Albert Barnes Commentary Isaiah 42:1

"Behold, my servant, whom I uphold; my chosen, in whom my soul delighteth: I have put my Spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the Gentiles." — Isaiah 42:1 (ASV)

Behold - This word is designed to call attention to the person who is immediately referred to. It is an intimation that the subject is of importance and should command their regard.

My servant - This phrase properly denotes anyone who acknowledges or worships God; anyone who is regarded as serving or obeying Him. It is a term that may be applied to anyone who is esteemed to be a pious man, or who is obedient to the commands of God, and is often applied to the people of God (Genesis 50:17; 1 Chronicles 6:49; 2 Chronicles 24:9; Daniel 6:20; Daniel 9:2; Titus 1:1; James 1:1; 1 Peter 2:16; Revelation 7:3; Revelation 15:3).

The word ‘servant’ may be applied either to Isaiah, Cyrus, or the Messiah. The question of to whom it refers here is to be decided not by the mere use of the term, but by the connection and by the characteristics that are ascribed to him who is here designated as the ‘servant’ of Yahweh. There have been no less than five different views regarding the personage referred to here. Since everything in the interpretation of the whole prophecy in this chapter depends on this question, it is important to briefly examine the opinions that have been entertained.

1. One view has been that it refers to the Jewish people. The translators of the Septuagint evidently regarded it this way. They render it, Ἰακώβ ὁ παῖς μοῦ, κ.τ.λ. (Iakōb ho pais mou, etc.) – ‘Jacob is my servant, I will uphold him; Israel is my chosen one, my soul has embraced him.’

   Jarchi also interprets the passage this way, but modifies it to understand by it ‘the righteous in Israel.’ Among modern interpreters, Rosenmuller, Paulus, and some others adopt this interpretation. The principal reason alleged for this view is that the phrase ‘servant of Yahweh’ is used elsewhere in a collective sense and applied to the Jewish people.

   Rosenmuller appeals particularly to Isaiah 41:8-9, Isaiah 42:19, Isaiah 44:21, Isaiah 45:4, and Isaiah 48:20. He argues that it is to be presumed that the prophet used the phrase in a uniform manner and must therefore be supposed here also to refer to the Jewish people. However, the objections are insuperable.

   1. In Isaiah 42:6, the servant of Yahweh referred to here is plainly distinguished from the people, where God says, ‘I will give you for a covenant of (with) the people.’

   2. The description that the prophet gives here of the character of the ‘servant’ of Yahweh, as meek, mild, gentle, quiet, and humble (Isaiah 42:2–3), is remarkably unlike the character that the prophet elsewhere gives of the people, and is just as remarkably like the character that is everywhere given of the Messiah.

   3. It was not true of the Jewish people that they were appointed, as is said here of the ‘servant’ of God (Isaiah 42:7), to ‘open the blind eyes, and to bring the prisoners out of prison.’ This is evidently applicable only to a teacher, a deliverer, or a guide; and in no sense can it be applied to the collective Jewish people.

2. A second opinion has been that Cyrus was intended by the ‘servant of Yahweh.’ Many Jewish interpreters and not a few German critics have adopted this view. The principal argument for this opinion is that what precedes and what follows relates particularly to Cyrus. An appeal is made particularly to Isaiah 45:1, where he is called the Anointed, and to Isaiah 44:28, where he is called the Shepherd. However, the objections to this view are also obvious.

   1. The name ‘servant of Yahweh,’ it is believed, is nowhere given to Cyrus.

   2. The description here by no means agrees with Cyrus. That he was distinguished for justice and equity is admitted (see the note at Isaiah 41:2), but the expressions used here, that God would ‘put His Spirit upon him, that he should not cry, nor lift up his voice, so that it should be heard in the streets,’ is one that is by no means applicable to a man whose life was spent mainly in the tumults of war, and in the pomp and carnage of battle and conquest. How can this description be applied to a man who trod down nations, subdued kings, and shed rivers of blood?

3. Others suppose that the prophet refers to himself. Among the Jews, Aben Ezra, and among others, Grotius and Döderlein held this opinion. The only reason for this is that in Isaiah 20:3, the name ‘servant of Yahweh’ is given to Isaiah. But the objections to this are plain and insuperable.

   1. Nothing can be urged, as we have seen, from the mere use of the word ‘servant.’

   2. It is inconceivable that a humble prophet like Isaiah should have applied to himself a description expressive of so much importance as is attributed here to the servant of God. How could the establishment of a new covenant with the people of God and the conversion of the pagan nations (Isaiah 42:6–7) be ascribed to Isaiah? And in what sense is it true that he was appointed to open the eyes of the blind and to lead the prisoners from the prison?

4. A fourth opinion, which it may be proper just to notice, is that advocated by Gesenius: that the phrase here refers to the prophets taken collectively. But this opinion is one that scarcely deserves a serious refutation. For:

   1. The name ‘servant of Yahweh’ is never given to any collection of the prophets.

   2. Any such collection of the prophets is a mere creature of the fancy. When did they exist? Who composed the collection? And how could the name ‘servant’ designate them?

   3. Of what collection of people could it be imagined that the description given here could be applied: that such a collection should not strive, nor cry; that it should be a covenant of the people; and that it should be the means of the conversion of the Gentile world?

5. The fifth opinion, therefore, is that it refers to the Messiah. The direct arguments in favor of this, independent of the fact that it is applicable to no other, are so strong as to put it beyond debate. A few of them may be referred to.

   1. This is the interpretation of the Chaldee Paraphrase, which has retained the exposition of the ancient and early Jews: ‘Behold my servant, the Messiah (משׁיתא עבדי – ‛abeddı̂y meshı̂ythâ') I will cause him to come near; my chosen.’

   2. There are such applications of the passage in the New Testament to the Lord Jesus as to leave no room for doubt that, in the view of the sacred writers, the passage had this reference.

      Thus, in Luke 2:32, He is spoken of as ‘a light to lighten the Gentiles’ . In Acts 26:18, Paul speaks of Him as given to the Gentiles, ‘to open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light’ .

      In Matthew 3:17, God says of the Redeemer, ‘This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased,’ – language remarkably similar to the passage before us (Isaiah 42:1), where He says, ‘mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth.’ And the whole inquiry is put to rest by the fact that Matthew (Matthew 12:17–21) expressly and directly applies the passage to the Lord Jesus, and says that it was fulfilled in Him.

   3. It may be added that the entire description is one that is exactly and entirely applicable to the Lord Jesus. It is as applicable as if it had been made after He had appeared among people, and as if it were the language of biography and not of prophecy. It is an exceedingly beautiful and tender description of the Son of God; nor can there be any objection to its application to Him, except what arises from a general purpose not to apply any part of the Old Testament to Him, if it can be avoided.

      I shall regard the passage, therefore, as applicable to Him, and Him alone. I suppose that the design of the Spirit here in introducing this reference to the Messiah is to comfort the hearts of the exiled Jews with the assurance that they must be restored to their own land, because it was from them that the Messiah was to proceed, and from them that the true religion was to be spread around the world.

Whom I uphold - Whom I sustain or protect; that is, who is the object of My affection and care. In Matthew 3:17, the expression is, ‘in whom I am well pleased.’ And so in Matthew 12:18, it is rendered, ‘my servant, whom I have chosen.’

Mine elect - My chosen one; or the one whom I have selected to accomplish My great purposes. It implies that God had designated or appointed Him for the purpose. In Matthew 12:18, it is rendered ‘my beloved.’ It implies that He was the object of divine favor and that God had chosen or appointed Him to perform the work of a Messiah.

In whom My soul delighteth - This language is applied to the Lord Jesus in Matthew 3:17 and Matthew 12:18. God regarded Him as qualified for His work: He approved of what He did; He was well pleased with all His words, thoughts, and plans. The word ‘soul’ here is equivalent to ‘I Myself’ – in whom I delight.

I have put My Spirit upon Him - : ‘For God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him.’ The Lord Jesus was divine, yet as Mediator He is everywhere represented as ‘the anointed’ of God, or as endowed with the influences of the Holy Spirit (compare the note at Isaiah 11:2). See also Isaiah 61:1, where the Messiah says of Himself, ‘The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because He hath anointed me’ . Before He entered upon His public ministry, the Spirit of God descended on Him at His baptism (Matthew 3:17), and in all His work He showed that He was endowed abundantly with that Spirit.

He shall bring forth judgment - The word ‘judgment’ (משפט – mishpâṭ) is used in a great variety of significations.

It properly means judgment, that is, the act of judging (Leviticus 19:15); the place of judgment (Ecclesiastes 3:16); a cause, or suit before a judge (Numbers 28:5); a sentence of a judge (1 Kings 3:28); and from there, guilt or crime for which one is judged (Jeremiah 51:9).

It also means right, rectitude, justice; a law or statute; a claim, privilege, or due; also manner, custom, or fashion; or an ordinance or institution.

Here it is used, probably, in the sense of the order or institution that would be introduced under the Messiah; and it means that He would set up or establish the true religion among the Gentiles.

To the Gentiles - This is one of the many declarations that occur in Isaiah that the Messiah would extend the true religion to pagan nations and that they should be brought to participate in its privileges.