John Calvin Commentary Isaiah 35:8

"And a highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but is shall be for [the redeemed]: the wayfaring men, yea fools, shall not err [therein]." — Isaiah 35:8 (ASV)

And a path shall be there. Here it is promised to the Jews that they will be allowed to return to their native country, lest, when they were carried into Babylon, they should think that they were led into perpetual banishment.

Yet this statement is, in my opinion, extended much farther by the Prophet. For, as he promised a little before, that there would be plenty and abundance of provisions where there had been barrenness, so now he says that those places where formerly no man dwelt will be occupied with the journeys and habitations of a vast multitude of men.

In short, the whole of Judea will enjoy such harmony and peace with other countries, that men will pass from one country to the other without fear; for where there are no inhabitants, there can be no interaction and no roads. He therefore means that the Jews will carry on interaction and commerce with other nations, after having been brought back and restored to their own land.

And it shall be called, The holy way. Not without reason does the Prophet add that the way shall be holy; for wherever there is a great multitude of men, innumerable vices and corruptions abound. What else is done by a crowd of men than to pollute the land by infecting each other with mutual contagion?

The Prophet therefore means that not only the earth, but also the minds of men are renewed by the kindness of Christ, so that they sanctify the earth which they formerly used to corrupt by their pollution.

Yet what I stated briefly should be remembered: that the Jews, to whom the way will be consecrated, will return to their native country, that they may worship their Redeemer in it in a holy manner. It is as if he had said that the land will be cleansed from the disgraceful rabble of a wicked people, so that it may be inhabited by the true worshippers of God.

The unclean person shall not pass through it. He now adds a more full explanation: for polluted persons will not tread the land which God has set apart for his children. It is as if he had said that the Lord will separate believers in such a manner that they will not be mingled with the reprobate.

This should, unquestionably, be reckoned among the most valuable blessings of the Church; but it is not fulfilled in this life, for both despisers of God and hypocrites rush indiscriminately into the Church and hold a place there. Yet some evidence of this grace becomes visible whenever God, by various methods, cleanses his Church; but the full cleansing of it must be expected at the last day.

Even the worshippers of God, whom he has regenerated by his Spirit, still experience much uncleanness. Though they have been sanctified by God, yet their holiness cannot be perfect; their flesh is not wholly dead, but subdued and restrained so as to obey the Spirit. Now, because the Lord reigns in them and subdues their natural dispositions, they are called Saints on account of that part of them which is the most important.

And he shall be to them one that walketh in the way. This clause has been tortured in various ways by commentators. Some render it, “This will be their road; those who have been used to the road, and those who are unacquainted with it, will not go astray.” Others render it, “This will be the road for the children of Israel, and those who walk will not go astray, though they are unacquainted with it.”

But the demonstrative pronoun הוא, (hu), he, is more correctly, in my opinion, viewed as referring to God. It is as if he had said that God will go before them to lead and direct the way.

And the context absolutely demands it, for it would not be enough to have the way opened up if God did not go before to guide his people. The Prophet therefore extols this inestimable kindness when he represents God as journeying along with his people. For, if he does not point out the road, our feet will always lead us astray, for we are wholly inclined to vanity.

Besides, though the road is near, and though it is plain before our eyes, yet we will not be able to distinguish it from the wrong road. And if we begin to walk in it, our folly will quickly lead us off to the right or to the left.

But the Prophet shows that we will be in no danger of going astray when we follow God as the leader of the way, for he condescends to perform this office. He probably alludes to the history of the first redemption, for at that time God directed his people by means of a cloud by day, and of a pillar of fire by night (Exodus 13:21).

At the same time he points out how necessary it is that God should govern us, by directly charging us with folly, when he adds—

Fools shall not go astray; for those who are wise in their own eyes, and who rely on their own guidance, will be permitted by God to wander in uncertain courses. Therefore, if we wish for him to walk along with us, let us recognize that we need his guidance.

Yet he offers us this most excellent reward: that those who follow him, even though they did not formerly possess any wisdom, will be in no danger of going astray. Yet the Prophet does not mean that believers, after the Lord has taken them by the hand, will be ignorant; but he shows what they are before the Lord becomes their leader.