transgression of my people, which indeed had deserved that punishment. TEXT. no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth. 10. Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him, he hath put him to grief; when thou shalt make his Soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand §. 11. He * Matt. xxvii. 57. + Who did no sin, mouth. 1 Pet. ii. 22. EXPLANATION. Mount Calvary) but on the contrary, his body was deposited in the tomb of a rich man of Arimathea, named Joseph, an honourable counsellor; wrapped in linen. with valuable spices, as the great and rich were usually buried; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth +. Yet it pleased the Lordthat he should suffer stripes and afflictions: when he shall offer up his own life a sacrifice for sin, he shall see a lasting series of disciples as it were his own offspring, and the will of God shall be executed by him prosperously. Mark xv. 43. He John xix. 39, &e. neither was guile found in his This should be rendered, whose days shall be prolonged. Lowth and Chandler. This 10th verse also is applied to the Messiah by name in the Targum of Jonathan, Prideaux, Connect, Vol. iii. 551, Oct. edit. TEXT. 11, He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied; by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities, 12. Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with (or rather as in the LXX, of) the strong because he hath poured out his soul unto death; and he was пит EXPLANATION. He shall see the success of his labours and sufferings, and shall be satisfied: by the know, ledge of him, by his being mude manifest to the world, shall my righteous servant save and justify many: for he shall bear their iniquities +. Therefore will I enable him to overcome all the great and powerful adver saries of his religion; because he hath willingly surrendered himself to death; and he was included among malefactors, although in reality *Cognitione sui justos reddet." Castalio. Cognitione sui justificabit," Tremell. et Junius. "By the knowledge of him." Lowth. Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree. 1 Pet. ii. 24. "Quoniam objecerit animam suam morti." Castalio. "Pro eo quod profudit in mortem se ipsum. Junius. So we find in the Gospel, I lay down my life.- No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. John x. 17, 18. And there were also two other malefactors (properly, two others being malefactors) led with him to be put to death, TEXT. numbered with the transgressors, and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the trans gressors. EXPLANATION. reality he suffered for the sins of others, and at his death, having no sins of his own for which to pray, he made intercession for sinners †. Such appears to me to be the sense and application of this wonderful oracle; and could any such have been produced in the annals of pagan mythology, written so many years before the events took place, and fulfilled with respect to so many death. Luke xxiii. 32. This prophecy Christ expressly applied to himself; For I say unto you that this that is written must yet be accomplished in me, and he was reckoned among the transgressors: for the things concerning me have an end, (that is, must be accomplished) Luke xxii. 37. * Avopixs. LXX. The synnes of the multitude. Old Version. He ever liveth to make intercession for them. Heb. vi. 25. And more particularly for his murderers them selves; Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. Luke xxiii. 34. In the LXX the conclusion of this prophecy is, και δια τας ανομίας αυτων παρεδόθη, and he was delivered for their iniquities. seemingly seemingly contradictory circumstances, the works of the ancient learned would have resounded with the praise of it. It would have been the theme of every philosopher, and the subject of every poet. But the application of the prophecies to christianity was made by slow degrees. Its first professors were low and illiterate men, and even after they were enabled to speak other languages by the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, it does not appear that they ever made use of gentile learning, (St. Paul perhaps in some few instances excepted) for the spreading of the gospel of Christ. And even St. Paul in general either disdained, or thought it improper, to use the enticing words of men's wisdom. The prophecies themselves were but little known to the gentile world: the Jews separated from all other nations by institutions singularly repulsive, and proud of their descent, of their promises, and of their knowledge of the true God, always considered themselves as a chosen generation, an holy nation, a peculiar people. They |