John Calvin Commentary Isaiah 1:18

"Come now, and let us reason together, saith Jehovah: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool." — Isaiah 1:18 (ASV)

Come now, and let us reason together. The Hebrew word נא (na) is commonly translated I pray, or therefore; but I think that it denotes the confidence of a good cause, and thus is an exhortation: Come. For the Lord declares that the Jews will have nothing to reply, and that, even if they obtain an opportunity of clearing themselves, they will still be speechless. And certainly this is the way hypocrites should be treated, for they boldly enter into disputes with God, and there is no end to their reasonings. Accordingly, he tells them that if they choose to debate, he will be equally prepared.

Perhaps the question will be asked: Why does the Prophet speak chiefly about the second table of the law, and not rather about the worship of God? For we know that there were good reasons why God assigned the foremost place to the first table when he divided the law; and there can be no doubt that, as it comes first in order, so it is also of greater importance. I reply, when the Prophets reprove human hypocrisy, they employ various ways of speaking. Sometimes they complain that the Sabbath has been profaned; sometimes they say that people do not call on God; but for the most part they censure idolatry and raise their voice against superstitions. But here Isaiah complains that their duties towards their neighbors have not been performed.

Still, in all these cases the object is the same: to show that our actions are of no value in the sight of God when they do not proceed from a good conscience and when we are lacking the fear of God. This fear they sometimes denote by “calling on the name of God,” sometimes by “keeping the Sabbath,” and sometimes by other actions; but as the distinction between true worship and hypocrisy is very clearly shown through the duties of brotherly kindness, there are good reasons why the mention of those duties is brought forward by Isaiah.

For hypocrites are careful to perform outward worship and ceremonies, but inwardly they are full of envy, they swell with pride and contempt for their fellow believers, they burn with covetousness and ambition; and while they conceal themselves under these masks, they cannot easily be detected. They must, therefore, be tested by this rule, as by a touchstone, and thus it must be determined whether or not they fear God.

Indeed, we might be deceived if we formed our judgment about a person's godliness only from the second table of the law. But if anyone fulfills the duties of the first table, which are evidences of godliness and of the worship of God, they must then be brought to this standard: Do they act harmlessly towards other people? Do they abstain from every act of injustice? Do they speak truth? Do they live in the exercise of kindness to their fellow believers?

This is the reason why Christ pronounces mercy, judgment, and faith to be the weighty matters of the law (Matthew 23:23), and censures the Pharisees because, in their eagerness about tithes and offerings, they attended only to smaller matters and neglected true righteousness. By faith he means fidelity, or what we commonly call loyalty. By judgment he means every kind of uprightness, when we give to everyone what is theirs, and do not allow others to be injured, but assist them, as far as it is in our power.

But if these are the weighty matters of the law, in what order should we place the commandments of the second table? I answer, they retain their due importance and order; but through those duties which Christ so rigidly demands, and on which he elaborates so extensively, hypocrisy is more fully detected, and we are better able to judge whether a person sincerely fears God or not.

In the same sense, we should understand that passage, I will have mercy and not sacrifice (Hosea 6:6; Matthew 9:13); for mercy is an evidence and proof of true godliness. Again, it is pleasing to God because it is a true demonstration of the love we owe to our fellow human beings; but sacrifices are pleasing to him for a different reason.

It is now, I think, sufficiently clear why the Prophet Isaiah mentions kindness rather than faith or calling upon God, and why the prophets employ such variety in their ways of speaking when they endeavor to bring hypocrites back to the true worship of God and when they instruct them to show it by its fruits.

Though your sins be as scarlet. It is as if he had said that he does not accuse innocent persons and has no wish to enter into controversy, so that the charges he makes against them are not brought forward or maintained without strong necessity. For hypocrites tend to find fault with God, as if he were too severe and could not be appeased at all.

They go still further and offer this excuse for their obstinacy: that it is futile for them to attempt to return to a state of favor with God. If every other resort fails, they still fly to this argument: that it is not proper to make such rigid demands on them, and that even the very best of people have something that needs to be forgiven.

The Prophet anticipates this objection by introducing the Lord speaking in this manner: “For my part, if it is necessary, I do not refuse to dispute with you; for the result will be to show that it is your own obstinacy which prevents a reconciliation from taking place between us. Only bring cleanness of heart, and all controversy between us will be at an end. I would no longer contend with you if you would bring me an upright heart.”

Hence we obtain an extremely comforting declaration: that God does not contend with us as if he wished to pursue our offenses to the utmost. For if we sincerely turn to him, he will immediately return to favor with us, will blot out all remembrance of our sins, and will not demand an account of them.

For he is not like humans who, even for a slight and insignificant offense, often refuse to be reconciled. Indeed, so far is he from giving us reason to complain of his excessive severity, that he is ready to cleanse us and to make us as white as snow.

He is satisfied with cleanness of heart; and if, despite this cleanness of heart, there is any offense, he forgives it and acquits those who have provoked him.